Chapter two.
Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, they really helped motivate me to continue on with this story. Again I don't own any of the characters, I'm not intending to copy anything, just want to tell a story. And warnings for swearing.
Thanks for reading!
The white envelope crackled as it was turned over and over in Wilson's hands. He didn't have the courage to open it. If House didn't make it this time…these would be some of the last words he gave to the world. And Wilson didn't think he deserved to read them.
It was hectic tonight, the hospital. He could have sat in Cuddy's office, or his own, but he chose to stick it out on the hard red plastic chairs. That way he was closer to House and further from reality. He should have predicted it really. But he thought that a Chinese and some beer would stop anything like that before it started. Typical that he was late. Or maybe House was early? Early to drop out of Earth. He did look for stupid things to do with himself- electrocution just to prove a point being a prime example.
Fuck.
What an idiot. He should have gone around sooner, before House had the chance to… Maybe they could have talked. House wouldn't have done it with Wilson there. But he might have done it after Wilson left. So it was lucky really, wasn't it that he had walked in soon after House had… Lucky he'd had a key, and had chosen that night. Was it luck? He'd fucked up as a friend. As a supposed "best" friend. And House had fucked him over too. That wasn't fair. House was just too stubborn to talk to anybody about anything. Other than crude remarks and sarcastic jives, he didn't exactly have heart to hearts. He was too clever for his own good, it left him thinking that he was okay as a one man machine, when he clearly wasn't. Or Wilson wouldn't be sitting there, crumpling a piece of paper he was afraid to open. He smoothed out the crinkles carefully and put the envelope in his jacket pocket, too tired to hear that noise anymore.
Nurses in scrubs ran back and forth, doctors checked charts with wise expressions, phones rang, announcements were heard, and he… well, he just sat there, observing. Wilson felt something soft go down his cheek and put his hand to his face. Great. He was crying. He wiped away the unwelcome tears and put both his hands over his face. Leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees, he allowed himself to feel the exhaustion seeping into his body. And he closed his eyes, sighing softly at the magnificent mess he was in.
"Doctor Wilson…? Uh, sir are you okay? Doctor Wilson?"
Wilson opened his eyes slowly, blinking as the white hospital light hit them. In front of him stood a young woman in a lab coat, and she was nervously shifting her weight from leg to leg.
"Doctor Wilson?"
He nodded softly, still adjusting to the waking world. She seemed relieved that she'd woken who she was supposed to, and carried on in a high pitched voice that screamed "Newbie."
"Sir, um, Doctor House has you listed as his next of Kin... We um, just need you to fill in some forms and um, he's okay." She shook her head, as if trying to erase what she'd just slipped out.
"I mean, he's in a stable condition, we, he, he's okay now." She pulled the forms off the clipboard clumsily and passed them to him with shaky hands. She smiled a half smile that didn't reassure him in any way, turned around and walked quickly away, looking as if any minute she would break into a sprint.
Wilson looked at the paper in his hands, and groaned quietly. He stood up, put the forms down on the chair to his left and got a pen from the nurse's station before he sat down and began to fill out details about House that House didn't know Wilson knew.
He crushed the envelope, just to know it was still in his hand, and tentatively stepped through the doorway. He'd been watching through the glass for about an hour as his friend slept, not daring to go in and disturb the only bit of peace House got. But he needed to sit down, and he needed to watch House, wait for him to wake up. Wilson needed to know he was okay. He hadn't seen Cuddy since the paramedics had taken House off into the emergency unit, Cuddy followed, Wilson got told to sit down and stay put. Why wasn't she in here?
Wilson stared out of the window at the leaves dancing in the wind. Soaring into the air only to be brought crashing back down to earth. He couldn't help but wonder if that was how House would feel when he woke up…Like he'd been robbed of the chance to fly away from the world. He'd be grumpy that was for sure.
Wilson looked at his friends face. He seemed so much, older than before. Like he'd suddenly aged 30 years overnight. Wilson looked around the oxygen mask and tubes to see that his hair was peppered with grey flecks, and his skin was wrinkled and pale. A bruise had blossomed on his cheek from the impact of hitting the floor. He looked weak for once. No witty retorts to this one. No way. Wilson wasn't going to let him hide this time, look at what had happened. The machine beeped evenly, measuring the heart rate of an unconscious man. And condensation came and went inside the plastic container over House's lips.
He sighed, and rubbed his eyes with a weary fist. Yawning, he allowed his eyes to wander around the room, taking it all in. Funny, he was so used to being in these rooms, but he'd never properly looked at one before. It wasn't that exciting really. Sterile. But exciting wasn't its purpose, it was there to heal the sick. That said, a few cushions on the visitor chair would have been nice. Wilson turned on the TV to try and keep himself awake, letting voices and music and adverts wash over him as a distraction.
"You shouldn't watch this crap you know" croaked a small voice from behind him.
Wilson's eyes shot over to the bed and he swivelled around to see his friend. House had taken off the oxygen mask and was trying to speak again. Wilson poured him some water and hastily, but carefully poured it into House's mouth.
House smiled crookedly "Read my mind" Wilson laughed quietly. House took a moment with the oxygen mask again before closing his eyes with tiredness. Wilsons face suddenly dropped in seriousness, not quite able to pretend he wasn't here with his suicidal best friend. He couldn't jump in heavily just yet though, House wouldn't respond well. But, on the other hand, House had nowhere to go… Maybe it was the perfect time to ask.
"House, I..." Wilson fiddled with the edge of the envelope, the music from an advert playing in the background.
"Don't." Came the blunt response. House still had his eyes closed, but the tone of his voice made it clear he wasn't playing games.
"House I need to know. I need to know Why. Why you…"
"You know why James. So don't." With that House Put the mask on again and made it clear that there would be no more talking that night.
Wilson sighed, turned around and fixed his eyes on the screen, tears blurring his already compromised
