AN: sorry about the delay in updating – coursework's a bitch! I don't own House, or anyone else– If I did, my name would have to be David Shore, and since I'm a girl, that wouldn't really work so...
For my reviewers, as always...enjoy!
Chapter 4
James Wilson is not having a good day. Being an oncologist, he often has the job of telling people they're dying. Today he has given three people a death sentence, an ex-wife has called about money issues and House has eaten his lunch.
He walks down the hospital corridors with no real sense of direction when he hears something different to the usual 'hospital noises'. The sound of a piano, playing a tortured melody.
Maybe because he only knows one person who plays piano, maybe because he's thinking about his best friend, the first word out of Wilson's mouth is
"House?"
The playing stops abruptly, and a raspy female voice from inside one of the rooms says "What?"
Curiosity gets the better of him, and he opens the door. The room's occupant is playing the piano that only comes out at benefits and is usually confined to storage. Wilson stares at her for a moment, tying to figure out what to say. He wants to compliment her on her playing, ask her how the piano ended up in her room and apologize for coming in without knocking.
"How did you get that in here?" he asks. So much for my three-in-one idea then
The girl laughs, then coughs "I asked a Dr. Cameron if she could find my keyboard, but she got me this for now. I'm Casey by the way. Are you another of my doctors?"
"No…I heard you playing, so I came in. Sorry. You've got some talent,"
"I play for a living,"
Wilson studies her carefully. Unwashed hair, no make up, distinctly 'unfed' look.
"I'm a street musician," Casey continues "I play, sing, and people throw money at me. Sorta like a stripper, but I don't take my clothes off,"
Wilson is momentarily lost for words 'If she has/had heart failure should she even be out of bed, let alone playing and talking?'
"Want a demonstration? Not for free though, I need the cash,"
In spite of himself, Wilson smiles "I can't really say no…" he begins, but is stopped from continuing by the piano.
The melody creeps up, slowly then down, then up, almost as though it's breathing. As though the notes are alive. She starts singing, her gravelly voice barely a whisper
Don't kid yourself
and don't fool yourself
this love's too good last
and I'm too old train, yeah
The melody starts up again, raw but soft. Casey gives a tiny, almost inaudible cough before beginning the next verse
Don't grow up too fast
and don't embrace the past
this life's too good to last
and I'm too young to care
She plays a longer instrumental, going from the lowest to the highest notes. The melody again seems to breathe.
Don't kid yourself
and don't fool yourself
Wilson can see this verse straining her voice, but she doesn't let up
this life could be the last
and we're too young to see
The final note ends with a coughing fit.
"That…wasn't…part of it…" Casey chokes out. She's crying now, whether from the effort of singing, or from some emotion that the song stirred up, Wilson can't tell.
"You should probably get back to bed now," Wilson says firmly "I don't need House giving me a speech about endangering patients. Or about the questionable ethics of paying you to strain your heart."
"Speaking of paying…" Casey coughs
Wilson pays up, and starts to leave, telling Casey to get some sleep.
Once out, he watches her through the glass. She's still crying. Probably not the coughing then…
"House should probably know his patient is depressed." Wilson says to nobody "Before he tries to coerce her into doing dangerous procedures,"
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"House!"
He suppresses a groan. Cuddy. And he can guess what she wants.
"Get your ass in the clinic now!" she says. "You've been avoiding the place like the plague for...I think it's two weeks now – yes I have noticed,"
"But there are sick people in the clinic mommy!" He whines. "I might catch something!"
"You. Are. A. Doctor. You cure the sick,"
Cuddy is spared a witty retort from House by his pager going off. "Sorry," he says, not sounding sorry at all "Patient emergency"
Cuddy sighs 'of all the damn times...'
"I cure the sick - remember?" House smirks
"You are going to deal with your emergency and then you will come back to the clinic," Cuddy says, but House is already limping away – not even trying to go any faster, she notices.
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Casey thrashes on the bed, arms and legs flailing dangerously and threatening to rip out her IV.
"Someone tie her down-" Chase shouts, strugging to hold her arms steady.
The monitor begins to bleep crazily, a sure sign that her hear is failing again
"She's going to hurt herself-"
Cameron grabs one floundering arm, and Chase grabs the other. Even when she has been restrained, Casey struggles against her bonds.
"I can't get a rhythm!" Foreman says urgently
The monitor gives one long, continuous beep
"She's flatlined – paddles!" Cameron calls. "Charge to two hundred!"
The paddles make a whirring noise, and Cameron shouts "Clear!" before discharging the paddles.
Casey jerks off the bed, but the monitor still shows a straight line
"Two-fifty!" Cameron yells over the bleeping. "Clear!"
The uninterrupted bleeping is replaced by a blip-blip-blip sound. The team look at each other.
"What the hell just happened?" asks Chase
"That is the question I should asking you Blondie," House appears at the door
"House, we got paged ten minutes ago, where were you?" Foreman snaps.
"I'm a cripple!" House waves his cane "Besides, you handled it. What happened?"
There is silence for a second, and then Cameron says "She was asleep, everything was fine, then...well – she crashed,"
"Well obviously everything was not fine. If it was she wouldn't have crashed. Did you get a chance to ask what happened to her family?"
"No," Chase says "She was sleeping, like Cameron said,"
"Why do you keep asking about her family?" Foreman asks
"No reason," House replies, twiddling his cane, blue eyes alight with what Foreman knows to be a theory.
"House, if you know something and you're not telling us – are you prepared to risk her life by letting us figure it out?" Foreman watches House intently, trying to get some clue about his theory.
House shrugs "Sorry" He says "Gotta go - I told the she-devil I would be in the clinic after I had saved the patient,"
"We saved the patient," Chase says, annoyed
"It's my name on the chart," House grins manically, before leaving, giving them a goodbye wave with his cane.
AN: How do you think I did with the medical-y stuff? I'm not a doctor...yet...gimme ten years... :)
If you're interested, the song Casey sung was 'blackout' by Muse...
Oh yeah...added to the disclaimer: I don't own any lyrics that I used/use/will use in the past, present and future of this story...
Reviews are appreciated muchly!
Smiles,
-CBT