Reach Out
Ice
The shadows were beginning to disappear from the November ground when the snow began to fall upon Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. House was on the verge of an epiphany sparked from the repetitious bouncing of his tennis ball from the wall to his hand when Wilson walked into his office.
"So where is your team? Did they finally wake up and realize they'd be better off on the janitorial staff than to be trapped under the puppet master's thumbs?" Wilson asked, mildly poking at his friend who seemed almost down underneath the stress of the case.
"Wow. Thanks, Chuckles. From now on when I need a laugh, I'll definitely remember to look for you. Oh, wait. I already do." House replied, ball still maintaining its motions.
"Foreman and Cameron have left for the day. Chase is probably just finishing up his last clinic rounds." House added after a brief point of silence.
"The snow is really starting to come down. I can't believe Christmas is almost here again, already." Wilson commented.
"It's arguably the most useless time of the calendar year. But before you get all preachy and sentimental, I'll spare you the lecture as to why it is so. Shouldn't you be more focused on the non-Christian holidays though?" House asked, taking yet another stab at his friend's Jewish heritage.
Wilson smiled, amused, "You know I'm very secular. If I weren't, I don't think I'd be as tolerant for most everything that comes out of that opinionated mouth of yours."
"Oh, you're more than tolerant of me. You love me and you know it." House said, dropping his ball on his desk and making a move to stand and leave.
Wilson got up to follow him, shaking his head as he did so. "Whatever you say, House."
When they got to their cars, they agreed to drive back to Wilson's place for dinner as a change of scenery. Wilson stopped by a nearby pizza parlor and picked up a large pizza for them both to share. Meanwhile, House had let himself into Wilson's hotel room, and, after deeming the liquor supply insufficient, went back out to find something worth their while.
House returned, with two cases in hand, and Wilson simply nodded, having already guessed why House had taken this long to arrive. Wilson came back from washing his hands to find House already deleting everything on his TiVo at random. "House, this may come as a shock to you, but my TiVo doesn't revolve around you and your tastes. That's what yours does."
"Yea, but all of this isn't really watchable by anyone's standards, let alone just mine." House said in a matter of fact tone, without pausing to look up at Wilson.
House dropped the remote and turned off the television in defeat, and looked to Wilson who had sat next to him on the bed, beer and pizza in hand. "What do you want to do now?"
Wilson shrugged. "I don't know. We could always talk." Wilson looked over at House, waiting to be insulted.
House rose to this expectation and replied, "So this was your plan all along. Invite me back to your crappy hotel room where there is nothing to watch out of your poor selection on TiVo, so in the end I'd be forced to talk to you."
"When you say it like that, it sounds devious and horrible. Really, though. Is talking with me that painful?" Wilson asked honestly, hoping for an honest answer.
House looked at him as he chewed, and, was just on the cusp of sarcastically smacking Wilson upside the head when he caught his eye. Something in the back of his mind told him to let this one slide. "No. It's not. What do you want to talk about?"
Wilson looked at House with a stunned expression. "What? You're being serious, aren't you?"
"Yes. I don't have to tell you how rarely these come around, so don't waste it. What's on your mind?" House said, resuming his beer consumption.
"Nothing specifically. Met anyone lately?" Wilson asked, taking another bite.
"You mean am I dating someone? No, not really. You've found a woman haven't you?" House reversed.
"No, I have not." Wilson said, getting up to throw his plate away.
When Wilson sat back down, House asked "Then what's with this line of questioning?"
"I was just wondering if you were going to be bringing someone to the New Years party at the hospital." Wilson said, nonchalantly.
"Yea, as if I'd go to that willingly. I don't even know when it is. Who are you going with?" House said.
"It's at nine on the 31st, and I'm not going with anyone, yet. What are you doing for Christmas this year?" Wilson asked watching House throw his plate and glass away.
"Let's see. I'll be drinking, playing the piano, watching bad tv, and sleeping." House asked, conversationally.
"You can't be alone on Christmas, House. Why do you always do this kind of thing to yourself?" Wilson asked, becoming emotional.
"Why do people think that? Yes. I can be alone on Christmas. And the snow will fall, the sun will rise, and the world keeps on spinning. Besides, it's not like I have…" House caught himself from admitting anything that might give the impression that he cared.
When Wilson saw that House had no intention of finishing what he was going to say, he sighed and softly said, "I'm really sorry you feel that way."
House turned safely away from Wilson's disappointed eyes before inquiring what Wilson's plans for the holidays were. "So what are you going to be up to for Christmas?"
"Well, I was thinking about spending it with people here, but now I'm going to accept my family's invitation this year." Wilson said, even-toned.
"People, what people?" House curiously questioned.
"Friends." Wilson replied simply.
House didn't press any further, and, in truth, House didn't want to hear the details of Wilson befriending better society. He looked down at his watch, and rose slowly. Wilson looked up, composure completely restored to his face, and asked, "What're you doing?"
"I think I should be getting home. The snow isn't going to be letting up any time soon." House said. He turned around before adding, "Thanks for the company. I'll see you at work, Monday."
"It's no problem at all, House. Please, be careful." Wilson said, rising to let House out and lock up behind him.
"Don't worry. 'Night." House said, stepping out into the hallway.
"House." Wilson said, giving House pause as he turned back for one last look, waiting for Wilson to finish.
"You're welcome to come," Wilson told House as he held his gaze. When House was still silent, he clarified, "To my parents' house for Hanukkah."
House sighed and cleared his throat before saying, "Goodnight, Wilson."
With that, House turned and headed toward the elevator. Wilson returned to his room and sat on his bed, and tried for the rest of the night not to think about the hurt he felt with regard to House's dismissal of him.