House was staring at the floor, tipping his cane back and forth while sitting on one of the waiting room couches after his conversation with Cuddy. Arlene and Julia were with Cuddy after the news and Chase and Fireman came out to join House.

"I'm sorry, House." Foreman said sincerely.

Chase stayed silent.

"The fat lady hasn't sung yet." House said eventually after a moment of silence, "What other non-lethal disorder fits these symptoms?"

"Non-lethal? Just because it's what we want doesn't make it reality, House." Foreman said, "We can't force a happy diagnosis."

"Never said we could." House said, as if it were obvious, "We have twenty four-ish hours. If it is something curable, I'd like to find it, but we're no worse off if it isn't."

Chase and Foreman exchanged glances. They never got the chance to start because Julia came rushing out of the room, heading straight for House. He stood, intending to take whatever vitriol she had in mind for him.

"You son of a bitch." She hollered, "This was your call, your fault."

House bit the inside of his mouth, "I made the call, yes." Was all he said.

"I'm going to sue you for malpractice after I turn you into the police."

"Julia, listen, House made an informed call, he made the best one he could under the circumstances." Foreman defended.

"Are you sure about that? How deep does his bitterness and selfishness run? He could have done it on purpose."

House's jaw set, "Never in my life have I wanted to hit a woman as much as I want to hit you now."

But instead of House hitting Julia, Julia's hand flew up and slapped House hard across the face. Chase and Foreman had been too late to stop it, but they stood in between the two now. House's head had snapped to the side, but he turned back to her, his blue eyes intense but not angry.

"He killed her." Julia protested. House knew that she was partially right.

"Julia listen, we had every reason to believe it was an autoimmune disease which is what she was treated for. Most doctors would have made the same call." Chase tried to reason with her.

"But, he's supposed to be some genius." Julia sobbed.

"It presented symptoms of an autoimmune disease." Foreman agreed.

"But, she just had the flu." Julia was no longer violent, but sobbing as both men tried to hold her up.

House had watched the whole thing and narrowed his eyes, "Did anyone else have the flu too, did Rachel have it?" Julia was inconsolable, so House limped quickly to Cuddy's room, "Rachel, did she have the flu as well?" House asked, urgently.

"Yes." Cuddy answered as Arlene and Rachel looked up in surprise at the exigency in his voice.

"How quickly did she get over it?"

"A few days, less than a week."

"Your immune system is stronger than a five year old's." House pointed out, "You should have at least fought it off as quickly as she did." He said significantly.

By this time, Foreman and Chase had followed House into the room. "Where are you going with this?" Foreman asked.

"What if she did get over it that fast? What if the infection brought something else on? What presents like an autoimmune disease but can be brought on by an infection and presents with Polyneuropathy?"

"A neuropathy disorder? But, her white count has been through the roof, suggesting autoimmune or infection," Foreman said after several moments.

House nodded, "A high white count is the single largest reason that Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy or Guillain–Barré syndrome is misdiagnosed as an infection or an autoimmune disease."

"It's very rare." Foreman pointed out.

"It fits perfectly." House said.

"GBS is treatable." Chase said, his eyes getting wide.

"Curable." House corrected.

Still red faced, Julia had been listening the whole time. Arlene smiled and began to cry and hug Rachel. Cuddy was looking at House with tears in her eyes.

"We need to administer intravenous immunoglobulins." Foreman said, rushing toward the door.

"No," House told him, "Her heart is too far gone and that takes too much time. The heart needs a break now. Plasmapheresis will filter the antibodies immediately out of the bloodstream so she can produce healthy ones."

"I'll let the hospital know that we need the blood." Chase offered, rushing from the room.

A half hour later, Cuddy's blood was being filtered out of her body and replaced of the harmful antibodies that had been attacking her nervous system. Her family had been banned from the room until the procedure was finished and House was now the only one left waiting for the treatment to be complete. They were both completely silent, lost in the thought of what the future now held.

Without a future, it was easy to love House. He represented passion, excitement, irresponsibility, and no consequences. Now, however, her thoughts took a turn and she remembered all of the horrible things he had done to hurt her. Had he really changed all that much? The warmth his kiss had brought washed over her again and his willingness to be with her during her illness onto death had proven that he had, didn't it?

"So, should I come back and say sorry for driving my car into your house some other time?" House quipped, breaking the silence.

"I suppose you saving my life bars me from demanding an apology card or any other act of regret."

"Don't think Hallmark covers destroying homes with a car." House shot back, "I might have an AT&T apology card for crappy service asking for my business back, will that work?"

"Are you asking for my business back?" Cuddy said with a sly smile.

"You're just flirting 'cause I saved your life."

Cuddy's smile widened, "This is flirting?"

"Yes," He answered quickly, "Are you seeing anyone?" House asked, suddenly taking Cuddy aback.

"I would have thought you investigated that while you raided my home." She said, wisely.

"Just wondering if you'd lie."

"Everybody lies." She quoted.

House smirked, "Why not, you're attractive, vivacious, and smart-and you can't get a date? I don't buy it."

"I never said I couldn't get a date, I just haven't accepted many." Cuddy told him, feigning offense and finding herself enjoying the banter, "But don't take that as I am completely unable to move on and live without you." She said, taking him down to size, "You made it easy to hate you."

"You made it impossible to forget you." House admitted, "I'm the one who can't move on."

For the second time in as many days, Cuddy was speechless. House gave her a pensive look, waiting for a reaction.

"So, that's a yes on the AT&T card?" House said, finally.

They both smiled at that.

"That's all the heart pouring sentiment you're getting out me." House said, getting up, "In another few hours, you'll be able to fight me off with a right hook and all will be right with the world again."

Cuddy watched him go, confused, unsure, and once again finding herself falling in love.