Chapter 17
Cameron watched House walk/limp slowly into the conference room and sit in the corner chair. The limp was definitely more noticeable today. Apparently the Jacuzzi had been only a temporary fix. She sighed inwardly; she knew he would not want to talk about this, but he needed to go to physical therapy. And soon, before the pain became too much to tolerate without narcotic help. She debated saying something, but she realized he would not want an audience for this particular conversation, so she held her tongue.
House noticed her watching him and looking at his leg, and braced himself for a comment. She said nothing, and House was grateful. She was learning.
"Okay folks, we're back to square one. What do we know?" House asked.
"Fever, headaches, nausea and vomiting were the first symptoms," Chase said.
"Followed by abdominal and muscle pains, then a seizure," Cameron continued.
"And weight loss and some urinary incontinence," Chase finished.
"Wow, did you guys rehearse that?" House asked. "All you need is some back up dancers and you could hit Broadway." Cameron rolled her eyes and Chase groaned.
"Why are we discounting the hypertension?" Chase asked.
"Because of the family history, it's probably not related," Cameron answered.
"But we don't know that," Chase countered. "We should consider it might be a current symptom. I say polyarteritis nodosa."
"Nice," House said. "Fits everything, even the personality changes. But not the incontinence."
"Has he been checked for a UTI? An infection could cause the incontinence, and that's probably how he contracted the condition," Chase responded to House's inquiry with a confidence that made House and Cameron both take notice.
"Start him on cortico steroids and check him out for a UTI," House ordered. "Chase, nice job." Chase nodded and left without answering. Cameron lagged behind, wanting to talk to House alone.
"Going to start bawling over my leg?" House asked, sarcastically. He didn't want to talk about it.
"No, actually, I was going to suggest you stop being such a baby and do the damn physical therapy you know you need," Cameron said shortly.
House turned and looked at her in surprise. This wasn't the reaction he'd expected. Either he was slipping, or she really was learning how best to deal with him.
"Ooh, tough love. How after-school special," he snarked at her, and walked into his office, hoping to be alone.
"What's the problem, can't handle the physio?"
"It doesn't work."
"And you know that because?"
"Done it."
"Hmm. If I recall correctly from what Wilson told me, you went to one session, made the therapist cry and then walked out. Hardly what I'd call your best effort," Cameron said lightly, but with a purpose. She'd had an inspiration. House did not enjoy being told he'd given up on something because it was too hard for him. It was like admitting defeat, and that was not House.
"I bet you couldn't handle the real thing," Cameron said, goading him now. "Too old, maybe?" The look on his face made her afraid she'd gone too far, but she wasn't about to back down.
"Like you gave quitting smoking your best effort?" House retorted.
"Okay, fine. I'll quit smoking if you'll go to physio," Cameron offered. House raised an eyebrow.
"How long?" House asked, calculating.
"Three months," Cameron said. She'd secretly done a little investigating about this earlier, while waiting for the lab results on Foreman's brother. Even if his pain returned fully, and he was exactly where he'd been before the ketamine treatment, the physical therapy could help him. Three months was the minimum all the therapists she'd talked to had recommended.
"And if I make it through the three months?" House asked.
"How about a thousand dollars?" Cameron suggested. House stared her down. She wasn't kidding. "But, if you don't, I don't want your money." House paled. What did she want? Marriage, living together? "If you don't make it, I'm going to tell everyone in the hospital about your secret stash of country music, and how you seem to have a man-crush on Toby Keith."
A look of real horror and panic passed over House's face for a mere instant. Recovering, he remembered that he, too, had personal information he could use.
"Okay. If you can go three months without smoking, it's a thousand dollars. But if you don't, I'm telling everyone I know that your middle name is Henrietta," House said, grinning with the knowledge she hated that name.
"Deal," Cameron said, and extended her hand. House felt somehow that was a little too easy. He shook her hand, and she turned to leave. At the door, she turned back to him and smiled.
"I left a card on your desk, you have an appointment in physio at 10 tomorrow morning. Her name is Dianna, and she doesn't seem like the type who cries easily. See you for dinner." After giving him another self-satisfied smile, she walked off down the hall.
House looked on his desk, and did indeed see an appointment card on his desk, confirming his 10am physio appointment. She'd set him up. He looked from the card to the door and back again, before allowing himself a smirk. Yup, definitely learning, he thought.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chase found Foreman outside Marcus's room, watching as David and Johnna climbed into bed with their dad and snuggled into his sides. Nichelle stood at the foot of the bed, ready to remove the children if Marcus was in pain or uncomfortable. Foreman smiled sadly. He wanted that sort of life. Sighing, he entered the room to tell them the goods news.
"It's not Alzheimer's," Foreman said, without preamble. Marcus was a cut to the chase kind of guy.
"Oh, thank God," Nichelle cried, tears slipping down her cheeks. David looked concerned, but he seemed to understand his mother was crying happy tears.
"You have polyarteritis nodosa," Foreman explained. "It's basically a swelling of the blood vessels, it can be a complication of a virus. We think you had a urinary tract infection. That's what was causing you the stomach pains and making you sick. Then the virus caused the vascular problems. You'll have to start a steroid treatment, and you'll probably have to spend a few more days here, but you'll be okay."
Nichelle stepped around the bed and kissed Foreman on the cheek before pulling him into a tight hug. Foreman hesitated, but then hugged her back. It felt good to be a part of a family. Marcus smiled at him, and Foreman returned the gesture. It would take some time, but maybe he and his brother could finally start making amends.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
House sat on the couch in Cuddy's office, waiting. She'd paged him to meet her here, and then had left before he'd arrived. Her new secretary, a girl House swore could be no older than twelve, had told him to wait inside. He wondered if this had anything to do with Wilson, and hoped desperately she wasn't going to ask him for relationship advice. My God, he thought to himself, I can barely keep myself out of the doghouse for a day at a time, how could I possibly help anybody else?
Cuddy entered the room, and House noted her pallor. She walked quickly behind her desk and sat down, closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.
"I hear ginger snaps are good for morning sickness," House told her, and Cuddy's eyes flew open.
"How did you know?" she asked, not even bothering to deny it.
"I know everything," House said simply. He wasn't about to get in the middle of whatever was going on between her and Wilson.
"He knows, doesn't he?" Cuddy asked resignedly. She already knew the answer. Of course, he knew; he was a doctor and the signs were pretty hard to miss. House merely nodded. Cuddy nodded back at him. She knew she needed to talk to Wilson, but wasn't really sure what to say. She shook her head clear of these thoughts; she needed to sort this out and she wasn't going to do it with House staring at her.
"So, Dr. House," Cuddy said, putting on her 'Dean of Medicine' voice, "the hospital board has reviewed your treatment records, and are favorably impressed. However, the incident with Dr. Cameron caused some concerns that the board is not entirely convinced have been resolved."
House looked at Cuddy with disgust, and a slowly growing anger. She seemed to know what he was thinking without his having to say it. He opened his mouth, and Cuddy could see by his expression he was about to blow. While she thought it might be fun to see House get all flustered about his new relationship with the immunologist, she decided she was really to tired to listen to his tirade.
"The other incident with Dr. Cameron, when you had the polio case," Cuddy explained gently. House's face fell. Of course that would be what they were concerned about. And they weren't wrong. He tried very hard not to think about hitting Cameron; he didn't exactly appreciate the board's reminder.
"The board would like, and when I say they'd like I mean they will require, that you continue to see Dr. Quigley for another six months. During that time, you will submit to a drug test on a monthly basis. At the end of the six month period, if all goes well, you'll be free and clear," Cuddy hoped he'd be reasonable at least about this.
"Fine," House agreed quickly. Drug tests were no problem. And now that he had a girlfriend, he cringed a little inside, he could probably use Quig for some advice.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
House sat at the piano, playing a quiet, classical piece. He was feeling a bit nervous about his physio appointment in the morning, and the music helped him relax. His leg hurt, but it had hurt worse before. He knew the physio would help, but he also knew it would hurt like hell while he was doing it. He wouldn't have the Vicodin to fall back on this time, and he was afraid.
He heard a knocking on the door, and he called a 'come in' to the person on the other side. He'd been expecting Cameron, so he was surprised to see Wilson come through the door. House looked at his watch, where was Cameron anyway?
"I heard you're staring physio tomorrow," Wilson said by way of a hello. House rolled his eyes.
"And how did you hear that?" House asked, as if he didn't know. Cameron and Wilson had become quite chummy of late, and House feared this would not bode well for him. There were quite a few things he would prefer Cameron not know about him, and Wilson wasn't exactly the greatest at keeping a secret.
"Not how you think," Wilson replied. "A young physical therapist named Dianna stopped by my office today, and asked me if you were really as scary as she'd heard. I, of course, played you up to be a complete ogre." Wilson eyes twinkled.
"Scare her off?" House asked, almost hopefully.
"No," Wilson replied, with evident glee. "In fact, she was pleased. She said she'd been hoping for a really challenging case since she got to the hospital, and it looks like you're going to be it." Wilson was really enjoying this. He knew House didn't want to do the physio, but he also knew he needed it. He'd heard about the bet with Cameron, of course, but just for good measure. "She told me the rest of the therapists are already taking bets on how long before you make her cry." House looked unimpressed, he'd expected that. "They're also placing bets on how soon you'll quit." Wilson just let that hang there.
"What are the odds of me making it through the whole three months?"
"I believe right now it's five to one against," Wilson said, trying with all his might to keep his voice level. In fact, it had been Wilson, Cameron and Cuddy who'd offered the five to one odds. And they would gladly pay it all out if it meant House finished the three months. House didn't reply, just tucked the info into the back of his mind. He'd have to see a nurse about placing a bet.
"So, not home with the new mommy tonight?" House asked. Wilson made a face.
"She wants to be alone," Wilson said. "Probably trying to decide how to tell me the baby she won't admit she's carrying may not be mine. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, I'll admit." He tried to act as though he didn't care, but of course he did. He loved children, and had always wanted a child of his own. Now the idea that this child, who he already loved, wasn't his made his stomach sour.
A knock at the door saved House from having to make a caring comment. He shouted out another 'come in', and this time Cameron entered. Her eyes were red and puffy, tears still drying on her cheeks. She looked at Wilson, and nearly turned around and left. Wilson looked at House with a question, but House had no answer. He had no idea why Cameron was crying this time. Wilson stood to leave, placing a quick kiss on Cameron's cheek as he slipped out the door.
"Sorry I'm late," Cameron said, taking off her coat and hanging it on the rack beside the door. "You hungry?" she asked over her shoulder on her way past House and into the kitchen. House sat, unsure of what to do. Usually when Cameron was crying he'd torment her until she told him what was wrong or told him to take a flying leap. That approach didn't seem quite the thing for a boyfriend, he hated that term, so he was left uncertain.
Before he was forced to make a decision in favor of his many options, Cameron came back into the living room and sat on the couch next to him. She seemed calm enough, so House put his arm around her shoulders. Maybe a comforting touch was all she was really looking for.
"Can I ask you something?" Cameron said.
"Sure," House answered slowly. He held his breath, waiting for her to begin probing him about all the deep, dark secrets of his past.
"Are you going to keep seeing Dr. Quigley?" Cameron asked, squirming on the couch so she was facing him.
"For the next six months," House confirmed. "The board."
Cameron nodded, and fell quiet. House waited. That had certainly been out of nowhere, and it would be followed up with something else.
"Do you trust him?" Cameron asked, looking into his eyes.
"Yeah," House answered. He waited for her next question.
"Do you think he could recommend someone for me?"
"You mean, a shrink?" House asked, confused.
"No, a hair stylist. Of course, a shrink," Cameron retorted.
"Why do you need a shrink?" House asked bluntly. Subtly wasn't really his style, and he was worried that only a week into their new relationship, she was seeking mental help.
"I heard one of the nurses say that anybody who liked you needed their head examined, and it occurred to me she might be right," Cameron quipped. House smirked. "This whole baby thing; I haven't thought about it in a really long time. And now, I just want someone to talk to about it. Maybe finally get over it." Cameron shrugged. She was intentionally keeping her voice light and free of emotion.
"I'll take care of it," House told her, and she nodded her thanks. She snuggled into his side and sighed. House tightened his grip around her, and wished it was something he could fix for her.