when we last saw Cuddy, she had just received a late phone call about the hospital's CFO. And it's pretty serious.

And now, we continue:

Chapter 99

Pulling the car into her reserved parking spot in the hospital's parking garage, Cuddy hurried into the hospital lobby, as she made her way up the stairs to the second floor.

She met Karen Simmonds, one of the Board Members of the hospital, in the upstairs corridor. Karen had received a panicked call from Tara, whom she had gotten friendly with over the past ten years, and rushed to the hospital to be at her friend's side.

"How is he?" Cuddy asked quietly, as she shrugged her jacket off.

Karen shook her head. "It doesn't look good, Lisa. Still waiting on a consult from the neurologist. -"

"I thought the ER did an eval?" Cuddy questioned, as the two women walked down the corridor together, towards where Tara, Mark Leonard's wife was sitting in a chair, looking distraught.

"They did," Karen told her. "They're still waiting on the call from the neurologist -"

"-who probably doesn't know his own ass from his elbow, by the sound of it," interrupted Cuddy.

Tara Leonard stood when the two women approached. Her usually neat blonde hair roughly pulled back in a ponytail, her eyes red and puffy, her complexion pale and ghostly.

"Tara, I'm so sorry," Cuddy told her sincerely, embracing the woman in a hug.

"Thank you , Lisa," Tara told her. "I'm glad Karen called you. If anyone should know what is going on, it should be you." She pulled back. "Although, I shouldn't have woken you up in the middle of the night like this."

"Tara, stop." She looked at the other woman carefully. "Can I get you anything?"

Tara shook her head.

"Nothing's confirmed yet. He has to go for a CT scan," Cuddy told her gently. "What happened?"

Tara's voice shook. "I - I don't know. He - he was fine earlier. He was in the bathroom and standing over the sink and then just collapsed, I think. When he finally came to, I sat on the floor with him until the ambulance came. He was slurring his words a bit - he just - he - he was perfectly fine two hours ago."

Cuddy glanced at Karen. "I'm assuming he hasn't gone for the CT yet?"

"I don't know. I don't think they have been able to get in touch with whoever is on call."

Frustrated, Cuddy let out an aggravated breath.

After telling Karen that she would be back shortly, she went hurriedly downstairs to the ER. Whistling to get everyone's attention, she stood by the main check in desk and waited until all eyes were on her.

"Which one of you examined Mark Leonard about a half hour ago?"

No one spoke.

"I did," a familiar voice finally spoke.

Cuddy spun around towards the ER attending, who was also her sister's boyfriend, and waited a beat before speaking.

"And that protocol requires examination by a neurologist. Mark hasn't even had a CT yet. So you didn't -"

"I paged Dr. Simpson who is currently on call," Matt Gomez interrupted her, calmly. "He told me that he would be down to examine him. When he never showed, I made the decision to send him upstairs, where he and his wife could have some more privacy once I learned who he was."

"So what? You couldn't page someone else?" Cuddy shot at him through gritted teeth. "Or keep trying Simpson? This was not your call to make, Matt. At all. For Christ's sake, he hasn't even had a CT scan yet!"

"I didn't know that," Matt told her.

Seething, she turned away from the small group of attendings', doctors and nurses.

Swallowing, Matt stared after her. He caught the eye of Andrew, one of his 'poker night friends, who sniggered at him. Matt just shook his head, signaling to drop the subject.

Cuddy walked back upstairs. Pulling out her phone, she dialed a number, put the phone to her ear and waited.

"Hey, it's me. I need a favor."

Once she disconnected the call with House, she made her way over to the nurse who had just stepped out of Mark's room.

After conversing with the nurse, Cuddy met Karen and Tara in the corridor.

"I just got off the phone with Greg," she told Karen, "He's calling Foreman since no one in their right goddamn mind can locate this missing neurologist."

She turned to Tara. "I'm having Dr. Foreman come and assess him right away. He is an excellent neurologist, working under one of the best doctor's in the country."

Tara nodded. "Thank you, Lisa."

Cuddy waited in the corridor with Tara, Mark Leonard's wife, and Karen, who sat with them as well. The hospital's CFO was currently getting a CT angiogram scan to figure out if there was a possible blood clot in the brain. Foreman had come to the hospital immediately once House had informed him of the situation.

Cuddy had just finished typing an email on her phone, telling her department heads they were all expected at an emergency meeting the next morning on Tuesday at 9 AM, when Foreman walked down the corridor.

Cuddy stood up and walked over to meet him.

"There's bleeding," Foreman told her quietly. "Looks like a subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by an aneurysm, but I'd want to do a lumbar puncture and collect fluid for testing to make sure...it doesn't look good."

"Shit," Cuddy muttered. "Can you fill Tara in on the details?"

Foreman nodded. "Sure." He paused. "There really was no neurologist on call?"

Cuddy shook her head. "Apparently there is, but no can locate him, so his ass is getting fired tomorrow," she told him.

"Is there anyone who can do an EKG?"

"No idea. Go downstairs to cardiology and see who is on call. That might have to wait."

"We might not have time," Foreman replied.

Cuddy stifled a yawn with her hand. "I know."

"It's 2:30," Foreman said, "which means he probably won't get one until 7:30 at the earliest, depending on if we can get someone in here that early - "

"Just tell them who it is," Cuddy interrupted, "that'll make them come in. Can you do the lumbar puncture after you talk with Tara?

"Sorry about all this," she added.

Foreman nodded and waved a hand.

"It's nothing. He's the CFO. I get it."

He looked at her before walking over to where Tara Leonard sat. "You should go home and get some sleep. I'll call you or House if I find anything."

As Foreman was speaking with Mark's wife, Cuddy was filling Karen in on the findings.

"Jesus," Karen said, when Cuddy finished speaking.

"We have to prepare for the worst at this point," the Dean replied. "And of course, this had to happen now, right? I have three weeks, hopefully, until the final expansion merger presentation is set to be presented to UMC,...which by the way, I still need to go through the finances one more time..."

She groaned in protest.

"I'll address the department heads tomorrow morning," she continued. "You got the Board?"

Karen nodded. "Absolutely." She paused.

I hate to ask, but how's Mark's replacement?"

"We'll do an interim promotion from within if need be, and then I'll leave it up to the Board," Cuddy told her. "Let me them I'll find someone in the interim, will you?"

"Sure."

Cuddy wanted to stay, but she was exhausted, and there was nothing she could do at this point.

Foreman was in Mark's room performing the lumbar puncture.

After checking in on Tara, Cuddy headed back home. She had to get to the hospital early the next morning, and she could use some sleep.

As she was driving home, her cell phone rang. She enabled Bluetooth.

"Hello?" She didn't bother checking the caller I.D., figuring it was House.

"Lisa?!"

It was Wilson.

"Hey. What are you doing up?"

"I had to go to the bathroom, and I checked my phone. What's with the emergency 2 AM email for a 9 AM meeting?"

"Our CEO had a stroke, probably from a blood clot," Cuddy told him. "I'm driving home now. I received the call around 12:30."

"Jesus," Wilson replied. "How bad?"

"We'll see if he makes it until the morning. Foreman is doing a lumbar right now."

She and Wilson talked for a few minutes, and then Cuddy arrived at the house. She had a splitting headache. She dug in her purse and found some Tylenol. After grabbing a glass of water, she headed to the bedroom. She changed into a long sleeve t-shirt and climbed into bed, careful not to wake House, all the while hoping that the hospital's CFO would make it through the night.

**The next morning **

Cuddy addressed the department heads on Tuesday morning in one of the hospital's conference rooms upstairs on the third floor, informing her staff of the status of the hospital's CFO.

"However," she stressed, "the merger is still on schedule. For the next three weeks, I need all hands on deck. I'd appreciate if any of you could assist. We still have to get the finances in order for the final presentation to the University Med Center. I am NOT pushing this back. We have three weeks."

There was a mutter of agreement from around the table.

Cuddy had to go downstairs to the second floor, to check on Mark Leonard, the hospital's CFO. She had received a text from Karen Simmonds, asking her where she was.

Dismissing her department heads, Cuddy grabbed her phone and stood.

"Stan," she addressed her Chief of Neurology, "hang on a minute."

Waiting until everyone had left the room, she faced Stanley Gisner.

"I heard about what happened last night," Stan started before she had a chance to open her mouth.

"Smart move. Calling Foreman," he continued.

"Thanks," Cuddy replied. "Now, I want you to fire Simpson."

Gisner chuckled. "I was just going to suggest the same. Great minds think alike...but seriously, I will take care of it. That was unacceptable."

"Have you looked in at Mark?"

"I was just going there now," Gisner replied. "Foreman filled me on everything...found a subachroid hemorrhage." He paused briefly.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of the group."

Cuddy groaned as her cell phone rang.

"Lisa Cuddy," she answered quickly. She listened to the person on the other end of the phone.

"We'll be right there." She turned to Gisner. "That was Foreman. Mark's got pressure build up in the brain."

The two of them hurried to Mark's room.

"We have to drain the cerebrospinal fluid now!" Foreman hurriedly told them.

Cuddy quickly glanced over at Tara, who was staring past Cuddy and Foreman into her husband's room, looking at him lying on the bed, unconscious.

"Tara?" She rested a gentle hand on the woman's arm.

"Whatever you have to do," Tara spoke in a hollow voice.

Cuddy glanced at Foreman, nodding. "Do it," she ordered. She led Tara away, down a corridor. Behind them, a nurse called out Foreman's name, but Cuddy's focus was on leading Tara away from all of the commotion.

"Karen was just here," Tara said, referring to the hospital's Board Member, her voice shaky. "Mark was stable..."

"I know," Cuddy replied quietly. "They'll relieve the pressure in his brain and hopefully that will help some."

Tara looked at her apologetically. "Lisa, I'm sorry. This must be such a headache for you."

"Don't apologize, Tara. This was out of anyone's control. We'll manage." She paused, grabbing the other woman's hand.

"I'm just glad I'm able to be here with you."

"What do we do now?"

"Now? We wait."

"For what?"

"Well, they'll drain the excess fluid, which is most likely causing the pressure build up in Mark's brain, and then monitor him very closely. We need to make sure he's getting enough oxygen."

"Is he going to make it?"

"I - " Before Cuddy had a chance to answer her fully, her cell phone rang. She glanced at the caller I.D., apologized to Tara, and then excused herself to step away to take the call.

"What's up?"

"Where's Foreman?"

"He's up with me assisting with Mark. Why?"

"I need him," House told her impatiently.

"You have two other capable doctors' working for you. Right now, I need him to focus on my CFO with Gisner.

"It's my team."

"It's my hospital," Cuddy replied cheekily. "I'll send him back when we're done." She hung up, smirking.

After letting Tara know that she'd be back soon, Cuddy went back downstairs to her office to catch up on emails and paperwork she had neglected. She told Brenda, her assistant, not to interrupt her unless it was regarding the hospital's CFO.

She remained uninterrupted for the next hour and forty-five minutes before Brenda came rushing into her office.

"Lisa, Doctor Gisner is outside. He says he needs to speak to you right away," she told Cuddy urgently.

Cuddy nodded, and rose from her chair when the Chief of Neurology entered.

"Lisa, Mark is in a coma."

Cuddy stared at him.

"Shit," she whispered, running a slow hand down her face as she sank back down in her chair.

"There was more bleeding and he was unresponsive," Stan told her, "This is not good."

"Foreman is telling Tara now," he continued. "We'll put him on a ventilator."

"How long does he have?"

"...I...don't know...," Stan said slowly.

Cuddy exhaled. "I need to talk to the Finance department...Keep monitoring him. I want updates every half hour."

Gisner nodded, and then left her office.

Cuddy stood up, and closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. She felt light-headed. After telling Brenda to call the Finance department and find out who had been assisting Mark with the merger, she headed downstairs to the cafeteria to grab something to eat.

On her way back to her office, Cuddy was met by Joseph Parker, who was standing outside of her office, talking to Brenda.

"Lisa, I told him to come back later if it wasn't related to the CFO," Brenda told the Dean of Medicine.

"It's okay, Brenda. Joe, what's up?"

"Do you have a second to talk?" the obstetrician asked.

"Not really, but for you, I can make time," Cuddy replied, as she motioned for him to proceed into her office.

As she followed, her assistant stopped her. "Mark's 'right-hand' man on this merger is Henry Zigman."

"I want a meeting with him."

Brenda smiled. "Already done. Four o'clock this afternoon."

"See? This is exactly why I hired you," Cuddy replied, before following Joe into her office, and shutting the door.

"Have a seat, Joe."

"You know," Parker began, as he sat down, "when I told you to take it easy, I didn't mean for you to send out emails at 2 AM, nor for you to rush back in here at 1 AM."

"Hey, I took the day off yesterday!"

"And that was good," Parker replied, "But you're right back to where you started - not relaxed."

"I have a lot of shit on my plate right now. We might not have a CFO tomorrow -"

"And that's the Board's problem," Parker interrupted, calmly. "It doesn't all fall on your shoulders. Step back and let them handle it."

He paused, knowing he had her full attention.

"Focus on you, okay? You're at week thirty. Now is not the time to overdo it and stress out about the merger. I am not telling you not to do your job. Just...dial it back a bit, okay?"

Cuddy nodded silently, knowing he was right and that it was pointless to argue with him.

"I know...it's just..."

"Look, I know you're not used to slowing down, but you have to listen to me on this," Parker instructed his patient. "Your health should be your priority from now on."

"Still do your job, by all means; you make this place run smoothly. But just...listen to your body," he continued.

Cuddy nodded silently. Knowing they were finished with the subject, she changed gears.

"On another note," she began, "your department budget - I can give you $200,000 for upgrades - I might be able to pull more. I have to have Finance look at the numbers one more time," she told him.

"Pediatrics is just pending board approval. You're next."

"Wow, thank you."

"Obviously, pending mine and the board's approval," she added, smiling.

"Of course," Parker replied, as he sat back in his chair. "Some more 4-D ultrasound machines would be nice, or an expansion for a new wing with more beds for more space..."

"Well, think about it, and let me know," Cuddy replied.

"Thank you," Parker told her sincerely.

"Don't thank me," Cuddy replied chuckling. "Thank our generous donors."

They conversed for a few more minutes, before Parker left, and then Cuddy remained locked in her office until her 4 o'clock meeting with Henry Zigman from the Finance Department.

TBC...We still have a lot of ground to cover in this story...Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me on this!