Title: Mending a Broken Man

Disclaimer: Angst, slash, language.

Chapter Thirty-five: One More Last Chance

When Cuddy walked into her office she was reading over a file and completely unaware of the visitor sitting behind her desk. Only when she drew nearer did she realize that she wasn't alone and started at the sight of someone waiting for her. Her hand went to her chest, a reaction most people had when someone had just scared them. House didn't say anything and that made her curious and a little worried. He never passed up an opportunity to make fun of someone. She had just given him a prime chance to poke fun at her and he said nothing, his eyes unfocused.

"Why are you sitting behind my desk?" she asked, flipping the file closed.

"I was trying to snoop but your desk is locked."

"Like that has ever stopped you," she rolled her eyes.

"You hid the letter opener," House remarked.

"What do you want? Are you here to ask for my okay on some crazy test you wanted to run on your patient?"

"No," he said. "I wanted to ask you if you could get rid of him."

"Excuse me?" That had been the last thing she'd expected to hear. Was House admitting defeat or did it have something to do with the fact that Jacob was in House's past?

"Transfer him to another hospital. Give him another doctor while he's here. I really don't care what you do with him, I want him gone."

Cuddy chewed her bottom lip, but kept her back straight. House was known for making outrageous requests and she was used to fighting him for the sheer fact of trying to stay in charge. She usually didn't care what he did because she trusted his judgment. But this time her hands were tied. She knew that if word got back to the board there would be problems for House. The members were looking for any excuse to send House packing. Refusing to treat a patient would be the best excuse. "I can't do that."

"You can, you just don't want to."

"No, House, I can't do it. If I told the board members that you were refusing to treat a patient your ass would be out of job. Don't you understand? They're still upset over the whole Wilson episode," she told him, finally relenting and taking a seat in one of the chairs on the wrong side of her desk. Why bother asking House to move? "Why not just have your team treat him while you bounce balls off the wall or whatever else you do while sitting in your office?"

"I've tried that," House said, standing up. He walked toward the door. "Jacob needs to go, Cuddy. He's causing problems. I want him gone. I'm giving you a chance to get rid of him."

"House," she called after him, but it was pointless as he was already walking toward the clinic. She sighed and remained where she was sitting. How was she going to help House without getting him fired? And what did he mean by Jacob was causing problems?

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"You know, for someone who thinks he's coming down with something this is a strange place to find you," Wilson said as he settled on the bench beside House. He'd been searching the hospital for the last half hour, checking all the places that House liked to use when he wanted to avoid work. Outside on a bench was the last place he expected to find the doctor. The temperature had dropped and the thick layer of clouds was finally threatening them with some heavy winter snow. And here House sat with no jacket or hat. Wilson shivered as a wind whipped up.

"I needed to get away," House said.

Wilson looked toward the parking lot to see if he could see whatever it was that House was staring intently at. "Let's go inside. It's getting cold out here."

"I don't want to go inside. It's hot inside."

Wilson frowned. "It's not hot…" On a whim he reached over to take House's hand, twining their fingers. He jerked his hand away in surprise. "Damn, House, you're burning up."

"I am not," the diagnostician denied.

"Come on, let's get you inside. You shouldn't be out here. You've probably got a nasty fever."

"I'm fine. Leave me alone."

Sighing Wilson stood. "Fine. Stay out here. See if I fucking care. When you feel like being a human and can find it within yourself to give a shit, you'll know where to find me. I'm not playing the games anymore, House." Wilson knew that he might have sounded a touch angrier than he wanted to but he was tired of House's indifference. Something was on the older doctor's mind and he felt shafted that House wouldn't share with him. He went inside and locked himself away in his office, lying on his couch, wondering if this was the beginning of the end.