Chapter 2: Unbelievable
Kate parks her rental car in the spot labeled "Reserved for Dean of Medicine". She gathers her belongings and heads to Cuddy's office. Once she gets there, she is surprised to see a young man sitting at the reception desk outside of Cuddy's office. He asks "Can I help you?"
"When will Dr. Cuddy be in?"
The young man confidently replies "Within the next 30 minutes. Do you have an appointment?"
Kate shakes her head. "No, but she is expecting me. I am going to wait in her office." Kate smiles at the young man and then turns to open the door to Cuddy's office.
As she opens the door, the young man says "You can't go in there."
Kate turns and stares Cuddy's assistant down. "Look, I have spent the last hour fighting traffic on the New Jersey turnpike. Before that, I spent close to eight hours sitting on an airplane. Dr. Cuddy knows I am coming and will not care if you let me lie down on her very comfortable couch. I haven't been to sleep in the last 27 hours. I am tired, cranky and don't particularly want to be in New Jersey right now. If you don't like it, call her and tell her to come see me right now."
Kate marches into Cuddy's office and pulls the door shut behind her. She puts her things on Cuddy's coffee table and kicks off her shoes. Kate makes herself comfortable on the couch. She immediately dozes off.
Kate awakens to somebody shaking her. Kate's bright green eyes fly open. She sees that Cuddy is leaning over her. Kate rubs the sleep from her eyes and sits up.
Cuddy studies her best friend for a moment. "How is it you don't age?"
Kate chuckles. "I think your eyesight is going as you age. Don't you see my wrinkles?"
Cuddy rolls her eyes. "Oh please. You don't have wrinkles, you don't have age spots and you don't have gray hair." Cuddy gives Kate a big hug. "You look fantastic."
Kate grins. "You look pretty damn good too. I bet you still don't have to work out at all to maintain that figure. I have to run at least two miles a day to maintain my weight."
"Oh, I work out when I can and watch I eat. My metabolism is slowing a bit as I get older." Cuddy sits behind her desk and gestures to one of the chairs in front of her desk. Kate sits down. "I wasn't expecting you until this afternoon."
"I got the earliest flight I could find. I figured if he was asking for me, I had better hurry up. How is he doing?"
Cuddy sighs. "He was shot in the neck and stomach. The bullets were removed with minor complications. He is in a dissociative coma. Remember that article you and I had discussed awhile ago about Ketamine and using it to reboot the brain? He asked for Ketamine and we did it."
Kate's eyes widen. "How long has he been under?"
"Since yesterday afternoon. He should awaken in the next day or so."
Kate nods. "I truly hope it works for him."
There is a knock on Cuddy's door. The two women look at the doorway and see Wilson poking his head in. Wilson grins when he sees Kate.
Cuddy smiles. "Come in."
Wilson walks over to Kate. She stands up and gives her a hug. Kate murmurs "It's good to see you, Jimmy. Lisa told me about your divorce."
Wilson has slightly chagrined look on his face. "Well, you know how it goes with me."
Kate shrugs. "Oh Jimmy, you are fantastic during the courting phase of a relationship; you just don't understand how to maintain a relationship once you get into it." Kate watches his shoulders droop. "Oh come on, that can't be nearly as bad as what Greg said when he found out."
Wilson nods in agreement. "That is very true." Wilson studies Kate for a moment. She still wears her blond hair at her shoulders and still has a good figure. "So, you came."
"I did. But why did he ask for me? It has been years since I spoken to him and even longer since I have seen him. I mean, Lisa keeps me up to date on the basics, but why on earth would he want to see me?"
Wilson says "I am not trying to be rude, but do you think it is possible he was just getting delusional?"
Cuddy firmly says "No. He wouldn't have asked for Ketamine in one breath and then Kate in the next. He will be awake soon enough and we can ask him then why he wanted to see Kate."
Kate asks "Can I go see him for a few minutes? Then I need to get a hotel room and get some sleep."
Wilson says "You don't have to get a hotel room. I have an extra bedroom at my apartment and I live about 5 minutes from here. That way, if he suddenly wakes up—"
Cuddy interjects "Or you can stay at my place. I have plenty of room."
Kate says "For the short term, until Greg wakes up, I will stay at Jimmy's place. Once Greg is awake and tells me why he asked to see me, I will go to your place, Lisa."
Lisa smirks and says "Always the queen of compromise. That's fine. I will take you up to see him."
Wilson says "I will take your bags to my office. Come down when you are done and I will take you to my place so you can get some rest." Kate nods.
Cuddy leads Kate to House's ICU room. Kate walks up to the glass wall and stares at the bed. Cuddy hears Kate's sharp intake of breath and winces at her friend's shock. Chase is sitting on a chair in the room, working a sudoko puzzle. Cuddy is still impressed that House's fellows are taking turns to be with him in addition to managing their case load and clinic hours.
Kate quietly asks "Who is the blond boy toy? My god, his hair is better than mine!"
Cuddy stifles her laugh. "That is Dr. Chase, one of House's fellows for the diagnostics department. There are two other doctors on the team, Dr. Foreman and Dr. Cameron. The three of them have been taking turns sitting with House, in addition to working their case and their clinic hours."
Kate thoughtfully nods. "Well, once I get some sleep, I will relieve them of that duty. He would probably be irritated if he knew they were keeping vigil over him."
Cuddy asks "And won't he be angry and irritated with you?"
"Like I care. Besides, I don't work for him and I won't have to put up with his verbal assault when he is better." Kate turns to look at Cuddy. "Did you call his mom?"
Cuddy nods. "His parents are in South America right now, but will try to get here as soon as possible."
Kate says "His poor mother his probably frantic. And his dad is probably complaining about how a real man would walk it off." Kate turns back to the room. "Can you get rid of Dr. Chase? I don't want to try to explain who I am and what my relationship with Greg is right now."
"Of course." Kate watches Cuddy go in to the room. She can't hear what Cuddy is saying, but she does note that Dr. Chase doesn't look too disturbed about having to leave House for a few minutes. Kate thinks It was obviously not his idea to keep vigil at House's bed. Chase walks out of the room and heads to the nurses' station. Cuddy beckons Kate into the room.
Kate walks into the room. The room is silent other than the white noise of the machines being accented by occasional beeps. As Kate walks to the side of the bed, Cuddy quietly eases out of the room.
Kate stares at House. He is pale and gaunt compared to the last time she saw him. He has a lot more gray hair, but about the same amount of stubble. She smiles at her thoughts. "Well, Greg, I have to admit, curiosity got the best of me. All those years ago, I swore I would never see you again, but here I am, standing at your bedside. Honestly, how much of a jerk do you have to be to be shot by a patient? You need to work on your people skills." Kate picks up a damp washcloth and moistens his lips. "Why did you ask for me? Do you want me to take care of you while you recover? Do you think this is payback for when you took care of me? If so, you have conveniently forgotten that it was your fault that I was in ICU that time. You owed me and I most certainly don't owe you."
Cuddy stands outside the room and watches Kate talk to House. She nearly jumps out her skin when she hears Cameron hiss "Who is that with House?" in her ear.
Cuddy's answer is frigid. "That is the person House requested to see."
Cameron is not put off by Cuddy's tone. "That's your best friend?"
Cuddy nods. "Yes, that is my best friend, Kate Kowal."
Cameron stares at Kate. Cameron casually asks "How long have you been friends?"
Cuddy gets a nostalgic look upon her face. "I have known Kate since she was in college and I was in med school."
Cameron asks "Is she a doctor?"
Cuddy nods. "She is a rheumatologist. Head of her department at her hospital in Seattle."
Cameron digests this information while she watches Kate interact with House. Kate reaches up and brushes House's hair off his brow. Cameron feels oddly discomforted by the intimate touch. Cuddy says "She has done some amazing research on autoimmune diseases. You would probably find her work very fascinating. Perhaps you have already heard of her?"
Cameron turns her gaze back to Cuddy and stammers "Uh, no."
Cuddy continues. "Really? I am surprised. I figured House would have mentioned some of her work in one of your cases. But then again, maybe he—"
Before Cameron can stop herself, she blurts "How does she know House?"
Kate has just stepped out of the room and looks a bit confused. She says "How do I know House? He writes me a hefty alimony check every month."
Cuddy can't help herself. She smirks at the look of shock on Cameron's face. Cameron's jaw has dropped open and her eyes are wide. Cuddy glances at Kate and realizes Kate is fighting not to laugh at the younger doctor.
Cameron sputters "You're… You're his ex-wife?"
Kate nods and smiles. "I am."
Cameron shakes her head in disbelief. "Then why are you here?"
Kate leans in toward Cameron and says "Don't take this the wrong way, ok?" Cameron nods dumbly. Kate says "I am here to make sure that jerk of an ex-husband doesn't kick the bucket and leave me without my monthly check. It would really mess up my shopping sprees." Kate winks at Cameron, who is know speechless with shock.
Cuddy gulps her laughter down. She manages to say "Kate, are you ready to go?"
Kate smiles and nods. "I am." Kate sticks her hand out to Cameron and says "I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name."
Cameron mumbles "I'm Dr. Cameron. I work for House." Kate grabs her hand and firmly shakes it. Cameron snatches her hand from Kate.
Kate puts a look of false sympathy on her face. "Oooo. You work for him? My condolences." Kate says to Cuddy "Let's rock and roll. Did you tell the nurses to contact me if he wakes up? I want to be here when he wakes up."
Cuddy nods as she leads Kate down the hall. Cameron watches the two women walk away. She is still trying to comprehend what just happened. She thinks House was married. To Cuddy's best friend. This is unbelievable.
