CH. 6
Cuddy watched in silence as the EMTs tended to House, laying him on the gurney, giving him oxygen, and treating his gunshot wound.
Choking back more tears that were threatening to fall, Cuddy instructed, "Take him to Princeton-Plainsboro. I'm the Dean of Medicine there, and he is our Diagnostician."
The EMTs complied and loaded House into the ambulance. Without a second thought, Cuddy jumped into the back with House and reached for his hand. The EMT monitoring House shot Cuddy a puzzling look, but Cuddy didn't care. She smirked, knowing what the hospital already thought about her and House. Looking down at her diagnostician, Cuddy shook her head. What an ass. She rolled her eyes. No doubt he started half those rumors.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
House was flat lining.
Oh god. NO! Cuddy met the eyes of the EMT who was already charging the paddles.
"Clear!"
Nothing.
"Clear!"
Cuddy now held his hand in both of hers and brought it to her face.
"Come on House. Stay with me. Don't leave, not yet. You haven't even commented on my outfit today, or the fact that I yet again made a horrible choice in who to date. Please. Come back." She kissed his hand and then lowered it as tears began to streak her face.
The flat line was still steady. Cuddy watched and prayed for a miracle.
"Clear!"
A pulse.
"He's back."
Cuddy let out a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding and gave a faint smile.
"I knew you wouldn't pass up the opportunity to mock me," her smile grew as she pushed his hair from his face. Her next thought, however, eradicated her smile as she reached for her cell phone.
"Wilson, get an OR ready. House has been shot. Prepare Ketamine as well. We'll be there within the next five minutes."
Putting her cell away, Cuddy replaced her hand in his. Please House, stay with me. There is so much we need to talk about, so many truths that need to be told. This will work. WE will work, because I… I love you. Please don't leave me. Not now. Not ever.
The ambulance began to slow down.
"We're here."
"Dr. Wilson has an OR prepped and ready to go. Thank you, we'll take it from here."
Wilson met the ambulance, along with House's team.
"OR 5 is ready and waiting. Chase will remove the bullet and Foreman and I will administer the Ketamine. I also think that we should put him on rapid detox."
Listening to Wilson's plan, a weight lifted from Cuddy's shoulders. She nodded.
"Thanks Wilson."
Cameron and Wilson took the gurney and headed toward the OR.
"Where are you going?" Wilson asked noticing that Cuddy was right behind them.
"I'm going to scrub in. I should be there Wilson."
"No, you should be in your office, fixing yourself up and calming down. You need to unwind. You can check on him after his surgery."
"Wils-"
"Cuddy, you won't be doing him any good in there. You're upset, you're emotionally invested and a gasp or sound from you will have Chase second-guessing. Please go and relax. I'll come and get you when we're finished and he's in recovery."
Cuddy just nodded, taking one last look at House before heading straight to her office and locking the door. She closed the blinds and dimmed the lights. Removing her shoes, she sunk into her couch and brought her knees to her chest. Please let him be okay. Please let him get thought this. Please just let him be okay. She buried her face as sobs began to rack her body. After a few minutes she managed to calm herself. Wiping her face clean of tears, she looked at her closet. Inside her closet she had a sweater and slacks, still professional looking, but way more comfortable than the current power suit she had on. Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she willed herself up off the couch and across to her closet. Taking the bag into the bathroom, she changed. Looking at herself in the mirror, she washed her face and fixed her makeup. Her hair was down in soft curls that barely reached her shoulders, and her bangs had been swept to the side earlier, and frankly she didn't feel like fixing them. Checking her watch, she noted that it had been a little over an hour with no word from Wilson one way or another. I should be there. I need to be there. Before she knew it, Cuddy was making her way to the observation room.
"Fixed internal bleeding, but his lung has been punctured due to the bullet, which seems to have ricocheted off his rib. We need a chest tube, stat!"
Cuddy watched unable to move or think. His lung collapsed. Lisa, that's an easy fix. He's going to be fine.
"We're losing him!"
House was going into cardiac arrest. Cuddy was paralyzed. Please. No. NO!
"Starting cardiac massage." Chase, Wilson, and Foreman glued their eyes to the heart monitor.
Come on House! Come on! Cuddy could feel her eyes watering.
"His temperature is increasing we need to get some cold blankets to keep his brain from overheating." Within the next minute Cameron brought in the blankets and was helping stabilize House.
"Heart beat is back to normal. Now removing bullet."
As Chase placed the bullet on the metal tray, Wilson looked up to find Cuddy in the observation room. Giving her a disapproving look, Cuddy met his stare and jutted her chin out as she tilted her head back. No way in hell am I leaving, Wilson.
Wilson shook his head, but brought his attention back to his best friend, who was lying open on the operation table. Chase stitched House up and inserted his chest tube. House's temperature was back down and his lung should heal rather nicely. Wilson and Foreman started the Ketamine treatment and Cuddy made her way down to the doors of the OR. Wilson met her and began walking her to her office, when Cuddy changed their direction and before either of them knew it, they were standing outside House's office. They stood at the doorway, not moving, just looking in.
"He's going to be fine. You saw it, he pulled through the surgery and we were able to start him on the Ketamine. He's going to be fine, great even, if the Ketamine sticks." He placed a hand on her shoulder.
Cuddy nodded then shook her head.
"That was the second time I almost lost him, Wilson. He flat lined in the ambulance and it took them three tries to bring him back. Watching the surgery, I was paralyzed. He was almost gone for good. His temperature shot up, and his brain could've been fried. What if the bullet had pierced something else instead of just his lung?"
"It didn't and he's alive and well. Soon to be in recovery. Cuddy, he's okay."
Cuddy nodded as she fought back tears.
"Thanks, Wilson."
And with that, she walked into House's office and sat down in his chair and began playing with his oversized tennis ball. Oh House, what am I going to do with you?
She must've dozed off, because it was well past eight o'clock when she looked at her watch. She put the tennis ball back in its place, before looking at it a minute and then picking it back up. Surely he wouldn't be missing this in recovery.
Cuddy slipped quietly into his room and closed the door. Walking to his bed, she sat on the edge and put a hand to his face. He looked so peaceful in his sleep. He didn't look miserable or unhappy, he looked calm. Cuddy smiled at him as she absentmindedly stroked his stubble. Her hand froze and her heart fluttered when she thought she felt him lean into her touch.
"I'm here, House. I'm not leaving. I'm right here."
She let her hand linger for a moment longer before she got up and slid the chair as close to his bedside as she could. Grabbing an extra blanket, she curled up in the chair, her left hand in his.
AmeChi wanted Cuddy to suffer after Bombshells, and I was all for that... mwahahahaha. So, we hope that you approved of this chapter ;)
Thanks for staying tuned! :D R&R
