CHAPTER FIVE – Call to Court, Part Two

As Tanner finished his questioning the judge addressed Sam Smithers, the attorney at the other table. He stood, straightened his suit and paced a few steps between the judge and House for a moment or two.

"Dr. House, would you say you were raised in a loving household?"

House's eyebrows furrowed before he answered, "Somewhat."

"Can you clarify that, Dr. House?"

"Mother loved me; Father hated me. Therefore I am."

"Dr. House, please take this proceeding seriously," the Judge said angrily. House rolled his eyes and gave the attorney his attention.

Smithers continued his questioning. "You were an only child?"

House nodded his head. The judge intervened again by saying, "Dr. House, please verbalize your answer for the court reporter." House shuffled his feet uncomfortably before answering 'yes.'

"The incident with your leg must be awfully painful. Have you ever sought retribution for the damage to your leg?"

House was silent for a moment. "No."

"Oh. So you never blamed your ex-girlfriend for making the medical call? After all, she was your medical proxy, was she not?"

"Yes."

"What? Yes to blaming your ex or yes that she was your medical proxy?"

"Both."

"And can you verify again the answer you gave that you nor anyone in your family had been in any serious type of vehicular accident, Dr. House?"

House didn't immediately answer the question. "I had a younger sister," he answered solemnly.

"Had? What do you mean?"

"She was killed in a car accident at 22."

"Dr. House, I must remind you, and for the last time, that I will not put up with your disrespect to this court with your lying. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Judge Wapner." The Judge gave him a dirty look and made a note on a piece of paper.

Smithers continued. "How was she killed?"

"She hydroplaned on a rainy night and sideswiped a tree. She was killed instantly."

"And there were no other vehicles involved?"

"No."

"Judge Sasser, under the circumstances with this hostile candidate, may we approach the bench?"

The Judge nodded his head and hit a button on his microphone as the two attorneys stood in front of the Judge. There were many hushed whispers that House couldn't ascertain, but from the gesturing of Tanner's arms and the frustration in the face of the Judge, House knew it couldn't be good.

Well, not good for them but good for House. He knew his goal of being a jerk worked and that he wouldn't have to face jury duty.

The two attorneys headed back to their tables while the Judge said, "You may continue with the questioning, but I warn you again, Dr. House, watch yourself."

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Several minutes later House walked out of the courtroom feeling completely defeated. He'd done his best to avoid being chosen, and was so confident that he decided to treat himself to a steak; even though it was early, 11:30, but he sure didn't want to go into work.

He walked into an almost empty LoneStar Steakhouse and was seated in a booth by the window, just like he liked. He had never felt secure if he couldn't see the outside world from any closed environment. He always had to feel one step above the actions of the world, just in case something came his way he'd be prepared. But more than once life threw some crap at him, and he tried to handle it, he really did.

His father was always hard on him to "toughen up, be a man" while his mother had comforted him by telling him that he would always be a man to her and how much she loved him. But deep down he'd never quite truly believed it.

House had never accepted himself for who he was. He'd always tried to change to make his father happy. But it was never good enough. He figured out by the time he was 14 that he'd have to make himself happy; call his own shots, regardless of the consequences; do things that he felt were right, even though some were wrong; experience the world in his own eyes, not his father's.

Even though it sucked, he'd grown to be accepting of the possibilities of anything that he'd ever come across, whether it was an Egyptian coin over 2,000 years old and wonder what life would have been for him if he were in that time, or any other time in history for that matter, or the bones of a rat he'd found in the backyard.

House sighed, reached for the menu and looked over the size and cut of steak that he wanted when he felt someone standing a few feet away, staring at him. He looked up to see the same blonde that was in the waiting room at the courthouse and a crooked smile escaped his lips.