Author's Note: Insert the usual disclaimer here. Watching "Knight Fall" in the midst of working on this chapter really changed things up for me. I had originally thought that there might be a little levity once we reached PPTH, but I am now very concerned for House (isn't it amazing how much we can worry over a fictional character?). The chapter completely switched directions on me. Will there be levity ahead? I don't know - the muses and I are still conferring over chapter 26! If you are so inclined, I would greatly appreciate a word or two in review! Thanks as always to my beta, Brighid45, for her help and encouragement (and for not laughing too hard when I forget to attach the file)!

House was aching by the time they reached the hospital. Taub had handled the Hummer carefully, but they were still rocked by massive gusts of wind and skidded on a few turns. The parking lot at PPTH had never been a more welcome sight. Taub slid the vehicle to a stop right outside the lobby doors with a flourish they all could have done without.

Climbing out of the vehicle had been just as painful as getting in. Chase had acted as House's spotter and kept him from falling face-first into the snow. Taub had left the vehicle where it was for the time being as they had all trooped into the lobby together. House's steps slowed as they entered the building. His shoes were wet and the tile floor already looked slick. He tightened his grip on his cane. The fellows moved slightly ahead of him on route for the elevator bank, but Sarah slowed her steps to match his. Cuddy emerged from the clinic waiting area just as House came level with the empty reception desk.

"House!" she called, striding swiftly toward him. "How did you get here?"

"My peeps came and got me," House said, gesturing slightly with his free hand toward the others. They came to a stop, turning to watch the exchange. Cuddy glanced over at them and her eyes narrowed.

"You were supposed to call if you found a way in," she told them.

"You're very welcome, Cuddy," House replied acidly. "It was no trouble at all, risking our lives with a midget driver, to get here and man your precious hospital." He sagged back against the desk as the throbbing in his leg increased.

"And what is she doing here, with her dog? This is a hospital, not a motel." Cuddy shot a glare at Sarah before turning her frown back to him.

"I appreciate the warm place to stay, Dr. Cuddy," Sarah said sweetly.

"As I said, this is not a motel…" Cuddy began. Sarah cut her off, pinning a gentle smile in place.

"I realize that you must be very busy right now. I'm sure you were short-staffed what with the storm hitting at the end of a holiday weekend. If there's anything I can do to help…"

"Unless you're a doctor or a nurse, I don't see how you could be much help," Cuddy retorted, her voice full of scorn. House started to push himself off the counter, ready to lay into her, but Sarah's smile never wavered.

"I'm not a doctor or a nurse, but I can make coffee, answer phones, fetch and carry – I'll be glad to help in any way that I can."

"For the moment, you can help best by staying out of the way." Cuddy's face was flushed. House thought he saw amused grins on the faces of his fellows.

"Of course," Sarah said, her tone respectful. Cuddy frowned at her for a second, before she turned her gaze to the fellows. She began to question them about the Hummer outside.

"Let's get upstairs," Sarah murmured and House nodded. His leg was throbbing and he wasn't sure he'd be able to make it across the lobby. He and Sarah started forward. They were half-way to the elevator when his quadriceps began to tremble. He leaned more heavily on his cane, hoping to make it into the car before the leg locked up completely.

"Greg…"

"I'm fine," he muttered, staggering forward.

"Stop," Sarah said. She set Maggie's carrier down and reached for him. House jerked away, not wanting to collapse in front of Cuddy. Unfortunately, that only made matters worse. The inflamed muscles went into spasm and he started to fall. Sarah caught him, staggering under his weight. Pain shot through his left shoulder and for a second he saw bright spots in his darkening vision.

"House!" Thirteen's voice came from behind him. A moment later he felt a second set of hands on his back, supporting him with care.

"Get a wheel-chair," Chase ordered. He stepped up and drew House's right arm over his shoulders, taking the weight off of Sarah and Thirteen. "There's a bench over here. Can you make it?"

"Yeah," House muttered. Chase started to turn and House bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

"Stop," Sarah protested. "You're hurting him."

"We'll just wait for the chair," Chase said.

"I can make it," House protested.

"We'll wait," Chase repeated. With him refusing to move, there was nothing House could do. The pain in his shoulder was lessening but he could feel sweat running down his back.

"This has been happening a lot lately," Sarah murmured.

"How often?" Thirteen asked. House glared at her.

"It's fine," he growled.

"Yeah, I can see that," Thirteen replied, not flinching away from his stare.

"We'll need a heating pad," Sarah said quietly. "Maybe you could find one?"

"Sure," Thirteen said. "I'll get one and meet you up in the office."

"Thanks." Thirteen moved away just as Cuddy came up with a wheelchair. Chase helped House into it and stepped around to take the handles.

"Get me out of here," House muttered. He could feel Cuddy staring at him. He wasn't sure if he'd see concern or contempt in her face. He stared straight ahead as Chase wheeled him into the elevator. Sarah stepped in, carrying Maggie.

"Could you grab my bag?" she asked Chase.

"Sure." He stepped back out into the lobby and Sarah hit the door close button. House stared at her as the car began its ascent. She was frowning at him.

"We're trying to help," she said quietly enough, but he could see the impatience in her gaze.

"I know that," he muttered, looking away from her.

"Then stop being such a stubborn git and let us," Sarah said, her voice weary.

"I don't need…" House began.

"Right," Sarah snapped, cutting him off. "You didn't fall in my living room the other day, or wake up with a cramp so bad you could barely move this morning. And you didn't just almost fall in the lobby." Sarah closed her eyes and breathed out an exasperated sigh. "I know things have been tense the last few days and I'm sure that's part of this, but your leg…"

"Stop it," he snapped.

"I'm supposed to just stand by and do nothing while you're in agony?" Sarah shook her head at him. "Don't ask me to do that because I can't."

"I'm not asking you to do anything."

"I…" Sarah let her voice trail off, shaking her head again. House could see tears glittering in her eyes. She looked away from him as a blush stained her cheeks.

"What?" he demanded.

"Nothing," Sarah said with a shrug probably meant to look careless, but clearly indicating her resignation. She looked back at him as the first tears slipped down her cheeks. "I can't help you if you won't let me."

House felt his heart start to pound. He didn't know what to say, but the thought of her walking away terrified him. His chest grew tight and his pain intensified.

The elevator came to a stop on the fourth floor. Sarah started to move toward the doors. On impulse House reached out to catch her hand.

"I'm an idiot," he said quietly, not looking at her. "I'm just…not used to anyone…I don't know how to do this."

"Neither do I," Sarah said.

"Please…don't give up on me," House said, his voice barely more than a whisper. He flinched, waiting for her to give him a final verbal slap and march out of the elevator.

Thirteen wanted to burst out laughing, watching Sarah and Cuddy. The angrier Cuddy got, the sweeter Sarah became. The only thing spoiling her enjoyment was seeing House sag against the reception counter. He was obviously in pain.

"For the moment, you can help best by staying out of the way," Cuddy snapped in response to Sarah's offer of help.

"Of course," Sarah said. Cuddy frowned at her for a second, before turning to glare at Thirteen, Chase, and Taub. "Whose vehicle is that?"

"Let's get upstairs," Sarah murmured and House nodded. Thirteen watched them as they started toward the elevators. House's leg was trembling.

"Dr. Hadley," Cuddy snapped, but Thirteen kept her eyes on House.

"Stop," Sarah told him, setting Maggie's carrier down. She reached for him but House jerked away. A second later he started to fall and Sarah stepped up to catch him. She staggered under his weight, flinching a little, and Thirteen rushed over to help.

"House!" His face was gray and for a moment, Thirteen thought he might pass out.

"Get a wheel-chair," Chase ordered. He stepped up and drew House's right arm over his shoulders, taking the weight off Sarah and Thirteen. "There's a bench over here. Can you make it?"

"Yeah," House muttered. Chase started to turn and House bit his lip.

"Stop," Sarah protested. "You're hurting him."

"We'll just wait for the chair," Chase said.

"I can make it," House insisted.

"We'll wait," Chase repeated.

"This has been happening a lot lately," Sarah murmured. She was frowning at House, clearly worried.

"How often?" Thirteen asked, ignoring House's glare. She'd been surprised to learn a few weeks ago that all he had for pain management now was ibuprofen. She'd wondered then if it could possibly be adequate and, based on Sarah's comment, it seemed that it wasn't.

"It's fine," he growled.

Thirteen arched her brows at him. "Yeah, I can see that."

"We'll need a heating pad," Sarah said quietly. "Maybe you could find one?"

"Sure. I'll get one and meet you up in the office."

"Thanks." Thirteen turned to head for the stairs and spotted Cuddy bringing out a wheel chair from the clinic. She quickened her steps even as her mind kicked into differential mode. What could be causing House's increasing leg pain and cramping? She knew he wouldn't answer her questions, but maybe she could talk to Sarah later and get more information.

Thirteen climbed the stairs to the second floor and made her way to physical therapy. She collected a heating pad and headed to the elevator. When the car arrived, she found Chase and Taub inside.

"Hey," she said. "Where's House?"

"With Sarah. She took him up on her own," Chase said. He looked like he was struggling with both concern and amusement.

"Trouble in paradise," murmured Taub. Thirteen glared at him. He shrugged.

"That's not funny," she snapped.

"I didn't say it was," Taub replied mildly.

"What do you think is wrong with House's leg?" Chase asked.

"Not sure yet. We should get an MRI to start," Thirteen said. The elevator reached the fourth floor and they stepped out, making their way toward Diagnostics.

"You're wasting your time," Taub said.

Thirteen was ready to strangle him. "The man is in pain…"

"That just means ibuprofen is a poor substitute for Vicodin."

Anger flared before she could stop it. "You …"

"Taub," Chase said, cutting Thirteen off. "Shut up."

"House is never going to let you do the MRI," Taub said. "I suppose we could drug him…"

"No," Thirteen said.

"Why not? We've done it before."

"That was a mistake," Thirteen said. She shuddered at the memory of watching House fall to the office floor. They'd all just stood there and watched him drop, never considering how he might be hurt. It had been cruel.

They stopped talking as they reached the conference room. The lights were still out and when they went inside, they saw that House's office was also empty.

"Where are they?" Chase asked.

"They should be here," Taub said. "They went up before us and we made another stop."

Thirteen felt sick. "We need to find them."

Sarah felt like she was fraying at the edges. The trip in the Hummer from Baker Street had been tense. Maggie had been squeaking in her carrier, the winds had buffeted the vehicle, they'd fish-tailed on several corners, and Greg had obviously been in pain. On top of all that, Sarah had found herself growing more and more apprehensive about the reception she'd receive once they reached the hospital. By the time they skidded to a stop in front of the doors, she wanted to bury her face in her hands and cry.

Dr. Cuddy had way-laid them in the lobby. Instead of expressing any appreciation for what they had gone through in getting there, she'd zeroed in on Sarah's presence. She'd launched into an attack, ignoring Greg's obvious pain. Sarah had gritted her teeth, remembering a chapter from Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior, and chosen to kill Cuddy with kindness. She'd breathed a sigh of relief when Cuddy turned her venom toward the fellows. She hadn't been sure how much longer she could maintain her sweet façade.

Sarah's relief had been short-lived. She and Greg had started toward the elevators but it was obvious that he was in trouble. She'd urged him to stop but he'd pushed on and wound up falling. Sarah had stepped up to catch him, wincing as she'd born part of his weight on her sore left arm. Remy and Chase quickly came to the rescue, but Greg had been stubborn about taking their help.

Sarah watched him, feeling sick to her stomach. "This has been happening a lot lately."

"How often?" Remy asked.

"It's fine," Greg growled, glaring at her.

"Yeah, I can see that," Remy replied, not flinching away from his stare.

"We'll need a heating pad," Sarah said quietly. "Maybe you could find one?"

"Sure. I'll get one and meet you up in the office."

"Thanks." Remy left and Cuddy approached with a wheelchair. Chase helped Greg into it and stepped around to take the handles.

"Get me out of here," Greg muttered, clearly embarrassed. Chase wheeled him into the elevator and Sarah stepped in, carrying Maggie. Her heart was pounding.

"Could you grab my bag?" she asked Chase. She hated to trick him this way but she wanted a moment alone with Greg.

"Sure." He stepped back out into the lobby and Sarah hit the door close button. Greg looked over at her questioningly and Sarah frowned at him. She sat Maggie's carrier down and tried to control the shaking of her hands.

"We're trying to help," she said, fighting to keep her voice calm.

"I know that," he muttered, looking away from her.

"Then stop being such a stubborn git and let us."

"I don't need…"

Sarah cut him off. "Right. You didn't fall in my living room the other day, or wake up with a cramp so bad you could barely move this morning. And you didn't just almost fall in the lobby." She closed her eyes and breathed out an exasperated sigh. "I know things have been tense the last few days and I'm sure that's part of this, but your leg…"

"Stop it," he snapped.

"I'm supposed to just stand by and do nothing while you're in agony?" Sarah shook her head at him. "Don't ask me to do that because I can't."

"I'm not asking you to do anything," Greg retorted, and Sarah felt her heart sink.

"I…" She let her voice trail off, shaking her head again. There was no point in going on. She looked away from Greg as tears welled up in her eyes. She felt utterly defeated.

"What?" he demanded.

"Nothing," Sarah said with a resigned shrug. She looked back at him, not bothering to fight the tears anymore. "I can't help you if you won't let me." Greg stared at her and she waited. Part of her hoped he would say something, anything to tell her that this wasn't a lost cause. Another part of her thought she was stupid for having that hope.

The elevator came to a stop on the fourth floor. She started toward the doors, intending to set Maggie in the hallway before moving Greg, and he reached out to catch her hand.

"I'm an idiot," he said softly, not looking at her. "I'm just…not used to anyone…I don't know how to do this."

"Neither do I," Sarah said.

"Please…don't give up on me." Greg's voice was so quiet that for a second Sarah wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. She stared at him, feeling more tears welling up. Her eyes burned as they leaked out.

"I haven't," she said, crouching down so her face was level with his. The elevator alarm whined and the door slid shut. "It's just…every time I think we're ok…"

"I ruin it." Greg let her hand slip from his and stared down at his lap.

"I didn't say that! I'm not blaming you," Sarah protested. With a sigh, she sank down to sit on the elevator floor. "I'm saying this all wrong, as usual. I…care about you. I just don't know how to help you see that." She looked up at Greg but he was still staring at his hands and didn't meet her gaze. Maggie squeaked from inside her carrier and Sarah reached over to open the door, letting the little dog climb into her lap. She put her arms around the small furry body, taking comfort from the familiar sensation. Maggie looked anxious. Her ears were drooping and her eyes were worried. She looked from Sarah to Greg and back again.

"It's ok," Sarah whispered to her, hugging her a little tighter. She looked up at Greg again. He had lifted his head and was staring at the elevator doors. His face was still but she could see a range of emotions flashing through his eyes. She glanced away, not wanting to embarrass him by probing too deeply.

"I'll ask Chase and Thirteen to take a look at the leg," he said finally. Sarah lifted her head, unable to stop the tears of relief filling her eyes. Greg made a noise that was equal parts exasperation and hesitant tenderness. "Don't…don't cry. I thought that's what you wanted!"

"I'm crying 'cause I'm relieved, silly," Sarah said, smiling as she wiped her eyes.

Greg's lips twitched. "You called me a git."

"A stubborn git, actually."

"Hmph. So now I'm a stubborn, silly git."

"Yes," Sarah said. She was about to say more when the elevator doors opened behind her.

"There you are!" Chase's voice was full of relief. Sarah turned to look and saw that he was standing with Remy and Taub. Remy looked relieved while Taub looked perplexed.

"What are you doing in the elevator?" he asked.

"Never mind," Remy said, stepping in to the car. "We've got the heating pad in the office."

"Thanks," Sarah said. She held Maggie under her right arm and reached up with her left to grasp the hand Remy held out to her. She winced as she got to her feet.

"What'd you do to your arm?" Chase asked.

"She fell on it," Greg said. "I didn't feel any breaks but we should have it x-rayed to be sure."

"Ok," Chase said. The elevator started to whine again and Taub raised his arm to stop the doors from closing.

"We should move this discussion to the office," he said, reaching in to get Maggie's carrier. Remy took the handles of the wheelchair and Sarah stepped out into the hallway. They started for the Diagnostics office.

"I need you to schedule an MRI," Greg said quietly.

"Sure," Chase said. His tone was casual but he shot an admiring glance at Sarah. She looked away and felt her stomach drop. Wilson was walking down the hall toward them.