Okay, wow talk about taking a while to post to this piece. Sorry to those of you who may still be reading, if you are, I thank you. I have finished this fic and didn't take it as far as I wanted to as my CSI muse kicked back into gear. Thanks for reading.


Chapter 7

After a few moments of fuming, the door to his room opened. "Go away."

Foreman entered anyway. "We have a case." He held up a folder.

"I don't give a damn."

"You never give a damn."

"Well I really, really don't give a damn. Go away." He looked away from his neurologist.

"Whatever, here…" He tossed the folder on House's bed. "Let me know what you think when you decide to give a damn."

House didn't glance at the folder until Foreman was gone. He paused for several moments before grabbing the folder. Anything to get his mind off of Cuddy.

After reading he pushed the button on the side of his bed. Moments later a nurse entered. "Yes, Doctor House."

"Bring me that chair." She looked at him bewildered. "Just bring the damn thing over here." Once the chair was situated next to the bed the nurse lowered the bed as low as it could go. Without question she helped House slide into the chair and situate his leg. He fought through the pain as the nurse put his casted leg in the wheel chair brace. "Over there." He pointed to where the scattered Vicodin lay on the floor. House was able to pick up two of the white pills and swallowed them dry. "Mmmm, mmm, good. Now, take me to my office."

The nurse sighed and rolled him to the elevator. She turned him around facing the door. "What floor?"

"Three."

She pushed the button and stepped off the lift. "Have fun." The door closed with House alone in the elevator. The nurse laughed and returned to her station.

"Bitch." House grabbed each wheel and waited for the doors to open again.

Following the ding the doors opened and House pushed his chair into the hall and towards his office.

He banged on the glass wall. "Open the door for a cripple will ya."

Thirteen jumped up and opened the door as House pushed himself inside. "I told you to call." Foreman reminded him.

"Yeah, I caught that. Thought it would be more fun mocking you people in person." He positioned himself so he could see the marker board. "Okay, we've got rash, back pain, tingly legs, coordination problems, and paralysis of the toes. Differential diagnosis people, go!"

"Herniated disc."

"Ankylosing Spondylitis." Thirteen spat out.

"Nice." House complemented her outrageous diagnosis.

"Degenerative joint disease in the vertebral column." Taub suggested.

"Sciatica." Foreman tossed another diagnosis on the table.

"Doesn't explain the rash." Thirteen offered.

House watched his doctors battle. "Possibly unconnected."

Foreman scoffed. "The rash is a reaction from all the icy hot the guy has been using."

House raised his eyebrows and looked back to Thirteen for her rebuttal. "Rashes are caused by a histamine response; histamine is triggered by the nervous system so it could very well be a symptom."

He looked back to Foreman. "Your turn." Foreman narrowed his eyes and kept quiet. "Ah, I liked it better when you two were doing it. Get an MRI, lumbar puncture, and test for whatever else you may come up with between now and then."

The three got up and left House sitting alone. The instant they were gone, his thoughts went straight back to Cuddy. Glancing at his watched House decided to go and vent.

He managed to get the door open without causing himself too much pain and wheeled down to Wilson's office. As House stopped the chair when he realized he couldn't open the door and enter with his leg sticking out. "Wilson!" He banged on the door. The lights were on in the office, he could see the glow from under the door. "Wilson!" He pounded again.

House was beginning to get antsy and was about to open the door himself when he heard a baby cry inside. He heard the lock click and Wilson open the door. "House, what!"

"Easy killer."

"You're out here banging on my door, how do you want me to react? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Caught a case. Cuddy in there?"

"Go away House." Her voice echoed out the door.

"Wilson's mine you know. Just because I manipulate him and get advice doesn't mean you can too."

Cuddy stood and let her heels thump across the floor with a purpose. "What do you want me to say? I tried to help you. I don't like what the Vicodin turned you into. Sure you can function on it, and do your job…"

"Then what's the problem?" He yelled back.

Wilson stood with his back in the door way trapped between the two. He was afraid of their retaliation if he were to speak up.

She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Cuddy was determined not to get into a screaming match with him and just talk to him like an adult. "House, I love you. I always have loved you. I want you to be the father of my children, be a father to Rachel. But it's very hard for me to sit back and watch you self destruct in your own self pity." House looked away from her as every word she spoke struck a separate nerve. "I'm not asking you to change much. I'm just asking that you take the Vicodin in moderation. I don't care when I have to hunt you down to do clinic duty, or when you barge into my office and say something about my ass. I want you, just the way you are."

House swallowed dryly and turned to look into her eyes as they reflected the love for him that she just confessed. "I…" He didn't know what to say or how to respond.

Cuddy saw him in his vulnerable state and moved in. She cupped his face and lowered her lips to connect with his. House was quick to deepen it as their tongues began dueling. The gasps of breaths were the only sound the two were making as they kissed.

Wilson moved back into his office only to return with his briefcase and jacket. "Good night."

Once they broke apart, Cuddy pushed House back into Wilson's office and closed the door. Her mouth returned to his and for several more heated moments they kissed.

House managed to gasp for air as he held her back a few inches from his face. "Why?"

Her hands stroked the side of his face. "I believe that love conquers all. And I know you don't want to be miserable anymore."

With a sly smile House pulled her back to begin kissing her like it was to be his last kiss.

After several minutes of making out Cuddy pulled back and went to retrieve her daughter. "So, do you need help getting back up to your room?"

He pursed his lips. "Naw, caught a case. The youngins are off running tests now."

"Are you just going to sit down here until you figure it out?" She asked as she gently bounced Rachel against her

House shrugged. "Beats sitting in that damn bed day in and day out."

Cuddy closed her eyes and knew that there had to be some way to get him back upstairs to rest. "Greg, you need to rest. If they find anything worthwhile I'm sure Foreman will come for more of your crazy ideas." She cradled a now sleeping Rachel. "You're not being released until you can walk."

"Why?" He shot out. "I'm fully capable of getting around."

"Not without help House. Wilson can't wait on you hand and foot day and night. I sure as hell can't. At least if you're staying here, you will be able to work. Isn't that what you want to do, get back to puzzle solving?"

"Yes, but I don't want to be trapped in some room. Just 'cause I'm a paraplegic doesn't mean I like sitting in a bed watching TV all day. I like watching TV all day when I don't have anything else to do." He felt it important to state the difference.

"House, you're not a paraplegic…"

"I can't use my legs!" He loudly interrupted her.

Cuddy lowered her head not wanting to get into another argument with him. She opted to remain silent as he let his frustration pass. His chest slowed to more slow steady rhythm before she decided to speak again. "Look, Greg, I know this is going to be difficult for you. It's hard for me to look at you hurt this bad physically and emotionally. You're a strong man, you can overcome this, but you have to let me in and let me help you."

Her words were absorbed into his psyche like a sponge and with a nod he agreed to do it her way. Cuddy leaned down and kissed him passionately. She passed Rachel to him as she pushed his wheelchair out of Wilson's office and to the elevator.

The nurses all looked on as the elevator dinged and the doors opened to Cuddy pushing House towards his room with Rachel cradled in his arms. They looked like a picture of the ideal family for a moment until House opened his mouth. "Didn't think you'd see me again did ya?" He mock smiled at the nurses.

Once in his room, Cuddy placed Rachel on the couch before helping House get back into his bed. It took them a few minutes to get his legs situated. "Did you really think you could manage this by yourself?" She huffed out of breath.

House shrugged. "I would have probably just slept in that damn chair."

With a giggle Cuddy returned to the small bathroom where she had left her things earlier. She changed into a t-shirt that hung mid thigh and returned to his bed side. He pulled back the covers inviting her into his bed. She slipped in with ease being mindful of his thigh as she settled into his side. House pulled the blanket over her covering them both.

That night proved to be a changing point in their lives. Cuddy admitted her feelings for House, and he decided that he needed her in his life. No matter how difficult things got, he was going to accept her help and try to get through his rehabilitation and physical therapy. She was willing to help him restore as much normalcy in his life that he had before the accident.


Well there's nothing wrong with a little excitement I suppose but for now crisis averted.

TDCSI