CHAPTER 5

"Ok, last chance, I need to know if this is medical or if you just feel like being a mime." House leaned back in his chair, extremely irritated. "Look, you and I both know that there is nothing wrong with you, but if you don't talk, we can't prove that to your crazy mother." The silent teenage girl sat in her wheelchair and gave House a scornful look.

House rolled his eyes, "Fine, have it your way." He limped over to a drawer and pulled out a five inch needle. "Now, I'm gonna inject you with this stuff and you should feel –"

"Okay, okay!" Lily shouted. "God, I'm fine!"

"Good," House replied. "Now you mind telling me why you took the vow of silence?" he paused. "You aren't planning to be a monk are you?"

"No!" Lily protested. "It's not that…"

"Okay good, 'cause I think monks are men," House informed her.

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. It's just…before the accident, nobody looked at me like I was different and mom let me do things by myself. Now, when people look at me, they don't see me, they see a wheelchair. And my mom, well, she won't even let me brush my teeth without her being there. I shut up because I wanted to show her I have a mind of my own."

"Have you ever seen 'X-Files'?" House asked, fiddling with his cane.

Lily looked taken aback, "Why?"

"If you have, you'd know that only a few people can read minds and I doubt you mother is one of them." House replied absent mindedly. "My point? Moms are kinda dumb sometimes, if you want to tell them something, you can't do it the way you are: that's just stupid."

Lily stared, "So what do you want me to do?"

"Yell, dance, sing, grow a beard," he replied. "Anything except for what you are doing now. Besides, all of those are more fun than sitting like a mute potato."

Lily's mouth curved into a half smile, "Thanks."

House nodded, "You know, it's not that important that you have a wheelchair, or even a cane; it's what you do with yourself after."

Lily nodded, "That helps a lot."

House tapped his cane against his forehead, "God, I'm turning into a freakin' shrink."

Lily laughed.

XxX

Gillian had been sleeping for 48 hours, but Gregory hadn't slept a wink. After a spell of violent vomiting leading to unconsciousness, Gillian had been rushed to the hospital, leaving Gregory alone in a nightmare.

The doctors couldn't figure tell what was wrong with her. None of the symptoms fit with one disease: vomiting, fainting, and chest pain. It didn't make any sense. Gregory knew the doctors were doing all they could, but he couldn't help feeling that it wouldn't be enough. He'd never felt so alone in his life.

Slight movement from Gillian caused Gregory to snap out of his reverie. He leaned over Gillian's bed. "Gilly?" he whispered. "Gillian?"

"I'm awake Gregory," Gillian muttered. "And don't call me Gilly."

Gregory smiled weakly, "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell," Gillian laughed, then coughed.

"Greg, I feel like I have ruined everything. What if they can't figure out what is wrong with me?" she cried despairingly.

Gregory took her hand and said comfortingly, "You haven't ruined anything, not a damn thing. And don't worry, we'll find out what's wrong with you." As Gillian drifted back to sleep, Gregory murmured to himself, "We have to."