Chapter 50:
After hanging up the phone at the pharmacy once she was done dealing with medication shipment problems, Cuddy walked down the hallway of the clinic, towards her office.
Stopping by her assistant's desk, she ordered, "Brenda, tell everyone I will do the meeting on Monday from home by phone. 9 A.M. sharp! Tell them to bring everything they had with them this morning."
"I will," Brenda reassured her. "Oh and I showed Greg's mother to your office a few minutes ago."
Looking past her assistant into her office, Cuddy saw Blythe sitting on a chair in front of her desk.
"Thanks, Brenda."
She walked into her office and Blythe turned to her with a smile.
"Excuse me, Blythe." Cuddy turned back toward the door and looked at her assistant. "Oh, and
Brenda? Tell them no slacking. Just because I won't be in Monday or Tuesday doesn't give anyone a reason to get away with not doing anything… Let me know if anyone has an issue."
Closing her office door, Cuddy turned to the woman who was seated in front of her desk on one of the two chairs. "My apologies, Blythe."
She paused then said with a smile, "I'm guessing Greg told you?"
Standing up, Blythe nodded and then smiled widely. "He did. I'm so happy for you both." She embraced Cuddy in a warm hug. "So, it's a boy," she said, as she pulled away from the embrace.
"Yes," Cuddy replied, smiling a she said, "And I will be extremely surprised if this kid doesn't have a sarcasm streak before he turns one."
Blythe chuckled. "Well, with Greg as his father, let's hope the gene pool didn't pass that trait down," she teased, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "So, do you still supervise him or no?"
"I do," Cuddy replied, "it's tricky sometimes, but I get used to it. No one else wanted the job." She grinned and her eyes twinkled as she said, "I love how I still have the upper hand, as administrator at least…"
Blythe matched her grin with one of her own. 'Well, you ARE still his boss…so how are you feeling? Sorry for all the questions…"
Cuddy dismissed her with a wave of a hand. "It's fine, really, Blythe…I've actually been feeling pretty good. Tired more than usual but that's to be expected."
Gesturing over to the couch, she invited Blythe to have a seat and the two women continued their conversation.
About twenty minutes into their conversation, the door to Cuddy's office banged open, revealing a very frustrated Eric Foreman, followed closely behind by Cameron.
"We need House," Foreman told the Dean of Medicine.
"Well hello to you too, Dr. Foreman," said Cuddy, looking up at him from the armchair with a smirk on her face. "And why do you need House, may I ask?"
"Our patient's liver is failing and he is refusing dialysis."
"So get him to accept. Not that hard," Cuddy told him impatiently.
"He says he's willing to die than opt for dialysis or a transfer," the neurologist told her. "At least House could talk some sense into him by telling him he's an idiot—"
"What do the parents want to do?" interrupted Cuddy, as she ignored the last part of Foreman's statement.
Cameron piped in. "The father doesn't want any part of it, and the mother is trying to convince her son to go for the transplant."
"But he's not budging," Cuddy confirmed, looking up at Cameron for clarification, who nodded.
Exhaling, Cuddy asked, "So, what do you want me to do?" Pausing, she mentioned toward the woman sitting opposite her on the couch.
"You two, this is Greg's mom. Blythe, this is your son's team, Dr.'s Eric Foreman and Allison Cameron," she said, as way of introductions.
The two exchanged handshakes with their boss's mother.
"I don't care what you do," Cuddy finished her conversation with Cameron and Foreman, "but get him to consent to dialysis or a liver transplant. But do it 'ethically.'," she told them, stressing the last word. "There's no reason why he should die because this kid is too stubborn to agree to a healthy liver and accept another chance at life."
"And if he doesn't?" Foreman asked her.
Narrowing her eyes at him, Cuddy told him, "Figure out a way." She paused and then continued. "Look, I am not waking House up just so the three of you could discuss unethical ways to give your patient dialysis against his consent, and also behind my back. And besides," she added, "Greg's heavily medicated and in a lot of pain, so I doubt he would be much help anyway."
Foreman opened his mouth to refute her, but she stopped him with a hand. "Foreman, that is my final word. I'd be happy to assist you with anything else."
Shaking his head, Foreman mumbled. "No, that's all."
"Look," Cuddy told them, "tell the kid and the parents that you are looking for a liver. There's bound to be a match somewhere. Tell him it's his best chance for survival, and that we are not going to be the hospital responsible for his death because he's too stupid to want to die and not consent to treatment."
"We'll do our best," Cameron told her, surprised at the Dean of Medicine's answer, but accepted it, nonetheless.
Blythe House suddenly frowned as she stared at the two younger doctors. "Aren't there three of you working under my son?"
Cuddy immediately exchanged a look with Foreman and Cameron, before saying, "Yes, Dr. Chase is out right now." She shot a quick cautioned look towards the two doctors', giving them a warning not to speak.
"Oh," Blythe said, "He's the Australian one, right?"
"Yes," Cuddy told her, trying to end the conversation. Turning towards Foreman and Cameron, she said, "When you convince your patient to get a transplant and he agrees, start looking for a liver. I can call ahead and try and reserve one as well. Just keep me updated. Understood?"
The two doctors' nodded in agreement and turned to leave.
"Mrs. House, it was lovely to meet you. Your son is a great doctor," Cameron told her. "I've learned a lot from him."
Blythe smiled. "Thank you, dear."
Cameron smiled at her, nodded at Cuddy and turned to follow her colleague out the door.
Walking into the ICU sometime after Blythe had left, with the promise of returning later, Cuddy made her way down the corridor, past the circulation desk to House's room. Sliding the door open, she saw House's eyes were closed.
Checking the monitors surrounding the bed, she pulled up a chair as close as she could beside the bed and sat down. Reaching out, she grabbed House's right hand, surprised to feel him squeeze hers.
"Hey," he said, as he opened his eyes.
"Hi," Cuddy replied softly, as she held his hand with both of hers.
"So, how'd it go?" House asked her, "My mom didn't play '20 Questions' with you, did she?"
"It wasn't too bad," Cuddy joked. "She just wanted to know details that you wouldn't tell her."
"Like what? You didn't tell her we fuck like rabbits, did you?" House asked her, "Although, she probably knows that, considering how fast I knocked you up."
"No I didn't, you idiot!" Cuddy scolded him, as she smirked.
House chuckled, and then winced, which did not go unnoticed by Cuddy,
"How are your ribs?" she asked, concerned.
Rolling his eyes, House sighed. "They're fine, doctor," he said, stressing the last word with unnecessary heavy sarcasm, and then paused, deciding to be a little nicer.
"Actually, they're throbbing beyond belief."
"I figured that," Cuddy said.
"it's bearable though," House said to her, "I got some ice chips earlier because I probably can't hold anything down. He paused, and then switched topics, as he said, "I don't want you staying here tonight."
'What? Why?" Cuddy asked, confused.
"You need your sleep. I can already tell this is wearing you out-"
Cuddy interrupted him as she exclaimed, "Greg, stop! I'm staying here with you tonight, and that's final!"
"I hate how stubborn you can be sometimes," House muttered.
She stared at him, incredulously. "Are you kidding me?" she started. "YOU are the KING of stubborn!"
Pausing, she added on a more serious note, "I'll sleep on that recliner, or if you really, really want me to I'll call in a cot. There's bound to be some around here." Composing herself, she continued to stroke House's hand with her own, and then said, "I know you're looking out for me, but please Greg, I'm staying here with you tonight."
Grinning wickedly, House said, "Man, you can be a real demanding bitch sometimes."
Matching his grin with one of her own, Cuddy raised her eyebrows. "Oh don't deny that it doesn't turn you on."
Reaching across the bed, she caressed the facial hair on the side of his face. "I've missed you, Greg," she told him, softly.
Moving his right hand to cover hers on his cheek, House lifted her hand off his cheek and across his lips as he kissed it. "I've missed you too."
Standing up, Cuddy leaned across the bed railing and kissed him on the lips. Being mindful of his ribs and his shoulder, House moved his right hand up to secure around Cuddy's back as he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, thrusting his tongue deeper into her eagerly opened mouth.
"You know, you're elevating my heart rate," House murmured against her mouth as he smirked and listened to the monitors surrounding his bed as they steadily increased their rhythm.
"Mhmm," Cuddy murmured, as she opened her eyes and looked at him, still centimeters away from his face, "You shouldn't have made me."
Bringing his hand away from her back, House let his hand drop down onto the sheets. "Oh this is my fault?" he asked, smirking.
Cuddy chuckled and threw her head back. "Did I say that?" she retorted, before leaning forward and kissed him softly on the lips.
"How's your leg?" she asked softly, as she withdrew from the kiss.
Keeping his eyes closed, House shook his head and whispered, "It hurts."
"It was inflamed before," Cuddy told him softly, "Do you want me to get you an icepack?"
He nodded. Promising to return, Cuddy straightened herself and then left the room to ask the ICU nurse on duty for an oversized icepack.
Returning to House's room a few minutes later with a large rectangular ice pack in her hand, Cuddy set the icepack down on the bed as she lifted House's gown to his hip bone, and rested her hand on his right thigh, covering the massive scar that ran the entire length of his upper thigh.
Feeling her contact, House immediately tensed up and drew in a breath to which he regretted a second later and moaned softly.
"Shhh," Cuddy whispered softly. "Relax, Greg." She carefully laid the cold ice pack wrapped in a cloth on his thigh along the length of his scar. Placing her hand just above his knee to prevent his leg from quivering, she repeated herself. "Relax."
Keeping his eyes closed, House forced himself to exhale slowly as he focused on Cuddy's voice and the touch of her hand.
"You're doing good," Cuddy continued softly, "…just try to relax."
A few seconds of complete silence passed as House focused on breathing, as his body was jolted when the coldness hit his nonexistent thigh muscle.
"Lisa," he finally choked out, softly.
"What?" she whispered, as she moved up beside his head again.
Opening his eyes, House immediately locked onto her gaze. "I love you," he choked out, softly.
Staring into his eyes, Cuddy felt tears sting as she whispered, "I love you too, Greg." She grabbed his hand, caressing it gently. "You'll get through this."
"What about my leg?"
Cuddy hesitated. "The inflammation will go down." Letting go of his hand, she checked the IV bag and surrounding monitors, knowing that he needed some time alone. "I'm going to have a nurse switch the fentanyl. Looks like you're running low." She paused and then said, "I'm also going to run home and grab some clothes."
"Don't forget to request that cot," he reminded her.
Rolling her eyes but grinning nonetheless, Cuddy replied with a sarcastic, "Yes, Doctor."
"And tell my mother that she can stay at the apartment. Spare key is under the mat. Bedding and pillows are in the closet by the bedroom," House told her.
Cuddy nodded. "Ok. Get some rest. I'll be back."
After telling the nurses to keep an eye on House and that she'd be back in an hour, Cuddy went to find House's team for an update on their patient. Once she heard that a liver was found and on its way, she walked down to her office, told Brenda she wasn't available for her 4:00 conference call and that she'd check in before the meeting on Monday, and finally, grabbed her coat, phone and bag, and headed out to meet Blythe.
Next chapter picks up right where this left off...the next few chapters are going to get interesting. Chase comes back into the picture very soon. stay tuned.
I love the gentle loving House when he is with Cuddy. :D
Just so you guys know, Cuddy is just about 22 weeks.