Work Text:
"Have a holly jolly Christmas; it's the best time of the year"
James changed the radio channel quickly, but it didn't do much good. Every channel but the diehard metal student radio had switched to holiday stuff at this point.
"Please, Christmas, don't be late," the chipmunks sang, and Wilson quickly switched again.
"All I want for Christmas is my two front tee-"
Annoyed, he quickly retreated to his original channel. Burl Ives wasn't so bad, relatively speaking.
"Have a holly jolly Christmas, and when you walk down the street,"
James was not going to be having a holly jolly Christmas this year, and not because of his lapsed Judaism. Despite their differing religions, he and Greg had always enjoyed making the most of the festive season. They had latkes and fruitcake and decorated a tree in House's bachelor pad with whatever amused them.
"Say hello to friends you know, and everyone you meet"
But this year, House and Stacy had gone to Vermont for the holidays, to visit her family. And Bonnie had just gone to her own parent's house, alone. She had made it quite clear that when she returned she expected all of his things to be gone.
"Ho ho the mistletoe, hung where you can see"
So Wilson was heading in to his office at 11pm, two days before Christmas, because his sofa was more comfortable than a hotel bed. At least according to House. Wilson was more concerned with his finances at the moment, and his couch was also cheaper than a hotel room would be with the holiday crunch.
"Somebody waits for you, kiss her once for me"
He knew that he should call House and tell them what happened, but he hesitated. If he did that, House might insist on coming back and staying with him, as he did after the first divorce, and that would just upset Stacy.
"Have a holly jolly Christmas, And in case you didn't hear"
Or, a small part of his mind cautioned, House might not come. This was the part of him that had searched for Danny, the part that had watched Sam and then Bonnie walk out the door. The part that was always afraid that he would fail to keep up with the brilliant diagnostician, and that House, too, would leave.
"Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas this year!"
Wilson snapped off the radio and drove the last few blocks in silence. He slipped past the ER shift – thankfully quiet – and into his office, pausing for a moment to look at House's dark windows. As he settled onto his couch under a thin blanket, Wilson could still hear Bonnie's words, and the Christmas carol, echoing in his ears.
Wilson woke up to the smell of steaming coffee and immediately spotted a takeout carton from the diner down the street on his desk. He looked around wildly, and quickly located House, who was watching the TV on mute. As Wilson sat up and reached for the coffee, House glanced up and their eyes locked. Of course, Wilson realized, Bonnie had probably called Stacy, and House- House had come for him.
Smiling warmly, Wilson nodded at the TV. "What's on?"
"Rudolph!" House replied happily. He unmuted it and Burl Ives's voice filled the room.
"Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas, this year!"