Chapter 10:

Wilson stared skeptically at House. His friend had just uttered the words that he desperately wanted to hear but he wasn't really sure if this was for real or just something House was saying and wouldn't really take seriously. Suddenly feeling the need to move, he shifted painfully and uncomfortably in his bed. He gasped as pain burned through his left leg, side and shoulder. Clenching his teeth and squeezing his eyes, he waited for the pain to dull to the persistent throbbing it had previously been.

He felt a coolness that could only be pain medication spread through his veins, quenching the burning and bringing the temperature of his blood from boiling down to simmering. House's hand enveloped his, squeezing it gently and trembling. He opened his eyes to find House staring at him intently, concern and anguish flowing freely from his ocean eyes like tears. "Thanks." He said when he thought he could talk without whimpering.

House nodded, but the anger he felt radiated off him in waves, nearly knocking the oncologist over with its' force. Wilson wasn't sure who his friend's anger was aimed at and couldn't help but shrink away from the man.

House gave his friend's hand another gentle squeeze and a smile to let him know he wasn't angry with the younger man. Seeing Wilson in that much pain, tore his heart apart and threatened to take his breath away; knowing HE was the one who had caused it made his stomach churn acidly and threaten to rebel again.

He was furious with himself for doing this to his partner, friend and lover. Shame and disgust was there as well but they weren't nearly as strong or as simple as rage. He quickly tried to calm the emotions running through him when he noticed Wilson shy away from him, fear etched into his beautiful brown eyes.

They both sat quietly, studying each other, unsure what to say next. House had just admitted that he had a problem and didn't know where to go from there while Wilson wasn't sure if he fully trusted House and was afraid to speak should he actually say that.

House sensed his friends mistrust and searched for the words to soothe it, wondering if ANYTHING he said would work at all.

In the end it was Wilson who broke the silence. "I'll look into some rehab centers as soon as I can." He offered uncomfortably yet supportably. "I think it would be best to get you there as soon as possible."

House's eyes widened minutely at the last sentence, "You seriously expect me to leave you?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes." Wilson answered simply. "House, I'm not sure if Cuddy or Chase will let you leave this hospital and NOT try to put you in jail if you don't."

"So it's either rehab or jail?" The diagnostician challenged.

"Yes." His friend answered sadly. "I don't like the options but I'm not sure we really have a choice. They are FURIOUS with you and the only reason they haven't called the cops is because I asked to let me talk to you first."

House sat listening to his friend in annoyed silence. What right did Cuddy and Chase have to be furious with him? What right did Wilson have to offer him a choice with two evils? , he raged in his head. The emotion ebbed when he re-focused his eyes on the man in the bed and bowed his head in defeat. They had every right to and he knew it.

"I'm still not leaving you while you recover." He insisted stubbornly; his head held high in defiance.

"House, that's not up to you." Wilson told him firmly, though his eyes were starting to droop slightly from exhaustion. "I want you there but honestly, I don't want to give you time to change your mind. I think it's best for you to start getting help as soon as you can."

House felt his heart drop into his stomach and he couldn't help the pained gasp that escaped his lips. He hadn't known just how much Wilson's distrust could hurt until now but he knew Wilson had a point. If he hung around and watched his friend get better, he would talk himself out of getting the help that he desperately needed and would more than likely end up hurting his friend again. He did NOT want that so he feebly shook his head in understanding and averted his gaze to his sneakered feet, not wanting to show Wilson the tears that had begun to fill his eyes.

When he had composed himself, House looked up into seeking and tired brown irises. "You should get some rest." He prompted, leaning stiffly into the hospital chair and still not letting go of his friend's hand.

"You'll stay until I wake up?" Wilson asked with a shaking voice. He knew his admission had hurt his friend and was worried that House would be gone, possibly for good, when he woke up.

"Of course you idiot, now get some sleep." House grumbled giving Wilson an impressive eye-roll.

"I love you." Wilson whispered with a smile on his bruised and aching face. He shifted uncomfortably in the bed and settled down.

House patiently waited until he heard the tell-tale breathing of his friend asleep before he quietly whispered, "I love you too."

Cuddy walked into Wilson's room to find the man in question sound asleep and House staring at him with an expression of pain, longing, shame and anger on his face. He stirred out of his thoughts when he heard the swish of the doors and looked at her with a stone face, devoid of expression.

"How is he?" She asked, heading for a safe topic.

"Sleeping." House answered. The exhaustion and fear rolling off him conspired to make him look much older than he actually was. "He was hurting and tired so I got him to sleep for awhile."

"That's good." She answered truly thankful. "Not that he was hurting but that you got him to sleep." She amended at his curious head-cock realizing how her statement sounded.

House gave a sad nod, gathering the strength to inform her about his decision. "I need information on rehab centers." He offered wearily.

Cuddy's mouth fell open before she quickly gathered herself together. "Ok." She replied gently knowing it had cost him to admit that to her. "I'll have someone bring some pamphlets."

House visibly cringed at the word 'pamphlets" but he knew there was no better description for them and therefore kept his snide remark to himself. "Thanks." He said instead.

Cuddy walked up to him, her four inch heels clicking on the tiled floor, "I'm glad that you're doing this." She offered, putting a soft yet comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm not doing it for me." House answered doing his best not to shrug the well-meant hand off his shoulder.

"I know. That's why I'm glad." She answered before she walked out leaving him to once again stare at his lover.

Wilson woke to a deep baritone voice irritably calling his name. "Mmm." He responded sleepily doing his best to open his eyes. When they finally obeyed, Wilson was able to see Foreman staring at him with a penlight in his hands.

"I've been instructed to give you a full neruo exam." Foreman replied seeing the confused look on the oncologist's face. "According to House you hit your head pretty hard."

Wilson squirmed and fidgeted during the exam but didn't complain knowing it'd just make the neurologist even more annoyed. He didn't think he needed an exam but he guessed that House wanted him to have one and therefore knew it wasn't up to him.

"Sleeping Beauty's awake!' A cheery voice exclaimed making Wilson cringe as the volume echoed through his skull and cranked up his headache a couple of notches.

House limped towards Wilson's bed, a tray of food in one hand and his cane in the other. "So, Dr. Foreman how is he?" He asked faking professionalism.

"He's fine, just like Chase and Cuddy had tried to tell you." Foreman replied annoyed and condescendingly. He glared at his boss after he turned away from his "patient". He had been only partially shocked when he had been informed that House was the reason Wilson was in the hospital in the first place. He was surprised that it hadn't happened earlier given House's temper and chronic drinking habits. Not that he thought Wilson had deserved this, NOT at all, but it didn't mean that he was shocked.

In truth, Foreman was more annoyed that House had made him come down and examine Wilson than he was for any damage that he had done to the oncologist. Foreman liked Wilson professionally; he was a good oncologist and doctor. He knew how to handle House when the rest of them wanted to strangle the older doctor and he was respectful of them all.

In Foreman's opinion he was also a doormat and had no backbone. It hadn't surprised him when he learned that Wilson had been abused by his ex-wife and it had come as even less of a shock when he'd heard about the multiple injuries he had received the other night.

He had no patience for those who whined and complained that they had been abused and therefore expected the world to pity them. Though, if he was truthful to himself he admired that Wilson hadn't turned out to be one of those people. He accepted the beatings and didn't complain about the results. On the outside, you wouldn't even know that the man had been repeatedly beaten over the last three and a half years.

While he didn't hate the man, he certainly didn't share Chase's anger at his boss and protectiveness over him either. Foreman never understood WHY people thought he should care what goes on in other people's personal lives unless they were a patient and even then there were boundaries.

His musings were interrupted when the swishing of doors informed him that someone had entered. He looked up to see Cameron coming into the room and he felt his curiosity creep up when he noticed that her facial expression was a mixture of sympathy for Wilson but understanding as well. The feeling increased when he noticed that she carried pamphlets in her hands. Foreman decided that now seemed to be a good time to become a fly on the wall and just listen.

"What are those?" Wilson asked curiously causing both House and Foreman to jump. They had forgotten that he was actually in the room with them.

"Pamphlets." House answered with a deep inhale. He set his tray down on an unoccupied part of Wilson's bed and began to filter through his food and nibble while he took said papers away from Cameron.

Wilson winced at House's tone but retorted, "I can see that, pamphlets for what?"

House eyed them all warily before he quietly answered in a softer tone, "Rehab." He had noticed Wilson's wince both times he had spoken and guessed that his friend had a headache.

Foreman felt his mouth drop and heard Cameron gasp, a hand covering her mouth as if to muffle the sound. Only Wilson didn't look shocked. Instead he looked gratefully and appreciative; clearly this was something that he and House had discussed.

Before anyone had time to make a comment, Chase entered throwing House a glare before he turned his attention on his patient. "How are you feeling?" He asked in his normally cheerful voice.

Wilson grimaced at the volume and absentmindedly brought his left hand to his head, encompassing his forehead and massaging his temples.

"He has a headache." House chirped softly, still eating and examining the pamphlets.

Chase stepped over and activated Wilson's pain medication, not bothering to ask if it was alright. "Have you eaten yet?" He asked.

"No." The oncologist answered fully aware that the entire room was paying attention to him. He squirmed, uncomfortable with all the attention.

"Alright," Chase answered, "I'll have Patricia bring you up some lunch and then what do you say to getting out of that bed?"

"Lunch?" Wilson exclaimed in shock. "How long have I been asleep?" The last thing he knew it was early evening.

"About eighteen hours." Chase answered after he called out to the nurse's desk and politely asked a pretty red-head to get some lunch for Wilson. "It's understandable. Your body needed the rest."

He walked over to Wilson's bed and raised the head, allowing Wilson to sit up and look more ready for visitors. The nurse arrived with the food and the fellows left their boss and his boyfriend to eat in peace.

"You didn't answer him." House pointed out once they left.

"What?" Wilson asked lost. He picked up the sandwich from the tray and nibbled on it. He wasn't really hungry but he did want to get out of the bed so that he would know what he was facing for the next six months at least.

"Chase, you never answered his question." The diagnostician answered as he tossed a pamphlet into the trash can with disgust.

Wilson smiled behind his sandwich. House pointing out his lack of manners was his friend's way of asking how he was doing. "Because I'm fine." He answered hoping to sound annoyed.

It soon became apparent that he had failed as House smiled knowingly. "No you're not. You're just not hurting thanks to Chase activating the meds."

Wilson smirked but refused to acknowledge the declaration. Instead he went with, "So, any look promising."

House had just finished rifling through the information and had his full attention on his food. He opened a bag of Frito Lays and crunched them loudly while he thought of which one he thought would work best. "Not really, they all look like authorized torture prisons." He answered.

The oncologist gave a glare and tried to rack his brain for the name of the rehab facility he had been looking into a few years ago. "What about Mayfield?" He asked, yelling in triumph in his head for remembering the name.

House shrugged refusing to admit that that was the one he had chosen. "If that's what you want." He said.

Wilson gave a long look at his friend before turning his own attention back to his food. He knew that was House's way of admitting that was what he had chosen. "When do you leave?" He asked trying to swallow the lump in his throat. God, he didn't want House to go but he knew it was for the best for everyone.

"In that much of a hurry to get rid of me eh?" House joked with a sneer.

"No, of course not!" Wilson replied appalled. The heart monitor beeped, alerting the two to Wilson's raised heart rate.

"Calm down before you bring Chase in here on me." House grumbled. "I don't know," he answered truthfully, "I need to talk to Cuddy."

Wilson nodded his acknowledgement, not fully trusting his voice. He muscles began itching to be able to move around and pace. Instead he settled for raising his left hand to the back of his neck and rubbing it.

As if on cue, Chase walked in with an orderly. "Ready to get out of bed?" He asked in a voice between quiet and normal. Obviously he was being cautious in case Wilson still had a headache.

"Yeah, I think so." Wilson answered in a voice far braver than he felt.

He allowed Chase to help him position his body to where he was dangling his feet off the bed, his left leg more straight than the right. He grimaced at the fresh wave of pain the motion brought but held his tongue. He really wasn't looking forward to this trip but the doctor in him knew that it would be better for him to be moving around earlier rather than later.

"I know, I'm sorry," Chase interjected, noticing Wilson's grimace with a sympathetic frown and effectively breaking into his thoughts, "but this will help you heal faster."

"No pain, no gain right?" Wilson replied with a gruff laugh as the two men helped him stand.

The person who invented that phrase had obviously never tried walking on a surgically fixed him with broken ribs and only one functioning arm, Wilson concluded as he began his slow, torturous walk over to the closest chair.

Thought it had been dulled by the recent injection of meds pain throbbed through his injured hip, searing its way through his lower back and down to his knee. Every uneasy and uneven step jarred his broken ribs allowing them to join in the chorus of pain. He grimaced and winced with every step unable to hide how much it hurt.

House watched his lover painfully make his way over to the chair, resisting the urge to rush over and help. Wilson had Chase and a well practiced orderly to help him and therefore didn't need House there. It hurt him to see the grimaces and winces of pain so much that he had to turn his head away when he noticed a slight tear from Wilson's tightly clenched eyes trickle its way down his cheek.

He forced himself to look back, burning the sight into his memory to remind himself if ever he wondered WHY he was in rehab or to discourage himself from grabbing at the nearest alcohol substance and downing it.

He wanted to cry when Wilson let out a groan as he painfully sat down in the relatively soft armchair in the room. This was what he was leaving his friend alone with for however long he'd be gone. This was what his drinking and lack of self control had done to his lover.

Once again, House felt sick and knew he couldn't stop his stomach from emptying the food he had just swallowed. He hurried over to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him and retching.

Wilson watched House flee with a sad heart.

"Guess he's still hung over." Chase offered noticing the look on the oncologist's face.

"Yeah, guess so." Wilson answered hollowly. He knew that it wasn't the alcohol that was making House sick. The man had had over eighteen hours to overcome his hang over and knew very well that it took less than twelve. He was concerned that House was actually sick but decided to wait until the others had left before he broached the conversation.

"How are you doing?" Chase asked, once again breaking through Wilson's thoughts.

"Is that a trick question?" Wilson answered dryly.

Chase offered a smile, "No, but I guess you're right, it was a stupid question." He answered laughing at himself. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I'll be okay for right now. Thanks Chase."

"Well, I'm going to leave you here for a few minutes but I'll be back soon to help you get back in bed." The intensivist replied.

Wilson nodded grateful that Chase was giving him time to rest before making him get back in bed. He honestly didn't know if his leg would hold him right now and he wasn't too keen on testing it so soon. He laid his head back against the armchair, listening to the sounds of Chase and the orderly leaving along with House still retching. He frowned in worry over his friend but allowed himself to push the feeling aside for right now and just rest. He'd need his strength for the return trip.

There you all are! I'm sorry it took me so long to update, RL has kept me busy for the past few days. I hope you all enjoyed it!

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