Chapter 28
After several hours in the clinic of seeing numerous patients too stupid to even make fun of, for fear he'd have to explain the jokes, House went upstairs to his office. He hadn't seen Cameron all day. He wasn't really sure if that was a good thing, or not. He was embarrassed that he'd asked her to stay Friday, and he figured she was too. After all, she had left before he even woke up on Saturday. Voices interrupted his train of thought, and he saw the ducklings entering the conference room. Foreman was holding a chart.
House got up and entered the room. All talk stopped, and two pairs of eyes bored into his back as he walked to the coffee pot. The third set of eyes dropped to the floor. House turned around, and sipping his coffee, faced his underlings. Foreman and Chase both stared at him directly. Cameron studiously avoided his gaze. After a few minutes of the staring match, House became annoyed. What were they waiting for?
"Is my fly open?" House asked.
"What?" Chase asked, bewildered.
"Well, you two are staring at me with that something-is-wrong-here look, so I assume my fly must be open. No? Something green in my teeth? Really big zit on the end of my nose?" House fired at them.
"We're waiting for you to apologize to Cameron," Foreman stated simply.
"Well, don't hold your breath. I've decided you're my new role model, and I'm going to fashion my life after you. Screw a colleague, don't apologize. That is how it goes, right?" House asked Foreman.
"I think the two situations are a little different, House," Foreman began hotly.
"Why, because what I did was an accident, but what you did was intentional? Gosh, you're right. They are different. I can see why you felt no need to apologize but think I should," House spat back at him.
"What happened between me and Cameron is totally different!" Foreman exploded.
"Hey!" a voice interrupted them. "I am sitting right here you know. I don't need you looking out for me, Foreman. I'm a big girl, and I can take care of myself. I can handle House just fine, thank you." Cameron spoke quietly, but firmly.
House stuck his tongue out at Foreman. Foreman shot Cameron an angry look, but sat down. Chase just backed himself quietly into the corner; happy for once that none of the shouting was about him.
"Is that a new case?" House asked. Cameron picked up the folder and began reading House symptoms, while he scribbled them on the whiteboard. He stood back and looked it over.
17-Year-Old Male
Fatigue
Anemia
Easily bruised
Leg spasms
"Where did you get this case?" House asked Cameron.
"The patient was referred to you by a Dr. Viking," Cameron answered.
"David Viking?" House asked.
"Yes, why?" Cameron replied.
"We went to med school together. He's an idiot. This kid has an iron deficiency." House stated.
"No, he's been treated for that. The anemia isn't any better, and now he has leg spasms." Foreman replied.
"What was the cause of the anemia?" Chase asked.
"It doesn't say," Cameron replied. "Why?"
"Well, even treatment for an iron deficiency wouldn't help if the kid is malnourished, or starving himself. And if he is, the leg spasms could be caused by a potassium deficiency." Chase suggested.
"Wow, all those doctory words in once sentence. Did you hurt yourself?" House snarked.
"Foreman, go get some new blood work. I want all these tests performed again. And get the kid something to eat. Chase, go and get a better history. I know Viking, he probably asked him where it hurts and then stopped." House ordered. The boys left to work on the new patient. Cameron waited.
"Nothing for me?" Cameron asked.
"You left." House said. It wasn't a question, but somehow demanded an answer. His voice was flat and calm, but something in his eyes told Cameron he was bothered.
"I had a lunch date, and I didn't want to wake you. Honestly, you looked like you could use the sleep." Cameron answered.
"A date with who?" House asked quickly, and then cringed. It sounded so jealous.
"Wilson," Cameron replied. "I told him I would tell him the whole story if he bought me lunch." She chuckled. "He said you must be rubbing off on me."
"So you told Wilson everything?" House asked. Somehow, if she was just telling anybody, it didn't seem like such a big deal.
"No, not the whole story. Just the basics, I had a drug problem, I got over it. I just wanted him to know that I didn't have any ulterior motives, hanging around while you were in trouble. He worries about you a lot, you know." Cameron explained.
"I know. He's worse than my mother," House joked. He fixed her with a serious look. "You've been avoiding me today."
"Not avoiding. Just giving you some space. I know you don't do the whole talking, emotional thing. I thought you might feel a little weird." Cameron shrugged. She was intentionally trying to keep this light. She didn't want him to know how deeply it had affected her that he wanted her to stay with him.
House just nodded. Once again, she surprised him. He'd just assumed she was the one who feeling weird. But rather, she knew he would, and decided to let him come to her to talk when he was ready. She seemed so different from the Cameron who had demanded a date from him a year ago. Maybe she was just getting to know him better?
"How's polio girl?" House asked.
"Responding well to the treatment. I'd say she has a good chance at a full recovery," Cameron replied happily. She was really pleased with herself for figuring out the case, and even more pleased that House had complimented her on it.
"Well then, I guess my mission is complete." House remarked.
"What mission was that?" Cameron asked.
"You disregarded my treatment orders, snuck behind my back to force a lie out of the patient's family, performed tests you knew I would never approve, solved the case with an incredibly brilliant idea and saved the day. I've turned you into me. No, Mini-me." House placed his pinky finger to the corner of his mouth and laughed menacingly.
Cameron giggled. She'd only ever seen House this relaxed once, when they were at the Monster Truck rally. It was a nice side of him.
"So that would make you Dr. Evil? How fitting." Cameron replied.
House placed a hand over his heart to indicate he was wounded. He was beginning to think maybe things with Cameron wouldn't be so bad, when her pager went off.
"Damn, I'm late for clinic duty!" She jumped up and rushed from the room.
"Obviously this means your title as Mini-me is in jeopardy!" House shouted at her back.
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Hungry, House checked his watch and realized that Wilson would probably be just entering the cafeteria now. The man was as predictable as the tides. When House had first started filching lunch from him, Wilson had actually tried to vary his lunch schedule to throw House off track. Sadly, he varied it so little, and with such a pattern, that it had taken House only a matter of a week or two to figure it out. Eventually, Wilson had given up and gone back to taking his lunch at his normal time.
House entered the cafeteria to see Wilson about two thirds of the way through the line. He reached between two nurses to grab the last Rueben, and then cut off an elderly couple to reach for a bag of chips. He settled in behind Wilson and took a can of soda. As soon as Wilson reached the cashier, House unceremoniously dumped his food on Wilson's tray and sat at a nearby table. The cashier rolled her eyes at Wilson, who handed her a $20 and took back his change. He sat at the table with House and handed him his food.
"You look like death." Wilson commented.
"No, I've met death. He's much taller," House replied around a mouthful of sandwich.
"Probably not as mean as you, either," Wilson quipped back. "Rough weekend?"
"Started better than it ended." House replied, now crunching a large handful of chips.
"You and Cameron make up?" Wilson asked. Of course, he already knew, but wanted to hear House's reaction.
"She spent the night." House said. He wanted to see what Cameron had told Wilson. Judging from the way Wilson was now choking on his salad, he guessed Cameron must have left that part out.
"She what?" Wilson sputtered.
"Spent the night. You know, wherein one person remains at the other person's house until day time?" House answered coyly.
"And?" Wilson demanded.
"And then she left." House replied. "Or more precisely, she left for a lunch date with you." House rounded on his friend and gave him a look that was not to be ignored. A look that said, don't touch my woman, even if I don't know if she is my woman yet, or if I even want her to be. Luckily, Wilson had long since learned to read these expressions.
"What happened?" Wilson asked.
"Nothing happened. She just stayed with me." House tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice, but apparently hadn't done a good enough job.
"That's probably for the best anyway. This isn't exactly the best time for you to be starting something with her." Wilson remarked.
"And why is that?" House asked.
"Because, you're still on your probationary period. For one thing, sleeping with an employee is a definite no-no. Not to mention you're in rehab." Wilson said. "How's that going, by the way?"
"It's only been a couple of weeks," House answered gruffly.
"That bad, huh?" Wilson asked, concerned.
"Cuddy gave me a prescription with one refill, that was supposed to get me through the next 60 days. I already refilled it." House shot Wilson a sidelong glance.
"House, you know I can't," Wilson answered the question that House hadn't asked.
House just nodded. He knew it wasn't really fair to be asking his friend anyway. He didn't want Wilson to lose his job. Besides, he needed at least one board member who didn't hate his guts, besides Cuddy.
"I'll work it out," House replied.
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House arrived outside Dr. Quigley's office for his therapy session on time, which was to say only 5 minutes late. He really did not want to go in there. He was dreading some long, drawn out conversation about Cameron, and hitting an employee and blah, blah, blah. So far the therapy sessions hadn't been bad, mostly because Quig didn't make him talk about anything special. They just talked about whatever came up. In fact, he really didn't seem much like a shrink at all, House mused. Almost like hanging out with Wilson.
Quig opened the door and startled House. House jumped, and gave him a nasty look. Quig stepped aside and let House enter the office. Immediately, House settled into one of the leather chairs and stretched out. These chairs were even more comfortable than the ones in the doctor's lounge in the Maternity Wing. It was almost worth having to talk for an hour to be able to sit here.
"See the game last night?" Quig asked.
House just stared at him. Quig stared back.
"What?" Quig said finally.
"You're not going to ask me about Cameron?" House asked.
"Do you want to talk to me about Cameron?" Quig countered.
"No," House answered.
"Is she pressing charges?" House shook his head. "Are you fired?" House shook his again. Quig just shrugged.
"So, did you see the game?" Quig repeated.
"Yeah, those bums. I knew they'd blow it in the end, they suck," House said.
"How much did you win?" Quig asked.
"Just 50 bucks," House replied. "You?"
"I lost $500," Quig moaned.
"You bet $500 on those losers!" House shouted. "Are you nuts? Maybe you need a shrink."
Quig made an obscene hand gesture at House, and House laughed. Quig looked him over.
"You look tired." Quig said.
"Rough weekend." House replied.
"Did your hooker bring a friend?" Quig asked, eyes twinkling.
"I wish." House replied. They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"Withdrawal sucks."
" I've heard that," Quig replied.
"This should be easier," House complained.
"It could be."
"Right. It could be a walk in the part. Maybe Julie Andrews would turn up and sing me a song, too." House snarked.
"I didn't say it could be easy. I said, it could be easier."
"Okay, I'll bite. How could it be easier?"
"Stop trying to do it alone," Quig said.
"That's it? That's your great advice? Wow, I can tell all the years you spent in med school really paid off." House rolled his eyes. "So you're suggesting all I need is a group hug, and everything will be okay?"
"No, what I'm suggesting is that you can't do this alone." Quig said.
"Is that your professional opinion?" House asked coldly.
"Yes."
"What kind of shrink are you?" House asked.
"The kind that's not going to hold your hand and tell you everything is going to be okay. Look, you need to decide for yourself that you want to beat this. Not because the board says you have to. I know you're stubborn, but nobody is that stubborn. You won't beat it because you don't want to. You don't think there's anything wrong with you. You function, so you're fine. Very soon, you won't be functioning. Then, maybe, you'll decide that YOU want to beat this thing. And then, you'll get the help you need, and you'll beat it. Simple. But definitely not easy." Quig looked at House. House just looked back at him. Finally, House looked away.
