Sorry for the late update - Been busy :/ Also, my laptop has been uncooperative - But nevertheless, here's Chapter 4 and all its House glory.
Oh, and anyone seen the preview for the next episode? O-O
And I keep seeing people freaking out about there being a season 8. David Shore said there was a 99% chance of there being a season 8 and 9. :D
Chapter 3- Distraction
Thirteen and Taub walked in an awkward silence to the lab, and still silently gave the blood to Chase and Kutner, who had been discussing House's lack of a differential. Everyone noticed, everyone was curious, because one thing was certain; something was wrong. "You look like you've seen a ghost," Kutner noted and placed the vile of blood on the table. "Is everything all right?" Thirteen gave a curt nod, offering a small smile.
"Yeah, just the patient. She's….she's a handful," she shook her head with a sigh.
"How so?" Chase looked up with curiosity flicking his blue eyes.
"I'd say go see for yourself, but I fear for your fragile emotional state." Taub threw in, looking between the rest of their expressions before adding. "Now, we have to go search her home," he turned and left, Thirteen tagging along.
Once they exited the lab, Thirteen stated the obvious in a questioning tone, "We don't know where the patient lives."
"I know." Taub stated matter-of-factly, turning to face her but not stopping. "House can manipulate anyone. He goes in there, either gets her to spill it or figures out by I don't know; the way she parts her hair, her temper, or some other random fact."
"Wait, so you want to objectify Sarah to House? Are you insane?" Thirteen stopped dead in her tracks, staring at Taub in disbelief.
Taub stopped and turned back to face his skeptic coworker. "You've known him as long as I have. He's insane, an ass, and makes everyone's day worse. But in the end, he saves a life. If making her cry saves her life, I'm for it" he pushed through the door to the conference room. No House. He checked in House's office, but it was vacant as well.
"I'll check Cuddy's office, you get Wilson's" Thirteen suggested, and left without a reply.
"Nope, last I knew, he was ditching clinic duty. Check with Cuddy."
"Thirteen's already doing so. Can I… ask you something?" Taub slipped through the door, closing it softly. He took a seat on the couch, and Wilson looked up.
"Sure" he said, setting down the chart.
"It's about House…" he began, unsure how to put it. I'm concerned because he's not being an ass. He seems happy. Does it make ME an ass to question it? he tried in vain push the thought away.
After a silent moment, Wilson had to pull Taub out of his thoughts, "What about him?"
Taub gave a sigh before continuing, "He's not himself, he-" he was cut off as his pager chirped to life. He pulled it out, eyes widening in question at the message. Thankful for the distraction, he excused himself from the oncologist's office, "Sorry, have to go. Patient." He stood and shuffled out the door, leaving Wilson confused.
Taub left Wilsons office and headed straight to Sarah's room. (Just a reminder; Sarah is Evalyn. She lied about her name. I'll probably use Sarah when talking about the team's actions, and Evalyn for the rest of the time.) Discharged? How can that be? Must be a mistake…or House is screwing with us. When he pulled back Evalyn's curtain, she was just staring at the wall. Only once he took a seat next to her bed did she turn to look at him.
"What are you doing here?" she questioned, not a trace of her previous fury in her voice; only weakness.
"I thought I'd find my boss here." Taub said after a moment. Evalyn simply nodded, and looked away.
₰ΩΩ₰
After leaving Taub, Dr. Remy Hadley was passing through the lobby when her pager made her nearly jump out of her skin. She dug it out of the white lab coat pocket, quirking an eyebrow at the message. The rest of the team can get it she decided, pushing into Cuddy's office. "You slept with House," she blurted. Thirteen figured this was a good an opener as in. That is, if she didn't get fired.
"Excuse me?" her laughter rang, not a trace of humor tinted her disbelieving tone. Cuddy looked up, her signature 'are-you-mad' expression she used with House's insane demands washed over her face; half arched eyebrow and all. Thirteen couldn't resist a smile.
"Good, you haven't." Completely and utterly confused, Cuddy's mouth hung slightly open, trying to figure out what the young doctor was talking about. Seeing the obvious confusion, she clarified, "He's happy, or... as close to happiness as I've ever seen him. It's childish joy, and I figured he'd finally gotten his favorite toy," her smile turned into a grin. Cuddy felt rage bubbling in her stomach, but kept it at bay, replacing it with false joy.
"I never said I didn't. Is that all you came down here for?" As a grin pulled at Cuddy's mouth as Thirteen's vanished.
"So you did sleep with him? Is that why you let him off clinic duty?" she didn't have much self control as Cuddy, and angry dripped from her voice.
Cuddy tilted her head in surprise, eyebrows furrowing; "I didn't let him off clinic. I gave him a new patient."
"Yeah, and guess what. That patient was just discharged" she crossed her arms across her chest, leaning back.
Cuddy jumped to her feet, "What? Why! What was the diagnosis?" she questioned, picking up her Blackberry. No new messages or missed calls, meaning House hadn't even demanded any crazy procedures. The thought that it had just been something simple and not life threatening didn't even pass her mind.
"There wasn't one," Thirteen's annoyance tinting her anger.
"Then why was she released?" Cuddy demanded, pounding House's pager number on her blackberry. Thirteen paused for a moment.
"I initially came down to ask if you knew where House was…" she forced a calm tone.
"Telling me I slept with him is a weird way of paraphrasing." Cuddy mumbled, already pushing her way through the door and making her way through the lobby.
"Well, after letting him off clinic duty" Thirteen began to clarify, not letting Cuddy interrupt. "Whether you noticed or not, followed by him disappearing, which I thought was you letting him off early, or just not caring; you have to admit that sleeping with you is the only thing that would make him happy, and let him off clinic. It was a guess, and now I've got an answer without having to just assume." Cuddy scoffed, but didn't make a comment until she walked over to Evalyn's former bed, Evalyn laying in it.
"Was this some kind of joke?" Cuddy practically growled, turning to Thirteen; who was just as shocked as Cuddy was. Evalyn just stared up at the pair.
"I swear to god, I was paged that she was discharged" she choked over her words, fumbling for her pager. Evalyn remained silent, surprised as well.
Taub spoke up, making Cuddy jump in surprise. "Have you seen House?" Cuddy shook her head, sighing.
"I need to go fix this screw up, and find out what he's up to. Keep an eye out for him; one of you should stay in his office. He's bound to show up there at some point." Thirteen nodded, turning to leave. Cuddy hesitated for a moment, before saying to Taub, "I didn't sleep with House, if that's what you're thinking." She stood there awkwardly for a moment before turning on her heels and leaving.
₰ΩΩ₰
House sat in Exam Room one, and sent a page to his team reading 'ICU patient, Room 16 has been discharged.' He smiled at his deviant scheme. After a few minutes, he heard hurried heels steps going through the lobby. Sure enough, when he peeked his head out the door, Cuddy and Thirteen were heading towards the elevator at a quick pace. He didn't even try to hear what they were discussing over the chatter throughout the hospital. He could guess that it was something along the lines of why had a patient who hadn't been diagnosed been discharged? They'd figure out soon enough that he had sent the phony message, but that might take a bit longer since he had sent it with one of the nurse's pager. He slipped out of the room and limped towards her office. He couldn't help but smile at the desk. The desk she had in med school that he had gotten out of storage. But the real treasure he was after set on its smooth finish; a coffee cup. He took a small plastic bag out of his pocket, peeling it open and extracting a cotton swab. He whipped it around the inside of the mugs edge, and placed it back in the bag before shoving it back in his pocket. With a quick glance down at his watch he confirmed he still had plenty of time, so he went further on with his investigation. He pushed some of the paperwork to the side and pulled the small trash can beside it onto the desk to save his leg the trouble of sitting on the floor. Shuffling through the contents didn't disprove is theory, although it didn't prove it either. Not very satisfied with his findings, he put the trash can back in its place and sat in her chair. After a moment, he typed in 'partypants', and to his delight, it worked. She didn't change it… he grinned, and opened up her schedule. He ignored the vibrating in his pocket.
₰ΩΩ₰
Cuddy walked at a brisk pace to the elevator, hitting the one. He'd better have answered his page, I've got a few questions… she was getting frustrated, and by time the elevator reached the first floor, it took all she had to force a smile. But when she opened her door to her office to see House look up from her laptop, she lost it. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she slammed the door behind her and marched over. House quickly closed the window he had up, just before Cuddy pulled it away. "When I said come to my office, I didn't me go through my computer," she walked around to stand beside where he was sitting and motioned for him to move. He grabbed his cane, but didn't budge, and grinned up at her. "You didn't change it." Obviously both physically and emotional drained, Cuddy wore the face of defeat and sighed, "What?" As smug as can be, House clarified, "Your password. You knew that I knew what it was, and didn't change it." "Maybe I thought you'd think I'd change it, and wouldn't guess it again," she stated dryly. A smug smile stayed plastered to his face as he stood and limped towards the door. Cuddy had already forgotten the questioning she had in store for him. She merely shook her head and basically collapsed in her chair, crossed her arms on her desk, and buried her face in them. She took a few deep breathes and sat back up, pulled a few papers to her attention, and lost herself in work.
