Arrival: Bethlehem Hospital, Saturday Afternoon (03/04/06)
It actually struck Geoff as rather amusing -- if not maybe just a bit sacreligious -- that his first stop in this new city was a place called Bethlehem. And it taken him a little work to find the place too, considering how large Tropolis was compared to his London. But several stops for directions to "the hospital" later (and he was taking a chance
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But Dr. House would surely have better luck.
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The call had his mind working over time, trying to figure out who would demand to see him. It had to be someone he'd known before coming to Tropolis, he reasoned. It wouldn't be Wilson or Simon or Susan, he didn't think. Unless something had happened to one of them. Aziraphale would have called him himself, or at least given more information than that ( ... )
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"Greg House!" he replied, laughing, as he dropped his pack to the floor and held out his arms. "You have no idea how good it is to see you!"
It had been a long six months, tedious and lonely. And although Geoff had believed he'd never see the doctor again, it had been hard to really convince himself of the fact. Now he was glad he hadn't managed it.
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Only two days had passed since Cash showed up at the back door. Two of the longest, most miserable days House could rememebr in a while. He'd tried calling Geoff's phone, which only made him more aggitated when there was never an answer.
He'd spent a lot of time sitting in front of his piano playing heartbreaking melodies while Cash slept at his feet.
"Where have you been?" He managed to eek out at last, breaking away from a very deep and friendly kiss.
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"London. I told you I didn't think that road like me. I-- did Cash find you? When I realized what was happening I set him loose. I didn't know what else to do, but I thought he had at least a better shot of finding you on his own than with me. Did he?"
He held his breath, because he didn't know what he was going to do if it turned out that the dog had got lost, or something had happened to him, after Geoff had promised House to take care of him.
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"You did the right thing, setting him loose. He...I kept waiting for you." Two days, that felt like an eternity. He moved his hand to Geoff's face,w anting to touch him, to make sure he was real. "You really went to London?"
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"Two...days? That's all? It's been...I've been in London some six months. Well," he shrugged, "Not all of it in London, but...he's been on his own for six months? Greg, I'm so sorry. If I'd known it would take him that long, I'd have just kept him with me. Is he all right?"
Now Geoff felt like absolute shite. He'd been asked to do one simple thing -- take care of his friend's dog. And it turned out the poor animal had been forced to live for months off the land. And Cash was still a puppy, too. Geoff rubbed his hand over his face and closed his eyes.
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House took a breath. "Tropolis is a lot like Fandom. Same kind of...surreal...whatever it is. I don't know. I still can't wrap my head around it."
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He slumped back against the cushion as he nodded, finally getting things straight in his mind. House had left a few weeks ago. Cash had been let loose a couple of days ago. Geoff had spent the last six months in his own time, thinking he'd made a mistake and wishing like hell he hadn't.
Finally, he gave the other man another grin -- one of his patented 'not a care in the world' grins - and said, "I'm glad to hear it. He missed you a lot, but it was good to have him around."
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Which Geoff hoped made more sense that it sounded to him. "What, ah...what day is it?" Because it seemed important to House, for some reason, so he wanted to know.
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Baltimore seemed so long ago, but had been only four weeks.
"I think my brain will explode if I try to figure this out. It doens't matter. When I first got here, I think I told you, I met Alanna, only she was a few years ahead of herself in Fandom. It's this place. It seems to have a total lack of concern for time."
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Or at least, back to London. He wasn't really sure it was home anymore.
"I left Fandom on the second. Walked for...about a day, I guess. After I let Cash loose. And there was London, pretty much the way I left it. I...didn't think this would happen again. I'd hoped, but...I guess I figured it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Especially...well, after a few months you stop looking for it, you know?"
God, he was tired. So incredibly happy to see House, relieved to see him, but tired. Like six months worth of weight had been lifted off him, and he just now realized he'd been carrying it.
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"I can't even imagine how it's been." House smiled sadly and tipped his head in to kiss Geoff's forehead. "Think you can handle one more journey? I don't live too far, and I brought the bike. Think you're up for a ride?"
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"I'm sorry about the fuss," he said, tilting his head toward the reception area. "I just didn't know where else to go to look for you."
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"It's fine." House hauled himself to his feet, cane in hand. He limped a little more heavily for the first couple steps, leading Geoff from the lounge. "You did the right thing, comeing here. I don't actually start work will Monday, but they know me pretty well around here."
Once he had his balance, he reached for Gepff's hand.
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