Desperate Times
House sighed as he sat behind his desk tossing the small red and white ball he kept in his office up and down. There was nothing that needed doing at this particular time. He didn't have any time in the free clinic, that's where Foreman and Chase were currently. Cameron had a day of today and she was apparently visiting some relatives some where or another House hadn't really paid attention to what she had said when she'd been telling them where she was going. Did it really matter where she was unless something terrible happened and she was hit by a car or something like that? House placed the ball aside and opened up his daily medication of Vitocin, popping the pills into his mouth and swallowing them without water. They had a dry taste but he was used to it by now, after all it was better then trying to deal with the pain.
There was a knock on his door, even though House had his backed turned to the door he could see who was knocking on the door. It was Cuddy again; she'd already seen him three times this morning. What was she after this time he thought? He quickly turned round to his desk a grin on his face and beckoned her to come in.
She opened the glass door and entered his office.
"Sorry to bother you again, but we've got a problem." She said approaching him.
"I like the addition of we in that sentence. What you mean is you've got a problem and you want me to deal with it." House replied. In his usual dry tone.
Cuddy stood where she was giving him the usual look of quiet despair. Every time he saw her, his attitude never changed even in the odd times they bumped into each out side the hospital.
"Fine, if it helps your ego yes that is the case." She eventually replied.
"Okay what is the problem we have then?" House asked looking around his desk.
"I need you to cover Foreman's shift in the free clinic, he's come down with something and isn't feeling amazing he looks like he's got a bit of a fever" She said, fully expecting House's reaction before he even replied.
"I'm busy…doing some much needed paper work." House replied. Quickly opening a draw in his office and grabbing a pen then he selected a piece of paper at random and began to write, something he had no idea just anything to make him look busy.
Cuddy laughed, "You? Paperwork? I haven't had any reports from you in the last six months and I doubt you'll be doing any in the next either."
"I figured I should turn over a new leaf and really get on top of this paper work that needs doing, after all it is more important than curing people." House replied
"Okay you made your point but can you do it, there's only forty minutes of his shift left." Cuddy said losing patience with him.
"Then my shift starts in forty minutes after that, I hope there's some over time for this?" House replied glancing at his watch.
"Yes, for all of forty minutes, Look are you going to do it or aren't you?" Cuddy pressed.
"Fine but I want an hour off this weekend." House offered.
Cuddy reluctantly accepted then left the room.
House collected his cane and returned the pen, that didn't even work; back to it's draw then he grabbed his medicine and placed it into his pocket. Then left the room to the free clinic.