Yep, managed to get back over to this one, too. As usual, I don't own House, Wilson, or the ducklings. Don't own the song either...and neither does Rocket. It's "Say You Will" by Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. Go give it a listen. It's awesome.

# # #

House strode into the hospital the next morning, tired in a good way. It wasn't just the sex, although that had a good deal to do with it. He and Johnny had also gotten started on working out arrangements for a couple of songs Johnny wanted to put on his album.

House didn't normally like playing with other people. Johnny was a notable exception to that rule. He enjoyed the give and take, the back and forth between them.

It had made for a late night, but House didn't care. Being back in that fantasy camp bubble thrilled him to no end, and knowing he had a lot more of that to look forward to over the weekend made it a hell of a lot easier to crawl out of bed this morning.

First things first, however. He and his team still had a case to solve. Since House hadn't heard from the team since last night, he assumed that the patient was still alive and kicking. A check of his phone before he'd left the apartment revealed no new messages, either.

He punched the 'up' button for the elevator with his cane, bouncing it between his legs to the song that was playing in his head. It was the same one Johnny had been working on yesterday afternoon when he'd returned from the hospital, a soulful, almost old school blues-style tune.

House was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't hear anyone come up beside him.

"You're here early." Wilson's voice nearly made House jump out of his skin.

"Busy day ahead." House quickly replied. "Still got a case."

Wilson nodded, studying House with a frown as they boarded the elevator. "Have you even slept? You're looking a little…rough."

"Sleep is for wusses." House rolled his eyes.

"Right." Wilson regarded him skeptically, and the two men fell into a brief silence. Finally Wilson took a deep breath. "So…if you're not busy tonight, I was thinking we could get together."

House studied his friend carefully. "Tired of Sam already?"

"No, nothing like that." Wilson answered. "Just haven't seen you in a while, you know. You're either stuck on a case or busy pretending to be a rock star in New York."

House felt a tiny twinge of guilt at Wilson's words. Johnny was taking up an extraordinary amount of House's time and attention, but with good reason. For one thing, Johnny actually wanted him around. And what he was getting from Johnny he didn't want from Wilson.

"So?" Wilson pressed. "What do you say?"

"I'll have to get back to you on that." House answered. "Kind of depends on how my case goes."

Wilson looked a little disappointed, but nodded. "Keep me posted."

House left Wilson behind and headed down to his office. He spotted the team seated around the conference room table, seeming to be casually chatting.

"I hope the fact that you kids are sitting around gossiping means that the patient is still alive." House intoned as he pushed through the door that separated his office and the conference room.

"Not only alive, but on the road to recovery." Foreman told House, sliding the file across the table.

House dropped his backpack to the floor and opened the file, scanning over it before nodding in approval. "Looks good." He glanced around the room at the four curious faces staring back at him. "Go home. All of you."

The four doctors looked around at each other, and House huffed in exasperation. "Seriously. Get out of here before I change my mind."

Four chairs quietly slid back almost simultaneously, papers shuffling as all four of them prepared to leave. After what seemed like an eternity, the conference room cleared out, leaving House alone with the case file.

He poured himself a cup of coffee and retreated to his office to go over the file and sign off on it. Now that the patient was out of his hands, he had the rest of the day to himself. The only thing he had to decide was what to do with it.

Cuddy would most certainly expect him to show his face in the clinic now that he didn't have a patient. House snorted derisively to himself. Yeah, that would happen, right around the time that pigs flew.

The sound of his office door opening drew House out of his thoughts, and he glanced up to see Wilson standing just inside, hands shoved in his pockets. "Another one for the win column, I see."

"Yep." House took another sip of his coffee and continued looking over the file.

"So you're possibly free tonight after all."

"Not sure about that." House told him. "Friend of mine's in town."

Wilson tilted his head and squinted slightly. "The rock star again?"

House rolled his eyes. "Johnny, yeah."

Wilson nodded. "Well, have fun…I guess."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Wilson huffed irritably. "It's just that I never see you anymore. If you're not tied up with a case, you're off rocking out with this guy."

House took off his glasses and tossed them on the desk. "Wow, I suddenly get a life of my own and you get your shorts in a bunch."

"That's not the problem, House." Wilson snapped.

"It is." House insisted, studying Wilson. "Apparently I was supposed to wait around for your second honeymoon with Sam to end. I didn't, and you're pissed."

"I'm not pissed!" Wilson spoke in exasperation. "I just…miss you."

A brief pang coursed through House. In all honesty, he had gotten so caught up with Johnny that he had barely given Wilson a second thought. Was he really that single-minded?

He let out a short sigh and leaned back in his desk chair. "My weekend's already booked solid. Sorry."

Wilson looked somewhat dejected, even as he nodded. "Some other time, then."

House checked his watch, the wheels turning. "Won't be long until lunch. You could always buy me some."

A slight smile flashed across Wilson's face. "Sure, why not? See you in a couple hours."

House nodded, placing his glasses back on his face and returning to the case file as Wilson left the room. Lunch with Wilson wasn't a perfect solution by any means, but it would do. At least, House hoped so.

# # #

Wilson was nearly on pins and needles waiting for House to appear in the cafeteria for lunch. Word in the hospital was that Johnny Rocket had shown up looking for House the day before, and the PPTH gossip line had gone absolutely crazy trying to figure out why.

He had to admit, he was a lot curious himself. Wilson had vaguely overheard Chase and Hadley talking excitedly in the elevator yesterday, speculating on the nature of the relationship between House and Johnny.

The speculation was ridiculous. Of course there was nothing but friendship between the two men. They were both musicians, and House nearly idolized the guitarist. It was only natural that the two men would find a connection.

Wilson wasn't even terribly surprised at the sheer amount of time House spent with Johnny. House tended to obsess over his friends, nearly to the point of stalking them. Wilson wondered how Johnny was taking all of this. Obviously he was taking it fairly well if he was here visiting House.

A hand swooped down to steal a French fry from his plate, and Wilson glanced up to see House settling in across from him, chewing thoughtfully on the stolen fry.

"You're welcome." Wilson threw him a meaningful look. "What took you so long?"

House shrugged casually. "Cuddy totally harassed me when I dropped off the file. Took me a good hour to untangle myself from her tentacles. That woman just can't take a hint."

Wilson chuckled slightly. For all of House's cracks about Cuddy, he knew that there was an underlying affection for the woman. But no matter how much Wilson had encouraged him, House had refused to make a move on her. Now she had taken up with Lucas. The game was apparently over. "Right. So what's got you so busy tonight?"

House's expression changed ever so slightly to something more guarded. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing. Just curious." Wilson felt a bit defensive.

House's eyes narrowed, and Wilson could almost feel his friend analyzing him. "Something happened with you and Sam."

Wilson had been dreading this moment for a couple weeks. He already knew what was coming once he confessed. Might as well get on with it. "You're right. Sam and I broke up. Go ahead, say it."

House looked baffled. "Say what?"

"You were right…she was a soul-sucking harpy…I never should have gotten back together with her." Wilson sighed heavily. "Happy?"

House frowned and took a bite of his sandwich. "No need for me to say anything. You said it all." He chewed and swallowed. "So what have we learned from this little experiment?"

"Accepting friend requests from exes is a bad idea." Wilson patiently responded. "They will inevitably break your heart and steal your soul."

"That's my boy." House smirked and stole another fry.

Wilson merely rolled his eyes to hide his relief. He had expected a full tirade from the man. Honestly, he was almost disappointed when he didn't get it. Almost. "So, you've already got plans tonight?"

"Pretty sure." House answered, that guarded expression taking over his face again.

Walkin' the tightrope…can't catch my breath… House' phone went off before he could answer. He slid open his phone and answered. "Hey."

Wilson observed House as he talked to whoever was on the other end. The other man seemed to relax, his rough face smoothing out in a genuine smile, even letting out a short laugh. The last time Wilson had seen him so unguarded was after Wilson's surgery, when House had visited him in recovery.

A little flame of jealousy flared up in Wilson. He and House hadn't had that kind of friendship in years, maybe not ever. It seemed that he was forever lecturing House, and House was forever deflecting and avoiding. When had their friendship devolved into such a thing?

"Sounds good." House was speaking again. "See you in a few hours."

He slid his phone closed and shoved it in his pocket. "Johnny." He explained. "He's got some bands that he wants to scout out for the record label he and some friend of his are putting together."

Wilson nodded. "Sounds like fun."

House shrugged. "Could be fun. Could be awful. Depends on the talent level."

"I'm not invited." Wilson couldn't help the twinge of disappointment he felt.

"It's mostly business." House huffed irritably. "You'd be bored shitless."

"Maybe." Wilson answered defensively. "It might be fun."

House rolled his eyes. "I practically had to drag you to see Johnny Rocket in the first place. Trust me, this isn't your thing."

Wilson could almost feel the wall go up between himself and House. It dawned on him that there might be more going on than House was letting on, and that there might be a real reason why House didn't want him along. "Well…if you ever get unbusy, let me know."

House glared at Wilson. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Wilson answered sharply.

"I'm not going to drop whatever I'm doing just to accommodate you." House went on.

"I used to do it for you."

House was silent for a moment before answering. "You were an idiot. I'm not."

With that House stole one more fry and slid out of his seat, limping toward the cafeteria exit. Wilson simply watched him go, stunned. It seemed House was pushing him away, again.

It hurt, but what could he do? Wilson would simply have to wait it out, he supposed. Sooner or later House would get over his obsession with Johnny Rocket and return to the real world, his real friends.

The thought startled Wilson a little. When the hell had he become so possessive of House? Wasn't the man entitled to a life that didn't necessarily include him at all times?

Wilson wasn't sure what he thought about that. The idea that he was somehow jealous didn't sit well with him.

He slid from the seat and dumped the remains of his lunch, his appetite suddenly gone. Something more was going on here, and Wilson was more determined than ever to find out.

# # #

House blew out a long sigh as he left the cafeteria and got on with the rest of his day. It wasn't that he didn't want Wilson along with him and Johnny. He just knew that bouncing from one music club to the other all night long wasn't Wilson's idea of a good time. It had taken a lot of convincing on House's part to get Wilson to go along with him to that Johnny Rocket show in the first place. He couldn't see his longtime friend enjoying himself on this little jaunt.

Besides, if House were completely honest with himself, he wasn't fully ready to reveal the true nature of his and Johnny's relationship just yet. He wasn't entirely sure of the nature of things between them himself. He'd have a hell of a time explaining it to Wilson.

It was none of the other man's business anyway. Let him think House had shoved him aside. It wasn't the end of the world. Wilson had done the same thing to him countless times. Maybe it was time Wilson got a taste of his own medicine.

That seemed heartless, even by House's standards. Still, he was enjoying his time with Johnny, and he didn't want Wilson's doubts and concerns to cloud it. He had enough doubts of his own without Wilson chiming in.

House managed to hide out from Cuddy for the rest of the day, finally leaving the hospital and climbing on to the bike for the ride home. A shower and a quick change of clothes would leave him ready to hit the road with Johnny for the drive to Philly.

Johnny was sitting on the couch when House limped in, strumming a few chords and singing the song they had been working on last night. He greeted House with a brief nod. "Hey, man."

"Are you still working on that thing?" House dumped his backpack by the door and hung up his jacket and helmet.

"Almost got it." Johnny told him. "Give a listen."

He strummed a couple chords before getting into the verse in his distinctive growling voice. "Like Marie Antoinette said to Louis Sixteen, 'Man, I think we're going down. Our chances are slim and none and I think slim just left town.' Say you will, Donna won't you say you will, Donna won't you say that you will…"

House couldn't suppress the smile that crept across his face. "I like it."

"Needs some more work, but it's getting there." Johnny set the guitar aside. "Got a piano part, but I need a player."

"Good thing you know one." House held out his hand for the sheet music as he made his way toward the piano.

Johnny let out a low chuckle and handed him the music, rising from the couch and bringing the guitar with him. "Kick us off, brother."

House pulled his glasses out of his shirt pocket, studying the music briefly before playing the opening chords.

Johnny made an odd face, setting the guitar aside to join House at the piano. "It needs…something."

House rolled his eyes. "You know, you could always play it yourself."

"Nah." Johnny chuckled. "You've got the technique. Just need to put some heart into it." He started to sing again. "Baby say it's alright if it takes all night, we won't have to be alone if you say you will…Donna won't you say you will…Donna won't you say that you will…"

House observed as Johnny's fingers moved over the keys. The man seriously underestimated his ability. There was no way in hell House could keep up with that.

Johnny looked over at House as he finished a few bars. "Think you could repeat that?"

"Maybe." House had his doubts as he prepared to go over the piece again. Johnny kicked off the vocals, and House shortly came in on piano.

Johnny's face changed as House played, nodding in approval, a slow smile creeping over his face. Soon House found his groove, and before he knew it, the song was over.

"Beautiful, man." Johnny leaned over and gave House a quick kiss, just barely pulling away. "Fucking beautiful."

House drew back ever so slightly, studying Johnny's face. "Yeah, but…what about the music?"

Johnny let out a short laugh. "That too, brother."

Johnny leaned in again, bracing one hand against the piano bench and resting the other on the inside of House's leg, letting it trail up and down as he captured House's lips in a long, lingering kiss.

He pulled away from House with a short sigh, lightly stroking House's thigh with his thumb. "Guess we'd better hold off. Don't want to get too carried away."

"You sure about that?" House couldn't help mocking him a little.

"No, but…" Johnny dropped a quick kiss on House's jaw. "I do want to make it to Philly tonight."

House huffed and rolled his eyes, rising from the bench and heading toward the bathroom. "Fine, have it your way. Don't say I never tried to give you anything."

"You've given me plenty, man." Johnny cracked in response. "Sure there's more where that came from."

House couldn't help smirking as he found clean clothes and headed for the bathroom. There would be more where that came from, House would make damn sure of it.

# # #

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