Chapter Text
“Perry!” House calls out, limping with his crutch down the hall.
“Yeah?” Neil asks, looking down the hall as House gains on him.
“Got a new patient, thought you might be interested” House slams a file into Neil’s chest.
“Why would your patient interest me? Do they have cancer?” Neil asks, grabbing the file but not looking through it.
“Guys name is Anderson. Came in with abdominal pain and a wretched cough”
Neil’s heart stops for a moment at that name. Anderson. Even after all these years he’s never forget that name. That boy. His gay awakening. And maybe the reason he never made a pass on House, in hopes that he’d come back.
“Abdominal pain and a cough? Sounds like a bad cold” Neil says, walking towards Houses office.
“Yeah, sure, whatever. I want you to check out the guy” House says.
“Why?” Neil asks.
“Just do it, room 412” House says, opening the door to his office and heading in.
Neil stands at the door, looking through the glass window with confusion written all over his face. House makes a gesture that means, go on, so Neil walks over to room 412.
“What does House have up his sleeve this time?” Neil mutters as he makes his way to the room. The blinds are closed so he can’t see inside, he opens the door and closes it, without looking at the patient. And then starts to walk over.
But stops.
Because the person in the bed is the same boy he fell in love with 20 years ago.
The boy, or well, man now, also having aged 20 years, is looking out the window.
Neil clears his thought, “Mr Anderson?” He asks.
Todd looks over and his face drops into complete and utter surprise.
“Neil?” He whispers, which is then followed by a series of coughing. Neil sits in a chair beside the bed.
Neil waits until Todd’s coughing stops to answer, “Todd”
“I never thought I’d see you again,” Todd whispers, almost like if he speaks too loudly the glass will shatter and Neil will be gone. Again.
“Are you okay? Tell me what’s wrong, why’re you here?” Neil asks.
Todd explains what happened, and why he landed in the hospital. Being careful to let Neil know that he’s single in a sly way -“since I’m alone I gotta take care of myself. Not to different from how it’s always been”- he gave a little depressed chuckle when he said that and then continued on.
“How’d you end up here? In New Jersey?” Neil asks, once Todd is done talking.
“I wanted a new start. And New Jersey just sort of- called to me, I guess” Todd shrugs.
“Well, Todd. I- I can’t believe we’ve met all over again. After all these years” Neil admits.
“Neither can I. Honestly, after the play, when none of us ever saw or heard from you again. We kind of thought you were dead” Todd mentions.
“Dead?” Neil asks.
Todd nods, “we didn’t know what to think. You just- disappeared”
“I- wow. No, I didn’t die. I was just shipped off to military school and then medical school. Had a- uh, a few wives. Nothing ever ended up working out”
“Wives huh?” Todd says.
“Yeah,” Neil chuckles, “don’t know why I ever tried to be straight.” Oops, that wasn’t meant to slip out. Well, it’s good that Todd knows.
“So, Doctor,” Todd moves a bit in the bed, “what are you gonna do?”
“Well Todd, we’re gonna need to do some tests. Some might hurt a bit, but I’ll be there if you need it. And for safety purposes, we need an emergency contact”
“Oh, I- don’t have an emergency contact,” Todd says. Neil looks up, curiosity in his eyes, “I left my family as soon as I could. And never got close enough to anyone else. Not after Welton”
“I know we’ve just met each other for the first time in 20 years. But, I could put myself as your emergency contact?” Neil suggests.
“Yeah, yeah that sounds good” Todd smiles.
“Alright, I’ll put myself down as your energy contact and then Cameron or Chase will come in and start with your tests,” Neil nods.
“Alright,” Todd nods. Neil gets up and opens the door, “hey Neil?”
“Yeah Todd?”
“I missed you”
“I miss you too”