The alarm clock blared in their ears and echoed across the apartment.

"Shit. House, wake up." Wilson groaned as he pulled the covers off their bodies.

House shivered. "It's s-so c-c-cold."

Wilson yanked the covers off all the way and put his hand on House's shoulder. "If you would get out of bed it wouldn't seem so cold."

House wrapped his arms around his torso and curled in upon himself. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I promise." He whispered.

"House, wake up." Wilson shook the other doctor gently. "It's Wilson. You didn't do anything." He reassured him as he wrapped his arms around the thin frame.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please, I'll be good. I'll be good." House covered his head with his arms and continued muttering apologizes as he trembled violently.

"No. You have nothing to be sorry for. It's over. You're ok. You're with me now." Wilson muttered in his ear. He rocked back and forth slowly, holding House in his arms and stroking the thinning brown hair.

"Do you still want more?"

Wilson rested his chin on House's shoulder so he could get a better look at his face. His blue eyes were clouded and half-mast but at least he was trembling so much as shivering.

"Do you still want more?" House repeated. "I understand if you don't. Stacy wasn't even sure at first."

"Of course I want more. I'm not leaving just because of your nightmares. You have to give me a little more credit than that." Wilson squeezed House's shoulder briefly.

The diagnostician squirmed a little. "That's great and all but could you get off?"

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Wilson asked, pulling back a little.

"No. You're crushing me."

"Oh." Wilson jumped back of if his touch burned. "I'm sorry."

House nodded dismissively and looked around the room, his eyes never lingering for more than a second. "I have to ask you something." He said quietly, his teeth biting into his lower lip.

"What is it? You can ask me anything."

"Are we going to keep this a secret? I understand if you do." House drew his arms and legs closer to his body as if trying to protect himself from something.

Wilson grabbed House shoulder and made him turn over so they would face each other. "Why would you ask that?"

House watched the corners of Wilson's mouth turn down in an unfamiliar frown. "Because it would ruin your image." He explained as if it were obvious. "I know how much you care about what people think of you."

The oncologist looked away for a moment then returned his gaze to meet House's. "You're right. I do care about what people think of me but I care more about what you think and how you feel. I have no reason to keep our relationship a secret."

House reached up hesitantly to bury the fingers of his right hand in Wilson's hair. "If I do something wrong you'll tell me, right? I want to make this work."

Wilson laid his hand over the one House had tangled in his hair, his fingers warmed slightly by the heat of House's hand. "There are few certain things that you can do wrong in a relationship and you're too good to do any of them."

The unspoken question of Wilson monogamy hung in the air like a toxic gas, choking them with the feeling of uncertainty it brought.

It was House that finally broke the silence. "You're going to be late." He slipped his hand from Wilson's grasp and let it fall to rest on top of his stomach.

"Yeah, I think Cuddy will let it slid this once though. I'll wait if you want me to drive you to work." Wilson stood beside the bed and placed his hands on the mattress, fingers grasping at the sheet.

"If that's what you want." House turned his head away, neck arched and exposed. He jumped slightly as Wilson pressed his lips to the tender skin. He looked at his companion with a nervous expression.

"What?" Wilson asked.

"Nothing. I just… didn't expect it."

Wilson studied him momentarily. His eyes taking in every detail until they finally settled on House's blue eyes. "Do you expect me to hurt you?"

House snorted. "You couldn't hurt a fly."

"Really, House. Do you think I would hurt you?" He repeated.

"No." House answered with a small shake of his head. "It's not you that makes me jump. I'm screwed up."

"No you're not."

"For as long as I can remember I've rarely been touched except in anger. I learned to hate being touched when I least expect it and to distrust people that touch me frequently."

"You don't trust me?"

"Of course I do. You're…different. It feels different with you. I feel safer."

Wilson turned his head but House could see one corner of his mouth turn up slightly. "I think that has to be one of the nicest things you've ever said to me." He murmured under his breath. Leaning forward, Wilson kissed House's cheek and then his neck again.

House gave a small laugh and hummed with content, stroking Wilson hair as he simply lay on top of him, head resting on his chest, breathing in the older man's scent.

"Greg, I love you." He whispered.

House hummed again, this time in thought. "I just tolerate you." His attempt to conceal his laugh gave him away and he looked down to see Wilson smile.

"We'll change that." Wilson said with conviction.

House didn't see Wilson at work all that day. It wasn't until well after lunch that Wilson came strolling into House's office to check on his latest heartthrob and found him seated at his desk, head in hands. Even still, Wilson could see the fresh bruise forming on his cheekbone.

"Oh my God." Wilson gasped. "What the hell happened? Who did that to you?"

House looked up quickly and waved his hand dismissively. "It's nothing. I made a very rude comment about a patient and her husband."

"You can't keep provoking patient's like that but even still that doesn't make what he did right." Wilson gently held House's chin between thumb and forefinger of his left hand and turned it so he could better examine the bruise.

House shrugged. "I can't help the fact they were both being idiots. I had to say something."

"Just try to be nicer. It's not like I'm asking you to run a mile."

"Good." House snapped. "Because it's kind of impossible for me, with the missing thigh muscle and all." His blue eyes flashed with fury.

"I'm sorry." Wilson stroked House's jaw line with his thumb, the stubble rough against the smooth manicured finger. "You know I didn't mean it that way."

House pulled his chin away with a quick twist of his head. "It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have overreacted that way." He unclipped his pager from his belt as it gave a shrill beep. "My patient's throwing a hissy fit. Apparently no one else can do anything about but me."

Wilson followed close behind as House exited his office. The diagnostician practically ran to the room where the CT for his patient was supposed to be held.

House pointed to the nurses that clung to the wall like vines and told them to leave. The patient stood in the room holding her IV pole like a weapon. House stretched out his arm and pushed Wilson back until he was against the wall.

"Calm down." House said softly to his patient. "Tell me what you want."

"I want to go home." She screamed. "No more test. Just let me go."

"I can't do that. We have to figure out what's wrong with you first." He explained, watching Foreman reach for the sedatives out of the corner of his eye. Unfortunately, he was paying me attention to Foreman and failed to see the IV pole. He did feel it as it hit his torso and sent him crashing to the floor.

He heard Foreman and Taub's voices faintly as they struggled with the patient and finally injected her with the sedatives. He was trembling violently, arms wrapped around his head.

"God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'll do better, I swear. Don't hit me again." House cried.

"Oh my God." Taub breathed. "Is he having a flashback?"

Wilson fell to his knees beside his companion, using his body to try and shield House from their gaze. "Get out." He yelled.

Thirteen had her hand over her mouth and looked as if she was going to be sick but continued to stare in morbid fascination.

"Should I give him a sedative?" Foreman asked uncertainly.

"No. He'll be fine. Please, just leave." Wilson pleaded with Foreman.

Foreman pushed Thirteen and Taub out the door before giving House a torn look and leaving himself, leaving their patient sedated on the CT table.

Wilson made soothing noises and rubbed the outside of House's arm.

House stopped trembling after a moment and cursed miserably under his breath.

"Wilson, get out."

"There's no reason to be embarrassed. I –"

"I'm not embarrassed. I'm pissed. Get out and call my team so I can do this damn CT scan."

Wilson helped House to his feet, their bodies pressed closed together, so there was no way he could miss the slight trembling.

"Thank you." House pressed his lips to the top of Wilson's head. "Now go get those lazy bastards in here so they can do their damn job."

Two flashbacks in one day!!! I'm evil… anyway it's much longer than the others but it had to be done so enjoy…

If I haven't replied to your review then I'm sorry. There's just so many of you! But it makes me happy. Anyway, know that I've read them and I'm grateful for them.