making…
Opening
The silver-haired man closed his eyes and opened them again. The world was still a blur. It felt like his head was going to split in two. He tried to see the names of the headache medications on the shelf, but his eyes refused to distinguish the words. The pain was getting out of control and he could barely keep from shivering.
'Hey mister.'
He turned his head in the direction of the voice.
It was a concerned Hispanic face – one of the drugstore-assistants. 'Mister, are you okay? You look a little out of it…'
'I feel like crap.'
'Perhaps you should sit do- hey!' He broke off as the man collapsed at his feet. 'Mister? Hey, man, can you hear me?' He looked around. 'Somebody call an ambulance!'
Theme and creditsThe doors of the elevator slid open to reveal the haggard face of doctor Gregory House. He emerged, bag over the shoulder and cane in hand, and walked to his office with his familiar, uncomfortable gait.
There was a girl standing in front of his office.
She turned around at the sound of his irregular footfall.
'Who're you?' he snapped, taking a bottle of pills from his pocket at popping one into his mouth.
'Sam Taylor.'
'Well, Sam Taylor, you're on the wrong floor.' He banged the door open and walked through, calling over his shoulder, 'Clinic's downstairs.'
She followed him inside. 'Thanks for the tip. I'm here for the interview.' He looked at her blankly. 'The fellowship.'
'Sorry, only people who've finished high school are eligible.'
A file landed on his desk. With a sigh he picked it up and flipped through the pages without seeming to see any of them. Sam watched him curiously. If she got this post it would be perfect. He didn't seem the kind who paid much attention to his employees. That would certainly be a welcome bonus.
'Sit down,' he said shortly. He got to his feet, took a Nintendo out of his pocket and handed it to her. 'I'm not good with CV's. Too boring. Get to the next level within five minutes and you're hired.'
He limped to the door on her left and went into the next room. He was making himself some coffee when Cameron, Foreman and Chase walked in.
'Is that the new resident?' Cameron asked, pointing at Sam, who was frowning at the game.
'No, pediatrics was full and I volunteered to babysit.'
'What's she doing?' Foreman wanted to know.
'Playing a videogame, what's it look like?'
'But why?'
'I told her if she can get to the next level she's hired.'
'What!' Cameron exploded. 'You can't be serious. She could be a great doctor and crap at videogames.'
'Too bad.'
'Is she even old enough to drive?' Chase smirked.
'Well asked, tricycle-boy.'
Foreman cleared his throat and pointed over House's shoulder. House turned around to see Sam standing in the doorway. 'Finished.'
House went over to her and grabbed the videogame. 'So what? My five-year-old nephew did it in two minutes. Clinic duty until lunch time.' He made a shooing motion with his hand and she disappeared without so much as a word to anyone. The other three watched her go.
'I thought you were an only child,' Chase remarked with amusement.
'I am.' House downed the last of his coffee. 'Fortunately she doesn't know that.'
'Lunch? But that's four hours away!'
'Oo, Blackie can read the time,' House mocked. 'That's the point. Nobody can survive four hours in the clinic. She'll be out of here in no time.'
'Isn't another member a good thing?' Chase asked. 'More hands, lighter work and all that? We've got the money from that donation from the rich guy we cured a while back. Why not use it?'
'Because I cured him and that means I should get to spend the money on what I want. And I don't want new interns. I'm still busy getting you lot up to scratch.'
'So what, you're going to work her out of here?' Foreman asked.
'Fifty says she's out by the end of the week.'
'Hundred says she stays,' Cameron countered.
House looked at her and his expression turned smug. 'Ooh, the monster of naievety rears its ugly head.' She returned his stare without blinking. 'I love easy money. Hundred it is.'
HHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Sam rolled her head and rubbed her neck.
'You're new, right?' the woman behind the counter asked.
Sam smiled. 'Sam Taylor, pleased to meet you.'
'Same here. Evelyn Smith. Let me guess – you're with Doctor House.'
'Yes…'
'How do I know? That's normally his exam room, this is normally his clinic time and you've been in there a really long time, which means he's trying to get you to do as much as possible while you're still new. You're not from around here. The accent – '
'South Africa,' Sam explained. 'Duty calls.'
She'd been in Exam Room One for almost three hours without a break. The morning's diagnoses had been dull – headcolds, upset stomachs, headaches from wearing the wrong reading glasses and so on. She picked up the file from the counter and walked back to the exam room.
'Mister Jeremiah Hudson?'
The silver-haired man looked up. 'Call me Jerry.'
'Good morning, I'm Doctor Taylor…'
'Did you finish medical school in a week or something? You look a little young.'
Sam smiled. 'Most women would think that's a compliment, so thanks, I guess. Headache and fever? I see you came in with the ambulance. Must've been pretty bad.'
'I passed out in the drugstore,' he said. 'When I got here I was feeling a lot better, but they told me to come see a doctor anyway.'
'Good call.' She felt for swollen glands. 'When did the headaches start?'
'Yesterday afternoon.
'Fever?'
'Only this morning.'
'Was this morning the first time you passed out?'
'Yeah.'
She put the flat end of the stethoscope on his back. 'Take a deep breath, please.' She listened as he did so and asked him twice more before taking the stethoscope off and slinging it around her neck. 'You don't suffer from epilepsy or diabetes or anything?'
'Not that I know of.'
'Are you currently using medication?'
'I took some aspirin yesterday for the headache. That's it.'
'Bumped your head recently?'
'No.'
'Have you been sleeping well?'
'Until last night, sure.'
Sam took a small torch from her pocket. 'Open your mouth, please.' She checked the throat. 'Thanks. Okay, any other symptoms, like nausea, stomach aches, scratchy throat, muscle pains?'
'No.'
'Been out of the country recently?'
'No.'
'Visited any sick relatives?'
'No. Don't have any.'
'Parents?'
'Died in a car crash when I was ten.'
Sam took the torch and shone it into his eyes. He started and shut them quickly. 'Ow.'
She put away the torch and the stethoscope and regarded him for a moment, weighing her options. 'I would have said flu, but you don't have even half of the symptoms. Can you put your chin on your chest for me?'
He did so without effort.
'Okay. So you woke up feeling crappy, but you're fine now?' He nodded and she chewed her lower lip. 'I'm going to prescribe some antibiotics, but I need you to come in right away if you're feeling bad again.'
'Do you think it's that bad?'
'I don't think anything, but I don't know either. I'm new here, so I have to be really cautious.'
She checked her watch. 'Listen, it's lunch time, so would you like to grab a burger in the cafeteria? I know it's not the done thing, but you're about the only person I know in this hospital.' He hesitated and she looked at him imploringly.
'Sure,' he said. 'I'm pretty starved anyway.'
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
'Isn't that the new girl?' Chase asked from where he and his colleagues were seated. 'She sure works fast. Who's the guy?'
Foreman shrugged. 'I don't even know her name yet.'
'Samantha Taylor,' Cameron replied. 'Saw her file.'
'She not exactly pretty, is she?' Chase said. 'Did you see her shirt? It says "Choose your God-given destiny." Do you think she's a Christian?'
'You say that like it's a bad thing,' Cameron mused.
'Are you kidding me? Do you know what House will do to her if he knows? Anyway, I thought you didn't believe.'
'I don't. But there's something to be said for someone who isn't afraid to show their faith. She must be smart – '
'She's a doctor.'
'Foreman, you should know the two don't necessarily coincide. She's turning twenty-five at the end of the year. Finished school at sixteen.'
'What's her field?'
'Endocrinology.'
Chase looked at Sam and then at Cameron. 'What makes you think she's going to stay?'
'She finished the game, didn't she?'
HHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Wilson tucked into his salad.
'So she finished the game?'
'Yeah.'
'How does she get along with the other three?'
'Dunno. She did my clinic duty. Made a nice dent, too.' House licked some barbeque sauce off his finger.
Wilson's eyes narrowed. 'How deep a dent?'
'Four hours.'
His friend's eyebrows shot up. 'You always were one for warm welcomes. And she's still here? I have to see this person.'
'Nothing much to look at.' House chewed with relish. Suddenly his eyes fixed on something behind Wilson and he froze. Wilson, about to ask a question, stopped and turned around to see what House was glaring at. He saw a girl of about fourteen with short blonde hair and big eyes in a pixie-ish face having lunch with a guy who looked young despite his grey hair.
'What?'
'That's her.'
Wilson looked around again. 'Who?'
'The kid with the grey-haired guy.'
'You're kidding me. Who's the guy – her dad?'
'Can't be. She's an orphan. Actually,' he looked slightly amused. 'she and Chase should have a lot to talk about.'
'Nice. I've never seen the man around here before.'
'I wonder how she's feeling about the fellowship now?'
'Since when do you care?'
'A happy worker is a good worker, friend Wilson. And I've got a bet with Cameron this kid doesn't last a week.' He grabbed his cane and got up.
'Where are you going?'
House did not answer, but hobbled over to Sam's table. She and Jerry were deep in conversation, but they broke off as a shadow fell across the table. House did not look at Jerry, but asked Sam, 'Who's he?'
'Jerry Hudson.' She looked at Jerry and pointed at House with her thumb. 'Doctor House.'
House nodded at the man and muttered something before turning to his newest employee.
'You did the four hours, right?'
'Yep.'
'And do you have anything to say to me?'
Sam frowned. 'No.'
'Do you work here?' he asked Jerry suddenly.
'No. I came to the clinic.'
Without another word House went back to his table.
'Round two commences,' he announced.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Sam looked at her companion and shrugged.
'He's weird that way.' She took a bite from her cheeseburger and looked at his plate. 'You aren't really eating.'
Jerry blinked once or twice. 'Sorry, my head is killing me again.'
'Nausea?'
'A little.'
Her eyes searched his and she leaned over. 'Okay, let's get out of here, shall we?' she asked pleasantly. She stood up and he did the same. As they walked she kept a close eye on his movements and his eyes and when they passed Cameron's table, she motioned for help outside.
'I'll be right back, guys,' Cameron told the others. 'What's wrong?' she asked when she caught up.
'Get a gurney. He's going to start seizing.'
'How do you – ' She broke off at the sound of something falling and saw the man jerking uncontrollably. 'Wow.'
'Too late.'
