Wilson’s Final Days – Stage 2 (Section 1)

continued from Stage 1 (Section 3)

“It’s not too late you know…,” Wilson says to House.

House stares calmly at Wilson waiting for him to finish.

“to be truly happy in your life. You don’t have to worry about your reputation and you clearly don’t have any social inhibitions and...AGH!” Wilson get a slight pain in his side as he speaks to House.

“Your decision to take care of me has meant a lot,” says Wilson as he moves closer to House in case he falls.

“Keep talking,” House says encouragingly to Wilson as he notices a man following them down the long hotel hallway to their room. No one else is around and there are several huge, three-yard wide glass windows reaching from the floor to the ceiling.

“I know things with Cate will work out. I’m so excited for that. It’s a relief actually. I’m just….that love is going to set you free,” says Wilson.

“I’m trying to love,” says House loudly. “…even this guy that’s following us!” 

'I knew my ultra public display at breakfast would get us into trouble', House thought to himself before he quickly collected his thoughts and prepared for action.

The man wears a worn out green army jacket with black pants, shirts, and boots as he demands money keeping his hands in his pockets.

“Give me the honey…ah! Money. Give me some money now!” shouts the man as he waves a metallic object in the air then quickly puts it back into his pockets.

“Sure,” says House as he immediately throws his wallet on the ground.

“Can ask you something while you collect our money?” says House as the man suddenly stops after slowly moving forward.

“What do you believe?” asks House. “…What is real? How did you react to me during breakfast?”

The man starts to speak as House calmly says “I want to know these things. Do you have the answers? You see this man? You’ve suffered on your own, but this man is suffering now. Don’t blame yourself for this.”

The man is frozen and cannot react. He just quietly stammers as House dominates the conversation. Wilson seems ready to guffaw at first but now stares sternly at House with eager anticipation.

“Can you drop the gun and take the money please? Can you let me take care of him?” asks House.

House picks up the wallet as the man simultaneously takes the object from his pocket and drops it nearby.

House hands him a wad of money and says, ”This isn’t about us. It’s about you. I want you to respect yourself with this money. Use your own morals and judgment. Think about your goodness. Think about your care. Forgive yourself. You’re free now. Go.”

Wilson looks at House like he’s insane as the pair quietly and quickly turn from the man and enter their room.

They lean against the door then lock the dead bolt then they take turns looking out the peep hole and listening for signs of the man.

Nothing until House moves away from the door near the room table.

“I think that was a continuation of my breakfast tirade… This field work is really liberating for my mind. I think I want to tell myself these things, but I can’t. I knew I couldn’t berate him. He had a gun. I don’t want to die…”

House quickly stops and darts his eyes towards Wilson to check his reaction.

“I don’t want you to die either,” says Wilson.

“My first instinct was to throw my wallet at him and say ‘Here!’ then throw my cane at the windows,” says House as he laughs. “Is he still out there?”

“Oh. …I don’t know,” says Wilson. “I totally forgot about him.” Wilson begins to laugh too.

Wilson and House continue their laugh fest about the situation then enjoy a night of classic comedies on the cable TV, great room service food, and endless card games at the table without any unwanted knocks at the door.

“Do you think that had anything to do with luck?” Wilson asks as he snorts a laugh while holding a cigar he’s ready to light.

“I think we can believe in ourselves and not luck,” answers House.

Continue to Stage 2 (Section 2)...