House Fan Fiction ❯ A Christmas Story ❯ No Cane ( Chapter 3 )

No Cane

 

House was listening to music when he saw Cameron, Foreman and Chase walk into his office holding a notepad. He took off the headphones and looked at them.

 

“Heart attack?” he guessed.

 

“Actually something non-medical,” said Cameron and handed him the notepad.

 

House stared at the notepad then up at Cameron. “Porn?” he asked and took the notepad.

 

“Just look for yourself,” she stated.

 

House raised an eyebrow and opened the notepad. He flipped through the pages and his facial expression slowly changed. He saw the last picture of himself leaning up against a wall; no cane. He was standing on stairs and looking down at the floor. This picture didn't look finished yet. Each picture was signed LN.

 

“What's her name?” he asked slowly and went back through the pictures.

 

“Lilly Napper,” said Foreman. “Do you know her?”

 

House thought for a moment and shook his head. “No, but apparently she knows me. That….how old is she?”

 

“Twenty,” answered Chase. “So unless she was a hooker I don't think you know her.”

 

The L's had the same curve at the time and the N's had the small loop at the end. House stood up, grabbed his cane, and popped another Vicodin. This wasn't possible at all.

 

“Lunch break. See you in…five hours,” said House and limped towards the door.

 

“It's ten o'clock in the morning,” said Foreman.

 

“Yeah, I know. I need two hours to order and another three hours for the Vicodin to soak it up.” He went directly to the elevators and pushed the down button with his cane. He limped in and went down to the room.

 

House stopped just far away enough to see inside the room. The girl with dark hair was drawling again in a notepad. He stepped a few steps forward trying to see her face. Just go into the room, snapped the voice inside his head.

 

She can't be…thought House. She's dead.

 

He went closer still holding her notepad. He limped closer seeing the bandage on the side of her face. God I'm going to regret this. He opened the door to her room and went inside. She sat on the bed, calmly, just drawling away. She had the same face and when she looked up the same dark eyes. Her face was pale, but perfect. Right handed and drew so perfect, too.

 

Lilly looked at him strangely as he stared at her. “Hi,” she said. “Are you Dr. Cameron's friend that likes drawings?”

 

“No, we're not friends. More like master and slave,” he said. “Who's the guy?” He held up the notepad.

 

Lilly cocked her head to the side. “Which guy? I draw a young one and an older one.”

 

“Both.”

 

She looked closer at House. “You look really familiar. Do I know you?”

 

House shrugged and opened up to the last drawing. “Apparently you know me.”

 

Lilly grabbed the notepad and looked between him and the picture. She blinked a few times then looked at House. “But I've never seen you before.”

 

“Apparently you have seen me before. Who are your parents?”

 

Lilly paused for a moment. “Uh-Julianne is my mother and Adam Napper.”

 

“Your positive? You aren't adoptive or anything?”

 

“No and if I am they haven't told me.”

 

“Art major to teach kids, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Have they called your parents yet?”

 

“Pretty sure.” She looked at his cane. “What happened to your leg?”

 

“Hooker broke it. How did you crash?”

 

“I hit a sheet of ice. Are you a doctor?”

 

“Yes. Did you have a seizure?”

 

Lilly paused for a moment before speaking. “I'm not sure. I don't really remember anything except turning the wheel. Then waking up after the wreck and then being here. Why? Do you think it was a seizure?”

 

“Nope. How long have you been drawing me?”

 

“I haven't been drawing you. I didn't draw a cane with you.”

 

House smirked. “Right. My excuse to get out of work is that I forgot my cane.”

 

Lilly shrugged and felt pain shooting through her shoulders once again. She gasped in pain.

 

“What's wrong?” he asked.

 

“My shoulders hurt. I thought this pain medicine was suppose to work.”

 

House glanced over her charts then up at the bag. He pulled out his Vicodin, popped one into his mouth with no reaction from Lilly, and handed one to her.

 

“You probably broke something or something's out of place.” He then wrote something down on the chart. “You'll get one of the many scans to make sure nothing's floating around. Can I keep this?” He held up the notepad.

 

Lilly reached out and grabbed it. “No. It's my notepad and I don't want you to ruin the pictures by adding in a cane.”

 

He smirked. “Fine. When you fix the pictures come and get me.” He limped over to the door.

 

“What's your name?” she asked.

 

“I'm Dr. House. You may call me Dr. House.”

 

Lilly smiled to herself. “House, uh? What's your first name?”

 

He turned to face her. “Why? Gonna tell the nurses that I beat you with this?” He held up his cane.

 

“So I can label my pictures,” she answered and flipped to the first page. “Well?”

 

“It's K.”

 

Lilly frowned. “Somehow I don't believe you.”

 

“Good. Keep drawing. You're going to be in here for about a week unless something pops out of nowhere. “

 

“Okay,” she said and flipped back to the last picture. She began to move the pencil once again like she had before.

 

House nodded and limped out closing the door behind him. He went to his office and was glad that Cameron, Foreman, and Chase were off doing God knows what. He opened the door, limped over to his desk and sat down. He stared at the phone for a few minutes, picked up the receiver and called Mr. Bell.