Chapter3:(PartOne)

"Five broken ribs. All on the left side." Cameron finished probing around Cuddy's torso after dressing her in a gown, and looked up at House, who was standing at the head of the bed, staring at the person lying on the bed, and holding her hand. Cameron tried again when she failed to get a response. "House?"

"I heard you." His voice was quiet. Not lifting his head to meet Cameron's gaze, he continued to gently stroke Cuddy's hand with his thumb and forefinger.

Cameron moved the ultrasound machine closer to the bed, and flipped it on. She looked up at House. "Ready?" she asked in a quiet voice. House nodded, not taking his eyes off of the screen. Cameron slowly unbuttoned Cuddy's gown, and then moved the transducer, which was covered in sticky goo, gently over her abdomen.

"There's one," Cameron said with a smile, pointing to the tiny fetus on the monitor. House smiled.

Cameron's smile suddenly disappeared. "You said 'twins'?" She glanced up at House, who was slowly turning a shade of pale. Her eyes snapped back to the screen.

There was only one fetus; the other 'twin' was nowhere to be found.

Cameron stared up at House, who had turned stark white.

"Want me to get Parker?" she quietly asked. He nodded.

Cameron was halfway across the room when she heard the beeping on the monitors that surrounded the bed speed up. Hurrying to Cuddy's side, she pulled out a penlight. "Cuddy?" she called out.

Cuddy slowly opened her eyes, and blinked, slowly adjusting to the light. She focused on Cameron.

"You're in the hospital," Cameron said to her, as she flashed the light in Cuddy's eyes, checking her pupils.

Greg.OhGod!Whereishe? "Greg," Cuddy choked out in a whisper.

"Turn your head," Cameron told her, smiling.

Cuddy turned and saw House. "Hey," she whispered. She immediately winced and put a hand to her left side.

"You have five broken ribs," Cameron told her quickly.

Cuddy noticed that House looked pale and sweaty. "Greg, what is it?" She winced again.

Suddenly, Cuddy grabbed her abdomen with both hands, and moaned, her face scrunched up in pain; her eyes squeezed shut.

"Cuddy, what's wrong?" Cameron's voice was frantic. She glanced up at House, who understood.

"Cramping," he said quickly. "That's a symptom. Get Parker NOW!"

Within what seemed like five seconds, Cameron had returned, with Parker hot on her heels. Cuddy reached out and grabbed House's hand. She opened her eyes and looked directly at him. House shifted his gaze down to the floor.

"Greg, look at me."

House continued to stare down at the floor. Cuddy noticed that his hand that rested on top of his cane shook for a fraction of a second.

"Greg," she continued softly.

Cameron watched as House slowly lifted his head to look directly into Cuddy's eyes; his eyes were glassed over but Cameron did not say anything.

"It's gone, isn't it?" Cuddy tried not to break down. She maintained her gaze on House's face.

House didn't say anything for a moment and then he slowly nodded, with tears running down his cheeks.

Part Two:

Dr. James Wilson, oncologist and House's best friend, was sitting at Soho 128, an Italian restaurant, in Princeton. Sitting opposite him was a man close to the same age as Wilson, with his bleach blond crew cut hairstyle, neatly combed. He wore dress pants, a crisp white shirt, and a light blue tie. This man, John Greene, and James Wilson go all the way back to senior year of high school. The two had formed what would be a long lasting friendship in AP Physics class. After all these years, they decided to meet up again after all these years to catch up for old time's sake.

"So, you're in law now?" Wilson asked, sipping one of probably many glasses of wine.

"Yes, I'm working at a firm in upstate New York." John took a bite of his steak. "You know," he said, after he had swallowed, "I have no idea how you survived med school, James. Must have been a killer."

Wilson chuckled and was about to answer, when his phone buzzed in his pocket. "Sorry, I just have to see who this is…oh, it's the hospital, no worries."

He looked back up and resumed his conversation. "Lots of late nights and drinking with study buddies," he said chuckling.

John smiled. "Law school was bad, but I don't think it was THAT bad." He raised his glass. "Little late in the meal, but here's to surviving medical and law school, my friend."

The two men clinked glasses together.

Wilson's phone buzzed again, and he looked down at it. The words 'INCOMING CALL: Cameron URGENT' flashed across the screen in dark blue lettering. Wilson sighed and looked up. "My sincere apologies, John. I'm going to have to take this…"

John waved his hand to show that he was O.K. with Wilson taking the call.

Wilson excused himself and headed out to the lobby. "Hello?" he said, with the phone pressed up against his ear. "Cameron?"

No answer. "Shit," he muttered. He quickly dialed Cameron's number. It barely rang when Cameron answered.

"I'm out to dinner-what?" Wilson said, not sure he had heard Cameron correctly.

"Wilson, Cuddy and House were in an accident." She proceeded to tell him a quick version of what happened.

Wilson felt his heart pounding a million miles a minute in his chest, and echoing in his ears. He suddenly felt as though he couldn't breathe.

"Wilson? Wilson? Are you there?"
Wilson found his voice. "Yes," he managed to whisper. He suddenly felt sick; his dinner beckoned to come up, but he held it down. "I'll be right there." He clapped the phone shut, and walked back to the table, his heart still pounding.

"Something came up." That was the answer he gave when John asked him why they had to leave so suddenly. Five minutes later, the two men were sitting in John's car, driving down the highway. Wilson was staring out the window. "There it is," he said, pointing to an orange motorcycle that lay on the side of the road.

John pulled his car alongside the bike. Wilson looked over at John. "Look, John, I'm so sorry about all of this," he started to say, "it's just…that call I got was from…another doctor at the hospital."

John listened when Wilson told him that his best friend and his boss were in an auto mobile accident.

Cameron hadn't really told Wilson the extent of the injuries, or maybe she did, and he just wasn't listening. Wilson really wasn't sure.

John clapped a hand on Wilson's shoulder. "If you ever need me, you know where to find me," he said. Wilson watched him go back to the car, and then went over to where House's motorcycle lay. He watched John pull away, leaving him alone in the dark and deserted street.