Rash(ness)
Just a Penniless Writer

Standard Disclaimer Applies
Author's Plea: I didn't want to, but it simply wouldn't leave me alone and it still didn't come out at all how I wanted. And now there's definitely going to be another part... except that I don't really expect anyone to like this one because its so... there's no Jareth! Come on! What happened!? And what the hell did I do to House?? And the OCs? ARGH! Well, if you can make it through this one, there should be Jareth in the next part.
...enjoy if you can.

Part 2.

Robert knew all too well that House had more than his share of vices, including but not limited to Vicodin, monster trucks, and sarcasm. However, he'd never included stalking in that list, though perhaps he should have considering all the breaking and entering into patients' homes he had facilitated.

"Is that a security tape?"

"Damn. What gave it away: the grainy picture quality or the view of the hallway in the children's wing?"

Robert quite rightly refused to respond to that, instead moving on to the next issue.

"How did you get that?"

"Apparently Pete in security likes the sauce. Someone should really do something about that."

Robert only wished he could one day match that guileless stare and complete sarcastic tone. However, he didn't particularly think he could live with himself if he did.

"What are you hoping to find, exactly?"

"I thought that was obvious."

"I doubt you'll find your answer on that tape."

"No, I've already found plenty of answers on this tape. I just haven't found the answer."

House then proceeded to completely ignore him, which seemed particularly easy while his eyes were glued to the screen. Robert considered switching off the tv, but there wasn't much of a point to get House that angry. After all, they still didn't have a case, and they all dealt with their boredom in different ways.

As Robert sighed and walked away, he admitted to himself that he also hoped House might find whatever it was he was looking for on that tape, as he was sure something important had happened that day.

He just couldn't for the life of him remember it.

Sarah Williams spent enough time in the Aboveground that she had taken it upon herself to buy a condo big enough for herself and her son and just a few miles from her brother.

For a week after the Incident, she had considered selling it and moving far away from the east coast, or, at the very least, just giving up a permanent Aboveground residence and staying in a hotel those days that she and her son were kicked out of the Labyrinth in favor of a runner.

Some days she really hated Underground policy, particularly those days she was stuck away from her King because yet another brat had made an ill timed wished. Perhaps she would have had more compassion had the Rules not forbidden more than two mortals within the realm at one time. She might even have been more forgiving if she wasn't physically tossed out, regardless of what she was doing, the second a wish was made, a fact that had accounted for many an embarrassing encounter.

Altogether, she could admit she was bitter about the whole thing, and it didn't make it any better that her brother and his wife just had to live not far from a certain hospital.

"Yeah, we're at Princeton-Plainsboro. You know which one, right?"

Sarah held back her cursing with the help of a previously unknown source of willpower.

"Yes, I know that one. I'll be right there, once I drop Jared off at Karen's."

"Right. It's just for an hour or so while I go home to clean up. I don't want Kevin to be left alone. You know how it is."

And she did know how it was. When her own son had been in the hospital, it had nearly torn her apart to be away from him while they set his leg. She couldn't begrudge Toby the same concern especially when his son was so very young.

"Thanks, Sarah. I really appreciate it."

"I know, brat. But there'd better be a can of Diet Cola waiting for me. I never get the stuff at home."

"Will do."

With that, she turned off her cell phone and sighed. Sarah loved her baby brother. Otherwise, she wouldn't be agreeing to one long hour in a place where she could very well be spotted for the magician she was connected to.

House was very happy that Cuddy so rarely changed her password into the online administrative files of the hospital. Otherwise, it would be a bit more difficult to find out if and when any Williams were around.

Of course, there was usually at least one. Williams was, unfortunately, a very popular name. Even Sarah Williams was prevalent, though he had yet to find a Jared Williams within several hundred miles. Apparently that name fad hadn't made it to this part of the States.

On this particular day, he was possibly in luck. No Sarah or Jared Williams, but there was a kid, Kevin Williams, brought in by father, Toby Williams, for pneumonia. Not perfect, but possible. He would have to make a visit.

Let it never be said that he didn't visit patients. No one ever said the patients had to be his.

Sarah entered the hospital through a backdoor that had been propped open by a smoking nurse. From there, it was simply a matter of remembering which floor the children's wing resided on and sneaking down the hallway and into the room Toby had mentioned.

"Sis! Thanks for coming!"

"Oh, Toby, you know I can't turn you down."

"Yeah, but it helps that you were around today. Otherwise I'd be waiting here until Kelly managed a flight home."

"You could have called Karen…"

"I know, I know, but mom's still mad that we married so young. I really don't want an argument right now."

"And I always thought it was the step-daughter that was supposed to be annoyed…"

"Ha, ha, very funny." They shared a siblings-in-arms smile before turning back to the matter at hand.

"Well," Toby said, worry in his tone. "The antibiotics are finally working, and I should be able to take him home in the morning, but if I spend one more night in these clothes, he's not going to want anywhere near his smelly dad."

"Go, Brat! We'll be fine here."

"Thanks, Sarah!"

As soon as her brother was out of sight, Sarah went into action. She pulled the door shut most of the way, thanking all that Kevin hadn't been installed in one of those glass fronted rooms that made hiding so difficult. Still paranoid, she pulled the visitor chair far into the corner so that only the edge would be visible from the hallway should the door come open.

Turning then to the bathroom, she did all she could short of using magic to alter her appearance. When she finally walked out, she giggled at the thought of looking like a prudish librarian. If only Jareth could see her now…

Actually, he probably could. She hoped he wasn't laughing too much.

The only remaining problem was that which had started it all: her glittery arms. And to think, she'd once thought the effect was amusing and pretty! Had she known absorbed Underground magic exiting her skin once Aboveground would have caused her so many problems, she would have started investing in body makeup. As it was, she was left with donning a sweater and hoping no one looked too closely at her wrists. At the very least, she was spared from wearing gloves like her would-be husband. The degree of magic that could penetrate hands was strong stuff, and she doubted she had that kind of control yet.

Having done all she could and found she still had another forty-five minutes to wait, Sarah settled into the dislocated visitor chair with a book she'd borrowed from her step-mother. More than a little exhausted from being kicked out of the labyrinth and thrown into this bit of stress, it took only a few minutes before she succumbed to sleep.

Some people found it difficult to be silent while using a cane. House had never had that problem.

Seeing the door was closed and the room was quiet, he leaned his cane against the jam and very slowly pushed the door open.

He didn't really remember what she looked like, other than the abnormal rash on her arm and the fuzzy image the security tape managed to show him. Even then, the woman asleep in the chair was familiar yet strange enough to give him pause. She could be the woman in question or she could be another woman he'd met before. At some point, they all blended together into Unidentifiable Female.

The only way to be sure was to see her arm. Hopefully the rash remained.

Limping to her chair was a stealthy affair, but even more care was put into slowly pushing back the sleeve of her sweater.

Even in the dim light of the room, he could see the tell tale sparkle that seemed to come from the very essence of her skin. The discovery was almost enough to make him crow in victory, but there was still a bit more detective work to do before waking and thoroughly annoying his victim.

He didn't always carry a scrape kit in his pocket, but he did whenever visiting a Williams. For once, this bit of precaution paid off. Once the sample of glittery skin was safely in his pocket, he dropped the act.

"Wake up, crazy lady!"

The woman jumped out of her chair so fast, she almost tripped. However, she recovered quickly and shot him a scathing look. He didn't bat an eye.

"You almost woke my nephew. Have you no decency?"

"Nope. But now that you're here again, perhaps we can get back to that discussion we were having before you gave us the slip last time."

She growled, a sound low in her throat that sounded a bit dangerous.

"Why can't you forget like the rest of them? Why must you be so difficult?"

"I thought you were responsible for that. Not sure how, but I'm sure we'll get to that during our little chat."

"No thank you. I'd rather keep saying half truths."

"They are fun, aren't they? Too bad I won't let you."

"Then I'll just lie."

"Not if you want little Kyle here--"

"Kevin."

"…the kid to get the right treatment."

"You're threatening me? With the health of my nephew? I've met some terrible beings in my life, but you just take the cake."

"Beings? Is that how they say 'people' in your crazy world?"

"I am not telling you anything! That's all I need is to be committed again. Do you know how difficult it is to escape from those places? Worse than a labyrinth!"

"Listen, I don't care about whoever the hell you are. I just want to know about the rash. And the disappearing act. And the forgetting."

"O, so you just want to know everything you can't know."

"I'm not leaving until I get answers."

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Nope." And with that, he settled into the seat she had vacated and proceeded to stare unnervingly at her.

Toby Williams may have been considered a bit young by his mother to marry and start a family, but he was by no means stupid. Thus, when he opened the door to his son's hospital room to find his half-sister trying to keep from acknowledging a strange man staring relentlessly at her, he knew instinctively that trouble was brewing if he didn't manage to diffuse the situation promptly.

"Sarah! Sorry I took so long."

They hugged, and he could just feel the relief emanating from his older sister. Then, he met her eyes and they shared an entire conversation through three select movements of their eyebrows.

"So you'll be off then?" he said with a sigh.

"Afraid so. Some people aren't making it easy to stick around," she responded with a glare in the man's direction. "Next time someone gets sick, can you please take them to another hospital? The doctors here aren't very good."

"I'm an excellent doctor. You're just a terrible patient."

"I was never your patient!"

Both Toby and the man rolled their eyes causing Sarah to sigh in frustration.

"Do you have this covered?" she asked plaintively. He could tell from her voice that she'd had too much, which really was something considering who her sort-of husband was.

"I've got it. Thanks, Sis."

"No problem. I just hope it's been 13 hours."

"Heh, good luck on that."

Without another word and before the strange man could get up from his chair, Sarah took off running through the door and disappeared into the hallway. The man made to follow but was significantly slower due to what looked to be a limp. Even so, had Sarah been anyone else, he would have seen her still in the hallway once he made it to the door.

But Toby already knew she was gone.

"Damn!"

"O, come on, you knew that was going to happen," Toby said with a grin.

The doctor was too busy staring at his bare arm to respond to that.

"Your arm isn't sparkling."

"Why would it be?" Toby responded. "I haven't been Underground in ages."

The doctor just looked at him blankly. Toby found himself taking pity on him. Sarah had always said he was much too soft hearted. With that thought in mind, he took out his wallet and pulled out what looked to be a business card.

"Listen, I'm not supposed to do this, but you seem the type. If you can read this, I would recommend being there. If you can't read it… well, then its best to forget this ever happened."

His kind act for the day done, Toby settled into the displaced visitor chair, picked up Sarah's discarded book, and completely ignored the man. When he finally walked out the door, still staring at the card, Toby couldn't help but smirk.

When House walked into his office, only Chase was present, going over case files in an attempt to find something interesting.

"What does this say to you?" he asked while showing him the business card.

"What do you mean? It's blank."

"Blank… No, not blank."

Not blank at all. While patting the skin scraping still resting safely in his pocket, he read over the words again with a smirk.

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