Disclaimer: Same as before…..please don't sue me!
SpectralLady: Well you certainly sound it to me and I had good grades too, and I'm older so it counts! LOL I think the reason she knows so much serious stuff is because of what goes on in her mother's life, my Beth is the same. It's sad though, I feel really sorry for Beth that it's my problems and ill health that has made her grow up so early. The cussing is just what I imagined House would do! LOL
The Lilac Elf of Lothlorien: I hope you're feeling better by now. Thanks for the review; and I think the thought of House as a parent might terrify adults, but when I read the chapter to Beth she said he sounded more fun than me and her father! ROFL
Calliann: You threw me on the favourite line….I thought it would have been "Yeah, right – believe that and I have a handful of magic beans you can buy…." Shows what I know! LOL Cuddy and Stacy in this chapter. Yeah, the bit with Wilson was my favourite part as I could imagine that's a conversation that they'd have as that was also something he would do. Well, someone has to limit it….no one else seems bloody bothered! LOL
A.H.Smith: Glad you liked it…… Hope you like this one as much…
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 Ten!
-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 Ten – Molly & House (Part 2)
After they had dressed and got down to the car House was feeling tired. He realised his body was already getting accustomed to the amphetamines, and knew he was being stupid – it was pure luck that he hadn't OD'd with the amount of Vicodine that almost routinely in his system.
The situation with Stacy was throwing him off kilter; he knew he couldn't take any more - well, not after this one.
As he went to put it in his mouth Molly spotted the bottle – she knew enough about the word to know it was more than the other tablets House was swallowing regularly; she snatched the bottle off him throwing it into a drain, also causing him to drop the one he had in his hand.
House stood there incredulously "That was mine!"
"No - your name wasn't on the bottle…."
"There was no name on the bottle…."
"They were bad pills, I know that long word and it's bad. So I binned them…..so sue me." She stood with her hands on her hips and a belligerent look on her face. "They make you want them more and more, like the other ones; but they're more dangerous."
"I can always get more…." House realised he sounded as petulant as a 5 year old.
"Fine…do it, but I never thought you were that stupid. I'm only 7 and I wouldn't take them."
"At 7 you don't have the problems that make you want to take them."
"Mummy's almost as old as you and she doesn't take them."
"No….she just cuts her arms instead."
"At least she won't die from it."
"God, you have an answer for everything!" he realised he wasn't going to get the last word in.
She walked over and wrapped her arms round his waist and hugged him tight "I don't want anything bad to happen to you House, I love you muchly…..and Mummy would die without you."
His hands hovered over her shoulders, but he could see she was genuinely upset so hugged her back. "I doubt she would…." He muttered "probably be glad to see the back of me."
"No! She would."
"Okay, okay….sheesh. Let's just go shall we?" He looked down at her "Forget this ever happened right?"
"Yeah…." She smiled at him "But I do love you House, just the way you are – only without the pills."
"Well, thank you." he was going to come out with some smart Alec remark, but couldn't think of one.
They got to the hospital and went to his office to drop his stuff off "Do you always come in on a Sunday?"
"A lot of the time yeah - tell me what else I have in my social calendar to do? Come on let's go see Monty."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Jess was propped up in bed, her knee bandaged up and with a cage over her legs. Her damaged knee was being supported into a slightly bent position by pillows due to the fact she had no kneecap and it was difficult for her to straighten her leg for now.
She was also in a lot of pain; House stopped at the door to her room and took a deep breath. He almost swore his leg throbbed in sympathy with her.
Molly looked at him "Bad memories?"
House looked at her startled "Yeah…..a few…"
"Awww……Housey…." She grinned.
"I mean it midget, strangulation by pigtail is still an option." He muttered; but it worked, his leg stopped throbbing so much and he could breathe again.
She squeezed his hand and they walked in. Sat by her bed was Abigail Mulholland; House frowned "What are you doing here?"
"She's wearing a mask House, play nice."
The woman turned to him and he could see she'd been crying, even with the mask "I came to say sorry; it's all my fault. He's my husband God help me….he…."
"Yes…we get it - you're sorry. Right, better get you back to your room now that's been said. She doesn't really need lung fluke on top of losing a knee…."
"I have the knee House, it's the kneecap that's gone…" she rolled her eyes.
"Yeah let's split hairs shall we? Or should that be knees?" He copied her eye roll.
"Oh, I'm sorry – I forgot…I…." Abigail dissolved into tears again.
House looked on aghast "You never cry like that…" he looked at Monty "why do most women always turn on the tears when they think they're in trouble?"
"Right….one, I am not 'most women'; two, you are …..Wait…." Jess was annoyed, Abigail felt bad enough about what had happened without bloody Vulcan-knickers pulling the 'what is an emotion' crap right now. "Abigail, could you come back later? Only I want a chat with Dr. House."
"Uh-oh……that doesn't bode well…." House muttered to Molly "Oh well, midget, I better shove my head between my legs and kiss my butt goodbye." He glanced at Jess "she looks seriously pissed."
Abigail was wheeled out by Cameron "You never know when to keep quiet do you?" the young doctor smiled "You are in so much trouble!"
"Oh, and of course you're not enjoying it at all?"
"Only" she paused "muchly…" She smirked at Jess as she left.
"Oh God, that stupid bloody word is going to haunt me, isn't it?"
"Muchly House, muchly!" Wilson smirked as he passed "see you later Jess."
"Thanks for popping over this morning Wilson, I was worried he might have killed her overnight!" she grinned back.
"What and lose the best baseball buddy I ever had?" House looked horrified "We threw popcorn and everything."
"I am still mad…"
"Damn….so what, you want me to apologise? By the way, I see you've regained the power of speech – shame."
"That would be a start; keeping me up to date on her progress would another. As to your latter comment – bastard…"
"You called? As to your former comment - you're sick….."
"No…I'm injured….there's a difference, as a doctor I would have thought you noticed things like that: sick" she pointed to Abigail who was being wheeled out; "injured" she pointed to her leg. "Sick – injured…"
"Well thank you Doctor Montgomery for that impromptu medical lesson. It's made my job so much easier!"
The ducklings left, grinning, and it was just him, Jess and Molly.
"So…how's the leg?"
"What's the pain like for you?"
"Ummmm, think red hot pokers laced with sulphuric acid being jammed into my leg, and a dull ache brought on by a blunt knife being regularly rammed into my thigh."
"Okay…move that to my knee and instead of the blunt knife, substitute sharp teeny little needles and a little leprechaun jumping up and down in spiked hobnail boots where my kneecap used to be – and we're getting close."
"Ah well, the leprechaun comes as standard with a patellectomy…someone should have told you." he lowered himself into a chair.
Molly trotted off to get something out of the snack machine. "So how was she really?"
"Well, I'm putting in my order for Chicken a la King now…."
"Ah, so she told you, but I only do spagbol as you like it so much and pout when I cook anything else…"
"Excuse me I am a senior doctor here and I do not 'pout'."
"Oh so, what would you call sticking your bottom lip out and looking upset?"
"Sulking…."
"That's better how, exactly?"
"More manly….."
"Right! So, how was she?"
"Brilliant; so brilliant in fact I am going to kidnap her and many other children because I am so broody now…"
"Do you want me to get Jaynie to have her? I thought she might be too much for you; she does talk a lot…."
"Monty, she was fine; we were fine….I actually enjoyed having the midget around. Of course if you tell her that I will be forced to kick your bad knee."
"Yeah? And I will kick you back with my good foot - but my lips are sealed." She grinned, then grimaced.
"Bad? Do you want pain relief?"
She nodded, gripping the sheets. He pressed the button on her second IV. "That should ease it in a couple of minutes." He took her hand.
"No leaving me remember?"
"Not for as long as you need me, I won't forget…" she smiled thinly "you won't bloody let me…"
"Well, I think forever will be long enough – but after that I might consider eternity."
"Awww, shucks – you like me, you really like me….."
"It's only I'd hate to have to break another friend in; then there's all the training…." He rolled his eyes "Plus you've got a pup that's amusing…." He gestured to Molly coming in with Jaynie "Let me keep her?"
"What, for good? I don't think so - God knows what you'd end up teaching her!"
"No, dolt, just until you come out of here…."
"Sure; you'll be begging me to find someone else to have her, long before I can have her back…" she smiled.
Wilson followed Jaynie in and motioned to House. "Oh, I am being summoned by Dr Wilson….." he bent and kissed the back of Jess' hand with a flourish "I must take my leave my dove and away with my compatriot over yonder…"
"Oh shut up before I'm sick!"
"Oh class, Monty….definite class. You coming midget?"
"Yeah go on, Mollster – keep the reprobate old goat in line! Good God, House – you've got four friends now! Me, her, Molly and Wilson…granted one of us is only 7; but with that many friends I have to ask if you're actually drugging the water." Jaynie grinned as she entered.
He flipped her the bird as he left and muttered something to Molly that made her laugh like a drain, Jess had the awful feeling he was teaching her how to do it too.
She wasn't wrong; as Cuddy wandered past Molly, the little girl flipped her finger at her. House chuckled, Wilson cringed and Molly giggled as she also broke into a chorus of 'Sweet Chariot'; causing House to laugh out loud.
"Cute…Cute – House…..you teach her that?" Cuddy nodded at the small girl as she entered the elevator "such a lovely way with children…"
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Don't laugh!" Jess glared at Jaynie "He's dead when I see him later!" she slumped on the pillows "Oh who am I kidding? I couldn't beat the skin off a rice pudding right now."
"Good, then don't kill me when I tell you my news…." Her friend joked, but Jess could see something was bothering her.
"What is it?"
"I'm dying…."
"Oh, har de har har; so am I, so is House - in fact if he keeps this up with Molly, he'll be beating the pair of us…"
"If he can do it in the next 2-3 months, he might just beat me…."
Something made Jess look at the door; House was talking to Wilson and then turned to her, his face was stricken as their eyes locked and she knew Jaynie was telling the truth.
"What? How?" Jess felt her heart land in her stomach as House hovered in the doorway.
"The what is I'm dying and the how is cancer…D'uh, kiddo – I've had it for the last 8 months!" Jaynie smiled through the tears that were swimming in her eyes.
"But you were having treatment and you….."
"It didn't work this time Jess….there's nothing more they can do." She took a deep breath to steady herself "I want you to promise me to help with the kids for as long Mike thinks he might need it."
"Well, D'uh right back at you - like I wouldn't?" Jess swallowed her own tears. No one saw her cry in public.
"I know, I know….." she glanced back round at House "and be nice to him…"
"Why wouldn't I? Well, apart from killing him for teaching Molly to flip the bird….."
"You don't know?"
"What? I don't know what?"
"Stacy's back – he's treating her husband…."
Jess felt herself go cold – could this get any worse? She took Jaynie's hand "I'll be nice as long as I can….but I told you I can't, and won't, take it if he goes back to her. But I'll always be there for him, he knows that."
"That'll do for now then."
"Are they sure?"
"Yeah….your Dr. Wilson checked it and confirmed it for me this morning."
"We just call him Wilson….Doctor makes him antsy…"
Jaynie ignored the joke "Don't pussyfoot round me okay Jess…I couldn't take that…"
"Pussyfoot! Jaynie, I can't foot period! I mean I could limp around you in a few days, but only if you give me a head start…" they grinned at each other.
"Sisters?" Jaynie smiled, holding out her fist.
Jess knocked knuckles with her "Sisters…"
Jaynie hugged her tightly and Jess could feel her tears on her neck. "What is it Jiminy?"
"What's it like to die?"
The others had come back, including Cuddy, Brenda (everyone's favourite nurse) and Stacy, and a small crowd had gathered at the door to Jess' room.
She had always been popular when she was here, mainly because she was such a prize bitch to Cuddy and a handful for House….it earned her a lot of respect, on both counts.
"Well, you've got to allow for the fact that it was gunshot wounds on both occasions."
"Both?"
"Ah, no one told you? Oopsy, my bad! Well, apparently due to blood loss they nearly lost me on the table with this" she pointed to her knee. "That's why they did the patellectomy – the kneecap was so badly shattered it was quicker to just remove it.
Anyway I digress; oh, but don't tell House….I don't want a blood bath as he kills Moorcroft and that dick, Hamilton."
Jaynie smiled and crossed her fingers over her heart. House grimaced; if he'd known……
"Where was I? Oh yeah, death; well, death is okay really. I mean I speak as a gunshot victim so there was pain….but on the whole its okay." She shrugged.
"There was no dark tunnel and white light, not for me anyway. There was a doorway and the door opened – I couldn't see crap though.
"What do you think it's like?"
"Me? I'd like wide open spaces, no acres of buildings and roads, and no milling people." Her eyes took on a far away look "You know just the people you love being happy…" she snapped back.
"But before I could step through, the bastards brought me back. Just as well really or else I would have left Molly an orphan, and House would have had a stream of séances to bring me back just to yell at me for leaving…" she rolled her eyes and smiled, House too flashed a smile.
"What if I go to hell?"
"Now, you know my views on that – this is hell; what could be worse than living; really - what?
Nope, when we die we get to go to a better place; and you're a good person anyway, so I bet you get the club class trip…." Jess smiled "When I go, it'll be econoclass all the way…."
There was a snigger outside; House looked round "What? She's nice and we thought it funny – you wanna make something of it?" Brenda asked House.
"A bit twee for me…" Stacy simpered at House "I don't think poor Mark would like that….."
Brenda glared "No, probably not; I mean how could any man bear to be parted from you, right?"
"Oh I wouldn't say…..oh, you were being sarcastic…."
"No shit Sherlock!"
"You know I work here now?"
"I should care why?"
Cuddy stood dumfounded, it was like there were lots of Houses and Jess' – their sarcasm was breeding!
House closed his eyes to silence the laugh he could feel building; Stacy, mistook the gesture, and patted his arm "It's okay – I'm not really that annoyed; it's good that Jessica is so popular with the lower staff…." she whispered, though Brenda could see different in her eyes.
Amy held Brenda's arm as she went to punch Stacy. Lower staff! What the hell was she? A damn consulting fill-in – a sympathy job from a friend who should know better!
Brenda sighed; if Dr. House fell for that shrew again over the woman who had been there for him all these years, then he deserved everything he got!
She tapped his arm "Excuse me Dr. House? You've got some fluff stuck to your arm…." He looked down.
"Where?"
She pointed to Stacy "There!" And walked away; House watched her puzzled.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Jaynie looked at Jess "She won't get him…."
"Whatever; I am not going through it this time."
"Don't leave Jess, what about the kids and Mike? What about House? No matter what you think they'll need you; dammit, I need you!"
"Hey Jiminy I ain't going nowhere all the time you got requirements for me. Anyway, where the hell am I going with this?" she pointed to her knee.
"True; but when you can walk, hobble anyway, don't leave alright. I know you, you'll run when you think she's hooked him."
"She's already done that right? Tell me, what did Brenda say?" Jess smiled sadly.
"She just said that they kissed and Stacy said that she wasn't over him, but she couldn't be with him."
"OOOH, good call - keep him dangling just in case the hubby pegs it or ends up sicker than House..… You know, you do have to admire her tenacity to never be alone or lumbered with someone needing nursing.
She has a husband and if he gets better, great; if he doesn't, great she has House in reserve. House is sick too, but not as sick as her husband, and could end up having an even greater advantage – in as much as being the last man breathing….
Then she just scopes the rest until a healthy man comes along and dumps House (again, I might add). Allowing him to think it's all his fault once more….."
"You really hate her don't you?"
"Where was she when he was throwing full bedpans at my head? Where was she when he was phoning me at 3am screaming in pain and frustration? Where was she when I even got to this damn place and found him alone?
Yeah, I hate her – not for me….for him." She gestured to House "Let's change the subject; now about you, you can prove them wrong. I mean 2-3 months, why don't you make it 2- 3 years?"
"Jess….it doesn't work like that. It's advancing – I have secondaries all over the place now. But the ones in my brain are what's going to kill me."
"Jaynie I am here for you, you know that right?" Tears swam in Jess' eyes.
The friends hugged "Hey, remember how we used to tell everyone we were sisters and they all bought it?" Jaynie asked.
"Except House…" they fell about laughing "He said that he thought we could both be spawned by Satan, but beyond that he wasn't buying it."
"Well, it was easy to buy – same hair and colouring, same sort of build, same sort of height….well, the hair thing's not an issue anymore" Jaynie laughed gesturing to her bald head, then sobered "Sisters?"
"Sisters." They hugged tightly again. As Jess watched Jaynie leave, she thought she would stop breathing.
House went to come over with Molly. Jess shook her head, her face crumpling. He shut her blinds and then the door "Okay people shows over; move along, nothing to see here except a couple of cripples and a cute kid…."
Brenda heard the sobs as she walked back up the hall, her own face covered in tears 'Life truly sucked sometimes.' She thought sadly.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
The physical pain from her leg, and the emotional pain from her friend's news left Jess reeling; so when Stacy turned up, whilst Cameron and Foreman were there, spoiling for a fight, Jess was more than happy to oblige.
She had started off by saying what a lovely child Molly was, if a little precocious. Jess had let it slide; she knew how her daughter could be, and not everyone liked it. Foreman could see Jess' face and motioned to Cameron to fetch someone; she found Chase who was followed in by Wilson.
The next minute Jess was lunging for Stacy's throat. "What the hell happened!" Wilson asked as a suddenly helpful Chase dragged Stacy back, aided by foreman. Cameron shrugged "I came back with you guys".
Jess was writhing in agony and Stacy was muttering abuse as House walked in, holding Molly's hand. Immediately the older woman calmed down and became all sweetness and light.
House shot over to Jess "Monty, for God's sake what have you done now?"
"GET….HER…OUT…OF….HERE!" She gestured to Stacy. "Before I get off this bed, knee or no knee, and shove her teeth so far down her throat she'll be eating her meals through her arse!"
The other woman looked imploringly at House "I am so sorry, I just came for a chat….and…..well, she flew off the handle…."
Foreman glowered "Implying her daughter is a bastard is probably why she 'flew off the handle'…." He ground out.
"Whatever your issues are with House…..you shouldn't drag her into it." Cameron added quietly gesturing to Jess.
"She wouldn't screw with me if it wasn't for this!" Jess gestured to her knee "and she knows it!" she groaned.
The assembled team could almost swear Stacy smirked "Look, I'll get back to Nick and then I must get on with my work…."
"Work?" Jess was incredulous "Someone tell me that bitch is not working in this hospital?"
"Why yes I am….." Stacy smirked openly now, but tried to keep it looking friendly.
"Yes…she is…just while Nick is here - to help her with the hospital bills." Cuddy said as she entered. She, too, saw Stacy smirk and was already regretting what she'd done for her old friend.
"What about House!"
"Didn't he tell you?" Stacy said innocently, and at that moment even Wilson wanted to hit her as he watched Jess' face crumple "he agreed…"
Jess looked at House in disbelief. "It wasn't quite like that….and she's going to have to be here anyway."
"Fine" Wilson didn't like the look on Jess' face "get out…"
"Monty….."
"Don't 'Monty' me House….just get out….you've made you're stinking bed, now lie on it." Her voice was utterly flat and her eyes furious.
Cuddy grabbed Stacy "You've gone too far Stacy….you're married for God's sake, why not let him be happy?" she hissed as she took her friend out.
"I still care about him….I just can't be with him."
"So, what you want him to be alone until such time as you might decide you can squeeze him in? That's heartless Stace…it is, even for you."
"Well, it's done….." She walked away.
"Oh, God…what have I done?"
"Screwed everyone…." Foreman muttered as he went past "Nice job…."
0-0-0-0-0
On the way back to his apartment House was quiet. "I did it for the best reasons midget; she needs to pay the bills, she needs to be there…."
"And you still care for her….so where does that leave mummy?"
"Well, the same as always…..my friend."
"Yeah right. You think she'll leave that husband of hers for you? Mummy never left you House, no matter how hard you pushed her. But she did, she is not a nice lady; I don't know that she ever was – but she isn't now."
House sighed, the kid made sense – but he still had feelings for Stacy; as to his feelings for Monty….well, he didn't want to worry about those.
Still, when Monty came out of hospital in a couple of days she would need physio, and time to heal - they could talk……
Molly on the other hand was worried – she knew that look her mummy gave House and Stacy. As soon as she was well enough – there'd be trouble.
0-0-0-0-0-0
House put up with Molly being quiet for as long as he could; well, it wasn't only the being quiet that bugged him, it was the way her eyes would follow him round the room. That and the way she hugged him, a lot.
"Okay…I'll bite, what's bugging you?"
"You're in trouble…"
"About what, and with whom?"
"Stacy, and my mummy."
"I see…so I should what – kick Stacy and her sick husband out of the hospital and Monty will be happy? It's not going to happen Midget. I didn't want Stacy to have the damn job in the first place, but I wasn't going to be the bastard by saying no."
"That and you still like her and like having her around. Don't you think it's wrong that she's flirting with you whilst her husband's so sick? I mean at worst she's doing it so you wait as a wanabee in case he dies or is too sick for her to stay with him, at best it's just so you still help him…or even both."
"What is it with being sick around Stacy?"
"She doesn't like sick people; that's what she told Mummy….so you think if she did go to you, she'd stay?"
"I've never thought about it like that…"
"Liar…you're a liar, and I never would have believed that of you House." Molly glared at him "I've always trusted you, and so has mummy."
That brought him up short – trust, was the one thing he had trouble doing. Monty and Wilson were the only two people he trusted.
"Well, this is a fun evening; I'm enjoying it immensely. What could be better? Umm…..ooh, I know sticking red hot needles in my eyes."
"I can arrange that…." Molly smiled sweetly.
"You know, you truly are your mother's daughter."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It wasn't meant as one…"
"Oh, like I'm bothered…"
"I could make you bothered….." he grinned evilly, glad to be getting away from all the heavy stuff. Still, she was making him wonder now, she seemed really concerned.
"Yeah right; I can run and I'm 7…..you can barely walk and you're…well, old!" She giggled and ran off to prove a point.
"Well, I'm shocked you could torment an apparently old cripple so!"
She came back and sat beside him on the sofa "Why's auntie Jaynie dying?"
"I….what? Sudden subject change isn't it?"
"I want to know why she's dying, that's all."
"I wish I knew; but I don't, even someone like me doesn't have all the answers Ankle Biter."
"Foreman said you thought you were God; if you thought that, you'd have all the answers."
It was at times like this that Molly's real age showed through and House's heart tugged for her.
"Well, if I had all the answers I'd have a cure for cancer and Jaynie wouldn't be dying. But I don't, so she is….and that's it."
"That's it? That's not fair…."
"Monty said the same about a dying patient once…"
"What?"
"That's not fair…"
"And?"
"I said 'life's not fair…..live with it' "
"That sounds like you…a complete dick…"
"Thank you – I'll take that as a compliment."
"It wasn't meant as one…"
"Oh, like I'm bothered…"
"I could make you bothered….." They grinned, this was silently agreed to be their new skit.
House decided that he might actually like the little ankle biter; a lot more than he first thought.
