You are mine, and I am yours (Gregory House)

Chapter 17

2005
Reilly was filling out charts at the desk in the clinic when House walked up to her.
"Cuddy's making me teach a class in Diagnostics," he whined.

"Poor you," she said without looking up.

"Come with me," he begged. "It'll be less boring if you're there."

"Only if you and Allison come for dinner on Friday night."

"Deal." She closed the patient files, stacked them neatly and they turned to leave.

"Greg." He stiffened and Reilly turned to look at the woman who spoke.
"Reilly?" a beautiful, statuesque brunette asked in surprise.

Reilly stared at her, "Do I know you?"

"No. I'm Stacy Warner. Greg and I lived together for five years. I saw the Christmas cards."

"Oh," Reilly responded with a quick glance at House. "It's nice to meet you."

"He didn't tell you about me, did he?" Stacy asked.

Reilly looked down. "No," she said softly. "I'll be in the lecture hall, Greg."

He watched her walk away and turned back to Stacy. "What are you doing here?" he asked. He noticed the large file she carried.

"I need your help," she answered as she held out the file to him, he limps over to the clinic desk to take a look. "My husband, Mark, is sick."

House took the files and read them. "So, he's suffering from abdominal pain and fainting spells. No sign of tumors, no vasculitis. Could be indigestion, or maybe a kidney stone."

"When did Reilly come back?" she asked.

He shrugged and began to look over her husband's x-rays. "About a year ago."

"You didn't tell her about me?"

"Didn't come up. So, how long have you and Mack been married?"

"His name is Mark. Did you think I wouldn't get married?" she asked.

He shoved everything back at her. "To be perfectly honest, I didn't give it much thought. I gotta give a lecture. I'm all about nurturing the young." 

"Oh, yeah, that sounds like you. What did Lisa bribe you with?"

He laughed mirthlessly. "Why are you here?"

"Because my husband is sick. He's been to five doctors and three hospitals. No one found anything."

He shrugged and started to make his way out of the clinic and across the lobby, with Stacy following behind.

"There is no kidney stone, no indigestion. Three hospitals, five doctors, not one of them found anything."

"Well, maybe there's nothing to be found."

"Right, you suddenly trust doctors, love puppies and long walks in the rain." Stacy said "Look, I was around you long enough to know when something's not right. Mark's had personality changes, he's acting strange, disconnected..."

"Interesting. It means there's either a neurological component or he's having an affair."

"No affair, no nothing! He's sick! I know you're not too busy; you avoid work like the plague. Unless it actually is the plague. I'm asking you a favor." She sid with a plea clear in her voice.

 "Go up to the fourth floor and leave all that with my team. Doctor Cameron will schedule a time for Mark to come in." Hesaid finally and continued on to the lecture hall.

XxXxXxXx

Once House finished his lecture, Reilly slowly got up and went to the Diagnostics conference room. Hearing about his leg and how Stacy went behind his back the way she did left her stunned and slightly sick. She sank down in a chair at the table and rested her head on the cool glass top. She heard the door swing open and heard the distinctive sound of a cane hitting the floor.