When one spends the night on a couch in the office of their boss after a night of unbridled passion, then rises only to get into a massive heart ripping argument in the wee hours of the morning, the last thing one would hope to happen would be to wake up with a neck ache and back ache from sleeping on folded arms on the table in a break room. The only instance that could possibly make the situation worse, is if one spends the night on a couch in the office of their boss after a night of unbridled passion, gets into a massive argument, falls asleep on the table in the break room, and receives a special wake-up call from Dr. Gregory House.
House hobbled into the break room that morning slightly pitied the sight before him. Thirteen was sleeping; hunched over on her folded arms, her jacket acting as a pillow.
House merely tossed his cane on the table; inches away from her arms and took a seat at the head of the table. The loud clatter of the cane abruptly stirred Thirteen out of her sleep and quickly she opened her eyes; startled by the face of House staring back at her. He sarcastically wandered his eyes around the room,
"Let's see…Thirteen wakes up in the break room; wearing the same thing she was the day previous, Cuddy calls in sick; I'd say something a little more then occupational reviews went on last night." he inquired. Thirteen merely glared at him with weary eyes and stared at him as he continued,
"Not to mention the disaster area that once was Cuddy's office. I'm actually jealous. I don't even think I could do that much damage to her office; and you even had her body glued to your lips." House merely stared at the pitiful excuse that was Thirteen. Her hair was mussed, her eyes were weary and dark, and she couldn't even come up with a slight retort to ignite a trace of annoyance in the maze of arrogance that was Gregory House.
"What are you even doing here? You have absolutely no reason to be here. Go home. Shower. The putrid scent of after sex is nauseating."
Thirteen stood up, and then turned,
"Wait a minute, you have no reason to be here either. It's a Saturday, and we have no cases, except the normal rounds. Why are you here?" Thirteen questioned.
"I'm here," he started; staring at his cane,
"because I have a bizarre fascination with this whole situation. Wilson called me panicked, because Cuddy didn't get home last night. Friday night is his 'be a good friend so I don't go to hell' night, and Cuddy wasn't there for her surprise condition check."
Thirteen rolled her eyes, sighed, and turned to go outside, but was suddenly caught by House,
"You can't just expect things to be better in one night. Give her time. She'll realize that wasted sex with an employee of the same gender…is what she needs." House astounded Thirteen. She stood with her hand on the door,
"What she needs?"
House stood up and went to the coffee counter,
"In the five months that you were together, she was bubbly and annoying. Annoying, but happy. In the time I've known her, I have never seen her so pleased with herself and her relationship." A smiled began to appear on Thirteen's face. But House quickly snorted in retort,
"But when you cheated, lied, and hid it, you destroyed her; she was at an all time low. I guarantee you, if you think you can just win her back by useless, meaningless midnight lust in her office, then you are even worse than I originally anticipated you to be."
Thirteen sighed at the realization and began walking out the door. House shouted after her,
"And if next time you and Cuddy have sex, you see a little black lens and a red flashing light, just ignore it and act natural!"
Thirteen found herself once again at Lena's bedside; jotting down vitals on the clipboard. Lena's condition was stable, and she seemed stronger than the days before. As she rested, Thirteen stared at her and began wondering, again, if this was her in fifteen, ten, or five years. Would she end up alone, fading into oblivion? Thirteen took the clipboard to the nurses' station; when she returned, Lena was upright and awake. She smiled brightly and greeted Thirteen,
"Well if it isn't my favorite, strike that, only tolerable member of the medical staff." Thirteen grinned,
"How you feeling today, Lena?" Thirteen asked. Lena eyed her up,
"You don't have a white jacket on; what are you asking me that for? It's your day off, isn't it?" she inquired.
Thirteen nodded and took a seat next to Lena,
"Yeah. I had some work to do here; it was a long night and I figured before I went home I'd come in and see how you were doing." Thirteen smiled. Lena cocked her eyebrow,
"So that's why you're wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Long night…"
Thirteen smirked and glanced down at her shoes,
"I'm betting you didn't even go home last night. Did this long night have anything to do with a certain woman of whom even the thought of her makes you walk and talk like you got your tail between your legs?"
Thirteen's face went pale,
"Am I that transparent? Or have you had House in here; dishing on all the gossip."
Lena smiled and leaned back,
"I just notice things."
Thirteen placed her clipboard on the end table and pulled a chair to Lena's bedside. She took a seat, eager to learn more about Lena.
"Lena, could I ask you a question?"
Lena nodded,
"Ask me anything you damn well please; talkin's doin' me some good."
"Why don't you have an emergency contact listed? Why hasn't anyone come to see you?"
Lena's smiled faded somewhat and she glanced out the window,
"I had a feeling you were gonna ask me something like that. In order to answer that question, I'd have to start a ways back, and I don't think your meager young ears should have to pray a pardon to that."
Thirteen smirked at the sudden pang of true southern jargon that appeared in Lena's voice.
"I've got time, Lena."
"I'll try to water it down a bit for you." Lena smiled, and began.
"Growing up deeply drenched in southern tradition and privilege does not guarantee much of a future. I was the youngest daughter of a wealthy tobacco tycoon. My other sisters had followed my parents legacy to the letter; cotillions, galas, and eventually, marry someone from another wealthy friend of the family. My two older sisters got the luck of the draw; they fell in love and stayed in love; one with a tradesman and the other with a cotton plantation owner.
When it was my turn, I was paired with a man named Brenton James Elderhardt. He was the most popular man in all of southern Louisiana. We dated, and at first, I felt the whole, 'new man jitters,' as we called them back then." Lena giggled; Thirteen imagined the scene Lena painted. Lena continued,
"We got engaged and married, and I was one of the wealthiest women in the entire South. I graduated top of my class at Vanderbilt, finished at law school, and became one of the most revered women in the country. But it never quite settled with me, the whole 'being a lawyer and married to a legacy' thing. Brenton was a fantastic man; kind, giving, tender. I just never truly fell in love with him. We had a trial separation, I went to Nashville, he remained in New Orleans. Then I met an amazing woman, named Jennifer Cresdon from Bluemont, Tennessee. Beautiful long blonde locks, deep pools of sapphire, fair skin; a truly exemplary specimen of a woman. I met her and it was immediate infatuation. For years, I spoke in subtle tones with her; careful not to overplay my hand. Finally, at the age of forty two I had a revelation. I was struck with thought that if I didn't follow my emotions, I would eventually lose Jenny. Then I finally mustered up the gall to ask her out on a date."
Thirteen was fascinated and leaning on her fist. Lena continued,
"We dated for a while, and eventually, we moved in together. A classic, middle-aged catharsis. That's what it seemed like to me anyway. Also, Brenton met another woman and we decided on a divorce. But the divorce didn't result in bitter feelings between Brenton and I. He and I just didn't communicate after the few weeks following the divorce. Jenny and I laughed together, talked together, grew together. But a few months later, I learned about my…condition."
Lena stared at her folded hands in her lap.
"It was then, that I decided that I would live vicariously. I would stay out late, drink, and dance with other women. Eventually, Jenny managed to cut me off at the pass; she told me it was a life with her, or a life without her. I, foolishly, decided the latter. Honey, now I'm alone and dying. My life is ending as an unfulfilled collection of nothing."
Thirteen stared at her hands; coming to the cold realization that Lena, however it disturbing it may be, was Thirteen.