Chapter 13

M-Day

Erin showed up right at the agreed upon time, and met House slumped over a pile of books in his office.

"Dr. House?" His head jerked up, and he looked relieved that it was her on the other end of his name.

"Erin. Change of plans, we have to get Kelly to read. I need your help, she's in room 236 now. I had her moved so that M can't find her. She'll either like you or hate you from the beginning, so go there and say hi." He went back to his pile of books. Erin shrugged, and wandered back to the elevators. Finding room 236 was easy enough, and when she got there the girl in the bed didn't even react to her coming into the room. Her gaze remained fixed on the windows that showed the nice day outside.

"Hi, I'm Erin. Dr. House wanted me to come down here and meet you. I guess I'm supposed to be your teacher, but you look like the same age as me." Erin signed and spoke at the same time, hoping that one or the other got through to Kelly. At House's name Kelly had looked at her for a second, but her gaze was once again fixed on the windows. Erin sighed, and began rambling about school and her classes, and the problem she was having with this one boy in her science class. Kelly didn't respond to anything, but when Erin stopped talking for a minute and looked over at her, she was rewarded with a small smile on Kelly's face.

"What, you like my boring drama-less life?" Erin asked.

More Kelly signed

"Ah, so you do know sign. I was wondering about that."

Know small

"That's ok, you have to start somewhere. House was saying that he had to teach you how to read; you don't know how to read?"

R…e…a…d? Book?

"Yeah, read a book, no one ever taught you?"

Stupid Kelly deaf no book say bad. Kelly yes book r…i…d…d…l…e

"Sorry, I didn't get all of that. They said because you were deaf that you couldn't read?"

No…stupid. No book Kelly stupid. No s…c…h…o…o…l

"Oh, they didn't let you go to school because they thought you were deaf and stupid. Ok. Wow…people are really…wow. But you said Kelly yes book riddle? What did you mean by that?"

Like book r…i…d…d…l…e good. Kelly yes book

"Wait, so you can read?"

Yes

"And you taught yourself?"

Yes

"I've got to go find House…I'll be right back!" Erin raced out of the room and right into House. She heard a sharp grunt of pain, and he took a hopping step back.

"Oh, geez, I'm so sorry, are you ok?" She looked him over, his face was pinched, and he quickly reached into his pocket for a bottle of pills.

"Fine. Any reason for the rush?" He asked after a moment.

"Kelly can read. She taught herself!"

"Are you sure?" He looked at her as if suddenly she had sprouted another head.

"Positive, go ask her!"

A half an hour later, and both Erin and House completely stunned, Kelly had proven that not only could she read, but she could also devour books. Once House put a book in her hands she didn't put it down until it was finished, and that didn't take long. They gave her a book on ASL, and after she had finished that one, Erin said that Kelly didn't need her help any more. The next two days were spent trying to keep reading material in Kelly's hands, and trying to keep it a secret. House really wanted to see the look on M-bitch's face when she realized that Kelly was not going to have to go to that school. Writing her name was still giving her a few problems, but the shakiness was due mostly to the remnants of her long illness and abuse.

House explained to her about what was going to happen, and how she needed to stay with the here and now on the day of the test. If she slipped off into the gray, she would be sent off to the school, and there was nothing he could do about it. Kelly nodded her understanding. She had found it easier to keep herself from sliding into her safe world lately, and knew that if House needed her to be "here" on the day of the test, she could manage. What she didn't know if she could manage was talking to people she didn't like, and she told him as much.

"Just pretend that you're reading to me, or talking to me." He said. "Or to Erin, you like her right?"

Yes

"OK, then this should be easy, right?"

Yes she signed it with a confidence she didn't feel.

M-Day, as House was calling it, finally came, and House led her into the room. She had with her a book, an interpreter, and a paper. House kept himself as calm as possible,

"Hello Kelly, I'm Mrs. Hartford, and this is Rebecca, do you mind if we talk for a while?"

No. the interpreter dutifully chirped the English.

"Good," she then turned to House. "If you wouldn't mind, Dr. House, this should be a private talk." House was about to leave when Kelly motioned to the interpreter.

No, House stays, if he isn't here I don't do anything.

"She says that she wants House to stay, if that's all right." Rebecca edited. House smirked, as he had understood most of what Kelly had signed. Kelly also glared at the woman.

"Well, if you're more comfortable this way."

Yes

"Ok Kelly, I have this book here; I want you to read it to me, ok?"

Kelly looked at the title "Kitty Wants A Box," looked at House, and back at the book. Smirking she slowly began to sign the lines; it was one of the shortest books she had ever seen.

This box is too big. This box is too tall. This box is too short. This box is too small. This box is too wide. This box is p…u…r…r…f…e…c…t inside

As Rebecca spoke the words Melinda could only look on in shock.

"Ok, very good, now, Kelly do you think you could write your name for me?"

Yes A short moment later, and a very untidy, but legible KELLY was scrawled on the paper.

"Well House, it looks like you'll have your way after all. I'll be in touch."

House looked over at Kelly, and was disheartened to find her eyes vacant and her gaze locked on the sheet covering her legs. She had been so with it during the test, it was almost possible to forget that she was far from being all right. He sat with her for a while, and then headed back to his office. A new patient had come in, and he had his fellows scrambling to fill his orders for tests. He also needed time alone to think.