Fic: I Will Buy You A New Life: Chapter Nineteen
Title: I Will Buy You A New Life.
Pairings: House/Cuddy
Rating: I'm pretty sure PG-13 will work.
Chapter: Nineteen of Twenty
Disclaimer: I don't own House M.D. nor the characters. I don't make any money from this.
Summary: After House and Cuddy decided to give their relationship a try and raise their daughter, Sarah, together, we catch up with them seven years later. Sarah is a teenager, House has an emerging medical problem, and Cuddy's trying to keep her eye on both of them.
Author's Note: I deeply apologize for the lack of update. I had been on vacation the last ten days and had scarce internets. The next (last) chapter will most definitely be posted soon.
(Start from the beginning.)
“Sarah.”
She turned in the hallway after walking out of the band room, knowing the voice, but surprised to hear it. Sarah’s eyes landed on her aunt.
“Aunt Dory?” Sarah’s facial expression changed from confusion to worry. “What happened?”
“Come on.” Dory gave her a nod. “Your mom’s with your dad at the hospital. They found him a liver. He’s in surgery now.”
“He’s already in surgery?” Sarah hurried over to her aunt and walked alongside of her. “Why didn’t anyone get me sooner?”
“Your mom thought it would be best if you went to band practice,” Dory told her. “It’ll be a long wait.”
“So, if Dad has a liver, did someone else die?” Sarah asked her.
“Yeah.” Dory nodded. “But, your dad has a shot at getting better now because of it.”
“Did my mom say anything else?” Sarah said.
“Nope.” Dory shook her head. “Just to pick you up and bring you to the hospital.”
Sarah fell silent as her aunt walked her towards the front doors of the school. Dory glanced over at Sarah before placing her arm around her shoulders.
“It’ll be okay, Sarah,” Dory tried to reassure her niece and planted a light kiss on the girl’s head.
Cuddy stood from her seat in the waiting room as she saw her daughter and sister approach.
“Mom.” Sarah rushed to her mother and hugged her.
“Hi, sweetheart.” Cuddy returned the hug and then looked to her sister. “Thank you, Dor, for picking her up.”
“No problem, Lise,” Dory replied.
“How’s Dad?” Sarah asked as she took a step away from Cuddy.
“He’s in surgery,” Cuddy told her.
“For how long?” Sarah said.
Cuddy drew in a breath. “It’s only been about an hour. He could be in there for a long time. If you want to go home for a little while-”
“No,” Sarah cut her off. “I want to stay here with you.”
Cuddy gave her daughter a smile. “All right, sweetie.”
She brushed her fingers over Sarah’s cheek and then looked over at Dory.
“You can go, Dory,” Cuddy told her sister. “I’ll call and keep you updated.”
“Okay,” Dory agreed.
Dory drew Cuddy into a quick hug before hugging Sarah. She gave them both a parting smile and headed back through the way she came in. Cuddy turned to her daughter.
“Are you hungry or anything?” Cuddy asked.
“No,” Sarah answered.
She noticed the wrinkles her mother only had in deep concern. The last time she had seen them was when Grandfather House had passed away and her father was distant for weeks.
Sarah shifted her weight. “So, what happened?”
Cuddy seated herself back down onto a stiff padded chair. “A woman was in a car accident and her liver was a match for your father. It’s a five six match, which is good.”
Sarah sat down next to her mother and let her backpack drop at her feet. “How long will the surgery take?”
“It varies,” Cuddy said. “It could be four hours, it could be fourteen. Or anywhere in between that.”
Sarah’s eyebrows shot up. “That long?”
“Yeah,” Cuddy answered gently.
Cuddy placed her arm around Sarah. Sarah leaned into her mother and relaxed against her. She let out a breath as she prepared herself for the wait.
“Hey,” Wilson called out to Cuddy and Sarah as he approached them. “How are you doing?”
“James.” Cuddy instantly felt comfort at seeing her friend.
She stood to her feet and hugged him tightly. Sarah stood as well and hugged Wilson after he parted from her mother.
“How are you doing, Sarah?” Wilson asked her.
“Okay.” Sarah shrugged.
“I brought you some food.” Wilson extended the brown paper bag. “Claire made it.”
“Thanks.” Cuddy gave him a smile and took the bag.
Sarah bit her bottom lip. “Uncle James... wanna come with me?”
“Where?” Cuddy asked, eyebrows drawing together curiously.
“For a walk,” Sarah told her and then looked back over at Wilson.
Wilson nodded. “Sure.”
“We’ll be back,” Sarah said to her mother and led Wilson away from Cuddy.
Sarah stepped into her father’s office first. Wilson followed in after her and remained near the doorway, waiting for a cue from Sarah as to what he should do.
“I used to play in here.” Sarah ran her fingers across the top of House’s desk. “And color in here. Sometimes when I was annoyed with Mom, I would storm up here. She always knew where to find me.”
Sarah made her way around the desk and sat in the chair behind it. Wilson walked over to the yellow chair and sat on the edge of it, letting Sarah talk.
“When I got older, he would sit here and I would stand over there, and we would toss his ball back and forth,” Sarah continued. “We would discuss everything and sometimes he would tell me about his patients. He would rattle off the symptoms. Mom hated that because she always thought I would get upset. I needed to know what happened to the patients, if they lived or died. They were never really people to me.” She paused. “They were symptoms. They were problems and a solution.”
“You sound like your father,” Wilson said after a long silence.
“I know,” Sarah agreed. She diverted her eyes and twisted the chair back and forth a few times. Finally, she lifted her head back up. “If you were in my dad’s situation and Jack could be your liver donor, would you let him?”
Wilson thought a moment before shaking his head. “No. I don’t think I could.”
Sarah nodded slowly and looked away again. “Yeah...”
“He’s getting a liver right now, Sarah,” Wilson assured.
“I know,” Sarah replied, but didn’t look up.
“It’s okay that you’re not his donor,” Wilson told her. “He has a good match right now.”
“But, I could have been better,” Sarah argued, her voice rising.
“You don’t know that,” Wilson pointed out. “You didn’t have all the tests-”
“I could have,” Sarah insisted. “I know-” She cut herself off as tears pricked her eyes. “If he doesn’t make it, Uncle James...”
“He’ll make it,” Wilson assured her.
Sarah shook her head and her eyes darted upwards. “Don’t lie to me.”
“He can make it,” Wilson rephrased his previous words.
“Except that he’s old and he’s crippled and he’s sick,” Sarah bitterly replied. “He’s all these things-”
Sarah cut herself off again and spun the chair around, giving Wilson her back. Wilson stood up and walked toward the desk.
“And he’s your father,” he added gently.
Sarah was quiet for a long moment. “It just... sucks a lot.”
She turned her chair back around, her face devoid of tears. Wilson nodded.
“I know,” he said. “Come here.”
Sarah stood from the chair and moved around the desk. Wilson drew her into a hug. Sarah returned the hug tightly.
“Thanks,” she told him.
Wilson drew back and looked down at her. “You don’t have to thank me.”
Sarah drew in a breath. “I should go back to Mom.”
“Only if you want to,” Wilson replied, wanting to make sure she was okay. “We can stay here and talk some more if you’d rather do that.”
“No.” Sarah shook her head. “I’ll go back to Mom.”
Wilson nodded and followed Sarah out of House’s office.
A little after one in the morning, Sarah awoke due to the movement next to her. She sat up and looked to the empty chair where Cuddy had been previously sitting. Sarah stood up once she saw her mother talking with Dr. Meyers. She quickly stepped up alongside her mother.
“-he seems to be doing very well, vitals are good,” Dr. Meyers continued what he had been saying. “We just moved him into his room, but he’ll probably be out for the rest of the night. You can go in and see him.”
“Thank you.” Cuddy gave Dr. Meyers a tired smile. She looked to her daughter. “Come on, Sarah.”
Sarah picked up her backpack from the floor and threw one of the straps over her shoulder. She followed her mother down the hallway and into the Intensive Care Unit room her father was in.
House was on his back in bed, connected to IV’s and monitors. His eyes were closed and his face was pale. Cuddy swallowed the lump in her throat as she remained near the doorway.
Sarah stepped around her mother and headed for the couch close to the bed.She set her backpack on the floor and made her way over to the bed. Sarah lightly touched her father’s hand.
Cuddy drew in a deep breath and crossed over to the other side of the bed. She pulled the chair up to the bed and took a seat. She focused her attention on House and silently said a prayer.
Cuddy was sitting forward in her chair as she sat next to the hospital bed. She held onto House’s hand and gently ran her thumb over the back of his hand. Sarah was curled up on the couch across the room, sleeping. House opened his eyes and Cuddy perked up.
“Hey,” she said quietly, her voice tired.
House didn’t say anything, but his eyes went to Cuddy. Cuddy placed her free hand on his arm and rubbed up and down.
“How are you feeling?” Cuddy asked.
House nodded slightly in response.
“Do you need anything?” Cuddy prompted. “Water?”
He shook his head.
“They’ve been checking on you all night,” Cuddy told him. “They think your body is accepting the liver and that you shouldn’t have a problem. We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’re getting there.”
House nodded again. Cuddy gave his hand a small squeeze.
“I wish you’d say something,” Cuddy said.
“Mick?” he asked, barely above a whisper.
A small smile crossed over Cuddy’s lips and she pointed to the other side of the room. House directed his eyes over to the couch and then looked back over at Cuddy.
“We were here all night.” Cuddy started to rub her thumb over his hand again.
“You okay?” House asked her, his voice still quiet and rough.
“Yeah.” Cuddy nodded, feeling tears prick her eyes. “I am now.”
Chapter Twenty.
Pairings: House/Cuddy
Rating: I'm pretty sure PG-13 will work.
Chapter: Nineteen of Twenty
Disclaimer: I don't own House M.D. nor the characters. I don't make any money from this.
Summary: After House and Cuddy decided to give their relationship a try and raise their daughter, Sarah, together, we catch up with them seven years later. Sarah is a teenager, House has an emerging medical problem, and Cuddy's trying to keep her eye on both of them.
Author's Note: I deeply apologize for the lack of update. I had been on vacation the last ten days and had scarce internets. The next (last) chapter will most definitely be posted soon.
(Start from the beginning.)
“Sarah.”
She turned in the hallway after walking out of the band room, knowing the voice, but surprised to hear it. Sarah’s eyes landed on her aunt.
“Aunt Dory?” Sarah’s facial expression changed from confusion to worry. “What happened?”
“Come on.” Dory gave her a nod. “Your mom’s with your dad at the hospital. They found him a liver. He’s in surgery now.”
“He’s already in surgery?” Sarah hurried over to her aunt and walked alongside of her. “Why didn’t anyone get me sooner?”
“Your mom thought it would be best if you went to band practice,” Dory told her. “It’ll be a long wait.”
“So, if Dad has a liver, did someone else die?” Sarah asked her.
“Yeah.” Dory nodded. “But, your dad has a shot at getting better now because of it.”
“Did my mom say anything else?” Sarah said.
“Nope.” Dory shook her head. “Just to pick you up and bring you to the hospital.”
Sarah fell silent as her aunt walked her towards the front doors of the school. Dory glanced over at Sarah before placing her arm around her shoulders.
“It’ll be okay, Sarah,” Dory tried to reassure her niece and planted a light kiss on the girl’s head.
Cuddy stood from her seat in the waiting room as she saw her daughter and sister approach.
“Mom.” Sarah rushed to her mother and hugged her.
“Hi, sweetheart.” Cuddy returned the hug and then looked to her sister. “Thank you, Dor, for picking her up.”
“No problem, Lise,” Dory replied.
“How’s Dad?” Sarah asked as she took a step away from Cuddy.
“He’s in surgery,” Cuddy told her.
“For how long?” Sarah said.
Cuddy drew in a breath. “It’s only been about an hour. He could be in there for a long time. If you want to go home for a little while-”
“No,” Sarah cut her off. “I want to stay here with you.”
Cuddy gave her daughter a smile. “All right, sweetie.”
She brushed her fingers over Sarah’s cheek and then looked over at Dory.
“You can go, Dory,” Cuddy told her sister. “I’ll call and keep you updated.”
“Okay,” Dory agreed.
Dory drew Cuddy into a quick hug before hugging Sarah. She gave them both a parting smile and headed back through the way she came in. Cuddy turned to her daughter.
“Are you hungry or anything?” Cuddy asked.
“No,” Sarah answered.
She noticed the wrinkles her mother only had in deep concern. The last time she had seen them was when Grandfather House had passed away and her father was distant for weeks.
Sarah shifted her weight. “So, what happened?”
Cuddy seated herself back down onto a stiff padded chair. “A woman was in a car accident and her liver was a match for your father. It’s a five six match, which is good.”
Sarah sat down next to her mother and let her backpack drop at her feet. “How long will the surgery take?”
“It varies,” Cuddy said. “It could be four hours, it could be fourteen. Or anywhere in between that.”
Sarah’s eyebrows shot up. “That long?”
“Yeah,” Cuddy answered gently.
Cuddy placed her arm around Sarah. Sarah leaned into her mother and relaxed against her. She let out a breath as she prepared herself for the wait.
“Hey,” Wilson called out to Cuddy and Sarah as he approached them. “How are you doing?”
“James.” Cuddy instantly felt comfort at seeing her friend.
She stood to her feet and hugged him tightly. Sarah stood as well and hugged Wilson after he parted from her mother.
“How are you doing, Sarah?” Wilson asked her.
“Okay.” Sarah shrugged.
“I brought you some food.” Wilson extended the brown paper bag. “Claire made it.”
“Thanks.” Cuddy gave him a smile and took the bag.
Sarah bit her bottom lip. “Uncle James... wanna come with me?”
“Where?” Cuddy asked, eyebrows drawing together curiously.
“For a walk,” Sarah told her and then looked back over at Wilson.
Wilson nodded. “Sure.”
“We’ll be back,” Sarah said to her mother and led Wilson away from Cuddy.
Sarah stepped into her father’s office first. Wilson followed in after her and remained near the doorway, waiting for a cue from Sarah as to what he should do.
“I used to play in here.” Sarah ran her fingers across the top of House’s desk. “And color in here. Sometimes when I was annoyed with Mom, I would storm up here. She always knew where to find me.”
Sarah made her way around the desk and sat in the chair behind it. Wilson walked over to the yellow chair and sat on the edge of it, letting Sarah talk.
“When I got older, he would sit here and I would stand over there, and we would toss his ball back and forth,” Sarah continued. “We would discuss everything and sometimes he would tell me about his patients. He would rattle off the symptoms. Mom hated that because she always thought I would get upset. I needed to know what happened to the patients, if they lived or died. They were never really people to me.” She paused. “They were symptoms. They were problems and a solution.”
“You sound like your father,” Wilson said after a long silence.
“I know,” Sarah agreed. She diverted her eyes and twisted the chair back and forth a few times. Finally, she lifted her head back up. “If you were in my dad’s situation and Jack could be your liver donor, would you let him?”
Wilson thought a moment before shaking his head. “No. I don’t think I could.”
Sarah nodded slowly and looked away again. “Yeah...”
“He’s getting a liver right now, Sarah,” Wilson assured.
“I know,” Sarah replied, but didn’t look up.
“It’s okay that you’re not his donor,” Wilson told her. “He has a good match right now.”
“But, I could have been better,” Sarah argued, her voice rising.
“You don’t know that,” Wilson pointed out. “You didn’t have all the tests-”
“I could have,” Sarah insisted. “I know-” She cut herself off as tears pricked her eyes. “If he doesn’t make it, Uncle James...”
“He’ll make it,” Wilson assured her.
Sarah shook her head and her eyes darted upwards. “Don’t lie to me.”
“He can make it,” Wilson rephrased his previous words.
“Except that he’s old and he’s crippled and he’s sick,” Sarah bitterly replied. “He’s all these things-”
Sarah cut herself off again and spun the chair around, giving Wilson her back. Wilson stood up and walked toward the desk.
“And he’s your father,” he added gently.
Sarah was quiet for a long moment. “It just... sucks a lot.”
She turned her chair back around, her face devoid of tears. Wilson nodded.
“I know,” he said. “Come here.”
Sarah stood from the chair and moved around the desk. Wilson drew her into a hug. Sarah returned the hug tightly.
“Thanks,” she told him.
Wilson drew back and looked down at her. “You don’t have to thank me.”
Sarah drew in a breath. “I should go back to Mom.”
“Only if you want to,” Wilson replied, wanting to make sure she was okay. “We can stay here and talk some more if you’d rather do that.”
“No.” Sarah shook her head. “I’ll go back to Mom.”
Wilson nodded and followed Sarah out of House’s office.
A little after one in the morning, Sarah awoke due to the movement next to her. She sat up and looked to the empty chair where Cuddy had been previously sitting. Sarah stood up once she saw her mother talking with Dr. Meyers. She quickly stepped up alongside her mother.
“-he seems to be doing very well, vitals are good,” Dr. Meyers continued what he had been saying. “We just moved him into his room, but he’ll probably be out for the rest of the night. You can go in and see him.”
“Thank you.” Cuddy gave Dr. Meyers a tired smile. She looked to her daughter. “Come on, Sarah.”
Sarah picked up her backpack from the floor and threw one of the straps over her shoulder. She followed her mother down the hallway and into the Intensive Care Unit room her father was in.
House was on his back in bed, connected to IV’s and monitors. His eyes were closed and his face was pale. Cuddy swallowed the lump in her throat as she remained near the doorway.
Sarah stepped around her mother and headed for the couch close to the bed.She set her backpack on the floor and made her way over to the bed. Sarah lightly touched her father’s hand.
Cuddy drew in a deep breath and crossed over to the other side of the bed. She pulled the chair up to the bed and took a seat. She focused her attention on House and silently said a prayer.
Cuddy was sitting forward in her chair as she sat next to the hospital bed. She held onto House’s hand and gently ran her thumb over the back of his hand. Sarah was curled up on the couch across the room, sleeping. House opened his eyes and Cuddy perked up.
“Hey,” she said quietly, her voice tired.
House didn’t say anything, but his eyes went to Cuddy. Cuddy placed her free hand on his arm and rubbed up and down.
“How are you feeling?” Cuddy asked.
House nodded slightly in response.
“Do you need anything?” Cuddy prompted. “Water?”
He shook his head.
“They’ve been checking on you all night,” Cuddy told him. “They think your body is accepting the liver and that you shouldn’t have a problem. We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’re getting there.”
House nodded again. Cuddy gave his hand a small squeeze.
“I wish you’d say something,” Cuddy said.
“Mick?” he asked, barely above a whisper.
A small smile crossed over Cuddy’s lips and she pointed to the other side of the room. House directed his eyes over to the couch and then looked back over at Cuddy.
“We were here all night.” Cuddy started to rub her thumb over his hand again.
“You okay?” House asked her, his voice still quiet and rough.
“Yeah.” Cuddy nodded, feeling tears prick her eyes. “I am now.”
Chapter Twenty.