To make this house a home. (vampire AU House, fanfic)

Chapter five.

The days turned to weeks since Rachael had been under House's care. The routine never changed: Wake up at six AM, have breakfast, leave for work and hang out within his or Wilson's office while he worked. House would make the time to give her lessons in vampirism, and even go as far as to quiz and grade her. The more she got right, the more privileges she had with being independent.

Coffee was the biggest challenge to earn, and Doctor House saw an opportunity.

They both sat alone together within the meeting room, the lights dim and the blinds closed. He knew that Rachael wasn't consuming enough blood once again, but why? 

He turned on the projector as he held an old fashioned pipe in his mouth and wide rimmed glasses pushed to the tip of his nose. "Now class, today we are going to see the consequences of not drinking enough blood for a healthy diet. Much like how idiotiotic humans do not drink enough water, blood to a vampire is both an important and vital part." 

With the press of a button, the projector slide changed to the image of a skeletal like corpse, its skin clung tightly to its bones. The next slide revealed its skin falling off in wide patches with congealed blood stretching out in strings. The vampire within the pictures was still alive, and she could see the suffering on his face. It was all too much for the young vampire as she began to sob.

"I hate you!" 

Rachael screeched as she pushed herself out of the chair and bolted out of the room. House made no move to stop her, instead he nodded to himself. "So there's more to your past, Rachael Dean." 

------------------------------------------

Wilson had her in his arms, holding her close to his chest as she hiccuped and wept softly into it. He stroked her hair as he gently hummed to her, rocking the child as if she was his own. In a way she was, he had grown attached to the girl for the past few weeks of House having her in his care. Now he was angry at him. 

House opened the door unannounced as he eyed them both. There was a pang of guilt in his chest as he tried to push it down but to no avail. "So, are we going to continue our lesson? I'll give you coffee privileges next." 

Wilson shot a piercing glare at him as he held her even closer.

"House now is not the time, get out of my office!" 

He growled at the older man. House rolled his eyes at him, pointing his cane at the girl in his arms. "She's hiding something, and it's going to kill her if I cannot nip it in the bud in time." 

Wilson could tell he was serious this time, and something in him was determined. Rachael was still on his lap when House pulled a chair and sat on it across from them. He wasn't the best with children, but he did know that they were more intelligent than they appeared to be, Rachael was no exception to this.

"You're not drinking blood because they withheld it from you, it also explains why you reacted the way you did when I showed you-"

"Or maybe its because they were extremely graphic and would upset anyone watching it." 

Wilson interrupted. House sighed, staring up at him. "Not according to her Netflix history on my account, she has a thing for horror movies and true crime." 

He looked back at Rachael as she stared blankly at the wall, listening. But to Wilson's surprise she softly nodded. "Yeah, I wasnt allowed to have blood as punishment for trying to run away from them. They got very angry, and withheld it." 

She turned her head to House, her gaze meeting his as she continued "I didnt deserve it, I still don't deserve it. I wasn't good at being a vampire then and I'm still not even now." 

Rachael leaned forwards, with Wilson's grip slowly ebbing away. "I came to the hospital that night because I was starving yet they wouldn't let me have any, and then my skin started to fall off….I was falling apart for days until Angela got scared and insisted to Mathew that she takes me." 

Doctor House reached for Rachael, his large hands lifting her from her armpits and placing her on his lap, now it was his turn to hold her. 

"I've been on the run with them since I was a little kid and I can't remember anything before they kidnapped me, I failed as a daughter twice." 

She was now sobbing once more, her body wracked as House held onto her tightly with his hand stroking her hair. He was abused too, he had also felt that he failed as a son...and here was now with a child who was just like him. Now it was his turn to cry as he buried his face into her hair and wept, feeling Wilson wrap his arms around them both as he pressed his lips against House's forehead.

"You didn't fail, Rachael….you won't fail as my daughter."