Part I

Chapter 1

He is still in bed and the phone is ringing. He has been having a bad morning and is not planning on picking it up. His leg has been hurting more than usual, lately.

This is the third time it is ringing, though. Must be someone annoying. He pushes his pillow down harder on his ear. He actually knows it is Foreman; he is probably ringing because a new super rich patient has a cough and pays for special treatment. He knows it is Foreman because with Cuddy and Wilson gone, nobody calls him at this time of day. In fact, nobody calls him, ever. He has no team and no relationships. Apart from his patients and hookers, he touches no one and is not being touched.

The phone rings for the fourth time, and he slowly starts to get up. He tries to ignore the pain that shoots up his spine and shuts off his brain briefly as he puts weight on his leg. Gripping his cane tightly, he slowly shuffles to his couch where he collapses again, and picks up the receiver.

"Yeah?" he mumbles breathlessly.

"House." It's Foreman. "Glad my skills as an alarm haven't ceased completely, yet." He pauses, giving House time for a retort. When nothing comes from the other end, he cuts to the point. "House… Cuddy's here."

Wow. That is a line he has not heard in nine years, and did not expect to hear for the remainder of his life.

"She's here with her husband," Foreman elaborates, carefully pronouncing that last word, as if he were trying to tiptoe around it. "He had been diagnosed with squamous cell oropharyngeal carcinoma nine months ago. HPV negative. Chemo went well, last CT scan showed no residual cancer cells. Now there are complications. Trouble swallowing, oral pain… Cuddy had actually hoped for Wilson and you both." Foreman pauses at that, and it is obvious he was not especially chipper about having had to deliver the news of Wilson's death to her. "How come she didn't know?"

"Cancer probably metastasized," House replies dryly, not wanting to engage in any of this.

"No presence of cancer cells."

"Doesn't mean—"

Foreman cuts him off. "House, if it were something obvious, I doubt she'd be here and ask for your help. She says she's been to dozens of doctors who can't figure out what's wrong with him."

Silence.

"Look, House, it's your call. I told her that as well. Should I admit him or not?"

He takes a long pause, rubbing his leg. At last he sighs, looking up at the ceiling. "Admit him. But I don't want her there. Tell her to leave me his records without any of her notes or comments. I want an unbiased view. Her visiting hours are until 11am, after that she has to keep at least a hundred yards between her and the hospital." Then he hangs up and heads for his tub.

I know the idea is not very original - one of House's ex-girlfriends needs medical advice for her husband - but hang in there. It'll be a long and intense ride ;-)

I want to give kudos to the journal article I based this on: Ferrari et al. Cancers of the Head & Neck (2016) 1:16 DOI 10.1186/s41199-016-0018-5 (Don't check it out yet *spoiler alert*)