Disclaimer: Same as before…..please don't sue me!
Calliann: I'm really sorry, I haven't managed to squeeze in the bit with House and Molly at his apartment yet – that'll be the next chapter I swear! But hopefully you'll like this one anyway. She did….just:O) That line was cute, but the sarcasm is still bugging me though; the show is so much better and I don't understand it as I am truly as bad as he is usually! Sorry about Chase I forgot you guys are so much further ahead than we are over here in the UK so thought it was all 'ooh'! LOL Anyway, hope you like this chapter…not sure I do….not sure about continuing…what do you think?
SpectralLady: She could become a man! LOL I know, but I do think with the right person he would be a little more unguarded – he is a little more open with Wilson whose just a friend, and we all know (even if he's not admitting it) that he's in love with Jess so that would open him up more. Still, I think Molly will be the catalyst eventually…..maybe. But to be honest I'm not sure about continuing.
WARNING: 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 seven!
-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 Seven – Aftermath
2 hours later House stood to one side, watching Cameron, Wilson and even Foreman trying to placate her parents, her cousin and his boyfriend.
It was obvious they all absolutely adored her; but they were driving him nuts, and he wasn't even over there. Foreman said something to her mother, extricated his hand and came over "I'm going for coffee – want one?"
"That's the eighth in the last 2 hours – are you sure all that caffeine is good for them? I mean they are in their 60's, I don't want her mother doing cartwheels round the ER." House raised an eyebrow.
"Listen, I don't see you over there listening to how Jess was a darling angel, because she helped some little old lady get her stolen purse back in the year 19……well, whatever the hell it was, because I'd faded out at that point!"
"Monty did that?" House sounded intrigued.
"Yeah…. She took that sucker down with a tackle; she was 15 - apparently she was quite the scrapper!
Did boxing with a load of boys on her project; I think her mother called it an 'estate'; no siblings, but about 5 'big brothers'!" Foreman sounded proud of his new friend. "Where she grew up sounds just like my old neighbourhood."
"Jess doing a good deed? Hmmm, that will be the subject of much hilarity….." he smirked. Just then his eye was caught by movement near the door.
Hank walked in, pursued by Cuddy. Foreman saw the murderous look the older doctor shot Cuddy, and the woman had the decency to blush.
Wilson and Cameron looked at the other man and then at House; Wilson involuntarily shuddered at the look his friend was shooting both Cuddy and Ditchfield.
House quickly hobbled over "What's he doing here?" he hissed at her. Wilson went over and hovered ready to step in should things turn ugly – though he still hadn't made up his mind whether he would prevent her murder, or aid it.
"He is both her friend and her soon to be boss House, he has as much right to be here as you…." she eyed him coolly "After all, you're not her only friend…"
"I am her only closest best friend…" the older doctor ground out.
"Yes…but as I say not her only one. Look, House, she has a right to move on – to have a life; just maybe she doesn't deserve to end up as bitter and twisted as you. That's assuming she even survives, her blood loss was considerable apparently.
You need to make a decision; not your strongest point I know when it comes to personal issues – but you do; you can't go on ignoring things House. You either care, or you don't."
She turned and left, a small smile playing on her lips – okay that had been cruel, even by her standards, but if it forced his hand so be it; if it didn't, well….who cared? It was nice to finally get one up on House.
House watched her go "Bitch!" he muttered.
"Jess'll be fine….see, I know this really great doctor who said only a while ago she was one of life's survivors whether she wanted to be or not. I'd say she wants to at this stage…" Wilson smiled.
"He sounds like a horse's ass." House muttered as he looked out across the ER.
"Nah, just an idiot when it comes to his feelings…."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning he needs to admit……."
"Hey buddy!" Hank wandered over, interrupting "Terrible isn't it? Poor kiddo….."
House glowered at him "Hey buddy – yeah, isn't it?" sarcasm dripped from every word.
Hank regarded the man in front of him. For the life of him he could not see what Jess saw in him; but there must be something as he was all she talked about when she wasn't chatting about Molly.
"How long have you known her?" House asked.
"8 years – met her in Ethiopia."
"20 years, this August 21st." House smirked.
"Ah - right. Mike was a nice guy wasn't he?" Hank tried to show he knew the fiancé; even though he'd only met him twice.
"Mac was a lovely guy - they loved each other very much." Wilson could almost hear the triumph in House's voice, and stifled a smile at what Jess would make of all this.
"Mac, right - yeah, they did." The crippled guy's icy stare was making him uncomfortable; so Hank looked across at where Molly was chatting to Foreman, who was rising to leave – someone had to do rounds, thank God – and watched them instead. "She's as cute as a button isn't she?"
"Oh, yeah…" House's face softened slightly. Molly, realising she was the topic of conversation, wandered over.
"She needs someone in her life…." Hank said.
"I've got someone…..Mummy." Molly regarded her Mummy's friends with calm eyes.
"More than your Mummy, sweetpea." He patted her head.
"Don't pat her – she's not a dog." House said, but looked at Molly – mirth in his eyes.
She grinned; she liked House the best of all the friends her Mummy had…..he understood them – most importantly, he understood her.
"I have more than my Mummy…" she gestured round the room.
"Yeah, but you need a Daddy….."
"I have one….he lives in Heaven."
"What about another one that lives with you on earth Maddy…."
"I don't need one - I got House." she moved closer to the acerbic doctor.
"Yeah, she's got me – and her name is Molly."
"And there I was thinking it was 'Ankle Biter' or 'Midget'…." She grinned at him, her small hand snuck into his – instead of shaking it off, as Wilson suspected he might, he squeezed it.
"Well, yeah – those too."
"Love you House, love you muchly…." She whispered; now ignoring Hank completely.
"You and that bizarre word, Ankle Biter; who the hell taught you it anyway?"
"Mummy – she said it was like you. Stupid, made up and not even real – but when she used it, people knew she meant business……just like you."
House stood silently, jaw working at the knowledge of what he meant to his younger friend, now being cut and sewn just like he had…..
Hank regarded the other doctor "you don't deserve her you know…."
"She's a good kid….but I didn't know I had her…"
"Not her….Jess."
"Same reply."
"Then you're more of a dumb fuck than I thought, buddy." The other man wandered away.
"Oh. I find that hard to believe…"
"What, that you're a dumb fuck?"
"No…." House shook his head mildly "that you had a thought, buddy." Hank heard Molly giggle. He realised that Jess too would have laughed at that; it was her type of humour – sarcastic and sharp.
They all suited each other; maybe that was the point, why she and the kid liked him so much.
"Whatever…."
House sighed "You know it's no fun when they don't take the bait." He shrugged at Molly.
"Mummy would…"
"Monty does…" he corrected "She's down Midget, but she ain't out. She promised me…."
"What? What did mummy promise you House?"
"When I was sick and very angry at the world about my leg, your mummy promised me that no matter what she wouldn't leave me like…." He hesitated; the kid was 7 and didn't need all the gory details "like other people did, no matter what I did or said, for as long as I needed her - forever."
"Mummy doesn't break promises; and she'd never leave you anyway, House." She smiled.
They saw another movement by the doors. A woman came in with a bandana over an obviously bald head – she grinned and nodded to Jess' family, then went straight to House.
"Great…why don't we just announce a damn party and have done with it?" he looked around the rapidly filling waiting area "Just how many people does she know for God's sake? It's getting like a bloody convention…."
"Hey Houseman – how is she?"
"Hey Jaynie, and welcome to the 'we love Jess convention" – name tags to your right, cocktails and buffet to your left." He rolled his eyes.
"Stressed much?" she smiled and touched his arm "I just got Merry's message…..what happened?"
House stood rigid as she hugged him "Oh come on now, I know you let her hug you – would it kill ya to hug the cancer ridden pal of your best friend?" She smiled.
"Don't play the victim card with me Jaynie – you know it never works." He smiled "I'm not as soft as she is" but he briefly clasped her shoulders before standing away.
"Oh look you did it, and the sky didn't fall!"
"God, you know you two could be sisters…" he grimaced "You have the same forked tongue…"
"She taught me well, did she not?"
"Yeah; actually it's good to have someone here to hurl insults at – everyone was being too nice, I thought I might vomit." He pulled a face, making Molly laugh.
"No chance of that now Hop-along – consider me Jess' official stand in until she can get back to insulting your sorry ass. Hey, Mollster are you controlling him?"
"Yeah auntie Jaynie….someone has to right? I mean I just chew his ankle if he doesn't behave…"
"Oh my God, the ankle biter bites back!" House stepped back in mock horror, as the little girl giggled again.
"Who's Merry?" Wilson asked.
"Oh, Jaynie – this is Wilson, my second in command and my friend." Wilson looked surprised to be introduced as such, but made no comment.
"You have another friend? Jeez, I thought Jess was the only person dumb enough to like you!"
"I keep him drugged…."
"Ah that would explain it….hey Wilson, I'm Jaynie – Jess' other best friend. I say 'other' as House here is her best best friend; the one she would kill for, die for and generally cause chaos and mayhem for.
I come a miserable second – however, he has known her longer than me….by about 2 days; we were students here at the same time and with him." She grinned as they shook hands and she pointed to House.
"Ah, you kept him under control right?" Wilson smirked.
"Nope….that was all Jess" she turned to House "I think she was the only student you had that you couldn't make cry, wasn't she?"
House smiled at the memory "Yup, she always gave as good as she got…."
"Getting back to your question – Merry is Jess' mother." She pointed to the portly, grey-haired elderly woman "and the grey haired man sitting next to her is her dad – Diarmaid, Dar for short…..especially as she calls him Da." She smiled.
"Merry!" snorted House "She should be called 'Chatty' - it's certainly more fitting."
"Now, now, play nice!" admonished Jaynie "or I will smack you upside the head."
"Huh! Don't say it like it's a punishment – you know I enjoy it too much."
"True….true. Maybe I'll just hug you and coochie coo you" she grinned, grabbing his cheeks and squeezing them.
"Do that again and I will have to beat you to death with a bedpan…." House threatened as Jaynie pealed with laughter.
"It's a shame Jess isn't here – but I am so going to tell her when she comes out!" she chortled.
"They don't look much like Jess…." Wilson noted, breaking in.
"Hence my point that Jess must be adopted…" House smirked.
"Or it could be merely that her hair colouring, nature and character are all family traits that skipped a few years in the gene pool…." Jaynie pointed out.
"Well, it's a killer combo that's all I can say – I'm surprised that men aren't falling over themselves to date her." Wilson smiled.
"Wilson would you want to date her with him breathing down your neck?" she indicated House. "Though having said that, in his defence, she hasn't dated anyone since Mac died; at first I thought it was because she was mourning, but now I know different."
"Yeah Monty's happy as she is - so let's just leave it at that." House butted in.
"Is she? Happy that is – I mean she's lonely, House. I see it, even if you don't. She misses you; she says you haven't been around so much lately." Jaynie was suddenly serious and staring at the older man before her.
Suddenly for both men something fell into place. What Molly had been saying; Jess had been talking in her sleep about House and how she missed him.
House stared at the floor "I've been busy - Monty gets that."
"Fine; but if you're not busy now, maybe you could go by - well, when she's better."
Suddenly a thought occurred to her "It was because of Carl wasn't it? Did you think they were dating? Oh…my…GOD….you were jealous House!" She grinned. "Housey and Jessy sitting in a tree…K.I.S.S.I.N.G!" she warbled.
House looked horrified "Don't do that - it's creepy on so many levels! Anyway, I was nothing of the sort – I was busy and was here late every night…."
Wilson wondered if he should point out that House was not being wholly truthful – he was late, but not every night; but changed his mind.
"As for being jealous; don't make me laugh…the man is gay, a surfer type and Alex's boyfriend – so not Monty's type in any way, shape or form!"
Without thinking he had used Monty's description of Carl; and for anyone else it wouldn't have mattered, but Jaynie knew these two too well.
"You would never have said it like that House - so you must've asked her about it; or at least made her think you needed her to explain!" She grinned evilly "You want to kiss her…you want to hug her…you want to date her…." She warbled once more.
House looked at her murderously "If you don't stop that I swear I will strangle you with your own bandana."
"Okay…okay…" Jaynie held her hands up "pax, pax – but I know what I know, and what I know is that…."
"That doesn't even make sense…."
She merely grinned and changed the subject "How long they been?"
"About 2 hours…." Wilson offered.
"2 hours and 4 minutes…so far" House said emphatically, checking his watch for the millionth time.
"Right well, if she's out soon that'll be good; not too much damage and so a quick patch up."
"You a doctor?" Wilson asked.
"Was…I was a doctor; gave it up when I married." she smiled.
"Where are the tribe? I thought it was inordinately quiet; well, so long as you ignore Chatty's constant drone…"
"At home…I wouldn't make you suffer them as well!" Jaynie smiled.
He glanced over at Merry and Dar "Oh God; Cameron's done a runner as well - that means they'll be bearing down on me like ships in full sail soon!"
"No, they won't – I'll go over there in a minute. We can't have you suffering too……" She looked "Oh look Hank is going over; there, you're off the hook."
"Yeah, trying to ingratiate himself with them - he definitely wants Monty!" House hissed; throwing dagger looks at the CDC guy.
"Yeah? Well, why shouldn't he? You don't…"
"Excuse me? You've just got through telling me that I will be sitting in a tree kissing her and that I want to date her, kiss her and hug her? How can I then not want her? Jeez women change their minds more often that I change my socks!"
"Oh like how hard is that, House? Most guys only change their socks once a day!" scoffed Jaynie.
"True – I'm sure Mike would think he's suddenly got an alien for a wife, if you only changed your mind that often!"
She grinned "yeah…maybe. But a little competition - friendly or otherwise" she added quickly "is good for you." she wandered off to say 'hi' to the others.
"JUDAS!" Called House; she merely laughed and flipped him the bird. He nodded "She's a good friend."
"Yours seem to be growing in numbers so quickly I'm bordering on getting jealous – you almost have as many as me now!" Wilson joked.
"Not mine, idiot – Monty's. She's a good friend to Monty. Huh, I don't do friends." He shuddered.
"Except me, apparently – unless you just said that to get her to think people liked you…"
"Yes Wilson, I only said that to get her to think people liked me because her opinion is so important to me…." House intoned sarcastically.
"oh, and Monty; she's a friend too…" Wilson ignored him.
House stood for a moment "She doesn't count….she's….."
"What? She's what House?" Wilson cocked an eyebrow.
"It doesn't matter…..can I have a coffee?"
Molly hugged his good leg as Wilson wandered off with a sigh "Don't worry House everything will be fine, and they're naughty to tease you."
"Thanks Midget." He smiled at the child "Thanks…Molly." he said quietly.
The little girl beamed "You know I like Ankle Biter too…it makes me sound tough!"
He went to go over to the drinks machine; she was still holding his hand, but now he needed his stick. He tried to let go but she wouldn't let him.
"Hey midget…I need my stick."
"Let me help you; think of me as human crutch….just a little one..." She smiled at him.
House caught his breath - that was what Monty had said the first time she had offered to help him.
He had just spoken to Stacy on the phone, got really angry and so had snapped his stick. He'd then groaned as he'd realised that he now had no real way of walking about.
Monty had walked into his office and said "Well, that was bright House."
"I meant to do it…." But then he'd had to hop painfully to his filing cabinet; thereby losing all dignity of the moment.
"Here," she'd said matter of factly "Let me help you. Think of me as a human crutch." She'd grinned, but not in ridicule or pity – but a shared joke that only they understood.
She'd been that to him ever since; maybe more. He'd treated her like shit after the op and Stacy had left him; but she took it.
Oh, she'd maybe yell at him, call him an ungrateful bastard, a bully; but she'd never left him – never even made it look like she was going and not coming back. She'd take a few deep breaths, tell him to grow up and stop being a prick and then they'd start again.
His physiotherapist said she was a martyr; and she would just laugh and say he was a friend, and you know the old saying 'a friend in need….was a pain in the butt' – he was hers.
He'd only had to pick up the phone and she'd be there – he'd lost count of the times she'd spent the night, lying on his bed holding his hand just so he knew there was one soul in the world that cared.
He'd known it'd driven Mac crazy at times, but Monty had resolutely stuck by him; no matter how miserable or self pitying he got. No matter how sarcastic and hurtful he was, she was there for him.
He looked at the double doors…..if she…..if she…then….it didn't bear thinking about. He shook his head, she wouldn't leave him – she hadn't up to now. Whenever he needed her she was there…..as he was for her. That wouldn't change now.
He held Molly's shoulder 'okay midget…lead the way…" he glanced at Merry "Does she ever shut up?" he enquired incredulously.
"Nope….Grandda says she even talks in her sleep…" was the resigned reply, but he could see the smirk on her face.
0-0-0-0
10 minutes later Moorcroft finally emerged and went over to House. "She's fine, it went well. The damage was extensive, but not as bad as we'd thought; he'd only used a handgun and not a shotgun."
"How bad?"
"She will be left with a severe limp, pretty much on a par with yours. Though the after pain will be severe at first, it will diminish in the next few weeks."
"Anything else?"
"We're probably also talking a knee replacement in the next 2 years. But we'll need to check it again in a few months once it's all settled down, before any final decisions are made on that."
"Can we see her?" He gestured to the waiting room with a nod.
"No - she's only asking for you. She said the others would understand." He looked round the small crowd now gathered around them.
Jess' parents, Wilson noted, merely nodded at him and so he strode to the doors promising Molly she could go with him the next day.
0-0-0-0-0
She looked pale when he saw her, and her cheekbone was bruising. He could tell she was in pain from the pinched look on her face; a look he knew only too well.
Wilson came through the doors to speak to Moorcroft and saw House with Jess – he stopped where he was, not wanting to intrude.
"I hope you're giving Moorcroft a hard time….." House smiled, but the concern was clear in his eyes.
She nodded groggily "Greg…" then paused trying to vainly get her head to work "Molly…."
"I'll take her, don't worry…." He murmured "But I meant what I said…you better be alright, if I get stuck with the midget I'll kill you!" he smiled again and she tried to do the same.
"Hurts…" she gestured to her knee "Bad. Meds?"
"I'll go ask…" he turned to speak to the other doctor.
"Greg….."
"What?"
"No…"
"No what?"
"Go…" she thought hard "no go…"
"I'll be back….."
"Molly…" House was getting worried, she was repeating herself.
"What about her?" His reply was sharper than he'd meant.
"Now…visit…tell…alright." she looked at him, hurt "Sorry…."
He knew what she meant, he sighed and rubbed a hand over his face "No…I'm sorry, I didn't understand – I'll get her."
"No…." she grasped his hand "Wils….." she pointed at Wilson.
"I'll go get her House; it's fine. I'll ask Moorcroft too…."
"No need…..he's here." Moorcroft wandered over. He was a friendly enough doctor, but abrupt – not in the sarcastic way that House was, the way that would set Jess at ease; he would just tell it and leave.
He walked up to Jess and looked at her "The treatment of the initial gunshot wound included an arterial injury that required a vein graft interposition, and primary reanastomosis.
There is long term bone trauma and you may need a complete knee arthroplasty within the next 12-24 months – but we need to wait until the injury has settled down. However we don't think there will be any arachnoid adhesions or occult abscesses for us to worry about.
However, the overall prognosis whilst not severe is not as positive as I'd initially hoped. Obviously amputation has been avoided, but the patella was so badly shattered that the decision was made to perform a patellectomy. But we expect the recovery to be fairly swift, though you will be left with a severe limp and some long-term pain."
She looked confused and started to become very agitated; House shoved Moorcroft out of the way as Wilson appeared with Molly.
"What the hell's your problem? She's a doctor, she understands me!" He asked House as the crippled medic stepped to Jess' side once more.
She looked at him imploringly; her openly distressed bewilderment tore at him, though he would never have admitted it.
He remembered only too well this feeling of your life spiralling out of your control and through no fault of your own; of changing forever for the worst and not being able to fight it – and he'd been able to understand what had been done to him, she wasn't so fortunate.
House bit back what he would really like to say, or rather do "You've been here a while haven't you Moorcroft? What's it been – 11 years now?" He instead asked mildly, though Wilson noted the white knuckles on the hand holding his cane.
"Yes…." The other doctor answered slowly, knowing House and unsure where this was going.
"So you were here when I brought her in with 5 gunshot wounds, 2 of which left her brain damaged right?" House levelled icy blue eyes in an arctic stare on the older doctor.
Moorcroft's heart sank, he had clean forgotten "It was a long time ago House…." He said in an apologetic tone.
"Oh, right….sorry, sorry…." He slapped his forehead and gave an apologetic smile to the other doctor.
Both Moorcroft and Wilson could see it didn't reach his eyes and merely waited for the acerbic follow-up. "Of course the fact that you were one of the doctor's who operated on her after she was shot, and was, and here I quote, 'sad that she was going to be brain damaged as you'd never forget what she did for…' "he paused.
"I can't remember her name, but how is your grand-daughter; I'm assuming you remember her? You know the one that was suffering from Aplastic Anaemia...the one she diagnosed." He pointed to Jess "when no one else did.
Maybe you should have said that such twee sentiments come with an expiration date."
Moorcroft glowered "I remember...Gabby's fine and doing well. I'm sorry I forgot; but I have hundreds of patients through here….I can't remember them all."
"Don't…..just remember her." House turned his back on the other doctor and returned to Jess.
Moorcroft walked past Wilson "I suddenly do remember he had it bad for her then, he's got it even worse now…." He muttered.
Wilson smiled and nodded "didn't know them then, but I agree about the now."
0-0-0-0-0
House looked at Jess "Okay, here's the deal – they've removed your patella, they've done some nerve and vein grafts and they've patched your knee up as much as they can." He stopped whilst she digested that information.
"They won't need to amputate and they doubt there will adhesions and abscesses as they were able to operate so quickly. But…" he stopped again until she nodded for him to continue "the bad news is you may need a replacement knee in the next year or two, and you will now have a severe limp like me and some residual pain. Understand all that?" he spoke concisely and clinically; but, Wilson thought, she seemed strangely comforted by it and he realised this must have been how he told her before.
She nodded and then raised a hand to her eyes "No crying Jess….you'll be alright. You better be, remember the promise?"
She nodded "'member…"
Wilson took Molly over to her mother. "Molly…" she smiled, wiping her face of any pain.
"Mummy….you will get better right? 'Coz House said you can't leave him…us."
"Yeah…will." Jess smiled, then looked at House "Never…go….you… promise."
House stared at her and then called Wilson over "Get her checked…" he murmured "I think she's had a stroke."
As the younger doctor hurried away, House shut his eyes – when would life cut her a damn break!
"NO!" Jess looked defiantly at him "No…stroke!"
"Hey Chill! I never said definitely…." He sighed "Do you want another one?"
Three words spoken clearly and with feeling made him smile "Fuck…off…House." She grinned, albeit a little lopsidedly.
"That's my girl." He smiled "That's my girl… I taught you well grasshopper…"
