Fandom: House M.D/The O.C. crossover
Pairing: Alex/Marissa
Rating: Angstlike
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N1: This is joint venture between me and crookedskyline.
A/N2: Leave comments, they make us happy.

The Transfer

"Everyone knows the Empire can kick the Federation's ass!" Lawrence Kutner leans onto the table, his face twisted in what seems to be anger. Leaning back on his chair Chris Taub squints at him, looking confused by such a statement. However, had he known his fellow doctor well-enough he'd know that to debate Star Wars with him is asking for trouble, or at the very least he'd waste a few hours of his life listening to Kutner explain why Star Wars is better than Star Trek ever was and ever could have been.

"You do know it's just television right?" Eric Foreman looks over the top of the medical journal at the two men, who both look at him. Giving a slight roll of his eyes he goes back to his reading. At the other end of the table sits Thirteen, drowsily leaning on her hand in hopes to keep her head from falling. As her eyes slowly begin to close a file drops on the table in front of her. She reaches forward, bypassing the folder, as she wraps her hand around the paper coffee cup.

"Unless you were up all night having lesbian sex I don't want to know why you're asleep on my table." She immediately opens her mouth to protest but is instantly silenced. "Just run the labs, Huntingtons."

"The notes say that the hospital in California already tested her for everything." Foreman chimes in as Thirteen gulps down a few mouthfuls of coffee, hoping it will caffeinate her enough to at least get her to her feet.

"And found nothing, which is why the mother has come to the best." He turns to Thirteen, who looks at him from behind the rim of the cup. "And the best wants fresh labs, so go!" She quickly jumps to her feet, tossing the cup into the trash with a little more force than was needed, as she exits the room.

"Just because Cuddy cut you off doesn't mean you should take it out on her." Foreman says as the brunette disappears down the hallway. Glancing at the folder enough to get the room number she hurries off to start the day and at least she could grab a nap while waiting for lab results.

As she reaches the patients room she opens the door. As she walks into the room she's stopped dead in her tracks. There, lying on the bed is a brunette, close to her age. A brunette she's all too familiar with. She immediately turns on her heels and walks out, closing the door behind her. Leaning against it, she opens the file and reads the name. "Oh fuck." She leans her head back.

A few feet away Gregory House is standing at the nurse's station engrossed in a conversation with James Wilson. However, the conversation doesn't hold his attention as he glances over at her. Immediately he breaks away from the conversation, causing Wilson to turn and watch him as he makes his way quickly toward Thirteen.

"I saw that!" He says loudly, causing her to open her eyes and look at him. She immediately straightens herself up.

"You saw nothing." She replies quickly.

"You know coma girl." He says, his cocky smile never fading as she remains silent. "What is she? Sister? Friend? Ex-friend? Ex-lover?" She simply looks at him. "Oh my god, this is fantastic. Wait till I tell the others!" She watches as he hobbles off down the hallway eagerly.

"Why is it that you only limp quickly when lesbians are involved?" She sighed, chasing him down the hallway.

"I also limp quickly when I'm following Cuddy's enormous ass." He smiled at her as he pulled open the glass door of the conference room. "Taub I just know you're going to love this."

"Can we just discuss this next door like adults?" She watched as he rolled his eyes but walked straight through to his office next door, ignoring Kutner's cries of curiosity.

"Why is it that you L-Worders have to take everything so seriously?" He sighed, sitting behind his desk.

"There's an ethical dilemma here." Her arms were folded across her chest as she stood in front of him.

"Okay, Cameron."

"If she hadn't resigned she would agree with me."

"But she has resigned and her agreement doesn't matter. I am your boss and I am bossing you around to get fresh labs on your comatose ex-lover."

"Amber." She said quietly.

Amber. Her name has been taboo around the hospital since she died. There were multiple times it'd nearly slipped from someone's lips, and then be promptly covered by a cough or a quick rewording. Everyone was afraid to say it, and for Thirteen to throw it out the way she did, there was no doubt that this patient was on the same level as Amber. That this was someone she could not possibly treat and do her job to her full ability as well.

Getting up from his chair without another word, House goes back to the door between his office and the diagnosis room.

"Token black guy," Foreman put down his journal, "Other token black guy." House sighed.

"I'm Indian." Kutner frowned at him.

"You want me to ask the token Jew?" Kutner simply rolled his eyes before standing up. "Run the labs that Lesbian won't."

"On that Marissa Cooper chick?" He asks as she turns her back to them, her arms still crossed, as she fights off the thoughts that are consuming her.

Please read and review. Thank you, Circus and crookedskyline.