Chapter 2
House sat at the conference room table staring at the whiteboard, which was currently filled with nearly a dozen symptoms. Jasper and Foreman entered behind him, followed closely by Price.
"We're pulling out all the stops on this one, kids. Can't have my shrink crying on my shoulder," House said without turning around.
Foreman raised his eyebrows in surprise. He cast his eyes toward his colleagues, only to realize neither Jasper nor Price had been there long enough to know how odd it was for House to take a patient he knew, even only by association. The only time Foreman was aware he'd ever done it was when they had treated Mark Warner, and that had been no picnic.
Jasper and Price were already studying the file and Foreman joined them. The symptoms were varied and non-specific, ranging from fever and headaches to sudden drops in blood pressure and chest pain.
"Do we have a history?" Foreman asked.
"I'll take care of that," House said. At this, Jasper exchanged a glance with Foreman. She hadn't been there long, but it was long enough to know House never took a patient history. He barely even spoke to patients.
"The heart arrhythmia and blood pressure changes could be caused by dehydration, which is pretty likely given how long she's been vomiting and feverish," Price said. "When was she admitted?"
"She's being admitted now," House responded, tapping his cane on the floor and pursing his lips at the whiteboard.
"We should make sure she's not dehydrated and her electrolytes are balanced. If the heart and blood pressure problems persist they're symptoms of the primary problem and not a complication," Price continued.
"Good. Do that, and let's repeat all the blood and urine tests her primary care doctor did. I'll get the history," House stood and limped out of the office without waiting for an answer. The three fellows looked at each other.
"I'll monitor her while we get her hydrated if you two would like to begin her tests," Price offered. Jasper and Foreman nodded and the fellows exited to conference room to being working on their new patient.
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House approached the room and stood outside. He waited a minute or two for Quig to notice him and then gestured to join him. Quig spoke quickly to his wife and exited the room.
"The team will be here in a few minutes to start working on some tests. We need to go over her history," House said as he took a seat in the waiting area just a few paces away. Quig joined him.
"You're taking a history?" Quig asked. "That's either really flattering or really scary."
"Nah, I just don't like taking blood. Needles, blech," House said, shuddering dramatically for effect and Quig smiled sadly. House looked down the floor. "You won't lie to me," House added.
"You think I'd lie to them?" Quig asked as the ducklings walked past and entered Mrs. Quigley's room.
"Not intentionally," House said. "You might leave something out that's important without knowing it. I'm not afraid to ask the embarrassing questions."
"Right," Quig nodded, looking back over his shoulder toward his wife's room. "What do you want to know?"
"You have any symptoms?" House asked. Quig shook his head. "Nothing at all, even a few weeks ago when she first got sick?" House persisted.
"No. Nothing. I checked her calendar for the past month and a half, there's nothing," Quig answered.
"Her calendar?"
"She's a nurse. Was a nurse, she retired last year. She's kept a calendar of our illnesses and symptoms for as long as I can remember. She said she saw too often that people just couldn't remember little things like headaches and pains that are early warning signs of bigger things. She writes down everything and every six months or so she reviews them for patterns. I can bring it in, if you think it will help," Quig offered. House nodded.
"She's retired. What sort of nursing did she do?" House asked.
"OB for the last ten years she worked. Before that she was a surgical nurse," Quig answered. House frowned, not too much infectious stuff in OB.
"And now?" House asked.
"She volunteers at a local orphanage. Is that important?" Quig asked.
"Probably not. No traveling?" House asked and Quig again shook his head. "So now the big one, any extramarital stuff I need to know about?"
"Not on my part. I assume not on hers but if you feel you need to ask, do. I really don't care, as long as she's okay," Quig answered. House raised an eyebrow at this answer. "If she cheated, it's done. I can be angry about it later. Right now, I only care if she's going to get better."
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Cameron sighed and brushed a few strands of lint from her pants. She glanced at her watch and sighed again. She'd arrived fifteen minutes early and as a result was now waiting. She hated waiting, but she hated worse to be late for anything.
"Allison Cameron?" a voice called from the doorway, and Cameron stood to follow the nurse back to Dr. Bell's office.
"Good afternoon, Allison," Dr. Bell greeted her. Dr. Lucy Bell was a youngish woman, with mid-length blonde hair. Cameron had seen three other psychologists before settling on Dr. Bell. She hadn't felt terribly comfortable with the others, but Dr. Bell had an easy, friendly manner that Cameron found soothing.
"Dr. Bell," Cameron answered. She'd been seeing Dr. Bell for two months now, and this had been their last scheduled visit. After her outburst about the twins and the subsequent fight with House, Cameron had finally opened up to Dr. Bell about her past. It had taken these past twomonths to work through it, but Cameron was finally feeling better. Today, however, she had a new problem on her mind.
"You seem a little tense today. Are you concerned about this being our last session? Because you know if you're not comfortable with the situation yet, we can certainly continue. It's entirely up to you," Dr. Bell offered reassuringly.
"I am concerned, but not about what we've been discussing. There's something else, something recent that I need help with," Cameron began, but then hesitated. She felt somehow like she was betraying House for discussing this with someone else.
"Of course. Allison, that's what I'm here for," Dr. Bell answered. She could sense Cameron's reluctance.
"I've been in a relationship, as you know," Cameron said. Dr. Bell nodded. She and Cameron had discussed her relationship briefly in their sessions. "Well, he proposed."
"Really?" Dr. Bell said. In what little they'd discussed, Dr. Bell had gotten the sense that Cameron's relationship was progressing slowly. A sudden proposal would certainly be unsettling.
"I want to say yes, more than anything," Cameron said.
"But something is stopping you?" Dr. Bell prompted. Cameron nodded. "Allison, you know anything you have to say is completely confidential."
"It's Dr. House," Cameron blurted.
"Dr. House?" Dr. Bell asked. "You think he'll take issue with your getting engaged?"
"Dr. House is the one who proposed," Cameron confessed.
"Hmm," Dr. Bell said.