025. Strangers

Strangers In A Strange Land

Wilson sat on the couch in his living room and wondered exactly when he and his wife had become strangers. He remembered meeting Julie. He remembered laughing at her jokes and she laughing at his jokes in return. He remembered the first time they had sex. He remembered asking her to marry him. He remembered their wedding. But he couldn't remember when they'd gone back to being strangers.

He looked down at the note in his hand, hardly seeing the words but knowing what they were. They were seared into his mind.

James,

I'm leaving. I'd say I'm sorry but I honestly don't think I am. I've been seeing someone else for the last eight months and you never noticed. What does that say about us, about you? Why am I leaving now and not six months ago? I'm pregnant. I know it's not yours since we haven't had sex for months and I think my child deserves to have his or her real father around and he's genuinely excited about the idea of becoming a father.

I've already contacted the lawyers and I daresay it won't be that difficult. I'm the one who had the affair and neither my new partner nor I are lacking in money or the ability to earn it so I won't even be asking for alimony. You can keep the house or sell it if you like. I won't need it.

Julie

The note had been waiting for him on the kitchen table when he'd arrived home from an evening spent drinking beer, eating pizza and mocking the Jets with House. Once he'd read it he'd only just had the strength to stagger over to the couch before his legs had given out on him and he'd been here ever since.

He dimly heard the sound of a key in the front door but he knew it couldn't be Julie, not after this note.

"Wilson?" It was House and Wilson was vaguely surprised to hear the concern in his voice. "James?"

He couldn't find the words to speak but soon House limped into the living room, his cane thudding softly against the carpet.

"James?" House said, his brow furrowed with concern. "It's eleven o'clock in the morning. What's wrong?"

Once again Wilson couldn't find any words and he mutely held the note out to House who by this time had limped around so that was standing in front of Wilson. House took the note and read it quickly, muttering curses under his breath once he'd finished. He put the note down on the coffee table and sat down on the couch beside Wilson, one hand resting lightly on the handle of his cane.

"I'm sorry," he said a little awkwardly.

Wilson let out a pained, shuddering huff of laughter. "Why?" he said shakily, his first word in nearly twelve hours. "You were the one who told me I shouldn't marry her in the first place."

"Well, yeah," House said uncomfortably. "But…isn't that what I'm supposed to say?"

This time the laugh was a little more genuine. "Since when have you ever done what was appropriate?"

"Maybe I'm turning over a new leaf," House offered.

A small, sad smile crawled over Wilson's face. "Yeah, right."

"Yeah, that was never going to work, was it?" House said with amusement.

Wilson drew in a deep breath and scrubbed his face with both hands. It was then that something House had said when he first walked in struck him and he dropped his hands and stared at House.

"It's eleven?"

House blinked then snorted. "Yes. Why do you think I'm here? I got a phone call from Cuddy ordering me to find out why you hadn't turned up to work."

"Oh," Wilson said, wondering briefly why he felt a little hurt.

"Which was a bit annoying," House continued on blithely. "Since I already knew that and was just waiting to see if you were just a bit late because you'd had a car accident or something before I started calling you."

The hurt faded and the warmth inspired by those off-hand words from his friend slowly started to revive him.

"I should…I should…go and have a shower," Wilson said, still feeling a bit disjointed but starting to recover. "Go into work."

"Have the shower by all means but you're not going to work," House replied. "I'll bet you haven't slept all night. I'll call Cuddy and get us both the rest of the day off. You can get some sleep then we'll go out and you can get drunk."

"Not joining me in the drinking?" Wilson asked as he pushed himself to his feet. For once he had no intention of arguing with House.

"Someone has to get us both home," House said idly. "Besides I only do my drinking in private."

"We could stay in," Wilson offered, not really wanting to get drunk on his own tonight. "Beer, pizza and I still have all those cheesy Arnie movies in my study."

"Hmm, alcohol, food and cheesy action movies," House mused, humour growing in his eyes. "You've got a deal. Go wash then sleep. I don't want you at anything less than your best for this."

Wilson laughed, a genuine, honest laugh that washed the last of the pain out of his body for the moment. He knew it wouldn't last but for now he was prepared to take what he could get.