Disclaim...show ain't mine. tear

And here we go with chapter 5...

Greg House tossed and turned on the couch that was temporarily being used as his bed while the folks were in town. He glanced at the clock...3:47 am. How does Wilson sleep on this thing? Using his elbow, he tried to smooth out a lump. It didn't help. Sighing, House adjusted his pillow and pulled the blanket up more. So tired...but he just could not get to sleep for the life of him. He just kept thinking about what his mother said. He wanted to forgive his dad...he thought he did at least. But in two weeks he would be 48 years old...how does someone suddenly just drop everything that made them who they were? How could he just forget all his father put him through? The beatings, the ice baths, being locked in closets and outside, withholding food and dunking his head in freezing cold water. What was House supposed to do to make all that go away? Here's a full grown, past middle aged man who still has nightmares about the monster down the hall with the thick belt and rough hands. Still wakes up with a jolt and prays that it was just sweat and not his own urine in the bed or daddy would get mad. A grown man who's father still makes him feel like a little boy who had tracked mud in the freshly mopped kitchen. He assumed that is...he took his shoes off before every time coming in the house. Always had ever since living in Japan. It was funny...he spent his entire childhood going from country to country, learning language after language and then up and moving again. Now here he is with a life of his own, separate from his family and he was purely sedentary. Set in his ways and in his route. Gregory House was a man who hated change. Perhaps it was because of moving around so much when he was young. Perhaps it was his fathers frequent and drastic mood swings. Most likely it was a combination of both. As he thought about it, House realized just how much he and his father were alike. It made him sick to his stomach but it was true. Sure, House was messy and rebellious where his father was neat and followed every rule of his job, society and what he felt were the rules of mankind. But other than that...they were both damaged. Physically and emotionally. Greg found it near impossible to love, just like John. They both had painful childhoods with an abusive father and a mother who either wasn't there or just stood in the shadows with her back to the impossibly cruel punishment inflicted upon her only son. Neither mother lifted a perfectly manicured finger to stop the violence. All of the sudden, House was angry. Not angry, infuriated. Who was his mother to give him advice like that? It was she who never stopped the beatings. Yeah, sometimes she would hold little Greg afterwards whispering shushing noises rubbing whatever part of his body that wasn't covered in welts. But she never stopped the belt. She never ran away with her son or had anyone help her. She just let him be beaten nearly to death by his father. For tiny things. Leaving out a book or getting a drink without asking his father were heinous crimes in the House household. Crimes worthy of a sound lashing with John's long heavy belt or a switch from a tree outside. How could Mom think that was ok? That it was normal? Didn't she realize I was the only little boy with marks up and down his back and legs? The only one locked outside without a blanket or coat in the snow to sleep for the night? How many times did she drive me to a hospital claiming it was a silly dare from an imaginary friend? How could anyone believe that? Why didn't anyone save me? He had so many questions and there was no one to give him answers. House had to use what he already knew to draw his own conclusions. It was then he decided that in his mother's presence he would do whatever it took to keep his father happy. But he would never, never forgive Johnathon Gregory House for the man he caused his son to be. He could never forget the past his father created for him.

House rolled over. Draping one arm protectively across his head and curling the other around his chest he tried to go to sleep. For once in his career he would be at work early if not right on time.

Later that day...

"Uh...Good morning House...what are you doing here so early?" Cameron stared confusedly at her boss. He looked awful. The bags under his eyes were heavier and darker than usual and his eyes looked dull and were only half opened. His hair was mussed and overall he just looked like hell. But even when he was dead tired Cameron thought he looked amazing...

"What are you talking about? I'm right on time. Where's the Wombat and the Dark One? Shouldn't they be here by now?" House lifted the coffee pot but it was empty. Looking at Cameron he shook it in her face. "It's empty." He stated unnecessarily.

"Uh...yeah...I usually wait a bit to make it so it will be fresh by the time you get here. And Chase and Foreman went on ahead down to the labs to check on the patients test results. And you...you never come in on time. You look like hell. Didn't you sleep at all last night?" She began making a pot of coffee and by the looks of things she would be making many more before the day was out.

"I ordered a hooker last night and she liked it so much she threw in a little extra for free. It's great having a club membership discount and everything but it really takes a toll on the muscles ya know?" House headed for his office. "Call me when the other two stooges get back. Or when the coffees down...whichever comes first." Cameron watched him as he collapsed onto his couch and threw an arm over his head, covering his eyes. She bit her lip...what could have possibly happened that made her notoriously late boss come into work on time and look like he hadn't slept in days. Her thoughts were interrupted when the door flew open.

"Dr. Cameron would you tell House he needs to put in some hours at the clinic whenever he drags his sorry self in here?" Cuddy looked almost as tired as House and the day had only begun. Guess she didn't sleep well either. Cameron glanced at House's office and quickly looked back at her boss. She made a decision.

"Of course Dr. Cuddy, I'll tell him as soon as he gets here."

"Thank you so much. And be sure to tell him if he doesn't show up there will be consequences."

"Sure thing." Cameron gave the older woman a smile and hoped she would hurry up and leave. It wouldn't do for her to see House and then be upset with Cameron for lying to her. Cuddy returned the smile and left the room. Good, Cameron thought to herself, Now hopefully he can get some sleep and then no one else will have to do his clinic hours. And maybe he'll be in a better mood. She sat down to do some paperwork.

A few minutes later Foreman and Chase returned with the lab results.

"Well...House was right...again. We started the treatment and the effects should take effect in a couple hours. Who wants to go down an find another case?" Foreman looked expectantly from Cameron to Chase and back to Cameron.

"House is here but he isn't really feeling well. He already fell asleep on his couch so I figured today we could just catch up on some paperwork. House isn't the only one behind. Besides, Foreman don't you have an article or something to finish?" Cameron hoped they wouldn't tease her about picking up their boss's slack. Neither of them was as sympathetic towards the grumpy old codger as she was. Chase stood and poured himself a fresh cup of coffee.

"I guess that sounds ok...did you say House was already here? He got here on time?"

"Well...5 or so minutes later but with his leg he was in the hospital on time...just not in his office yet."

Chase and Foreman just stared at her and Foreman opened his mouth to speak.

"He was on time...seriously?" He strained his neck to see into House's dark office. Standing up, Cameron went and shut his door quietly and the poured Foreman a cup of coffee.

"Yes seriously...it's odd...it shouldn't be as shocking as it is." She stared into the black coffee still in the pot and contemplated taking House a cup just the way he liked it. She decided just to let him sleep.

"Well I suppose I could go help out in the ICU for the day. They always need and extra pair of hands and I actually got caught up on paperwork a few days ago." Chase stood and headed out the door with a small wave to his coworkers. Foreman pulled out his laptop.

"I'm just going to work on my article. What are you going to do? I doubt you're very far behind on paperwork...you never let yourself get buried." He powered up his computer.

"I still have some hours to cover in the clinic. I guess I'll finish those up and head over to immunology to lend a hand." Cameron stood and went over to start a fresh pot of coffee. Glancing over to House's door, Cameron bit her lip. A move that did not go unnoticed by Foreman as he rolled his eyes. When would she ever learn? Her and House could never work out. She was too sweet and he was too...too House.

Once the coffee was started, Cameron gave Foreman a small smile and walked out the door. He just shook his head and typed away.

Minutes later in Wilson's office...

Knock knock. Cameron poked her head in.

"Dr. Wilson? Are you busy?"

He looked up from the paper on his desk and smiled.

"Dr. Cameron. Please, come in. Do you need a consult?"

Cameron smiled and sat down. "Well...not for a patient no. But, well...House came in on time today but he really looks rough...I was wondering if you knew why." She fidgeted a bit before placing her hands delicately in her lap and looking the oncologist in the eyes.

"On time? House? He was late for his own birth, he never comes in on time...I haven't spoken to him yet today but I don't have anyone coming in for another few hours, I suppose I could go talk to him. But Dr. Cameron when and if I talk to him it will be as a friend, not a spy. With all due respect House, is a very difficult grown man and from some reason unknown even to me he's a friend. Without his permission which I think we both know I won't get I can't tell you anything personal about him. I can however tell you it is most likely because his parents are staying at his house which means he had to sleep on that God awful couch of his and he probably just didn't get much sleep because of that. Whatever it is I'm sure it isn't anything serious and he'll be fine as soon as he can sleep in his own bed again." He smiled at her, hoping she wouldn't be upset.

"Oh no Dr. Wilson, I didn't mean for you to tell me...I just...well I guess I was just making sure he had someone to talk to if he needed it. That's all. Of course I wouldn't ever expect to you be a spy for me...haha."

"Just making sure is all. As a matter of fact I guess I could head up there and talk to him right now. He in his office?"

"Well yes but he's asleep right now. And since we don't have a case to work on I was going to catch up on some clinic hours and help out in immunology. Chase and Foreman are both doing their own things so...he should be asleep for awhile with no one bothering him. Although Cuddy has already given me a message to have him do some clinic hours. But you don't have to go up right now. If he didn't get enough sleep last night, and by the looks of him he definitely didn't then he should probably just nap for a bit before anyone wakes him up." She stood and reached for the door. Wilson looked back down at his papers.

"Of course...I'll head up there around lunch."

She stopped and turned around. Facing Wilson she said, "You know Dr. Wilson...I think House is really lucky to have a friend like you. Especially since he is the way he is. I'm sure it means a lot to him, even though I doubt he ever says so." She gave him a smile and headed to the clinic. Wilson stared out the door after her. Knowing she couldn't hear him he mumbled, "Thanks...I hope you're right."