A/N: Okay, sentimental moment, that you so, so much to each and every reviewer, I really had doubts when I started to write this but the support I've received from all of you has really pushed me forward! Thank you, each and every one:) PS: If you want to listen to a good song that fits the Jenny and Spencer moment in this chapter try "The Luckiest" By Ben Folds Five
"She's not responding to the Itraconazole."
House banged his head on the conference table repeatedly as Chase spoke. All three doctors looked at their boss with worry as the head banging continued.
"Why... me?" He muttered over and over again. "Why do I always get threatened by the mobsters?"
"Corbin threatened you?" Foreman asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "That guy is really messed up."
"Wasn't so much a threat as a very blunt warning not to get involved in the private life of the Corbin family." House replied as he sat up, "Apparently I'll regret it."
"Didn't the police find anything when they searched the house?" Cameron asked.
"They found a happy, American, home." House sighed and looked over at the whiteboard, "No sign of any abuse."
"Her BP is falling." Chase continued his update on Jenny's condition, "And she's still vomiting and experiencing dizzy spells."
"Because the Itraconazole isn't working, probably." Foreman replied, "We should start her on Caspofungin."
"Do you actually think he'd go through with any of his threats?" Cameron asked in a low whisper as she sat beside House.
"Wouldn't put it passed him," Was the low reply, "You'd all better be careful. For now, no going any deeper into whatever this family is hiding. Let's focus on getting her better."
"I don't like that Daniel Corbin." Chase muttered, "He creeps me out."
"Oh good, I thought it was just me." House said, "Well good, now we've decided he's creepy we can have him arrested."
"No need for the sarcasm," Chase said, "I was just expressing my opinion."
"Just... go start her on the Caspofungin." House muttered, "And if Corbin is in her room, get him out."
"What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know, lie to him. Tell him his rec room's on fire, that should get him moving fast enough."
Chase rolled his eyes as he left the room, Cameron and Foreman remained behind with House, an awkward silence filled the empty space as no one knew exactly what to say. The whiteboard was covered with random notes and symptoms that had shown over the past few days. Never had House seen the board so full of random thoughts regarding the patient, it seemed as if this was one of the strangest cases he had ever faced, not because of the disease, but because of the patients' life. He had never imagined he would become so involved...
"I wonder what makes a family become so broken," Cameron said thoughtfully as she gazed off into space. "What makes' parents become so full of hate for their own child."
"It runs in the family." House replied, "You grow up knowing hate, it's the only emotional response you can give to another human being. It's one long and winding road of angry childhoods, bitter divorces and crappy Christmas's where you don't get the present you wanted."
"You think that'll be the way Jenny will turn out?" Foreman asked as he took a sip of his bitter coffee and winced at the aged taste.
"Depends on her own will." House said, "How long can she focus on the positive."
"Why are you so obsessive over this?" Cameron asked suddenly, "Usually you decide whether or not you worry about a patient before you even know their first symptoms. What makes Jenny so special?"
"Oh, she just got to me I suppose," House shrugged.
"She helped you get out of clinic duty." Foreman corrected.
"That too. You know a good patient by how they react when you tell them they're sick."
"What do you mean?" Cameron asked.
"If a patient comes to you all loud, complaining and mean then there is a high chance that they will be obnoxious, annoying throughout the treatment, and probably just make you, the doctor even more bitter than when you first started. If a patient tries to take care of him or herself, and doesn't want to be in the way or cause problems, then you can probably guarantee that they won't cause you problems."
"So that would make Jenny a..."
"Good patient." House said, "Plus, she doesn't take a lot of room in the hospital. I was thinking of maybe buying a Jenny of my own and using her as a lawn ornament."
"That... was really tasteless." Foreman said in disbelief.
"I couldn't help it, I was getting sentimental, my doctor says emotions are bad for my health."
"What's with the 'thirteen'?" Cameron asked suddenly as she looked at the whiteboard and noticed the giant 'THIRTEEN? WHY' written at the bottom beneath all the symptoms.
"It was just a thought," House replied as he began tapping his cane on the ground once more, "She mentioned that she had been living with it for thirteen years."
"So?" Foreman asked.
"She's fifteen," House explained, "Why only thirteen?"
"So... something happened thirteen years ago that changed the way her parents treated her?" Cameron asked.
"Could be," House muttered, "Doesn't matter for now, we just need to focus on getting her better."
xXx
Spencer had waited for an hour and a half for Daniel Corbin to leave Jenny's room, he had hidden himself at the nurses' station behind a newspaper. A number of times, one of the four doctors treating Jenny had walked by, and although he was certain that they had seen him, no one raised the alarm. There was an unspoken agreement between the young man and the hospital staff, they would hide him as best they could from Daniel Corbin, and he would continue to be there for Jenny. It was well-passed midnight and the halls were quiet, visiting hours were over long ago, Spencer didn't mind, he was determined to not let Jenny out of his sight.
"Jenny? Jen? You awake?" He stood in the doorway for a moment, unsure if the girl was awake or not.
"Hmm?" Her eyes flickered open and a slight smile reached her lips. "Spence... Hey, what are you doing here?"
"I got to New York and Danny called, he said you were in the hospital." Spencer sat beside Jenny and gently held her hand. "I came back as soon as I could..."
"Has... my dad seen you yet?"
"Yeah." Spencer grinned, "Don't worry, that Doctor House sort of took care of it for now. What happened?"
"I don't know..." Jenny admitted, "I was feeling kind of sick so I went to get some air and I just...collapsed, it felt like someone was dragging all the air out of my body."
"Are the meds helping?"
Jenny nodded weakly, "They've stopped the coughing, that's gotta be a good sign, right?"
"You still look like shit Jenny,"
"Thanks," she muttered, "You're a regular Prince Charming."
"Sorry, but it's true."
"Well I just got out of surgery a few hours ago," Jenny reminded him, "Give me a day or two and we'll be out of here."
"No way," Spencer whispered, "Stay here until you're in perfect condition Jenny, I'll see if I can get that doctor to keep you in a few days extra so we can leave without your parents noticing."
"Relax Spencer, I'll be here for a while yet." Jenny closed her eyes and smiled, "God I'm going to miss Jersey, how stupid does that sound?"
"It doesn't sound that stupid, this is your home, it's where you've grown up..."
"This house isn't a home Spencer," whispered Jenny, "God I can't take it... I can't handle it anymore. This place has broken me..." Tears developed in the corner of Jenny's eyes. She tried desperately to force them away but soon enough the tears of thirteen years broke through her solid barrier, letting her frozen emotions at last run her down.
Spencer leaned down and rested his head next to hers, wrapping his secure arms around her frail body and holding her tight, someone had to after all.
"I know... I know... I'll take you away from here, I promise I will."
House was wandering the hospital hallways, unable to sleep, when he passed by Jenny's room. Now, he was a man who rarely smiled, if ever, but the sight he witnessed was one that even the coldest statue of a person would break to. Spencer gently held Jenny in his arms, and although his words were not audible, House understood the moment between them. It was something only experienced by people with much more age and wisdom behind them. Yet there they were, two people very much in love, who were willing to go through hell and high water just to keep the little joy they had.
With a satisfied sigh, House limped back to his office, he would not be going home that night, instead he would make camp in his office and if sleep graced him that night, it would be a luxury.
"We'll get out of here, won't we Spence?"
"We will Jenny, I promise..."
"Do you remember the first night at the bar?"
"How could I forget?" Spencer smiled, "I thought you were an angel."
"I want to live like that song, Spencer, It was meant for you and me..."
"I don't get many things right the first time. In fact, I am told that a lot. Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls brought me here..." Spencer whispered quietly.
"And where was I before the day that I first saw your lovely face? Now I see it every day," Jenny chimed in quietly, "And I know that I am... I am... I am the luckiest..."
xXx
"Do you know how much weight she's lost since getting here?" Cameron came into House's office, not realizing that he was actually still asleep in his chair with a comic book over his head. "Fifteen pounds, she's down to ninety-six. She was underweight to begin with..."
"Well feed her..." House mumbled.
"The nurses have been trying, she's not hungry and anything she does eat ends up in a bucket fifteen minutes later!"
"It could be a reaction to the Caspofungin, lower her dosage for the time being, if there's an improvement then we'll know."
"And what about food?"
House moaned and removed the comic book from his head, "I'll talk to her, anyone in her room right now?"
"No."
"Good," His body creaked in protest as he stood up and stretched, "I don't like others to hear the patients scream." He said with a slightly crazed look in his eyes.
House wasn't sure, but he thought he may have heard Cameron mutter something along the lines of 'insane' as he left his office.