Here With Me, a house, m.d. fanfic

A/N: This is my first songfic, please give me your honest opinion about it. I've never done this before! Also, there is some dialogue from Sex Kills and a few other episodes… I changed it around a little to make it fit. Just so you know.

Disclaimer: These characters ain't mine, I'm just borrowing them for a while. The song ain't mine either. That belongs to the lovely Michelle Branch.

HERE WITH ME

Rain pelted hard against the windows. Thunder crashed outside. It should have made his ears ring, but it didn't. Only the words she spoke, her heart-wrenching confession, rang in his ears, echoed in the dim light of the foyer and seemed to ricochet off the walls of his brain.

"I'm seeing someone else. I'm having an affair."

With those few words, spoken so definitively, he knew; knew that it was over. For the third time.

"Julie…" he approached her, but she turned away. "Why?" The question hung there, like the rain clouds outside. Wilson wasn't the victim; not totally. He wasn't innocent, either. He had left for home earlier than usual with the intention of telling her the he'd been having an affair. But the tables had turned. She told him.

"I'm lonely, James," she said. "You're never home. I never see you. I can't remember the last time that we spent time together, just the two of us. You're like a ghost. I'm… I'm just lonely."

"Julie, you know I'm a doctor," said Wilson, surprised that he was almost pleading with her. "You knew when you married me that I wouldn't always be home on time. It's not a nine to five job."

She turned again, so that her back was facing him.

"I didn't realize that you'd never be home." she said, then paused before turning to face her husband again. This time, she looked into his eyes, her own eyes shining with unshed tears.

"I think you should leave."

She noticed, sadly, that he didn't hesitate, despite the look on his face. He went upstairs and packed a suitcase. Then he came back downstairs to the foyer, put on his coat, grabbed his umbrella and walked out, without even glancing back one last time.

Julie's fists were clenched at her sides and when the door latched behind him, she relaxed them. She looked at her reflection in the mirror that hung in the hallway and suddenly, hated who she saw in it. She had more age lines than a woman her age should've had and she looked tired and worn. She wondered if she had done the right thing.

It's been a long, long time since I looked into the mirror

I guess that I was blind

Now my reflection's getting clearer

Now that you're gone things will never be the same again

It was almost unbelievable that neither of them had said a word to try and stop what had seemed inevitable. But maybe it was for the best.

Julie looked down at her engagement and wedding rings, a symbol of the bond she had once shared with James Wilson. A bond that had been shattered. Never again would she wake-up to find that he had not come home the night before. Never again would she awake to him actually coming home, extremely late or in the wee small hours of morning. Never again would she snuggle up against his warm body, only to push away because she could smell another woman's perfume all over him. And never again would she work all day to put together a romantic, candlelit dinner, only to let it get cold, since he didn't come home in time. She was through with him. The only thing left were the raw sores of an aching heart. Why, why couldn't she get him out of her head?

There's not a minute that goes by every hour of every day

You're such a part of me

But I just pulled away

Well I'm not the same girl

You used to know

I wish I said the words I never showed

She looked at the door, half-expecting him to walk back through it. But he didn't. And he never would again. She loved James Wilson. She did. A hot tear rolled down her cheek, realizing that now, she was a woman facing the harsh realities of loneliness. Why did she let him go?

I know you had to go away

I died just a little and I feel it now

You're the one I need

I believe that I would cry just a little

Just to have you back now

Here with me

The only place Wilson had to go was to House's apartment. He knew his friend wouldn't let him down. And maybe, just maybe, House's sarcasm and cynicism could help him forget what had just happened.

Wilson knocked on the door and House answered moments later, wearing a pullover sweater, his cane at his right side.

"Could I stay with you for a few days?" Wilson asked.

"You idiot." said House, shaking his head at his friend. "You told her."

"She told me," Wilson corrected and House stared at him, stunned. "Things have been crappy at home, lately. I figured I wasn't spending enough time with her. I figured…" He sighed, angrily. "Turns out you were right, it's always about sex. She's been having an affair." It didn't feel as good to say as Wilson had thought it would.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, then House moved back to let his friend inside.

"Want a beer?" asked House, closing the door behind Wilson.

Wilson smiled and nodded. He put his suitcase down next to the couch, took off his overcoat and scarf and made himself comfortable on what would be his bed for the next few days. House joined him, handing him a newly opened bottle of beer. Wilson knew he couldn't drink the events away, but hanging out with House was just what he needed. He knew that House wouldn't ask if he wanted to talk about it and Wilson really didn't feel like talking about it anyway.

But when they had finally retired for the night, the misery of the evening still haunted Wilson, even after three beers. House's apartment was pitch black and eerily and uncomfortably silent.

You know that silence is loud when all you hear is your heart

And I wanted so badly just to be a part

Of something strong and true

But I was scared and left it all behind

Wilson loved Julie. He did. A hot tear rolled down his cheek and he covered his face with trembling hands and gave vent to the agony of his loss. Why did he let her go?

I know you had to go away

I died just a little and I feel it now

You're the one I need

I believe that I would cry just a little

Just to have you back now

Here with me

Julie sat staring at the front door for hours even though it was blatantly obvious that her husband was not coming back through it. Terrible regrets assailed her. And, in desperation, she called out for him.

"James, please, please come back."

And I'm asking

And I'm wanting you to come back to me

Please

She had told him to leave and he did. It seemed like a long time since he had actually listened to her. It was ironic. The one time Julie would have preferred he didn't listen, he had. He'd heard every cold word.

"I think you should leave."

Julie went upstairs to the bedroom she once shared with Wilson, though lately, neither of them had been in it very much. She put on her nightgown and once again, looked at her engagement ring and wedding band. Moistening her finger, she slid the rings off and placed them in her side table drawer. At least now she could see Jason without feeling guilty, now that Wilson was gone, even though she would never forget the dark cloud that had settled on his features; the way his eyes turned black and the cold frown of hurt and anguish on his lips.

I never will forget the look upon

Your face

How you turned away and left

Without a trace

But I understand that you did what you had to do

And I thank you

She lay in the very large bed, alone and thinking. Thinking about all she had lost in just one night. The harder she tried to ignore the truth, that Wilson was gone, the more it persisted. She needed time to let it sink in. To try and erase him from her memory. But she never could, not completely. He had given her so much of everything but himself. She loved James Wilson. She did.

I know you had to go away

I died just a little and I feel it now

You're the one I need

I believe that I would cry just a little

Just to have you back now

Here with me

Wilson's stay at House's apartment was short-lived. House seemed to be trying to make Wilson as miserable as he always felt and Wilson was fed-up with it. He was always having to clean up after House, putting up with his pranks (even though Wilson had paid him back), House expecting him to cook all the meals and stealing Wilson's lunch everyday. He felt like House was deliberately trying to make him leave. There was the time House had hung his stethoscope over the door handle , forcing Wilson to wait outside for hours. Then he found out that House was erasing messages left for him about the possibilities of a new apartment.

"You gotten a lawyer yet?" House asked one day. "You even called one? As long as you're here, it just a fight. As soon as you get a place, then it's divorce. But you're not going anywhere. You're going to sit on my couch and depress us both because you just can't admit that it's over with your wife."

Wilson knew that House was at least half-right. He'd hoped it had only been a fight; had hoped Julie would call him, for she had to know that he was staying with House. But she hadn't. So it was true. It really was over.

Wilson did eventually call a lawyer and left soon after that. House was sad to see Wilson go, even though he didn't show it. He was left to be lonely and miserable all by himself again. Why did he always manage to push people away? House cared about his best friend, James Wilson. He did.

I know you had to go away

I died just a little and I feel it now

You're the one I need

I believe that I would cry just a little

Just to have you back now

Here with me

End

A/N: What did you think of the last part… the main chorus pertaining to House? I thought I had a pretty good idea there. It wasn't meant as slash, it was a friendship thing only!