Title: Death of a Friend

Summary: Sequel to The Inner Child. MUST READ TO UNDERSTAND

AN: These are a series of shorts that follow The Inner Child. Each one is it's own story, but rather that list them that way I'm listing them as chapters in this story Childhood Redux, which is actually the name of the series sequel. Got that?

Robbie had entered into the school system in the middle of the year so joining the footy team was out of the question unless a player suffered an injury. Even though he was looking forward to the next season and playing in refereed game, Robbie was enjoying being close to House after school and there was always a pick up game going Saturdays in the park. He was bent over some English homework when a man came in. He was wild and disheveled, three days growth of beard like House, but it didn't look quite as purposeful, more like an afterthought. "Which one of you is House?"

"Skinny brunet."

"No that's Dr. Cameron." Robbie felt a frisson of fear shoot through him. It couldn't explain it, but there was something off about this guy, House picked up on it too, or at least his unease. Standing up Robbie looked around him, used to assessing areas for weapons, projectiles or shields. He watched incredulously as the man lifted a gun and Robbie quickly kicked his ball in the air and aimed it at the intruder.

"Everyone down!" Robbie cried out not waiting to see if his soccer ball flew true. Moving quickly he dumped over the metal table and ducked behind it as a loud bang echoed in the room. Glancing over the top, he couldn't believe that he was the only one that seemed to be moving. The gunman seemed a bit shocked that House wasn't being offered to him on a platter and those two drongos1 of House's were just standing there. House himself just stood there shocked. Spotting the ball rolling by after bouncing off the gunman, Robbie glances about and quickly ducks out, snatching his ammo up and sending it back toward the loon with the gun. Again not waiting, Robbie instead reached for House's arm and tugged him behind his makeshift barrier and hissing at the two other doctors, "get down!"

Another shot rang out pinging off the table, and that seemed to galvanize Foreman and Cameron who quickly took cover with House and Robbie. "What's the plan?" Foreman hissed.

Robbie rolled his eyes. "That loon's already shot two bullets. The gun only holds six. Plus security is bound to be on the way. All we have to do is hang on for a few more minutes."

"Yeah well," another shot echoes and they all stare at the dent in the table, "I don't think we're going to last that long."

Robbie pulled out a pocket knife and angled it to reflect directly over the table. House, still reeling from shock, could only watch in disbelief, completely gobsmacked2 at the whole thing.

Robbie eyes widening reached for his fallen book bag and abruptly swung it up and over the table. Listening, they all flinched as a yell and gun shot sounded. Then to everyone's relief they heard two sequential shouts of "freeze!" and they were gasping for air. Foreman made to stand up but Robbie, placed a hand on his knee and shook his head. Frowning Foreman followed Robbie's order, well really it was more like a suggestion. There were some clicking noises and House was about to die from not knowing what was going on when he heard, "Okay it's clear."

Everyone stood up and surveyed the damage. Robbie's book bag had a prominent hole going through it and there were papers all over the floor from where Robbie had over turned it, the white board was tipped on it's side and part of the patients symptoms smudged. They watched as the rent-a-cop (House as a thank you, vowed to never call them that to their faces again, as well as some of his personal favorites like fakin' bacon, monkey's with guns, blue boys, little boys in blue...perhaps he should send a fruit basket as well) cuffed and led the lunatic screaming down the hall. Guy kept yelling about how he was righting some big evil, mission from God or some such crap. Robbie was much too concerned with his soccer ball.

House, tearing his eyes away from the corridor that the guard and gunman had disappeared down looked back at the other security guard. "Did you call Cuddy?" The guard nodded and looking at his two fellows, he could tell that they were okay too. Those lab coats might be itchy but they certainly did show blood well.

Now that the smaller inconsequential things were taken care of he could focus on Robbie without being interrupted. Turning House located the young boy kneeling on the ground, rocking something in his arms. Approaching slowly House finally got a good look and realized it was Robbie's soccer ball, somehow in the scuffle it got shot and had come apart. House levered himself down next to Robbie, wincing, knowing that he would be in for a rough night from his leg. "Hey, Kiddo." Robbie looked up tears streaming down his face

"It's gone. Destroyed." House reached out and gathered Robbie to him, leaning against the wall to support them he felt when Robbie let go and really started to sob. House rubbed up and down Robbie's back, muttering about how he would get him a new ball, nicer, that everything would be okay, that he was okay. Robbie was really going now and House was seriously worried about Robbie's reaction. He had been so calm during the whole thing, so brave and now he seemed completely broken. House knew that it wasn't really the ball, but what the ball meant to Robbie.

That soccer ball was the first thing that House had ever bought Robbie, something that Robbie had clung to and carried with him everywhere at first because it was the first thing he'd owned in his new life. Probably his first present in a long time. House continued to rub Robbie's back and felt Robbie starting to slow down, finally calming. House looked up as Cuddy came storming in heels clicking violently on the tiled floor. Shooting her a warning glance, hoping that she would catch on and realize that shouting would be heavily frowned upon. Catching her eye explained in short clipped words what had happened and what Robbie had done. House watched as Cuddy's face went from outrage to shock to awe. House felt something prickling at his heart and finally realized it was pride. Robbie had done that. Robbie had saved them and saved him. Robbie, was riding his own emotional roller coaster and wasn't really paying attention to what House and Cuddy were saying, and he slowly drifted into sniffing, House could feel him becoming sleep heavy and shifted a bit restlessly under the weight. He could feel his leg starting to stiffen and quietly asked Cuddy to get Wilson.

House sighed in relief when Wilson came up five minutes later. Robbie was well and truly asleep and House was loath to wake him. With just a few glances House and Wilson seemed to communicate an entire plan because without speaking Wilson leaned down and lifted Robbie from House's arms and waited patiently for House to unfold himself from the floor.

Walking out Cuddy knew she should stop him, wait for the cops to show up so they could give their statements, but she also knew that House wouldn't be stopped unless armed forces were brought into the equation. She sighed in exasperation, she knew that House's attitude would come back to bite them all but she never really thought it would be quite so dramatic or such bad publicity.

1 Drongo : a dope, stupid person

2 Gobsmacked : surprised, astounded