CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The cops had been in House's apt. for a little over an hour, asking him a lot of questions and trying his best to answer them. Charlie was really behaving himself, sitting on the couch, watching and listening to the detectives. A detective walked out of C.T.'s bedroom with a look of concern on his face and a shard of glass in his hand.
"Dr. House, it appears someone broke into the room through the window."
"Oh, really? Did you come to that conclusion from the broken glass or did they leave a note?" House asked sarcastically.
The detective gave him a dirty look. "Seems there's another piece on the floor with some blood on it. They'll take it to the lab and..."
The detective was interrupted by a commotion outside. House looked out the window and saw Wilson, face to face with a cop, demanding to be let in because his son was inside.
House looked at the detective holding the glass and said, "You can let the Boy Wonder in."
The detective hollered to let Wilson in, and Charlie met him at the door. "Daddy! C.T.'s gawn!" He cried.
Wilson picked him up then looked at House. Wilson had seen him drunk, high on his meds, hit rock bottom, be so angry he broke his bathroom mirror with his hand, heartbroken over Stacy (more than once), conniving, depressed, but never, in the years they'd been friends, had he ever seen House look as bad as he did then. And the words, words that would make House feel better, didn't come.
"Dude, how about I get you some milk and crackers and then I'll take you to lunch and tell you how much your Mommy misses you." Wilson asked as he set him down.
"I'm afraid no one has checked for finger prints in there yet. You'll have to stay in here."
"He hasn't eaten this morning, Officer Starve the Child aka Officer STC. Is it that big of a deal?" House shot off, without an ounce of regret.
Officer Potbelly, the head honcho, nodded his head to indicate he could take Charlie in the kitchen and the two headed off for a few minutes, while House sat in the living room silent. When Wilson came back he stood near House.
"Sir, do you know of anyone that Dr. House hasn't thought of that might have wanted to take the baby?" Officer STC asked.
"Yeah." Wilson started to say and looked down at House, talking to him directly. "House, nurse Carmen didn't show up for her shift and there was a big stink because they're short on nurses...anyway, I got a call from her this morning at our house. She left a message...Carmen Sanchez, that's her name...she said she'd do anything to get me back, even if it meant taking everyone I loved away from me...Oh, my god...Sarah's in the hospital. She could get to her..."
Officer Potbelly was already on the phone ordering a guard to be outside Sarah's room, and to get the address of that nurse.
"The only other person I can think of is her godmother, but you know-it-alls said she was on a flight to San Diego. Besides, what's the motive of her taking C.T. anyway? Wait, she wanted C.T. but backed off." House mumbled. "But if it was Sanchez why didn't she take Charlie? C.T. had nothing to do with you."
"Dr. House, you said you'd fallen asleep in the chair..." Officer STC started to say.
"Well, I guess there is no Alzheimer's in your family." House snickered.
"House, knock it off. They're trying to find her..." Wilson started to say but Officer Potbelly interrupted.
"Didn't you say you and Charlie fell asleep in here? Maybe she grabbed C.T. because she was the only one she could get to. I doubt very seriously she would have been able to grab Charlie without him waking up House." Officer STC finished.
They stayed there another hour and had a tap put on his phone in case anyone called that would cause suspicion. Wilson and Charlie left.
In the early afternoon, House sat in his apartment alone and worried to death, looking at his cell phone every three minutes to make sure it was still on in case the cops were trying to call him.
He popped a couple of Vicodin in his mouth, stood up and walked into C.T.'s room. He loved being in her room: the smell of the baby powder, the stuffed animals in the corner, her blanket she'd just got used to sleeping with. He picked it up off the floor and brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply with his eyes closed.
He had cried too much the past few months, and he didn't want to cry anymore. But he felt the tears coming but didn't give a crap. He fell to the floor hugging the blanket. He had fought so hard to get C.T., and now that he had her she was gone. For the first time in his life, Dr. Gregory House prayed, and prayed hard, to get his daughter back. That day, he made a deal to give up his meds, do therapy, even pain management if he could hold his little girl in his arms again.
During the same time, two men knocked on a front door on Trestle Lane, just 30 minutes outside Princeton. At first there was no answer but on the second knock they could hear footsteps and see a shadow approach the door.
"Who is it?" Came a woman's voice.
"Detectives Ketchum and McDonough with the Sussex County Police dept." The shorter man answered.
She unlocked the door and slowly opened it.
"Ms. Carmen Sanchez? The taller man asked. She nodded her head. "May we come in, please?"
"It's not a good time." She said as she looked at the stairs behind her.
"It's very important we talk to you."
"I have to leave soon."
"Look, we can do things your way or our way. And trust me, you wouldn't like our way."
"You got a warrant?" She asked belligerently.
The shorter detective looked at the taller one who didn't miss a beat and said, "We don't need a warrant to talk to you. But, if you want it your way, we can get one in 10 minutes."
"Fine, you do that." She snapped and slammed the door in their faces.
"Ralph, you cover the back door – make sure she doesn't leave. I'll stay out here and call Judge Leavers." The taller man said.
With the door closed behind her she looked up the stairs that led to the room where the baby was sleeping. She calmly and slowly walked up the steps just in case the two men were watching from one of the windows. She entered the second room on the left and made sure the baby was still asleep on her bed. She finished putting the baby's clothes in the suitcase with hers, closed and locked it.
She stood looking at the baby on the bed and couldn't believe it had finally happened. Now that she had the baby they could be together, a couple, a family, just like she'd always wanted. They'd make a new life in San Diego. They'd be happy.
She carried the suitcase down the stairs to the front door then back up to the bedroom to get the baby. Surprisingly she was not nervous, as she thought she would be. She had just picked up the sleeping baby when a knock came on the door. All of a sudden the nerves kicked in.
She went down the stairs, placed the baby in her playpen and went to the front door. Detectives Ketchum and McDonough were standing there with two additional officers, both in full uniform.
McDonough, the taller detective, handed her papers, three-folded and thick. She opened it, saw 'Search Warrant' and stepped aside so they could come in.
"Make it quick. I have a 4:45 flight to San…" She started to say.
"We really don't care." Ketchum said as he walked into the living room and saw the baby in the pen. He turned around, approached Carmen and said, "Ms. Sanchez, you are under arrest for breaking and entering and kidnapping." He said as he forced her arms behind her to place handcuffs on.
"What the hell?" She said as Ketchum pushed her down on the couch then he walked into the foyer.
He reached for his cell phone, dialed a few numbers then said, "We got her."
"So, Ms. Sanchez, why don't you tell us where you are going?" McDonough asked.
"You said you didn't care where I was going." She replied.
He sighed and said, "You just sit tight."
Thirty minutes later House entered Carmen's townhouse, limped straight to the playpen without saying a word to anyone. He leaned over it and was about to pick her up when he stopped himself and took a better look at her.
It wasn't Charnie. The baby was 9 months old but not his C.T. He sullenly turned around, told Ketchum and slowly walked out. McDonough shot Carmen a nasty look, not because she was innocent, but that the two detectives were caught in a BIG mistake.
She returned his stare and said triumphantly, "I just adopted Abby last week. I am flying to San Diego to meet Sheila, my girlfriend, so we can live in peace there. After her misfortune of not having custody of her god-daughter we decided to adopt. Neither one of us wants to be pregnant. Besides, God knows a couple of the same sex is soooo shame…"
After leaving nurse Carmen's apartment, House slammed the door to the corvette and tore out into the street. He had no clue where he was going to go but he wanted to be alone, but yet he didn't trust himself to be alone. He passed Arthur's Bar and Grill and figured it was as good a place as any to down a couple of drinks. When he walked in, there were only 5-6 patrons, which made him happy. There wouldn't be anybody to mess with him and he could drink in peace.
He sat at the farthest corner he could get and ordered a triple Scotch from the bartender. House took the glass and quickly brought it to his lips, downing half the Scotch in one swallow and placed the glass back on the counter. He looked in the mirror at his reflection and wasn't a bit surprised at how bad he looked. He looked like he'd been camping for a week, wearing the same clothes and taking no shower. But he didn't care. Not now. Not with his daughter missing.
House took another swallow from his glass after he ordered another from the bartender. He put his head in his hands, closed his
eyes and sighed, deeply and desperately.
"You look like you need another drink. Whatcha drinkin'?" A woman's voice came from beside him but he ignored it. "Give me what he's drinking and another iced tea…no long island, though. I'm trying to cut back." She told the bartender. After a moment the bartender placed the two drinks on the bar. She pushed the Scotch toward House then took her iced tea and stood there waiting for House to acknowledge her.
"Go away." He muttered in his hands, never opening his eyes or moving.
She stood there a moment, trying to think of something, anything to say to him. Her mind was blank so she walked back to her table and sat down, looking over the papers she was working on. But she couldn't concentrate; she found herself staring back at the man at the counter. 'Maybe it isn't him but I swore it was when he first walked in. Well, it's a small world, it could have been.' She thought to herself and went back to her paperwork.
A few minutes later a man walked into the bar, saw House and walked to him, took the seat next to him and ordered Tequila. He never said a word to House; he just drank in silence, but keeping House in the corner of his eye. House finally lifted his head, finished the second glass and ordered a third, all the while not speaking or looking at the man sitting next to him.
"What do you want, Wilson?" House asked gruffly as he felt the man's eyes burrow into his head. He took the drink from the bar and took a couple of small, long sips.
"I followed you from Carmen's, House. I wanted to be sure you were okay." Wilson answered then downed his Tequila shot.
"After six more of these then I'll be okay." He said, nodding his head to his glass. "No, wait, I'll be okay when they find the bstard that took Charnie." He snapped, starting to sound very angry.
Wilson didn't flinch at House's outburst, it was justifiable to him. Wilson watched a woman approach the two of them and averted catching her eye.
"I'm sorry to bother you…" She started to say.
"Look, I told you I don't need a hooker tonight. I got Wilson, here." House mumbled as he winked at him.
"Excuuuuxe me!" She said, seemingly shocked at his comment then started to laugh. "Your name IS House, right? That's what I heard him say. Greg House?"
He looked at her for the first time and at first there was no recognition. But after a moment his eyes flew open wide and said, "Kirsten?" She nodded her head with a smile. "Like I told you, I don't need a hooker tonight."
She gave him a disgusted look and turned to walk away but House called for her. She stopped and slowly turned to face him, putting her hands on her hips.
"I'm not having a good day." He simply said, but sincerely. Then he turned away from her and continued his drinking. Wilson looked at House then at Kirsten, who hadn't moved, then back at House. Kirsten shook her head then sat back down at her table.
"House, you can't think of anyone? Who would take C.T.? I don't get it." Wilson asked.
House shook his head. "We thought it was Carmen but, ah, she's playing for the other team now."
"I guess I made another woman go gay." Wilson said, trying to get a laugh or smile out of House.
Kirsten walked up to the bar, put money on the counter and turned to look at House. "You can't be Greg House because you are NOTHING like the one I knew. Hope your day gets better." She said sarcastically then walked away, just as Wilson's cell rang.
House stared at his glass before he turned around to face her as she gathered her papers from the table. "Kirsten, you caught me at a bad time."
"Oh, well, that's okay, honey, because I can always find myself another john to meet my quota for the night." She snapped
jokingly and was just about to walk out when she felt a hand grab her elbow. "I got the hint, I'm leaving."
"No, no. You obviously know him, and he knows you, and I was wondering if you could make sure he gets home? My wife is in the hospital and I have to go." Wilson begged.
"After that nice little reunion we just had I…"
"Someone kidnapped his daughter. Please take him home. Here's my cell. Can you call me when you drop him off?"
She looked into Wilson's eyes and saw the genuine concern for his friend. "What! Are you serious? Fine, but I'm not going to like it." She said as she walked toward a smaller table and sat down.
"It's okay, neither is he." Wilson said with a smirk. "Thank you, Kirsten." And Wilson walked out.
Kirsten sat at the table staring at House's back, watching him down two more drinks. She could tell he had reached his limit because his arm was around the shoulders of another drunken man and they were laughing so hard it looked to her as if he was going to fall off the stool.
"Okay, boys. Party time is over." Kirsten said as she approached House.
"Oh, but honey, you're here, it just got started." The other man said.
House laughed heartily, obviously very fake, then went to put his hand on the man's shoulder but at the last minute pushed him off the stool.
"GREG!" Kirsten screamed as she reached for the man on the floor. The man was so drunk he was laughing hysterically on the floor and ignored Kirsten.
"Gentlemen, I think it's time you pay up and leave." The bartender said, calmly but firmly.
House slid off the stool but seemed to forget about his leg and almost ended up on the floor himself.
"What's wrong? Is your leg asleep?" She asked as she watched him grab his cane then dug into his pocket to pay for the tab.
Kirsten was quicker than House and she threw $20 on the counter then tried to help him walk out from his drunken stupor.
"I can doo it! Le' me do it!" House said in his best Stuart imitation he could muster.
She threw her hands up in the air, stepped aside and watched him take a few steps before he fell to the floor. His drinking buddy at the bar burst out laughing while he was still on the floor.
"Wow, I remember you carrying me and Liz to her bedroom in jr. high when we had that Schnapps at the football game. I just never imagined I'd had to be carrying you 25 years later." She said as she helped him up. "You have to stay sober long enough to get you home since, you know, I don't know where you live. I'll just drive with the windows down. It's what, 40 degrees out here?"
They walked to her car, she unlocked his side, opened the door and again, he didn't need any assistance from her, so she stood there for five minutes watching him try to get from the curb to the seat. Kirsten didn't say much as she drove him home, and neither did House, except for 'right' or 'left', whichever the case was. She remembered how serious he was at 16, and it seemed to get worse when her sister died. She hadn't seen him since Liz's funeral.
House and Kirsten pulled up in front of his apartment. She got out of the car, went to the passenger side, opened the door and stood there. She waited for him to get out on his own, since he didn't need her help getting in. But House just sat there, staring straight ahead.
"Greg, you can't sit out here all night." She told him.
Eventually he looked up at her and she could see his eyes were a little red, like he'd been holding back tears. He sighed and got
out, with no help from her.
"You gonna be okay by yourself?" She asked as she watched him fumble in his pocket for the door key.
He barely nodded his head, fit the key in the door and leaned against it, closing his eyes. He turned the handle before he realized what he was doing and crashed onto the foyer floor, and he just laid there. Kirsten didn't move, considering he told her he didn't need any help. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure in the living room window move toward him.
Kirsten took a few steps toward the door and saw Cameron kneel beside him asking if he was okay. Chase followed and stood behind her shaking his head at seeing his boss as drunk as he was. House rolled onto his back and tried to sit up but needed Cameron to help him.
Cameron gave Kirsten a dirty look, thinking she was a hooker he had drive him home. "We've got him. You can leave now." She said snottily.
Kirsten looked at her and was about to chew her out, but all she knew was House's daughter was taken from him and he was drunk. Cameron and Chase seemed to be able to take care of him so she turned around to walk back to her car.
As Chase took House by his arm and he stood, first swaying, he muttered to Kirsten, "…don' halfta go."
"Yes, she does. You need to get to bed." Cameron said.
"Kirsten…" House said louder the second time just as she reached her car.
She turned around and looked at him blankly. "I'll catch up with you later. You need to sober up." She got in her car and drove off.
Cameron then closed the front door and Chase led him to his bedroom while she made a fresh pot of coffee. Chase walked out a minute later.
"He's out already but I could go for some coffee." He said as he walked toward her. "When can we leave?" He asked as he took the coffee mug and walked into the living room with her behind him.
"Let's wait an hour or so, just to make sure." She said as she sat down.
"I've never seen him that drunk before." He said as he walked to Steve McQueen's cage and dropped in some food and changed his water bottle.
"I have. He was at work, getting drunk with a patient. That death row guy, you remember him?" She asked as he sat down beside her.
He nodded his head as he glanced over House's DVD collection. "Hey, he's got Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!" He said excitedly. "I haven't seen that movie since I was like, ten." He stood up and put the movie in the player.
"I don't believe you! You are such a kid." She teased him.
"Oh, wait, I have to call Foreman. He didn't think I could get into House's apartment and now he owes me $20." He said proudly as he dialed his number.
Over at Foreman's apartment, he and Nancy were on their way out the door when the phone rang. Nancy answered then handed it to him.
"Hey. What's going on over there?" Foreman asked without saying hello.
"Yeah, he did come home drunk and with a hooker but Cameron sent her away. He's sleeping now." Chase told him.
"Good." Foreman said. Nancy whispered they were going to be late for their dinner reservations with her parents. "We're on
our way to dinner with her parents. Can I pull a House and we can do an ultrasound or something for the next three hours?" He said as he laughed, with Nancy hitting his arm playfully.
"No, you can't. And I hope you're going to McDonald's because you owe me $20." Chase told him laughing then hung up and she nestled under his arm as the movie started.
Almost an hour later House slowly and groggily limped out of his bedroom and headed to the kitchen, oblivious of the two still sitting on the couch watching him. He stood in front of the coffeemaker and seemed surprised there was already an almost full pot. He shrugged his shoulders, reached for a cup then poured it. He sipped some before he turned around to walk to the living room.
As the two continued to watch him, he looked more and more confused then looked directly at the t.v., staring at it like he was hallucinating. The scene showed Caractacus Potts and Truly Scrumptious at the evil Baron Bomburst's castle looking for the two children, Jeremy and Jemima.
"Oh, don't worry, House. The children are found." Cameron said, meaning to be funny, but when she realized exactly what she said she quickly blushed and apologized profusely.
There was a twinge of hurt in his eyes but that quickly vanished. "How'd you two get in here?" He asked, not remembering they were already in the apartment when he got home from the bar.
"You taught me how to break into a house, House." Chase answered. "Foreman owes me $20…"
"Has anyone called?" House asked hopefully.
Cameron shook her head and sadly said, "I'm sorry, no."
House started to walk toward his bedroom when he suddenly stopped and turned back around. "Did you two bring me home?"
"No, your hooker did." Cameron said sarcastically, not jealously.
"Wha…oh, Kirsten. You two can leave now. The movie is over…lock the door behind you." He said as he headed for his bedroom and closed the door behind him.
Of course they didn't leave until after the movie was over because Chase whined about needing to see the whole movie. It was around 10pm when they did leave.
House hadn't gone back to sleep but just sat up in bed, propped on pillows and staring at a picture of Charnie. She was just two months old and Stacy was holding her. He tried not to get too emotional when the phone distracted him from the picture. At first he ignored it but then thought maybe it was a detective knowing something about his daughter but it stopped ringing right after the second ring. A moment later his cell phone rang but he didn't look at the call box.
"How…Greg. It's Cuddy. I think I know who took Charnie."
Cuddy started explaining to House how she came to assume who took C.T….
FLASHBACK to the year before when they stayed a few days at Cuddy's cabin in upstate NY
Melissa stood up slowly, calmly, and walked to her, eyeing Thomas the whole time. Wilson tried to grabbed her hand as she walked by but she pushed his hand away. She bent over Cuddy and reached behind her neck. Pulling out her hand she saw the blood on her fingers.
"You son of a bi..." House started to say. This time, he aimed the gun at Melissa's leg two feet from him and shot her. She rolled over crying in pain.
"Next time, it's you, cripple!" Thomas said…….
….. Thirty minutes later…the rest of the gang in the van, being driven by A.J. Cuddy's brother then followed by the squad car
that carried Thomas and Michelle, then two extra squad cars……..
FLASHFORWARD TO THE PRESENT
"I got a call from Sgt. Keys at Riker's Prison and he told me something. Thomas, remember, my ex? He was released last week. Do you believe it? The guy almost kills Melissa and he gets out a year later on good behavior?" She exclaimed. House was silent for too long so Cuddy asked if he was still there.
He grumbled something just to let her know he was then asked, "Why did he call you?"
"Because he said Thomas had repeatedly discussed our relation, his and mine, and it struck the Sgt. that he might be a problem when he got out. He already called NJ State Hdqtrs to inform them of his release. He's sending a squad car over to watch your place tonight, or as long as it take for them to find Thomas and question him."
Again, there was silence on House's end. "Do you need anything?" She finally asked.
He mumbled "nu-uh" and hung up. He was not in the mood to talk to anyone, unless they told him they had his daughter and was bringing her home.
Wayni has grown to weigh about 35 pounds and reached House's waist when he put his paws on his leg for a doggie treat. C.T. has always played Wayni against she and her father; like, after she was called whoever she came to first was the one she loved the most. Of course, neither one of them bought it but would always end up laughing, especially if Wayni heads straight for the door after C.T. asks the question.
"Daddy, how does this look?" C.T. asks as she walks out of her bedroom wearing a baby and navy blue dress with white sash on her waist and her hair pinned up with wisps of hair in the back.
It is C.T.'s first dance and at 12 she looks so much older than her age, and she acts it, too. When he first looks at her he thinks she so resembles Stacy, but on further examination of 'was the dress to short…too low cut…etc', he thinks he sees more of his sister's features in his daughter.
After a moment he says with a smile, "Beautiful."
He steps toward her and gives her a warm, loving hug. "But I want Christian to come in when he gets here and I want to meet his parents and I want you home at 10 and don't forget your cell in case…"
"Oh, please, Dad! I'm not a kid anymore!" She says very dramatically and obviously on purpose. She had joined the drama group at the start of the school year and has already done two plays with rave reviews.
"You are to me, and you always will be!" He says with a smile as the doorbell rings.
"That's him!" C.T. says nervously as she checks her hairdo and runs to the mirror to check her makeup. House stands there watching her.
The doorbell rang again. "Daddy, would you GET that! I want him to see me walk in!" She says as she runs into the kitchen so she can make an elegant entrance.
He walks to the door and opens it, giving Christian a stern, fatherly 'don't mess with my daughter' expression.
The door bell rings again.
And again…..
House got jerked awake from his dream when the doorbell sounded. He grunted, stood up and headed for the door. He looked through the peephole and sighed then took another look. He opened the door and stared at the woman, dressed in jeans and a thick sweater with no jacket. She was the same woman at the bar that was bugging him.
"Hello, Mr. House. I'm Kirsten Dacosta. I'll be on duty tonight til tomorrow morning at 9am. Use this walkie talkie if you need
to, and I highly suggest you use it." She said with a half smile on her face but authoritatively. "And we've got the phone bugged, so if you make any '900' calls, be prepared to be teased.
"That's Dr. House to you." He said then cracked a smile.
"I know, but that just doesn't sound right to me." She answered.
They stood at the entrance of the door and stared at each other. His eyebrows rose as if he were waiting for her to dismiss herself.
"Well, I'll be in that mustang right there." She said then pointed to a black mustang parked up the street.
"Thanks, Kirsten."
"That's Captain Dacosta to you." She said with a smile.
"I know, but that just doesn't sound right." He answered then closed the door.
In room 316 at the Buchannon Hotel, the man had just picked up the phone, dialed a few numbers and waited for the person to answer.
"How the hell do you change a diaper? This 'thing' won't stop pee'ing. And what am I supposed to feed her? She won't stop…"
There was laughter from a woman on the other end. Hey, you got what you wanted. Now you have to deal with it." She said then hung up.
He cursed at the phone, placed it in the receiver and looked at the baby. She had finally fallen asleep and he couldn't have been happier. He knew she hadn't eaten since the night before, before he took her, not that he cared what really happened to her. He wasn't through, he hadn't even gotten started.
'You're gonna pay, House. And if your little brat goes down with you then more power to me.' He thought to himself as he walked to the small table by the window, grabbed a spoon and lighter and got his next crack hit ready.
The following morning was Saturday so the gang had the weekend off. There weren't any medical mysteries to solve, the meaning of life to be found or the location of the foundation of youth.
FOREMAN and Nancy were awake that morning with the sun peering through the window onto the end of the bed:
"Hey, Pookie, guess what? I heard through the grapevine there's a conference in Atlantic City middle of April. They said we could bring our significant others." He said from the bathroom as he was just about to brush his teeth.
"Oh, is that what they call girlfriends? 'Significant other?' I'll have to write that in my 1000 Words of Slang for the 21st Century." She said with a laugh as she sat up in bed and pulled the covers up over her.
"Yeah, but you're my 'special' significant other. Anyway, I haven't been to A.C. before. I heard it's nothing like Vegas, but still. You been there before?" He asked as he walked back to the bed and snuck under the covers, trying to pull the covers down from over her but she got a tighter grip of it.
She nodded her head and asked, "What are the dates?"
"I'm not sure. Middle of the month, I think." He answered as he slid his hand under the covers.
Nancy slid under the sheet and wrapped her arm over his chest. "You know, I'm gonna have to check but I know I'm going to Nicole's sometime in April. Can you give your word you'll stay away from Night Shift?"
"What's that? Gentleman's Club or the hooker district? And if it is, what's the address?" He said seriously.
She smacked his chest fairly hard, he groaned but then laughed. "I'm joking. Woman, that hurt!"
"You need to quit working with that man House! You're starting to sound just like him." She said as she ran her fingers through his chest hair.
"But, you've created a monster! It's not my fault!" He protested as he rolled over and cradled next to her warm body.
"Oh, yes it is…." She started to say before he planted a kiss on her lips…
CHASE and CAMERON sat at the kitchen table eating bagels and reading the paper, looking for movies for later that afternoon:
"Hun, would you be too upset if I go see how House is doing?" Cameron asked him as she spread more strawberry cream cheese on her bagel. He was about to put a bite of bagel in his mouth when he stopped and looked at Cameron rather perturbed.
His face relaxed and he said, "Sure. That's fine."
"I'm gonna call Wilson and see if he wants me to watch Charlie so he can spend the day with Sarah in the hospital and not have to worry about him. Maybe spend the weekend. Is that ok?" She asked and Chase nodded his head, but very slowly.
She continued, "The cervical cancer she was treated for awhile back has returned. It's spread to her uterus. She's having a partial hysterectomy this afternoon, and they'll take her ovaries, too. Then she'll have radiation and chemo and then…" Cameron said but Chase interrupted her.
"Oh, is Cameron the Martyr coming to the rescue again? Or is your biological clock ticking too loud for you?" Chase snapped as he stood up and slammed the small plate on the counter harder than he'd anticipated. It broke into several pieces and glass fell to the floor and splattered on the counter.
"Damnit, Chase! Why did you do that? If you have a problem with it I won't watch Charlie." She said as she stood up and grabbed the shards of glass from the counter then the floor.
"No, it's not that at all." He said as he bent over to help.
"Robert, I've got it! You've done enough."
He stood up, leaned against the counter and watched her. When she put the broken glass in the trash can she turned to confront him. "If it's not Charlie then it must be House. Robert, don't do this. I'm not rushing to his side to jump his bones for god's sake."
"That's not it, either." He protested.
"Then what is your problem?" She demanded as she put her hands on her hips and waited.
"It's just...well…there was something I was gonna do." He said.
"Go on, then! I will not stop you." She spat.
"Allie, please. Don't make me say it." Chase begged as he approached her.
She smacked his hand away when he reached out for her then she ran to the living room. Chase called out after her and finally caught her at the door. He grabbed her shoulder and forcibly turned her around. She lost her footing and fell against the door but not hard; she wasn't hurt by any means.
"What a…"
"Shut up, Allison, and let me talk!" He ordered. Her mouth snapped shut and she looked at him with eyes that could have bore through 5" thick concrete.
"Don't you know what today is?" He asked, holding her back against the door by her shoulders.
She looked at him and he could tell she hadn't a clue.
"When did you start working at PPTH?" He asked.
"I don't know…end of 2003. So what!"
"Girl! What day was it?" He asked as he let go of her shoulders because he knew she'd remember as soon as she actually thought about it.
Her face showed no emotion at first but when she did remember her eyes flew open and she immediately relaxed.
"Exactly! It's our 3 year anniversary and I was going to take you out to some place special and make it a surprise but now…"
She squealed, jumped up and down in place and threw her arms around his neck. "Robert, Rob…I am sooo sorry! Really! I'd forgotten it with all that's going on." She said then she started playfully kissing his neck. "Pwease forgive me…pwease."
He was quiet for a moment but he relented and said, "Oh, I guess so. I don't want to but, you know, you are just so damn sexy and…"
He was shut up when she placed her lips against his, turned him around in one swift motion and pushed him against the door. They slowly started undressing each other until she grabbed his briefs from the floor and ran into the bedroom.
"Come and get them, Babycakes!" She teased as she rocked her hips and ran out of his view. He quickly followed her and they went back to the bedroom and made love.
ROG was awoken that Saturday morning by the noise of the neighbor's saw cutting down tree limbs that had come down from the winter's wrath. And he heard Chester, his Cockatiel, squawking from the living room. He rolled over and looked at the clock. It read 7:45. He groaned, grabbed his pillow and rolled over, shielding his eyes from the bright sunshine that was casting on his face.
It was a restless night for him, again. He still hadn't figured out what type of relationship he wanted with his mother; even his two hour talk with his aunt didn't help. All he could do was hope for the best, whatever the best was going to be. He thought of Rebecca, his girl-friend down in D.C. and wondered if it would be a good thing for him to move back down there. But he wasn't sure if he should just head down there. Not until he could 'fix' things with his mom, if there was anything to be fixed, he sure didn't know what it was.
CUDDY was seated at her desk in her office at PPTH by 8:15 because of the upcoming conference in Atlantic City. She had multiple forms to fill out to be submitted by Monday and she hadn't finished them yet. She also looked over a few files, well, one, really. Roger Phillip Nelson, her son.
She had hoped things between them would be better by now but they weren't. Rog still appeared distant to her and had yet to call her Mom. But that wasn't as big of a deal as the situation with House. She thought about going over the night before but felt better knowing Chase and Cameron were there.
Then her thoughts turned to Wilson and his worries over Sarah…
WILSON had fallen asleep in the chair next to Sarah's bed after they'd talked before she'd fallen asleep the night before. Amanda, the night nurse on that floor, insisted she take Charlie around so Wilson could be alone with Sarah. Amanda and Charlie were watching t.v. in Wilson's office when he'd fallen asleep and he stayed on his couch.
There was one less thing to worry about after Kirsten called him when her shift started to keep an eye on House. But he wasn't the most important thing. He'd finally found the love of his life and she was battling for hers at the moment. He didn't know what he was going to do if she died. Life just kept getting better and better. in a sarcastic sense
HOUSE sat in his leather recliner in the living room and hadn't moved the past several hours, nor had he fallen asleep. His mind kept going back to Charnie and worried the worst that could happen to her. He'd already downed more than half a bottle of scotch and he couldn't lift his head from the back of the recliner.
He'd convinced himself he wasn't drunk but that he was just tired. He could always convince himself things weren't as they appeared; it was a trick he'd learned in high school, especially after things would blow up between his sister LizBeth and their father. So, he would always do something at school to draw their father's wrath away from LizBeth because he could take it better than she could. He'd been suspended twice, put in detention for almost three months straight and banned from all sports and social events. The only one that ever kicked him in the ass when he needed it was David Dacosta. But after his death while they were in their junior year House went completely out of control.
House stood up to make some coffee when there was a knock on the front door. He looked at his watch; it read 8:47. He stared at the door for several minutes not wanting to answer it; he would have rather sit in the quiet of his apartment than have to socialize with anyone. He grunted, finally walked to the door and looked through the peephole to see Kirsten standing there.
"Dr. House, it's Captain Dacosta." She said authoritatively and seriously, but with a smile on her face, figuring he would be staring at her through the peephole. House rolled his eyes and opened the door.
"Where's the coffee?" She asked as she stood there, waiting for him to let her in.
"Haven't made it yet. It'll be ready like, tomorrow. Come back then." He said very bothered and was about to close the door when Kirsten caught the door just in time.
"Greg, I'm only trying to help you find your daughter. It's the least I can do after what happened with Liz…" She cut herself off at the sound of her name, not speaking her name for more than two decades.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" He asked as he stepped aside and let her in.
"I volunteered for your ca…" She started to say.
"No, Jersey." He said as he headed to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.
She walked between the door frame and leaned against it, saying "It was the only precinct that would take…oh, it's a long story and right now my priority is on finding Charnie." He shot a quick glance at her and waited for the rest of the story but she didn't elaborate.
The coffee was done so he poured two cups and handed over hers. "Thanks. Hey, I've got to make a phone call."
House nodded his head and walked to the living room while Kirsten stayed in the kitchen.
Back at the Buchannon Hotel, Thomas had been pacing back and forth waiting for the phone call. The 'little brat' had been crying the past half hour and he was at his wit's end. After their phone call the night before, she had relented and brought over some canned baby food and fed her, but he sure didn't want to feed her. And he sure didn't want anything to do with her now. But it was better if 'she' was there with him, just in case any word came in that they'd located where he was.
The baby was crawling closer and closer to the edge of the bed. He walked to the side, picked her up like she was a rag doll and put her back in the middle of the bed. He walked to the table, opened a can of food and finally fed her. She stopped crying, for a total of five minutes when his cell phone rang.
"Yeah?" He said angrily.
"Is there any word on his location?" The woman asked, loud enough for House to hear from the living room, but then started to
talk in more of a whisper. "I'm leaving in ten minutes. The back door is unlocked." She then raised her voice and said, as she walked into the living room, still talking on the phone. "All's quiet here. Keep me posted. I need to tell him we've found his daughter."
She put the cell phone back in her waist pocket and sat across from him. "I'm sorry, Greg, they've not located him yet. But they think they have a lead." She lied. "I've got to run to the precinct for a bit but a replacement will be by in 30 minutes for the next shift. Do you need anything?" House slowly shook his head.
"We'll find her, Greg." She said and walked herself to the door, smiling as she walked out and closed the door behind her.
A little while later there was a knock on a door and it opened briskly, allowing the woman to walk in the hotel room.
"It's 'bout time you got over here! This little snot won't stop crying!" Thomas yelled impatiently.
"Oh, stop your complaining. It's a good thing you don't have children of your own." She said as she walked to the baby and gingerly picked her up, bouncing her on her hip to make her stop crying.
She turned to look at him. "Well, you wanted him, now he's yours. I'll take this little one home with me and we'll wait for your call. You know, I'm out of here as soon as you've taken care of things. She and I have got a 5:30 flight to St. Augustine."
Thomas smiled wickedly at her, grabbed a small duffle bag and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
The woman started to hum softly as she rocked the baby in her arms. "Everything is okay now, little one. No one will hurt you now that Thomas is gone. Just call me Auntie Kirsten."
Almost as soon as Kirsten left his apartment House was asleep on his bed in a drunken snore. It had been years since he'd had that much Scotch over a short period of time and he knew he'd regret it. But he didn't really care; he just cared about almost breaking his toe on the footboard of his bed when he went to the bathroom. From the excruciating pain and half the bottle of liquor, he'd fallen on the bed and passed out as soon as his head hit the cover.
House was oblivious to the man when he snuck into his apartment. He opened the door, walked through the living room, taking notice of the almost empty liquor bottle, quietly walked to the bedroom and stood over House, staring at him. The man stood there for a moment and wondered how he was going to take care of him. He had too much on his mind and this man was the last thing he needed to take care of now.
The man fake coughed a few times to stir him from his sleep but when House didn't respond he made his coughs louder and louder. He thrust his knee into the mattress to make it shake and even that didn't stir him.
"HOUSE!" The man yelled. No response.
"HOUSE!" He yelled again, this time so loud his voice bounced off the walls.
He finally grew impatient and hit the side of his right leg. House only groaned and slightly moved his head but remained unconscious. The man shook his head and was about to really hit him hard on the leg when he felt an intense, electrifying pain on the side of his head and immediately heard ringing in his left ear. He raised his left hand up to the side of his head and felt another stinging pain on the back of his neck and he grew weak…everything went dark…noises faded…he couldn't see straight…he collapsed on the hardwood floor with a thud and a slight whimper.
House didn't know where he was at first but all he knew was his head hurt like hell and his leg hurt even worse. He tried to lift his head but it was entirely too heavy, as were his eyes. When he could get his head up and focused his eyes he saw a shadow in front of him but he couldn't make out who it was.
He turned his head to the left and could clearly see Wilson sitting beside him, his wrists and ankles bound to the chair and his head slumped so that his chin rested on his chest. He could see a thin trail of blood from behind his ear to his neck, where it had dried from the earlier crack to his neck. But his own wrists and ankles were not tied to the chair House was sitting in.
"Ah, I see you awake. You gave me lots 'a time to figure out what to do with you two." The man said, waving the gun he had in his hand.
"Wha' th…" House muttered. His mouth was dry and just talking made his leg hurt throb, as well as his head.
"Your buddy there came at da wrong time. I don't wan' him, you know. I only want you." The man said, taking a few steps closer to House. "I knew what to do with you, but he was a surprise. You think I gave him vasculitisis or procession when I hit him in the head? Too bad. He'll have a bullet through him before he knows it."
"Thomas…don'…"
"Oh, shut up! I don't wanna to hear nuttin' from ya!" He said as he struck House across his chin with the butt of the gun. His head flew to the right and he could feel the blood start to trickle from the corner of his mouth. With the back of his hand he wiped the blood away, but he kept his eyes planted on Thomas' the whole time.
"Where's Charnie?" House finally asked without stuttering from the pain.
"She's gone, just like you should 'a been last year." Thomas spat, giving House a deadly glare.
"You bast…" House started to say but Wilson's groans diverted his attention away from Thomas.
Wilson was still out of it. House gripped both of the arm rests and was about to push himself up to check on his condition when Thomas yelled at him to sit back down. Again, House stared Thomas down, challenging him to stop
him from getting up.
"I knew I should'a taken care of you last year. I've had over a year to plan this, and him there complicated matters." Thomas said, pointing the pistol at Wilson as he started to pace back and forth.
"All I have to decide now is whether to make your death fast and painless, or slow and painful. Maybe I'll make you watch me take care of your buddy, but I'm not too concerned about him. A shot between the eyes. No problem." Thomas said wickedly.
Wilson had finally come around and looked back and forth between the two men. He had forgotten how he'd gotten there then it all came back to him: the fist at the back of the head and then the pain in the neck. Then he remembered something else.
"People know I'm here." He mumbled while still trying to adjust his vision.
"Oh, don't worry Jimbo Billy Bob! They won't find you alive, either of you." He said as he pointed the gun straight at Wilson's forehead. He smiled, looked directly at House and pulled the trigger…
But the only noise that they heard was the click from the trigger; no bullet was fired. Thomas laughed evilly, throwing his head back. Wilson let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"MAN! You should'a seen your face, House!" Thomas said between laughs. "This is gonna be better than I thought." He said as he walked toward the liquor cabinet, opened the door and pulled out a bottle of Jim Beam.
House looked at Wilson and again was about to push himself up when Thomas turned around quickly, aimed the gun right to the left of House and fired. House was taken completely off guard and felt the wind and 'whirr' from the bullet rush past his ear. He heard the 'ca-chunk' when the bullet hit the wall behind them.
"Didn't think there were any bullets in here, did you? Don't underestimate me, House. I've only just started." He said as he poured the whole glass of liquor down his throat and smiled when he placed the empty glass on the cabinet. He walked back toward the two in the center of the room. Just then there was a knock on the door and Thomas flinched.
"I told you they knew I was here." Wilson said as he looked at the door, praying it was Cuddy or Cameron, being nosy as she always was. Thomas tentatively walked to the door and peered through the peephole, then immediately relaxed. He opened the door and let her pass.
"Why the hell did you bring that thing here! I thought you had a fli…" Thomas started to say but she interrupted him.
"I've been having second thoughts. I can't do this. He doesn't deserve this. And this little girl definitely doesn't." She told him as she watched Thomas got more angry.
"Taking her was your idea!" He said impatiently as she walked into the living room and saw House and Wilson in the chairs.
"Greg, I'm sorry." Kirsten said as she walked toward House and handed him Charnie.
House took his daughter in his hands and had never been so grateful in his entire life. "Why?" He asked her as he positioned C.T. on his left leg and held onto her as tight as he could.
Kirsten looked down at him and seemed on the brink of tears. "Because, Greg, I blamed you for David's death all these years. I figured taking the last thing you ever loved, your daughter, would have killed you. But, Thomas had other ideas."
"Shut up, Kir! You've just made matters worse, damnit! Now I gotta kill all them all!" Thomas yelled.
"Kirstie, David died from an unknown bacterial infection. It had nothing to do with me. I didn't kill your brother." House defended himself.
She became a little agitated. "Yes, you did! You were a wiz at that medical stuff. You just wouldn't give up until you knew what killed that pig in biology class. But you could have, David said you were brilliant. But you should have known what was wrong with David." She said coldly, changing her demeanor in a flash. "But I took Lizzie away from you, just as you took David away from me." Her eyes were icy cold and burned right through House's.
House looked at her confused because he didn't know what she was talking about.
"Greg, your precious little sis didn't commit suicide. I was in the car with her. I was there when she called you on your cell phone for help. She passed out before I did and I snuck out and no one knew! It was brilliant. And we were even steven."
"No…no…she was pregnant…she…Dad…" House muttered.
"Yeah, she was. And on that day we were going to the OB/GYN to confirm it with a blood test. I knew if we sat in the car long enough keeping her talking it wouldn't take long for her to die." She finished, sitting on the couch looking ten years older than when she first walked in the door.
"Kirsten, you should have just left and taken her with you." Thomas said angrily.
"No, I shouldn't have. I have spent the last 20 years planning to take you out, Greg. It wasn't long after Lizzie's funeral that I felt that way. I was bent on revenge for you killing David. But after being with your little girl, I couldn't do it. To her, or to you."
"Well, that sounds like an issue you need to deal with. Now get over it and help me take care of these three." Thomas said.
"Take her from him." Thomas ordered Kirsten as she remained on the couch. She just looked up at him, completely unemotional and not about to take any orders from him. "Don't make me take you out, too." He threatened her.
She stood up, took a few steps toward him to confront him and looked him right in his eyes. "Do it, Tom. For God's sake please make the hurt g…"
She wasn't able to finish her sentence because as she was talking he brought the gun up to her chest level and fired, directly into her heart. She flew back and landed on the couch, with her legs hanging oddly over the edge and her arms up over her head. Her eyes were open, and it appeared she had a smile on her face. She'd gotten her just reward.
"Four down, three to go." Thomas said as he aimed the gun directly at Charnie's forehead. House instinctively wrapped his arm around her, for what good it would do and stood up.
"House…what the hell are you…" Wilson started to say but stopped himself speaking. Wilson watched as House, still holding C.T., slid to his right slowly because the pain was unbearable; he tried his best not to drop the baby.
"You can have Cuddy now, Thomas. We broke up a long time ag…" House started to say.
"SHUT UP! I don't want her now! She'd never come back to me."
"Well, of course not. After you tried to kill what, almost a dozen people last year? That would have been cool, though, huh?" House kept talking, still sliding to his right. "Ok, honey bunny, let me set you on the recliner so this nice man here and I can chat, ok?" He did as he said and faced Thomas one on one.
"Okay, take your best shot, Tommy boy." House said, spreading his arms out straight in the air.
Thomas stood there, speechless. He'd never met anyone that had so much ballness about him. He brought the gun in front of him and aimed at House, but before he could pull the trigger House rushed at him and wrapped his hands around the gun. The two struggled and threw each other around. Thomas kneed House in his right leg and he hollered in pain but never took his hands off the gun. Thomas got his foot caught on the leg of the coffee table and started to fall back. As Thomas crashed through the glass coffee table, the gun went off, with their bodies inches apart. Both Thomas and House flinched at hearing the shot.
"House! HOUSE! Answer me!" Wilson screamed from the chair, struggling very hard to free himself.
Just then the front door banged inward and there were shouts of "FREEZE!" and "POLICE!" Wilson instantly relaxed in his chair knowing help was finally there, but he had no clue if House was shot. He held his breath as he watched several men rush to the coffee table to determine the condition of the men.
House knew he landed on Thomas but he hadn't moved the past few minutes so he thought he was dead underneath him. He briefly looked at Thomas' hands to see if he was still holding the gun but he couldn't see the gun at all. He heard Charnie's cries beside him and wanted to comfort her but he didn't know how to at that precise moment.
One officer approached the two men lying where the coffee table once was with his gun drawn in front of him, ordering them to freeze. The officer bent over with the gun at the back of House's neck and told him to get up slowly.
"Easy for you to say!" He snickered as he tried get up on his good knee but was in too much pain, both from his bad leg and the broken glass. "Do ya think someone can help me up? I'm a cripple." He said as he turned his head to look at one of the other officers, who cautiously grabbed House by his forearms and pulled him up.
When House got on his feet he looked down at Thomas. There was blood coming from his right side, staining his shirt a bright, shiny red and there were a few bloody pools surrounding his body from the broken glass. His eyes were still closed and once again House looked for the gun the two men fought over.
House turned to look at one of the officers when he saw a movement coming from Thomas and just after he heard a gunshot he felt a searing, hot pain implode in his stomach. Then there was one more gunshot, and then silence. House grabbed his stomach and stammered back a few steps. He felt a couple of hands on him and he grew weak in the knees. He slowly fell back while being held and was helped to the floor, where he sat, looking amazed that he was shot.
"Lie back!" One officer said as he saw the other untie Wilson's arms and legs. He suddenly felt queasy and did as the officer ordered.
"Thom…" House muttered while Wilson appeared at his side.
"They got him, House."
"I knew I was gonna get shot one of these days." House said as he tried to laugh, but felt blood come up from the back of his throat.
"Relax, House. I'll take Charnie. There's an amb…" Wilson was saying but what House was hearing was Wilson's voice slowly growing softer and everything around him grew blurry. Then everything went black around him.
Cuddy was sitting in House's office on the floor playing with C.T., while Cameron and Charlie were playing House's PlayStation. It was Saturday night, around 9pm and House was still in surgery; he'd been there for the past two hours; everyone else stayed home. Chase hung out at Foreman's with Nancy until someone contacted them about his condition and Rog was busy with a personal project at home, meaning he was working with Rebecca on the phone to get her up to visit him.
Wilson, on the other hand, was sitting in the observation tower of the surgical room watching Dr. Patel remove the bullet from House's stomach. The past hour was intense as he watched his friend lie helplessly on the table, his life alternating from excellent condition to life-threatening. After another hour Dr. Patel finally looked up at Wilson and nodded his head, meaning
the surgery was over.
Dr. Patel took a few steps back and removed his mask as he headed to the phone on the wall. He dialed a few numbers, the phone in the observation tower rang and Wilson answered it. They spoke for a few moments then Wilson thanked the surgeon and hung up. Wilson looked up at the ceiling, said a little prayer and walked out of the room, heading for the conference room.
"How is he?" Cuddy asked as Wilson walked into the room. He glanced into House's office and saw Cameron asleep on the couch, sitting up, with C.T. and Charlie on both sides of her fast asleep. "Let her sleep. How's House?" She asked again as she stood.
"Dr. Patel said the bullet just nicked his gallbladder, went through the Pyloric Sphincter into his bile duct. The difficult part wasn't getting the bullet out but repairing the damaged duct. Dr. Patel said he should be fine, as long as there isn't any infection."
"Oh, thank god. Wilson, with Sarah having surgery on Monday and now House in for a few days himself, Cameron and I already talked about her taking C.T. and I'll take Charlie. How does that sound?" She could see instant relief in his face when she said that.
Wilson nodded his head. "That would be great, Cuddy. Really." He said softly.
"Go see Sarah. We've got clothes for Charlie and C.T. Well, actually, Foreman and Chase are gonna break into his apartment but you didn't hear me say that." She said with a smile on her face.
Wilson looked at his son sleeping next to Cameron and smiled himself. He turned and looked at Cuddy. "Thanks."
After Wilson gave Cuddy House's key to his apartment he went to Sarah's room and found her awake and sitting up in bed.
"How ya feeling, honey?" He asked as he kissed her on the cheek then sat on the bed next to her.
"Not bad, but then again, morphine is great for pain." She said with a laugh. "Where's Charlie? And how's Greg?"
He smiled at her barrage of questions. "Charlie is staying with Cuddy and C.T. is staying with Cameron. God help that little girl." He said with a laugh.
"Why do you say that? And again, how's Greg?"
"Well, if you really ARE psychic then you would KNOW how he is. And because once Cameron gets her hands on C.T. she'll never want to let her go."
"Jim, don't start. You're starting to sound like Greg. You know it doesn't work that way any…wait, why am I justifying myself with you? Hun, I think I need sleep." She said with a soft laugh. "So, you're not leaving tonight, right?"
He shook his head and lay down next to her. "No, never." He said, burying his face in her neck and closed his eyes.
Cuddy walked into House's office from the conference room and quietly woke Cameron up, trying not to wake C.T. She told her to take the baby back to her place for the night, inform the guys and be at House's at 10ish the next morning.
Cuddy slid Charlie's coat on him but he woke up but he was still half asleep. "Mommyy?" Charlie whispered.
"No, it's Aunt Lisa. Mommy's ok. You're coming to my house for the night." She said, zipping up his coat. She put her own coat on, picked him up and he immediately flopped his head on her shoulder and fell back to sleep.
Cameron had better luck putting on C.T.'s coat without waking her and the four left House's office together.