Chapter 2
She was cleaning in the kitchen when she heard the front door open. Panic filled her. She looked around for something, anything, to protect herself. Knife, knife, she thought. Frantic she couldn't remember where they were. She pulled open a drawer to find only forks, spoons and butter knives. She pulled open another drawer and grabbed at the first knife she saw, cutting herself in the process and letting it fall to the floor with a clatter as she let out a cry.
He moved as quickly as he could, making his way to the kitchen where he could see her holding her left hand, as blood dripped from it. "If you're trying to commit suicide you're going about it all wrong."
Relieved that it was just him, but still on edge and in pain she snapped. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I'm a doctor. You're bleeding."
"How did you get in?"
He ignored her question and took her hand. "Not going to need stitches. But you did do a good job. You do have some bandaids around here?"
"Bathroom, but how…"
"Lead on McDuff. Or McHendrick as the case may be."
"But…"
"Do you want to bleed all day or are you going to let me take care of it for you? I get paid good money for this at the hospital. Well, maybe not good money, but…I suppose you get the point." He pushed her towards the bathroom, without thinking that perhaps he shouldn't know where it was.
She opened the linen closet in the bathroom. He pulled out some alcohol, gaze and tape. He put her hand over the sink and dosed it with alcohol.
A hiss came out of her mouth as the alcohol burned.
"You need to learn not to play with knives."
"I wasn't. Just what are you doing here any way?"
"Groceries." He opened the gaze and covered her palm with it.
"What?"
"You didn't deliver the groceries yesterday. I'm practically out of sugar coated frosted flakes."
"You break into my home because I didn't get you cereal?"
"And because you were having a minor medical emergency. It'll take a week or so to heal." He looked at her face, the bruises were starting to fade. "Or maybe less. You seem to be a fast healer."
She looked away, ashamed that he knew. But angry too.
"Well, now that I've saved the day," he said heading for the door, not letting her know how relieved he was that she was all right.
"I'm thinking of getting an alarm system for the house," she blurted out.
He stopped and turned to look at her. "Are you that afraid of him?"
She forced herself to look him in the eye. There was no point in lying. He knew. "Yes."
"Call and get it done. I'll pay for my half."
"You don't have to."
"It's my home too. It would make me uneasy to wake up and find you murdered one morning."
"He's not a killer."
"Right. For a good time he just likes to slap you around."
"It's not like that it's…"
"Oh," he said cutting her off. "He beats you and throws you out of his car, but it's not like that."
"I'm not going to see him again. I've learned my lesson."
"Have you?"
"Yes!"
"All right then," he said leaving it at that. "Will you be going to the supermarket this afternoon?"
She smiled for the first time since Thursday evening. "Couldn't have you run out of frosted flakes."
"Or Twinkies."
"My car is still at the office. He picked me up there."
"Didn't want him to know where you lived."
"But he knew any way." She sighed. "God damn it I am such an idiot. I should have known that he never would have changed, even after…"
"After?" House questioned.
"You didn't think this was the first time, did you? We were married. Fifteen years ago."
"Ah, young love, stupid love."
