"You've been taking pain killers." House glanced up from the 19" television sitting in the corner of his office, replaying Monster Truck Mania, to find a very pregnant Lisa Cuddy leaning in against his door jam.
"Shut the door," he said, with no attempts to deny the accusations. She did as he asked then turned back to him.
"You went through a rapid detox. You could very easily overdose and die."
He didn't answer, just leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
"Is the pain coming back?" Still no response. "If you aren't in pain, then the drugs are not going to level you out. You're just getting stoned, and you can't treat patients doped out of your mind. Has the pain been coming back?" House opened his eyes and sat up.
"I wouldn't treat patients stoned."
"Then why the drugs?"
"I've been getting headaches. How did you know?"
"A cop came to visit me today." House rolled his eyes. "Don't dismiss this. He said he busted you for possession without a prescription. If you were really in pain you would have asked me or Wilson or Cameron to write you something."
"I don't want her to know. And Wilson would be overly concerned and you—"
"Would see right through you." She shook her head. "You have to stop Greg. I don't care what made you start using again, you have got to stop now."
He looked past her at Cameron who peeked her head in the door. "Hey," she said.
"Hey." The smile that he gave her was forced. Cuddy had seen it a hundred times before with Stacy. "Are we done here?"
"Not even close," Cuddy said as she turned and walked out of the office.
"What was that about?" Cameron asked, entering his office and moving around his desk sliding her hands down his shoulders.
"Nothing. Cranky pregnant lady had no one to go and get her pickles and ice cream. I told her I'd send Chase for fifty bucks." She laughed and bent down to kiss him.
"Did you ever find out who she chose for the baby's father?" House tensed slightly then shook his head.
"Anonymous donor, I couldn't find anything."
"Hmm. Never thought I'd see the day that there would be some dirt you couldn't dig up."
"What can I say, I must be loosing it. What'cha got there?"
Cameron pulled a file folder from behind her back. "We got a case."
"You pulled my authorization again! What the hell did I do this time? Was I five minuets late for clinic duty?" House slammed the door to her office behind him.
"Stop yelling."
"I have a very very sick little girl—"
"boy."
"Whatever. Who is going—"
"To die. I know a very very sick person's going to die unless you get a CT scan. I told you I'm not going to let you treat patients while you're using drugs. Your judgment is impaired. Before there was a medical reason for it but now…I'm putting you on suspension. Indefinitely, until you get yourself cleaned up and can prove to me that you can stay clean."
"No! What about—"
"Forman can take over until you recover."
"You can't. Look I'm fine, I just need something to take the edge off. Obviously the detox didn't work the first time. I can't go through that again."
"The detox did work before. You were completely clean for months. What happened was you got bored. Bored with you patients, bored with Cameron, bored with your life. The pills are a change. Stoned is not boring. But it is dangerous and I'm not going to let you do it to yourself, your patients or this hospital." House shook his head. He dropped down into a nearby chair.
"I really can't go through that again."
"You're going to have to find a way. You're going to end up right back where you were, a full blown drug addict. You're being irresponsible. If you value this job you're going to have to quit."
House rested his forehead on the edge of Cuddy's desk. "Then you have to help me?"
Forman walked into the office around 10:30am to find Cameron sitting at their conference table alone.
"Hey. Where's everybody at?"
She was staring at the white board and didn't look over at him. "Chase is checking on our patient, you are two hours late, and Cuddy made House go home."
"Cuddy made House leave? Why?"
Cameron tapped her nails on the table. "He didn't tell me. He left you in charge of the case." She motioned to a brown file folder at the edge of the table. Forman walked over and picked it up. He began leafing through the pages, but paused when he realized Cameron was still staring at the same blank white board.
"Speaking of nasty air-born infections," he said closing the file, "How are things with you and House?"
"Fine," she answered flatly.
"Right."
"What?"
"Nothing. That was just the most unconvincing 'Fine' I think I've ever heard."
Cameron looked back at the board. Forman shook his head and turned to leave.
"He's pushing me away," she said. "He thinks I can't see it coming but I know."
Forman came back to the table and sat down beside her. "I'm sorry," he said.
She nodded, regretting that she had said say thing.
"Can't really say I'm surprised though." At this she did look up at him.
"What? Why not?"
"Because, House has always done exactly what he wanted to do. If he has decided that he doesn't want you, there's nothing that you can do that's gonna change his mind."
"I changed his mind before."
"No the surgery changed his mind. You were just there." She took a deep breath. She knew Forman was right. House always did exactly what he wanted to. She was just hoping that what he wanted would always be her.
"What should I do?" she asked him.
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because you are the one who stumbled into my nightmare and started asking questions."
He nodded. "Okay. If I were you, I would try to find out what is going on with him."
"And if he won't tell me?"
"Find out from someone else. Wilson or Cuddy. Or else you walk away from him before he walks away from you."
Cameron walked into Cuddy's office; quietly shutting the door behind her. "Why did you send him home?"
Cuddy looked up from her desk and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. When she didn't answer right away Cameron walked over to the desk and leaned down on it.
"I need to know what's going on with him; I think I have a right."
"Well then you need to go and ask him."
"I tried," she said looking a little embarrassed, "He's avoiding me." Cuddy exhaled slowly. She sympathized with Cameron. Pitied her was more like it. She had seen this before and knew what would come next. She wished she could somehow warn the younger woman but she also knew that that wouldn't do any good.
"I'm sorry," she said, "I wish I could help you, but I'm his doctor. He's got confidentiality and he asked me not to talk about it with anyone."
"So it's a medical problem?"
"Cameron—"
"Is it his leg? Is the pain coming back?"
"You're with him every night. If the pain in his leg was returning you would be the first one to know about it." Cuddy paused. "Have you noticed anything like that?"
Cameron frowned and shook her head. "No. He's just been a little distant. A little secretive. But he hasn't been acting like he's in pain or anything like that."
Cuddy nodded. "Any headaches?"
"No. Why are you asking?"
Cuddy
shook her head. "No reason. Look I'm sorry that he's not
talking to you about this, but you had to have expected this might
happen."
Cameron shook her head. "Why does everyone keep
saying that?" She walked out of the office and as soon as the door
swung shut behind her Cuddy picked up the phone.
Cuddy's home machine picked up after the fifth ring. "House it's me, pick up." A few moments of silence and he answered the phone.
"Yeah?"
"Cameron was just here."
"You didn't tell her anything did you?"
"No. But I think you should."
"That's not your call." His voice was ragged and his breathing hard.
"How are you?" she asked. "You haven't taken anything have you?"
"No," he said. "But I think you need to come back here."
"Why, what's wrong?"
"I'm seeing black spots, I'm dizzy and—" he broke off. "Something…ah it hurts."
"Your leg?" She was growing more alarmed. He hadn't been off the drugs long enough for him to be suffering withdrawals already.
"No," he said, "Everywhere."
