"I
make them good girls go baaaad. I make them good girls go, good
girls go BAD!" Abigail tried to suppress her laughter, but
resistance was futile. She burst out laughing, tears streaming
from her face as she watched Wilson dance around singing Cobra
Starship. He turned down the music and turned to face her, his
slightly chubby cheeks turned almost crimson with embarrassment.
Abigail was resting on the balls of her feet, arms wrapped around her
stomach clutching her sides and she continued to laugh and fight for
air. "I...uh...I'm just getting ready for an oncologists'
meeting," Wilson said.
"I wish I had a video
camera!" she managed to say in between laughs. "Ooh
owwww," she suddenly moaned, inhaling sharply.
"What?
What is it?" A spasm of pain shook her entire body.
"It's the pain," she responded. "From the
porphyria." Wilson really didn't want to leave her, but
Cuddy would kill him if he didn't represent the hospital at this
meeting. "I'll be fine. Just go." He knew
he couldn't leave her, but he couldn't call Cuddy. He couldn't
take her away from Rachel. Oh
boy,
he thought. There was only one other person he could call, and
he really didn't want to.
House was asleep on the
couch with Cuddy on top of him. Their breathing was slow and
calm. *Brrring!* The ringing pierced through the still
darkness of House's apartment. *Brring! Brring!*
"Answer the phone, House," came Cuddy's sleepy voice.
"OK,
just go back to sleep," he said softly, stroking her hair.
"Hello?" he answered tiredly.
"House.
It's Wilson. Listen. Abigail's having some pain thing
from the porphyria. I need you to come over while I go to this
meeting."
"Sure thing." Wilson was
surprised in a way, but House wouldn't let someone suffer alone that
wasn't himself, especially if he thought the suffering was worth it.
"I have to go Wilson's. Just try to sleep, I'll be back
soon," he told Cuddy. He knew she probably wouldn't
remember what he just told her so he left a note as well, then slowly
slid out from underneath her, covered her with a blanket, and left
the apartment.
Wilson had left the door unlocked
so House could come in without Abigail having to get up to answer the
door. When House walked in he saw Abigail laying on the couch
on her stomach, face buried in a pillow. At first he thought
she was asleep, but her eyes met his when he approached. She
then indicated a small note on the table beside the couch and House
took it. House, Give her half a Vicodin, nothing more.
I'll be back as soon as I can. -Wilson House brought Abigail a
glass of water and broke one of his vicodins in half. "Here,"
he said, holding out his hand, "take this." She
obliged and he took two of his own and turned on the TV. "You
like monster trucks?" he asked.
"I don't know,"
she said.
"There," he said, pointing to one of
the trucks. "That's Gravedigger."
"Cool."
"Yup," he said, rubbing his thigh furiously. Abigail
watched him intently for a few seconds while he focused on the TV,
then spoke.
"Stop it." His eyes followed
hers down to his hands covering his right thigh.
"It hurts," he responded tersely.
"I know it
does," his eyes met hers again. "But if you keep
focusing on it it's not gonna stop."
"How can I
not focus on it? It ALWAYS hurts. Just because I want it
to go away doesn't mean it will."
"I know.
So, what's so good about Gravedigger?"
"Are you
kidding me?" House then described Gravedigger's atributes
and the other trucks' flaws while Abigail continued asking
questions. Soon they were both commenting on the rally in front
of them as if they were two sportscasters engaging in banter.
Abigail finally fell quiet as she fell asleep. House got up to
get a glass of water when he realized the pain had subsided
substantially. He smiled. She was trying to help him.
Just
like Wilson,
he thought.
When Wilson returned around midnight he
found House sitting by the couch sleeping, one hand on Abigail's
dark hair as she slept. He heard Wilson approach and woke up.
"Thank you," Wilson whispered. House stood up to
leave when Wilson told him he could stay on the couch as he picked
Abigail up. She had muscle, but she wasn't too heavy.
House looked back at him and Wilson gave him a look that
said "Don't worry." He knew House couldn't help
because of his leg. Abigail woke to the feeling of being
carried and sighed. "Shh," Wilson said, stroking her
hair. She put her legs around his torso to help him carry her
and fell back asleep. She had been in so much pain. He
put her in bed and, after seeing that House was back asleep, went to
bed himself.
The last thought that House had
before he went to sleep was how good a team Wilson and Abigail seemed
to make. He was caring, but not too mushy. She was her
own person, but not filled with too much angst. He was glad for
Wilson, hoping his friend could keep at least one woman in his life.
