House M.D. - Greg House/Brittany House - seven virtues: justice
Throwing these up early since I'll be gone tomorrow, when the new stage gets announced. (Or for some of you it may already be Monday. Who knows?) Only two more weeks to go!
Title: Hard Ending
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 188
Rating: PG
Summary: Defeat is hard for her to take. He makes it easier.
Author's Notes: Really, really short, for me, but I think it doesn't need anything else to get the point across.
There's a bittersweet taste in her mouth as she walks out of the courtroom. She's never been able to feel anything less than kicked in the gut when the jury comes back with a not guilty verdict.
The thought process begins, right then and there, as it always does, with wondering what she did wrong or could have done better. Granted, these days she's less of an investigator, and more of an administrator, but she still feels responsible for every case. She's glad now that she didn't become a lawyer, or she'd probably be even crazier. She'll be looking for her mistakes all day and all night.
When she walks in the door, he can tell from the look on her face that they didn't get a conviction. He can see it in her eyes. He just limps to her, telling her how sorry he is, before pressing his lips to hers and trying to give her a consoling kiss. After a moment, she kisses him back.
It doesn't get rid of the bitterness, but the sweetness he provokes is a start on the way to believing again.
Title: Collaboration
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 282
Rating: PG
Summary: They're a team. Even if it's an unlikely one.
Author's Notes: A little more light-hearted than usual.
Sometimes, it takes her a while to remember that both she and her husband are federal agents. That he's got a badge that he keeps next to hers. Not that she doesn't like it, just that in the business of justice being done, they make an unlikely team. The guy with the cane and the woman who looks too young to be carrying a gun.
But it works for them, or at least it has on the rare occasions they've been working together. He's a doctor. He knows things that she doesn't. He can help out the small - okay, one person - medical team in times of need. He can handle himself if he gets into trouble. Which happens, because this is Greg she's talking about. He's a trouble magnet, not like she's complaining. She knew that when she married him.
Besides, she's known for getting in over her head, herself. Usually, it's under more serious circumstances, and she panics more easily, but she's no stranger to adversity. She's met the President, for Christ's sake. Kept him from getting himself shot. Twice. Or is it three times now, although the first was really more indirect. So maybe it's twice.
And so far, in the months they've worked together, the following has happened: they've both faced possible treason charges. Greg has punched the Assistant Director. He's ended up on TV. Every time, she just facepalms. And laughs. He's always been right, of course, but there's always a scene. Still, she can't argue with results.
Besides, it's good to know she can take her partner home at the end of the day. When getting into trouble is actually the goal, not the exception.
Title: Reunion
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 316
Rating: PG
Summary: House, Brittany, and Brittany's ex-boyfriend.
Author's Notes: This is largely the result of Dragnet coming back on TV. I'm a Dragnet fangirl. Bunnies enused.
I hadn't seen Frank in more than a year. He'd sent a Christmas card in December, but since I'd left L.A. our paths hadn't crossed. Either he was off on a case, or I was on the other side of the country. But when we ran into each other at Starbucks that day, I wished I'd come to see him sooner.
"Brittany!" he said, flashing me an easy grin and giving me an awkward but loving one-armed hug while balancing his coffee. "How have you been, girl?"
"Good, I'm good," I replied, unable to keep from smiling as I kissed him on the cheek. "Just stopping by to catch up on the way to Hawaii."
He gave me an impressed look. "Oooh, sun, sand, tropical drinks, I like the sound of that."
We stepped away from the counter and back towards the front doors. Frank had aged well. He was twenty-six now and still spunky as ever. I saw Greg waiting for me, and when he saw who I was with, he could guess what was up. Frank and I met him at one of the tables outside.
"Frank, you remember Greg," I said helpfully. "My husband?"
"Yeah. Yeah, man, nice to see you," Frank replied with an honest cheeriness that would drive Greg crazy eventually.
I turned my attention to my ex. "How have you been?" I asked. To my knowledge, Frank was still working Robbery Homicide, and that was a tough job to do. I'd considered it once, but turned it down because I figured I didn't have the constitution. Frank had come up from Vice, and sometimes it still squicked him out. He looked at me, then at his coffee, and shrugged.
"Justice is justice," he said. "I do what I have to, to catch the bad guy."
I nodded, understanding that sentiment as I eyed my husband. "Don't we all," I replied.
Title: Wrath
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 316
Rating: PG
Summary: She never asked for this.
Author's Notes: Takes place in November of 2005 and is AU.
They never do find a body. It's not like anyone particularly cares, considering the controversy surrounding his final actions on this planet. They're more concerned about rescuing their agents from capture. Lawrence Burton was a traitor to his country and a sadist, so it's good that he's dead. That one bullet through the skull works just fine for all the people whose opinions matter.
Her husband is sleeping off the effects of three days of torture in their bed, the cat napping on his stomach. She watches him sleep for a few moments, before she walks through the house. She picks up her cell phone and rifles through to the number she's somehow never deleted. It rings once, then twice.
She has no idea why she's making this call. It doesn't change anything. But maybe because it means something to her to be grateful. She should be angry, but instead she's just thankful. Maybe she's changed.
"Thank you," she says softly when he picks up.
His voice is equally quiet, surprisingly. "You're welcome, darling," he tells her. "Just helping where I could."
"Greg will rest easier," she confides, looking back into the bedroom. "I should have done more to protect him. It's going to haunt him."
"We're all haunted by something." He pauses. "If anyone could have prevented this, I would have."
That's a surprising admission of actually caring. She lets out a shaky breath. "I'm haunted by you," she murmurs quietly.
She crawls back into bed with her husband, wrapping her body around his, holding him tightly. When he wakes up with the first of his nightmares, she doesn't judge him, instead just soothes him and promises everything will be better someday. At least the face of his torment is dead. Which she owes to the face of her own demise. But she will live with that, this time.
Title: Fault
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 346
Rating: PG
Summary: No one remembers firing or hearing a gunshot.
Author's Notes: Takes place in August of 2005 and is canon.
They find the body of the terrorist cell leader after the smoke has cleared. None of the agents participating in the raid remembers firing or even hearing a gunshot, nor seeing anyone enter or exit the rowhouse. But Brittany sees the bullet hole through the window and she knows.
She stands in the office at MI5 headquarters, trying to explain to the team leader that she knew nothing about this and never could have seen it coming. But that's half a lie. Ever since Lindsay escaped for the murder of David Newhan she knew he would come back to face her again. He's haunted her nightmares ever since. He is the knife currently twisting in her stomach, and she's absolutely terrified to go up against him again. After all, the first time cost her pride, self-confidence, self-respect, and her husband, among other things.
A shaky breath, as she leans heavily against the desk, trying to figure out his next move. There's only one real way to find out for sure. She picks up the cell phone he called her on, dials his number. Doesn't even wait for him to speak.
"So, Jacob...why'd you decide to ruin my life this time?" As if it's nothing, when it's everything.
That fucking smile is still in his voice. "I don't think I've ever seen it that way, my dear," he tells her. "It does make your job just the slightest bit easier. More time for you to spend with your husband. Your new husband, isn't it? He's a lucky man."
"Don't you bring him into this."
"No worries. I'm not here to hurt you." He chuckles dryly. "I've never been interested in hurting you."
She shakes her head and doesn't answer.
She calls Greg from the hotel room. Today is supposed to be their one-month anniversary. Instead, she's sitting at a table, assembling a minirifle she's going to use to end their suffering. Tears are streaming down her cheeks as she tells him that she's sorry she can't be with him. He has no idea how sorry she is.
Title: Life Rules
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 232
Rating: PG
Summary: House has no problem meting out punishment when necessary.
Author's Notes: Takes place in August of 2005 is canon.
House slugs Jake and everyone can hear the impact, and Brittany just winces and orders everyone else out of the room. She knows that short of pulling a gun, she's not going to be able to stop this. And truth be told, she doesn't really want to, either.
Jake sexually assaulted her. To her husband, beating the living crap out of him is just retribution. Necessary punishment. What has to be done to defend his wife. If he got beat in a bar fight, she'd do the same thing for him. People who love each other stand up for each other.
The punches keep coming, and the two of them are brawling and throwing each other into walls, and everyone is just standing there staring. She screams at them to get out, so they don't have to see this. She should be getting the hell out, too, but she can't move. Instead, she watches them beat the crap out of each other, until Hannigan hits the floor and Greg is standing over him, glaring like looks can kill.
She runs over and looks at her husband, who just nurses a sore hand and asks her if she has some aspirin for the pain. She nods and takes him into her office, ignoring the fallen agent in whimpering pain on the floor. It's safe to say he won't be making that mistake again.
Title: Karma
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 201
Rating: PG
Summary: It's going to get worse before it gets better.
Author's Notes: Canon, but futurefic by a couple of months.
There's no one throwing chairs at her, but there are a few angry letters of hate mail. And the occasional death threat that tells her she's a woman in a man's game and she ought to go back to baking and having kids. She can't say it doesn't bother her. She comes home sometimes defeated, slumping in her chair worried if someone's going to try and kill her son.
Greg is always there when the weight seems like too much. He'll put his arms around her and let her cuddle into his side, and tell her that it's not as bleary as she thinks it is. "We knew this was going to happen," he'll say quietly, pressing his lips to her temple, "but you'll get even when you show them just how good this team can be."
"You think so?" she'll ask, worrying a little. "Sometimes I'm not sure."
"It's called karma," he replies. "What goes around, comes around. And you're going to kick their ass hard when your team starts winning. Nobody gets pissed off when you're winning."
She grins slightly. "That's true," she says, shaking her head. "If you believe in me, the least I can do is try."
Title: The Other Way Out
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 186
Rating: PG
Summary: It should be some other way, but it isn't.
Author's Notes: Takes place in October of 2005 and is canon.
Sometimes she wishes she'd never picked up a badge. That she had a nice, simple job somewhere, and she could take vacations when she wanted, to places more tropical.
But that's not reality. The reality is that she's always worked in law enforcement. That she has an obsession with truth, justice and the so-called American way, one that's led her to study criminology and the administration of justice at the highest levels. She's a federal agent. She serves, protects, and enforces. That's what's paying her bills and it's also what's keeping her together.
Then she looks at her husband. He's a doctor. People envy her for being married to a doctor. He has one of those jobs people actually want. He's normal, and she wishes she could be normal like him. For him, so he wouldn't freak out about her so much.
Yet he's got to deal with the same thing. Trying to save people's lives. Except in his line of work, there's no justice. There's no sense of fairness in who lives and who dies.
No wonder why he wanted to hang onto that badge.
Title: Hard Ending
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 188
Rating: PG
Summary: Defeat is hard for her to take. He makes it easier.
Author's Notes: Really, really short, for me, but I think it doesn't need anything else to get the point across.
There's a bittersweet taste in her mouth as she walks out of the courtroom. She's never been able to feel anything less than kicked in the gut when the jury comes back with a not guilty verdict.
The thought process begins, right then and there, as it always does, with wondering what she did wrong or could have done better. Granted, these days she's less of an investigator, and more of an administrator, but she still feels responsible for every case. She's glad now that she didn't become a lawyer, or she'd probably be even crazier. She'll be looking for her mistakes all day and all night.
When she walks in the door, he can tell from the look on her face that they didn't get a conviction. He can see it in her eyes. He just limps to her, telling her how sorry he is, before pressing his lips to hers and trying to give her a consoling kiss. After a moment, she kisses him back.
It doesn't get rid of the bitterness, but the sweetness he provokes is a start on the way to believing again.
Title: Collaboration
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 282
Rating: PG
Summary: They're a team. Even if it's an unlikely one.
Author's Notes: A little more light-hearted than usual.
Sometimes, it takes her a while to remember that both she and her husband are federal agents. That he's got a badge that he keeps next to hers. Not that she doesn't like it, just that in the business of justice being done, they make an unlikely team. The guy with the cane and the woman who looks too young to be carrying a gun.
But it works for them, or at least it has on the rare occasions they've been working together. He's a doctor. He knows things that she doesn't. He can help out the small - okay, one person - medical team in times of need. He can handle himself if he gets into trouble. Which happens, because this is Greg she's talking about. He's a trouble magnet, not like she's complaining. She knew that when she married him.
Besides, she's known for getting in over her head, herself. Usually, it's under more serious circumstances, and she panics more easily, but she's no stranger to adversity. She's met the President, for Christ's sake. Kept him from getting himself shot. Twice. Or is it three times now, although the first was really more indirect. So maybe it's twice.
And so far, in the months they've worked together, the following has happened: they've both faced possible treason charges. Greg has punched the Assistant Director. He's ended up on TV. Every time, she just facepalms. And laughs. He's always been right, of course, but there's always a scene. Still, she can't argue with results.
Besides, it's good to know she can take her partner home at the end of the day. When getting into trouble is actually the goal, not the exception.
Title: Reunion
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 316
Rating: PG
Summary: House, Brittany, and Brittany's ex-boyfriend.
Author's Notes: This is largely the result of Dragnet coming back on TV. I'm a Dragnet fangirl. Bunnies enused.
I hadn't seen Frank in more than a year. He'd sent a Christmas card in December, but since I'd left L.A. our paths hadn't crossed. Either he was off on a case, or I was on the other side of the country. But when we ran into each other at Starbucks that day, I wished I'd come to see him sooner.
"Brittany!" he said, flashing me an easy grin and giving me an awkward but loving one-armed hug while balancing his coffee. "How have you been, girl?"
"Good, I'm good," I replied, unable to keep from smiling as I kissed him on the cheek. "Just stopping by to catch up on the way to Hawaii."
He gave me an impressed look. "Oooh, sun, sand, tropical drinks, I like the sound of that."
We stepped away from the counter and back towards the front doors. Frank had aged well. He was twenty-six now and still spunky as ever. I saw Greg waiting for me, and when he saw who I was with, he could guess what was up. Frank and I met him at one of the tables outside.
"Frank, you remember Greg," I said helpfully. "My husband?"
"Yeah. Yeah, man, nice to see you," Frank replied with an honest cheeriness that would drive Greg crazy eventually.
I turned my attention to my ex. "How have you been?" I asked. To my knowledge, Frank was still working Robbery Homicide, and that was a tough job to do. I'd considered it once, but turned it down because I figured I didn't have the constitution. Frank had come up from Vice, and sometimes it still squicked him out. He looked at me, then at his coffee, and shrugged.
"Justice is justice," he said. "I do what I have to, to catch the bad guy."
I nodded, understanding that sentiment as I eyed my husband. "Don't we all," I replied.
Title: Wrath
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 316
Rating: PG
Summary: She never asked for this.
Author's Notes: Takes place in November of 2005 and is AU.
They never do find a body. It's not like anyone particularly cares, considering the controversy surrounding his final actions on this planet. They're more concerned about rescuing their agents from capture. Lawrence Burton was a traitor to his country and a sadist, so it's good that he's dead. That one bullet through the skull works just fine for all the people whose opinions matter.
Her husband is sleeping off the effects of three days of torture in their bed, the cat napping on his stomach. She watches him sleep for a few moments, before she walks through the house. She picks up her cell phone and rifles through to the number she's somehow never deleted. It rings once, then twice.
She has no idea why she's making this call. It doesn't change anything. But maybe because it means something to her to be grateful. She should be angry, but instead she's just thankful. Maybe she's changed.
"Thank you," she says softly when he picks up.
His voice is equally quiet, surprisingly. "You're welcome, darling," he tells her. "Just helping where I could."
"Greg will rest easier," she confides, looking back into the bedroom. "I should have done more to protect him. It's going to haunt him."
"We're all haunted by something." He pauses. "If anyone could have prevented this, I would have."
That's a surprising admission of actually caring. She lets out a shaky breath. "I'm haunted by you," she murmurs quietly.
She crawls back into bed with her husband, wrapping her body around his, holding him tightly. When he wakes up with the first of his nightmares, she doesn't judge him, instead just soothes him and promises everything will be better someday. At least the face of his torment is dead. Which she owes to the face of her own demise. But she will live with that, this time.
Title: Fault
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 346
Rating: PG
Summary: No one remembers firing or hearing a gunshot.
Author's Notes: Takes place in August of 2005 and is canon.
They find the body of the terrorist cell leader after the smoke has cleared. None of the agents participating in the raid remembers firing or even hearing a gunshot, nor seeing anyone enter or exit the rowhouse. But Brittany sees the bullet hole through the window and she knows.
She stands in the office at MI5 headquarters, trying to explain to the team leader that she knew nothing about this and never could have seen it coming. But that's half a lie. Ever since Lindsay escaped for the murder of David Newhan she knew he would come back to face her again. He's haunted her nightmares ever since. He is the knife currently twisting in her stomach, and she's absolutely terrified to go up against him again. After all, the first time cost her pride, self-confidence, self-respect, and her husband, among other things.
A shaky breath, as she leans heavily against the desk, trying to figure out his next move. There's only one real way to find out for sure. She picks up the cell phone he called her on, dials his number. Doesn't even wait for him to speak.
"So, Jacob...why'd you decide to ruin my life this time?" As if it's nothing, when it's everything.
That fucking smile is still in his voice. "I don't think I've ever seen it that way, my dear," he tells her. "It does make your job just the slightest bit easier. More time for you to spend with your husband. Your new husband, isn't it? He's a lucky man."
"Don't you bring him into this."
"No worries. I'm not here to hurt you." He chuckles dryly. "I've never been interested in hurting you."
She shakes her head and doesn't answer.
She calls Greg from the hotel room. Today is supposed to be their one-month anniversary. Instead, she's sitting at a table, assembling a minirifle she's going to use to end their suffering. Tears are streaming down her cheeks as she tells him that she's sorry she can't be with him. He has no idea how sorry she is.
Title: Life Rules
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 232
Rating: PG
Summary: House has no problem meting out punishment when necessary.
Author's Notes: Takes place in August of 2005 is canon.
House slugs Jake and everyone can hear the impact, and Brittany just winces and orders everyone else out of the room. She knows that short of pulling a gun, she's not going to be able to stop this. And truth be told, she doesn't really want to, either.
Jake sexually assaulted her. To her husband, beating the living crap out of him is just retribution. Necessary punishment. What has to be done to defend his wife. If he got beat in a bar fight, she'd do the same thing for him. People who love each other stand up for each other.
The punches keep coming, and the two of them are brawling and throwing each other into walls, and everyone is just standing there staring. She screams at them to get out, so they don't have to see this. She should be getting the hell out, too, but she can't move. Instead, she watches them beat the crap out of each other, until Hannigan hits the floor and Greg is standing over him, glaring like looks can kill.
She runs over and looks at her husband, who just nurses a sore hand and asks her if she has some aspirin for the pain. She nods and takes him into her office, ignoring the fallen agent in whimpering pain on the floor. It's safe to say he won't be making that mistake again.
Title: Karma
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 201
Rating: PG
Summary: It's going to get worse before it gets better.
Author's Notes: Canon, but futurefic by a couple of months.
There's no one throwing chairs at her, but there are a few angry letters of hate mail. And the occasional death threat that tells her she's a woman in a man's game and she ought to go back to baking and having kids. She can't say it doesn't bother her. She comes home sometimes defeated, slumping in her chair worried if someone's going to try and kill her son.
Greg is always there when the weight seems like too much. He'll put his arms around her and let her cuddle into his side, and tell her that it's not as bleary as she thinks it is. "We knew this was going to happen," he'll say quietly, pressing his lips to her temple, "but you'll get even when you show them just how good this team can be."
"You think so?" she'll ask, worrying a little. "Sometimes I'm not sure."
"It's called karma," he replies. "What goes around, comes around. And you're going to kick their ass hard when your team starts winning. Nobody gets pissed off when you're winning."
She grins slightly. "That's true," she says, shaking her head. "If you believe in me, the least I can do is try."
Title: The Other Way Out
Fandom: House
Pairing: Greg House/Brittany House
Prompt: #5 -- Justice
Word Count: 186
Rating: PG
Summary: It should be some other way, but it isn't.
Author's Notes: Takes place in October of 2005 and is canon.
Sometimes she wishes she'd never picked up a badge. That she had a nice, simple job somewhere, and she could take vacations when she wanted, to places more tropical.
But that's not reality. The reality is that she's always worked in law enforcement. That she has an obsession with truth, justice and the so-called American way, one that's led her to study criminology and the administration of justice at the highest levels. She's a federal agent. She serves, protects, and enforces. That's what's paying her bills and it's also what's keeping her together.
Then she looks at her husband. He's a doctor. People envy her for being married to a doctor. He has one of those jobs people actually want. He's normal, and she wishes she could be normal like him. For him, so he wouldn't freak out about her so much.
Yet he's got to deal with the same thing. Trying to save people's lives. Except in his line of work, there's no justice. There's no sense of fairness in who lives and who dies.
No wonder why he wanted to hang onto that badge.