Waking From Nightmares – Visitors

Author: Oracle Phoenix

Rated: T for Teen (Just in case)

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Pairing: None specific. Maybe a little House/Cameron implied.

Spoilers: Probably not but if you haven't at least seen Season 1 then you shouldn't be here. Go buy it or even rent it and educate yourself. Do it now. Shame.

Summary: Cuddy and the ducklings visit House in the hospital. A brief, mostly comedic, interlude to the story Waking From Nightmares.

Disclaimer: Everyone knows none of this is mine. Do we have to keep rubbing it in?

A/N: So…I was reading through the story and decided that it was getting a little odd that only Cameron and Wilson had visited him. Now, granted, they do like him more than most but considering that they all work in the hospital, everyone probably should have made it there at some point. By the time I realized this, however, there was no convenient place to slip the others in, so I wrote this instead. It's short, just two little sections, but it should tie up a loose end or two. Reviews are, as always, appreciated but I won't hold you to it. This isn't exactly one of life's really big deals. LOL Thank you for your interest in the story. It means a lot. :D

Warning Don't read this without at least starting the main story. You'll be completely lost. Quite cunning, don't you think? ;-)

Part One: Dr. Cuddy

The day House woke up, Dr. Lisa Cuddy walked into his room just after Dr. Wilson walked out.

"Careful," Wilson warned with a smirk as he passed her. "I'm sure you can imagine the mood he's in."

"Don't worry, I promise not to feed the bear," Cuddy replied with a smile.

She found House sitting up in bed and looking like he'd had a long day. A lump formed in her throat at the sight of him looking so tired. He could be a complete pain in the ass, and usually took every opportunity to do just that, but it was hard not to like him once you really got to know him well. She knew him better than most and she hated to see him like this. He looked up at her but waited for her to speak first.

"Hey," she began quietly, not quite sure what to say. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, never better."

"Well, it's good to see your sarcasm remains intact. No worries then."

"It's comforting, isn't it, to know that whatever happens, I'll always be able to stylishly offend the world in every possible way. It's really, kind of, what keeps me waking up in the morning."

She laughed; the first time since she'd heard the news about what had happened to him, and sat down in the chair by his bed.

"Do me a favor," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched her invite herself in for a longer stay. "Don't act concerned about me. Cameron and Wilson have already made their rounds and if anyone cares any more, my head will explode."

"I promise," she said through a grin.

"And if I have to have the 'I just know you'll get all better' conversation with one more person I may be driven to kill," he continued to rant.

"I'll keep it to myself."

"Fantastic. So…how's things?"

"Oh, ya know…the usual. The clinic hasn't been the same without you…all smiles and satisfied customers…"

"Too bad. It's not a job well done until someone leaves in tears."

"Really? Wow, if I had known that it was just your serious devotion to the job coming through all along, I wouldn't have given you such a hard time."

"Well, I'm glad you understand now how much I really care," he said, trying, and failing, to achieve a look of pained martyrdom. It earned him a knowing smirk.

"So, I take it you found Cameron when you woke up." She decided to change the subject with a small push for information.

"Unfortunately."

"Oh come on, waking up with a beautiful young woman holding vigil over you has got to be better than a kick in the balls. At least."

"Yeah. It would make me feel really special if she didn't have a one-patient-a-week quota for the gig."

"Oh she is not that bad and you know it."

"Is to."

"Is not."

He stuck his tongue out at her petulantly.

"You just keep telling yourself that because the alternative; that she really cares about you, scares the crap out of you."

"Oh yeah, I had forgotten about my tragically mangled heart. How do I even begin to cope with it?"

"You don't."

"Ha." He glared at her half-heartedly.

"One day, when you realize I'm right, I expect an apology…in the form of gifts, please.

"Ha," he repeated unenthusiastically, raising a skeptical eyebrow. Then, most embarrassingly, he yawned. The morphine in the IV was getting to him. And he hadn't even gotten to her yet. Very disappointing.

"I should let you rest," said Cuddy. "I've got to get back to work anyway."

"Yeah, wouldn't want the hospital to implode because you turned your back."

"Very true, although I'm probably safe since you're trapped in here." She smiled. "I'll see you later."

"Sounds good."

"Oh, and House?" She turned around as she reached the door and he looked up at her inquiringly. "I just know you'll get all better."

He rolled his eyes with a huff and turned away from her as violently as his pain would allow.

She left the room with a smile on her face. She'd expected a much more difficult conversation but it sounded like he'd had enough of those already. He was notorious for hiding behind his sarcasm and banter but she'd gotten the feeling that he was actually dealing better than last time. In any case, she wasn't really worried. In spite of his attempts to drive them away, he did have friends. And she knew they would take care of him…whether he liked it or not.

A/N: Part one of two. TBC…