House walked into the clinic, his customary sports bag over his shoulder, cane in hand. He was tired. More than tired. He was hungover. Kimee had insisted on having a few friends over, to say goodbye to which translates to thirty kids with a keg of beer. And, he might've had a couple of drinks. And, he might've stayed up 'til 2am knocking back shots and playing poker with them. Yeah, Greg House was not one to shy away from a party.
Cuddy raced up to him, holding yellow manila folders, her heels clicking.
"House!" she says to him.
House winces.
"What?"
"Wow, one-word reply. Is it my birthday? Don't you usually come up with a more smart-assed reply like 'No, I will not go down on you today, Cameron had me up all last night?'" Cuddy says.
"If you change Cameron to Kimee, then yes," House grumbles.
"Yes to what?" Cuddy asks. "Anyway, I have a favor to ask-"
"Stop making sounds, please?" House asks, holding his head.
"Why, are you hungover or something?" Cuddy asks. She stops. "You are hungover!"
"Shh, stop yelling!" House says.
"Were you drinking by yourself again? Honestly, you have a girlfriend. If you're feeling depressed go see her, don't get pissed alone," Cuddy says.
"Well you got the first bit right," House says. Cuddy looks at him weirdly. "Ever wondered what happened if you mix college kids, beer and a near empty place?"
"You were drinking with college kids? How old are you?" Cuddy says.
"Ah, my dear protégé. You are never too old to party," House says with a wink "You should know that,"
"Yeah. I learnt from the best," Cuddy says.
House walks off, but Cuddy stands there, her eyes staring into space as she remembers…
-0-
A young dark-haired girl walked aimlessly around the college campus. College. This was where she was meant to be. A place where people who were talented and intelligent were respected and superior. So different from the politics of high school, where being remotely different made you an outcast. How many times had she been praised and worshipped by her teachers for her work. And how many times had she been mocked and teased for it. She didn't know what she wanted to study, but all she knew was that she would be successful. She would show everyone what she could do. She would show her teachers how far she had gotten. She would show those people that she was better than them. She would change from a caterpillar to a butterfly. A ugly duckling to a swan. A Cinderella to a Princess. A…well she couldn't think of anymore metaphors, but you get the idea.
She had been virtually friendless for most of her high school years. When she was still in junior high, she had a friend, Mia. But then she left, and she became engrossed in her work, excelling in every area, and became even more socially retarded.
When she had gotten into college, she was thrilled. And better yet, it was on the other side of the country. This was a fresh start for her, a chance to reinvent herself into a savvy and respected woman.
She sighed, and sat down under an oak tree and took out a biology book she had borrowed from the library, and began reading it. She was so absorbed with it that she didn't notice the rustle up above in the tree.
"What you reading?" asks a voice.
She quickly bobs her head up and looks around, but sees no one. She shrugs, thinking she imagined it, and returns to reading her book.
"Dude, it's not nice to ignore people like that," the same voice.
She looks around again.
"Coo-wee! Up here!"
She looks up the tree and there, on a branch, cleverly concealed, sits a young man. He has medium brown hair, and is of average build, but even from down there she could see his bright blue eyes, which made him look all the more… handsome.
"Er, what?" is all she can manage to say.
"What are you reading?" he says again.
"Oh, um, just a biology book," she says.
"Boring," he says rolling his eyes.
"Well, I like it,"
"You must not have a very exciting life if you find biology books interesting,"
"You don't know anything about me," she snaps back, and tries to continue reading. Obviously he doesn't get the message.
"Oh you're wrong, I'm very good at knowing," he says, ignoring the fact she was trying to ignore him.
She snaps the book shut loudly.
"I'm sure you might think you're very smart, but believe me, I don't find you funny, witty or charming," she says.
"What, you think I'm trying to chat you up?" he says with a snort.
She quickly hides her embarrassment.
"What are you doing up there, anyway?" she asks changing the topic.
"Hiding," he replies simply.
"Aren't you a little old to be playing hide and seek?" she says derisively
"Oh, snap," he replies smirking.
She smiles inside at the witty comeback, but doesn't show it.
"Who you hiding from?"
"My ex, Vanessa,"
"That still doesn't explain why you have to hide from her in a tree," she replies.
" Well, actually, I haven't gotten round to breaking up with her yet," he says.
"Oh, right," she says, and can't help rolling her eyes.
Geez, this guy is unbelievable.
"And, I was kinda making out with another girl, and she saw, so now she wants to break my legs…but she can't do that if she can't get to my legs!" he says and swings his legs for effect.
"That's great," she says. "Why don't you just end it with her?"
"You don't know her. She once gave a guy a black eye for looking at her 'too long',"
"How pleasant," she says wincing slightly. "Well if she's so scary, why are you going out with her?"
"Why did I go out with her," he says correcting her. "And to answer your question; she's very hot. You should see her in the sack, all that anger being released-"
"OK, you can stop now," she says.
"Oh crap, that's her," he says curling up. "Don't tell her I'm here!"
As he says that an angry looking blond girl comes marching up.
"Hey! Have you seen my boyfriend? He's a senior, blues eyes, brown hair, about this tall," Vanessa says gesturing about 5 inches above her own head.
"Um, no,"
Vanessa looks at her suspiciously.
"You sure?"
"Uh, yeah,"
Vanessa just nods, lips pursed, and walks off.
"She's gone,"
"Whew," he says, and does a neat flip off the branch landing perfectly next to her. "Thank you, my savior," he says and does a little bow.
"No worries," she replies.
"So, where you from?" he asks her, and the two of them begin walking
"What?" she asks.
"Well, you don't look like a local girl…believe me, I know all the local girls," he says wiggling his eyebrows.
"Too much information," she replies.
"Hey, that's the whole point of first impressions. You're meant to be abele to tell everything about someone. And first impressions are usually right,"
"So I'd be right in saying you're a cruel jerk with too little time and too many girls," she says.
"Why do you have to be so mean?" he says pretending to wipe a tear away.
"I've learnt that you can't be too reckless when it comes to people," she says, bitterly
"Right you are there. You can't trust people. Everyone lies," he says.
"Oooh, what a motto," she says sarcastically.
" What's yours?" he asks indignantly.
"Don't get close to people. They only hurt you in return," she says somberly.
He looks at her, she just continues walking ahead, her eyes stony.
"I know what you mean," he says.
"What you? You have been ostracized? Excluded and degraded by your classmates? Always the last one to be picked for sports teams? And always left partner less?" she asks, rather fiercely. The memories flood back, and at that moment, she just released all that anger.
"Not like that," he says quietly.
"Then how," she asks him, her voice cracking.
"I don't have real friends. Because I don't want them. Having people you love just makes it harder when they leave you. Or when they hurt you. I don't make friends, just enemies. I don't make the effort to keep people in my life," he says.
She looks at him, and sees that he was a lot like her, yet so different to her at the same time.
He stops and his cheeky smirk is back on his face.
"Well, to show my gratitude for this fun afternoon, I'm inviting you to my party tonight," he says, and as he says that, he pulls out a flyer from his back pocket and hands it to her.
"Thanks," she says.
"Yeah, it actually ups my credibility, having more good-looking chicks invited than everyone else," he says
She blushes.
"Address and time all there," he says pointing at it and turns to leave. "See ya,"
He walks off, but then stops and turns around.
"I'm Greg House by the way,"
"Oh, I'm, er, Lisa Cuddy,"
"Great meeting you, Er Lisa Cuddy," he says then runs off.
-0-
Lisa applied the last bit of lip-gloss on her lips. She had straightened her usually curly hair, and pinned it into a messy up-do. She wore a pair of black pants which were kind of tight for her now, but were her best pair, and she had brought her sister's low-cut green top which was made of a beautiful silky material patterned with barely there flowers that glimmered when she move.
She looked at herself in the mirror, and was shocked at who she saw.
The girl she saw in the mirror wasn't an awkward, self-conscious, lonely teenager. It was a confident, beautiful young woman who was sure of herself.
She smiles and grabs her purse, and walks out the door.
-0-
Lisa finally finds the place, and heads for the door.
"Whoa! Hold on, what's you name?" says a guy holding a clipboard, stopping her.
"Why?" she says freaking out a little.
"Your name. Who invited you?"
"Oh, Lisa. Cuddy. Um, Greg House invited me,"
"Really? Oh well, head right in," he says moving aside for her.
"Thanks," she says and walks past him, heels clicking.
She goes inside, and the place smells musky. It's filled to the brim with people, dancing, smoking, drinking, and music blaring. She can see there's a pool outside, and was pretty sure there was a lot of skinny-dipping going on.
"Hey, baby, wanna dance?" says a stoned-looking guy wearing a tutu.
"No thanks," Lisa says pushing his hands away.
"Aw, c'mon-" but he doesn't finish the sentence, he turns around and throws up. Immediately the crowd parts to get away from the vomit.
Lisa hurriedly tries to get through the crowd, aiming for the kitchen. There, more people are drinking or making out on the kitchen counter.
"Um, excuse me," Lisa says to a couple kissing, who were blocking the sink. When they don't respond, Lisa just walks away gawkily.
This is not as fun as I thought it' d be.
"Hey! Lisa!" says a slightly slurred voice from behind. She turns around and sees Greg House, in a half-undone shirt and jeans, with his arm around a girl, whose mouth was attached to his neck.
"Um, hi," she says looking weirdly at the girl.
"You enjoying yourself?" he asks her, rather politely
"Yeah. A guy dressed as a ballerina just asked me to dance," Lisa says.
Greg laughs.
"How about I be your escort?" he says, in a mock chivalrous voice.
"That'd be nice, but don't you think Miss Remora would mind?" Lisa says looking at the girl still kissing him.
"Oh," he says and breaks free from her. "Sorry, Chloe, I'm gonna show Lisa around,"
"Aw, do you have to?" the girl, Chloe says, obviously very drunk.
"Yeeeaaah, I have to. Call me tomorrow," he says winking at her, putting his arm around Lisa and leading her off.
He takes her outside, going on about college, how to find the perfect pair of shoes and something about dolphins. All the while Lisa noticed how everyone turned to look at their direction, smiling at Greg or waving at him. She also noted that all the girls looked at her enviously, the girl who Greg House had his arm around. And it felt good.
"So, what year you in?" he asks her snapping her out of her reverie.
"Oh, I'm an undergrad," she says. "You're a senior right?"
"Yeah," he replies.
"What are you studying?"
"Medicine," he says simply.
"Medicine? Isn't that extremely, um, hard?"
"And you think I'm just a partying man-whore who can't add two and two?" he says smiling.
"Well, I just didn't think that you'd be doing such a difficult major,"
"Well, you should learn not assume," he says. "What are you gonna take?"
"Um, I'm really interested in biology…"
"Do medicine as well, then,"
"I don't think I'm a doctor type,"
"Then don't be. Get your degree then become a hospital administrator. Don't have to do any medical work," he says.
"Then I would have wasted six years in college," Lisa says. "Besides I've been under the impression studying medicine is incredibly dull and stressful,"
"That's because those people who claim its dull and stressful are idiots. Come to my dorm sometime, I'll show you how interesting medicine can really be," he says, and grins. Lisa too just can't help smiling.
-0-
Lisa knocked on Greg's dormitory.
"Come in!" says someone in a singsong voice.
Lisa cautiously comes in, and sees Greg sitting at his desk, wearing a pair of black jeans and no shirt.
"Um…" Lisa says looking at his taut abs.
"Lisa Cuddy. What are you doing here?" he asks her nonchalantly.
"Sorry, um, I was wondering if I could borrow some of your medical textbooks,"
"Why?" he asks her.
"Well I was thinking about what you said the other day, and I thought maybe I should open up more options for myself," she says
"You should," he says and then points at a pile of textbooks in a corner.
Lisa just raises an eyebrow, and takes a couple.
"Thanks," Lisa says, and she turns to leave.
"Wait," he calls after her.
She stops and turns around.
"Wanna go to another party?" he asks.
"Um, sure," she says. She didn't' want to admit she was still recovering from the last one. Is this how everyone lived? Partying each night, then studying during the day?
"This one is my ex's sister's," he says.
"Vanessa's?" Lisa asks.
"No, Natalia's sister, Carinne; very hot," he says.
"How many exes do you have?" Lisa asks
He starts counting with his fingers, and you can see him saying the names to himself.
"Um…" he says.
"Forget it," Lisa says with a smirk. "I can see it's hurting your brain,"
As she turns to leave again, her says something:
"Medicine isn't about the books and lectures. It's about science and the nature of the human body. Why do people get sick? Where did diseases come from? Is it our sole purpose on Earth to battle sickness? Finding the cure is what medicine is about. But the cure only treats the disease, not the person. People will always have something they've been hiding. Everybody lies. It's human nature. That's the reason we get sick. Because it's brought upon ourselves," he says sternly.
Lisa looks at him, and suddenly understands. Medicine was her calling. Not because she wanted to cure disease, but because she also wanted to cure the human race "They say it takes a special type of person to be a doctor. I think they mean you," she says to him
"And you," he says.
-0-
Cuddy snapped out of her trance, and looked around checking that nobody saw her daydreaming in the middle of the corridor. She couldn't believe that she could remember so vividly the time she and House first met. He had been the reason she had become a doctor. It was funny how she had become everything she wanted to be. Successful, respected and renown. But one more dream, one that she never told Greg House, was to be able to fall in love. And be loved in return.
Lisa Cuddy had finally found love in the form of James Wilson, after twenty years.
-0-
Kimee walked into House's office, and licks her lips.
He is standing at his desk, sorting through some papers, and she smiles forlornly at him.
"Hey," she says.
"Hey," he replies.
"Well, I've booked my flight," she says.
"Yeah?" he says, as if uninterested but his eyes are studying her intensely.
"Yep. I leave this Friday," she says.
He simply nods.
"I'm going to miss you," she says, quietly.
House is silent for a moment
"I'll miss you too," he says.
She then wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him. For a second House stands there rigidly, but then her puts his arms around her and hugs her back.
She draws back, and kisses him on the side of his face, the same spot Stacy did after he had cured her husband.
"You're great," she says, and she smiles.
"You too," he says. At that moment, his pager goes off, and he takes it off and reads it.
"I gotta go," he says
"Yep, sure," Kimee says. "Hey, you will look after Greg, won't you?"
"Greg?"
"My cat!"
"What? No way! Get Allison to do it!"
"But he's your namesake!"
"Well, I'm sure Allison will take to it even more," he says waggling his eyebrows suggestively
"You pinky-promised me!
House just sticks his tongue out at her, and then walks off.
Kimee turns around, and then she spots something poking out from underneath the stack of papers.
She quickly turns to make sure no one is looking, and she slides the thing out; it's a photo. That same photo Cameron had found, the one of Kimee with a younger House. She smiled, and ran a finger down the edge, as she thought about that year when she spent the most time with him…
-0-
"I don't want to!" shrieks a little girl as she and her uncle walk down the street, trying to pull away. But he clamps his hand tightly around hers.
"Sorry, kid. You pinky-promised me,"
"I only did that so I could get an icecream!" she replies indignantly.
"Yeah, well you got your icecream, now you have to get your vaccinations," he says.
"But I DON'T WANT TO!" she yells at the top of her lungs, causing many passersby to stare at them.
"What?" the man says snarkily at a couple. "Can't a guy touch a little girl in the naughty place anymore?" people briskly walk away.
"Look, your mom made me pinky promise her that I would get you vaccinated. And you know what will happen to me if I don't do it?"
"She will hunt you down and rip your liver out and eat it for dinner," the girl recites.
"Exactly. And you don't want that do you?"
"If it means I don't have to get vacc…vacci…vaccum-inated,"
"That was mean," he says.
"I don't care. I'm not going!" she says, crossing her arms.
The man sighs.
"OK, fine. I guess that icecream that I was going to buy for my GOOD niece is going to go to waste,"
"Too bad. I already HAD icecream,"
"Well, good for you," he says. "So, I guess since you don't want to go to the hospital, I'll go in by myself, and see Jimmy Wilson all by myself,"
"I want to see Uncle Jimmy!" the girl shouts
"Sorry, only good girls who get their vaccinations get to see Wilson…believe me," he mutters the last bit to himself.
The girl stops and thinks for a moment, before finally let out a dramatic huff.
"FINE! I'll get vaccum-inated!" she yells and stomps off, in the opposite direction.
"Ahem, Kimee," the man calls. She turns around, and he points in the right way. "Not getting away that easily, kid,"
She doesn't say anything, and doesn't move. The man shrugs, and he begins to walk.
After a moment…
"WAIT!!!!"
-0-
"Dr Wilson, please," Greg says to the attending nurse.
"Exam Room Two,"
"C'mon Kimee," Greg says pulling at the little girl's hand.
"This is stupid,"
"Where'd you pick up words like that?" Greg asks raising an eyebrow.
"You," Kimee says simply.
"Don't tell your mom,"
"Like I would. She'd stop giving me fairy biscuits for lunch,"
"That's just mean!" he exclaims.
"That's what I said to her, but she just said I shouldn't talk like you,"
Greg chuckles at this.
"OK, time to get vaccinated," he says as they reach the exam room. He opens the door, and there stands James Wilson, younger, but still the same.
"Uncle Jimmy," Kimee squeals.
"Kimee! How's my favorite little girl?"
"I'm not little, Uncle Jimmy. I'm eight," Kimee says with a 'duh' voice.
"Whoa! I'm sorry, my favorite big girl," James says.
"Aw, I think your wife and child services wouldn't be too happy hearing that," Greg says. James just gives him a withering look, as Kimee looks at the two men confused.
"Whatever," she says.
"Ok, you ready to get your shots?" James asks her.
"No,' she says bluntly.
"Yes," Greg corrects.
"No,"
"Yes,"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Do I really have to? Can't you just say to mommy that I did?"
James laughs. "How like you," he says to Greg.
"Kimee, I told you, you have to, have to, have to get your shots,"
"Fine," she says.
James laughs again as he gets ready.
"So, what's working here like?" Greg asks James.
"It's pretty good. Good salary, interesting people-"
"Meaning hot nurses,"
"…and decent hours,"
"Sounds like a dream job," Greg says sarcastically.
"You should think about applying for a job here. They need a new Diagnostics Head, and you'd be perfect for the job,"
"Great idea, except for the fact Millar hates me,"
"Yeah, but Millar is retiring. There's gonna be a new administrator," James says as he swabs Kimee's arm.
"Is it you?" she asks him.
"No. It's…ah…Lisa…Cally…no…Cullen…Cuddy! Cuddy, that's it,"
"You're kidding, right?"
"Why? You know her?"
"Kinda," Greg says nonchalantly.
"Worked with her before?"
"No…college," he says simply.
"Oh…" James says, and takes out a needle. Kimee whimpers.
"Is this gonna hurt?"
"A little," Wilson says soothingly. A then injects the needle into her arm, and Kimee gives a small squeal. He then takes the needle out, and dabs her arm with a cotton ball.
"There, all done," James says.
"Is that it?" Kimee asks disbelievingly
"Yep,"
"That didn't hurt at all!" she cries.
Greg and James both laugh.
-0-
Kimee and Greg are both sitting on the swings in the playground, gently swaying.
"You know, whenever we used to play dress-ups, you know what I'd be?"
"What? The mommy? The scary monster?"
"No…I'd be the doctor,"
"The doctor, eh? The coolest person there is,"
"No…it was just because Fiona Linsi always got to be the princess,"
"Well the princess is definitely cooler,"
"Uncle Greg?"
"What?"
"What's it like being a doctor?"
"Well…you get to cut people open with knives, always good, and watch people throw up their lunch, which kinda makes you hungry…"
"Ew!" Kimee says shrieking with laughter and distaste. "No, really?"
"Interesting," Greg says shrugging.
"Do you like it?"
Greg pauses for a moment.
"Yeah. I guess,"
"Do you ever want to be something else?"
"Like what?"
"I dunno…something different,"
Greg chuckles.
"You're too mature for your age,"
"How?"
"Good question," Greg says.
"You know how? Because I am," Kimee says with a grin.
"Uncle Greg?" Kimee says tugging on his sleeve. Greg is driving the car, taking her home.
"Yeah, kiddo?"
"Can you buy me a horse?"
"Do you want me to live in the gutter?"
"What?"
"Ask your Dad,"
"Daddy won't buy me one,"
"Clever man,"
"Uncle Greg?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you buy me a dog?"
"Aren't I cute enough for you?"
"Not really,"
"Oh, that hurt,"
"Uncle Greg?"
"Hm?"
"Can you buy me a snake?"
"Why would you want something scaly and long?"
"But they're cool. My boyfriend has one,"
"Boyfriend? Since when did you have a boyfriend?"
"Yeah. Adam. He's been my boyfriend for one and half weeks. He has curly hair like a thousand pig's tails, and he gave me one of his fairy cupcakes, because he said fairy cupcakes are for girls,"
"Right…"
"Uncle Greg?"
"What now?"
"Can you buy me a-"
"Kimee," Greg says stopping. "No more animals,"
"But Adam has a snake, two cats, three hamsters, a canary and a dog called Confucius!"
"No animals. Not from me anyway. And no more boyfriends. This Adam kid sounds like a moron,"
They pull up into the driveway, and Greg unbuckles his seatbelt. Kimee doesn't move. Greg looks at her.
"What's up?"
"Nothing…its just, I didn't want today to end so quickly…"
"Kimee…"
"I never get to see you anymore," Kimee says, pouting
"Kimee, you know I've been busy. Grown-up stuff, called work,"
"Its not work. It's that horrible Stacy-lady. You're always with her,"
Greg chuckles.
"I'm sorry. She's just very possessive. Can't get enough me,"
"What?"
"Never mind…look, you know you're still my favorite girl," Greg says.
"You don't act like it," Kimee says pouting.
"Whoa, hello? You're the only one that I'm even half nice to, and you know it,"
"It's not whether or not you're nice. It's how much time you spend with me. Or that stupid Stacy,"
"Hey, no calling people stupid. Only I can do that," Greg says. "Besides, your mom might get angry,"
"I don't care. I don't want you to hang out with Stacy anymore!"
"Come one, kiddo. How 'bout I take you to meet her sometime? She really wants to meet you,"
"I don't want to meet her,"
" Please? Please? Please, please, please, please?" Greg asks, batting his eyelashes. Kimee tries to hide her smile, but she can't help laughing.
"FINE!" she yells.
"Good …and I'll try and come hang with you more often, OK?"
"Pinky-promise?" Kimee asks holding out her pinky.
"Uh, duh!" Greg says rolling his eyes, and pinky-promises her.
-0-
Kimee suddenly came back to reality, and she shook her head.
Focus, girl.
She breathed in deeply, and straightens her jacket. She had to say her goodbyes. She quickly nodded to herself, and then picked up her bag, and walked out the door.
-0-
Wilson was reading an article in medical journal, as he sat in the cafeteria waiting for House. The article was something about ketamine, and 'rebooting the brain'…
"Hey, Brainiac, what you reading?" House says as sits down.
"You should read this," Wilson says not looking up.
" Yes, I shall, after I'm through with my Playboy and The Devil wears Prada," House says, and picks at some fries.
"It's about a new experiment treatment they are working on in Germany…"
"Sounds riveting,"
"It could help your leg gain full use again," Wilson says.
House looks at him cynically.
"I already asked for the right treatment to gain full use of my leg once. That kinda screwed up," he says, darkly." What'd you page me for?"
Wilson puts down the medical journal, and folds his arms.
"I was just wondering…why is Kimee leaving?"
"She's not leaving, leaving," House says.
"Yeah, but still. Why is she suddenly going to New York?"
"Eh, probably a vacation,"
"House you and I both know that she's not going for some vacation," Wilson says. "I have a feeling that…that it's something dark,"
"Dark? What like Chinese mafia dark?" House says sarcastically.
"I don't know…"
"What do you want me to do? Go up to her and say 'Hey Kim, well, you know, Wilson has some conspiracy theory that you have some deviant, stealthy thing to do in New York that may involve dodgy looking guys dressed in black with a revolver in their jacket, so could you just clear that up for him?'"
"Well, that's one way of doing it, but I thought maybe a more subtle approach would be better," Wilson replies, annoyed.
"If you wanna know, then you go find out yourself," House says and then gets up, grabs the medical journal, and limps off.
Wilson shakes his head with a sigh.
It never gets easy saying goodbye to the ones you love…
-0-
KNOCK KNOCK
James Wilson sighs. He had been trying to reach his friend for days. He had been calling and calling and calling and…yeah, he called a lot.
KNOCK KNOCK
He knew that he was in there. He had heard the piano's soft melancholy notes as he came in. And he knew what had happened…he just needed to hear it. Because he hoped with all his heart that what he thought hadn't happened.
KNOCK KNOCK
"C'mon, I know you're in there!" he yells, pounding on the door.
"Go away," comes the blunt, croaky reply.
"No. Look, let me in," Wilson says softly.
"Why?"
"Because…I'm your friend," Wilson says.
A few moments after, and unlocking noises, the door opens, and there stands his best friend- his best friend, not looking so good…
"Wow. You look like shit," and its true: his hair was all over the place and looked as if it needed to become best friends with shampoo, he had dark circles beneath his eyes, he was wearing a what he assumed to be a white t-shirt, jeans that were ripped and stained.
"It's good to see you too," he says sarcastically.
"Can I come in?"
"What's the password?"
"House…how can you still play games now?"
"It's easier than wallowing in self-pity,"
"I think you're doing a good job of that on your own," Wilson says looking into is apartment. "Have you heard of the trashcan? Or air-freshener?"
"Apparently not," House says and turns and walks back in, letting Wilson come in. Wilson notices the limp in his gait, and the pain that shoots up his leg each time he takes a step.
"You really should be using that cane of yours," Wilson says eyeing the abandoned can on the ground.
"Good exercise," House says, but his lips are pursed in frustration and agony.
"House," Wilson says, and he bends over and picks up the cane. He extends his arm handing it to House. "Use it,"
"I don't want it," House says, and paces around his apartment, but each step is a struggle, and he winces.
Wilson just sighs. He then looks around the place. It seemed emptier…as if things that he normally overlooked had been taken away…
"Greg…" Wilson says reverting to his friend's first name. "What…" he says waving his hand around the apartment.
"What does it look like?"
"I know what it looks like…but I need to hear the words from your mouth,"
"Why are you doing this?" House says almost inaudibly, as he stops pacing
"Because I don't want to believe it," Wilson says.
House sighs, and stops, gripping the mantelpiece, his backed turned from Wilson. His breathing is heavy, as if trying hard not to cry. Wilson licks his lips, unsure of what to do, what to say. Wilson knew what had been going on lately. The fights, the guilt, the alienating. He could see that slowly, House was building a wall around him. And nobody could get through to him.
"She left," he says after a while.
"Why?"
"If you wanna know, then you go find out yourself," House spits. Wilson sighs.
"House, I'm here for you,"
After a moment House speaks.
"She said she couldn't take any more. She couldn't handle being pushed away. She couldn't watch me destroy myself. Spiral out of control. Isolate myself from everyone around me. Couldn't bear to look at what she had created,"
"House. She didn't say that,"
"It's what she thought. This," he says turning around and pointing at his leg. "This is why she left."
"She hated herself for doing that, House! You know she didn't want to do it, she thought that was for the best,"
"The best? Oh yeah, rip out a guy's thigh muscle was for the best. She did this to me. She doesn't deserve the luxury of hating herself,"
"Then what does she deserve? To endure your malicious hatred for the rest of her life? You were making her miserable,"
"So this is my fault now? I didn't ask for this. I didn't WANT this!" he yells.
"She saved your life!"
"No she didn't. She ruined my life,"
"You'd rather have died?"
"Yes I would. Because living like this is no better than death,"
"It's easier to die than to watch someone die and not do anything about it!"
House stops, and turns his face away.
"I told her what I wanted. Yet she threw it back in my face. Then she says that SHE'S miserable? And she walks out. Saying that it's for the best. Saying she did all this because she loves me. And that it was the hardest thing she ever had to do, and she was so sorry. But I'm still like this," House says once again waving at his leg.
Wilson is silent, and shakes his head slightly.
"I know it can't be easy-"
"You have no idea. She begged me to forgive her, you know. She cried, and told me she was sorry as she kissed me. She tried to make it up to me. But everyday for the rest of my life, I'll be reminded of her betrayal. I can't forgive her. I can't,"
"So you let her walk out of your life?"
"Like you said. She was miserable here,"
"You pushed her away,"
"Yet in the end, she left on her own accord. And she'll always have to carry the burden of knowing she left me like this. That's punishment enough for me," House says
Wilson looks at his friend, and sees that for maybe the first time since he had known him, House was heartbroken.
-0-
Wilson knocked on the Dean of Medicine's door.
"Come in," comes the prompt, and Wilson walks in.
"Dr Wilson," says the Dean raising her head.
"Sorry to bother you Dr Cuddy,"
"Oh no, its no problem." She says. "Come in,"
Wilson walks in and sits down.
"I went to go see House,"
"Oh? And?" Cuddy says putting down her pen and leaning forward.
"Yeah…"
"What happened?"
"She left. She walked out,"
Cuddy sighs and shakes her head in exasperation.
"How?" she says after a moment. "How can she do that? After what she done?"
"You're on House's side?"
"I think for the first time in my life, yeah! She can't just…change someone's life like that and then leave them to deal with it themselves," Cuddy says. "How can you not be on his side?"
"I can't be on either side. He's my best friend, and I'm angry with her. But I have to make him see reason, because if I agree with him, he will just continue living in squalor and misery. I can't condone him doing this to himself, as much as I am livid with her,"
Cuddy nods understandingly.
"You're right. We have to make sure he doesn't drown in his own desolation…"
"And scotch," Wilson says.
"Its just…one thing to have the love of your life walk out. Another to be reminded of it each day. I really have never seen something like that. Most people would stay with the person who they ruined the life of, even if they no longer love them, out of guilt. But she…I just can't help thinking that she's turned her back on him when he needs her the most. I mean would you do that to someone you said you loved?"
Wilson thinks about it.
"No. I couldn't,"
"Exactly. Maybe she never loved him…"
"Oh, this isn't a matter of love. It's a matter of misery,"
"I guess…"
The two are both silent for a moment, thinking.
"Anyway. What are you gonna do?"
"Well I was hoping you would help,"
"Oh, definitely. I mean, he's not my most, erm, favorite person…but I've known him a long time. And I wanna help him,"
"Great…most other administrators would've told him to get over it and get back to work or be fired,"
"Yeah…but he's also one of the best doctors we've got,"
"Yeah,"
"So what's your plan?"
"Get him back to work,"
"Um, Ok, I thought I was the type who wasn't going to force him back to work,"
"Yeah, but it'll be a good distraction and…frankly, why should he be able to have the luxury of staying home with pay? I mean, his had his allowed four months of recovery and more, and if any other doctor had just been dumped, you would've cared less,"
"Hey, I don't care! I just don't want to get on his bad side. You know he can be scary and even worse if his really angry, he'd start yelling at me, and throwing a big tantrum in the middle of the hallway. Then the whole hospital would suffer," Cuddy says.
"Yeah well, I still think work is the best plan," Wilson says.
"I agree…well, I'll call him now," Cuddy says.
"Thanks. For saving him from himself," Wilson says.
"Hey, I'm doing this as a favor to you, not because I want to 'save' him," Cuddy says picking up the phone.
-0-
"So seriously, out of Cuddy and that new blonde nurse in cardiology, Sarah, who do you thinks got nicer breasts?" asks one of the doctors, Dr Carlos Sanchez
"What?" Wilson asks, laughing. He was having lunch with some of the other doctors, and for some reason the conversation had lead to comparison of the hospital's female staff's breasts. .
"Hmm, Sarah, definitely," says Dr Frank Branson
"Nup, Cuddy," says another Dr Charlie Peters sipping on a soda.
"How can you say that? Sarah…well let's just say youth has to trump experience," says Branson.
"House would beg to differ," Wilson says.
"Yeah, well House has a thing for Cuddy," says Sanchez
"Are you kidding me?" Wilson says with a laugh.
"Yeah, Sanchez, you know he's with Stacy, the constitutional lawyer," says Dr William Riverstone with a waggle of the eyebrows and everybody hoots and laughs except for Wilson.
"Hey, what's up Wilson?" asks Peters. "Not getting huffy coz we're talking about your BFF?"
"No," Wilson says. "Its Stacy. They broke up,"
"Are you serious?" says Branson a look of fear in his eyes. "If they broke up House will be worse than ever,"
"Yeah, are you sure? I mean, he's already a pain in the ass, if they really broke up, this place will be a living Hell,"
"Is that why he isn't here today? He's going through that post-break up phase isn't he? Drinking, listening to heavy metal, living in his own filth?" asks Riverstone.
"Yeah…he is and worse. He's really taking this badly," Wilson says, running his finger around the rim of his water bottle.
Everybody nods knowingly.
"I just think that he's really going to clam up now," Wilson says.
"I know…that Stacy had a really nice ass," says Sanchez and the others laugh and high-five him.
Wilson smiles slightly.
"So what are you gonna do to save the Great Dr House from his heartbreak?" asks Peters clutching his heart mockingly.
"Get him back to work," Wilson says slightly smugly, knowing that that would make the other doctors jump.
"So soon? I was so enjoying the freedom of walking through the hospital without having to look behind my back," says Branson pedantically.
"You are such a wimp, Branson," says Sanchez.
"Bite me," says Branson witheringly.
"Well maybe he'll be so depressed he won't bother us," says Riverstone.
"That'll be worse," says Wilson. "It's mean he's-"
"Lost the will to live!" says Peters melodramatically.
Wilson just bites his tongue. This is why he didn't spend that much time with the other doctors- they were too much like college kids, and sure they might sometimes get a laugh out of you, and were good drinking buddies, but, they didn't understand, and they sure as hell weren't as interesting to talk to. They were basically a lot like gorillas in lab coats. The reason Wilson like hanging out with House the best was because, he was intelligent, and though he acted ridiculously immature, he was clever and he wasn't boring, wasn't you typical friend. Would you rather spend time with people who rated a woman's breasts with other lonely, pathetic, and very much married men or someone who very obnoxiously said it straight to said woman's face? Exactly.
"Look, guys, thanks for lunch, but I got a bunch of reports I have to finish," Wilson says getting up.
"Oh well, when you see House tell him the best remedy for a break-up is to jump the nearest babe in a short skirt," says Sanchez with a wink causing everyone to roar again in laughter.
"I'll be sure to do that," Wilson says, and none of them pick up on his sarcasm.
-0-
It had been almost a week since Cuddy had forced House back to work. And although he complained and objected, he still came, and Wilson could see that he was actually relieved to be back. It provided a good distraction for him. Though he was still very much miserable and refused to say anything to anyone unless absolutely necessary. Which meant clinic duty was ignored, as was paperwork, any form of meetings and hiding from Cuddy. He spent most of his time in his office, and nobody could convince him otherwise.
"House, you can't keep doing this," Wilson says rubbing that back of his neck.
"Mmm, physically I can," House says
"What I mean is, you have to stop neglecting your responsibilities," Wilson says.
"You make it sound like a pet," House replies.
Wilson sighs. "What do you want me to say? That this is all right? You are more of an ass than ever. And you know what? It's not Ok. Everybody goes through break-ups, but you don't see them taking it out on everybody around them. Two of your staff have already quit and the others are spending more time in the clinic making up for your hours than doing what they were actually hired for," Wilson says
"So what, you want me to just get over this? Move on? Yeah, that'd be a great solution if you forgot one little factor called me still being crippled! Because it's kind hard to do that when you have an extremely obvious reminder of it each day! You think this is fun for me?"
"Yeah, I do. Your leg hasn't made you miserable. You're happy. You're happy because now, you actually have reason to be miserable without anyone to object. You're glad this happened!"
"Oh yeah, I'm just dandy. I have to use a cane and my girlfriend left me. Yep, happy, happy, happy!" House shouts.
"Stop it!" Wilson yells angrily. "Enough games, House. Enough with the sarcasm. What are you trying to prove?"
"I'm not trying to prove anything," House says rubbing his forehead.
Wilson sighs again.
"Look, I know you aren't…in the best state of mind right now, but you need to pull yourself together…its affecting everyone else around you," Wilson says gently.
"Pull myself together?" House repeats cynically. "Oh yeah, like I was ever actually together in the first place,"
Wilson chuckles slightly. "Wanna go for a drink?" he asks.
"With you paying? Definitely," House says.
-0-
Wilson shakes his head, realising he was still in the cafeteria. He remembered those few months well. It was hard to forget something like that. Watching your friend sink further and further into misery was not something he wished to see again. He hoped that this time round, House would stay happy forever…
Remembering all the reports he had left to do, he quickly got up and walked out.
-0-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A loud wail comes from the Diagnostics conference room, and all the passing doctors stop in the hallway and look towards the source.
"Tali…" says Kimee, trying to quieten her. "Tali…"
"Oh, Kimee, they can't make me. They can't," Tali howls. The skinny Asian girl is sitting on House's couch, a pile of tissues next to her. Kimee pats her delicately on the back.
"Tali…it'll be OK…"
"My life is ruined!" she screeches. "I don't want to live!"
"Tali, that's a little extreme…"
"Extreme? Extreme? Compared to what they are making me do, this is nothing!"
"Tali…" Kimee says shushing her.
"I mean, what century are we living in? I guess now they'll want me to get my feet bound!" she says.
"Uh…"
At that moment House and the ducklings come in, and Kimee sighs in relief.
"Hey guys,"
"What the hell is going on? I would hear you if I were three blocks away,"
"Sorry, it's um, Tali-"
"Well, Tanya, you can get out of my office now," he says.
"It's Tali," Kimee says.
"What's going on?" Cameron asks, ever the caring one.
"My life is over!" Tali bawls.
All of them look at her weirdly and then at Kimee.
"Tali is… getting married," Kimee says, speaking over Tali's sobs.
"Wow," says Cameron
"It's an arranged marriage,"
"Not so wow," says Chase.
"To a guy she's never met before, who's supposedly a really fugly jerk,"
"Definitely not wow," says Foreman.
"An arranged marriage? What century are you living in?" House asks.
"That's what I said!" Tali says.
"Tali's family…they're of Chinese royal descent…they've…uh…well, really stuck to that- they're really traditional and strict…and they believe that they have to keep up the unblemished blood line and maintain that high rank by marrying Tali into an also very important Chinese family of high status descent…well…and the guy's allegedly a prick," Kimee says.
The doctors' mouths are open in awe.
"That's not something you hear everyday," Foreman says.
"The wedding is in three months! Three months…" Tali says and lapses into more sobs.
"Its all very strict and traditional…" says Kimee
"You said that already, " House says
"Tali…bie ku le, hao ma?" Kimee says in Chinese.
"If I agree to this marriage, then I'll be agreeing to let them take my life," Tali responds in Chinese.
"Tali…" Kimee says, hugging her. Suddenly, Tali's mobile rings.
"Hello? Ma…no…I won't! Ma! Ma…look…I…what? Ma…you…fine…I'll come…no…Ma…" Tali then stops and turns to Kimee. "I gotta go, Kim. You promise you'll be there?"
"Of course," Kimee says with a smile.
"Ok then…bye," she says getting up and leaving.
Kimee smiles sheepishly.
"Ah-hehe," Kimee says.
"Next time you plan on bringing your insane lunatic friends who are getting married here, warn me," House says, shooing her off the couch, and sitting down.
"You know, I'm not gonna indulge you today. You guys got any cases?" she asks the ducklings.
"Nothing, nada, nil, zilch," House says closing his eyes.
"Surprise, surprise," Kimee mutters.
"So, when are you leaving?" Chase asks.
Everybody is silent, and Kimee sighs.
"Friday. Afternoon flight," she says.
"Oh," says Cameron.
"Yeah," says Kimee.
"You got a ride to the airport?" asks Chase
"I'll take a taxi,"
"Do you have everything you need?" Foreman asks.
"Of course. Guys! I'm not five and I'm not a bum,"
"We just want you to make sure," Cameron says
"I think she can manage," House says. Kimee nods.
"Sorry for caring," Cameron says.
"Its OK. You can't help it," House responds.
Kimee licks her lips.
"Look, I just wanna say thankyou for being so great to me these past few months. I know that I'm not always easy to deal with, but, you've all been super nice…except House, but he's not included,"
"Hey, don't exclude me…you'll make me all depressed and cut myself," House says with a fake sob.
"Yes…anyway, so, just, thanks. For everything," she says.
"Your welcome," Cameron says.
"Yeah. You've been a pleasant distraction from a certain boss," Foreman says.
"I know. Cuddy is so mean," House says.
"We'll miss you,"
Kimee smiles, and then hugs them each in turn.
"Well, I'm gonna go. Dana promised to shout me dinner," Kimee says and gets up, and walks out.
"It'll be weird without her," Cameron says.
"Yeah. It will," House says.
-0-
Kimee steps out of the elevator and heads for the exit, but just as she passes the clinic, Cuddy and Wilson both hurry up to her.
"Kimee," Cuddy says.
"Hey Cuddy," Kimee says stopping with a soft smile.
"I heard you're leaving this Friday,"
"Yeah, I am," Kimee says.
"So soon?" Cuddy says.
"Yep," Kimee says.
"Well, you gotta come back soon then," says Wilson
"I'll try,"
"You'll look after yourself, won't you?" says Cuddy
"Yes…you sound like my mom,"
"Well, I'd like to think of myself as a second mother to you. You're the closest thing I have to a daughter," Cuddy says, her eyes glistening slightly.
"You are," Kimee says, and they two hug.
"James…look after House for me," Kimee says.
"Of course," Wilson says with a nod and they hug.
"I'll see you two," Kimee says and with a small wave walks out of the hospital
-0-
Well, I think this is my best work yet. I have to say, that I am excited!!! Now, Memories is basically memories of each character's, sans House, time with House.
These memories all express the change that House has undergone and how it affected people around him.
The little arranged marriage thing will actually continue into a sub-story later on, so in case you were wondering, no, I do not actually know anybody who is currently being forced into an arranged marriage and has written this in outrage.
This chapter was Kimee's goodbyes. Next chapter, she shall leave!!!
Next chapter will be the ducklings' memories!
Preview for next chapter:
"Funny how easy it is to hate the ones you love,"
"I'm not as stupid as you think I am,"
"Really? There's something actually going on under all that pretty hair?"
"Wow, you're hot,"
"Wow, you're a jackass,"
"Is this the first impression you usually leave on people, or am I the first?"
Hope you liked it! Please review (And make them LONG!)