Ch 28: Facing Death and Fighting Fear

Though the neurologists tested House every day for signs of brain activity and potential for coming out of his coma, there was little indication that he was at all aware of what was going on around him and he remained unresponsive. Cuddy took days off of her sick leave to sit by his side, going home only long enough to check the house and occasionally to take Rachel to her babysitter's place. She was a weepy mess and Wilson felt a little sorry for her, though it was partially her fault that House was in such a mess to begin with.

"What can you do for him?" Wilson asked the neurologist after a week of seeing House in a comatose state. He was bracing himself for the worst and facing the possibility of his best friend being a vegetable for the rest of his life.

"It doesn't look good. He's self sustaining, but non-responsive to any treatments. Due to his personality, we've checked and double checked the monitors every day. His brain isn't coming through for him. He doesn't even realize what's going on most likely and there's a huge chance that his drug abuse has affected him," the doctor explained. "We can make him comfortable and check on him regularly, but otherwise, there isn't anything that will bring him out of this coma except his body. We can't influence it in any way, though you know we've tried."

"Thank you," Wilson said tiredly. "I'll tell his fiancé what's going on and let you conduct your testing." Wilson was dreading the inevitable talk with Cuddy about how things looked. She would cry, of course, that he was prepared for, but who knew how far she would take the grieving. When she stepped out of the room so the neurologist could wheel him down to get a CAT scan and a few other tests on House's Head, he offered to buy her a coffee. She looked as though she hadn't been getting much sleep.

"What are we going to do, Wilson?" she asked, sipping at the caffeinated drink.

"There isn't much we can do. The neurologist says that he's non-responsive, still. There isn't any change and the chance that he'll wake up is definitely dwindling."

Cuddy sniffled and he realized that he wasn't completely prepared for the breakdown that she would surely experience. Fortunately, he was able to buy a little time to think as his now noticeably pregnant girlfriend joined them with a coke and a half-hearted smile. She had been working in the clinic since House had been unconscious as all his cases had been handed off to other doctors. Cuddy had called Foreman, but the stubborn man was unwilling to return to work and help out when the woman who he had thought loved him still worked under House and dated Wilson.

"How is he?" Thirteen asked.

"The same," Wilson told her quietly. The young woman nodded, understanding. Wilson had at least been able to talk to her about his best friend's delicate condition. The threesome tried to avoid the subject of House and were into a fair conversation about baby names when a blonde nurse burst into the cafeteria and bustled over to them.

"What is it?" Wilson asked, standing up and fearing the worst. This was House's nurse, after all. The women turned to look at the blonde expectantly as well and she took them in for a moment before opening her mouth.

"Doctor Hayes asked me to come and find you. Dr. House became responsive during the procedure and is now having strong mental reactions."

She didn't get the chance to say anything else as the three people who had been trying to put House out of their minds were now rushing for the doors, desperate for some assurance that he was getting better. Wilson put a hand on Thirteen's lower back as he guided her into the elevator and for the first time since House had overdosed felt physically attracted to her. Cuddy followed them inside, however and he focused on the matters at hand. He wanted to believe that his best friend would be able to come out of his vegetative state and get back to his normal self.

The neurologist was talking to House when they entered the room and he looked up at them with a bright smile upon their entrance. "It seems that Dr. House has lived up to his reputation of proving people wrong," he told them. "Almost as soon as the tests started, he began to respond. I waited a few moments before sending the nurse to inform you as I didn't want to get your hopes up for a few random spikes, but he's very responsive and we might even see him wake up completely within a few weeks."

Wilson grinned, knowing that if his friend was really taking anything in, he would force himself to wake up all the sooner, just to prove the other man wrong once again. "Thank you so much, Doctor," Cuddy was saying as she touched House's hands and face. "Can you hear me, babe?" she asked him. There were a series of beeps from the monitor and Dr. Hayes grinned again.

"It appears that he can hear you."

"Of course he can," Wilson said with a smirk. "He's the brilliant Dr. House." More beeps followed that statement and it was as though House was pointing out that he was always going to do more than was expected and Wilson's grin brightened. Even comatose, House had to get the last word in.

Cuddy stayed with House again that night, even after Wilson and Thirteen left to…ahem…take care of some unfinished business she talked to her sleeping partner. She was thrilled to have him back in the land of the living and couldn't wait for him to wake up so she could apologize for everything and beg him for another chance.