So at first of all, I want to apologize to you, my readers. I explained to igally as well that it's important to me to write the best chapters I can, and I need time and inspiration for that. So, don't be worried if it takes me a long time to post a chapter.
Also, I want to thank you for your encouraging and gladdening comments. I was happy to read them, and happier to know that you like and read my story.
This chapter is longer twice than the others- hope you will like it.
And one more thing- I know that I have grammatical and spelling mistakes (I'm really trying my best) so I am about to use a beta reader. Sorry again, English isn't my first language. I will post the improved chapter as soon as I can, so hold on for the improved chapter!

Chapter 3

She tried to sleep all night, but she couldn't. She was too excited for that. The thoughts kept running in her brain- what would it be like, to work as a diagnostician? And with House? Will he be cynical as he was at her place? And what about the other diagnosticians- will they like her?
But besides those kinds of thoughts, there was a specific one that kept disturbing her- what if she would kill someone? What if she would screw up? She was unsure, but calmed herself down. She won't be alone; she will be with House and 3 diagnosticians that have experience and will help her. Will they?

At this point the sun sent her beams over Alice and Adam through the windows. Adam was way too tired to wake up because of it, and he had hangover as well- but Alice just waited for that opportunity. She got out of bed slowly, being careful not to wake Adam up, and walked quietly to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror, examining her pale face, her dark, blue-gray eyes, her blond hair. She gathered it into a ponytail and then stepped into the shower. The hot water caressed her body, leaving it soft and warm. The whole thing made her relaxed, and she could think now about the day that is expecting to her rationally. She will be just fine.

When she finished the shower and covered herself with a towel she looked at herself in the mirror again, this time more confident about herself. She wore a white shirt and dark jeans and put some make-up, blush and mascara on her face. Then she walked to the kitchen and made two glasses of double-espresso (one for her, one for poor Adam). As the water in the kettle began to boil, she walked to the bedroom and woke Adam up. He tried to get more sleep but when he realized that Alice is determined to wake him up he opened his eyes.

"Where am I? " he mumbled. Alice laughed.

"In our home, silly. " she looked at him, smiling. She loved peering at people whom just woke up- to see their reaction, their confusion. Adam certainly made her laugh every time. She left him to wake up on his own and walked to the kitchen. She finished making the espressos and brought one to Adam. He mumbled "Thanks" and drank its contain in one sip.

"Okay, I am going to call for a taxi. " Alice said to him and walked to the salon.

"No! "Adam yelled. "I will take you. "

"Adam, don't be stupid, " Alice said. "You have hangover. You can't drive like that. "

"Yes, I can. " he said. "And I will take you to the hospital. I just have to take a shower and I will be fine. "

"Adam... "

"Alice, " he said sharply, "Don't piss me off. I am taking you and that's it. "

"Fine, " she said, lifting her hands up in surrender. "Just make it on time, because it is 7:15 now. "

He got out of bed, sighing, rubbing his face. She shook her head and walked to the salon again, this time opening the TV. In the news there wasn't something special- car accidents, murders, rubbery in the bank. The world gone mad, she thought; it's just the people who don't realize it. The handsome announcer talked now about the weather- the only thing that is optimistic in the news. She heard Adam dressing in the bathroom, probably putting on his formal suit. She looked at her watch- it was 7:35 now.

"Adam, hurry up, " she called. "I could get there already by a taxi twice. "

"But you have to be there only in 8 o'clock. " Adam answered, now sober. She sighed, watching the announcer pointing on the map at certain areas in New Jersey.

When they finally got into the car it was 7:45 o'clock. Alice was nervous.

"We will be late! " She yelled at him. "It's my first day at the hospital and I will be late! "

"Stop it. " Adam said harshly, driving as fast and safe as he could.

"No, I wont! " she yelled again. She looked through the window. "You don't take it seriously. It is the most important thing in my life! "

"Alice, calm down now. " Adam stopped the car at once when the traffic light's light turned red. "We will be on time. "

"Hard to believe." She said cynically, hissing.

They finally arrived at the hospital at 7:55. Alice slammed the car's door in anger, without saying goodbye to Adam, and hurried inside the hospital. She pushed the elevator's button and was surprised to see Chase inside as the elevator's doors opened.

"Oh, hello there! " Chase called in surprise. She smiled and entered into the elevator.

"Hi. " she said in shyness. All the anger that she had felt slowly faded away.

"So you got the job? " He asked, glancing at her face. She looked at him back, smiling.

"Yes. It surprised me too. " She said honestly.

"Well, don't get too excited. " Chase warned her. "I was excited, too, when I was hired- but not for long. House can be a real... " He thought about it for a moment. "Ass. "

"How? " she asked in fear.

"Well... he never heard about tact. " He said. "Just saying everything that comes into his mind, mostly bad things. "

"I can handle that. " Alice said, smiling. He smiled too.

"Have you met the other diagnosticians? Forman and Cameron? "

"No. " she said. "I am actually kind of nervous because of that. "

"Don't be, they are nice. " Chase said cheerily. "They will like you. "

"Hope so. " She said. "Are Cameron and Forman their last name? "

"Yes. " Chase answered. "We call each other by our last name. My private name, for example, is Robert. "

The elevator's doors opened again, this time in the diagnostic's department, and they both walked out of the elevator.

"Do you need equipment? " he asked Alice. She nodded.

"All right. Come with me. "

He took her to the equipment's room. It was big, full of things and tools that doctors need. The light blue walls made her feel more than ever that she is in a hospital.

"What size are you? " He asked her, searching for a robe that will fit her.

"S. " She told him, blushing. He looked at her in surprise, examining her body. Then he gave her a white robe.

"Here. Wear this on. "

When Chase and Alice came into the diagnosticians' room, the two diagnosticians Alice didn't meet- Cameron and Forman- already sat there, talking with each other. They looked at Alice in surprise as she came inside the room. Chase had a big, silly smile on his face as he introduced her to his friends.

"Cameron, Forman, meet Alice- the fourth diagnostician. "

Forman, a black guy, stood up at once, smiling mannerly at her and shook her hand. Cameron, a brunette woman, did the same, smiling bigger and warmer.

"Now the only thing that left is to deal with House. "

"Hello Hello everyone! " House called in fake-happiness when he entered into the room. Everyone looked at him, including Alice.

"So lets see what we have got here. " He took a file from the table and read it quickly. "Oh, that's easy. You, " he pointed at Alice with his look, "Analyze it. "
Alice looked back, a little nervous now. House threw the file on the table over her, and it slipped and fell on her knees. She took it and read it carefully, as fast as she could. She couldn't stand the fact that everyone was looking.

"Well, " she finally said, "The patient's leg is swollen. His liver doesn't function, so we may assume that he has a drinking-problem and he screwed up his liver. "

House seemed impressed by the word "screwed" but everyone else kept on silence. She could feel House's movement as he wrote the details down on the white board.

"The liver doesn't function, and that means that it doesn't filter toxics. The toxic must came to the leg by the aorta and made it swollen. "

"She is good, " House told Forman. Alice smiled in shyness.

"But why his leg is the only one to be swollen? What about the rest of the limbs? " Chase asked.

"Well... " Alice thought about that. "Maybe he has sensitivity to the fabric that his pants made of. "

Chase smiled at her in proud, and House thought about it for a minute. "But what about the other leg? " He made it difficult.

"We should check injuries in the infected leg. Maybe it is weaker than the other limbs and couldn't deal with the toxics. " Cameron said.

"Hey, that's not fair! " House called in amusement, protesting for Alice. "You didn't let her try! "

"House, it is serious. " Cameron said. "We can't play with patients. We have to save their lives! "

"Who said we aren't? " House asked in wonder. "Anyway, you-" he talked to Chase, "-Do a CT test to make sure he didn't screw-" he looked on Alice now, "-his brain as well. You-" he pointed at Cameron and Forman, "Take a blood sample and check possible injuries in the leg. And you-" he told Alice now, and she noticed that Chase had been paying attention too- "Come with me. "

She was a little surprised but did as he said. She followed him when he walked out of the room and entered into the cafeteria.

"What do you drink? " House asked her, glancing on her face now.

"Its okay, I don't want anything. "

"Two coffees to go. " House told the salesman.

"But I said I don't want-"

"So I will take them both. " House said. "It will be two for me. "

As they waited in the line for the coffees she couldn't stop her heart from beating fast. It wasn't just nervousness- she was excited about the fact that she is with House. She felt that they have something in common and wanted to know what... and besides, he interested her. She wanted him to like her. There was something about him that made her... in a weird, masochistic way she guesses, to be happy.

He took one coffee in his hand and walked to a table for two, supported by his walking-cane. She took the other one in hurry, following him. He sat down on a chair and put his coffee on the table. She sat down, too, in front of him, and put the coffee she held on the table too, close to him. He looked at her, entertained.

"Don't I need to so some tests? To the patient? "

"Not really. " he took a sip from his coffee, still glancing at her.

"Why have you brought me here? " She asked him, looking at him.

"To poison your coffee. " He answered. "Gees, you don't really trust people, huh? "

"How can I trust someone I don't know? "

He smiled mockingly. "Mommy told you not to play with strangers? "

"My parents died before I was one year old. " She said simply. She wanted to check if he really doesn't have tact, or if it would affect him. It didn't seem like it had.

"So you grown up in the streets? In the ghetto? "

"There wasn't a ghetto in out neighborhood. " She answered easily. "And I don't want to talk about it. "

"Fine. So what do you want to talk about? Your boyfriend? "

"Are you flirting with me? " she asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Maybe. " He told her, not ashamed.

She didn't know why, and she couldn't explain it either- but she smiled. House seemed confused.

"Did you break up with him? " He guessed. "And now you are happy because you can make out with me without calling it 'having affair'? "

"You really don't have limits, don't you? " she asked him.

"I don't consider them important. "

"No, I am smiling because I think I got it. " she thought about it for a moment. "You are trying to insult people, to hurt their feelings, and that is your way to know them better. That's... special. Unique. "
"Wow. You really solved my problems now. I wont have to pay to a shrink- I got you instead. " He said not impressed, taking another sip from his drink.

She peered at him, focusing on his beautiful, sharp blue eyes. "What is your story? " she asked him, but not in an offended way- but in an examining way. "Who hurt you like that? "
She wanted to figure out where his pain comes from. She could feel his hurt... she didn't even pay attention to the fact that he is her boss and she is his assistant- and its her first day at work. And more important than that- they didn't even know each other. But she felt she did. She felt a connection between them...

He felt that, too. But by his expression she could know that she crossed the line. She got into his private territory. She couldn't tell, though, if it was good or bad- he didn't seem angry or annoyed- but she wouldn't take the risk. She felt stupid more than ever. She can't risk her job like that.

"I am sorry. " she hurried to say. She got up from the chair, not looking on him now. "I'd better go help Chase or something. "

He didn't respond. He just kept looking on her, trying to understand maybe, trying to analyze her- but she didn't let him. She left him there, sitting around the table with his coffees, leaving him with his thoughts.

"The patient has tumor in his leg. " Cameron said to Forman and Alice as she analyzed the blood sample. "We should check if it is cancerous or benign. "

"I will do that. " Forman said, taking the blood sample and leaving the two woman alone in the room. Cameron looked at Alice, smiling shyly.

"So do you like this place? " Cameron asked. Alice looked at her.

"Yes. It is really nice here. It's my first job at a hospital, though. "

"Really? " Cameron asked, surprised.

"Yes. Why? "

"Because House never hired someone that doesn't have experience. "

Alice was surprised, too.

"I mean, " Cameron hurried to say, "It's not that I am decrying you... "

"No, I understand. " Alice said, smiling. Does she threaten Cameron?

"I am actually glad that there is another woman in the team. I wont feel so alone there. " She smiled to Alice. Alice guessed that she was trying to be nice. She smiled back.

Without noticing, half a day already passed. Alice tried her best with analyzing the patient's problem (the tumor is cancerous), and she hadn't see House during that. Chase told her that he is passing the time with his best friend, Dr Wilson, and by bothering Dr Cuddy. She was amused by that information.

At 15:30 o'clock Cameron came to Alice and Chase, whom analyzed together the CT test.

"Alice, we are going to have lunch now. Would you like to join us? " She asked Alice. Chase looked at her with expectation. She smiled.

"Sure. "

They went to the cafeteria together, joining to Forman's table. They all ordered some sandwiches and coffees.

"So, Alice, where did you come from? " Forman asked her.

"From Contese, Washington. " She answered as easily as she could. She hated that damn place and didn't want to talk about it, but she understood their curiosity.

"And why did you move out? "

"Well... I wanted to be a diagnostician. One of my university's professors recommended on this hospital, so I decided to move in to New Jersey. "

"You came alone? " Cameron asked.

"No. I moved in with my boyfriend. "

Chase coughed hard, and they all looked at him. He mumbled "I am fine" and kept on eating in silence.

"Do you like this place? " Forman asked. Alice smiled.

"A lot. I am happy that I was hired. "

Forman smiled to her too. After that they kept talking about superficial things, gossiping about people from different departments and even about House. At this point Alice blushed. Chase noticed.

"What's wrong? " He asked her. She looked at him.

"Nothing. " She blushed even more.

"Had he said something sexual or offensive to you? " Cameron asked, rolling her eyes.

"No. " Alice answered and thought about it. So he talks like that to Cameron, too- so maybe he talks like that to many women. She felt disappointment. She thought that he was really attracted to her.

Suddenly her cell phone vibrated. It was a text massage from Adam.

"When do you finish working? "

"In 7 o'clock. " she wrote and sent him the SMS.

"I will come to pick you up then. " He answered. She returned her cell phone into the jeans' pocket again.

At 7 o'clock she had been already waiting outside to Adam, who was late. She called him.

"Hey, " he answered like nothing had happened in the morning.

"Where are you? " She asked, annoyed.

"I am stuck in a traffic jam. Some car accident occurred now. "

"How long will it take you to come? "

"Hmm... " He had thought aloud. "About 15 minutes. "

She sighed and ended the call after she said "Goodbye, drive carefully" to him. She stood there alone, watching the sky getting darker and darker. Cameron, Chase and Forman had left already. They offered her a lift, but she said that she is waiting for her boyfriend to pick her up, so they said goodbye to her and drove away. She sat on a bench, waiting, thinking about the poor patient. Apparently, he will have to go through an operation.

"Your boyfriend doesn't show up? " House asked her. She turned her look to him, and saw him coming closer to her. He sat on the bench, too, looking straight ahead.

"He is stuck in a traffic jam. "

"Oh. Right. " House said. She looked at him, stressed.

"So, what's your story? " He asked her. She raised her eyebrows.

"What makes you think I have a story? " She asked him back. He turned his look to her, glancing at her face, examining her eyes. She didn't blink until he started to talk.

"Because you seem damaged. Like me. "

She looked at him in astonishment. How could he possibly know that? And say it, so easily, so dryly?

Her cell phone vibrated again. It was Adam that called her. She answered the call.

"Yes. "

"Listen, I am standing in front of Value street- two blocks from the hospital. Can you come here? "

"I am coming. " she said shortly, and ended the call. She looked at House again.

"I have to go. " she said shortly, picking up her bag and standing up. He stood up too, holding his cane in his right hand, and they both looked at each other. She noticed only now that he is taller than her. She had to look up on him.

"I hope that you had noticed that Chase has a crush on you. " He said, and began walking away. She looked at his back, at his movement, surprised and wanting more and more of him. She wanted to know why he is damaged... what is his purpose, what did he mean by that. She stood there, just one more moment, and than walked to the opposite direction.