menolly_au: (Dog Days 1)
[personal profile] menolly_au
Title: Reflection
Characters: alt!Wilson (House & Wilson in a dream)
Rating: PG
Words: 550

Summary: This is set in the universe of Looking Glass which was invented/written by [livejournal.com profile] blackmare and [livejournal.com profile] nightdog_barks. While our Wilson was sharing some of the memories of his counterpart, his counterpart was sharing memories of a friend he never had.

Thanks to Blackmare and Nightdog for opening their universe for others to play in! This uses the 'dream' prompt from the sick!wilson bingo card.



He's led out of the filthy cell and into the small room where he was booked a few hours before. A tall, lanky, man with unkempt hair is standing there, leaning laconically against a wall, fingers drumming out a rhythm on the surface.

"Your friend bailed you out," a bored looking police officer says, pushing over a form for him to sign.

He glances over at the stranger. He vaguely recalls seeing him in the bar before the fight broke out. He has no idea why the man would come and get him out of jail but he's not about to look a gift horse in the mouth and quickly completes the paperwork.

Once they're outside he lets out a relieved sigh and takes a deep breath of the fresh air.

He turns to the man beside him. "Thanks, I don't know why you did that but I'll pay you back." He sticks out his hand. "James Wilson."

His saviour looks at him for a moment, bright blue eyes assessing him. Wilson is about to drop his hand down by his side when the man nods and holds out his own.

"Greg House."




"House?" He wakes up with the strange name on his lips and a shiver going down his spine. There's a presence in the room. A feeling of someone else being there.

He rolls over in bed and turns on the light. There's nobody there. Jennifer. He was looking for Jennifer. Except she isn't here. He has a flash of memory. Of a bus crash and watching her slip away in a hospital bed.

He shakes his head. No. She's not dead. She's just gone. She left him. Like they all have.




He turns quickly, but there's nothing there. The impression of a hand ghosting on his shoulder was a trick of the mind, brought on by two restless nights, filled with strange dreams of another man. A James Wilson who is content with his life. Somebody who could never be him.

He reaches into the pocket of his labcoat and pulls out the small flask he keeps there. It feels strange in his hand, unfamiliar. Which is ridiculous because it's been his constant companion for a long time. His grip tightens and he takes off the cap and takes a long swallow. At least the burn of the liquor is well known.

He tucks the flask back into its hiding place.




He wanders the hospital corridors and can almost hear the footsteps beside him; in unison with his own and close enough that a hand sometimes brushes his sleeve as they walk.

He looks to his left but no-one is there. There is never anyone there.




The pizza box from Dominic's lies open on the coffee table, sitting on top of two others. Empty bottles line the table.

He reaches for his drink, wanting the comforting numbness it will bring. Maybe he'll forget the doppelganger that's haunting his dreams, and the friend who walks beside him. He holds the glass and stares into its depths. So easy.

He picks up the phone with his other hand and dials the number of the brother he hasn't talked to since Danny's funeral.

"It's James," he says, when his brother answers. His voice is shaky and he puts his drink down. "I'm in trouble. I need help."

He wants that better life.

~ End

Date: 2014-07-15 12:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yarroway.livejournal.com
So this is the Wilson we half met--the one House couldn't save. It's wonderful to think that just those few days might make a difference for him. It's also a huge treat to revisit this 'verse.

Date: 2014-07-15 12:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
Yep - that's him. I was intrigued by alt!Wilson when I read Looking Glass and wanted to give him some hope. Of course he'll never have House in his universe but maybe he can find someone else for himself...

Thanks for reading :-)

Date: 2014-07-16 02:44 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yarroway.livejournal.com
Back to mem. I so love this piece.

Date: 2014-07-15 02:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] readingrat.livejournal.com
I love these 'what if' AUs. It's comforting to think that thisWilson profited from the arrival of his counterpart.

Date: 2014-07-15 05:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mnstrtruckslash.livejournal.com
I also love what if stories. I think it allows us to see sides of Wilson that are buried just beneath the surface. Under the right circumstances, Wilson could easily become the man in this fic.

Date: 2014-07-15 10:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
I must admit my head is firmly in AU land at the moment. It's like the last episode put a full stop on the canon universe for me.

Thanks for reading!

Date: 2014-07-15 04:57 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
OMG AWESOME

Hi this is Mare. At work. Back later.

Date: 2014-07-15 05:04 pm (UTC)
ext_25882: (Roman Brooch)
From: [identity profile] nightdog-barks.livejournal.com
OMG I AM BEAMING

Menolly, this is wonderful! YES, this is the other Wilson, and I am so glad you threw him a lifeline because both Blackmare and I weren't sure he was going to make it. I love this hint of echoes rippling across the 'verses, as if our House and Wilson were the stone tossed into still water. And ye gods, how sad is it that he has a flash of Amber? So well done!

Also Blackmare wanted me to tell you that she's working right now but she can't wait to read it. :D

♥ ♥ ♥

Date: 2014-07-15 10:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
Happy smile! Glad you liked it! I like the image of the stone tossed into the water - I wonder if the ripples spread to all alternative 'verses?

Thanks for reading and the loan of the universe :)

Date: 2014-07-15 06:30 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
I sneaked a read on lunch break. :-D Yes, everything you said. So happy to see this Wilson get a second chance.

This has actually sparked a tiny something for me, which I will start writing when I get home.

Date: 2014-07-15 10:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
This has actually sparked a tiny something for me, which I will start writing when I get home.

Oh, awesome!

Date: 2014-07-16 05:03 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
Not only did I start writing, I lured Nightdog in. We have the outline of something now. :-D

Date: 2014-07-16 07:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
Double awesome!

Date: 2014-07-15 08:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] a-single-plum.livejournal.com
I was actually reading the other day about the possibility of real-life parallel universes (it's based on quantum physics, and I don't really understand the details of how it all works, but I'm so, so intrigued by the idea).

Anyway, love this look at other-Wilson, especially the hopeful note at the end. :)

Date: 2014-07-15 10:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
I love all the parallel universe stuff, I think it might be a bit scary if it did actually exist but I love reading them!

Glad you enjoyed it - I felt sad for the poor House-less Wilson and wanted to give him some hope. Although sadly, no House :(

Thanks for reading!

Date: 2014-07-15 10:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] srsly-yes.livejournal.com
You conveyed so much about AU!Wilson in such a compact story. Each section made me sadder and sadder for him. So glad it ended on a ray of hope.

Date: 2014-07-16 09:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
Yeah - I had to give him a little hope :)

Thanks for reading!

Date: 2014-07-15 10:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sassyjumper.livejournal.com
Oh, I love this. And I'm glad you gave Alt!Wilson some hope, if not a House. But I can't help still feeling sad for him. This line: "There is never anyone there." So simple but so heartbreaking.

Date: 2014-07-16 09:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
He's in a sad place really, and he'll never have House...

Glad you liked it, thanks for reading!

Date: 2014-07-16 04:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] barefootpuddles.livejournal.com
Oh wow, that is good. And a bit spooky.

He wanders the hospital corridors and can almost hear the footsteps beside him; in unison with his own and close enough that a hand sometimes brushes his sleeve as they walk.

He looks to his left but no-one is there. There is never anyone there.


I imagine this occurred during the crossing of worlds, and it is nice that Wilson's short visit (and just as importantly, House's visit) may have just nudged this Wilson's world in the right direction. :)

I also like your mixing Amber with Jennifer. Nice touch.

Date: 2014-07-16 09:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
Thank you, glad you liked it :) Yeah, I figured if our Wilson was getting 'leakage' from alt!Wilson while he was in the other world, the reverse would occur.

Thanks for reading!

Date: 2014-07-17 01:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cuddyclothes.livejournal.com
So good, so sad! This is very authentic. Heart-breaking. Sorry I can't put my feelings into better words.

Date: 2014-07-17 11:38 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
Thank you, glad you liked it! Thanks for reading :)

Date: 2014-07-18 04:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] taiga13.livejournal.com
Wonderful! Like everyone else I liked the lifeline at the end.

Date: 2014-07-18 07:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] menolly-au.livejournal.com
Thank you! Glad you liked it :)

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