Chapter 2

'Thirty-five-year-old male presenting with extreme headache, nausea and seizures. Differential.'

The four doctors looked at their employee, who was tapping his cane against the floor.

'Why are you interested in this case?' Chase asked.

'I asked first.'

'Brain tumor. Why are you interested?'

'Because.'

'It could be an infection,' Cameron suggested.

'No fever,' Foreman said.

'He had one this morning.'

Everyone turned to look at Sam. She blushed a little under the scrutiny.

'Anything else?' House snapped.

'Extreme headache. I think – '

'Good for you. Go and get me a soda.'

She stared at him for a moment and then her mouth twitched. 'What kind?'

He looked a little taken aback, but asked for cola.

'Anybody else?'

Foreman and Cameron shook their heads, throwing exasperated glances in House's direction and Chase agreed to a cola as well. When she had gone, Cameron turned on House.

'What was that all about?'

'What?'

'She was about to give an opinion and you just dismissed her!'

'Give me a break. Do you really think she could think of something we couldn't? So, brain tumor and infection head the list. Take a nice picture of his head and get some blood.'

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Sam put the soda can on the desk.

'Don't tell me, you had to go to the factory to make it yourself.'

Sam chuckled, but checked herself when she saw that her employer was not sharing the joke. 'Sorry I took so long,' she said. 'I got sidetracked. Had to pick up a labcoat and a beeper.'

'Was that all? How the hell do you take forty minutes to get a soda and the other things? I'm crippled and I can do it quicker.' He popped the soda and took a gulp. 'What are you doing here, anyway?'

Sam frowned. 'I don't have much else to do yet…'

'No, why are you here? At this hospital? You had a perfectly good fellowship which you quit and then you applied here. Why?'

'It was…more convenient.' Sam tried not to let her discomfort show.

'Closer to home?' His voice was mocking.

'Not exactly,' she said truthfully. She did not elaborate and he did not ask any more questions, merely dismissed her with, 'Go away. Keep yourself busy.'

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The door opened with a whoosh and Sam quietly entered the room where Jerry Hudson was lying on the bed. He looked up and smiled faintly.

'Good call,' he said.

'What do you mean?'

'I thought about it. You don't seem the type who asks a stranger to lunch. You'd rather eat on you own, I think.' His eyes were sharp on her face and she smiled.

'You're very observant. How are you feeling?'

'Tired.'

'That could be from the seizure. The head and nausea?'

'Fine. But I can't keep my eyes open.'

Sam frowned and checked his vitals before excusing herself. There was something about the symptoms that did not make too much sense…

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

'It's meningitis. There's no mistake about it. Look at his brain – the infection's all over the place,' Foreman said, handing House the scan. House took it and put it aside.

'Damn. It showed potential.'

'His red blood cell count is very low,' Cameron said. 'It looks like he might have anemia, which could cause those symptoms.'

'If his neck doesn't hurt, I'd put money on the blood thing.' House picked up his cane and walked to the door. 'Treat him and get him out of here. Kid, stay here.'

'You should scan his liver. It might be malaria,' Sam suggested when the others had gone.

'No. Cameron took the history and there was nothing. He's getting better. Now, since you enjoyed clinic so much I decided to give you a couple more hours. The afternoon shift starts now. You might just be on time if you rush it.'

Sam stood still for a moment before turning on her heel and heading out.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Four gruelling hours later she trudged back into the office and found the other three busy with nothing in particular.

'Hey, you look out of it,' Cameron greeted.

'Thanks.'

'Where have you been?' Foreman wanted to know.

'Clinic.' She made herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.

'We haven't really met, but we know who you are,' Cameron offered. 'I'm Allison Cameron.'

Sam shook her hand, as well as that of Eric Foreman and Robert Chase, who looked her up and down and then lost interest.

'How's your first day so far?'

A dimple appeared in Sam's cheek. 'I guess I've had better ones, but it's not too bad. What happened to Jerry Hudson?'

Cameron shrugged. 'It's a mystery. He isn't reacting to any of the meds and he's completely dehydrated from the vomiting.' Her beeper went off and she checked it. 'That's him.'

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

They walked in on a battlefield.

There were nurses everywhere and apparatus was being wheeled around. Jerry Hudson was shaking uncontrollably and vomit was gushing from his mouth. Two nurses had turned him on his side and was holding a basin ready.

'There's blood,' Chase remarked. 'Could it be the meds?'

'Dunno,' Cameron said in alarm. Jerry had stopped vomiting and the nurses were clearing the space around his bed. The four doctors stood looking at the man on the bed. He looked like a wrung-out dishtowel.

They went outside again.

'Could be an allergic reaction to the meds,' Foreman said.

'His heart rate's going up,' Sam said. They turned to look into the room. 'He isn't getting enough oxygen.'

The words were barely uttered when Jerry's whole body tensed and his back arched as he tried frantically to get some air into his lungs. The doctors ran into the room and Chase grabbed the intubation tools. He opened the airway, inserting the tube in one smooth motion. The breathing slowed to normal.

'We're going to have to change medication.'

Foreman shrugged. 'He's on the wrong medication anyway. The breathing problem is another sign on meningitis.'

They strolled back to the room.

'We should scan his liver.'

'Why?' Chase asked, puzzled.

'It could be malaria.'

Silence.

'How?' Chase asked, this time with more amusement than confusion. 'Got it from the Discovery Channel? He hasn't been out of the country in years and his last blood transplant was over a year ago.' They were in the office again and House was standing, staring out the window.

'The symptoms…'

'Are consistent with any number of infections, anemias and other, more probable stuff.'

'Oh, don't tell me, she said malaria,' House sighed. 'Little child, why do you want us to waste money on something which it cannot be?'

To the surprise of everyone in the room, Sam chuckled. House was more shocked than anyone else.

'Get me a Mars Bar,' he snapped. 'And remember we're all getting older, people dying, that sort of thing, so don't waste time.'

Sam suppressed a sigh and exited the room.

'Strange girl,' Chase said.

'Why?'

'Anyone else would've quit by now, or at least thrown a fit of anger. She just - '

'Did you see the T-shirt? She's a Christian. Grin and bear it is their motto. Might as well make the most of it before she scurries away and wins me some money.'

Cameron's eyebrows raised. 'She doesn't look like she in a hurry to be gone.'

'It's only the first day.'

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Sam stood looking down on Jerry's ashen face.

'Are you sure you didn't get any kind of blood transfusion in the past twelve months? It would really help us.' Her heart sank at the shake of his head. 'Does your neck hurt yet?'

He nodded.

'They'll start treating you for meningitis soon.' She went out, stopped and came back. 'If you think of something, I'll be back later. I don't need the how and why, just a nod.'

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

She was at House's desk minutes later.

He took the Mars Bar. 'My friend Wilson tells me he's got a new patient whose last name is Taylor.'

'Oh.'

'No relation?'

'We're pretty thickly spread.'

'Not the South African ones.'

'Oh.'

'Still no relation?'

'Sure. Can I go now?'

'How are you related?'

'My brother.'

She walked out of the room to the Oncology Department, where she searched for Wilson's office. He was seated behind his desk.

'Doctor Wilson?'

He looked up. 'You're House's new resident. Nice to meet you.' They shook hands and he asked her to have a seat.

'I heard my brother checked in today.'

'Yes.'

'Have you seen him yet?'

Wilson's expression was sympathetic. 'Yes. I'm afraid I have to say the same as Doctor James. We're not gonna be able to stop it. We're too late for that.'

She forced a smile and got to her feet. 'That's what I thought. Liam never paid enough attention to pain. Thanks.'

'We can slow it down…'

'Two months, right? I think you should discuss it with him first. He's a fourth year med student, so he isn't completely ignorant. I'll get the details from him.' Her beeper went off.

'Thanks anyway.'

Without waiting for a reply, she went to Jerry's room. Cameron was outside, watching the other two.

'Another seizure,' she explained. 'His fever is sky-high.'

'Is it just me or is his skin a little – '