Once again, Wilson's eyes slowly opened and once again, the first face he saw was House's. This time, though, the older man was asleep. A wave of appreciation for his best friend overtook Wilson. He must have been exhausted, Wilson thought, to allow himself to actually fall asleep. Stretching his now cramped muscles, Wilson wondered what would happen to him next. Up until now he could hide, somehow, behind the bliss of ignorance. That bliss would soon be shattered, and Wilson would have to brace himself, the way he told all of his patients to. It was much more difficult from this side of the doctor-patient relationship.
When Wilson glanced back over at House the older man had begun to stir. Instantly his eyes found Wilson's and saw that they were open. Getting to his feet as fast as he could, House picked up the pen light next to him and checked Wilson's pupils.
"Follow my finger," House said, moving his index finger in a line across Wilson's field of vision. Dutifully Wilson complied, knowing that House could not relax until he knew that the biopsy had been conducted successfully.
"Do you know where you are?" House asked him, his voice still strained.
"Princeton-Plainsborough Teaching Hospital, my name is James Wilson, and it's February 20th, 2008," Wilson said, saving House the trouble of asking him to prove orientation to person, place, and time.
House simply nodded, but Wilson could almost see the tension ease from his friend as he sat back down. Smiling, Wilson simply could not help himself. Putting on his best imitation of the Scarecrow, Wilson broke the heavy silence.
"I could while away the hours, conferrin' with the flowers, consultin' with the rain, and my head, I'd be scratchin' while my thoughts were busy hatchin' if I only had a brain."
House shook his head, but could not help but grin.
"You and I need a weekend in Vegas, stat," House said.
"So I can end up finding you with an unnamed hooker in another state? No thank you," Wilson said, smiling now himself. Suddenly a wealth of history, both regrets and redemption, seemed to flow between the two men silently.
"You did fine, House," Wilson said quietly, "I'm fine."
"Yeah," House said, his eyes still downcast.
Before anything more could be said, the door opened and what seemed to be a flood of people came in. Foreman, Chase, Cameron, Amber, and Cuddy all filed in, each of them slowly smiling as they saw the now conscious and alert Wilson.
Amber came next to Wilson's bed, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. As she made to pull away, Wilson reached out to take her face in his hands, deepening the kiss. The two pulled apart, and Wilson moved sideways on his bed so that Amber could slip in beside him.
"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly.
"Expected headache, but I feel fine," Wilson assured her glancing around the room to address everyone around him.
"He passed the neuro exam just fine," House said, "but he's as big a dork as ever," he said sarcastically.
"We just wanted to make sure you were okay," Foreman said, now glancing at Wilson's chart. After a few moments, he nodded. "Everything looks good. As soon as the results are in we'll let you know."
"Thanks, Foreman. For everything."
"Oh, no," House said, "now you've done it Foreman. You've gained his respect. Now you'll never be rid of him."
"Glad you're all right, Wilson," Chase said, his blue eyes steady on the other man.
"Thanks, Chase."
"Come back to work soon, James," Cuddy said, but her voice was teasing, "the oncology department will fall apart without you."
"I'm sure," Wilson said sardonically.
Wilson turned to look at the only person in the room who had not yet spoken. Cameron was simply standing beside Chase. Looking into her eyes Wilson noticed the tears in them that no one else in the room had noticed.
"All right," Wilson said with finality, "you came, you saw, you love, now don't you all have, you know, sick people and stuff?"
They all knew it was a dismissal, but no one felt slighted. It was simply Wilson's way; he was the most compassionate person and doctor one could ever ask for, but was not one to draw out difficult moments unnecessarily.
Wilson gave Amber one last kiss before she slid off the bed.
"I'll come back again later, James," she said softly, "get your rest."
Wilson simply smiled at her, keeping their fingers locked for as long as possible before she left. Everyone in the room, then, except House began filing out of the room, waving goodbye to Wilson.
"Dr. Cameron," Wilson said quietly, "can I just talk to you for a quick second?"
Cameron simply stood there. House still had not left his seat beside Wilson. Wilson glanced at House, eyebrows raised.
"I don't have any sick people," House said, leaning back. He was waiting to see why Wilson had called Cameron back because Wilson was always very purposeful with his conversations.
"Dr. Cameron," Wilson began, seeming to accept that House wouldn't leave, "why did you come here?" Wilson's voice was not accusing, but merely that of a teacher prompting an answer.
Cameron looked confused, and seemed hurt by the question.
"I wanted to show my support," she said, her voice almost breaking.
"I appreciate that" Wilson said quietly, "but here's the thing. I want you to remember what I told you before."
"What?" Cameron said, still struggling to keep her composure.
"It's not worth it," Wilson said, brown eyes now fixed on Cameron's. House looked between the two of them, unsure of the sudden understanding passing between them.
"I know what you went through with your husband," Wilson said, "and it's made you one of the few doctors I know who really cares about her patients. This is different. I'm an oncologist, I know what I'm in for medically. I have a support system and, despite popular opinion, am made of stronger stuff than some people think," Wilson said, glancing at House. "If you throw yourself into 'being there' for me, that's another piece of yourself you'll lose, and I will not be the reason for that."
Cameron simply stared, seemingly still confused.
"Listen to me, Allison," Wilson said, hoping her first name would get her attention, "this is what I want. I want you to go, be the kick ass doctor I know House has made you, build whatever relationship with Chase will make you happy and live your life. Me? I'll get through this, one way or the other."
Cameron still seemed shell-shocked, but simply nodded. Slowly she left, seeming to still be processing everything she had just heard.
"What was that?" House said, surprised.
"What?" Wilson said, turning to face the older man.
"The fluffy bunny doesn't cut down the other fluffy bunny. It just doesn't happen."
Wilson's eyebrows raised.
"Do you honestly think a fluffy bunny could have been your friend for as long as I have?" Wilson said.
House smiled, seeing the core of strength in Wilson that was the reason he trusted him and respected him. House counted on that strength, even if he didn't always realize it.
A/N: The next part of this story is giving me trouble, so please review... :)