House's room:
Darkness wasn't a friend, no matter what Simon and Garfinkle said. It was frightening and cold. The night wasn't pleasant at all. A person could lose control in the night. House hated not being in control. The month with Foreman in charge, though entertaining, was tough. But the thing he hated the most was depending on people – being helpless.
The nurse had come in and gave him the eye drops. For a brief moment, House caught a glimpse of light – a glimpse of control. Now he was back in the darkness.
Cameron would be back soon, he said to himself – she would be talking about anything and everything. From gossip in the hospital (mostly about him right now) to boring cases she'd heard about in the clinic. Cuddy had allowed Cameron out of her clinic duty to help with House's needs much to the delight of both House and the nursing staff.
Until she arrived, House would have to be content with listening to the sounds of the Hospital. Shuffling of nurses shoes, low hums of the florescent lights. He heard the sound of the gurney with the squeaky wheel bringing someone back from Radiology. A smell of sweet ambrosia wafted through the hall. Cameron had come through again. House smiled as he waited for lunch.
Cameron smiled when she saw the smile of House's face. Wilson was right about the other high-end senses. "Ready for lunch I see. What did Dr. Meyer say?" She asked as she arranged his lunch in front of him. "He said the pressure was coming down. He thinks maybe another day or two." He tired to grab at the bag, but got a slap from Cameron.
"Wait until I get things set. In front of you is your sandwich – Ruben, no pickles. To your right, you have your drink." House reached for the glass. "Thank you, this is really good. Would you do something for me?" Cameron finished arranging her lunch and sat down. "Sure, what do you need?" House reached for the sandwich, nearly missing his mouth. "Talk to me. I don't care about what - I just need to hear your voice." Cameron choked up a little and began to talk about anything she could think of.
House listened to her speak. His mind began to form pictures of each story she told. He pictured a young girl in pig tails running to hug her father. She told him about softball high school tournaments and dances. He wondered about her husband, but knew better than to ask.
The nurse came in to put drops in his eyes. The light came in, almost blinding him. He really wasn't sure – but he thought he saw her smiling. The darkness covered him again. Soon it will be over – one way or the other.
After the nurse left, they both sat quietly. He didn't say anything about what he saw, he couldn't.