Overhauled. Chapter5.

All good things come to an end. It has been a month since he returned to PPTH. And he was feeling happy. And he's got Lisa Cuddy to thank for. That fleeting happiness he has been feeling was instantly shattered the minute his phone rang.

"Greg? It's Mom," Pause. "He's gone Greg ... your father passed away this morning... I need you son. I need you here," Blythe House pleaded on the phone. But the other line was silent. She assumed the message went straight to voicemail. She hoped that her son heard her.

She decided to dial another number just to be sure. After a few rings, a familiar voice answered the other line. "James? It's Blythe..."

She likes that he wakes up and eats breakfast with her now. Although they still don't go to work together, he wakes up early enough just to eat breakfast with her, and then proceeds to jog. Jogging seems to be his therapy now, and it has made his leg stronger.

But House was acting strange this morning. And she couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. As she was leaving, she kissed him goodbye and asked "Hey, are you OK? Is something bothering you?".

Silence.

"Is it your leg? Are you feeling any pain?" she asked. She was worried about him, about his pain, and she dreads for that day to ever come.

He detected the hint of worry in her voice. He decided to deflect. "It's nothing. I'll tell you about it later, OK?" he needed time for himself, absorb everything. He hugged her a little tighter this time, then bid her goodbye.

He wanted to tell her, but he doesn't know how she would react. Knowing Cuddy, she'd be concerned, but her concern and attention was the last thing he needed right now. He wanted to be alone.

He decided to skip his morning jog. After changing his clothes, he grabbed his keys and drove back to his apartment hoping he could be alone and find the time to brood.

"I'm really sorry for bothering you James. But I hope you could come with Greg. Please James?" Blythe's voice seemed exhausted. And who could say no to that? Blythe House is one of the kindest persons James Wilson has ever met. And she was very hard to say say No to.

"I'll be there Mrs. House. And I'll bring him with me. I promise," he hang-up. Wilson doesn't really know how will he ever be able to do this. But he promised anyway. He would not be able to do this alone - of course, he thought. He needs to go visit Cuddy later, but first he needs to work-out a plan.

"I'm sorry about your father," she barged into his office. She wanted to hug him. But knowing House, the last thing he'd want right now would be human interaction. So she kept her distance.

He was surprised she knew. Probably one of the ducklings told her. He already announced his father's demise the moment he walked into the DDX room this morning. Now, he was reading researches related to possible viral infections from China on his desk - his patient was his priority. Although, he was still being bothered by the thoughts of his father. "I'm not. Are we done emoting now?" Was she angry? She sounded angry.

"If there's anything I can do. Just..." she wanted to hug House, but she doesn't know how to deal with him right now. So she's keeping her distance for now.

"You know you're right, I don't think I can sleep alone tonight. And you can tell me that that is liquid Vicodin," he quipped. Deflection that's what he's good at.

"We giving I.G. shots to everyone who came in contact with your patient. Shockingly, none of the nurses volunteered to administer yours. It goes better in a large muscle. Drop your pants."

"You know, I usually pay tens of dollars to hear that."

"The funeral's tomorrow."

"My mom called you? There is 3:40 flight out of Newark. If you leave now, you can be in Lexington tonight. Your mother wants you to deliver a eulogy."

"Eulogy. From the greek for "good word". Now, if she asked me to deliver a bastardogy, I'd be happy to."

"Then be a grown-up. Call your mother back and tell her that you're sick with grief, - but you're too busy to be there."

"She knows when I'm lying."

"Then start writing." She hesitated, but decided to hold his hand. "House. You know that you could always count on me right? Talk to me please." she paused. "I'm here if you need me. Always." she hugged him anyway.

He still hesitated before hugging her back. "Don't worry about it Cuddy, I'll be OK. I just need some time alone."

"All right, I'll let you be for now." she left him then. I hope I did the right thing. She thought to herself. Forcing House to be with Wilson on a time like this would be a recipe for disaster. But she was counting on the both their egos to find a way to work their argument out. She hurried back to her office. She has a flight to catch tonight.

He woke up groggily and found himself inside a moving object. He realized that he was in Wilson's car, and Wilson was driving.

"Wow. You don't talk to me for a month, and suddenly you're volunteering to kidnap me and deliver me back to my mother? I knew you couldn't resist me."

"I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for your Mom. Also, Cuddy forced me to. How long will you ever learn that it's not always about you House?" Wilson was uneasy. Taking House to his father's funeral is going to be an impossible task. He knew about House's hatred for his father.

"I'm not doing this at all. Stop the car Wilson. You can dump me at the nearest exit. We both know we wouldn't be able to stand each other for the rest of this ride. Did you take my phone?"

He was actually being reasonable, Wilson was almost considering it. Suddenly he felt something vibrate inside his was House's phone chiming:

I'm a bitch, I'm a lover

I'm a child, I'm a mother

I'm a sinner, I'm a saint

I do not feel ashamed.

"Gimme. If you're wondering, my ring tone for you is Dancing Queen."

Wilson handed House his phone.

"You drugged me."

"Wilson's idea. But I had to do it. You were not moving. You were too obvious House. You were brooding all day. You needed intervention."

"You have no right to force me Cuddy! No right at all." he was getting livid, and he's taking out on her.

"Oh for God's sakes calm yourself done. We both know I have every right House. I care about you. And you're a fool if you don't think I can intervene. You need this House." She was expecting his outburst. She was not going to let him win this argument.

"I'm on my way to Lexington tonight, I'll be there too OK? Don't worry. I'm just...House, I was just hoping you and Wilson both need to take this trip together. Talk to each other."

"Well I hope you're not betting on that Cuddy. That's not gonna happen." Knowing that Cuddy's also going to be at the funeral gave him a bit of a relief. He needed her there.

"Behave House. You know I'm right. Wilson hasn't been speaking to you for the past month. And I know you miss him. I gave you the perfect opportunity to talk to him. You can thank me later."

He was beginning to see her logic. He hated to admit it, but Cuddy was right. Damn! That woman is sneaky. He thought to himself. And she was winning. But he's not going to let her know that, at least not yet. "Hanging up now. Bye!"

Wilson has been observing House during his entire conversation with Cuddy. Then he suddenly had a light bulb moment. "So you and Cuddy, huh? Why didn't I see that coming?"

"Oh I don't know. Maybe you were too busy moping around in you little cocoon of depression, it was hard for you to notice anything happening with the world."

"My girlfriend died! What did you expect me to do?"

"It has been three month's already Wilson! Get over yourself. She's not coming back. I'm sorry OK?"

Wilson felt silent. House was right - he needed to move on. Instead of talking back, he just stopped talking and kept driving.

"Could we please go to a rest stop? I have full bladder and I need to pee."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Wilson pulled over at the next rest stop that he could find.

"You have one hour House. Don't you dare run away. Cuddy already told me she's going to be waiting for us at your house in the morning. She'll kill me if I don't have you with me. We still have six hours to drive. It's probably best that we have dinner here."

House found Wilson at the diner in the rest stop. Wilson has already ordered his meal, he was sitting in the corner watching the waitress go around the diner.

He sat opposite Wilson and called the waitress to order.

The waitress finally arrived at their table. "Oh, you have company," smiling at Wilson. "I'm Janine, what can I do for you?"

"Hi Janine. I'll take the Reuben, hold the pickles. And one glass of your strawberry milkshake. Make that a large one."

"Got it. Anything else? How about you sweetie? Wanna order a milkshake too?" Janine kept smiling at Wilson.

"No thanks I'm good." Wilson brushed her off.

"Alright!" Janine turned around and left.

"She's cute," House declared. "You should get her number."

"We're in the middle of nowhere House. What in the world am I going to do with her number?"

"Who knows? It has been three months since your last boink. A one-night-stand wouldn't be so bad?"

"Are you out of your mind? We have a funeral to go to tomorrow. It's your father's funeral. Sometimes I wonder how that brain of yours is working." Wilson was shaking his head.

"My brain is working wonderfully thank you very much. I was only offering you a way out. You can stay here, go back to Princeton in the morning. I promise I'll go to the funeral."

"Everybody lies. I've learned from the best House. Stop it with the distractions. I am taking you to your father's funeral whether you like it or not."

Their orders arrived after a moment. And they ate in silence.

House was devouring what's left of his milkshake while Wilson was looking away. His gaze, sad and sorrowful.

"Oh, would you just stop it?"

"Stop what? I'm not doing anything House."

"Oh, you poor pathetic you. It's over Wilson. Amber is gone. Stop moping. You need to move on."

"Easy for you to say, you have Cuddy. How convenient."

"What exactly are you implying?"

"If it wasn't for Amber and the accident, you wouldn't even be together. Let's face it House. You're happy now at my expense."

"For the record Jimmy, Cuddy and I have been together even before the accident."

Wilson was dumbfounded. "How did it...No..How did it even happen?"

"You were too busy living in your little bubble-full-of-happiness. You ignored the rest of the world." House paused. "She was there for me. And for the first time in years I felt like home. I was drinking myself to oblivion the night of the accident because we had a fight. The only thing I have to thank Amber's death for is that she made Cuddy realize that she can't live without me. So thank you Wilson. Is that what you want?"

"House, no. Of course not. I thought you were being selfish again. Thinking only of yourself. I didn't know about you and Cuddy. How could I? You weren't telling me about it."

"I meant what I said earlier Wilson. I'm sorry about Amber. I didn't mean for anything to happen. If I could go back..."

"It's OK House. You don't have to."

"So, are we good?"

"Yeah."

Wilson's phone buzzed. He's got a text message from Cuddy. She's just arrived in Lexington. "Then let's get you home. Cuddy's waiting."