The back breaker chairs adorning the walls in House's office were doing just that: breaking House's back. Attempting to lean back once again, House's spine cracked in protest. Sighing, he relented, leaning forward onto his knees. Chase set next to him, Foreman sat on the floor, and Cuddy in House's chair. For so many people in the room, the silence was deafening. Chase stared straight ahead as he began to speak.
"I called her sister," he said plainly, his voice revealing his exhaustion. House nodded non-committally. The morning sun was breaking through the blinds in House's office, reflecting off Cuddy's twisted hair and Foreman's tired face. It was nearing the sixth hour of the surgery House had seen them taking Cameron to when he'd arrived.
"Punctured lung, aortal collapse, ruptured spleen, and torn bowel," Li had told him around the third hour. House had nodded curtly, and returned to his office to inform the ducklings and Cuddy. Breaking House's thoughts, the door opened, ushering in Wilson, with coffee and food. Bar House, they smiled gratefully, taking their coffee and bagel out into the hallway to eat. Wilson squeezed Cuddy's shoulder as she passed, assuming her spot in House's chair. He waited until the door was closed to speak.
"They removed her spleen and stabilized her lung. Li thinks that the majority of her bowel will have to be removed and they're waiting for Hannock to get here to start on the heart," he said, handing House a cup of coffee, which he gladly received. "Are you okay?" House looked at him with grey eyes.
"I should have gone with her last night." Wilson sighed.
"You told me that nothing was going on," he said, careful to toe the line between the desire to help and desire to chastise. "You know beating yourself up won't change a thing." Wilson immediately regretted using the idiom. "Is that why you stayed last night?" House nodded shortly. Wilson leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. "I knew there was no way that you were doing paperwork."
"Jimmy?" House asked, turning in his chair suddenly. "Never mind," he said, pulling himself up with him cane. Wilson stood too.
"Where are you going?" he asked, knowing exactly where House was going. House looked at him over his shoulder, making eye contact momentarily, before pulling the door open and exiting. He rapped Chase and Foreman on the shoulder as he passed.
"Come on. We're going to check on Lil' Sis," he said, not turning to make sure they were following. Throwing their food away, Foreman and Chase jogged to catch up with House, leaving Cuddy alone with Wilson. She exchanged glances with her colleague, before shaking her head and striding down the hallway. Wilson stood, with his hands in his pockets, for a moment, before returning to his office.
HCHCHCHCHC
Outside Theater One, the three men stood, dressed in scrubs, watching Okinama's team. For almost half an hour they watched, stepping aside only to allow Dr. Hannock entrance. Hannock had just opened Cameron's chest to repair her aorta when Chase began to feel ill. "I'm sorry," he said, looking away. With that, he turned and walked out. Foreman lasted another three minutes.
"I can't watch anymore," he stated plainly, before following Chase's path into the lobby. House himself stayed until they began stapling and suturing Cameron's chest shut. He made it out of theater just as they wheeled her out, on their way to the ICU. Standing just out of sight, House leaned back against the wall, trying, once again, to overcome the nausea that had passed through him.