Trust//House M.D. Fanfiction

Four: Drinking Solution

If there was one thing Hannah had learned over the past week, it was that colorectal cancer sucked. However, she was nearly free of it, and one of few risks now was passing it on to any biological children she may have.

Finally dressed in her real clothes, Hannah stood in the pharmacy, waiting for House to show up with her prescription. She was finally given the chance to take a shower and get dressed in her own clothes, and it felt nice to have the gentle fabric of her favorite floral sundress swish across her knees whenever she took a step.

After another two minutes, Hannah was taken by surprise when Wilson approached her in stead of House. But of course, he was probably held up somewhere else with another patient. "Hey," she greeted when Wilson got close enough. "Got my new meds?"

"No, I'm just here to ask if you wanted to go elephant hunting with the team over lunch today?" Hannah snorted at his obvious sarcasm.

"Then I suppose it's in the bag?" she asked, noticing the paper bag he clutched tightly in his hand. Wilson nodded and handed her the bag. Unrolling the top, Hannah peered in to see two boxes and a small plastic syringe. "Liquid, then?"

Wilson nodded. "Yep. It's a liquid iron supplement that will get your iron level up and keep it up. We suggest taking three milliliters twice a day mixed with a Vitamin C rich product - orange juice is usually what we recommend. However, it does stain the teeth, so you'd be better off drinking with a straw. Of course, we've provided the instructions for you too, so you don't have to remember everything I just told you now."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Wilson. I wish I could pay you back somehow."

"Well, you could start by letting me have an official appointment later on today, after work, I suppose? I'm busy all day today, and you need time to settle back in at home." Hannah smiled at him. "And since when did you call me Dr. Wilson?"

Her smile grew as a gentle laugh escaped from her lips. "Since we're surrounded by people who think we've never met before," Hannah replied at a lower volume. Wilson nodded in understanding.

"Alright. Well, you look a lot better now. And I'm not just talking in terms of health. You definitely seem like you've changed for the better." Hannah felt heat rise to her cheeks. Why did he still have this... this affect on her after so many years? It wasn't fair, not at all. She was about to respond when Wilson's pager beeped. He pulled it out of his lab coat pocket and checked it, a confused look on his face, before turning back to Hannah.

"Listen, I've-"

"Got to go? It's House calling, isn't it?" Wilson nodded, slightly annoyed at the cripple. But this was a hospital, and everything was going on at once. Before he could leave, Hannah wrapped her arms around Wilson in a tight hug. "It was great seeing you again, James," she whispered. She smiled when he returned the hug, and she hoped nobody noticed they stayed in their embrace perhaps a second or so longer than normal. "And I'm one hundred percent free tonight, so come over whenever."

Wilson nodded and they went their separate way with twin smiles.

---

Fifteen blocks later, Hannah Christie knew the true definition of relief: flopping down on your old, comfortable couch after spending a week in an uncomfortable hospital bed. She didn't even care that it wasn't her bed; she wanted a nap. And nap she did... for a grand total of two minutes, before she realized she should take her first dose of her new medicine. Fortunately, she'd already stored away some orange juice in her fridge, and she kept a bunch of straws - for smoothies and such - in one of her kitchen cabinets.

She set the paper bag on the counter and readied the glass of orange juice for her medicine. Then she pulled out one of the boxes that contained her liquid iron. Hannah unscrewed the top and gagged at the smell. It was like someone has taken an iron rod and waved it in front of her nose.

After several minutes of mixing and gagging, Hannah's first dose of medicine was gone. The orange juice did not, at all, cover the taste of the iron supplement. It was as if someone had melted an actual chunk of iron and poured it into a bottle. But, if it would help, Hannah would try anything.

"I need some vodka," she muttered to herself as she rinsed out the glass and threw out the straw. While the alcohol was strong, it was nowhere near as bad as the iron-orange juice mixture. Hannah prepared a glass, set it on the counter, and took the bottle over to her orange couch. It was the only thing she'd kept from her old house, after all.

Hannah turned on the T.V., looking for something actually interesting to watch. No, there were only children's programs and procedural cop shows on. She flipped to some random channel and relaxed, taking a swig from her vodka bottle. Home renovation, nice.

She must have dozed off, because when a knock on the door startled her it was nine at night. Her T.V. was still on, as were the lights. Fortunately, Hannah hadn't dropped her vodka. She stood up and took another swig before making her way the the breakfast bar and setting it down. Brushing off her favorite pair of jeans, Hannah walked to the door and opened it.

"Hey, Hannah. I'm here for my appointment," Wilson smiled as she opened the door wider to let him inside.

"Sure, come on in." Hannah's smile mimicked his as he stepped onto the threshold. "Vodka?" Wilson faced her with a strange look on his face.

Hannah payed no mind as she strolled towards the counter where she left the glass she'd poured earlier. She took it and handed it to Wilson, whether he wanted some or not. Regardless, he took a sip. "Since when did you like vodka?" he asked, quite obviously confused.

"Since always. I just never drank it when you were around. Except for when I was... You know." An awkward silence fell over the open concept room. The two ex-lover stood facing each other without meeting the other's eyes, looking anywhere else. Hannah leaned forward against the breakfast bar and took sipped from her bottle.

She opened her mouth to day something, but Wilson beat her to it. "Nice place you got here. I recognize the couch. Do you take it with you everywhere?" Hannah chuckled a bit before nodding.

"Yeah, I guess. My mom bought it for me when I first moved out. It's all I really have left of her." Wilson looked at her, both surprise and sympathy in her eyes. "Adela's... gone?"

Hannah nodded sadly, setting the bottle down on the counter again. "Yeah, last year. Colorectal cancer, just like me. Can't say I was too surprised when I found out about my condition. Cancer can be genetic, you know." With that, she winked at him. Of course he did, he was an oncologist, for frick's sake!

That made Wilson smile, but it didn't take the melancholy from the room. It hurt to think about her mother, Hannah decided, however tough their relationship was. She'd dropped out of medical school, of all places. But it wasn't her fault. Her boyfriend at the time was a gold-digger. He took all her saved up tuition money, bought a private helicopter, and flew off with some blonde bimbo, leaving Hannah with nothing more than a fifty dollar bill.

Her mother never let Hannah explain herself. Yet even when she was dying in the hospital, Hannah and her father, Pablo, never left Adela's side. If only she'd had time to set things right...

"Hannah!" She looked up quickly to see concern in Wilson's eyes. "Are you alright? You just finished two thirds of the bottle. Are you sure you don't have a drinking problem." Hannah smiled halfheartedly, standing up straight and looking at her now empty bottle.

"I don't know. If anything, I have a drinking solution. It helps me feel, it helps me forget. It just... helps me." Wilson only nodded. Hannah threw her empty bottle in the recycling bin before continuing. "My office is upstairs."

Wilson chuckled. "Your... office?" Hannah just looked at him, confusion written all over her face.

"Yes, what else would I call it? My 'Reading Room'? 'The Psychic Spot'? Ooh, how about my 'Department of Tarot'? Or 'Divine Division'? Please, James, tell me when to stop. I could call it-"

"I get the picture," he chuckled, smiling at Hannah's foolishness. "Lead the way."