Author's note: So to answer the big question why I don't update everything in one big chapter ... I think it helps the story to be devided in chapters ... and I adjust the formatting every day for each new chapter ... aand I like getting reviews for the chapters to know what you people liked and what not ... and (a big 'and' here) I guess I AM a little sadistic and like you to wait for the updates ;)
Summary: Wilson calls for a consultation, who could have guessed there was a patient involved..?
Cameron sat at the table in the conference room and went through some papers, but she couldn't concentrate. Her boss was in his office and tossed a ball against the glassy wall over and over again.
When House had come in, he had rushed wordlessly past her into his office. He had thrown three balls against the wall without catching them again, he had smashed his yoyo to the floor and then had started to toss this last ball.
Cameron looked over to him. She couldn't tell what was on his mind, he had completely retreated in his own shell. Whatever troubled him was not supposed to be her problem and he would not tell her anything. She just wished she could help him, but all those years she had tried to get closer to him, he had just pushed her away.
.
.
His beeper went off. Gregory House caught the ball and paused his monotonous game to glance at the small display. Wilson called for a consultation.
He stopped the beeping and started to toss the ball again, ignoring Wilson's request. House really had to think, but he couldn't think when Wilson was around right now.
He was so sure that there was more than just their plain friendship. He had not seen it before or maybe it had not been there all those years, but it definately was there now. House had noticed when Wilson held him while he was shaking from the withdrawal. When his head had become a little clearer, he had understood. But House had not been able to believe it until the jealousy had taken his breath away when Wilson had gone out with Rebecca.
Wilson's confession this morning on the balcony settled it – for House. Obviously Wilson was not through his state of denial yet, but House wasn't willing to wait anymore. It wasn't a big emotional thing, he told himself, but Wilson was his and he had to convince him of that fact before that boy lost his head and married again.
His pager beeped again and again Wilson's name showed up. With a sigh House put his tennisball back on his desk and raised to his feet. He might as well check what Wilson wanted.
.
.
House felt much better since he had figured out what had made him so miserable the last few weeks. Now he only had to make sure, Wilson would understand, too. With the minutes on the balcony and Wilson's confession that he might not be completely straight at all, this task seemed pretty easy to House. Of course Wilson's denial afterwards had hurt him and complicated things a little, but he would get there.
His spirits were still high as House walked through the hall towards the exam rooms. On his way he chased away two kids with his cane and then flashed a smile at Cuddy who stood at the desk, obviously surprised by his presence in the clinic.
"Consultation," he mouthed and pointed to room number two.
House threw open the door and found himself face to face with a half-naked stranger.
The patient was sitting on the table, his dress shirt open, while Wilson was digging for a swab in the drawer.
"What's he doing here?" House asked surprised.
"I called you for a consultation." Wilson's voice stayed calm although he sensed there was trouble on its way.
"I didn't know there was a patient involved."
"When one doctor calls another doctor to get his opinion on the patient's symptoms, that's what we call a consultation."
"Get out." House turned around to the confused patient and pointed to the door. The man didn't move. "Get out!" House barked and his eyes glowed menacingly at him.
The patient looked over to Wilson, who nodded reassuringly. "Please wait outside. I'll call you back in, as soon as I introduced your symptoms to Dr. House."
The man pulled his shirt close and slipped out the door without rebuttoning it. As soon as the door closed behind him, Wilson glared at House angrily. "What do you think you're doing kicking my patient out like this?"
"I wouldn't have come down here, if I'd known that you wanted to talk about a patient!" House shouted back.
"What did you think? That we would have a … a party down here? What's wrong with you?" Wilson threw the swabs on the table. "Not that I ever would've called you sane, but lately you're completely off the wall!"
"Oh so we are back to the beginnings? I thought we had some things settled this morning!" House slammed his cane on the metal table and stared at Wilson.
"Don't start that again!" Wilson lifted his hands and shook his head. "I told you to forget abot it!"
"You started that about two weeks ago. And I won't forget about -" House was cut off when the door burst open. Cuddy came in, looking furious.
"Will you two shut up right now! A half naked patient waits for you outside and you're shouting can be heard in the whole clinic. Even people at the front door turn their heads to see what is going on here! You're not gonna turn this clinic into some kind of freak show." She did not lift her voice, but her words were sharp and cold. House and Wilson both looked down to the floor.
"You two got five minutes to end your discussion. Then I'll send the patient back in, no matter what happens in here."
The door closed with a sharp sound.
"Great. Now everyone in the hospital got this." Wilson turned away from House and looked out of the window.
"Five minutes. Got anything to say?" House watched him.
"This is absolutely ridiculous," Wilson started, not even sure what he wanted to say. "You are playing with me for weeks now. You are moody, you fight and you tell me I - … I got feelings for you. I'm not one of your tennisballs that you can toss and that bounces and comes right back to you."
House played with the handle of his cane, turning it with his fingers.
"I admit," Wilson continued, "that I was confused, but this has to stop and life has to get back to normal again. At least as normal as it has been with you."
"So what?"
"What?" Wilson finally turned back around to face House. "What? Nothing! I'll get over three broken marriages and this Rebecca thing and you'll get over whatever bothers you. You'll get drunk and overdose every now and then and I'll go out with some girl and … and … and then I go out with another girl." He grabbed the swabs he had thrown on the table and put them back into the drawer.
"You can't go out with another girl!" House looked at him aghast.
"Of course I can. I will see Sandy from accountancy for lunch and I'll ask her out on a date. I will not play along to your stupid games and tempers anymore."
"Ah, that's stupid!" House frowned and slammed his hands on the table. "Don't start that girl-dating again. It hasn't ever made you happy."
"It has," Wilson almost pouted, but wondered anyway when he was last happy, dating a girl. He couldn't remember, they all had bored him somehow after a while.
"You could go out with me. Would be less boring." House pointed his hand to his chest and raised his eyebrows expectantly.
Wilson grinned uneasily. "You ... you want to ask me out on a date?"
"No, I said you could ask me out on a date."
"Why would I want to ask you out?"
"Because you love me!" House's mocking puppy eyes made Wilson snort. "And because I won't ask you," House added more seriously.
Wilson knew House had made clear what he wanted and he wouldn't go another step further before Wilson made his move. At least not without fighting.
"Okay," Wilson finally gave in and decided to play along one more time. "Let's go out and get a drink somewhere tonight."
"That doesn't sound like a date-date." House pouted, but the slight upturn on the corner of his mouth told Wilson, that he was highly satisfied.
"It's a men's date. It'll spare you to wear a dress," Wilson answered without really noticing the meaning of a "men's date".
He tossed the patient's chart over to House. "Back to work. Patient's got eczema and neurological skin problems."