Set in Princeton, New Jersey, the best medical research is studied and performed at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. And there is one doctor in particular who brings fame to the hospital-Dr. Gregory House.
Recently graduated medical stud...
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A/N: Parts of this chapter are new (mainly between Milson)
For the rest of the week, the hospital was quiet and the days went by slowly.
Partly, it was because there weren't as many patients coming in, and also because the team had solved the case given to them the other day at a speedy pace. Cuddy had decided the team earned time off, while House could devote more time to his clinic hours which was to everyone's liking–except House's.
House spent Wednesday and Thursday in and out of the clinic, putting on disguises in between appointments. But, he took Friday off without Cuddy's permission. As a long-time doctor, House wasn't a stranger to burn-out, however, he felt particularly unmotivated and exhausted this week. House was used to working under pressure and to working on cases that require extra speedy diagnoses.
But that Friday afternoon when he had time to himself, he had nothing left to distract him from the real problem: Madelyn Gilmore.
Without ever uttering the words, House never particularly felt as if he were a lovable person, or easy to love which began with his father from the time he was only a small child. Being undermined and devalued from such a young age left a scar on his heart that never fully heal. For the rest of his life it would constantly tear open where House's competence and character were concerned.
House had only had two long-term, significant relationships in his life. First, with Stacy. And second, with Cuddy.
With any relationship comes sacrifice, loyalty, and commitment. But when it came to somebody he loved, it all almost came naturally.
Stacy loved House for his ambition, genius, and the way he faced adversity when he got his leg surgery. The way he could muster up confidence when life only had fear to offer made Stacy believe in House's bravery, and to be brave herself. For Cuddy, however, she loved House for his intolerance, determination, and his ability to be his authentic himself, even if that self was infuriating. House has never been one to back down, and Cuddy learned to believe in herself and her own capabilities as a doctor, medical director, mother, and as a person.
As House sat alone at his grand piano, he tinkered at the keys, listening to the notes lift up into the air and into his ears. In those notes, he heard the vibrations of sadness, worry, misguidance, confusion, and yearning. He couldn't shake the sound of this feelings, or the weight of them in his chest. Whether or not he would admit it out loud, House felt something for Madelyn. But it didn't feel like what he felt for Stacy or for Cuddy...
Madelyn, he understood, was younger, but mature. She was also quiet, but outspoken. She was also able to–and seemingly enjoyed–entertain his humor. Above all things, the connection he felt with her was light, airy, but all-consuming.
House felt eaten up by the thought of her not because it was destructive, but because Madelyn was enigmatic.
He liked the way she thought and spoke for herself, but was still a team-player. He liked that Madelyn was intelligent beyond understanding the science of medicine, but the science of expertly practicing it. She was good with the patients, with the staff at the hospital, and with House himself.
Madelyn didn't try to change him or his methods, which she not only accepted, but respected. House couldn't think of many times where someone accepted him for exactly who he was. And it wasn't because of a lack of caring, for it was quite the opposite.
House accepted Madelyn too, but had unexplainably convinced himself she was better off not knowing how he felt. Giving his heart away was difficult, but the idea of messing with hers seemed worse. Although, it didn't make seeing Madelyn with Wilson hurt any less.
Running rampant in his thoughts, House took a look outside his window and noticed his skin warming with the rays of the sun that lit up the dreamy, blue sky. He watched as people floated through the streets, and wondered about Madelyn who was somewhere underneath the same sky:
At the exact same time far across town at a music festival, Madelyn danced, sang, and laughed with James Wilson.
While they had run into each other unexpectedly, the two former lovers felt their old flame burning strong and bright. Wilson spun Madelyn around, and watched as her sun-struck hair twirled with her. His eyes locked with hers, and the two could hardly contain their happiness.
Their lips intertwined like delicate dandelions caught in the path of wind. No strings attached, of course; the two had made that clear to one another. Madelyn and Wilson were focused on nothing but enjoying this moment with one another. Their bodies were chest-to-chest and warm with the heartbeat of hope.
In the safe embrace of Wilson, Madelyn felt the past and present merging but she just wasn't sure he was her future.
No matter how inviting it was to be in Wilson's company, the idea of being wrapped up, held, and kissed by House were excruciatingly more desirable. Whether it was because Madelyn lacked any history with House or because their connection felt timeless, she was falling for her boss like she's fallen for nobody before.
For days, Madelyn couldn't tear him from her mind and for weeks she couldn't extract him from under her skin. For the last two months, she couldn't kill the butterflies in her stomach when she saw him. And up until a couple days ago, Madelyn wasn't all that sure that she would want to stop feeling something for House–that is–if she had the choice.
Madelyn danced in the heartbeat of the music that played, and felt the warm sunshine melt over her skin like butter. And although she was still pissed and annoyed with him, she wished House was here too.
For Madelyn, the closest she was to getting her wish was the dreamy, blue sky that sparkled like his eyes.
