darkdreamer | Dark Redux, Part 1.15 -- Mob Rules

Hey, guys, just adding this chapter while I sit here bored at my biweekly plasma donation :P Hope you enjoy it, please let me know :) This is my favorite story to post right now, and I'd like to know what you guys think of it as well :)

*Hugs*
DoS

Title: Dark Redux
Episode: 1.15 -- Mob Rules
Beta:

andi88
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; Wilson is dark and manipulative and menacing, but not outright violent in this chapter :P
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 is seeing Cameron as a greater and greater threat to his relationship with House. When Vogler tells House he has to fire someone, Wilson sees this as a golden opportunity.

Wilson’s thoughts were dark and troubled as he made his way through the halls of the hospital, anxious to find House and tell him what was going on.

Great. This is just great. Vogler’s determined to get rid of him, and thankfully, Cuddy’s determined to keep him from doing that – but I’m not sure she can stop him in the end…

Cuddy had managed to escape her office, using the excuse of getting a cup of coffee, long enough to inform Wilson in hurried, frantic tones of Vogler’s ultimatum. She had seemed desperate, seeking for some advice; but unfortunately, Wilson had little to offer her. In this situation, Vogler seemed to hold all the cards.

If only he could have put on the stupid freakin’ lab coat…

When he had stopped by House’s office, only Foreman was there, and he had told Wilson that he didn’t know where House was, but their patient was having an MRI. So, Wilson set off for radiology, on the off chance that perhaps he would find House overseeing the procedure.

As he approached the closed door to the observation booth, Wilson’s hopes sank as he made out the voices of Cameron and Chase… but not House. Still, he hoped they might be able to point him in the right direction. He froze outside the door, however, when he heard the quiet, uncertain words that Cameron spoke.

“Did House seem… weird, to you?”

“Are you expecting him to be weird?” Chase countered, mild curiosity in his voice.

Wilson leaned against the wall beside the door, making sure that he was out of sight from the small window in the door, as he listened intently to their quiet conversation. Cameron’s next words, however, set a cold feeling of possessive anger and fear in the pit of his stomach.

“We… spoke… about how we feel.”

How they feel? What the hell is that supposed to mean? What exactly does House feel for her?

“You told him you liked him?” Chase sounded surprised, but far more interested than he had sounded a moment earlier.

“No, of course not.” Cameron’s words were accompanied by a low, rueful laugh of self-conscious embarrassment. “I asked him if he liked me.”

“Why would you do that?” Chase sounded stunned, and Wilson could almost hear him shaking his head in disbelief.

“Because… I like him.”

Little slut… disgusting little whore…

Wilson fumed silently, resisting the impulse to burst through the door and teach Cameron a lesson about making moves on his man. He had known Cameron was interested in House for months now, and she had even made a few attempts to get closer to House, even going so far as to seek out his advice on at least one occasion.

But now, she was going so far as to openly declare her feelings for House to others…

She’d better stay away from him, if she knows what’s good for her. She’d better just keep her words and her hands and everything else to herself. I will not lose him to her… no matter what I have to do to make sure of that…

Chase and Cameron kept talking a few moments longer, but Wilson was no longer listening. His thoughts were consumed with what he had already heard – and what he was going to do about it.

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

Things were going remarkably well.

House even found himself smiling a little as he guided the car his patient’s mobster brother had given him as a rather generous gift for helping his brother. For once, he relished the attention of the occasional pedestrian, casting appreciative glances in their direction.

Wilson had been irritated for a couple days over House’s refusal to comply with Vogler’s orders. In the end, however, he had softened, relenting and admitting that House simply wouldn’t be House if he was the kind of person who would bend to the demands of a power mad authority figure like Vogler.

He had tenderly kissed him and confessed, “That’s why you’re the man I love.”

House glanced down in surprise when he felt a light pressure on his leg, just above his knee… and smiled when he saw Wilson’s hand resting comfortably there. He glanced up at Wilson’s face, and his smile faded slightly when he saw the serious expression on Wilson’s face.

“You should let Vogler tell the feds.”

House felt his good mood withering with Wilson’s advice.

So we’re back to this then… back to appeasing the control freak millionaire to cover our butts…

“Why?” he asked, his voice quiet and level.

He already knew the answer before Wilson spoke.

“Because you humiliated him the first time Joey was released. You think you should still be in third there, Ace?”

House forced himself to ignore the remark about his driving, gritting his teeth against the scathing retort that rose to his lips. “He humiliated himself,” he countered instead, choosing to keep the conversation on topic.

“And because your job depends on the kind of mood Vogler’s in at the end of his marathon with Cuddy,” Wilson added. He frowned, looking critically down at the gear shift as he asked, “Seriously, have you ever driven an automobile before? There are four gears, you know.”

Irritated by Wilson’s constant corrections, House allowed his thoughts to come out before he could think to temper them.

“The ’66 came with a shut up button.”

Wilson’s only response was utter silence.

House felt a cold knot forming in the pit of his stomach, and he swallowed hard, inwardly cringing at his comment, and the impending bad mood he was certain it would create in his lover.

Shouldn’t have said that… should have just kept your stupid mouth shut…

His frown deepened slightly, however, as frustration mingled with his fear.

But why shouldn’t I go ahead and say what’s on my mind, like I’ve always done? Why should I be afraid of Wilson? Things have been great lately; there’s no reason to think that he’ll jump instantly to anger… except of course, the fact that he’s done that quite a bit lately, actually…

In all the years of their friendship, House had seen Wilson angry many times; but he had never guessed at the quick temper that lay beneath the calm façade that Wilson usually displayed. Since they had turned their friendship into something more, it seemed that Wilson had become more comfortable with allowing that side of his personality to show more often.

It seems like I’m always doing something wrong… always doing something to get on his nerves or make him angry with me…

What House didn’t want to admit to himself as he cast anxious glances in Wilson’s direction, wondering at his silence, was that he was not only afraid to anger Wilson for fear of his reaction – but he was also afraid to anger him, for fear of how he would have to react if Wilson’s anger went too far. He knew enough to know that forgiveness was permission when it came to cases of physical violence, and knew that if Wilson ever crossed that line, he would have to take the rather drastic but necessary step of ending their relationship.

It was a step House was not sure he was capable of taking.

I can’t lose him… no matter what, I can’t… If I lose Wilson, what else have I got? Nothing. He loves me… and there’s no one else I can say that about. He’s… he’s all I have…

“Pull over up here, into that parking lot.”

Wilson’s voice was quiet and even, as he gestured toward an empty, dimly lit lot to their right. House swallowed hard to dampen his dry mouth, nodding once in silence as he got into the right lane and prepared to obey Wilson’s command. The cold, sick feeling in his stomach intensified, as he wondered what Wilson intended. As he parked the car and turned uneasily in his seat to face Wilson, not quite able to meet his eyes, House noticed that his hands were trembling, and folded them together quickly in an effort to disguise it.

Wilson had already noticed.

“Hey,” he murmured gently, reaching up a hand to cup House’s cheek, his expression growing soft and sad when House barely managed to suppress a flinch. “Relax. What are you so nervous about?”

House shrugged slightly, still not looking at Wilson, until Wilson gently tilted his chin up, silently insisting that House meet his warm, reassuring gaze. Wilson leaned in slowly, capturing House’s mouth in a kiss that was slow, thorough, and infinitely tender. When he drew back, House’s eyes were studying his face with something resembling relief, yet still revealing a note of apprehension.

“Don’t worry so much,” Wilson advised softly with a smile. “I know you were just joking, House. Everything’s fine. Okay?”

Uncertain, House held his gaze for a moment longer, before nodding slowly. “Okay,” he echoed in a voice barely over a whisper. “Then… why did you want me to stop the car?”

Wilson’s smile became sly and suggestive, a teasing glimmer in his eyes as he trailed a slow, purposeful hand up House’s leg.

“Why do you think?”

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

The next morning, Wilson walked with House toward their offices, as House described his conversation with Cuddy, and the ultimate result of her interminable conference with Vogler.

“So Cuddy stood up for you.” Wilson’s tone was dubious, as if he wasn’t quite sure what Cuddy’s motives might be in doing so.

“To a point,” House conceded with a grimace and a sideways half-nod.

Wilson frowned, the suspicion in his eyes deepening. “To what point?”

“I gotta do six more clinic hours a month. So do two of them.” House nodded toward his team waiting for him in his office.

“Why only two?”

House paused to meet Wilson’s eyes, gauging his reaction as he replied. “Because one of them’s gone. I gotta fire somebody.”

Just as House reached for the door to his office, prepared to make a dramatic exit on the heels of his revelation, Wilson stopped him with a light but firm hand on his wrist, drawing his eyes back to Wilson’s in expectation. Wilson’s expression was inscrutable, his tone certain, as he gave House his recommendation.

“Cameron.”

House’s brow creased in a slight frown, and he glanced self-consciously down at the floor before meeting Wilson’s eyes again.

“I’m not sure the choice is that simple.”

Wilson considered for a moment, before releasing House’s wrist, nodding down the hall toward his own office. “Come on. I need to talk to you.”

House hesitated a moment before following Wilson around the corner and into his office. His eyes widened slightly as he watched Wilson lock the door, then turn to face him fully, his expression solemn and intent.

“I know that Cameron asked you if you liked her.”

House’s expression became wary, and he took an unconscious step backward as he opened his mouth to respond in a cautious, halting voice. “I… told her I’m not interested. It really wasn’t… wasn’t that big a deal. She asked me if I liked her… and I told her no, Wilson. There’s no reason to fire her.”

“Except for the fact that she obviously likes you, House,” Wilson countered, his tone taking on a note of impatience as he folded his arms across his chest in irritation. “That could be a complication that you don’t need in a dangerous situation like this Vogler thing is shaping up to be.”

“I would think that I’d want as many people that do like me around as possible,” House argued, sounding a little defensive. “She knows I don’t want anything to do with her outside of working hours. She’s acted completely normal ever since that conversation. I need her on my team. Every member of my team brings something different to the table, and that’s why it works perfectly just as it is.”

“Apparently it doesn’t,” Wilson shot back, anger rising in his voice as he took a step closer to House, “since someone had to tell Vogler about your bulimic heart patient. I warned you about this, House. I told you to be careful, but you were the one who had to play this your way… so now you have to deal with the consequences. You have to fire someone.”

“Well, I don’t intend to,” House insisted. “I intend to win this, and not end up having to fire anyone.” He paused, an irritated frown crossing his face as he added, “And anyway, I’m pretty sure it was Chase that ratted me out to Vogler, so if I have to fire someone, shouldn’t it be…?”

House’s words broke off as he drew in a sharp breath of alarmed surprise, when Wilson swiftly moved in closer to him, reaching out to grasp his forearm and prevent his attempted step backward. Wilson held him close to him, not allowing his retreat, as a cool, knowing smile rose to his lips, and his dark, piercing gaze locked onto House’s wide, uncertain eyes.

“House,” he began in a quiet, patient voice. “You can’t always have exactly what you want.” He paused, holding House’s gaze as he clarified slowly, “You can have Cameron… or you can have me… but you can’t have both.”

House’s expression became indignant. “That’s not a fair choice. I don’t want her like…”

Wilson instantly released him, turning on his heel and striding without hesitation toward his own office door as if to leave. House felt his stomach lurch with fear at the prospect of what such an action would symbolize.

“Wait.”

He spoke up just as Wilson reached for the door handle – and Wilson stopped, turning toward him slightly again, eyebrows raised in expectation. House’s gaze faltered as he struggled over words far more humble and submissive than he was accustomed to uttering – though he was becoming more and more used to it all the time.

“Okay.” House conceded at last, his eyes downcast. “Okay. I… don’t need her.” He hesitated, meeting Wilson’s eyes with a muted look of beseeching honesty. “Not… not like I need you. I’ll… I’ll fire her… if that’s what you want.”

Wilson’s face broke into a satisfied smile as he crossed the room to his lover once more, his hands resting possessively at House’s hips as he leaned in for a deep, hard, demanding kiss that left House breathless and longing for more when it was over.

“It is,” Wilson confirmed with a decisive nod. His voice slid over House’s uncertainties like dark satin, soothing, reassuring him that he had made the right choice. “She wants you… and I don’t like that. You’re mine now, House – not hers, or anyone else’s. Mine. And I don’t like to share.”

Wilson wanted him, badly enough that he was afraid to take the chance of someone else taking him away.

House couldn’t remember the last time someone had cared that much for him.

“You… you won’t have to.” He whispered the earnest promise, leaning in closer to Wilson, wordlessly seeking another kiss. “I swear it, Wilson… I am yours, no one else’s. You don’t ever have to worry about that…”

His eyes trailed down to Wilson’s lips, and he moved in to claim the kiss he wanted – but Wilson’s firm hand on his chest stopped him, and he looked up at Wilson’s face, a silent, uncertain question in his eyes.

“Is that so.”

Wilson murmured in a tone of thoughtful amusement, looking House up and down through lust-darkened eyes, as a firm hand on House’s shoulder pressed insistently downward, the other on his arm pushing him into the kneeling position Wilson wanted, while supporting him enough to keep the movement from being painful.

House stared up at him, his insecurity and vulnerability apparent in his naked gaze. Wilson smiled down at him, his breath quickening at the rather appealing sight of House, kneeling and submissive at his feet. Wilson’s voice was breathless and trembling with desire when he spoke again, holding House’s gaze intently.

“Why don’t you prove it?"

TBC...