Well, has been a real pain in the arse lately but I finally managed to get the next chatper up! Hope you guys enjoy it and I really enjoyed reading your reviews of the last chapter :)

Chapter 12

It was several hours later when Cuddy was finally wheeled into the ICU,hooked up to several machines that were helping her body function while her brain recovered from the injuries it had sustained as a result of the car accident.

There had been a tube placed down her throat that was hooked up to a ventilator to aid with her breathing and an IV inserted in her right arm along with a pulse-ox device attached to her index finger.

The left side of her face had several deep purple bruises and was slightly swollen. On the left side of her skull and just below the crown of her head a drainage tube had been place to ease the pressure of her swelling brain.

Beside her and inside the private room, House sat in a chair he had pulled up next to her bed. His hand holding onto Cuddy's as his eyes traced over every inch of her face.

"I'm not letting you go. You hear me? So you just keep on fighting and when you wake you can tell me how annoying it was hearing my voice constantly nagging you." He whispered to her while thinking of how fate had turned their world completely upside down with the kind of ease that makes people tremble in their beds at night as the worst of their nightmares come to haunt them.

Walking into the room, Wilson watched as House turned his head to look over at him. "House, I just was down in the waiting room and Jessica and Ryan want to see Lisa." He informed his friend in a somber manner.

House looked down at Cuddy again, his throat tightening as a million thoughts about the mother of his children started to run through his head.

"I don't think…." He began to say as the rest of his words got trapped behind the wall of strength he was building up quickly inside of him.

Wilson placed his hand on House's shoulder.

"I've already told the kids what to expect when the see Lisa for the first time. They know about the ventilator and the drainage tube. You know they need this.....if only so see that she's still here with us." Wilson whispered down to him as House kept his eyes focused on Cuddy.

House rubbed his thumb over Cuddy's slender hand as he continued to hold it.

If their roles had been reversed right now, he had no doubt she would let the kids in to seem him. "Ok." He agreed with a nod.


The moment Jessica had stepped inside the hospital room with her Father and brother she had started to cry, leaning into House's tall frame as her left hand curled up into a fist that she pressed into her lips, using it to muffle her sobs.

"Shhh…you know how upset your Mom gets when you get all emotional teenager on her." House joked softly to his daughter as he wrapped his right arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him while being mindful of her sling as Ryan began to slowly walk up to the bed.

"Hey Mama." His son said softly, taking hold of Cuddy's hand with a crooked smile upon his face as his grey eyes glistened with tears. "You know....you really need you to hurry up and get better so I can play you that new song I learned." He continued with a whisper as his grey eyes took in the sight of her swollen face and the tube sticking of her skull.

From beside him one of the monitors let out aloud beep.

"Is Mom ok?" Jessica asked immediately, looking up at her father with a panicked expression.

House nodded, reaching for Jessica's left hand so they could both walk up closer to Lisa's hospital bed. "That beep just now from the monitor is telling me your Mom must really like hearing the sound of Ryan's voice." He then told her softly before looking over at Ryan and giving him a small smile.

After hearing what Father had said to her, Jessica moved up closer to Ryan, taking in a deep breath before she gently reached out and touched a lock of her mother's hair.

"I love you, Mom." She then said softly as her eyes moved across the deep purple bruises and drainage tube just like Ryan's had done only seconds before.

"She's going to be ok Jess." Ryan whispered from beside her as he moved his arm around her waist while keeping a small bit of space between them so he would not be pressing up again the sling she was wearing.

Jessica smiled down her brother, knowing in that moment that no matter how many years would pass between them, he would always be her constant.

"Can you believe it Mom? Ryan and I are actually getting along for once." She then joked softly to her Mother as she wished with all of her might she could turn back the hands of time. Thinking of how if her Mom had only picked her up a minute later they would all be home safe and sound.

Once again the monitors let out a sharp beep.

"She really can hear us….can't she Dad?" Ryan questioned as he looked over his shoulder at his Father.

House gave his son a small smirk. "You should know by now Ryan that you're Mom hears everything." He informed the boy, feeling his heart receive a soothing caress as both of his children laughed at his comment.

"I guess Dad's right Mom….considering you always seem to know when all of us are up to something." Jessica commented down to her Mother now gently running her thumb over the bottom of Cuddy's chin.

As his children continued to talk to their Mother, with the sound of the monitor going off from time to time, House made sure to keep their hopes high as he now took on the role his wife usually played. The one that dared to see past all the obstacles before her and set her sights as high and vast as the open sky above her…..never settling for second best….never letting fate get the best of her no matter how devastating it could sometimes be.


As the night had worn on, turning quickly past the midnight hour and into the earlier dark morning of the next day, Ruth and Bill had finally taken Jessica and Ryan back to the home they shared with their Mother as their combined exhaustion left both kids with heavy eyes and in desperate need of rest.

House, however had remained at the hospital, never leaving Cuddy's side, and currently sitting in the chair next to her bed once more as she remained unconscious. His eyes having moved over every inch of her face as his thoughts continued to move just as steady throughout his brain.

Looking down at his watch he saw that it was nearly four am.

Currently, Lisa was holding her own, her vitals were stable and a bit of the swelling inside of her brain had already started to go down a bit.....and yet….

And yet she was still oceans apart from him and drifting inside a black tide.

"Come back to me." House whispered out hoarsely as hand gently caressed her arm.

"Come back to me so we can laugh about having sex up in our bed this morning and how mortified you were when our headboard struck the wall between ours and Jessica's room, even though I told you our girl could sleep through an earthquake." House continued to whisper, remembering the way Lisa had looked down at him as they made love this morning and how her dark hair has spilled over her shoulders like fine silk.

Remembering the way she arched her back and let him sink deeper inside of her until they was no telling where one of them ended an the other began. Remembering her collapsing on top of him afterwards as the sound of the headboard striking the wall when she shifted on top of him caused a panicked gasp to escape from her lips as he wrapped his arms around her waist and laughed into the sweet softness of her neck.

Come back to me Lisa….I'm lost without you...., House said once more, only this time from inside of his mind as his thumb caressed her lips and the gold of his wedding band caught the glare of the fluorescent light above them. His thoughts continuing to roll over every moment between them that had made him love her more and more with each passing day.

"How's she doing?" The voice of Jack Hall questioned from behind him as the man stepped inside of the hospital room.

House quickly turned his head, watching as Jack walked up to the bed. His eyes narrowing at the man.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" He asked in a harsh whisper.

Jack took a step closer to the bed. His eyes, gazing down at Cuddy as he spoke.

"Believe it or not House, I still care about Lisa very much. She was a big part of my life for a long time and after hearing about the accident I had to come and see her. I was hoping that by coming now I wouldn't run into anyone." Jack answered, placing his hand on the foot of the bed with his eyes never leaving Cuddy's face.

House got up from his chair, looking down at the hand Jack had placed onto the bed, wanting it to bursts into flames, angered beyond belief by the gesture however harmless it may seem to an onlooker.

"Let's get one thing straight. I don't give a rat ass about you or about the feelings you may still have for my wife." House growled in a low tone as he clenched his teeth.

Jack held onto the intense gaze they were sharing, not backing down an inch.

"I understand that you're upset House..... and the last thing I want to do is cause a scene while Lisa obviously needs time to heal so now that I've seen her.... I'll leave you alone with your wife." Jack replied coolly, keeping his cards close to his chest before he turned and left the room.

Walking down the hall Jack could not help but to smile a bit. In Lisa's accident, horrible as it was, he had been given a second chance. A chance to set things right with her once more. Kowing, after hacking into her electronic medical record a few minutes ago that Lisa's chances were very good as far as making a full recovery from her injuries while also knowing as a physician that the odds of Lisa remembering anything from the previous day were slim to none as with nearly all head injury victims. His advances on her wiped cleaned, his slate ready to be filled with whatever would redeem him in her eyes.


It was close to 6am before House finally arrived home at the coaxing of Ruth, planning to get a few hours of rest before heading back to the hospital again.

Lisa's condition had continued to steadily improve even though she remained unconscious. Which, was not uncommon given the trauma to her brain, and despite the fact that he did not want to leave her…… the tug on his heartstrings regarding Jessica and Ryan, who would needing to see his face when morning came to pass to give them the reassurance that only a parent can provide had finally been the deciding factor that now left him walking through the kitchen of his home and into the living room.

"Greg, you looked exhausted. Did you eat anything yet? Do you want me to fix you something?" Ruth offered immediately as soon as she spotted her son-in-law in the archway. Getting to her feet from where she had been seated upon the couch, obviously not getting much rest herself as was apparent by the weariness in her eyes.

"I'm fine, Ruth. I'm just going to head upstairs and check on the kids before laying down for a few hours." House answered as with Bill stood up from the couch as well.

"Foreman called a few minutes ago to let us know that the latest CT's of Lisa's brain show the swelling is still going down." Bill informed his son-in-law in a low comforting whisper.

"Good." House said with a nod, turning to leave the room.

"Greg." Ruth whispered, stopping him for a moment as she placed her hand onto his arm. "I wanted to let you know …Jessica and Ryan insisted on sleeping in your bed last night." She said softly, wanting to prepare him for the moment instead of having him stumbling upon it unprepared and at the brink of exhaustion.

Again House nodded, before moving away from her touch and heading up towards the stairs the would lead him to the second floor.


Walking inside the master bedroom, House paused just inside of the doorway. Gazing down upon his two children who were fast asleep inside the king sized bed he shared with his wife.

Underneath the covers, Jessica and Ryan were lying on Lisa's side of the bed with Ryan's back facing him as both of children lay on their sides, facing each other.

Jessica's injured right arm was now out of the sling and had been draped protectively around her brother, her mind no doubt, pushing past the pain of the sprained muscle as the need to comfort her sibling had taken precedence over it.

House stood there for a few more minutes just looking at them. Older sister and younger brother huddled together in the one place where the scent of their Mother would be the strongest. Drifting off to sleep while the presence of Lisa was found in the softness of her feather pillow and warmth of the cotton sheets. Providing them with the much needed solace they were seeking and that she was unable to give them at the moment.

Running his hand over his coarse beard, House let out a silent, drawn out sigh, clearing his lungs of every last breath. Needing to rid himself of any remaining anger regarding the shitty situation they had all been given before he eased down onto the bed. Needing to.

Clearing his throat to try and rid the tightness inside his chest that had plagued him for most of the day, House carefully rested his cane against the nightstand on his side of the bed, toeing off his shoes next before carefully pulling back the covers and lying down into the mattress, remaining fully clothed as he was too wearing to even think about undressing further.

His movements, however cautious they had been, stirred Jessica from her slumber, her eyes fluttering open and widening slightly as her Father's face came into view.

"Dad." She whispered, not sure if she was really awake or just dreaming of having him here with her.

"How's the shoulder?" House whispered back to her, reaching out and tracing the curve of her elbow with his fingertips, his touch as soft as the down feathers that her head was resting upon.

"It's a little stiff right now." Jessica told him in a hushed voice as she flexed her fingers flexed against Ryan's back just as her brother let out a soft hum, rolling away from her and now facing their Father.

"Do you want me to get you some Tyelnol?" House asked her as he glanced down at Ryan, who remained asleep with a frown upon his face.

Jessica shook her head slightly. "It doesn't hurt that bad right now." She told him honestly as the flexing of her fingers seemed to have eased the pain a bit.

Before he could ask her another question about her injury, Jessica spoke once more.

"Is Mom going to be ok?" She then asked her Father softly as he blue eyes looked deeply into his.

House placed his hand on her hip. "Your Mom is doing very well and the swelling in her brain is continuing to decrease." He told her softly.

"Is Mom awake yet?" Jessica asked as the glimmer of hope he had provided her moved into the tone of her voice.

"Not yet….. but most patients in her condition can take up to three days to regain consciousness." House replied, moving his hand up towards her face so that his thumb could caress her jaw after seeing the disappointment in her eyes.

"Oh." Jessica responded with a bit of sadness in her tone.

"Don't worry Jessie… I told you Mom is going to better. You just have to be patient." Ryan whispered from below them both.

"Hey…how long have you've been awake?" House asked his son softly as he moved his hand over to Ryan's shoulder.

"I don't know. Ever since I hear you and Jessie talking?" Ryan answered, shrugging his shoulders as the frown remained on his face.

"Come here." House told his son, patting the small space that separated them. "You too." He added as he looked over at Jessica who had carefully raised her arm up and away from her brother before scooting closer to the center of the mattress along with Ryan, placing her arm around her little brother again.

Once they were all in place, House stretched his own arm over both of them, resting the palm of his hand on Jessica's back.

"Better?" He asked his kids, who quickly nodded in agreement.

"Just remember, the first one that farts gets a punch in the mouth." He added, feeling the first smile in hours stretching over the corners of his mouth as the comment had succeeded in causing both Jessica and Ryan to laugh out loud.

"Dad? Can I bring Mom flowers and card when we go to the hospital tomorrow?" Ryan asked in a soft, almost shy voice as he gazed up at his Father with the slate grey eyes of his Mother.

"You can bring you Mom anything you want to." House assured his son, who, despite of his rambunctious nature, was at his core a very sweet and thoughtful boy.

"Dad, do you think Mom is going to be in the hospital for a long time?" Jessica asked with a hint of worry to her tone as she began to chew on her bottom lip.

"I really won't know that until your Mom wakes up." House told her honestly, "but one thing I do know for sure is that your Mom wouldn't want you or your brother worrying about her like you are right now. So instead of worrying…..how about tomorrow morning before we go and see your Mom, we try and think of some ways you and Ryan can help her while she's getting better." He suggested, knowing that whatever may end up happening in their future, making sure that Jessica and Ryan felt valued and needed would help to ease a great deal of the anxiety they were feeling right now.

"Ok." Jessica agreed as she breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Yeah Dad, I want to help Mom too." Ryan agreed as well with an eager tone.

"Good, then the best the thing both of you can do right now is try and get as much rest as you can." House advised each of kids, leaning towards them and giving Jessica and Ryan each a kiss on their foreheads while being mindful of Ryan's stitches before pulling the covers up around them once more.

They had all talked for a few more minutes after that before Ryan and Jessica were sound asleep once more. The stress they had endured from the day before still taking a toll on them as their minds gave way to their exhaustion. Leading them back into the dreams that held the pleasant memories of their Mother while the nightmare of their lives stayed and waited for them on the other side.

Carefully rolling onto his back, House stared up at the ceiling. Every single thought inside of his head now hell bent on making sure Lisa would return to them all and the life she had helped him build.....no matter what it would take.

"I'm not giving up on you. So don't you dare give up on me." House whispered just before he closed his eyes, finding the scent of Lisa's perfume leading him into his dreams of her as he breathed in deep with her presence surrounding him.