"He abuses her," House declared as he looked at the group of people before him. The word "ABUSE" was written on the white board in large letters and circled.
Cuddy stood in the doorway, proving to the doctors around House that he wasn't jumping to some crazy conclusion, which he was known to do every once in a while.
"What are we going to do?" Thirteen asked, looking at House, then at Cuddy.
House looked down and sighed. He looked straight into Thirteen's eyes. "I don't know."
"We can't just let her allow him to abuse them!" Cuddy argued.
"I didn't say we were," House retorted, obnoxiously loud again.
"Then what... did you say?" Kutner asked.
House limped to the other side of the white board. "I'm saying that I don't know."
Everyone looked at each other. Was the great Gregory House finally at a loss?
"There might be something else wrong with her," Kutner offered. "A lot of kids are abused, but she might be sick, too, if she's like this."
House shook his head. "No, she's just abused. She's terrified. So terrified, that her brain is shutting itself off."
"We should get the police involved," Thirteen suggested, although her voice was hinting to it being more of a demand.
"I agree," Cuddy chimed in.
House looked around the room helplessly. Although he desperately wanted to save Francine, he didn't see the police as being the best thing. What if she gets worse after they take him into custody? What if her mom blames her?
"That could make her worse," House stated quietly, as if only to himself. "But that might be the only way to save her."
--
The following day, Cuddy was busy talking to a bunch of police officers when House limped in to the hospital.
"There you are! Where have you been?" she demanded.
"Sleeping," he answered simply, walking right past the group and into the room of his patient.
Cuddy turned back to the officers. "He's a genius doctor, really."
--
Francine bit her lower lip nervously. "Is Daddy coming back?"
"I don't know."
"Is he in jail?"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"We can't prove he hurts you. Only your word can prove it. Especially since your mom denies it."
A tear fell down the young girl's cheek. "Why would she lie like that?"
House sighed. He looked straight at his patient and said, "it's not her fault. She's afraid."
"I'm getting hurt!"
House shook his head then looked at the wall to the right of him. He didn't know what to say.
Cuddy turned away from where she was standing in the doorway and walked away, unable to watch any longer. As she began walking, Mrs. Folley stormed past her and into Francine's room. Cuddy immediately turned around to see what would unfold. She stood behind the glass walls, hidden by the blinds that circled the room. She pressed her forehead to the cool material and listened.
"What did you do?" The woman yelled, turning House around violently to face her.
"I called the police on your abusive husband." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Francine curl up under the blankets.
The woman turned to her daughter. "And you! What did you do? You forced him to call the cops, you little bitch!"
Francine shook her head. "Mommy, I-"
"You've ruined this family!" Mrs. Folley screamed angrily.
House had officially lost his patience. "That's enough!" he screamed, causing even the people walking by outside of the room to look at him. "She's your daughter, for God's sake! She was being abused! She was on the verge of death! If she died, your family would have been ruined then, wouldn't it?"
"You would have saved her! Then you would have saved our family!"
"No one could save your family!"
Mrs. Folley grew quiet as she took in the harsh reality of his words.
House lowered his voice and said gently, "I'm not God. Your daughter was dying. There would be nothing I could do to save her if he stayed around."