Wilson was dozing on the couch when the phone awoke him.
"Hello?"
"Wilson you got new meds for me?"
"House?"
"No the hooker you banged last night, duh House" Wilson sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"I was kind of preoccupied last night, Julie's pregnant"
"Look, I'm happy for you but can we figure out a plan please? I need meds!"
"I just told you I'm going to be a father, can't you just pretend to care a little bit?"
"I would but you see my throbbing legand withdrawal symptoms won't permit me to do so"
"House!"
"Wilson! I've had no sleep and I'm about to scream, I need meds I don't have the time or energy to celebrate your wife getting…knocked up" House pulled the phone away from his ear and closed his eyes. He took a couple of deep breaths. Wilson didn't say anything.
"Wilson I need something, the kids and Cuddy will be up anytime now" House's voice was much quieter.
"What about Codeine? It wouldn't be as addictive…"
"No, there's codeine in Vicodin, Codeine alone won't make the pain go away unless I take like eight which would completely ruin the point of me going off Vicodin"
"House you can't do that this is all because of your addiction…"
"No it isn't damn it! There's a difference between developing a tolerance for a drug and physical addiction. Tolerance occurs when a medication is no longer effective at reducing pain, even when a patient increases the dosage. Physical addiction occurs when a patient has been on a certain medication for such a lengthy period that they go through symptoms of withdrawal if they stop taking it."
"You are addicted House"
"Yes! But that has nothing to do with this. This is tolerance that is making me unable to take Vicodin… what about Fentanyl?"
"What? You mean like a Fentanyl patch?" Wilson was surprised.
"Yes. It's perfect, I have an opiate tolerance…I'll need a prescription" House was already getting excited. Pain relief, and it would be a patch so he wouldn't have everybody thinking him an addict, looking over his shoulder. It was the perfect solution.
"House slow down. How is your detox going?"
"Awesome! I'm having the most wonderful time!" Wilson rolled his eyes.
"House we can't just jump from Vicodin right to Fentanyl, these things take time"
"You can't, I can. I don't have time, I'm leaving for Atlanta in a couple of days."
"You're suffering withdrawal"
"Yeah, and I'll do a rapid detox, then we can start the Fentanyl, then I'll be all set for my trip to Atlanta"
"You want a rapid detox as well?"
"Do you not understand the concept of time!"
"Fine. Maybe a rapid detox will be better in the long run. I'll do some research on the Fentanyl patches. We'll do the rapid detox tomorrow and then when the drugs are out of your system, if I get some positive information I'll prescribe the Fentanyl. Good enough?"
"Yes except I want to do the rapid detox today"
"Today?"
"Yes today"
"I'm off work today"
"We'll get dressed, and get to work anyway. I'll see you there in an hour" Wilson listened to the sound of the dial tone and then slammed the phone onto the receiver.
…
House hung up and smiled. Everything was going to be ok. He had solved the puzzle, it was all going to be alright. He continued to smile as he rubbed his leg. It's all so perfect.
"You're smiling" Cuddy stood at the door watching. She hadn't heard the whole phone conversation, but had caught the tail end where House said he's meet someone in an hour. She presumed it was Wilson.
"Yes." House didn't elaborate.
"You're detoxing, and you're smiling"
"I'll only be detoxing for another hour"
"How can that be?" Cuddy walked over and sat in the chair across from House frowning.
"I'm going to the hospital and doing a rapid detox."
"Are you serious?"
"Nope, just thought I'd see your reaction" Cuddy rolled her eyes.
"Then what? What are you going to do after the detox?"
"I'm going on Fentanyl"
"What?"
"You heard me. I see no point in repeating myself" House held his stomach. The nausea was acting up and even with the good news he still felt like crap.
"House have you thought about this…"
"It's what I'm going to do. Please don't question my motives, just help me through this" House looked at Cuddy with a pleading look in his eyes. Cuddy had never seen that look before.
"Ok. I'll go get dressed then"
"You can't come with me. Who's going to watch the kids?"
"Julie will. I'm sure she won't mind" Cuddy got up and headed for the bedroom.
"She's pregnant"
"What?" Cuddy turned around.
"Their going to have a kid"
"Wow, that's great."
"What about Chris?"
"His flight leaves in three hours."
"You're not going to say goodbye?"
"Yes, and then were leaving". House grabbed the bucket.
" I'll call Julie" Cuddy walked out of the room. She couldn't bear to hear him get sick again, it broke her heart.