10

1998

Maddy let herself into her house and dumped her backpack on the lounge floor. "Dad?" she called out. He had phoned in sick for the past 2 days with some sort of muscle strain in his leg. "Dad?" She checked his bedroom, perhaps he was having a nap, as the pain killers he had been given were quite strong. She wandered over to the telephone and noted one message. She pressed play. "Maddy, it's Stacy. Your father's been admitted to Princeton Plainsboro. It's his leg. I'll call as soon as I know anything." Maddy grabbed her bag and ran back out of the door, and hailed a cab to the hospital. She didn't know where to go, so headed for Wilson's office, figuring he would know where she could find Stacy and her father. She knocked on his office door.

"Come in." He called, she pushed the door open. "Maddy?"

"James, where's my dad? How is he?" She asked, breathlessly.

"Whoa, whoa. Slow down, take a breath. He's on the surgical ward, I'll take you to him, ok?" He said, calmly, standing up to walk her up to the ward.

"Surgical ward? He's got muscle strain."

Wilson sighed, "It's not muscle strain, Maddy." She stopped walking turning to face him.

"What is it?"

"He's had an aneurysm, you know what that is?" She nodded, she'd read about them in her biology textbook. "Well, it ruptured, and clotted."

"Isn't that a good thing? It fixed itself, right?" She asked, as they reached the waiting area.

"It-uh-cut off the blood supply to the muscle."

"Meaning?" She asked Wilson, he didn't answer. "James?"

"They want to amputate."

"Amputate his leg?!" She asked, tears welling up. "But he, I. I should go and see him."

"He's just through there." Wilson pointed to a private room, the door closed. Maddy could hear her father as she approached.

"You're not going to amputate my leg. Do a bypass." He was instructing whoever was in the room with him. Maddy smiled, he always knew best, or thought he did. She opened the door and walked in to see a stressed Stacy, and another doctor who she recognised as Lisa Cuddy.

"Maddy." House sighed, he hadn't wanted her to see him like this.

"Dad, how are you feeling?" She asked, walking over to him and taking his hand.

"Sore, but a bypass with fix that." He remarked, more to Cuddy than his daughter.

"I said I'd call you when I had news. You didn't have to come down here, it'll be hours before we know anything."

"He's my father, Stacy. I should be here, he needs me."

"Maddy, you don't have to stay." House told her, she shook her head.

"So, what's the plan?" She asked Cuddy, "Will a bypass work or do you need to amputate?"

"Amputation is by far the safer option for your father."

"Hello, lying here." House reminded them. "Bypass is just as good, and extra bonus I get to have two legs."

"Greg, it's just a leg."

"Just my leg." He answered, "I quite like it where it is."

"But-"

"Bypass." He stubbornly interrupted.

"Ok." Cuddy admitted defeat, "I'll notify the surgical team."

"Thanks." House added, sarcastically.

"Dad, if amputation is safer, shouldn't you go for it?" Maddy suggested, fear obvious in her eyes.

He sighed, "Bypass will restore the blood flow. I'll be in pain after it, but they have great stuff here called morphine, I'll be ok." Maddy bit her lip, "Trust me."

"Ok, dad." She leaned down to hug him, "Promise me you'll be ok." Her tears were now obvious. She was terrified of losing the only parent she had ever had.

"Maddy, why don't you wait outside with Lisa? I need to talk to Stacy alone."

Maddy nodded and turned around to walk out. "See you after your surgery." House smiled as best he could, and waved at her.

He turned to face Stacy, who was trying hard to keep her emotions in check. "I need you to promise me, that if I..."

"Greg, don't." She cast her eyes down, then looked at him again.

"Listen, it's important." He had tears in his eyes now too, "If I don't come through this, will you take care of Maddy? She'll need someone."

Stacy nodded, "Of course I will. I wish you'd reconsider."

"No." He leaned over and grabbed a marker from his bedside trolley. "Help me with something?"

"Anything." They proceeded to write 'Not this leg' on his left leg, 'Not this leg either' on his right. They said what each believed could be final goodbyes, as the nurse came to take him away.