Wilson still sat in the snow. When he heard the motorcycle he stood up. Only House would be crazy enough to drive at this weather condition.
He looked to the intersection. House came around the corner when suddenly this car crashed him. Wilson was sober the same moment. He ran there as fast as possible.
" House, House. Can you hear me?" carefully he removed the helmet. The car driver came along.
" Oh my God. What did I do?", he screamed.
He was a very young guy, probably had his license for an hour or two. That guy really was shocked. His girlfriend tried to calm him down. But she spread tears herself pretty soon.
" Get an ambulance!", House cried. Then he looked at House.
" House! Hey, Greg. Can you hear me?", he hit House gently on the cheek.
" God, this is my fault.", he said to himself.
" Wait until the cops have cleared that out, before you start feeling guilty.", House whispered.
" God, that really hurts. I thought muscle cell death was hell."
" Can you move? How about your back?"
House moaned when he lifted his arms. His right leg hurt, but he was used to it. It still worked. When it came to his left leg he gave up. He tried to sit.
" What about my leg?", you could see that he was very frightened.
Wilson kept him lying on his back. " Stay down. I'm gonna take a look."
And while House started shouting at the kid who drove him over, Wilson ripped Houses jeans. He saw the leg and gulped. The car hit him on the left side and Wilson couldn't imagine how many times this leg was broken.
The girlfriend stood right next to Wilson and screamed when she saw the leg.
" How does it look?", House asked.
" Not too bad. It's gonna be fine.", Wilson lied.
The ambulance arrived. Wilson let them do their job.
" Princton Plainsboro", House told the paramedic.
" We are just 2 blocks away from..."
" There is a cold pizza waiting for me in Princton Plainsboro."
When they put him in the ambulance Wilson came along.
" I'll be right behind you."
House nodded.
" Hey Wilson. How are you?"
Wilson smiled. „ Better then you! See you soon!"
After he had given the police his report, Wilson took Houses cane and helmet. He stood next to House's bike, it was totally crashed. Wilson sighed. He was an oncologist, no surgeon or orthopedist but even he knew that his friend needed more than one guardian angel to keep that leg.
" Good Lord, please don't do this to him.", Wilson thought. Then he took a taxi back to the PPTH.
There was nothing left but the damaged bike and two desperate adolescents still talking to the police.
Surgery department was like hell right that moment. 5 doctors were standing around some x-rays and MRIs having a loud discussion. Actually it was not a real discussion since everyone was talking at the same time.
" Quiet!!!", Dr. Gillick suddenly screamed. He was doctor number 6 just getting in.
" That is not really helpful!"
Cuddy, Wilson, Foreman, Chase and Cameron were quiet.
„ I'm the surgeon who removed 2 bullets and who operated on his leg. Believe me, I know his body better than he does. Let's focus here!"
" This leg is totally damaged.", Cuddy said, still stunned from what she saw on the x-ray. " Why was he riding that damn bike anyway in the middle of a snow storm?"
Wilson looked down on the floor.
" The knee will take hours not to mention the femur.", Gillick shook his head.
" Do whatever you can.", Cuddy said, " no matter how long it's gonna take, no matter how much metal you need to fix it. No amputation!"
" I'll decide, when we are in. First priority is the spleen. It's bleeding."
" You are the surgeon, but for God's sake, don't take that leg.", Wilson begged.
" Maybe you should look at the facts here. This leg is sludge. Even if he keeps it, nobody can guarantee if he will ever use it again. I don't have time for that. I'll do my best, like always. By contrast to you guys I don't care who's lying on the table."
He took the images and left. The others couldn't do anything but wait.
At least Cameron, Chase and Foreman were busy with their patient because he was still waiting for a diagnosis. Wilson and Cuddy went to find some coffee.
Dr. Gillick had the worst excercise right now. Telling House about the surgery.
" Well, it does not really look good, colleague. Your spleen is ripped, but we will get that one. I'm more worried about your leg."
" Show me those images.", House said. He was more than uncomfortable. He had some painkillers, but he has always been a better doctor then a patient.
" I'm the doctor, House! Just relax, we'll be in the OR in a minute."
" Just show me those images. Save the "Trust-me"-talk to patients who don't know what's going on."
He looked at the images. " I told you 8 years ago, I tell you today. You don't take my leg."
" House, you may be one of the best doctors, so you know that amputation is perhaps our one solution. I promise you, I'll try everything…"
" Like last time. I wasn't under for a minute and suddenly everyone could come along and make decisions about my leg."
" If I remember right, your girlfriend had an authorization. And I take it you signed it."
" Well, then I want to sign something, saying that no saw may come close to my leg."
" We should get started, House. Internal bleeding tend to get really bad if not treated. Don't worry, I always fixed you so far."
" I trust you, Gillick. Otherwise I know where you work!"
While House had his surgery, Cuddy and Wilson sat in House's office having some coffee.
" Why was he on his bike out there in the middle of the night?", Cuddy kept asking herself.
" All week long he complained about not having a patient and now when he has one, he drives away."
Wilson kept silent.
" And why were you with him? You were not on that bike together. You are not hurt at all."
Wilson couldn't look at her. He felt guilty. And he still felt that alcohol a little.
He had asked his friend for help, he knew that House had arrived on his bike that morning and that he would drive it despite the snow storm. Wilson didn't call House to talk about Sara. He got drunk in this bar, telling himself that House had to be there for him. That's why he called him at 2 am. And House was on his way a minute later.
" My first ex wife came to the clinic that morning. House examined her and diagnosed leukemia. She's gonna die.", he finally said.
" House didn't tell me. But Sara called me and told me. I was so angry at House for not letting me know and for not taking care for me, again."
" You know him. And he has his professional discretion.", Cuddy answered.
" Of course I know him, but it hurts anyway."
" True. But we can't change him. Although I don't give up trying."
" I was in that bar getting drunk while House took care for his patient. And around 2 am I called him, I yelled at him and I demanded him to behave like a friend."
" And now you feel guilty?"
" If I had not called him, he would not…."
" Stop it, James!", Cuddy put her hand on his shoulder.
" You have been taken care for him for years. He doesn't deserve your friendship. This was not your fault."
" You know what happens, when he loses this leg?", Wilson went on.
" I can't even think about it.", Cuddy said, trying to hide her tears.