Brain Damage 19 - Adult Again

[damigella]

Title: Brain Damage  (Brain Damage - table of contents)
Spoilers: End of season 4
Summary: Deep brain stimulation is a dangerous procedure. What if House’s brain had been damaged? Twenty chapters.
Rating: NC-17 (M)
Word Count: 21000 approx.
Disclaimer: we own nothing, not even a functioning brain.
Author's note: many thanks to my incredibly efficient and supportive beta reader, coconut_ice22. This fic is a very expanded version of a one/shot of mine, Almost Like A Child. The new userpic is courtesy of luridlurker and comes from this manip.

Back to Chapter 18

Chapter 19 - Adult Again

“Dinner in an elegant restaurant. You’re treating me like...like I was a normal person, Jimmy.”

“You are a normal person. Tomorrow the audience will officially establish this, but it will be little more than a formality. I wanted to celebrate the end of custody. You’re a free man, now, House.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s a bit...frightening. But it doesn’t mean I have to move out, does it?”

“Certainly not! Remember, where we live is your place. No, what you gain is the right to throw me out. And have someone else move in, or move in yourself with someone else.”

“Why would I want to throw you out?”

“Well...you know about what I did and why. You talked to Cuddy, and you talked to others. You had plenty of time to think.”

“You’re right. I did. There’s still one person I haven’t asked questions to and that is...you.”

“You wouldn’t. I mean, I’m your guardian and everything. I have power over you. How can you accuse me for what I’ve done? That’s why I wanted to have this dinner today. Because tomorrow...tomorrow you can tell me, freely, what you really think about me.”

“I... do you really think I would say something different tomorrow than today?”

“I cannot know for sure. I will know tomorrow, though.”

“Are you afraid?”

“I should be. But in fact, I’m relieved. Relieved that you gained back so much of your brain, although what you lost is still so much more. And relieved that you will be able to choose whom you want to share your life with from now on. There are so many people who would find it pleasant, either as lovers or as friends.”

“That’s true. I have many possibilities.”

“That’s what makes me so happy. For a while, there was only me in your life. Now you will be free. A free man, if forever a different one from what you used to be.” Wilson looked at him, burning shame clearly visible in his eyes. “Different from what you would still be, hadn’t it been for my selfishness and your generosity.”

*******

It was the same tribunal as the custody audience, but a very different room, and a very different mood. The room was so small that only a few of the people who had wanted to be there were allowed to be present.

This time House was able to speak for himself, and was wearing a tie. And Wilson didn’t look worried, but relieved. And a bit incredulous. House’s recovery, as testified in the thick folders that had been forwarded to the tribunal together with a short summary by the two leading neurologists of the team, was an almost medical miracle. Almost but not quite, since such recoveries had occurred before; they were just very, very rare. House had been lucky, and the experts agreed that his chances had been improved by the care he received.

There was no jury; at the end of House’s interview, and of his lawyer’s final speech, the Judge had simply declared that House was now a responsible adult again, and that Wilson’s custody was therefore terminated. Nobody had been surprised when House’s first reaction had been to throw his arms around Wilson and hug him hard.

******

And now it was time for the party. As House entered his flat, loud applause started. A huge banner read "Welcome back to adulthood Greg House!" and all his friends were there, both the few that had been allowed in the very private audience, and everybody else that had been waiting outside. There was food everywhere and the first champagne bottles were being popped open.

Blythe stepped forward and embraced her son. "This is a wonderful day, Greg! Like a new birthday!" She then searched the room and walked up to someone who seemed to be hiding in a corner. "James, John and I want to thank you. Greg would never have made it without your help."

"I think you should really thank Dr. Cuddy, and the Diagnostics group. It was their contribution that made him achieve what he did. I...I am just the cause of the problem, not the solution." The last few words were spoken so low that Blythe couldn't hear them. She was mildly worried that Wilson didn't look too well, but then she realized he was probably just tired. He had had to work with Stacy on the paperwork for today's celebration as his last duty as House's guardian. 

"You did a great job, Stacy!"

"You did most of it, Greg. It's wonderful to be here celebrating. Is it true that you have a job lined up at Diagnostics?"

"Yes. It's unclear whether I'll ever manage to get board certified, viewed that my memory is still quite impacted, but Cuddy managed to get me an external consultant position. Basically my previous job, minus the clinic hours and the paperwork. What's not to love?"

"You forget the severely reduced income. I'm a careful administrator, you know?"

"And a very hot lady, too! It's nice you dressed the twins in their sexiest outfits today!" 

Stacy and Cuddy laughed together. But there was a deep hint of sadness in the look they exchanged when House and his cane walked away to chat with Thirteen and her newest girlfriend, a very nerdy-looking medical student.

It was a look that said that they both had loved and lost.

Chapter 20 Questions and Answers

Comments

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

he seems almost back to his old self again!

[damigella-314.livejournal.com]

His memory of past events is unfortunately gone for good, but his intelligence and wit are back, and his medical knowledge is growing and will be back eventually (through a mixture of remembering and studying, although possibly not all or any of the foreign languages will be back).

That's also why House was left much more freedom, to see how he reacted and prepare him to live independently again. I am sorry to say that Wilson is currently extremely sad; I suspect he spent a nontrivial part of the party hidden in the bedroom crying. But since I always have too much crying Wilson in my fics, I didn't write it. Except here.