Story Title: What's In A Name?
Chapter Title: The Elevator.
Character[s]: Read it.
Pairings [if any]: Uh-Thirteen|Archie-sorta.
Arthor's Notes: Just something I thought of. Random pairing, random crossover fic. Happens sometime during the fourth season of House. Oh and I changed the status on Archie and children. Yup. That doesn't exist here; just fyi-as I'm so not familiar with that aspect of him. And if anything is off character; it's done on purpose. Enjoy.
Story Type: AU.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Plot Summary: AU|Crossover; All doctor Archie Morris wants to know is-her name. Well he ever get it? Or will she just be a 'number' to him?
Standing in line awaiting for the elevator to open, Archie Morris awaited the dreaded fate that would be on the third floor of the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. He had recently moved to Princeton-from Chicago after a personal incident earlier that year. Standing next to the door the ginger haired doctor eyed the rest of the would be employees; as he looked down on his chest to see the runners number hanging over his neck. Seventeen. He didn't know as to why the track number was placed on him-and the rest of the people awaiting for the elevator.
The elevator seemed never to come. It was as if God himself did not want Archie in this building, or in this town for that matter. He had been receiving many complaints about it since he moved in. One; his new apartment needed remodeling-badly. Two; those back in Chicago wanted him back, but he felt no need to return. Three; he wanted to start over. Period, but he didn't know that was going to be hell of a lot harder than he thought. He realized that, two weeks ago-when his would be employer-the ever rude Gregory House-flat out told him that he was 'Ron Howard's bastard love child.'; which did little to annoy Archie himself, he was used to it, but it was when House told him that 'Only idiots move from Chicago to Princeton over a break up; it makes you look like a desperate fool.'-that made Archie think on his life. What was wrong with it? He didn't know. Other than a few things were missing.
The fellow people waiting for the elevator had all left; he turned to see one person standing there waiting for the familiar 'ding' to sound. The mysterious brunette only known to him-and everyone else as 'Thirteen'; stood there. That made a smile form on the ginger's lips. "So, you're gonna wait out the elevator then, huh?" was the only words he said to her.
The brunette rolled her eyes; "Looks like." she replied, paying the ginger no mind, but Archie on the other hand, decided it wouldn't hurt to converse more with this woman. This beautiful woman; he found himself strangely captivated by.
"So-." he began, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet. Looking about, trying to gather up some words to say to her without sounding like an: A] idiot. B] arrogant asshole. C] a desperate fool. Then he thought on what House had said to him. Was he really an idiot for moving from Chicago to Princeton-all over his own horrible break-up? That was the question Archie did not have the answer for, but he was sure-he'd get that question answered soon. "-you looking forward to what Doctor House has for us today?" he said, trying to make small talk, but was failing.
Thirteen rolled her eyes; she wasn't the least bit interested in what House had for the remaining few left in this 'game' House was playing with them. Making them do random things; and going against many orders-all over a job, that one would get and the other wouldn't. "Not really. Only if it gets me this job."
"I see." was the only words Archie spoke to her. His eyes drifted to her for a split second, as she arched a brow. Was he checking her out? She didn't know, but he knew. Was it a sin to look at women? No. It wasn't, but by the look Thirteen was giving him, he felt it was. "Same here." he managed to say.
A few more minutes-the elevator did not come; Archie sighed deeply. It was like a game of who would wait it out the longest and whomever stayed until the end, got the prize. That's what it felt like; that's what it felt like going through all this crap that House was putting him-and everyone else through. "This thing is taking forever." he groaned.
Thirteen arched a brow to him; "You got somewhere to be Seventeen?" she asked, as Archie perked his own brow to her.
"Call me Morris. Archie Morris. I hate being a damned number." he mused, trying to make light of all the waiting both were doing. "Plus, it makes me feel like a teen-aged girl with the number 'Seventeen' plastered on my chest. " he grinned. She on the other hand seemed unimpressed, or so it seemed.
Thirteen shook her head to him; "It suits you. The number." she snickered. Was she laughing at him? Or was she just laughing to be laughing? Either way, Archie just shrugged; slightly dumbfounded.
"Oh gee, thanks." he mused; teasingly before leaning his head back against the wall of the hallway.
The elevator finally managed to 'dinged' as the door opened. Archie took the opportunity to be a gentleman and held the door open for this woman as she entered; as he followed suit. Lucky for him, nobody else was needing the elevator beside the two. It did come to a small surprise to Archie that she did not give him her name, like he had. That annoyed him a bit; "So-what do I call you? If we're possibly going to be working together-or is 'Thirteen' your real name and we don't know it." he shot a small toothy grin her way.
"Name's aren't important when your fighting for the same job." she snapped back, showing her own toothy smirk. Ouch. That was harsh-sorta, but Archie likes it. She was a mystery. A puzzle-one he wanted to find out about. He was hooked on her now-like a kid from the 80's was with a Rubik Cube.
He chuckled just a tad; "Suit yourself. Then I suppose you won't care if I call you Bart? Since you won't give me your name?"
The elevator door 'dingy' open, as they arrived to their designated floor. Thirteen shook her head, "Don't push yourself into the fire, you'll get burnt-Opie." she teased, before walking away from him.
Archie just gave a lopsided-yet intrigued grin. He was content of where the conversation had landed him thus far, but he wanted to know more. He was sticking his nose in her business, but was it worth it? "So, you're not gonna tell me your actually name then?" he called after her.
Looking over her shoulder she just shook her head; "Nope." she called to him, leaving him standing there in the middle of the hallway.
A/N: I might add more to this; might not. could make for an interesting story, but who knows. For now; that's it.