Illness

Insert of Cuddy is here for all of you who requested it :)

The cafeteria was pretty busy when Wilson and Imogen got downstairs; it seemed like everyone had gotten the same idea and felt the urge to eat.

"Looks like we timed it just right." Imogen said sarcastically, Wilson gave a weak smile.

"Well while we're waiting to get some food do you wanna tell me what's been going on at school?" Wilson asked all parent-like.

He had one child of his own now and Imogen had been like his very own daughter when he'd been living with Anna all those years ago. Now Imogen had grown up it seemed like only yesterday to him that she was crawling around on the floor and babbling nonsense to him, she was turning in to a young adult fast.

It made him feel older than ever.

"Oh school." Imogen shrugged. "It's full of chauvinistic morons who think they can get away with harassing every girl they see."

"Oh Imogen." Wilson sighed "What has Anna done about it all?"

"Jack shit. She reckons I should ignore them and get on with my work. But I just don't take that crap. I stick up for myself and that's why I've been expelled. The last straw was when I lost my temper and threw a book at my Biology teacher."

"Ouch." Wilson cringed sympathising with the teacher. "And they suspended you for that?"

"Yeah." Imogen said letting a little smile creep over her face. "But at least it means I get to spend a week with dad."

"Does he know it's for a week?"

"Not yet but I'll make it clear when we eventually get home."

They were now at the sandwich section and Imogen picked up two Ruben's and a Chicken Salad.

"You must be hungry." Wilson laughed eyeing the sandwiches she'd put on her tray.

"They're not all for me." Imogen replied making an 'I'm-not-laughing' face.

"Ok, chill out." Wilson said lifting his palms in innocence. "I was only joking."

"You make me out to be some fat person."

"Now you know I didn't mean it like that."

"Oh so you're saying that I'm anorexic and I'm so hungry I feel the need to buy myself three sandwiches?"

"Imogen stop." Wilson said in a harsh tone. "Where have you got these ideas from?"

"I'm sorry." She apologised. "It's just when you get comments everyday from assholes you're nearly always on the offensive." She raised a hand to her forehead and covered her eyes as if she was sensitive toward it.

"Imogen? Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine." She said shaking a little.

"You don't look it." Wilson said concerned.

"I'm…" But Imogen didn't finish her sentence because everything had gone black as she collapsed to the floor.

-------------------------------

Two hours after the cafeteria incident she opened her eyes to find Cuddy at her bedside.

"Don't move." She said to Imogen as she spotted her eyelids fluttering. "You hit your head when you fainted."

"I what?" Imogen asked.

"Do you not remember?" Cuddy asked concerned. "Where do you remember being last?"

"In dad's office." Imogen replied shielding her eyes from the harsh lights.

"Do you not remember the cafeteria?"

Imogen remained in silence for a few minutes trying to remember things past her dad's office. It started forming slowly piece by piece. After another minute she remembered everything.

"Yeah I do now. I was going to get a sandwich for me and dad and then I was going to come up and see you with a chicken salad sandwich."

Cuddy smiled at Imogen and decided to move from the chair to the edge of her bed.

"Well your dad's a bit busy at the moment but I said I'd watch over you till you came round."

"Thanks Lisa. You can page him now to tell him awake."

"I will in a minute but I need to ask you some questions first." Cuddy said in a business like voice.

"Oh great. Doctor Stuff." Imogen said rolling her eyes. "Go on then."

Cuddy gave a half smile as she grabbed the clipboard from the end of Imogen's bed.

"Right. When was the last time you ate?"

"Erm." Imogen's memory was still a bit hazy from the fall. "I think it was about lunchtime."

"Imogen!" Cuddy said in the same way Anna did when Imogen had done something wrong "You need to eat at regular intervals during the day. That's probably the main reason why you fainted."

"Remember where I was when I fainted?" Imogen asked "I was in the cafeteria about to get some food."

"Have you had any fainting spells before when you've been hungry?"

"No."

"Been feeling sleepy lately?"

"What teenager doesn't feel sleepy?"

"Have you been needing the toilet more often recently?"

"I dunno. How often are you supposed to pee in a day?"

"I'll need to take a sample of blood down to the lab for testing. Is that ok?"

"Yeah I s'pose. Do you think there's something more wrong with me?"

"I'm going to test your blood to see if you have diabetes." Cuddy informed her as she inserted a needle into Imogen's vein. She saw the teenager flinch as the blood came out into the test tube.

"What?" Imogen asked in surprise. "But I thought you could only get it if someone in your family had it. Neither Mom or Dad have it."

"It's not just hereditary. But if you have it it's because your body just isn't producing enough insulin for itself."

"I wanna see my dad." Imogen said in an almost child like voice.

Cuddy had taken a vial full of Imogen's blood and placed it into her lab coat pocket.

"He's busy Imogen."

"I want to see him NOW!" Imogen shouted as she sunk under the covers. "Say to him if he cares about me he'd be down here right now. Foreman, Chase and Cameron aren't complete idiots they can cope without him for a little while."

"I'll try ok." Cuddy said with a look of pity.

Imogen tried not to cry when Cuddy was in the room but she broke down just as she pulled the glass door open.

Cuddy went to comfort her but Imogen just shouted.

"Go get him already! I need him."

Cuddy sighed and walked over to the lab to hand it in.

"I need the results back for this sample ASAP." She told the technician.

"Yes Doctor Cuddy." He replied.

Cuddy then walked up to diagnostics.

"House, she's awake."

"Thank God." House said as he sunk into a chair, he usually looked tired but now he just looked drained with worry.

"I'm testing her for diabetes."

"What?"

"She hadn't eaten for a prolonged amount of time and she dodged every question I asked like you would."

"Typical Imo."

"Look she needs you right now House. For the first time in years I've seen her cry. She's scared and she needs her dad to tell her if she has got diabetes everything will be ok and that you'll be there for her."

"I don't do serious situations. I always muck it up."

"She needs you; she won't care if you muck it up so long as you're there."

"Can you overlook Foreman, Chase and Cameron while I'm gone?"

"Sure."

"Thanks Cuddy." House said as he brushed past her.

"No problem." She replied quietly but he'd already gone.

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and I hope you're going to review again.

Huddy will be coming soon, just going to get the drama out of the way first.

Review Please :)