Chapter 10: Normality

Four weeks later, things were returning to normal again. Chris' mother had returned home, after making sure her daughter was going to be fine and trading a few old stories with House. He had to admit, he was glad when she left. They had nothing much in common.

Chris had just left the hospital and the day after, at the court hearing, the judge had decided that the case of the murder of Jason Bourne was obviously self-defence and didn't prosecute.

Authors Note: Yes, I used that name on purpose! This is for all the Bourne(book)-fans who sometimes wonder if a person with that predisposition to schizophrenia and violence wouldn't have been better off dead, before he met his first wife... Err, Uhm, and yes, I do know this messes up the timeline, but hey... that why they call it fiction... :-)

House had Chris' appartment cleaned by some firm, so that she could move in again without any reminder of what had happened. She didn't seem to mind anyway. The only reaction she had given to the death of her former boyfriend was „Better him, than me".

Typically Housian way of (not) dealing with things, Wilson had thought when he heard about it.

Cameron had tried to get all teary and supportive towards Chris and House, but given up rather quickly, defeated by the House- treatment of complete ignorance from both of them. Chase, as House had predicted to himself, had looked dumbfounded at the revelation of the Greg-Chris family connection. And Foreman, also predictably, had let off some platitudes and otherwise kept his thoughts to himself.

Because she had missed the last four weeks of her internship, Chris was initally worried she'd have to postpone her exams again. „If this goes on, I'll be a grandma before I graduate..." (She secretely regretted being so lazy in the past years.) But then she managed to get a five-week internship at the pediatrics-department, starting 2 weeks later; and Cuddy agreed to add them together, should Chris manage to finish this one without getting herself killed...

Completely unrelated to the House family-life, Chase and Cameron had started to date. Both being lonely and unable to forget that night of meaningless, drugged up sex, they decided to give it a try.

Things had calmed down and the days slipped by as usual. Until the day that Cuddy forced House to give another diagnostics lecture.

He limped onto the stage, his face screwed up, his mood as low as could be. He could feel a headache building up and popped a Vicodin, just to be on the safe side.
He eyed the auditorium, a hall full of expectant faces, half of them stupid enough, they should be forbidden to study medicine. He wished he had someone around to bet with.

„Ok," he started, „lets have some fun... two patients, presenting with a pain in the leg." he decided to give roughly the same lecture, as two years ago, hoping the students who had listened to the last one had finished by now. He'd probably just leave out his own case this time... His headache seemed to be getting worse.

He grinned to himself, „First one... Angelina Jolie ... was admitted after a beach-volleyball game."

„You treated Angelina Jolie?" someone piped up immediatly. House rolled his eyes,

„No. I just like to fantasize about her. Anyway, second patient ... middle aged man ..."

„How about Brad Pitt." that voice sounded familiar.

„Who said that?" House squinted into the seats. A hand rose into the air and he saw a grinning face. Oh, great, he thought, just what he needed. He frowned at Chris.

„Alright..." he stopped, a grin spreading across his face, „the third patient..."

„What happened to the second patient?"

„Forget the second patient, we'll get to him later. The third patient, Brad Pitt, presented with pain in his right thigh muscle..." If she wanted it, she'd get it... he thought savagely, continuing the lecture.

„So, you think you're a second Brad Pitt." Chris confronted her father after the lecture.

„No. I just did that, so you couldn't fantasize about him, because you knew it was me who was behind the pretty face." he retorted victoriously, raising his eyebrows.

„Ha.Ha. Wanna go get lunch?"

Chapter 11 A: New Developments

The lyrics in this chapter are from the song „Summer Wine" performed by Ville Valo and Natalia... (can't remember her last name). Don't own it... etc.

The following weeks, House and Chris developed a visiting pattern. They would usually meet at Monday (because Chris' Uni started late the next day) and Saturday evening, having dinner together and watching tv or chatting, before one of them went home, late at night.

House actually gave Chris the key to his appartment one day, so she could let herself in when he was late. That meant, two people had access to his place now, considering Wilson, who still had his key from the time he lived with House. Strangely enough, it didn't bother him much.

On one Wednesday, House invited Wilson home for a few beers and a football match and Wilson agreed.

House was opening the appartment door when he heard strange sounds from within. He turned to Wilson, who shrugged, and silently pushed the door open. They sounds turned out to be the voice of a woman, singing in House's kitchen. The two men stood in the doorway, listening to the sweet sounds.

Strawberries, cherries and an angels kiss in spring,

my summer wine is really made from all these things.

Take off your silver spurs and help me pass the time

and I will give to you summer wine.

They listened, transfixed. It took House a while to notice that it was his daughter who was singing. He shot a sideways glance at Wilson and saw that he too seemed to be spellbound, staring dreamily into space. He definetly didn't like that expression, when it was his own daughter who conjured it on his friends face. He nudged Wilson hard in the ribs and shouted:

„Chris! Is that you? I brought Wilson!"

The singing stopped. Wilson frowned, disappointed. Chris appeared in the doorway, smiling.

„Hi Greg. Hope you don't mind my breaking in unanounced. I just had the undeniable urge to do some cooking, and you know my kitchen... it's even worse than yours. There's enough for three" She added acknowledging Wilson's presence.

The rest of the evening House kept a sharp eye on the oncologist. Did he imagine it, or was there something new in the way Wilson looked at his daughter?

The rest of the chapter ist going to come soon. You can probably imagine in which direction we're going... For all the non-fluffy-people out there, I'll try to keep it down. But please continue reading, as I've just had a brillant idea... (well maybe not brilliant... but anyhoo...)