Chapter Four: Boredom
Emma sat in the office room as the team talked about patient's MRI. She pulled out her phone and played Tetris.
"What are we doing to today Emma?" House asked out of the blue as the team looked at the MRI.
"Excuse me?"
House rolled his eyes, "Any idea on what we're doing today since I'm stuck with you."
"I looked in on your patient last night before, the parents aren't his parents."
Everyone looked at her shocked.
"His mother has to be the mother," Cameron protested.
"There is no way that woman had a baby," Emma told her, "She was talking off her sweater and she had not scar."
"Why would she have a scar?" Foreman asked, "Not all women have c-section."
"Her hips are way too narrow to give birth. They're kid is adopted."
"I doubt it," Cameron said as Chase continued to look at the MRI.
"I guarantee that she never had a child. Two hundred says they're not the parents."
House raised his head and faked tears, "And our baby duckling spreads her wings to fly."
Emma stood up and left the office for a cup of coffee with a smile, "Dominant traits."
Two days later, Emma knocked on the door to the current patient's room and waited for them to let her in. After a few seconds, Dan's mother slid the door open and gave her a sad smile.
"Can I come in? I wanted to make sure that everything is going okay?" Emma said.
She nodded and stepped to the side. Emma walked in and stood at the end of the bed and smiled at Dan.
"I'm Emma Chase. I work with Doctor House and his team as a legal consul and I wanted to make sure that Dan and you as his parents were aware of all your legal options and everything was made clear to you. I know you had some rough news earlier," Emma said gently.
"Doctor Chase made suggestions this afternoon and was very informative. Thank you for coming in and checking in on us," Dan's father said, "Please thank him for explaining everything to us."
Emma smiled warmly at him, "I will tell him that. Please know that if you ever need anything feel free to ask anyone here for support."
She shook hands with both of parents again and offered her hand to Dan which he accepted and shook.
"Like I said if you need anything please let me know," Emma repeated as she walked out and closed the sliding door behind her.
She took one last look before turning around and practically walked into Chase.
"God Robert! Make some noise next time," she whispered as she dropped her hand from her chest and walked away from him.
"Sorry," Chase said holding back a laugh and followed her, "I came to see if you were heading home. I have to work late tonight and wanted to know if you wanted some dinner."
Emma made a face as they turned a corner on the floor, "I have to clean the condo and pick up the dry cleaning and let the dogs out. I was going to leave in a few minutes but dinner sounds nice too."
Chase smiled and stopped as they stood at the elevator, "How does a Ruben sound?"
"As long as it isn't cafeteria food Robert, I'll be fine."
They stepped into the empty elevator and silently rode down to the main floor where they ran into Cameron.
"Are you guys heading out?" she asked.
"Emma and I were going to go pick up dinner. Did you want anything?" Chase said quickly.
"Uh…no, I've got to get this to House." Cameron said as she held up a test file and scurried away.
"I think that this is interesting." Chase said as they both sat next to each other at the bar of a local restaurant.
"What is?" Emma asked as she finished chewing a bite of the grilled cheese she'd ordered.
"The fact that House hasn't harassed us about being married yet even though he's had a boat load opportunities."
Emma shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe he doesn't care."
"That would be nice but that's just not a reality. He loves to be in other's social and personal lives," Chase said after swallowing another bite.
Emma rolled her eyes, "Okay moving on from work. Wilson asked me earlier if you and I wanted to go on a double date with him and Bonnie."
Chase took another bite, chewed and swallowed, "When is it?"
"I don't know. Sometime in the next two weeks."
"What time?"
"Seven. Bonnie wanted to made reservations at Mac's Grill or something. I don't even know where that is."
"Alright, I'll see if Foreman can cover," Chase said looking at his watch, "I've got to go or I'm gonna be late."
Chase fished his wallet out and took a ten and a twenty from it, "Here's for the meal and dessert, if I remember right this place is highly known by the residents for its Chocolate Cream Pie which I happen to know is also your favorite. I'll be home around midnight. Don't wait up Emma, you look tired already. Get some sleep."
Giving him a quick kiss on the lips, Emma watched Chase walk out of the dinner and towards the hospital.
The blaring of an alarm went off and Emma rolled over from her stomach to her back and stared at the ceiling for a moment before hitting the snooze button. Looking to the other side of the bed, Emma groaned realizing Chase hadn't come home. Getting up, she made the bed and walked into the living room smiling as she watched the two cocker spaniel dogs, Melbourne and Finn on the floor fighting for sunlight. Turning on the coffee pot, Emma jumped as the phone rang. Grabbing the phone quickly, Emma smiled at seeing Chase's number.
"Hello?"
"Hey it's me," Chase's said, "Can you bring me a change of clothes? I never got a chance to come home last night."
"Yeah, I should be there in an hour give or take," Emma asked tucking her hair behind her ear, "Long night?"
"Exhausting, I'll see you in an hour."
"I'll see you then." she replied, "I love you."
"Love you too," he mumbled before hanging up.
Emma walked into the office an hour later with a bag for Chase. She spotted him sitting alone at the conference room table with his head down..
"Hey," she said kissing his head and setting the bag on the table, "How are you?"
"Tired." Chase said sitting up and rubbing his forehead.
"Have you eaten anything yet?" Emma asked looking through her purse for her wallet.
"No. But the cafeteria has crappy bagels if you want," he mumbled standing up and grabbing the bag, "Give me fifteen minutes and we can go get some food."
Chase kissed her cheek and walked out of the door. She stood by herself for ten minutes before both Cameron and Foreman walked in.
"Morning," Emma said cheerily.
"Morning," Cameron said sitting down across from Emma as Foreman walked to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup.
"Did you guys have an interesting night?" Emma asked watching Foreman take a sip of coffee.
"Yeah, our patient almost walked off the roof. Chase tackled him though before he fell."
Emma's jaw dropped and looked at Cameron with wide eyes, "He what?"
"Oops," House said walking into the office, "Did Cameron spill to Chase's wife what happened last night."
Cameron opened her mouth and looked confused, "I'm sorry I didn't know he didn't tell you, he's fine though no broken bones or bruises."
Emma bit her bottom lip, "Thank you for letting me know what Robert did."
"What did I do?" Chase said walking in to the conference room.
"Tacking some kid on a roof?" Emma said with a raised eyebrow, "Ready?"
She walked past him and Chase looked towards the ceiling, "Thank you Cameron for the lecture I'm about to receive."
Chase turned to leave and House smirked at Cameron.
"Cat's out of the bag now. Cameron, better watch out now that both Chases are working here. Wouldn't want to screw up their marriage, would we?"
Cameron blushed and rolled her eyes at House, "They're married. She's allowed to be over protective."
"You tackled a patient on the roof?" Emma said as she and Chase waited in line to buy their bagels.
"I was hoping to avoid this conversation," Chase said as he grabbed a cream cheese.
"So you weren't going to tell me at all?" Emma said skeptically.
"I was later when it came up."
"You mean later when the parents were suing you and then I'd have to know about it."
Chase mumbled something under his breath which Emma couldn't hear.
"What?"
"They weren't going to sue. I talked to them this morning and explained the situation. You're superb negotiations skills have not gone lost upon me. When it comes to being a lawyer you're more manipulative then House," Chase said grumpily.
Emma exhaled and sighed, "I don't want to fight with you. I just figure that tackling a patient would be something you'd tell me about…are you going to be able to make to the house showing tonight? The realtor called and wanted to know. "
"Don't change the subject in the middle of a disagreement Emma. I tackled a patient last night. Happy I told you and no, I'm not going to be able to make it, any other problems you care to share?" Chase snapped back fishing his wallet out of his pocket, "You know what? You pay this time. I don't feel like it."
He walked away and out of the cafeteria.
Emma smiled politely to the cashier and put her bagel back. She only had enough cash to cover Robert's bagel and handed the woman two dollars.
The day was already starting to look bad day and it wasn't even nine am.
It was afternoon when Chase walked into House's office.
"I need your help," he told Emma, "I have to give Dan his LP and both his parents are at lunch. Do you think you could help me to hold him still?"
Emma looked up at him, "Fine."
She stood up and walked out with Chase following. She didn't say anything to him but when she stepped into Dan's room she was smiling and chatting with the teenager as Chase set up for the procedure.
"The treatments should start helping soon let us know if it gets easier to focus on some things, remember stuff," he told Dan as they began the procedure. He looked up to see Emma's diamond necklace glittering in the light. She was bent over Dan holding his hand and knees. The low cut shirt she wore didn't cover much and he could see down her shirt. Her black lace bra was visable as well as the valley between her breast. He smiled, "Hey Dan isn't Emma's necklace a beauty. It was a birthday gift I think."
"It's pretty," the young guy said looking to where Chase had been and obviously got the message.
"It was a tenth anniversary necklace," Emma said looking down at her cleavage and back up at him with a glare.
"The kids in pain," Chase defended himself.
"No," Dan whispered.
"No? What? Dan you okay?"
"I'm not a doctor but I think he's hearing voices Robert," Emma said worriedly as Dan began to painfully squeeze her hand.
Chase hit the call button for the nurses and looked at Emma as Dan squeezed her hand harder.
"Is this supposed to happen with MS?" she asked.
"No."
"I never realized Chase actually had good taste in women," Foreman said innocently to Cameron as they ran tests in the lab.
"She seems nice and attractive," Cameron said, "House will steam roll right over her and do whatever he wants. This is a desperate Cuddy."
"Is Cuddy desperate? Yes. Is this Emma dumb? Probably not, think about it. Cuddy wants to control House so if she puts a person in who can give the illusion of being the submissive to House but is really the dominate person then she's perfect," Foreman said.
"Emma is seems smart. She'll just have to learn how to fit in," Cameron said as she put a vial of blood in a machine.
"General Hospital is on channel six," House said stepping into the lab and looking at the computer screen where Dan slept.
"Dan's brain isn't showing channel six today, just mush," Foreman said as House set two cups down.
"Not epileptic form or activity. What are you doing?" House asked Cameron.
"Waiting on the CBC and Chem7," she said.
"Good run DNA on these."
"What's this?" she asked picking up the cups.
"Parents cups," House said, "Before you object I've already gotten a lecture. Now go do it."
Cameron walked away as Chase entered the lab.
"Gotta go," House said and limped out.
"What's up with him?"
"Getting Cameron to do a DNA test on mommy and daddy," Foreman said, "Why did you never tell us your wife worked here as well?"
Chase paused and shook his head, "I thought that it was a big deal. Besides, I've been married long enough to realize that people honestly don't care about my marital status."
"How long have you been married?" Cameron asked returning from starting the DNA tests.
"Close to eleven years."
Both Foreman and Cameron looked surprised.
"That long?" Foreman said curiously.
"What? I got married young."
"How old were you?" Cameron asked taking Foreman's seat after he moved.
"Twenty."
"Why so young?"
Chase shrugged, "I was young and in love. Seemed like the right thing to do at the time."
"And now do you think of it differently?" she asked.
"Yes. I probably would have waited to marry," he said quietly.
"She seems really nice."
"When she wants to be," Chase amended.
"You don't sound happy," Cameron said curiously.
He looked at her and shook his head, "She and I got into a disagreement this morning."
"I'm sorry."
"Why? It's not your fault," Chase shrugged.
"Wanna get drinks later to take your mind off of it," Cameron smiled.
"Sure," he smiled back feeling better already.
"West Nile negative. Not suprising seeing as how not many Mosquitos pass through Jersey in December," Foreman said as printers came to life.
"You guys are going to believe this,"
"What's that?"
"House is right. The father is not the father," Cameron said shocked.
"Damn. Dude doubled up on me."
"You're not going to believe this," Chase said with a smirk, "Emma was right. The mother isn't the mother either."
"Damn," Foreman said again, "I guess she wins everything."
Near five o'clock in the afternoon, Emma sat at House's desk on the phone with a lawyer becoming frustrated.
"It's not my fault that you're incompetence is the problem. You're client wants money for something that is protected by law…I don't care what he thinks or feels. You can't sue us because he felt like he was being belittled."
She slammed the phone down as House walked in with the rest of the team.
"Whatever you want the answers no." she stated.
"But Mom," House whined, "Chase hit me!"
Emma leaned back in the chair and looked at House, "What do you want?"
"Ran a DNA test. You were right. So," House said sulking and taking his wallet out, "Here's the hundred I got from Cameron, two hundred I got from Foreman, and the six hundred I got from Wilson and the three hundred I owe too. Happy?"
Emma took the wad of bills and rubber banded them, "No. I'm not but you telling me what's wrong with your patient might improve my day. You're being sued by four different people by the way."
House smirked, "Nice. He's mother never got vaccinated, did you get vaccinated?"
Emma glared, "Yes I have been. On the other hand, I've only been here a week and I feel bad already for the clinic. What do you do to those poor people down there?"
"I heel them."
Everyone snorted.
Standing, Emma grabbed the cash slipping it in her pocket.
"How did you know?" Foreman asked, "I know you said that she had narrow hips but that was just a lucky guess."
"When you see the son and the father, look at their chins and look at the mom's chin," she smiled. "A good lawyer always has a second argument."
