Floating

Chapter 3

House had been sleeping now for eight hours. The dim quiet of late night on a hospital permeated the barely lit halls. "Dr. Cuddy?" The late-shift unit nurse was surprised to see the Dean of Medicine wandering the hospital corridors at 12:15 a.m.

"How is Dr. House doing?" She looked at the monitor panel.

"Sleeping comfortably, it would appear."

"Any issues?"

"He seemed a little restless at the start of shift, but nothing else."

"Thank you." Cuddy slipped into House's room, taking seat at his bedside.

"How about we get you up for a bit. I know I promised it would be earlier, but I got tied up." She smiled at the comeback she was sure House would have had ready if he'd been conscious. In all honesty she was as curious as he was about whether the procedure worked.

Checking the side of the bed, she noted happily that the Foley catheter had been removed already. She stood and ran a finger along his left cheek. "House. Wake up. C'mon, I know you're dying to know." She was trying hard not to startle him. His eyes fluttered.

"Cuddy? What's wrong? What time is it?" He made a move to rise from the bed, but Cuddy and the soft restraints prevented him."

"Down boy. You're still tied to the bed."

"I bet you like that!" He was now fully awake.

"Can I turn the light on?" House nodded, closing his eyes and then letting them adjust to the fluorescent lighting of the room.

"Do you remember where you are?"

"Hospital. Why are…?"

"Do remember why you're in bed?"

"I was shot. Short guy." He looked around the room as if expecting to see him. "Ketamine treatment. I told Cameron to tell…"

"We did it. You don't remember discussing this earlier?"

"Yeah. And you said something about taking a walk in the park with me this evening. You never showed. I was so disappointed. Bought you flowers and everything. Not used to women standing me up."

"Right. And I didn't stand you up. I'm just fashionably late. Are you ready?" House nodded his head slightly. She could see both the fear and anticipation in his lavish eyes.

"I'm just going to disconnect you from all of these leads and things and then… House." Her tone changed from light to serious. "If this hasn't worked. If…"

"Let's get on with it. Spare me the pysch 101 lecture."

"I mean it, House. If it doesn't work, we'll find something else."

"Killjoy!" Cuddy unhooked the last of the leads from his chest."

"Ow. Hey, that pulled. You should work on your bedside manner."

"Oh, now there's the pot calling the kettle black."

"That the best you could come up with? Cuddy, you're either tired or you're slipping."

"OK, swing your legs around. You've been in bed for several days. You might be stiff, so…"

"Only around you." Cuddy could only roll her eyes.

"Any pain so far?" House shook his head. "Let me help you stand. You're still weak from the injuries and surgery and your blood pressure is going to fall though the floor when you stand."

"Hey, coincidence. I went to med school too." Cuddy slipped her arm around House's waist as he threw his around her shoulder. He noted the position and distance of the nearest chair. This would be a modest test. Shuffle the two steps to the chair. He should be able to make it that far before he began to feel faint.

"Any pain?"

"Not yet." He stood, trying to keep equal weight on both legs. They held. His right leg was weak. That was unmistakable. He could feel the weakness of it nearly for the first time since it had happened. He'd never been able to feel the weakness for the pain. Which had never abated. Until now. The realization that the procedure had worked began to dawn on him as he sat heavily in the bedside chair. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. Ashamed, he averted his sight from Cuddy.

Cuddy sat on the bed facing House. She could only imagine the emotions that must've been surging through him at that moment. She gave him that moment and more. Finally she spoke. "Can you give me a number?"

He looked up at her. Bewildered, ecstatic, terrified. So many emotions in his damp eyes. "One." He looked away again, clearly embarrassed.

Cuddy got up to leave and afford House his clearly much-desired privacy. "You're leaving?"

"I thought I'd…"

"No. Stay. I apologize for this emotional… Stupid, huh?"

"No. Not stupid. It's called release, in case you didn't know. You really have no pain? In my leg? No. My abdomen on the other hand. Who did my surgery? Remind me to…well to do something evil to him."

"Top of my 'todo' list. You know this wasn't a real test of the procedure. But I'll take it for now."

"My right quad is going to need a lot of physio." Cuddy was taken aback.

"Like it didn't a week ago?"

"No. I mean, now I can feel the weakness. Before only… Of course I knew, but I couldn't…" He trailed off, feeling stupid at the obvious statement.

"Ready to get back into bed?"

"Why Cuddy…" he suggestively responded.

"Yeah, right."

"Pit stop first, if you don't mind."

"Can you make it that far?"

"I'll need your help." It was an admission that surprised her.

"What? No leering sidebar to that statement." He had been deadly serious.

"Not tonight." House mentally measured off the steps from the chair to the washroom. Nine. He could do this without passing out. 11 back to bed. It was worth a shot.

"Ready? Do you want to try to stand on your own?" House nodded slightly and began to stand, holding his breath, waiting for the bubble to burst and to awaken again to reality. He put his weight first on his left, straightening carefully. Testing. Then the right. Small, gingerly placed steps. Cuddy stayed just to his right. Spotting him, but not hovering. "Any pain?"

A shake of his head as he concentrated on the task. He willed himself to try a more normal gait, understanding it could never be completely normal. Cuddy waited outside the bathroom, tears again coming to her eyes. She breathed a silent prayer of thanksgiving, finishing as House emerged.

"Thank you." His voice was low and raspy. She grasped his hand, entwining her fingers in his. He allowed her this.