043. Blood

Shaken

House looked around the chaotic ER wearily and tried not to collapse where he was standing. People were everywhere. Doctors and nurses were hurrying in every direction looking harried, worried and exhausted. Patients were lying on beds or sitting in chairs, crying, screaming, shocked, stunned. And there was blood everywhere. So much blood. Bloodied bandages. Bloodied gloves and scrubs. Bloodied instruments that been dropped and just left where they'd fallen in the chaos. Blood that had dripped or run or flowed from the people that had been treated.

There had been a multi-car pile-up on a train crossing that had involved two buses, eight cars, a cyclist and three motorbikes. Then the inevitable had happened and a train had ploughed into the whole lot. Most of the casualties had been brought to Princeton-Plainsboro and every doctor who was available had been summoned to the ER to help out with the triage.

"Dr House?"

He barely heard the voice through his exhaustion and he wasn't entirely sure how he was staying on his feet. His hand was gripping the handle of his cane tightly, his knuckles almost white. His leg was shooting stabs of agonising pain though his hip and up his back and was the main reason he'd come to a sudden halt after sending his last patient up for x-rays.

"Dr House!"

The urgency in the voice had him turning his head and he saw Cuddy standing next to him looking very concerned. He blinked slowly at her as he tried to make sense of what was going on.

"The worst of it is over," she said slowly and House blinked again, feeling blank and drained.

He saw Cuddy turn away from him and gesture for someone to join them. It took a few minutes for the person to finish what he was doing then Wilson walked over, frowning when he saw House's unresponsive state.

"Get him out of here," Cuddy said kindly but firmly. "You've both done enough tonight."

Wilson gave a heavy sigh of relief then he reached out and placed his hand on House's arm. "House?"

House let his gaze wander over to his friend and he opened his mouth but he still couldn't find the strength to say anything. Wilson seemed to understand and he gently guided House into the deserted clinic and got him to sit down in one of the waiting room chairs.

"Stay here," he said gently. "I'm just going to get our stuff then I'll be back."

House gave an almost imperceptible nod and Wilson hurried off. He was back within ten minutes then he carefully got House to his feet and guided him out of the hospital and to his car. The drive to House's apartment was silent and Wilson once again had to carefully steer House into his home. Once inside House seemed to revive a little and he looked down at the blood-stained scrubs he was still wearing, making a small sound of disgust.

Wilson was by his side in an instant and easily divined the reason for his noise. House could see that the oncologist was also wearing scrubs though his weren't quite so messy.

"I didn't want to wait and get changed at the hospital," Wilson explained as he nudged House in the direction of the bathroom. "It would have been just our luck to get waylaid and dragged back into that nightmare. We'll just throw these out. They won't miss them."

Wilson had managed to get House into the bathroom by this stage and he took the cane from House's hand, leaning it against the bench.

"Get out of those scrubs," Wilson said before disappearing out of the room.

He was back in fairly short order with a change of clothes for both of them and a small orange bottle. House had only managed to pull off the top and he let it drop to the floor when Wilson returned. Wilson put the clothes on the bench and opened the bottle, shaking one of the small white pills out. He held it out the House who took and swallowed it with a grateful look.

Wilson gave him a small smile then helped House get out of the rest of his scrubs. He stripped his own scrubs off and started the shower. Once the water was running hot, he helped House into the shower and joined him. He grabbed the soap and began gently washing the sweat and blood off House. As he did so House slowly began to thaw and started shaking. Once that happened, Wilson put the soap down and moved close, drawing House into his arms. House was stiff in the embrace for a moment then he slowly brought his own arms up until he was clinging tightly to Wilson and shaking desperately.

Wilson said nothing, simply held him upright and rubbed his back lightly until the shudders subsided. Even after they faded, House stayed where he was, not having the motivation or the desire to move. The only thing he did was turned his head and press his lips against Wilson's neck. He felt Wilson's contented sigh then he was being pushed back slightly. His protests were silenced by a warm look from Wilson and the younger man quickly finished cleaning them both off. He was guided out of the shower and dried off then Wilson handed him the t-shirt and boxers he'd brought in.

House clumsily dressed then Wilson picked up his cane and handed it to him. They made their way out into the bedroom and Wilson chivvied him into bed. He collapsed onto the comfortable surface with a sigh then rolled over when Wilson joined him. He draped himself over his lover and buried his face in Wilson's neck.

Wilson wrapped him up in a loving embrace and began running his hands up and down his back soothingly.

"Go to sleep," Wilson murmured quietly. "You need it. I haven't seen you work yourself to a standstill like that in years."

"Think Cuddy'll give me time off from the clinic?" House muttered, his voice slurred and muffled.

Wilson laughed softly. "After today, you might actually get lucky on that score. I think she was impressed."

"Good," House slurred as sleep started to lay its claim on him. Just before he finally succumbed he murmured, "Thank you. Love you."