A/N Sorry, it's taken me a little while to update. I had writers' block until tonight. I'll try to write a little bit more, but please tell me if this is good. I have a sinking feeling that it's actually worse. :(
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After Cuddy's threatening warning, House began to demand ideas. A few minutes passed and they gave up, as no one had any interesting solutions. As House paced up and down the office, his associates sat and watched nervously, waiting for the bomb to explode, hoping that it didn't. After circling his office about 17 times, he figured out a way to keep Cuddy from skinning him.
"We'll run a few blood tests and look for any major diseases. We need a few more symptoms to pinpoint the exact problem, so we need to stall," House explained wearily.
The other three doctors contemplated his idea, idly staring at the walls and out the window. Finally, Cameron decided to ask the question of how his oh-so-brilliant idea would save him from Cuddy, as she had asked for a diagnoses.
House's answer? "Avoid her at all costs and don't tell her anything."
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A few minutes later, the jobs had been assigned. Foreman was to go check on the patient and give her an examination, while Chase and Cameron had been assigned the duty of searching the patient's home for anything strange or out of the ordinary. House had the hardest job of all, actually coming up with a diagnoses. In order to get new ideas, he decided to go bother Wilson, who was a perfect source of entertainment (though from Wilson's perspective... it wasn't so fun).
When Foreman arrived at the patient's room, he was very surprised at what he found. Instead of only the parents being at their child's side, the girl's whole family was there. Unfortunately, Foreman had missed the fact that the girl was Greek, and the Greeks tend to do everything as a family, much like Italians and Mexicans.
The girl was laughing at her cousin, who had just fallen on his face. She had a tooth missing and was doubled over in laughter, her small face framed by soft black curls. The parents (or at least the people Foreman presumed were her parents) looked on, with weary and tired smiles. A child that looked about seven glared at the girl, apparent jealousy on his face. When he noticed Foreman he brightened.
"Are you the doctor?" he asked in a sly voice. "The Dr.House?"
"No. I'm Dr. Foreman and I am here to examine your cousin. Dr. House is definitely someone I wouldn't want to be right at this moment," Foreman replied.
"Why not?" the youth asked curiously.
Foreman didn't reply, he just grimaced. The kid grinned, sensing that Dr. House must be in a great deal of trouble at the moment. They stared at each other for a few more seconds and then the doctor turned to the parents.
"I'm sorry, but can you and your family leave us alone for a few minutes? She needs to have physical examination," Foreman asked.
The girl's parents nodded and looked at the family, motioning towards the door. Then they turned to their daughter.
"Fia, would you mind us leaving for a moment? The doctor wants to give you a check up," the mother said with false cheerfulness.
"Dr. House?" the girl asked, excited.
"No. Of course not. This is Dr. Foreman," the boy said smugly from the doorway, obviously eavesdropping on the conversation. Fia's eyes opened wide, taking in Foreman. After a moment, she shrugged and smiled. Seeing that the girl didn't mind, the adults left the girl to Foreman, warning him with their eyes, that if something were to happen to Fia, something bad would happen to Foreman.
After they left, the doctor started giving her the exam, following normal procedure. That is, until she started coughing. Worried, Foreman cast a quick glance around the room, to see if there were candy wrappers. A second later blood came out of her mouth. Then she fainted.
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Meanwhile, Cameron and Chase were searching the house for any strange oddities. While they were doing so, they were having an extremely interesting conversation...
"So...what's for lunch?" Chase asked, pointing his flashlight under a bed.
"We just got here," Cameron said, rolling her eyes.
"So? I know that Cuddy forced this case on House because he wasn't doing his clinic duty, so she punished him," Chase sighed.
"Very true. Anyone could see that the girl has a cold, something that she's probably not used to, considering she used to live in a warmer climate," Cameron said in agreement.
"Still, what you said about House- were you serious?" Chase asked innocently.
"That he's trying to impress Cuddy? Of course, they are always bickering, but somehow end up on positive terms. From where I stand, it looks more like flirting than anything else," she answered, emotionless.
"Are you jealous?"
Cameron looked at the object she was holding in her hand, a small coffee cup with lipstick on the side, probably drunk as Lia's mother rushed to work. Only work nowadays. It used to be personal, but now it's just work. Strange how I've changed...I feel no emotion for House anymore. I actually feel happy for him. Strange indeed.
"No. Not at all."
To Cameron's surprise, he shrugged. "Okay," he told her. He's not going to contradict me? This isn't Chase's behavior. Either something's up or he's been abducted by aliens and given a brain transplant. I'm guessing it's the former.
"Well, we're done. Nothing out of the ordinary. No leeches in the bath tub or cockroaches in the sink," Chase summed up cheerfully.
At the mention of the creepy crawlies she glared. House had long ago discovered her fear of bugs. The April before, he had been so bored as to buy a tarantula and kill it, putting it in Cameron's coffee cup. She had screamed so loudly that some nurses had come rushing over. Soon, her fear had turned to anger and she nearly strangled House. It was the first time anyone in the hospital had seen her truly angry. After that incident, she was teased every once in a while about her phobia.
Chase smiled at the memory and motioned towards the exit.