"Watch--" House snapped - watch where you're going, he was going to say - but stopped short when he realised who it was. He almost reeled back from her in shock. He shouldn't have been shocked because Wilson had said she was here - but seeing Stacy here, right now, right in front of him, threw him right off guard.
A memory flashed through his mind, of the last time this happened - back in Princeton. Going to the lecture Cuddy had made him do and as he'd walked through the clinic, he'd heard his name being called out and turned to see Stacy. That had been a shock enough. He hadn't expected to see her and he didn't know what to make of seeing her either. This felt exactly the same.
He took a step back, feeling pale. Wilson was right. Part of him had hoped that Wilson had been pulling some sick kind of practical joke.
"Stacy," he replied. He searched his brain for something to say - you're really here; what're you doing here; you're looking well. Nothing seemed right, so he just stood there, watching her face almost in disbelief.
Wilson. The mention of Wilson reminded House of how Wilson had looked the last time he saw him, and he lowered his gaze to the floor as he set his jaw. Then it occurred to him that Stacy would've seen Wilson as House saw him, and he glanced back up to her with his eyes. Shit, that must've terrified her. Being stuck in this place was terrifying enough, let alone seeing Wilson as a shadow of his former self.
"Yeah, I know," he replied after an awkward pause. He paused again, then added reluctantly, "He told me you were here."
House looked back down to the floor and then threw a glance up past Stacy's shoulder down the end of the hallway. Now he had confirmation she was here, even if he couldn't really believe it, he kind of wanted to flee. Running away from Stacy wasn't going to solve anything, though - she was still here, and where could he really go that he could escape her for good?
He drew his eyes back to Stacy's face again. "How've you been holding up?" he asked.
Good to see him? He doubted that. He remembered Wilson saying something about Stacy wanting to see him, wanting and needing a familiar face. He had trouble believing that, especially considering everything that had happened between them back in Princeton.
He returned her smile, though it wasn't really soft or warm. More strained and helpless. "Same," he lied.
He shifted on the spot and grimaced as a spark of hot pain erupted in his thigh. He needed to sit down. "Want to go and...?" He gestured past her down the hall.
No, he didn't actually want to go anywhere with her. The part of him that still cared about her however, that part he couldn't seem to quench no matter how much he tried, wanted to know how she really was holding up in here.
"Bar's just down there," he informed her flatly, gesturing again with his hand before dropping it back to his side.
"Same for me," House said to the bartender as he sat on the stool.
A feeling of apprehension had started to settle over him as he'd made his way to the bar with Stacy. He'd walked a little behind her and had kept glancing at her as if to make sure she was really there. Various questions were running through his head, questions he had no answers for - why was she here, why wasn't Mark here, what the hell was he going to do now, how was he going to deal with this. The apprehension grew steadier until, by the time they'd reached the bar, he thought about fleeing again. The scotch, hopefully, would help calm his nerves.
He clasped his hands together as he rested them on the bar's surface, and looked across to Stacy with a humourless smile on his lips. "I'm just ducky," he replied sarcastically. "But thanks for asking."
House watched Stacy take a sip of her drink, then glanced up at the bartender when his own drink was placed in front of him. He nodded at him in silent thanks and turned his eyes down to his glass.
How long had he been here? He puffed his cheeks out, exhaling as he did so. "Couple of months, couple of years." He picked his drink up and took a sip. "Could be a decade for all I know."
House quickly retracted his hand when he felt Stacy's brush over his. He found it disconcerting enough that Stacy was here, let alone Stacy touching him. When Stacy settled for fidgeting with the napkin, House took his glass and started to tap it on the bar, needing something to occupy his hands to give him something to focus on
( ... )
"Yeah, right," he replied with a humourless snort. "Happy. That'll be the day."
The initial shock of seeing Stacy was starting to wear off. He was quickly retreating behind defensiveness because now the shock was subsiding, House was left with the uneasy realisation that Stacy wasn't just here, she was here for good. Which meant his efforts to try and push Stacy out of his life had been completely thwarted. He didn't want to face the issues that came with being around Stacy. Her presence in Princeton the last time proved that.
"Give it five minutes and see if you're still happy to see me. This place has a way of bringing out the worst in people."
House propped his elbows on the bar and peered down at his drink bitterly. Nice to see someone she knew? After what had happened back in Princeton, she thought it was nice to see him? He picked his drink up and swilled the contents of the glass as Stacy then went on to say she should leave. He downed his scotch in one swift gulp and placed the glass back onto the counter, and shoved it away for the bartender to take
( ... )
(The comment has been removed)
A memory flashed through his mind, of the last time this happened - back in Princeton. Going to the lecture Cuddy had made him do and as he'd walked through the clinic, he'd heard his name being called out and turned to see Stacy. That had been a shock enough. He hadn't expected to see her and he didn't know what to make of seeing her either. This felt exactly the same.
He took a step back, feeling pale. Wilson was right. Part of him had hoped that Wilson had been pulling some sick kind of practical joke.
"Stacy," he replied. He searched his brain for something to say - you're really here; what're you doing here; you're looking well. Nothing seemed right, so he just stood there, watching her face almost in disbelief.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
"Yeah, I know," he replied after an awkward pause. He paused again, then added reluctantly, "He told me you were here."
House looked back down to the floor and then threw a glance up past Stacy's shoulder down the end of the hallway. Now he had confirmation she was here, even if he couldn't really believe it, he kind of wanted to flee. Running away from Stacy wasn't going to solve anything, though - she was still here, and where could he really go that he could escape her for good?
He drew his eyes back to Stacy's face again. "How've you been holding up?" he asked.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
He returned her smile, though it wasn't really soft or warm. More strained and helpless. "Same," he lied.
He shifted on the spot and grimaced as a spark of hot pain erupted in his thigh. He needed to sit down. "Want to go and...?" He gestured past her down the hall.
No, he didn't actually want to go anywhere with her. The part of him that still cared about her however, that part he couldn't seem to quench no matter how much he tried, wanted to know how she really was holding up in here.
"Bar's just down there," he informed her flatly, gesturing again with his hand before dropping it back to his side.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
A feeling of apprehension had started to settle over him as he'd made his way to the bar with Stacy. He'd walked a little behind her and had kept glancing at her as if to make sure she was really there. Various questions were running through his head, questions he had no answers for - why was she here, why wasn't Mark here, what the hell was he going to do now, how was he going to deal with this. The apprehension grew steadier until, by the time they'd reached the bar, he thought about fleeing again. The scotch, hopefully, would help calm his nerves.
He clasped his hands together as he rested them on the bar's surface, and looked across to Stacy with a humourless smile on his lips. "I'm just ducky," he replied sarcastically. "But thanks for asking."
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
How long had he been here? He puffed his cheeks out, exhaling as he did so. "Couple of months, couple of years." He picked his drink up and took a sip. "Could be a decade for all I know."
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
The initial shock of seeing Stacy was starting to wear off. He was quickly retreating behind defensiveness because now the shock was subsiding, House was left with the uneasy realisation that Stacy wasn't just here, she was here for good. Which meant his efforts to try and push Stacy out of his life had been completely thwarted. He didn't want to face the issues that came with being around Stacy. Her presence in Princeton the last time proved that.
"Give it five minutes and see if you're still happy to see me. This place has a way of bringing out the worst in people."
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Reply
Leave a comment