Thank you for the reviews!
And Nikelodeon: thanks for catching "Geoffrey"; Severus: Yeah, I think you're right. They do tend to be very "reasonable". Could be because I write fanfic to figure out the characters and how they would react in different situations. Or then, it's just me. :)
You could tell me a lot but it's not / In a gentleman's code
Gordon made his way downstairs and into Cuddy's office. He knocked on the door and waited for Cuddy to look towards the door and gesture for him to enter; this she did immediately though she was already talking with someone.
"Come in Dr Wyatt," Cuddy invited.
"I thought we agreed on first names," Gordon reminded her as he walked in.
"So we did," Cuddy nodded. "This is Dr Chase though. He is…"
"The son of Rowan Chase and former fellow of House's," Gordon finished. "And the head of surgery now." He shook hands with Chase. "I knew your father, though only slightly so he probably never mentioned it."
"No, I'm sure he didn't," Chase responded. "I would remember. You are rather famous."
"Yes, I do enjoy certain amount of fame," Gordon mused. "And unlike your former boss I don't eschew public speaking and conferences."
"Well, there really is room for only one House in the world," Chase observed dryly.
"Some would add fortunately to that," Gordon smiled.
Before Chase had a chance to comment the door opened again and House barged in – without knocking.
"So, what did he say?" House asked without any niceties.
"Do come in House, why don't you," Cuddy sighed.
"Don't act like I interrupted anything important," House scoffed. "It's just Gordon Gordon and Chase."
"You know, Gregory," Gordon mused. "I am quite aware of your reputation; you don't really need to give me a demonstration."
"This isn't a demonstration," Cuddy remarked dryly. "This is how he is all the time."
"Gregory?" Chase asked House.
"He is British, like you," House dismissed it.
"I'm Australian," Chase corrected him. "Gregory."
House swatted Chase on the back of his head though gently. Chase laughed. "I'll come back later Dr Cuddy," Chase said as he made his way out of the room. "Nice meeting you Dr Wyatt."
"Nice young man," Gordon said. "Hard to believe Rowan Chase was his father."
"You wouldn't have said that couple of years ago," House told Gordon. "But enough of Chase. How did your talk go with Wilson?"
"Though I deplore House's manners," Cuddy had to admit. "I too would like to know if Dr Wilson agreed to talk with you."
"Yes," Gordon answered simply. "We are having the next meeting tomorrow."
"Great," House enthused. "Now Cuddy, you really have to release me from clinic duty for the duration."
"I'm sure Gordon does not expect you to be there all day," Cuddy pointed out. "So you will still have plenty of time to do your clinic duty as well."
"But Mommy!" House whined. "I'll be too distracted. What if I misdiagnose someone because of it?"
"How could you misdiagnose anyone when you keep telling me that a monkey with a bottle of Motrin could replace you?" Cuddy wanted to know.
"Forgive me if I'm interfering here," Gordon smiled. "But would you like some counselling yourself, Lisa? I mean you and Gregory here. It seems your relationship with him is at least as complicated as Dr Wilson's."
"Thank you for the offer," Cuddy looked a bit defeated. "But I think we're beyond help already."
"Oh dear! What a pessimistic way to look at things," Gordon exclaimed. "Nobody is beyond help. Sure, sometimes there isn't much that can be done, but there is always something."
"Stop drumming up business for yourself Gordon," House instructed him. "What time tomorrow?"
"Same time, same place as today," Gordon answered.
"Ok," House nodded. "I'll be there." He turned and left as abruptly as he had entered.
"Is he really always like this?" Gordon wanted to know.
"Unfortunately," Cuddy admitted. "Fortunately he really is as brilliant as his reputation claims. I wish I … Never mind. Now, you think you really can help them?"
"As I said, everybody can be helped," Gordon reminded her. "But how much I can help them depends on them. If they refuse to be helped then that's it."
"Ok," Cuddy nodded. "You will have your work cut out for you with them."
"Fortunately I like challenges," Gordon smiled. "Now I better leave you to your administrative duties and toddle off till tomorrow. See you then, Lisa."
"See you then Gordon," Lisa agreed. "You will keep me posted."
"No, I'm afraid I won't," Gordon replied as he opened the door. "I will tell you if it isn't working and you need to find someone else, but all else will remain confidential." With that he left before Cuddy could say anything.
Gordon made his way to the clinic to have one final word with House before leaving for the day. He found House in the examination room three. He was alone and apparently trying to take a nap.
"Hmmm… It seems that the monkey wouldn't even need the bottle of Motrin to be able to replace you," Gordon observed.
House opened one eye to check that Gordon was alone before he closed his eye again: "That is exactly why I don't get why Cuddy wants me to work here."
"Well I rather think the operative word there was work," Gordon pointed out. "And that is something you are most definitely not doing right now."
"The mind is working," House opened his eyes and gave a wide-eyed stare to Gordon.
"So I see," Gordon concurred. "Just wondering what it might be working on. Or do I even want to know?"
"Probably not," House smiled. "So why did you want to see me? Before tomorrow that is."
"I feel I have to warn you, Gregory." Gordon spoke seriously.
"What about?" House looked apprehensive.
"If you really want to help Wilson and want to work things out between you two, you have to share," Gordon stated seriously.
"Share?" House looked puzzled. "Share what?"
"Whatever he needs you to," Gordon responded. "Neither I nor you can know what that may be. Are you ready to do that?"
House settled on his back and stared at the ceiling for a moment. "I once had a patient… or not really a patient since there was nothing to diagnose. She had been raped and she refused to talk to anyone but me. Talk about bad choices!"
"Didn't you refer her to a psychiatrist?" Gordon prompted.
"Yes," House nodded. "She tried to kill herself."
"After the referral?" Gordon wanted to be sure.
"Yep," House confirmed. "She wanted to talk to me."
"And you did," Gordon decided. "You're really not supposed to do that. When a patient starts to manipulate you you're supposed to stop it."
"I'm aware of that," House agreed. "Yet who could really blame her. It's one thing to have a textbook case in the textbook but when she stares you in the face… She had a point. If we wanted to help her then it should happen on her terms and if she needed to keep me prisoner, then I suppose she had the right. It's not like she was really doing anything to me other than force me to form some kind of a connection with her."
"But you hated it nevertheless," Gordon stated.
"Of course," House shrugged as he sat up. "She took control away from me. Sure, it was more a case of getting Cuddy do it for her, and I could have just left her to the not that capable care of the shrinks, but in the end I did feel responsible for her because I figured out what had happened. She hadn't wanted to tell me or anyone what had happened to her. She wouldn't have even come to the clinic had she not contracted an STD from it as well."
"As well as what?" Gordon was pretty good at figuring things out, too.
"She was pregnant," House said. "Though it was Cuddy who figured that one out."
"That could not have been easy," Gordon mused.
"It did complicate things a little," House replied. "Anyway, the long and the short was that she was not going to let me go, in a manner of speaking, before we had had a talk, but she wasn't willing to talk to me about what had happened to her unless I shared… Unless I shared."
"Ah," Gordon comprehended. "And you did. Is she the only one you have ever told?"
"Yes," House divulged. "Though there are couple of people, like you, who figured it out at the time. However, what I was trying to say is that if I was willing to share that with a stranger when she needed it, I can surely share whatever my friend needs me to share. Maybe not gladly, but I will share."
"Ok," Gordon accepted. "That will make my job easier."
"Was that it?" House asked. "Can I get on with my nap now?"
"Oh, yes," Gordon granted. "Carry on." And he walked out of the room closing the door behind him.
Cased in Amber Cased in Amber
The next day Wilson was the last to arrive to the meeting. House was actually starting to feel impatient, but then again, that was his usual state of mind.
"There you are," House exclaimed when Wilson walked in.
"Yes, here I am, exactly on time," Wilson stated as he sat down.
"So true," Gordon concurred. "Now shall we get down to business, as the saying goes?"
"Go ahead," House invited. "Though I'm happy to just sit here as long as I don't need to do any clinic duty."
"You didn't seem that happy a minute ago," Gordon observed.
"That was because I was afraid that Wilson had chickened out," House explained. "And since Cuddy told me to report to the clinic as soon as this was over, that wasn't good news."
"Again, it's all about you," Wilson sighed. "You do know that the world does not revolve around you."
"Yes," House accepted. "I do know that. It's only my own world that revolves around me. Everybody's does."
"He has a point," Gordon conceded. "Isn't that one of the reasons you currently resent him? Because you believe he doesn't take your point of view into consideration enough?"
"He doesn't even see my point of view at all," Wilson scoffed. "Let alone consider it."
"Are you quite sure?" Gordon wanted to know.
"Everything is always about him," Wilson insisted. "Even now he doesn't care about what I'm going through. He just wants to know how this affects him."
"I care," House exclaimed. "I just think you are making bad decisions."
"You don't give a damn about Amber!" Wilson yelled.
"Amber is dead," House stated. "I'm sorry that she is dead, but other than that there is no point in dwelling on her. Only on how her death affects you; and her death is making you behave irrationally."
"Surely that is understandable?" Gordon asked.
"I understand it," House sighed. "I just don't get it why he can't see it and why he can't listen to his friends. Even if he isn't willing to listen to me, why isn't he accepting Cuddy's advice?"
"You don't think you behaviour is irrational?" Gordon turned to Wilson.
"What's so irrational about wanting a change of venue?" Wilson shrugged. "I need something to occupy my mind, something that… I don't know. I need something different. Something that helps me live with the pain."
"Usually it is friends who help with the pain," Gordon mused. "But I suppose that when you blame your best friend for the pain, it could be difficult. But you have observed grief from close quarters several times in your profession, don't you think your reaction is rather typical and possibly rather futile?"
"It feels right so why would it be futile?" Wilson defied. "Or are you just trying to work House's agenda here?"
"No, I don't have agendas when it comes to therapy," Gordon said seriously. "But if you feel you can't trust me, then Dr Cuddy needs to find someone else to help you."
"He does trust you," House insisted.
"He can speak for himself," Gordon pointed out.
"I'm sorry," Wilson replied. "I don't really doubt you; your reputation is quite stellar. I don't know what got into me."
"Hmmm…." Gordon seemed to ponder something for a moment. "Perhaps we ought to forget the couples counselling for a moment and you, Dr Wilson, and I will have a few sessions without House so that you will learn to know me better and then we may proceed with better understanding on the couples counselling?"
"Wait a minute!" House huffed. "Are you throwing me out of here! When the whole point is to fix things between me and Wilson."
"Yes, I am throwing you out," Gordon confirmed gently. "I believe that is the best course of action and you will just have to accept it."
"Fine," House grumbled after a minute. "But you will keep me posted on what is going on."
"No," Gordon stated. "I will not. I already told Dr Cuddy that what is meant to be confidential will remain confidential."
"It would be better if you just agreed," House almost warned him. "I will get what I want one way or the other."
"He usually does," Wilson inserted. "He has been known to break into patients confidential records even."
"That does not surprise me at all," Gordon confessed. "But he won't get anything from me regardless of his methods. I don't intend to keep records of these meetings."
"But aren't you required to do so?" Wilson was curious.
"Yes, I am," Gordon nodded. "And I do. But not quite in the usual way. I have photographic memory, you see."
"I thought you had grown out of that!" House wasn't happy. "I suppose you write your notes then you read them and then destroy?"
"With the really confidential cases, yes," Gordon verified.
"So whatever I tell you, he can't find out?" Wilson wanted to know.
"Not without bugging the place or hearing it from you," Gordon maintained. "I can't very well promise not to – now what was that phrase, oh yes – promise not to rat on him to you and then just turn around and rat on you to him. Now can I?"
"Sure you can," House insisted heartily. "It's done all the time!"
"But it would not be British," Gordon smiled.
"Rats!" House spat out, but he got his cane and limped to the door. "So, how many times do you reckon little Jimmy needs his hand held before we'll have another session together."
"I can't know right now," Gordon insisted. "But I will let you know."
There was nothing that House could say to that, so grumpily he limped out of the room leaving Gordon and Wilson alone.