Chapter one – Meeting Dr. Nifo

Dr. Xavier Nifo strode purposefully down the halls of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, his gaze fixed on the door to Dr. Gregory House's office. Tall, with striking blonde hair and piercing green eyes, Nifo exuded an aura of confidence and determination as he approached his destination.

He knocked firmly on the door, and without looking up from the papers scattered across his desk, House called out, "I only see patients by referral, and even then, not always."

"I'm not a patient," Nifo replied calmly.

"My name is Dr. Xavier Nifo and I'm a doctor"

"And if this is a professional courtesy visit, I'm neither courteous nor professional," House retorted dryly.

To which Nifo chuckled, "I know."

House looked up, intrigued. "You do?"

Their exchange set the tone for the intriguing conversation that followed, marking the beginning of an unexpected collaboration that would challenge House's skepticism and Nifo's determination alike.

"And who might you be?" House quipped, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Apart from the doctor kind part..."

Nifo met House's gaze with an unwavering stare, his own eyes reflecting a steely resolve. "I'm Dr. Xavier Nifo," he replied again, his voice carrying a faint Brazilian accent. "And I've come to discuss a matter of mutual interest."

House arched an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Mutual interest, huh? You'll have to be more specific than that."

Nifo stepped into the office, his posture confident as he took a seat opposite House. "I've heard about your case, Dr. House," he began, his tone measured yet assertive. "The ketamine treatment didn't yield the results you were hoping for."

House leaned back in his chair, his skepticism evident. "So you've done your homework. Congratulations."

Nifo nodded, unfazed by House's sarcasm. "Indeed I have. And I believe I may have a permanent solution for your case"

House's expression remained guarded, but there was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Amputation is the solution, the problem is I'm far attached to my leg as it is."

Nifo leaned forward, his gaze locking with House's as he spoke with conviction. "I specialize in neurological disorders, particularly chronic and neuropathic pain. My work in Germany has led to the development of a new treatment method that has shown promising results in cases similar to yours."

House listened intently, but his skepticism lingered. "And why should I believe you?"

Nifo's gaze remained steady, his determination shining through. "Because, Dr. House, I don't make promises I can not keep. And because I believe you deserve a chance at relief."

House studied Nifo for a moment, weighing his words carefully. "And what's in it for you?"

Nifo's smile was genuine, but there was a hint of steel in his voice. "Professional recognition, certainly. But more than that, the satisfaction of knowing that I've made a difference in the life of someone as renowned as yourself."

House leaned back in his chair, his skepticism evident. "And why should I believe you?"

Nifo's smile widened, his confidence unshaken. "Because, Dr. House, I know you. I know your reputation for relentless skepticism and unwavering determination. And because I'm willing to extend a professional courtesy by providing you with access to all the research and successful cases I've accumulated."

House's interest was piqued, and Nifo handled him a lot a folder contained all the research he had made but his wariness remained. "And what's the catch?"

Nifo's expression grew serious. "The catch, Dr. House, is confidentiality. You may share this information with your attending physician, but beyond that, it remains strictly between us."

There was a moment of silence as House processed Nifo's words, his analytical mind weighing the risks and rewards. Finally, he spoke. "Alright, Nifo. You've got yourself a meeting. Tomorrow at noon."

Nifo's smile widened into a grin. "Excellent. Tomorrow it is."

"And remember," Nifo added, his tone serious, "this is all extremely confidential. The meeting included."

House nodded solemnly. "Of course. Absolute confidentiality is paramount for me, and bedside manners as well"

As he was prepared to leave, he stopped asking House one last question "Who's your attending physician?"

Nifo paused for a moment, then nodded. "Dr. Lisa Cuddy."

"Good," House replied, his tone serious. "Tomorrow, the three of us will discuss your proposal."

And with that, the stage was set for a collaboration that would test the boundaries of medicine and forge an unlikely bond between two brilliant minds.

-/-

House had taken refuge in an old classroom in the far wing of the hospital, far from the bustling clinic where he was supposed to be. He had read and reread all the documents that Dr. Nifo had presented him, despite some being quite vague. In essence, the treatment involved locally injecting a little-known component into the affected area, desensitizing the damaged nerves. The treatment spanned between 8 to 12 weeks, but all cases had been successful. It was a relatively recent study; Nifo's work didn't exceed ten years, but it was enough for the reported adverse reactions to be few and of little clinical significance.

"HOUSE!" Cuddy's voice cut through the silence of the empty classroom as she found him there. "You were supposed to be in the clinic almost an hour ago."

House looked up from the papers, meeting Cuddy's gaze with his trademark indifference. "Was I? Must have lost track of time."

Cuddy sighed, her frustration evident. "You can't just disappear like this, House. Patients are waiting."

House waved her off dismissively. "Patients can wait. This is important."

Cuddy's expression softened slightly, but her tone remained firm. "I understand that you believe whatever you're doing is crucial, but you have obligations here. The clinic is part of your job, a job that I've paid you to do. If you neglect your duties, it not only becomes my problem but yours as well. And I'd rather avoid any unnecessary issues."

House met her gaze, a hint of defiance in his eyes. "Did you finish your lecture? Take a look at this," he told her, gesturing to the documents spread out before him.

"What am I looking at?" She sat down at the old desk beside him and began to scrutinize the documents.

"Cuddy," he began, unsure of how to proceed. "This," he pointed to the studies, papers, and notes scattered across the desk, "is strictly confidential. Nothing can leave this room, nothing can be discussed outside of it," he said so seriously that Cuddy found it unusual.

She nodded, confirming. "Confidential, okay."

"Cuddy, only I, Nifo, and my attending physician can have access to this," he clarified, and she nodded again. "Last time, you were my attending physician. I want you to continue, but you have to agree to this."

Cuddy looked at him, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Alright, House. I'm in. What exactly are we dealing with here?"

House took a deep breath and began to explain. "This morning, I had a meeting with a neurologist, Dr. Xavier Nifo. He's developed a new treatment for chronic and neuropathic pain. The studies and papers you see here are his work."

Cuddy glanced at the documents, her concern growing. "And what exactly is this treatment?"

"It's a series of localized injections with a component that desensitizes damaged nerves. The treatment will take between 8 to 12 weeks, and according to Nifo, it's had a 100% success rate so far."

Cuddy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That sounds almost too good to be true. How recent is this study?"

"Relatively recent. His work doesn't go back more than ten years, but the adverse reactions reported are few and not clinically significant."

Cuddy's concern deepened. "And you trust this guy? What does he get out of it?"

House shrugged. "He gets professional recognition. If he can cure someone as well-known as me, he'll be acclaimed in the medical community here. Plus, he can document the whole process."

Cuddy sighed, shaking her head. "House, this sounds risky. What if something goes wrong? And how much reliable is this study, I don't like how this is going..."

House met her gaze, his expression serious. "I know it's a risk, but I've read through the data. And I confirmed it, it legit and it's solid. And I need to try something. The ketamine treatment didn't work."

Cuddy studied him for a moment, her concern etched on her face. "Alright, but why this is so highly confidential? This kind of treatment could get this guy a noble prize..."

"Look, maybe is something about the pharmaceutical company, or it's him, I don't know, the only this I know is that he ask me to keep this between us, confidential" House nodded.

Cuddy took a deep breath, her worry still evident. "Okay, House. But we need to be careful. If anything seems off, we stop immediately."

"Agreed," House said, a hint of relief in his voice. "We have a meeting tomorrow at noon. Nifo, you, and me. We'll go over everything."

Cuddy nodded, still looking uneasy but determined. "Alright. Tomorrow at noon."

"Before you go, Cuddy," House said, extending a form toward her. "I don't have a medical proxy. After Stacy and..." He took a deep breath.

Cuddy took the form and sat down again, almost incredulous as she read it. "You want me to be your medical proxy?"

House nodded. "I don't want anyone else to know. I don't want Wilson involved, or my parents, or anyone else. I trust you."

Cuddy looked up at him, her expression a mix of surprise and concern. "House, this is a big responsibility. Are you sure about this?"

House's eyes met hers, filled with uncharacteristic vulnerability. "I'm sure. You're the only one I trust with this."

Cuddy took a deep breath, her mind racing with the implications. "Alright, House. I'll do it. But remember, if anything feels wrong, we stop immediately."

House nodded. "Agreed. Thank you, Cuddy."

She gave him a reassuring smile, signing the form with a steady hand. "Alright. Tomorrow at noon, we'll figure this out together."

With that, she left the room, the weight of the responsibility she had just accepted settling heavily on her shoulders. House watched her go, a mix of apprehension and hope swirling within him. The stage was now set for a journey that would challenge their professional and personal boundaries, testing their resilience and resolve in ways they had never imagined.

-/-

That entire day felt like an out-of-body experience for Cuddy, almost surreal. She should have been worried about the hospital's quarterly budget, the nurses' union, the broken X-ray machine—she should have been worried about a myriad of administrative issues. But what was she doing? She was reading the documents House had given her, with him sitting on the couch in her office, as she pored over and reread all the references the mysterious doctor had made. She was far from being an expert in neuropathy or neurology—her specialty lay elsewhere—but Cuddy had always been the smartest, the most perceptive. Reading up on these topics wasn't an insurmountable challenge for her. Yet, the studies were laden with complexities that made them challenging, filled with half-readings and half-words, nothing explicitly clear.

"House," she said after a few hours, looking up from the papers. "Are you sure this is exactly what you want? We could try the ketamine again. One more time before going through with this..."

House looked at her, his eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and fatigue. "Cuddy, we've been down that road. The ketamine didn't work. This—" he gestured to the papers scattered around "—this might actually have a chance. I've read and reread everything. It's risky, yes, but I can't keep living like this."

Cuddy sighed, rubbing her temples as she tried to process everything. "I know, House. It's just... this treatment is so new. We don't know all the long-term effects."

House leaned forward, his gaze intense. "Do you think I haven't considered that? Every day is a long-term effect for me. Pain isn't something I can afford to wait out."

Cuddy looked at him, seeing the vulnerability and desperation he rarely showed. "Alright," she said softly. "But we go into this with our eyes open. If at any point it feels wrong, we stop. Agreed?"

House nodded, a hint of relief in his eyes. "Agreed."

Cuddy took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their decision. "Okay. Let's make sure we're prepared for tomorrow. Noon, right?"

"Yeah, noon," House confirmed. "Thanks, Cuddy. For everything."

She gave him a small smile, despite the worry gnawing at her. "We'll get through this, House. Together."

As they continued to read through the documents, Cuddy couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension. The path ahead was uncertain, but they were committed to seeing it through, no matter the challenges that lay ahead.