Warning: I do not own any of the House characters!
House looked at his best friend. Wilson was shivering and pale. They had had many, many stupid ideas, but none was ever as stupid as this. Wilson had never taken a risk like this. Sure, his friend had nearly lost his career after stepping up for him a few years ago against the whole hospital board and Vogler. He also had delivered half of his liver to some jerk. But he never had taken the risk of dying next to House, in his apartment to a treatment he had always given to people. House stood up and limped to the kitchen, looking at the few painkillers on the sideboard. His leg was killing him, but he had to keep the pills for Wilson. His friend shouldn't be in tpain. He could handle the pain and give Wilson the painkillers. Hopefully.
Wilson murmured something. House looked out of the kitchen, realizing he was talking in his sleep, although it was more likely he was raving from the fever.
"Woo, relax buddy. Entertainment is on the way,'' House mumbled. He turned back to the sideboard, his hand hovering over the pills. His leg was getting really, really bad.
Wilson moaned again, and House pulled his hand back.
"Okay, okay. Your pills. Relax."
He grabbed his cane again and limped back to the living room, sitting down in the sofa in front of Wilson, rubbing his fingers over his eyes. It wasn't just his leg killing him. It was also the fact that he had to wait. He had to wait for his friend to wake up and keep waiting for what the cancer would do to him, or even wait until he died.
The doorbell rang, and House limped to the door, opening it.
"You wanted to have some holiday fun?" A slim blonde stripper leaned against the doorpost, with a brunette behind her.
"Come in and join the party!"
House stepped aside, and both ladies stepped into his gloomy apartment.
''What...is this? A corpse?'' the blonde asked, frowning when she saw Wilson.
''Not yet. But he's paying, so you better make this his best holiday ever.'' House smirked, holding a stash of cash.
The blonde stripper looked confused.
''We are going to take some pictures, in case you're wondering. Now, your sweetheart hooker colleague is wearing a bikini, so she can pass for a holiday photo shoot, but there is something for you in the bedroom down the hall.''
She pulled her lip up; ''What? I don't do commercial photo shoots.'' She looked at Karamel. ''You know I don't do photos. You said they were friends.''
'''They are. Go change. '' The brunette stripper looked at Wilson.
''I don't remember hiring you before.'' House frowned, and the brunette looked at him.''I miss the nasty smell of chemical strawberry that kills young wombats, that's all.'' House smiled . Karamel shook her head, smiling wryly as well, and she looked at Wilson.
' 'Do I even need to ask what you did to him?''
'
'He did this to himself. I'm just the person making sure he isn't going to die on my couch. That leads to nasty stains and it smells awful.''
Karamel kneeled down next to Wilson.
''Is that...chemo?'' she asked, frowning at the bags before looking back at House.
''My grandpa had to go through chemo. Is James going to die?''
''Don't ask me. He's the oncologist, not me.''
''Does he have cancer?''
''Well, it's not pure tequila in those bags, I can tell you.''
The blonde stripper came back and House grabbed the remote for the radio, putting a Latino song on. The strippers frowned.
''Well, it is a holiday party after all.''
''Inflatable palm trees. Really?''
'There's also whiskey.'' House smiled as they did a few moves to the music, and Karamel retrieved the bottle.
''Well, then, let's get this holiday party started.''
The blonde stripper walked out, and Karamel sat down in a chair in front of House.
''Can I smoke in here?''
''No.'' House put a shot of whiskey in front of her.
''What are you going to do with those pictures?''
House smirked.
''Put an inappropriate Journey tune under it, put it on standby on his laptop and scaring the living out of him - so to speak.''
''It is so nice, it doesn't even sound like you.''
House smirked again.
''Maybe it is nice, if he finally can remember a party… He didn't remember either bachelor party.''
House shook his head, remembering Cuddy telling him the police had arrested Wilson after finding him on the street, trying to find his house after leaving with his pants around his ankles.
'I think the last time I saw you was at that bachelor party. Or I mean, the last time I saw Willy. You were like gone...the whole night.''
House took another sip of whiskey, thinking about that bachelor party. Usually, he was with the hallucination of a dead co-worker in the bathtub, killing his fellow at the same time.
''I think I almost killed that guy. He was cute though. Is he still married, or didn't he marry after...well...that party?'' Karamel giggled.
''No, he's not married anymore.''
''Can I have his phone number?''
House rolled with his eyes and shook his head.
''He recently did it with a nun. I think you're the opposite of what he wants. Besides, why stop with what you're good at?''
Karamel rolled her eyes.
''Well, I wasn't planning to be a stripper all my life.''
House stood up, limping to the kitchen. He stirred through the large pan of soup, hoping that Wilson would wake up soon and maybe even would want to eat some. He got more worried every minute about his friend.
''You're worried about him.''
House looked back at Karamel.
`''Am I? Caring's not really a word in my dictionary.''
Karamel shook her head.
''I can see it in your face. James is your friend. You do care, and you are worried.''
House shook his head, pouring his glass full of whiskey again.
''I can't believe I'm having this conversation with a stripper. Mayfield would take me back.''
Karamel walked back to the living room.
''Yeah, imagine that. You care about your best and only friend.''
''He is not my only friend. I mean, I can also pay you.''
''But you won't care about me. You do care about him.''
House stood up again, limping to the kitchen and returning with another bottle of whiskey.
''So, you're just drowning your worries and cares?''
''Maybe, does it work?''
Karamel shook her head.
''I should go.''
She bowed forward, hugging him, and the smell of caramel filled his senses.
''Just care for your friend, okay? Find it in your dictionary. I'm only distracting you.'' She gave him a small smile and then walked out of the apartment, shutting the front door with a loud smack.
House sat down next to Wilson on the couch.
Immediately, now his company had left, the worries took their grasp over him again. The temptation to stand up and grab the Vicodin was there again. For a second he doubted long enough to get up, but, mad, he took another sip of whiskey, rubbing it over his lips.
Wilson groaned and House limped to the couch, kneeling down next to him and fighting the pain.
''Buddy, you're here with me?''
Carefully, he shook Wilson's shoulder.
''Am I dead... yet?'' Wilson groaned while sweat streamed down his forehead.
''You wish.''
''Is it morning...yet?''
House grabbed his friend's hand, holding it as the only person he had carried through life seemed to slip away.
''Almost. Carry on, okay?''
Wilson coughed again, and House was only barely in time to pull him on his side and hold the bucket under his head.
''What did I say about the Vicodin being a gift?''
''I wish...it was over.''
''No, you can't pass out on me. Not right now.''
Wilson coughed again.
''Look for another...oncologist friend. I heard Dr. Wegner...'' Wilson hoarsely whispered.
''He's an ass. He's boring, just like cancer. House told him[S1] .
''You can't pass out on my. You're my buddy.''
''Search...somebody else who'll share his sandwich.''
''But nobody else can stand me.''
''I can't stand you either...I just manage.''
House let go of a wry smile.
''Just go to sleep now. The pain will be over soon.''
Wilson opened his eyes for a second.
''Thank you.''
''I'm not letting you die. I'm just letting you sleep.''
Wilson smiled for the fraction of a second and then he was was gone again. House slowly stood up, going to the kitchen where he looked at the few pills left in the cupboard. No. He had to save them for his friend.
Slowly House and Wilson walked out of the elevator, knowing that they were never going to talk about this weekend again. House remembered more than Wilson, but they both knew they weren't going to say anything. Wilson looked better than he did the day before, but House hoped he could pull through the day. Slowly, he looked into his office, his fellows already waiting there, each reading a file.
''See you at lunch.'' Wilson walked into the office.
With a deep sigh, James Wilson walked into his office and over to his desk, where his laptop was waiting for him. He hoped he didn't have much mail, so he could sleep until his first appointment.
Wilson pressed the spacebar. How was he going to get through the day like this? He had to tell people they were dying, while he was dying himself.
''ANY WAY YOU WANT IT, THAT'S THE WAY YOU…''
Thunderstruck, Wilson looked at his laptop screen, squinting as he saw the pictures changing on the screen. He laughed he looked as the pictures. Spring Break 2012. The video stopped as it finished and he pressed pause again, pausing every picture and continued and he looked up when the portal wall suddenly opened, revealing House's team frowning at him.
''I thought you threw the remote out.'' Chase frowned.
''Next time I'll throw you out.''
House limped to the couch, climbing over with a lot of effort. He closed the portal again.
''The hallway or the balcony wasn't spectacular enough?''
''Not after a Journey song.''
House sat down in the chair in front of Wilson.
''Was that Karamel?'' Wilson frowned, scrolling through the pictures. His fingers went back and forth and with a smile on his face he looked at the pictures.
''No, this one actually tasted like caramel.''
NOTE: First of all, big thanks to my BETA for making the story grammatically correct!
Thank you for reading it, I hope you liked it! I thought the stripper in the show that appeared in the episode should have been Karamel, because she also knew James Wilson. Again, I hope you enjoyed and please leave a review about you though about it before you go!