It is an odd day when he walks into Foreman's office, and it's about to get even odder.
Perhaps, buried deep in his psyche, he was expecting this - wanted it, even - but despite this knowledge Foreman's announcement still comes as a shock.
"I want you to replace House as Head of Diagnostics." he states, looking remarkably indifferent about the affair. "God knows your methods of deduction were the closest to his, and even he admitted your manipulation skills were superior. I think that makes you eligible." A beat passes; a minute. He can't process the offer, outwardly wasn't anticipating it, and his insides are warring with each other. After what's happened in the last few months, this is the cherry on top. Department Head? No House? In control? The concepts are mostly alien to him. He's been a DH before, but this is entirely different. Surgery was completely different, although he and Cameron dabbled in Diagnostics every now and then, and he was House's 'go-to' surgeon for his latest crazy idea. Only Chase, knowing House, would accept both the challenge and the risk, and his mentor-father figure knew it. And subconsciously, he's calling Allison 'Cameron' again. The gesture makes their relationship finite; the threads of their lives are untangled. They are at peace with one another, but every thread linking them is cut and neither has anything to say to the other.
He finds himself making decisions already about his team, if he accepts this offer. Adams and Park. Park will stay - she was always the least affected by House, despite her tendency to lash out, and he can deal with her remaining - House's mark is reversible upon her. But Adams... will he keep her? Chase theorises that House used her to get a friend in the system. He doesn't dislike her - but she's replaceable, and there's no one like Park. There are people like Adams, and she expressed thoughts of leaving regardless, now House is dead. He shakes his head; what's he doing? The first step is to decide whether he wants to stay here or move on, like so many others have. Cameron. Cuddy. Thirteen. He considers his life six years ago and wonders what he has done to make it change so much. He isn't pristine blond anymore. He has stubble, short hair. He got married and divorced in one year and he killed a man for what he thought was the greater good. He got stabbed, went through rehab, and had an affair with a prospective nun. Now he's about to take House's place and Foreman is already in Cuddy's, with Cameron far away in Chicago. Wilson, too, has gone, probably lost to his own specialty.
"All right," he finds himself saying inexplicably. "I'll take it." Foreman nods serenely, unperturbed by the fact that Chase has stood silent for about ten minutes while thoughts race through his head like lightning.
"Adams has left, by the way. You need to find at least one other fellow, as Taub's moved into Plastics again." Chase nods. He likes the idea of a team of three. Perhaps he'll add to the department later on, but in this initial turmoil he can only stand hiring one new colleague. He is indifferent to the gender. An antidote to Park, perhaps; someone calm and collected and with a specialty in something other than intensive care, neurology, and cardiology. Oh, stuff it. He'll decide when he gets there. He won't ask for any help with the interviews, although there'll be any number of applicants. PPTH has gained quite the reputation, but he knows what he's looking for.
"Advertise for one opening," he says, still in a slight daze. "And I don't want anyone with a specialty in what Park and I have already got between us. For the time being, I'll work in the ICU." Without waiting for the Dean to respond, he turns on his heel, ready to go back to the ICU and some sense of the norm.
He's right - there are over fifty CVs handed to him at the end of the week. Foreman barely masks his amusement, but Chase doesn't feel in a cavalier mood despite the sense of new camaraderie between them. Foreman - is he now Chase's Wilson? He doubts it - they're amicable enough, but not friends, and never will be. Foreman has too much respect for the rules, and while Chase has enough, he's far more inclined to bend them if it suits him. Regardless, he stops working in the ICU and instead sits down at what is now his desk. Park offers to help cut down the wad, and surprisingly, he accepts. They sit in an atmosphere of good work ethic, and Park is useful enough. He gives her half of the papers and tells her his requirements.
"Basically, I want what we don't have," he tells her simply. "I don't care about experience as long as they're not fresh out of med school, and I don't mind as to gender. Someone with a good temperament." Park nods and smiles slightly - she understands what he means. Silence descends, but it is not an awkward one, and they occasionally make comments about the applications before them.
"This one's out," Park says. "Hasn't actually done any procedures for years." She tosses the paper in the bin, where it makes a satisfying thud.
"Hah, this guy's a GP and wants a change of scenery." Scornfully, he screws it into a ball, wondering fleetingly if they'll ever find someone suitable, but Park has put her first CV into her 'possible' pile. He lifts an eyebrow, and she shrugs.
"Twenty six. A fairly seasoned emergency specialist, she's dabbled in immunology, too. Got her MD at twenty and the application was eloquently written - she didn't come across as a bitch or egotistic." Park never minces her words, and for now, it's a trait he finds useful. An hour passes and they're done, ending up with four candidates which he'll offer interviews. If one doesn't immediately stick out, he'll move on to clinical procedures and perhaps a test case - not a real one, and he already has in mind one of House's that he'd use. Candidate 1 is Park's emergency and immunology woman, by the name of Rena Grey. Number 2, a woman and haematologist, Tana Fountain. Three is a guy named Toby Sixx who's in trauma surgery, and four - another man who specialises in vascular surgery, Dean Martin. He buys Park a coffee afterwards to say thank you, and she says that she has confidence in him. He makes light of it, but inside, he is reassured. Perhaps, with the help of Park, someone else, and House's ball, he'll make a decent head and will manage to fill House's shoes at least halfway.
He's told the interviewees via email that the interviews will take place on Monday. That gives him the weekend to work out suitable questions for each. He considers going to Foreman or Park again for help in the matter but then decides against it. Robert knows he's capable of it, and on Saturday, goes and buys a new dark blue suit which brings out the colour of his eyes and makes him look that bit more administrative. It never bothered House, but House was an institution and didn't have to reach for authority. Foreman and himself have to grab on to any sense of power they can. Shaking his head in resignation, he looks at his sheath of notes. He hasn't been mean per se, but some of the questions are probing. He'll look into Fountain's restless nature, Sixx's daredevil antics, Martin's lack of anything social and Grey's personal statement of 'shy'. Each are well qualified, but already, if the interviews go as he anticipates, he gets a little further in elimination. Telling himself he's sufficiently prepared, Robert watches a film and goes to bed early, going without his usual date this weekend. He wants to be without even the trace of a hangover or anything that might impede his judgement, because tomorrow he's going to be sharp. Sharp, in control, and at the end of the day, with a new fellow.
Monday dawns, and he's up early, showering, eating and dressing within half an hour. Upon the realisation that it's only half past six, he allows himself time to sit and watch the news in the kitchen. Robert feels anticipative and eager to get the whole affair out of the way, to minimise embarassment. He doesn't want the forty year old Fountain to find reasons to pick holes in his appointment. He needs someone who will work well and not irritate Park, or him, for that matter. The interviews are all that fills his head when he walks into his office at nine o'clock sharp and finds Park there to greet him, although she doesn't look particularly excited. Her appearance is immaculate but so is his, and for a drawn out moment they regard each other and consider what is about to happen. He's called the applicants for nine thirty, and knows exactly what order he'll interview them. Fountain, Martin, Sixx, Grey. Partly for reassurance, he reads his notes over one more time and then sits with Park, where they engage in meaningless conversation.
"Who do you think you'll end up hiring?"
"They're all well qualified, so it'll be a question of temperament and who will fit best, or possibly who has the most potential as a diagnostician."
"Then Grey has the automatic knowledge of general medicine may be wider, due to her dual specialty."
"Grey's on even pegging with the others because if she lacks enough self confidence she'll be useless, but she was valedictorian of Harvard. Martin is an extremely experienced vascular surgeon, and Fountain also has a lot of experience. Sixx seems confident and easy going. What Grey and Sixx will have to fight the other two on is that they're less experienced and less comfortable in their own decisions." Park nods, by which time it's twenty past nine and he sees a woman outside. Fountain. Her dark brown hair is braided, dark skin unblemished and she's wearing quite the power suit, with extraordinarily high heels. Outwardly, she appears unflappable, perhaps even a little bored. Chase and Park exchange glances and he goes out to greet her.
"Dr. Fountain? Dr. Robert Chase, new Head of Diagnostics. If you'd care to sit in the conference room while we wait for the other applicants to arrive?" He won't start until they're all there, even if Fountain is the one he intends to quiz first.
"Of course, Dr. Chase." Fountain is one cool customer, and breezes in, setting herself down in one of the chairs without hesitation, nor a second glance at either him or Park. Park is hard to throw, though, and she just shrugs. Fountain is clearly only interested in the interviewer, and he catches her studying him out of the corner of his eye. She looks younger than what he knows her to be, but his attention is diverted when another arrives - Sixx. He repeats the same dialogue again, Sixx seeming quite laid back but with a dash of anticipation thrown in. He greets Fountain, but she replies only perfunctorily, reading handwritten notes in a leather bound book. Her handwriting is bold and clear, strange for a doctor. Twenty five past. Grey. She appears thinner and paler than in her photo, and contrary to the other two, looks a little nervous. She's dressed not as showily as Fountain but appears to have made an effort in her appearance. Her black hair is pinned up elegantly, and her simple ensemble of a white blouse, blue v-neck jumper and murky gold skirt works well on her slender frame. He repeats the information, but she has trouble maintaining eye contact, glancing away at the office.
"Thank you, sir." she murmurs politely in response, shakes his hand lightly and sitting after a brief pause next to Sixx. He gives her a salutation and she responds more amiably than Fountain, although quietly. Sixx engages her in conversation, and she doesn't appear to mind, but Chase sees Grey tracing a repetitive pattern on her hand and her right leg shakes a little in nerves. They appear to be introducing themselves; their specialties. Trauma surgery and Emergency. Sixx is drawing out Grey, and it appears he's good at conversation even with someone as introverted as the skittish doctor before him. Fountain is still segregated from the two of them; eyes still on the prize. It's nine thirty on the dot when Martin arrives; Chase gestures him in then closes the door. Park stands off to the side, mostly out of view, but she's sizing the lot of them up and not trying to hide it. The four heads instantly go to him, expectant.
A/N: I always pondered what would happen after 'Everybody Dies' to Chase and his new department. Thus, this was born.
Feedback is much appreciated - I've already written all of this, so the next chapter should be up when I get sufficient response.
