House headed for the door and it was only when he came to a stop by the doorway that he realised Wilson and Cuddy were talking. He looked at them over his shoulder. He hadn't heard anything they'd said, but the fact that they hadn't been walking right behind him was all he needed to know. He couldn't find the energy to be angry or anything else besides resigned. Of course he was paranoid at whatever it was they were talking about but even paranoia wasn't enough to shake off the numb feeling. Mostly he was just humiliated at the whole situation.
"There's no need to pretend you're not talking about me," he said without much expression once Wilson and Cuddy had caught up. He stepped out into the hall and limped with a heaviness to his step towards the direction of the exit that led out to the hospital grounds. When he reached the door, he shoved it open and squinted at the sunshine. The fresh air was almost like a shock to the system - crisp and a little chilly.
A handful of people were out on the grounds, most of the patients, a couple of them nursing staff keeping watch. He didn't wait up for Wilson and Cuddy at first, choosing to walk ahead on his own for a short while. He hadn't really been outside since he'd arrived at the hospital, because of therapy groups and needing to take naps as a result of adjusting to his meds. Not to mention that outside time was monitored and kept within a specific and strict schedule that the hospital kept.
Wilson didn't make an effort to catch up with House at first. He bunched his hands into his pockets while walking alongside Cuddy and just watched his friend walk on ahead. He knew this was best for House, being here. But he was also worried. He wasn't used to seeing House so... deflated. House hadn't even really been trying to pretend everything was okay, which indicated to Wilson that this change House had faced was hitting him hard. He glanced at Cuddy a couple of times and at one point simply withdrew a hand from his pocket and lightly touched her lower back in a silent gesture of support. He had to wonder just how much she really was coping, only a few weeks away from the birth of her child and House locked away in this place. But typically, Cuddy wasn't giving away too many clues.
"You okay?" he murmured to her.
House, meanwhile, slowed in his step after having walked on his own for about five minutes and then stopped to look back at Wilson and Cuddy. He waited for them to catch up with him and when they did, he reached for Cuddy's hand.
no subject
"There's no need to pretend you're not talking about me," he said without much expression once Wilson and Cuddy had caught up. He stepped out into the hall and limped with a heaviness to his step towards the direction of the exit that led out to the hospital grounds. When he reached the door, he shoved it open and squinted at the sunshine. The fresh air was almost like a shock to the system - crisp and a little chilly.
A handful of people were out on the grounds, most of the patients, a couple of them nursing staff keeping watch. He didn't wait up for Wilson and Cuddy at first, choosing to walk ahead on his own for a short while. He hadn't really been outside since he'd arrived at the hospital, because of therapy groups and needing to take naps as a result of adjusting to his meds. Not to mention that outside time was monitored and kept within a specific and strict schedule that the hospital kept.
Wilson didn't make an effort to catch up with House at first. He bunched his hands into his pockets while walking alongside Cuddy and just watched his friend walk on ahead. He knew this was best for House, being here. But he was also worried. He wasn't used to seeing House so... deflated. House hadn't even really been trying to pretend everything was okay, which indicated to Wilson that this change House had faced was hitting him hard. He glanced at Cuddy a couple of times and at one point simply withdrew a hand from his pocket and lightly touched her lower back in a silent gesture of support. He had to wonder just how much she really was coping, only a few weeks away from the birth of her child and House locked away in this place. But typically, Cuddy wasn't giving away too many clues.
"You okay?" he murmured to her.
House, meanwhile, slowed in his step after having walked on his own for about five minutes and then stopped to look back at Wilson and Cuddy. He waited for them to catch up with him and when they did, he reached for Cuddy's hand.