Chapter 10

Entering work had been something Wilson very much wanted to avoid if at all possible, he'd gotten a hotel room last night if it meant not being anywhere near the building. He was cringing about the events from last night's dinner, he'd arrived knowing what he was going to face and what he was going to do after when alone with Sam, but it hadn't gone according to plan and his temper got the best of him. Maybe it was because he hadn't had House in over a week grounding him. Few people knew this but they were very much like Yin and Yang.

The person he very much wanted to avoid was Cuddy, he had said too much at dinner, Sam had said too much, Lucas had said too much, and Cuddy had been the only civilized one at the table, innocently just wanting to enjoy an evening with other adults outside of work. Sam had ruined it all by trying to get Wilson to admit at the table his negligence, she knew he would never implicate her, but rather himself. He'd take the blame because that was the type of person he was. To her surprise, he'd done the opposite, he'd untied his tie and let go of his inhibitions. Pouring out his anger, once more standing up for the man that let him down time and time again, he'd dumped her in the process and didn't look back.

"Can you direct all appointments to be over the phone for today?" Wilson directed to his assistant, she nodded her head in understanding, stating she would get straight on it and shifted her body towards her computer, typing away. Carrying his coat over his arm, holding a coffee, balancing his messenger bag in the other hand, he wetly made his way into his office, having left it open the previous night. The rain had caught him outside of the hotel, he hadn't cared because he didn't want to be seen by anyone today.

Sam had called him sometime in the morning, informing him she was moving out and nothing more. He'd robotically responded before hanging up and resuming his work, he had patient files to shift through and organize before opening one on the screen to go over with his next phone appointment.

"Hi, this is Dr. Wilson." Wilson greeted, listening to the response before smiling politely. "Yes, Mr. Garrison, I'm calling you about your recent lab results, so we ran some—." Wilson began to explain to his newest patient about the early cancer screening for prostate cancer coming back positive and the next steps that would need to be taken, he was very discreet and empathetic throughout the entire phone call. Putting the phone back on the receiver, he let out a heavy sigh and brought his large hands to cradle his face, rubbing it stressfully.

'House returns to work today. I wonder if he's messing with his team already…' Wilson thought, a warm smile gracing his stressed features. He dearly missed his best friend, with the phone calls during the week and the cryptic messages of House's behavior in between made Wilson both worried and curious. Heavy with regret, he thought about if he would have never listened to Sam, maybe House wouldn't have done whatever he'd done after returning to his apartment in the dead of night. He could only assume the worst even though House repeatedly told him, there was nothing wrong and he was not on drugs, but he couldn't believe him.

Rising up, Wilson checked his watch, knowing his friend would be done with the morning appointment, he walked out of his office for the first time that morning and ran into the last person he wanted to.

"Cuddy." Wilson greeted, his brows furrowed in confusion, he closed the door behind him softly and she faced him from where she'd been walking towards the elevators.

"Is House in yet?" He asked, hoping she wouldn't bring up what happened the previous night and her eyes were laced with concern, but not towards him.

"No, I was just informing his team to be careful with him. He's been unpredictable lately, I don't want to send him over the edge." Cuddy bit her cheek, recalling when House had entered her office a year ago, run ragged and realizing he was not well. The look on his face made her heart drop, cradling his face in her hands and her anger washed away.

"You could say that again." Wilson agreed with her. He meant what he'd said at dinner. House had one of the most brilliant minds he'd ever come across, but like anyone gifted with intelligence, madness tended to follow right behind. Cuddy began walking towards the elevators once more and Wilson moved to follow her while they discussed his behavior leading up to Trenton.

"Sam." Cuddy began once the doors to the elevator closed behind them and Wilson stilled, clenching his jaw.

"Sam said you'd been staying with him, but then she called him and he denied it. Have you actually seen him?" Cuddy asked, her heart heavy with concern because the one person she cared about, cared about too much, had shut her out and it was all her fault. Wilson remained silent, looking ahead at the doors of the elevator and Cuddy's gaze was set towards her feet.

"I'm sorry about what happened over dinner…" Wilson began, it was best he nipped the awkwardness as soon as possible, she looked up from her feet to his face.

"But I meant what I said." Wilson replied turning to her with narrowed eyes and his expression was hard, Cuddy merely stared into his eyes knowing that her relationship indeed was over with House because of her choice.

"I haven't seen him. I asked him if I could come over…" Wilson trailed off recalling his conversation with House regarding Rachel, he closed his eyes tightly when guilt washed over him and he swallowed the words that wanted to come out.

"He moved out of his apartment, said he was still unpacking maybe another time. I think he's not ready for company just yet." Wilson huffed, resting his hands in his pockets and Cuddy took a step back at the news.

"He moved out?" Cuddy asked in silent surprise.

"I haven't actually seen the place, but from the tone of his voice. I don't think he was lying and he…well he said the old apartment brought up too many painful memories…he needed a change." Wilson explained while Cuddy drank in all this information her former friend would not tell her himself and she turned from Wilson when the doors opened.

"Change? He avoids change." Cuddy stated, walking towards her office with Wilson trailing behind her, he closed the door behind him and sat across from her desk.

"Exactly. I'm as stumped as you are." Wilson replied.

—-

Now Wilson was standing in front of the very reason for House's behavior the past week, taking in the young boy's appearance while he stared back at Wilson with a small pout. He looked exactly like House, the same face, same nose, same lips, and the exact same eyes, but his disposition was sweeter and welcoming. Wilson had seen a few photos of House as a child, his hair was blonde around this age and his expression was hollow.

"He looks exactly like you." Was all Wilson managed to say after a long silence dragged in the room, but Wilson kept his gaze on the little boy before him. He was dressed in a red shirt with white long sleeves underneath it, black cargo pants and black sneakers. His hair was parted to the left side, hooking under his ears in a wave of dark loose curls and his dark eyelashes blinked.

"Thanks, we get that alot." House joked, it was true he'd heard it countless times already, from the child attorney, the movers, mothers at the park, and his team. He was glad none of them had drawn any conclusions about who his mother might be, but House figured only someone who knew Cuddy very well could figure it out. He narrowed his eyes towards Wilson, he had moved around his desk to come forward and face Ulysses head on.

"Hi, little guy." Wilson greeted with a friendly smile, his eyes were in disbelief. Ulysses looked up at him with his curious cerulean blue eyes and took a few steps forward, away from his father. It was like looking at a young House and Wilson bent down onto a knee to be leveled with Ulysses, ignoring Houses comment about showing off.

"I'm Wilson. A friend of your father's." Wilson introduced, holding out a hand for Ulysses to take which he did, bringing up a small hand and enveloping it in Wilsons large hand. Ulysses smiled, his lips spreading wide and his eyes filled with happiness when meeting Wilson, he turned to look up at his father before looking back at Wilson.

"Wow, Wilson, you act as if you're meeting your child for the first time." House blew a raspberry at how sentimental Wilson was being, the man looked like he was going to cry.

"Sorry, for being emotional towards meeting my best friend's long lost son." Wilson expressed, shooting House an annoyed look before looking back towards Ulysses and staring at him quizzically.

"Does he…can you…talk?" Wilson asked, realizing Ulysses hadn't said a word since coming in, but he had acknowledged Wilson and watched him for social cues.

"Why Wilson, that is a rude question to ask a child? He'll talk when he's ready." House huffed, pulling Ulysses softly back towards his side and the little boy looked at Wilson with a pout once more.

"He's deaf." House said after a moment. Wilson arose, his eyes filling with care and concern, putting his hands on his hips and ready to express his apologies.

"Don't. It's nothing to be sorry about. I don't want him being sorry about it, treat him like any other child." House scolded Wilson with a hand and Wilson raised his thick eyebrows in surprise towards his parental instinct to protect his son.

"Right. I think I know some ASL. Can he sign?" Wilson asked, swallowing his concern and relaxing his features to be welcoming once more to not alarm Ulysses.

"He can read lips too. A bit delayed, but he's 40% accurate. 70% on a good day." House replied and Wilson turned to Ulysses, leaning down, he moved his hands to sign to Ulysses a proper greeting and Ulysses face lit up with absolute joy. It was so familiar that Wilson's breath shuddered and House stilled at the realization crossing Wilson's face.

"Wow, he is adorable." Wilson complimented rising up once more and Ulysses turned to House, signing that Wilson did indeed look like Arthur which earned a giggle from House.

"What'd he say?" Wilson asked with a smile.

"You are friend." Ulysses responded out loud, his speech slurred, which earned the attention of both men.

"Wow, he must really like you if he's speaking. Although, don't feel too special. He spoke to some ducks yesterday at the park." House quipped, ruffling Ulysses loose curls with a smirk and Wilson blew a raspberry, focusing his attention on House now.

"You look good." Wilson spoke up, the room filling with serious tension and House turned from Ulysses, furrowing his brow and looking away from Wilson's scrutinizing gaze.

"This is temporary. Kid goes back to school tomorrow, didn't want to send a negative image of what I'm actually like at work before he goes." House excused, shrugging his shoulders and Wilson smiled wider.

"You care about what he thinks?" Wilson asked in disbelief.

"Why Wilson are you calling me a careless father? Of course, I care. He's my son." House expressed with sarcasm, trying to sound detached from the fact he actually did care about his son very much.

"Is this what you've been up to all this time?" Wilson expressed, curious about how this whole situation came to be and House shifted, checking his watch. He led Ulysses to sit on the couch, handing him a small rubix cube from his lab coat before taking a seat beside him.

"It took me a while to come around to the idea of keeping him." House replied flatly, Wilson sat on the back of a chair, folding his arms over his chest.

"Keeping him? Where'd you get him?" Wilson asked, curious about what actually happened when House went home after Trenton.

"Where else do you get strays? Or children you don't know you had?" House expressed bluntly.

"How? How did this happen?" Wilson was shocked at the revelation, looking away from House while Ulysses mindlessly played with the rubix cube.

"Well, I don't know if your parents ever told you this, but when a woman and a man love each–."

"I'm not dumb. Where's the woman part in this mix of a mess?" Wilson asked.

"Since he was dumped at a foster home, I haven't a clue. Neither do they." House lied, but Wilson bought it and looked at the boy with sorrow.

"Stop caring. Don't feel sorry for him. He has me." House once again scolded Wilson, rising up shakily at first before putting his weight onto the cane.

"Sorry, it's just hard to stop myself from feeling some sort of emotion towards a deaf foster child who didn't know he had a father who cared until last week." Wilson expressed sarcastically and House chuckled.

"Anyway, we're going to take off. Case is closed for the day and I promised him pizza for being a strong trooper at the doctor's this morning." House expressed walking towards the door, before stopping and whispering to Wilson.

"I'm lying. He totally cried like a baby. I want the pizza so he just gets a free ride." Ulysses rose up and followed after his father, waving goodbye to Wilson, taking his father's free hand and they made their way out of Wilson's office. Wilson came to a sudden realization, swinging open his door he shouted to House who was standing in front of the elevator doors.

"Is that my lab coat I lost 4 years ago?!"

House turned to him while Ulysses faced forward, he gave Wilson a solute before going into the elevator leaving with a smile knowing his friend was back to his old self.

—-

House exited the hospital without worry, it was nearing a little after one and the rain had thankfully let up, he was clothed once more in his winter coat and scarf while Ulysses waddled beside him in his yellow raincoat. He noticed Cuddy's car still parked in it's spot, he was grateful he didn't run into her, but he was sure his team had when Thirteen relayed the message to him about Cuddy, that she might be looking for him since she found out about him almost assaulting a patient his first day back.

Buckling Ulysses into his booster seat, he thought about how Cuddy must be tearing her hair out trying to wrap her head around the fact House had a child, but not being able to confirm with her own eyes, only having it confirmed from those around her. Who was the fool now? Ulysses gave him a thumbs up and House went to the driver's seat, turning the key in the ignition and once more the car failed to start.

House groaned.

Turning the key a few more times, the car finally started and House seriously began to think about getting a new car in the next week or so. If not, his joke about Cuddy driving him home might become true and he didn't want her to know where he lived or where Ulysses went to school.

Cuddy had heard from his team that House had left for the day, he should be in the parking lot since he'd left not too long ago and so she rushed towards the parking lot to see if what everyone was saying was true. When she arrived, she saw him pulling out of his space and making his way out onto the street, she was only able to catch a glimpse of yellow in the backseat when he pulled away with a clean face.

'So it is true? He shaved,' Cuddy thought walking back into the hospital after seeing his clean face from afar and the yellow blur seated in the backseat. She rubbed her shoulders, feeling the chill from the autumn air and the rain that frosted the sidewalk. Watching her step, she wondered how House would be able to handle the winter months by himself, where had he moved, and what was this about him being a father to a young boy?

Making her way back into the hospital, she found Wilson in the lobby at the nurse's station discussing something with the woman at the front desk before turning to look at her. Wilson saw the drop in Cuddy's face, her expression which had been laced with concern and frustration was now one of confusion.

Cuddy wasn't sure if she was cold, if it was the cold that was making her shiver, but when she sat in her office and still couldn't acclimate to the heat. She felt her eyes narrow and her jaw clench while a thousand questions swam in her head about the person she promised would remain buried. She'd done everything right, she'd moved on and she'd told him he could never be with her. She'd chosen normalcy, reliability, and a man who cared for her daughter as if it were his own.

But now, what did that matter…if she wasn't happy?

She was miserable.

And desperately trying to pretend that everything was okay.

Because as House once said, Everybody Lies.