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sick_wilson2012-07-09 10:31 pm
Nine Nights Ten Days
Title: Nine Nights Ten Days
Summary: Wilson and House go camping and encounter several hazards, injuries and other problems along the way.
Warnings: House/Wilson relationship but just kissing and cuddling. There’s a little OOC behavior but most of that is due to their situation. There’s also mentions of an afterlife but no religious talk.
Spoilers: a few small ones for the season eight/ “Everybody Dies” timeline, so don’t read it if you haven’t seen that episode.
Rating: G I guess. Yes the two men are in the same sleeping bag but I think Bert and Ernie used to share a bed too and that was a kid’s show. Maybe a VERY light PG. I wouldn’t let a little kid read it but if you made it to this page you’re probably okay to watch this.
Prompt: for the Sick!Wilson Bingo Challenge. I used all 25 from the camp card.
Words: just shy of 1400 words
I was in the tent when I saw the first lightening strike. Unfortunately, House wasn’t there with me. I hate thunder storms! They give me anxiety attacks. I thought about going out to look for Greg but I was afraid of getting hurt again. Plus, with my cancer, even mild exposure to inclement weather could cause serious health problems. Today was the fifth morning of what was supposed to be a ten day camping trip. Unfortunately, the storm was going to keep us stuck in the tent all day.
Two months had passed since “House’s” funeral. So far things were going fairly well. However, I had been having a serious run of bad luck ever since we entered the woods.
I received a nasty sunburn on our first day in the woods. I hadn’t worn any sunscreen because it was overcast that morning. The whole experience wasn’t too bad though. Greg gave me a soothing Aloe Vera massage before we went to bed, which helped a lot.
In the middle of the next night, I woke up to the sound of House unzipping the tent flap. He said he needed to pee and would be back soon. Later, I heard him screaming for help and went looking for my friend. After twenty minutes of frantic searching, I finally discovered him trapped in a ditch, barefoot and shivering. I pulled him out and slipped my arms around his waist so I cold help him walk.
“I dropped my flashlight and it broke,” House explained, as we headed towards the tent. “I thought I could find my way back without it. I guess my sense of direction and my night vision aren’t what they used to be.”
“Serves me right for taking a dinosaur on a hiking trip” I taunted, kissing his hair. “And next time put your boots back on if you’re going outside. If you have to go to the hospital, one or both of us could be arrested.”
On day three, our compass stopped working for no reason at all. On the fourth evening, I tripped over a log and stepped into the campfire. Luckily I got my foot back up and out pretty quickly. House poured some water on my leg, and examined me. Thankfully, I wasn’t injured too badly, but my jeans are toast.
Yesterday was the worst by far. I found a bee in my backpack, and it stung me. Later, House and I ran into and were nearly sprayed by a skunk. Last night, I forgot to zip the tent closed properly. A bunch of mosquitoes and other bugs got in and spent the night snacking on us. Now I’m covered in dozens of insect bites.
When we woke up this morning, I got our food bag down from the trees and discovered our container of marshmallows had vanished! I’m fairly certain House ate them, but he won’t admit it. There were some animal tracks on the ground, which looked like they belonged to a large cat—Greg said they were cougar footprints—but I think they were fake. We’ve still got plenty of normal food, plus Oreos, and a few other sweets.
Other than the missing marshmallows today wasn’t too bad. Until now. Following the first bolt of lightening, the sky opened up and rain poured down on the tent. There was more lightening, thunder and horribly loud and strong winds. After what felt like an eternity, House returned with our lunches. Greg saw how upset I was instantly. He was soaking wet and freezing again. However, he still raced to my side to comfort me before thinking of his own needs. He pulled me into his lap, and held on tight until I started to calm down. Together we waited out the storm, while House told me funny stories. We cuddled together in our sleeping bag.
“Things could be worse. Remember the last time we went camping, some stupid bear ate all our food?” House asked. I laughed, nodding.
“He didn’t eat the Oreos,” I added, laying my head on his chest. “We lived for three days with nothing but cookie cream.” He yawned, and I couldn’t help but notice how rough the last few days had been on him. The more I thought about it, the more I started to think that hiking up a mountain may not have been the best choice for man with terminal cancer and his crippled boyfriend. “Maybe we should turn around and head back for the car, when the rain stops. You can barely move, and I’ve noticed how much vicodin you’ve been taking the last couple days. Trying to make you climb a mountain was too much.”
“Going back would take just as long as it will to finish,” House explained. “And yeah, I’m sore as Hell but whichever way we’re headed I’ll still be hiking all day. We might as well finish what we started,” he explained. The storm finally started to die down when I started to cough. Although that word doesn’t really describe what was happening to me.
I had begun having “fits.” They lasted for five or ten, sometimes even fifteen minutes. The whole time, I would make these loud hacking sounds. I coughed violently, had spasms, coughed up blood, and could barely breathe during the attacks. I knew how upsetting they were for him. When I felt one coming on, I tried and get away from Greg until it passed. Unfortunately, we were trapped in a tent during a rain storm. I couldn’t go anywhere.
House cringed when the coughing started. I hated being sick. I didn’t want to die, but for the time I wasn’t worried about myself. I was more concerned about House at this time. My pain was manageable. I had months to deal with my fears and anxieties about death. House on the other hand... My death was killing him.
It was easy for him to enjoy our trip when I seemed healthy. Most of the time, he could pretend we were just out having fun, doing what we always did. Unfortunately, whenever I so much as looked like I might cough; it reminded him that we only had a few months left together. That I was about to leave him.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered between hacks.
House shushed me and said, “You didn’t do anything wrong. And this is hardly your worst fit. Last week we went to the stupid adult summer camp you found. Your coughed so loud it freaked out the guy doing the archery demonstration. His bow went off in his hands and the arrow actually hit our arts and crafts instructor. She needed three stitches.”
“I told you, I don’t think that was an accident. The guy was nicknamed Shark!” House chuckled. I did too, which made the coughing worse.
When the fit finally ended, I added, “I know it’s painful for you to see me coughing and stuff. I know you don’t wanna talk about it—and for the time being we don’t have to—but at some point, I will need you to be the strong one. That’s down the road a bit, though. I will be taking care of you for as long as I can,” I promised, stroking his hair. “I know that is going to be difficult, but with the way you gobble down Vicodin, you’ll be joining me in Heaven a year from now, maybe two.”
“I don’t believe in an afterlife; it’s all crap.” House yawned. We got ready for bed and curled up together again. “Heaven would be nice, though.” He looked like he was about to pass out from exhaustion.
“Is it okay if I get up for a second?” Greg said sure but asked what I was up to. “I want to make sure the tent flap is zipped up all the way. With our luck, a snake might come climbing in here to eat me alive.” House launched into a long speech about how idiotic my concern was. He was out like a light less than five minutes later. I stayed awake for a while, worrying how he would handle life without me around. I found some consolation in believing we would be reunited one day. Then, I would have all of eternity to make him truly happy. To make us both happy.
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