Megan smiled at Cuddy's smile. It definitely wasn't a guarantee that House would be home by the time the baby was born, but it was definitely a possibility. She didn't want to get anyone's hopes too high but hope was also an important thing for patients and their families to have.
House couldn't help finding Cuddy's smile and obvious excitement infectious, either. He was relieved to hear Megan say there was an end in sight, an end that could come sooner than he thought. He was also relieved to hear Megan say she thought he was making progress. It sure felt to him like he hadn't made much progress.
"Give it a week with me home and you'll regret ever saying that," he replied to Cuddy. He cracked a small smile, though, to show he was joking. She probably would regret it in some way. But he really hoped he'd be able to come home soon, too.
"Oh, Greg, don't say that," Megan jokingly reprimanded. She turned to him. "How do you feel about the possibility of heading home by the time the baby is born?"
He sighed. "And here I was, hoping to get out of it." Again, he was joking, but he answered more seriously, "Well, to be perfectly honest, it doesn't feel like I've made much progress. I don't know how realistic it is that I'll be out of here by then."
Megan nodded. She turned towards him a little more. "I know it can feel that way. A lot of my patients say the same thing and that's because you're the one going through it and it's hard to see the progress you're making. But you have made progress. A couple of weeks ago, I could barely get two words out of you. But look at today's session. It took you a little while to open up and I know you still have trouble with that, but you contributed a lot more today than you would have a couple of weeks ago. If you keep making that progress and you're stablised on your medication, then we really can look at plans to have you discharged by the time the baby's due to be born and for you to continue your treatment externally."
House nodded thoughtfully. He still wasn't completely convinced, though it was encouraging to hear Megan not just say that he'd made progress but explained how he'd made progress. He glanced at Cuddy and he felt, for the first time in a long time, a little hopeful that he could pull through this. It was just enough news from Megan to make him see that maybe he really would be able to get better.
"How do you feel hearing that?" Megan asked, as if she'd read his mind.
He looked back to her. "Um," he said. He tried to gather his thoughts together, turning his eyes down to his hands. "I feel better. I mean... I really want to be home for this kid. And I want to be home for Cuddy. I really want to be a dad to this kid. A good dad. Maybe I can actually be that... especially if I can get out of here and be there from the start."
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House couldn't help finding Cuddy's smile and obvious excitement infectious, either. He was relieved to hear Megan say there was an end in sight, an end that could come sooner than he thought. He was also relieved to hear Megan say she thought he was making progress. It sure felt to him like he hadn't made much progress.
"Give it a week with me home and you'll regret ever saying that," he replied to Cuddy. He cracked a small smile, though, to show he was joking. She probably would regret it in some way. But he really hoped he'd be able to come home soon, too.
"Oh, Greg, don't say that," Megan jokingly reprimanded. She turned to him. "How do you feel about the possibility of heading home by the time the baby is born?"
He sighed. "And here I was, hoping to get out of it." Again, he was joking, but he answered more seriously, "Well, to be perfectly honest, it doesn't feel like I've made much progress. I don't know how realistic it is that I'll be out of here by then."
Megan nodded. She turned towards him a little more. "I know it can feel that way. A lot of my patients say the same thing and that's because you're the one going through it and it's hard to see the progress you're making. But you have made progress. A couple of weeks ago, I could barely get two words out of you. But look at today's session. It took you a little while to open up and I know you still have trouble with that, but you contributed a lot more today than you would have a couple of weeks ago. If you keep making that progress and you're stablised on your medication, then we really can look at plans to have you discharged by the time the baby's due to be born and for you to continue your treatment externally."
House nodded thoughtfully. He still wasn't completely convinced, though it was encouraging to hear Megan not just say that he'd made progress but explained how he'd made progress. He glanced at Cuddy and he felt, for the first time in a long time, a little hopeful that he could pull through this. It was just enough news from Megan to make him see that maybe he really would be able to get better.
"How do you feel hearing that?" Megan asked, as if she'd read his mind.
He looked back to her. "Um," he said. He tried to gather his thoughts together, turning his eyes down to his hands. "I feel better. I mean... I really want to be home for this kid. And I want to be home for Cuddy. I really want to be a dad to this kid. A good dad. Maybe I can actually be that... especially if I can get out of here and be there from the start."