Sorry, it took me longer then I thought, but here it is. Minor Cameron bashing, hope I don't offend anyone, I don't hate her, I just find her little crush amusing….anyway, enjoy!
He left her only to scrub up, not about to be kept in the waiting room like some grieving family member. He insisted it wasn't bone deep need to make sure she was okay, but simply suspicion of the surgeon's ability to care for her properly if he wasn't there to observe.
Hours later Cuddy was situated in the largest private room the hospital had to offer. The surgeon had found no internal organ damage. She had broken 3 of her ribs, her left arm was broken in three places, and fractured her humerous. They had taped and casted her up, and then put her in the room to sleep off the anesthetic.
He had paced back and forth for a while before settling into the chair beside her bed, taking her hand. He couldn't help the guilt that was eating at him, if he had just stayed with her, if he had been paying better attention, he could have stopped this. They could've been back in his bed by now, and instead they were here. How close she had come to death… it scared the shit out of him. The past 24 hours had been…life changing. It sounded cheesy even in its own mind but it was true. He was falling in love with her… hell he'd fallen for her long ago, but now he had her… he realized that he should never have let her go. His gut clenched when he considered that she could have died without him telling her, but there was nothing he could do about that.
He resolved to let her know at the nearest opportunity. He rubbed her hand gently with his thumb, bringing his lips to it briefly. She chose that moment to open her eyes.
Houses eyes were closed, and he held her hand firmly, his fingers weaved with hers. She squeezed his hand, and his head shot up to look at her. "Hey." She murmured softly. He heaved a relieved sigh, "Hey yourself. Didn't your parents teach you to look both ways before crossing the street?" She managed an eye roll, "How long have I been out? What happened?" He looked down at their joined hands, "You ran out in the street, and got clipped. You got lucky. You don't have any internal organ damage, just a couple broken bones. I…I couldn't reach you in time." He found himself unable to look back up, the guilt freezing him.
"Greg. This isn't your fault. Come on… I'm the idiot who ran out in the street." She raised their joined hands to his face, feeling his stubble tickle the back of her hand. With effort, he looked back to her face, "You could have died. And i…" He trailed off. "You did everything you could, and as far as I can tell, I'm not dead yet. Though I suppose it would prove Gods sense of humour to incapacitate me in a hospital bed for all eternity with you for my only company." That comment wrung a smile from his lips. "That would only happen if had died too, because the hell they would send me too would have to include you and I in a room together all alone, but with you incapacitated." She was pleased at her successful effort to draw him out of his mood.
Cameron paced back and forth anxiously in Houses office, while Chase worked on a crossword and Foreman read a medical journal. Back and forth she went, until finally she stopped suddenly in front of the conference table. "Should we tell him? I mean Cuddy's in the hospital, shouldn't he know?" Chase and Foreman exchanged a loaded glance before bursting into laughter. Her brows furrowed together, before Chase asked, "You don't know do you? House is with Cuddy. He was in the ambulance that brought her in." Cameron's shocked expression was nearly comical in its absurdity. There's no way… I have to see for myself. She strode purposefully from the room heading for Cuddy's room.
"You know you can leave whenever you want, right?" He stated abruptly. "As your attending I can sign the papers for your release right now if you so choose." Her eyebrows skyrocketed to her hairline. She hadn't known he'd done that. She was getting anxious, like all doctors, not wishing to be the patient for any period of time. Before she could reply he added, "But only on one condition…" She considered it for a moment, and then inclined her head, prompting him to continue. "Stay with me. Or I can stay at your house with you. I don't care either way, I just don't want you to be alone." Her initial shock at the request had stopped her from replying immediately, "Okay." His rambling halted abruptly. "okay? Just okay?" She laughed, wincing a bit when her ribs cried out in protest, "Okay you can stay with me. But we're staying in my house. You're apartment is a mess."
He furrowed his brow for a moment, then stared at her curiously," You don't want to know WHY I want to stay with you?" She rolled her eyes, and he continued, "You need someone there to help you around. To take care of you… and I'm a lot cheaper than hiring a nurse." He shook his head, "That's not really it. I want to take care of you, I want it to be me. Lisa I…" He was cut off as Cameron barged into the room.
He was instantly annoyed, and the soft tones he'd been using all day were replaced with a near snarl, "What do you want? I'm not taking any cases." Her eyes which had been flashing from Cuddy to House and their joined hands on the bed, widened at his harsh tone. "I… I just wanted to see if it was…never mind. " She turned a left the room as quickly as she had entered it. Her thoughts were buzzing, tinged green with envy. Chase wasn't lying… and it looks like their actually a…couple. She kept her head down as she headed down to the clinic, not wanting to deal with the teasing she would surely incur if she went back to Houses office. Well House needs to be happy. I hope it all works out with her…She sighed quietly…couldn't even lie to herself.
"Well… that was awkward." Cuddy mumbled. She was curious as to what House was going to say, and surprised by his gruff attitude with Cameron. He furrowed his brow, "Yeah…" His expression smoothed out, transforming into an almost excited grin, "You ready to go?" She flashed him a smile, "Here I thought you'd never ask."
Her stomach fluttered, not with pain, but from happiness. House actually wanted to stay with her, be the man she always knew was there, gagged by the rough cantankerous exterior. The miserable vindictive ass had melted away with the pain, revealing this man. This man who cradled her gently as he could in his arms as he lowered her into her wheelchair, before pressing a soft kiss to her mouth, ignoring the startled gasp of the nurse at the door. "Doctor Cuddy. You're leaving?" House stepped behind the wheelchair and started pushing out the door, "Isn't that what people do? They come to the hospital to be fixed up and then go. Or do people usually stick around these days?" Cuddy stifled a chuckle, changes and all, he was still an ass, and she was secretly glad he had retained his trademark sarcasm and sharp wit. "Doctor House will be keeping an eye on me. I'll be well looked after."
He stuck his tongue out at the nurse as he breezed by her, a warm feeling radiating through his body, starting in his heart. She's not hiding that we're a couple now. How does this feel so good? Probably because you love her you idiot. If Cameron had only stayed away…He stifled his irritation at his employee. There would always be plenty of opportunities. His thoughts turned dark, that's what you thought before, and now look at her, she had nearly died. Just man up and do it already. He harrumphed to himself, and then took a deep steadying breath.
They passed through the front doors into bright New Jersey sunshine. She closed her eyes and sighed happily, ignoring the pain in her side. Suddenly she wanted to run, and was saddened deeply by the heavy cast around her left leg. House pushed them to her car, which he had asked, well more like told, Wilson to retrieve. He sent up a silent thanks when it came time for him to carefully place her in the passenger seat, doing his best not to hurt her.
Finally situated in her seat, she looked up at him, her sparkling grey eyes meeting his crystal blues, and unleashed a smile that cut right through him to wrap around his heart. Without thinking, without planning, he blurted out, "I love you." Her eyes widened, and her smile somehow grew brighter, "I know."
Phew… that chapter kinda ran away with me…. The end is probably waay ooc, but I don't care. Hope you enjoyed, maybe leave a review on your way out? It gives this poor writer fresh life. Thanks for reading and special thanks to everyone who's added this to their favorites/ alerts, and the lovely reviews.