Carla Fox…glad you found this again! I decided to scrap the old ending (hated it) and rewrite it, so it picks up at chapter 19…it picks up before Mia's surgery.
OOC…Out of Character.
Thanks for the reviews and for reading, I'm still shocked and amazed at the response this story is getting. Thanks to those who provide constructive criticism and also to those who let me know that they are enjoying the story, much appreciated.
Chapter 38
"How's Cuddy?" Foreman asked once House was settled into his office the next day.
"Fine."
"That's it? Just fine?"
"Really fine."
Foreman walked over to the desk as House sat rifling through various papers. He loomed over him, looking down at House as he reached into his pocket. House looked up at him, unsure of his motives and uncomfortable with his close proximity. Foreman pulled out the whiteboard marker and held it out to House with a smirk on his face. House took the marker, smirking back and watched as Foreman walked back to the conference room with an arrogant step.
"Do we have a patient?" House asked.
"Case is closed, amyloidosis."
"And you're not in the clinic because?"
"Wanted to talk with you."
"This isn't going to be a heart to heart, is it?"
Foreman looked at House from the conference room doorway, "So is Cuddy Lynmari Roemon?"
House's lips stretched into a taught, thin line as he quickly glanced down at his paperwork, "Nope."
"You're lying."
"It's none of your business." House said, anger creeping into his voice.
"She's pregnant."
"It's none of your business Foreman." His face grew increasingly flush.
"I won't break your confidence."
"You're fired if you do."
"I said I wouldn't. Does Wilson know?" Foreman rolled his eyes, "Of course he knows. Is she okay?"
"She's pregnant. She won't be okay for about eight months."
"Actually, she won't be okay for about eighteen years and eight months." The corner of House's mouth turned up in a half smile, half smirk at Foreman's remark. "If you need to take time off, I'll cover for you."
House looked up at Foreman, "She's adamant that no one find out, not yet." Foreman nodded. "How?"
"You signed out a prescription for prenatal vitamins for a Lynmari Roemon. Last I checked, our last patient Jack Hordin, wasn't pregnant."
Looking rather smug, House said, "Ah young padawan, you have learned well."
House made his way to the clinic and as he stepped out of the elevator, he nearly bowled Wilson over.
Wilson looked at his friend, nodded a knowing greeting, "How goes it?"
"She rejected Oscar."
"Not surprising. Denver huh?"
"It's all Sean. Are you checking up on me?" House asked, realizing Wilson must have talked with Cuddy if he knew about the music.
"Just aiding in the witness protection program."
House looked around for any potential listeners, "Homie is too smart for his own good."
Wilson raised his eyebrows, "Is he in or out?"
"In."
Wilson sighed with relief, "He's too afraid of her to say anything."
House tipped his head sideways with a look of incredulousness, "I prefer to think he's afraid of me."
"You're not serious are you?" House nodded vigorously as Wilson rolled his eyes, "Lunch later?"
"Fine."
"I have a late meeting, two okay?"
"Yep."
House walked over to Wilson's lunchroom table, grabbed half of his sandwich and sat opposite his friend.
"Do you always have to do that?"
"You'd miss it if I didn't."
"Have you checked in on her today?"
"She's a grown woman who can take care of herself."
"Call her."
"Why?" House asked, wondering if Wilson knew something he didn't.
"Because you should."
"Later."
Wilson shook his head, "When's Mia's next appointment."
"Tomorrow."
"And Cuddy's returning to week next Monday?" House nodded. "So soon?"
"Pam will stay with Mia during the day. Cuddy's anxious to get back to work before…" House allowed his voice to trail off, not wanting anyone to suspect anything.
Wilson nodded in understanding, "Makes sense."
House's pager went off; he took it out and swore under his breath.
"Who is it?" Wilson asked.
"Cameron. Emergency consult in the ER." Grabbing a handful of Wilson's chips, House headed towards the ER.
"This better be good, I was in the middle of eating Wilson's lunch."
"Patient presents with high fever, severe reflux."
"Give her acetaminophen and an antacid."
"House, he's eight months old. Low CO2."
He stared at his shoes and held out his hand, palm side up. Cameron passed the folder to him as he asked, "Kidney function?"
"Fine."
"Cystic Fibrosis?"
"Nope. He's behind the curtain at the end of the hall."
"Page my team and have them meet me upstairs."
"You're not going to take a look at him?"
"Why? Does he have horns? A tail?"
"I just thought…"
"You thought wrong."
House stood at the whiteboard as his team gathered around the table, "Okay, eight month old, low CO2, severe reflux. Far below height and weight charts. Eats but doesn't gain. Kid's been in and out of the hospital his whole life."
"Roseola." Taub chimed in.
"No rash." Thirteen added.
"Fever hasn't broken yet, rash doesn't present until the fever's gone." Taub retorted.
Kutner looked up, "Celiac's."
"Possible. Run a new CBC, CMP and also antigliadin, antireticulin, and antiandomesial. Go."
"That'll take all night."
"You better get started then."
"Long day?" Cuddy asked as he walked in and sat in the recliner, putting his feet up.
"Why June, you dyed your hair. How are Wally and the Beave?"
Cuddy looked a bit crestfallen at his response. She could see how tired he was and honestly just wanted to know if he was okay. She silently scolded herself for pretending he might actually respond with anything resembling normalcy.
He saw the look in her eye, realizing he hadn't kept his snark in check, "Long day." He refrained from telling her about his eight month old patient who was going downhill fast.
"Mia has her appointment tomorrow with McMillen." Cuddy said, grateful for the Housian apology she received. She knew it was as close to an 'I'm sorry' as she would get.
"I know."
"Will you be there?"
"I'm a member of her team, aren't I?"
"I think you're more than that."
"I'll be there."
That night they slept in the same bed, his hand draped over her belly, her head nuzzled under his chin, though neither really said much, both lost in their own thoughts.
The next day, House pulled up to his usual handicapped parking space only to find a beat up Chevy parked in its place. He circled the parking lot but found every space was taken. On his way to the ER parking lot, he cursed the bucket of bolts in his spot and stopped long enough to memorize the license plate number, also noting the car in his space lacked a handicapped placard. House parked in a handicapped space near the ER stowed his helmet and limped towards the back entrance of the ER.
Cameron was busy in the trauma bay as he walked in, "House? What are you doing down here?"
"Some ass parked in my spot."
She raised her eyebrows, "Sorry, I…"
She was cut off by a man running into the ER shouting at the top of his lungs, "I NEED HELP! MY WIFE, MY WIFE. SHE GAVE BIRTH IN THE CAR! THERE'S SO MUCH BLOOD."
Cameron glanced at House as she started running outside, House limped as fast as he could behind her. When he got there, he saw the woman stretched out across the backseat of the car; Cameron was busy taking the baby who lay motionless between the woman's legs as House walked around to the other side of the car and began checking the woman's pulse and pupil response.
Cameron looked up at House and shook her head, "She's bleeding out. Placental abruption."
"The baby?"
"She's young, I'm guessing around thirty weeks, thirty one maybe. Lungs aren't fully developed." She passed the baby to one of the nearby nurses and stepped back as two male nurses stepped in to remove the woman from the car.
Cameron began shouting orders and rushed in with the woman to the first trauma bay. House walked in and headed towards the second trauma bay, where they had taken the baby. A team of nurses and doctors worked on her tiny, frail body but even from a distance, House could tell that her respirations were nonexistent. They worked on her for near ten minutes before the doctors held their hands up, away from her body and one of them called the time of death.
House then walked towards the nearby trauma bay one and watched as Cameron stood in the far corner, quiet tears streaking her face. The woman lay on the table, bloodied. Dead.
Cameron looked over at House, "She bled out, it was too late."
He said nothing, but simply stared at the woman's once pregnant body, her dark hair hanging off the side of the table, her husband crumpled in a hysterical heap over her motionless form. Cameron watched as a pale faced House turned abruptly and headed towards his office, popping vicodin one handed.
The elevator doors opened and Wilson stepped in from the main lobby, took one look at House and could see something was up.
"Some jerk parked in your space huh?"
"Ya."
"You okay?"
"Fine."
Wilson stepped in front of House, staring him in the eye, "You sure?" House nodded.
The two men walked out of the elevator, "Don't forget to call Cuddy today." Again House nodded, but said nothing.
"House? Is everything okay?"
"Yes."
"Then why are you calling?" Cuddy asked, surprised.
"Wilson said I should."
Cuddy smiled at his attempt to check in on her, "And since when do you do what Wilson tells you to?"
House closed his eyes, not saying anything. His mind wandered to the message left on his answering machine by Wilson, and to the horrific scene he had witnessed earlier that day.
"House?"
He inhaled deeply, "Since I never want to hear that you've been rushed to the hospital."
"House? Hey. Hey, I'm fine. I'm here." She said, worry creeping into her voice. She had no idea what ever could have possessed House to respond like that.
Realizing what he had just said, House tried to brush off his comment, "You know, because then I'd actually have to visit you or buy you flowers or something."
Cuddy smiled, "I never want to hear that you've been rushed to the hospital either House."
"I'll be at Mia's appointment later."
"Okay." She said, wondering what could have possibly happened to House that morning.