Chapter 6: Home Sweet Home
"Can ask you something," Greg began as they were eating dinner. He'd been home for the hospital for a week now and was making remarkably good progress. Twice a day Wren helped him with the exercises he had been shown while in the hospital. Each time she was able to help him a little less and each day he was able to get around a little smoother with the walker.
Wren and Willow I guess you could say had moved in so to speak. It had been an unspoken decision made between them. To her it had made since that way she could help take care of him and to House if he was honest it was nice to have the company. Hey and the home cooked meals he got out of the bargain didn't hurt.
"What?" Wren asked in between bites of the stuffed pork chops she had made for dinner.
"I start my physical therapy tomorrow. Promise me you'll just drop me off and leave," House said directly.
Wren thought about it for a moment or two before responding. She could understand where he was coming from. She wouldn't want anyone to see her like that either so with that in mind she agreed, "Alright if that's what you want no problem okay. Is that all?"
He nodded and went back to eating. He was surprised she had agreed so easily. Stacy hadn't, in fact that was one of the many things they had argued about during the six months after his infarction. "Stop it," He told himself, "Stop comparing her to Stacy."
"I'm not her, okay. Please remember that." Wren said as she scooted closer to him on the couch. "I've had my share of fighting. There's only one thing I'll fight you on and that's you pushing me away. I'm not leaving okay,"
Grabbing her hand he squeezed it with a nod to let her know he'd heard her even though the distance in his eyes told her that he still didn't believe she wouldn't leave.
Wren knew wasn't anything that she could say that would make Greg believe her. In this case the old adage about how actions spoke more than words was an understatement.
Willow interrupted their heavy talk announcing that she was full by setting her plate down and jumping in between them with a smile. She had enjoyed spending the past week with Greg. To her it was like one long weekend like the ones they had spent together only better.
These were the nights that she enjoyed the most. Her mama would be out in the door in a few to play her gig and Wilson or Uncle Jimmy as she had taken to calling him would be here soon.
What's up Willow," Greg said teasingly as he tickled her.
Her answer was aloud infectious giggle which made both Wren and House laugh to. It was truly amazing how one sound from an innocent child could break the serious tension between to doors. They continued to laugh until Wilson knocked on the door.
Wren then hugged both of them goodbye grabbed her stuff and headed out the door letting Wilson in on her way out.
The three of were glued to the wrestling show that was on that night. Something much to Wren's dismay Greg had gotten her five year old daughter hooked on. Although she had to admit that it was quite funny to see her daughter carrying on about it just like the two grown men watching it with her did.
Wilson stayed that night until both House and Willow were both asleep.
Wren enjoyed playing that night as always, but was completely exhausted when she arrived home. As quietly as she could she crawled into bed beside Greg around 2am. However he still woke up only to acknowledge her return and to pop a couple of vicodin she handed over to him. Tomorrow was a big day and he wasn't looking that forward to it.
Later on that day Wren woke up with a bad feeling; today was Greg's first day of out patient physical therapy. She knew the mood he woke up in was as good as it was going to get. By the time he came home he was going to be tired and in a lot of pain. She was preparing for him to be rude crude and cranky. In other words she was expecting him to be like just how he was everyone else but had yet to be like with her. Today she knew might be the day she'd see the side of him he'd warned her about. "Time to put on your tough skin girl." Wren told herself as she rolled out of bed to get coffee and breakfast going.
House on the other hand woke up just as he had for the past week. House woke up almost panicked in a way expecting her to be gone. However this morning was also no different than the others because much to her surprise he woke up to find her still there.
"Morning," Wren said softly a few minutes later as she handed him a cup of freshly brewed coffee and a couple of vicodin.
House nodded at her as he took a sip of the hot liquid. After downing the vicodin and a couple of more sips he actually grinned at her.
Wren knew exactly what that grin was about it was his way of expressing his surprise over the fact she was still here. It was more than infuriating the fact she couldn't convince him that she wasn't going to leave; however there wasn't anything she could do about it so that's why she didn't get angry. Anger would be a complete waste of energy and she had no desire to fight with him. Fighting wouldn't help him recover any sooner.
"So are you ready?" Wren asked two hours later as she pulled up to the hospital.
House rolled his eyes he was as ready as he was ever going to be.
"Have fun Greg," Willow said from the back as she leaned forward to give him a hug from behind.
"Right on kiddo," House said placing a hand on one her tiny ones.
With encourage from both of them House made his way to his physical therapy appointment. As Wren had promised to him last night she didn't stay. A part of her wanted to, but the part that understood Greg's request overruled that small part of her.
"Long time no see handsome," Dorma said as she walked over to House.
House shook his head even though he she was his therapist and not the dumba$$ that had been he'd had during his infarction.
With that the session began with an in depth assessment. First off she quickly recheck of the things she'd assessed last week when he was still in the hospital. After that she watched him walk a little ways with the walker making note of his walking pattern and the amount of weight he was putting on his leg. Dorma was impressed considering how his leg was without the recent trauma to his hip.
Moving on she then assessed his balance and coordination making a note that they would have to add very little of that into his regime. Next she took measurements of his thigh, knee, and ankle to see if there was any swelling or if the muscles had atrophied any. Sadly even though she had expected it they had atrophied some. Finally she tested the range of motion in his hip and the strength of his muscles before launching into what would be there game plan for his rehabilitation.
With the game plan established Dorma had House figuring the soon they began the sooner he would get his wish of never having to come here again.
Meanwhile after dropping Greg off at his therapy session Wren and Willow returned back to his apartment. An exhausted Wren once inside sat on the couch with her daughter but eventually dosed off waking up just in time to avoid being late to pick him up. She knew she could bank on him teasing her about it.
"I see you survived," Wren greeted as she entered the Rehabilitation wing of the hospital and saw Greg sitting there waiting for her.
"Your two minutes late," House replied, "Now get me the hell out of here."
With those words spoken wren whisked him off back to his apartment. Reminding her to bear with his mood and take it all in stride once again.
As soon as they arrived home Wren watched Greg head without saying a word directly to his room. Yep just as she figured he was going to be withdrawn tonight.
"Willow," Wren warned as she saw her daughter look longingly in his direction. "Leave him alone for awhile okay."
Willow nodded and climbed up on the couch beside her mother with the book Greg had given her for her birthday. Wren took the hint and to keep her mind off Greg and in order to leave him alone she began reading to her daughter.
Two hours later after her daughter Willow had fallen asleep and Wren had carried her to the guest room House finally emerged from his self induced solitude.
"Hey nice of you of you to come out of hibernation, "Wren lightly teased in greeting.
She didn't get any response back as he eased himself carefully down on the far end of the couch. "So this is how it's going to be," Wren thought to herself. She couldn't decide whether this was worse than what she had envisioned or not. She had envisioned him being cruel, but at least she had envisioned him speaking. As of right now he was choosing to brood silently something she was beginning to think was ten times more annoying.
It didn't help matters that Wren wasn't used to dealing with silent broody men. Devlin and her uncle were far from that they were both very vocal and much easier to read than Greg. Therefore how she was dealing with Greg was a total guessing game on her part and she still had no clue whether or not she was doing the right thing.
As of right now she was thinking that the best course of action would be to not push him. He would speak when he was ready to. "Just go on about your day as you have for the past week," Wren told herself.
"Do you need anything?" Wren asked as she stood up to go get her something to drink.
"Yeah I need this whole damn thing to be over with so my life can get back to the way it was," House said finally speaking for the first time since he'd been home.
Listening she took it in trying to not to feel hurt by his words. His life before this really didn't include her and Willow. Oh well her life before that fateful weekend didn't really include him either. With that in mind she went into the kitchen and poured her a glass of wine before finding herself a snack.
While she was the kitchen House sitting on the couch by himself until a now awake Willow came and jumped gently on the couch beside him trying her best to get his attention.
"Just leave me the fk alone," House snapped out without giving it a second thought after trying to ignore the little girl.
The comment was just enough to leave Willow reeling and with her eyes big with and glistening with tears she launched herself at her mama who had just come from the kitchen and witnessed the whole thing.
Wren quickly set her wine and her snack on the piano her way to the guest room to get Willow calmed down. Once she had her calmed down she called her Aunt and Uncle's number.
"Hey Aunt Jess," Wren greeted as soon as her aunt's voice come over the line.
"How's it going you ready to strangle Greg yet?" It was still an amazement to her that her niece had agreed to help out this guy that was barely more than a stranger.
"Close," Wren admitted, "Anyways can you do me a huge favor and come get Willow. He started his PT today and his mood is horrible. In fact he's already snapped at her a bit and I don't want it to happen again."
"Sure no problem I'll be there in a bit okay. You be sure and tell Greg I said that better not happen again,"
"Will do Aunt Jess," Wren said before hanging up. After telling Willow to stay put and pack her bag she returned to the living room finding Greg with a contemplative look on his face.
"Listen hear," Wren began as she made her way over to him, "What just happened better not happen again. That's all I'm going to say."
House just nodded knowing nothing could excuse what he had just done.
A few minutes later when Willow came out dragging her bag House completely understood nevertheless he gestured for her to come over to him. Willow did hesitantly and once she was closer to him he took her hand and play used it to slap himself in the face. That broke the ice making Willow giggle as he whispered to her, "I'm sorry."
Aunt Jess arrived around 5pm and picked up Willow without saying a word, something Wren was thankful for leaving the two adults on there own.
"You're an idiot," House spoke for the first time directly to Wren an hour after Willow had left.
"Interesting theory, how'd you draw that conclusion?" Wren quipped back without even looking up from her notebook. She'd been sitting in the chair about thirty minutes now trying to write lyrics to the melody she had come up with two days earlier, so far no luck though.
"Well let's see here, first off your sitting here as if nothing's wrong. Second off I obviously made pissed you off enough to get your daughter out of here but not enough to make you leave," House elaborated.
"Hmm. Let me see here, I'm an idiot because I won't give you what you what you want." Wren said before pausing to give it some thought, "Sorry don't follow you."
House shook his head and winced as a shot of pain shot through his hip and leg.
"Are you okay, Greg?" Wren asked as she set her notebook down and moved to sit next to him on the couch.
"I just got tortured to much today," He said before another shot of pain went through his whole entire right leg.
"Alright lay back and we'll ice it for awhile," Wren said as she helped lay back on the couch.
Once she'd done that she left to go get the ice and came back with it and his vicodin a couple of minutes later. After handing his vicodin she placed the ice over his hip before saying, "Greg did you honestly think that you being a broody jack$$ was going to get rid of me?"
"It might have crossed my mind," House admitted but I've realized it's not going to work. Maybe I should change tactics."
"Or if you were smart you'd just give it up," Wren teased right back.
"Yes but I'm not known to give up easily." House replied as he felt the ice and vicodin start to slowly take affect.
"Yeah well neither am I, and sometimes that's not a good thing," Wren said wistfully particularly on the last part. Stubbornness about not wanting to give up had caused her more heartache than good and she could bet it was the same for Greg. For instance if she'd given up on her marriage a lot sooner she would have saved her and Willow a lot of pain.
Little did Wren know House was thinking the same thing that she was. Not giving up hadn't always worked out for the better for him either. Take Stacy he should have given up and realized that relationship was dead long before his infarction. At least then they could have parted on better terms. Instead there had been no real closure resulting in the affair they had had when she'd come back into his life.
In the end the only thing that each of them had given up on without even realizing it is themselves and finding happiness. Both believed the misery in there lives was warranted and both believed they were better off now without the complication of a serious relationship in their lives. However would friendship be enough for them? Attraction already simmered how long would it be able to stay contained?
"Any better?" Wren asked after about another 10 minutes of silent thoughts between the two of them.
House nodded, "A little. I've just been reminded why they call physical therapy torture. All they do there is make you more miserable than you already are."
"Just be happy you got the first session done it won't be as bad form here on that." Wren remarked even though she knew he didn't believe her.
Then it was time for dinner. All in all the evening wasn't as bad as she had hoped. Sure there had been a few rough spots but that was to be expected.