" I'll be right back.", House said now to Sara.
" What is it, Greg? I know you, something is wrong with me."
" I send in a nurse, she's gonna draw some blood. We'll do some tests."
" You don't need tests, you already know it. What is it?"
„ Even if I knew, I'd like to confirm it first."
" Yeah, that's the House I know. Confirmation written all over him! Well, get that nurse and make sure you remember your patient doctor confidentially, when you talk to my former husband."
She smiled. She really knew him.
„ That's why I should not treat you. You know me too well."
He sat down again and played with his cane the way he always did, when he was uncomfortable with speaking about something.
" I think it's leukemia.", he finally said.
She starred at him.
"I give you four symptoms and you tell me, I'm gonna die?"
" Well, you gave me four symptoms that add up to leukemia. It does not mean that you gonna die. There is treatment, therapies, research is moving on all the time."
" Just do the damn test, Greg. I wanna get out of here."
" You can't just leave like that. You need treatment."
" There are other hospitals with other oncologists."
" Sara, you know he is the best.", House said.
" Not for me. Not anymore. He doesn't need to know. You promise?"
House nodded. „ It's your decision."
Then he draw the blood himself. He went into the lab, made the tests himself. He never did this, what are nurses for, anyway? But finally he looked at the result and had confirmation. Sara had leukemia.
He told her about it. Gave her the names of good oncologists and then she was away, as if she never had shown up.
" There you are!", Wilson said, when House was on his way to his office. " I've been looking all over for you."
" I was in the clinic. Cuddy finally did it. I worked the entire shift."
„ Ok, what is going on?", Wilson stepped in front of him.
" Nothing. I was a good boy once, so she will not piss me off for at least a week."
" That's an interesting way but as long as it works. You're hungry?"
" No time. Gotta tidy up the office. Lots of paperwork piling up."
Wilson laughed.
" You work here for 8 years. You never clean anything up."
" No but today I need an alibi why I can't have dinner with you."
" Just tell when you don't want to hang around with me."
Then he walked away.
House looked after him. Of course he wanted to spent time with his friend. But not today, not right after he told his ex wife that she was very sick!
House drove home. He didn't wanna hear or see anyone. He cut the phoneline and watched TV. Pretty soon after the third scotch he fell asleep. But in the middle of the night he woke up. It knocked on the door.
" House! Open up!", he could hear Wilson shout.
He knew it was him, he actually expected that late visit. Wilson had told him, that Sara never had another man after Wilson. She was lonely. And if you get a diagnosis like this you need to tell someone. Sara obviously had chosen Wilson. Now House heard a key in the lock. Damn it, he should have asked for the key after Wilson moved out.
" Why didn't you tell me?", Wilson asked as soon as he got in.
" I couldn't."
" Don't tell me about your patient doctor confidentially . You never cared about it."
" I couldn't tell you, Wilson."
" Oh come on. I thought our friendship was more important to you."
" James, I couldn't tell you because I promised her!"
Wilson laughed. " And as a humanitarian you couldn't resist. No, no you didn't wanna tell me, because you knew it would bother me and I would take care for her instead of you. God, even if you take care for me you think in your egoistic way."
He walked out and was away.
" That's not true.", House shouted but Wilson was gone.
That's exactly why he didn't wanna treat Sara. He should have sent Foreman.
The next day Wilson didn't talk to him. Sara decided to be treated by Wilson. He was the best she could get. House was sitting in the waiting room and played with his PSP. This was exactly the place to hide from Cuddy because she never looked for him, where she expects him to be. He wasn't even in the mood to argue with her.
But then he realized that half the people here were in for the flu and he went back in his office. He threw a look over the balcony to Wilson's office. He was in with Sara obviously talking about the old times because every now and then they were laughing. Finally a nurse showed up, leading Sara back to her room. It was close to nine o'clock.
House stept out on the balcony. It was cold but it wasn't snowing anymore. House had his bike with him and had forgotten to check the weather channel this morning.
Now he took a little stone and threw it at Wilson's window. The doctor looked up. He hesitated a moment then he took his coat and went out on the balcony.
" You do know I have a door and heating."
" Fresh air clears the head", House answered, "you found her a treatment?"
" Nobody has so far. It's a very aggressive type. She won't make it."
House looked up in the sky as if to look for the right words. Then he looked at Wilson.
" That's bad."
Wilson gave a little nod. He knew he couldn't expect more from House. No " Oh, I'm sorry", or " Can I do something to help you?". That was not his style. And Wilson had learned to deal with that but in this moment he wanted more from House.
" You know what our problem was?", he started.
" I met her too early. I mean, I was young and ambitious. I wanted to be the best. All my energy went into the job, like you did."
He paused but House stayed mute. Actually he was thinking of a way to get out of this conversation.
"I never cheated on her and I still love her. But there came a moment when she stopped waiting for me in the evenings and then she left. I will never forgive myself for that."
House still didn't say anything. But after a while he said: " Maybe you should tell her this story."
Then Foreman stepped on the balcony.
" House, we got a case."
House took his cane and he seemed released. " I'll be right there."
Wilson looked at him. „ You really have nothing to say?"
But House didn't answer him.
„ No answer is an answer, too.", Wilson thought. He enjoyed the cold air another moment and went back to his desk.
In the meantime the diagnostic department was back in action. Symptoms were noted on the white board, theories were developed and House finally ordered some tests. Chase, Cameron and Foreman went to do them while House looked again to the office on the other side but Wilson was not there anymore. House knew it would be a long night and so he ordered some pizza, even for his employees.
Around two o'clock the phone in the office rang. Cameron took the call and gave the phone to House. " It's Wilson, he sounds weird."
" What's up?", House said
„ What's up?", Wilson was angry, sad and pissed and he was definitely drunk.
" My wife dies, I wanna talk to you about it, then I call you in the middle of the night and all I get is: " What's up?""
" She's your ex wife."
" I don't care. For so many years we were friends, I went through all this shit with your leg.
I was there when Stacy left, I was always there. And all I get is "What's up?" You son of a bitch! A goddam, egocentric son of a bitch, that's what you are, Greg House!"
" Hey, no need to insult my mum here!"
" Shut up, House!"
" Wilson, where are you?", House asked.
" Why would you care?"
" We need to talk. Tell me where you are. I'm coming."
" I'm talking right now. I'm not done for a while, asshole!"
" I'm coming, then you can get violent as well. So where are you?"
" I'm in that bar in Baker street, I think. I'm not sure."
„ Stay there, I'm on my way."
He took his jacket and his helmet and gave some orders to his team.
" You better take my car.", Cameron said but he was on his way.
In the meantime Wilson was sitting on the street in front of the bar, after he was told to leave. He was not used to alcohol and it didn't need much to get him so drunk that he forgot all his manners.
Now he was forming a snowball and waited for House. It was snowing in thick flakes. House had trouble staying on the street. But that was mostly because he didn't care for the speed limit. Two blokes away from the bar he was pretty sure they would take a taxi for the way back. He probably had to carry Wilson in his bed. The guy was pathetic the way he was not used to alcohol.
" What a sissy!", House thought when he drove into Bakerstreet. And that was when it happened.
House had a green light and wanted to turn right but a car coming from the left way above the speed limit didn't care for his red light. House couldn't do anything. The car crashed right into the machine. House flew through the air. For him it seemed endless until he finally hit the ground but then he didn't move any longer.