"Butterflies and Hurricanes"
Chapter Two: A New Addition to the Crew
Dean of Medicine's Office:
House reluctantly made his way to Cuddy's office, he had thus far managed to make 3 consecutive rides on the elevator from ground to top, as well as use the bathroom twice, before she paged again, the noise as loud and insistent as Cuddy's voice in real life.
Now he was wandering down the oncology ward since it was the most round about way to get to Lisa's office. Lucky Wilson. He was situated the farthest away from the nagging head honcho. House had managed to avoid her yesterday, but no such luck today. She had spotted him ducking behind a door, which unfortunately happened to be glass and had in her sharpest voice ordered him to her office, before spinning off into the opposite direction of him.
"Oh, look at that, patients to be seen! Can't have them dying on us now, can we? That's a lawsuit just waiting to happen, and we really can't have that, right?" House yelled, at her rapidly disappearing back.
Cuddy's office now loomed in House's sights. He slowed his already leisurely pace down to an almost imperceptible rate of movement. He was sure that if he had been racing a snail at that very moment, the snail would win. House pondered if he could still make some kind of get away.
Just then, Lisa's office door opened. Damn. Too late. A slender dark haired figure dressed sensibly in a dark woven skirt and matching jacket, stepped out. Lisa looked over and spotted the truant doctor.
"House. My office. NOW." Cuddy ordered coldly, and she turned and held the door open for him expectantly.
He limped in slowly and as dramatically as possible, hoping to score some sympathy votes. Nope. Nothing. She sure was a hard one to crack.
"Sit."
House sat.
"You know, you really could have a career as a dominatrix. You really have that domineering, hard as nails, I'm going to kill you attitude thing down," House smirked.
The blue eyed woman rolled her eyes. "Greg, I'm not even going to warrant that with a response."
"Well. Am I in trouble? Are you going to punish me?" House raised an eyebrow and gave her his best licentious look.
Lisa Cuddy shot him another icy look, which somehow managed to convey both death and castration at once, and House very quickly rearranged his features into a less offensive position. She really was giving him nothing today.
"You are here today House, because we have a new doctor coming in."
"And?" House asked, bored. He looked down and inspected the smooth lacquer of his cane's handle. Hmm... I wonder if I will finally manage to beat that level today?
"She is going in your department." His head shot up, both cane and Game Boy forgotten.
"What? I already have three pipsqueaks under my prestiged tutelage! I thought we didn't have the money for any more Fellowships. My god... what would Vogler say?" House dramatically pressed his hands on the sides of his face, pressing his mouth into a surprised O.
Lisa resisted the urge to reach over and strangle him. Instead, she sucked in a deep and not so calming breath before sitting down behind her large desk and shuffling some papers scattered about the top, carefully straightening them into a neat pile. She waited a moment for House to stop his hysterics before continuing on.
"We don't have the money, but she's not going to be a part of the Fellowships. She has been hired to help you. She will be taking half of your cases so that you have more time to research and publish."
"Excuse me? Publish?" House grimaced.
"Yes. Publish. If I need to remind you... you are in hot water with Vogler. He happens to basically own this hospital, and the only way I can think to keep you out of some, if not most trouble is to get you writing. So, You. Will. Publish."
"Fine. Publishing. I'll be sure to be all over that. I think the phrase is like white on rice?" House said mockingly, then sighed dramatically. "But, a woman, Cuddy? Really? You trying to assert your feminist ideals on us again? How terribly Susan B. Anthony of you."
He stopped at Cuddy's sharp shake of her head, combined with that lethal death stare. Seriously. He was wasting all of his best material on Ice Queen here. "Well, fine then, but this doctor better be damned good. "
Cuddy nodded, brightening visibly. This was a topic she was happy to discuss with House. "She is. An utter genius, and it was a complete stroke of luck that she chose to come to Princeton and not some other hospital. She found out she had some family here, and decided she wanted to reconnect. Although knowing who the relation is, God knows why."
Oh yippee. An utter genius. That meant she was going to be impossible to work with. House also felt sorry for the poor bastard who ended up being the 'family' that got reconnected with.
"How quaint of you Cuddy. That story makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. So when am I going to meet the little ingenue whom I actually should be getting down on hands and knees to worship for getting me out of clinic hours? You know how I hate clinic hours."
"Well. I see nothing has changed."A melodic voice with the softest of Scottish lilts said from behind House.
House turned and froze.
"Hello... Uncle."
House opened his mouth, but for once nothing came out. There in front of him, was his almost unrecognizable niece. Granted it had been about sixteen years since he had seen her last, so it was justifiable that he had a hard time relating the little girl to the young woman in front of him. Come to think of it, she still looked twelve, so maybe he really didn't have an excuse after all.
Lisa smiled. "Oh good, Caitlin, do come in. Greg, I'm pleased to introduce to you your newest member."
"Still the same misogynistic bastard, I see," his niece said.
Barely recovering, he ignored the comment and turned to Cuddy. "Is this some kind of joke? She's like twelve! And correct me if I'm wrong, I was under the impression that we still had child labor laws."
"I'm twenty actually," his niece piped up, her distinctive accent rolling off her tongue.
She still stood by the door, leaning casually against the glass walls of the office, and to House's mind, looking a complete farce in her white lab coat and jeans. House ignored the niggling voice that reminded him that he didn't even bother to wear a lab coat and he, himself, was also wearing jeans today.
"Twenty! Seriously, Cuddy. This is ridiculous. Wait... hang on... Vogler actually went for this?"
"No, House. It is not ridiculous." Cuddy replied dryly. "Your niece, Caitlin, has impressive credentials. Graduated with a pre med background from Oxford University at thirteen, Medical School from Johns Hopkins at seventeen, and has been doing research and diagnostics there for the past three years. Like I said, an utter genius and we were lucky to get her."
"What, no happy reunion, Uncle?" Caitlin asked laconically, finally pushing herself away from the wall and walking toward him.
House shook his head. "Caitlin. It's been a long time. So, forgive me, if it takes me a while to wrap my mind around the fact that my twenty year old niece, whom I haven't seen in some sixteen odd years, is supposed to replace me at my job."
"Oh I have no worries that you will. And quickly." Cuddy spoke up. "Publish, publish, publish. That's what I always say."
House shot her an evil look. That was not what she always said, and she knew it, that witch.
"Go and get her situated, House. Oh, and introduce her to the rest of the team, will you?" Cuddy ordered. Her eyes dropped to the papers in front of her, an obvious dismissal.
House resisted the urge to either roll his eyes or kick something, as he picked up his cane and limped out the door, his niece following. His thoughts rolled restlessly through his mind. The last time he had seen Caitlin was when she had been four. Her mother, Anna, had stopped by and said hello, while she visited some old friends of hers from Rutgers University.
Anna had been a beautiful, asian woman, who oddly enough had been from Edinburgh, Scotland. She had married his then estranged older brother about five years before and they had moved back to her homeland. Soon after Anna House returned from her visit, his brother, Matthew, died of a heart attack. He had faithfully sent money to the last vestiges of his family, but every month the check would return uncashed, but besides that one forced duty, he had wanted no more to do with them.
So, Caitlin had wanted to come see him? Obviously with all the brains she had, she still wasn't smart enough to realize what a terrible idea that had been. He wasn't the mushy type, and so he hoped with all his heart that she wasn't expecting some fairy tale reunion. She could go to Cameron if she wanted butterflies and rainbows. He had nothing but bitterness and pain to offer, and that was all he wanted to offer.
Glancing over at her, he could see that her features were dominated by her mother's traits. Luckily, he thought. The House brothers had never really been known for their fantastic looks. She was a pretty young woman.
Yet at the same time, her looks made him feel ever so slightly nauseated. He had spent a long time trying to forget Anna House, and now here was her damned doppelganger here to be a daily reminder of the only other woman, besides Stacy, who had managed to break Gregory House's heart.
He almost sighed. God, she was going to be trouble. He could tell already. And House hated trouble...unless it was him causing the trouble. He did enjoy that.
"How's your mother?" he asked awkwardly. What was he supposed to say to her? What did you say to a 20 year old? God he was old. He hated this whole thing. Hated this feeling of ineptitude, hated having to see the family he had spent years trying to pretend didn't exist, and hated that what little left good in his life was now also in chaos.
"She stills hates ye,"came the succinct answer.
An unbidden chuckle slipped out of House. "I suppose that shouldn't surprise me. Well at least something hasn't changed. I always knew I could count on Anna to stay the same person that I knew and uh... hated."
He stopped suddenly, his leg screaming in protest at the sudden motion. Caitlin without missing a beat, smoothly paused next to him, her unique hazel eyes in constant motion, as she took in the sights.
"The truth." House said suddenly.
Caitlin's roving eyes finally settled upon his face. She had such a direct, intense gaze that House almost wished she would look away again. Damn it. House didn't like when people were able to out stare him. It was a skill he had honed to perfection over the years. Not to mention, she had managed to inherit her mother's ability to not just look at him, but look through him. Like she knew things about him that he didn't know. It made him uneasy.
She looked at him expectantly, those clear, bright eyes slowly unraveling him where he stood.
"The truth?" she repeated, ever so slightly tilted her head to the side.
"Why are you here really?"
"Sick of me already, are ye?" Caitlin asked wryly. "I'm here, uncle, for the reasons you've already heard."
"What?" she demanded at her uncle's grimace. "Ye don't believe me?"
"Caitlin. I haven't seen you in 16 years. That's a very long time. I hated your mother. I hated your father. What makes you think I didn't hate you too?" House snapped at her. God, he hated this unsettled feeling.
"Don't delude yourself," Caitlin rejoined quickly. "Ye didn't hate my mum, ye know that as well I do. Oh, and don't feel bad about hating me. I hated ye too. However, Princeton is a very good hospital, and as much I dislike to admit it, ye are one of the best diagnostic doctors in the country. And Uncle- I deserve the best."
"Oh good, I see that my brother's egocentric, maniacal habits have continued to manifest themselves for yet another generation," House quipped.
"Well it's genetic, Uncle," Caitlin whipped back.
Well. She was quicker than he had thought. Maybe she wouldn't be so bad after all. That thought quickly left House's mind though. He was pissed that he had ended up being the poor bastard with the unwanted family forced upon him.
House realized that they were still standing in the middle of the hallway, and nurses, patients, and other doctors were flowing around them like a rock in a stream. Not that he cared.
"I don't think it's a good idea for the others to know that you're my niece." Not to mention, the last thing he wanted to deal with were the wondering gazes and inevitable questions about his family. Besides Cameron might become even more sympathetic toward him, although he wasn't sure how that would be physically possible.
"Why, ashamed of me?" Caitlin snapped, feeling hurt.
No, Caitlin. Not ashamed. Angry. At what you represent, House thought.
Then she sighed and reluctantly admitted, "you're right. My age is already going ta be a problem. I suppose that being related ta ye would be just one more strike against me."
"Ah, and you're intelligent to boot. Glad to see that you inherited something from me after all."
"Ye realize that might be a bit difficult ta do seeing as we share the same surname?" Caitlin stated, her eyes flashing brightly with amusement.
"Right. So go by... what was your mother's maiden name again?"House asked, as if he didn't remember every single detail about his former lover.
"Mackenzie."
"There you go. Good to meet you, Dr. Mackenzie. I'll tell Cuddy later that is what you will be referred to as."
House abruptly began limping back down the hallway, Caitlin trailing behind him. She suppressed a sigh of frustration. She hadn't even thought about how much trouble her last name was going to be.
They were just around the corner from the office space that House's team used when a shout stopped him once more. He impatiently turned around. Couldn't he just go five minutes without someone needing him?
However, the voice ended up belonging to James Wilson. The oncologist was threading his way through the hallway, his coat flapping behind him. The dark haired man came to a stop in front of House with a grin. Well, he was obviously in a better mood today. Probably scored with one of those nurses he had been flirting with.
"I heard Cuddy finally managed to lasso you into that meeting. So? What happened?"
House jerked his head in the direction of the young girl standing next to him. "Wilson. Meet my niece. We hate each other so we're not actually acknowledging the blood ties."
Wilson's dark eyes widened in surprise at the news. He turned and finally focused on the girl that he originally written off as an intern. She was quite pretty, he thought.
Caitlin smiled warmly and stuck outa hand. "Pleased to meet ye, Dr. Wilson."
Wilson took the hand eagerly and shook it. House had a niece? There was more than one House in the world? And she was Irish? English? What was that accent? God, she was really cute.
"Oh, you can call me James. Ah, I'm sorry I didn't catch what House said your name was."
"That's because I didn't say it," House said sharply. James was a good friend, but sometimes he had no moral limitations. Wilson had just met Caitlin and he already laying on the shmooze.
"Listen, do your little spiel Wilson, but I need her in the office in oh, two minutes ago. I have to go inform my team that they have a new boss now." With that he limped away, looking his typical peeved self.
Wilson turned to House's niece with a regretful look. "I'm sorry about that. I'm sure you understand how stressed he is. The hospital just hired a new doctor to take some of his case load and he's not too happy about it."
He leaned toward her conspiratorially, thinking that she might be impressed with all his knowledge of all the inner workings of the hospital, as well as his prestigious position. "So, anyways, nice to be meeting you... uh...?"
"Caitlin. Doctor Caitlin House," she said a little impatiently. While the man was attractive, he was treating her like an overly eager, easily impressed child, and Caitlin hated condescending people. "And I'm the person taking over House's caseload."
Wilson's mouth dropped. "Oh."
He was shocked. She looked so young! He didn't realize until she responded that in his surprise he had said that aloud.
"I am young," Caitlin said, responding to his questioning look. "I'm very capable though."
Wilson shook his head again, trying to shake off his astonishment. He was also slightly embarrassed. That's what you get for posturing, James, he thought dryly to himself. The seemingly ignorant teen has turned out to be ten times smarter than he, and she had just caught him acting like a fool. "Oh, no doubt. If you're related to House, you must be."
"Now. Where's House's office?" She asked, her eyes darting to the corner she had seen House disappeared around.
Wilson helplessly gestured with on hand toward the corner. He still couldn't get over the fact that House had a niece. And she was a doctor. The one taking over his job. No wonder he had been in such an abnormally short mood. Well, shorter than his usual short mood.
"Just this way. Let me show you."
Turning the corner, he opened the door to the office, to see House facing him. The other three were sitting at the table, their backs to the door.
House was in the middle of his speech, as Wilson opened the door.
"...So that's the deal. I will be slaving away and sending the medical world into rapture with my utterly brilliant insights on diagnostics, and during those times, I will be replaced with Dr. MacKenzie, who will take some of my load."
House looked up and spotted Wilson in the doorway, with his niece trailing behind him. He gestured with his cane. "Ah there you are. There you are folks, the wunderkind of the hour. This," he said dryly, "is Dr. MacKenzie."
Caitlin stepped in from behind Dr. Wilson. She was feeling a little intimidated, although she masked it behind a steely gaze. It was a look she had perfected over the years, after finally tiring of the questioning looks from other doctors. She had read up on the three doctors that House had working for him and she had been throughly impressed.
Each one was an obviously brilliant doctor in their respective fields, although that was to be expected from anyone who worked under her equally brilliant uncle. Drs. Foreman, Chase, and Cameron, she recited once more in her head, trying to calm her nerves. There had been no pictures provided so she could only guess who was who from the back of their heads.
"How do ye do?" she said, her voice surprisingly strong and steady. "I'm Dr. Hou... uh, MacKenzie."
At the sound of her voice three heads turned in surprise, and Caitlin forced a smile as she got her first glimpse of her new coworkers. However it was one floppy brown haired, handsome face that stood out in the trio.
"You!" She said in unison disbelief with one Doctor Robert Chase.
A/N: I know that the whole niece, daughter, etc. of House thing is overused, but I liked the possibilities it held. I hope you enjoyed the second chapter. Oh also, this story was going to be set right before 'Mob Rules' but I decided to change it to right before "Heavy' so some details might change. Lastly, thank you to my reviewers. I wasn't expecting any, so they came as a pleasant surprise!