ext_230483 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
sydpenguinbunny.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sick_wilson2011-06-27 12:31 pm
sydpenguinbunny.livejournal.com) wrote in sick_wilson2011-06-27 12:31 pm
Entry tags:
Us Against the World, Chapter Ten
Title: Us Against the World
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sydpenguinbunny
Rating: R
Pairing: Wilson/Amber, House/Cuddy, Wilson/House, maybe House/Amber
Spoilers: Up until the end of Season 6.
Warning: Nothing major.
Summary: Wilson is kidnapped by someone who holds a grudge against House. House is told to come out and play, and Amber refuses to stand by. Time is running out...
Chapter One: A Shot in the Dark
Chapter Two: Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
Chapter Three: Photograph
Chapter Four: Private Eye
Chapter Five: Purity
Chapter Six: Nowhere to Go
Chapter Seven: Nightmare
Chapter Eight: Throwing It All Away
Chapter Nine: Anyone for Tennis?
Chapter Ten: Turn the Page
“Later in the evening
As you lie awake in bed
With the echoes from the amplifiers
Ringin' in your head
You smoke the day's last cigarette
Remembering what she said...”
Amber hadn’t felt so much like a deer in the headlights since the day House had told her that yes, she’d played the game the best, but that she needed to accept that she could be wrong, needed to accept losing, and that she was fired.
She swallowed, looking from Cuddy to House and back again, and the moment felt eternal, as if she were hanging in the air, suspended, and if she breathed then she’d come tumbling down.
“House?” Cuddy’s voice broke into her thoughts, sharp and angry. “What’s she doing here?” Amber would have normally deflected it, either acted like she didn’t really care – even though she did – or made up a lie on the spot or even maybe told the truth. But the truth this time would kill Wilson and she couldn’t move her lips to form words to say anything else. She was frozen in her spot.
House looked back and forth between the two women, pausing, and Amber swallowed again, before making a decision – she’d tell Cuddy enough of the truth to get House out of potential deep water, but not enough to hurt Wilson.
“Wilson didn’t come home last night,” she said quietly, then paused, not sure whether it was last night or tonight, “Or tonight… And I didn’t know where he was. I thought he might be over here. He wasn’t, and I was shook up and didn’t want to go home, so House let me crash in his guest room.” She yawned, reaching her hands up through her hair, trying to remember how long she’d slept and trying to figure out how she’d even managed to sleep at all – House obviously hadn’t slept a second, and Amber couldn’t help but wonder if Cuddy had dropped in or whether House had called her for some reason.
Cuddy looked suspicious, then concerned.
“House – when you called me earlier, about Wilson… He still never came back?” She raised her eyes in worry. “Where could he be?”
“We don’t know,” House replied quietly. “We can’t report him missing until he’s been gone for 24 hours.” Even though we already kind of did, House added internally, but Cuddy shouldn’t know that – shouldn’t know there’s a reason to be worried, a reason to be terrified.
“I’m sure he’ll turn up soon,” Cuddy said, but she couldn’t make herself really believe the words. She had come by just to spend time with House, her mother was watching Rachel (she’d demanded to spend time with her and Cuddy had given in and obliged on the rationale that she needed a break, too) and she’d just wanted to see him, feel him, she missed him even though she’d seen him at work. Now that feeling was giving way to a sense that everything wasn’t right, and maybe House and Amber weren’t telling her everything. Maybe House was trying to protect her from some knowledge that would hurt her – but why? Wilson was House’s friend more than Cuddy’s and anything he might have done wrong would hurt House first, Amber second – if she even could be hurt, and Cuddy wasn’t entirely sure that was possible. Cuddy turned her gaze on House again. “Would you like me to stay?” House looked at Amber.
“You two catch up,” Amber murmured, “I’ll head back and try to sleep again.” House needs his comfort, she thought wryly, and what does it hurt me if he gets it? I need to go try and sleep again… if I’m rested, I’ll be sharp and if I’m sharp, I can get James back, and then I won’t need comfort – I’ll have him. She couldn’t quite remember gliding up House’s stairs into the guest room but suddenly she was there again, climbing under the covers again, making plans. I need to figure out what we’re going to do about Tritter if he’s going to be any help to us at all. I need to figure out what role he plays. He has to play a role... if I can make this into a game, then I know I can win. And then James is safe, he’s safe...
Downstairs, House was still staring at Cuddy.
“I’m scared,” he admitted in a quiet voice. “I don’t know where he could be.” Cuddy reached out and clutched his hand in hers, squeezing gently.
“We’ll find him. I promise. It’s most likely nothing… Maybe he got called away on a case or something with his family, even.” Cuddy didn’t believe that for a second – she’d never seen Wilson’s family in all the years he’d worked at PPTH, and even if he was going away to work on a case or, perhaps, deal with one of his three ex-wives, there’d be no reason not to tell Amber or, at the least, House, where he was going.
No, there was certainly something wrong here, and Cuddy couldn’t shake the feeling that House wasn’t telling her everything. Had House done something to drive Wilson away?
Cuddy shook her head and broke out of that thought. There wasn’t anything that could push Wilson away, not if nearly getting thrown in jail on House’s behalf hadn’t done the trick.
Wilson was in danger, but how or why or how much House knew, Cuddy couldn’t know, and helplessness was spreading through her, tingling up her spine and tormenting her – she hated this. What could she do? She couldn’t save Wilson, she couldn’t save House from this. All she could do was try to be with House through this, even if he wouldn’t tell her everything.
“I love you,” she whispered, and raised her right hand to House’s face, touching him gently on the cheek with her fingertips in an feathery brush. “I adore you. Sit here with me.” She moved to sit down on House’s couch, gesturing for him to join her, which he did slowly, haltingly.
She wrapped her arms around him and she couldn’t have said for how long, only that when she finally left the sun had begun to rise in the sky and she was no closer to figuring out what had happened to Wilson.
Author:
sydpenguinbunnyRating: R
Pairing: Wilson/Amber, House/Cuddy, Wilson/House, maybe House/Amber
Spoilers: Up until the end of Season 6.
Warning: Nothing major.
Summary: Wilson is kidnapped by someone who holds a grudge against House. House is told to come out and play, and Amber refuses to stand by. Time is running out...
Chapter One: A Shot in the Dark
Chapter Two: Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
Chapter Three: Photograph
Chapter Four: Private Eye
Chapter Five: Purity
Chapter Six: Nowhere to Go
Chapter Seven: Nightmare
Chapter Eight: Throwing It All Away
Chapter Nine: Anyone for Tennis?
Chapter Ten: Turn the Page
“Later in the evening
As you lie awake in bed
With the echoes from the amplifiers
Ringin' in your head
You smoke the day's last cigarette
Remembering what she said...”
Amber hadn’t felt so much like a deer in the headlights since the day House had told her that yes, she’d played the game the best, but that she needed to accept that she could be wrong, needed to accept losing, and that she was fired.
She swallowed, looking from Cuddy to House and back again, and the moment felt eternal, as if she were hanging in the air, suspended, and if she breathed then she’d come tumbling down.
“House?” Cuddy’s voice broke into her thoughts, sharp and angry. “What’s she doing here?” Amber would have normally deflected it, either acted like she didn’t really care – even though she did – or made up a lie on the spot or even maybe told the truth. But the truth this time would kill Wilson and she couldn’t move her lips to form words to say anything else. She was frozen in her spot.
House looked back and forth between the two women, pausing, and Amber swallowed again, before making a decision – she’d tell Cuddy enough of the truth to get House out of potential deep water, but not enough to hurt Wilson.
“Wilson didn’t come home last night,” she said quietly, then paused, not sure whether it was last night or tonight, “Or tonight… And I didn’t know where he was. I thought he might be over here. He wasn’t, and I was shook up and didn’t want to go home, so House let me crash in his guest room.” She yawned, reaching her hands up through her hair, trying to remember how long she’d slept and trying to figure out how she’d even managed to sleep at all – House obviously hadn’t slept a second, and Amber couldn’t help but wonder if Cuddy had dropped in or whether House had called her for some reason.
Cuddy looked suspicious, then concerned.
“House – when you called me earlier, about Wilson… He still never came back?” She raised her eyes in worry. “Where could he be?”
“We don’t know,” House replied quietly. “We can’t report him missing until he’s been gone for 24 hours.” Even though we already kind of did, House added internally, but Cuddy shouldn’t know that – shouldn’t know there’s a reason to be worried, a reason to be terrified.
“I’m sure he’ll turn up soon,” Cuddy said, but she couldn’t make herself really believe the words. She had come by just to spend time with House, her mother was watching Rachel (she’d demanded to spend time with her and Cuddy had given in and obliged on the rationale that she needed a break, too) and she’d just wanted to see him, feel him, she missed him even though she’d seen him at work. Now that feeling was giving way to a sense that everything wasn’t right, and maybe House and Amber weren’t telling her everything. Maybe House was trying to protect her from some knowledge that would hurt her – but why? Wilson was House’s friend more than Cuddy’s and anything he might have done wrong would hurt House first, Amber second – if she even could be hurt, and Cuddy wasn’t entirely sure that was possible. Cuddy turned her gaze on House again. “Would you like me to stay?” House looked at Amber.
“You two catch up,” Amber murmured, “I’ll head back and try to sleep again.” House needs his comfort, she thought wryly, and what does it hurt me if he gets it? I need to go try and sleep again… if I’m rested, I’ll be sharp and if I’m sharp, I can get James back, and then I won’t need comfort – I’ll have him. She couldn’t quite remember gliding up House’s stairs into the guest room but suddenly she was there again, climbing under the covers again, making plans. I need to figure out what we’re going to do about Tritter if he’s going to be any help to us at all. I need to figure out what role he plays. He has to play a role... if I can make this into a game, then I know I can win. And then James is safe, he’s safe...
Downstairs, House was still staring at Cuddy.
“I’m scared,” he admitted in a quiet voice. “I don’t know where he could be.” Cuddy reached out and clutched his hand in hers, squeezing gently.
“We’ll find him. I promise. It’s most likely nothing… Maybe he got called away on a case or something with his family, even.” Cuddy didn’t believe that for a second – she’d never seen Wilson’s family in all the years he’d worked at PPTH, and even if he was going away to work on a case or, perhaps, deal with one of his three ex-wives, there’d be no reason not to tell Amber or, at the least, House, where he was going.
No, there was certainly something wrong here, and Cuddy couldn’t shake the feeling that House wasn’t telling her everything. Had House done something to drive Wilson away?
Cuddy shook her head and broke out of that thought. There wasn’t anything that could push Wilson away, not if nearly getting thrown in jail on House’s behalf hadn’t done the trick.
Wilson was in danger, but how or why or how much House knew, Cuddy couldn’t know, and helplessness was spreading through her, tingling up her spine and tormenting her – she hated this. What could she do? She couldn’t save Wilson, she couldn’t save House from this. All she could do was try to be with House through this, even if he wouldn’t tell her everything.
“I love you,” she whispered, and raised her right hand to House’s face, touching him gently on the cheek with her fingertips in an feathery brush. “I adore you. Sit here with me.” She moved to sit down on House’s couch, gesturing for him to join her, which he did slowly, haltingly.
She wrapped her arms around him and she couldn’t have said for how long, only that when she finally left the sun had begun to rise in the sky and she was no closer to figuring out what had happened to Wilson.
* “Turn the Page” – Bob Seger, Back in ’72, 1973.