darkdreamer

Hi, all :)

Here's my latest update of Dark Redux, hope you like it :)

*hugs*
DoS

Title: Dark Redux
Episode: 1.16 -- Heavy
Beta: a

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 for this chapter
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: House doesn't want to fire Cameron -- or anyone, for that matter. His attempt to stand up to Wilson's demands has some unexpected results.

“You need to get rid of one of your people.”

House suppressed a sigh as he reached the elevators, and realized that he could not escape Cuddy’s lecture. He had tried to tune her out for the past several minutes, to no avail. Now, she stood facing him, arms crossed over her chest, eyebrows raised expectantly as she waited for his response.

So, he gave it to her.

“Absolutely,” he replied with exaggerated certainty. “As soon as I do performance reviews. And then… review the reviews, of course. Because a decision like this can’t be made without the proper… you know… review.”

Cuddy rolled her eyes, already opening her mouth to respond.

“Shouldn’t take longer than a month, maybe two,” House assured her. “Four at the most… unless it gets complicated.”

“There’s no way out on this,” Cuddy insisted, the note of resignation in her voice reminding House that she was not much happier about the situation than he was. “You may as well get it over with as fast as you can, like ripping off a band-aid.”

“Only instead of a two-cent piece of tape and gauze, it’s a human being,” House reminded her, suppressing a smile at the guilt he saw in her eyes – which was his desired reaction.

“Like you care,” she retorted, clearly defensive.

House gave her a knowing smile as the elevator doors opened at last. “Like you don’t.”

“You have a week,” Cuddy declared as House stepped past her into the elevator, where Cameron was waiting, trying not to look too interested in House’s conversation with Cuddy. “Get it done.”

As Cameron immediately launched into making a case for what she thought should be their next patient, House tried pretending to be disinterested – but his distraction was unfortunately quite real. He paid just enough attention to Cameron’s words to be able to make appropriate answers – but his thoughts were far away.

Or perhaps, closer than she would have imagined.

Too close.

After his last conversation with Wilson about Cameron, and his quiet promise to abide by Wilson’s wishes and fire her, House had spent a lot of time in troubled, uncertain thought on the matter, and had finally come to a conclusion that filled him with an unsettled sense of apprehension.

He did not want to fire Cameron, had in fact decided that he was not going to, if it could be avoided.

And Wilson was not going to like that.

But… does it really matter if he likes it? It’s really none of his business. He’s not the one who has to work with whoever I choose to keep. This should be my choice… not his.

Wilson’s insistence on dictating House’s choice had weighed on his mind over the past few days, and House found himself more and more frustrated with the ever-increasing demands that Wilson was making on him. He didn’t want to lose Wilson, didn’t want to incite his rather frightening temper – but he wasn’t sure that he could keep just backing down and allowing Wilson to call all the shots in their relationship.

On the other hand… he wasn’t sure he could bring himself to stand up to Wilson, either, when it came to this decision, or any other involving Cameron, whom Wilson now viewed with utter distrust. Wilson wanted her gone, and Wilson was determined to get what he wanted, regardless of what House wanted.

But… maybe there’s another way. There’s got to be a way to make Vogler back down. There’s technically no reason to fire any of them. They’re all doing their jobs, and doing them well – mostly. I need to find out where his weaknesses are – something I might be able to use against him. If I can find a way to get Vogler to say that I don’t have to do it, then… well, Wilson can’t really be upset with me over it, can he?

If he could put off actually firing Cameron as long as possible, while he tried to find a way around Vogler’s orders, then maybe, just maybe he might be able to pull it off.

Until then, he just had to avoid the topic with Wilson.

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

Unfortunately, Wilson brought the topic up immediately when they met for lunch that day.

“So… did you do it yet?”

House could tell from Wilson’s tone what he was talking about. He attempted to divert the conversation, well aware that he was only stalling for time as he cast an exaggeratedly flirtatious look in Wilson’s direction, hoping to distract him.

“Many times, just this past week. But then, you already know that…”

Wilson rolled his eyes, glancing around with mild embarrassment to see if anyone had overheard before retorting, “Yeah. Me and half of New Jersey.” House looked up at him, lips parted in indignant protest, but Wilson was already speaking again, his dark eyes piercing as he watched for House’s reaction as he spoke. “But… I’m talking about Cameron. I noticed she was still in your office when I passed by… and she wasn’t packing up her things.”

“I haven’t told her yet,” House admitted, hoping his tone didn’t sound as evasive as it felt. “I will. I just… don’t want Vogler to know I will. Not yet. I don’t want him to think he’s beaten me that easily. I think I’d rather play the game a little longer before conceding defeat.”

Wilson was quiet as they made their way across the cafeteria to their usual table, and House waited in silent tension for the inevitable reaction. When it came, it was surprisingly calm and understanding.

“I can understand that,” Wilson conceded as he took a bite of his pasta salad, waiting until he had finished it to continue, his eyes focused down on his plate rather than looking up to meet House’s cautious gaze. “But you know that he will beat you, this time. Right? I mean…”

Wilson shrugged carelessly before finally looking up, his dark gaze arresting, making House’s stomach lurch. Suddenly, he was sure that Wilson knew exactly what he was up to. Wilson’s voice was soft and knowing as he held House’s gaze and concluded calmly.

“… we both know you’re just stalling for time… right?”

House swallowed hard, struggling to keep his expression even and composed as he nodded. “Yeah. I know.”

A slight smile formed on Wilson’s lips as he nodded in satisfaction. His words were a mere acknowledgement of what House had just confirmed, but they carried an underlying note of warning that House could not ignore. There was a finality, a subtle command in Wilson’s voice as he spoke, that let House know that as far as Wilson was concerned, there would be no further discussion on the matter.

“Eventually… you’re not gonna have a choice. Eventually… she’s gone.”

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

It would have been easy for House to take Chase’s claim that Cameron had given their patient the wrong medicine as an excuse to go ahead and fire her.

It would have been easy – but it would not have been fair.

Based on what he knew of their characters, personalities, and work ethics, House would have been willing to bet money that between the two of them, Chase was more likely to have made the mistake. Of course, he didn’t allow Cameron to see that at the time of the accusation.

That was why he found himself with her in the lab that afternoon, trying his best to express an apology without actually appearing to apologize.

He felt somewhat better as he left Cameron in the lab to finish running her tests, heading back toward his own office to prepare to leave for the evening. However, he had barely gone two steps when Wilson appeared out of a nearby doorway, falling into sync with his steps as he walked with him.

“So did you do it?” Wilson sounded bloodthirstily eager to hear of Cameron’s destruction. “Was that what that was?”

“Um… no,” House admitted, inwardly cringing to think of what conclusions Wilson might draw about his conversation with Cameron, now that he knew it had not been the conversation he had been hoping for. “I… haven’t done that yet.”

“Oh.” Wilson was quiet for a long tense moment. When he spoke again, his voice carried a tone of restrained anger and forced calm. “When were you planning on doing that, House? Or were you planning on it at all?”

House was silent as they passed the door to Wilson’s office, unsure how to answer Wilson’s question – unsure that he owed him an answer at all. Abruptly, Wilson caught his arm and pulled him back toward his own office, which offered them much greater privacy than the glass walls of House’s office. House was too surprised to protest as Wilson hauled him inside and shut the door, then pushed him back against it, moving in close enough to make House’s breath quicken with apprehension.

“Chase came to me this afternoon,” Wilson informed House in an accusing tone. “He said he’s worried that he’s going to be the one you’re going to fire. Now why would he come to that conclusion, House?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” House retorted with biting sarcasm dripping from his words as he glared defiantly at Wilson. “Maybe it’s because he’s been screwing up left and right lately… or maybe it’s because he’s been running to Vogler behind my back, and I know about it, and he knows I know about it. Either option makes me look like an incompetent fool if I don’t fire him – so take your pick.”

The resentment, the subtle indication that Wilson’s demands were forcing him to appear less competent in his job, was clear in his tone, and he held Wilson’s gaze firmly, waiting for his response.

“House…” Wilson’s voice was measured, carefully calm, his underlying anger and frustration betrayed only by the slight tightening of his already bruising grip on House’s arm. “… we talked about this. We agreed that as long as you have to fire someone, it was going to be Cameron…”

“Well… maybe I don’t have to fire someone,” House argued. “I haven’t begun to fight as far as Vogler’s concerned. If I can find a way to convince him that it’s in his best interests to let me keep all of them…”

“Cameron should go anyway, whether he’s making you fire someone or not,” Wilson insisted stubbornly, a dangerous light of anger flashing in his dark eyes. “Her attraction to you is a liability. It’s inappropriate. It’s… it’s sexual harassment.”

“Her feelings are not sexual harassment!” House argued, incredulous at the statement. “Maybe if she was my boss… but she’s not. I’m hers. You know what would qualify as sexual harassment – to fire her because she happens to have a crush on me!”

“Or asking her out on a date?” Wilson spat the accusation at him, shaking him to emphasize his words, so hard that House felt a sharp pain go up his spine from the impact with the door behind him. “How does that rank on the scale of acceptable workplace behavior for an employer, House?”

“This isn’t about that,” House insisted, trying to pull away from Wilson’s painful grip on his arms. “This should be about what’s best for my team – what’s best for me.” He was quiet for a moment, giving up on his attempt to free himself from Wilson’s restraining hands and slumping slightly against the door, his head lowered as he added in a soft voice of muted hurt and defeat. “I would have thought that’s what would be important to you.”

“It is, House.” Wilson’s voice softened as he relented slightly, letting out a heavy sigh at the dejected tone of House’s voice. “I just… don’t want her to…”

“Which is more dangerous, Wilson?” House asked, his voice flat as he looked up to meet Wilson’s eyes again. “A pretty girl with a crush? Or an employee who’s making a habit of going behind my back and reporting my every questionable move to a man who’d like to see me lose my entire career?” When Wilson did not respond for a moment, unable to argue against the validity of that point, House added, “I would think that this whole protective streak you’ve got going would allow you to see that. But this isn’t really about protecting me, is it? It’s about getting rid of the competition.”

Wilson’s eyes widened in indignation, and his jaw dropped. He swiftly recovered, his shoulders straightening as he retorted, “This is about nothing but protecting you, House! I’m only doing this because I love you…”

“Yeah?” House muttered, glancing pointedly at Wilson’s hands on his arms before meeting his eyes again. “And the bruises I’m gonna find on my arms in the morning…” House hesitated, starting to speak, then stopping, then pressing forward and deciding to say it after all. “… forcing me to prove myself to you by demeaning myself in front of you… are those signs of your love, too?”

Startled and taken aback by the soft accusation in House’s eyes, Wilson abruptly let go of him, taking a step back, shaking his head in dismay.

“House… no… I never… I mean… I wasn’t trying to… to demean you…”

House took the space Wilson had given him, immediately opening the door and slipping half out of it, pausing only long enough to deliver his final declaration.

“You know what? This is my decision, Wilson – not yours. If you wanna choose to take it personally, that’s your business, but I’m making the choice of who to keep and who to let go based on what’s best for my team. You can draw your own assumptions; I’ll only tell you this once, and you can believe or not that I’m telling you the truth. I love you – not Cameron. And I’ll keep who I think I can use, and let go who I think is working against me. Either way, whoever I choose to fire – it’s my decision.”

Without waiting for Wilson’s response, House stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind him, headed for his own office. Wilson opened the blinds and watched him go, his expression darkening as a cold, unsettled sensation began to build, tightening in his chest as House’s defiant words echoed in his ears, and near-panicked thoughts rang in his mind.

I’m losing him… I’m losing control of him…

Days earlier, House had been willing to do whatever it took to keep Wilson with him.

Today, he seemed to have decided that he had had enough.

But no… no, he hasn’t… I’ll decide when it’s enough…

Wilson stared grimly at the place where House had disappeared from his sight, the barest trace of a smile beginning to form on his lips.

Thinks he can talk to me like that? I think it’s time I taught him a lesson in just how much he really does need me.

TBC...