Speculative Fiction

TV Show: "House, MD"

Created by David Shore

Owned by D. Shore and Fox Network

Written by Aquarius Seth

Started on March 7, 2007. Completed on March 9, 2007.

Contact: Note: I obviously do not own these characters. I am simply borrowing them as a writing exercise. I am not making any money off of this. The only benefit I am getting is maintaining my sanity, thank you. I should warn readers, this started out as a short story exercise as practice for another short story I was working on for a writing contest. Please feel free to rip this story apart and critic it. Even if you're not gaga about it. I need people to point out problems with story set up and the whole revising thing. It makes perfect sense to me, so if I lost you please let me know. Suggestions are welcome, I'm not saying I'll always follow through but at least I'll have my glaring errors pointed out to me. Thanks.

This piece is rated M for language, themes (M/M content) and situations. If you are under the age of eighteen you need to click out of here. Thanks.

Word count: 4,846

M content: House/Wilson piece

"Rushing"

It has been an entire week.

It has been an entire week after his "cancer" dilemma. Wilson had not been around ever since that well-oiled rumor mill, otherwise known as his staff, figured out his plan for getting rid of the pain.

He had considered and reconsidered his conclusion with a maniacal efficiency. Unfortunately, his only conclusion was as insane as the problem.

Friendship was rare. A friendship that even endured all the hell theirs had been through was almost extinct. Most marriages buckle under what he had put Wilson through. Yet Wilson was there, even offering advice on how to open up to people.

This could backfire.

Yet, here he was with a six pack of Bud and a pepperoni pizza. He buzzed Wilson's doorbell and waited

"I'm coming." A few rattling noises from the other side of the door and finally it opened. Shock quickly crossed Wilson's face.

"It's cold out here." He muttered and pushed past Wilson.

"What do I owe this honor to?" Wilson could not keep the anger out of his voice.

"I lost a bet with a whino."

"Huh?"

"Got a table?" A sigh escaped his lips as he found a small table and left the food there.

"What whino?" Wilson asked as House handed him a Bud.

"Oh let's see, about five-five, hundred thirty-five pounds. Annoying as hell when she wants to be. Nearly whined me to death this week." Wilson reached into his mini-fridge and took out a couple of Cokes. House raised an eyebrow as he took the Coke Wilson offered.

"I've got a department head meeting at seven-thirty tomorrow. I don't want to smell like beer."

"Oh, so that is what she was nagging me about." House muttered as Wilson found a couple of plates and served a few slices on each.

House eyed a hard chair that came with the table and sat on Wilson's bed.

"House, what are you doing here?" Wilson asked as he took a bite.

"I told you, I lost a bet to a whine-oh. Got a TV?"

"Sure, I never use it. Remote should be around there somewhere." Wilson muttered around a mouthful of pizza. He got up and looked for the remote but it was somewhere else. His eyebrow rose a bit when he saw a coin deposit box next to the VCR.

"Never mind." He muttered as he gently tapped the box. It sounded empty. House returned to his spot and sat back down.

"You are actually honoring your bet?" Wilson asked. It grated his nerves a bit to hear the surprise in Wilson's voice.

"Yeah, if I don't I owe her three hundred bucks."

"Three hundred bucks? Wow. How will she know you came over though?" Wilson asked.

"I told her I'd piss you off enough to prove it." Wilson shrugged and continued eating. Ten minutes of random conversation finally pushed him to the whole point of tonight's 'date.'

"So?"

"So what?" Wilson asked.

"When are you going to start lecturing me on the 'unethical' manner I tried to score some pain relief?"

"I'm not." Wilson sounded exhausted all of the sudden.

"Oh come on. I know you're dying to rip into me." Silence. "Come on my favorite conscious, you have to have something to tell me."

"I don't."

"You'll feel better." Something was wrong. Silence. "Wilson…."

"Look, I'm going to grab a shower before I fall asleep. Thanks for the food and the company."

"Do you mind if I catch the news before I go?"

"No problem." House watched as Wilson got out some clean night clothes and got into the bathroom. He turned on a static television and dropped a quarter. Yep, he was right. Wilson never uses his TV. Otherwise, he would have never left it on the Blue Station.

A few minutes later he heard the shower turn on. About twenty minutes later he heard a soft moan come from within the bathroom. Curious he got to the bathroom door and opened it ever so slightly.

Wilson had his back towards the door and his posture told House everything he needed to know. He closed the door and waited. About ten minutes later, Wilson got out of the bathroom to find House turning off a black TV screen.

"I'm a bit buzzed, so can I crash here tonight?"

"I don't have an air mattress." Wilson muttered as he looked around the room.

"Hey, you stay on your side, I'll stay on mine." House watched as Wilson paled slightly.

"This is a one night thing, right?"

"Yeah, I promise not to get buzzed at your place anymore." Wilson sighed and looked at his clock.

"I'll be gone in six hours. Okay." He muttered and they awkwardly got into bed. An hour later, they were both awake.

"You know, it's strange." He muttered.

"What?"

"How people act when they believe you're dying."

"Huh?"

"Well last week, Foreman said he liked working with me. I got to kiss Cameron; Chase gave me a very awkward hug and Cuddy. Ah, I got to skip first base and reached second."

"Do I really need to know this?" Wilson asked.

"Yeah, you disappeared on me last week."

"I did not."

"Yes, you did. Oh well it's a good thing. Who knows I might have skipped third and hit a home run with you, knowing my luck." With that Wilson started sitting up in bed. He reached out and held him still.

"Why aren't you lecturing me Wilson?"

"There's no point to it House."

"Bullshit. What is it?" Wilson jerked free and got up.

"I'm going to work. Maybe I'll be able to sleep there." Wilson started getting up and he got out of bed.

"What is it?" House muttered as he heard Wilson inhale sharply.

"You have no idea do you? All last week I was going crazy thinking you might have cancer. What made it worse is that you 'had' cancer and did not come to me. You didn't talk to me! Cuddy had to tell me. Cuddy!" Wilson shouted before he continued getting dressed.

"I knew what would happen if I told you! No one was supposed to find out."

"You KNOW Cameron always goes through your mail. What did you think would happen?"

"Shit. Wilson let me explain."

"Don't bother. Foreman told me4 about the meds you were praying for. Just forget it." Wilson picked up his shoes and rushed for the door. House jumped out of bed and rushed towards Wilson. He pinned him to the door and tried to think of an apology.

"Okay, I did not want you to know. I knew I would make you a nervous wreck at first and when the results came back negative I knew you'd be pissed. I also knew you'd think I was trying to just get a permanent high."

"Aren't you?"

"If it would take away the pain in my leg and let me work without taking pain meds, of course I would. Do you think I like living in pain?"

"Don't you?" The sarcasm in Wilson's voice hurt. It hurt more than he expected it to.

"Wilson, I promise if I ever get cancer, you'll never get me out of our hair. Promise." Ever so gently he kissed Wilson's neck right behind his right ear. He felt Wilson shiver but Wilson did not jerk away.

He let his lips rest on top of Wilson's hair and waited for Wilson to say or do something.

He closed his eyes and waited. He felt a hot drop of water fall onto his hand. A flash of Wilson's face popped into his mind. He remembered Wilson's expression when he teasingly suggested a vacation for them.

God, this had gotten out of hand.

"Now what? You want to go all the way with me?" Wilson whispered.

"There is no rush." He whispered as he let Wilson go. He got his jacket and keys. Wilson moved away from the door and House smiled as he noticed Wilson was still holding his shoes in his hand. He opened the door and went home.

It started easily enough, a cup of coffee here, there. Dinner once a week, nothing complicated. Absolutely nothing remotely sexual happened between them ever since he promised there was no rush. br It was almost as innocent as a high school crush. It was also completely private. No one knew about it, true there was not that much to know but still, privacy was nice. He enjoyed seeing Wilson on Saturday nights. Occasionally they would stop by the bar near work and discuss their work day over a few beers.

It was over a glass of Samuel Adams, that it dawned on him what was going on. He and Wilson were strengthening their friendship first. A bit taken back he sat and thought about Stacey, Cuddy and even Cameron. They all rushed into a romantic relationship. Okay, he had never gotten that far with Cameron but that lip lock in his office could have gone further, if she had not been trying to take his blood.

"House? House?" Suddenly aware that Wilson was staring at him, he tried to focus.

"Sorry long day of Clinic Hell."

"Well if you're that tired I'll let you go then." He nodded absently and drifted back into his own thoughts. "Are you okay to get home?" Half a glass was not enough to get him drunk.

"I'm just tired."

"Do you want a lift home?" He nodded absently as Wilson took his keys. Wilson got up and a few minutes later he heard his bike's engine start. He almost laughed as Wilson walked the bike to his car. He watched as Wilson turned off the bike and took some bungee cords out of his trunk.

He got up and went to help Wilson as he tied the bike to the roof of his car. A few minutes later it was secured.

"Let's go to your place. I get a late start tomorrow anyways." He muttered as Wilson pulled into traffic. Their conversation home was clean. He began to wonder if Wilson had any idea what he wanted tonight. When Wilson pulled into his parking space he got out and helped Wilson untie his bike.

"We'll park it inside okay?" Wilson gave him his car keys and took the bike inside. He kept two cords and locked up Wilson's car.

He walked in to find Wilson drinking a glass of water. He locked the door and ditched his jacket.

"Can I wait here until my buzz dies?" Lame, really lame! Didn't he use that lame excuse last time too?

"Sure. I've got a department meeting tomorrow anyways." De ja'vu anybody?

"Seriously? How many meetings do you all have?" Wilson smirked.

"There are some clinical trials going on in Germany and England. Everything from antibody structures to ultraviolet exposure."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Thank goodness I have to go instead of you."

"Sleeping is more exciting."

"Yeah." Wilson got into the shower as he dropped a quarter into the box. Two fifteen minute movies later he was in the mood and Wilson was out of the shower. He turned off the TV and slid into bed.

"House? Are you awake?" He kept quiet as Wilson turned off the lights and got into bed.

He suddenly got cold feet. Not that Wilson had done anything but a case of nerves suddenly hit him.

He waited until he heard Wilson's breathing fall into a normal sleeping rhythm before he turned and looked at him.

There would be no way he could go through with it if Wilson touched him. Not tonight anyways. He got out of bed and grabbed the cords from underneath his jacket. He crawled back into bed and managed to loop the cord through the bed rails without waking Wilson up.

He took a deep breath of air and turned Wilson.

"What?" Wilson muttered as his eyes began to open. He quickly caught Wilson's hands and tied them to the rail.

"House?"

"I knew learning those knots in scouts would come in handy one day." He muttered as Wilson began to struggle.

"House let me go." There was not that much conviction in Wilson's voice.

"In a few." He wondered if it would be to his advantage to tie Wilson's feet down. He would hold off. If it got too crazy he always had that spare cord.

He leaned down and licked Wilson's left ear. He heard Wilson gasp as he gently drew his tongue back across it.

"Do you want to try this?" He had to ask. He nibbled on Wilson's earlobe as Wilson tried to make up his mind.

"House I can't…." Wilson gasped as he dipped his tongue inside his ear.

"Can't what?"

"House, I can't think."

"All I need is a simple yes or no." He whispered as he dug his fingers into Wilson's forearms. A moan escaped from Wilson.

He continued his torment of Wilson's ear. Once he finished toying with Wilson's ear he pulled back and sat up on his side of the bed.

The glow of the alarm clock drew his attention as he realized it was a quarter to midnight.

"Greg?" A plea? He closed his eyes and waited.

"Yes or no James."

"Please." Pain? Startled he hesitated before he undid the knots.

"Let me see your wrists James." Maybe he had tied them too tight. He turned on the lamp next to the bed and looked at Wilson's wrists. They were bleeding slightly, a trace really. He could see the bruises that were going to develop.

"Why didn't you tell me you were afraid?" He whispered as he got up to go find some disinfectant in Wilson's bathroom.

When he came back into the room he was amazed to find Wilson gone. The door was wide open and he heard Wilson's car as it started.

He blew it. He should have told Wilson. Damn it. He got dressed, got his bike and locked the door as he headed home.

A few hours later, he went back to work.

Surprised that he would come in early, the nurses offered his coffee. He just smiled and waved them off. When he was walking away he almost kicked himself. He smiled at nurses? He knew he walk going to be the subject of conversations today.

He tried Wilson's door and was a bit surprised to find it locked.

"He is at a meeting Dr. House." He nodded at a nurse and walked into his office. He looked at his clock, checked his messages and played with his PSP for twenty minutes before he decided to go put in his hours in Clinic Hell. It was eight in the morning, how many boring ass cases could he get at this hour? Besides an hour now would mean one less hour on Friday night.

He took his PSP with him and managed to see only two patients while he was there. He clocked out and went to go see if there were any new cases to keep him busy with his team. There were none so his team split up to do whatever it is they do on a slow day.

He did have charts to work on but even going back to clinic hell sounded more appealing today. He popped a pill and debated. Wilson had not made it back yet. He wanted to see how he was doing but hen again, he did not. Charts it was.

After stalling for a good forty-five minutes he managed to catch up on his charts in four hours and he was starving. He had just dropped off his charts at records when he saw Wilson for the first time today.

Wilson had some bandages wrapping his wrists. His doctor's coat hid them from any casual observer.

"Dressed to impress day or what?" He asked as Wilson noticed him.

"I had to give a bunch of med students the welcoming tour." House could not stop himself from making a face.

"I don't envy you at all."

"Cuddy asked me to tell you if you give a teaching seminar, you can get a whole week off of clinic duty."

"Only if I get two weeks off, or no deal."

"Take it up with her."

"Yeah. How are you doing?" Wilson turned and walked away but not before he noticed a slight reddish tone color his face.

Interesting.

With something to think about, he decided he would quit making Wilson's life hell for one day at least. He might as well go banter with Cuddy.

Days later he managed to give two seminars and got a month off of clinic duty. Cuddy fought him tooth and nail but in the end he had won. Sort of, if you considered two seminars a victory.

Wilson gave her five seminars in place of the guided tours. Foreman drew the short straw and got those. He however, never could catch Wilson long enough to talk. He did not know if he should have gone to Wilson's place or not.

It was right before six on Friday night that Wilson dropped in on him.

"I have a few charts I need to catch up on but I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to eat?" Wilson mumbled it so fast he almost did not catch it. "Sure. I'll wait for you at the Italian place near my place."

"Okay."

"Around seven?" Wilson nodded and took off. Dinner. Okay dinner would be simple. It was a public place so maybe they can ease into the subject after they left, maybe. He left fifteen minutes later and headed home. He grabbed a shower and put a bottle of Merlot in the fridge.

He had bought condoms earlier that week and he put some in the nightstands by the couch, his bed and the spare bed in Wilson's old room. He slipped one into his wallet and started ironing his clothes.

He slipped into a pair of black slacks, a white shirt and the red tie Wilson had bought him for his trial. He got to the restaurant and was amazed that Wilson had phoned in reservations. He ordered a glass of red wine and waited.

Twenty minutes after seven Wilson walked in. He was flushed and he looked like shit.

"Sorry I'm late. A patient got worse." Enough said.

"Are you ready to order sir?" House blinked up at their waiter and almost bit his head off.

"No." The waiter left as Wilson looked at the menu. The bandages were off.

"When did your wrists heal?" He saw Wilson visibly shrink behind his menu.

"This morning."

"Sorry." A shoe squeak gave their waiter away. Before he could tell him to shove off, Wilson started ordering his dinner. House placed his order and waited as the guy left.

"No, you're not." Wilson muttered into his glass of wine. True but was an apology not good enough? Even if he did not mean it?

"James…."

"I heard you got a month off of clinic?"

"Yeah. I promised Cuddy two speeches though." Wilson nodded and they had a friendly conversation for the rest of their dinner.

Wilson paid as they left, got to his car and opened the lock for House.

They rode in silence as Mozart played on the radio. When they got to his apartment, he invited Wilson in.

His palms started to sweat as Wilson followed him in.

"I have a bottle of Merlot hanging out in the fridge. Do you want a glass?"

"No thank you." Okay now what? He cleared his throat.

"Look about what happened I'm sorry. I should have never pushed you." He rambled as a beer started to sound great at this point. He had just picked up the beer can when he noticed Wilson staring at him from the kitchen doorway.

"Would it shock you if I told you the truth?" Wilson asked.

"What truth?"

"That I enjoyed it?"

"You ran."

"I panicked; I thought you had noticed…." Wilson took an awkward breath and stopped.

"Noticed what?"

"And changed your mind."

"Noticed what?" Wilson turned red and walked out of the room. House put the beer down and followed Wilson as James practically ran to the bathroom. "What James?" He watched as Wilson splashed cold water on his face. Wilson was shaking but his eyes spoke volumes. He reached for Wilson's wrists and he pinned Wilson's arm behind his back. With his other hand he realized what Wilson was talking about. "Sorry, I don't have the cords with me tonight." He muttered into Wilson's neck as he guided Wilson back into the hallway and into Wilson's old room.

"House?"

"Shh." He let Wilson go as he locked the bedroom door.

"House?" Wilson's anxious tone made him turn slightly. It was not the type of anxious tone he was hoping for. Fear was also in the mix. He leaned against the door and waited. "I can't do this. I want to but I just can't." He closed his eyes and waited for a few seconds.

"Okay." He moved and unlocked the door. His hands were shaking. He only realized it when he felt the small vibrations from his fingertips against the metal. He opened the door and walked into his bedroom. He locked the door behind him as he heard Wilson move behind him. He did not move until he heard Wilson's car drive away.

What the hell happened?

That question kept him up at nights. Their paths refused to cross due to patients and seminars. During the month afterwards, Wilson had gone to San Francisco, Chicago, New York and Houston for seminars and conferences. He had gone to Seattle and Phoenix. He wanted to call Wilson but he did not want to corner him either.

It was not fair.

Of course, hanging out with prostitutes was not fair either but he needed to find some sort of peace. It did not matter if it was a sordid way of finding it. Peace was peace, beggars could not be choosy.

Almost two months later Wilson knocked on his outside office door. He turned off his PSP and went outside.

"Hi House." Wilson's voice gave away his nervousness.

"Hi."

"How have you been?"

"Busy."

"Yeah."

"Look let's get to the point. I'm sure I have fifty patients in clinic hell." He should not be angry but he was.

"I was wondering if you wanted to grab a beer after work."

"No. Beer gets me into trouble."

"House…."

"What do you want?"

"To apologize." He smiled and walked away from Wilson. He walked out of his office and went to go check on the clinic hell hole.

It was not until he got home that he wondered why he let his anger get the best of him. It was not like him to just cut Wilson off like that, okay it was but still.

Four glasses of whiskey later he realized that he had screwed up the only friendship he valued. He needed to apologize.

Another four glasses later he dialed Wilson's number. It rang until the answering machine picked up.

"Jimmy? Jimmy, are you there? Guess not. Look I'm sorry. I screwed up and I'm sorry." He did not hang up until the annoying dial tone rang in his ear. He decided to call in sick tomorrow. Besides he did not need to go to work hung over. He crawled into bed and fell asleep.

Two days later he finally got back to work. Cuddy met him at the door.

"Where have you been?"

"Hung over. Why?"

"You do remember you're a doctor right?"

"Anybody die?"

"No but…."

"See. There is no need for this lecture. Besides I think working while intoxicated is illegal. You know, last time I checked."

"So is being on pain meds."

"Hey can't break too many laws can we?" He walked passed her and went to his office. Cameron was sitting at his desk going through his mail.

"Didn't we talk about this?" He stared at his mail and then at her.

"No. New case. Forty-two year old woman with…."

"Yeah, yeah. Give me the file and go away."

"House!"

"Go away." She handed him the file and left. He read the file and decided to go see the patient.

Hours later they had solved the case. It drove him crazy that it took his staff hours to run the tests and come up with the same conclusion he had come up in less than five minutes. Diabetes, glaucoma and the mix of menopause, had her vision shot to shit. Sad thing was it took his team hours to solve it. Either that or they were milking this case for all it was worth.

He finally got back to his clinic work and killed the rest of day half listening to his patients. It was nine forty-five by the time he checked out of clinic. He was out of the hospital by ten.

He semi-caught the news and turned on Bach as he drifted to sleep. That continued to be his routine for the next three months.

Wilson had disappeared into the Oncology wing. The only thing Wilson needed to do was move his office into the damn wing.

He kept waiting for the morning he would show up and find Wilson's office empty.

Of course people started commenting. Not at first though but eventually the rumors began. He simply ignored them. It had nearly driven him nuts.

Not the rumors, the silent treatment Wilson was giving him.

It was after midnight on a Friday night when he finally finished his patient's files. He got up and noticed Wilson's outside door was open. He got up and went to go close it. When he got closer he noticed a light was on. Wilson was packing his books into boxes.

"Going somewhere?" He asked as Wilson dropped the books in his hands.

"Damn you scared me!" Wilson muttered as he picked up the books and continued to get them in boxes.

"Moving?"

"Yeah. An office space opened up. What are you doing here anyways?"

"Finishing files. You're moving into the Oncology department?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Saves me the trip up here." That was all he could stand. He turned and walked back into his office. He ditched his cane and turned on Chopin.

He should just let Wilson go. He was not going to let this affect him. Besides with Wilson in the oncology wing he would not have to be on the look out for him.

He got up and met Wilson at the door. He knocked the box out of Wilson's hands and pulled the shorter man into his office.

"House!" Wilson seethed.

He caught Wilson's chin and pulled Wilson up for a kiss. At first Wilson refused to join in. He gently dragged his tongue across Wilson's closed lips.

Wilson moaned and went limp in his hands.

"I know I said there was no rush, but I never meant a full-fledged retreat." He whispered as Wilson shivered.

"This is a mistake House."

"Greg. Usually when I get this far with someone, they call me Greg."

"House."

"You are stubborn aren't you?"

"Let me go."

"James, I let you go now then that's it. Is that what you really want?"

"I don't know what I want."

"James?"

"God, House I can't do this."

"Why not?"

"You're my friend. House, I've fucked up every relationship I have ever been in. I knew I had already fucked up our friendship. What else do you want from me?"

"Then why…?"

"I wanted to be with you. For an insane moment in my life, I wanted to be held by you. I was willing to sacrifice our friendship for a night. Then common sense spoke to me. You're the only friend I have. If I drive you nuts or away that friendship would never be the same. I can't risk it! Do you see?"

"So you don't want to become lovers to stay friends?"

"Yes."

"What if I don't?"

"Then I'm sorry."

"What if our friendship can't be saved?"

"It's my loss." House closed his eyes and let Wilson go. It was the second hardest thing he had ever done. Letting Stacey go was the first.

The End.