Story [House M.D.] 31 Days of Drabbles, complete 2/7 (slash content)

Title: 31 Days of Drabbles
Author: amidalachick
Genre: Mixed, mostly fluff
Timeframe: All seasons
Characters: All (mostly Cuddy, House, Wilson, Cameron)

Notes: I gave myself this challenge to help inspire my muse. I was originally going to write one drabble a day for the month of July, hence 31 days of drabbles. But it wasn't happening, so now I'm trying to complete 31 drabbles before the end of summer.

The drabbles themselves are all inspired by songs. I chose 10 songs that I wanted to use, and the remainder were picked at random by scrolling through my music without looking and using whatever I stopped on. That's why you'll see some cheesy pop songs I liked 10 years ago and never got around to deleting, lol!

You may also notice I've skipped some numbers. That's because I will be posting an edited version here to keep it board-friendly. The complete set will be posted elsewhere.

Drabble #31 contains a male/male pairing. The remaining drabbles are either male/female or no pairing.

Disclaimer: David Shore owns House, M.D. and all things House-related. All of the songs belong to the artists and record companies. I own nothing and just do this for fun.

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Set 1 Notes: Prescription Passion is from "House" and not my own invention.
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1. "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" by Mary Chapin Carpenter

In their years of working together, they had developed a few unwritten, unspoken games and rituals. One of his favorites was to barge into her office while she was busy with paperwork or in a meeting. She'd either look at him with a familiar exasperated-but-faintly-amused expression or ignore him altogether, knowing that he was about to make some outrageous request. When she inevitably refused, they would continue the cycle until he'd gotten what he wanted, with both of them enjoying the game.

But now that she was gone and Foreman was in charge, the game would have to change slightly.

2. "Wilted Rose" by The Vanity Project

Cameron sat by her bed, turning the pages of her wedding album. They looked so happy in the pictures, even though they both knew he was dying.

In the middle of the album, tucked between images of her feeding him cake and hugging her maid of honor, there was a dried rose from her bouquet. She lifted it and touched a petal. A bit of leaf crumbled as her hand grazed it. Gently, she put it back and closed the album.

Then she stood up, walked to her dresser, and began emptying the drawer she intended to give to Chase.

3. "Subdivisions" by Rush

When Wilson was younger, he'd assumed that he would have a typical middle-class life as a doctor with a nice wife, a house in the suburbs, and a quiet Florida retirement.

Instead he was sleeping on House's couch, trying not to admit that his third marriage was ending.

The sound of House's footsteps and a loud "You awake?" distracted him from his thoughts.

"No," he said.

"Too bad," House said. He pushed Wilson's feet aside with his cane, adding, "There's got to be something crappy on the tube at this hour."

Wilson grinned as House began flicking rapidly through channels.

4. "A Moment Like This" by Kelly Clarkson

Cuddy laid Rachel in her crib and touched her hand. Rachel's fist curled around Cuddy's finger, as if asking her to stay.

"Not sleepy yet?" Cuddy asked. "Okay."

She took Rachel in her arms again and settled into the rocking chair. As she rocked gently, she began to hum the melody from a popular love song. Rachel gurgled and nestled against her.

Holding her daughter, feeling the baby's breath against her neck, Cuddy felt all the stress of her day melt away. Things hadn't been easy with Rachel at first, but now she knew she could never give her up.

6. "Breakfast At Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something

Cuddy stood by the couch and glanced at the TV.

"What's on?" she asked.

"Prescription Passion," House said.

"I will never understand why you watch that," Cuddy said.

"Isn't it obvious?" House said. "It's the fine acting and scintillating storylines."

"If you say so," Cuddy said. She hesitated a moment longer, then sat down. She tucked her legs underneath her and rested her head against House's shoulder.

"I knew you'd come around," House said, wrapping an arm around her.

Cuddy had had enough of the show after a few minutes. But House looked happy, so she stayed where she was.

 

Yay you're back!!

And with some awesome drabbles Love them! Especially 3 and 4. 2 made me tear up a little.

I can't wait to see more!

 

Cool drabbles. Never seen House, but I've thought about giving it a try.

 

NYCitygurl: It feels so good to be back writing, I can't even describe it. Thank you so much for reading!

mrjop2: Thank you so much! You should definitely try a couple of episodes.

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Set 2
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7. "Head Over Heels" by Blue Rodeo

He leaned against the nurses' station, arms crossed, waiting for her. She didn't notice him right away, so he called her name.

"Hi," she said. "Does House want something?"

"This has nothing to do with House," he said. "I just thought maybe, when you're done here, we could go for a drink, or get some dinner."

"So you came all the way down here to ask me out," she said.

"Yeah," he said.

For a minute, he thought she was going to say yes.

"No," she said. "But you can come over to my place around nine."

"Sure," he said.

8. "Carefree Highway" by Gordon Lightfoot

Stacy held her phone, trying to think of the right way to begin this conversation.

What would she say? Hi Greg, how's life going? I'm married now. My husband's sick and needs you to cure him. She didn't know if he'd even speak to her. Mark had an appointment with that specialist in Pittsburgh in two weeks, anyway. Maybe they'd find some answers there.

She walked to the bedroom. Lying down next to Mark, watching him sleep, she made up her mind.

She couldn't talk to Greg over the phone. She would go to him in person. For Mark's sake.

9. "Steal My Sunshine" by Len

House had noticed Wilson was stressed out lately. He snapped more, seemed distracted, and looked pale. House decided he needed some excitement in his life.

So, on Wilson's next day off, House pounded on the door bright and early, yelling, "Rise and shine!"

"Why are you even awake this early?" Wilson grumbled, yanking the door open.

"We're going for a drive," House said. "Don't forget your wallet."

"You expect me to just drop everything and run off with you?" Wilson asked.

"Yep," House said cheerfully. "Hurry up."

Wilson pinched the bridge of his nose, then said, "Give me ten minutes."

10. "Shambala" by Three Dog Night

Wilson opened a bag of potato chips and took a handful before House could get ahold of them.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but this was actually a good idea," he said.

"You doubted me?" House pretended to pout, then snatched the bag away.

House looked around the crowded beach while he stuffed chips in his mouth. They'd ended up at a women's volleyball tournament, making a few stops along the way to stock up on junk food. He'd figured that would be enough to cheer anyone up, at least temporarily. And, judging from Wilson's smile, he'd been right.

 

good update.

 

mrjop2: Thank you!

Set 3 Notes: Not fic-related, but I wanted to share this video. It's a gorgeous version of one of the songs I've used in these drabbles, "Phasors on Stun", which is itself a beautiful song.

Enjoy!

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Set 3
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12. "Eyes of a Stranger" by The Payolas

When she'd first appeared in his bathroom, her smoky grey-blue eyes meeting his, he'd been afraid that he was hallucinating again. Even when she took his hand - even when they kissed - he'd doubted that this could really be happening.

"Cuddy," he said, needing her to reassure him as he pulled her on top of him again.

"House," she murmured. "I'm here."

Her mouth was hot against his. Her dark hair tickled his cheek. She felt alive, warm, real.

In the dark, alone with her, he could believe almost anything.

He hoped she'd still be there in the morning.

13. "Got My Mind Set on You" by George Harrison

The kid developed an uncontrollable nosebleed two days after House took the case. Three days later, he was in ICU, and if House didn't find a diagnosis soon, he probably wouldn't have a day six.

House sat slumped in his chair, tossing his ball back and forth. He kept running through symptoms and theories, looking for patterns, searching for any little clues he'd missed. The answer shimmered at the edge of his consciousness, frustratingly close.

He tossed the ball upwards and caught it in one hand. Everything suddenly fell into place.

He grabbed his cane and headed towards the ICU.

14. "Next To Me" by Emeli Sandé

Wilson wasn't surprised when Cuddy marched up to him and snapped, "Where's House?"

"I don't know," he said.

"Chase thinks he left after his little stunt," Cuddy fumed.

"Probably went to a bar," Wilson suggested.

"I will kill him," Cuddy said.

Wilson held out his hands placatingly. "Honestly, Lisa, I haven't seen him since this morning."

"Well, when you do, tell him he's got twenty extra clinic hours," Cuddy said. She pointed accusingly. "And if I find out you're covering for him, you get fifteen hours."

Wilson looked suitably annoyed until Cuddy was out of sight, then texted House, Lunch?

15. "I Can't Stand It" by Eric Clapton

Thirteen opened her eyes. The other side of the bed was empty.

She was used to that. Sometimes she was the one to leave. It had never bothered her before.

She found Foreman in the kitchen, waiting for the coffee to brew. He had the same tense, tired posture she'd seen all week. Watching him, she thought it was ironic that he was pulling away now, just when she wanted - needed - more.

She wasn't ready to give up, though. She put her arms around his neck, letting him know she was there. He turned and hugged her tightly.

16. "Phasors on Stun" by FM

He stared out the window absently, wishing he could talk to Amber.

She'd probably say the same things she had when they were together. She'd wanted him to be happy, urging him to take care of himself, to do what he wanted.

He'd thought he knew what he wanted. But being Kyle Calloway hadn't worked. And no matter what the scan showed, he wasn't sure what to do next.

Shifting to stretch, he noticed House watching him and pretending not to. He realized he was sure about one thing. Right now, that was enough. He turned back towards the window.

 

Lovely! I particularly enjoyed 9 and 10

 

Mira_Jade: 14 was a lot of fun to write, so I'm glad you found it fun to read! I'm very glad you enjoyed 12 as well...that was one of the songs I chose to use because it's a perfect House/Cuddy song. Thank you so much for reading and for your awesome comments!

NYCitygurl: Thanks so much! As soon as those songs came up, I knew they'd be happy drabbles, lol!

Set 4 Notes: I used information from the Wikipedia and House wiki pages on Foreman and his family to write 20.

I also want to mention the song "Africa". It's one of my chosen songs, with a lot of personal meaning to me. It's an absolutely beautiful song, and if you're not familiar with it, I highly recommend listening to it.

Enjoy the drabbles!

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Set 4
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17. "Africa" by Toto

It was the first night away from Princeton and his old life. Yet House felt strangely content.

He knew Wilson would want to talk about cancer, death, and other serious topics at some point. But he hoped to put it off for a while. Right now he just wanted to enjoy whatever time they had left.

Wilson, lying on the other bed, seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"It's kind of nice," he said.

"What is?" House asked.

"Just...this," Wilson said, making a sweeping gesture.

House knew he wasn't talking about the motel room.

"Yeah," he said. "It is."

18. "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" by Crosby, Stills, & Nash

Cuddy sat in her car, keys in the ignition.

She didn't have to do this. She could wait. She could give him another chance. Maybe this time they could make their relationship work. But even as she thought it, she knew none of it was true. Even months ago, when she'd returned Lucas' ring and gone to House, she'd known this day might come. Now she was facing the reality of ending her relationship with him. Although her heart ached, she knew she was making the best decision for her and Rachel.

She blinked back tears and started the car.

20. "Spirits in the Material World" by The Police

"Hi, Mom," he said.

Her voice was still the same. Calm and soothing, even though she struggled to remember his name. He listened as she talked about people and places she knew when he was young, or before he was born. He waited patiently while she tried to think of a word. He told her again that he was a doctor, that he helped people.

He knew that no one, not even House, could help her.

All he could do was listen as she prayed for him, and tell her that he loved her and he'd talk to her again.

21. "Dust on the Bottle" by David Lee Murphy

"You're late," House complained.

"I stopped for food," Wilson said.

"And alcohol, I hope," House said.

"Naturally," Wilson said. He dropped the takeout bags on the coffee table and settled onto the couch. "What's on?"

"Don't know," House said. "But it's got a shark and hot women in bikinis."

"The makings of cinematic excellence," Wilson agreed, reaching for a container of Chinese food.

Later, after a few beers and hours of bad TV, Wilson yawned and slumped farther into the cushions.

"Guess I'm staying here tonight," he mumbled.

"Don't you always?" House asked, tossing him a blanket. "See you tomorrow."

 

House and Wilson are great together I felt so bad for Foreman during #20! And 19 was so sad

 

Mira_Jade: 18 was hard to write - I much prefer writing happy fluffy stuff, lol! I'm so glad you enjoyed 17 and 21, though. Thank you so much for reading!

NYCitygurl: I felt bad writing this set...I just want them all to be happy, but the muse demanded otherwise. Thanks for reading, Nat!

Set 5 Notes: This set was really hard to write. I knew how I wanted to use my two chosen songs, but it was a struggle to find the right words. And I had no idea what to do with the three random songs in the set. I'm still not entirely happy with them, but I got them written, which was my main goal. So I hope you enjoy!

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Set 5
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22. "I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman" by k-os

She walks into the diagnostics office and sees Kutner already there.

"Morning, Thirteen," Kutner says, emphasizing the nickname, smiling and obviously hoping that today's the day she'll reveal her real name or some other fact about herself.

"Morning," she says, smiling back.

She reaches for a file and pretends to read it. She tells herself, again, that it's better they don't know. It's better that she doesn't know. Not knowing lets her get out of bed every day. Not knowing lets her live her life without worrying about the future.

If she keeps repeating that, she might eventually believe it.

23. "Wedding Bell Blues" by The 5th Dimension

Cameron had worked late last night, so Chase tried to be quiet and not disturb her as he got ready for work.

He opened the drawer to take out a pair of socks, but instead he removed the ring he'd hidden there.

With the ring in his palm, he looked over at Cameron again. He wondered if she was dreaming, and who she was dreaming about.

He hoped that when he found the right time or the right words to ask her to marry him, she'd be able to say yes.

He put the ring back and finished getting dressed.

24. "Again" by Lenny Kravitz

After House left, Cuddy remained in the nursery, wanting to stay near the baby. Her baby, she reminded herself.

She'd spent countless nights crying over her miscarriage, the failed fertility treatments, and the loss of Joy. She'd wondered if the universe was telling her she wasn't meant to be a mother. She'd vowed that she was done trying, that she wouldn't put herself through more suffering.

Now, although she would never forget Joy or the unnamed baby she'd carried so briefly, she knew she could do this. Cuddy smiled and brushed away tears as she watched her new daughter sleep.

 

Again was so beautiful!

And I'm quite curious about Thirteen!

 

NYCitygurl: Thank you so much! I liked Cuddy and Rachel on the show, even though I'm not much of a baby person in real life. As for Thirteen, she thinks she has Huntington's disease, but doesn't want to know for sure.

Mira_Jade: "I Wish I Knew NP" was one of my chosen songs, because it totally fits Thirteen. I'm so glad you liked these, and thank you so much for reading!

Notes: So I have finally (almost) finished this little project. I still have one drabble to complete, but I've finished writing the ones I'm posting here, and I'm excited to share them, lol!

These are all set during or shortly after specific episodes (6.10 "Wilson"; 2.17 "All In"; 8.22 "Everybody Dies"), but prior knowledge of the show isn't necessary.

I also want to mention #30 and #31. When I heard these two songs, they both reminded me of certain scenes and episodes of House. Although they're the last drabbles I've written, they're the songs that inspired it all.

"Every Once In A While" is a song I remember from childhood that I rediscovered when I heard it on the radio last summer. I'd never heard "Prove It All Night" until last May, but it's a beautiful song, and it not only inspired a fic, it turned me into a Springsteen fan. Give them a listen; they're both lovely!

Many hugs and thanks to everyone who's shared this journey with me! You guys are the best.

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Set 6
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28. "Refugee" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Wilson was used to moving. Every marriage, every hasty relationship, meant a new place to live. And when those relationships ended, he'd move again, usually to a hotel, a short-term lease apartment, or some other temporary shelter.

Amber's apartment had been the closest thing to a home he'd known in a long time. He'd expected to be upset when he left it, as if losing her all over again.

But leaning on the counter in his own kitchen, eating pizza straight out of the box and pretending to be annoyed that House kept stealing pepperoni slices, he just felt content.

29. "Rock The Casbah" by The Clash

Cuddy stopped in the hallway outside Ian's room to compose herself before going inside.

She should have known House couldn't leave things alone. She'd played along and let him work on Ian because she'd thought the worst he would do was insult Ian's parents and run a bunch of expensive and unnecessary tests.

Instead, he had almost killed Ian. Despite her warning to him to stay away, she knew he would persist. Even though he'd caused the problem, he had the best shot at fixing it.

That was the most infuriating part, and that was what she was counting on.

30. "Every Once In A While" by BlackHawk

Cameron spotted Chase and Foreman across the room, helping themselves to food. She made her way over, dabbing at her eyes to keep the tears from falling.

"Hey," Chase greeted her. "Dig in."

"I'm not really hungry," Cameron said.

"I'm sure Wilson paid good money for all this," Chase said, gesturing with a carrot stick. "Don't let it go to waste."

Cameron surveyed the table, then grabbed a cookie. Chase grinned.

"House would be proud," he said.

"No, he'd tell us we're being idiots," Foreman said.

All three of them laughed, and Cameron raised her cookie in a silent toast.

 

Mira_Jade: Thank you for reading and for your wonderful comments! I had so much fun with this whole project, and just getting back into writing, and I'm so glad you've enjoyed it, too. Thank you!

 

I love Foreman's line at the end. It sounds like such a lovely way to honor their friend

Amazing job with this series! I very much look forward to your next writing adventure

 

NYCitygurl: Thank you! That's exactly what I was going for with that drabble. Thank you so much for reading, Nat!

 

Notes: First off, just a warning that this drabble contains slash. I've left some empty space before the drabble itself, so that you can scroll down to read. Also, these notes are longer than the drabble. Anyway...

I was lucky enough to see Bruce Springsteen in concert recently. He's an amazing artist and musician with an amazing band, and it was just a completely awesome experience.

But before May 2013, I wasn't a fan. I thought he was overrated. Then, as I mentioned before, I heard "Prove It All Night" on the radio and it was such a beautiful and fitting song for the last few episodes of House, M.D. and House and Wilson's relationship. I started writing a ficlet to it, which eventually became this drabble. It was really special to me, but at the time I couldn't share it here because of the ban on slash fic and LGBTQ relationships.

Now that the ban is lifted, I wanted to finally share the drabble that got me back into writing and opened up a whole new chapter in my life. Hope you enjoy!

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31. "Prove It All Night" by Bruce Springsteen

It wasn't the streetlight shining through the curtains keeping House awake.

It wasn't his leg, either.

It was Wilson's fault. It had been one year since Wilson was declared cancer-free, and he'd insisted on celebrating. House wasn't about to argue, especially when he learned Wilson's plans involved Chinese food and sex.

Afterwards, laying contentedly in Wilson's arms, he'd almost been asleep. Then Wilson got up to pee.

"Took you long enough," House grumbled when he returned.

"I was only gone a minute," Wilson protested. He kissed House as they settled against each other again. "Night, House."

House smiled. "Night, Wilson."

 

This is so sweet! I'm glad you're finally able to post it!!

I will say, I"m sad to see these drabbles end, though it is such a fitting last drabble!