LEGACIES AND LOLLIPOPS 18

by MAGDALA

Part eighteen - FIRST DRAFT

Tink and I were happy as we left the lecture hall. Tink said normally students didn't applaud lecturers but we could still hear them clapping. Tink was thrilled.

"Maybe those kids can change things for the better." she said hopefully.

"You really got them thinking." I said.

"No it was Greg. They were looking chronic pain in the face. He inspired them. They could see what it cost him physically and emotionally to speak today." Said Tink stopping short as Julian hurried towards us. He looked angry and worried.

"Why the hell didn't you have your cell on, Tink?" he snapped.

"You know I turn it off when I am lecturing." She said.

"What's happened?"

"Come with me both of you." As we rushed towards Greg's room Julian briefly explained that Greg was exhausted and he and Wilson were about to assist him out of his clothes and settle him back in bed when Lisa Cuddy entered. She was furious about the lecture and reserved most of the blame for Greg.

We could hear Cuddy before we saw her.

"I am not leaving this room until you answer me, House." She said harshly. "House what were you thinking?"

"Cuddy can't you seen he's exhausted." Countered Wilson.

I could see Wilson was right. House was still fully dressed. Sitting on the edge of the bed his legs dangling. Right hand clamped onto his right thigh. His head was drooping against his chest his eyes closing.

"He has to be got back to bed." Said Tink.

"Can you lift your right leg, House?" asked Julian who realized what was stopping Greg from lying back on the bed.

House shook his head in reply.

"Nurse." called Wilson

"Put your arms around my neck." Julian told Greg who complied without question.

Julian carefully put one of his own arms around Greg's back and slipped the other under his knees and lifted him clear of the bed. The nurse entered and seeing what was occurring pulled the top sheet and blanket back. She then assisted Julian to position House correctly and place him in the bed.

Wilson looked on. I think he was shocked to see Greg depending someone other than himself

I looked at Cuddy "You have my letter of resignation. Now would seem to be the time to make it official. Why were you shouting at Greg?"

"He was way out of line speaking as he did." Said Cuddy.

"If you have a problem with the lecture you speak to me. My lecture my responsibility." Said Tink looking at Greg's chart.

"Yes and you can go back to London. And I have to go into damage control because House has run off at the mouth again."

"That is not fair Dr Cuddy" Said Wilson.

The nurse took off Greg's shoes and socks. She undid his trousers and was in the process of taking them off when the reason for Greg's silence became apparent. The toes on his right foot separated curled and went rigid as the entire limb went into spasm.

"He's cramping," said the nurse.

I looked at Lisa. "Let's take this outside. Greg doesn't need this stress."

"I am his primary physician" she stated angrily.

"Yes and you treat him as though he is a drug addict."

We went out to the corridor. But only because Cuddy wanted to have a go at me.

"Stacy. I think I would know better than you." She said.

"You advised the middle ground. I made the mistake of thinking you were right then. When it comes to pain I would take Professor Chan's opinion over yours anyday, Lisa."

Lisa gave me a dismissive look.

"Don't role your eyes at me and suck in your cheeks. I know you are scared but that is no reason to humiliate Greg. When you do that or shout at Greg then you enter my field of expertise, the law."

Lisa avoided further facial expression and could no longer meet my eyes.

"Greg has treated you and this hospital with a fairness that he has never received in return. He has not sued PPTH for the original delay in diagnosis, or the botched 'middle ground' surgery, or the persistent under-treatment of the constant intractable pain he has suffered since then. But then he could not depend on the support of Professor Chan, Mr. Campbell or myself before this time."

"Are you trying to threaten me?" She asked defensively.

"No. But I should warn you that when you or a member of you staff infers he has an addiction to painkillers, or refers to Greg as an addict or a junkie, that is threatening. It is very threatening. That is also slander, Lisa."

"Dr Cuddy." The ward clerk called out from the central ward administration area. "You have a call from the media relations office."

This gave Cuddy back her fight she looked sternly at me. "Now it begins." she said moving off to take the call. "And I will be the one picking up the pieces and covering his back as usual, Stacy."

I went back into Greg's room. Still half dresses he was lying back against the pillow looking weak and exhausted. Wilson was injecting a painkiller Julian's arm was around Tink she looked sad and furious all at once. Greg reached out his hand to me and I moved to the side of the bed took his hand and leant over and kissed him.

"I just shut Cuddy up and stopped her rolling her eyes." I whispered to him in such a way that Tink, Julian and Wilson could not fail to hear.

"Wow. I've been trying to do that for five years." He attempted a laugh.

"It's a girl thing. Gender specific. I flicked on the bitch switch." I said smiling.

"You could have sold tickets." He said

"Bound to be an encore soon?"

A trainee nurse entered with a bed-bath kit. And handed it to the Nurse who was loosening Greg's clothes. The nurse looked at Tink.

"Doctor House would you like your visitors to leave while we get you settled." The nurse asked Greg.

"I'll see you later" I said kissing his finger tips.

"Dr Wilson?"

"I got patients backed up. I'd better go. Hang in there, House."

"Thank you." Said Greg as we all left him to the care of the nurses.

We formed a small group in the corridor outside Greg's room. Tink looked at Wilson she seemed perplexed.

"What is it with you and Dr Cuddy?" She asked, "Both of you seem to share a somewhat cavalier attitude to his pain."

"His behavior doesn't help."

"How is someone supposed to behave when they are in agony? Steigler told me what Greg told him about you. He said 'You must convince Wilson that denial is not a river that flows through Egypt' you and Cuddy are the same you are in denial. You would rather think him an addict than someone who is suffering terrible pain. Why is that?"

Julian understood it seemed. "Tink go easy. Wilson is House's best friend. Just imagine how it effects him to see his best friend in pain."

Cuddy hung up the phone and joined us. Her executive smile was in place and she seemed quite pleased with herself. "There's a news crew on the way they want to do an interview with me about chronic pain."

"Why would they want to interview you?" I asked unable to help myself.

"Because I am the administrator of this hospital I guess." She preened. "Someone has to take care of damage control."

"You're walking into a trap."

"Stacy. Don't be paranoid. I have been handling this sort of thing for a long time."

Surprising, Wilson joined Tink and Julian in backing me up. Finally Cuddy admitted they had first wanted to interview Tink, Greg and myself but she did not feel she could permit that.

"How many press did you have at the lecture Lisa?" asked Tink.

"About fifteen." She answered. Wilson just shook his head.

"And you didn't see fit to warn any of us?" Said Tink. "So if 60 Minutes do a story on House we'll have you to blame."

I had never seen Cuddy look so uncomfortable.

"Okay then first you must get Media relations to cancel the interview. Now we are going to have to put a strategy in place that protects Gregory House and this hospital."

While Cuddy went to her office to speak to Media relations. Tink was in my office making calls. Greg slept peacefully through all the executive turmoil.

When he finally opened his eyes he was the first person to learn that PPTH was to have it's own Pain Management Program to support and treat people suffering intractable or chronic pain.

"So Cuddy came through?" He smiled.

"Yes," said Tink. "She did. She is giving a press conference tomorrow announcing the launch date."

I saw the stress leaving his face and realized why Tink let him believe Cuddy was there for him.

"Wilson going to be part of it?" Greg asked.

"He's one of the prime movers," I said.

"Good. Now I know it will work." said Greg his eyes closing again as he drifted back to sleep.

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At the end of the day as Tink, Julian and I walked though the parking lot to my car I looked across at them.

"Everybody lies." I said.

"Greg needed to be able to maintain his belief in them," said Tink, "Without that he couldn't keep working at PPTH. That job defines who he is without that job he would feel he was nothing."

I nodded realizing the truth of what she had said.

Julian put his arm around me. "It will have to be our secret."

I realized this was true.

"Why don't we go out to dinner. Celebrate. Don't you realise we have had a very big win. PPTH is getting a pain management program. The end justified the means."

"Sounds like a plan," I said, "But first I need a long bath and about an hours nap."

Julian looked at his watch. "We'll book the restaurant for nine and give you a wake-up call at eight. Okay?"

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All I could think about walking down the corridor to my room was the bath. I put the card key in and opened the door and entered. The phone was ringing so instead of going into the bathroom first and turning on the hot tap I had to cross the room and answer the phone.

It was Greg he was checking that the Pain Management Program was going to happen and it was not something he had just dreamt up. When he praised Cuddy I held my tongue. Tink was right it was a very big win.

He asked me what I was doing I told him I was about to have a long bath and then we were going out to dinner.

"Have champagne for me the Pain Program is something to celebrate" he said. "I know you and Tink must have worked on Cuddy for this to happen." Then he told me that he loved me.

"I love you too" I answered and that was the truth. I hung up the phone kicked off my shoes and closed my eyes for a moment.

I opened my eyes and let out a scream.

The bathroom door was open and blocking my way to the bathroom and the door of the room was my husband Mark.

Mark was sitting in his wheelchair and he was holding a gun. He wasn't pointing it or anything like that just looking at it with fascination turning it around in his hands.

"Terrible isn't it. This was taken off a kid at school this afternoon. It's a violent world now. It's all drugs and guns but I don't wonder people get frustrated. Who can you believe in anymore? The kid that had this was only nine years old not even old enough to have been in love. Not old enough to really know betrayal. Much better that I have the gun. I have better reasons for using it ... you'd have to agree wouldn't you, Stacy?"

I couldn't speak. Mark continued. He was using his student counselor voice.

"'I love you too?' I heard you say that. The whole sentence would be 'I love you too, Greg,' wouldn't that be the whole sentence, Stacy?"

I was paralysed with fear.