Chapter 9: All the Same
Cuddy sat in the kitchen as she fed Rachel her breakfast while House sat at the table reading the newspaper. Gabrielle walked into the kitchen and joined the two. Sighing, she sat down and poured herself a bowl of cereal.
"Something wrong?" Cuddy asked without taking her attention away from Rachel.
Gabrielle looked up with annoyance. "I couldn't get a hold of Cori so I have to go over to her house to get the rest of the report done."
"The emo freak?" House asked.
"Yep. I get to go over there and listen to her whine about her life for the next couple of hours." Gabrielle set down the cereal box and stared at it for a minute. "You think its too late to ask if I could just interview this box right here? I'm sure it would have answers just as meaningful to me."
"Of course," House said.
"Did you maybe try not being so negative about this whole thing? Maybe giving her a chance?" Cuddy asked finally turning back to look at Gabrielle.
"Why?" Gabrielle asked. "I'm still going to have to hear the same story no matter what attitude I have. The only difference would be that I would be faking enjoyment which really only turns me into a liar."
"Gabi," Cuddy huffed as she rolled her eyes.
"What?" House asked. "I happen to think that she had a valid point."
"Of course you do," Cuddy said and then quickly turned her attention back to Gabrielle. "Look, all I'm saying is that you're setting yourself up for the worst time you can have. Before you even get there you've already got yourself convinced that you're going to be tortured."
Gabrielle sighed. "I guess you're right. It could be worse. I could be going to interview Aunt Eloise."
"That's the spirit," House emotionlessly said. Even though it sounded like he was mocking Cuddy's way of trying to cheer Gabrielle up, he really did think that she was doing a good job.
"Well, I think its time that I got going," Gabrielle said as she stood up. "I'll be home in a few hours."
"See ya," House said.
Gabrielle got out the door and started down the sidewalk. As soon as she was far enough from the house, she pulled out her cell phone and called. "Hey, Wilson? I made the reservations and ordered the flowers, you know, in case my dad doesn't remember. Did you do your part and make sure that you stayed free for tonight?" Gabrielle smiled. "Good, I'd hate to see what would happen if I tried to watch three babies on my own. Anything else you could think of?" She paused and listened for a moment. "Okay then, see you tonight. Bye."
"I hope that she doesn't come back in a bad mood," Cuddy said as she took the bowl of baby food over to the sink. "She's a mini version of you, and we all know how you are when you're in a bad mood."
"What's that supposed to mean?" House teasingly asked from the table.
Cuddy turned to him and smiled. "Gee, what was I thinking? You're right, it shouldn't matter whether you're in a good or bad mood." She walked over and kissed him. "You're unbearable either way."
"Love you to," House said.
"Mommy!" Rachel happily chirped.
Cuddy stopped and turned. "Did she finally call me mommy?" she asked in disbelief.
"Either that or she is really confused," House said.
Cuddy went over and picked the girl up. "I thought you thought Gabi was your mom, what changed your mind?"
"Mommy," Rachel repeated.
House stood up and walked over to Cuddy. "Congratulations honey, your daughter knows who you are," he said and then kissed her on the cheek and continued out of the kitchen.
"And just where do you think you're going?" Cuddy asked.
"Back to bed. I figure I can get an hour in before they decide to use me as their personal servant again," House said as he started up the stairs. He then stopped and looked over the railing and towards the kitchen doorway where Cuddy was standing. "Of course, I have no problem spending that hour as your personal slave boy sentenced to bedtime."
"Just go take your nap," Cuddy said. "I don't think either of us could actually go through with that right now."
"I wouldn't say that to the man who gave you twins," House said and then continued up the stairs.
Gabrielle got to Cori's and sighed as she stood at the door. Hesitating, she went to ring the doorbell. "Here goes nothing," she said to herself with annoyance. It started to become odd to her once she had been standing there for a minute that no one had answered the door. Cori knew that she would be coming over, she should be home.
Thinking that maybe she was listening to music or something that would keep her from hearing the doorbell, she tested to see if the door was unlocked, which it was. "Hello?" she called out as she stepped into the empty house. There was no one there. In stead of leaving though, she started to walk through the house. The living room and the kitchen were both empty, so she headed up the stairs. There were three rooms up there, and only one of them was closed. Without a second thought, she carefully opened the door. "Cori!" she yelled as she ran in.
Cori sat there on the bathroom floor with the razor in her hand. She already had cuts up her arm at this point.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Gabrielle asked as she knelt down before her and snatched the razor away.
"You're not supposed to just walk into a house," Cori said.
"Yeah, and guess what might have happened if I didn't," Gabrielle said as she stood up. Walking over to the sink, she grabbed a washcloth. "What happened this time? Guy turn you down for some preppy girl?" She turned to her with the wet washcloth and saw the tears running down her eyes behind the black hair.
"Sure, that's always what its going to be right? I'm labeled an emo so I must never actually have a problem," Cori said.
Gabrielle sighed as she knelt back. Grabbing Cori's arm, she began to clean the blood off. "Well how is anyone supposed to believe you when there is a real problem? I mean there must be a reason as to why you got that label." Looking up, she saw the cold blue eyes staring up at her. "Alright, what happened? Let's hear it."
"Since you care," Cori started sarcastically. "My parents found marijuana in my room. I was gonna smoke it with a couple of my friends next tonight. My mom freaked out on me and my dad stopped even talking to me. This isn't the first time I've been caught with anything like that. As a matter of fact I've been arrested for being high before, spent a little time in juvi, what ever. Anyways, my mom told me that she is through with me and wants nothing to do with me what so ever. Next weekend I'm going to be sent off to some boarding school and then after that I'll go live with my cousin Keith until I can get my own place."
"Disowned huh?" Gabrielle asked as she sat back. Leaning against the opposite wall she leaned her head back. "Tell me, were you actually trying to kill yourself? Or were you just cutting to cut?"
"I was gonna go for it," Cori said.
"There's no reason to," Gabrielle said.
Cori rolled her eyes and shook her head. "That's nice of you to say but."
Gabrielle cut her off. "But I don't understand right? I have no idea what you're going through, what could possibly be going through your head right now, right?"
Cori the tears that were starting to form in her eyes. "Look," she said as she stood up and turned her back to Gabrielle and towards the sink. "I don't need you coming in here with your perfect life giving me some lecture on how to live with my issues."
Gabrielle quickly stood up. "You're right!" she announced. The anger and offense was evident in her tone. "I am happy with my life right now. I love it. But I sure as hell didn't wake up with it one day. I had to work my way up." Tears started to form in her eyes as she thought back. "Believe it or not, I was a lot like you are. At fourteen I didn't give a fuck. I went out and drank, I might have tried a couple of drugs, I don't know, I don't even remember! You wanna know how I got away with that?"
Cori turned as she tried to dry her face. "How?" she quietly asked.
"My mom was drunk herself. She had no clue that I was out. I was really supposed to be living with my Aunt Eloise, but I ran away from her because she abused me." Gabrielle then lifted up her shirt and revealed the jagged scar down her side. "I got that for breaking her vase when I was five."
Cori studied the scar. "Is that why you moved out here with your father?" she asked as she looked back up.
"I'm out here because my mother died last year. Believe it or not, there's a long story behind it, but Eloise was supposed to have custody of me. Since my daddy didn't have such a great record, he had Lisa fight for me, and that caused her a lot of trouble. I felt more guilty than I ever had, I even went to slit my wrist. I figured if I were gone, there would no more trouble for anyone," Gabrielle explained.
"I'm sorry," Cori said as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Gabrielle looked down and shrugged. "You see?" She looked back up to Cori. "I do know how it feels to be unwanted. I also know how it feels to think you're the cause of everyone's problems. I know the thoughts that cross the mind as you pick up that blade and see an easy escape."
Cori just stood there dumbly. She had no idea what to say to what she had just heard.
Gabrielle straightened herself out and walked to the door. Pausing, she looked back at Cori. "Next time you think that someone has no idea what you're going through? Just ask. You might be surprised."
Cori just stood there and watched as she left.
