Intuitive

Chapter 20

A Big Storm is Brewing

It was a big storm, dropping a foot in three hours. All the trees were heavy with snow. Several limbs cracked under the weight and lay dead on the ground. Few people were on the roads, everyone was waiting it out at home. That was, everyone but House and most of the team. They had been called in to handle a man who had just gotten back from London, England and was in bad shape. The team knew the patient, he sold medical equipment like MRIs, CT's, Dialysis machines, the big ticket items. He had been back less than six hours and he was rushed to the hospital an hour ago. The emergency room was worried about how fast the pneumonia was taking over his lungs and realized that this otherwise healthy looking man was dying in front of them.

Taub insisted that House listen to the man's chest. After seeing the xray, he didn't have to. The man had necrotising pneumonia. House looked up, took off the stethoscope and was frowning, "It sounds like pleuropulmonary complications."

Taub looked at House, "It's MRSA, right? Shouldn't we start him on Vancomycin?"

"It won't work. We have one shot at this before this guy dies. I think it's Panton Valentine MRSA, it's necrotizing so fast we aren't dealing with just any old MRSA. This is the one that wiped out 100 people in Germany and four in Britain in less than 24 hours of contracting it. Give him linezolid it inhibits exoctoxin production."

"If we give him linezolid and it's not PV MRSA, this guy's dead."

"Duh, well someone has to make the call and since I'm taller, I guess we go with linezolid."

They waited three hours for the results of the treatment. House sat at his desk and watched the snow rapidly build up on the balcony and trees outside. He was hoping that he would be able to get out of here soon or he would be stranded. He had only been stranded once before at the hospital and it was boring.

The patient died. Not because House was wrong but because he had come into the hospital too late. House didn't blame himself because he had diagnosed the guy correctly and started the right anti biotic but still, he realized that the CDC would be writing this up as a death and his name would be listed as the treating physician. He had to get one of his minions to write it up to put him in the best light so that everyone would know he solved the puzzle.

House grabbed his things and raced as fast as his leg would let him to the front door. It was useless. The snow was so deep outside that he was going nowhere fast. Chase and Foreman were right behind him and when they saw the parking lot they both let out a string of explicatives.

They went back up to the doctor's lounge to watch tv. House looked at Chase, "Where is Mrs. Good Hair today?"

"Puking her guts out at home."

House frowned, "Pregnancy does that to you. On the other hand, the trade off is the bigger boobs. Considering what she started with, any increase would be an improvement."

"I'll be glad when we get past the puking stage."

House had known almost immediately that Cameron was pregnant. He had been sitting in his office when he saw Cameron take her lab coat off. Her breasts were noticeably bigger...maybe a B cup. She had been going to the bathroom a lot. House could add 2+2. He started laughing.

"Cameron!" he had yelled. She walked over to him.

"Are you keeping it or selling it in Mexico?"

She was dumbfounded. How could he know? "House, Chase doesn't even know yet. Please keep your mouth shut."

"You've got 24 hours and then it's fair game. Let the jokes begin."

She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Chase is going to be delighted, he loves me and I love him."

"Great, you just keep telling yourself that. It's a shame it's not a Greg House baby, they go for a lot more in Mexico. It's the shade of blue eyes that does it."

In reality, House envied Chase. He had someone to go home to at night. He had someone who loved him enough not to abort his baby. Not like Gerri in college. As soon as she found out that House had knocked her up, she was at Planned Parenthood before the rabbit could be buried. The fetus was sucked out like a Hoover after a frat party.

House took a nap to wait for the snow plows. He figured he wouldn't be getting home tonight. He started to dream of Yosemite. He hadn't dreamed about her in a long time and when he finally woke up he realized that he missed her, even if she was a little freaky with all that psi and stuff. He wondered if she still thought of him?

xxx

April in the Sierra mountains is spectacular. The rivers are rushing through boulders and fallen trees, the falls and cascades are at their peak volume, the trees are starting to turn green and the numerous spring flowers are blooming. It's an incredible site and never ceased to bring a smile to Teagan's face.

Teagan was coming to terms with her life and the lack of money. She was having a baby and that meant she needed to have a backup plan. She was going to need money to make it through the first year so that she could stay home with the baby as much as possible.

The day the man came to pick 'her' up was one of the worst in Teagan's life. She sat in the Mustang for a few minutes and looked over every inch of it, trying to memorize the little details, including the scuff from when House shifted his leg and caught his heel on the door. She was waiting at the lodge and when the 1957 T Bird drove up with a friend, she knew this was the collector.

"Teagan Furey? Lewis Thomas." He seemed nice and he stuck out his hand to shake hers. "So this is it?"

"Yes, I was the second owner and here are the maintenance records. She's had one modernization and that's the stereo. Here's the paperwork on the stereo."

"Man is she cherry. How can you stand to part with her?"

"You just have to set your priorities and I've got mine."

"I can see. When are you due?" He asked gently.

"Any day."

"Well, we agreed on $30,000 right?"

"Right. It's T E A G A N and Furey is spelled with an e y."

She watched as he wrote out the check and handed it to her. "I hope she brings you as much luck and joy as she has me."

"Thanks and thanks for selling her to me. I'll take care of her." Teagan filled out the back of the pink slip and handed it to him. His friend drove off in the T Bird as Teagan watched as Lewis adjusted the mirrors and started the Mustang. When she saw the last of the dust from the tires she started to cry, but then she realized it was very little to give up for what she was getting. She was trading a machine for her baby's welfare. It was a no brainer.

Wrapping her sweater around her and her belly, she waddled the mile home to the cabin. She filled out the deposit slip and drove the truck to Groveland to make the deposit in her bank. Teagan checked the thrift store for baby clothes, grabbed some groceries and headed home.

Teagan was glad that the winter was over. It had been a cold one, but she had fared well. She had seen Dr. Medina twice and he seemed to be happy with her progress. The baby had dropped and his head was in the birthing position. Teagan could already tell that the baby was impatient and always would be.

On the way home from Groveland she decided to see Nora since she lived on the road home. As she pulled into the driveway Nora came out to greet her.

"Don't you look good! I see the baby is lower. Let's get you in and check you out." Nora waved her inside.

After the examination, Teagan was putting on her panties, "Well?"

"Everything is good to go. You aren't going to last the week. I'm debating on whether to let you go home or keep you here."

"I've got to get back, I have things to do."

"You're close to delivering, make sure they know that at the lodge. Try to check in with someone each day."

"Yes, Mom."

Stopping in to get her mail at the lodge, Teagan announced, "I'm gonna pop soon, so can you guys check in on me every once in awhile, just in case?"

Stanley and Kate, the owners of the lodge, yelled out from the kitchen. "Sure thing, we'll send someone down each day to make sure you aren't dropping babies in the front room."

"Thanks!" Teagan drove down to her cabin.

Teagan had to admit that she was sick and tired of being pregnant but she wasn't quite sure she was capable of being a Mom. It was starting to freak her out. The baby was kicking her like a swimmer using her to push off of the side of the pool. It wasn't funny anymore, he really wanted out.

Teagan was laying down trying to get some sleep when Mohammad Ali started kicking again. She sent her energy to the baby, but he kicked her even harder. "Oh man, you are going to be a pistol aren't you? You've got to take it easy on your old Mom, she's alone here trying to do the best she can." He kicked her hard again.

In the morning she went pee and noticed a milky looking substance in the toilet. Realizing from what she read in her pregnancy book that this was the "show," she knew it wouldn't be long, maybe 24 hours. She decided to walk up to the lodge and let them know. When she walked by Fred's house he poked his head out the window.

"Hey Teag, how are you doing?"

"I'm having the baby! I just had my first contraction! "

"Where are you going? Shouldn't you be in a hospital?"

"I'm having the baby at home with Nora's help."

"Hold on and I'll walk with you."

Teagan laughed. Fred was pretty protective of her, like a big brother. He was putting on his hat and running towards her. He caught up and they started walking to the lodge.

She turned and asked, "How was the crop this year?"

"Not bad, not as good as last year but that's because it wasn't quite as dry. Mary Jane loves the heat. Teags, is it a boy or girl?"

"Boy."

"What are you going to name him?"

"Gregory Scott Furey."

"Oh, after his Dad?"

"Yeah, after his Dad."

"When is Greg going to come back? Doesn't he want to see his son?"

"He doesn't know about the baby. He has his life and I have mine." She could feel his disapproval, "He'd feel obligated to give me money and I don't want his money."

"What do you want from him?"

"I want him to go on with his life, find someone, be happy, leave me and my son alone. I figure if we can't get on the same coast, why torture him with the knowledge he's got a son?"

"Then why name your baby after him?"

"Just because I want him to leave us alone doesn't mean I don't care about him. He' a good guy, we're just on different planets."

Fred shook his head as if he understood, but she could sense he was confused. She was confused too. It was a confusing world. Fred opened the door to the lodge for the very pregnant Teagan. "Hey Teags, you poppin' yet?" Stanley came out from the back.

"As a matter of fact I am. Can I use your phone to call Nora?"

"Of course Teag, not a problem."

She called Nora and told her about the show and contractions. "I'll stop by tonight around 6:00 p.m. to check on you. Can someone stay with you during the contractions?"

"I don't know. Just a second, I'll ask. Fred, can you sit with me today or can I sit at your house? I need someone to babysit me in case the contractions get too close."

"Yeah, I was just gonna to do some work on the fences for Matt, but I'll put it off until tomorrow."

She turned back to the phone, "Ok, I have a babysitter Nora."

"I'll see you tonight then."

Fred and Teagan went back to his place. "Fred, if you want to do some work around here I can go home, get a book and come back."

"Would you mind? I'd like to patch the roof if I'm going to stay home today. It should only take a couple of hours."

"I'll be back in a few minutes." Teagan walked back to her cabin, grabbed her book, a couple pieces of jerky, a bottle of water and then hoofed it back over to Fred's. Fred's house was smaller and older than Teagan's and not quite as "cute." Fred maintained the house but he didn't think much about making it homey.

Teagan sat outside on the porch in her sweater and maternity sweat pants. It was a pretty day, kind of chilly, but not too bad. The contractions were ten minutes apart and not very strong. Teagan read for an hour and then got up and walked around. Fred was done with the roof. He got down, went inside and took a shower. Afterwards he walked with Teagan back to her house.

Teagan made sure Fred had a meal to eat while she drank her water. Fred would get nervous whenever Teagan would make a face or squat when the pain came.

"Teag, maybe I should get Nora to come."

"Fred, I'm hours away from having this baby so you can relax."

By six o'clock Nora announced that Teagan was 100% effaced and 6 centimeters dilated. Nora smiled at her to ease her anxiety, "Your baby will be born before midnight sweetie. I brought the plastic sheet and other things that will protect your bed so let's get them on."

Around 11:35 p.m. after more screaming than she had ever done in her life, Teagan gave birth to her son. After noticing that he had all ten fingers and ten toes, she plopped her head back in total exhaustion. She suspected she was going to be very tired for a very long time. Gregory was active from the minute he was born, screaming and yelling off the top of his head.

"You have a live wire here Teagan. Try to get him to nurse a little; it might help to soothe him." Nora suggested.

Teagan was tired but she tried to nurse Gregory. It took a few minutes but he finally latched on. There was no milk yet, just the colostrum. He nursed several minutes on each breast and then finally went to sleep. Nora brought Teagan a washcloth and helped her clean up. While Teagan washed herself, Nora cleaned the bedroom then apologized for not being able to stay, but she had to get up early and go down to Oakhurst to teach a class in parenting.

"Don't you have anyone who can come and stay with you? The first few days are going to be rough. You need some sleep and you aren't going to get it with a newborn." Nora was concerned when Teagan shrugged her shoulders, "Well here's the stats, he's 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 22 inches exactly. You need to file his birth certificate at the Country registrar; I've filled it out for you."

"Nora, thanks so much. I appreciate everything you did."

"Get some sleep sweetie; you're going to need it."

Those were famous last words. In less than two hours Greg wanted to be fed. Teagan dragged herself up on her pillow and reached over to pick up Greg who had been sleeping next to her in bed. She nursed him again and then slowly eased herself up, bending over trying to find a diaper for him. After finding a diaper, a changing pad and some wipes, Teagan looked at her son as if for the first time. She saw his father in him. The long face, the eyes that saw everything and even his little fingers seemed awkwardly long for his little body. His hair was dark blonde and what there was curled slightly at the ends. He looked up at her as she took off his little diaper. When she was done diapering him she put him into a little nightgown with a string on the bottom. They both went back to sleep for another two hours.

Every 2 3 hours Gregory woke up to be fed. When he would suckle she would watch him try to look at her. Although she knew that his eyesight was probably very fuzzy, she was delighted that he was trying so hard to focus on her eyes. She smiled at him and then started singing to her son. She was madly in love.