AN: This is the sixth story in the Susan Chronicles story. The timing of this story occurs in the weeks just before "The Fix" of season seven. In this story House and Susan help each other deal with the complications associated with their respective relationships. I hope you enjoy the story and feel free to tell me what you think, good or bad.
CHAPTER ONE
It was still dark outside as Susan lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. She hadn't slept well for several weeks; not since Dr. Cuddy had broken up with Greg. It wasn't the break-up itself that was bothering Susan. Relationships were complicated and a relationship with a man as complicated as her brother was destined to be even more difficult. She understood why Cuddy had called it off, though she felt that Cuddy was expecting more out of Greg than he was capable of offering – despite her insistence that she didn't want him to change. Given the way Greg was reacting to the breakup she wished Cuddy had just stayed with that other guy she was dating before Greg, whatever his name was. Susan was tied up in knots worrying about Greg. She knew she shouldn't, but it was in her nature to worry about those she cared about. She wasn't eating like she was supposed to; she couldn't because her worrying made her stomach hurt. He'd gotten married one week after the break-up; supposedly to help the lady get her green card, though why that would matter to him was beyond Susan's comprehension. While he had invited the rest of his team and even had Chase perform the ceremony, Susan hadn't been invited – not that she would have gone anyway. She didn't confront Greg about the wedding as she was trying to give Greg his space as he worked through the emotional pain, but he obviously knew she wouldn't approve or he would have invited her. To date, Susan had never even met Dominique or whatever her name was. Then right after the wedding Greg had disappeared for a few days and when he came back, Thirteen came with him. That was quite a surprise, but a pleasant one. Susan wondered where Thirteen had gone, but if Susan knew anything about Thirteen, she knew her to be a very private person so Susan hadn't pressed her. Greg might have been able to fool the rest of his team with that rehab excuse, but Susan knew her brother well enough that this was a ruse to throw the rest of the team off the scent. As all these thoughts ran through Susan's mind, she was startled by her alarm clock; 5:30am. She reached over to turn off the alarm and sat up for a few moments before getting out of bed and then headed over to the bathroom.
Susan turned on the water to the shower to let the water warm up while she disrobed. Out of habit, she stepped on the scale. Well at least not being able to eat has had one positive effect, she thought to herself. All the weight she had gained over the winter was gone and she was back to her normal 118 pounds. She looked at herself in the mirror; time and gravity were beginning to take their toll on her body. Certainly she wasn't as 'perky' as she had been 20 years ago, but then she didn't guess she looked all that bad considering all she'd been through in her life. She had her share of scars as she looked over her body. The oldest one on her lower abdomen was from the C-section she'd had when Laura was born and there were plenty of stretch marks along her breasts that appeared while she was nursing her daughter. Somehow she had managed to escape stretch marks along her stomach and thighs from the pregnancy itself. Then there were three small scars from when she had her gallbladder laparoscopically removed ten years ago. Her most recent and most prominent scar was from the removal of half her liver that she had donated to Greg about a year ago, though it was fading from red to white. So many changes in her life in the last three years and the last year had certainly been full. It was interesting, she thought, that many of the most intensive and interesting moments of her life had nearly all occurred in the past year since she had met her brother. He had changed her a lot in the past year, for the better as far as she was concerned. She worried about him so much and she was hurt that he was avoiding her when she wanted to help him through his pain. Susan let out a sigh, it's in his control, she said to herself as she stepped in the shower; he'll come to me when he's ready.