Author's Note: Thanks for the kind reviews.I do read them and appreciate them.I can't seem to helpwriting in the present tense; for me personally, it flows much better. It is just the way my brain is wired.I am also trying to make sure I use more contractionsin my dialogue. I hadn't even realized that I was making the dialogue so formal. And I know that many of you are House/Cam shippers. I could completely get on that boat if they Cameron was written more consistently on the show.
I have been busy with life in general, so I haven't been writing as much, but I shall try harder. And I still don't own House.
Chapter 8: The deal
Cuddy and Wilson walk back to his office. Cuddy asks how Kate is holding up.
"Well," Wilson says, "She was mad as a hatter when she came down. I don't know what House said to her, but she was ready to throttle him for it."
"What do you think about Kate covering for House while he recuperates?"
Wilson shrugs. "Kate is perfect for the job, but I don't know if she would do it."
Cuddy sighs. "It's a long shot. But maybe I can convince her. She will keep House in the loop, which means House won't be trying to butt in and focus on getting better. If the ketamine worked, he is going to have to go through a lot of physical therapy to learn how to walk without hurting himself."
Wilson opens the door to his office. Kate is sitting behind his desk, playing solitaire on the computer. She glances up at Wilson and Cuddy and then focuses her attention back on the computer. She tonelessly says "I'm leaving tomorrow."
Cuddy sits in the chair across from Kate. "I have a proposition for you." Kate continues playing solitaire. Cuddy says "Would you run House's department for the next three months? You'll get his salary, plus an attractive signing bonus if you will cover his position while he is recuperating. I'll also smooth things over with your boss in Seattle so you can take a leave of absence. Just think about how nice 'Head of Diagnostics' will look on your resume come raise-time."
Kate coldly says "House put you up to this."
Cuddy lies. "No, he didn't. I just thought it was a good opportunity for you to spend some time out east, beefing up your resume while spending time with some very good friends you rarely get to see." Kate stops clicking the mouse but continues to stare at the screen. "It would be really great to work together again, Kate."
Wilson chimes in. "You can help me find a new girlfriend." Cuddy incredulously looks at Wilson. "I mean, I have a lot of free time on my hands now that I'm getting divorced. We could hang out."
Kate bites the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at Wilson's earnest attempts to convince her to stay. She solemnly asks Wilson "Can we watch lots of chick flicks while you do my nails?"
Wilson visibly gulps. "Um, sure?"
Kate's gaze turns to Cuddy. "How often will I have to deal with House?"
"I think a half hour status meeting once a week is plenty. I'll facilitate the meeting in my office so you don't have to put up with him on your own. You'll have unlimited access to his office and the hospital facilities while you are here."
Kate firmly says "I'm not making up any of his backlog of clinic hours."
Cuddy concurs. "I'll only require three hours a week of clinic duty from you."
"If I can get my boss to approve a leave of absence for me, I'll do it." Kate glances at her watch. "Wilson, can I borrow your phone to give her a call? She may be in the office still."
Wilson nods. "Of course. We'll be out on the balcony if you need anyone to vouch for you." Wilson leads Cuddy to the balcony as Kate picks up the phone. He makes sure the door shuts before he speaks. "That was entirely too easy."
Cuddy smiles. "She had already made her decision. I think she was interested in how I was going to make my appeal."
Wilson glances in his office at Kate. "Doesn't that bother you?"
Cuddy shakes her head. "Of course not. I do the same thing. And if I know Kate, she is only calling to confirm her leave of absence, not request it. I bet she made arrangements for it before we even got down here."
"But… why is she so resistant to covering for House?"
Cuddy just smiles at Wilson and pats his arm. "Because she is just as difficult as House. Why do you think they fell so hard for each other?"
Wilson looks incredulous. Cuddy gazes at the hospital grounds. Kate suddenly pokes her head out the door and says "With a few promises and lies, I managed to get my boss to agree. She'll need an offer letter for her files from you, Lisa."
Lisa nods. "When can you start?"
Kate thinks for a moment. "I need to go back to Seattle and get my personal affairs in order. I need to find a place to stay here. I'm going to need a few days to get settled in."
Wilson says "You can stay at my place."
Kate shakes her head. "I appreciate the offer, but I can't sleep on that crappy IKEA bed for the next three months. Besides, you're taking the first steps back into bachelorhood. I don't want to cramp your style."
Cuddy says "Then you can stay at my house. You already have a key. You can stay in the back bedroom that you like."
Kate slowly nods. "Ok. You'll let me help out with utilities and such, right?"
Cuddy agrees. "And I'll make room in the fridge for your groceries."
Kate says "Well, let me see when I can get a flight back to Seattle."
Cuddy says "The hospital will pay for your flight. I'll book a flight for you for tomorrow morning. In the meantime, get some rest. Or go through House's files in his office. Before you leave for Seattle, I want you to meet with House's staff."
Kate nods. "I think I'll check out the new office. Do you mind if we stay a bit longer, Wilson?"
"Of course not. I can finish up my patient files while you nose through his office."
Cuddy briskly says "Then I will go get that flight booked for late tomorrow morning. I'll bring by the boarding passes once I get them printed out."
Kate nods and heads for House's office. Wilson goes to his desk and opens a file and Cuddy heads for her office.
Cuddy settles in at her desk and books a flight to Seattle for Kate. The flight will leave at two pm from LaGuardia and arrive in Seattle around 7:30 pm. Once she has printed off the boarding passes, she goes to visit House.
House is flipping through his medical chart again. He looks up at Cuddy and says "I think it worked. I cranked the morphine down and while I have pain in my side and my neck, I don't have any pain in my leg."
Cuddy smiles in amazement. "House, that's great. Now listen to me, don't be doing anything stupid until you get used to walking with your right leg."
House makes a face. "Bullet wounds really don't make a person want to run laps around the ICU wing. Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything stupid to jeopardize this." Cuddy holds up the boarding passes. House raises an eyebrow "Oh darling, a romantic getaway for when I get better?"
Cuddy rolls her eyes. "Hardly. Kate agreed to cover your job for the next three months. This is her plane ticket home."
"Call me dumb, but how is she going to cover my job if you are sending her back to Seattle?"
"She needs to get her affairs in order. She'll be back in a few days."
"Where is she staying?"
"Kate is going to stay at my house. There is no point in her renting a place since she won't be here long enough for a short term lease."
House nods. "She doesn't need to be staying with Wilson. He'll try to bed and wed her if she stays at his place."
Cuddy closely studies him. "Why would that matter to you?"
"I don't want my best friend getting hurt by my ex-viper."
Cuddy's eyes narrow. "I don't want mybest friend getting hurt by your philandering best friend." House folds his arms across his chest and glares at Cuddy. She ignores his childish gesture and says "I will introduce your staff to their interim boss tomorrow morning. And keep in mind that I expect you to not interfere with her decisions while she is covering your job. Furthermore, if you decide you want to come back to work before your three months are up, you will only be allowed to work in the Clinic. She has made a commitment to three months and therefore I am making sure she has employment for the next three months."
House makes a face. "What if she asks for my help with a case?"
Cuddy laughs incredulously. "We will handle that bridge if and when we have to cross it."
House nods as if he is in agreement with what she has said. He asks "So, you are my attending physician now?"
"I am. Nobody else was willing to put up with you, well, except for Cameron, but I want her to focus on her job."
House looks past Cuddy to the hallway. She turns and sees that Cameron, Chase and Foreman are all standing there, looking into House's room. She beckons them into the room. Cameron comes in first, followed by Foreman and Chase. House says "Cuddy, I don't think you need them to diagnose a bullet wound."
Cuddy shakes her head. She glances over the ducklings and says "You can keep him entertained. I have things to do." Cuddy leaves the room.
Cameron speaks first. "How are you feeling?"
House puts his index finger upper to the corner of his mouth and gazes at the ceiling. "Hmmm. It kinds of feels like… hmmm… what is that called? Oh yeah! It feels like I've been shot!"
Chase rolls his eyes and Foreman laughs. Foreman says "I'm glad to see that sun-shiny personality wasn't affected."
House sarcastically says "Oh, you know me, Foreman. I just ooze sunshine and happiness everywhere I go."
Chase glances out in the hallway and then looks back at House. "Where's your ex?"
House innocently says "Stacy is here?"
Cameron pointedly says "No, your other ex. Kate."
House nods as though he is not surprised. "Ah, you found out. Have you all met her yet?"
Foreman says "Cameron is the only one who has met her so far. Chase saw her."
"House, how did you manage to hook up with someone that good looking?" Chase asks.
"What can I say? I have a way with the ladies." House gives Chase a dirty look. "Hey, wait, was that an insult?"
Chase shrugs and says "If the shoe fits…"
Foreman asks the million dollar question. "So, of all the people you could possibly ask for, why did you ask for you ex-wife?"
House replies "Didn't you see her? She's hot. Who wouldn't want to wake up to that?" Foreman gives him a dirty look. House continues "I see that you don't like that answer. Fine. I asked for her so she could run the show while I recover." The ducklings stare at House in shock. "What? She is a good doctor; almost as good as me. And I can trust her not to get the department shut down because she enjoys getting alimony checks from me."
Cameron asks "And she agreed to this?"
"Yup. I think Cuddy is planning on making formal introductions tomorrow. You have my permission to play all the pranks you want on the substitute teacher while I'm out. Putting tacks in her seat, answering to the wrong name, stealing her lunch, you name it; it's fair game."
The head nurse for the ICU pokes her head in and says "Dr. Cuddy said all visitors need to leave now so Dr. House can get some rest. You can come back in the morning."
The ducklings wordlessly file out of the room and head home.
