House Call
Chap 1
The sun was shining through the window casting a golden glow onto the table and its occupants. It was a contradiction in comparison to the dark mood that was emanating from those sitting there regarding each other. They were arguing over the diagnosis of another patient that needed their help. Chase and Forman were for one option and Cameron for another and as usual, House was telling them that they were idiots. As they sat there arguing over the diagnosis and possible treatments, Cuddy came into the room with another woman walking in behind her. They stood there for a few minutes observing the team until they saw that their presence was finally acknowledged.
"Looks like your team is off to a great start today" Cuddy said with some sarcasm.
"Just another day in the salt mines" House replied glancing at the woman with Cuddy.
"So who's this? Your special friend? Trying to make me jealous Cuddy? Because it won't work. It only makes me more intrigued. Can I watch?" The woman gave him a brief once over and dryly stated, "Not even if you paid top dollar for the show."
Cuddy gave House a disgusted look and an amazed one to the woman, while the others held in snickers at the woman's response. Cuddy answered in a firm tone, "This is Dr. Samantha Harrington. She is going to be the newest member of your team."
House and the others just stared at Cuddy. "What do you mean that she is going to be part of my team?" House asked.
"I didn't even know that you were looking for someone else. When did you decide this?" Cameron asked, looking worried.
Cuddy looked at Cameron and then the others and answered, "I didn't hire her to replace any of you so you don't have anything to worry about. Dr. Harrington had put out some feelers for a transfer from Boston a couple months ago at a few different hospitals. She is very good at diagnostics and in pediatric oncology. I have been talking it all over with her and decided that it would be in the best interest of PPTH to hire her before another hospital snatched her up."
"You can't just hire someone for my team. It's my team! Anyway I don't need another member, I have enough time trying to clean these three's tooshies all time."
"And that House is why she is going to be co-director with you. I am the Dean of Medicine and can make hiring and firing decisions here. So deal with it." House and the others looked shocked. This didn't stop House from rudely replying, "I don't play or share well others." Cuddy answered, "Well, get over it. It's done. Now I'm going to take Dr. Harrington around the hospital and to meet the some other doctors. We'll be back in a couple of hours. I want you to stop acting like a child by then and help her to get settled into the team. I trust that you can at least do that." With that, Cuddy turned on her heel and started to walk out the door. Dr. Harrington started for the door then stopped and leaned slightly in the doorway on her right shoulder. She put her left hand on her hip and crossed her right foot over her left ankle. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled into a tight bun showing off a long neck. She was wearing a tailored charcoal gray suit with a black silk shirt. Though the clothes were expensive, the suit was slightly loose on her giving an almost boxy look that would had made her look unimpressive and severe considering her hair but she had on black stilettos that showed off her shapely calves as much as possible with the knee length skirt. The choice of footwear was not lost on House. Dr. Harrington looked confident and relaxed when she started speaking to them. "With the symptoms that you were discussing, your diagnosis isn't correct. You're making this harder than it has to be. It can be run of the mill Staphylococcus Aureus. You should check your patient for any wounds, even small ones and get a culture done." She stared House down for a moment exuding an arrogant confident righteousness.
"Take a woman to be simple. Simple minded that is." said House. Dr. Harrington snapped back while looking him up and down and eyeing his cane, "You sure it's only your leg that is handicapped? Seems like your mind might be also." She then turned to the table where the others were taking this all in with amused looks and said, "I'm looking forward to sitting down with you and getting to know you."
"Oh, Show and tell. I'll show you mine if you show me yours" House quipped. Dr. Harrington briefly looked at him and replied, "I may have to work with you, but that doesn't mean I have to like you or put up with your crap. So watch it."
With that she turned and walked confidently toward the waiting Cuddy. Cameron exchanged looks with Chase and Foreman and House just looked at the door. For lack of anything better to say, Chase says, "So staph infection."
"Why didn't we think of that before? It seems so simple now" Cameron responded.
"Yeah, she only figured it out after we loosened the top of the jar for her." House stated with a sniff. The others just looked at him and each other and then quickly gathered up their files and walked out the door, leaving House standing in the middle of the room, looking down the hall where Cuddy and Dr. Harrington had gone. He then walked out the door with a determined set to his face.