deelaundry: person holding a cane and blue folder in the same hand (folder)
[personal profile] deelaundry
Posted to [livejournal.com profile] house_wilson and [livejournal.com profile] housefic

Title: Long Weekend
Author: Dee Laundry
Characters: Wilson, House
Rating: PG for theme
Words: 577
Summary: Wilson spirals down; House waits. NOT HAPPY. Spoilers through episode 5-4. There is a sequel to this fic: Ever After.

Wilson gets fired on Friday. Walks out of Cuddy’s office with a smile on his face. He’s happy he got fired, which doesn’t surprise House. Not given what Wilson’s been up to – or, rather, not up to lately.

“You wanted Cuddy to can you,” House says, falling into step right next to Wilson as he pushes out past the Clinic doors. “No chance of getting guilted into staying if you make her push instead of walking out yourself.”

Wilson doesn’t respond. He never responds lately, but that’s all right. House understands why.

Slam, through the stairwell door, and Wilson’s going up the steps two at a time. The lab coat billows out like wings. House waits at the bottom of the staircase for Wilson to come back down again with whatever trinkets he’ll take from his office.


Wilson bangs Taub’s wife on Saturday. Could’ve picked anyone for this, House thinks at first, but it turns out that’s not true. Wilson needs the anger of a woman scorned – whether forgiveness has been given or not – and he wants the guilt that comes from knowing he’s betrayed someone he knows. Again. It’s a particular kind of guilt he wants: sandspur guilt covered in spikes that pierce and cling. The kind that stays with you, under your skin, nettles, settles, doesn’t go away.


Wilson destroys House’s couch on Sunday. Takes a honking big chef’s knife to it, stabbing, ripping. He plunges the blade in over and over.

At one point he hits frame and his arm jars. House wonders if the shoulder’s dislocated, the way that Wilson’s shouting and jumping, but no. Wilson proves that a moment later when he takes a sidearm swing and rends the back cushion from one side to the other.

Fluff spouts from the gash, and Wilson takes no notice whatsoever.


Wilson dies on Monday. Barely Monday – 12:03 – but Monday nonetheless. House watches his chest fail to rise for thirty seconds, counted off precisely, and then turns to the left.

Empty air.

He looks back at Wilson’s body, sees no movement, and counts for sixty seconds, then another twenty just to be safe. Dead. Wilson’s definitely dead. House looks out around the room, searching.

Empty air.

The low rumble of chuckling bypasses House’s ears and pounds directly into his heart. “You son of a bitch,” he says.

“Don’t talk about your grandmother that way,” John House replies, stepping into view.

“You said –”

Dad shakes his head. “You never learned how to listen, did you, boy? Never. I said you’d get to see him, and I said he’d die. I didn’t say you’d get to see him after he died.”

House looks down at the lifeless body. “Where’d he go?”

“Hell if I know,” Dad says. “Want to go hang around your girl Lisa? She’s got a hell of a body, and she’ll probably be hitting the shower in a couple of hours.”

House ignores the suggestion. “Where did he go?”

“You think anybody tells me anything? Chain of command, son. Need to know. God figures I don’t need to know; I figure you don’t need to know. Got any reason you want to hang around this empty old place?”

House shakes his head.

Dad clamps an unwelcome hand on his shoulder and nods off toward the distance. “Well, then let’s get a move on.”
Page 1 of 2 << [1] [2] >>

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 01:30 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] californiaquail.livejournal.com
So, House is already dead and that's why Wilson went nuts?

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] californiaquail.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-23 01:36 am (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-23 01:29 pm (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] californiaquail.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-23 10:23 pm (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] benjimmy.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-23 11:36 pm (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] californiaquail.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-23 11:50 pm (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] benjimmy.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-23 11:52 pm (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] spoggly.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-24 05:03 am (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 01:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hannahrorlove.livejournal.com
sandspur guilt covered in spikes that pierce and cling. The kind that stays with you, under your skin, nettles, settles
Words like these are why English is so vivid and descriptive - it doesn't have anything to refer to specific concepts like "world-weariness" but it's got little bits like this, that, yes, do get under my skin.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 01:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
I wanted to leave it at sandspur, because if you've ever been bothered by those then you know exactly what it means. But I guess those aren't universal.

Thanks.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 01:42 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] daasgrrl.livejournal.com
Ouch, twist! Very nicely done; I was wondering what on earth was up with Wilson. Also, because of that, I didn't find this nearly as depressing as I could have. House had better FIND him, is all I can say :)

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 01:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Wilson wasn't doing so well here. Not at all. Thanks.
Edited Date: 2008-11-23 01:35 pm (UTC)
(deleted comment)

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 01:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
I didn't kill him! He did that himself. : ) Thanks.
(deleted comment)

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 01:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thanks. Poor Wilson and House, indeed. They don't do well apart from each other.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 02:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] remydoodle.livejournal.com
That was cool, you had me till the end when I realized he was dead too. Very good. And to think, I really thought House and Wilson would spend the afterlife together. Instead House is in his own hell spending it with the man he hated!!!

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 06:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thanks. Poor House, to find out there is an afterlife, and then to spend it with John House.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 02:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] debbiel66.livejournal.com
Wow, this was brutal. And poor House that he ended up biding his time with the one person who could never understand him, even given an eternity to do so.

Couldn't Wilson be waiting on the other side of some figurative pearly gate...?

Your writing, as always, is so wonderful. Thank you.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 08:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thanks. Poor House, indeed.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 02:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bammel.livejournal.com
You're right--not happy, but I did love the jolt I got. Thank you. ♥

A+++++

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 08:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thanks. : )

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 03:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nuclearfootball.livejournal.com
Love this and you and Wilson. <3

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 08:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Love you (and Wilson) too. ♥ Thanks.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 03:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] poeia.livejournal.com
Undecided. I don't have a problem with Wilson going nuts after House dies. I have a problem with House being stuck with John for eternity.

Well written, though. I never saw it coming.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 08:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thanks. Yeah, House has a problem beign stuck with John for eternity. (Does it help that the sequel will go up tonight or tomorrow?)

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 05:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] savemoony.livejournal.com
oh man
daddy and house together
int he afterlife
with no wilson
damn
that's kind of fucking sucky
but the fic is awesome
i lvoe that h e fucks taub's wife
so right os right so right

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 08:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Comment in poetry form - awesome. Thanks!

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] savemoony.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-23 09:04 pm (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 11:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hwshipper.livejournal.com
Oh you really had me there. I don't know which is worse; House stuck with his dad for all eternity, or Wilson stuck god knows where for all eternity... *weeps*

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 08:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
*passes tissue* Thanks.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 01:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] christikat.livejournal.com
Poor Wilson!! Although I've to admit that I had to read it twice to get the whole message ...

Now I'm off to happier places ;-)

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 08:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
There are definitely happier places to be found! Thanks.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 01:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aunt-zelda.livejournal.com
*squeak*
WOW, that was a shocker ... at first I didn't get it, and then ... WOW ...
House doesn't even know where Wilson went? *ulp* Oh, he ought to go on an epic journey through the Nine Circles of Hell and rescue Wilson ... or something like that ... I mean, I can only assume that Wilson killed himself and House suddenly dropped dead, because the only reason I can see House commiting suicide is if Wilson went first and that isn't the case here, so House is in purgatory and Wilson's in hell? (Somehow that's just not right ...)

“You son of a bitch,” he says.
“Don’t talk about your grandmother that way,” John House replies, stepping into view.

Heh heh heh ... sorry, that bit is just kinda funny ... also the image of Wilson ripping apart that couch. Just ... symbolic, ya know? I can't think of anything more symbolic than that, actually. At first it's funny, but then it's REALLY deep.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 09:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Yes, House died before the story started, then Wilson went off the rails. House hasn't fully figured out how the afterlife works yet, but not being able to see Wilson after death does feel quite a bit like Hell.

:) I've always found the expression "son of a bitch" amusing and sad, given that it insults the mother, not the supposed target of the insult.

Thanks.

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] aunt-zelda.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-28 06:31 pm (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 02:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cindy-lou-who8.livejournal.com
I'm not sure what is worse. A Wilson without House, or House stuck in eternity with his father.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 09:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
They're both pretty bad, aren't they? Thanks.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 04:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] srsly-yes.livejournal.com
Wow! I didn't see that coming, so there was a perfect opportunity to reread it again. Wonderfully done in such a compact form.

So, I'm going to make my up my own epilogue that suicide!Wilson is in limbo, while House is in purgatory, and when they both eventually finish out there 'time,' they'll meet up.

Thanks for sharing.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 09:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
It's interesting how easy it is to imagine an alive House being as detached/observational toward Wilson as he is in this story.

Your epilogue is not pathetic, not at all. (And isn't too far off from the planned sequel I have for this.) Thanks.

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] srsly-yes.livejournal.com - Date: 2008-11-24 04:31 am (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 04:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] smirk-dog.livejournal.com
Nice. I didn't see that coming at all. Very well done.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 09:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thanks very much.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 06:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] leakey-lover.livejournal.com
Great concept. Your writing is beautiful.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 09:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thank you very much.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-23 11:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] benjimmy.livejournal.com
I love the sort of matter-of-factness about this. It's all kinds of awesome.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-24 12:39 am (UTC)

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-24 01:28 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] octoberspirit.livejournal.com
I did not see that one coming at all. Wow, nicely done. And House's dad is such a jackass, even in death.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-24 02:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com
Thanks. House and his dad definitely do not see eye to eye.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-24 04:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] housepiglet.livejournal.com
Gosh, this is quite brilliant! What a punch it packs! I confess I didn't have a clue what had happened when I read it first time round, so unexpected was the conclusion. Great writing :)

*mems*

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-24 05:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hollow13.livejournal.com
Okay, wow, that was really sad.
I was all like, House, stop Wilson and then - "Oh."

Want to go hang around your girl Lisa?
Loved that bit. House's girl. :).

Very good, thanks for the read.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-24 06:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] spoggly.livejournal.com
A++++

I loved the end - I was hoping that was where it was going.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-24 08:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] layne67.livejournal.com
It wasn't until House was talking to his dad that I got an inkling to what was going on. Then I have to read it again. And read a couple of comments before I was sure. Brilliant, Dee, brilliant.

And House Sr is naughty ... :)

(no subject)

Date: 2008-11-24 09:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zamaza.livejournal.com
There seem to be so many deathfics lately (and the boys going insane fics, not that I mind!), apparently we all have a lot of pent up turmoil about "mommy and daddy" fighting on TV. Anyway, I loved it. I had to reread it after I got to the end (just to read it with a sense of knowing what was going on.)

I laughed at the image of Wilson going at the couch with abandon, it's just amusing to me to picture him acting violent, I even laughed during Birthmarks (much to the shock of my family, whom with I was watching). I'm tempted to look it up, but did you happen to write a fic involving a unicorn that gets um... attacked in a similar fashion?
Page 1 of 2 << [1] [2] >>

Profile

deelaundry: man reading in an airport with his face hidden by the book (Default)
Dee Laundry

October 2025

S M T W T F S
    1234
567891011
121314151617 18
19202122232425
262728293031 

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags