Ok I left you guys for a little longer than I intended but my weeks back at uni have been a bit manic…and I'm now ill…icky lol!! But I'm back…but sadly not with a happy chapter, this might be a bit hard for some of you to stomach but I did my best to make it work without making it impossible to read. It even made me sad writing it :(. But Things will get better I promise…just focus on the fact there will be a happy ending and it will get you through!!!
Thanks guys!!
(((hugs)))
Scarlett
Reviewers: -
sinister scribe:- Don't u worry he will get what's coming to him!!! Lol!!! Woo for the cliffies….as you know and have told me many times…I'm evil :P.(but you love me for it) xx
HouseAddiction:- lol thanks…I was trying to make up for the chapter before that which wasn't too good. So I'm pleased you liked this one. I left it there because I'm a meany lol! (and proud of it :D)
Shikabane-Mai:- yes I can -giggles- I couldn't resist. It was such a happy chappie I had to leave it on a torturing note….but I didn't want to leave you for too long, I'm not that cruel lol! Thank you so much for your compliments they mean so much…and always make me feel good about my writing which is really nice :).
Metaphoric.Love: gasp indeed he does lol!
Nigcy353:- lol Yes he has locked the door, house has no way in. Cuddy and the bad man are alone in her office…what could his intentions be??...read on to find out (I sound like an advert lol.) I hope it is all those things you say my writing is :). Sorry I didn't answer your prayers…Ii updated as fast as I could…uni drowned me within the first few weeks and I'm now suffering with fresher's flu…and I'm a second year…grumbles.
TammySMS:- lol here's your new chapter…I'm so happy you find house and cuddy so real because that's what I'm aiming for…its quite difficult…because it's an emotional fic…with house…those things don't go well together lol!
Mixy:- lmao the punisher…that title will always suit you!! Me…a tease…never! -looks innocent-Lol! I chose to dangle the chappie…up until now :D…tada…here it is!
house's phoenix:- your very welcome lol! Thank you to you too :)
GAddisonFan123: lol all I'm getting told is that I'm a meanie and a tease…Is it a bad thing that, that makes me smile? Hehehe….evil me leaving everyone hanging!! I'm pleased the last chappie worked and what I was trying to do was clear…I wanted some huddy in it, and I felt it was just the right time!! And that for me, is part of who house is,- doing something to make people face up to things. Thanks you for your review :).
Inuvit:- woah the whole fic…I'm flattered. When stories get to this stage normally new people don't bother to read them because there seems to be so much! I'm trying to update this one as fast as I can…because I left it a little last year and I refuse to do the same this year of uni…I need to learn to juggle better:) you think its well written?? smiles thank you! And yeah I agree there are lots of stories on this subject but nearly always ham not huddy….so I decided to see what would happen if this happened to a strong woman
J Lesley:- Alive??? Oh dam it lol…(j/k)…I wouldn't kill of my characters…I'm not that cruel…as I keep saying (to keep peoples spirits up) there will be a happy happy ending!! I promise!!
wheretobe:- The baby was what I thought cuddy would do, in her situation I think she would, besides with her guilt complex I don't think she could cope with getting rid of it. YAY you love it :D. and don't worry stuff will continue to develop between house and cuddy!!
Nocus99In :- woo intensity :D….and yay for you liking the way I write them lol! That means a lot because I work so hard to keep them in character…it gets so frustrating sometimes. There's always going to be more Huddy….it is a huddy loving fic after all lol! And it actually took me a long while to decide how I was going to bring 'the bastard' back and what to do with him when I did. I'm so happy the last part of the chapter worked out well, I try so hard to get the suspense write, testing a load of different words and punctuation to get the tone of the whole thing and inject the correct sense of emotion. Thank you so much :).
gabiroba :- lol sorry, it was such a happy chappie up until the last little bit. Like a peak in a roller coaster and we are on our way down, but don't you worry…we'll go up again soon I promise!! Omg…you think I'm cruel too!! Lol…people really don't have a high opinion of me now hehe!
tricks-meuler:- ooo another new reader :). Lol it was a big cliffy to end up on!! But yay you like it!! And yep more hudylicious stuff to come!! Got to resolve certain things first though.
Jorje:- wooo you're going mental……wait…that's not a good thing is it lol! Here's and update…so your sanity stays in tact!!
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Eternal Bleeding
She tried to calm herself before turning, taking deep breaths before she returned to work, dragging her controlled aura over her mind, then spinning on her heel to face the entrant into her office.
She froze for a moment, his eyes staring straight into hers, dark and empty, as though soulless. A shudder wracked through her, body shaking, the chill emanating through it. She shook it off in a moments notice, blaming her heightened senses on House's previous presence and trying to force all emotions to the back of her mind, get her head under control.
She walked to her desk, palms pressing into the surface, bringing her head back up.
'How can I help you?' Her voice was calmer than she thought, not giving anything away, and yet the man's eyes seemed to flicker, as though something deeper was going on. She waited, being unnerved by the brief pause, muscles tensing as the silence strung out. Then he spoke; his voice emotionless and monotone.
'No, you've done enough.'.
She frowned, unknowing of the meaning behind the words or who he was.
'I'm sorry.'
'You should be.'
She shook her head slowly trying to gather some understanding from the bizarre conversation that was taking place, 'I'm sorry, have we met?'
A smile spread over the man's face, but it was nasty, leaving his eyes empty, more like a leer than anything else.
'We're quite closely acquainted, although you're more likely to remember my wife, she was a patient of yours.'
She nodded slowly, an idea rooting itself in her brain, believing this just to be another grieving man come to take out his sorrow on her over the loss of his loved one. 'When did she pass away?'
Anger flashed over the man's face, 'she didn't, much to my regret.'
Cuddy's mouth opened slightly, the mist of confusion coating her once more, 'I'm sorry.' How many times had she said those words? Every time she thought she'd managed to grasp some idea of where this conversation was heading it slipped through her fingers.
'The little bitch didn't die, thanks to you,'
She swallowed, stepping back from her desk, feeling incredibly vulnerable, knowing that the big block of wood in front of her was not a form of defence against this man. She wanted to run, do something so she wasn't alone in the room with him. His eyes were manic, becoming darker and more enraged as the minutes passed. Taking deep breaths she tried to remain calm, all she could think was to keep him talking, try and understand what was going on and diffuse the situation as best she could.
'The whore deserved to die, all my hard work trying to rid the world of the little cheat and you cure it all. She's now off living her life on another continent, far beyond my reach, all smiles; while I'm left alone in this shitty little place, with nothing but anger and hate. So rather than sit and wallow in my house just thinking about the revenge I'd never have, I decided to act on the anger and hurt the next best thing….you.' His eyes scanned over her, making her body burn, his stare so hard she felt naked beneath it, 'your body was as gorgeous as I thought it would be splayed out beneath me, entirely at my mercy. You're very tight by the way.'
She felt like a forty ton truck had hit her, the air leaving her lungs. Those few crude words, causing bile to rise in her throat as the identity of this man became clear. She tried to speak, say something through the shock; fear barely seeping in, her body seeming numb due to the emotional overload on her brain. 'It was you.'
He smiled, 'I wished I'd left you conscious, listened to your little cries of pain and desperation, but I had to knock you out while I had my way with your body. Better for both of us really, you weren't awake for the ordeal of having me in you, and you didn't see my face, if you had it would have made following you after I'd attacked increasingly difficult, as it happens I've been in the clinic almost everyday since.'
She had to get out. The walls seemed to be closing in on her, her head hammering as each memory hit her, a face now on the man who had lived so long in her nightmares. She bolted forwards, not thinking, her only aim to get to the door. She didn't make it, her body struggling uselessly as the man's arms wrapped round her, dragging her away from her only escape.
………………………
House tried to listen; his back was arched as his ear pressed against the door. But the wood was too solid, only whispers and tones leaking through, and with the added distraction of Cuddy's new assistant squawking behind him telling him to leave He had no chance of discerning whether she was in danger or it was just his raw unstable emotions playing havoc with his head.
He needed to get in, create his usual disturbance, come up with some sort of excuse to enter; it didn't have to be a good one.
He slipped his hand into his pocket fruitlessly hunting around for the keys that normally lived there. But there was nothing, his nails scraping at the empty material, no cold metal falling into his fingers.
'Shit.'
He'd left them upstairs, he turned, eyeing up the nurses and doctors milling around.
'Any chance anyone's got a spare key to the Dean's office. I don't care why, whether, it's needed for work, for spying or just for secret evening visits? I just need it.'
The reactions were a mix of glares, frowns and complete disregard for what House was saying. In their minds it was House causing problems for Cuddy yet again, focusing all his antics on her. No matter what he tried to convince them he knew he couldn't fight against their opinions of him, knowing them to be set in concrete. He leant forward once more, bringing his eye level with the key hole trying to see something, anything to indicate whether his concerns were founded in some form of fact.
He could barely see a thing, each blink blocking out any image his eye had managed to form. He forced his eyes to stay open, trying to draw as much information from the key shaped puzzle piece image he had of Cuddy's office. He could see a fraction of the man's back, his fist clenched. Cuddy's body was obviously off in the distance, at least one hand braced against the desk.
He retreated, the single effort of trying to hear something still in vain. Each word was fragmented, the buzz of the clinic breaking the sentences each time.
'Dr House, if you wait for an hour or so I'm sure Dr Cuddy would be happy to see you after her meeting'
The assistant's sickly voice broke his focus, drowning out any other chance of dragging something from the conversation within those four walls.
He turned to the woman, for once his snark leaving him, not wishing to lash out; all he could feel was panic. He didn't know where this protective attitude was rearing its head in from, but he chose to let it lead. No matter how much he tried to hide it the woman within that room mattered to him.
His brain was working overtime, trying to come up with some form of contact. The idea suddenly hit him, the wave of revelation washing over him as he scrambled for his pager ripping it from his hip. His fingers fumbled with the buttons quickly typing out his message, barely readable from all the mistakes, but something that would definitely get a reply. Cuddy didn't leave any page unanswered; even his, because she just couldn't risk the life of a patient on the fact that he might be winding her up once again.
Better to be safe than sorry.
And for once he was following that rule. He pressed the send button. Feeling the minutes crawl by desperately waiting for a response, some sign of life, something just to say she was ok. She'd only just built herself back up; he wasn't going to let something shatter her once more.
Suddenly he heard a bang, barely noticeable if his ears hadn't been tuned into the sounds from within the office.
His heart stopped, mind focused on his aim, nothing else entering his attention. A piece of wood separated him from the one thing he needed to protect, but with the lock she might as well have been on the other side of the world for all he could do.
He felt the frustration building, wishing he could bang down the door, and knowing it was useless. A healthy man couldn't do that, let alone a limper.
Whirling around he scanned the crowd once more, knowing any words uttered from his mouth wouldn't be believed and for the first time in his life he felt remorse for what he'd done. He never minded what was inflicted upon him from his actions, but this time the consequences weren't for him, but for someone else.
The fracture in his armour had been found, and the world was currently centring in on it preparing for the final blow.
He hobbled away, knowing he had only one option of getting into that room, and they were currently three floors up lying in his draw. He ignored the frown of confusion crossing the secretaries face as he hurried passed, no jibes shooting from his mouth.
'Dr House?'
She tried to halt him, call him back; curiosity obviously over ruling her self preservation. Only the dim ones would poke an animal because they were curious why it didn't bite. But he still felt nothing, his original instincts buried beneath a wall of fear. He hurried forward, already feeling the seconds slip through his fingers. He had to get in there and fast.
He jabbed at the lift button, forcing his way to the front, hitting ankles to make people move out the way, voices crying out in protest but he didn't care, it was nothing new.
He looked up; the lifts seemed to remain at the same level, as though deliberately remaining slow, another dam in his way.
All his emotions were mingling, anger and frustration, fear and panic. His body wasn't used to this level of turmoil; the life in the balance wasn't normally one he was worried about, and the fact that he now did scared the shit out of him.
…………………
The air was squeezed from her lungs, his arms so tight, muscles constricting as he wrapped them round her frame. She was wriggling and kicking with all her might but he was just too strong.
She felt the pager vibrate at her hip. The only chance she had left, her fingers fumbling, trying to get it into her grasp without alerting him to her actions, attracting his attention. She desperately needed some form of contact with the outside world, some way to alert the people beyond those walls that she was in danger.
She failed, his elbow jogging her, her pager flying through the air, help now lying a meter away in full view of her tormentor.
She tried to scream, but the moment a single note left her lips his hand crashed down over them, not even leaving enough room for the air to breath. She could feel the world evaporating, slowly dissolving before her eyes, limbs tired; her body weak. She didn't know what to do, she just had to get away, free herself from the scent of him that was engulfing her, like an old enemy, back with a bitter sting.
In a moment of panic, she sunk her teeth into his hand, tearing at his skin. Her natural instincts had taken over, only the need for survival pumping through her veins. Her mind long gone, fleeing due to fear leaving nothing but sheer desperation, and actions without thought of consequence.
She heard his voice cry out, expletives she couldn't decipher, the world whirling before her eyes as her body was spun round. The relief, of being able to breath, was short lived. As her senses returned she felt the sting across her cheek, the force behind it sending her flying. Her whole frame crashed into her desk, the corner piercing into her abdomen, searing pain racing through her body as she fell to the ground.
She could feel each ache, marks peppering her skin, hidden bruises that would blossom over time. She tried to put up some defence as he approached her, staring down at her broken frame crumpled on the floor, exhausted from the struggle, pain, making even the smallest movements agony, hammering through her stomach making her want to scream out.
She felt him hover, lifting his foot up, her body bracing itself for the attack. Instead it was brought down inches away from her, her reactions on high alert, jolting in surprise. Bits of plastic flew all over the room, scratching her skin, now all that was left of her pager, shattered beneath his boot.
He stopped, the shadow of his body looming over her vanishing. She fought to open her eyes, the image taking a while to come into focus, her brain slow under powered, suffocating through pain and exhaustion.
She couldn't move; gasping for breath. Her body too tired to fight; her voice quiet and empty, no energy to power it left inside her. Only her determination forced her forward, limbs shaking as they took her weight once more, hands braced against the desk as she pulled herself to her feet, her piercing blue eyes facing the man who had caused her so much pain.
'Does it hurt?'
She glared at him, incapable of forming a sentence trying to cling onto to her last ounce of energy.
He smiled, a sickening grin, like an animal feasting on its pray, the first time any joy had reached his eyes; satisfaction from watching her crumble.
The pain in her stomach still drilled through her, little bolts of fire burning her insides with every shock. She tried not to let the agony show on her face, refusing to let this man get anymore from her than he already had.
'Do you want to know why I came here?'
He started pacing, his eyes roving around the room, manic, crazy. She remained clinging onto her desk, the only support she had keeping her standing, her legs long since failed.
'I came because you were happy.' Her face remained blank and emotionless, allowing his words to wash over her, penetrate the haze that was slowly descending. 'I've been watching you for the passed months; enjoying seeing your shattered spirit wander round these halls. A broken image of the women that once was. It made me proud to know I'd done that, revenge was mine, revenge without consequence. And yet my joy didn't last long.'
She continued to stare at him, focusing on her breathing, refusing to give in to the blackness that was threatening to consume her, slowly fogging her vision.
'That man kept hobbling around after you everywhere, constantly by your side. And while that angered me it was nothing to what I discovered later in the week. I come in one day, watching you rush by in you usual manner. But you seemed different. Your eyes alight with life, an image in which made me determined to find out why. And destroy it.'
His words sunk in, triggering something dormant, her body desperately trying to understand, gather some meaning. Remove her happiness; destroy it. She felt the stabbing pain hit her once more, her nails sinking into the skin of her stomach, a reflex reaction, holding back a cry. Her hand slid lower, curving protectively over the space in which the life within her inhabited. Fear growing, no longer just for her own life, but also the one growing inside.
He wasn't looking at her, feet following the same rout back and forth across her carpet, like a caged animal.
'I lingered, I followed, I watched. And only a week later do I stumble upon the truth. There was me thinking you were only entering the baby clinic for work, but my discovery meant I was very much mistaken.'
She could sense his anger building with each word, his body becoming tenser, his pace becoming faster. Fists clenched by his side.'
'And then, there was the other factor. The man that seems to bring a sparkle back into your gaze, the look I had believed I had killed, turned out to be only postponed. You started to move on.' He turned to look at her, his voice becoming lower sending a chill through her aching frame.
'But you can't, because I won't let you.'
She saw him hover, halting, his whole body quivering with rage. The madness overwhelming his mind, eyes focused on one point, as though there was something only he could see.
His fist hit the wall, the bang echoing out round the room, making Cuddy jump, her whole frame quivering, crouched in pain.
'Watching that man with his hands on you, you encouraging it, dragging him forward like the little whore you are.'
She could feel her body slipping, her head falling forward, no longer having the energy to fight against the pain which was now a constant ball of agony writhing within her.
'So, I made up my mind, to get rid of the all things you hold dear. Remove everything in your life that makes you happy. One by one.'
She lifted her head once more, tears streaming down her cheeks knowing she could do nothing. Her helplessness overwhelming her, her body no longer able to hold anything back.
He was advancing on her, fists raised. She couldn't move, there was nothing left, her body totally drained. She felt numb, all emotions abandoning her as she saw him get closer with every second, murder in his eyes. The dark orbs staring at her with hunger and pain. She couldn't escape. He was going to hurt everything she had, everything that filled her life with meaning and love.
And there was nothing she could do about it.
……………………
House scrambled in his draw, rummaging around; feeling the relief when his fingers finally located the cool metal keys. He whipped them out stuffing them in his pocket as he hurried out of his office, not even worrying to clear the mess he'd left behind, papers scattered all over the floor from his hunt.
He'd wasted precious time, delayed by everything and everyone, doctors, nurses and patients hobbling in his way, forcing him to exercise restraint and not knock everything out of his way in panic.
He darted down the hall, feeling the pain in his thigh from the strain of his speed. His desperation to check that Cuddy was ok forcing his body to work beyond its limit; meaning he placed more pressure than he should on his leg.
He slid round the corner, flinging himself through the lift doors, hurriedly pressing the button. He pressed it a few times in empty hope it would hurry. In the confines of the metal box his mind ran away with him, imagining all kinds of things, the many horrors of what could be happening to her.
He'd stopped doubting himself, trusting his instincts, the ones which were almost always right. He wasn't one to second guess himself, and he refused to start now. He knew the only way he could be happy she was ok was to see it for himself. Find out whether the invader really was the parasite who'd sucked the life from her or just an ugly but innocent being.
His thoughts where quickly stalled as he walked out into the lobby. People were milling around outside Cuddy's office, the air buzzing with mumbles, many faces boring an expression of wide eyed confusion and curiosity. He hobbled over, forcing his way to the front. He approached the secretary, who was now hovering at the front of the crowd. Staring at the door in a fearful manner as though unsure as to what to do.
'What's going on?'
She turned to him, her voice panicked, for once not caring who he was.
'We heard noises, bangs, raised voices. I didn't know whether to raise the alarm or not.' She faltered under his glare, 'security has been sent for now.'
He pushed her out the way, 'well security is taking too long.'
He rammed the key in the lock; a sense of relief flooding him when he heard it click open, quickly followed by worry at what he might find on the other side.
There was only one way to know for sure.
He flung the door wide, hurrying in, his eyes assessing the situation faster than he thought possible. Cuddy crumpled on the floor, while a man loomed over her, ready to strike. He rushed forward without thinking, his only aim to prevent him from hurting her anymore than he had.
The man turned round, eyes wide, blazing with anger, immediately raising his fists towards House, preparing to swing but House was to fast. Thinking on his feet he dragged his cane up, hurling it round to come crashing into the back of the man's skull, the force throwing the man of his feet. House almost toppled, his hand steadying himself as he watched the rapist head crack into the edge of the door, the momentum forcing his body backwards, hitting the back of his head on the corner of the table, a sickening crack echoing out into the room.
The man's eyes were wide, stunned, he wasn't dead, his chest still rising with every poisonous breath. House was about to approach him; check everything was safe when a weak voice halted him in his tracks.
'House'
He turned, the fear of what he was about to see, suspended in time, moving so slow it felt as though he was walking through water. His eyes fell upon her, the woman he wanted to protect, lying damaged on the floor at his feet. Her eyes were wide and frightened, body shaking, tears streaming down her face. He let his eyes fall, stomach contracting as his gaze took in the sight of her stained finger tips, the stream of blood trickling down her thigh.
She looked up at him, lost, her eyes screaming out at him to help. But he couldn't, body frozen, unable to wrench his gaze away, for the first time in his life winded by what he saw.
There was nothing he could do to prevent it, no time, no knowledge, no cure. A knife ripped through him, the pain in her eyes like a dagger. He was standing over her, unable to turn away, his eyes never leaving her face; something dying inside as he knew he could do nothing to stem the sobs that wracked her frame as she watched helplessly, as the little life within her, pooled at her feet.
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Thanks for reading it, I know this one was sad, but stuff will get better. It's a general upward coaster now!! So remain positive and some happy chappies will arrive soon!! With lots of huddylicious stuff going on! Let me know what you think of this one though, it was hard to write, and made me quite depressed…so press that button and make me smile lol! ((hugs))