Wilson took a walk around the hospital grounds. He never really took the time to just walk around outside the hospital. It was really quite beautiful. The new glass structure of the teaching hospital seemed to fit well with the older buildings around it. It was a perfect meeting of young and old, sort of like Cameron and him.
Wilson laughed at himself. He wasn't all that much older than her. Sometimes being married and divorced three times made him feel like a very old man. He had made so many mistakes in love. Now that he thought he could finally be happy, he was going to loose her to his best friend. "How can you loose something you never really had?" He asked himself.
He heard footsteps behind him, and looked back. Dr. Cameron was jogging up to him. "I was looking for you." She was slightly out of breath when she finally stopped beside him. Her cheeks were flushed. She looked youthful, she looked beautiful. Wilson felt a pang of remorse. She was too good for him.
"I just stepped out for some air." He knew this was only a small part of the story, but it was all he wanted to share. How would she react if he told her he was so heartbroken that he couldn't face her?
"House said you wanted to talk to me?" She looked puzzled. It was now obvious that House had lied to her, but why.
"He did?" Wilson was intrigued. He never could understand how House's mind worked. "Did he say what I wanted to talk to you about?"
"I kind of thought you would know that." She was getting more and more curious. Obviously House wanted them to talk about something, and James didn't want to talk about something. What was going on?
Wilson thought long and hard. Should he? Would she be furious to know that House told him about her husband? Wilson realized that he didn't care if she got made at House, that he secretly hoped she would. "House tells me you're a widow." He knew there were a million better ways to have said it, but he wasn't thinking rationally right now.
Cameron turned white. Wilson grabbed her arm as she seemed to weave slightly. She looked like she would collapse.
"I'm sorry, Alison. I shouldn't have said anything." Wilson was truly sorry. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, and now he had. Idiot, he yelled in his head.
"You have nothing to be sorry about." She took a moment to compose herself. Why hadn't she told James before? It wasn't because she didn't trust him. It was just a subject she didn't like to talk about. "House on the other hand…I can't believe..." She saw a look of hurt in Wilson's eyes. "I didn't tell him, you know. He started snooping around, and he manipulated me into telling him. I regret it now. I never should have trusted him."
"It's easy to trust someone, when you're in love with them." Wilson hadn't meant to say it, and hadn't thought about it before it issued forth from his lips, but there it was.
Cameron looked at him, her eyes wide in surprise. "I'm not…" She stopped herself. She wasn't sure she could honestly say she wasn't in love with House. She certainly had been. Those feelings couldn't just disappear overnight. But she also loved Wilson, and she didn't want to hurt him.
"It's OK. I know." He looked crestfallen. He got up and walked away. Cameron stood up and started after him, but Dr. Chase ran up to her. "Cam, Cam, Mr. Early has gone into hypovolemic cardiac arrest. House needs us right away."
Cameron looked at Chase, and then looked at the retreating form of Dr. Wilson. She wanted to follow Wilson, but a man's life was in the balance, and she was a doctor. Saving lives took precedence over everything else. With one last, regretful look at Wilson, who had nearly vanished into the distance, she followed Chase back into the hospital.
Wilson managed to avoid both Cameron and House the rest of the day. He snuck into the parking garage a few minutes early, to escape detection. He was fumbling for his keys as he walked over to his car, and didn't notice House leaning against it until he was nearly on top of him.
"You're mad at me." This was House's idea of a greeting.
"Yeah, actually, I am." Wilson wasn't in the mood to play.
"Give me a ride home." House was already walking around to the passenger side of the car.
"Excuse me?" Wilson had known House for years, but was still amazed by the man's gall.
"I need a ride home, my car is in the shop. You have a perfectly good car right here. You know where I live. Give me a ride home." To House the logic was flawless.
"I'm mad at you, we've already agreed on that point, and yet you think I'll give you a ride home." He pondered this for a moment. "Interesting."
House had his hand on the passenger door handle, waiting for Wilson to push the unlock key on his high tech keychain. "I don't know what you plan on accomplishing by being mad at me."
"I was hoping it would make you go away." Wilson was loosing patience.
"Well, it's not working."
"Obviously." Wilson knew it was no use. House was impossible to argue with when he thought he was right, which was pretty much all the time. He unlocked the door, and both men got in the car.
They drove in silence for a few blocks. House was looking out the window. "To think, I might have missed this stimulating conversation." He was trying to provoke any response from his friend. House didn't need people to like him, he actually went out of his way to make people dislike him, but he couldn't stand the idea of Wilson, his only friend, being mad at him. He would never admit this, of course, and therefore was trying to manipulate Wilson into giving in.
Wilson continued to drive in silence.
"Well, if you're going to be like that, maybe I should get out and walk home." House jested. The car pulled to the curb and screeched to a halt. "I was joking." House explained, shaking his cane and looking at his hurt leg.
Wilson sped off again, but got caught at a red light. With the car idling quietly, Wilson decided it was time to clear the air. "Why do you do this?"
"What, take rides from people that hate me? Don't know. Masochist?"
"No, House. Why do you intentionally antagonize people?"
"Oh, that." House rolls his head around like he just realized an obvious fact. "I think it's fun."
"You think it's fun." Wilson could barely speak. He jumped when the car behind him beeped, and, seeing the light had turned green, he sped off again. It wasn't until they stopped in front of House's house that he spoke again. "Sometimes I just don't get it. You have one friend in the world, me, and you are playing with me like a cat with a mouse. I want to know why."
"Is that what I'm doing?" House wasn't playing innocent; he was just asking a straightforward question.
"You know damned well that's what you're doing. Why did you tell me about Cameron's husband?"
"Maybe I'm trying to keep you from getting involved with a woman who has bigger issues than yours."
"Maybe, but no." Wilson was sick of all the lame excuses. He wanted the truth this time, and he wasn't going to back down until he got it.
"Maybe it's because I have a massive hard on for her and I want her all to myself." It was harsh, but House was tired, and hadn't had a pill in several hours.
"Try again." Wilson was going to stand his ground no matter what. He wanted answers.
"Wait," House looked offended. "Last week you thought I was all hot for her, now you don't? What changed?"
"No. I am not answering any of your questions until you tell me the truth. What is your problem?"
House looked dazed. Wilson was a good natured, laid back kind of guy. He usually backed down by now. "It's what I do. I don't have a reason." House opened the car door and got out.
Wilson got out after him and followed him to the door.
"How nice, you're walking me to my door." The statement lacked House's usual spark. He did not want to answer this question and he wished he'd never asked Wilson for a ride. A taxi would have been a lot cheaper.
"I want an answer House. What is going on."
House opened the door and walked in. He tried shutting the door on Wilson, but the later was far stronger, and pushed his way in after him. "I'm not leaving."
House stayed silent. It was his way when he was dealing with something he wanted to go away. If he ignored Wilson long enough maybe Wilson would go away. It wasn't working. House knew it wouldn't work, not really, but he didn't know what else to do.
He wanted Wilson to think it was about Cameron. That would be easier. But he also didn't want word getting back to Cameron. He had led her on too much already. House went to the fridge and pulled out two bottles of beer. He wordlessly handed one to Wilson.
Wilson opened the bottle and took a drink. He was going to back off and wait for House to open up. He had made it clear he wasn't going anywhere and House was perceptive enough to know he meant it.
House sat down and switched on the TV. The two men watched for a little while. Finally House broke the silence. He didn't turn off the television. He didn't even look at Wilson. This was hard enough with out making a production out of it. "I don't want to loose you."
Wilson thought he hadn't heard right. The look of astonishment on his face was enough to make House rethink what he'd said. "Not like that, you idiot!" Ewe, House thought to himself. "I like hanging out with you. I like having you come over and watch the game. I don't want you to start spending all your time with her."
Suddenly Wilson understood. He had been friends with House for years. They were practically inseparable. They had also gone through this pattern before. Wilson falls in love and spends all his time with his new love. They get married, things change, and Wilson comes back to House. They'd done it three times now. "You are my best friend, House. I am not going to let anyone come between that. You know that."
"This time is different." House mumbled into his bottle, and Wilson had hardly heard him.
Wilson didn't know what to say. He took another swig of beer. "Hey, wanna order some take out?"
The tension of their conversation had been diffused. They both understood that things might change soon, that tonight might be their last boys night in a while. They wanted to make the most of it. They ordered some food, and talked and laughed, and enjoyed each others company. A strange dread hung over them, but they did their best to ignore it.