Chapter Four

Guilty

Thanks to DemonDaughter, LadyMarmalade282, thevigilante15, house's phoenix, HouseAddiction, Eleanor J., and Boys Don't Cry for their reviews. I'm so glad that this story has been a success so far.

Sergeant, I would think you of all people would know what a endarterectomy is or at least you would look it up instead of asking me.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. If I did, I wouldn't be there writing about it. It would actually be on the TV and all Huddy fans would love me for all eternity.

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"Dr. Cuddy, did House ever do anything damaging to a patient in his career?" Madeline asked her.

"No. He's the best doctor we have. He's cured more patients than most doctors can do in their entire lifetime in his field." She replied, firmly, sounding very professional.

Madeline smiled. Cuddy was good. She wasn't the type to break down easily and her tell-it-like-it-is attitude would make her a very believable witness for the jury. Madeline's plan was already in motion and Cuddy was more than willing to comply. The lawyer noticed a lot of affection in Cuddy's eyes whenever her words moved to House. The doctor's eyes were hard from seeing death and life, but they would soften whenever she spoke of the cynical cripple.

"I think you're gonna be good on the stand, Lisa." Madeline said, tucking the files regarding House back into her briefcase. "I'll call you again for another session of practicing these questions."

Lisa smiled. "Anytime at all," She promised.

"Well another thing. The prosecution is gonna try to crucify you on the stand. They're gonna not just bring in Dr. House's past, they're gonna bring in yours, every dirty detail. They need to ruin your reputation and your truthfulness as a witness. You prepared for that?" she asked.

Lisa gave the lawyer a wicked smile. "I didn't get to where I am now without being verbally attacked a few times. Believe me, I can handle it." She said.

Madeline was satisfied. She didn't doubt the doctor for a second. She made her way to the door. "I'm hoping that they won't dig too deep. Good night, doctor." She said.

Lisa gave her a wave, before sinking back down onto her couch. She swallowed two pills of Advil dry and traced the rim of the glass of water that she had been drinking. A forceful knock was on her door. She sighed heavily as she pulled herself to her feet and opened the door.

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Tritter took in the sight of Lisa Cuddy at home with observant eyes. She was dressed in a tight white tank top with blue sweat pants, but even these casual comfy clothes highlighted her perfectly toned figure. On her face, she wore an annoyed and slightly angry expression. He wondered if he had ever seen her without that look on her face. Not lately.

"Sorry to pay such a late visit." He said, politely. "May I come in?"

"It's always a pleasure." She said sarcastically, opening the door just slightly wider to a width that was barely enough to let him slip in.

"What do you want?" she asked as he observed the way her house was neatly arranged.

"I heard you're testifying on House's behalf." He said.

"You heard right." She said carefully. "How does that concern you?"

"I think it does. After all, I am the arresting officer and this case is probably one of most important ones to me. I don't like having annoying doctors ruin the chances of a guilty verdict."

"This is all about your stupid game for revenge. You've played your tricks and I'm testifying and that's that." She countered.

"Yes, but I do know a bit of your past you know. I didn't know you were such a big party girl in high school. Drugs in your background, but no convictions or arrests. It's little wonder how you kept it hidden. How would the medical board react to this?" He said, feigning carelessness.

Her eyes darkened. She had hoped he wouldn't dig into her past like this. "You can't bring that up in court. That's hearsay and irrelevant." She said.

"Yes, but I might accidentally let it slip in the hospital." He said. "And you know how fast rumors catch on fire."

"Is this a threat?" she demanded.

He shook his head. "This is merely a warning. After all, if you think testifying for a chance to get House out of prison is worth your job and any other job you will ever have, go for it. If not, I think you better rethink your position in this trial."

"I've thought about it." She said. "And I'm testifying."

He grinned and handed her a note, the handwriting exactly like hers. She stared at it.

"Sorry, I get to clear all of Dr. House's mail and I don't think it was important for him to know why you don't visit anymore. After all, it really doesn't matter does it?" Tritter said.

Cuddy shook her head in disbelief. She could not believe anyone would sink as low as Tritter was doing now. She would have liked nothing more than to punch him, but she held herself back. He was amused to find her hands clenched into tight fists. He always knew Cuddy was a little fireball, no matter how controlled that fireball was, but in secret he was hoping that she would lose control of herself and take a swing at him. Then he could arrest her as well for assault. He chuckled to himself. How would House react to that?

However, Cuddy was not House. She had better control and a viewpoint of every situation in a way that was not filled with stubbornness or pride. She had learned long ago how to work things in her favor and how to ensure she never poured oil on an open flame. At the moment, there was nothing she could do. She would have to wait and once she got her chance, she would do her best to bring House back.

"I'll see you in court, officer." She said pointedly, making her way to the door and opening it. She made a grand sweep with her hand, clearly making it obvious that he was not welcomed in her home. "It was a pleasure."

He tipped his hat at her. "Always ma'am," He said, extending a hand at her.

She gripped it firmly and shook it. It was a gesture full of challenge and promise. If Tritter had been smarter and a little less stubborn, he would have known there was no chance in Heaven or Hell he could win the case with Cuddy's grit and determination.

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The next morning, Cuddy was late to work. Wilson was in her office to call her on it. Usually it would have been House and not in an as polite way. .

"What do you need, Wilson?" she asked, hanging her coat onto a hook beside her door.

"I was just wondering how you're holding up." He said.

"Just peachy," She muttered.

Wilson's shoulders sagged from stress and from the lack of sleep he had been living off of for the last few months. "This is getting to all of us."

"You think?" Cuddy exclaimed. "Of course this is getting to all of us. I can't even see the ducklings laughing anymore."

Wilson gazed at her. "You don't smile anymore either." He pointed out.

Her shoulders drooped as she seemed to have the world collapse on them. As far as Wilson could tell, there was a deeper burden on her shoulders, one only she could carry. Only she knew.

"What is it Lisa? What is it that's killing you about this?" he asked.

"House was right. When I visited him he said that if I hadn't played it so safe from the beginning with his leg, he wouldn't have ended up on Vicadin and then in jail. So I guess it's my fault and I'm still feeling the guilt. If I hadn't been afraid to jump, then maybe he would still have his leg or at least no drug problem." She admitted.

Wilson walked over and rubbed her shoulders, gently said. "Lisa, it wasn't your fault. He's a risk taker and he got lucky every time. It might have not been the same for you. You decided not to risk his life."

"It doesn't change anything though does it? He's still in jail and I'm still feeling guilty." Cuddy said bluntly.

Wilson sighed deeply. "No, it doesn't." he admitted.

She gave him a sad smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I can't even visit him anymore and he won't know why, because Tritter won't let his mail in."

Wilson glanced at his feet, trying to think of a way to tell Cuddy about his last visit to their crippled friend.

"Will you tell him for me?" she asked softly.

The pleading in her voice and eyes made him say yes before he even realized what he said. He didn't change his answer though. The obvious relief in her eyes was well worth it and too much for him to wipe away.

"Thank you. Now go do your job, James. I can't bear the thought of us losing any more patients." She said softly, her eyes filled with gratefulness.

He gave her shoulder one final squeeze before exiting, wondering how he was going to get out of this one. She sat behind her desk and buried her face in her hands, her thick brown hair falling all around her. Then with a sigh of determination she got up and made her way to the diagnostic department.

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"I think it's an infection."

"An infection from what?" Chase asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Probably an environmental factor." Cameron replied, sounding a little exasperated.

"Doesn't explain why his fingers are numb." Foreman pointed out.

Cuddy strode in. Everyone looked up to study their boss who was looking extremely worn in a white lab coat that seemed to bring out the paleness on her face even more.

"What are all the symptoms?" she asked, going to the whiteboard that she knew House used to write on.

A small smile played across her lips when she knew that she was standing in the same spot House would have been if he had been there. She twirled the marker in her hands as she wrote each down.

Fingers are numb

Calf muscles Weak

Ulcers

Unhealing Open Sores

"Nothing seems to be fitting this description." Cameron said.

Cuddy could not believe this. The ducklings were no doubt not on top of their game. "You guys thought it was just an infection?" Cuddy asked, turning to give a disbelieving look.

"Yeah." Chase admitted, "But it's not getting better, though it showed all the signs of an infection as well."

Foreman was watching Cuddy closely. At a certain angle, she reminded him of a female version House. Foreman knew she had the tongue and the quick mind, but the only difference was that she was a bit more politically correct.

"Run an ultrasound." She said. "It seemed like an infection because it was an infection."

"Then why are we doing the ultrasound?" Foreman asked, before Chase could as the same question.

"Because the infection is a symptom." She said. "Now all the symptoms of infection are gone so the infection is as well, but the rest of these signs point to something different."

The group got up to go do the test, but Cameron stopped, "Are you gonna tell us what you think it is?" she asked.

Cuddy hesitated. She wasn't sure if she was right yet, but she decided that they deserved to know. "Peripheral Vascular Disease. Usually it shouldn't be very harmful, but left undiscovered and uncontrolled it could cause heart attacks, lesions, the whole nine yards. The Doppler ultrasound should tell you what his blood flow is. If it is what I think it is, an endarterectomy needs to be performed."

Cameron was gaping at her, as was Chase and Foreman. Cuddy grinned a little at them, her mind still worried about House.

"I'm not just an administrator," she said. "I do have a medical degree as well. Now scurry."

They obeyed, leaving Cuddy alone. The blue eyed doctor made her way to House's desk and sat down in it. She let her fingers trace the gameboy that House always had and the yo-yo. She missed him dearly. His sarcastic sense of humor, his cynical words, the way he would embarrass her in front of other doctors and board members alike. She missed it in spite of herself. She'll never forget how he threw himself at the door once while she was in a meeting to scream YOU CAN'T STOP OUR LOVE! She had been blushing for weeks after that, but now, she would have given anything to have him there again, making her angry and annoying her to no end.

She picked up the yo-yo and started to play with it. She could almost imagine House standing right beside her. She was going to bring House back to the hospital no matter what the cost was to her. Love ran deep and right now it had cut right through Cuddy's sense of judgment. House was the only thing that she truly cared about at the moment.

"I'll get you back." She whispered softly, hoping by some way House could hear her. "I'll get you out of there if it's the last thing I do."

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Author's Note:

Here's the next chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed it. The trial is coming up soon and a very big twist at the end. I have this fic all thought out because this one's interesting.