House Fan Fiction ❯ A Christmas Story ❯ Skating ( Chapter 13 )

Skating

 

House limped back to office seeing his team already back inside waiting for him. He limped in and stopped at the doorway. No one said anything as he went over to the sink, poured himself coffee and waited for them to say something. Nothing, but silence from them.

 

“How's the artist doing?” muttered House.

 

“Breathing is stable for now,” said Chase. “She needs the surgery done so the fluids don't drown her.”

 

“Are her parents here yet?” asked House. He then took a drink of coffee.

 

“They drove to Chicago a few days ago. They're still trying to make it with the snow and ice on the roads,” said Cameron.

 

“Only you would know that,” said House. “Any visitors?”

 

“Just friends.”

 

“Okay then. Chase go check her heart. Cameron check her lungs. Foreman go check her brain. When she trying to hit me it felt like weak taps.”

 

“It's probably because she's sick and needs surgery,” said Foreman.

 

“Like I said before, go check her brain. Then all of you go work off your clinic duty for Christmas. Go on. Scat.”

 

They stood up and Chase and Foreman left the office. Cameron stood still by the table.

 

“What?”

 

“Did everything go well with the Bells?”

 

“Yeah. It did. Now go check Lilly's lungs.”

 

“I gave Lilly back her notepad.” Cameron went around the table and faced House. “I saw the scrapbook. I'm sorry.”

 

House simply stared at Cameron. “I know,” he muttered.

 

“She and Lilly do look similar and once I saw her I understood why you're so hesitant about the surgeries. Freud says that if something reminds you of something that is broken then you try to protect the unbroken object. She'll be fine, House.”

 

“That's what the doctors said at that hospital,” he stated. “Now go check her lungs walking normally before I hit you with this.” He held up his cane towards Cameron.

 

“Every year Mr. Bell calls wanting to speak to you,” said Cameron. “There's a picture of a gra-”

 

“Allison get going. If Lilly dies because of lung failure I'm holding you responsible.”

 

“I'm so sorry,” said Cameron. She touched his arm briefly and left the office.

 

House watched her leave. She wasn't going to tell Cuddy or Wilson, which was a relief. He limped into his office, put the diary into his bag, grabbed the scrapbook and limped over to his armchair. He sat down, propping up his legs, and popped a few Vicodin into his mouth. He flipped opened the book once again. He saw the first page once again with Katie jumping over the couch. The next page was what Cameron saw. A white headstone surrounded by roses and blue flowers that popped in the snow.

 

He turned the page again seeing him and Katie on the ice. Katie held House up on the ice as one of the parents or her sister took the picture. House closed his eyes and hit the back of his head on the chair. He felt the Vicodin kick in and drifted.

 

“Greg! You'll be fine. I promise the ice is about a few feet thick. See?” Katie pounded her ice-skate on the hard ice. “Now get out here already!”

 

House stepped out onto the ice. “I swear to God if I fall in again I'm going to kill you!”

 

Katie giggled and made a small circle on the ice. “If you can catch me then you're more than welcomed!” She stopped in front of him and pulled him onto the ice. “C'mon Dr. G-House. If you don't take chances then you'll never succeed!”

 

House stumbled out onto the ice and was pulled by Katie out near the middle. “I think you've forgotten that if I take chances I'll get sued.”

 

Katie rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Medicine is like art and in art you must take chances to be successful. Like Van Gogh.”

 

“You want me to send you my ear?” he muttered.

 

She giggled and let go of him. She skated away all buddle up in her winter clothing. Her thin body looked heavier for some reason. House balanced himself and started to skate towards Katie.

 

“Slow down!” he said trying to catch up with Katie. She was a racecar on the ice.

 

She giggled and stopped inches away from him making him stumble back. Katie grabbed his hand and pulled him along the ice. He saw Jamie and Chris walking out towards the lake dressed in the thick winter clothes. They waved over at them. Katie pulled House towards the edge of the lake and made a too sharp of a turn for both of them. Katie fell sideways that sent House forward towards the trees.

 

“House!”

 

House jumped and opened his eyes. He was sitting in his office with the scrapbook still on his lap. He looked over and saw Wilson standing there. He rubbed his face and shifted his legs.

 

“What?” he groaned.

 

“Two hours ago you told Cuddy I owed you a free lunch,” said Wilson. “And two hours ago you actually fought with a patient, which is highly unlike you.”

 

House dropped the scrapbook onto the floor and moved to face away from Wilson. “Go away,” he grumbled closing his eyes again.

 

“You never fight with patients.”

 

“I persuaded her not to get the surgery,” he muttered.

 

“Cuddy along with Foreman, Chase and Cameron and a few nurses say differently. More of a yelling fight.”

 

“She has hard hearing.”

 

“I was thinking more of a stand up fight against you. And you called her Katie again.”

 

House frowned and looked at Wilson. “So what?”

 

“She called you Greg.”

 

“And I'm calling you annoying. If you're not getting me lunch then you can leave.”

 

“I saw some girl and you together on ice before I woke you up. Who is she?”

 

“She is none of your business.”

 

“Don't make me call your mom,” threatened Wilson.

 

“Do it. Tell her I wish her a Merry Christmas since I haven't called her yet.”

 

“What did she do to you to make her unspeakable? Embarrass you in front of thousands?”

 

House stood up and faced Wilson. “She died. There you have your answer. She died. Happy?”

 

Wilson looked taken back. “How did she die?”

 

“Car accident.” He rubbed his forehead. “We were driving back home on Christmas Eve and she hit a patch of ice. The car flipped a few times since we went off into the ditch. She died and I lived.” He paused and felt the back of his head feeling the scar from cracking his head.

 

“So Mr. Bell calling you is what?”

 

He bit his lower lip. “Every year I send twenty red rose and blue lilies to her grave and every year her father calls to thank me. I've sent her flowers for over twenty years,” he muttered the last part.

 

“Wow. I had no idea. Why haven't you mentioned her before?”

 

House shrugged and picked up the scrapbook. He limped over to the desk, laid it down and popped another Vicodin into his mouth.

 

“Because no one needs to know about her.”

 

Wilson gave House an unbelievable look. “You honestly believe that? She oblivious means something to you still.”

 

“Yeah, she does!” snapped House. “She made me hate ice-skating even though she taught me. She made me take chances. She made me hate Christmases even more! There. You solved the case of Greg House. Now get out.” He glanced at the doorway seeing a pair of heels hiding behind his bookshelf and out in the hallway. They looked like Cameron's small feet.

 

Wilson simply stared at House. “She scarred you like Stacy did, but had a much bigger impact. Were you guys married?”

 

House looked back down at the heels then at Wilson. “You can leave now.”

 

“Engaged?” House rubbed his face. “For real?” exclaimed Wilson.

 

“Seriously you can leave,” said House. His beeper went off and he checked it. “Never mind I'll leave.”

 

Wilson rolled his eyes. “Where are you going?”

 

“Out,” he answered and stepped out his office. He saw Cameron leaning up against the glass. Her eyes were slightly puffy. “Next time when you're eavesdropping hide your heels. Man have I taught you nothing?” He now limped towards the elevators.

 

“House-”

 

He stopped and turned back around. “I know. You're sorry.” Wilson walked out of House's office and caught up to him. “Go dry your tears and finish downloading my porn.”