Court Recess -- RP for cia_jayhawk

[doctorhouse_tm]

Thankfully, the judge had decided that all parties involved could use a day off from the normal proceedings and ordered a recess until the next morning, and House had all but bolted from the room with absolute glee. His foot did hurt, just a little, but he was able to wear his shoes again and that made him happy, in addition to the day off from

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[cia_jayhawk]

Kyle, standing in the hall about to go into his room and brood about the events of the day, just stopped and stared at House. "What?" he said. "You're not suggesting what you think I am, are you? The day after -- no, in fact, the same day -- you got dragged to the ER? Are you nuts?"

[doctorhouse_tm]

"Oh it was only a flesh wound." House scoffed. "I'm fine. Trust me, and yes, I'm well aware that I can be seen as absolutely batshit. Just ask her." He thumbed at Brittany, who was standing there in the hall next to them. "Yes, I'm suggesting going out. I'm sick of this hotel, I'm sick of that courtroom, and I'm twitchy, and you look like you could use a respite as well."

[cia_jayhawk]

"I could, but I was thinking a nap or a frappucino, not..." Kyle saw House's look and sighed, throwing up his hands. Going into his room, he reemerged sans tie and plus leather jacket. "Fine. Where are we going? And I get to say I told you so if something stupid happens." He was hoping nothing did, because he was at his wit's end and he knew Brittany was, too. The last thing he wanted was an angry wife on his hands.

[doctorhouse_tm]

"Out." Was his reply, with a small smirk, before he got serious. "No, actually, the roads around here are great and I'm wanting to get out. Plus, I figured what the hell. Breaks are good." He turned his his wife. "I'll keep him safe, I promise." And kissed her. "I love you. We'll be back in a couple of hours."

Then he looked at Kyle, nodded his head towards the elevators, and then started walking. "And you've got to trust me Kyle, I'm not going to do anything stupid."

[cia_jayhawk]

"I do trust you, Greg, it's just that I'm not in the mood for anything too out there right now, and you tend to live life on the edge." Kyle sighed as he walked alongside his friend, running a hand through his hair. "Believe it or not, I'm a simple man and not much of a daredevil."

He shook his head. "This has messed with all of us."

[doctorhouse_tm]

"This is what I do to clear my head." House explained. "Yeah it's a little edgy and not a lot of people understand it, but you've got to look at it from my point of view. I do a harsh job. I need something more 'out there'," He pushed the button for 'down' with the tip of his cane. "Than the rest of the world."

He leaned against the wall and nodded. "It has. And that ER run last night didn't help for shit."

[cia_jayhawk]

"I wouldn't think that it would." Kyle laughed weakly. "And yeah, you call it normal, we all call it out of your damn mind. We all think you're nuts. We do insane jobs and we manage to have sane, rational hobbies." A pause. "Well, most of us do. Your wife likes dodgeball, which I thought died in the eighth grade."

He paused. "She seems different."

[doctorhouse_tm]

"I never understood dodgeball. Or, more specifically, when we played in elementary school I always got picked on. And laid out on the gym floor." He said, stepping into the elevator once the doors slid open and handing Kyle his other helmet, the older one. "You'll need that."

A pause. "Different how?"

[cia_jayhawk]

"Just different." Kyle shook his head, toying with the helmet in his hands. "Quieter. Like something died in her or something. I don't know. I just have my instincts. She's different."

[doctorhouse_tm]

House was silent for a long moment, waiting for the ding of the elevator doors to jar him back to reality. Then he nodded and stepped out into the lobby, heading for the parking lot outside. He swallowed hard.

"Sometimes I think she thinks what they all say is true. That her having our kid," A pause, as he set his helmet down on his bike and pulled his gloves out of his pocket. "Is ruining her life."

[cia_jayhawk]

"Who said that?" Kyle narrowed his eyes, looking a lit bit annoyed and a little bit perturbed. "You two were trying to get pregnant for what, five months? You've been through hell to get this kid, they've got no business saying that."

He sighed. "I won't lie to you, Greg. It's going to change both your lives, but especially hers, for the obvious reason."

[doctorhouse_tm]

"I don't know who but yesterday she was getting upset about life changing and stuff. How she was upset about having to scale back a little. It seemed to me like it was a mood swing," He tugged his gloves on, then handed Kyle the extra pair. "But hell if I was going to say that thought out loud."

A nod. "Yeah. Five months, since we got married, practically. We weren't actively trying but we weren't using protection, you know?" Another nod. "It'll change. But I'm not leaving her to go it alone."

[cia_jayhawk]

Kyle nodded. "I know you won't," he said, tugging on the gloves and making sure they fit properly. "But you have to understand there aren't that many ranking female agents in CTU, not because we're sexist, but that's just the way it's shaken out. Women have commitments to families and it's hard to do this job like that. She's a rare breed, a leader, and having this kid is going to end all that. And I'm sure it's tough for someone as career oriented as she was."

He shook his head. "It's just reality, Greg. She has to face it."

[doctorhouse_tm]

"I know she does. And to be honest with you? I think she did." He leaned over and snapped the cane on the bike, then looked at Kyle for a moment.

"You ever driven a bike? Or ridden one before?" He asked, stretching his arms out over his head, wanting to loosen up just a little.

[cia_jayhawk]

"No, actually. I come from Connecticut. We're fairly boring." Kyle laughed weakly and rolled his eyes. "I also prefer things with seatbelts and frames but that's because again, I'm a simple man."

He sighed. "She's just going to have a hard time accepting that she can't be who she is anymore."

[doctorhouse_tm]

"That she is." House carefully eased his leg up and slid onto the bike, getting comfortable in the seat and making sure Kyle would have room behind him. "It'll be hard but she'll make it through, and we'll help her the best we can."

A look back at Kyle. "Now, basically, it's the koala approach. Get on, put your feet on those pegs, and wrap your arms around my ribs." A moment of thought. "It gets kind of hard to hear, so if I'm going too fast, tap me three times in the ribs, not too hard though. And just relax and lean with the curves, not too much, but you've just gotta flow with it. I'll go easy on you." He patted the space behind him, then pulled his helmet on, slipping his shades after that. "I promise."