Disclaimer: I don't own House.
Spoilers: Through season 7.
Thirteen had been on the verge of quitting her job ever since House got fired and had been checked into rehab. She didn't like how bossy Foreman had become and she especially didn't like being fired because of her relationship with Foreman. House had hired her back but she could feel Foreman resenting her with his every gaze. So she quit. She quit and booked a flight to Thailand. Although she had booked a flight, she hadn't gone. She had stayed in New Jersey and kept on dying.
She got up when she felt like it, ate when she felt like it, slept when she felt like it, drank when she felt like it, and did drugs when she felt like it. She showered occasionally. But mostly she just existed, waiting out the days of her death sentence from Huntington's. She noticed that morning that she was out of food. She dressed slowly in yesterday's clothes and headed to the grocery store. She hadn't showered in days and she hadn't brushed her hair. It hung in copper sections, thick with dirt and oil. Her eyeliner was smeared around her eyes, making her look like a drug addict who needed a fix. She grabbed a cart and listlessly grabbed items and put them in her cart. Nothing looked good. She stood in the produce section and picked up a lemon, staring at it.
"Thirteen?" asked a male voice.
Thirteen turned and saw Chris Taub standing there, "Taub. How are you?"
"I'm fine. I thought you were in Thailand?"
Thirteen considered her lemon.
"Um, my wife left me," Taub said.
"Sorry," Thirteen said.
"So no Thailand?"
"No."
"You don't look good," Taub told her.
Thirteen stared at him.
"Let me guess. Drugs, illegal and legal?"
Thirteen nodded.
"Lots of drinking?"
"Yes."
"A different guy or girl every night?"
"Yes."
"You've been free falling. Come back. Come back to work."
"I'm dying."
"Don't you pull the 'I'm dying' card with me," Taub said, angrily.
Thirteen threw the lemon at him and stalked off. Taub grabbed her waist, turned her about and kissed her lips softly.
"What are you doing?" Thirteen asked.
"I'm giving you a parachute, a way to stop your free fall. Now will you stop this nonsense and come back to work?"
Thirteen nodded, paid for her groceries and left the store. She got back to her apartment and began to clean up. Her rooms had become a mess while she was spiraling out of control. Once the apartment was clean, she cooked, showered and called Cuddy. After talking to Cuddy she managed to get her job back. She was beginning to live again, her momentary downward spiral was over. She smiled, her first real smile in months. She was Dr. Remy Beauregard Hadley again.