Chapter Two

Turning Away

Thanks to HOUSEM.D. FanForever, mj0621, BlkDiamond, PJo4ever, starstacey, Boys Don't Cry, addicted2coffee, DrusillaBraun, thevigilante15, RHSecretLove, DemonDaughter, HouseAddiction, girlwithwingsoffire, and house addict for their reviews! Thanks!

Sergeant, Wilson liked Cuddy ever since Finding Judas and for the sake of drama. Also I think these three are like the three musketeers and since Cuddy is the only girl, it makes sense that they both want her.

Disclaimer: I own nothing and I make no money off of this. If I did, then I would be writing a whole lot more often, but sadly it doesn't pay the bills.

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To Wilson, this could not go on. It was the second night in a row that he had found House hunkered over the toilet expelling everything that had entered his system since the fateful night that Cuddy had left. Wilson hated the situation, but hated House's way of dealing even more. He knew he had to call in a favor, one he knew would lead to nothing but pain for more than one party.

House was dozing as Wilson slipped out, pulling out his cell phone and dialing a number that only he knew.

A click as the phone as picked up.

"Cuddy." A crisp female voice broke the silence.

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She had dreaded the call from Wilson, knowing that sooner or later it would arrive. She tucked the phone under her ear as she placed a gurgling baby into her crib.

"What do you need Wilson?" she asked, using his last name out of habit, before she even realized it.

"It's House. He's ODed two nights in a row." Wilson said, sounding completely exhausted. "I don't know if it's by accident or if he's trying to kill himself, but he's been going downhill fast ever since you left and I can't pick him up."

"Wilson…" Cuddy started softly. "I can't."

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Wilson almost hit the door in frustration. As much as he didn't want to care about House, he sort of did. The limping idiot was his best friend and Cuddy's pleading was still solid in his mind, even though at the moment, Cuddy seemed to care less.

"Lisa, Cameron's been trying to get him back on his feet and it's not working. He handles cases as if they were a bother and they don't interest him anymore. He's been suspended for going back behind the new Dean's authority and did I mention? HE'S OVERDOSE TWICE WITHIN A PERIOD OF 48 HOURS!" Wilson exclaimed.

A silence followed his outburst then broken by a child's wail. He could hear Cuddy softly try to comfort her daughter with gentle words of comfort and a few insults about stupid men thrown into it, almost making him smirk. Obviously Cuddy was teaching her child how to live in a man's world early on in life.

"Cuddy please. I mean are you the same person that left? The Lisa Cuddy I knew would never let her friend suffer this way." He said. "Come back just for a little while. Just for a few days…it might…"

Cuddy cut him off, firmly, briskly, and with a touch of regret. "I can't Wilson. As much as I care about him, as much as I still try to save his ass out of habit, I can't this time around. I'm still me but this situation is completely different."

Before he could inject another word, she was finishing up what she had to say.

"It isn't about me or him anymore. It's Jesse. I can't just pick up and leave, not with a baby in the house. I'm sorry Wilson, take care of him as best as you know how, but I can't be there."

With that, the call was over. Wilson started at his cell phone for a moment before walking back into House's apartment, finding him awake and staring at the oncologist.

"Girlfriend?" House asked sarcastically.

Wilson didn't answer though his mind murmured, I wish.

He threw House a duffel bag. "Get packed. We're going on vacation, away from this place that you've made your own personal ER."

House stared at him. "Wait, you're saying we need to go on a vacation? Jimmy, boy I'm not sure I run that way."

"House, you're suspended. You've overdosed on God knows what two days in a row. Next time you might end up killing yourself. I've got quite a few vacation days I haven't used. You need to get out of New Jersey and away from these memories and I'm the only one that seems to be able to go with you, much less handle you." Wilson said.

House didn't move.

Wilson sighed deeply. "House, desperate times call for desperate measures, and I haven't seen a situation more dire than the one you're in now."

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Hanging up was the second hardest thing she had ever done. Leaving was obviously the hardest, but now turning away from House in his time of need tore her to pieces. She ran her fingers through her curly black hair. She looked down at the little bundle smiling up at her. She knew she made the right choice, it wasn't the easiest choice nor was it the hardest, but she knew she could not bring Jesse into an environment with House on drugs and barfing in the bathroom. It was simple, but it wasn't easy.

Her maternal protectiveness and instinct told her to never subject her daughter into that environment and she obeyed it. No one ever said it was smart nor did they say it was rational, but it was her instinct and she had never regretted any time she had chosen to follow that little voice in her head. She tucked her child in and then made her way into her own bedroom, pulling out an old photo album as she curled up under her covers.

College years with House. Working with House. Pictures were worth a thousand words and a thousand memories. The last page was her favorite. It was his college graduation. She was a few years younger than him so she was there as a spectator and a support to him. At that time, they had been dating, and life for her had never felt so complete.

They were laughing, eye glittering with joy and the emotion of the moment. His arm was firmly wrapped around her waist as if making it clear to the world that she was his and his alone. A single tear escaped the usual control of Lisa Cuddy and fell. Years later, his arm was no longer around her, but she knew she was just as much his as she was back then.

He was still an angel in her mind. The one that had carried her further than anyone else ever had before. He taught her to think for herself, to take crap off of nobody, and to kick back if someone ever tried to cross her. She owed him those life lessons as much as she owed him her love. She had long since paid those dues, but old habits died hard.

He was an angel with no halo and one wing in the fire. She knew that and she accepted it. He lived left of living right and he had come so close so many times to going way to far. She prayed for him endlessly and hoped that if no prayer of hers ever came true at least her faith would make sure that someone up there would also have faith in him.

She closed her eyes and wished for the same thing she had wished for ever since she met him. He was after all an angel, fallen and scarred as he may be, but an angel nonetheless. An angel with no halo and one wing in the fire.

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Dr. Cuddy was running late as she made her way into Mercy Hospital. She ran up the stairs instead of waiting on an elevator until she reached her office. She paused for moment staring at the words that were in the same font yet held a completely different meaning than in her old office.

Lisa Cuddy M.D

Cardiology

She sat down and faced the three doctors she had handpicked for herself. The three best cardiologists in New York to help in the overworked department. Heart disease was the number one killer in the United States after all. She smiled to herself. She felt almost like House, running a group of ducklings into the ground, the only difference was, Cuddy was a lot less bitter, but just as sarcastic and bit more of a perfectionist.

"Okay, first case?" she asked. "Time to divide and conquer. We got about 20 cases today and we need to find a way to get through them all so plan to work late. Stevens, I want you to take the first three. I've glanced over them, two have chronic heart disease and another needs heart surgery, which I will do myself."

Meredith Stevens objected, "Some of us have a life outside of the hospital you know."

Cuddy gave her a sarcastic smile. "Oh yes, I do know that. I have a one year old daughter at home, currently being watched by a very expensive nanny. I know the definition of having a life. But we're here because we want to save lives right? Not for the fat paychecks that are just added bonuses." She sent a very meaningful glance around the room to Stevens and then the other two doctors Cara Burke and Preston Sloan.

Stevens was silent.

Cuddy shifted her attention. "Sloan, I want you on the Smith case. It's a follow up, just checking with you to make sure her surgery went well and the next two are waiting for your diagnosis, because the clinic doctors have established that it is definitely a heart problem so that means it's our department's job to fix it. Burke, I need you to check with the last case. It's going to take you a while, but the patient has massive internal bleeding and a clot in the heart from a car accident. You're gonna have to figure out how to fix both. Just a hint, blood thinners will kill him. He's also a diabetic."

They filed out, each carrying at least three blue folders under their arms. Cuddy, herself, made her way to the first exam room, pulling on a white lab coat as she went. She had taken three of the cases in the center of the pile, not yet reading the names or the symptoms.

She pushed open the door of the first exam room and then froze. She was face to face with the last person she had ever wanted to see again. The emotions hit her like a wave and she fought to catch her breath. The memories were no match for the anger that she felt, the feeling of injustice at the turmoil this man had caused for her. The unfairness and cruel way he had treated her in his sick twisted game of revenge. She

She forced herself to stay professional. She was after all a respected doctor and she would be mature and objective, even if he could not remain that way.

"Dr. Cuddy?" Tritter exclaimed in surprise, only to be consumed be a wheeze as he jerked on the bed, clutching his chest.

She rushed to his side and pulled open a drawer, pulling out codeine and inserting .1 mm into his bloodstream. He fell back and started to breathe more normally.

"Dr. Cuddy, looks like wherever I go I can't escape New Jersey." He said with a mirthless smile.

She chose to ignore the small talk and got straight down to business. "How long have you had chest pain?" she asked, in a no nonsense tone, reading and jotting down notes in the file.

"A couple weeks." He said. "I've had a few heart attacks in the past month. How are you doing?"

Cuddy slammed his case folder onto the counter and turned to face him. "How the hell do you think I am? You took my job. You tried to prosecute me for perjury. You have some serious nerve to even ask."

"That perjury charge never came to be though." He muttered.

She rolled her eyes. "That's only because I heard about your intentions and had it dealt with first hand."

"It's not like you're the only one who lost your job. My life's been hell too. I mean I got this heart condition and I have to deal with all this other crap going on in my life."

"Forgive me for not bawling in sympathy." Cuddy said sarcastically. "Frankly I don't give a damn about the hardships in your life. Karma is a bitch and you've done nothing to deserve my pity or sympathy."

She regathered her files and started for the door. He opened his mouth, but shut it again when she turned to face him.

"I'm scheduling you for an MRI, I have an idea of what your condition is, but I can't be sure until tests confirm it. Until then, you'll be staying here, where your heart condition will be monitored closely."

He was studying her hard. "How do I know you're not just gonna kill me?" he asked seriously.

She returned his stare, just as hard and with a touch of icy dislike.

"I'm a doctor. My job is to save lives and unlike you, I don't abuse my profession." She said as she left the room.

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"Where the hell are we going?" House whined as Wilson threw his duffel back into the trunk of the car.

"Manhattan. Somewhere where you can get some mental therapy."

"You sound almost reasonable, time to up my medication."

"Last time you did that, you almost killed yourself." Wilson pointed out.

"At least I have a positive attitude about my destructive habits." He announced.

Wilson rolled his eyes. "I have an old friend I need to visit and Foreman has agreed that a change of scenery might be good for you mentally. Anyway, it's not like you have anything else better to do."

"Well actually even though it looks like I'm not doing anything, on a cellular level I'm actually quite busy." He retorted.

"House, you're not getting out of this. It's doctor's orders so yes you are going to Manhattan and out of New Jersey. It'll be good for you." Wilson said, sounding firm for the first time.

He would never admit it, but he was also going for an entirely different reason, a selfish one. Cuddy was in Manhattan and as much as he wanted her to fix House, he wanted her for himself as well.

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I would never admit to Wilson that every overdose I've had so far was on purpose. I can't get her out of my mind and well, the walls are finally closing in. It started with me taking a few more pills than usual. I thought it would numb my emotional pain as well as the physical pain, since every time I hurt mentally, my leg pain increases. Medically it was stupid. In my logic is was right.

Well it didn't work. So I tried alcohol. Big mistake, but I thought my body could handle it. Then I had my first overdose. Cuddy came to help me. Wilson walked away, but Cuddy was there. Thank God, she probably saved my life. Now she's gone again and well, my overdoses are not gonna bring her back. My job was my life and now I can't go back to work for a month. Short period of time I know, but not in my world. That seems like forever.

Cuddy's gone. My job is a bore. I have nothing to live for. If Wilson hadn't been there to stop me I would have flown off into the unknown, or just cease to exist. I wonder if I had died would Cuddy have even remembered that I existed? Would she think 'good riddance'? I've messed up her life and for the first time in my life, I feel guilty.

Now I know why she cries at night and stays awake over her guilt. She deals with it and moves on. I don't have that training.

I can't move on and I can't deal with it.

So it consumes me. They say no one ever died of a broken heart, but what about a guilty one?

Am I gonna be the first to find out?

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Wilson slipped out of the car for a moment to fill it back up with gas. They were in New York now after driving for two hours. Another twenty minutes would bring them into Manhattan. Wilson had no idea where he was taking House, just somewhere far away from PPTH. Wilson had a friend up in Westchester and thought maybe a few days with House in the open air would be good for him. At least that was what Foreman had suggested.

House was sleeping when he got out of the car, but when he came back in, he was the polar opposite.

House was shaking violently and seizing. He turned to his side and threw up blood.

"Holy shit!" Wilson yelled in surprise. Then he spotted something lying beside his friend. "You idiot." He muttered softly.

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Cuddy was just passing the ER when a nurse ran up to her almost frantic.

"Dr. Cuddy, we just had an overdose called in and the ambulance with the patient is on its way, but all the doctors are preoccupied with that multiple gun fight that happened in Harlem." She said.

Cuddy was already heading into the operation room. "I can handle the overdose." She said, handing Tritter's file to the nurse. "I need you to get an MRI on this patient and page me when you have the results."

The nurse nodded and Cuddy disappeared into the emergency room.

One of the attendees was washing up when Cuddy joined him.

"Got any info on the incoming patient?" Cuddy asked.

The attendee shook his head. "Just a name, Gregory House."

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Author's Note:

Suspense! Will House make it? Will he kill himself? What is Tritter doing in Manhattan? Will Cuddy be able to save House? Will he be grateful or angry? GASP! SO MUCH DRAMA! Ok I'm done. That was a really long chapter and I can't wait til inspiration hits me again to write more. I've been making House comics. Okay only one page. If you want to see it, just ask. It's a Huddy comic, though these take forever to make. Lol. Enjoy this chapter!

And I'm sorry if you guys are getting impatient. I promise the next chapter will be when House sees Cuddy again. And then we have a zillion Huddy moments after that. Both sad ones and happy ones and finally they just might end up together, if life is good. HEHE. I'm sorry I'm really hyper and I'm very sorry that they still haven't met yet, but I needed to play out all the details as to how House ends up in New York first and bring a lot of the elements together. There will be a happy ending, that I can promise.