Fic: Fade to Black: Chapter Four
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.
“Okay.” Jane gave Cuddy a smile. “We’re going to get you standing.”
A worried expression crossed over Cuddy’s face and she tensed in her wheelchair. Jane’s smile grew. She had been working with Cuddy in rehabilitation for a few weeks and she was certain that Cuddy had the strength to stand.
“Now, don’t worry,” Jane told Cuddy reassuringly. “It’s going to be fine.”
“Am I ready?” Cuddy asked. “I mean, we’ve only been doing exercises where I’m sitting and I don’t know if I can...”
“You can do this, Lisa,” Jane insisted. “Kevin and I will get you up and standing, okay? Can you take your feet off the pedals?”
Cuddy clutched onto the armrests, careful of her right side since her shoulder was still sore. She focused hard on lifting her right leg. Her foot raised just enough to slide from the pedal and to the floor. She drew in a deep breath and attempted to move her left foot to the floor.
Her left leg began to shake, not doing what she wanted it to do. She stopped trying and let out a sigh. She had been hopeful when she was aware that she had feeling back in her legs, and she had certainly been hopeful when she could move her toes and feet. But, her hope began to dissipate as she worked in physical therapy.
If there was improvement, it was gradual and the strength training was grueling. She often felt sore and tired, and spent most nights worrying if she’d ever get out of a wheelchair.
“What’s the point of standing if I won’t be able to walk?” Cuddy said bitterly.
“We’ll get there, Lisa.” Jane placed a comforting hand on Cuddy’s left shoulder. “You need your balance first.”
“I can’t lift my left leg,” Cuddy told her, slightly ashamed since she was able to do so yesterday.
“You can use your hands to help if it’s too difficult today,” Jane replied kindly.
Lowering her gaze, Cuddy used her hands to lift her left leg at the thigh. She swung her leg enough so that her foot landed on the floor. Jane bent down and fixed Cuddy’s feet, so they pointed forward, before moving the foot pedals out of the way.
“Okay.” She straightened up and planted her hands to her hips. “You ready, Lisa?”
Cuddy nodded. “Yeah.”
Jane waved for Kevin, an attractive, young physical therapist, to join them. Kevin obliged, a smile on his face. He greeted Cuddy and waited for Jane’s instructions.
“I’m going to hold onto your arms, while you hold onto my forearms,” Jane said to Cuddy. “Kevin will help to get you standing from behind. All right?”
“What about my shoulder?” Cuddy looked to her right shoulder, worried that it would get damaged in the process.
“There will be no pulling of the arms.” Jane tried to ease Cuddy’s worries. “I will be holding your upper arms tightly while Kevin lifts you from the waist. He will hold you at the waist while you’re on your feet so you won’t fall. There shouldn’t be any need for strain to be put on your shoulder.”
“Okay.” Cuddy nodded.
“Scoot forward in the chair,” Jane instructed and Cuddy did so.
Jane held onto Cuddy’s arms as planned, while Cuddy held onto Jane’s in return. Kevin got into position next to the locked wheelchair.
“On the count of three we’ll go.” Jane paused. “One... two... three.”
Jane tightened her grip on Cuddy while Kevin helped lift Cuddy up and suddenly, she was standing in front of her wheelchair. She grasped onto Jane tightly, not wanting to fall.
Cuddy wobbled, the ground beneath her uncertain. Kevin still held onto Cuddy, but he loosened his grip in order for her to work on her balance. Her legs continued to tremble.
“Straighten your back,” Jane commanded.
Cuddy shook her head. “I can’t.”
Her legs trembled even more and she continued to shake her head.
“Okay,” Jane replied. “Sit.”
Kevin eased Cuddy back into the chair and Jane let go of Cuddy’s arms. Cuddy leaned into her chair, her heart and head pounding.
“I can’t do this,” she said.
“Kevin, give us a minute?” Jane directed her question to the man standing behind Cuddy’s wheelchair.
He nodded. “Sure.”
Kevin walked away and Jane knelt down in front of the wheelchair. She waited until Cuddy looked up at her.
“Don’t let yourself get discouraged, Lisa,” Jane told her. “I know it’s frustrating, but you’ll work through it. You have to start somewhere.”
“I can’t stand,” Cuddy replied dejectedly.
“You just did,” Jane pointed out.
Cuddy held Jane’s gaze. “It was pathetic.”
Jane raised her eyebrows. “This kind of mentality will keep you in that chair.” She softened. “Why don’t we try again now that you know what to expect?”
Cuddy thought it over a moment before giving in. “Fine.”
“Kevin.” Jane stood as she waved Kevin over.
Kevin approached for a second time, a smile on his face still. “Ready to go at it again, Dr. Cuddy?”
“Sure.” Cuddy gave him a tight smile in return.
House wheeled himself into Cuddy’s hospital room. She was in bed, her eyes across the room on the television. House noted she wasn’t focused on what was playing and she certainly didn’t notice he entered the room.
“Show that good, huh?” he asked loudly, snapping her out of her reverie.
“What?” Cuddy looked over at him.
House parked himself by her bed. “How was physical therapy?”
“Tiring,” Cuddy answered and turned off the television with the remote.
“Yeah,” House agreed, knowing that his physical therapy often left him feeling tired as well. “Do you want to have dinner together?”
Cuddy held his eye contact for a moment before shaking her head. “I’m not leaving my hospital room unless I have to.”
“You can’t keep yourself locked up in here,” he told her.
“Well, I’m not going around the hospital in a wheelchair,” she bitterly replied.
“You’re going to have to if you want to start working again,” he pointed out.
“I can work from in here.”
Cuddy pressed the button on the side of her bed to raise her up more into the sitting position. She winced in slight pain at the movement. House eyed her up.
“You’re kidding, right?” he asked.
“No, I’m not, House,” she answered. “I don’t want anyone to see me in a wheelchair if they don’t have to. Nurses and physical therapy. That’s it. And when I have to go to PT, I pray I don’t run into anyone who wants to stop and chat. It’s embarrassing.”
House frowned. “You’re being an idiot, Cuddy. You can’t walk. What else are you suppose to do?”
“Learn to walk,” she offered, a frown setting on her own face.
He raised his eyebrows. “And how long will that take?”
She looked away from him. “I don’t know.”
“Exactly,” he replied. “So, suck it up and stop self pitying, Cuddy.”
Cuddy’s head snapped back in his direction. “I don’t want to be in a wheelchair, House!”
“Neither do I,” House told her with a shrug.
“And you won’t have to once your leg heals,” she spat. “But, I don’t know if I’ll ever get better.”
Cuddy looked away from him again. House fell quiet and began to move his chair back and forth with the wheels. When he realized Cuddy wasn’t going to give him her attention again, he stopped his movements.
“You’ll get better,” he said, breaking the silence.
“I can barely stand on my own.” She refused to look at him. “If I can’t stand, I can’t walk.”
House wheeled himself even closer to her bed. “It’ll take time.”
“Yeah,” she agreed dejectedly.
A nurse entered the hospital room, carrying a small paper cup of pills. Cuddy turned to look at her as she crossed the room.
“Dr. Cuddy, I brought your pain meds after your intense physical therapy today,” the nurse told her.
Cuddy shook her head. “I don’t want them. The pain’s not that bad.”
“Well, I’ll set them here in case you do.”
The nurse walked over to where House was and reached across him as she placed the paper cup on the stand next to the bed. House kept his gaze on the cup as the nurse made her way back out of the room.
“You don’t want them?” House asked Cuddy, eyebrows raised.
“No.” Cuddy finally brought her eyes back over to him. “I’m sore, but I’d rather do without the drugs. I’m just going to nap or something.”
Cuddy turned her head away from House as she closed her eyes, showing him that she was clearly finished with this conversation.
“I’ll see you later,” House said.
He began to wheel himself toward the door when he stopped. He turned his wheelchair around and eyed up the small paper cup again. Biting his lower lip and being as quiet as possible, House wheeled himself over to the stand next to the bed.
With his eyes on Cuddy, House picked up the cup and dumped both pills into his hand. He set the cup back as he popped both pills into his mouth. After he swallowed them dry, he wheeled himself out of the hospital room, the pills leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
House turned around a corner quickly, catching an intern off guard and causing him to crash into the janitor mopping the floor. A smirk crossing over his face, House continued down the hall at top speed. He stopped quickly, however, when he spotted Wilson. His hands burned as he finally got the wheels on his chair to stop.
“You’re going to be involved in a hit and run with that thing, aren’t you?” Wilson asked, narrowing his eyes at his friend.
“Would it be considered vehicular homicide?” House raised his eyebrows.
Wilson shook his head. “You’re the only one I know who could make a wheelchair into a weapon.”
House shrugged. “I was just with Cuddy.”
“How is she?” A look of concern crossed over Wilson’s face as he planted his hands to his hips.
“Worried,” House answered and then added, “upset, depressed, bedridden.”
“I heard she was going to stand today in physical therapy,” Wilson said.
“She didn’t mention it, but I’m sure it’s safe to say that she sucked at it,” House replied.
Wilson’s eyebrows drew together. “I better go see her. I’ll talk to you later, House.”
House watched as Wilson left him for Cuddy. With an annoyed sigh, House wheeled himself into his hospital room.
Once inside, he directed himself over to the table next to the bed and picked up the remote for the television. He turned the television on and began flipping through the channels.
The night shift nurse, Jamie, entered his room. House didn’t care for her too much, especially since she reminded him of a slightly younger version of his Great Aunt Bess. Jamie gave him a smile.
“You’re back just in time for your pain medication,” Jamie told him.
“Perfect,” House brightly replied.
Jamie dumped the pills into his hand and crushed the small paper cup within her own. She picked up the water pitcher from the table by the bed and poured the water into a plastic cup. She set the pitcher down and gave the cup to House.
House took his pills with the water and handed the cup back to her.
“Now, would you like to eat your dinner in bed or in the wheelchair?” Jamie asked him after she placed the cup back on the table.
House raised his eyebrows at her. “Do I actually have a choice?”
“Bed, it is.” Jamie headed for the door. “I’ll get someone to help me.”
“Sounds perfect,” House replied sarcastically and watched her leave.
Letting out a sigh, House turned his television off. He knew the amount of medication he had just taken paired with Cuddy’s pills and the Vicodin he had taken prior to visiting Cuddy meant he would probably be knocked out even before his meal arrived.
Chapter Five.
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.
“Okay.” Jane gave Cuddy a smile. “We’re going to get you standing.”
A worried expression crossed over Cuddy’s face and she tensed in her wheelchair. Jane’s smile grew. She had been working with Cuddy in rehabilitation for a few weeks and she was certain that Cuddy had the strength to stand.
“Now, don’t worry,” Jane told Cuddy reassuringly. “It’s going to be fine.”
“Am I ready?” Cuddy asked. “I mean, we’ve only been doing exercises where I’m sitting and I don’t know if I can...”
“You can do this, Lisa,” Jane insisted. “Kevin and I will get you up and standing, okay? Can you take your feet off the pedals?”
Cuddy clutched onto the armrests, careful of her right side since her shoulder was still sore. She focused hard on lifting her right leg. Her foot raised just enough to slide from the pedal and to the floor. She drew in a deep breath and attempted to move her left foot to the floor.
Her left leg began to shake, not doing what she wanted it to do. She stopped trying and let out a sigh. She had been hopeful when she was aware that she had feeling back in her legs, and she had certainly been hopeful when she could move her toes and feet. But, her hope began to dissipate as she worked in physical therapy.
If there was improvement, it was gradual and the strength training was grueling. She often felt sore and tired, and spent most nights worrying if she’d ever get out of a wheelchair.
“What’s the point of standing if I won’t be able to walk?” Cuddy said bitterly.
“We’ll get there, Lisa.” Jane placed a comforting hand on Cuddy’s left shoulder. “You need your balance first.”
“I can’t lift my left leg,” Cuddy told her, slightly ashamed since she was able to do so yesterday.
“You can use your hands to help if it’s too difficult today,” Jane replied kindly.
Lowering her gaze, Cuddy used her hands to lift her left leg at the thigh. She swung her leg enough so that her foot landed on the floor. Jane bent down and fixed Cuddy’s feet, so they pointed forward, before moving the foot pedals out of the way.
“Okay.” She straightened up and planted her hands to her hips. “You ready, Lisa?”
Cuddy nodded. “Yeah.”
Jane waved for Kevin, an attractive, young physical therapist, to join them. Kevin obliged, a smile on his face. He greeted Cuddy and waited for Jane’s instructions.
“I’m going to hold onto your arms, while you hold onto my forearms,” Jane said to Cuddy. “Kevin will help to get you standing from behind. All right?”
“What about my shoulder?” Cuddy looked to her right shoulder, worried that it would get damaged in the process.
“There will be no pulling of the arms.” Jane tried to ease Cuddy’s worries. “I will be holding your upper arms tightly while Kevin lifts you from the waist. He will hold you at the waist while you’re on your feet so you won’t fall. There shouldn’t be any need for strain to be put on your shoulder.”
“Okay.” Cuddy nodded.
“Scoot forward in the chair,” Jane instructed and Cuddy did so.
Jane held onto Cuddy’s arms as planned, while Cuddy held onto Jane’s in return. Kevin got into position next to the locked wheelchair.
“On the count of three we’ll go.” Jane paused. “One... two... three.”
Jane tightened her grip on Cuddy while Kevin helped lift Cuddy up and suddenly, she was standing in front of her wheelchair. She grasped onto Jane tightly, not wanting to fall.
Cuddy wobbled, the ground beneath her uncertain. Kevin still held onto Cuddy, but he loosened his grip in order for her to work on her balance. Her legs continued to tremble.
“Straighten your back,” Jane commanded.
Cuddy shook her head. “I can’t.”
Her legs trembled even more and she continued to shake her head.
“Okay,” Jane replied. “Sit.”
Kevin eased Cuddy back into the chair and Jane let go of Cuddy’s arms. Cuddy leaned into her chair, her heart and head pounding.
“I can’t do this,” she said.
“Kevin, give us a minute?” Jane directed her question to the man standing behind Cuddy’s wheelchair.
He nodded. “Sure.”
Kevin walked away and Jane knelt down in front of the wheelchair. She waited until Cuddy looked up at her.
“Don’t let yourself get discouraged, Lisa,” Jane told her. “I know it’s frustrating, but you’ll work through it. You have to start somewhere.”
“I can’t stand,” Cuddy replied dejectedly.
“You just did,” Jane pointed out.
Cuddy held Jane’s gaze. “It was pathetic.”
Jane raised her eyebrows. “This kind of mentality will keep you in that chair.” She softened. “Why don’t we try again now that you know what to expect?”
Cuddy thought it over a moment before giving in. “Fine.”
“Kevin.” Jane stood as she waved Kevin over.
Kevin approached for a second time, a smile on his face still. “Ready to go at it again, Dr. Cuddy?”
“Sure.” Cuddy gave him a tight smile in return.
House wheeled himself into Cuddy’s hospital room. She was in bed, her eyes across the room on the television. House noted she wasn’t focused on what was playing and she certainly didn’t notice he entered the room.
“Show that good, huh?” he asked loudly, snapping her out of her reverie.
“What?” Cuddy looked over at him.
House parked himself by her bed. “How was physical therapy?”
“Tiring,” Cuddy answered and turned off the television with the remote.
“Yeah,” House agreed, knowing that his physical therapy often left him feeling tired as well. “Do you want to have dinner together?”
Cuddy held his eye contact for a moment before shaking her head. “I’m not leaving my hospital room unless I have to.”
“You can’t keep yourself locked up in here,” he told her.
“Well, I’m not going around the hospital in a wheelchair,” she bitterly replied.
“You’re going to have to if you want to start working again,” he pointed out.
“I can work from in here.”
Cuddy pressed the button on the side of her bed to raise her up more into the sitting position. She winced in slight pain at the movement. House eyed her up.
“You’re kidding, right?” he asked.
“No, I’m not, House,” she answered. “I don’t want anyone to see me in a wheelchair if they don’t have to. Nurses and physical therapy. That’s it. And when I have to go to PT, I pray I don’t run into anyone who wants to stop and chat. It’s embarrassing.”
House frowned. “You’re being an idiot, Cuddy. You can’t walk. What else are you suppose to do?”
“Learn to walk,” she offered, a frown setting on her own face.
He raised his eyebrows. “And how long will that take?”
She looked away from him. “I don’t know.”
“Exactly,” he replied. “So, suck it up and stop self pitying, Cuddy.”
Cuddy’s head snapped back in his direction. “I don’t want to be in a wheelchair, House!”
“Neither do I,” House told her with a shrug.
“And you won’t have to once your leg heals,” she spat. “But, I don’t know if I’ll ever get better.”
Cuddy looked away from him again. House fell quiet and began to move his chair back and forth with the wheels. When he realized Cuddy wasn’t going to give him her attention again, he stopped his movements.
“You’ll get better,” he said, breaking the silence.
“I can barely stand on my own.” She refused to look at him. “If I can’t stand, I can’t walk.”
House wheeled himself even closer to her bed. “It’ll take time.”
“Yeah,” she agreed dejectedly.
A nurse entered the hospital room, carrying a small paper cup of pills. Cuddy turned to look at her as she crossed the room.
“Dr. Cuddy, I brought your pain meds after your intense physical therapy today,” the nurse told her.
Cuddy shook her head. “I don’t want them. The pain’s not that bad.”
“Well, I’ll set them here in case you do.”
The nurse walked over to where House was and reached across him as she placed the paper cup on the stand next to the bed. House kept his gaze on the cup as the nurse made her way back out of the room.
“You don’t want them?” House asked Cuddy, eyebrows raised.
“No.” Cuddy finally brought her eyes back over to him. “I’m sore, but I’d rather do without the drugs. I’m just going to nap or something.”
Cuddy turned her head away from House as she closed her eyes, showing him that she was clearly finished with this conversation.
“I’ll see you later,” House said.
He began to wheel himself toward the door when he stopped. He turned his wheelchair around and eyed up the small paper cup again. Biting his lower lip and being as quiet as possible, House wheeled himself over to the stand next to the bed.
With his eyes on Cuddy, House picked up the cup and dumped both pills into his hand. He set the cup back as he popped both pills into his mouth. After he swallowed them dry, he wheeled himself out of the hospital room, the pills leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
House turned around a corner quickly, catching an intern off guard and causing him to crash into the janitor mopping the floor. A smirk crossing over his face, House continued down the hall at top speed. He stopped quickly, however, when he spotted Wilson. His hands burned as he finally got the wheels on his chair to stop.
“You’re going to be involved in a hit and run with that thing, aren’t you?” Wilson asked, narrowing his eyes at his friend.
“Would it be considered vehicular homicide?” House raised his eyebrows.
Wilson shook his head. “You’re the only one I know who could make a wheelchair into a weapon.”
House shrugged. “I was just with Cuddy.”
“How is she?” A look of concern crossed over Wilson’s face as he planted his hands to his hips.
“Worried,” House answered and then added, “upset, depressed, bedridden.”
“I heard she was going to stand today in physical therapy,” Wilson said.
“She didn’t mention it, but I’m sure it’s safe to say that she sucked at it,” House replied.
Wilson’s eyebrows drew together. “I better go see her. I’ll talk to you later, House.”
House watched as Wilson left him for Cuddy. With an annoyed sigh, House wheeled himself into his hospital room.
Once inside, he directed himself over to the table next to the bed and picked up the remote for the television. He turned the television on and began flipping through the channels.
The night shift nurse, Jamie, entered his room. House didn’t care for her too much, especially since she reminded him of a slightly younger version of his Great Aunt Bess. Jamie gave him a smile.
“You’re back just in time for your pain medication,” Jamie told him.
“Perfect,” House brightly replied.
Jamie dumped the pills into his hand and crushed the small paper cup within her own. She picked up the water pitcher from the table by the bed and poured the water into a plastic cup. She set the pitcher down and gave the cup to House.
House took his pills with the water and handed the cup back to her.
“Now, would you like to eat your dinner in bed or in the wheelchair?” Jamie asked him after she placed the cup back on the table.
House raised his eyebrows at her. “Do I actually have a choice?”
“Bed, it is.” Jamie headed for the door. “I’ll get someone to help me.”
“Sounds perfect,” House replied sarcastically and watched her leave.
Letting out a sigh, House turned his television off. He knew the amount of medication he had just taken paired with Cuddy’s pills and the Vicodin he had taken prior to visiting Cuddy meant he would probably be knocked out even before his meal arrived.
Chapter Five.