Therapy: 7th level of Hell *
Rating: K+ (rated E for everyone!), well, maybe not.
Summary: The continuing adventures of House's counseling sessions at Mayfield.
Words: 'bout 2,000. This session includes a guest character – the luscious Lisa Cuddy. Her words are underlined since I can't do a different font or color in here….
Disclaimer: Mine Mine Mine. Or not. Okay, I just asked House to come out and play with me…Ken Kesey is (was) a real person. Ten virtual cupcakes to the first person to correctly identify him!
Beta: Semi-beta'd by Belladionne – thanks! All remaining mistakes are mine and mine alone.
Warnings/Spoilers: Includes events through Season 5 Finale. I have no idea of what will happen in Season 6 as I try to stay unspoiled.
(Oh fie! I couldn't resist and re-watched the promo on youtube. Way to torment myself!)
Feedback: Reviews are like Vicodin – addictive and pleasing…
Author's notes: Oh frak FRAK FRAK! I've been trying to keep my brain free from any spoilers and they showed a preview for the two-hour opener after tonight's episode. Grumble, grumble… Well, now my thoughts are tainted and I'm not sure how AU this is going to be. Drat.
Music: Please Don't Leave Me – Pink
(Just a coincidence that it's back–to-back Pink songs… I'm not familiar with most of her stuff (I'm old) but this was playing on the radio last night as I was driving home from Princeton and it just fit with what I was writing in my head (because actually writing while driving is dangerous…))
Now with Playlist! Music, to me, is what sets the mood and adds to the story (forgive me, I work in the arts) so I've created a soundtrack for this series:
playlisDOTcom/playlist/17329068811
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Good afternoon House. I'm glad you came. Dr. Cuddy is down the hall. I wanted you to have a chance to get settled, see if there was anything you wanted to talk about before she came in. Make sure you didn't want to change your mind.
No. Let's just get this over with.
(Paces while waiting, settles in the far corner, away from the door, seeking safety and security the only way he knows how.)
Dr. Cuddy. Thank you for coming out today.
Dr. Kesey. Glad to meet you in person.
Ken, please…
As I told you on the phone, we have been talking about House going home this weekend for –
To go home. For a break from here. To see if I can. See who shows up to party.
Yes. To take a few days on his own, sort of. I will need to know that you and Wilson are willing and able to supervise House for the weekend, to give him the structure he needs to have while letting him explore his boundaries.
That's fine. Just keep talking like I'm not in the room. I'll just stay out of the way over here in the corner. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain…
House. If you want to be part of this, come over here and sit down and join us. Be active in what you want instead of negatively reacting to things that you feel aren't in your control.
Don't you just love it when he does the "Shrink Rap"?
House –
(Ducks his head.) Greg. I …want you to call me Greg.
I think I'd like it if you called me Greg.
(Soft Smile.) Greg.
How are you doing?
Are you feeling better? How is your leg?
Everything is just peachy here. They've got me all fixed up and I'm absolutely perfect. I won't mess up your perfect hospital and I promise to behave and do all my clinic hours like a good little boy.
Just get me out of here. Even if it's just a few days.
Greg. It's okay. I'm not angry-
You ARE angry. You HAVE to be ANGRY. I announced to the hospital I SLEPT with you. You fired me.
I...Yes. You're right. I WAS angry. But I didn't understand. I wanted to help you but you never gave me a chance. I just want to understand what you think happened that night.
(Looking everywhere but at Cuddy.)
No. I can't…No… I was stupid.
I asked you for help and you dropped everything and came to help me. You checked my house for pills – knew all my hiding places; even ones I had forgotten. Guess that should have been a clue that it wasn't real.
You sat with me, even as I was retching in the bathroom. You gave me god-awful tea. When I saw a pill on the floor, I sent you away for honey so I could take the damn thing. All I wanted was that pill but you came back in and stopped me. Amber was there, mocking me; telling me I was no good and I knew it, that's why I couldn't have you there. That the pills meant more to me than anything else. But you couldn't hear her so you didn't know, you didn't care.
You stayed with me all night. Held me, talked with me, took care of me…mothered me even.
You're good at that.
At least in my hallucination, you were.
I...wanted you to take care of me.
And then it was morning and Amber was gone and it was just us.
(Studiously checking out his cane, the ceiling, the floor.)
And I was better. I was over it all. Clean... Off the pills. The pain was gone. And all I wanted to do…
All I wanted to do was what I always want to do.
I wanted to kiss you. You asked me if I wanted to kiss you. And then you kissed me… It was…it was everything I wanted it to be. The next thing I knew, we were going at it like bunnies.
God. You were so hot. So…fabulous. You rocked my world – literally.
When I woke up, I saw your lipstick on the sink, smeared on my face. I felt – alive again. I realized everything I had missed with my arrogance and my…my detachment. God. I felt so good. I knew you wanted me and that made me feel so good.
Greg – please come sit. I can't take all of this in with you constantly pacing. Sit and talk WITH me, not AT me. Please.
Pacing helps me think. Do you want me to tell you what I thought or not?
Sorry. Yes, I want to understand. Keep pacing if it's what you need to do.
When I got to work, I was… happy. Actually happy. I couldn't wait to share my news with Wilson and he didn't seem too surprised. And then you came to talk with me and it seemed as though you were blowing everything out of proportion.
I really did think we should move in together. I didn't understand that you and I were having separate conversations.
And then… then when we both understood… I just lost everything. Nothing was real. Nothing made sense any more.
The more I lock myself away from the world, the more I'm locked in.
Greg. I understand. I do. I don't know where this leaves both of us, I think that will take more time then we have today and I'm still trying to understand everything that happened, that you think happened, and what it means for you, for us. For the hospital.
I want to help you find your way back to yourself. To that arrogant bastard that comes up with a last minute epiphany based on God only knows what to save the patient and the day.
You are still in there, but you need some breadcrumbs to find your way back.
I don't know if I can find them. I haven't been myself since Kutner; hell, before Amber even.
We'll find them together. It's okay. I want to help you, so does Wilson.
How much do they all know? How bad is going to be to go back this weekend?
Your staff knows that you've taken a break for a few months. They know you've been struggling, more than usual, with your pain for some time now. The methadone was just another try at managing your pain. I haven't talked to them about your hallucinations of Kutner and Amber, but, well, they do know about your hallucination about the two of us. Kinda hard to keep that under wraps since you announced it to the whole clinic.
Do you want me to talk to them before you come in?
No. No. I don't… I don't know. Do they have to know?You won't tell them anything will you?
Greg, you know I wouldn't share your medical information without your permission. I won't tell them anything you don't want me to share.
Greg, it might be beneficial if you do talk with them about it.
I said no.
Okay. You'll do what you feel is right. Tell them or not, it's up to you. On one condition. If you see something that you are not sure if it's real or not, you need to let them know. They're there to help you find your way home too. They are part of your support system too.
More shrink crap Doc?
Thanks a lot.
Greg – don't get snarky. He's trying to help you.
Yeah, yeah. Thanks so much.
Shall we talk a little about this weekend? There are some conditions I need to make sure are met before I can release House to you from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon.
Gee, let me guess. No drugs, no booze, lock me in from 9 pm – 9 am – alone without any hookers I bet, make sure I eat 3 squares and 2 or 3 snacks during the day, visit the PT room at least once…
Greg…
Actually, it's not going to be that bad House. Yes, the only drugs you are to take are the ones I've prescribed, and I would like you to take your anti-anxiety meds with you just in case. Booze? I don't see a problem with having a beer or two, but don't overdo it. You will need to be supervised while you are in Princeton, but I assume that between Drs. Wilson and Cuddy that won't be a problem –
Dr. Wilson is going to come out to pick him up late afternoon on Friday and they'll stay at his apartment and then go into PPTH in the morning so Greg can look over some of the paperwork that is threatening to take over his office and to check in with his staff. People will be around, in and out of the area. Wilson has something planned back at House's apartment for Saturday evening and then one of us will bring him back sometime Sunday afternoon if that's all right with you.
Hello? Does the insane man get any input on his weekend? Doesn't the condemned man get a last wish?
Oh hush Greg. Maybe I should just nix this whole plan right now. I would, except Wilson would be disappointed.
Will you at least wear something a little more interesting? Why didn't you wear one of those trampy shirts of yours? Let a guy get a little peek at the old funbags? It's been too long since they've gotten a chance to shine…
GREG!
HOUSE! I think that's enough.
Actually, Ken, it's okay. It's how he expresses his affection for me. I was getting worried that he hadn't made any rude sexual comments to me this whole time. Maybe if he behaves, I'll find a Nurse Ratched outfit to wear for him.
I need to get going. Thank you for letting me sit in today Dr. Kesey. I'll see you in a few days Greg.
Good night Lisa.
Behave yourself while you're in Princeton. I expect to get a good report back if you want to get outa here before your brain explodes.
Good night House.
* 7th Level of Hell: Guarded by the Minotaur, who snarls in fury, and encircled within the river Phlegethon, filled with boiling blood, is the Seventh Level of Hell. The violent, the assassins, the tyrants, and the war-mongers lament their pitiless mischiefs in the river, while centaurs armed with bows and arrows shoot those who try to escape their punishment. The stench here is overpowering. This level is also home to the wood of the suicides- stunted and gnarled trees with twisting branches and poisoned fruit. At the time of final judgment, their bodies will hang from their branches. In those branches the Harpies, foul birdlike creatures with human faces, make their nests. Beyond the wood is scorching sand where those who committed violence against God and nature are showered with flakes of fire that rain down against their naked bodies. Blasphemers and sodomites writhe in pain, their tongues more loosed to lamentation, and out of their eyes gushes forth their woe. Usurers, who followed neither nature nor art, also share company in the Seventh Level.
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