Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update, this chapter is substantially longer than the other ones and I got a little preoccupied with other things. It's nice and long though, please read and review!!
Chapter 3
House sat alone at his desk, pondering to himself for the first time in weeks about something other than Wilson and work, though he knew the first would always be in the back of his mind somewhere. He needed a distraction, and this girl, whatever her name was, seemed to do the trick. Unfortunately his thoughts were soon interrupted by the opening of a door. It was Foreman.
"The patient was just released, she seems to be doing ok," he said, sticking his head in the doorway.
House looked up at him, "Excellent," he said with little enthusiasm.
Foreman looked back over his shoulder and entered the room, he seemed puzzled by something. "Who was that girl?" he asked, "The one that just came out of here?"
House wished he hadn't seen her but luck apparently wasn't on his side today. "Funny thing, that girl. Thinks I'm her father. I told her I wasn't but she just wouldn't listen! Do you ever have that problem? I swear this must be the third one I've gotten this month!"
Foreman rolled his eyes, he knew he wouldn't get a straight answer. Why he even bothered asking seemed sort of silly.
House tapped his came on the floor, studying him. Foreman couldn't have just come in here to tell him his patient is fine or else he wouldn't still be standing here. "There's something else isn't there?"
Foreman nodded, "Yeah, Cuddy told me she has another patient she thinks you should check out, she wants you to see her right away."
House rolled his eyes, he was not in the mood. "Tell her I'm busy."
"With what?"
"With my... other patient."
Foreman gave him an unconvinced look, "Yeah, right," he said, "Come on, what else are you gonna do all day, nothing?"
House paused, taking a moment to look like he was thinking real hard, "Yeah."
Foreman rolled his eyes again, fed up. "Whatever, Cuddy's gonna be looking for you though," he said, turning to leave, "I have to get to the clinic."
House gave a little chuckle after Foreman left. He knew those three weeks of clinic duty had to go somewhere. Foreman was right though, Cuddy would come looking for him after a certain amount of time. He couldn't just stay in his office, that would be much too easy for her to find him. He was going to have to find someplace else to hide, but not without getting his rueben first.
HHHHHHHH
Wilson sat at his desk, his head rested on his hand as he flipped through files. The weeks had been tough since Amber's death. It was if he would never feel the same again, he would never feel complete again. She was one in a billion to him, and he knew very well the odds of winning the lottery twice. How long had he known her, months? Why couldn't it be that simple to go back to the way things were before he met her? He knew he couldn't. Were things really that different now? He knew they were, he couldn't go back. Not once he felt what he could have had, what he did have. And now that he lost it he could feel nothing but the gaping hole it left behind.
Trying his best to distract himself from these thoughts he got up out of his chair, closing the file, and headed out toward the cafeteria. He had forgotten to snag something on his way to work and was getting hungry. He'd noticed he'd been a bit more forgetful than usual.
When he stepped into the cafeteria, he took out his wallet and got in line behind a girl with hazelnut hair. He never took much notice in new faces, there were new faces every day, and he would not have taken any more notice in hers if it wasn't for what she ordered.
The girl hardly looked at the menu before ordering "a dry rueben with no pickles or fries." Wilson did a double take, which must have been seen by the girl causing her to glance back, returning him with a strange look. Wilson looked back at the menu, watching her out of the courner of his eye. There was only one person he knew who liked his sandwich like that, a person who he especially didn't want to think about.
Alice payed for the rueben and left the lunch line. She was a good few yards away when she glanced back at the man, a doctor due to the lab coat, who was now looking a little puzzled. She walked out into the lobby, searching for the elevator when a voice caused her to stop in her tracks.
"Hey, you!" called the voice from somewhere down the hall. Alice looked up to find House making his way towards her. "Yeah, you, with the rueben," he said, closer now.
"It's Alice,"
"Whatever. Come on, we gotta go," he turned around, expecting her to follow him.
"Where? Why?"
"Don't know yet," he said, "But I sure as hell wasn't gonna leave without my rueben."
She walked along side him now, moving quickly. "You don't know why?"
"No, I don't know where," he said, nearing the elevator. Where could he go? He considered his options. Coma guy's room? No, too obvious, she'd check there second. Roof? Good spot, but not enough to do. Clinic? No, all the exam rooms would have other doctors in them. The staff lounge seemed like his best bet. He usually went there with Wilson, but since they no longer spoke Cuddy would think it less likely he would be there, and may be the last place she'd check. He pressed the elevator button, second floor.
From inside the elevator Alice watched him out of the corner of her eye. He had his sandwich, why was he taking her? However odd it seemed she couldn't complain. It was something to do and she had company, a rare occurrence.
They stepped out of the elevator, House picked up the pace. "So... do you know where we're going now?" asked Alice. He walked pretty fast for using a cane.
House said nothing, just kept walking. It was another minute before he opened a door, revealing a room equip with leather sofas, a flat screen TV, some coffee machines, and a foosball table. House hung his cane on the edge of the foosball table and leaned against the back of the couch. He then unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite. He'd feed his curiosity after he was done feeding himself.
Alice sat down sideways in one of the metal chairs and watched him eat. "So... you brought be here to watch you eat a sandwich?" she said after about a minute.
"There's a TV," he said, his mouth half-full. Duh.
Alice sighed and shifted in her chair, she wasn't in the mood. He'd be finished with his sandwich soon enough anyway.
When House was finished he shoved the last bit into his mouth and tossed the wrapping in the trash. He eyed the foosball table. "Wanna play?" he motioned towards it.
Alice shrugged, getting up from her chair. She rested her hands on the handles of the foosball table.
House dropped the ball in center, it roller her direction and she whacked it toward his defense. He defended, but it didn't get past her offense before coming right back at him. the game continued, back and forth. House wondered what he should ask her, what did he want to know most? He have the ball another whack with his offense, and scored a goal this time, the ball just slipping past her defense. House put a point up for himself and reached under the table to get another ball.
"So," he started, dropping the ball in the center, "Why no friends?"
Alice looked up at him, trying not to take her attention away from the table long enough for him to score. "I told already, I have a few." she answered, slightly annoyed.
"No you don't," he said, "You wouldn't be here if you had friends. Friends would mean you have a social life, meaning you could afford a week alone. The fact that your mom says you couldn't says you don't."
She glanced up at him, then diverted her her attention back to the table. Why did he care? He was very observant, very curious about her for not wanting anything to do with her initially. "Something wrong with that?"
He waited a few seconds before answering, "No."
"So then it's normal?"
"No," he said, making a goal. "There has to be a reason though."
She watched him for a moment, letting go of the foosball handles. "Maybe I just don't like people," she said finally. Plain and simple.
He studied her a few beats, "Why not?" he asked, leaving the ball in the goal.
"Why does it matter?"
"It does."
She glanced at the goal, frowning slightly. He wasn't going to play until she answered. "I've never been a people person," she said, looking away. She fiddled with the foosball handles. "I just... can't relate to people. I don't know... I mean, I know but..." she paused a beat to think, "They're all so... uninteresting to me, and I suppose I'm weird to them. I've just never fit in, it's as simple as that." she reached under the table and grabbed the ball, dropping it in center again. They resumed playing.
It was never simple. If she didn't fit in there was a reason she didn't fit in. There was always a reason, he thought.
"Do you like people?" she started again, taking a shot at his goal.
"No," he said deflecting the shot.
"Do you have friends?"
He stopped and looked up at her, letting the ball escape into his goal. "Yeah," he said finally and turned the spotlight back on her, "Have you ever had friends?"
"Of course I have, they just don't keep for very long," she said, picking up the ball again. She fiddled with it, tapping it on the table. "So why are we here again?" apparently she didn't like the spotlight either.
"Hiding from Cuddy, it's routine," he figured he might as well tell her, "You get to play watchdog this time."
Alice rolled her eyes. Wonderful. "So... is there a reason you're hiding? I mean, I would think things would be pretty fine between you two with you having three weeks off clinic duty."
"Of course they would," he said, "if she wasn't coming to pester me about a case I don't want to take. Relax, they're usually just generous donators."
She watched him for a moment, "Well... you don't seem to have anything else to do."
"Well look at that, oh, hey wait a minute... neither do you!" he said, a look of shock on his face, "Go play lookout." he motioned towards the door.
HHHHHHHHH
Alice sighed and reluctantly left the room. She walked a few feet outside the door and looked around the corner, checking for her aunt. She didn't seem to be anywhere near there, and Alice continued on down the long hallway. She walked slowly, taking in her surroundings, and more importantly making sure her aunt wasn't nearing the lounge. Lucky for House she was no tattle tale. As she walked she examined the building itself. She had never seen a hospital quite like this one, the glass walls were an interesting touch. The people looked no different though, patients, doctors, loved ones, people waiting in the hall, patients sleeping in their rooms. And suddenly she passed someone she knew, or recognized at least. It was the doctor from the cafeteria. He looked up from the file he was reading, he seemed to notice her pass. She kept walking, perhaps it was a coincidence he looked up, but she couldn't help it, she had to look back.
The doctor was still watching her, a puzzled look upon his face. Surely he saw new faces all the time, this was a hospital after all. People came and went. Why did he choose to watch her? Why did he seem to think she was any different?
Their eyes met. And in that split second that seemed to last forever she noticed there was something else. Something else in his expression that she hadn't noticed before. Concern almost.
She turned forward again, walking towards the drinking fountain, pretending like she didn't see him. She took a drink of water and glanced back again, letting curiosity be her ruler once more. Not to her surprise, he had left.
HHHHHHHHH
Alice sat on the couch, trying to make sense of why a doctor who apparently didn't like people could be so interested in a soap opera like General Hospital. After hours of playing lookout and running petty little errands for House she decided she deserved to watch a little TV, though this was obviously not what she had in mind. "How do enjoy watching this?" she asked.
House looked at her, shocked. "How can you not?"
She shook her head, smiling. Despite all of the tedious errands he'd sent her on the day actually hadn't been as bad, and certainly not as boring as she thought it would be. The errands at least gave her something to do, ridiculous as some of them were (namely fetching him the juicy details of latest episode of The L Word on DVD from one of the nurses who watched it) she had something to do and more importantly, she had company.
Alice glanced over at House, examining him. he never did say why he didn't like people. She thought to ask but figured she should probably wait until the commercials. She studied his eyes, they were very blue, almost...comforting to look at, which was strange for a man who tended to be everything but. She wondered why.
Suddenly she heard the door open behind them, causing them turned around. It was Cuddy.
"House! I thought I told you to-" she paused mid sentence noticing he was not the only one in the room, "oh, hi Alice," she said, trying to make sense of this. If she could recall, it was House's intention not to have to babysit. "House, this is...um, unexpected..." she said, forgetting for a second the real reason why she came in here.
House said nothing, he looked as if he were waiting for her to continue.
She held up a file, "I have a patient for you," she said, "Actually, I've had a patient for you since this morning but apparently you had better things to do."
House slowly got up from the couch and walked over to her, grabbing the file. He looked it over.
"Patient presents with liver failure, respiratory problems , fatigue, and itchy skin,"
House looked up at her from the file, "I can read," he said, and read the file again, "He's a smoker,"
"Yes, but th-"
"That explains the respiratory problems and fatigue. And if he's a smoker, there's a good chance he's a drinker too." he handed her back the file.
"His blood alcohol level was normal and his wife says he isn't a heavy drinker,"
House gave her a look, "Oh come on, do I have to say it?"
"His stool was pale."
House looked at her a moment, "How pale?" he was curious.
Cuddy was at a loss for description, "I don't know, I didn't see it they just said it was pale!"
"And you're gonna take his word for it?" he asked, grabbing the file, "Keep him over night till you can have a look at it yourself, then call me," he then pushed open the door and left.
HHHHHHHHH
Cuddy walked through the parking lot, Alice at her side. She still couldn't get over the fact that House had kept her company. Even for as long as she'd known him, the man continued to surprise her. "So, how was your day?"Cuddy asked, unlocking the car.
Alice opened the door and hopped in the car. "Actually... it was pretty alright." she said.
Cuddy started the engine, "Alright as in good?" she asked, a little surprised.
Alice thought for hardly a moment, "Yeah," she said
Cuddy turned to look behind her, backing out of the parking space. "So, what did you do all day?" she asked, curious.
"Eh, a bunch of stupid errands mostly. Dr. House and I played a little foosball, and watched some General Hospital, which I honestly would have never guessed he'd be into, or the L word." she replied.
Cuddy chuckled, and watched the road as she drove on. She glanced over at Alice who looked strangely... content. It was weird seeing her like this, and more impressively getting along with another human being, or at least from what she could tell. Ever since she could remember Alice had been a bit of a recluse. A pretty little recluse, but a recluse none the less.
She wondered why House chose to stay with her, other than to use her as a slave for tedious errands. He must have found her somewhat interesting. The car was quiet, nothing but the hum of the engine. She glanced at Alice again, so strangely content. Could someone who emits that much negativity really have a positive effect on someone? Only time could tell.
Author's Note: Ok, I promise what's so special about Alice will come up in the next chapter, reviews very much appreciated!
