Chasing Grace:
Prologue
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A/N: Thank you for joining me for the sequel to Saving Grace! This was originally intended to be the third in a trilogy, but I found that to be more than I could handle. This piece inspired me much more than what was to be the second installment, so I moved forward.
This takes place long after the previous story. Eleanor House is now a formidable pianist in her mid twenties, and Benjamin House has just completed his studies for his bachelor's degree, intending to soon attend medical school.
Thank you for your patience with me in getting this written, and I hope you fall in love with the House children, just like I did. Enjoy! :)
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Unnecessary disclaimer: None of the characters appearing in the TV show "House, M. D." belong to me.
Abstract: Follows Saving Grace. The four members of the House family each embark on a personal journey, and grow together as a family.
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"So what's the verdict, Doc?" House asked sarcastically. He hated that Cameron made him go to these stupid check-ups. He was a doctor! He could look after himself just fine.
It was then that he realized his practitioner was looking at him with a concerned expression. "Dr. House," he began. "Your liver is in bad condition."
The news had no outward affect on House, but a pang echoed through his chest. This was the news he had been dreading for years.
"Considering your history, your liver has held up exceptionally well. If you hadn't reduced your painkiller intake, you would have come upon this issue a long time ago," the doctor continued, attempting to soften the blow. "As it is, the liver already has irreversible scarring."
"Get to the point," House snapped gruffly. He wasn't an idiot—he knew what was coming, and sugarcoating it wasn't going to help.
The doctor squared his shoulders and looked House in the eye with sympathy. "Dr. House, you are either going to need to cease your reliance on painkillers completely, or get a new liver."
"So what's the problem? Schedule the surgery! I'm AB+, anyone's liver will do," House insisted.
The doctor sighed. "This is the catch-22. With your current reliance on a narcotic drug, you cannot be approved for the transplant."
"And if I continue to take the drugs?" House asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
"If you continue to damage your liver, you could go into liver failure at any time. I can't guarantee your longevity."
House prided himself on being calm during a crisis, on never showing his true feelings, but for once he couldn't help but betray his emotions. "How long do I have?" he asked in a low voice.
The doctor looked sorrowful. "At this level of damage… no more than a year."
Somehow, knowing what the doctor was going to say didn't prevent House from feeling as if his stomach had dropped out of his body. The world was spinning. In layman's terms, he was a dead man.
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