Chapter Four: Symptoms

(All medical terms and such where found in the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide)

"What happened?"

"Cameron was just taking a medical history, one might I add you didn't even bother with." Foreman answered in his moderately irritated tone. House limped back and forth in his office in an equally, if not more so, irritated manner then Foremans' tone.

"Oh, it wasn't important at the time." He said dismissively.

"Medical histories are extremely important, how else are we supposed to know if he's allergic to something or has some other disease we failed to detect?"

"Like I always say, patients lie," House said, once again, dismissively, "So what symptoms is he showing?"

"Well," Chase answered, "He's mentioned being abnormally tired."

"All right," House hobbled over to a white board and picked up a marker, "tired," he scribbled on the board, "What else?"

The three doctors looked at each other with unsure expressions; House sighed and interrupted their silence,

"Come on people, nobody was watching him? If tired is his only symptom we can diagnose him with lack of sleep and prescribe sleeping pills."

"After running a few more blood tests we've discovered that the disease he's carrying has mutated." Foreman said finally.

"Mutated? How?"

"We're not sure what it's capable of now, but its' structure has changed and so has it's molecular build."

"So, we test it." House said, he started for the door.

"How?" Cameron asked.

"Don't know," House said stopping at the door, "That's why I have you guys." He then left.

"Great," Foreman huffed, "How does he expect us to determine what this disease can do now?"

"I think we should proceed with our original plan and move the boy to a clean room." Chase stated.

"I agree, this way the possibility of discovering the new symptoms with the new disease is greater." Cameron nodded.

"And how do we do that?" Foreman stated, "The disease transfers to different people through touch remember."

"Well, with it mutated, perhaps it passes between people a different way." Chase said.

"What, you mean through the air? That would be a problem now wouldn't it?" Foreman huffed.

"If that's the case," Cameron said, "Then transferring Edward to a clean room won't be a problem or a necessity now would it?"

Foreman was about to retort when suddenly all their beepers went off, they all checked them then looked up at each other.

"It's House." Chase said.

"And it's about the boy." Foreman added.

"He want to see him?" Cameron questioned. They all quickly left; they made their way hastily towards Edwards' room. When they arrived, they found House standing in the doorway as if blocking it.

"What's going on?" Chase asked upon arrival.

"It would seem our young friend has another symptom." House said pointing. They all looked into the room and found that Ed was slowly walking around the room, he was muttering things under his breath and to himself, he would occasionally glance up at the door then back to the floor. Then suddenly he shouted,

"Do you know who I am? You have n…no right keeping me cooped up here." Ed then walked over to a wall and clapped his hands, "I am…the FullMetal Alchemist…I'll just…make a door." He touched the wall and nothing happened.

"That would mark his twenty-first attempt at…whatever it is he's trying to do." House said simply.

"Shut up! Stupid colonel, why don't ya stick the leash up my…" he was interrupted by tripping on the edge of the bed and landing with a loud thud on the floor, "Ow!"

"Delusions?" Chase asked.

"Possibly Hallucinations as well." Cameron added.

"Which indicates a problem with the brain." Foreman also added, "Possibly psychosis."

"But so sudden?" House questioned, he watched as Ed slowly hobbled back to his feet.

"There are some thought disorders that develop around his age." Cameron said.

"Exactly, like, Schizophrenia or Brief Reactive Psychosis." Foreman added, "He seems to be showing symptoms for both."

"But so SUDDEN?" House questioned again.

"Brief Reactive Psychosis often affects young people, usually teens and young adults. It's a common reaction to physical or sexual abuse, death of a family member or loved one, war, disaster." Foreman continued.

"He did mention losing his mother when he was eleven." Cameron mentioned.

"And this colonel he mentioned, could be an abusive father." Chase added.

"I…am the famous FullMetal Alchemist! Hero of the people…living legend…" Eds' words would slur slightly but he was still understandable, sort of.

"FullMetal Alchemist? What does he mean by that?" Chase asked.

"He mentioned something about alchemy when I took his medical history. I didn't think much of it." Cameron said.

"And why not?" House snapped, "You know what, Dr. Chase, since you asked, you can go and do some research on alchemy."

"What? Now?"

"Yes right now, now go, you've got work to do." House said shooing him away, "Now, what about the schizophrenia?"

"Well, it also develops in the teen years and, though not as common, it can occur suddenly even though it is a gradual process." Foreman answered.

"So, he's either crazy for a month or crazy from the rest of his life?" House said.

"He's not crazy." Cameron glared.

"No, he's not," House agreed, "But, the disease is making it seem that way."

"Huh?"

"According to the medical history, the boy is as healthy as a horse, save for the fact that he's a walking plague. Now, he's showing symptoms for two types of psychosis, I believe the disease no longer 'needs' a carrier and thus will dispose of him."

"What!"

"Are you even following me?" House rolled his eyes, "It's going to kill him, if it's brief reactive psychosis then it'll go away after a month or so leaving him either sad or edgy. But, if it were schizophrenia, well, we'd have a bigger problem. He could really hurt himself."

"Wow, you know you actually sound kind of worried about the kid." Foreman accused.

"You should be too," House retorted mockingly, "Here let me see that blood test." Foreman handed House the folder and he flipped it open, after a brief moment of reading he smirked and said,

"It most definitely is now an air borne bacteria, and will become so IF he dies."

Edward hobbled over and wrapped his arms around Cameron; he had an almost protective glare in his eyes as he looked at Foreman and House,

"Leave her alone…she's a good doctor…"

Cameron had a shocked and almost scared look on her face, he'd touched her, she glanced over at House who had raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"What should I do?" she asked.

"You don't have to do anything, he'll only get contagious when he dies."

"How did you come up with all this so fast?" Foreman asked.

"A magician never reveals his secrets little boy."

-To Be Continued-

You know…I haven't mentioned anything about the Vikodin yet! Eep! That's what makes up who House is! He needs his Vikodin! Oh and, I needn't offend anyone with my discriptions of the different physcosis's (whoa tongue twister there) mentioned, like if a family member has it or something. I'm not mocking or trying to be rude or anything, if that's the case though I do apologize. I have ta say this because I don't want to offend anyone and it's really not a laughing matter and such…yeah…ok now I'm getting my words all mixed up so I'm done now! If there are any questions, comments, critiques, don't hesitate to pm me (that's if it's a long question, comment, or critiques) if it's short then a review is fine.