Author's Note: As always, thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate them, even if I am always a bit anxious whenI see there is a new review waiting for me to read. I've been busy lately and not writing as much, but hopefully I will be having more time to write soon.
Chapter 15: Social skills
Kate's transition has been smooth at the hospital. She has a predictable schedule: every morning she is up by 6am for a three mile run. When she's done. she returns to Cuddy's house to shower. Then she has a light breakfast and surfs the internet for news and weather. As she is cleaning up her breakfast dishes, Cuddy is just waking up for her morning run. They usually chat for a few moments while Cuddy stretches. Once Cuddy leaves, Kate gets dressed and then heads to the hospital.
Kate arrives at the hospital close to an hour before Cameron does. Kate spends that hour catching up on her work email from Seattle. Once Cameron arrives at the office, they go through the mail together and answer it. Cameron was slightly uncomfortable with Kate helping at first, but she now appreciates the help since mail duty takes her about half the time it used to. Kate encourages Cameron to use her new-found time to catch up on journal articles or to work on her article. On mornings that there is little mail, Kate will read and critique Cameron's journal article draft.
Once Foreman and Chase arrive, they discuss any open cases or work on a new case. While Kate's interaction style isn't nearly as abrasive as House's, she still challenges the ducklings and argues their suggestions. The ducklings get along well with her and have yet to utter anything about missing House.
Kate usually has lunch with Wilson in the cafeteria, and if Cuddy isn't too busy, she will join them. Several of the other doctors tease Wilson about his new "best friend". Wilson takes the teasing in stride and admits that Kate is easier on the eyes than House.
Kate has been working for close to three weeks without any problems. She is sitting at House's desk, reviewing medical files for a current patient while listening to her iPod. Chase is in the clinic working his hours, Cameron is in the lab running tests and Foreman is monitoring their patient.
House is wandering the halls of PPTH after his first on-site physical therapy session. Cuddy and Wilson had arranged for him to have the first few session at his home. House is cranky and aching from the exercises that he was forced to endure the session. He is looking for Wilson to complain to, but Wilson is not in his office. House is walking past his office to the elevator when he realizes Kate is alone in his office. He quietly opens the door and walks into the office. Kate doesn't hear him since she is listening to the iPod earbuds. House smacks the desk with his cane and Kate falls out of the chair and hits the floor with a thump.
House laughs. He knows he should be hurrying to the elevator before Kate gets up, but he is clutching his side laughing. Kate yanks the earbuds out of her ears and pulls herself up. She gives House a dirty look and then slugs him in the arm. "You asshole! That wasn't funny!"
House snickers and rubs the spot on his arm that she hit. "Ow! You can't walk around hitting cripples."
"What do you want?"
House sits in his desk chair. "You looked lonely." He starts to thumb through the file on the desk. Kate snatches the file away. "I was looking at that."
Kate closes the file and tucks it under her arm. "You're on leave. You aren't supposed to be looking at that. What are you doing here anyways?"
House picks up the tennis ball on the desk and starts tossing it in the air. "I just finished my PT and I'm looking for Wilson so he can drive me home."
Kate grabs the tennis ball in mid-air. "And as you can see, he isn't in here. So move along."
House incredulously says "You're kicking me out of my own office?"
Kate nods. "Yup. Go wait in Wilson's office. I'm busy."
"I could help you out with that case."
Kate laughs at him. "First of all, I don't need your help with this. Secondly, you never want to do any actual work, so I know you really just want to irritate me. Which won't work, because I am already irritated with you. So, consider your mission accomplished and go wait in Wilson's office."
House stands up and moves in front of Kate, blocking her from going back to the desk. He stares down at her and says "Well, if you don't need help with the case, I assume it's too simple for me to bother with."
Kate smirks. "Are you accusing me of taking on easy cases, Dr. House?"
"Are you?"
"Nope."
"Prove it. Let me see the case file."
"Nope." Kate stares up at House. He puts on his meanest look, but she isn't swayed. They finally break the stare to look at Cameron, who is standing in the doorway and clearing her throat.
Cameron asks "Am I interrupting something here?"
"Nope. I was just reminding Dr. House that he is on a leave of absence and does not have to worry about looking at case files."
Cameron slightly smiles at House. He spies some papers in her hands and demands "What are those? Lab results? Let me see them." Cameron's smile falters.
Kate interjects "Dr. Cameron, do not give him those lab results."
House steps towards Cameron and says "Cameron, I'm your boss. Give me those results." Cameron looks as though she is about to waver when Kate jumps between House and Cameron and places a restraining hand on House's chest. She turns to Cameron and holds her hand out.
"Dr. Cameron, I'm currently your boss and he is not. If you give him those results, I'll suspend you for a week with no pay. Now give me the lab results, please."
Cameron blinks in surprise. She looks from House's stern look to Kate's firm look. She is torn about who to give the lab results to. She is saved from making a decision but Cuddy walking in.
Cuddy shakes her head and asks "What the hell is going on here? House, I told you to stay out of this office while you're on your leave of absence. And I don't even want to know why you are shoving House away, Kowal."
Kate holds her ground. "Give me those lab results, Cameron."
House says "Give them to me. I'll let her see them when I'm done."
Cuddy sighs in exasperation and snatches the lab file out of Cameron's hand. She says "Dr. Cameron, go back to whatever you are working on while I deal with these two."
Cameron quickly hurries out of the lab and down the hall. Once she leaves, Cuddy turns on the two doctors in front of her. "House! What did I tell you? No butting in while Kate is in charge. If you're feeling that much better, you can go work down in the Clinic and start making up some of the hours you owe me. And Kate! You're the last person I expected to be shoving House around! Did you forget he's recuperating from gunshot wounds? The last thing I need is for him to re-injure himself and not be able to work when your time is up here!"
House and Kate both start complaining to Cuddy about the other one at the same time. They are trying to talk over each other. Cuddy holds up her hand and shouts "ENOUGH!" House and Kate fall silent. "Ok, House, you first."
House sticks his tongue out at Kate and then launches into his tale of woe. "Cuddy, she's being a big meanie. All I wanted was to look at the file and see what kind of cases they're working on, but she wouldn't let me see it. And then she told Cameron that she would suspend her for a week with no pay if she gave me the lab results for they case they're working on."
Cuddy sighs. "Finished?" House nods. Cuddy looks at Kate.
Kate calmly says "He conveniently left out the part about how he snuck up on me while I was listening to my iPod and scared me so badly that I fell out of the desk chair. I told him he could not see the file because he is on leave and there was no reason for him to see the file. When Dr. Cameron came in to show me the lab results, he demanded to see them and I said no. I reminded Dr. Cameron that I am her boss right now and not him. He made a move as though he was going to grab the results from her, so I got between him and her and shoved him out of the way."
Cuddy looks at them. She says "House, I know you are waiting on Wilson to give you a ride home. He had an emergency with a patient and wanted me to let you know that you could wait in his office and he would be back as soon as he can. Go to his office now." House starts to protest and Cuddy raises her voice. "This isn't open to discussion! GO!"
House stomps off to Wilson's office, muttering some comment about how middle-aged women shouldn't dress like teenaged girls. Cuddy fixes a glare on Kate. "Honestly, did you have to shove him?" She hands the lab results to Kate.
Kate says "He brought it on himself. He knows he isn't supposed to be butting in with unsolicited advice. If I have to ask him a question, I will. But that hasn't happened yet."
Cuddy rubs her temple. "I'm not in the mood for this today."
"Like I was? Face it, that man can be a holy terror when he wants to be. He's probably stir crazy from being home and now that he is finally back in public, he is acting like an idiot. He is out of practice with his social skills."
Cuddy turns and heads for the door. "He doesn't have social skills." Cuddy leaves the office.
