Ari's Note: Another little ficlet- this should be a 2-3 parter. A little different from stuff I've done in the past- mostly because of the POV's I'm using, but hopefully you guys will like it :) Please give me your thoughts. OH! BTW I'm reusing a character I created for YOLT...heh
Everyday
Dr Hourani was not a man that involved himself in the squabbling gossip at PPTH. He was a firm believer in working hard, and going home to his beautiful swimsuit-model wife, Dominika Petrova and twin boys. He laughed at those that would get involved in the never-ending drama that surrounded the Diagnostics Department and Dean of Medicine, Dr Lisa Cuddy.
Which is why, it came as a complete surprise to him, to find himself in the middle of possibly the worst drama-storm to hit PPTH, in the history of him working there.
After all, how could he have predicted to become friends with someone he'd considered an enemy, alibi a bloody nose and defending Gregory House to Dr Lisa Cuddy?
He sighed heavily, remembering the events in the weeks leading up to the blowout that happened in the morgue.
A few Weeks Ago
Like clockwork, Dr Hourani walked into the lobby of Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital precisely at 8am, and observed the never-ending flirting between Dr Gregory House and Dr Lisa Cuddy that they didn't realize was completely obvious to any observer who passed by.
He rolled his eyes, sipping from his Starbucks espresso and said hello to Dr Wilson who also stopped and picked up his own notes at the kiosk.
As he read his messages, and was getting ready to head off to his own department, Cuddy excused herself from House, who merely stared at her back as she walked off, bitting his bottom lip and tilting his head to the side- admiring her.
"Hourani", she said as she approached him.
He looked over at her expectantly, "Yes?"
"Did you get the memo I sent you about the new neurosurgeon we've added to the surgical department?" she asked airily, as if she was trying to gather herself after something or someone had taken her breath away.
Yes, he did stay out of the gossip, but he couldn't help at wonder when they'd finally stop playing cat and mouse and simply get together. There were actual bets going on in the hospital about how long it would take for them to crack.
But he rid his mind of the childish thought and instead answered her question, "Yes. I believe you said his name was Dr. Atticus Beaumont?"
She nodded looking at her watch, "His first day is today, and he should be arriving in about an hour. Thomas was supposed to show him around the hospital and get him situated, but he's at home with bronchitis."
"That's the second time this month", he commented sipping from his cup, finding it hard to believe.
Cuddy rolled her eyes but smirked as she walked away, "Tell me about it. I've told him to use his vacation time, but he refuses. We all know he's in Atlantic City anyway."
xxxoxxxo
"Since when did we start playing music in the lobby?" muttered House to Wilson- with Everyday by Buddy Holly playing as they made their way into the hospital.
Wilson scoffed, "We've always played music."
House heard his name called in the middle of the song playing, and he turned up to Cuddy walking towards him with a knowing smirk on her lips. Wilson said bye to House and left him alone to deal with their Dean of Medicine, "You missed your clinic duty yesterday, and the day before that."
"Oops", he said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders.
She pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow while crossing her arms, "You still owe me."
"Sexual favors? Yes, absolutely- clinic? Not so much."
Cuddy bit her lip and let out a tiny laugh, "You know what I mean. Just because its been a couple of months since the whole Tritter fiasco, doesn't mean I've forgotten about you owing me favors for the rest of your life. I own you now House."
At this he couldn't help let a tiny smirk on his lips- while adjusting his backpack strap on his arm, "If by clinic you mean, meeting you there for a full body work-up. I'd be happy to assist you Dr Cuddy- just say the word. I know the twins definitely need an exam-"
She placed her tongue against her cheek, and tried suppressing a smile.
"Do your clinic hours House- I don't want to have to come find you and drag you there myself", she ended with, as she spotted Hourani and made her way to him- giving House one last look.
He watched her walk off, not fully realizing the little sigh he'd let out as she walked away, shaking her little ass.
xxxoxxxo
Dr Atticus Beaumont was by far the youngest neurosurgeon that Hourani had ever met. He couldn't have been older than thirty-seven or thirty-eight.
The blond haired, blue-eyed doctor had perfectly caped white teeth, a tan, and drank from his home-made green veggie juice container.
Unlike any of the neurosurgeons that Hourani had met in his time, he didn't have bags under his eyes from premature aging, and didn't look exhausted in the least bit.
"And this is the free clinic. All of the doctors that work at the hospital like donate three to five hours a week to help keep it open for those patients that don't have medical insurance", He said looking around.
"Or we could just let them die, but I guess then we wouldn't be able to get that tax write off would we?" a very distinctive voice said behind them, as he approached the Nurses station.
Hourani sighed, and turned to House, "This is Dr House, he runs the Department of Diagnostics at the hospital-"
"-And is currently the only doctor that is forced to be here against his will", he semi-yelled in the direction of Dr Lisa Cuddy's office. He looked back at the both of them nodding towards Dr Atticus Beaumont, "Who's this blondie?"
"Dr Atticus Beaumont. I'm the new neurosurgeon and part of the surgical department", Dr Beaumont put out his hand for House to shake.
Hourani stifled a laugh, and momentarily made eye contact with House who seemed to have the same thought, before he raised his eyebrows and limped off, ignoring his hand, "Cool. See yah."
At that precise moment, Lisa Cuddy walked out of her office, and momentarily looked at House, who walked away and nearly bumped into the glass wall because he was looking back at her.
She smirked, but walked towards the Nurses station to pick up a file, when she noticed Hourani and the new doctor he was with.
Cuddy smiled widely, "You must be Dr Beaumont?"
Dr Beaumont nodded sort of numbly, and took her hand, "Yes-please call me Atticus, and may I ask your lovely name- I mean-"
Hourani laughed, "This is Dr Lisa Cuddy, our Dean of Medicine here at Princeton- Plainsboro. She's our boss."
"Well we're all excited to have you join our team. I hope you'll find the surgical team helpful in getting you settled. Excuse me, I have a patient", she said with one last smile as she walked towards exam room one.
Dr Beaumont stood there frozen for a moment after she walked away, with his eyes wide-open, before saying anything, "Wow-"
"Don't even waste your time", Hourani said with a scoff as he began walking out towards the lobby.
When Atticus- as he made clear that he preferred to be called- realized that Hourani had began walking away, he sped up to catch up with him, "What do you mean?"
"You know that Doctor that we ran into, just before you met Dr Cuddy? Dr House? They've got this- thing going on. It's better not to even get involved."
"They're married?" he asked.
"No."
"Engaged?"
"No." he said with a scoff.
"So they're dating?" Atticus pushed.
"No- but they like each other. You can tell." He said as they both headed towards the surgical wing.
Atticus shrugged his shoulders, "That's not a big deal then."
Hourani stopped and turned around, taking a deep breath, "I'm going to save you the trouble and the mistake of being attracted to Dr Cuddy. Yes, she's a beautiful woman, but don't go there. I wouldn't advise it, not if you want to get on House's radar."
Atticus frowned, "You think he'll get jealous?"
"Oh that's just putting it mildly. House is- annoying, even if you don't mess with him. But if he suspects that you are even attracted to Lisa Cuddy, I'm sure he'll make your life here at the hospital a living hell."
"Sounds like a tyrant."
"Exactly."
"Then why does she put up with him?"
Hourani rolled his eyes, feeling as if he were speaking to a child, "Why do you think? Look- do yourself a favor. Do not get involved with Lisa Cuddy."
As they walked into the wing, Hourani was sure he'd made an impression on the young doctor, after all who would be idiotic enough to purposely instigate a problem with House?
He had no idea what was to come.
xxxoxxxo
It had been a week since Atticus had began working at the hospital, and to Hourani's knowledge, he'd taken his advice- or so it seemed. However, on that Tuesday morning in which he'd been running late, since coincidently enough his wife had come down with bronchitis herself, he'd had to take his sons to school- because she'd been too sick to.
Hourani had rushed in to the lobby with anxiety that came from a childhood of a military upbringing, and of what would happen if you arrived somewhere late.
And at that precise moment, he witnessed the first of many mistakes that Atticus could make. He handed Cuddy a bottle of what looked to be a homemade green smoothie- while House watched from the stairway with Wilson.
Hourani kept his head down as he collected his messages from the kiosk, not wanting to see the conversation between Atticus and Cuddy and remain completely oblivious. However as he made his way towards the elevator and was about to enter it- a cane was placed right right in front of him, blocking the entrance.
He sighed and looked over at House, "Really, House? Don't have anything better to do that torment innocent bystanders who are attempting to enter the elevator?"
He moved his jaw to the side and nodded his head over to where Atticus and Cuddy were still standing, and flirting, "What did you say his name was?"
"Dr Atticus Beaumont", he sighed, pushing his cane aside and getting into the elevator.
House followed him in and was quiet, "What's his specialty?"
"Neurosurgery." He muttered annoyed, that he was repeating what he'd already told him a week ago.
"Huh…kinda young to be a neurosurgeon, don't you think?" he asked looking over at Hourani.
He shrugged his shoulders, "Does it matter? What do you want House?"
House looked taken aback, "Me? Just to be loved, world peace, to end world hunger? The basics."
Hourani rolled his eyes, "If this is about Dr Beaumont flirting with Dr Cuddy-"
House shot his eyes wide open, "What? No. What are you talking about? I just wanted to get to know the new addition to our hospital- we're a family after all, you know?"
"Right", he muttered as the elevator opened and he walked out swiftly, fully knowing House couldn't keep up with his pace.
xxxoxxxo
In the next two weeks that progressed, Hourani witnessed Atticus's increasing flirtations with Cuddy, and had noticed coincidently enough that her usual morning flirtations with House had decreased to a bare minimum.
This cycle had gone on for days, with Atticus always bringing something to give Cuddy in plain view of the hospital's lobby until one morning it escalated to a point where they both arrived to the hospital in running attire.
He didn't intend to watch, but he did see a stoic House by the stairwell with Wilson, staring daggers at Atticus as he said bye to Cuddy- with his arms crossed. After she'd walked off to her office, Atticus had given House a smug look and walked into the elevator.
In that moment, for the first time ever, Hourani felt something along the lines of sympathy for House and strange disdain for Atticus Beaumont.
He'd made his way into the elevator after Atticus, and acknowledged him with a slight nod while sipping from his espresso.
"You know, that much coffee is probably creating more trouble than it's worth", he said while looking at the passing floor numbers.
Hourani frowned and looked sideways at Atticus's profile- feeling a sudden onset of irritability.
The elevator door opened and Atticus quickly made his way out.
Hourani couldn't help thinking- What a prick.
xxxoxxxo
Ever since Cuddy had began running with Atticus, she felt this renewed sense of energy. Not just that, but she felt happier, livelier and she kept having recurring thoughts of how Atticus had looked with out his shirt as they'd stopped half-way to the hospital.
She was in the middle of trying to find her blouse to put on, when House stood at the doorway of her office-bathroom and looked at her, gravely.
She smiled cockily at him, "Nothing to say about my half-nakedness?"
"I need you to authorize full-body irradiation." He stated evenly and most importantly, keeping his eyes on her face.
Cuddy sighed, pulling her blouse over her bra, "Seriously? I'm half-naked here. Nothing to say about that?"
But House stood quietly, holding out the file for her to read. When she realized he wasn't going to give her any snide remarks, Cuddy took the file and looked at it, "Are you sure it's not an infection?"
"Well I guess I could ask for a consult from an infectious disease specialist- oh wait, that's me."
"It could be a nervous system infection- like meningitis. Why don't you ask Dr Beaumont for a second opinion, before you trash your patients immune system?"
House scoffed loudly, "Right. Because I would completely miss the fact that my patient has meningitis."
Cuddy rolled her eyes, "You're not always right House. Besides, he's our new neurosurgeon, and I think it would be great for you two to get to know each other. You're both very alike."
"There's only one me", he said rather sternly, and limped off before she had a chance to say anything back.
As he left, Cuddy bit her lip, feeling like an idiot.
