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damelolaTitle: There Will Be No Divorce Chapter 9
Author: Lola Lauriestein
Rating: PG 13 this chapter, overall up to NC17
Pairing: House/Cuddy
Spoilers: Everything up to Wilson's Heart, we're going to have to ignore s5 though, sorry!
Disclaimer: not-not-mine, House et al belong to David Shore, Fox etc. The song lyrics of the Mountain Goats belong to them, and if I could write like John Darnielle, I'd die happy.
Summary: The sequel to ‘No Children’, which you can read in its entirety here. How will House and Cuddy cope with pregnancy, therapy and the world getting in their way? House got Cameron to write him a prescription, and the resulting fight caused Cuddy to end things between them. How does the fallout affect the delicate balance at PPTH?
Beta by [Bad username or unknown identity: ]![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lucyvanflick , who absolutely saved this chapter when it got unwieldy and I was too scared of hurting the characters. She's the guiding light of this entire series, and I love her for it!
Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8
“The warning signs have all been bright and garish
Far too great in number to ignore”
“Old College Try”, The Mountain Goats
Cuddy grimaced at the knock on her front door. Of course Wilson would be 20 minutes earlier than the time they’d arranged. Though she was grateful for the company, she already regretted accepting his offer of a ride to the clinic. It was going to be hard enough without House there to crack jokes and alleviate the tension. Perhaps it was just lingering anxiety from the messy break-up and two solid weeks of fighting afterwards, but she didn’t feel like being poked and prodded today.
Rationally, she knew everything was likely to be fine. The official scan at 12 weeks had ruled out the major risks, and she’d been checking herself every now and then with the clinic equipment. Although she knew the minimal risks of amniocentesis, her training also served as a reminder that someone had to be among the unlucky few who formed that tiny percentage. Still, this was simply the last scan before they broke out the big needles, and she had to just get through it like she had every other appointment.
Fixing her earrings, she opened the door to her eager colleague. He was holding what looked to be a bag full of pastries and something in a plastic cup, causing her reticence about seeing him to fade in an instant. Wilson offered her the goodies and treated her to a boyish grin when she took a curious swig of the smoothie he’d provided.
“I thought you could do with some breakfast.”
“This is great, thank you.”
He stepped inside but made no move to close the door, the cold February air sweeping into her hallway.
“And I have some bottled water in the car. Probably best you drink up before the ultrasound. Full bladder and all that.”
Cuddy was touched by his thoughtfulness. For a fleeting moment, she wondered why she’d never taken her chance with the eligible Dr. Wilson, considered the possibility of a life with foot rubs and someone else doing the cooking. Still, no time to dwell on it when there was a strawberry danish calling her name.
“There was an accident on Route 1 earlier, so I thought we should leave a little earlier.”
She nodded, mouth full of pastry. With a final check of her hair and make-up, Cuddy grabbed her briefcase and purse, motioning for Wilson to follow. He even ran around the car to open the passenger side door for her, a modern-day knight in shining armor.
Wilson got in as she was smoothing down the jacket of her suit, and for a second, she thought he was going to lean across and fix her seatbelt, but seemed to think better of it. Cuddy wasn’t wild about being fussed over, and certainly not used to it. She breathed a sigh of relief as Wilson started the car and pulled out of her driveway.
“You coming straight home after the test?”
“Yeah, if you can drop me here, I can bring my own car into work.”
Wilson had his attention on the road as they turned out of her street, though he took a moment to flick the radio on.
“Nervous?”
He tore his eyes from the road long enough to treat her to a reassuring smile. No wonder he was such a good oncologist, Cuddy thought, she felt soothed just being around him.
“I don’t do nervous, remember? I just want the all clear so I can stop conjuring up nightmares for myself.”
Wilson’s forearms flexed lightly as he steered into the slow lane, even though the power steering made any strength unnecessary. He was taking his chauffeur detail very seriously, and Cuddy found it kind of adorable.
The short journey passed in comfortable silence, Cuddy sipping constantly from the smoothie cup and then the bottled water that had been placed in the glove compartment for her. He didn’t mention House so neither did she, though her thoughts strayed to him as frequently as they had always done.
Last week she’d considered going over there and demanding the apology that was rightfully hers. He would never initiate it, but it had crossed her mind that if she gave him the opportunity, he could make things right between them.
Although she’d considered becoming a single mother, the reality was pretty terrifying. More than anything, she’d enjoyed the idea of raising a child with House, of passing on the best bits of him to their kid.
He’d ignored her other than their habitual tussles over patients, and she’d made no concessions that might indicate forgiveness. She’d lain awake longer than intended most nights to replay his cruel words, an unfortunate loop of perfect recall that made her heart ache that she could have been so wrong. Like their many arguments across the years though, it did very little to dissuade her from loving him, try though she might.
Well, for so many years she’d been able to resist that knowledge, to conveniently suppress the feelings she had for him. House might be the one who drove her crazy, but she’d survived just fine without him before and could do it again. Cuddy had gotten pretty good at being alone, and in a few months there would be a tiny person to take up all her time.
Wilson held the car door open for her at the clinic, too; she was almost getting used to being around a man with manners. It was a little harder to negotiate her way out of the car, her expanding stomach throwing off her well-practiced elegance. Predictably, he was enough of a gentleman not to comment. She almost smiled at the thought of her last car journey with House when he threatened to call the fire department and have them winch her out of the driver’s seat.
She stopped for a second, ostensibly to check for something in her purse, but really to let the pang of missing him pass before she continued the short walk to the clinic’s front doors.
Early though they were, Cuddy presented herself at the desk with her most charming smile. If there was any chance of being seen early, she could get back to the office and finish preparing for that afternoon’s board meeting.
Wilson hovered uncertainly behind her, chest pushed out in what she assumed was his best manly pose. Perhaps she should have asked him to wait in the car; he might start handing out cigars if left to his own devices.
She winced when the receptionist appeared from behind the frosted glass. It was one of the many assistants she’d been forced to let go before. The woman’s face betrayed recognition instantly, and Cuddy tried her best not to let her professional smile falter.
It seemed to take an age, but after the requisite wait on uncomfortable chairs with a disinterested browse through back issues of Vanity Fair, Cuddy was finally called in to see Dr. Nadat.
Wilson stood to accompany her, which made her jump.
“Uh, Wilson, as much as I appreciate you, I don’t think I’m ready to discuss my cervix with you.”
The relief was palpable, his tense shoulders dropping about three inches when she absolved him of any obligation. With an encouraging pat on her shoulder, he sat back down with a copy of Homes & Gardens, leaving her free to have her examination.
It was exactly the same drill as her previous appointments, with the practice’s senior obstetrician in attendance because they liked having their emergency facilities at PPTH and thus the Dean had to be treated accordingly. The ultrasound technician was remarkably unimpressed, or perhaps just eager to get another swollen belly out of the room as quickly as possible.
Cuddy nodded politely through the chatter about blood pressure and blood sugar, expectations for the amniocentesis and other such formalities. Eventually the icy cool gel was applied to her abdomen, and it distracted her for a moment to notice the difference since her first ultrasound. Then her stomach had still been flat, the contours of years in the gym still impressively present. Twenty weeks was sneaking up and her shape hadn’t changed dramatically, but it left her looking as though she’d swallowed a large grapefruit.
The swirling sound of the ultrasound filled the room, all the technology advances had done nothing to make it sound any less weird over the years. With bated breath, she waited for her baby’s heartbeat.
There it was.
One beat.
Then two.
Cuddy exhaled with relief, but it caught in her throat at the irregular pause she heard before another beat finally came in. Dr. Nadat wouldn’t meet her eye, all attention in the room suddenly focusing on the slightly grainy digital image.
House might be making the musical contribution to the kid’s genetic makeup, but even someone as tone deaf as Cuddy could pick up on the lack of regular rhythm. She watched, numb with fear, as Dr. Nadat reached out to trace something on the screen with her finger.
When the doctor turned to speak to her, Cuddy found herself unable to hear the words. She was trying so hard to focus on the screen, but the tears welling up wouldn’t let her see.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Wilson tapped his foot impatiently as checked his watch for the fiftieth time. When he’d offered to drive Cuddy here, he’d expected a 20-minute checkup and straight back to the hospital. As it stood, he was going to have to reschedule at least one appointment, and a second if Cuddy didn’t appear soon.
He’d also spent a long night attempting to pluck up the courage to suggest something pretty radical to her. Something, maybe a misguided sense of duty, had kept him up past two worrying over it.
As soon as he saw her again, he was going to propose that he step in to help her raise the baby. She’d seemed so lost without House at her side, and it couldn’t be easy to contemplate doing this alone, not with a job as demanding as hers. Plus, it might teach House that he shouldn’t throw away something so fantastic. If Wilson was honest, he’d always had a great affection for Cuddy, or Lisa as he had called her before House’s bad habits rubbed off on him. Maybe things between them would develop, he’d marry her if that was what she wanted.
Thankfully, at the moment she emerged from the exam room, her face a little paler than when she’d gone in. In her hand she held a bunch of paperwork, the telltale black square on top clearly a snapshot of her scan. When Wilson spoke to her, she seemed to ignore him at first. When she did turn her attention on him there was a distracted air about her, and she simply nodded towards the parking lot, taking off briskly. Forced to trot along after her, Wilson realized what must be wrong with her.
Seeing her child like that had to be emotional; for the first time in the pregnancy, she was dealing with all this alone. Wilson could have kicked himself for not insisting that he keep her company. He could have kicked House even harder for screwing things up like this.
“So you want me to drop you off at your house?”
Wilson asked the question as he got into the car, clicking his seatbelt into place. He was startled by her hand on his, her skin jarringly cold.
“Could you take me straight to the hospital, please?”
The tone was too plaintive for a mere change of destination, but Wilson didn’t feel comfortable pushing her, not when he saw the determined set of her jaw. Cuddy was on some kind of mission, and he was not the kind of fool who got trampled by standing in her way.
He started the engine and and before he could think to ask her anything further, she had reached for the volume control and turned the Police album that started to play up to an almost uncomfortable level. James Wilson could take a hint, so he drove them back to the hospital at something a little closer to the speed limit than their original trip.
Pulling up in his usual space, Wilson got out and opened the door for Cuddy, only to find her staring straight ahead, belt still firmly in place.
“Cuddy?”
She nodded, making no move to release her seatbelt.
Seizing his chance, Wilson allowed the words that had been bouncing around his head finally spill forth.
“I wanted to ask you something. I know that House has let you down, and you both seem to be saying that there’s no going back. But I can’t bear to think of you going through this alone. Would you consider letting me raise this baby with you? I could be there for you, move in if you need someone around to do things for you. And I know we’ve only ever had a couple of dates, but I’m saying that I’ll commit to you both, even if House won’t.”
Cuddy turned to him, her face deathly pale, clearly in shock.
“Wilson, I…”
“Oh God, I shouldn’t have said anything yet. Listen, you can take some time to think about it.”
She burst into tears: huge, wracking sobs that seemed to be choking her as they escaped her throat. Her hand loosened its grip on the papers, letting them slide to the floor of the car.
Wilson hadn’t expected this kind of reaction. He’d been prepared for a gentle rebuff, or the less likely grateful acceptance, but this was way beyond what he’d geared himself up for.
He began to panic slightly as Cuddy started to hyperventilate. Stretching across her to the glove compartment, he retrieved the discarded deli bag from earlier.
Wilson met her eyes as he pressed the paper gently against her mouth, instinctively reaching out to stroke the soft curls that framed her face.
“This isn’t just about my idea, is it?”
Cuddy shook her head, closing her eyes as she tried to regulate her breathing, the sobs coming a little slower now.
“You want me to call him now?”
The nod and plea in her expression confirmed the course of action, and also that there was no chance of his little plan ever coming to fruition. With a small sigh of disappointment, Wilson retrieved his cell and hit speed dial 1.
* * * * * * * * *
House pulled a face as his phone rang out with the familiar strains of Dancing Queen. Ignoring it in favor of his computer screen, he grumbled at the slow loading of the image he was waiting for.
So it wasn’t technically ethical to breach another institution’s medical records system, but if they were going to make it so damn easy, how could he refuse. Cuddy’s appointment had ended 30 minutes ago, and her file was being gradually updated as he refreshed. Now all that remained was the scan itself and the doctor’s notes. Hitting command-R with an impatient flourish, House smiled as the ultrasound began to load at a more reasonable speed.
The sick feeling that surged up his windpipe made him wish he’d never hacked into the damn thing in the first place. The white blob right where it shouldn’t be drew his eyes to it almost magnetically, and as he kept refreshing, line after line of notes filled the previously empty box.
Struggling to digest the information presented, House grasped blindly for his cane. He had to move, he had to get away from the glaring facts in front of him.
He had to get to Cuddy.
Chapter 10
Author: Lola Lauriestein
Rating: PG 13 this chapter, overall up to NC17
Pairing: House/Cuddy
Spoilers: Everything up to Wilson's Heart, we're going to have to ignore s5 though, sorry!
Disclaimer: not-not-mine, House et al belong to David Shore, Fox etc. The song lyrics of the Mountain Goats belong to them, and if I could write like John Darnielle, I'd die happy.
Summary: The sequel to ‘No Children’, which you can read in its entirety here. How will House and Cuddy cope with pregnancy, therapy and the world getting in their way? House got Cameron to write him a prescription, and the resulting fight caused Cuddy to end things between them. How does the fallout affect the delicate balance at PPTH?
Beta by [Bad username or unknown identity: ]
lucyvanflick , who absolutely saved this chapter when it got unwieldy and I was too scared of hurting the characters. She's the guiding light of this entire series, and I love her for it!Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8
“The warning signs have all been bright and garish
Far too great in number to ignore”
“Old College Try”, The Mountain Goats
Cuddy grimaced at the knock on her front door. Of course Wilson would be 20 minutes earlier than the time they’d arranged. Though she was grateful for the company, she already regretted accepting his offer of a ride to the clinic. It was going to be hard enough without House there to crack jokes and alleviate the tension. Perhaps it was just lingering anxiety from the messy break-up and two solid weeks of fighting afterwards, but she didn’t feel like being poked and prodded today.
Rationally, she knew everything was likely to be fine. The official scan at 12 weeks had ruled out the major risks, and she’d been checking herself every now and then with the clinic equipment. Although she knew the minimal risks of amniocentesis, her training also served as a reminder that someone had to be among the unlucky few who formed that tiny percentage. Still, this was simply the last scan before they broke out the big needles, and she had to just get through it like she had every other appointment.
Fixing her earrings, she opened the door to her eager colleague. He was holding what looked to be a bag full of pastries and something in a plastic cup, causing her reticence about seeing him to fade in an instant. Wilson offered her the goodies and treated her to a boyish grin when she took a curious swig of the smoothie he’d provided.
“I thought you could do with some breakfast.”
“This is great, thank you.”
He stepped inside but made no move to close the door, the cold February air sweeping into her hallway.
“And I have some bottled water in the car. Probably best you drink up before the ultrasound. Full bladder and all that.”
Cuddy was touched by his thoughtfulness. For a fleeting moment, she wondered why she’d never taken her chance with the eligible Dr. Wilson, considered the possibility of a life with foot rubs and someone else doing the cooking. Still, no time to dwell on it when there was a strawberry danish calling her name.
“There was an accident on Route 1 earlier, so I thought we should leave a little earlier.”
She nodded, mouth full of pastry. With a final check of her hair and make-up, Cuddy grabbed her briefcase and purse, motioning for Wilson to follow. He even ran around the car to open the passenger side door for her, a modern-day knight in shining armor.
Wilson got in as she was smoothing down the jacket of her suit, and for a second, she thought he was going to lean across and fix her seatbelt, but seemed to think better of it. Cuddy wasn’t wild about being fussed over, and certainly not used to it. She breathed a sigh of relief as Wilson started the car and pulled out of her driveway.
“You coming straight home after the test?”
“Yeah, if you can drop me here, I can bring my own car into work.”
Wilson had his attention on the road as they turned out of her street, though he took a moment to flick the radio on.
“Nervous?”
He tore his eyes from the road long enough to treat her to a reassuring smile. No wonder he was such a good oncologist, Cuddy thought, she felt soothed just being around him.
“I don’t do nervous, remember? I just want the all clear so I can stop conjuring up nightmares for myself.”
Wilson’s forearms flexed lightly as he steered into the slow lane, even though the power steering made any strength unnecessary. He was taking his chauffeur detail very seriously, and Cuddy found it kind of adorable.
The short journey passed in comfortable silence, Cuddy sipping constantly from the smoothie cup and then the bottled water that had been placed in the glove compartment for her. He didn’t mention House so neither did she, though her thoughts strayed to him as frequently as they had always done.
Last week she’d considered going over there and demanding the apology that was rightfully hers. He would never initiate it, but it had crossed her mind that if she gave him the opportunity, he could make things right between them.
Although she’d considered becoming a single mother, the reality was pretty terrifying. More than anything, she’d enjoyed the idea of raising a child with House, of passing on the best bits of him to their kid.
He’d ignored her other than their habitual tussles over patients, and she’d made no concessions that might indicate forgiveness. She’d lain awake longer than intended most nights to replay his cruel words, an unfortunate loop of perfect recall that made her heart ache that she could have been so wrong. Like their many arguments across the years though, it did very little to dissuade her from loving him, try though she might.
Well, for so many years she’d been able to resist that knowledge, to conveniently suppress the feelings she had for him. House might be the one who drove her crazy, but she’d survived just fine without him before and could do it again. Cuddy had gotten pretty good at being alone, and in a few months there would be a tiny person to take up all her time.
Wilson held the car door open for her at the clinic, too; she was almost getting used to being around a man with manners. It was a little harder to negotiate her way out of the car, her expanding stomach throwing off her well-practiced elegance. Predictably, he was enough of a gentleman not to comment. She almost smiled at the thought of her last car journey with House when he threatened to call the fire department and have them winch her out of the driver’s seat.
She stopped for a second, ostensibly to check for something in her purse, but really to let the pang of missing him pass before she continued the short walk to the clinic’s front doors.
Early though they were, Cuddy presented herself at the desk with her most charming smile. If there was any chance of being seen early, she could get back to the office and finish preparing for that afternoon’s board meeting.
Wilson hovered uncertainly behind her, chest pushed out in what she assumed was his best manly pose. Perhaps she should have asked him to wait in the car; he might start handing out cigars if left to his own devices.
She winced when the receptionist appeared from behind the frosted glass. It was one of the many assistants she’d been forced to let go before. The woman’s face betrayed recognition instantly, and Cuddy tried her best not to let her professional smile falter.
It seemed to take an age, but after the requisite wait on uncomfortable chairs with a disinterested browse through back issues of Vanity Fair, Cuddy was finally called in to see Dr. Nadat.
Wilson stood to accompany her, which made her jump.
“Uh, Wilson, as much as I appreciate you, I don’t think I’m ready to discuss my cervix with you.”
The relief was palpable, his tense shoulders dropping about three inches when she absolved him of any obligation. With an encouraging pat on her shoulder, he sat back down with a copy of Homes & Gardens, leaving her free to have her examination.
It was exactly the same drill as her previous appointments, with the practice’s senior obstetrician in attendance because they liked having their emergency facilities at PPTH and thus the Dean had to be treated accordingly. The ultrasound technician was remarkably unimpressed, or perhaps just eager to get another swollen belly out of the room as quickly as possible.
Cuddy nodded politely through the chatter about blood pressure and blood sugar, expectations for the amniocentesis and other such formalities. Eventually the icy cool gel was applied to her abdomen, and it distracted her for a moment to notice the difference since her first ultrasound. Then her stomach had still been flat, the contours of years in the gym still impressively present. Twenty weeks was sneaking up and her shape hadn’t changed dramatically, but it left her looking as though she’d swallowed a large grapefruit.
The swirling sound of the ultrasound filled the room, all the technology advances had done nothing to make it sound any less weird over the years. With bated breath, she waited for her baby’s heartbeat.
There it was.
One beat.
Then two.
Cuddy exhaled with relief, but it caught in her throat at the irregular pause she heard before another beat finally came in. Dr. Nadat wouldn’t meet her eye, all attention in the room suddenly focusing on the slightly grainy digital image.
House might be making the musical contribution to the kid’s genetic makeup, but even someone as tone deaf as Cuddy could pick up on the lack of regular rhythm. She watched, numb with fear, as Dr. Nadat reached out to trace something on the screen with her finger.
When the doctor turned to speak to her, Cuddy found herself unable to hear the words. She was trying so hard to focus on the screen, but the tears welling up wouldn’t let her see.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Wilson tapped his foot impatiently as checked his watch for the fiftieth time. When he’d offered to drive Cuddy here, he’d expected a 20-minute checkup and straight back to the hospital. As it stood, he was going to have to reschedule at least one appointment, and a second if Cuddy didn’t appear soon.
He’d also spent a long night attempting to pluck up the courage to suggest something pretty radical to her. Something, maybe a misguided sense of duty, had kept him up past two worrying over it.
As soon as he saw her again, he was going to propose that he step in to help her raise the baby. She’d seemed so lost without House at her side, and it couldn’t be easy to contemplate doing this alone, not with a job as demanding as hers. Plus, it might teach House that he shouldn’t throw away something so fantastic. If Wilson was honest, he’d always had a great affection for Cuddy, or Lisa as he had called her before House’s bad habits rubbed off on him. Maybe things between them would develop, he’d marry her if that was what she wanted.
Thankfully, at the moment she emerged from the exam room, her face a little paler than when she’d gone in. In her hand she held a bunch of paperwork, the telltale black square on top clearly a snapshot of her scan. When Wilson spoke to her, she seemed to ignore him at first. When she did turn her attention on him there was a distracted air about her, and she simply nodded towards the parking lot, taking off briskly. Forced to trot along after her, Wilson realized what must be wrong with her.
Seeing her child like that had to be emotional; for the first time in the pregnancy, she was dealing with all this alone. Wilson could have kicked himself for not insisting that he keep her company. He could have kicked House even harder for screwing things up like this.
“So you want me to drop you off at your house?”
Wilson asked the question as he got into the car, clicking his seatbelt into place. He was startled by her hand on his, her skin jarringly cold.
“Could you take me straight to the hospital, please?”
The tone was too plaintive for a mere change of destination, but Wilson didn’t feel comfortable pushing her, not when he saw the determined set of her jaw. Cuddy was on some kind of mission, and he was not the kind of fool who got trampled by standing in her way.
He started the engine and and before he could think to ask her anything further, she had reached for the volume control and turned the Police album that started to play up to an almost uncomfortable level. James Wilson could take a hint, so he drove them back to the hospital at something a little closer to the speed limit than their original trip.
Pulling up in his usual space, Wilson got out and opened the door for Cuddy, only to find her staring straight ahead, belt still firmly in place.
“Cuddy?”
She nodded, making no move to release her seatbelt.
Seizing his chance, Wilson allowed the words that had been bouncing around his head finally spill forth.
“I wanted to ask you something. I know that House has let you down, and you both seem to be saying that there’s no going back. But I can’t bear to think of you going through this alone. Would you consider letting me raise this baby with you? I could be there for you, move in if you need someone around to do things for you. And I know we’ve only ever had a couple of dates, but I’m saying that I’ll commit to you both, even if House won’t.”
Cuddy turned to him, her face deathly pale, clearly in shock.
“Wilson, I…”
“Oh God, I shouldn’t have said anything yet. Listen, you can take some time to think about it.”
She burst into tears: huge, wracking sobs that seemed to be choking her as they escaped her throat. Her hand loosened its grip on the papers, letting them slide to the floor of the car.
Wilson hadn’t expected this kind of reaction. He’d been prepared for a gentle rebuff, or the less likely grateful acceptance, but this was way beyond what he’d geared himself up for.
He began to panic slightly as Cuddy started to hyperventilate. Stretching across her to the glove compartment, he retrieved the discarded deli bag from earlier.
Wilson met her eyes as he pressed the paper gently against her mouth, instinctively reaching out to stroke the soft curls that framed her face.
“This isn’t just about my idea, is it?”
Cuddy shook her head, closing her eyes as she tried to regulate her breathing, the sobs coming a little slower now.
“You want me to call him now?”
The nod and plea in her expression confirmed the course of action, and also that there was no chance of his little plan ever coming to fruition. With a small sigh of disappointment, Wilson retrieved his cell and hit speed dial 1.
* * * * * * * * *
House pulled a face as his phone rang out with the familiar strains of Dancing Queen. Ignoring it in favor of his computer screen, he grumbled at the slow loading of the image he was waiting for.
So it wasn’t technically ethical to breach another institution’s medical records system, but if they were going to make it so damn easy, how could he refuse. Cuddy’s appointment had ended 30 minutes ago, and her file was being gradually updated as he refreshed. Now all that remained was the scan itself and the doctor’s notes. Hitting command-R with an impatient flourish, House smiled as the ultrasound began to load at a more reasonable speed.
The sick feeling that surged up his windpipe made him wish he’d never hacked into the damn thing in the first place. The white blob right where it shouldn’t be drew his eyes to it almost magnetically, and as he kept refreshing, line after line of notes filled the previously empty box.
Struggling to digest the information presented, House grasped blindly for his cane. He had to move, he had to get away from the glaring facts in front of him.
He had to get to Cuddy.
Chapter 10
