The rest of the day was less irritating after almost everyone had talked to him about Cuddy. He thought he was home free by the time he could go home but that's when Foreman came in.
"I'm hoping you're the last one."
"I did that on purpose."
House just continued getting ready to leave as Foreman talked to him.
"I don't know what the others might have said or what they are expecting. But I don't care. Do you love her?"
House stopped. Spun around on his heel and just stared at Foreman.
"Do you?"
"Love is a complicated thing, it--"
"Will you just please answer the goddamn question?"
His voice had raised to a more dominating tone than it had been before. House just looked at him, staring him down, figuring out his next move. And then he gave a curt nod.
"If you really love her, don't screw with her."
"Chase already gave me the speech."
"He gave you a speech about not putting others at stake."
"You're not."
"No. I'm not. I like Cuddy. She's saved my ass a lot. And I thank her for that. She's a good friend, great doctor and an even greater Dean. I don't need you screwing her over."
"Why do you all have a theory that she's the victim."
"She's with you for obvious reasons. If she wanted to hurt you, she could've. But she hasn't. Plus, she doesn't have that kind of pull. You do."
He began walking towards the door after ending his retort abruptly. House gave the same reply he did to Chase, except this time it was more serious.
"You want to bet on that?"
With that said, he just stopped at the door, gave a quick glance at House and stormed out.
______________________________________________
Several months later..
It had been months since the many worries had come about. By now, everything was calmed down. Everything was normal. Fine. For the time being at least.
House and Cuddy were walking fairly quickly in the parking lot, making their way to the main doors. They were very late and in apparent hurry. They were hand in hand outside, but when they came through the doors they let go. They went their own ways when they reached the lobby.
"See you later?"
"Don't count on it," she said sarcastically.
He walked into the elevator smiling but came out as serious as possible. His team had flooded around him, telling him what he had missed.
"Where have you been?" Taub asked.
"Yeah, you left us with your clinic duty and--"
"Frankly, I really don't care where he's been, he just needs to know what's going on. We've got a situation. He's in a clean room. His immune system's crashed. He's had several seizures and a Myocardial Infarction. He's dying."
They made their way into the office, sitting down figuring out what to do.
"He's dying."
"I know, I heard you the first time."
"What are we supposed to do?"
"We can't do anything. He's dying remember?"
"We can't just leave him like this. We need to do a differential. What explains multiple seizures and a heart attack?"
"What caused his immune system to fail?"
"Has to be something we gave him," Kutner added in.
"I'm just taking a shot here but, antihistamine?"
"How'd you know?"
"Lucky guess."
"Well, its our fault its crashed so its not a system. Several seizures and a heart attack."
"Thank you for the update Foreman. Go run blood cultures. Monitor him closely. Check him every half hour, who knows what system could fail next."
For hours, they we're monitoring him, running multiple tests, but they found nothing. By twelve, they were all worn out.
"Go home. You've done enough for the day."
House was the only one who stayed behind. He stayed in his office, studying his board. Few minutes later, his phone rang.
"You still at work?" It was Cuddy.
"You already went home?"
"Couldn't find you when I was leaving."
"What are you wearing?"
"Wrapped in one of the blankets on the couch."
"Nice. Wish I could be there."
"And why are you still there?"
"Patient of mine, he's dying."
"Your patients are always dying."
"You just realize that?"
"What's wrong with him?
"Immune system failed, heart attack, and multiple seizures. Immune System failed from the antihistamine. Heart attack, still unknown. Showed some history of epilepsy. My idiot team was too incompetent and failed to take a decent history. He's going to die soon anyway."
"What else is new." Her voice toned with sorrow.
"Hey."
They were quiet for a few seconds.
"Don't give on me yet. If I knew it was something else, I'd be with you and Rachel--So I'm staying overnight. Tell her I said goodnight."
She sighed. "Night," and they both hung up the phone.
House got up from his chair and went over to the ICU to check on his patient. He went up to the window and tapped it rhythmically with the handle on his cane. He didn't want to be there, but he had no choice. He had to find out what was wrong with this guy. So he stepped into the ICU making a huge mistake.
____________________________________________
Their patient was pronounced dead an hour and a half later everyone had left. With the exception of House. He was in Wilson's office when his patient was pronounced dead.
Hours later when the team came back House broke the news as soon as they walked in.
"Time of death, 1:32."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"Well, we still need to know what killed him before sending him off to the morgue," Foreman protested. "why are the nurses cleaning him off already?"
"We know what killed him. His IS failed. Any infection could've gotten in there. There's no point. For all we know it could've been--"
He paused. After a few long seconds he said,
"His nose was runny," and he walked out rushing into the ICU. He backed off the nurses and felt behind his ears. His glands were swollen.
"Damn it."
He limped back over to his office and uttered without even looking at any of them,
"I killed him."
He sat down in his chair and they all came rushing in from the other room. They all spoke something after the other, first Foreman, Thirteen, Taub and finally Kutner.
"What?"
"How?"
"When?"
"So it's not our fault?"
"It is. If we hadn't given him the antihistamine
his immune system wouldn't have crashed. And I wouldn't have given him the cold that killed him."
"A cold killed him?" Kutner asked in a shock.
"Anything simple can kill you once your immune system's crashed. It's like going to war, without an army. You are vulnerable to the other side. You two. Go bring him to the morgue. And you two, cover my clinic duty. I'm going home."
House dropped by Wilson's before leaving. He threw back three tablets of the usual as he walked in and kicked back on his couch.
"I killed a patient."
"We all have our days."
"You wanna take a guess?"
"Couldn't find the diagnosis in time?"
"Is that the most likely thing to ever happen with me?"
"Overdose?"
"Nay."
"Terminal illness of some sort, like an infection?"
"Not even close. I killed him, with a cold. How much you think we'll get sued for that by the family?"
"A cold? What kind of cold does that?"
"A cold that attacks a body with a crashed immune system."
"Aw damn. Wait, did you give it to him?"
"Didn't I say that I killed him? I need to record what I say, you know for future reference or play back."
"How could you miss something like that?"
"I don't know. Some things are wrong with me lately and I don't know why.."
"So you're going home?"
"Been here all night. Might not deserve it but "the man" will send me home anyway."
"Go get some sleep then."
"If I can."
He paused, got up from the couch and began to leave the room.
"Morning, Wilson"
"Night, House."
---
"A COLD?" Cuddy exclaimed eyes widened.
"Yes, for the tenth time..."
"This is all my fault."
"Ho--H--How?"
"Wilson, House wouldn't have let a patient die of a COLD."
"His immune system failed. House didn't know he was even carrying it and unconsciously made a mistake and gave it to him."
"Seven months ago he wouldn't have made this mistake."
"We--What? You guys have been dating seven months? Wow. Where have I been..."
"As I was saying--He wouldn't have made this mistake before."
"Of course he couldn't because he's House, and he's the smartest guy there is, he can cure anyone he wants--"
"Yeah, he can."
"He's a human Cuddy. He makes mistakes. A simple unconscious slip. Give me symptoms bigger than this and I will carry worries with you."
She rolled her eyes and gave a sigh, walking out of Wilson's office saying,
"I know it's my fault."
Wilson rolled his eyes as she closed the door and said,
"Well, if that's what you think, then lovin' kills.."
"I'm hoping you're the last one."
"I did that on purpose."
House just continued getting ready to leave as Foreman talked to him.
"I don't know what the others might have said or what they are expecting. But I don't care. Do you love her?"
House stopped. Spun around on his heel and just stared at Foreman.
"Do you?"
"Love is a complicated thing, it--"
"Will you just please answer the goddamn question?"
His voice had raised to a more dominating tone than it had been before. House just looked at him, staring him down, figuring out his next move. And then he gave a curt nod.
"If you really love her, don't screw with her."
"Chase already gave me the speech."
"He gave you a speech about not putting others at stake."
"You're not."
"No. I'm not. I like Cuddy. She's saved my ass a lot. And I thank her for that. She's a good friend, great doctor and an even greater Dean. I don't need you screwing her over."
"Why do you all have a theory that she's the victim."
"She's with you for obvious reasons. If she wanted to hurt you, she could've. But she hasn't. Plus, she doesn't have that kind of pull. You do."
He began walking towards the door after ending his retort abruptly. House gave the same reply he did to Chase, except this time it was more serious.
"You want to bet on that?"
With that said, he just stopped at the door, gave a quick glance at House and stormed out.
______________________________________________
Several months later..
It had been months since the many worries had come about. By now, everything was calmed down. Everything was normal. Fine. For the time being at least.
House and Cuddy were walking fairly quickly in the parking lot, making their way to the main doors. They were very late and in apparent hurry. They were hand in hand outside, but when they came through the doors they let go. They went their own ways when they reached the lobby.
"See you later?"
"Don't count on it," she said sarcastically.
He walked into the elevator smiling but came out as serious as possible. His team had flooded around him, telling him what he had missed.
"Where have you been?" Taub asked.
"Yeah, you left us with your clinic duty and--"
"Frankly, I really don't care where he's been, he just needs to know what's going on. We've got a situation. He's in a clean room. His immune system's crashed. He's had several seizures and a Myocardial Infarction. He's dying."
They made their way into the office, sitting down figuring out what to do.
"He's dying."
"I know, I heard you the first time."
"What are we supposed to do?"
"We can't do anything. He's dying remember?"
"We can't just leave him like this. We need to do a differential. What explains multiple seizures and a heart attack?"
"What caused his immune system to fail?"
"Has to be something we gave him," Kutner added in.
"I'm just taking a shot here but, antihistamine?"
"How'd you know?"
"Lucky guess."
"Well, its our fault its crashed so its not a system. Several seizures and a heart attack."
"Thank you for the update Foreman. Go run blood cultures. Monitor him closely. Check him every half hour, who knows what system could fail next."
For hours, they we're monitoring him, running multiple tests, but they found nothing. By twelve, they were all worn out.
"Go home. You've done enough for the day."
House was the only one who stayed behind. He stayed in his office, studying his board. Few minutes later, his phone rang.
"You still at work?" It was Cuddy.
"You already went home?"
"Couldn't find you when I was leaving."
"What are you wearing?"
"Wrapped in one of the blankets on the couch."
"Nice. Wish I could be there."
"And why are you still there?"
"Patient of mine, he's dying."
"Your patients are always dying."
"You just realize that?"
"What's wrong with him?
"Immune system failed, heart attack, and multiple seizures. Immune System failed from the antihistamine. Heart attack, still unknown. Showed some history of epilepsy. My idiot team was too incompetent and failed to take a decent history. He's going to die soon anyway."
"What else is new." Her voice toned with sorrow.
"Hey."
They were quiet for a few seconds.
"Don't give on me yet. If I knew it was something else, I'd be with you and Rachel--So I'm staying overnight. Tell her I said goodnight."
She sighed. "Night," and they both hung up the phone.
House got up from his chair and went over to the ICU to check on his patient. He went up to the window and tapped it rhythmically with the handle on his cane. He didn't want to be there, but he had no choice. He had to find out what was wrong with this guy. So he stepped into the ICU making a huge mistake.
____________________________________________
Their patient was pronounced dead an hour and a half later everyone had left. With the exception of House. He was in Wilson's office when his patient was pronounced dead.
Hours later when the team came back House broke the news as soon as they walked in.
"Time of death, 1:32."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"Well, we still need to know what killed him before sending him off to the morgue," Foreman protested. "why are the nurses cleaning him off already?"
"We know what killed him. His IS failed. Any infection could've gotten in there. There's no point. For all we know it could've been--"
He paused. After a few long seconds he said,
"His nose was runny," and he walked out rushing into the ICU. He backed off the nurses and felt behind his ears. His glands were swollen.
"Damn it."
He limped back over to his office and uttered without even looking at any of them,
"I killed him."
He sat down in his chair and they all came rushing in from the other room. They all spoke something after the other, first Foreman, Thirteen, Taub and finally Kutner.
"What?"
"How?"
"When?"
"So it's not our fault?"
"It is. If we hadn't given him the antihistamine
his immune system wouldn't have crashed. And I wouldn't have given him the cold that killed him."
"A cold killed him?" Kutner asked in a shock.
"Anything simple can kill you once your immune system's crashed. It's like going to war, without an army. You are vulnerable to the other side. You two. Go bring him to the morgue. And you two, cover my clinic duty. I'm going home."
House dropped by Wilson's before leaving. He threw back three tablets of the usual as he walked in and kicked back on his couch.
"I killed a patient."
"We all have our days."
"You wanna take a guess?"
"Couldn't find the diagnosis in time?"
"Is that the most likely thing to ever happen with me?"
"Overdose?"
"Nay."
"Terminal illness of some sort, like an infection?"
"Not even close. I killed him, with a cold. How much you think we'll get sued for that by the family?"
"A cold? What kind of cold does that?"
"A cold that attacks a body with a crashed immune system."
"Aw damn. Wait, did you give it to him?"
"Didn't I say that I killed him? I need to record what I say, you know for future reference or play back."
"How could you miss something like that?"
"I don't know. Some things are wrong with me lately and I don't know why.."
"So you're going home?"
"Been here all night. Might not deserve it but "the man" will send me home anyway."
"Go get some sleep then."
"If I can."
He paused, got up from the couch and began to leave the room.
"Morning, Wilson"
"Night, House."
---
"A COLD?" Cuddy exclaimed eyes widened.
"Yes, for the tenth time..."
"This is all my fault."
"Ho--H--How?"
"Wilson, House wouldn't have let a patient die of a COLD."
"His immune system failed. House didn't know he was even carrying it and unconsciously made a mistake and gave it to him."
"Seven months ago he wouldn't have made this mistake."
"We--What? You guys have been dating seven months? Wow. Where have I been..."
"As I was saying--He wouldn't have made this mistake before."
"Of course he couldn't because he's House, and he's the smartest guy there is, he can cure anyone he wants--"
"Yeah, he can."
"He's a human Cuddy. He makes mistakes. A simple unconscious slip. Give me symptoms bigger than this and I will carry worries with you."
She rolled her eyes and gave a sigh, walking out of Wilson's office saying,
"I know it's my fault."
Wilson rolled his eyes as she closed the door and said,
"Well, if that's what you think, then lovin' kills.."