Sorry bout the lateness, but I had decided some of it made House seem too insensitive so I rewrote it. Also I apologize for lack of sarcasm in this, but I have a homework induced headache right now so, this isn't exactlly my best effort...
Sandy at Sea: Thankz
MoondustWolf: Aw thankz and you're not the only one, I love Chase angst too, the more angst the better, as I say.
Plz review, it makes me happy.
Shadowed Guilt: Chapter Three Bet
Foreman walked into the diagnostic conference room, his nose was buried in a patient's file. He glanced up at the noise emanating from House's office, he went over and poked his head through the closed blinds and stared. House was doing a balancing act, his good leg was holding him up as he wiggled to accommodate the heavy books he was carrying in one hand. He was bent over, his cane in his book free hand and was trying to poke something closer. Foreman came in cautiously, "What are you doing?"
A book slowly slid off of the tall pile, Foreman dived for it and managed to catch it by the corner, "Well look at that, you made that book fall." House said with a fake pout.
All Foreman did was return the book to the stack, "Again, what do you think you're doing?"
"I was bored." House said with a grimace as he set the books down and leaned heavily against his desk catching his breath, "Now I have to pay Wilson."
"For what?" Foreman asked, completely lost.
House looked at Foreman as if he was crazy and not the other way around, "We had a bet, to see how long I could hold up five medical dictionaries. Wilson bet five minutes, I bet a half an hour. Damn it, he's closer."
House did a one eighty and started limping away. When House was about half way to the door Foreman remembered the reason why he was there at all. "House." he called.
Unfortunately for Foreman, House kept on moving causing Foreman to hustle after him. "Did you hear me?" Foreman demanded irritably.
"I did." House said still limping as fast as he could, "I just chose to ignore you."
Foreman rolled his eyes and sighed exasperatedly, "We have a new patient."
"I don't recall choosing this case." House said stopping, he stared wide eyed at Foreman, who almost walked right past him.
"You don't get to choose your cases you know." Foreman said, "Cuddy will have you...looked after...if you don't take the case."
"What am I? A child? I don't need looking after." House said with a scowl.
"Sometimes I'm not so sure." Foreman muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" House asked his sharp ears picking it up.
Foreman cleared his throat, "Fourty-Two year old, Latino male came in complaining of..." Foreman trailed off as he checked the file, "Fever, weight loss, and lesions on his arms and face."
"What's so interesting about that?" House asked waving the file away.
Foreman tried to answer as House peeked into an examination room, before barging rudely into one. Dr Wilson looked up startled, his brown hair fell into his eyes, he managed to blow it out of his. His hands were laid gently on some woman's breasts. Foreman instantly looked away, but House just limped forward. "What's this? Why Jimmy, are you cheating on your wife again?"
Realizing the embarrassing scene that House and Foreman was viewing, Wilson let his hands drop, "I'm with a patient, House."
"You mean you're doing a patient." House said hooking a wheelie chair from across the room with his cane, "You." he pointed an accusing finger at the woman, "Scram, it's time for our three-sum."
The woman huffed, buttoned up her blouse and left the exam room. "What?" House asked as he sat down.
"Why do you do that?" Wilson asked, folding his arms.
"Well my snarkiness is part of my make up, like DNA. It can't be cut off, I shudder to think what would happen if it was." House said loftily and laid back.
"No, I mean barging in on me when I'm with a patient." Wilson said also taking a seat.
"Aw, you know you love me." House said.
Foreman cleared his throat, he didn't like to be ignored. "House, can we get back to the patient?"
"No." House said finally acknowledging him, "But you can pay Wilson here for me."
"Why would I do that?" Foreman asked.
"You already forgot about the fact that you made me drop one of the books?"
"I didn't." Foreman protested.
House just glared at him and motioned for him to take out his wallet. Although Foreman's mind was unwilling, he found himself holding his wallet a minute later and handing over fifty bucks to Wilson. Foreman was disgruntled, how could the man get him to part with fifty bucks within a second? Foreman concluded that House must've read a book on hypnosis or was gifted with a natural persuasive manner. "Fine." Foreman said crossing his arms, "Now can we get back to the patient?"
"Let me think about it." a slight pause followed, "How about no?"
"How about you finally get fired?" Wilson piped in, removing his gloves and binning them.
"What for?" House asked with fake shock, "You'll lose one of the greatest minds in the world."
Wilson and Foreman arched an eyebrow, "Greatest mind in the world?" they both spluttered with laughter at the same time.
"I am." House sounded dangerously close to a petulant child.
"And I am the king of the world." Foreman managed to gasp out.
"They wouldn't accept you." House said sulking.
Foreman just choked on his laughter and thrusted the file at House, "Look if you get fired this isn't on me."
"Well why not?" House asked, "If I get fired, why can't you?"
"Because..." Foreman trailed off, "I tried persuading you, not my fault you're a stubborn bastard."
House thought about it, "True."
"Fine I'm leaving." Foreman said throwing up his arms and walking out of the exam room.
"So." Wilson said, "Are you gonna take it?"
"Yeah." House said looking at him like he was crazy, "As sure as the fact your socks are mismatched...again."
"What?" Wilson said looking down at his feet.
"You dressed in the dark again didn't you?" House prodded, "Didn't want to wake Julie up?"
Wilson gave him a firm glare, "I'd rather not talk about it."
Maybe House was having an off day or something because he didn't pursue the subject any longer, "I believe I'm losing my beloved snarkiness. Help me." House said.
Wilson snorted and brightened up considerably, "The world is coming to an end."
"Uh..."
"Hell is freezing over." Wilson joked.
"Okay, okay I get it. Stuff that stupid plaid tie into your mouth already." House said.
"The sun has finally exploded, in about eight seconds, we're all gonna fry."
House scowled and wrenched the exam room door open only to find himself face to face with the evil mistress herself, Dr Cuddy. She advanced on him a file in her hand, "House, I let you get away with a lot of things in this hospital."
"Apparently not enough." House mumbled to himself.
"I expect you to at least take the cases that I assign you and your team." Cuddy said, her eyes fiery with anger.
"What do I get in exchange?" House asked.
That stopped Cuddy for a heartbeat or two, she squeezed her temples like she had a vicious migraine and was trying to relieve the pain. "Take the damn case and we'll talk about no clinic duty for a week."
"Two." House bargained.
"One." Cuddy said firmly, "Take it or leave it. I'm sure Foreman will like taking your place for awhile."
House stared at her in horror, "Jesus lady you like playing hard ball don't you."
"If that is going to be one of your supposedly innocent comments that will turn into some devious sexual narrative, then no. Take the case, House and I'll give you a week off of clinic duty. That's it."
He put on a pout for some good measure and took the file reluctantly, or a copy of it. Christ, Cuddy was killing off trees just to get him to work, "I'm gonna tell mommy about you."
Cuddy gave a mock shiver, "I'm so afraid."
Faces were House's specialty and he showed his genius by making a particular scary one at Cuddy's retreating back. House limped to the elevator and pressed the arrow pointing up, "Doctor." a high falsetto said behind him.
House didn't turn into a hand forced him to look around, when he met the person face to face he shivered. "What do you want?"
They always say that you can stereotype something and it wouldn't be accurate, take a blonde for instance. They are considered ditzy, beautiful, annoying, and generally and most importantly, stupid. Whoever 'they' were, House made a mental note to write an article to prove them wrong. The woman standing before him was petite in size, barely reaching his shoulder and that was with about four inches of heel there. House envisioned her beautifully painted feet when she was old and decrepit, not a pretty picture he could tell you that. The long strands of blonde hair, which he was sure was bleached and dyed again, twisted down her back. Her eyes flashed a pretty periwinkle blue, but held the absent blankness of what could only be called stupidity. "Doctor." she tried again this time her voice was dripping with honey, "I understand you'll be taking my husband's case?"
'Damn it all.' House thought, 'And she has a nice rack too.'
"You could look at it that way." House said clearing his throat.
She smiled at him and put a perfectly manicured hand on his cheek, "Quite a tickler you got there, hon."
'Oh dear god, is she flirting with me.' House asked himself, the elevator dinged as it finally reached his floor, 'Saved by the bell.' he limped in. The blonde woman was left standing there, her hand resting uneasily at her side as if she was not sure what to do with it. As the elevator's doors closed, House mouthed, "Call me." He was serious, if her husband decided to crash on them before they even ever got his blood work then she should call him.