Chapter 2A

Cuddy stood up at her place at the conference table, looking at the expectant faces before her.

"As you know, Frank Evans has submitted his resignation to this board to pursue a position at the CDC. I'd like to make a suggestion for a candidate to take his position as head of Diagnostics." She met the eyes of the board members. "I propose we offer the position to Dr. Gregory House, for a trial period of two months."

A few gasps punctuated her statement. Everyone on the board was surprised -- some pleasantly, some not.

"Here here," Dr. Naveen Ajunta called out.

But Alan Pevey looked appalled. "Dr. Cuddy, that's... that's just not possible."

She raised one eyebrow. "Why is it impossible, Dr. Pevey?"

The older man frowned. "All right, I grant you that House was a renowned diagnostician. But when he was here before, he was a loose cannon. Now ..."

Cuddy stayed calm. "Now?"

People exchanged looks, sensing a storm coming. Ajunta leaned over to Pevey and whispered to him, but Pevey shook his head, waving off his fellow board member.

"Dr. Cuddy, for one thing, he's a felon."

She stared at Pevey as if he'd grown a second head. "No, doctor. He is not."

Ajunta chimed in angrily. "Alan, don't be an ass. The state acknowledged it made a mistake and expunged his record. Legally, House is probably cleaner than anyone in this room."

A few chuckles wafted across the table.

"Any other objections?" Cuddy asked.

Georgia Seyer leaned forward. "I'm new to the board, and I've never met the man. But Dr. Cuddy, the case was splashed all over the news for weeks. Months. Dr. House was in very bad shape when he was released from prison. It's been almost a year, I know, but ... is he physically up to the job?"

Pevey snorted. "Physically? I doubt it, but that isn't really the issue, Dr. Seyer. We don't have to be psychiatrists to figure House has PTSD. How's he going to handle patients when he's wrestling with that?"

Cuddy wanted to strangle the old bastard. "Dr. House has come a long way in his recovery. But it's no secret that he is still recovering. That's why I want to make the offer of a trial period, to see how it goes."

The door to the conference room opened behind her, and Wilson hurried in. "Sorry. Got held up, patient consult." He took his seat.

Pevey scowled at him. Everyone knew Wilson was House's staunchest supporter. "This was your idea, wasn't it. To get House his job back."

"Yes, I threatened Evans into quitting just on the off-chance that House would accept the position again," Wilson deadpanned, getting a few snickers.

Pevey rubbed his forehead. "With all due respect, can this board, in good conscience, hire Greg House? It's a disaster waiting to happen."

Cuddy opened her mouth, but it was Wilson who pierced the other man with a hot glare.

"Explain that, Dr. Pevey," he said, a sharp edge to his voice.

"Before you came in, Dr. Wilson, I pointed out that it's obvious House suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. From what the press said, the man lived through four years of hell. I grant you, he's brave. But that kind of victimization leaves emotional scars." Pevey gestured broadly. "Before all this, House was an arrogant, cocksure pain in the ass. He acted like he was accountable to no one. After the trauma he's survived, he surely can't be more stable than he was. Should he be put in charge of any patient's care?"

Cuddy turned her gaze to Wilson. "Dr. Wilson, you've played a big part in Dr. House's recovery. What is his physical and mental condition?"

Wilson considered the question, and how to phrase his answer. "Physically, he's well enough to work. He isn't the same... He can't be on his feet for long periods. His hands ... there's nerve damage. None of which matters, because he won't be treating patients directly. His team will do that. Mentally ... he needs to work. To focus. To find a way to make everything he's been through mean something." Wilson took a second to maintain his composure, then looked directly at Pevey. "He's changed. He probably never will be the same. Some of you would consider that an improvement. House is coping with PTSD, if that's the label you want to slap on him after his entire life was destroyed. But his medical judgment is unimpaired."

Vicki Stohl gestured for attention. "Dr. Wilson, what about his Vicodin addiction? It was never that much of a secret, you know."

Wilson nodded. "He is no longer addicted. He takes three per day. Four at most. The rest of his pain management program is nonaddictive. Neither drugs nor pain will cloud his judgment."

Ajunta threw a scowl toward Pevey and leaned forward. "Dr. House was always unconventional, wouldn't play by the rules. Abrasive. But his reputation as a diagnostician was a great asset to this hospital. I say, if he'll come back, the job should be his."

Pevey banged his fist on the table. "Yeah, he was a real shining star, all right. When the story came out about that crazy Thompson guy, House was a media darling. You couldn't turn on the news or pick up a paper without seeing something about it. But people, this is a lose-lose situation. Innocent or not, House was involved in the murder of a young girl who worked for him. He went to prison for it. And that's what everyone out there associates with the name Gregory House."

Wilson's eyes flashed. "And likewise, they all know he was a victim. An innocent victim, who took all the pain and humiliation dealt to him to save the lives of seven people."

Pevey spread his hands. "So those that don't think he's a monster will just see a pitiful wreck of a man. Is that what we want in this hospit --"

James Wilson was on his feet in a heartbeat, grabbing Pevey by the lapels, pulling him out of his chair and shoving him against the wall.

Between clenched teeth, Wilson growled, "He is not a monster, and he is not a 'pitiful wreck.' He is a normal, feeling human being who has survived four years of unrelenting torture. He's a better man than you, Pevey." With a final shake, he let the man go, turning his gaze to the shocked faces around him. "My God, people, we find compassion in ourselves for prisoners of war who have been held and tortured. What the hell is the difference?"

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When the vote was taken, only Pevey dissented.