Fuck.

He got slowly out of his chair and limped toward the hallway door, looking left and right down the corridors awash in the yellow tinge of the emergency lights. Deserted at this hour, of course. An alarm bell sounded shrilly from the direction of the elevators.

Carefully House hobbled down to the end of the hall, pulling up short when he reached the elevator doors. The lights on the call buttons and the floor indicators flashed ominously while a horrible grinding noise emanated from below. Suddenly a clang, clang, CRASH sounded and House started to smell smoke.

Oh, shit, he thought faintly as he stepped back. Not good. Now what?

He made his way back toward his office, stopping first at Wilson's door. He opened it and poked his head in, quickly taking in the empty office. He closed the door and moved on to the glass-walled conference room, but it was empty as well, the fellows having already left for the day. He pushed through the doors and back into this office just as his pager buzzed and danced across his desk. He grabbed for it and read the message, angling the little screen toward the hall to catch the dim light there.

Where R U-JW, he read. Office, he tapped out and sent back. Stay, B right there, Wilson sent back almost immediately.

''Where exactly does he think I'm going to go? Rappelling down the building off of balcony?'' House growled. He sat back down behind his desk and looked around, feeling useless and somewhat helpless, and hating it. The elevators were his only practical escape route from this floor and all evidence pointed to those not being any use any time soon. The only other option was the stairs. And he was on the fourth floor. Suddenly rappelling down the side of the building was looking like an attractive option. He snorted softly to himself.

The bang of the stairwell doors roused him from his reverie and he looked up expectantly. Right on cue the tall, lean figure of his best friend Wilson jogged into view, pushing quickly through the glass door and striding into the room. House's breath hitched briefly at the sight and an unexpected wave of attraction washed over him. Dammit, not now! House yelled at his brain. He filed the image of his best friend, flushed and out of breath from the run up the stairs, hair disheveled, cheeks red, panting slightly, tie askew, away for later use. Later. Like when he was alone and undisturbed. Later, damn it all!

''Hey, you okay?'' Wilson asked, running one hand through his hair and placing the other on his hips.

''Yeah, fine. What's going on?'' House waved him off and leaned back in his chair, attempting nonchalance while surreptitiously sliding it a little further under the desk as he did.

''I'm not sure. All I know is that the elevators in this wing are completely out of order and the power is out on all the floors. Apparently a transformer blew and it overloaded something in the elevator machinery which then...'' here Wilson waved his hands around his head, ''...blew up.''

''I smelled the smoke while I was over there.''

''Yeah. So. Cuddy said that the repair guys are coming to get the people out of the elevator but she doesn't think they're going to be working again any time soon.''

''Oh, great.'' House glanced down and tapped his cane absently against his chair. ''So, any contingency plan for the cripple?'' He flicked his eyes up to Wilson's face briefly and then back down to the desk.

Wilson took a deep breath and rubbed at the back of his neck. ''Which would be why I'm here, actually.'' He stepped forward and hitched a hip onto the other side of the desk. House slid the chair a little further under. ''How's the leg right now?'' he asked quietly, looking directly into House's face.

''Same old, same old. I'm fine,'' he answered quickly, off-handedly. He looked up into Wilson's face, taking in his earnest expression and the seriousness in his soulful eyes and quirked his lips up a little. ''Really, it's not too bad right now. Just had a pill about an hour ago. You're thinking stairs?''

''I think we have three options.'' House almost smiled at the use of the collective pronoun. Wilson's assumption that whatever happened would happen to them together brought a small quirk to his lips and a clench low in his belly. He ruthlessly stomped the feeling down. Wilson continued, ''One, we can stay the night here. There's always the sofa in my office. Two, I can see if emergency services can effect a rescue of some kind. I'm thinking ladder trucks or a giant trampoline, maybe.'' House snorted and smiled half a smile. Wilson grinned widely. ''And three, yes, the stairs. I'll help you down.''

''Four floors. Eight flights. Fifteen stairs per flight. That's 120 stairs.'' House gripped his cane and rubbed at his thigh absently.

''You counted?''

''I remember.''

''Ah. Yes. So, door number one, door number two or door number three?''

House pushed himself to his feet and started stuffing his toys into his backpack. ''Your couch sucks. The ladder truck sounds fun but maybe we should save that for my birthday. Stairs it is, I guess.''

Wilson nodded quickly. ''Okay. Okay! I'll just go get my things...'' He trailed off as he went back out the door and hurried off to his own office.

House watched him go and slowly let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Oh god, stairs. This was going to end badly. He finished packing and went to the hall to wait for Wilson.

After a minute Wilson came out of his office, shutting the door behind him and carrying his jacket. House frowned. ''What about your bag?''

''Don't need it. It'll just get in the way anyway.''

''The stupendous Doctor Wilson is actually taking a night off from patient files? Is the sky falling? Is that a pig flying by I see?''

''Shut up. I take nights off all the time.''

''So twice a year is all the time now?''

Wilson smiled slightly and motioned to the stairwell. ''Come on, let's do this.''

House took a deep breath and raised his eyebrows, turning to follow his friend to the end of the hall. He went through the stairwell door that Wilson held open for him and stood at the top of the steps, staring down. This was not going to be a walk in the park. Two or three steps he could manage, like the stairs at the entry of his apartment, but this seemed insurmountable. He pressed his lips into a thin line and glanced over at Wilson. ''Any ideas how we're going to 'do this'?'' His voice added the ironic quotations around the last two words.

''Well. Um. How about if you grab the left rail and hang on to me on the right? I'll take your bag and cane. Sound good?''

House nodded, short and sharp, and handed over his cane and backpack. He wrapped his left hand around the banister and absently noticed that his palm was sweating. Wilson positioned himself beside him and proffered his forearm for House to hold on to. House laid a tentative hand on Wilson's arm and looked over at Wilson, who gave him a small, hesitant smile. House licked his lips and said, ''Lead on, MacDuff.''

They made their way down the first set slowly, House carefully hopping on his left foot and then leaning heavily on Wilson on his right. At the bottom of the first set they stopped for a breather. House's leg had started to throb a little and he began sweating from both the exertion and the pain. Wilson kept his arm up for support while House got his breath back and kept up a steady murmur of encouragement while he waited. When House was ready they tackled the next set. Lean on the right, hop the left foot down, carefully slide the right foot down, repeat. Down, down, down.

They reached the landing to the third floor and stopped once more. Wilson looked at House's face and saw him biting his lip and holding back a grunt of pain. He maneuvered House back against the wall and leaned him against it. House's head thunked against the wall as he struggled to control his breathing again. This time it took longer to recover and Wilson looked not at all happy, pressing the back of his wrist against House's forehead. House felt his cheeks pounding red with exertion. He set his jaw and pulled his pill bottle out of his jacket pocket, downing one tablet dry. His glare dared Wilson to say a word, just one word, but he only looked implacably back at the older man.

Thirty stairs down, ninety to go.

Again Wilson offered his arm to House and slowly they hop-stepped their way down the next flight. House was overly conscious of how ragged his breathing had become and resolved to control it a little better. Sound like a damned freight train, he thought. A ragged gasp with each landing of the right foot escaped his lungs while a slow breath in accompanied the left. Finally they reached the bottom of the flight and House nearly sagged with relief. Wilson caught him, quickly throwing his arms around him to support his weight should the leg decide to give out. House's breath huffed out of him quickly, ruffling Wilson's hair and blowing across the back of his neck, raising goose bumps. House opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. Interesting, he thought absently.

Wilson made to guide House over to the wall for a rest but House resisted. ''Let's get this set over with and then we can sit down and take a break at the half way point.'' Wilson nodded in agreement and set himself up to take House's weight again. Hop, step, hop, step, gasp, hiss, groan in pain, further they went. Finally reaching the bottom step House stepped down and felt his leg give out altogether. Wilson caught him in his arms quickly and let him down to the floor slowly, dropping softly beside him with House didn't let go of his hold on him.

''Okay?'' Wilson queried.

''Oh fine, just peachy,'' House answered gruffly, his voice sounding rough and ragged even to his own ears.

''Slide back a bit, to the wall,'' Wilson said softly, pulling slightly on House's arms. House let himself be guided back until he sat flush with the wall, thigh and hip and shoulder pressing against Wilson's on his right side. Absently he rubbed at the divot in his muscle until Wilson pushed his hand lightly aside and said, ''Let me.'' House blinked and let his friend rub and stroke the screaming muscle until it quieted, his breath catching and his heart pounding, but whether because of the pain or the touch he was unsure. Okay, not quite true, he had a good idea why. He leaned his head back against the wall and squeezed his eyes shut, reveling in the sensation.

For a few minutes after the pain subsided Wilson continued to stroke his thigh, and House could concentrate more on the sensation of his friend's hand on him rather than the state of his muscles. Finally he decided he should probably say something lest the tension between them reach critical mass and somebody's head exploded.

''Feels better now, thanks,'' he managed to growl.

''Okay.'' The hand continued to stroke, up and down, up and down, fingers curving down to stroke the inside of his knee and then back up his thigh. House desperately wanted to open his eyes and look into Wilson's face to see the expression there but instead resolutely kept his eyes shut tight, not wanting to give up the touch of Wilson's hand. He pressed his lips together in a tight line and breathed out hard through his nose.

''Did ... you want me to stop then?'' Wilson asked quietly, not stopping at all.

House kept his eyes squeezed shut, swallowed hard, and shook his head ever so slightly no.

''...Okay,'' Wilson all but whispered.

House swallowed hard and dropped his chin to his chest, cracked an eye open slightly and shifted just enough to see Wilson's face. Wilson was looking back at him out of the corner of his own eye, bangs falling down and partially shielding his expression. The hand stuttered to a stop, and Wilson blinked and looked away.

House quickly reached out his left hand and caught Wilson's chin, bringing his face back to where it was, studying the expression on his face, mildly surprised to find that he couldn't really read it. He had no idea what Wilson was actually thinking right now, and that hardly ever happened at all. House could almost always tell just exactly what was going on in the younger man's head just by the set of his jaw, the light in his eyes. But now, there was nothing, no tell, no giveaway, just ' blank.

No clues about what to do next.

Just do it. Now or never. House's mind screamed at him to close the distance, just lean forward a little bit, just a little bit, move through those few inches separating him from Wilson and kiss him. Just do it...

And then he didn't have to.

Wilson's Adam's apple bobbed once, twice, and then there was no more space, no more distance. House could feel the satiny smoothness of Wilson's lips brushing lightly against his, could feel the tip of Wilson's nose as it grazed over the side of his own and his eyes dropped shut. Wilson pulled back slightly and House could feel the puff of his hot breath over his lips and cheek. His heart thumped wildly in his chest, echoed in the pounding in his ears, and then Wilson's lips were back on his, more sure this time, opening slightly and capturing House's lips in between his. House dimly realized he still had his hand on Wilson's chin and resolved to make use of it, pulling Wilson closer and shifting to press his lips harder against his friend's.

A soft, low noise escaped House's throat as Wilson's tongue touched House's lips lightly, and Wilson jerked back reflexively. House's eyes popped open at the interruption. Wilson arched an eyebrow at him, asking a silent question, and House responded immediately, pulling Wilson back towards him firmly and leaning forward himself until their lips met again, this time hard and demanding and exploring. His tongue found its way into Wilson's open mouth, trailing lightly over the roof, counting teeth, doing battle with Wilson's own tongue in the war for dominance.

He felt Wilson shift slightly, turning a little toward him and snaking his arms around House's waist, hands trailing up to his shoulders and down to his hips, rubbing, caressing, mapping out the muscles there. In response House threaded his own free hand around Wilson's waist and his other hand wandered back to the back of Wilson's neck, gently pulling the man closer and closer, plunging his tongue deeper and deeper, whimpering low in his throat helplessly as Wilson gave right back as good as he got.

Suddenly he felt Wilson pushing against him, pushing him back and away from those delicious lips. Instinctively he grabbed on to Wilson's shirt and tried to hold tight, trying to not let him get away.

''House, wait,'' Wilson rasped, and pushed a little harder, levering himself away from House.

''No, no no no, don't do that,'' House's gravelly voice surprised even himself, both the sound of it, the nearly desperate tone, and the words themselves. ''I know what you're going to say, and it's not a mistake. It's not, don't say it is.''

Wilson's breath puffed across House's face in a snort of laughter. ''I just want to...'' He turned more fully towards House and got his legs underneath him, kneeling beside House's outstretched legs. ''See? Better angle.'' He grinned and leaned in towards House again, brushing his lips sideways across House's and whispering words of reassurance. ''Not a mistake, definitely not a mistake.''

Carefully Wilson swung a leg over House's thighs, being careful not to press any weight against the damaged one, and leaned in closer, wrapping his hands around House's neck, tipping up House's face with his thumbs under House's chin, and ravaged his mouth, lips and tongue and teeth exploring and tasting whatever he could reach and then going back for seconds.

House's mind completely shut down. While before he was mentally composing reasons why Wilson should just shut up and go with it, now, with Wilson sitting on his lap and doing the most sinful things with his tongue, his mind went blank but for one word, repeating. Yes, yes, yes, god yes. He reached his arms around Wilson and pulled him tight against his chest, leaning his head back and let his mouth be taken.

Eventually he became aware of a new sensation, a hardness forming against his lower belly. House smiled into the kiss and dropped a hand down to Wilson's ass and pulled it hard against him, feeling the evidence of Wilson's excitement push against him and feeling his own interest growing at the same time. Wilson gasped into House's mouth as the contact was made and rocked his hips forward. House let his fingers walk up Wilson's back and began pulling the shirt tails out of Wilson's pants, letting his finger tips ghost over the smooth, hot skin of his lower back, then hooked his fingers into Wilson's waistband and worked his away around to the button, freeing it quickly. Wilson followed suit quickly and loosened House's jeans, pushing them aside as soon as the zipper was down, all without breaking the kiss. He is good at this, no wonder everyone talks, House thought vaguely.

For the third time, Wilson pulled away. ''Here? I mean, do you really ... We're in a stairwell...'' he stuttered, his eyes closed and his face flushed, trying to form a coherent sentence.

''Here's good,'' House whispered in reply. ''Nobody around, very private. Besides, just think how much easier the rest of the stairs are going to be on an endorphin high.'' Wilson snorted a laugh against House's ear, tracing the curve with his tongue as he did, then bucked and moaned again as House pushed at the elastic of his boxers, freeing his by now achingly hard cock. Again he reached to reciprocate, freeing House from his own straining underwear.

Their cocks met, skin to skin, for the first time and a shock of pleasure coursed through House like a tidal wave, threatening to overwhelm him much sooner than he'd have liked. Cracking open his eyes he peered up at Wilson and saw him shudder. His eyes were clenched shut, jaw tight, head tipped back slightly and a flush staining his cheeks and neck as the same wave crashed over him as well. House again nearly came at the sight. He held himself still for a moment, trying to rein in the powerful urge to just let go and give in to the ecstasy, and held tightly to Wilson in an attempt to keep him from it as well. Wilson fought back against the pressure, braced his hands on House's shoulders and rolled his hips forward, making the desire that was pooling in House's loins spark up and down his back and chest.

''Wait, just ... wait a second,'' House whispered brokenly, control slipping quickly.

''No, done waiting. Now ... want to do it now ... oh god, now!'' Wilson dipped his chin back down to capture House's lips in a bruising open-mouthed kiss. He rocked forward again and again, sliding their cocks together hard, mixing pre-come and sweat and creating a slick, hot cocoon of friction.

House groaned into the kiss and tangled one hand in Wilson's hair, pushing hard against it and crushing his lips into Wilson's own. He brought his other hand down to their joined cocks, wrapping the long, lithe fingers around both as far as he could reach and pumped mercilessly. Wilson cried out into his mouth and jerked back reflexively, but House held tight, with both hands.

House felt the orgasm building in Wilson with the shudder that started in his straining legs and worked its way up. His strangled cry of ''Oh god! House! FUCK!'' echoed up and down the stairwell as he came in shots, hard enough to reach the middle of his chest. House slowed his jerking hand down a little bit as Wilson's breathing became slower and more ragged, but then speeded up again as his own orgasm began to rocket through him. Wilson captured his lips and swallowed his moans, wrapping his arms around House's shoulders and holding him through the shuddering climax.

Minutes passed and neither man moved, tired, sated, sticky, sweaty, and a little mentally uncomfortable about what had just happened. Finally Wilson backed away a little and readjusted his clothes and then House's, fishing out the prescription bottle from House's jacket pocket when it rattled. He raised a questioning eyebrow at House, and received a small nod in response. Frowning slightly Wilson shook out one pill. House accepted it wordlessly and popped it into his mouth, eyes searching Wilson's face for something, he wasn't himself sure he knew what. Wilson rocked back onto his heels and stood up with a groan, then offered his hands to House to help lever him up.

''So, did it work?'' Wilson queried.

''Did what work?'

''The endorphin thing, did it work? Are you going to be able to manage the rest of the stairs okay now?''

Oh right, that. ''Feels okay I think. Let's go.''

The two men resumed their hop-step method of descent and managed the next two flights comparatively quickly. They reached the landing for the first floor without speaking again.

Finally House could take it no more, the curiosity was killing him. Meow.

''So why now?'' House glanced quickly sideways at the still disheveled Wilson as they leaned against the wall, catching their breath for the final set.

''It seemed like a good idea at the time,'' Wilson shot back quickly.

''No, really. Why now? Of all the times and all the places you could have chosen to ... do that ... you choose now?''

The younger man took a breath and held it, then let it out slowly. He looked straight at House. ''I got tired of waiting for you to make a move. I've given you plenty of opportunities to do something, but all you do is look at me with that look in your eyes and then ... nothing. Also, trying to hide your lap behind your desk doesn't work that well when I'm standing and can see over it. When you actually let me touch you just now without some snide comment or insult, I figured I'd just ... go for it. You didn't seem to mind.''

House had the good grace to look slight embarrassed at being caught out. He tried to look down to the floor but Wilson caught his chin and gently forced his head back up again. ''No, I didn't mind. Not at all. Sex in a stairwell for the first time with my best friend is something I've always wanted to try, you know.''

Wilson grinned widely and leaned in for a long, slow kiss, trailing his tongue over House's lips, probing gently inside and meeting House's own tongue, sliding slowly along it. House groaned softly and felt Wilson press his body up against House's in response. Finally Wilson pulled away with a little nip of his teeth on House's lips.

''Come on, 30 more to go and we're home free.''

House took a deep breath and smirked slightly. He pulled Wilson's body back to his own and turned toward the stairs. Fifteen minutes later they were on the ground floor and Wilson left to go get his car. House waited at the front door of the dark building, thinking how odd it was that the place was so quiet and deserted. Of course, if nothing was really working correctly, and any patients had to have been moved to a part of the hospital that still had power, then it made no sense to try and keep the lights on. By tomorrow his world would be back to normal, or what passed for normal for House. With one exception.

Wilson pulled up to the doors with his car and House hobbled out and clambered into the passenger seat. He leaned to his left and found Wilson's lips again, kissing him slowly and sweetly, raising a hand to Wilson's cheek. Finally he broke away.

''Home, James,'' House directed imperiously. ''There are things I want to do to you there that simply can't be done in a car.''

''I hate it when you say that. I'm not your driver,'' the younger man groused good-naturedly.

House frowned and tried again. ''Take me home, Jimmy. Please.'' He looked up at James from under his eyebrows and tried for contrite.

''That's not much better.''

Finally he dropped the act and looked at Wilson straight in the eyes. ''Let's go home, Wilson.''

''Perfect.''