The stainless-steel table was dented and stained. Over it hang an X-ray view box, old-fashioned glass-fronted cabinets containing an array of grisly instruments, and chipped soapstone sinks.
His usual aristocratic air was missing. The pallor in his face was incontrovertible. He had an almost imperceptible boyish look to him now. His face was capped by salt and pepper hair and he had an unkempt and unshaven look to him, but now he looked so much more amicable.
"HOUSE!!"
Cameron jolted up from her supine sleeping position. She was sweating copiously. She swiped away the perspiration on her forehead and breathed deeply. Turning to the credenza beside her bed, she grabbed hold of the brown bottle and popped two of the capsules into her mouth.
"It was just a bad dream." She murmured to herself.
She refused to acknowledge any concern over House. That is till House collapsed.
-
"House just fainted on the pavement, and someone dialed the 911." Cuddy said.
"He refuses to let us draw any blood samples or conduct any biopsies or MRI. So now what?" Thirteen responded.
The door of Cuddy's office flew open with a screech, and Cameron appeared.
"How's House? Is he okay? What happened?" asked Cameron.
Cameron looked as though she hadn't slept in days. The dark circles around her eyes were a dead giveaway. There was no way any makeup could conceal it.
"He's fine. Why the sudden concern?" questioned Kutner.
"Nothing, I'll go now. See you." Cameron replied unconvincingly.
The sounds of the beeps of the pagers announced that House was trying to escape.
-
"I'm okay, and I don't need treatment." House anticipated Cuddy.
"Your status now is of a patient and not a doctor. And as the administrator, I demand that you are to remain within this ward at all times, till you are warranted a discharge."
House pulled out his IV needle and groped towards the door.
"Stop me and you're fired," he said to his team.
Cameron was frowning when she walked into the ICU.
"Can I have a word with him, alone?" Cameron whispered into Cuddy's ears.
A fleeting look of suspicion crossed Cuddy's face but she instructed the rest to exit the room.
Cameron promptly closed the blinds, signaling to the rest outside to wait.
"Sit down Hun; I know what's wrong with you. It's back isn't it. I know." Cameron said in a gentle tone.
House's face seemed to soften for a moment.
-
"I told you Cameron slept with him." Kutner interrupted, while having his ear pressed against the door.
-
"You have a tumor, House. Get a MRI and get fixed."
"Cam, it's my life and I know how to deal with it." House said feebly.
-
"We're going to have to sedate him," Cuddy said.
-
The glass door flew opened.
"We've got a situation here. His pulse's dropping!" yelled Cam.
The alarm of the heart rate monitor whirled in Cam's ears. It was louder than ever.