Infertility Wars

Disclaimer: Sometimes I wish I owned Hugh Laurie's brain. It's got to be more impressive than Einstein's. But, alas, I own nothing. Not nobody, not no one, not no how. And all that jazz.

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Chapter Five

Bad Medicine

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House flipped through the hospital's copy of People magazine. He had been in the clinic since ten this morning and he would be free at one. He figured a little stargazing would fill up his remaining eighteen minutes.

As soon as he he had flipped to the Jessica Alba story, a knock came to his door. He rolled his eyes and threw the magazine onto the counter.

"What?" he called, waiting to hear Drew's voice on the other side.

"Dr. House?"

Well, it wasn't Drew. "Yeah?"

"Can we come in?"

"Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin."

The door opened and a man and a woman stood at the doorframe. They looked strangely familiar, but House really didn't care. He leaned back in his chair, folded his hands, and looked up at them blankly.

"Remember us?"

"Nope." House answered truthfully. "But I'm going to bet that your last name just might happen to be Thewlis."

"We came to tell you personally that we are going to see this through." Lady Thewlis said. She even seemed a little pissed off.

House yawned, then shook his head. "You came all the way here to tell me that?"

"You bet your ass, we did." Husband Thewlis spoke.

"I... what?" House squinted his eyes in confusion. "Bet your ass? What kind of saying is that? Is that supposed to frighten me?" He stood up and sighed. "Because as you can see, I'm shaking in my cowboy boots."

"Laugh all you want," the woman said. "You just wait until Hank Bomar shows up and runs you right out of this hellhole."

"I'm positively giddy. Make sure he comes in right when I've started my clinic hours, okay?" House limped to the door and shoved past the Thewlis'.

"Don't you walk away from us!" The husband called out.

House made his way to the nurse's desk and signed himself out. Looking up at the clock, he realized he had about ten more minutes until he was supposed to sign out. He scratched out his name and placed the clipboard back down. He could handle a little bit more of the Thewlis family.

"You're a coward!" Screamed the woman.

On second thought, he would rather handle Cuddy. Not that he couldn't take them; they just were obviously stupid enough to not realize that he was using the silent treatment on them. Maybe they would realize it soon. As he picked the clipboard back up to resign his name, he started humming.

"And a bad doctor!"

He laughed inwardly at the husband's lame attempt at trying to hurt his feelings. House sniffed out of boredom and started towards the elevator. They were going to have to be pretty clever if they were going to even get his attention. Bad doctor... ha! Like he hadn't been called a bad doctor before.

Amateurs.

"You're probably an Atheist too!"

"Ma'am, I'm going to have to escort you out." House looked over his shoulder. It was one of the nurses. "You're upsetting the other patients."

"Get your hands off my wife!"

Another nurse joined the fray. "Sir, you are going to have to calm down."

Before House could really focus his gaze, an officer of the law had also joined. The cop grabbed Husband Thewlis and started him towards the door, while the two nurses had grabbed Lady Thewlis. House waved at them, as they continued to spout their lame curses.

Shaking his head, he continued to the elevator. He heard a ding, which meant it had already opened on this floor. He pushed himself to go a little faster; or else he'd be waiting for ten minutes. When he had the elevator in sight, he saw Dr. Drew step inside the elevator.

Jesus, he thought. She probably saw the whole thing. Then the door started to close.

"Hold it!" he called. The door kept closing. He reached it just in time to pry apart the doors, stepping inside he looked Drew up and down and said, "Thank you."

There were two other people inside the elevator and they were all looking at House. He was sure that they had all heard, maybe even seen, the little tussle involving the Thewlis'. However, nothing was said as the elevator stopped and Drew stepped past House to get off.

"You liked that didn't you?" House asked as she cleared the door.

Drew stopped and turned around. "Are you talking to me?"

House stepped off, he did after all have some time to spare. "No, I'm talking to Stuart Little. Of course I'm talking to you."

"I'm late and I have to go." Drew turned around and started walking down the hall.

"Oh, no," House started after her, realizing that they were headed for the Neonatal Unit. "I think if you weren't so caught up in your southern hospitality values that you would have jumped right in with those crazies."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Drew said.

"Yes you do."

"No, I don't." Drew slowed her pace, but still continued on her way. "And I don't care what it is."

"You're not a good liar," said House.

"Okay, fine." She stopped completely this time, causing House to nearly bump into her. "Maybe I did see those two people, but I didn't say one thing, did I?"

"You thought a few things, though." House said as he arched an eyebrow.

"So, what if I did?"

"See?" House mused. "I was right."

"Hey," Drew sighed, "How about a deal? You can annoy me in the clinic tomorrow."

"Nah," House shrugged. "I think now is okay. You didn't want to let me on the elevator."

"I wasn't close to the buttons!"

"You could have reached."

"Is that what this is all about? Because you were this close," she held her index finger and her thumb about an inch apart, "to having to wait for the next elevator?"

"It might be," he shrugged.

Drew huffed and continued down the hall. A nurse handed her a file and she thanked her. House looked to his right and saw about five babies in little incubators and three babies with tubes sticking out of every orifice.

He was about to follow her inside the little room when she turned to face him. "I don't know what your major malfunction is, but I seriously don't want you in here with the babies. You might... infect them with your... emotional retardation. Or something."

"Wouldn't want that to happen, would we?" House said as he waited by the door.

"Whatever."

House watched as Drew flipped open the file and went to one of the babies with an oxygen mask over its face. She was checking the monitor and the baby's BP when a harsh beeping came from across the room. House looked over to see a baby going into cardiac arrest.

House stepped in the room and looked down at the baby.

"House, hand me the defibrillator," cried Drew as she hurriedly ran past him to the baby and applied a thin layer of gel on its chest. "House!"

House turned on the machine and handed her the two electrodes. She looked at the monitor, then looked at House, "Charging. Clear."

Nothing happened.

"Charging. Clear."

Again nothing happened. She waited a couple seconds.

"Charging," she said. "Come on, third time's the charm. Clear."

Nothing.

"Charging," she said as she glanced at the clock. "Clear."

Drew sighed. The monitor didn't even show signs of the baby responding. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment, looked back up at the clock, then handed the electrodes back to House. He immediately put them up and turned off the machine. When he turned back to face her, Drew looked disoriented.

"Do you see where the files are?" she asked quietly.

House went to the door and saw the basket filled with files. "Name?"

"Um... Norris."

"Here," House handed her the file. "13:12."

"I know," she said. Drew sighed again, shook her head, then jotted down the time of death. House thought he saw her eyes misting up.

"You know," she said suddenly, "this one had the best chance of living out of all of them."

"It happens," House shrugged. "Mistakes happen."

"I didn't think I made a mistake. She was having arrhythmias and I started her on the lowest dosage possible of quinidine."

"The risk with antiarrhythmic drugs are very high-"

"Don't patronize me. I've used quinidine with most of the babies under my care that have had arrhythmias. It should have helped."

House crossed over to the dead baby and looked at the monitor. He unplugged it and was about to press the button for a nurse, when he noticed something.

"Quinidine?"

"Yeah," sniffed Drew.

"Let me see that file," House crossed over to Drew and took the file from her hand.

"Those poor people. She was their only shot at having their own family." Drew sighed. "I told them she was going to live a long, healthy life. I can't believe this..."

"Putting a baby on the wrong medicine can really put a damper on some plans." House tapped on the file. "That's one thing about you that you do right, you chart."

"You're saying this is my fault?"

"No," House said. "You clearly wrote quinidine. But, Nursie Kim gave her quinine. Never trust a nurse to do what you can do for yourself. That's where you messed up."

"What?" Drew yanked the file from House.

"It's not on the file. She wrote down quinidine too, but the medicine bag sings a different tune." House said, pointing his cane back towards the baby.

Drew cleared the room in a matter of seconds as she looked at the medicine bag. It clearly said quinine. She dropped the bag and exited the room.

House watched as Drew went to the desk and grabbed the attention of a nurse. When the two started back towards the baby room, House quickly moved out of the way.

"You gave this baby quinine." Drew said, calmly.

"If it's on the chart, yes."

"It's not on the chart."

"Then why am I here?"

"I clearly wrote quinidine, you gave Baby Norris quinine." Drew grabbed the nurse by the arm and took her to the dead baby. "See that? That's quinine, not quinidine."

House watched as the nurse's eyes lit up in horror.

"Do you realize that now I have to go and tell two happy parents that their baby just died?"

"I-I-" Nursie Kim faltered.

"Get out of this room. Now."

The nurse hurriedly left the room in tears, with Drew following close behind her.

"I'm s-s-sorry..." The nurse's sobs filled the hall as Drew took out her pager. "What a-are y-you... doing?"

"Making sure you'll never work in this hospital again." Drew spat at her. "You know that baby's parents tried for five years before they had her."

"Stop it!" The nurse screamed.

"I'LL STOP WHEN THAT BABY IS ALIVE AN-"

House watched as the nurse slapped Drew clean across the face. "I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"

There is always an all-over intake of breath and then an immediate hush after someone has just hit someone else. House looked at the scene of nurses who were in complete shock at seeing one of their own slap a doctor. Drew was against a wall, from the force of the slap. She hadn't fallen, but she had been taken completely off-guard.

Drew placed a hand to her cheek and glared at the nurse. Before Drew could retaliate another nurse had grabbed Drew and pulled her away from Nursie Kim. Drew then started to laugh.

"You hear that? She didn't mean to. Well, then, I'll make sure to tell the parents that. They won't even bother about the malpractice suit now, will they?"

House looked towards another nurse who had picked up the phone. She was either calling security or was paging Cuddy. Either way, this was about to get even more exciting.

"The Norris' will probably never have their own child again. All because you can't read a simple word."

"I said I was sorry!"

"Don't tell me!" Drew shook her head, House thought he saw her eyes misting again. "Tell the lawyers when you get sued!"

"That's enough!"

House looked up, it was Cuddy. Damn, she was quick.

"Dr. Cuddy - I didn't - I mean - it was an accident - I swear!" The nurse started to bawl and Cuddy sighed heavily.

"Let her go," Cuddy motioned for the nurse to free Drew. "Now what happened?"

Drew jerked her arm free from the nurse. She straightened her lab coat and took in a deep, calming breath. "She killed a baby."

House was slightly confused at how calm Drew sounded. Especially after what all had just happened.

"You killed a baby?" Cuddy looked shocked.

"She gave it the wrong medicine," said Drew.

Cuddy's eyes widened and she looked around the hallway. When her eyes stopped on House she seemed slightly suspicious at his being there, but she said nothing.

"Well, we're going to have to file a report on this." Cuddy said, finally. "Dr. Drew, I think you need to inform the family."

House watched as Drew nodded her head and went around the corner. When she had left, there was really nothing left to watch. Cuddy was consoling the nurse and House didn't like all the touchy-feely stuff happening around him. He headed straight for the elevator.

x x x x x

"Family asked for an autopsy, what with the questionable nature of what happened." Wilson said, plainly.

"I'm so glad you are in all of these high profile committees," said House as he looked up from the television. Soap operas ruled his life, for sure. "I would never know what was going on here without you."

"I'm sure you'd find other ways of getting gossip." Wilson rolled his eyes. "You know, you could be in a few committees if you actually cared about anything but your own department."

"My department is all that matters."

"I'm not having this fight with you."

"A'right," said House. "Now, are you really going to miss Natasha running in on her best friend and fiancé getting down and dirty in the backyard hammock?"

"No."

Wilson hurried over to sit on the side of House's desk. For a few seconds they watched the show. Right when it was getting to the good drama, a knock came from outside of House's office.

House looked over, then looked back at his television set, then just as quickly as he looked back; he returned his attention to his door. There, dressed in the most expensive suit money could buy, was Hank Bomar.

House cut off the television.

"Hey!" Wilson cried.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," said House, pulling Wilson towards him so that only he could hear. "Show that guy in on your way out."

"What? Why?"

"I'll explain later," said House.

Wilson did as he was told and opened the door for Bomar. Bomar didn't even say thank you, but Wilson was already walking away.

"If it isn't Greg House," Bomar straightened his jacket as he walked across the room. "Nice cane, Ho."

"Gee, Bo, I didn't think you'd notice." House sat down in his chair and looked up at Hank Bomar. He hadn't changed a bit. He still had that crooked nose, brown eyes, and jet-black hair. It was too bad it wasn't slicked back, or else House could pretend that Bomar was in the mafia. Bomar was also pretty short as far as men came. Only 5'5" or so.

"I always notice cripples."

"I'm not crippled," House challenged. "I just pretend so that I can get discounts at Ross on Tuesdays." There was a pause. House loved pauses, it meant that the other person couldn't find the right words. "It also multitasks. On weekends it's my pimp cane." He twirled it around, just for the hell of it.

"Aren't you going to ask me to sit down?" Bomar asked, crossing his arms.

"Nah," House shrugged. "I don't want you dirtying my chairs."

"Me? Dirty your filthy, diseased chairs?"

"A second ago you wanted to sit in them." House arched an eyebrow in curiousity. "What changed in a matter of two seconds? You suddenlyrealize thatI work in a hospital, or something?"

Bomar huffed impatiently, then sat down gingerly and crossed his legs. "Can't we just make nice for a few minutes?"

House remembered him more of a hand-talker, it seemed that Bomar had toned that down a bit. "Why? So you can ask me nicely to sign a few things?"

"No," Bomar said. "I just need to tell you about how things are going to go."

"You're excited about this part. I can tell by all of the drooling." House emptied his cup of pens and slid the cup towards Bomar. "Drool cup. Comes in handy sometimes."

"When I'm through with you, you'll never work in any of the 50 states." Bomar continued, like House hadn't said a thing.

"But I can go to Russia, though, right?"

"I know a guy in Russian politics-"

"I know this one... his name is either Olaf or Vladimir."

"I think Denis Timofeyev would probably keep you out of Russia, too."

"Ooh! Foaming at the mouth. Maybe we should check for rabies."

"You still think you're funny, Ho."

"And you still think people like to hear your opinions, Bo."

Bomar chuckled and shook his head. "House?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Well, there it is, but I'm game for another."

"You hate me. Don't you?"

"Is this one of those tricks of yours? You're going to make me promise to lie in court without my knowing it, aren't you?"

"I might be..." Bomar eyed House carefully. "Answer my question first."

"Well, I hate all people equally," said House. He loathed this man in front of him, though. He definitely took the cake of all things hated. "Ask my staff. They'll tell you all about my juicy secrets. Keep your grubby paws off my token black guy, though. He's my favorite."

Bomar's eyes widened considerably. House knew that he had hit a nerve.

"A black doctor?"

"Yeah," said House, surprised. "Did you know that they can vote now, too? Hell, I know a black man runnin' for president. I think he might even be taking over for Bush for the Republicans."

"You hired this black doctor?"

House couldn't hold back his sarcasm. "Yassir, I's did. Shawly you un'nerstan', sir?"

"That's disgusting."

"Well, he was going to gang up on me and bust a cap in my ass. I had to hire him."

Bomar gave House a look of pure hatred and disgust, all mixed together nicely and tied in pink ribbon.

"You know," House continued. "I always thought you'd grow out of that." House couldn't help but smile as Bomar's face turned a dashing shade of lobster red. Bomar had always been sensitive about his height.

Bomar stood up and straightened his million-dollar suit. "The next time you see me, Nigger-lover, will be in court."

"I simply can't wait."

x x x x x

After Thoughts: I cannot stand Bomar. Just so we're all completely clear. He's everything I despise in a person. All he cares about is money, vanity, and being a racist pig. I can't think of a worse combination.

Sorry for the longer wait on this chapter. I had to redo a couple bits here and there. This is a real turning point of this story and I didn't want to make mistakes. I rewrote the baby part about fifteen different times and ways. I don't know if I'll ever be completely happy with it...

Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers! As always, if you read... review.

Look forward to Chapter Six entitled:

Areflexia