exposed shoulders and upper back, avoiding direct pressure on the spine.

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Ch.55

That was how House ended up ensconced in the ICU at PPTH before Mrs John House touched down at Newark Airport. He seemed to do fine for the 15 minute ride from St. Anne's but his condition remained unchanged. In the ambulance Cuddy had prayed as she hadn't for a really long time. Did prayer work for a non-believer she wondered as she caressed his face, an ironic smile flitting across her lips as she whispered in his ear.

"I'm praying for you my love," she said, hoping it irritated him enough to make him wake up. She leaned in to kiss him then, wanting the familiar pressure on his lips to make him wake up, make him want more, make him feel her giving him her breath. His lips were non- responsive, it was a strange feeling, but still so familiar, she felt tears sting her eyes.

While they were settling House in the ICU, Cuddy went along to the Diagnostic conference room. Chase, Taub, and Hadley sat at the table. While Foreman listed symptoms on the white board, the team threw out speculations.

"What about Transverse Myelitis?" asked Taub.

"We have brain symptoms not spinal symptoms so far. Plus he is on antibiotics, but not broad spectrum" Chase countered.

"Perhaps his brain is shutting down because of inter-cranial pressure." Hadley postulated. Inflammation of the Meninges, causes swelling. The increased pressure might have caused a bleed in his brain."
"They said the CT ruled out subdural hematoma, stroke, tumors and subarachnoid hemorrhage.," Foreman replied. We may need to do an MRI, I know we'd need to be careful, but if we used the specs from the cord stimulation maker, we could do it. And we know he doesn't have an AVM but he did have that fractured temporal bone and swelling after the crash... if he has renewed inflammation it could still have lead to a small cerebral hemorrhage, he had bleeding then, they could have missed it at St. Annes. If things keep going like this he'll need a burr hole to relieve..."

"You want to drill his brain because of a bleed the CT couldn't see? We should wait until we get the results of the LP to confirm the presence of red blood cells, unless, you want to have matching burr holes with House?"

"Well you drilled a hole for the DBS, could that have caused this?"

"That was two years ago", countered Chase.

"If you drill any more holes in House's skull, it could used for bowling." Taub threw out sardonically.

"If we do nothing, his brain herniates and then he dies." were Hadley's words as Cuddy approached the conference room door.

She froze with her hand on the glass door, suddenly chilled at the back forth, but then she put her emotions away, she had to use her discipline to help House, not her emotion. She entered the room as if pushed, with brisk impatience and in full boss mode.

The doctors in the room saw her face was the color of a Magnolia, and there were dark stains under her eyes, but they ignored it, as the voice that emerged was the controlled voice of command.

Cuddy saw a few symptoms on the white board that she had not heard about at St. Anne's, including chills and Photophobia. Aneurysm, clots from surgery or infection, CNS Vasculitus were being thrown out around the table.

"They are putting House in isolation, just as a precaution. Don't look for Zebras, this time, think Horses, this is obviously a result of the surgery, either it's an underlying condition that was exacerbated, or it was an injury or infection that happened during the surgery. Do an LP, they were getting ready to do one at St. Annes, the results should eliminate infection or a bleed."

"Who's running the show, Tennant or the team? Foreman asked. "I thought we were just supposed to give him ideas."

"I have signed paperwork, for Tennant, to practice here, but it will take 24 hours to go through, until then you are in charge of House's case and he's a consultant." she said meeting Foreman's eyes with a combination of challenge and trust, that made Foreman suddenly stand taller.

"We can't do an MRI now that he has the pain implant, and the CT they did at St. Annes's didn't show anything. We have to do an Xray. The LP may not be definitive as he's been on antibiotics for 24 hours."

"Probably not effective since he still has a fever. Just stop hedging and do the damn tests, Foreman. Tennant is a phone call away and will be here soon, but it's up to you to get House out of this. Stop waiting for permission, Go! Do !" she said sounding so like their missing leader, that there were three open mouths around the table.

After Cuddy disappeared down the corridor, Taub was the first to close his lips, twisting them to a wry smirk.

"Either House is doing an outta body and has possessed her, or his alien seed is speaking through the mouth of it's Mama!"

Cuddy was rushing so quickly towards House's room that she almost collided with Wilson outside his door. Wilson, put his hands on her shoulders to steady her, as he led her from her headlong dash back to House's side.

"Cuddy, we need to talk."

"Wilson, I know you have plenty of questions, about everything, but it has to wait until House is out of the woods," she snapped impatiently.

"I don't have any questions. I know you want for what's best for House, and will go to the wire to achieve it. House and I did pretty much the same thing to get Amber transferred here after the bus crash, but none of her relatives were close enough to interfere. House on the other hand has a mother who has just landed at Newark, with a medical proxy in her hand. She is already on her high horse about him being moved."

"So what!" Cuddy exclaimed as she threw her hands up in dismissal turning towards House's room, then paused, swinging her head back, "Oh, you think it was just a convenient lie. It wasn't Wilson, House and I really were married. I showed them documentation. They wouldn't have let us out of there otherwise."

"Youuu...what? You mean a marriage certificate?" Wilson gaped at her stupefied, raising his eyebrows in patent disbelief. "You can trust me Cuddy, I know you didn't when you perjured yourself during the drug trial, but you can now, really, "he insisted clearly not believing her.

"I did not forge a Marriage Certificate Wilson, it's real. House and I were married at the court," she insisted calmly.

"How? When? Why? You didn't tell me?" he accused, managing to look beyond indignant and hurt at the same time.

"It was an impulse, we had gotten the license and we just decided to do it. We were going to have a formal ceremony, later after the baby is born, now don't you have to pick up Mama House?"

"Mama House can wait! This is incredible...I mean I knew you were on the path, but I never thought..."

"You didn't think House would go through with it? He really was the one pushing Wilson." Cuddy said with a tight smile.

"You are not off the hook," Wilson said looking at his watch," but I have to go get Mrs. House from the airport. Should I tell her?"

"You be the judge, I'd rather not spread it around until House is conscious. I know he would want to see everyone's reaction, but his mother will have to know."

" Oh, he'll get plenty of reaction" Wilson countered." You may not have the luxury of waiting, Cuddy, apparently, House did talk to her the day before the procedure and wanted her to continue as his proxy. He specifically instructed her on what he wanted if something went wrong." Wilson said, shaking his head as he patted her shoulder.

"That's crazy. Why would he? She knows about the baby for sure, she asked to speak to me when House told her, but we hadn't told anyone we were married."

"I only talked to her for a few minutes, but I got the impression that she does not know about the wedding and she's on a mission to serve out the terms of the proxy" Wilson said looking dubious."

"You think, it's because of his leg?" she asked meeting Wilson's eyes with a stricken look.

"No, I don't, I have never gotten the feeling that House blamed you. You saved his life. He would have done the same thing, in fact if he had been the doc, he would have amputated the leg. I think, he probably thought to save you some worry. How is your relationship with your Mother-in-Law?"

"What relationship?"Cuddy asked with wry, irony. "I'm not scared of Mama House. She has ways of guilting House, but she's not my mother, by any means."

"Look, don't worry, go be with House, get the team running the tests, there's only so many things it could be. We'll work it out. We all want the same thing, for House to wake up and get better. I'll be back in 45 minutes. Call me if anything changes."

Cuddy let Wilson get half way to the elevator before she called him back. "Wilson, did she tell you the instructions? What did he say?"

"She wouldn't say over the phone, she said they were for a specific set of circumstances. That's all she would say."

Wilson went toward the elevator as Cuddy put on a gown and mask to enter House's room. He had already been prepped for the LP Foreman and Chase entered the room behind her, saying they would do it themselves since the recent surgery and leads meant extra care had to be taken.

"It is Meningitis," Cuddy exclaimed, looking at the rash, that had been revealed when they lifted the the bandage covering his surgical scar.

"It's certainly looking like it." but let's wait for the test. He said as Chase opened the LP kit and they got in position.

Cuddy watched with total concentration, biting her lip as Chase carefully found a spot, and inserted the needle in House's spine. Her eyes were focused on the fluid Chase drew.

"Damn, it's both. An infection and a bleed, how did the CT miss the bleed? It must be small? Foreman said turning to show her the spinal fluid, which was not only cloudy but pink.

"What kind of infection, Viral or Bacterial? And where the hell is the bleed? We need to find it right away. If only we could do an an MRI, but we can't because of the implant." Cuddy insisted fearing damage to House's brain.

"Yes, we do, but in the mean time. I'd like to suggest, you be a little careful about your exposure, you do have a child to worry about?"

"Foreman, whatever it is, I've already been exposed and there are not very many infections, that are a danger in utero, so let's not overreact."

"Yes, but what if it's Mumps, Measles or Chicken Pox? Has Rachel been vaccinated?"

"She's had the first shot, most people achieve full immunity with that, and Rachel has had no symptoms. She's not even in nursery school yet and she only has occasional play dates and her swimming class. I would have heard if any other kids had come down with something."

"Until we know, I'm going to strongly suggest, that you take a break. You can wait right outside, and we should have results shortly."

"No way", Cuddy, responded firmly, giving him a narrow eyed look which he met without flinching."

"I'm sure House has had these vaccines, he was a globe-trotting military brat for God's sake, and Infectious Disease is his specialty. He would have had vaccines during his residency, in fact they are required for employment here at PPTH in certain units, including Diagnostic Medicine. Have you checked his records?"

"And House really toes the line as far as compliance about requirements?" Foreman retorted. sarcastically. His records are full of lies and fantasy. He thinks every body lies for a reason, Cuddy. Perhaps his mother will have a real background. As you well know, these vaccines, don't always provide full immunity, and need boosters over time. How would House feel, if he finds out he put you or the baby at risk?"

Cuddy gave a soft gasp, only her wide distressed eyes showing above the mask.

"I'm not leaving" she said firmly, going to grab House's hand, she stared Foreman down. "I've already been exposed Foreman", she insisted, remembering the sleeping beauty kiss she had given House, hoping to wake him from the Coma. She had almost hoped it was Viral, because in a case of inflamed Meninges, it was less serious than Bacterial and would mean a quicker recovery. Cuddy believed Foreman's scenario, was unlikely, but even as her hand squeezed House's, her eyes briefly left his face to focus on the face of the clock and it's creeping hands, as it ticked away the minutes of uncertainty and dread.