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Chapter nine
House and Dom went to the rooms of Patrick Peters at noon the next day. He was very matter of fact, he told them that he could not remove the tumor, but he explained that there was a recent break though in which surgeons' had had great success.
"Endoscpoic neurosurgery involves the insertion of an endoscope, or tiny video camera, through a small incision." House liked the way he spoke directly to Dom and didn't talk over her just because he knew House was a doctor. He went on showing them on a diagram. "The endoscopic trans -nasal approach is performed through the nostrils. A natural passage way exists at the back end of the nose leading into the sphenoid sinus, an air filled cavity in the depth of the skull, which can be enlarged so that the endoscope and instruments can pass into this air filled cavity. From this region the tumor you have, could possibly be reached."
"So who does this surgery? How do we find out if this is an option?" House asked
"Its very new so there are only a handful of neurosurgeons' doing endosropic surgery, it takes a great deal of skill and of course the equipment is very specialized." Peters answered.
"We think this tumor is aggressive." House told him "so time is of the essence, can you find out who and where this is being done?"
He agreed to try and find them a surgeon preferably in the states, but the surgery had been pioneered in India so they may have to go abroad for it.
"We did have a surgeon locally, who is gifted at this procedure, but he is out of the country at the moment and is not expected back for at least two weeks. Are you convinced that surgery is the way you want to go? This is a high-risk area to be operating." Again he addressed Dom.
"I know that the surgery is my only hope of a cure, chemo and radiation would give me about a year, I am an all or nothing type of person, if I don't survive the surgery, at least it will be over quickly. I want to have the tumor removed if at all possible."
House was very quiet on the way home. Dom knew he was processing, she let him think, she knew he was going over their options in his head and liking neither of them. He drove the car into the garage at the back of the restaurant, and turned the motor off and pushed the button to close the door behind them. They both sat not talking or moving really eventually the automatic light when off leaving them sitting almost in the dark.
"I'd do anything to save you from this, you know that don't you?" House said his voice thick with emotion.
"I know Greg, you have always protected me" House took a breath, Dom could tell he was trying to control his emotions, she reached out and stroked his cheek "At least we know, we might have surgery as an option, we could have two choices."
"They both suck!" he said thumping the steering wheel. "I feel so dammed useless. You of all people don't deserve this Dom."
"Nobody deserves it Greg, its just rotten luck. This is no bodies fault, my love, you are not to blame."
"I'd take your place in a heartbeat if I could!"
"I know. I also know that if the worst happens I don't have to worry about our babies or Billy. I know you doubt yourself when it comes to parenting and relationship stuff, but you have no need you are a wonderful father and role model."
"Don't" his voice broke "I can't even go there, I….."
The light in the garage was dim and Dom could not see House's face very well, but she suspected that he was crying. He turned his face away from her.
"I'm sorry! I hate to cause you such pain." She began to cry. House reached for her and they clung to each other, House pulled her on to his lap, she could just fit between his chest and the steering wheel because of his very long legs, but it was a tight squeeze, Dom was afraid of hurting his leg, but House didn't seem to be feeling any pain in his leg, it was his heart that was breaking. Dom stroked his fuzzy cheek. She felt his tears.
"Don't." he said trying to hide from her.
"Do you think I would think less of you because you are crying?"
His voice was barely a whisper. "Yes."
"I feel honored that you feel safe enough to cry with me. I don't think you have really cried with anyone for a long long time."
"Honored?"
"Honored, loved, I feel closer to you at this moment than I have ever been!" she said sincerely.
"It's the steering wheel!" he said trying to lighten the mood.
"Who made you feel that showing emotion was such a terrible thing Greg?"
House took a deep breath, he wanted to deflect, but instead he said "My Dad, he used to mock me if I even looked like I might cry. Military men don't cry, Dom."
"You are a lover not a fighter. I don't need some soldier I need you, I love you just the way you are."
"Do you know, you are the only person who has ever loved me for me!"
"I love you for you, but I'm not the only one Greg, we have a lot of people around us who love us. Billy loves you so much you are his hero. You are my hero. I have no regrets, Greg the last three years, have been the best of my life."
"Mine too, but I need more, I can't bare to think of living without you, but if the worst happens, you can count on me. I promise you I will give everything I have, to our children, I include Billy, because he feels like he is ours in a weird way."
"I feel that way too, and I have never had any doubt that our family will be in good hands. Greg, we had better go in the kids will be awake from their nap soon and Mum will be wanting to know how we got on."
House loved the way she always said "we" when she spoke of her illness, sometimes he felt like they were almost one, even though Dom was very strong she had the ability to let him also be strong for her and it made him feel needed, and loved. They spent the remainder of the afternoon with the twins; House went online to try to find surgeons, while Dom bathed the kids. He was dismayed to see that what they required was a scarce commodity. It was new and in demand procedure.
It was Friday night and it had become a regular happening that Wilson and Sam had dinner with them, Dom and Sam had become great friends, and the twins had become really fond of their new Aunty and Uncle.
Dinners as always was a noisy affair with excited children and bantering adults, and surprisingly tonight things were no different. No one discussed Dom's illness until the children were in bed. They talked about the possibility of surgery and what they could do to find a surgeon. They also talked about a time frame that other treatments could be started if they could not find a surgeon. Just after nine o'clock their doorbell went, and a short time later House was showing Gabe Monroe and Lisa Cuddy into their lounge into their lounge. Cuddy explained that Monroe had rung her to say he would be back at work on Monday, returning from England two weeks early. She had asked him to come in and view Dom's films.
"I can remove the tumor with an endoscopic procedure." He explained how the procedure was done. " The trans –nasal approach would give us a way to reach the tumor and remove it with minimal damage." The next hour was spent discussing Dom's surgery and possible outcomes. Cuddy had booked a theatre for Sunday complete with the best surgical team and anesthetist. House knew that elective surgery was never done on a Sunday; he was touched and very grateful that Cuddy had specially assembled the best team at short notice to give his wife the best possible chance of a recovery. When he showed them out later in the evening, he gave Cuddy a hug and shook Monroe's hand; he was very emotional as he thanked them both. Dom had to be admitted at three o'clock the next afternoon, which meant that this would be their last night together before the surgery. He headed back up to their apartment, he could hardly bare to be away from her even for a few minutes.
When House got back to the apartment he found Dom in their bedroom packing a suitcase for the morning, he had a wash and got ready for bed.
"Anything I can do to help?" he asked when he came back in to the bedroom from their bathroom.
"Hold that thought, I'll be out soon." She gave him a smile and headed into the bathroom. House got into bed and pretended to look at a medical journal that was beside his bed. He felt terrified that this may be the last time they would get to sleep together. The surgery was risky; Monroe had pulled no punches on that score. He heard her turn the shower off; he had showered earlier before dinner.
Dom returned wearing a very sexy nightie, which she had been saving for a special occasion, her perfume wafted over him. He had not expected this, the journal slid off the bed unnoticed.
"I could use some 'help' relaxing! Any ideas?" she said flirtatiously.
"I could make you some of the tea, that tastes like "cat's urine" if you like?" he said mocking the chamomile tea she favored before bed. He was deliberately playing dumb.
"Not what I had in mind!" she said coming around to his side of the bed.
"Well you've had a shower, so a warm bath would be just silly!" he said playfully as she sat on the side of the bed leaning into him, theirs faces were only inches away.
"You don't have to do this." He said suddenly serious.
"I know. I just want tonight to be one of those magic times we share, when the rest of the world just melts away." She brushed her lips with his; they teased each other, neither letting the other deepen the kiss. The only parts of them touching were their lips and occasionally their tongues. Their eyes clashed. It amazed Dom how he could arouse her with just a look. He kissed her again taking control but not deepening the kiss. "You are not playing hard to get are you, Big Boy?" she whispered against his mouth.
"Not since the very first time we were together!"
"Yeah I remember, you were trying to be so noble, I'm so glad I didn't let you talk me out of "us!"
"Me too." He said against her lips "why are we whispering?"
"I'm sure things will get louder in due course!" she said saucily "Did I ever tell you that sometimes you talk too much?"
His answer was to flip her over him and onto the bed making her giggle like a schoolgirl. They make love to each other in a tender and playful way until they both lay shuddering and breathless.
The next day they had a picnic with Billy, Ania and the twins in the local park, they explained to the children that their mum had to go to hospital for a while and that their Babushka (which is Russian for grandmother and what they called Ania) with help from Billy, would be looking after them while she was there. They were quite happy; Wilson asked if their mum was going to be at the hospital where daddy worked which made House smile. They got home and Dom read the twins a story and put them down for their nap. She sat looking at them long after they had fallen asleep; House came in and said it was time for them to leave for the hospital. He could tell that she had been crying, but was trying to be strong; it broke his heart to see the way she looked at her babies before she left their room. They said their tearful good byes to Billy, Ania, Marie Clare, and the blues brothers and headed off to the hospital.
Dom was admitted into the ICU, which was unusual, but because the surgery, which she was having, was high risk and still very new, Cuddy had insisted that all endoscopic neurosurgery patients' had to go though the intensive care unit from admission.
A tall, pleasant and very business like nurse whose name was Erin took care of the admission details. She knew House and Dom could immediately feel the tension between her and House, they had obviously had dealings before and Erin was keen to show him who was in charge! Of course Greg was going out of his way to annoy her. Dom thought to herself, that this was going to be a long week. How right she was!
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