Chapter 40

"Hey, Caroline, Dr. House has accepted to treat you. "Robert said and kissed his sister on the forehead.

"Why… why did… you ask him?" Caroline asked painfully.

"Because he's the best Doctor I know. He will find what you have, he will …"

House was standing on the threshold, observing Robert's sister. She was very pale and had difficulty to breath. Her lips were scorched and she seemed to be in pain. Her eyes remained closed.

"But… he … he took you… Lisa" she whispered and moaned. After a while she added: "And now… you're… sad and … unhappy…he… he hadn't… the right to"

"Shh, keep calm, Caro, don't get angry. He's here to help you. Think of you and not of me."

Finally, House neared the bed, followed by MacCoy. "At least you still have enough strength to get mad at me, that's good news."

"House!" Robert shouted.

"Shut up, Robert. Caroline, tell me, since when have you been feeling muscle soreness?"

"I… I don't remember … maybe two weeks."

"And difficulty to breath?"

"Since two days" Robert answered.

"Do you have chest pain?"

Caroline moaned and managed to nod.

"Did you get a cold recently?"

"Dr. House! There's blood here" MacCoy exclaimed and showed the sheet.

House took it off and they saw a large stain of blood under Caroline. "Her kidneys are failing. MacCoy, make a blood test, look for bacteria and virus, make a chest X-ray and an ultrasound of her kidneys, I'll wait for the results in my office."

MacCoy looked at House a bit lost. "But… how can I do this alone?"

"If you want to work for me, do the job." House replied sharply and left.

Ooooo

"Do you have an idea about her illness?" Robert asked worried. He had followed House and wanted an answer. Everything was better than ignorance.

House sat down and stretched his legs on his desk. Then he rubbed his bad leg. It hurt a lot and House swallowed a pill.

"What is it? Vicodine?" Robert asked angry.

"No, it's Ibuprofen. And no, I don't know what your sister had. It's too soon, I need more information."

"Ask and I tell you everything you want to know."

"Everything?" House replied in an ironical tone.

"Yes."

House stared at Robert and smiled. He was about to say something when a woman came in.

"Good Morning, I'm Dr. Alison Jones and I'd like to be one of your team, Dr. House" she said and stretched her hand. She looked quite good although she was short and was self-confident.

House made a funny face and looked at her. "Really? And your mom didn't teach you to shut up when two adults are talking?!"

"I'm… I'm sorry, but you weren't talking so" she replied disconcerted. House had fun to see her great self-confidence melt away overnight.

"I was about to get spicy details about his love affair with the Dean!" House exclaimed and pretended to be disappointed.

Robert looked at him, he was furious at House. How could he joke about his love story with Cuddy?! How could he think of that instead of his sister?!

"House! You're a…"

"I am a?" House repeated ironically.

Alison looked at House then at Robert, she felt embarrassed and interested. She liked gossip and a love affair between the Dean and the head of surgery was a good story to talk about with the other interns. "I didn't know that"

"Shut up! Robert, give her the keys of your sister's flat."

"What? Why? She"

"Give her the keys and the address. Grumpy, go there and look for … anything that can explain why she's ill."

"Seriously?"

"Yes! Go there and look for mold, lead or anything else."

"Okay. Give me the keys" she said to Robert.

Once, Jones had left, Robert looked at House. "Is it a part of your … method?"

"Yes, it is." A man behind him answered. House looked at him surprised and a little smile came on his lips.

"Do you think I will be cute with a black long cape and long black fingernails?"

Robert looked at House. Is this man serious? "Are you … kidding or…" he asked completely lost. "Are you feeling okay, House? Are you sure it was Ibuprofen and not … drug?"

"Am I going to turn into an evil queen? Grumpy just left and now come another dwarf." House replied amused.

"Glad to see you, House. You didn't lose your cynicism and humor but it's okay for me. I'm used to it. I might even say that I miss your jibe. I know that you're looking for fellows to work with you and I'm here to get the job." Taub answered with a smile.

House stared at him. "Why didn't you want to work with Chase?"

"House, seriously? Chase was one of your fellows like me. Why should I work for him? You're the boss, Chase is a colleague. It couldn't have worked. So? When do I begin?"

"Right now. Go and help the rookie with the tests."

"Is the rookie a charming girl? Because if not, I suggest that I go with Grumpy."

"Go to the lab." House replied with a grin.

Robert looked at them. He didn't know how to react. If he hadn't known House's reputation, he wouldn't have asked him to take the case of his sister.

"Don't you have some work to do? Am I the only one working here?!" House exclaimed staring at Robert who stood there like petrified.

"Sorry. Tell me as soon as you get something." Robert replied. "And if you need help, tell me" he added looking at House straight in the eyes. Deep inside him, he'd love to work with House to see how he proceeded, how he finally found what others didn't find. He'd like seeing the genius at work. Robert had to admit that House was charismatic, even magnetic. And he understood now why Cuddy was so in love with him.

"Sorry, I only work with my team."

Robert nodded and left House. This one took his phone and called Charlotte. He needed her to ease his pain.

Oooooo

Cuddy was in a haze this morning. Everything was blurred around her, the sounds were muffled and she couldn't move, her body was so heavy. What happened to her? Why did she feel dizzy and sick? Suddenly, it seemed to her that someone was knocking at the door. Was it real or was she dreaming? The knocks resounded loudly now and she could hear a voice. Why was it so hard to move? After lots of efforts, she managed to get out of her bed and staggered to the door.

"Cuddy! Are you okay? We knocked at your door since fifteen minutes." Chase told her.

"I… I feel a little dizzy, I… I certainly drank too much yesterday." She whispered and leant against the wall.

"Come and sit down. I'm gonna hold you a glass of water." Chase said and helped her to the bed. Then he went to the bathroom and saw the sleeping pills.

"Cuddy, did you take some … sleeping pill?"

"I… I don't remember, maybe."

"That's why you feel so bad this morning. Why did you take that? You're a doctor, you know that alcohol and sleeping pill don't get on well. You could have fall in a coma! What's wrong with you?! I thought you were happy with House back in your life."

Cuddy drank a little and was lying down, her eyes closed. And the horrible pics flood back in her mind. House with this girl, this young and pretty girl. It's a nightmare, I'm gonna wake up, I must wake up. She tried to sit down but a violent headache overwhelmed her and she fell back on her bed.

"It's … I'm fine, I'm just very tired. I need to rest a little."

"You should eat something and drink a coffee. I'm gonna call the reception and order a breakfast. I'm hungry."

Cuddy looked at Chase and whispered: "Thank you"

Once he ordered a breakfast for three, Chase gave a look at Cuddy. She was pale and looked exhausted. What happened during the night? She felt so good last night; she looked happy and seemed to enjoy the party. Did Jay come and harass her? Or… No, it can't be that. Chase didn't dare to disturb her. Foreman came in followed by the room service with the breakfast.

"Is everything okay?" Foreman asked Chase and showed Cuddy.

"She needs some coffee and aspirin, she drank too much yesterday and took a sleeping pill. But it's gonna be okay."

"I should maybe call House"

"No! I'm fine." Cuddy said and sat to take a cup of coffee.

Foreman and Chase exchanged a quick look but didn't say anything. There were two possibilities: either House did something wrong – as usual but Cuddy knew him, she 'd already forgiven him so many things so why not now? – or Jay did something – and this second possibility was more likely than the first one because Jay was a womanizer and hit openly on Cuddy whereas House was truly in love with her. Of course he did many things wrong in the past and he will certainly do it again, but not to the point that Cuddy felt so bad. She told Foreman how happy she was with him. But what did Jay? Why didn't she call them? They will have to try to get more information later. Right now she needed comfort and coffee. They sat down and had breakfast. Cuddy tried to get rid of the horrible pictures in her mind, she tried to convince herself that they were photomontage. But why and who? Could it be… Robert? He was so in love with her and he could become violent, she saw his reaction with Jeremy and then when they had this argument in her office. She didn't talk to him since she broke up the other night and maybe did he want to take his revenge? Maybe did he want her and House to suffer, to argue and finally to break up? Maybe… For the moment she had to concentrate on the breakfast and on the day. She will see House tonight and then she could ask him. It was their private life, nobody should know about it. At least not until they talked about it, not until he explained her, not until they figured out what the truth was. This time they will take time to talk to each other, to listen to each other.

Suddenly someone knocked at the door. "Lisa, it's Charles, are you okay? Why don't you come down for breakfast?" he said through the door.

Foreman stood up: "I deal with him, don't worry." He went to the door and opened it half. "Mr. Jay, I'm sorry, but Dr. Cuddy doesn't feel good this morning, she needs to rest a little, she will join you later at the symposium. Good bye". He wanted to close the door but Jay held it with the hand.

He was puzzled. He hadn't expected that. "But… tell me, how is Dr. Cuddy? Does she need a Doctor?" he shouted and tried to come in but Foreman held him back.

"Mr. Jay, Dr. Cuddy is gonna be soon better but she needs some calm. Dr. Chase and I are with her and I can assure you that we'll take care of her. Don't worry and go to the symposium. We'll see you later there." Foreman closed the door and went back to the table.

Cuddy looked at him. "Thank you, to see Jay is the last thing I want right now."

Chase exchanged a look with Foreman and said: "By the way, Cuddy, did Jay… bother you last night?"

Cuddy looked at him, surprised. "Why… why do you ask?"

"I don't know, it's the only reason I find to explain your state this morning and why you took sleeping pill with alcohol."

Cuddy stared at Chase. She couldn't tell him the truth, she couldn't tell him that House might have an affair with a girl. At least not until she was sure of it. And she didn't want to believe it, she was almost convinced that someone set a trap for her and House so they broke up. But who?

"Cuddy?! Are you okay?"

"Sorry, I was lost in thoughts, I … I feel better. And no, Jay didn't bother me yesterday. After we went back to the hotel with Foreman, I went to bed, but with all the tension of the day I couldn't sleep and I took a sleeping pill. I know it was stupid but… what can I ad?" she lied and drank some coffee.

Chase stared at her. He wasn't convinced but if she didn't want to talk about her problem, he could do nothing.