Wilson watched as House slowly slipped into a deep, drug-induced sleep. The nurse re-appeared with the other drugs he'd ordered and he carefully hung them before leaving House to sleep. He had no intention of going far but he needed to update Cuddy about his condition. As it turned out, she was waiting for him when he got to the nurses station.

"How's he doing?" she asked, her hand held out for House's chart.

"He's got pneumonia, or at least the beginnings of it. He's in a lot of pain. I've just given him some more morphine, fentanyl and Vistrail. He's sleeping."

"You started him on Vancomycin?" Cuddy asked, reading Wilson's scrawl on the chart.

"Yep, and IV calories for the malnutrition. The nurses said he hasn't been eating since he started the chemo and he has lost weight. I didn't want it to start threatening his muscles, the last thing he needs is muscle atrophy and PT on top of brain surgery and chemo."

"Walker said he'll need at least one round of chemo before they can even think about operating," Cuddy told him. Walker was House's neurosurgeon.

"He's not going to like staying in the hospital until then, but I guess we don't really have a choice, he's certainly too sick right now to be at home," Wilson replied. He'd hoped that he'd be able to discharge House between chemo sessions to give him a chance to recover some at home but the pneumonia and House's condition had changed that. There was no way he could send House home without IV drugs, at least not alone.

"He's going to have to suck it up and get used to it, he's gonna be in for a long while. I just hope his team can cope with any cases that come in," Cuddy replied.

"I could take him home in a couple of days – just for the night," Wilson said, mostly to himself.

"He's on several IV drugs and pain medication, James. He's also got pneumonia, it'd be too much of a risk and you know he wouldn't let you help him," Cuddy told him.

"He might, he's pretty down right now, Lisa. The chemo has robbed him of an appetite and he's in a fair amount of pain. It might give him something to aim towards. I know it couldn't be until he's fully recovered from the surgery and his temperature is stable, but I do it with my other patients, why not House?"

"Because your other patients aren't likely to go and drink themselves into a coma?"

"I'd be with him the whole time, he'd be confined to either his bed or the couch and it would give him a break."

"Who are you trying to convince here, James? He's your patient, if you think it would help then clear it with Walker and go for it, but let him know that at the first sign of trouble he's coming back in," Cuddy said, resigning herself to the fact that it was more than an idea.

"I'll see how he is after the sleep," Wilson said, heading back to House's room to make sure that he was comfortable.

House was still sleeping and his face had relaxed sufficiently to tell him that the painkillers had worked. He planned to change House's regular medication round so that he would never be in as much pain as he had been that afternoon.

Wilson left briefly to collect some charts from his office and then set himself up in House's room, ready with some more fentanyl and morphine for when House woke.

"Hey, how you feeling?" Wilson asked, when he noticed that House's eyes were open and looking at him.

"Pretty embarrassed."

"Why?"

"Because I ended up a sobbing heap in your arms."

"You're allowed to do that, you were hurting pretty bad."

"But still, something like that's gonna kill my street cred dead."

"I won't tell if you don't," Wilson said, smiling. House nodded and winced. "Pain?"

"Only when I breathe."

"Give me a number," Wilson asked.

House thought for a moment. "Five," he admitted. "I can hold out."

"Okay, but I have some more drawn when you need it."

"You're so good to me, Jimmy."

"Only the best for department heads."

House shifted uncomfortably in bed. "Can this catheter come out anytime soon?" he asked.

"Not really, you had major surgery."

"Yeah, a week ago."

"You feel up to moving around?"

"I feel like I could give it a go."

"Okay, I'll take it out, but first sign of problems and it's going back in."

"YOU'LL take it out? You just want to molest me."

"Who'd you think put it in? Cuddy?"

"What, you? I just assumed it was one of the ER docs."

"You didn't make it to the ER, Greg, Cuddy had a room lined up for you already."

"That's just…it's…"

"Considering your earlier confession to me, it's kinda kinky," Wilson said, raising his eyebrows.

"No, it's just icky."

"You want it out or not?"

"Go for it." Wilson stood up, grabbed some gloves and placed himself at the end of Greg's bed. He lifted the blanket, but only slightly so that he didn't rob House of all of his dignity. He deflated the balloon that was keeping the tube in place and pulled gently until the tube was clear of House's penis.

"God, that feels so much better," House said, re-arranging himself under the covers.

"I meant what I said, any problems and it'll go back in."

"Yes sir! Besides, I'll have one once Walker slices my brain open."

"Yeah, but you'll also be unconscious for a while so it won't bother you."

"True."

"How would you feel about spending one night at home, before the surgery I mean. You'd have to put up with me for company and we'd leave the central line in and you'd have to rest, but I thought it would be a nice break for you."

"That would be good," House admitted. "What about the pneumonia?"

"It wouldn't be until your temperature's down and you've had a good few days of anti-biotics, but nothing's stopping me doing a dose at home for you."

"You'd do that for me, Jimmy?"

"I do it for my other patients."

"Yeah, but it must be true then."

"What must be true?"

"That you love me," House said, giving Wilson a grin