The phone rang loudly in the silence. House groaned and rolled over, clamping his pillow over his ear. The ringing continued and he blindly reached out to the bedside cabinet. He flicked on the lamp and winced as bright light filled the room. He grabbed the phone and held it to his ear.
"What?" He snapped, his voice hoarse with sleep.
"Did I wake you?" replied Hayley's familiar voice, hushed to a whisper. House turned onto his back, lifting his head slightly to stare at the clock on the opposite wall.
"It's 3a.m, of course you woke me." He grumbled.
"Sorry."
"Why are you whispering?" Realising that this wasn't going to be a quick conversation House adjusted the pillows behind him and sat back, trying to get comfortable.
"Allison's asleep." House felt his curiosity peak when he realised that Hayley had used her sister's full name, instead of calling her Allie like she usually did.
"You two have a fight?" House asked and he heard Hayley sigh heavily.
"She knows where you are House. I had to tell her." Before House could voice his reaction Hayley spoke again, begging; "Please don't be mad at me." She sounded on the verge of tears. House swallowed down the immediate anger that had sprung up inside him, and took a deep breath. When he spoke he tried to keep his voice even; Hayley was obviously upset.
"Why did you have to tell her?" Hayley sniffed.
"We had a huge fight, after you called the last time. She found out I'd been researching your treatment on the internet and wanting to know why. We got into this whole big thing, and she realised I was hiding something. I tried not to tell her House, I promise I did but she wouldn't speak to me for three days. I couldn't take it anymore – I had to tell her. I'm sorry." House was silent, digesting the information.
"What did she say?" He asked, his voice low.
"She wanted to know if you were ok. I said I thought you were, but we're still not speaking properly. I'm sorry House."
"Don't worry about it." The doctor replied, not quite sure he meant what he was saying.
"I screwed it all up though."
"Hayley, it's ok."
"But it's not! I ruined everything." House sighed.
"Look, we'll figure something out. It's not the end of the world." House glanced at the clock again and winced. It was far too early for this.
"You promise?" Hayley sounded so desperate that House found himself taking pity on her.
"I promise, it wasn't your fault. I know how Cameron can get when she wants to know something. It's not worth you guys falling out over."
"Goodnight House." Hayley yawned. House murmured a reply, and heard Hayley put the phone down. He flicked the light off and rearranged the pillows again, trying to get comfortable. The ticking of the clock seemed to get louder and louder the longer he lay in the bed. Frustrated, he sat up and threw the covers back, instinctively reaching to pull his 'bad' leg over the edge of the bed. He shook his head; a couple of times a day since his surgery he forgot that he didn't have the pain anymore, and could move his leg without feeling like he might pass out with the pain.
It reminded him of after his first surgery, when Stacey had allowed them to take away the dead tissue. Except now his reactions were in reverse; back then he would try and move like an able-bodied guy until he got that same excruciating reminder.
Massaging his scar, the only physical reminder of what he used to be, he wondered how long it would take until he got used to being able to walk. Standing up, with an ease that made him smile, he made his way out of the room and down the corridor. Three minutes down the hall he came to his favourite room in the center; the physical therapy room. He tried the door, but knew before he heard the click that it was locked. Most nights when he couldn't sleep House would make his way to the PT room; he had only found it unlocked once in ten days. That was his first pain-free night since his surgery and he had spent more than a few hours just sitting, thinking about all the things he would be able to do.
He tried the door for a second time, then shook his head at his own pathetic thoughts. "Enough already! Get a grip." He told himself, making his way back to his room.
Two days later…
"What do you want for dinner?" Cameron asked, entering the living room with two boxes in her hands.
"What's the choice?" Hayley asked, her eyes not straying from the TV. She was sat with her back against the sofa, pretending to be interested in a show about police car chases.
"Well, it's pizza – Hawaiian or Meat Feast."
"Hawaiian, please." Hayley stared at the TV, even though the programme was finishing.
"Or we could go out for dinner?"
"Yup." Hayley muttered, beginning to channel-hop. Cameron sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Or we could try fire-eating? Or maybe a trip to the moon...pick up some cheese?"
"I don't like cheese…" was Hayley's murmured reply.
"Hayley Anne Cameron!" The older sister snapped.
"What?" Hayley asked, finally dragging her eyes away from the TV screen. Cameron set the pizzas down on the coffee table and sat on the arm of the sofa.
"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?"
"You want cheese – I don't like cheese." Hayley replied.
"Come here." Cameron gestured for Hayley to join her on the sofa, which the younger sister did. "I hate this. I hate us not talking."
"We are talking." Hayley said instantly, but she avoided Cameron's eyes.
"Not properly."
"Allie…we don't need to do this right now." Hayley shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"Yes we do." Cameron insisted. "I've been totally unfair on you. All of this stuff with House, you've had to go through it too, and I haven't been there for you like I should have been. I've been so wrapped up in what's been going on with me that I forgot you were going through it too." Hayley was silent for a few moments.
"It's ok." She mumbled. Cameron looked at her sister, and recognised that she wasn't quite telling the truth. Hayley was curled defensively in the corner of the sofa, her knees hugged to her chest and twisting a strand of hair tightly around her finger.
"I love you." Cameron said, slipping down off the arm of the sofa to hug her sister.
"I love you too." Hayley answered, her voice muffled as she wrapped her arms around Cameron.
"House called me today." Hayley said, several hours later. She and Cameron had ordered a pizza and squabbled over which chick-flick to watch before settling down in front of Sweet Home Alabama. Now, as the credits rolled on the DVD neither of them wanted to move to switch off the TV.
"How is he?" Cameron asked, trying to keep her voice even but actually desperate to know. Hayley rested her head on her big sister's shoulder. She crossed her fingers surreptitiously.
"I didn't tell him that you know where he is. But he's coming home tomorrow. And he wants to be back at work in two days."
"Really? What about his leg?" Hayley shuffled, bringing her legs up and resting them over Cameron's lap. She stared at her toes, studiously avoiding her big sister's attention.
"He...he um…he was getting better-" Cameron tensed.
"Was?" The anxiety in Cameron's voice made Hayley feel almost nauseous. She crossed her fingers tighter and took a deep breath.
"He started getting pains in his leg yesterday."
"How bad?" Cameron asked.
"Bad enough for him to check out of the center before he's been officially discharged. He said he's had enough."
"But…but you said…"
"I know; he was fine the other day. I don't know what's happened. But he doesn't want to do it anymore; he's resigning himself to using the cane for the rest of his life."
Cameron was silent, and Hayley could feel her trembling as tears began to slide down her cheeks.
"Allie…" she began, but Cameron lurched forward, shaking. "Allie…" Cameron put a hand to her mouth and sobbed. Hayley wrapped her arms around her big sister but Cameron pulled away. She hurried out of the room, and Hayley heard the loud click as Cameron ran into her bedroom.
Hayley sat for a few moments, shocked and feeling sick. "You, Hayley Anne Cameron-" she said to herself, "are a horrible, horrible sister."