Author's Note: This chapter contains vague spoilers from 'Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't'. Thanks again for your feedback and continued support. Have a great weekend.
Chapter Eleven
Chase lay silently as he held the tattered Bible House had given him in his trembling hands. Delicately, he ran his fingers over the words as he struggled to read them through his hazy vision. He gave a weary sigh as he read the story of the periodical son and remembered the last time he had sat in a church back home in Australia, where he spent his last moments in the seminary.
The church was silent, free of any sermons, hymns or murmured prayers. Chase bowed respectfully at the front of the altar and made the sign of the cross before sliding into one of the pews. He was thankful for the silence, because he had always hoped God heard him even when he didn't say a word.
He stared intensely at the sacred altar and tried to imagine himself standing there, sharing the word of God with others the way some of his classmates planned. Despite his greatest attempts, he could never bring the image to life.
"Robert," a voice echoed, "is that you Robert Chase?"
Chase swallowed roughly, instantly recognizing the voice of Sister Clarence, his stern theology instructor. "Yes, Sister," he replied softly.
"You look like you have much on your mind," she commented as she sat down beside him.
"I guess."
"I saw your father here today. A boy should look pleased after seeing his father."
Chase held his breath and wondered when an eleventh commandment had been added, encouraging others to push their noses into their neighbors' business. "We only spoke briefly."
"I spoke with him as well."
"You-you did?" he stammered, utterly surprised.
"Yes, your father was curious about your dedication to your studies here."
"And what did you tell him?"
"What I believe to be true," Sister Clarence told him bluntly. "I told him I don't believe you belong here, not yet at least. He seemed to agree with me."
"Of course he did," Chase mumbled beneath his breath.
"He told me of your interest in medicine and that he has offered to pay for your medical schooling completely. It sounds like a generous, kind offer to me."
Chase rolled his eyes, knowing his father had never done anything to be kind or generous. His father only made offers under his own terms and conditions when he wanted something in return.
"You sound like you want to me to leave, Sister," Chase said. "I would think you would want me to stay here and learn more about religion."
"I would if I truly believed you belong here. I've seen the way your mind works in your papers, Robert. You're always trying to give reasons to prove why God is real and give examples. You sound like a scientist, not a Christian."
Chase gritted his teeth. "There are Christian scientists. I was never told it was a sin to believe in both."
"It's not," Sister Clarence agreed. "But it may be foolish to avoid your true calling."
"I thought the propose of being here was to learn more," Chase challenged, "not everyone here has to grow up to be a priest."
"No, but everyone here should have blind faith. Do you, Robert? You wrote in one of your papers that you believe because you want to believe there is something more and someone who hears you when you pray. Do you really believe God is there or do you just want him to be there? There is a difference and you would be wise to find your real answer."
"Does anyone really have blind faith? If you had appendicitis would you go to a doctor for surgical removal or just trust God would heal you before you went into sepsis? I thought we were here to serve and assist."
"How interesting that you made a reference to medicine; a very informed reference to medicine," Sister Clarence replied evenly.
"A little knowledge of an appendectomy is hardly very informed, most people know that," Chase insisted.
"Perhaps, but they wouldn't speak of it the way you do. There is no shame in being a doctor, Robert."
"But is there shame in becoming a doctor only because someone else wants you to? Or because you want to save someone who's already gone," Chase whispered to himself as he thought of the morning he found his mother's dead body.
"It seems as if you have been given a test," Sister Clarence said matter-of-factly.
"A test? What kind of a test?"
"Faith or fear," she explained. "You have your faith, whatever it may be. But you also have an opportunity to follow your father's suggestions and have a profitable career in medicine, all expenses paid. Are you strong enough to walk away from that?"
Chase blinked repeatedly as the powerful words in the passage blurred and his memories began to fade. Had the nun been right? Had his faith been weak and only created because he needed something to believe in and a place to run away to? Had he ever truly been a good doctor or just the son of a talented physician using medicine as another escape?
He studied the medical equipment surrounding him, watching his weakening vitals. Wearily, he closed the Bible and began to wonder if he would live to answer the questions he had avoided for so long and become the person he was truly intended to be.
OOOO
"Come on!" House yelled as he shifted through the results of the old and new tests performed on Chase and Audrey that covered the laboratory. "Keep on looking. We have to analyze every little detail. Something has to be missing."
"The only thing missing is the diagnosis," Foreman snapped as he looked up from his microscope. "We need help, House."
"We have help," House argued as he pointed to Dr. Wilson.
"He's an oncologist! They don't have cancer!"
"No, but Cameron's off somewhere, undoubtedly doing something pointless; so I brought in a surrogate. He's nice, he's caring and he looks pretty in pink."
"Cameron's not doing something pointless," Forman defended. "She went back to Audrey's workplace to see if we missed anything. It was a good idea. Digging up patient records from every room near the clinic was a complete waste of time, we didn't find anything new."
House shrugged casually. "Wilson's still important, in fact, he very well may hold the missing piece. Swab his mouth for DNA. There have been so many Mrs. Wilsons the kid may not have been hallucinating when she called him da-da."
Wilson rolled his eyes. "You can't even show respect for a dying, orphaned teenager?"
"I could, but that's not nearly as entertaining."
"Grow up," Wilson grumbled, "Peter Pan syndrome is really getting old."
"How could Peter Pan syndrome get old?" House challenged. "The kid never even hit puberty."
"Excuse me!" Foreman exclaimed bitterly. "I thought you wanted to focus on lab reports and patient records, not children's literature."
"That would be an excellent idea!"
"Cuddy," House said knowingly without glancing at the door. "So glad you could join us. The story wouldn't be complete without Captain Hook."
"Is this a joke to you?" Cuddy hissed as stood in front Dr. House and forced him to look at her. "Are you even trying to solve this?"
"No, I'm standing around repeating tests for fun!" House shouted in reply. "And that's why I went over every damn case Chase had that day with him personally, because it was such a great laugh."
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But we're running out of time. I just checked on Chase and his temperature has risen to nearly 104 degrees and he needed more fluid removed from his lungs. And Audrey's condition has deteriorated even more, in only a matter of a few hours she'll have to be on a bypass machine to stay alive, the respirator won't be enough."
"We have to come up with some sort of treatment," Wilson advised. "Even if it won't cure them, we have to think of something that will give them both time."
"No, we have to find the answer," House declared tiredly. "Stop thinking like an oncologist, we can't give them chemo and hope for the best."
"Then perhaps it's time we call in the CDC," Cuddy suggested.
House shook his head. "No! The CDC will send in a bunch of paranoid idiots no smarter than I am, in fact, I'm certain they're not smarter than I am to come sniffing around."
"I've tried to avoid it, and I know they'll give you restrictions, but if we can't solve this we have to bring in someone who can."
"They're called the Center for Disease Control for a reason," House quipped, "all they do is control everything."
Foreman sighed and pushed away the slides he had been viewing. "She's right, House, we haven't gotten anywhere. Nothing in the reports, slides or your conversation with Chase gave us a lead."
"Then maybe I was talking to the wrong person," House said as he clutched his cane and headed toward the door.
"What do you mean?" Cuddy asked as she followed him. "Chase was on duty."
"And Audrey was his patient," House retorted. "It's time to talk to her."
"You can't!" Cuddy debated.
"Why not?"
"Because she's practically in a coma!"
"There's a big difference between practically in a coma and in a coma. I'm talking to the kid."
OOOO
"You have to be gentle, House," Cuddy warned the diagnostician as he stepped off the elevator into the isolation ward.
"Being gentle won't save her," House replied with an annoyed grunt. "Trust me, if I end up saving this girl's life, she won't care whether I held her hand along the way."
"I'm not asking you to hold her hand; I'm asking you to show a little compassion. Audrey is very fragile, if you push too hard and stress her out it could be enough to kill her."
"Fine, I'll be sure to use my indoor voice," House promised as he turned the corner and saw Cameron standing outside the quarantined room with a petite, older Hispanic woman at her side. "Who the hell is this?" he asked frankly.
"This," Cameron answered as she offered the stranger an apologetic glance, "is Gloria Nex. She's the owner of the gift shop where Audrey works. When I came in for more samples and explained to her how dire the situation had become, she wanted to see her."
"Audrey's just a child," Gloria whispered tearfully as she stared through the clear glass, "if I had known she was all alone, I would've come sooner. Dr. Cameron explained that I can't go inside, but I wanted to be as close as I could be."
House nodded. "Good. It's about time someone besides Chase gave a shit about little orphan Audrey."
"I care about Audrey very much," Gloria said after she had recovered from House's bluntness. "I had no idea how severe her circumstances were, she never let on. How is she?"
"That's what I'm going to find out," House said as he began suiting up.
"Wait," Cuddy called out, "wait a second, don't go in yet. You're not going in alone."
"Tagging along, are you? I knew you wanted me."
"I meant Audrey's boss," Cuddy explained as she faced Gloria. "Dr. House is going to have wake Audrey and ask a few questions and given her grave state she is probably going to be very afraid when she wakes up."
"I'd be afraid too if I woke up to that man," Gloria commented.
Cuddy sighed. "Good point. But Audrey will probably be more afraid of the tube placed in her throat for the respirator and she might still be delirious from the fever. Would you be willing to go in with Dr. House? You wouldn't have to worry about being infected; you will be wearing the same protective gear the employees use. Seeing a familiar face may help her."
"Of course I'll go," Gloria volunteered easily. "I'll do whatever I can to help her."
"I'll go too," Cameron offered. "I'll guide Audrey through the process of answering questions using the writing board and alphabet signs."
"I'm quite capable of informing the kid," House said as he zipped up his suit, "I'm hooked on more than painkillers, I'm hooked on phonics."
Cuddy crossed her arms. "The last time you dealt with a patient who was unable to communicate verbally, you ended up ripping up the signs and throwing the writing board out the window."
Wordlessly, House handed Cameron and Gloria a protective suit. And within minutes the women were covered and followed him into the isolated room.
"Chase," House said as he walked passed the blonde's bed and roughly patted his leg, "get up."
"W-what's going on?" Chase stammered through chattering teeth as he opened his feverish eyes.
"Did you have to wake him?" Cameron asked angrily. "He has a high fever, he needs rest!"
"He needs to be awake to confirm anything we get out of the kid. He may be heading toward delirium, but he's not there yet."
"Kid?" Chase whispered, blinking in confusion.
"House needs to speak with Audrey," Cameron explained. "But don't worry," she added, placing a comforting hand to Chase's shoulder when he began to protest. "He's not going to upset her and make her any worse. I'm here to help Audrey answer questions and her boss has come as well to help her stay calm. You just rest."
"Excuse me," House said as he reached Audrey, "the clock's ticking."
Cameron hurried to the other side of the room, bringing Gloria along. "All right. We're ready."
"Audrey," House called out loudly as he waved a smelling salt under her nose. "Audrey, wake up!"
Slowly, Audrey opened her gray eyes, startled when she saw the masked group surrounding her. In a panic, she gazed around the room and weakly tugged at the tube in her mouth.
"No, sweetheart," Cameron said soothingly as she grasped her hand. "Don't touch it."
"Hi, Audrey," Gloria whispered as she rubbed the girl's shoulder. "It's Gloria. I know the tube is scary, but the doctors say you're too sick to be without it."
"Kid," House said plainly as Audrey began to calm down, "if you understand what we're telling you, blink two times." He paused and watched as Audrey shut her eyes twice. "Great. She's lucid. Let's start the inquisition."
"We'll have to use the alphabet poster and have her spell out answers," Cameron said as she felt Audrey's hand shaking violently in hers'. "She's too weak to write."
"Whatever," House retorted lowly. "Just get started."
Cameron offered Audrey a weak smile. "Okay, I just need to ask you a couple of questions that might help us understand why you and Dr. Chase have gotten so ill. Since you can't talk to us right now, I'm going to hold up this sign," Cameron explained as she slid the poster in front of Audrey, "and you can spell out your replies. Do you understand?"
Wearily, Audrey spelled out 'yes'.
"Great," Cameron complimented. "Don't rush yourself, though. You take all the time you need to answer Dr. House's questions."
"Perhaps you could ask, Dr. Cameron," Gloria intervened as she glared at the diagnostician. "You obviously have more patience."
House rolled his eyes. "Fine."
"Audrey, do you remember the day you first came to the clinic and saw
Dr. Chase?" Cameron questioned and waited patiently while Audrey once again replied 'yes'. "Good. Do you remember anything odd happening that day? Sitting next to patient with a rough cough?"
Cameron followed Audrey trembling fingers as she slowly pointed to the letters 'h-o-b-o'. "Hobo?" she said, turning to face Chase. "Does that ring any bells?"
Chase paused a moment in thought, then shook his head. "No. Nothing."
"What about the hobo?" House wondered anxiously, fighting to control his temper. "We have to know the connection!"
"Lay off, House," Cameron warned in a whisper. "You're doing great, Audrey. And I know you're exhausted and in a lot of pain, but we just need to answer a few more questions and then you can go back to sleep. Was the hobo in the clinic?"
Once again, Audrey gave a positive reply.
"Were you sitting by him?" House inquired, swearing when Audrey pointed to 'no'. "Damnit. This is pointless."
"Wait. She's spelling again," Cameron said as Audrey weakly began dragging her hand over the letters. 'b-u-m
"Well, obviously he was a bum," House grumbled.
"Ignore him, honey," Gloria whispered to Audrey encouragingly. "You're doing great."
"p-e-d," Cameron said aloud. "Okay, bumped. He bumped into you?"
Tiredly, Audrey continued, spelling out 'us'.
"Chase, she said a homeless man bumped into both of you," Cameron told him. "Do you remember that?"
"She's right," Chase whispered in shock. "She's-she's right! I completely forgot. But there was a man, the man listed as John Doe in the records. We were talking and he burst in before we finished, he ran into both of us and knocked Audrey down."
"Finally!" House cried out. "This is the connection we've been waiting for. Let's get going, we have to find this guy."
"How can you be so excited?" Cameron asked, shaking her head.
"How can you not be? This is lead we've been waiting for!"
"Searching through records in our own hospital was hard enough," Cameron whispered hopelessly, "now we have to search the streets of Princeton for a man that doesn't even have an address."
