Warning: Character Death
053. Earth
Goodbye
House tossed the handful of earth into the grave, listening to it spatter onto the coffin. He stood there for a moment, his face sombre and lined, then he slowly turned and limped away, ignoring the other people standing around. He limped through the graveyard, coming close to stumbling on the uneven ground on occasion until he was far away from the newly-filled grave then he stopped and leaned heavily on his cane. He closed his eyes and listened to the sound of his own breathing and he tried to make his thought connect.
A hand resting on his arm made his eyes fly open and he turned his head just enough to see who it was then he hung his head.
"I didn't see it," he said softly.
"No one did," came the reply.
"I should have seen it."
"We all should have seen it. We're doctors. We should notice these things. That's if there was even anything there to see. You know it doesn't always happen that way."
"How do you deal with it?"
A soft chuckle. "Badly. Mostly I just come to you. You make it better."
"I don't know how to this time."
"You don't have to." A pause. "Come back and say goodbye."
House grimaced then slowly turned and limped back towards the grave. By the time he got back there, everyone else had left and he stood next to the grave with a look of regret. He then looked over at the headstone.
Alison Cameron
Daughter, Wife, Doctor
A caring heart, a caring soul
"I couldn't be what she wanted."
"I know," Wilson said softly as he wrapped an arm around his lover's waist.
House leaned back into him slightly then sighed as Wilson rested his chin on his shoulder. He looked down at the grave again.
"Goodbye, Alison," he said simply.