I really like this chapter; it has three out of five of my favourite things: Cuddy/Wilson, DUCKLINGS, and Wilson/House friendship. House does interact with the ladies in later chapters, so don't fret! Yes, I just really like this chapter because it's quite a good atmospheric chapter; I'm kind of hoping it accurately portrays some of the hospital life.
Chapter two- The way things are
Thursday started with a cold breeze whipping around the trees outside the hospital. All three ducklings were extremely relieved to get inside the conference room, a warm haven which had become a home from home for the three. Despite arguments and disagreements, it couldn't be denied that said three were close. Granted, Foreman was competitive. He was the most ambitious, and perhaps the most restless. Chase, on the other hand, knew he had a good deal working at the teaching hospital. Despite House treating him like crap, he could come to work everyday, do what he enjoyed, and socialise as well. He didn't appreciate the job for what it was, but he enjoyed it. He wouldn't want to leave Princeton mainly because he knew full well he'd never be able to socialise on quite the same level elsewhere. Cameron was very different. She loved the job, the chance to work with one of the best diagnosticians in the country, the chance of open access to the best pathology lab she had ever seen. Not to mention that the Dean of Medicine was a woman, and Cameron had great admiration for Cuddy for getting where she was. Cameron, like Chase, would never leave the job out of choice, but for the simple reasons that she loved what she did and she had a strong sense of loyalty to her boss and co-workers. This sense of loyalty was what set her apart from the men.
Cameron was standing making coffee, he back to the other two. Chase was sitting at the table, his back to the whiteboard, chewing the end of one of the marker pens, whilst Foreman sat opposite him, leafing through a neurology journal. Chase first initiated conversation, after the polite exchange of 'good morning's'.
"So I went out to Hansen's last night."
Foreman laughed, and shook his head slightly:
"Get drunk?"
Chase groaned: "Plastered"
Cameron chuckled, raising her eyebrows at Foreman as she turned away from the coffee machine; she walked over to Chase and placed a fresh mug of hot coffee in front of him. She placed a hand on his shoulder before saying (sweetly but mockingly):
"If you can't handle it, Chase, stick to cherryade."
She spun round back to the coffee machine as Chase mumbled something that sounded like 'very funny' and Foreman sniggered and joked:
"Lets not have a catfight, ladies… we know who'd win."
Mornings at the hospital always started like this. Jokes and quiet laughter in the conference room, that small section of the hospital in an understanding calm. Despite the differences, the doctors understood one another, and their dynamics were remarkably smooth. Foreman, the big brother, sarcastic, and smart, not yet on the same level as House. Chase playing the fool, but a loveable fool all the same, and Cameron the best friend figure, her gentle mocking and teasing outweighed by genuine concern, care and compassion. Outside the room, bustling nurses and visitors, already hard at work, bright lights and beeping machines, talking and shouting, crying, a stark contrast to this bubble of quiet acceptance, which passers by don't seem to notice, where the meeting of eyes or small action like a pat on the back can speak louder than a thousand words.
Downstairs, Dr Lisa Cuddy was already fully engrossed in her job, and already stressed. She was on the phone, angrily picking up sheets of paper, stuffing them into appropriate cardboard files, telephone clamped between her ear and shoulder:
"Well tell them the delivery is essential…. I know that, but what do I do if there's an inspection? Hmm? Tell them 'oh well that doesn't matter, we have ONE extra per patient?' Oh, I'm sure that will go down just wonderfully!... No I'm not shouting unnecessarily, this rage is completely and utterly necessary! …Let me speak to someone with neurones. Thank you."
Just then, a quiet tap comes from the office door, and Cuddy calls for the Oncologist to 'come in'. He does as commanded. A good ten minutes and Cuddy's rant has done the trick. She slams down the phone and with a triumphant smile collapses down into her chair, finally at eyelevel with Wilson.
"Sorry about that. I don't know where they find the 'customer care' people. Certainly no where that I'm going to look next time I need to hire someone…. How are you?"
"I'm fine; I was coming to tell you that I'm pretty booked up this week, ten new patients and meetings coming out of my ears. House will probably call me in for a consult. So, any chance I could loose a few clinic hours this week, have them next?"
"Sure…" She said as she stared at one of her charts before pulling the lid off a pen and noting down something on the paper in front of her. She then continued: "I'd be careful if I were you, House will come looking for you with his cane."
"I'm sure I can fight him off" joked Wilson.
"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure he's building up Foreman and Chase as his bullyboys." She smiled "And Cameron's just dying to be his b1tch".
Wilson chuckled at the imagery this conjured up, but quickly stopped as that included Cameron in some sort of mini skirt and leather. He could do without House being after him for thinking that as well.
After leaving Cuddy's office, he strutted into the lobby, adjusting his tie, when he saw the one person he would rather have avoided this morning. He really didn't want to have to tell his friend that he was too busy to spend time with him today, especially because the oncologist was still feeling a pang of guilt from lying to his boss. He only had eight patients. But two slots this afternoon were being used up by his new flame. But it was too late to disappear now; House was already descending on him. As usual, House had an unpleasant good morning greeting for his best friend. However, today there was more venom behind it, because House was still annoyed about his lack of companionship and having embarrassed himself to persuade Cameron to fill in for Wilson.
"Well if it isn't Doctor Lothario himself." Announced House when he reached his friend. The two of them walked to the elevator in silence. As they stepped inside, Wilson spoke:
"I'm sorry I'm not hanging out with you."
"Great to know. Really, I was beginning to doubt you as the 'ridiculously sincere' one"
"House." Wilson chastised gently, "The oncology department's overflowing at the moment."
"With twenty two year old blonde nurses? Yeah. I heard."
"House, I need to do my job."
"Womaniser? Sometimes I wonder why I didn't choose that career path. Doesn't matter anyway." The elevator came to a stop and as House stepped out he finished "See you later".
As Wilson slowly made his way down to his office he sighed deeply. House was pretty mad, but Wilson convinced himself not to worry about it, after all if House wasn't such a stubborn jerk all the time then Karl from bookkeeping might actually be his friend.
Wilson was trying to convince himself he didn't feel guilty right up until his first patient came in. Then he was distracted again. Like his marriages, Wilson's guilt emotion rarely lasted any notable amount of time.
Chapter three- Favours.
"How are my kids?" House said loudly, after dry swallowing a Vicodin to take his mind off things.
"Great" Said Foreman "No new cases... the patient's responding to your treatment. In fact, he's due for it any minute now… shall I?"
"Yeah" said House "Foreman, keep the patient alive. Go treat him. Then do your clinic hours. Chase- I want you to run some tests on our samples, and log them, we need to be able to have a better way to recognise this… and you can do your clinic hours, too."
Chase piped up "So, is Cameron coming as well? Those tests will take until lunchtime without help."
"Exactly" House said, widening his eyes a little for emphasis "and this afternoon Chasey-wasey can do his clinic hours, or does he need Cameron to hold his hand doing those too?" He taunted in a false baby-ish voice.
After Foreman had strolled and Chase had scurried out of the conference room, Cameron moved over towards House and handed him his morning coffee.
"Good morning, House" She smiled. Somehow she felt special, because he hadn't dismissed her like the others. Taking a sip of his coffee, her boss raised his eyebrows in greeting. He liked how she was still here. It made him feel almost special, that she hadn't scurried off to bury herself in papers and tests like she used to when he didn't specify her a job to do.
"Good morning, Cameron" She loved how his voice sounded when he said her name, she thought. But then she inwardly scolded herself for using his name and the word 'love' in the same sentence.
He continued: "Go do my clinic hours… and yours. I get to slack before you because I'm the expert" With that he handed her his name badge.
She smiled and started to quickly tidy files and books the boys had left scattered on the table. House watched her. It figured she'd want everything neat again before she left. Fixed, in its place.
He smiled inwardly, and considered the fact that really, if he were Wilson, he would hit on Cameron rather than Mindy-Lou, or whatever her name was. The he remembered his warning look at Wilson at this very suggestion. So Wilson felt she was out of limits? That's rich. But why had House ensured that Cameron had a 'don't go within twenty feet on fear of cane beating' sign stapled to her forehead? He wasn't going to think about it. But before he even got the chance to think things through, his mouth had moved without first consulting his brain.
"And Cameron" What am I doing! His brain screamed, but it was too late to back out now without looking like an idiot. At least, that was what he told himself before adding "Uh, and come get me when you're going to the cafeteria"
Wow. Thought Cameron. She considered asking a question which would force him to admit what he wanted, but a small part of her told her that this was not what he needed.
"Sure." She smiled at him again before sweeping out of the room leaving House alone with his thoughts.
The only thought running through his head, though, was 'you idiot.'
Cameron knew it was stupid, but she couldn't help but feel thrilled that House actually wanted to spend time with her. Granted, it was probably a 'take that' to Wilson, but she didn't care. She was careful to avoid Cuddy at all costs when wearing the 'Dr G House' badge which House had given her earlier. She also tried not to look Nurse Brenda in the eye when saying 'So, those were the hours for Dr House, if Cuddy asks', she knew that all she would get was a disapproving shake of the head or even a tut.
It was one thirty before Cameron even realised it, and despite being pleased to see she had done both her and Houses clinic hours plus overtime, she couldn't help but feel a sickening sinking feeling in her stomach when she looked at the clock, House probably got impatient and went to lunch a good hour ago. She practically ran to the office.
On her breathless arrival, she couldn't help but smile. House was standing by his desk and when he saw her widened his eyes as if to say 'finally' and hobbled towards the door. Grabbing her by the crook of the arm and limping away with her in tow he said:
"My God woman, do you not feel hunger?"
"I'm so sorry, I didn't notice the time and..."
"Don't sweat it" he cut in. She worried too much. "At least this way, we have a guarantee of running into Cuddy. She tends to hover in the cafeteria around now. I take it I did my clinic hours this morning?"
"You did" she smirked as they got into the elevator.
"And I take it I was polite, caring, and dare I say it nice?"
"That would be a yes" Cameron smirked again and looked at House who raised his eyebrows. "To all three." She finished.
He grinned at his little protégé, before saying:
"Now THAT is what I pay you for! That, and the nice body you've got going on." She rolled her eyes, before he carried on. "Who knows, we may even get positive patient feedback. I need to see Cuddy when that happens. Oh, will her face be red!"
They quietly bantered as usual as they made their way to the cafeteria. They picked their meals up, well actually, Cameron went all 'mother hen' on him, and ordered his meal for him. In fact, she did everything for him as they approached the tills; she even made sure he had paper napkins. He was about to make a snarky comment, but he stopped when he saw the careful way in which she filled his drink up, placing it on his tray, getting him a straw. It fascinated him that she would even bother to do these things.
She paid for him! Without question! He gleefully realised this fact, and realised he better be at least half way to nice with her this afternoon. Even Wilson only paid for him because he had to. House couldn't help but acquire a pompous strut (as much as he could, with his cane) as if to say 'Yep, I'm eating lunch with Dr. Cameron, guys, and yep, she paid for me!' Still the alpha male of the hospital.