Convalescence- Secret Santa for Seniorstatus14 (House: House/Cuddy)

[cally]

Hello Seniorstatus14 and Merry Christmas! I certainly hope that this is to your liking! All the best for this holiday season and the new year!

(spoilers for S4: House's Head/Wilson's Heart)

Convalescence

House sat on his couch, lost in thought. He hadn’t been home from the hospital long and his head still ached something fierce. The devastating effects of the DBS, and the events leading up to and directly following the radical procedure had worn him down. Moreover, the lack of Wilson’s presence was . . .distressing to say the least. As a result, his immune system had been torn to shreds and he had come down with a rather miserable cold in addition. He despised being sick almost as much as he hated being in the hospital and he finally convinced Cuddy to let him go home. At least he could rest in the comfort of his own apartment. Even in the ICU, he was poked and prodded every few hours and he hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since before the accident.

House sighed and ran a hand across his face, the stubble rasping. He hadn’t felt this miserable since Stacey had allowed the surgery on his leg. It wasn’t just the headache and the cold he was dealing with. He knew he had undergone a serious trauma. He wasn’t about to see a shrink and talk about his feelings, he preferred to deal with such things through monster trucks, sarcasm, and a healthy dose of Vicodin combined with a good scotch.

He felt miserable and looked equally so; his nose was pink and chapped and his skin was pale and wan. Used tissues, along with a box that was nearly empty, surrounded him. He hadn't bothered to toss the used ones into the wastebasket; they were scattered all over the place. He pulled the afghan tighter around his shoulders and looked pitifully toward the kitchen where Cuddy was making some sort of commotion. She certainly wasn’t known for her culinary skills. The banging about was adding to his headache, and he rubbed at his head in equal parts exhaustion and annoyance.

House sniffled and rubbed at his nose. He was so tired of sniffling and sneezing. He sighed heavily again, as he tried to mentally will away the annoying tickle that was once again present within his nose; it would only make his headache worse. Failing, his breath hitched over and over, before he succumbed to several damp sounding sneezes.

Hehhhh…….hehhhhhh…… Hngxtshu! Huh’ish! Eehtchh! Heh’chhhuh! Heh’iichhhuh! Heh’Eeeshhhuh!

When he had recovered, he realized Cuddy had come into the room and was sitting next to him, holding a cup of tea and a handful of tissues out toward him. House snatched the tissues from her and carefully blew his sore nose.

"Bless you. I made you some tea," she said gently.

House tried to look and sound as miserable as possible as he took the steaming mug from Cuddy. "Thadks," he croaked.

House winced as the tea hit his tender throat. Cuddy peered at him, concerned yet suspicious of how much was House being House or House actually being sick. Intellectually, she knew he was ill and still recuperating from the stresses of the deep brain stimulation. She still had no idea what had possessed him to risk his mind like that, so she tried not to think about it.

"I want to look at your throat again, ok?" Cuddy located her penlight and waited for House sip another mouthful of tea. House reluctantly nodded and opened his mouth. Cuddy peered in, noticing that House's throat was still red, but not as much as earlier. No spots or anything of concern. House began to make a funny noise, and batted her away weakly as he bent forward in a fit of sneezes, just barely missing sneezing all over Cuddy.

Hngxt! Ishoooo! Hngxtshoo!! Ishooo! Eehtchh! Hhh-heh-hnhxtshooo!

"Bless you again," Cuddy said. She went to hand House more tissues and found the box empty. She rose and crossed the room to where she had brought tissues and groceries, removed a new box, and brought it over to the ill diagnostician.

House moaned his displeasure at feeling miserable. "Cuddy," he croaked out, as she sat back down. "I'b sidck." He wiped his nose and half flopped over, head falling onto her shoulder.

Cuddy took this opportunity to place the back of her hand on House's forehead, and found it much cooler than earlier. She tried to soothe him with her cool fingers. "Well, your fever’s down a bit; you’re less blistering hot. And your throat looks better." House sniffled at the news. Seconds later, his breath began to hitch softly again and he groaned in annoyance.

Cuddy righted House off her shoulder and waited. House blinked several times, breathing erratically, and then sneezed violently.

Heh’iichhhuh!! Ishoooo!

Cuddy chuckled and stood up. "Bless you! Let me get you some more cold medicine, ok?" House looked up at her pitifully. "Vicodin," he croaked. "The leg doesn't like the couch so buch." House grabbed a handful of tissues, swiped at his nose again and sighed. He drank some more tea, wishing it were coffee, or better yet, scotch.

Cuddy smiled. "Yes, I’ll find your Vicodin too. And I'll get you some more tea." She leaned down and kissed House on the forehead. He pulled away from her touch; his head was still terribly sensitive, not to mention his nose. It seemed even the thought of the gentlest touch set him off. He quickly grabbed a handful of tissues, burying his nose within them.

Huh’ish! Eehtchh! Heh . . . .heh . . . . .Heh’chhhuh!

“Bless you!”

House mumbled something that sound liked like thanks and he settled back into the couch and shivered. His eyes soon fell closed.

House must have dozed off for a few minutes, because when he woke up he found two steaming mugs of tea on the coffee table in front of him, along with two bottles of water, his Vicodin, assorted cold meds and a second fresh box of tissues. Cuddy was sitting beside him watching television. House sat up and grabbed his Vicodin and downed a few with a few mouthfuls of tea. He blew his nose again, and looked over at Cuddy. He sniffled dramatically, his face going hazy for a moment. Cuddy looked over at him. "You ok?" she asked. House nodded as he sipped his tea and then settled back on the couch, close to Cuddy. Within moments he was fast asleep again, snoring congestedly.

Cuddy smiled fondly at House. She should take a picture of this for bribery purposes, she thought. She carefully reached over and pulled out her cell phone and took a picture. Grinning again, she put her phone on the coffee table. She pulled the afghan up around House, tucking it under him as best as she could, trying not to disturb his rest; she knew he had not slept well while he was in the hospital. She rested the back of her hand gently on his forehead again, checking for fever. Even cooler this time, she noted gratefully.

Turning, she pulled the files she had brought along with her that needed to be reviewed. She sat back on the couch and opened the first one, glancing over at House as he snuffled in his sleep. Satisfied he wasn’t about to wake up, she continued reading the chart, as she continued her watchful vigil over him, just as she had done in the hospital.

[Seniorstatus14]

EEEK EEEK EEEK!!!! Merry Christmas to you too, Cally! This story is absolutely fantastic and I love it so much!

He pulled the afghan tighter around his shoulders and looked pitifully toward the kitchen where Cuddy was making some sort of commotion. She certainly wasn’t known for her culinary skills. The banging about was adding to his headache, and he rubbed at his head in equal parts exhaustion and annoyance.

Poor House! I love that he's still able to be "House" even though he's sick. I love the part about "She certainly wasn't known for her culinary skills" For some odd reason it made me smile

House moaned his displeasure at feeling miserable. "Cuddy," he croaked out, as she sat back down. "I'b sidck." He wiped his nose and half flopped over, head falling onto her shoulder.

I love this! I can really see him saying this. Trying to be whinny and annoying but he's sick and just looks pitiful.

Cuddy took this opportunity to place the back of her hand on House's forehead, and found it much cooler than earlier. She tried to soothe him with her cool fingers.

THIS THIS THIS THIS!!!!! I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE when people feel foreheads to check fevers and then the fact that she treid to soothe him is even better. It's just so sweet. Even though he's being whinny she's still taking care of him.

Within moments he was fast asleep again, snoring congestedly.
Cuddy smiled fondly at House. She should take a picture of this for bribery purposes, she thought. She carefully reached over and pulled out her cell phone and took a picture. Grinning again, she put her phone on the coffee table.

This is so perfect! Of course, Cuddy would take a picture to blackmail him with!

Once again thank you so so so much and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

[Subtly Clashing Wishes]

I always love reading your work, Cally. I'm not a House fan (I know, weird) but it is always fun to see a classically grumpy, curmudgeon become ill and find that are people who do care.

[cally]

EEEK EEEK EEEK!!!! Merry Christmas to you too, Cally! This story is absolutely fantastic and I love it so much!

I am so, so, so glad that you liked it!

I always love reading your work, Cally. I'm not a House fan (I know, weird) but it is always fun to see a classically grumpy, curmudgeon become ill and find that are people who do care.

Thank you. <3 House used to be my main fandom, but it's been a while since I've written anything new for it. It was weird to get back into that mindset.