Hi I hope I have some readers left! I got a little dipondant for a while but decided I couldn't leave House in limbo! I hope there is still some out there who will read!
Chapter Thirteen
Sam and Wilson had called in again to bring House food and keep him company; Billy had joined them for a while. House was worried about the boy; he seemed withdrawn and just sat staring at Dom as though willing her to wake up.
After they left House prepared himself for a second night in the brown chair, he would have a shower when Joan came on duty, he was bored, he went around to Dom's drawer and removed the book he had bought her, he sat in the chair and got as comfortable as he could and started to read aloud.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.
``My dear Mr. Bennet,'' said his lady to him one day, ``have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?''
"You like this crap? I hope my reading this to you proves just how much I care!" he continued
Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
``But it is,'' returned she; ``for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.''
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
``Do not you want to know who has taken it?'' cried his wife impatiently.
``You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.''
This was invitation enough.
``Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.''
"This woman could make Cuddy's mother seem almost normal, thank god your mothers not like them," he continued, he put on accents and voices to the different characters and added his input along the way; House continued to read into the early hours.
Mr. Bingley was good looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the gentleman; but his friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien; and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.
"Bingley reminds me a bit of Wilson, you know nice to the point of being boring!" he rubbed his head tiredly "Darcy seems like a bit of a jerk, lucky for me you seem to like them!"
Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, in spite of a great opposition of character. - Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied. On the strength of Darcy's regard Bingley had the firmest reliance, and of his judgment the highest opinion. In understanding, Darcy was the superior. Bingley was by no means deficient, but Darcy was clever. He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners, though well bred, were not inviting. In that respect his friend had greatly the advantage. Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared; Darcy was continually giving offence.
House's eye's became heavy he drifted off to sleep, Dom could hear the weariness in his voice and she felt relieved when she heard the book fall onto the floor, she drifted off to sleep herself, hoping the new day would allow her to break through the fog that kept her from communicating.
Joan was doing Dom observations at 5am when House woke with a start clutching his thigh and grunting in agony, Joan knew he had only slept a couple of hours at the most. She and the other night crew had been enjoying listening to him read 'Pride and Prejudice', he had a beautiful speaking voice and in the quiet of the night it carried in to the nurses' station which was next door to Dom's room. She wondered if he realized they were listening to him, he wasn't the type to care, she thought to herself, and then she said,
"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you!"
House was startled he had not realized the nurse was in the room. "You didn't" he said.
"What meds have you got, and when did you last take them?"
"I'll take some now, not that they'll work." He dry swallowed what looked like to Joan, far too many white pills from an orange bottle. He was relieved when the nurse left the room, Dom was the only person alive that was allowed to see him this vulnerable. He allowed himself to think of the times when his leg went into spasm during the night, Dom would cradle his head and speak softly to him as he tried to control his breathing until his meds kicked in. He could almost feel her breath caress his brow, she would speak softly to him to distract him from his agony; she saw him at his worst, repeatedly and yet she still loved him.
"Here, this may help." House was startled out of his musings as Joan returned carrying a heat pack.
"Thanks" House muttered.
Joan looked at him, he was a mess. The sheen of perspiration that covered his face was an indicator that his pain was through the roof. She knew the kind of agony he was in.
"Do you want me to get one of the attending doctors that are here to see you?"
"No, there's nothing they can do, they'll just want to give me meds I can't have, I have an addiction problem" He added.
Joan smiled to herself; "talk about state the obvious!" she thought
There was no one in this hospital that did not know about his Vicodon addiction. "How long is it since you saw a pain specialist?"
"It's been a while, why?"
"There been developments especially in the treatment of muscle related pain."
"I'll talk to Wilson."
"It's not really his field; I know a great guy who is in New Jersey this week, my son has a muscular problem. He is in to see him here today; I may be able to get an appointment with him.
"I can't leave here." He said looking at Dom, he had abandoned the heat pack and was rubbing his thigh trying to ease the cramp.
"He is only here every six weeks; the appointment would only take 15 minutes."
"Thanks I'll think about it." He just wanted the well-meaning nurse to leave him alone so he could scream albeit silently!
"OK, do you want me to get you some towels, a shower might help."
"Thanks."
Monroe and Erin entered the room a few hours later; Monroe was shocked at the state of the lanky husband of his patient.
"I'm glad you're not my patient! You look awful."
"I'm glad I'm not your patient too." House replied grumpily.
They examined Dom, checking her pupils and reflexes, this time they all saw the twitch in her right foot.
"I told you" he said pointedly "What does it tell us"
"She has more sensation in her right side, than her left"
Monroe ordered scans and blood tests, they discussed what the next few days would bring but all in all it was a waiting game that they were playing. People dropped in, it helped to break the monotony, they we all concerned about House, but knew better than voice it to him.
The day passed slowly, Ania bought Will and Sophie in to see their mother, House took the children down to play at the park, which was a short walk from the hospital. It gave Ania time to sit with Dom; House could see the toll it was taking on his mother-in-law, he wanted to give reassurance but was afraid to, he felt that false hope was all he could offer her at this stage.
Later in the afternoon Ania and the children had left and House was dozing in the chair when Joan the night nurse arrived with a short balding man.
"Dr. House, this is Dr. Daniels. He has agreed to see you here; I took the liberty of showing him your chart."
House was startled and more than a little annoyed, but he realized that Joan was his only support from the nursing staff so he held his tongue with great difficulty.
Dr. Daniels had taken little persuading when Joan had told him who she had wanted him to see. He only knew the maverick Doctor from reputation and he was interested to meet him.
"Dr. House, Joan here tells me you have not seen a pain specialist for some years, I have looked at your file and I think I can improve things for you without the use of narcotics."
House got painfully to his feet wincing as he stood and shook the smaller man hand. The pain had been incredibly bad over the last few days so House was trying not to follow his instincts and tell them both to leave him alone.
"That very good of you." He said in a clipped voice.
"May I see your leg?"
House nodded then looked pointedly at Joan who excused herself and pulled the curtains. The small balding man was businesslike and obviously dedicated to his field. House could see he was as obsessive as he himself was when he had an interesting case.
"We'll start the new regime immediately; do you have access to a computer?" House nodded "I'll get you to stay in touch, daily if necessary until we find the right mix for you." He handed House a card with his details on it.
"Thanks" House had been amazed at how much could be done for him; medicine in muscle pain relief had made huge strides in the years since he had seen a pain specialist, the last time House had only been interested in getting his hands on more Vicodon. He found himself asking. 'Joan's, boy what's he got?"
"No one knows, I just treat the muscle pain, lots of opinions but nothing really conclusive. I'm sure his parents would value your opinion."
House looked sadly at Dom lying so still "Get me his chart, I'll take a look"
Cuddy called in later to tell him that she had arranged for a nurse from the clinic to come and give him his meds which consisted of two intramuscular injections morning and night for three days, and she handed him two bottles of pills which he was to start taking on the morning of the third day.
"Jim Daniels is confident these meds will make a huge difference." She said lounging against the door frame "We won't know how much for the first month."
"Thanks" House said quietly his eyes rarely left the slender woman in the bed. Cuddy took the opportunity to really look at him. He was greyer and he had more lines around those vivid blue eyes, he still had a grace and elegance that was unusually masculine. He was still stunning. She watched his hands, he had a rubber band in each and he absent mindedly twirled around his long fingers.
"Anything else?" Cuddy was bought back to the present as she looked up and met his eyes.
"If I can do anything…."
"I'll do something outlandish to get your attention"
She smiled and left.
The nurse arrived to give him his first injection; she really looked like she had drawn the short straw and was expecting him to be an ass. House decided to confuse her by being charming as he could!
House prepared himself for another long night, he had his usual visit from Wilson and Sam and later Billy came and spent a few hours with him.
Later he started to read to his wife.
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