Snowmelt Chapter 14 Part 2

House looked out the blinds and saw that it was dark already. He had been engrossed in the newest NEJM article he had "co-authored" with Chase. It was well written and made them both look impressive. The clock on the computer said it was 7:00. Turning the computer off, he began to pack up.

Sitting on the seat next to him were the papers. He had thought about mailing them, but quickly decided against that. He wanted to see her again. What he would say, he wasn't sure. He just wanted to hand her the papers in person, let her know that he was over her, see her face when he called her bluff.

He pulled up and found a handicap spot next to the café. It was bitterly cold outside and he was glad he only had a short walk to get inside the warm and yeasty smelling bakery. He pulled his ski cap off as he looked around for Maia. Starting to walk back to the stairs, House jerked to a stop when Bear came out of the office. Bear gave him a scowl of disapproval.

"What do you want?" Bear barked.

House kept his voice calm, "I came to talk to Maia and give her something."

Bear saw papers in House's hands, "She's not here. Give them to me and I'll make sure she gets them."

House shook his head, "No, I need to give them to her myself."

Bear growled, "So you can gloat over your handiwork?"

House cocked his head and looked puzzle. "I don't know what you mean."

Bear nodded for him to join him in the office, away from the ears of the staff. House followed him inside.

"Have you seen her?"

House nodded.

Bear clenched his teeth, "Then you know she's using again, thanks to you."

House let out a sharp laugh, "Me? I haven't done anything."

"Yeah, I know. She came home from the hospital depressed. At first she just cried all the time. Then she tried alcohol, but she didn't like the weight she was putting on. I finally found out one night, after her fifth glass of wine, that you had convinced her to marry you, told her you loved her. After the "I do's" you had some time to think; you decided it was a mistake to get married. You ignored her and didn't even bother to give your wife a lift home from the hospital."

"I didn't know she'd been released."

Bear nodded, "Precisely. You're a doctor in the hospital where she's a patient and you can't even check up on her. Well, she eventually stopped going to NA and within a week of missing her meetings, I noticed she was talking faster, running around rather than walking. Her nose was red, her eyes were dilated. It didn't take a genius to know she was using."

House wanted to make a snide remark, but realized he wouldn't get any more information if he did. "What did you do?"

"I tried. I really tried. I got her sponsor to come over. Some of the NA group came and we did an informal intervention. She made promises, but we all knew it wasn't going to stop. She told me she didn't have the money to go to rehab. I looked into it for her and she was right. A stay in a rehab center costs about $4,000 a week. I've tried to look out after her, but it's getting worse. You saw how she looks. She's fried. If she doesn't turn it around soon, she'll be dead. She's a strong lady, but losing you was the last push over the edge. Maia feels that if a piece of shit like you can't even love her, then what does it matter?"

House listened, his stomach churning and his leg aching. He took a Vicodin and then sat quietly. Looking over at Bear he asked, "Where is she now?"

Bear shrugged his shoulders. "She walks a lot to save her money for her drugs. She's living hand to mouth. I try to get her to eat, but she's never hungry. If she didn't live upstairs, she'd be out on the streets, or worse, a hooker somewhere. She still does her job here, but I watch the till, make sure she's not stealing. So far, she hasn't taken anything, but I doubt that will last long. When she does, I'll have to toss her out."

House stood up. He looked at Bear and could see how much this man loved Maia. Not sexually, but as his friend. Maia was lucky to have him. He was a constant, someone who cared deeply about her welfare.

"I can't help her. I'm here to give her the annulment; I've signed the papers."

"Oh great, that'll be the nail in the coffin. Thanks a lot. You'll leave and we'll get to bury her while you go home to your cushy home and job. You really are a jerk. You don't have an ounce of love in you, do you? I don't even think you have an ounce of love for yourself. You're hollow, a shell. Well, you can stick around and watch as you sign her death warrant, or you can give the papers to me and I'll be the bearer of bad news. However, something tells me you'd get off giving them to her."

House thought about tossing the documents to Bear and running. But he held on to them, "I'll do it. I should do it. I won't let you do my dirty work." He started to walk out of the office, "And for the record, I wanted to rub it in her face. I thought she had left me. I thought I was the injured party. I'll give her the papers in person."

House opened the door to the office just as someone dashed by. He looked and saw Maia rushing up the stairs, oblivious to him and everything around her. Bear stepped out in time to see her legs running up the stairs. He looked at House to see what he was going to do. House looked down, away from Bear's judgment, then made his way to the back, towards the stairs.

Climbing the stairs slowly, papers in the same hand as his cane, House wasn't sure what he was going to say, but he knew he would be gentle when he gave them to her. He looked through the open doorway and saw her pacing around looking for something. She seemed almost manic, mumbling to herself. Her nose and hands were bright red from the cold. He was pretty sure her toes must be the same. She was high.

"Maia."

She snapped her head up and looked at him. He wasn't quite sure, but she seemed afraid of him. She backed up.

"Maia? What's going on?"

Maia continued to back up, her eyes wide and frightened, "I only did it because you owe me."

He shook his head and narrowed his eyes, "I owe you what?"

She kept searching his eyes for something. She looked down at his hand and saw the papers. Her face dropped and the blood drained out. She was white. Taking a deep breath, she fumbled her way to a wood back chair. When she sat down, her whole body shook and then slumped like a child that had been banished to the corner.

He thought he might cry. The pain was too much. Seeing her so fragile, so defeated, made him want to run and never look back.

Her voice was a whisper, "You can leave them on the table."

Hestared at her, but she wouldn't look up. Sheturned her head away from him. He threw the documents on the table andstarted to leave. He got to the door and looked back. She was staring at him, horror on her face, her eyes marked by the misery she was feeling. She looked away again.

"Maia?"

She refused to look up, but he saw tear drops falling from her face onto her hands.

"Maia, what do I owe you?"

No response.

He was aggravated, "What do I owe you?" His voice came out louder than he had intended, causing her to jump.

She reached into her pocket and threw something at him. Coins fell around him, dollar bills drifted to the floor and a black felt envelope fell at his feet.

She stood up and screamed, "Nothing! You owe me nothing! Take it and just get out. Out!"

House reached down and picked up the envelope with the ring. He went over and handed it back to her. She looked up, eyes red and lower lip quivering. "You're right, this does belong to you. I gave it to you. I want you to have it. But please, use it to go to rehab. Don't use this to kill yourself."

Her voice was whispery, "Greg, take it. I can't. There's nothing left inside of me. I'll use it to get high. Take it with you. Don't let me have it."

"You must be broke if you're resorting to looting my place. Do you owe your dealer?"

She refused to look at him and started sobbing. She nodded.

"How are you going to pay him? Did you pay for this high with something from my apartment?"

Looking down, Maia shook her head. "No, I didn't raid your place until after I saw him. I owe $500 now. But he offered me a job. I can make it up."

"Job? What kind of job? Are you quitting your job here?"

She lifted her voice, hoping he wouldn't catch on, "No. It's a night job. Not a day job. I can keep both."

House snickered, "A night job? There's only one kind of night job that will pay enough money to keep you in coke, Maia." He shook his head, and bent down to catch her eye, "What are you doing?" He put his hand on her chin and pulled it forward, making her look in his eyes, "Don't do this."

Maia wrestled her chin from his hand, looking down at her feet, "Don't worry about me."

He nodded reluctantlyand walked to the door.

"Greg?"

He turned and looked at her. Her hair was straw-like, awry, her mascara smeared. He wondered how her legs, as skinny as they were, could hold her body up. "Yeah?"

She gave him the best smile she could muster, "Be happy… or at least be less miserable. For both of us, okay? It's too late for me, but not for you."

He gave her a slight smile and started down the steps. He could smell the yeast from the bread baking for the morning sandwiches. It smelled so good, yet he had no appetite. He felt overwhelmed with sorrow and hopelessness.

When he had seen her this morning, he hadn't realized how bad it really was. He thought he wanted her to feel his pain, feel more miserable than him.

Be careful what you wish for…isn't that what they say? I should have seen this coming. It's what I'm doing with alcohol. We're a pair. Did I cause it? What was it she said? I couldn't make her happy, only she could make herself happy? Maybe I couldn't make her happy, but I didn't leave her with much to work with. If Bear is right, I could have prevented this with one call. I could have told her how much she meant to me and she wouldn't be taking up 'night jobs' to score coke. Christ, a night job. She needs rehab. $4000 a week?

House walked through the restaurant and just as he reached for the door he froze. Will you love her, comfort her, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor her at all times, and be faithful to her? House shivered. It's just words. I mean it was a vow made to a mythical spiritual being. He took a deep breath, looking outside into the night. No, it was a vow you made to her and when you said it, you meant it. What the fuck happened to you? Are you so immature you can't hand her the olive branch? She needs help. You are still married until the papers are filed. Married, married, married. It hit him like a ton of bricks. What an idiot! Of course! That's it! He turned and limped as fast as his cane would let him up the stairs. Maia was laying in a fetal position, holding a pillow.

She looked up when he burst inside, "Greg?"

He grabbed the annulment papers off the table and ripped them into shreds. Grabbing her wrist, he yanked her off the couch, "Maia, you're still my wife. No annulment until you go through rehab."

"Greg, don't you understand? I can't afford it."

"Yes you can. You're my wife and you're entitled to it on my medical insurance. Pack your bag, I'm taking you to rehab now." He gave her a little push in the direction of her closet.

She shook her head, "There's no guarantee it will work."

"I figure I can put you through rehab this once. We'll get the annulment afterwards. If you relapse, then you're on your own."

She stared, "Why? Why don't you run? Why are you doing this for me? Why?"

"Will you love her, comfort her, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor her at all times, and be faithful to her?"

She closed her eyes and put her hand to her forehead, "I know that you didn't mean that. It's just a ritual, you don't have to honor it. I don't think you're a bad person because you're walking out the door. I think you're a smart person."

He shrugged his shoulders, "Just call me dumbass then. Get ready, I'm taking you down now to detox you and get you into rehab. Just don't bend over while you're packing, I can't get an annulment if we consummate the marriage."

She chuckled and went to the closet to get her bag.

CHECK OUT THIS C2 COMMUNITY SOME O/C WRITERS CREATED: House and His Outside Loves Strong Women Who Give Him a Run for His Money