When Wilson entered his office, he was still standing where Cameron had left him, god knows how long ago.
"What are you doing?" the oncologist went to him; looking around the office and following House's line of sight to see what he was looking at. But he did not see it.
"Huh?" House turned around looking at his friend, confused.
"House, are you okay?" Wilson was alarmed, immediately checking all visible criteria for anything that could be wrong with him.
"What time is it?"
"Uh … it is half past 3," Wilson stammered looking at his watch.
House sighed and let himself down on his chair, his face buried in his hands, Wilson sat down on the chair across House and stared at the diagnostician, waiting for him.
After a while House lifted his face and it was clearly visible that he was tired.
"Cameron?" Wilson tried carefully.
House gave him a look that clearly shouted "God dammit just leave me." He would have liked to have vocalised his thoughts, but his body was reluctant to act, so a nonverbal response would just have to do.
Wilson gave him a 'come on, you are going to tell my sooner or later' – look and leaned back in his chair when House got off his chair and paced to the window again.
"House, you know I am not going to leave you alone about this," the tone was almost threatening, but in a Wilson-ish kind of way.
"There is nothing to tell, Cameron came in earlier and said goodbye. End of story,"
"Why didn't you stop her?" Wilson almost yelled.
House now turned around; obviously he hadn't expected that, he stood there looking at anything but Wilson before he shrugged but when he saw Wilson's face out of the corner. He had no right to get angry at him. What ever was happening between him and Cameron was just that; between him and Cameron.
"What do you want me to do? Beg her to stay and tell her that I can not live another day without her?" House's voice was almost furious now, loud and filled with anger. But he wasn't angry at Wilson.
He was angry at himself.
"That would be a good start," Wilson grinned smugly, but House just stared at him, confused more than ever.
"I just think you should tell her to stay. Because if, and even if it is just for a moment, you would admit to yourself that you want her to stay, if you would tell her … she would stay, House, for you."
House looked at him, and Wilson slowly nodded as if to ensure him that he was right.
But he hesitated, not knowing what he should do. Sensing his struggle Wilson got up and went over to him,
"I know you'd rather be miserable and all, but what if this works out?"
"What if it doesn't?" House whispered, staring down at the floor.
"And what if it does? What if it just does? Wouldn't that be worth a try?"
House didn't look up.
Wilson sighed, turned around and left the office, heading to his own. He did pretty much everything he could; now it was House's decision. Did he want to be miserable and wallow in his own existence? Or did he actually want to try to be happy?
The days passed by and House did nothing. Just like Wilson had expected him to. But what was even worse, he was getting more and more depressed and miserable. This could not go on like this.
So when he left the hospital at noon on Friday he did not head home, instead he would try to do something for his best friend.
He felt uncomfortable whenever he tried to help House ever since Tritter happened. But what else could he do if not trying?
And he couldn't make things worse than they already were.
Cameron was watching the passing landscape from the passenger's seat. The whole three hours of driving she hadn't spoken much more than had been necessary, answering mostly with 'yes' or 'no' and the occasional 'maybe' whenever Joe asked her something.
This whole drive seemed to pass in a blur, time moving a bit slower than usual.
When she had left the hospital earlier it took all of her will power to not burst out in tears. She had told herself that she wasn't the little naïve immunologist she used to be when she first entered the hospital, hence shouldn't start crying.
But somehow leaving everyone she had been with for the last three years left an empty feeling.
Like she was forgetting something important and leaving it behind.
Maybe it was good that House hadn't told her to stay, at least now she could start again, without the burden of a boss who couldn't admit his feelings.
They passed the city sign and five minutes later arrived at the blue house in the middle of their new neighbourhood which would now be home.
Cameron got out of the truck and stretched.
The sun was hiding behind thick rain clouds, dropping the temperature down to a chilly fifty degrees.
"They said it is going to rain tonight, so why don't we start unloading right away?" Joe jumped down out of the vehicle sprinting over to her.
"Uh, yeah … just let me freshen up real quick. Be right back."
Cameron smiled back at him as he nodded and took his keys.
When she entered the house she immediately closed the door, leaning against it. Before she could move she needed to take a few deep breaths and look around.
A lot of Joe's stuff was already across the living room, but still in the cardboard boxes. He had told her he would wait for her so they could decide together.
Slowly she climbed up the stairs and locked the door of the bathroom. Inside she leaned over the sink carefully looking at herself in the mirror.
She looked tired and exhausted.
Why was she freaking out like this? It should be easy, or at least easier. She splashed some water onto her face and dried it with a towel before she headed back down, much more composed.
This could work; she just had to force herself to make it work.
One and a half hours later when they had almost unloaded the boxes it started to rain. At first it was only little drops but their amount increased with every minute. They tried to finish as quickly as they could the truck had to be back in about forty minutes, so when they were finally done both were soaking wet.
"Okay, let's get the truck back before the storm gets too heavy," Joe said and took the keys from the shelves in the kitchen, where he and Cameron were having a cup of coffee to warm up.
Cameron followed him with the car and half an hour later they were back home, finally changing into dry and comfortable clothes.
The following days went by quickly. Cameron got settled in as much as possible, rearranging the furniture, checking out the local malls and restaurants while Joe went to work.
By Thursday she was glad she would be back at work herself by Monday, because being home pretty much drove her nuts.
It was Friday afternoon when Joe started to hook up the TV and the computer, while Cameron dried her hair after a shower. She threw a quick glance out of the window when she saw a car stopping in front of the house.
A minute later the bell ringed.
"I'll get it," she yelled running downstairs.
She almost jumped when she saw Wilson standing in front of her.
"Wilson? What are you doing here? Did something happen?"
"No," he tried to calm her down with a friendly smile.
It seemed to work, she did slow down her breathing.
"I am here, because I wanted to talk to you," he lifted an eyebrow and she immediately knew what this was about.
Cameron looked at the male doctor for a moment, her face passing through all kinds of emotions.
"Be right back," she said and ran up the stairs.
Joe was sitting in the middle of cables, reading a user manual when she entered the bedroom.
"Hey, who was it?" he looked up at her, smiling.
"Oh, an old friend who wants to grab a coffee. I'm going to go for an hour, okay?"
"Yeah, of course. Have fun." With that he turned back to his manual.
Cameron quickly grabbed her purse and went out to Wilson's car. She knew this was probably the wrong thing to do, but she had to find out what he had to say.
Ten minutes later they were sitting in a small café outside of New Haven, the steaming fluid in big cups in front of them, the rain still pouring heavily outside.
None of them said anything. The minutes passed.
"He's miserable," Wilson finally said and when Cameron looked up at him she saw him staring outside.
"That's some news and not my concern," she scoffed, fiddling with the serviette lying next to her cup.
"He yells at Dr. Stevens without any reason, he stays in his office for the whole day without doing anything. The case they are currently working on … Cuddy had to force him to take it,"
"Is that why you are here?" she replied with nonchalant.
"He misses you,"
"Really, is that right?" sarcasm was dripping from her voice.
"He would never admit it, I know that. But truth is he does. And it is going to destroy him,"
"So what am I supposed to do? Come back and pretend that everything is okay? And just keep going like before?"
Wilson just looked at her, his look a mixture of sadness, understanding and pleading.
"And where does that leave me? I left because I could not do this anymore. I told him what I feel; I basically told him that if he told me to stay, I would. He didn't do anything,"
"Look, I've known House for so many years now; he makes a lot of mistakes for that matter. Most of the time he does not even realize it. And yet those mistakes break him. They broke him because of Stacey," he took a deep breath, "And seeing him now … it is even worse. He may not realize it but he needs you,"
Cameron shook her head, then got up,
"I'm sorry."
With that she put down a 5 dollar bill and left the restaurant. Wilson quickly took his coat and followed her outside in the rain. He found her outside, phoning a cab.
She hung up and tried to avoid his look.
"Allison"
"No, don't," she warned.
"He needs a second chance that is all I am asking for."
"A second chance? I think he already had way too many of those," she laughed humourlessly, "Wilson, you are a great friend for doing this, but truth is: It's over, I am tired. I just can not let this happen all over again."
At that moment the cab appeared and stopped in front of them, Cameron got in but Wilson held the door open,
"I don't know what will happen if you were to come back. But if you stay away, I know that it will definitely break him for good."
Cameron looked up at him, her eyes wet and tired. Then she leaned forward and grabbed the door, closing it.
House was sitting in his chair, his eyes closed and dozing. Someone knocked on his door for the fifth time in two hours. He refused to open the door, why couldn't people take a hint when you wanted to be alone?
Ignorant idiots.
It was Friday afternoon and he would only have to hide for two more hours before he could leave. But tonight he would not go home, because that was basically the same as Wilson annoying the hell out of him.
No, he would drive to this lousy, dirty bar and have a couple of drinks with some guy called "Ed". That was his understanding of a good night right now.
Another knock. He wondered if one of his minions would get Cuddy again, who in turn would get the janitor to open the locked door like yesterday.
Sometimes it was just way too easy to annoy people.
Five o'clock rolled by and it was time to leave, he got up, unlocked his door and strode out heading for the elevators. The new minion, what's-her-name-again wanted to call him back, but Chase must have held her back, obviously deemed not important.
Only half an hour later he was sitting at the bar, with his second whiskey. When he had left the hospital he had been afraid Wilson would catch up with him but obviously he had left the hospital earlier than House himself.
He couldn't care less.
Some old football game was on TV, but his thoughts drifted back to the topic he wanted to avoid by coming here. So instead of letting it take up his mind, he emptied his glass and ordered another one.
After another glass he felt the alcohol spreading through his body, warming it from inside and pushing out every unwelcome thought.
When Cameron came home, she paused in the hallway downstairs, taking a few deep breaths to steady herself.
It took her almost five minutes until she was able to move again. She shouldn't even react like this. It was futile and childish.
So instead of thinking about this afternoon she went into the kitchen, drank a glass of water and went upstairs to help Joe.
The next few days were not so good for the immunologist, what Wilson had said that day in the coffee shop plagued her.
When she was with Joe she tried to be happy and to smile but every night the tears just rolled down her cheeks in the dark, her face pressed into her pillow, her hands clenched into the blanket.
As much as she tried to hide her emotional state, she obviously wasn't very good at it.
"Ally?"
Cameron and Joe were sitting in the kitchen, having breakfast on Sunday morning.
"Ally?"
Cameron looked up at him, still not really back in reality.
"You okay?"
"Hmm?"
"What is going on with you?"
"I'm okay," it was barely a whisper, her smile slight and forced.
"It's about House, isn't it?" Joe sighed.
House felt the blood starting to drip down from his lip, mixing up with the heavy rain, pouring down hard.
"And here I thought you could take more than that, asshole," the man in front of him spit out, smirking smugly.
House was leaning against the brick wall, wiping the blood away from his lips that had collided with the man's fist just a few seconds ago.
He wondered how he had managed to offend some drunken rocker in less than an hour after he had entered the bar. The alcohol was slowly loosing his effect on his body, though it took some strength to get up.
"Mike, take it easy on him. He's wasted, leave him alone and come back inside," some other guy yelled from the door.
"He called me 'idiot'," Mike tried to defend himself.
"And you are one, everybody knows that,"
Suddenly Mike started to laugh, then looked at him and finally vanished back inside.
Why hadn't he done that when he had called him that?
House tried to steady himself against the wall, the wound had just a slow bleed by now but he started to feel dizzy.
He pulled out his cell phone, and slowly dialled a number he wouldn't have thought he would call this weekend.
"Wilson," the other end replied.
"Hey, get your ass out of bed, I need a lift," House said.
"Are you drunk?"
"Are you?" House snorted.
"Where are you?"
House heard him sigh, then gave him the address and promised not to walk away until he got there.
When Wilson unlocked the door of House's condo, he slowly limped inside. He wasn't really drunk at all anymore but somehow he knew if Wilson caught on he would stay and ask a lot of questions.
So he slumped down on his couch, closed his eyes, and started to snore slightly. It was when he heard the door slam shut he opened them again, staring at the dark floor in front of him.
He might as well sleep like this anyway. Maybe he wouldn't wake up again, hopefully.
Alright, only one chapter left. I know I am evil with the cliffhangers but I hope the last chapter will make up for it. I am still working on it right now, but since tomorrow is my day off I probably will finish it by then and you'll have it out on monday, the latest. Deal?And as long as you wait for it ... leave me a comment. Comments are love and so are those who leave them
And I would like to thank everyone who reads the story, I hope you had fun and I hope you will enjoy Chapter 13