A/N: I'm back from my holidays. Miss me? :D I missed you too! I'll be posting chapters more frequently now so sit back and enjoy :) And thanks again for reading and for your awesome reviews :D Hughville and I are glad you're enjoying it so far
Chapter Eight
The five of them arrived at the airport and boarded the Langston private jet. "How long a flight is it?" House asked Mundell once they were seated and buckled.
"About four hours. Relax," he said with a smile, "and enjoy the flight."
"Spoken like a pilot."
"Once upon a time."
"Military?"
"Navy, before I met Millicent."
"My dad is a Colonel in the Marine corps."
"Nice. And you didn't want to follow in his footsteps?"
"Nope. Can you honestly see me following orders?"
Mundell chuckled. "Point taken."
Bennings came around with a drink tray. "Something to drink before take-off?"
House grinned as he selected a tumbler of scotch. "You read my mind, Jeeves."
The flight was fairly uneventful and Bennings drove them to the cabin which wasn't far from the regional airport in Asheville. When they drove up the road that led to the cabin, and it appeared, House chuckled. "This is GG's quaint little cabin in the woods?"
"Well, I don't know about little but it is made of logs."
"That must've taken a lot of logs," Wilson chuckled.
"Dad? I think I'll stay at the cabin with James, House and Allison, if that's okay with you, James?" Hilary said with a sweet smile at Wilson. They did a lot of talking the night before, as well as exchanging a few playful kisses but it didn't go beyond that. However, she hoped something might develop between them.
Wilson shrugged. "I have no problem with it."
"Romance is blossoming everywhere it seems," House muttered, and earned a playful slap from Cameron.
"Shhh."
"Owww hey!"
"Behave you two or I'm turning this car around," Bennings teased as he looked at them in the rear-view mirror.
"You have kids, Jeeves?" House inquired.
"No, Doctor, I don't, but I was one once."
The car stopped in front of the cabin, which looked more like a chalet than the log cabin that Cameron's family described, and they all got out.
"Any cars in that garage?" House asked.
"Just a boring sedan," Mundell said. "But feel free to use it. It was GG's."
"Then if it's GG's, it won't be boring."
Mundell unlocked the front door to the cabin and turned on the lights. There was a lot of dust and cobwebs and the place looked like nobody had been there in months."When was she here last?" Cameron asked.
"She came to stay with us six months ago when she didn't want to make the long trip all the time."
House and Cameron exchanged glances and Mundell caught it. "What?"
"Nothing."
Mundell stared at them and then looked around. "Well, how about a tour of the hospital tomorrow?"
"Sounds like a plan," House responded. He looked at Cameron. "Where are we sleeping?"
"Come on, I'll show you," she said with a smile.
He followed her to a large bedroom overlooking the mountains. A large four poster bed covered with a quilt faced the large windows. House sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Cameron. "GG grew up in this place?" he asked skeptically.
Cameron stood at the windows and looked out at the woods and mountains. "Okay," she confessed. "It was a five room cabin. The fireplace in the living room is all that remains of the original cabin. I did tell you it's been added on to."
"How did GG feel about the changes?"
Cameron shrugged. House rose and moved to stand behind her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and she leaned back against him.
She sighed. "She wasn't thrilled. Mother made most of the changes."
"When?"
"It was finished about six months ago."
"Well, that explains why GG never came back. Why didn't she stop Slutty Bitty?"
"I don't know. She never said. Honestly, I loved the old cabin. Bunny and I slept in front of the fireplace. The kitchen had a wood burning stove. There was this wonderful claw foot tub in the bathroom. We roamed all over the woods picking blueberries and flowers. We'd go into Black Mountain and visit Cherry Street. GG would let us get ice cream at the old shop there. We got groceries at Ingles. It was wonderful. Mother hated it. She loved luxury. GG said she renovated the place without her's or Dad's permission. She said Dad was furious."
House rested his chin on Cameron's head. "I think GG held on long enough to see you one last time."
"I do, too," Cameron said brokenly. She turned and buried her face in his chest. He stroked her back as she cried.
The next morning, Bennings drove them to the new hospital. As they got out of the car, House looked around at the sprawling buildings and massive parking lots. Cameron gripped his hand and pointed at the entrance. Workers were hanging a large sign.
"Dad named if after GG," she said softly.
Mundell came to stand next to her. "It seemed appropriate. Mother originally wanted it to be Buncombe County Hospital but I talked her into this."
"Grace H. Langston Memorial Hospital," House said. "I like it. Of course, most people will just call it Langston Memorial."
"We can go in, if you like," Mundell told them. "They're finishing the interior and beginning some decorating."
They all assented and followed him in. The lobby was spacious and a large circular desk sat in the middle beneath several skylights.
"We wanted this to be open and airy," Mundell said.
They followed him around the rest of the massive hospital. By the end, House had to sit down. He rubbed his leg and then pulled out his Vicodin. After dry swallowing two, he looked up at Cameron. Concern shone in her eyes.
"I'm fine," he told her. "I just need to sit for a minute."
"Oh, House, I am sorry," Mundell said apologetically. "You seem so...well…I suppose..." He stopped and color flooded his cheeks.
House nodded. "You forgot I'm a cripple. Don't worry. I never forget."
"I'm sure there's a wheelchair somewhere," Hilary said anxiously.
Wilson shook his head. "Just give him a few minutes."
Mundell shoved his hands in his pockets. "I thought we'd have lunch at Moose Cafe. It's next to the Farmer's Market and you can see Biltmore Estate from there. Mother loved it. It isn't fancy but the food is wonderful."
"Sounds perfect," Wilson told him.
"You can get a t-shirt to add to your collection," Cameron told House. "And the best apple butter you've ever eaten. We always buy several jars of it to take home. It's delicious on toast."
House closed his eyes. "You're coddling me," he said quietly. "Stop."
"Why don't we go get Bennings and have him bring the car to the entrance," Wilson suggested.
The three of them walked off, leaving House alone with Cameron.
"I wasn't coddling you," she told him.
"Weren't you?"
"No. Dad didn't mean anything and I was just trying-"
"To make sure everyone is happy," he interrupted. "As usual." Slowly, he stood up and began to make his way to the entrance.
"Hey!" she called out as she hurried to catch up with him. "That isn't fair."
He stopped and clenched his cane. "None of this is fair. You're stuck with me and you shouldn't be."
"I thought we went over this last night. I don't care about your leg. I love you."
He blew his breath out. "I'm in pain simply from walking around."
"We walked a long way. This place is huge and we walked practically every inch of it. My feet are killing me," she told him.
Suddenly he laughed. "Did you see your sister's shoes?"
Cameron smiled. "I don't think she can feel her feet any more. I'm going shopping with her tomorrow. She wants me to help her get a whole new wardrobe."
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry."
She stretched up and kissed his cheek. "Apology accepted. Now, let's get out to the car. Moose Cafe has the best macaroni and cheese and I'm starving." She held out her hand. House took it and they slowly walked out of the hospital.
That night, Hilary sat out on the back porch rocking gently in a porch swing. Wilson wandered out and leaned against the railing. He looked up at the bright, round moon.
"It's going to be a nice hospital," he commented.
"I'm not going to sleep with you."
He turned and looked at her in shock. "I know."
"Not yet anyway."
"Okay. Will I have a say in any of this?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Maybe," she said. "I just don't want you to think I'm a cock tease. Those days are over and Cameron said you're a horn dog."
He sat down on the swing next to her. "She said that about me?"
"Okay, she didn't use that phrase but she and House both said you're a real womanizer. House called you the panty peeler of PPTH."
"He did, did he?" Wilson asked sharply.
"Oh, don't be mad. I did a little digging and you are a little tiny bit of a manwhore."
Wilson began to laugh. "So, I'm a panty peeler, a horn dog and a manwhore. Good to know,"
"Well, he called me Slutty."
"I guess we're quite the pair aren't we?" he asked with a chuckle.
She laughed. "I guess we are. I'm not needy, though. I'm sad about losing GG and pissed about all the shit my mother's done but I'm not needy. So if neediness attracts you, then I'm not the one for you."
He rocked and stared out at the faint outline of the mountains in the distance. Hilary pulled one foot up and began to rub it. He took her feet and pulled them up into his lap. Slowly, he began to massage them. Hilary sighed in relief.
"I think I need to break my pattern," he finally said.
"So do I."
"What if we see how we do as friends?" he asked.
"I'd like that."
He smiled at her and continued to rub her feet.
Cameron stood at the window of the master bedroom and looked out. House noticed she'd been doing that a lot lately and he approached slowly. "More reminiscing?" he asked.
She glanced at him. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I don't know if I can live here, House. Too many memories, and Mother butchered this place. It's like it belongs in a Home Living magazine. It never used to look so…"
"Elegant?"
"I was going to say staged, but you're right. It doesn't even feel like it's GG's place anymore. I can tell Dad isn't happy either, or he would've stayed here too. He'll probably want to sell it."
House shrugged. "Then we'll find somewhere else to live. It's no big deal."
Cameron's jaw dropped. "Just like that?"
"Well, unless you want to hire contractors to turn this place back into what it was, but I don't see that happening."
"No, definitely not."
"Then a-house-hunting we will go." Then he chuckled and gave her a playful nudge. "Ha! See what I did there?"
"Cute."
He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.
"I wonder what Wilson and my sister are doing right now?" she said softly as she rolled her neck to one side, giving his lips easy access.
"You mean, you wonder if they're doing it right now?"
Cameron laughed. "You're impossible!"
If You're interested. you can check out "GG's cabin" on Youtube. Just type in:
Broker Asheville's 221 Merrills Chase Road, Asheville NC 28803 Listing