I Love You: House/Wilson

Namaste wrote: Now if they married after LLB's disappearance I think it's easier to fanwank the potential that the family simply didn't speak of LLB because it upset Mom too much or something, so Bonnie could conceivably have been in the dark too. I can see the LLB being a family secret and the family's avoidance in talk about him. But what about pictures? None of the wives never had any interest in saw old pictures? They just erased the poor LLB from all the family's albums? They never took a picture of him with the other two kids? That's a very strange family... :? That's part of my point. Perhaps the wives weren't there long enough to be a part of family events for long and never went through the old photo albums -- which would back up House's comments that Wilson "sprinted" through three marriages. (And, full disclosure, my grandmother's youngest brother left home and disappeared when he was 18 and no one heard from him for 20 years. He wasn't a "forbidden" topic, because he did come up, but it wasn't something you discussed until you'd known for a while. And, just as an fyi, Charlie showed up unexpectedly after 20 years, told everybody about his life, gave them an address and said he'd be back in a couple of months with his kids -- then disappeared again, with no forwarding address.) But to go back to the Hector time issue, if he indeed sprinted through the marriage to Bonnie, then he was single for a long, long time before Julie came along -- which doesn't necessarily jibe with the impression that he needs to be needed and jumps fairly quickly from one failed marriage to the next, at least in my opinion. So to me, that leans more toward the idea that House and Wilson have known either other for 10-12 years, rather than about 20.

And that's why I can't reconcile the Hector timeline with the LLB and Wilson's character! If he kept the LLB's secret because he "sprinted" through the marriages and the wives never had the chance to know about him, he doesn't really need to be need the way House thinks. If he stayed married with Bonnie or Julie for a long time (more than 5 years, at least) he didn't "sprint" - and House was wrong again - so there was a good chance that one of them knew about the other brother at some point. I'd love to see how canon would explain all those events with some logic :roll:

Okay another long and winding post. Well First I think sprint could easily have been one of House's sharp sticks that he was jabbing Wilson with at the time to remind him of his dismal marital track record & to prevent him from adding to it. Taking something bad, a failing, and making it even worse. After all we are still saying that between the ages of 18/20 - 37/39 this person was married and divorced 3 times. That may not be a sprint but neither is it strolling at a leisurely pace (throw on top of that the Grace affair only weeks after Wilson leaves Julie). Same with "the need to be needed" its hyperbole on House's part. Especially since the one who seems to fit that description best is House. We have no speicific info on the wives "needing" Wilson, just House's occasional rants. Bonnie wanted him enough to jump him (making her the purser) and appreciated him being supportive and knight in shining armourish and great in bed... but what woman, needy or not wouldn't want that in a husband. The point for her was that once she expected that was how Wilson would always be it turned out he really wasn't that way, at least not for her. She didn't change, Wilson did. I think the way to deal with the space between marriages #2 & 3 is to put House’s infarction in the middle. There is a dearth of details around this time period so a lot of this is conjecture but I think a reasonable time line can be established. I think Bonnie and Wilson may have divorced before the infarction. She never mentions it as a factor in House needing Wilson which if it was would be odd. Even a Bastard who horns in on your marriage may get a little sympathy if it’s because he became a cripple and was dumped. The way she said, “You always needed him, and he was always there for you!” made it sound as if the reasons were not urgency on House’s part because of his health or being left by Stacy but more along the line of how Wilson was there for House later in that particular episode, and has been thru out the series, staying late or all night at the hospital because House is struggling with a patient. If the infarction took place in 1999 Bonnie and Wilson could have divorced sometime between the year or two years before. Not a sprint but still a 6/7 year marriage is not going to win any medals for longevity. Now House has the infarction and Wilson is completely engrossed in House’s recovery, even more so once Stacy leaves somewhere between 6 months to 1 year after it happened so lets’ say 2000. Wilson has no time to get involved with a new woman. But as House begins to deal w/ his “new” life and just before Wilson completely suffocates, he meets Julie around 2001 they marry and will be separated and divorced by 2006. Re the LLB and the wives not knowing. We're not sure that none of them knew but I agree with what others have posted that I could easily believe that it was a long term problem with him out of the family early and a taboo subject that the Wilson family did not discuss. I don't think, Wilson, his wives or House spent a lot of time socializing with Wilson's family. House said I've meet your parents and your brother. Not "I know" them so their interaction could have been kept to a minimum. We haven't seen or heard anymore about any of them, not even a photo in that cluttered office, so I'm think Wilson doesn't spend a lot ot time in the bosom of his family. Another common denominator for he and House.

Oh, I love long and winding posts :wink: I think sprint could easily have been one of House's sharp sticks Agreed. And the fact that Wilson probably got married the first time around his 18/20 is not a impossibility, I actually think is quite likely. But the "need to be needed" thing I believe was spot on! Specially because Wilson's retort: "Lucky for you" - still one of the most hurtful things he said to House (IMO). The emotional vampire was an hyperbole. We have no info on the wives "needing" Wilson. Also true. But we have hints. Bonnie was coming off a bad relationship (her words) and Wilson was there to be her friend in a moment of need. She took the opportunity to jump him, because like you said, he was all a woman wants in a man, until he was not. Then we knew Grace. The perfect example of need. Alone and dying! Wilson probably just wanted to be her friend too, but we know the rest of the story. So my point is Wilson is not the kind of person who can "function" without a "charity case". I believe he went from wife #1 to Bonnie very quickly and the infarction actually prevented him to get married again as soon was over with Bonnie - and I agree that they may have divorced before the infarction. During the most part of House's recovery there were no wife around, probably. But then, he married Julie, I guess, when House started to function a little better again and didn't need him so much. But about Julie we really know nothing, except that she had the affair and she hated House. We're not sure that none of them knew but I agree with what others have posted that I could easily believe that it was a long term problem with him out of the family early and a taboo subject that the Wilson family did not discuss. If any of them knew I can't imagine how could House not knowing. Bonnie didn't like House but I bet that at the end she was also bitter about Wilson. She would tell anything just to get a little revenge and what's better than a secret that would hurt both of them? I could easily believe that it was a long term problem with him out of the family early and a taboo subject that the Wilson family did not discuss. I still can't imagine a soon to be wife not asking about her fiancé's childhood photos... I can't imagine she not asking about his past, talking to cousins, aunts, uncles, old family friends and none of them accidentally letting slip something about another brother. Good God, what did this guy do? Was he a serial killer? A rapist? Sorry, I just can't fanton why so much secrecy. I can understand Wilson avoidance to tell House, but the family conspiracy is too much to me...

Oh, I love long and winding posts :wink: Whew, I'm glad. But the "need to be needed" thing I believe was spot on! Specially because Wilson's retort: "Lucky for you" - still one of the most hurtful things he said to House (IMO). The emotional vampire was an hyperbole. I still think that the theory fits House better than anyone else we have seen in Wilson's life. That's what Wilson was trying to make House see with his come back. If that's my flaw you are the greatest beneficiary of it. So my point is Wilson is not the kind of person who can "function" without a "charity case". I would say that's a bit strong too but I do agree w/ you that someone wanting Wilson in their life, or for a tear-eyed cup of coffee, makes him feel needed and of help and he responds to that. Then often he gets in too deep. ETA, This is an area where House and Wilson differ greatly. House would most often run away for fear of getting involved. I think that's why House blows out of proportion Wilson's ability be there for someone. He doesn't really understand it, it scares him, and he may even admire and envy it little. I still can't imagine a soon to be wife not asking about her fiancé's childhood photos... I can't imagine she not asking about his past, talking to cousins, aunts, uncles, old family friends and none of them accidentally letting slip something about another brother. Good God, what did this guy do? Was he a serial killer? A rapist? Sorry, I just can't fanton why so much secrecy. I can understand Wilson avoidance to tell House, but the family conspiracy is too much for me... I think it would depend on the family and how much contact she would have with them and the extended families/friends before and during the marriage. For all we know Bonnie & Wilson's wedding ceremony consisted of the two of them, House and one of her friends as witnesses in front of a judge. Some people don't come from big families and they aren't close and they don't go through photo albums or spend time reminiscing or even mentioning the past. It isn't necessarily about what the brother did but how the family responded to it. But I see that it's a YMMV thing.

Wilson probably just wanted to be her friend too, but we know the rest of the story. from House vs God: Wilson: She'd had a bad day, pain wise. Her ride didn't show up to take her home. House: So you offered? Wilson: Yeah. She didn't have any groceries. She was too sick to go out, and I figured I could afford to take a half hour and pick her up a few things, and... House: Stay, and make sure she's OK. Wilson: Yeah. Yep, completely fits his MO, wants to be nice and helpful ends up living with them.

One dog. We know of only one dog Wilson has owned but he could have had any number of other pets who stayed with a wife when they split... :wink: I disagree with the "need to be needed" being something ordinary blown out of proportion by House because of his own inadequacies--I think Wilson is totally like that. Wasn't there someone called Debbie from Accounting...? :? I know people do weird, unaccountable stuff but do that many people really get married without saying, "so, tell me about your family...have any brothers or sisters"? Maybe not all couples exchange tons of info about their families and childhoods but I really think most ascertain stuff like if you have any siblings.... Surely one out of three would have had to have asked him that.....? I can believe House not knowing about LLB--he just never came up in conversation so House never learned about his existence. But I find it hard to believe his wives didn't know--at least the earlier ones.

Families are strange things. People get hung up on something and emotions run high for ages. It's not that hard to believe that Wilson never specifically mentioned LLB. It's possible that his referred to him as 'my brother.' His wives assumed he was talking about the brother they'd met. As long as he never told specifically damning stories about LLB that didn't mesh with the image of the known brother it's not unthinkable that they just assumed he only had one. Wilson's a smart guy-if he wanted to keep that story to himself, he could.

disagree with the "need to be needed" being something ordinary blown out of proportion by House because of his own inadequacies--I think Wilson is totally like that. Wasn't there someone called Debbie from Accounting...? :? Yeah, she was someone House caught Wilson speaking to once at work about the number of copies of forms billing requires and House turned that into the makings of an illicict affair. That never came to pass. That why I see it as House overreacting where Wilson's interactions with other people (well let's say it, woman) are concerned whether it's his wives or chatting w/ someone at work. He prejudged the circumstances with Bonnie (when he previously lumped all the wives together as needy in S2) then we see the next year he didn't really even know the details of the beginnings of their relationship which is why he had to grill Bonnie to get the facts.

We also saw Wilson in full caring mode action in Failure to Communicate. When House called him from the Baltimore airport, Wilson was in the cafeteria letting a nurse cry to him about her boyfriend. And in Fidelity House accused him of having an affair because he was wearing new shoes. But the shoes were French so you couldn't believe them -- he had only taken a nurse who was new to oncology and having a bad time to lunch. Both of those cases were exactly how House and Bonnie describe Wilson as stumbling into a relationship.

Thank you Poeia and Namaste! I see now--thanks to you two without having to search through three seasons of transcripts!--that I had conflated Debbie and the oncology nurse into one. Which isn't as big a mistake as it might be since the two together do serve to demonstrate this tendency of Wilson's to let his "caring" carry him away which is, to my mind anyway, confirmed by both how he got involved with Grace and with Bonny. So I still don't think it's all in House's head. I think oncology nurse, Debbie, Grace and Bonny are meant to demonstrate this aspect of Wilson to us. House isn't the only one to trigger or to use this impulse of Wilson's.

Actually, Debbie from Accounting came up twice. Though not mentioned by name, she's the "blonde thingy" that Wilson is chatting up in the first season episode "Cursed," leading to the classic line about double entry bookkeeping. Then Debbie from accounting in mentioned again in the second season episode "Autopsy." Which means either that Wilson really, really likes to doublecheck his departmental budget, or House had a smidgen of truth in his comments about Debbie. Wasn't she also mentioned in All In? You guys, because of the recent influx of timeline discussion, I'm going to create a thread for it in General Gabbery - that way you'll be able to talk about all of the characters involved, not just have to link it back to H/W. You'll still be able to talk about how the timeline relates to House/Wilson here, but all in-depth discussion can go in the new thread :)

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