House limped to the door of a bar about three blocks from the hospital's campus with Angel not far behind him, the cold January winds biting at their heels. Inside, he dropped onto his usual stool and hailed the barkeep. The large Irishman made his way over and stuffed his cleaning cloth in the back pocket of his jeans.
"Usual tonight Doc?"
"Better make it two Sean. I've had a pisser of a day."
"Your lady boss still trying to rip you a new one?"
"Actually, now my niece is." House said, hooking a thumb at the mousy-haired young woman next to him.
"Boy, you just like to make friends with everyone, don't you?"
House snorted and took one of the scotches, downing half of it ina gulp. The barkeep shook his head and made his way to the other end of the bar.
Angel picked up the other scotch and sipped it as she sat on the next barstool. "How'd the hearing for you and Dr. Chase go?"
He shrugged noncommittally and she let out a long breath.
"Enough beating around the bush; I have to know. You messed with her head and managed ruin what little friendship you had left. Why'd you do it, Uncle Greg?"
He opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him off at the pass.
"And don't tell me it was 'cause you loved her. You're way beyond that. I think you've officially hit obsession."
"You're one to lecture me. What about you and that guy…what's-his-name?"
She pointed a finger at him. "Hey, I was fourteen. Teenagers are supposed to be obsessed when they're in love."
"You don't have to worry anyway. She's made it official that we're strictly friends with issues. But that tends to change on a daily basis."
"So…you're okay with that?"
"No."
"Didn't think so. You at least going to respect her wishes and stay as far away as possible?"
"Probably."
She downed the rest of the fiery liquid and got up. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow."
He raised an eyebrow.
"I've got clinic rotation tomorrow. Oh, and a word of advice; if you do decide not to stay away from Stacy, find a diversion…or I'll find one for you."
"What, are you a psychiatrist now?"
"You're family, so I won't charge you for the consultation. Just, think about what I said. This is one of those rare occasions when I do know what I'm talking about. Try to stay out of trouble Uncle Greg."
As she left he heard a familiar female voice at the other end of the bar asking for another drink and Sean asking for her keys. He looked over and saw a woman with her head on the bar, a mass of auburn hair obscuring her face. She lifted her arm, her keys dangling from her fingertips. Sean hung them on a pegboard behind the bar and poured her another. She wrapped a slim hand around the glass, picked her head up just long enough to swallow the liquor, and then dropped her head back on the bar.
"Dr. Cameron?"
Her head turned to reveal one Dr. Allison Cameron drunk off her ass. "Damn, now I'm seeing things."
"Hallucinating is not a symptom of inebriation." House replied.
She groaned and closed her eyes. "Nope, not hallucinating."
House, his curiosity getting the better of him, hauled himself over and plunked down next to Allison. "How do you figure?"
"Wuzzat?"
"How do you know I'm not just some figment of your obviously sloshed imagination?"
"Cause the fake you's a lot nicer."
He smirked and took a sip of his scotch. "So, what are you doing here? Besides killing brain cells, that is."
She couldn't come up with a coherent response and shrugged. So, they opted to sit in silence for the next ten minutes as House finished his scotch. When Allison finally spoke up, it was to ask Sean for another drink. House silently shook his head at the other man and Sean went back to cleaning the beer mug in his hand.
House dropped enough money on the bar for both drinks and tapped Allison on the shin with his cane as he went to stand. "Up."
She rolled her head back to face him and blinked slowly. "Huh?"
"Stand up."
She blearily complied and he wrapped his left arm around her waist as she started to sway. Allison was too drunk to make any sort of complaint, barely managing to stand erect.
House looked back at Sean. "She'll pick her car up tomorrow."
He tossed the keys at House. "Alright. Take it easy Doc."
House stood just outside the door for a second, considering calling a cab for the inebriated woman, but instead steered Allison across the lot and somehow managed to get her into the passenger seat of his car. He reached over her limp body and buckled her in as he did with himself.
"What's your address?"
He waited a beat before poking her in the shoulder. "Dr. Cameron. Cameron…Allison!"
Her eyes opened slowly to look over at him.
"Where do you live?"
"At home." And with that Allison keeled over on his shoulder. House glared at her before turning his eyes skyward.
"I'll do it. But I'll probably hate myself in the morning."