Chapter 26
A/N: The parts not in italics are the flashback
"There was a convention in New Orleans and I was fresh out of med. school. I was at the hotel bar trying to unwind, having a drink and there was this guy who kept playing Billy Joel's 'Leave a Tender Moment Alone' on the jukebox"
A man with auburn brown hair sat at the bar. In one hand he held a brown envelope and in the other a whiskey glass. He stared into its depths in complete despair. He could feel his mood growing steadily worse. It was especially unhelpful that someone had decided to keep replaying his wedding song. 'Leave a Tender Moment Alone" could he have picked a song more accurate for his life story?
If the girl gets too close
If I need some room to escape
When the moment arose
I'd tell her it's all a mistake
But that's not how I feel
No that's not the woman I've known
She's undeniably real
So leave a tender moment alone
But it's not only me
Breaking down when the tension gets high
Just when I'm in a serious mood
She is suddenly quiet and shy
Leave a tender moment
Leave it alone
"Leave a Tender moment is a good song" Ray commented thoughtfully
"It's a great song, he was out of line" House agreed
"Not as good as scenes from an Italian restaurant" he mused
Typical House! A man is pointing a gun at them and all House can do his interrupt Wilson's attempt at distracting the man by discussing song preferences? God House really was unbelievable.
"So I asked the man to stop - politely" Wilson
"Yeah you yelled politely" House sniggered
"I was polite the first couple of times but courtesy made no impression on this ass so I threw a bottle into the mirror which successfully conveyed my message..." Wilson tailed off abashed
"Sir, I was wondering if it would be possible to hear a different track?" He asked cordially
"Yeah, yeah whatever, Kid!" the man sneered
"I would really appreciate you playing a different song" he persisted
"Go back to your wifey kiddo!"
Everyone has a breaking point. That man found his. In that moment he lost control. The man had hit a very fresh and very raw nerve. He wasn't ready to have his misery jeered at just yet.
"ENOUGH!"
He picked up the man's beer bottle. He summoned up every trace of anger within him. He closed his eyes and with no aim threw the bottle...
Smash!
Shards of glass shattered all around him. They fell to the floor twinkling like shattered pieces of hope. Like shattered pieces of his life. The reflective glass merged with green glass of the bottle.
That would have been pretty bad for him on its own. Breaking 10ft antique mirrors is proven to be bad luck as every time you do it costs you heck of a lot of money. Apparently it can also lead to an arrest and a brawl.
He noted this as shot glasses went flying around the room. One particularly badly aimed (or well aimed in Wilson's opinion) sliced the cheek of the man who'd been playing the wretched song. He ducked when he saw the man wandering over to punch the guy very sharply in the nose.
"Leading to an arrest on: vandalism, destruction of property and assault" House listed gleefully
"I had nothing to do with that fight. The assault charge was totally bogus and I paid for the mirror" Wilson replied indignantly
"Did you or did you not get arrested under those charges?" House raised his eyebrows
"Well..."
"James Evan Wilson. You are charged with vandalism, destruction of property and assault. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law"
He let the police man handcuff him and push him out of the bar. He briefly locked the gaze of a man with piercing blue eyes before he turned away and hung his head in shame.
"I assume you were the guy who was playing the song?" Ray glanced at House quizzically
"No I was the guy who bailed him out" House whispered softly
"That's how we met. I was in jail"
He sat in the dank cell wondering how long it would take before anyone would miss him. He hadn't started looking for a job yet so that ruled out anyone at work missing him. He didn't have any friends who he'd bothered to keep in touch with (that's what you get for focusing on your work instead of your social life!). He wasn't due to see his parents or brother for at least 3 months. His wife? Now that was laughable. After what he'd done she'd pay the police to keep him locked up.
"Mr Wilson your bail's been posted"
That was quick and odd. He didn't know anyone at the convention. He was equally sure no one knew him. Maybe it was a woman who'd seen what was happening. Unfortunately that was the most plausible explanation. However, he still ran out eagerly to greet his saviour.
Ice blue met hawk brown.