Disclaimer: Same as before…..please don't sue me!
A.H.SmithI'm so glad you liked it. But it's not as bad as I hinted! LOL Yeah, but to me that's how he comes across – a bit of a hatchet job but, where people he respects and/or likes are concerned, then there's a bit of sugar to coat the pill:O) Hope you like this chapter.
SpectralLady: Janey is cool and a good friend to Jess, and in a way to House too. Sorry about that, but I really worried and felt the story was getting bogged down – but have picked up a bit (was a bad day yesterday all round really – had a bad hypo and was a bit yuk) and got some kind of idea how to carry it forward. Hopefully you'll like this chapter too…..
Calliann: I know, I know…..bad day yesterday – wasn't happy with this story, had a major hypo and just felt I was useless and a pain in everyone's arse. However, this chapter has gone better (and I SWEAR the next one will be House and Molly….) and I have a better idea on where to take it. Oh, btw, while I think on it….DON'T KILL ANA you cow! ROFL Seriously, don't! No, really seriously did you want to read my book? I'd be interested in your opinion – but, only if you want to; it's not any good or anything, but if you want a laugh on how not to write a novel I'm happy to start sending chapters:O
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 eight!
-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 Eight – History
"Jesster! Hey howya doin'!" Dr Martin Hamilton came in.
Jess glared "What……call…me!" she asked House.
"Jesster…"
"Kill….him…"
"Now, now - you're in no fit state to start a murderous rampage…"
"No…you…"
"I'm not provoked – you are…" he paused as if considering the name for a minute "though it has a certain ring to it; a certain eloquence –'Jesster'…yeah, you know I think I like it."
Her left hand suddenly slapped his arm "I'm……no….dead." she paused and then glared "but…..you…yes…."
He grinned "Fighting talk considering you're brain damaged and crippled…."
"But…..no….dead…." they shared a look.
"You know you two have one sick sense of humour." Hamilton noted mildly.
Jess waved her a hand at him "I think that means 'get on with it' " House noted, looking at the arrogant young man in front of him.
0-0-0-0-0
An hour later they knew – and an MRI had confirmed it. It was not a stroke.
Jess had just unfortunately had a severe reaction to the anaesthesia, and it was taking her body a lot longer to recover from it – her brain damage also wasn't being helped by it, so her speech and other motor functions were slow to respond.
Hamilton looked at the two other doctors in front him "Some individuals are unable to metabolize the drug succinylcholine which is used to relax muscles during the surgery; it would appear Jess is one of those people.
As a result of her inability to metabolize it, the drug is lasting much longer than it would ordinarily; but she'll be fine by tomorrow." He paused "Don't hit Moorcroft, House - -this is a really rare complication, it only affects about 1 in 3,000 people."
He turned to the bed "So, Jesster – 24 hours from now you're hot to trot and good to go!" he said brightly.
She gave him a withering stare and tried to get up to hit him, she couldn't; but House put a restraining hand on her shoulder none the less. Jess looked around for something to throw. House stifled a smirk "I'll explain it so she can understand" Hamilton hesitated, House stared at him "Go – now."
Wilson looked pointedly at the pair, House rolled his eyes "Thank you Dr Hamilton…" he called out like a child to a teacher. The other doctor just smiled stiffly and left. As he turned to go Jess, unable to do much else, poked out her tongue "Dick!" she muttered.
"Glad to see you can still cuss, if nothing else." House looked at her "did you understand what he was saying?"
"They…fucked…up…" she rolled her eyes.
"Yeah….that about covers it."
"Told…..wasn't…..stroke…." she grinned a little lopsidedly and then raised her left hand to touch her face "it…feels…better."
"Damn! That means you'll be speaking properly again soon….." House grimaced and rolled his eyes "Oh, well it was fun while it lasted."
Jaynie crept in "Jiminy Cricket!" Jess cried her eyes lighting up.
"Hey, Rotweiller!" Jaynie rushed over to her friend and hugged her "Hurts huh?" she whispered in her ear.
"Muchly…." Wide blue eyes regarded hazel ones. Janey looked at House "What? You think I'd stay out there?"
"No…why on earth would you do that? That would mean obeying someone, and a man to boot, and we can't have you doing that…"
She ignored him "Hey Mollster you coming with me tonight?" She looked at the little girl who stepped to House.
"Nope, I'm going with him until mummy's better - aren't I Housey?"
"Yes, so long as you stop calling me that name…..or I will throttle you with your pigtails…."
Wilson was looking confused "Jiminy Cricket? Are you sure she's okay?"
"It's her nickname for me – she says I'm her conscience; you know Jiminy Cricket from 'song of the south'? She said I'm like him – bossy and demanding." Janey laughed.
"I say she's confused me with him…..but then again she might have a point; I, at least, try to get her to do the right thing –whereas he merely corrupts her." She pointed at House who bowed.
"She was a willing student and quick study – her sarcasm will one day outshine even mine. No patient will leave uncowed, no doctor or nurse unweeping…..grasshopper…." he grinned at Jess, who just rolled her eyes at him.
She yawned "tired…."
"I'm going and will be back tomorrow – can you still not eat chocolate?" Janey asked "Or will they relent just this once?"
Jess shook her head.
"Bastards…ah well, I'll bring some; you can sniff it, and then watch me eat it!" She laughed; Jess grinned and wiggled her eyebrows "Yeah, Jelly beans - I remember and Tortilla chips, cool ones right? I'll bring them too! Junk food rules!" She kissed Jess on the cheek.
Wilson stepped forward "thanks for not dying; Foreman won't leave now." Jess patted his hand and grinned.
"Like you…"
"I like you too…." He looked at House "I really do like her…."
He rolled his eyes "Good, I'm so pleased and will obviously alert the media the minute we leave." He looked at Jess "We'd better go; sleep well…….Jesster" House grinned at her and walked away with the others, just as a paper cup hit the back of his head.
He looked round at Jess "dog…..did…it…." she muttered innocently. House smirked.
"What?" Wilson said, As House returned to banter some more.
"That was just mean – hitting a cripple!" he grouched.
"Me worse…so no."
"How? Apart from the fact you sound like a bad reject from an old cowboys and Indian film…."
"Me…brain…broke….and cripple…" she grinned "You…just cripple."
"Brain broke? I must remember that one…'sorry, Mr Bloggs, your brain broke…' sounds so much better than 'you've had a cerebral haemorrhage that has led to loss of cognitive or other brain functions and motor skills." She slapped at his arm.
"Why the sudden need to inflict pain and suffering on me?"
"Enjoy it…."
"Me or you?"
"Both."
"Sleep now; Doctor's orders." House ran a hand over her eyes to make her close them.
She immediately opened them again and blew a raspberry at him.
"Mummy's rude!" Molly giggled. Jess blew another raspberry at the pair of them.
House put his hands over the little girl's ears "There is no need for such unbecoming behaviour Dr Montgomery – I will have to take the child away…" they wandered off; he dodged the next paper cup.
"Hit me once shame on you, hit me twice shame on me…" he grinned as they left.
Smiling, Jaynie pulled Wilson's arm "Come with me, grasshopper – you and I have muchly to discuss; it's about time you had the 'Full Monty' on Monty and House…"
0-0-0-0-0-0
Sat in the canteen with Wilson, and joined by Foreman and Cameron (they figured Chase was laying low for a while), Jaynie filled them in on the background of Dr's. Jessica Montgomery and Gregory House's rather strange but intense friendship.
"First of all tell me about the dog?" Wilson asked, and then quickly filled the other two in on the exchange in the recovery room.
"Ah well, we had this Frisbee, and were always playing with it out on the green – there was me, Louis, Melinda, Kyle and Jess. Anyway, a couple of times this one afternoon it kept landing by House.
He was out there eating some lunch and reading; he'd glower and Jess would laugh at him, eventually he glared at her 'do you mind?'
'Nope, I don't actually – but you obviously do,' she sighed theatrically 'them's the breaks!" he rolled his eyes, and she jogged back over to the rest of us; she'd been here about a month then and they'd already settled into an easy sparring relationship.
Anyway, finally it hit him on the back of head and he spun round with a face like thunder, so Jess said the first thing that came into her head 'the dog did it'.
Well, there was this sad fat, old Labrador sat with its owner on a bench about 15 feet away; we all knew that there was no way it could be the dog, that animal couldn't catch a cold let alone mess about with a Frisbee; and we thought, big trouble - but House just chuckled and tossed it back.
Ever after that if we hit him with anything Jess would always say 'the dog did it.' "They all laughed, Foreman and the others surprised at the softer version of House.
"Of course it didn't end there, later on he tackles Jess 'Monty could I have a word?"
"Just one? Surely you've got more on your mind than one word; look I've already said what? 17 - and spoke about crap."
"He'd sighed in exasperation "Why did you throw your Frisbee repeatedly at me today?"
"I didn't – I could ask why you repeatedly got in the way of my Frisbee today?"
"What?"
"Well, you never come outside for lunch – suddenly on a cold day you come out and sit under a tree, right where we're messing about and wonder why you get hit. Next time join in or take the consequences, just don't bleat."
"I never 'bleat'!"
"So this is what now; a deep and meaningful conversation about the meaning of life?" They wandered away from the rest of us, still arguing.
But I'll tell you one thing I noticed, he was out there for an hour supposedly deeply engrossed in that book and I didn't see him turn a page once…." She smiled conspiratorially.
"So what about how they met?" Wilson got back to the matter in hand.
"They hit it off when he interviewed her for a place in his student placement programme."
"Who put her forward?" Wilson asked.
"Dr Morrison…he was before your time. He was Cuddy's predecessor.
Jess' uncle is a doctor, a surgeon in the UK - and a good one apparently; she decided that she wanted to be a doctor too. So she enrolled here; had all the necessary qualifications from the UK, considering she was only just coming up on 20, though she was late as she'd only just arrived in this country." She smiled at the memory of what Jess had told her.
"She went to see Morrison who liked her – she was extremely bright with a high IQ, had an attitude and a willingness to learn and get her hands dirty. But she wanted to learn from the best; and the best, even back then, was House – even though he's not that much older than us.
Morrison wasn't happy – House tormented his students unmercifully; she appeared very quiet until she got to know people, so Morrison worried about her.
But she was adamant; if House was the best then she'd take him on. Morrison reluctantly put her forward and House, intrigued because students rarely volunteered to be tutored by him, agreed to meet her." She grinned.
"It was not the most auspicious of meetings – Jess was nervous; House senses fear and went for the kill. However, Jess has not earned her nickname 'Rotweiller' for nothing. She is like a rabid dog when cornered, and corner her he had.
He'd asked her why she wanted to be tutored by him, and not to answer with a suck up reply. She said she was told he was the best and she wanted to learn from the best.
He said that was a suck up answer. She said that it was not, it was a statement of fact. She had been told he was the best, but' and here was the killer 'she thought he was a complete dick!"
She then stood up and said, in this broad Irish accent (her father's Irish) 'you know….if I want to learn the art of bullshitting people I'd speak to me Grand-da; he's way ahead of you boyo!" before cutting back to her usual Brit one "As it is I want to learn medicine….sorry, not your field obviously." Jaynie fell about in peals of laughter, as the others looked on in amused amazement.
"That was it, they clicked; and of course as he got to know her, he could see she was just like him. Not afraid to challenge things; not afraid to speak her mind to him and, no matter how hard he tried, not one to cry."
She smiled at Wilson "2 days after she started here, I did. We hit it off straight away and decided it was our sole mission in life to haunt House; we drove him to distraction, but Jess was the worst. I would always back down eventually; but she never would, unless she was wrong about a patient– and yet he took it.
It was almost as if he relished the conflict with her, whether humorous or genuinely angry, he enjoyed going 'toe to toe' with her as her Da says.
I remember our second week, they had this male patient who obviously needed glasses but wouldn't wear them as a vanity thing. House made Jess do the consult – even though the others had been with him for 6 months – but she never flinched. We could all see she was angry with this patient, but she played it cool.
She tested his reflexes over and over on his knee and his elbow. Eventually the man asked what it proved – Jess, and I swear this is true, looks at him calmly and says "nothing; its just fun watching you twitch." Janey laughed out loud again.
"Anyway, we heard this snorting sound from the back of the room and looked around to see House trying not to laugh 'Sorry…cough…' he gestured to his throat, but we all saw the laughter in his eyes." She smiled again.
The others at the table were reminded of House dealing with the young boy with double vision some months back.
He had flicked the boys nose causing him to blink repeatedly, when asked what it told him he'd said "nothing, it's just fun watching him blink"; they realised now where he'd got that from. Foreman grinned in spite of himself; it was sick but funny….they were both bastards it seemed.
"Anyway" Jaynie continued "She tested his eyes, ran the whole gamut and then finally asked to see his licence, insurance and car keys - he looked at her like she'd lost her mind.
But she pulled the docile female skit; though by then the others had already copped on it was an act, and said 'I'm sorry, I know its bullshit isn't it? But it's now hospital policy –do you mind? It's only my second day and I will get canned if I don't follow procedure.' The putz handed them all over and she pretended to inspect them, then got a specimen bag, label and stuff and sealed them in and labelled it.
The guy asks what she's doing, she turns to him as if stealing his stuff is the most normal thing in the world and says 'there is a 1 hour opticians a little way into town, you can walk it. When you have your spectacles come back and you can have all your stuff back….'
'But I can't drive without them….' The guy whines.
'No shit Sherlock – and I should care why?'
'I need to drive…..'
'And you will, when you have your glasses - here, call it a trade.' And she hands him this sheet of paper.
'What's this?"
'Your prescription for your glasses.' She looked at her watch 'oh, and I suggest you hurry. It's 11am and they go to lunch for an hour at 12:30, they stop taking orders at 12. See you about 1:30….' She stepped back and turned to House, who'd apparently had another coughing fit.
We all looked from her to him and then back to her as she started to speak 'the patient has acute myopia and needs rectification through eye glasses or contact lenses. I have furnished the patient with a prescription to enable him to gain access to said glasses, and thereby regain his vision to 20:20 standards or thereabouts.
As a precaution, mainly to ensure my workload is not increased treating the maimed and injured he has mown down whilst being unable to see if he is driving on the sidewalk or the road, I have confiscated his drivers licence, insurance and car keys until he returns and I can assess his vision once more.'
The guy stormed passed and muttered about 'little Hitler's' and said he'd be back.
We all looked at House once more. He merely nodded and left the room – we watched him through the window pacing the hallway outside; everyone was saying she was going to get canned and stuff.
Then the door opened he leant in 'dismissed' – we all went to walk past, but his hand caught Jess' arm 'not you Montgomery' – Jess flinched, she hated him calling her that, probably why he did it – 'my office, now.'
'Fine…' outside everyone was saying goodbye to her and others were quietly cussing out House for being a bastard, as that was just what he would have done. He just goes and stands by the elevator.
I elected to go with her as moral support, we'd just made friends and I liked her; little did I know she didn't need it. So the three of us climb into the elevator…..
The doors shut and he turns and says 'awww, isn't that nice? Montgomery has a little friend to hold her hand against the terror of the big bad doctor.'
To this day I don't know whether he was expecting to intimidate her or what…but she blew." Janey grinned at the assembled table now hanging on her every word; food and coffees forgotten.
"She laughed this really sarcastic laugh and then looked at him "is that how you see yourself House?" she dropped the doctor "'as a big bad doctor?' give me a break - I've seen more intimidating puppies!"
He stared, but I swear he was doing his best not to smirk "you mean you're not frightened of me?" he asked in a fake hurt tone.
"Nope….I am frightened of spiders though; so if you have the knack of turning into a 6' 2" tarantula, then I'll be as terrified as you want."
She looked levelly at him with those huge baby blues of hers and he just smirked. Nothing more was said until we reached his office.
"You wait out here; I won't hurt her..…much." he'd said to me.
"You won't at all…" she muttered. So they're in his office and he tells her to sit down – his door's open a crack and I'm listening outside; I reckon he left it open on purpose.
Jess declines "If you're going to can my sorry butt, just do it as I am not going to play along with your stupid torture games, House."
"You know that doesn't sound right with your accent – 'can my sorry butt' in clipped English tones just doesn't work." he mused, mimicking her accent.
"Just get your finger out of your Yankee arse and do it!" she bit back at him "because we can sit here all day and I will neither cry nor beg to stay…."
"I was actually only going to compliment you on the way you handled that patient…"
"I….you were?" he really sucked the wind out of her sails.
"Yup…so you're dismissed Montgomery." Jess flinched and he smiled "you really don't like me calling you that do you?"
"Nope - which is why you do it." She shrugged.
"Ooh, good call – 2 weeks here and you've already worked me out…"
"Excuse me, it doesn't take Freud to work out you're just a bastard…"
"I'm hurt you could hate me so…." House all but pouted sarcastically at her.
"I don't hate you; actually I think you're pretty funny – even when you're whaling on me…."
They regarded each other for a moment "oh get out of here, before I believe you…." she turned to go "but there are rules…." He added.
"Yeah House there are- the difference between us is I only bend them, but you break them…"
"Hey Monty?" she turned back to find him grinning at her "I like the sound of that…Monty it is".
"Fine" Jess sighed "but if anyone else ever calls me it, then they're dead…"
It was after that that she found out that he adored frosted blueberry pop tarts" the others never knew this and looked surprised "so would keep him supplied - and he learnt that she had an obsession with Sherlock Holmes. He considered them two weirdoes who just hit it off…."
Wilson smiled "What about the guy that shot her - she said he was an old boyfriend; did House know?"
"Yeah she dated him a few times when she first went out to Ethiopia, sort of. They were in a big group, but she'd sort of hang with him when they went out anywhere; but then she met Mac.
The other guy was violent and House told her that if he treated a dog like that what would she do? After all of us pleading with her, begging her, that was all it took." She sighed "of course it didn't end well." She smiled.
"But her and House were close friends after that; just from work….you know. But he would confide in her and her in him. I watched them, and saw her falling for him. Oh, she says it was crush….but I know her; it wasn't.
I think if she hadn't arrived, he'd have realised about Jess' feelings and he would've seen her in a different light sooner; he was already keen on her – anyone with eyes in their head could see that - and things probably would have ended very differently.
Jess wouldn't have let his leg ride like Stacy did for one thing; she would have nagged him, nagged the doctors - threatened, done all sorts to get it fixed before it got anywhere near as far as it did.
But when she realised that Stacy was a permanent fixture she did what she does best – she left. No getting hurt for Jess, no breaking down and eating tubs of Ben & Jerry's and raw cookie dough like the rest of us; just a dignified exit. Tears are shed in private – grief is not public property where she's concerned.
You know the only one to ever see her cry is House? Even Merry and Dar have never seen her shed a tear." The others shook their heads.
"What about when Stacy left?" Wilson asked.
"Oh, that was nasty; Stacy phoned Jess via a satellite link to tell her House was really sick and what had happened. Jess was angry that she hadn't been told, and was incensed when Stacy said she was leaving.
She told Jess that she couldn't stand House as he was, his sarcastic sense of humour and his attitude were wearing her down anyway - but now this, she told Jess she had a hard time with sick people, and the fact that he blamed her……..well, that and the fact she had met someone else, the guy she ended up marrying.
But she swore Jess to secrecy, made her give her solemn vow not to tell House, asking what good would it do now? So she didn't, she swore a solemn oath never to tell.
When she got back and realised that Stacy had lied, that she had let House believe it was all his fault she was leaving him…..well, I think if she'd come back then Jess would've killed her where she stood.
But she also knew he wouldn't thank her for telling him so decided to let sleeping dogs lie; but it's cost her over the years, watching him wall himself up alive because of that bitch and knowing it's not warranted." She rubbed a hand over her face.
"What was he like, when she came back?" Cameron queried very quietly.
"He was an absolute bastard to Jess." Jaynie sighed as she remembered the hell her friend had gone through "She got back here as soon as she could, she just dumped and ran. She left Mac, everything, where it was. It took her two days to get back to the hospital, and all he did was yell he didn't need her pity.
She sat down next to him, took his hand and made him look at her "you can cuss me out, you throw stuff at me, you can even call me names – but I'm not going anywhere House….no matter what, I'm going to stay with you for as long as you need me…" she said.
He just looked at her "forever?"
"Yeah…if that's how long you need me, then forever" she hugged him, he just lay there stiffly – but eventually he relaxed and hugged her back. She never left him for 2 weeks; and even when she did she was back every day.
Mac turned up a month later, but by that time their friendship was caste in stone. There was no way he was going to separate them, it drove him mad that House always had first dibs on Jess. But she'd given her word and that was it; plus she adored the awkward bastard – she understood him, she got him on a level no one else did, or ever has. He's the same with her.
She says people say their damaged; heck he says they're damaged – she says they're not; she saysthey just have a unique take on life that helps them survive.
But House never took it on face value – Stacy had destroyed that part of him. So he spent the next 3 months tormenting the life out of Jess to see if he could push her away. He couldn't; and when he realised that he clung to her like a drowning man clings to a life raft.
The staff here quickly learnt that if they couldn't deal with him, phone Jess and she would. Any hour of the day or night, she had a beeper that was just for him, and she'd be there. Even when he went home, she spent the first week with him, making sure he was fine and able to cope alone.
Slowly though he improved; his grip on her lessened and so they fell back into an easy friendship; well, to them anyway. I could see the intensity of it, but not them."
"When do you think House realised he loved her?" Cameron asked.
"I don't think he has; not where he would want to confront it anyway – because if he did that, and they had a relationship that then went belly up what would happen?
She's his life - without her he doesn't live, merely exists. She's the same; so if they had a relationship that broke down what would happen to them? Hence the reason they don't get any further than what they have.
It's that that drives me mad; I don't think they would break up, do you?" she looked at Wilson
"No, I didn't before – but on what you're telling me now, definitely not."
Jaynie nodded "But if you're asking when did he fall for her…." She stopped to think "I think it was just before Mac died.
It was the night she went over when he'd had a nightmare; he did that a lot, still does. Sometimes she just chats on the phone, especially if he can't sleep.
But this night she went over; she would go and comfort him, still does – nothing sexual, just comfort. I don't know what happened they never speak of it; but things for him changed imperceptibly after that – all she told me was she held his hand.
For her I think it was when he stood by her and supported her so much after Mac's death. That was when she really and truly fell for House in a big way; but like him won't admit it. But they loved each other in a smaller way long before that, if you want my opinion."
Wilson nodded "I'll tell you when – they day they met, that's when it began. Kindred spirits; facing off, they recognised themselves in the other."
"You don't believe in all that 'soul mate' crap do you?" Foreman scoffed.
"Not sure; but I know what I see when they're together - for them, yeah I think I do." Wilson replied after some consideration.
"I think it's meant – trouble is, what do we do?" Cameron murmured.
"Well, if you come up with a way of getting them together let me know….'coz I've had 20 years this August 23rd of trying to get them together and failing dismally…" Jaynie smiled at Cameron "You can't miss what was never yours right?
The young doctor nodded sadly "But that doesn't mean I don't want him happy."
Jaynie smiled "You're a good kid, you know that?" She looked at her watch "Jeez I better get going before Mike's fed the cat to the dog, and the dog to the kids!"
She left, and Foreman shortly after to check on Mrs Mulholland. He looked at them before he left "I assume it's up to us? 'Coz I can't see it happening otherwise."
"Never say die Eric," Wilson smiled. "Why do you do it to yourself?" he asked Cameron a few minutes later.
"What?"
"Torture…..I mean all the questions about his feelings for Jess?"
"I wanted to know if I stood any kind of chance – I know now I don't." she stood "case closed; for me anyway. But you know, I like her, I do and I like her friend and I want her to get together with House. If anyone could make him happy it's her."
"I agree, but I doubt it'll happen…."
"Hmmmm…..maybe we should make them our case. You, me, Foreman and her friend, Jaynie – like Foreman said."
"I wouldn't mind; so long as he didn't screw it up- House that is. What about Chase?"
"Knowing what we know, do you honestly trust him to keep his mouth shut?"
"True - so what's the plan?"
"I don't have one; but I reckon between all of us we could come up with something."
"I'll get after her and let her know." Wilson stood up quickly and hurried after Jaynie.
Cameron downed her coffee – she meant it, she'd rather he be happy elsewhere, if he couldn't be happy with her.
Chase watched from a table a little way away and his heart went out to her. He was a bastard for what he'd done; he knew that, and he was dreading seeing them all. But he wasn't all bad……
He pondered, he wanted to help prove he was they're friend….but most of all hers. The problem was how?
