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House and Wilson met at home again just in time to argue about who would provide lunch that day. House finally decided that he would order and Wilson would pay. A fair share of duties was important.
An hour later the diagnostician enjoyed his meal while Wilson poked in his Chinese takeout without actually eating.
Finally he put the box aside. "Are you still on drugs?", he asked out of the blue.
House nearly chocked and coughed a couple of times to get the rice out of his trachea.
"What?", he finally managed to say. He looked surprised. That question had really caught him with his pants down.
"Well, it's just usually you would love to prove everybody wrong. Last time you took a pee in my living room. But today you ran away which was always one way of you to deal with stuff. By not dealing with it."
House put his meal aside as well and folded his arms.
"I'm taking meds for my leg. Always have, always will. I just changed recently from narcotics to some non-addictive meds."
"I'm talking about the heavy stuff. Vicodin or worse."
House raised an eyebrow. "You want me to pee in your godson's cup again? Bring it on."
"I want you to tell me the truth", Wilson retorted.
Slowly House got annoyed.
"This is your number one problem at the moment? The cops just want to close the file. They are looking for a punching bag and come up with all that shit."
"Well I'm sorry I have doubts concerning you and drugs. I wonder where that might come from", Wilson defended himself.
"Yeah right, never trust an addict. Very nice", House got up and grabbed his keys. "By the way the answer is no. Surprisingly I'm still clean despite the headaches you're giving me lately. "
He wanted to leave but Wilson refused to let him go.
"You won't just run away this time", he told him and stood between House and the front door.
"Don't be ridiculous", House scoffed and tried to get around him.
"House, we need to deal with this", the oncologist shouted and shoved House away from him causing him to stumble back. House kept his balance and held his thigh for a moment before he glared at him.
"Maybe you should do this again. Get angry for once, Wilson. Tell me what you really think!", House challenged him and walked towards him closing him in once more between the door and himself.
"Get away from me!", Wilson told him but House didn't move. He was just staring at him.
"Come on. Let it out. Why are we deep down in shit right now?", the diagnostician yelled right in his face.
Wilson closed his eyes and tried to keep calm but he could feel his blood pressure was rising. House and his damn games.
"Because you made a mistake!!!", he finally exploded.
"Because you are a lazy ass who couldn't care less about his patients. Trying to get rid of any possible responsibility and eager on shoving us your genius in the face over and over again. Hey, everybody look at me. I'm the brilliant diagnostician. Clearly too smart for keeping files. This was bound to happen sooner or later because a chimp would hand in a better paperwork than you do! For years I've been working my butt off killing three marriages in the process to make sure I play by the rules so I would be a department head one day. And what for? So that you can walk in and destroy everything in two minutes. Thank you very much!!!"
House raised his eyebrows during that speech and thought about stepping back voluntarily since he couldn't predict what Wilson would do next. He seemed really pissed off.
Eventually Wilson was done and caught his breath. Disbelievingly he looked at House not sure whether he had really done this. House cocked his head and took a deep breath.
"That's good to know, isn't it?", House mumbled and this time the oncologist didn't get in his way when he left.
House thought it was a good time for a ride on his bike. That would keep him busy for the next two hours. Wilson thought it was a good moment to call his lawyer.
After an extended ride House ran out of places to go. Usually when he was mad at Wilson he would have gone home, killed the phone and spent an evening with alcohol and take-out food in front of his TV. But his new home included Wilson. Ever since they had moved in together he would escape to his office which was not available at the moment. Plus he had missed half his lunch and so he found himself a pizza in some junkfood place. There he spent the next hours pondering about his friendship with Wilson.
House was very proud that he had successfully managed to stay off the Vicodin. He had worked really hard for this. And he had assumed that Wilson would trust him. But obviously he didn't and House realized that he probably never would. He was hurt by that thought and that's what kept him away from home right now. On the other hand Wilson was a doctor who knew about addicts and their relapse quotes. But more important he knew House and his history of drug abuse. House couldn't really blame him since he wouldn't trust himself either. Still it hurt.
House ordered another beer and for the first time since they had lost their patient he was thinking about his own future. Maybe he should really take care for himself for once. Not because he was an egocentric jerk who didn't give a crap about his best friend. But simply because he was on a good way away from his self destructive way of living. He was a doctor again with a license and a good team and he didn't want to lose all of this again.
But from the way the cops had treated him he also knew that it might have been too late for that. It was worth trying though. First step was getting a lawyer. Damn, these guys always charged so much.
When he finally arrived back at home Wilson was still awake. Watching TV and waiting for him. House sat down on his site of that ugly orange couch and put up his feet on the table.
For a while they were watching a basketball game but Wilson interrupted the silence eventually.
"That was a stupid thing to ask. I'm sorry, House. And I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"Because you used the past couple of hours to search this place and you didn't find any drugs in my sock drawer?", his friend answered still paying attention to the game.
Wilson rolled his eyes. "No, because I actually trust you. You were right. These cops will dig out anything that helps them proving us guilty."
"Not much they can dig out about you", House mumbled.
"Hey, last time we were pulled over by the police I was the one with the arrest warrant."
House smirked. "So what? I got arrested as well. Just because of you!"
"No, because you didn't want to attend your dad's funeral."
House smirked remembering how Wilson tried to convince the cop that he was not a violent person endangering the public safety. "That was a nice trip. Happy days!"
Wilson nodded in agreement. "Still, I'm sorry. Guess I had to yell at somebody. I'm surprised you stay that calm."
"That's just because I don't blame other people for my mistakes", House explained and had difficulties keeping a serious face.
"Right", Wilson chuckled and shook his head. "That's how egocentric you are. Other people are not even allowed to make your mistakes. But you will have to share this one with me. It was our mistake not just yours."
"I'm sorry I didn't write it down, Wilson. And for the record I'm not calm. I'm just a good actor", House revealed.
He took the remote and switched off the TV.
"I called my lawyer today", he announced and looked at Wilson. He received a nod. "Me too."
Wilson took a sip from his beer. "He told me to blame you for everything. You know like: "How can I know about this when the referring doctor screws up the patient's history?""
House sneered. "Yeah. Mine told me to admit my mistake but point out that you should have noticed the missing form and so you are to blame as well. You know like: "a problem shared is a problem halved.""
They looked at each other and finally they burst out laughing. Maybe it was a lame try to get rid of some of the pressure and desperation that had built up during the past days or maybe they were just glad that they were ok again but this turned into a full-blown laughing fit.
Wilson finally wiped a tear from his eye while House stood up and got another round of beer from their fridge.
"This really sucks", he announced and handed the bottle to his friend. "We can't get both out of this. You know, I'm not afraid of going to jail or losing my license. Ok, I am but my biggest fear is that our friendship might not survive this", House explained while focusing on the bottle in his hand.
Wilson stared at him astonished. House had never been that honest with him.
"What are you saying?", he asked him.
"There is a reason why there are hardly any diagnostic departments around. The world can live without them. Oncologists on the other hand are needed. Stupid cancer!"
Wilson shook his head. "Actually I think you save more lives than I do. I just watch people die and try to help them with their agony."
"Well, that's worth something. Nobody should die in agony and pain", House mumbled.
"Yeah, and nobody should have to live in pain", Wilson added and sighed.
They got silent again for a while.
"You know what? Let's make a deal. We don't throw each other in and we don't self sacrifice. We just see what happens and whoever bites the bullet…., well bites the bullet I guess."
House thought it over and finally he nodded.
"Fine. But you know what that means?"
"What?"
"We both have to find new lawyers."
They finished their beer and called it a day. Wilson finally got his shower, House read a magazine and an hour later they were both asleep. Still worried about their future but glad that they were still friends.
The following morning, well actually it was nearly noon, they were both woken up by the door bell. Of course Wilson was the one who answered it. That was the first thing House made clear when they moved in together. Answering the door or the phone was the job of the person with two healthy legs. Wilson opened the door and found Cuddy standing out there.
"We have a problem!", she informed him.
"No kidding?", Wilson mumbled but she ignored him and walked past him into the living room. Apart from a couch and the TV it was still pretty empty. Except for the moving boxes of course.
"Wow, I really love what you guys have done with this place", she stated. "Where is House?"
Wilson slowly closed the door and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Asleep."
"Could you wake him up, please?", she said and took a seat.
"HOUSE! Get up!", Wilson yelled immediately and opened the fridge. Breakfast would be lousy this morning.
He started making coffee when House joined them in the living room two minutes later. He yawned noisily and had a dozy look on his face.
His mood didn't improve when he saw his boss.
"Can't we do this in the afternoon?, he snapped and limped over to the fridge. He got the same disappointing result like his friend a minute ago and sat down on one of the bar stools rubbing his sleepy eyes.
"It's eleven o'clock. I didn't mean to interrupt your beauty sleep."
"You mentioned a problem?", Wilson wanted to get on with this.
"Well, that lawyer means business. He's out to get the both of you. He sewed the hospital for malpractice and he literally teams up with the DA to make sure they get you. The cops showed up again and confiscated old patient files to review your guy's paperwork."
She pursed her lips and glanced at House. "That's not good news for you. They dig out everything. Your Vicodin addiction and the way you provided him with the drugs. I wouldn't wonder if Tritter shows up, too."
"See, this is exactly why you shouldn't wake us up this early", House received a cup of coffee and a nod from Wilson.
"That's true. You probably have to get up early in prison. So we should get as much sleep as possible now."
Cuddy looked surprised. "Are you guys high?"
House made a sad face. "Is there anybody in this world who believes that I'm drug free nowadays?" He sighed.
"How can you guys stay that calm while they try to destroy your lives?", she asked now.
Wilson shrugged. "You think it would help if we get a panic attack?"
"Yeah, relax Cuddy. You might get this place after all very soon. Good thing we never unpacked", House told her and put another spoon full of sugar in his cup. Wilson's coffee was really dangerous.
Cuddy stood up and got her purse.
"I don't believe this. Our lawyer works on the case. He needs your statement. Can you come in later?"
"Alright. But breakfast first. Come on, Wilson, my treat", House announced and got up as well.
Wilson looked at Cuddy. "Can't miss that opportunity. Don't worry, Lisa, we'll be there later."
The two men went to their bedrooms and got dressed. Cuddy threw another view around the nearly empty place. She shook her head once more and left.
Once they were really awake and ready to leave they skipped the idea of breakfast and went out for lunch instead because they were starving.
House even brought along his wallet voluntarily. Wilson checked it twice and was surprised when he found 50 dollars in there. Two hours later they walked into the PPTH to meet with the lawyer.
"So where is that guy?", House wondered and studied the board next to the elevator.
Wilson chuckled. "You don't know where to find the lawyer?"
"He always comes to my office or Cuddy drags me down into her office."
"They are up on the fifth floor", Wilson told him and was ready to get on the elevator when Cuddy called them over to the clinic.
"We are already waiting for you guys."
They both experienced a déjà vu when they took a seat on Cuddy's couch again except this time they were interrogated by the lawyer. Took them only 5 minutes to tell the story again.
"I doubt it we can stand this one in court. We should agree on a settlement", was his conclusion.
"Well, these people are very eager on pressing charges. That's going to be expensive", Cuddy sighed.
The lawyer shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned we have a chance to get the hospital out of this."
He looked at Wilson and House. "The personal consequences for the doctors involved though, well that will be difficult. But that's not my priority here."
House smirked at Cuddy. "Of course not. The hospital comes first, right?"
Cuddy blushed and lowered her gaze.
"Any questions?", the lawyer asked them and was out of the door seconds later when nobody answered him.
"Well, I guess we are done here", Wilson stated and got up. House followed him.
"Guys, I'm sorry", Cuddy said suddenly and both of them looked at her. "Mr. Milton pressed charges against you and his lawyer knows that this is your personal mistake. I have to do what's best for the hospital. We have a reputation to lose. Still, I will do everything I can to help you."
"You know, Dr. Cuddy", Wilson started, "The hospital might have a reputation to lose that's true. You on the other hand don't any longer."
He left the office and Cuddy looked at House. Tears showed up in her eyes but he simply shrugged.
"It's ok, Cuddy. I needed the lawyer so many times he sends me Christmas Cards every year. Wilson on the other hand was a hard working fellow for years now he screws up once and you let him down like this. I would also be pissed if I was him."
"House, don't you think I feel terrible about this?", she asked him and wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Hmm, do you really think I care about that?"
With this he left as well but he came back seconds later.
"I do actually. Care about you. This is not your fault. We put you in a tough situation here. Problem is your pity won't make it go away. And your usual professional way of handling this makes you look like an ass right now."
And before Cuddy could answer him he was out and joined Wilson who was already waiting in his car.
The two friends decided to go grocery shopping. Wilson usually avoided taking House along because they would always end up arguing. House accused Wilson of being a damn vegetarian since he would only eat that healthy shit and Wilson would predict House an early death due to his unhealthy diet. They would never find a compromise. Today Wilson didn't care. He pushed around the trolley while House filled it with his favorites and the oncologist had to admit that those groceries might not be really healthy but damn tasty.
When they arrived at home they were already awaited by two well known faces. Stupid cop 1 and 2 were standing in front of the door and had only appeared moments ago. Wilson parked his car on the side of the street and the two doctors looked over at their visitors.
"Think we can make it to Mexico?", House wondered.
"Canada is closer", Wilson replied.
"But Mexico is hotter. If you know what I mean", House said and winked at him.
"See, this is the moment when it sucks the most to have only one friend. When you get arrested together and you need someone to come up with the bail out."
House chuckled. "Good thing my only friend has three ex wives. And with all the alimony they should be able to pay for the both of us. What do you say, I take Julie you take Bonnie."
"Come on, let's get this over with. After all it's not the green mile", the oncologist said and got out of the car.
"Yet", House mumbled and followed him.
Reviews are still welcome. :-)