Title: Fade to Black
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All rights belong to Fox and David Shore. I make no money from this.
Summary: Part of the hospital collapses, trapping House and Cuddy beneath the rubble. After extraction, there's going to be recovery.

Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three. Chapter Four.




“Good afternoon, Doctor House,” Anne greeted as she entered House’s hospital room. “I brought a wheelchair if you want out of that bed.”

House’s eyes settled on the wheelchair before lifting to her face.

“Thank God,” he replied.

Anne smiled. “Thought so. Let me get Robbie and we’ll get you in the chair.”

House let his tongue run over his lips. “Wanna bring some meds for the pain while you’re at it?”

“Hm...” Anne sidled over to log on the end of his bed and took a look at it. “You were given Vicodin an hour ago.”

“Yeah,” House agreed. “Still hurts.”

Anne shook her head and replaced the log at the end of his bed. “I’m sorry, Dr. House, but you’re on a strict schedule with your pain medication.”

“So, you’re going to let me suffer?” He raised his eyebrows at her.

Anne frowned. “I can check with your doctor, but—”

“Forget it,” House said tiredly. “Just get me in that chair.”

“I’ll get Robbie.”

House watched as Anne left his hospital room. He reached toward the small flower pot on the table next to his hospital bed and brought it towards himself. He pulled his Vicodin bottle from inside and rattled it. There wasn’t much left.

He popped the lid from the bottle and took two of the pills. After snapping on the lid, House shoved the bottle into the pocket of the robe he was wearing. He placed the flower pot back on the table just as Anne entered back into the room.

---

House placed his hands on the wheels to his wheelchair, allowing for Anne to stop pushing him. She stepped to the side of the wheelchair and looked down at him.

“Thanks,” House mumbled. “Here’s good.”

“I’ll see you later then,” Anne told him. “And please come back at a reasonable time. I don’t want to hunt for you.”

House took off in the chair, not giving Anne any sort of reply. He reached Cuddy’s hospital room and turned into it, only to find it empty. Frowning, House wheeled himself into the hallway and looked around for a nurse. A middle aged nurse entered into the hall from a hospital room.

“Hey,” House called to her.

The nurse stopped and walked toward House. “Doctor House, what do—”

“Where is she?” House gave a nod toward Cuddy’s hospital room.

“Doctor Cuddy had her physical therapy moved to one thirty,” the nurse replied.

“Why?” House asked.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “You’ll have to ask her.”

“I will.”

House quickly took off for the elevators. The nurse called out to him, but he ignored her. He was on a mission now and determined to find Cuddy.

---

Without slowing, House entered into the main room for physical therapy, nearly knocking down a woman and child. He skirted to a stop when Todd, his physical therapist, rapidly approached. Todd made sure the woman and child were okay before turning to House.

“Doctor House, what are you doing here?” Todd asked. “We don’t have physical therapy with you until Friday.”

“I know,” House replied. “I came to see Dr. Cuddy.”

“You’ll have to wait.” Todd indicated for House to enter back into the waiting room.

House looked past Todd and scanned the large room. His eyes wandered over various stations, some being occupied by diligently working patients.

He saw Cuddy standing between two parallel bars, wheelchair directly behind her as she attempted to balance and keep herself standing. Jane was spotting her from the front.

“Cuddy!” House called out toward her.

Cuddy’s head snapped up and she looked in his direction. House wheeled himself around Todd and toward Cuddy. She quickly lost focus and Jane grabbed her at the waist as her legs gave out. Jane eased her back into the wheelchair.

“What are you doing here?” Cuddy hissed, glaring at House.

“You weren’t in your room,” he said simply.

“And?” Cuddy raised her eyebrows sharply.

“I wanted to see the progress your making,” he replied with a shrug.

“I don’t want you here,” she told him harshly.

“Too bad.”

Jane drew in a breath. “Dr. House, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

He shook his head slightly. “I’m not leaving.”

“House, get out!” Cuddy shouted at him, getting a few glances from others in the room who weren’t involved in the conversation.

House studied her, his eyes examining every inch of her. Her eyes were glistening, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were wet. Her hands were clutching the armrests of the wheelchair, her nails digging in. Her legs were bent in towards each other, appearing dead and lifeless.

“Fine.” His tone was crisp. “Try not to fall next time.”

He wheeled his chair back a few inches before turning it and heading out of the room. Cuddy kept her eyes on the empty doorway after he had gone. It wasn’t until Jane touched her shoulder that she snapped back to attention.

“That wasn’t so bad, Lisa,” Jane said. “If it wasn’t for Dr. House, I’m sure you could have stood on your own. We are making progress.”

“Yeah,” Cuddy agreed distractedly.

Jane patted her hand. “You’re improving each week.” She knelt down in front of Cuddy’s wheelchair. “I have faith that you will stand on your own by next week. Which means, in a few months, you should be walking again.”

“Yeah,” Cuddy replied for a second time, but she wasn’t so sure.

---

House repeatedly knocked on Wilson’s door. He wasn’t planning on letting up until Wilson let him in. Finally, the door opened.

“How did I know it was you?” Wilson asked.

“Who else would be so charming?” House replied. “Move.”

Wilson stepped back, opening the door wider. House wheeled himself in and Wilson closed the door behind him. He made his way over to his desk and sat behind it.

“Cuddy’s always in physical therapy,” House said, once he had parked himself across from Wilson’s desk.

Wilson shrugged. “They want her to get better.”

“She’s even there now.”

House wheeled himself back and maneuvered over to the door to Wilson’s balcony. He looked out at the rain falling.

“Well, her time was moved on Tuesdays and Thursdays because of the availability of equipment,” Wilson explained to House.

“So, she talks to you about her therapy?” House looked away from the rain and back at Wilson.

“When I ask,” he replied.

“Do you go with her?” House asked.

“When she asks,” Wilson answered. “She needs all the support she can get.”

“Yeah,” House agreed and turned back to the rain.

Wilson sized House up. “How are you doing with your therapy?”

“It’d be better if I could get this cast off.” House still didn’t look back.

“You’ve got to wait for that bone to heal first,” Wilson told him. “Only a few more weeks or so.” House didn’t respond so Wilson went on. “How’s the pain?”

“Fantastic.” House’s sarcasm shone through.

Speaking of pain, House took out his Vicodin bottle and popped a pill. Wilson eyed him up for a second time, watching as House placed the bottle back into his robe pocket.

“Don’t they have you on pain medication?” Wilson asked.

“Yep,” House answered and wheeled himself back to his former spot.

“Yet you’re taking more?” Wilson raised his eyebrows.

“Nope.” House shook his head.

Wilson narrowed his eyes. “House—”

“James,” House cut him off.

“If they’re giving you pain medication, you shouldn’t be taking more,” Wilson said.

“It was one pill.” House frowned. “Give me a break. Besides, my legs, both of them, still hurt even with the measly rations they give me.”

Wilson watched him, unsure if he should believe him or not. He couldn’t be sure of how much pain House was really in. He decided to drop it for now, but to keep on alert of House’s self medicating.

“So, if Cuddy talks to you, did she tell you how her legs are doing?” House asked, taking the subject off of himself.

“Well, the injury to her back is healing,” Wilson told him. “They’re doing treatments to try and give her full feeling back in her legs.”

“Her left side still bad?” House’s gaze dropped as he tried to appear distracted by his cast.

“Yeah.” Wilson nodded. “She has her good days and her bad days.”

“Seems like there’s more bad days,” House replied, eyes still lowered.

“She’ll be all right, House,” Wilson said. “She just needs our support.”

“Uh-huh,” House agreed. “Right.” He lifted his head and his eyes met Wilson’s. “Well, Nurse Anne promised me a sponge bath so I really better go. Don’t want to miss out on a happy ending because I was late.”

Wilson held his friend’s gaze for a moment before giving a short nod.

“See you later, House.”

House wheeled his chair back and headed out of Wilson’s office.

---

“Hey.”

Cuddy looked to the doorway of her hospital room to see House wheeling himself inside. A frown crossed over her face as she glared at him.

“Get away from me,” she told him and pushed the call button for the nurse.

“What is your problem?” House asked and stopped his chair.

“Leave me alone.” Cuddy’s voice grew in volume.

The nurse House had spoken to earlier entered the room. She looked past House to Cuddy.

“Yes, Dr. Cuddy?” she asked.

“I want Dr. House out of here,” Cuddy said.

“Come on, Dr. House.”

The nurse put her hands on the handles of his wheelchair. She began to pull him back, but House quickly grabbed his wheels, stopping himself.

“You don’t get to tell me to leave,” House directed his words to Cuddy.

House pushed forward hard with his wheels and the nurse let go, not wanting House to hurt himself. He wheeled over to the side of the hospital bed, Cuddy still glaring at him.

“And you don’t get to butt in on my physical therapy,” Cuddy added.

“There wasn’t much to see,” House replied darkly. “Unless you count you nearly greeting the floor with your face.”

“Fuck you,” Cuddy spat back.

The nurse approached House. “Dr. House, please. I will call security.”

House glanced back at the nurse. “I’m not bothering anyone.

“You’re bothering me!” Cuddy shouted. “Now, get out!”

“Okay,” House wheeled his chair back, causing the nurse to move quickly out of the way. “Fine. Yeah, Cuddy, whatever.”

“Come back when you stop being an asshole,” she told him bitterly.

“Will do,” House called over his shoulder and wheeled himself out of the room.

The nurse followed House out to make sure he was leaving for good. Cuddy fell back against her pillows and let out an annoyed sigh.


Chapter Six.