As soon as she had cleaned up and pulled herself together, Cuddy went straight to the lab. She had saved one of the napkins with Megan’s blood on it in a baggie. She gave it to the night lab tech and told him to make sure and rush the results. She was almost one hundred percent sure that Megan was truly her and House's daughter, but it wouldn't hurt to have confirmation and proof.
When she was done there, she headed up to House’s floor to see how things were going.
As she got close to his office she could see him sitting on the edge of his desk. He was looking at films on the lighted board, with his cane propped behind his head and his arms resting on it. When she opened the door he turned his head and took the cane down. When he saw it was her, he lifted his cane and pounded the end on the films.
“Polyps.” he said.
“So she was right.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“Yeah.” ব্যক্ত House.
“How is she?” asked Cuddy.
House just shrugged and said, “Got the lackeys on it.”
The door opened and Taulb and Kutner came in.
“Ears burning?” asked House.
“What?” asked Kutner.
“Nothing, where’s Thirteen?” asked House.
“She’s stitching up Megan’s hand.” ব্যক্ত Kutner.
“How is she?” asked Cuddy.
“The bleeding has slowed and we packed her nose. Foreman is scheduling her for surgery in the morning.” ব্যক্ত Taulb.
“Right, go on, get back to your boogie nights.” ব্যক্ত House. (Little chapter 3 reference there!)
“Really?” asked Taulb.
"What?" asked Kutner, again.
“Just, go, get out of here.” ব্যক্ত House.
After they left, House got off his ডেস্ক and sat down in his chair.
“Are আপনি going to go see her?” asked Cuddy.
“Why?” asked House.
“Well, she’s your friend for one.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“She’s not a friend, she’s just a girl I sometimes spend time with, at a club I hapen to frequently go to.” ব্যক্ত House.
“Oh, well in that case.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy sarcastically.
“If you’re so worried about her, why don’t আপনি go and see her?” asked House.
“Fine, I will.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
She turned to leave and walked a few steps before stopping at the door.
“Room 313.” ব্যক্ত House, knowing what she was going to ask.
Cuddy left his office huffily, wondering how he could change his demeanor so quickly, and walked down the hall to room 313. She stood outside the door for a moment, taking a deep breath before going in. She opened the door and found Thirteen sitting on a মল পরবর্তি to the bed, stitching up Megan’s hand.
“How’s it going?” asked Cuddy.
“Good, I’m just finishing up.” ব্যক্ত Thirteen.
“I know, it’s so sad.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“I’ll finish up, আপনি go back to the party.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy, coming over.
“Are আপনি sure, House isn’t going to make us look up every possible diagnosis?” asked Thirteen.
“No, Taulb and Kutner are already downstairs.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“Wow, ok, thanks.” ব্যক্ত Thirteen.
She stood up and took off her গাউন, gown and gloves, throwing them in the waste.
As she was leaving Megan said, “Don’t be a stranger.”
Thirteen stopped and turned around as she held the door open.
“I’ll be back tomorrow.” she said, smiling a bit.
“Good, remind me to give আপনি my number, since I already know yours.” ব্যক্ত Megan, smiling at her.
Thirteen just smiled and left as Cuddy sat down on the মল and began to bandage Megan’s hand. That’s when she noticed Megan’s wrist and the tattoo there. It wasn’t just a tattoo, it was a cover, hiding a long vertical scar there.
“Sorry about your dress. I’m guessing it has lovely patterns of blood to accompany the black lace.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“I’m just glad it didn’t happen while I playing the piano. Think of the mess someone would have to clean up. All that blood in the keys.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“Right, of course that would have been much worse than if আপনি were alone and had bled out.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“Well yeah, if I had bled all over a পিয়ানো and was alone, who would be there to clean it up?” asked Megan.
Cuddy couldn’t help but smile at how that was so much like something House would say.
“Is there anyone I can for you?” asked Cuddy.
“No, just me.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
As Cuddy finished putting the bandage on, she ran her finger over the scar on Megan’s wrist.
“Seven years.” ব্যক্ত Megan, looking at her. Cuddy looked up and met Megan’s icy blue eyes.
“What?” she asked.
“You want to know what happened and when. It was seven years পূর্বে today actually.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“Why?” asked Cuddy.
“Because, like I said, my birthdays have a way of going bad. Don’t get me wrong, not every single one, but a lot of them.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“Worse than this?” asked Cuddy, moving the suture tray and মল aside and moving around to the chair.
“Yes.” ব্যক্ত Megan. “Really? I wouldn’t think that things could get much worse than this on a birthday.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“They can, trust me.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“How much worse?” asked Cuddy.
She was hoping that Megan was just being an over dramatic twenty one বছর old girl. Hoping she would say something like there had been an earthquake অথবা a bad storm অথবা something.
“People die, and it’s happened আরো than once. The first time I was five, that’s when it all started. My first adoptive parents were taking me to my party at some kids place. A truck driver fell asleep and hit our car, my dad was decapitated and my mother’s femoral artery was severed, she bled out before anyone could get there. I had a mild concussion, and was put into foster care after that."
"The সেকেন্ড time I was nine, and had been with a nice couple for almost a year. They were planning on adopting me, but the দিন before my birthday the woman found out that she had terminal pancreatic cancer. Exactly one বছর and one দিন later she died and the man decided that I was too much of a reminder after a month. He sent me back to foster care where I stayed for another two years."
"I was getting older, so I was lucky when an older couple with older children took me in. Again, after almost a year, they had a birthday party for me. They told me that দিন that they had begun the adoption process, that they wanted me to be part of their family. I was so happy, and told all of my বন্ধু at a sleepover party that one of them was having for me. That night, my new family’s প্রথমপাতা got broken into and they were all killed. The only one left alive was their oldest son who was at college."
"After that, people were afraid if I stayed too long something bad would happen to them. Not only that, but on my fourteenth birthday is when I was diagnosed with CVID. No one wanted to take me incase my ‘curse’ was real, I was older, and now I had an expensive medical condition. That’s the night I tried to kill myself, the night I realized that I wasn’t going to get a family. My foster father had gotten drunk and decided to beat up my foster mother. Then he figured that since it was my birthday I deserved a present. He gave me two broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a black eye. Those were the worst ones so far, so this isn’t really that bad. Still, my sixteenth birthday wasn’t that bad, I was able to become emancipated.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
Cuddy sat there with tears threatening to fall as she listened to her daughter tell her, matter-of-factly, this horrible story of what her life had been like.
All she could do was say, “I am so sorry.”, and wipe the tears from her eyes.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. Nobody has anything to be sorry for, except the guy who murdered the Figs. Shit happens, আপনি can’t control it, the only thing আপনি can do is সরানো on. Some days are just going to be bad, so আপনি might as well make the best of the ones that aren’t so bad and hope for better ones. That’s what life is আপনি know, a mountain bike trail, ups and downs. Sometimes আপনি just want to quit, অথবা go back, but আপনি can’t do either. No one’s going to pick আপনি up and carry আপনি either way, so আপনি just have to keep going. And hopefully দ্বারা the end আপনি feel good about what you’ve accomplished. আপনি might be sweaty, dirt covered, and bleeding, but আপনি know আপনি made it.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
It was quiet for a মিনিট as Cuddy and Megan stared at each other.
“God, I must sound like a total rehab whack job!” Megan said, finally breaking the awkward silence between them.
“Yeah, well…” ব্যক্ত Cuddy, stopping when what Megan had just ব্যক্ত actually registered.
“Well, I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks I’m a nut. That would just be crazy, wouldn’t it?” Megan said, dryly.
“No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just…” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“I know what আপনি meant, I’m just trying to have a little fun.” ব্যক্ত Megan, laughing a bit.
“Right, of course. Well it’s getting late, and I’m exhausted.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy, standing up.
“You know, I’ve been feeling a little drowsy myself. I think it could be those wonderful pills that smokin’ doctor gave me.” ব্যক্ত Megan, starting to slur.
“I’m sure, আপনি just get some rest.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“Yeah, ok, bye, bye.” ব্যক্ত Megan, waving a bit and laughing.
Cuddy pulled the covers up a bit on Megan and then left the room, heading for home.
When she was done there, she headed up to House’s floor to see how things were going.
As she got close to his office she could see him sitting on the edge of his desk. He was looking at films on the lighted board, with his cane propped behind his head and his arms resting on it. When she opened the door he turned his head and took the cane down. When he saw it was her, he lifted his cane and pounded the end on the films.
“Polyps.” he said.
“So she was right.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“Yeah.” ব্যক্ত House.
“How is she?” asked Cuddy.
House just shrugged and said, “Got the lackeys on it.”
The door opened and Taulb and Kutner came in.
“Ears burning?” asked House.
“What?” asked Kutner.
“Nothing, where’s Thirteen?” asked House.
“She’s stitching up Megan’s hand.” ব্যক্ত Kutner.
“How is she?” asked Cuddy.
“The bleeding has slowed and we packed her nose. Foreman is scheduling her for surgery in the morning.” ব্যক্ত Taulb.
“Right, go on, get back to your boogie nights.” ব্যক্ত House. (Little chapter 3 reference there!)
“Really?” asked Taulb.
"What?" asked Kutner, again.
“Just, go, get out of here.” ব্যক্ত House.
After they left, House got off his ডেস্ক and sat down in his chair.
“Are আপনি going to go see her?” asked Cuddy.
“Why?” asked House.
“Well, she’s your friend for one.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“She’s not a friend, she’s just a girl I sometimes spend time with, at a club I hapen to frequently go to.” ব্যক্ত House.
“Oh, well in that case.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy sarcastically.
“If you’re so worried about her, why don’t আপনি go and see her?” asked House.
“Fine, I will.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
She turned to leave and walked a few steps before stopping at the door.
“Room 313.” ব্যক্ত House, knowing what she was going to ask.
Cuddy left his office huffily, wondering how he could change his demeanor so quickly, and walked down the hall to room 313. She stood outside the door for a moment, taking a deep breath before going in. She opened the door and found Thirteen sitting on a মল পরবর্তি to the bed, stitching up Megan’s hand.
“How’s it going?” asked Cuddy.
“Good, I’m just finishing up.” ব্যক্ত Thirteen.
“I know, it’s so sad.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“I’ll finish up, আপনি go back to the party.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy, coming over.
“Are আপনি sure, House isn’t going to make us look up every possible diagnosis?” asked Thirteen.
“No, Taulb and Kutner are already downstairs.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“Wow, ok, thanks.” ব্যক্ত Thirteen.
She stood up and took off her গাউন, gown and gloves, throwing them in the waste.
As she was leaving Megan said, “Don’t be a stranger.”
Thirteen stopped and turned around as she held the door open.
“I’ll be back tomorrow.” she said, smiling a bit.
“Good, remind me to give আপনি my number, since I already know yours.” ব্যক্ত Megan, smiling at her.
Thirteen just smiled and left as Cuddy sat down on the মল and began to bandage Megan’s hand. That’s when she noticed Megan’s wrist and the tattoo there. It wasn’t just a tattoo, it was a cover, hiding a long vertical scar there.
“Sorry about your dress. I’m guessing it has lovely patterns of blood to accompany the black lace.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“I’m just glad it didn’t happen while I playing the piano. Think of the mess someone would have to clean up. All that blood in the keys.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“Right, of course that would have been much worse than if আপনি were alone and had bled out.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“Well yeah, if I had bled all over a পিয়ানো and was alone, who would be there to clean it up?” asked Megan.
Cuddy couldn’t help but smile at how that was so much like something House would say.
“Is there anyone I can for you?” asked Cuddy.
“No, just me.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
As Cuddy finished putting the bandage on, she ran her finger over the scar on Megan’s wrist.
“Seven years.” ব্যক্ত Megan, looking at her. Cuddy looked up and met Megan’s icy blue eyes.
“What?” she asked.
“You want to know what happened and when. It was seven years পূর্বে today actually.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“Why?” asked Cuddy.
“Because, like I said, my birthdays have a way of going bad. Don’t get me wrong, not every single one, but a lot of them.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“Worse than this?” asked Cuddy, moving the suture tray and মল aside and moving around to the chair.
“Yes.” ব্যক্ত Megan. “Really? I wouldn’t think that things could get much worse than this on a birthday.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“They can, trust me.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
“How much worse?” asked Cuddy.
She was hoping that Megan was just being an over dramatic twenty one বছর old girl. Hoping she would say something like there had been an earthquake অথবা a bad storm অথবা something.
“People die, and it’s happened আরো than once. The first time I was five, that’s when it all started. My first adoptive parents were taking me to my party at some kids place. A truck driver fell asleep and hit our car, my dad was decapitated and my mother’s femoral artery was severed, she bled out before anyone could get there. I had a mild concussion, and was put into foster care after that."
"The সেকেন্ড time I was nine, and had been with a nice couple for almost a year. They were planning on adopting me, but the দিন before my birthday the woman found out that she had terminal pancreatic cancer. Exactly one বছর and one দিন later she died and the man decided that I was too much of a reminder after a month. He sent me back to foster care where I stayed for another two years."
"I was getting older, so I was lucky when an older couple with older children took me in. Again, after almost a year, they had a birthday party for me. They told me that দিন that they had begun the adoption process, that they wanted me to be part of their family. I was so happy, and told all of my বন্ধু at a sleepover party that one of them was having for me. That night, my new family’s প্রথমপাতা got broken into and they were all killed. The only one left alive was their oldest son who was at college."
"After that, people were afraid if I stayed too long something bad would happen to them. Not only that, but on my fourteenth birthday is when I was diagnosed with CVID. No one wanted to take me incase my ‘curse’ was real, I was older, and now I had an expensive medical condition. That’s the night I tried to kill myself, the night I realized that I wasn’t going to get a family. My foster father had gotten drunk and decided to beat up my foster mother. Then he figured that since it was my birthday I deserved a present. He gave me two broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a black eye. Those were the worst ones so far, so this isn’t really that bad. Still, my sixteenth birthday wasn’t that bad, I was able to become emancipated.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
Cuddy sat there with tears threatening to fall as she listened to her daughter tell her, matter-of-factly, this horrible story of what her life had been like.
All she could do was say, “I am so sorry.”, and wipe the tears from her eyes.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. Nobody has anything to be sorry for, except the guy who murdered the Figs. Shit happens, আপনি can’t control it, the only thing আপনি can do is সরানো on. Some days are just going to be bad, so আপনি might as well make the best of the ones that aren’t so bad and hope for better ones. That’s what life is আপনি know, a mountain bike trail, ups and downs. Sometimes আপনি just want to quit, অথবা go back, but আপনি can’t do either. No one’s going to pick আপনি up and carry আপনি either way, so আপনি just have to keep going. And hopefully দ্বারা the end আপনি feel good about what you’ve accomplished. আপনি might be sweaty, dirt covered, and bleeding, but আপনি know আপনি made it.” ব্যক্ত Megan.
It was quiet for a মিনিট as Cuddy and Megan stared at each other.
“God, I must sound like a total rehab whack job!” Megan said, finally breaking the awkward silence between them.
“Yeah, well…” ব্যক্ত Cuddy, stopping when what Megan had just ব্যক্ত actually registered.
“Well, I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks I’m a nut. That would just be crazy, wouldn’t it?” Megan said, dryly.
“No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just…” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“I know what আপনি meant, I’m just trying to have a little fun.” ব্যক্ত Megan, laughing a bit.
“Right, of course. Well it’s getting late, and I’m exhausted.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy, standing up.
“You know, I’ve been feeling a little drowsy myself. I think it could be those wonderful pills that smokin’ doctor gave me.” ব্যক্ত Megan, starting to slur.
“I’m sure, আপনি just get some rest.” ব্যক্ত Cuddy.
“Yeah, ok, bye, bye.” ব্যক্ত Megan, waving a bit and laughing.
Cuddy pulled the covers up a bit on Megan and then left the room, heading for home.