Dark Redux, Part 1.7 -- Fidelity

[darkdreamer]

Hi, guys... got another entry in the Dark Redux series... hope you enjoy it :)

*hugs*
DoS


Title: Dark Redux
Episode: 1.7 -- Fidelity
Beta: misanthropicobs
Disclaimer: House, Wilson, and all other characters/ideas taken from the show are not my own, and I'm making no profit from the writing of this fiction -- just for fun, I promise. :P (Some dialogue this chapter taken directly from the episode.)
Pairing: House/Wilson
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: In this particular 'verse, I've changed one thing about the canon timeline. At the beginning of the story, when House and Wilson first get together, Wilson is already recently divorced from Julie.
Story Warnings: slash, dark Wilson eventually -- specific warnings for each chapter as necessary
Chapter Warnings: none, really
Story Summary: A darker version of how canon might have gone, if House and Wilson had entered into a relationship from the start -- and if that relationship took a gradually dark, disturbing turn.
Chapter Summary: Wilson's behaving a bit differently, and it's House's turn to be jealous. But does he have a reason to be?

 

"She's been averaging eighteen hours of sleep a day since her admission..."

House suppressed a sigh as he tried, without success, to get ahead of Cameron. Despite his efforts, she easily kept pace with him as she kept talking, arguing, trying to maneuver him into taking on the patient she was describing.

"Three ER doctors, two neurologists, and a radiologist have all figured out what it's not. We need to figure out what it is," Cameron explained as they reached the elevators.

House finally turned to face her, once he had no ready means of escape, retorting, "Well, maybe if above-mentioned doctors were interested in my opinion, they would have asked for it."

Cameron gave him a slightly sheepish smile of amusement. "None of them are willing to subject themselves to you."

House returned her smile, amused as well, and oddly satisfied by that knowledge. "No pain, no gain."

He shrugged as he pressed the button for the elevator again impatiently. Cameron got into the elevator with him, still arguing her case as they made their way closer to his office. Finally, just outside the door, House stopped and turned to face her.

"What's the first thing you ask a doctor who's referring a patient?"

Cameron frowned. "Are you questioning my ability to take a history?" She sighed in resignation when House just looked at her in silent expectation. "What's the primary..."

"Not what. Why?"

More confused than ever, Cameron shook her head. "Diseases don't have motives."

"No, but doctors do. Why this patient? What interests you? Give me the chart."

Cameron was understandably suspicious. "Why?"

House smiled. "I find your interest interesting," he admitted, turning to walk into his office.

He stopped, surprised, when Cameron reached out to touch his arm before he could escape. He glanced down at the place where her hand rested, just above his wrist, then back up at her expectantly, awaiting her explanation.

Cameron was staring down at his wrist, a soft, wistful smile on her lips when she finally looked up to meet his eyes.

"Nice watch," she observed quietly. "New?"

House looked down at the gold watch on his wrist, taking a moment to admire it himself, before looking up at her again, the barest trace of a smile on his lips.

"Yeah. Birthday present."

Cameron nodded once. "I thought so." She was quiet for a moment as she dropped her hand from House's arm and added, "Wilson has good taste."

House's head tilted slightly in an uncertain expression as he watched her turn and walk away, wondering how she had guessed the source of his new watch. He raised his free hand to absently trace its edges, seeing in his mind's eye the words Wilson had had engraved on its underside -- out of sight as long as House was wearing it, but ever-present in his mind.

"With all my love, yours always -- James"

*************************

House may have been in a relationship with another man that was very fulfilling and satisfying in every possible way -- but he was taken, not blind. So, naturally, when faced with the surgically-altered-to-perfection breasts of Mrs. Campbell, there was only one thing House could possibly do -- and that one thing was to share the vision of womanly perfection with his male lover.

"Well. That's what breasts look like."

"Is a lie a lie if everybody knows it's a lie?" House mused, his mind strangely focused on the clinic patient's words as opposed to her breasts.

"Well, if a tree pretends to fall in a forest..." Wilson smirked, shaking his head. "House, come on. They're breasts. They're a birthday present, not a philosophical treatise."

"Speaking of birthday presents..." House changed the subject, falling into step with Wilson as they made their way toward the counter. "Cameron noticed mine. And... instantly guessed that it was from you."

"Well, duh," Wilson replied, glancing at House dubiously as he stopped at the counter and picked up a pen to mark Mrs. Campbell's chart, his words accompanied by a ruefully apologetic laugh. "Who else is gonna get you a birthday present, House?"

House managed to suppress his slight flinch at those words, but couldn’t disguise quite all of the hurt they caused.

"Nice," he muttered, his eyes finding the floor. "Thanks."

"Come on, House." Wilson's voice immediately softened with regret. "You know I didn't mean it like that..."

"Right."

"House..." Wilson's voice lowered secretively, and he edged slightly closer to House, glancing self-consciously around to see if anyone was paying any attention to them. "... we can't talk about this right now. Okay? Can we wait until we can get to one of our offices?"

"Yeah. Sure," House muttered. "Because God help us if anyone were to actually find out that we're..."

"House... we talked about this." Wilson's anxious eyes scanned the room again before meeting House's gaze. "For now, it's just better if..."

"If you leave your options open?" House finished for him, his blue eyes icy and piercing.

Wilson blinked, backing up slightly, caught off guard by the abrupt accusation. "Excuse me?" he sputtered after a moment. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Last three months, same five ties," House observed, and Wilson frowned in confusion at the apparent change in subject. "Thursday should be that paisley thing."

"So I got a new one." Wilson shrugged, shaking his head in bewilderment. He lowered his voice and leaned in slightly closer, glancing around again as he added, "I... I thought you would like it."

"No, you didn't. I hate green -- and you know I hate green. You bought that for yourself -- because you want to look pretty. At work. For someone who's not me."

House's tone was flat and defeated as he took another chart from the stack and headed toward another exam room, unwilling to face Wilson's weak explanation. Not to be deterred, however, Wilson caught his arm and spun him back around to face him. Unbalanced by the sudden move, House bit back a startled gasp, his heart accelerating slightly under the dark intensity of Wilson's gaze.

"You really think I would cheat on you."

It sounded like a statement, but the disbelief in Wilson's tone made it a question. House was silent for a moment, locked in mental debate, before finally glancing down at Wilson's hand on his arm and meeting his eyes again. His voice was level and cautiously calm as he spoke at last.

"You'd better take your hand off my arm -- before someone accuses you of inappropriate touching in the workplace. Or before your secret girlfriend starts to wonder if you’ve got a secret boyfriend."

Without giving Wilson time to respond, House jerked away from Wilson's firm grip on his arm, turning and stalking swiftly into the exam room.

******************************

Needless to say, things were very awkward between House and Wilson for the rest of the day.

Unfortunately, Wilson was needed to consult on their patient, as cancer was one suspected diagnosis. House subtly orchestrated his involvement so that they were never in a room alone together, always surrounded by his team, so that Wilson couldn’t get another chance to plead his case. He was fairly certain that his team picked up on the quiet tension between them, but no one dared ask him about it.

Toward the end of the day, House found himself alone in his office. A shadow fell across his doorway, and House looked up to see Wilson leaning against the doorframe, studying him through speculative eyes. House was quiet for a moment, debating whether he should order Wilson out, or get up and walk away himself. Noting the almost fierce certainty in Wilson’s eyes, House resigned himself to the fact that the conversation was going to happen, whether he liked it or not.

“Foreman got the gang testing for tularemia?” he asked casually, eyes focused back down on his desk.

“Yep.” Wilson’s short response made it clear that he was in no mood for small talk.

House looked up at him accusingly, deciding to oblige him. “So what’s her name? Have I met her?”

“There’s nobody, House,” Wilson replied without hesitation, his voice soft and earnest. “Okay? I’m not cheating on you.”

“Your lips say no… your shoes say yes.”

Despite the solemn expression of concern in his dark eyes, Wilson’s mouth twitched in a hint of a smile, as he shrugged slightly. “Well, they’re French,” he pointed out. “You can’t trust a word they say.”

House didn’t crack a smile, didn’t so much as blink.

Wilson’s smile faded completely as he stepped away from the doorway, slowly closing the distance between them. “House,” he insisted quietly. “I haven’t cheated on you. Okay? I wouldn’t. I… had lunch with one of the nurses. It’s her first time in the oncology unit and she’s having a tough time emotionally – but that’s all it was. Just lunch.”

“Perfect,” House muttered, looking down at his desk again and attempting to busy himself.

Wilson swiftly reached him, sitting in the chair across from him and reaching out to catch his hands, stilling his attempts at distraction. Irritated at the restriction, House glared up at him, defiant and angry and accusing.

“I was just trying to be nice,” Wilson softly persisted. “That’s all. I promise.”

“Yeah, well.” House looked away again stubbornly with a falsely careless shrug, but did not pull his hands away. “Your promises don’t mean much.”

All at once Wilson released House’s hands, slamming a fist down hard on the edge of House’s desk as he rose abruptly to his feet.

“Damn it, House!” he snarled in frustration. “Are you never going to let me forget my past mistakes?”

House tensed slightly at the raw anger in Wilson’s reaction, but did not look up. He swallowed hard, his gaze focused on the spot on his desk where Wilson’s fist had just been.

“You get absolutely furious with me and threaten to hit me when I get jealous of you and your almost constant flirtations – and yet if I just talk to a woman that happens to work for me, you’re gonna throw a tantrum over it and behave like a possessive, jealous child. Does that make sense to you, House? Really?”

House was silent, thrown a bit off guard and unsure how to respond in the face of Wilson’s sudden fury, and Wilson fell silent, his temper slowly fading at House’s stunned reaction. When Wilson walked around the desk toward him, House tensed slightly in instinctive reaction, but did not pull away as Wilson crouched in front of him, resting his hands on his knees. Wilson raised one hand to run it nervously through his hair with a shaky sigh of defeat, before returning it to House’s leg, staring intently at House until he reluctantly met his gaze.

“Look. I love you, House. And only you. I mean it. I would never cheat on you. Please. You have to believe that.”

House was quiet, relaxing slightly now that it seemed Wilson’s rage had dissipated, but still unwilling to relent completely.

“Please,” Wilson whispered, edging in closer to House, raising one hand to rest gently at the back of his neck, massaging slowly as his other hand began to run slowly up and down House’s thigh. “Please… you have to believe me. I love you, House. I love you…”

When Wilson leaned in to kiss him softly, House allowed it, but did not respond at first.

“Please, House… please believe me,” Wilson persisted, soft urgency in his voice. “You have to believe me… please…”

Finally, House relented, tentatively responding to Wilson’s kiss, softly pressing his tongue past Wilson’s yielding lips, raising his hands to pull Wilson closer. Both men were acutely aware that anyone who happened to pass by House’s office might see them; and while House knew better than to hope that Wilson would be willing to announce their relationship publicly if no one did happen to see them, that knowledge alone was gratifying.

House’s forgiveness and acceptance meant more to Wilson than the secret he had insisted upon thus far.

Still, when Wilson finally rose and walked away to resume his duties, House’s heart was heavy. He watched him go through eyes filled with weary resignation, because he knew that Wilson’s long-formed habits were not likely to change – and he also knew that he was not likely to leave Wilson because of those habits.

He wanted him, needed him, too much.

It wasn’t really surprising to House. Wilson could have anyone he wanted, anyone at all – and it was as Wilson had implied in the clinic. No one else would have House, besides Wilson. No one else would be willing to put up with his caustic, difficult personality and irritatingly obsessive nature. No, Wilson was all House had, and likely all he would ever have.

But as the light floral scent of a woman’s perfume that Wilson had still carried on him wafted through the air, and the sweet taste of flavored lip gloss lingered on his tongue, House’s heart sank with the knowledge that despite his best efforts, he only had Wilson in part.

It didn’t matter, he knew.

House would rather have Wilson only in part, than to have none of him at all.

TBC...

/>
Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney

Comments

[arhh.livejournal.com]

Ouch :( Poor House, but really, leopards don't change their spots and he knew what lying manipulative cheater Wilson is. Thanks for sharing :)

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

yeah, poor house should know better, but he really needs wilson, and he's hanging on pretty tight here, when maybe it'd be better for him to let go while he has the chance :( thanx, love, glad you liked the chapter... the next one is up now ;) *Hugs*

[lostwiginity.livejournal.com]

Awww, it's so sad!

And very believeable, seeing as it's true that House is very needy and Wilson is a bit of an bastard.

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

yep, house is hanging on to wilson like a lifeline, when wilson is in truth more of a millstone at the moment :P ... glad you enjoyed the update, love :) *hugs* the next one is up now, hope you enjoy it :)

P.S. your icon freaks me out! O.O lol... *goes to hide under bed*

[jadzia7667.livejournal.com]

Poor House. Wilson's a master manipulator here and it shows. I like the Stockholm Syndrome symptoms we're seeing - gradually uncovered, but oh, so clear.

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

yeah, house is starting to feel that wilson is someone he *needs*, not just wants, to be with... and that could be a dangerous thing in this fic :(... glad you enjoyed the update, love... the next one is up now, hope you like :) *hugs*

[jackssilverwolf.livejournal.com]

Oh House. This series is such fun, twisted individual that I am. ;o)

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

hehehhehe... glad you're enjoying it, hon... sounds like you're a lot like me ;) hehe... the next chapter is up now, hope you like it :) *hugs*

[bonomania.livejournal.com]

Bad, BAD Wilson...just BAD.

Poor House :(

The end of this chapter was so sad and really made me feel for House.

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

yeah, wilson's really a creep in this one :( and he's only going to get gradually worse... glad you liked the chapter, hon :) *hugs* the next one's up now :) hope you like :)

[madwriter223.livejournal.com]

Ah, crap. Wilson's cheating already? Seriously? Or is he just wearing lip-gloss cause his lips are dry? That could happen, the guy paints his toe-nails. XD

I really like how House reacted to Wilson's affair. He's in too deep, that's for sure. And kudos for the brainwashing. Nice touch. ^__^

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

hehe... glad the subtle beginnings of the brainwashing are apparent, because i'm meaning for it to be visible if you look for it :P

wilsons getting gradually worse and worse, and house needs to run... but he won't :(

thanx, love, glad you enjoyed the update... the next one is up now :) hope you like :)

[chaoskir.livejournal.com]

Urrgh poor House, how sad is that? Urrgh. Very moving. Thanks for the great update.

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

yeah, he's kind of in a bad place right now, and gradually getting worse :( thanx, love, glad you enjoyed the chapter... the next one is up now :) *Hugs*

[verbal-kint10.livejournal.com]

Awesome possum, as always. :)

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

hehe.. glad you enjoyed it, love :) *hugs* the next one is up now, hope you like :) *Hugs* thanx so much

[jennybliss.livejournal.com]

Poor House!!

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

yeah, things are starting to get bad for him :( thanx, love, the next chapter is up now :) hope you like :)

[moz17.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'm getting back into this fic. Damn though, this part was so sad. I really felt for poor House!!!

[dreamsofspike.livejournal.com]

i'm so glad you're reading this fic again, love, it's kind of my 'baby' at the moment ;) hehe... hope you enjoy it :) *hugs*