Disclaimer: I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!
A/N: Ok, so I know it's been a while, and I'm really sorry … but I've spent the past two weeks teaching myself Physics (which I haven't studied for two years and hate with a passion) for my university entry exam this Saturday and have been too focused to be able to write … sorry.
Again, you owe Silkyway a thank you for this chapter because her messages make me feel so guilty I end up having to choice but to post :P Silkyway, I know you said you need a distraction from your work, I hope this works :D
Oh, and thank you to housemd83 for the info you gave me on coma patients. I can handle little bits of Biology or small, basic, medical facts, but I do need all the help I can get when it comes to the medical side of stories … I hope the 'adjustments' I made in this chapter to fit what you explained are ok … Thanks ;)th June … I will do my best to post this week end, either Saturday evening or Sunday, but I guess that depends on how my exam goes … if it goes well, you might get an update on Foetus, if not, then I'll be depressed and probably not feeling too creative … although it could all work the other way around … anyway, just wanted to warn you on that so that you don't sit there expecting an update soon and then get angry at me …
Also, I must warn you that, although I hope to post again between now and then, I will be leaving the country next Monday for my end of year trip … and won't be back until the 17
Have I mentioned recently that I love you all for reading this, sticking with it and reviewing? If I haven't, well, I really, REALLY do :D *hugs*
Anyways, Enjoy!
"Foreman!" Wilson called as he approached the ICU waiting area and spotted the neurologist about to enter through the double doors.
Turning on his heels towards the voice, Foreman saw Wilson rushing down the corridor towards him.
"What happened?" he asked when he finally reached the other doctor's side
Motioning for Wilson to follow him into the ICU, Foreman began to explain.
"When Chase was checking House's vitals" he nodded to Chase who was standing next to House's many monitors, staring at his EEG "there was a sudden spike in brain waves" the two of them stopped next to House's bed and, again, Foreman nodded to Chase.
Turning from the monitors to House, Chase spoke "House, move your index finger"
After a few seconds of waiting, there it was.
"He's coming back" Chase smiled over his ex-boss to Wilson who looked as relieved as ever.
"I just got his latest scans" said Foreman holding the films up to the light "the swelling has gone down substantially and, as you saw, he seems to be coming out of it"
Nodding his head and clapping Foreman on the back, Wilson smiled again. This was good news.
"It'll probably be some hours before anything new happens" stated Chase as Wilson got ready to sit in the chair next to House's bed "don't take this the wrong way, but you look like hell. Go get some sleep; we'll page you if anything happens"
Checking his watch and reading 4:15 am, Wilson had to agree he could do with a little sleep.
Nodding, he looked around at House's monitors "I'll be in my office, I should be up by 9, but in the meantime, call me if something changes, ok?"
Foreman nodded.
Before he left, Wilson added "Oh and, don't tell Cuddy anything yet. I know this is good, but I don't want to tell her anything until we have something definite, alright?"
After the other two doctors agreed, Wilson made his way out of the ICU and towards his office, hoping that, by the time he woke up, he'd have something even better to tell Cuddy.
Five hours later and at least a little more rested, Wilson left his office and headed for Cuddy's room, wanting to check on her before House.
"You're up early" he smiled from the doorway at her
Looking up from her yoghurt container, she smiled back "breakfast is served at 8:30 … I should have a word with who ever makes these schedules" she joked
After a laugh, Wilson spoke "so, uh …" Wilson took a step into the room, noticing, under the harsh hospital lights, how tired she looked, her skin pale and her eyes surrounded by dark rings. Maybe she needed some good news sooner rather than later.
"What's happened?" she asked recognizing Wilson's 'I have something to say but don't know whether I should' face and immediately thinking the worse.
"Don't worry" he smiled at her taking a seat in the chair beside her bed "Foreman called me a few hours ago …"
"Why?"
"House is responsive again"
There was a moment of silence in which Cuddy looked unsure as to whether she should laugh or cry.
Smiling at her, Wilson continued "he moves his finger on command and the scans show that the swelling is almost gone … things are definitely looking up"
"Thank god …" she sighed closing her eyes as a smile spread on her face.
Just as Wilson was about to echo her sentiment, his pager went off.
Smiling at Cuddy, he checked the small screen and felt his heart stop for a brief moment.
"What is it?" asked Cuddy immediately noticing the change in his face
"I'm not sure" he said. It was the truth, all the screen read was 'ICU, now' "I'd better get this"
"Wilson?" she asked trying to get him to tell her more
"I'll be back"
With that, he was gone, leaving Cuddy staring after him as he disappeared down the hall in a near-run.
"What happened?!" he asked bursting into the ICU to find Chase, Foreman and Cameron huddled around House's bed.
Turning around, Chase nodded for Wilson to join them.
His heart pounding in his chest, he approached the bed only to find House, his eyes open, looking around, oddly silent due to the tube still sticking out of his throat.
"He's awake" smiled Cameron.
Lying there, unable to speak, probably unaware of how long he'd been out and definitely looking confused, House kept looking around, the look in his eyes essentially letting everyone know that he wanted that tube taken out asap.
"House, House!" called Chase until the diagnostician focused his eyes on him "blink once for yes and twice for no, ok?"
House blinked once.
"Do you know what day it is?" Foreman asked
House blinked twice
Wilson nodded, of course he'd have no clue he'd been completely out of it for 3 weeks
"Do you remember what happened?"
House didn't blinked but merely shook his head in a 'sort of' fashion.
"Do you remember leaving Cuddy's?" Wilson asked as House's eyes shot up at the name
He blinked once
"The accident?" asked Chase
He blinked once
"coming into the hospital?" asked Cameron
House blinked twice
"Do you remember anything in between?" asked Wilson, hoping the answer was yes.
This time, House frowned and, again shook his head in a 'sort of' manner.
"We're going to take you up for an MRI in a bit, check how the swelling is so that we can try and take that tube out, ok?" asked Chase placing the chart back at the foot of the bed.
House blinked once.
Once the other three doctors were gone, Wilson was alone with his best friend and, registering the fact himself, House looked up at him and attempted to communicate by motioning to the monitors around him with his left hand.
"What happened?" Wilson asked trying to understand what House was trying to say.
He nodded
"You crashed on your way home from Cuddy's, you came into the hospital with a broken shoulder, your brain was swollen, you had a dislocated disk and injuries up and down your whole right hand side"
Immediately, House's hand shot to his thigh as he recalled what had distracted him just before the accident; her, Cuddy, her smell.
Again, he looked at Wilson questioningly.
"What?"
House made a curve motion with his hand, obviously attempting to describe Cuddy.
"Cuddy?"
House blinked once
"She, uh … I brought her in the morning after you crashed …" Wilson looked at his friend only to see him frowning back, obviously not too happy that Cuddy, who was supposed to be on 'bed rest', had been walking around "she got, uh … upset" Wilson continued at House's eyes suffered one of their famous changes when a glimmer of emotion crept behind them "she collapsed and has been on strict bed rest here, at the hospital, for the past 3 weeks"
House's look was somewhere between angry, concerned and anxious. Wilson hadn't said anything about the baby, was it ok? Had there been any complications?
Again, he raised his eyebrows urging Wilson on.
"Oh, your …" again he stopped himself with a small smile "baby, oh, er, foetus, is doing great now. It was in a little bit of distress for a while, but Bates took care of it an everything seems fine …"
If House hadn't had a tube sticking out of his trachea, Wilson would have sworn that he'd seen him sigh of relief.
"Sorry to interrupt" came the Australian doctor's voice as he joined them by the bed "we have to get you that scan …"
Nodding, Wilson took a step back from the bed as two nurses arrived to take House up.
"If this scan shows an improvement on the last one" Chase began "we'll take the tube out and check to see if he'll breath on his own" he explained knowing that, unlike all other patients, House wouldn't feel scared by what he had to say "if the swelling does go down, he should breath on his own …"
Wilson nodded and, out of the corner of his eye, saw House nod too. Although, it might just have been him, but Wilson could have sworn he'd seen a glimpse of fear in his friend's eyes as he was wheeled off to get his MRI.
TBC
Ok, so for the first time in a long time I didn't leave you with a cliffy … well … not a suspenseful one … I hope you liked that and I promise to try my best to update before I go on holidays …
Thank you for reading!
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CJS-DEPPendent