Chapter 38: Trying to Adjust – Part 2: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Once Kate had decided to go back to college, she jumped into it with both feet. Having been away from it for so long, there were tests she needed to take and preliminary meetings with the university to determine her best course of study. This involved some time away from home to accomplish. Since she wanted someone to be there for Monica, she tried to schedule appointments when the girl was in school and Emily was in day care. However, some of the people she had to meet with only had free time in the evening or on Saturday. So she scheduled time when House could be home. The nanny was fine for Emily, but Monica needed one of them there.

On a Thursday evening in mid December, House found himself at home with two kids. He had just put Emily to bed. He left her bedroom with soft music playing as the toddler was falling to sleep. He closed her door and started down the hall.

Monica's door was slightly open. When he was her age, music would have been blaring from the room, as much to annoy his father as to actually listen to it. Nowadays, with MP3 players and headphones, all was quiet. He peeked in as he went past and saw her, as he thought, sitting at her desk with the headphones on. She was bent over something, pencil in hand. He stopped, trying to see if she was doing homework, but he didn't see any books.

Suddenly aware that she was being watched, she looked up nervously. When she saw him in the doorway, she paused the music and slowly removed the headphones. She looked at him, a question in her eyes, but she didn't speak.

Damn, the kid was a puzzle. He liked puzzles, but only as long as he could solve them. House decided to try to break the ice.

"Is everything okay?'

"Yes, Dr. House."

"Doing homework?"

"No, Dr. House."

"Do you know how to say anything other than 'yes, Dr. House' or 'no, Dr. House'?"

She looked down, wondering what he wanted, and afraid that she was making him angry. He might strike out like her father did. And since Kate wasn't home…

"Was there something you wanted, Dr. House?"

"Just wondering what you're doing."

"I already finished my homework."

"Hmm, don't think I asked that. I could be wrong. Sometimes I don't remember what I say." He stopped when he saw her expression. "I don't care if your homework is done or not. I was just wondering what you're doing."

She hesitated, then said, "Drawing."

At least she didn't add the 'Dr. House', he thought.

"Drawing? Really? You like to draw?"

"Yes."

"Are you any good?"

She looked at him, wondering how she was supposed to answer that. "I don't know. I just like it."

"Can I see?"

She hesitated, then nodded.

He didn't know whether he should enter her room, but she got up and walked to him, sketchbook in hand. She passed it to him silently and as he took it, she moved back, away from him.

"Relax, I don't bite." He looked at the book she had handed him. The page she had been working on contained figures drawn in pencil, a woman and a man. Both were tall and very slim, with large eyes and pointed faces. Their clothing was more fantasy than reality. They looked like something from a very sophisticated comic book. They were very well-drawn.

"This is good." He turned one page and then another. Each contained similar figures, all the drawings were excellent. "This is really good. What do you call this kind of drawing?"

"It's Japanese anime style. It's used in mangas."

"In what?"

"Mangas. They're like comic books, but they're longer, more detailed and for the most part, written for adults. It's a Japanese style of animation and drawing."

"Cool." He said. "How'd you learn to do this?"

"I started watching some of the anime on TV when I was a kid. Sailor Moon, at first."

"Sailor Moon?"

"It's a story about a group of school girls who have super powers. It's very popular in Japan, first in manga form, then as a TV show. I really liked it and started drawing the people from it. Then I read some of the other mangas and drawing them. Now, I do my own figures as well."

He didn't ask her if she wanted to be an artist. As a teenager, he had always hated when people asked him what he wanted to do with his life. All he had wanted to do was be a kid and get through it. He suspected Monica felt the same.

"Did you take art classes?"

"No. My…father thought they were a waste of money."

Like his father had felt about his music. Ironic.

"So this is just your natural ability?"

She nodded, embarrassed.

"It's good. It's really good. If you want art classes, you should take some."

She looked at him, startled. "Really?"

"Sure. Talk to Kate. She can probably find something for you."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem." He decided to leave while he was ahead. He limped away from her door. Monica stood there for a few moments, watching him.

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It was a simple argument, the sort that married people have all the time. Due to House's impatient nature, to an outsider, every argument seemed louder and more serious.

It was a Saturday, not long before Christmas. House was getting ready to go the hospital. He didn't normally work on Saturdays, but he had a case that was stumping him. He was frustrated by it and also by the fact that he hadn't solved it by 5 PM on Friday.

Kate and the girls were in the kitchen having breakfast, when they heard a roar from the living room. Kate, knowing her husband, ignored it. Whatever was wrong, he would either figure it out for himself or demand her help.

It was the latter. She heard his bellow. "Kate!"

She went into the living room. "What's wrong?"

"Where's my backpack?" House demanded, loudly.

"Wherever you left it." She replied.

"I left it where I always do – by the door. So that when I go out in the morning, it will be there. But guess what? It's not. That means someone moved it."

"No, it probably means you left it somewhere else."

"I LEFT IT BY THE DOOR! " He yelled.

"Greg, if you left it there, it would be there. I have no desire to move your backpack. Did you…"

"Yes, I looked everywhere. It's not there. Someone took it!"

"Oh, right, a burglar waltzed in here, bypassed the TV and stereo, and grabbed your ratty old backpack."

"I DON'T WANT MY THINGS TOUCHED!" he yelled.

"I DIDN'T TOUCH IT!" She yelled back.

They went back and forth like this some more. As wrapped up in the argument as they were, they didn't notice Monica was in the room.

Kate tried to offer him suggestions, but he cut off her words, insisting that the backpack had been left by the door. He got louder by the moment, drowning out anything Kate said. They both jumped when Monica screamed, a high pitch shrill sound that got their attention.

"STOP IT!" she turned to House. "Don't you yell at her! Don't hurt her! I won't let you. I WON'T LET YOU!"

Kate could see the anger and fear in the girl's eyes. "Monica, it's okay…"she began.

"NO! I won't let it happen again. He killed my mother. I won't let him kill you. I stopped him before, I can do it again. I'll kill him if I have to!"