Another House fanfic! This one is a continuation of the story "Life's Harsh and Sweet Lessons", and in the series I have dubbed "Love in the Time of the Midlife Crisis." If someone has already used that name, let me know and I'll junk it for a new one. Just so you are aware I am not following the show's complete plot/ending (House never ends in my universe, though I alter its own world to my fancy..bwaahahahaah). In my stories, Cuddy is still Hospital Administrator, Wilson is healthy, and House is...well...still House. Hope you like!
Love,
Citrine Rain
Nestled deep within the heart of New Jersey, the Garden State, laid two great institutions. One, Princeton University, a top Ivy League College where many bright young minds attended to further their education and futures. The second, Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, a strongly regarded medical facility that not only gave way to many high tech innovations in the world of healing, but where many graduates from Princeton desired to study if their passions lay in health after receiving their PhD.
Though for some, studying at Princeton can be a blessing and a curse. If you were chosen to work under a well renowned doctor with a passion not only for medicine, but for the patient in all aspects of their physical and emotional state then the student was lucky. If you were chosen to work under Diagnostician Gregory House, the student was lucky to finish their term with their sanity still intact.
And this is where the story begins.
"Oh God where is he now?"
"I have a few guesses and none of them being here."
"Fantastic, and of course we have a patient."
Three frazzled doctors sat in the glass confined conference room, upset that their head doctor was of course nowhere to be found, not that wasn't uncommon for the brash doctor. Brilliant though he was, his personality was something to be much desired.
"Well Taub, what are your guesses?" African American neurologist Eric Foreman asked the stout, dark haired cosmetic surgeon.
"Bar, bike, or home." Christopher Taub said counting off his fingers.
"Well, it's too early, even for him, to be in a bar." Dr. Remy Hadley said, rubbing her forehead in frustration.
"And God knows where he could have gone on his bike, especially if he is on a quest." Foreman responded. "I asked Chase if he had seen him, but he's been in the OR all day."
Chase was another doctor who had worked under Dr. House and still maintained contact with he and the team. A skilled young surgeon who House teased mercilessly for everything from his hair to Australian accent.
"And Wilson?" Taub chimed in.
"Has the day off." Hadley said.
And then the ideas hit.
"Well thank you all for the mental image." Taub said. "Looks like I'm skipping lunch today."
Meanwhile...
"Greg for God sake get back to the hospital!"
"Mmm...nope."
"Well at least tell your team where you are."
"And have them catch us in a compromising position! Why James how getting kinky!"
The man named James rolled his eyes.
"We wouldn't be in this compromising position had a certain someone decided to molest me while I was taking a nap."
"Like you didn't enjoy it!"
Dr. James Wilson, infamous Head of Oncology at Princeton Plainsboro, looked over at the long, lean body sprawled across his own broad one and sighed. A treasured day of peace to himself had indeed been disrupted when his lover decided that his lunch break would be better spent at home for an afternoon delight rather than munching on mystery casserole in the hospital cafeteria. Needless to say, James at first fought off the advances but eventually succumbed when the kisses and caresses sent messages to other places besides the logical portion of his brain.
Then again, when your lover is Dr. Gregory House, logic has a tendency to go out the window.
He then looked over at House who just by looking into his cerulean eyes was grimacing in pain. He turned over and rubbed his right thigh.
"Your leg okay?" James asked placing a warm hand on House's back. "Need anything?"
Greg grinned over his shoulder.
"Another round, absolutely!" He said with a sly grin. "Come to papa!"
James couldn't contain his laughter as he was once again pounced on. Greg of course could try to pretend that his right leg, half useless and now chronically painful due to a blood cot years earlier, wasn't affecting him. James knew better. Throughout their twenty year friendship, made more intimate half a year before, James had learned when to push and when to give in. And right now, as Greg laved warm yet beard scruffy kisses all over his neck, James knew this was a give in time.
"You sure you don't want to call your team." James gasped as he moved his arms up and down Greg's back only to come back and grasp at the brown and grey curls. "Cuddy could also try to hunt you down."
Dr. Lisa Cuddy was the hospital administrator aka their boss.
Greg stopped his ministrations to lean up and look right into James's puppy dog brown eyes. The man may have been nearing his mid forties, but one would never guess with those eyes, full hair and color to match such eyes, and a boyish smile.
"I unplugged all the phones, turned off our cells, shut the blinds, and even hid my motorcycle and your car. Trust me, no one is disturbing us, not even those mutts in the living room and the hacking shag rug also known as your ugly ass cat. Now shut up and tongue me."
How could James say no to that?
A few miles away at Princeton..
"Okay I think we just need a few more tables set up and add a few extra chairs for viewers and we should be ready."
"How many organizations are coming again?"
"Twelve, half of them bringing animals from all over the tri-state area. Thank God Princeton has a large enough arena. "
"Think it's going to be a long night?"
Manhattan Veterinarian Nurse Jenna Lispin adjusted her glasses as she thought quickly.
"I don't think so." She said to the volunteer. "The event is not until tomorrow afternoon, as long as we arrive early enough in the morning to finish up we should be ready to go."
The young volunteer sighed happily as it was Friday, his classes done for the day and now it was time to party.
Jenna too had plans. She was thinking of surprising some doctors she had befriended last year at Princeton Plainsboro and hopefully if they were not all busy, go out for dinner and drinks. She was deeply curious about how the relationship between a certain oncologist and a certain diagnostician had been going since they had ventured into her vet office not so long ago. Their visit at culminated into the adoption of two puppies bore from the mother pit bull they had rescued, deep conversation, and surprising discoveries. Definitely a weekend to remember.
Now she was back in town helping to host an animal rescue and abuse awareness event at Princeton University making it the perfect opportunity to visit.
"Damn."
Jenna looked up to see a student struggling with a projector. She walked over to inspect.
"Must have blown a fuse or something." Jenna said looking at it. "Anymore around here?"
"There should be one in the storage closet down the hall." Another volunteer responded.
"I can get it!" Jenna said. "It's the one right near the exit right?"
The student nodded.
"Okay, you guys can head out. I'll take care of it and then get going myself! See you tomorrow!"
The students left. Jenna looked about the room and smiled at its set up. Almost done. She then strolled out. When she got to the large storage room and entered, the door swung behind her. After a bit of searching she found the overhead projector she was looking for and reached for the cart. She then heard the door open and close again. Thinking it was one of the students, she turned around to greet them, but instead was met with black as something crashed aside her head!
Shocked, Jenna fell backwards clutching her skull, but opened her eyes just in time to see silver approaching her. Realizing it was a knife Jenna turned her body away just as the knife slid across her neck and collarbone. Jenna tried to stand up but was too dizzy. She felt her ribs explode in pain as booted foot attacked. Now sprawled on the floor, she saw the knife heading towards her. Once again she turned and felt the knife dig into her side. Tears of agony left her eyes. She tried to scream but fear clutched at her. Gathering what little strength she had, she lifted her leg and kicked the arm that held the knife. The knife went skittering to the ground and the figure cursed in anger. Jenna tried to sit up again but then felt another kick to her body. Before another blow could be dealt Jenna mustered the last of her energy by grabbing the offending leg and sending the body with it crashing down aside her. Jenna trying to fight unconsciousness, started to crawl towards the door, but felt a pair of arms grab her from behind and pull her away. Jenna whimpered for them to stop, but lost when she felt another hit to her head.
Unable to fight it, Jenna fell into darkness.
