7/2/2008
Disclaimer: I don't own the song "When The Sand Runs Out". It's sung by country group Rascal Flatts, from their CD "Feels Like Today". I don't own House, Wilson, Amber or Cuddy, Chase, Cameron, or Foreman David Shore does.
Rated T Please R&R!
A/N: New Romance, Established Relationship and AU. I'm also taking liberties with Wilson's age. Wilson/Amber Established Relationship and character death.
A/N 2: Character Death. Part 1 of a 3 part series.
The rain that House felt on his skin was cold; the sky was dark with heavy gray clouds. House wore a pair of blue jeans, his black leather riding jacket, his Nike Shox, a black button down dress shirt with a navy blue t-shirt underneath, a black baseball cap with the insignia of the Rolling Stones on the front and his ever present cane. House was surrounded by Cuddy, Foreman, Chase, Cameron, Wilson's ex-wives, various doctors and staff from PPTH and a large number of patients and their families whom Wilson had helped over the years, as well as the rabbi who conducted the service. House looked on as the rabbi spoke, not hearing a single word that was spoken. It was unbelievable to House that Wilson, his best friend was dead. Wilson was a middle aged man of 45 and he had died of a stroke.
As the rabbi spoke, House reflected on the life of his best friend and everything that Wilson had taught him. Even though Wilson was a very well known oncologist, and had helped many patients and their families over the years, his personal life wasn't as glamorous. He had had three failed marriages and recently his girlfriend, Amber whom he loved dearly and deeply had died. Wilson was the kind of guy who could help those around him-his patients but when it came to helping himself in his personal life, the oncologist was at a loss.
House thought back to all of the things that Wilson had taught him. Wilson had taught House the true meaning of friendship when Wilson had stuck by House during the whole Tritter fiasco. House smiled as he recalled the many holidays they spent together sitting at House's apartment, eating Chinese takeout, drinking alcohol, laughing and talking. Wilson had taught House the meaning of practical jokes when Cuddy had been on the receiving end of one. Of course Cuddy had blamed House, while Wilson looked on grinning at Cuddy chewing out House, but she would never know that it was Wilson that had been the master mind behind it all.
I spent the morning
at an old friend's grave
Flowers and Amazing Grace, he was a good
man
He spent his whole life spinnin' his wheels
Never knowin'
how the real thing feels
He never took a chance or took the time
to dance
And I stood there thinking as I said goodbye
Today's
the first day of the rest of my life
Chorus:
I'm
gonna stop lookin' back and start movin' on
And learn how to face
my fears
Love with all of my heart, make my mark
I wanna leave
something here
Go out on a ledge, with out any net
That's what
I'm gonna be about
Yeah I wanna be runnin'
When the sand runs
out
On a serious note, House thought, Wilson had taught House how to make the most of each day, and to love another person with all of your heart, just like Wilson had loved Amber. House was determined to keep the memory of his best friend alive, and if nothing else, love another person like Wilson had loved Amber. Speaking of love, there was one thing that Wilson knew about House that no one else knew, was that House, who was known for his antisocial behavior and non existent bedside manner was completely in love with Lisa Cuddy. House had told Wilson he had been in love with Cuddy ever since they attended med school together, but he was too chicken to act upon his feelings. Plus House knew that Cuddy didn't feel the same way. Wilson told House that he would never know what could happen if he didn't try. Wilson's death had made House even more determined to tell Cuddy how he felt and pray to a God that he didn't believe in that Cuddy felt the same way about him as he felt about her.
'Cause people do it
everyday
Promise themselves they're gonna change
I've been
there, but I'm changin' from the inside out
That was then and this
is now
I'm a new man, yeah, I'm a brand new man
And when they
carve my stone they'll write these words
"Here lies a man who
lived life for all that its worth"
House didn't notice the service ending, the mourners getting in their cars and leaving nor the rain that still continued to fall in buckets. Nor did he feel Cuddy take his hold of his hand and gently squeeze it. House stood there in the rain at the graveside of his best friend for hours, mourning Wilson in his own way. House had never been one to show his emotions, but as he stood there in the rain, he told Wilson everything he wished he had told him when he was alive.
Soaked to the skin, despite wearing a leather jacket, and feeling very hungry, but also feeling determined, but nervous he set out to do the last things that Wilson had taught him. He was going to tell Lisa Cuddy how he felt, that he loved her. House left the graveside and slowly limped towards his bike, started it and headed as fast as the weather would allow him to where the wake was being held, which was at PPTH in one of the many conference rooms.
House made it to PPTH and to the conference room in record time in spite of the weather. His shoes squeaked as he walked soaking wet and dripping into the conference room. Everyone looked at him in disgust, Cuddy who had been the first to see him walk in, hurried over to him and whispered harshly, "Could you at least dry off before walking in here?" she asked, her eyes glaring at him. House replied, "Do you see me carrying a towel Cuddles?" House just grinned at her and she sighed in annoyance and left him standing there. Minutes later, she came back and handed him a towel which he used to dry off and then hand back to her, it was very wet. Cuddy once again glared at House and took the towel back to where she found it and then she returned to the guests and mingled with them.
While Cuddy ran around doing her thing, House found himself sitting at the open bar that had been set up, after all who goes to a wake and doesn't have a drink or two? Or in House's case 8 drinks. 8 drinks for House was nothing, he had a high tolerance for alcohol. Many hours had passed and many of the guests had left. The only ones left were House, Cuddy, the bartender, and the janitor. Cuddy found House at the bar telling the bartender all of the crazy antics of his now dead best friend.
Cuddy paid House's tab and grabbed House's arm and said "I think you've had enough House, let's get you home." 'God know I knew how Wilson must've felt, all those times he had to drive House home' Cuddy thought as she helped House gather his cane and himself and together they went, although it was more like Cuddy pulled a slightly drunk House along with her to her car. It was still raining outside and they made it back to Cuddy's apartment safely. Once again dripping wet, House entered Cuddy's apartment as soon as she unlocked the door and headed towards where she kept the wine. Cuddy meanwhile too had managed to get soaking wet because she had forgotten her umbrella in her office, luckily she used House's jacket unbeknownst to him as partial shield from the rain.
Just as Cuddy was putting her things away, House had raided her wine cabinet and sat on her couch drinking wine from the bottle, and getting her couch all wet. Cuddy walked in on and this and yelled at him for it. House in return made a comment on how she looked like drown rat, albeit a very sexy drown rat. Cuddy just rolled her eyes and went into her bedroom to change into sweatpants and an old t-shirt. For House, Cuddy brought out the biggest pair of sweatpants she could find and an old t-shirt. Who knew Cuddy's sweats would and did fit House? Wonders never cease. After changing into warmer clothes, they sat down together, although it was more like House forced Cuddy verbally to sit down and have a few drinks.
(Repeat Chorus)
Bridge:
And as a
cold wind blows across the grave yard
I think I hear the voice of
my old friend whisper in my ear
(Repeat Chorus)
I wanna be
runnin'
When the sand runs out
Ooo yes I do
Many drinks and hours later, both House and Cuddy were more than a bit drunk. They laughed and talked about Wilson's life, and House told Cuddy some of the crazy antics that Wilson had done. It was a good time had by both. Somehow the topic had changed and now they were talking about random things. Suddenly, House, out of nowhere leaned over to where Cuddy was sitting and kissed her deeply. He broke the kiss and said "Lisa Cuddy, I love you."
"How drunk are you House?" she asked with shock over what just happened. She could still feel the taste of the wine and his lips on hers and jolt of electricity that was sent down her body as soon as he kissed her. "I've had a lot worse Cuddles, trust me" he grinned at her as he leaned over to try and kiss her again, but she pushed him away. He just grinned again at her. Cuddy was shocked, she couldn't believe that House had just kissed her like that and also that he declared his love for her. She sat there for a few moments trying her best to be annoyed at House for what he had done, while her body was screaming for more.
House took this opportunity to speak even though he was drunk. "Look Cuddles, I love you, ever since med school I've loved you. I know I'm a pain in the neck to deal with and I bend the rules to suit my needs, but I do it just to see you get all hot and bothered. It's sexy to see you get all angry. I love you also because you have determination and the brains to run a hospital like PPTH and deal with me and plus you wear all of those sexy tight power suits, it's easier to see 'the girls' that way" he grinned and looked at her leeringly.
Cuddy couldn't believe once again what she was hearing, she was speechless and not many things or people did that, House being one of them. Cuddy sat across from House with her mouth open like a gaping fish, but she quickly regained her senses, and closed her mouth. It wasn't often that House ever shared his feelings much less say he loved someone. House couldn't believe it himself.
"C'mon Cuddles say something!" he said as he took another drink of wine. Cuddy cleared her throat, took a drink of wine and spoke. "To say I'm shocked House doesn't begin to cover it. You say and do things I wish I myself could do, that's what I love about you. Yes you cost me almost 1 million dollars a year in lawsuits, but then what would I do without you? Don't answer that! I too have loved you since med school; you've taught me so much about being a doctor and a human being. Plus you look damn sexy in those jeans and blue button down rumpled dress shirts you wear." Cuddy grinned back at House and then leaned over and kissed him as he had kissed her. Now it was House's turn to be shocked.
After the kiss ended, they ended up leaving the couch, bringing the bottle of wine and headed towards Cuddy's bedroom where they made love all night long despite being drunk. The life of Cuddy and House as a couple, had just begun.