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WARNING: POSSIBLE BAD LANGUAGE, SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL.

All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please; and I will try to update regularly.

'—' signifies thoughts.

"—" signifies speech.

Anyway…chapter Four!

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Kindred Spirits

Chapter Three – Diagnosis & Realisations

Wilson watched as Jess walked along with House back to his office. He didn't mean to follow them around; God knows he had better things to do; like going home and sleeping, he had been on duty since 6am – but he was intrigued by their unconventional relationship.

Though almost identical characteristically speaking, they were chalk and cheese to look at. He was tall and reasonably gangly, whereas she was fairly short and more solid - not fat, in actual fact she was quite slim, but she had a muscular look about her.

He was all relaxed clothing and scruffy hair and she was definitely a 'gothic'. She had a black thumb ring; a few black leather bracelets that obviously had some meaning, as they were well worn like she'd had them on for years. As well a handmade garish looking one, that he had seen said 'Mummy'.

A set of dog tags and a sword necklace round her neck; as well as an extremely chunky watch that had a very large digital display on it (probably due to her eyesight), and a wide black leather strap – all the current fashion these days, but he felt she had had them for years.

The dog tags looked like they held medical info, but he couldn't be sure…he would ask the next time he saw her. Something told him she would appreciate a direct approach more than checking up behind her back.

She had very auburn hair he noticed, but doubted it was dyed – that didn't seem her way - the style looked easy to manage considering the abundance of corkscrew curls; and again, though the current fashion, he felt she'd had it like that for years.

Her clothes were black, all of them. Black t-shirt, black studded belt, black jeans (a touch too long and trailing the ground behind her, causing her to tread down the hems) and black suede chunky boots, shuffling out from underneath.

She had on a very worn black leather biker style jacket that looked a bit too big – the main body of it hung on her and the sleeves draped down over her hands. For a moment he wondered, with a pang, if it had been this Mac's she'd spoken of; though he had to admit she didn't strike him as the sentimental sort.

Even her eye make up, what little there was of it, was quite dark; thus making her very large blue eyes look even larger and bluer. She was a very striking woman, and he wondered how on earth she did not have men queuing up to date her. But then if she didn't want them she would ensure they didn't get anywhere near her, of that he was sure.

"So come on Monty – howdya do it?" House queried.

"I told you…."

"Yeah, yeah - aside from not being the complete bastard and emotionally frigid aresehole that I am..."

"Oh well, that would be breaking the patent on my 'Monty Method' of persuasion…."

"I am her doctor!"

"Yeah and as her doctor you and your little elves will be doing the tests on her - the rest comes under patient/doctor confidentiality." she looked at him innocently "sorry…."

"No, you're not; you're not sorry at all."

"You know – you're right, I'm not." She grinned and looked at her watch "I have to go House; God alone only knows to what chaos and mayhem I am returning. If you ever want to see the chaos theory in action, come round to mine when Molly's been left with Alex for more than 30 seconds…."

She smiled and reached up to kiss him on the cheek "You know, would it kill you stoop a little?"

"Is it my problem you're a midget?" he looked down at her.

"You are a complete bastard!"

"Yeah, yeah – now tell me something I don't know…." He rolled his eyes.

"I still love you….when thousands wouldn't!" she tweaked his nose, which made him smile.

"Why would I want thousands to?" he queried mildly.

"Oh you know - the whole hero worship thing..."

"Oh, that - I get that here; you know parties just to say they love me…." he shrugged and rolled his eyes like he was embarrassed at the attention.

"Of course! How could I be so stupid….so that picture of you in their common room with the darts sticking out of it was….what exactly?" She painted a confused look on her face.

"What? Oh, a mistake surely; unless Cuddy had something to do with it!"

"Yeah, yeah, of course it was…" she reach up and pulled him down for a hug "You will hug me, you sod!"

"Alright, alright…but make it quick – I too, have a rep to protect here!" but he hugged her tight for a moment.

She laughed and released him - with a quick wave, she was gone.

House watched her go…and sighed, it was like someone had suddenly switched the damn light off.

He turned and saw Wilson staring at him "Don't smirk…."

Wilson smirked "I wasn't…."

"You are…"

"Ah, but I wasn't…."

"So, Mrs Mulholland has agreed to the tests, we better get started; I'd like to be able to phone Monty about….oh 6am?"

Wilson looked at his watch "House it's 1:40 in the morning…."

The older doctor grinned evilly "I know…."

"You know, I don't why she puts up with you…." Wilson sighed with a wry smile.

"Neither do I; but she does, and I do so enjoy torturing her…."

"Something tells me her retribution will have you questioning said enjoyment of this torture."

They started walking back to the hospital room "Possibly, but I enjoy it none the less…"

0-0-0-0-0-0

At 6am precisely Jess' phone rang "Monty you're needed…" the phone clicked.

"Good morning to you too House…..you bastard, you've done this on purpose…" she sighed and dressed.

"Alex?"

"Uhhh?"

"Alex I need you to say a coherent word then I know you're listening…."

"Ahh…uhh…."

"Forget it…." She sighed and went to her daughter's room.

"Molly?"

"Yeah Mummy?"

"I have to go help House - he has a sick lady that he wants me to see, you stay with Uncle Alex okay?"

"Kay….Mummy?"

"Yeah sweetpea?"

"Tell House I love him." She grinned sleepily "he hates that, especially when it's in front of people; and don't forget the sloppy kiss!"

"Okay punkin…I'll remember" Jess laughed "and Molly – don't let Uncle Alex have too much coffee…you know how he gets and Uncle Carl's coming back today, I'm hoping he'll move back home – for a while at least…"

"Kay Mummy…"

0-0-0-0-0-0

Jess walked into House' office and went straight up to him "Molly said to say she 'wuvs you Uncie Housey'" she mimicked her daughter's teasing voice for him, and then kissed him sloppily on the cheek.

House stared at her as if she'd lost her mind, and then saw the evil glint in her eyes. He scowled….

"Ooooh, I made him scowl…my work here is done!" she beamed, grabbing his cheek and giving it a little squeeze. Wilson smirked; yup, payback hurt!

"Bitch!" House muttered.

She delved into her large brown leather sack of a bag and pulled out a battered, chipped and very old mug "read it and weep!" she smiled.

The others all did too, it said: 'you call me a bitch like it's a bad thing!' They all looked at House.

"I cannot believe you still have that Godforsaken piece of pottery!" he grumbled, but his eyes were merry.

"What – and get rid of the only birthday present, nay any present, you ever bought me?" she asked innocently.

"It's more than he's ever bought us." Cameron pointed out.

"Yeah, see? I never even bought them a mug."

"even more reason to keep it….anyway it has a practical use, remember whenever Cuddy called me a bitch I just used to point to the mug – you said it was to save my 'inane' backchat' with her…remember?"

He nodded "Yeah…yeah I do – all you would ever say to her was that damn saying, so it was a case of 'saw the mug and thought of you'…"

"But I doubt you called me at 6am to reminisce some more; so what's happened? She looked round their faces. "Oh, shit! Its bad news, it's always bad news when I have to tell it; how bad?"

"Not sure - I can't believe what he's suggesting." House pointed to Foreman.

"Give me the stuff…." She sighed and the younger doctor handed over the file. Monty spent 15 minutes pouring over it. Then she shook her head "He's right, House…

She's got Paragonimus Westermani, with Pulmonary Paragonimiasis complications...poor cow – that is so rare it's not even funny.

It also explains all the conflicting symptoms – fits, headaches, visual disturbances, and blood in the sputum. I can see why her original doctor initially thought TB and/or epilepsy.

She must have been infested with them for a while to get such complications; do we know how? I mean this is a biggie people…." She looked to House "I need to call Hank over at CDC."

"Is that necessary?"

"I think Bithionol would work best in this case as the infestation is so severe – but it's only available from the CDC. But I know Hank will be happy to help…." She smiled.

"You work for the CDC too?" Wilson was impressed.

"Yeah, I process their data for them; apparently, according to Hank, I have a nose for diseases. In fact I've actually been offered a post with them as a Field Microbiologist/Public Health Analyst. If I accept I'm going to be dealing mainly with immunology issues in the field, but also processing data for them focusing on Public Health problems."

House looked horrified, but quickly masked it. So quickly that Wilson bet he was the only one who saw it. But" she looked at House "he always gets first dibs on my time…any time."

He bowed "I am so honoured my lady…"

"Get stuffed!" She slapped his shoulder.

"See – this is what I had to put up with every day for nearly 13 years…."

"No, 11 House…remember the 2 years I was with Médecins Sans Frontières? Where I met Mac? Remember Ethiopia? I mean 2 years House…even you can't forget 2 years!"

"Well, I do remember 2 years of my life being inordinately quiet" he gave a pretend shudder "it was creepy not having a British harpy shrieking in my ear…"

"okay….enough with memory lane - shall I tell her?"

"Why do you think you're here?"

Jess sighed "Oh, you are such a honey…"

"I know…..everyone loves me…" he gave a huge fake smile.

"No, House – everyone loves to hate you….Cuddy in particular…" she smiled.

"No Monty, that's you…she hates you…"

"Yeah, yeah, now go and tell it to someone who gives a damn…." She laughed as she left the room.

"Are you two always like this?" Foreman asked incredulously.

"Yup…...problem?"

"Heck no – anyone who gives you as hard a time as you give us is a God in my eyes…."

"No, that's me…" House said and then added "actually that was someone else I knew once, but he gave me the job when he died…" he followed Monty out.

"He loves her…." Muttered Cameron to no one in particular.

"House? Are you insane? He doesn't love no one but House!" Foreman laughed as he followed the doctor out.

"He's right…" said Chase "I don't deny they love to torment each other; but for him to actually love her? Well, it's a little too far fetched for me. Want a coffee?"

She shook her head. He shrugged at Wilson and left.

Wilson looked at her "How'd you work it out?"

"I saw his face when she mentioned the CDC job…."

"You love him right?"

"Nope….but I could've, if he'd just let me. Now I know why he wouldn't. I thought it was that Warner woman, now I know it's her."

"If it's any consolation I don't think even he's aware of it."

"A little, but not much. Still, I'll live – that's a start right? I mean, from what I can gather there is no way I could've even competed with their friendship, let alone anything else….I mean 20 years! That's a history….." she smiled wanly, and rose to follow the others out.

"Cameron?"

"Yeah?"

"She's right for him…I'm sorry, but its true – even if nothing ever comes of it between them, she's right for him. He'd have eaten you alive….."

"Yeah, I know….but I wouldn't have minded…" she wandered out.

"Yeah…but that wouldn't have made it right – and you'd have hurt him too, 'coz he'd have known what he was doing." Wilson muttered.

That wasn't what House wanted, or needed; he had to have someone that would make him laugh, but also take him by the shirt and shake him until his teeth rattled sometimes - not someone who would just make hurt doe eyes or loving doe eyes whilst all the time only being one step up from a door mat….

He watched Cameron catch up to Chase and start chatting. Now he was someone she'd be alright with. Maybe a little cold on the surface, but underneath it warm enough for her. He knew he liked her too; maybe he'd start to drop hints in their ears about each other.

He looked further forward and heard Jess laughingly berate the older man walking beside her "House! You bastard – don't you dare tell her that joke…she's only 7 for God's sake – I doubt she'd even understand half of it!" whilst he smirked down at her; but there was a light in his eye, that Wilson was surprised someone as astute as she had missed.

Yeah House loved her, loved her more than anyone ever would – more than he would admit to even himself in the quietest part of the night, in the deepest part of him; but he loved her.

'Thing was', Wilson wondered, 'what was he going to do about it? The look on his face when she mentioned the CDC job proved he worried she'd leave – so what to do?'

0-0-0-0-0

Jess entered Abigail's room with the others and explained the disease to her. She was softer than House, but she still pulled no punches. No softening the blow, no hedging – just "you've got a severe case of Paragonimus Westermani, also more commonly known as Lung Fluke, with complications.

They can take between 5-6 weeks to grow, and live for up to 20 years. Now – here's what we do…..

We can treat it with any of the following drugs: triclabendazole, praziquantel, bithionol, albendazole, and mebendazole.

Bithionol, which I believe would be the best for this severe a case, is available only from the Centre for Disease Control – you know, that place called the CDC. So I will have to contact them to get some……

The prognosis for recovery from lung fluke is good, around 50-95; although patients, like yourself with serious infections, may be more vulnerable to other diseases – but I think we can help you get over this…"

She'd then asked her if she'd travelled to the Far East, Southeast Asia, Africa, Central and South America, Indonesia, and the Pacific Islands. The answer each time was no; Abigail ended, between horrified sobs, by saying she could never have afforded to go to those places.

Jess asked her if there was any way she could have been infected at home. Did she eat a lot of shellfish, such as crabs and crayfish? The answer, between continued sobs, was an emphatic no – the only time she ate any shellfish was at her mother's restaurant.

Had she been coughing up any blood? Jess already knew the answer but wanted to make sure…

"Yeah, a bit for about the last month – that's when I got worried." Then came the question Jess had been dreading "What about my kids?"

Her heart sank; if Abigail had been coughing up blood she would also have been coughing up fluke eggs, and the infection was orally transmitted – if either of her kids had kissed her any time after a coughing fit……..

She looked at House; he nodded and said quietly "We'll test them too…"

Jess knew that tone – if he agreed so readily, he already suspected they were infected.

She patted the woman's hand, keeping her face clear of any anxiety. "How old are they?"

"8 and 5 – Zach's 8 and Cydni's 5; they're gorgeous, and I…I…." the tears started afresh.

Jess leant forward and hugged the woman, Wilson watched House touch her shoulder – anxiety written briefly on his face, and the younger doctor knew he was worried that she might get infected.

Jess reached up without turning and touched his hand and then sat back. "Whatever the outcome, it will be fine….it's a treatable illness…."

When they got outside, she turned to House with a murderous look on her face, her tone becoming clipped - but also her words took time to come out and Wilson realised just how angry she was; the brain damage kicking in….

House merely stood and waited for her to finish. "I want……to know…..how this happened….I want to…..know if……it was deliberate……if it's…….that husband….of…..hers! Because if……it is……." She said no more, but the look on her face spoke reams.

House nodded "Alright….calm." she took a deep breath "coffee, my office - now." His tone brooked no argument. He looked at the others. "Go home, get some sleep - we'll regroup here at 9am and test the kids." They all nodded and dispersed.

As he walked away with Jess, Wilson heard him say "In future we wear masks, especially if you're going to do all that hugging. I don't want you sick too - don't you think you have enough to put up with?"

"Nag, nag, nag!" Jess smiled, calmer now and once more able to speak, and punched his shoulder "but thanks…."

"Who would I have to torment and be tormented by?" he shrugged nonchalantly "So don't think I care or anything…."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it! I mean Dr Gregory House actually caring! The whole notion is laughable!" she agreed with a smirk "All the same….thanks…"

"Don't mention it…" he muttered good humouredly and then leant on her shoulder.

"Excuse me – since when did I become a crutch?"

"Since you became my friend…" was the quiet reply.

"Right back at you…."

"Then stop complaining and let me lean…." There was a brief pause "What does this Hank look like?"

"What? Oh, much more handsome than you…." she smirked. Wilson wandered a safe distance behind, but close enough to listen – he was transfixed.

"I don't believe you! God broke the mould when he made me….there can be no one better…"

"No House, he didn't just break the mould – he hurled it at the wall and then jumped up and down on it until it was dust, to make absolutely sure the world only suffered one of you….."

"Oh, I am devastated you think so little of me!" he rubbed his free hand to his brow in mock hurt.

"I never said I did - I merely pointed out that God had issues with making more of you.

On a personal front I think you're the dog's wotsits…..but then you and I have the same sick sense of humour and intolerances, not to mention our mutual adoration of 'bitch baiting'! But I am glad there's only one of you and you're my mate!" she smirked as they disappeared into his office.

Wilson turned and walked back to the common room to grab his stuff; he was glad Jess was here. This case was going to be interesting – on many, many levels…..