(Untitled)

[misanthrope_md]

The last time House had gotten drunk at the Winchester he'd ended up taking home a hot girl with good intentions but a serious lack of follow-through. This time it wasn't because he was expecting similar results, but rather for the simplest reason of all: His leg hurt

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[lastof_five]

Helen was on her way to pick up something from her hut when she passed by the Winchester and, along the way, Greg. He seemed...disoriented, somehow, and Helen frowned a bit as she drew closer.

"Greg? Is everything all right? You don't need me for anything, do you?"

She didn't believe he'd admit needing help, he was stubborn, but she had to offer.

[lastof_five]

"What? Bloody hell, Greg, I'm not blowing you. Besides being with Will, I'm not inclined to be the sloppy seconds for anyone, much less one of my dearest friends."

She didn't move away, though. "You were good to her, then? To Kate?"

[misanthrope_md]

Even though he hadn't really meant to tell her, it had just kind of slipped out, House was surprised that she wasn't... surprised. He wondered if Kate had told her herself.

"Good to her? She wouldn't let me be good to her. I tried. I mean, I'm probably a dick for complaining, that was the first orgasm I've had in almost a year that involved another person, but still."

[lastof_five]

"I suppose that's all right, then," Helen said quietly. She waited a few moments, just staying close, before she spoke again. It was likely a stupid thing to say, but it was how she felt and she felt like he ought to know.

"Loving Will and not wanting to hurt him doesn't negate the fact that I'm intrigued by you and, as crass as that come on was, sexually attracted to you. So it's not...pity. What I feel for you isn't pity."

[misanthrope_md]

"And this," House said, falling backwards on the bed and looking up at the ceiling, "is where I pathetically say - look, you have feelings for me!"

He shifted his eyes back to her. "Look, I'm not in love with you or anything. I'm not pining. But despite your, what, relationship status, you show more interest in me than anyone else around here."

[lastof_five]

"Which is a damned shame. You're a fascinating man, Greg," Helen said, sliding back to lay next to him on the bed. "Clearly, this island is somewhat lacking in taste. You're good looking and brilliant and that's coming from a woman who used to date the man Sherlock Holmes is based on."

Jack the Ripper too, but they weren't going to discuss her exes at length today.

"I'm well aware you're not pining for me, though. Doesn't change the fact that if I were offering, you'd accept, and it wouldn't be just sex, would it?"

[misanthrope_md]

"That's awfully presumptuous of you," said House. "I'm not even sure I'm capable of not-just-sex anymore. I probably wasn't very good at it in the first place."

[lastof_five]

"Presumptuous? Are you saying if I came onto you now, you'd turn me down? Interesting," Helen said, laughing a bit. She sobered at the next part, though.

"Neither am I, by the way. Capable of just sex, that is. I've always loved too much."

[misanthrope_md]

House shook his head. "You misunderstood. I don't think I'm capable of not just sex anymore. I don't think I'm capable of love. I don't think I was very good at it before, and I was a lot less bitter then."

[lastof_five]

"At the risk of sounding like a poor imitation of my boyfriend, life's not worth living if you close yourself off," Helen said, but it rang hollow to her ears. How many years had she spent closing herself off and deeming herself incapable of love?

"I was the same, once. Have I ever told you about my ex fiance? John?"

[misanthrope_md]

She should really stop giving House more reasons to dislike her boyfriend before even meeting him.

"Maybe," he said. "But I'm drunk so you should probably tell me again anyway."

[lastof_five]

"I never expected to be in love. I was thirty and unmarried, which was unheard of in the 19th century. John had been one of my patients and he proposed, all very unexpected. He was good to me at first, my first everything, but it...shifted. He got moody, erratic. He'd hit me and apologize for it later, came to me drunk and rough. I didn't know any better, I suppose, but it turned out he was responsible for the Ripper killings and I just...shut down. Took me a good fifteen years before I ever sought romantic company again and even still, it's hard to open up," Helen said quietly.

"It's easier to just fuck without feelings because look what feelings got me? Luckily, Will's gotten me out of that mindset."

[misanthrope_md]

Even drunk, there was absolutely no mistaking House's reaction to part of her story. At he'd hit me, fury flashed in his expression. Violence against women was something that he had a strong reaction to.

But he schooled it away as she continued, and at her final comment said, "Lucky you. Does he have a brother?"

[lastof_five]

"Will? No. He's an only child and an orphan to boot."

Helen sighed and looked over at him, suddenly wishing she was just as drunk. It was always hard to talk about John, even a century removed from the worst of it.

"I told you my emotional damage. Was there anything in particular that caused yours?"

[misanthrope_md]

"Yeah," said House with a sarcastic snort. "Daddy hit me."

Which was true, but he had no intention of actually letting on that it was true.

[lastof_five]

"I was being serious, Greg. It's hard to talk about John and how he used to hurt me, how I used to let him because I thought if he hurt me, he wouldn't want to kill. It's not something I tell everyone and certainly not something I would quip about."

Helen watched him for a moment. "Is it true, then? About your father?"