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darkdreamerHere's the next update of Dark Redux, in which Wilson crosses another major line, and things descend a bit lower into a dark, abusive spiral. Hope you enjoy it ;) lol
*hugs*
DoS
Title: Dark Redux
Episode: 1.18 -- Babies and Bathwater
Beta: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
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: violence, emotional and physical abuse
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: Losing his job in House's defense pushes Wilson over the edge.
“We’ve gotta talk.”
House glanced up in surprise as Wilson poked his head around the door just long enough to speak a few words in a sharp, ominous voice before moving on down the hallway toward his own office. When he looked away from the doorway, the two remaining members of his team were casting curious glances in his direction, waiting for some explanation.
House shrugged, putting an exaggeratedly mysterious tone in his voice as he echoed, “We’ve gotta talk,” and headed for the door.
He caught up with Wilson in the hallway, easily falling into step with him and waiting for Wilson to speak. He swallowed back the sick feeling rising in his throat at the dark look on Wilson’s face, and the terse sound of his voice when at last he spoke.
“Special board meeting today. Only one item on the agenda: you.”
House tried to keep his tone light and unconcerned, determined not to acknowledge his disastrous speech, and the troubling fact that it had given Vogler the final impetus he needed to declare all out war on him at last.
“Well, enjoy the bagels. I’m untouchable.”
“Huh. Right.” Wilson did not sound convinced in the least.
“Any vote to revoke my tenure has to be unanimous. I’ve got you and maybe even Cuddy,” House insisted, trying as hard to convince himself as to convince Wilson.
Convincing himself was far the easier task of the two.
Wilson kept arguing as they neared his office, insisting that the situation was far more serious than House was willing to admit. Unwilling to face the severity of the consequences of his actions, House kept making light of the situation, trying to avert the lecture he knew Wilson was on the verge of giving before it could begin.
“Vogler’s smart,” Wilson insisted as they stopped outside his office. “He’s got some plan to get you.”
“Does it involve candy? Because I’m a sucker for chocolates…”
Wilson threw his office door open with unexpected force, causing it to bang against the wall as he stalked inside. House hesitantly followed him, uneasy with the level of anger Wilson was displaying, yet unsure of what he had done to provoke such a reaction, and too curious to walk away without finding out.
Wilson was all too willing to tell him.
“Fine, House. That’s just great,” he snapped, resentment dripping from his words like acid. “Laugh it up; make it a great big joke. In the mean time, I’ll be cleaning up your mess – just like I always do.”
House frowned, eyes downcast in shame. His tone was grudging, almost sullen, as he offered a tentative apology. “I… didn’t mean to…”
“Just… don’t.” Wilson’s voice was suddenly tired, defeated, as he raised one hand to cover his face, holding the other up toward House in a halting gesture. “House, just… just get out. Contrary to your obvious opinion, I have a very important meeting to prepare for.”
House opened his mouth to protest again, but then thought better of it. Dejected and subdued, he nodded silently and walked out of Wilson’s office, closing the door behind him.
***************************
It didn’t take long for House’s latest patient to distract him, at least temporarily, from Wilson’s displeasure with him. As the day went on, he became more and more wrapped up in solving the mystery, saving the patient, until he had almost forgotten about the critical board meeting entirely.
When it turned out that his patient had small cell lung cancer, he paged Wilson, but received no response. Impatient, House made his way to Wilson’s office, not caring for the moment about Wilson’s mood as he barged in just as he usually did, already speaking before the door was even open.
“Listen, Vogler’s all about clinical trials. The hospital’s chock full of them. There’s got to be something for small cell lung cancer…”
His voice trailed off as he noticed what Wilson was doing, and a cold sensation started in the pit of his stomach. Wilson was tossing the contents of his desk drawers into a cardboard box on top of the desk. Glancing around the room, House noticed that the bookshelves were already half-empty of the personal belongings that usually cluttered them.
“What are you doing?” House asked, a note of dread in his voice.
He was fairly certain he already knew the answer.
“I got sacked.”
Wilson’s voice trembled slightly with frustration, and the words were accompanied by a slow, disbelieving shake of his head as he continued to load his personal possessions into the box.
“But you didn’t do anything,” House protested, indignation in his quiet voice. “All you did was…”
“Vote to keep you,” Wilson finished for him, glancing up to meet House’s eyes.
The cold accusation there was staggering, and House felt a hard lump form in his throat. He swallowed, trying to dislodge it, his eyes downcast as he found that he couldn’t bring himself to hold Wilson’s quietly seething stare. Still unwilling to accept the fact that things had actually gone this far, House kept his voice as calm and light as possible as he replied in a tone of derisive disbelief.
“So he’s getting rid of every board member who votes to keep me around?”
“Yeah,” Wilson sneered, the cool anger in his voice chilling House’s blood. “Every one of us.”
“Just you?” House’s voice was barely over a whisper.
“Yeah.”
Wilson didn’t so much as look at House as he continued packing his things. House felt lost, bereft, at the thought of Wilson leaving, losing his job due to House’s recklessness and stubborn pride. Wilson was still quiet and calm, but House heard no trace of the tenderness and affection he craved in the dangerously soft, angry voice of his lover.
But why should there be? I just cost him his job. God, he’ll never forgive me for this…
Grasping at straws for a way to make the situation not as bad, House persisted, “But you’re only off the board, right? They couldn’t have gotten unanimous approval for you.” Not waiting for a response, House continued with a forced laugh. “So you’re off the board. Big deal. Frees up Wednesday nights for bowling…”
“Damn it, House! Does nothing I do matter to you?”
Wilson finally exploded, throwing down the papers in his hand into the box hard enough to make House jump, startled. House tensed as Wilson moved swiftly around the desk, closing the distance between them in an instant. There was no time to react – and House probably wouldn’t have known how to, anyway – as Wilson grabbed him by the collar and slammed him backward, hard, against the filing cabinet behind him.
House drew in a sharp, breathless gasp of pain at the impact of the hard metal handles on the cabinet against his spine, biting back a groan when his breath returned – just in time for Wilson to yank him forward and slam him back again with brutal force.
“No, it’s not just the board, House! I just sacrificed my job for you, you useless piece of shit!” Wilson snarled in his face. “I’ve only got two things in my life that work for me, House: this job, and this stupid, screwed up relationship – and neither mattered enough to you to give one lousy speech!”
His hands raised in front of him in an instinctive gesture of submission, struggling to speak through the sharp, searing pain in his back, House replied in a soft, trembling voice.
“They matter. If I could… could do it all again…”
He winced, biting off his words in pain as Wilson released him with a harsh shove, taking a step backward and looking him up and down, his lips curled in an expression of obvious contempt.
“You’d do the same thing,” Wilson concluded – and House could not deny it. A moment of tense silence was broken by Wilson’s quietly furious voice, as he turned away from House and back toward his desk. “You disgust me. Get out of my sight.”
Shaken by Wilson’s unexpected violence, devastated by his cruel words, there was nothing for House to do but to obey. Too ashamed even to look at Wilson, House made his way slowly and painfully out the door and down the hall to his own office.
I’ve lost Wilson, and in a few hours, I’ll have lost my job – everything that matters to me. But for the moment, I’ve still got a patient… and that means I’ve still got work to do.
House threw himself into his patient’s case again with fervor, grateful for the distraction it provided – preventing him from having the time to think about what had just happened… what Wilson had just done to him.
************************
Eventually, House had to go home.
Fortunately, Wilson was not there when he got there.
House winced as he stood in front of the bathroom mirror and slid the button down shirt from his shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor. He turned, trying to look over his own shoulder at the throbbing spot on his back. Finally, by opening the mirrored door to the medicine cabinet and positioning it at just the right angle to the larger mirror on the wall, House was able to get a good idea of the damage Wilson had done.
He drew in his breath sharply in surprise when he saw the two large, dark purple bruises around his spine, spaced about a foot apart – the distance between the two handles on the filing cabinet. House bit his lip as he turned away from the mirror, hissing at the sharp pain that accompanied the movement. He bent down slowly, awkwardly, to pick up his shirt and take it back into the bedroom, where he hung it up before moving to sit down on the side of the bed facing away from the door. He rested his head in his hands, drawing in a deep, shaky breath and letting it out slowly as he tried to make sense of his madly swirling thoughts.
He hit me… except… not hit me, exactly… but still… he hurt me… I can’t believe he actually hurt me… but… I did cost him his job… no wonder he was angry… I should have just made the stupid speech, and then none of this would have happened… but… that doesn’t make it okay… doesn’t give him the right to…
The soft sound of a gasp behind him drew House from his thoughts, and he turned quickly to see Wilson standing on the other side of the bed, staring at him through wide, stunned eyes. The swift motion caused a sharp stab of pain to go up his spine, and House’s mouth twisted into a grimace as he lowered his head, turning away again in an attempt to conceal his pain from Wilson.
The attempt failed.
He was aware of Wilson’s slow, cautious approach, but didn’t move or otherwise acknowledge him as Wilson climbed carefully onto the bed, kneeling behind him. House tensed but did not pull away as he felt one of Wilson’s hands slide up his bare arm. However, as the fingertips of Wilson’s other hand ghosted over the surface of the bruised, tender flesh on his back, House instinctively jerked away, his voice hoarse and edged with fear.
“Don’t…”
“Shhh, hold still,” Wilson cut him off in a voice of stern concern, gripping House’s arm tightly to hold him in place. “Let me look.”
House wasn’t sure why he obeyed – but he did. He felt a shudder pass through him as Wilson’s fingers traced the edges of the bruises on his back, but Wilson’s hands were gentle now, and seemed to be taking great care not to hurt him.
“Wow,” Wilson breathed, shaking his head slowly in disbelief. “I… didn’t mean to…” His voice trailed off for a moment. When he finally continued, there was a tremble of rueful near-laughter in his voice. “You really made me angry, House.”
The words struck House like another blow, driving the breath from his lungs. He swallowed hard, his mouth dry, his eyes focused on the comforter beneath him as he struggled to find his voice. His mind was a muddle of confused, conflicting thoughts and emotions, as he tried to make sense of what had happened.
My fault… if I hadn’t gotten him fired… but… he can’t just hurt me because he gets angry… he can’t just do that because he feels like it… But if I’d given the speech… if he hadn’t just lost his job… he would never have…
“I… I’m sorry,” he whispered at last, his words tentative and uncertain.
Wilson moved across the mattress to sit down beside House, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as he gently urged House to turn and face him. “I’m sorry, too,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just… I thought I’d lost everything, House… and I just… wasn’t thinking…”
House turned his head away, lowering his eyes uncomfortably.
“… hey… look at me,” Wilson gently insisted, one firm hand turning House’s chin, forcing him to meet Wilson’s eyes. “I was wrong,” he clarified, his voice intent and certain. “I haven’t lost everything… not as long as I’ve still got you.” He paused, his eyes solemn and troubled as he studied House’s expression and added in a voice of quiet, restrained urgency, “I have… still got you… haven’t I, House?”
House looked away, a convulsive swallow visible in his throat, before he slowly nodded.
“Of course you do,” he whispered. “You… you’ve always got me.”
Wilson’s shoulders slumped with relief, and a smile broke out on his face as he let out a shaky sigh. “Let’s not let this happen again, okay? Let’s never let this happen again.”
House shook his head slowly in agreement, yielding to Wilson’s advance as he pulled House closer to him and kissed him tenderly. Wilson clearly wanted more than a mere kiss, but he was gentle and considerate of House’s injury, unwilling to cause him any more pain, and House found himself feeling strangely grateful for that thoughtfulness as the kiss deepened, intensified.
I’m lucky he even wants to be with me at all, after what happened to him today because of me… It was my fault, not his… I cost him his job, and he still wants me…
When one of Wilson’s hands accidentally strayed across the bruised, sore part of House’s back, he stifled his reaction to the spark of pain caused by the touch, determined not to give Wilson any more reason to be displeased with him.
He had made enough mistakes for one day.
No matter what, I won’t screw this up… not again...
TBC...
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 03:31 am (UTC)Poor House...those bruises sound very painful!
My back hurt just thinking about it.
*grumbles at Wilson*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 09:10 pm (UTC)thanx so much, hon, glad you liked the chapter :) *hugs* the next one is up now, hope you enjoy :)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 03:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 09:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 04:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 09:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 05:09 am (UTC)Great chapter. Heep 'em coming.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 09:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 05:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 09:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 02:55 pm (UTC)I liked how you showed House's dual thoughts: the teachings that he doesn't have to allow this, that Wilson doesn't have the right, and the brainwashing. The fact House gave into the latter proves how deeply he was brainwashed. Not enough to lose his free thoughts and doubts, but too much to ignore them, to the point of ignoring his own pain to keep the bastard happy.
Yup. House is screwed.
P.S. I seriously doubt that Wilson's "accidental" touch to House's bruise at the end was really accidental.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 09:01 pm (UTC)of course, house is a human being, not wilson's puppet, so that's impossible... wilson's violence is a means to place him back in control, when house does something he doesn't like :(
anyways, yeah, things are getting worse for poor house all the time... glad you enjoyed this update, hon, the next one is up now, hope you like it as well :)
*Hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 08:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 08:45 pm (UTC)at any rate, i appreciate your comments, hon :) i hope you're enjoying the story anyway, but if not, i understand
*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 08:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 08:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-20 02:30 am (UTC)I always get excited when I see you have updated. Anxiously awaiting the next part.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 08:44 pm (UTC)thanx so much, hon, glad you liked the chapter :) the next one is up now, hope you like it as well :) *Hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-20 09:51 am (UTC)And I'm with chocolate_frapp, this is seriously starting to remind me of someone who abused me when I was younger. It's freaking me out. Still adore it, though. :)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-23 08:43 pm (UTC)anyways, thanx for your kind comments, hon :) *Hugs* the next chapter is up now, hope you enjoy it despite the themes of the story
no subject
Date: 2009-03-01 05:07 am (UTC)House is definitely going to be in trouble soon. Don't hit the cripple, Wilson! I mean, come on! =(
Great work! Hope I have time to read the next chapter soon.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-02 04:36 pm (UTC)thanx, love, glad you liked this chapter :) *Hugs* looking forward to your thoughts on the rest ;)
no subject
Date: 2009-04-21 12:10 pm (UTC)This isn't going to end well, is it?
Gorgeous writing as ever though.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-21 09:23 pm (UTC)