Disclaimer :- I own nothing accept my own characters. Thanks to everyone that has reviewed and are following the story:)
CHAPTER 2
They took the road south, they stopped at various diners and motels along the way. They had now become accustomed to having one room, not only did it save Wilsons money but it also stopped House from using the wrong name like he had done the first time.
House liked it that way so that he could keep an eye on Wilson. They would need to stop at a bigger town soon- one with a medical centre or clinic, Wilson would need some pain meds and so would he. He watched as Wilson slept, he got a cold wet towel and put in over his own knee, found some ibuprofen in his backpack and took 2, hopefully they would help the swelling of his knee. Then he rummaged in Wilson backpack for the Netbook that he had bought along. He switched it on and begun his search for any new breakthroughs with Thymomas. There was one drug trial that was coming towards the end of its trial and was showing good results, but it was a good 6-8 months away from FDA approval, if only he could get Wilson to hold on that long. He closed the Netbook with a heavy heart – but he would keep searching every chance he got.
The next morning House woke to the smell of Breakfast, Wilson had been up and gone and got them breakfast from McDonalds – not brilliant but atleast it was food. Mmm breakfast on the table, laundry done, bed made, backpack packed – Wilson map reading and it was only 8.30am. Wilson seemed to be on a mission today – maybe he felt worse today, maybe he knew too that this road trip would have to end soon.
He sat at the table in their room with the map laid out. He had decided right from the get go, that they would be doing this the old fashioned way – no technology – they had one cell phone and the netbook for emergency use only.
He found the mountain on the map that he thought would do for what they wanted, it was probably 1 more days drive or maybe less.
House took his time getting up – as he always did – hoping his leg would be a bit better today. He used his cane in the motel rooms – no-one could see. So far so good, atleast he could put some weight on it today. He ate breakfast and they chatted about the mountain hike. House wasn't looking forward to it, but he was more concerned about Wilson he looked like he might be running a fever and left untreated could kill him.
"Why don't we go find a clinic first – I need a refill on pain meds"
"No you don't – there's enough for now – hiking will only take a couple of days – I've got back up supplies if you need them"
"Right ok then, then lets go Sundance!"
Wilson chuckled at the new found nick name and they left the motel.
Wilson lead the way and for the most part he was going over the speed limit, which was something they both agreed they wouldn't do. The last thing either of them wanted was police attention. He obviously wanted to get to that mountain.
They parked their bikes in the parking lot at the bottom of the mountain. House got his cane ready – there was no way he could do it without it – in fact he doubted that he could do it at all – but he would give it a try.
As they got their stuff together House looked at Wilson – he had a different aura around him today. "Hey Wilson – you do realise that this might not go according to plan and without sounding a defeatist I might not actually make it to the top of this mountain"
"I know that…we will go as far as you can, then we'll camp overnight and come back down tomorrow"
Wilson lead the way, there was an easy trail to follow or the hard one – he chose the hard one.
"Wilson! You have got to be kidding me! Neither one of us are healthy enough to do this. Stop being an idiot and lets do the easy one – at least we stand half a chance of doing that one"
Wilson looked at House, but was being very vague, as if he was day dreaming.
"EARTH TO WILSON!"
"What was you saying, I didn't hear you"
"I think we should take the easy trail – that way we might make it"
"mmmm,… right ….. ok then…. The easy way it is then"
They set off on the easy trail, House was rather concerned about Wilson today, he definitely didn't seem like himself.
They decided that if either one needed to take a break then that's what they would do, House thought they'd be there for a week at this rate – they had only hiked a mile so far and both of them had had to take a break. But they kept going.
"Hey Wilson, its going to be dark in about an hour, I think we need to find somewhere to camp"
"No – not yet another half an hour or so and we will be halfway round the trail by then"
"OK but that's it then for tonight – I can't walk much further"
"Yeah you can – your fine its all in your head"
"Whats all in my head?"
"Your pain is… stop complaining and keep moving, we're running out of time!"
"WHAT! WAIT! Where's this coming from? I've done everything you've asked so far, last week you accepted my leg was hurting and put me in a wheelchair for the day … but today its all in my head! I don't get it! The fact that I'm having trouble hiking up a mountain is nothing – I normally just have trouble walking from the car to the hospital – but hiking up a mountain should be fine RIGHT!"
"Yeah well we got a better tour when you were in the wheelchair!"
"Screw you Wilson! …. You can carry on your quest to climb a mountain. I'm staying here, my knee and my ankle are already swollen, so I will camp here for tonight and tomorrow I'm going to the nearest big town to find a medical centre….."
"I though we were doing this together – but when the tough gets going – Gregory House bails – I thought you were my friend"
"Really! Is it my fault that the one friend you have, has a bum leg and has had trouble walking for the past 15 years and that I am actually only doing this for you and your bucket list" House looked at Wilson and softened his look and voice " I know we're running out of time, I can see it too, but there's nothing I can do about it. I cant make your cancer go away anymore than I can make my leg work properly – it is was it is and I cannot go any further, If you want to go further up the mountain then that's fine., I'll wait for you at bottom" House lowered his head and limped off to the a clearing to camp in for the night.
Wilson walked off to continue his mountain climb, after about 10 minutes he stopped and sat on a log – he was out of breath again and felt quite hot too "damn it, I cant be getting a fever in the middle of this" He sat still for a little while then as he got up, he went a little dizzie and sat back down. He got back up slowly this time and decided to head back to where House would be – he wasn't meant to be doing this on his own.
He found House easily. He walked over to him and stood rubbig the back of his neck "you're right and I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said, I'm grateful for everything your doing and we do need to find a medical centre or a clinic – I think I have a fever coming"
House look up at Wilson and nodded his head. They were good again.
House woke up with a start, he looked around to orientate himself, then turned himself over and as soon as he did the pain in his leg was immense and not just in his thigh either. But that wasn't what woke him up. He managed to turn over to Wilson, that's when he saw Wilson shivering and making noises in his sleep, he moved his body over to Wilson and felt his forehead, he was sweating and shivering – he definitely had a fever.
"WILSON! Wilson come on you gotta wake up " there was no response "Wilson, come on"
"Oh shit! Wilson wheres the emergency cell phone" still no response. House manoeuvred himself to get Wilsons back pack, he rummaged around and found the cell phone. He had no option but to ring 911, there was no way he could get Wilson back down the mountain on his own.
"We need an ambulance, we are halfway up Bluebell Mountain"
"Hang on Sir and I will patch you through to the mountain rescue team"
"Hi sir my name is Marcy what is your situation?"
"We are half way up Bluebell Mountain on the easy trail and we took the badger pathway to a clearing to camp out for the night. My friend has cancer and he has a fever, he is sweaty and shivering and I can't wake him up – but he is making noises. I also twisted my knee last night before we camped and now its like a balloon and I cant put any weight on it"
"OK, we will get the rescue teams upto you now – about 10mins ok "
"OK"
House stayed sitting on the floor, but he rolled up his bed and packed their stuff away and put his foldaway cane away aswell. Everything was done by the time the rescue team got there.
"Hi I'm Marcy – whats your name?"
"D…Gerry Shoregudo and this is Dr James Wilson" said House pointing to Wilson. "He has cancer and he is running fever"
"And what about you, what did you do?"
"I have twisted my knee on my right leg, but I also have an old ski injury that is also playing up and now I can't put any weight on it – but get him sorted first"
"the other team will see to Dr Wilson, is he on any medication"
"Both of our medical records are here in this back pack and yes he is on medication" Marcy gave him a funny look when he pulled our the medical records " We've been travelling for the last 6 weeks and knew we would need our medical records"
2 guys got Wilson transported onto a stretcher and 2 others came over to House. They went to help him up but he brushed them off " I can get up non my own thanks – just cant walk!" and with that he did a very practised hop up and then winced as he tried to put some weight on his foot.
"OK – let us take your weight, we have a rescue vehicle waiting out on the pathway"
Marcy gathered all their belongings together and followed them to the vehicles, they put Wilson in one and sped off quickly, then House got in the other one.
"We will be taking you to the local medical centre – they have very good services there – I don't think we need to take you to the city"
"NO – we'll be find at the local medical centre, as long as they have anti-biotics and anti-inflammatories we'll be good"
"Are you a doctor too?"
"Not now – I was along time ago"
"Are you staying somewhere local?"
"No we've been travelling for about 6 or 7 weeks – so no we don't have somewhere to stay"
"OK, well if they keep Dr Wilson in, there's a small town north of the centre called Somerton or to the east there is a bigger town called Nowhere"
"What? There's actually a place called Nowhere?"
"Yeah it's a nice town actually – its where I live" said Marcy with a chuckle.
"Cool"
"How did you get here"
"Oh shit! Our bikes are still in the parking lot at the bottom of the mountain."
"They'll be ok there – no-one will steal them around here. Once you've found somewhere to stay give this guy a ring and he'll collect them for you " She said giving him a number,
"Thanks"
They were at the medical centre within about 10 minutes. They had already rushed Wilson to the exam room. House had to stay at reception to fill in the forms.
"Bye – Gerry – hope Dr Wilson gets better soon " Said Marcy as she was leaving,
House nodded at her.
Once he had filled in all the paperwork he asked if he could go be with Wilson, he wanted to make sure they were giving him the necessary treatment. They said he could and found him a wheelchair to sit in as he couldn't put any weight on his leg and he refused to let them treat him until he had seen Wilson.
He stayed with Wilson until he was sure they had done everything that they could and then he went to get his knee looked at – although he already knew what the problem was.
"Hey – Gerry- can I examine your leg now?"
House frowned at him "Its just twisted and swollen - I already have an injury to my thigh and this just made it worse"
"OK well I'll need to examine it to determine what treatment and painkillers to give you. I see from your records on your Gabapentin – do you have any on you"
"No – I don't" He had actually used up all the pain meds he had doing the hike.
"Ok – lets sort that our first and then some anti-inflammatories" he went off to the pharmacy and came back with the meds.
"Right take these painkillers first as they are already prescribed for you" He also gave him a bagel and some water " best to eat first though"
While House was eating the bagel and taking his meds, the young doctor was reading his medical records more thoroughly "Wow! How have you managed to ride a bike for the last 6 weeks with damage like that to your thigh?"
"Its not that bad, only plays up occasionally"
"OK" said the doctor not believing a word that was said, but it was none of his business. He wasn't drug seeking and he had full medial insurance and records. "lets take a look at how bad the knee is – we might have to put a brace on it!"
"NO! it will be fine with some cold packs and anti-inflammorties and some rest. Can you give me some crutches so I can get out of here and go be with Wilson"
The doctor looked at House again – mmm he was obviously used to this he thought, there was no reason why he couldn't just give him what he wanted. Who was he to interfere.
"ok, here you go - just a thought – Dr Wilson is going to be in here for a few days, we hold an open physio session every afternoon from 1-4pm you should come along – it might do you good"
House frowned "No thanks" and took the crutches and got off the exam table in a very practised motion. He went and found Wilson – he was just about to be moved to his own room.
They had been at the medical centre all day. House hadn't left Wilson's bedside, it was now 8pm in the evening and Wilson was stable, the fever hadn't got any more. House heard a noise from behind him "Hi Gerry – its Marcy – Hows Dr Wilson "
"I think hes gonna be ok, the fever hasn't got any worse"
"And you?"
"Got some cool pain meds and crutches – I'm fine"
"Do you want me to give you a lift into town to get a room for the night"
"NO thanks, I'm staying right here"
"OK – I'll drop by tomorrow to see how he is"
House just nodded.
5 minutes later the young doctor came by "Hey – hows our patient doing"
"He's stable, fever doesn't seem to be getting any worse, a few days of Anti-biotics and he should be fine"
The young doctor just looked at House. "Are you a doctor too?"
"NO! not now – was along time ago but the knowledge doesn't go away"
"I know this is being nosey, but is he THE DR WILSON – head of oncology at Princeton Plainsboro!"
Oh Shit ! thought House
"erm…yeah... I guess said he was…. We met on the road about 6 weeks ago and he said he had just left his job at Princeton"
"Wow! I cant believe hes got cancer of all things"
"yeah" said House sadly
"By the way my names Tony – we don't use the formal terminology around here. I'll be back in the morning to check on Dr Wilson, but if anything happens in the night they'll page me"
"Thanks …. Tony " Said House moving around in the chair trying his best to keep a straight face and be nice, and as he did he winced as he moved his leg.
The young doctor went out and a few minutes later a nurse came in, with 2 pillows a blanket and some cold packs. She gave House the supplies and smiled at him "Just press the buzza if you need anything else and we'll be having pizza in about half an hour if your hungry – I'll come get you"
House just smiled to himself, it was the first time a nurse had ever extended an invitation to him or even been nice to him – they definitely didn't know who he was!
