CHAPTER FIVE

House had just gotten on the elevator for the third floor when he berated himself for forgetting to ask Debra what she told him before he past out. He hadn't had the dream in a day or so, even though he drifted in and out of sleep constantly, but the words never became any clearer.

He walked past the diagnosis room and tried to avoid looking in. Unfortunately, Foreman saw him and he was afraid he'd chase after him for a stupid question or something. Luckily, he didn't.

He approached Wilson's door, having his thoughts on what he was going to say all together, and walked in. Wilson looked up, put his pen on the papers he was reviewing and leaned back in his chair. House just stood at the front of the desk, staring at Wilson, both men silent.

"What?" Wilson finally asked.

"Um, sorry," House said, very unemotional.

But for Wilson, that was good. Emotional or not, a 'sorry' from Dr. Greg House was a major big deal.

"She told you, didn't she?"

"Yeah. Damn, Wilson! Why didn't you and Cuddy just tell me? I'm not a child."

"No, you're not. But she didn't do it to be spiteful. She feels really bad for what she put your through, and Cameron."

House collapsed into a chair. "I know, I know." It dawned on House suddenly that Debra had called Wilson and Cuddy by their first names. His right eye squinted and his head tilted a little, staring Wilson down. Suddenly, he wasn't sure if he wanted Wilson to watch over Debra.

"Why did you come to her room when I was there? Have you been talking to her?" House asked suspiciously.

Oh, great. Something else for House to bLtch about. Wilson thought

"I've seen her twice just to check on her. She was out both times. I guess Cuddy told her."

"That didn't answer my question."

"Because, I had to meet the person responsible for why I have two stitches in my temple, House, in case you haven't noticed. I was passed out in the car before I had to worry to death over you guys in your place with a madman!" Wilson shot back.

House was quiet for a second to get his thoughts together again. He was really trying hard to think before he spoke, but it sure caused him a lot of pain.

"So-ee 'bow yor stches," House whispered, his fingers flayed over his lips to slur his words.

"I'm sorry, what did you say? I didn't quite hear you," Wilson said, but he heard. He just had to bust House's balls.

"I said sorry, ok!"

Wilson smiled. "Ok, thanks."

The two men sat staring at each other, and Wilson was growing weary of House's true intentions of his visit.

"What do you really want, House?" Wilson finally asked.

"Um, a big favor," House said as he clasped his hands together.

"Yeah, I figured there was something. What?"

House asked Wilson to keep an eye on Debra while she was in the hospital, and maybe when she was released, just until she was able to make the trip home.

"Okay."

House's eyebrows rose when he got a straight-up answer – not bickering, bargaining, nothing. Just a yes.

"I said watch her, not sleep with her," House said then grinned.

"When are you going home? You need a ride?"

"Yeah, I'd appreciate that."

HOUSE MD HOUSE MD HOUSE MD

Two weeks had passed since both Cameron and House had gone to their perspective homes to recuperate. Cuddy would call on House during the day to tell him about Debra and how well she was doing. She told him if she continued, she'd be able to at least leave the hospital in a week.

Wilson would stop by after work with already made sandwiches or containers of food. Wilson put them in the refrigerator, and there they stayed, uneaten, night after night. On the third day, after non-stop bltching from Wilson, he finally learned to throw the untouched food in the trash.

He did call Debra to see how she was doing a few times, and did ask her what she said after she got shot and he came to her. She couldn't remember. She told him to give her some time; maybe she'd recall something of what she said.

But he never called to see how Cameron was, and she never called on him. Her brother had come to her place for a few days right after she was released, but he had gone back to work and only saw her on the weekends.

One night, Wilson came over with some Chinese food, Kung Pao for House and Sweet and Sour Chicken for himself. The two men sat in the living room and ate quietly while the t.v. showed the latest WWF match between Daddy MacDaddy and Trashy Arm Pit Dave.

Wilson noticed House was only picking at the chicken and ate just a few peanuts. He'd noticed House's face looked a little thin, but he shaved a bit less with not having to work, resulting in at least four days' hair growth.

"How's Cameron?" House finally asked, setting the box of rice on the coffee table and took a chug of beer with two Vicodin.

House hadn't mentioned her once and Wilson never offered any information about her. He checked on her himself, but he had to swear to her that he wouldn't tell House how she was. He just hated getting caught in the middle of things. First it was Debra, now Cameron.

"Why don't you call her?" Wilson asked.

"Uh, don't know her number."

"Liar."

"Look, I was real nasty to her early in the morning before she left and I don't think she'd want to talk to me if I did call her," House finally admitted.

Of course Wilson already knew. And he was a very smart man; he always stayed out of every argument or disagreement between two people as long as he could. He'd only butt in when someone was about to get hurt.

"Do you want me to dial her number for you and hand you the phone?" Wilson offered.

"NO! I mean no." He caught his tone before it spoke too much and gave him away.

House wanted desperately to talk to her but he didn't know what to say. He knew he'd gone too far, especially after all she'd been through.

Wilson felt the tension in the room and wanted to change the subject. "Aren't you hungry? You didn't eat much," he asked concerned.

"No."

About an hour later, after Wilson left, House hit his liquor cabinet. He was so tired and emotionally drained and just didn't want to deal with anything or anyone anymore. He grabbed the bottle of Scotch, a glass and sat on the couch.

This was one way House knew to feel no pain, if only for a little while.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ok, as promised, Cam is in the scene in the next chapter! I will post it shortly after this.