CHAPTER FOURTEEN – Unanswered Muskateer Questions
The paramedics came into the room and attended to a still conscious Kathi, trying their best to ignore the incessant medical input and suggestions from House. He had assumed that he would be going with her to the hospital in the ambulance, but when he tried to step out of the room the guard put his arm out to stop him. House looked at him with pure hatred. "You can't leave – judge's orders."
For just a split second his face shown with more disgust but then softened. He grinned thoughtfully at the guard, trying to wear a genuine smile, reached into his pocket and pulled out a $50 bill.
"Tell you what…you let me go to the hospital, pick me up at 4 a.m. – let's say – and no one has to know."
"Oh, please. Don't insult me. I wouldn't let you one door down the hall for that," the guard told him, taking a step into the room which forced House to do the same.
"Okay," House pulled out two more $50 bills and waved it in front of the guard's face, taunting him, "How about this?"
The guard's eyes widened a bit but then a scowl crossed his face. "Look, I got three kids at home, a mortgage, a car payment…and everything else. I need my job," he said sternly.
"Is there a problem here?" The woman that spoke stood behind the guard in the doorway and could clearly see House with the three bills stretched out.
"Stacy, would you please tell this moron that you will sue him if he doesn't let me go to the hospital," House said, further explaining what had happened earlier.
"Get back to your room," the guard said. "This doesn't concern you."
She ignored him by looking at House then to the guard then back to House. Her eyes were squinted as if trying to determine the severity of the situation. With House, what he thought was a severe situation Stacy put it off to a little boy's childish whines of demanding something that is meaningless.
"Officer … Powell," Stacy began, putting on her sweet, soft, southern accent to charm him – which only resulted in House rolling his eyes but not allowing the guard to see it - "if you allow me one phone call to the judge I think I can end this standoff between the two of you.
Just then a crackle came over the guard's walkie talkie then a voice. 'Powell, let that Dr. House ride with the patient to the hospital. Send him down now,' the man ordered.
Powell stepped aside and let House pass him without saying a word, but wondered why and who allowed him to take her to the hospital. When he approached Stacy he thanked her, and she thought she would pass out right there in the hospital. She smiled and House rushed down the hallway to the elevator as fast as he could – well, as fast as a man could with one bum leg.
After Kathi had been wheeled into the emergency room of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, House began to bark orders to the attending physicians.
"Dr. House, we are quite capable of handling the situation," the head doctor told him irritably.
House grunted under his breath and left the E.R. to the nurse's station. He picked up the phone – without the nurse's permission, although she never asked questions because she knew who he was and was having a bad morning to begin with and didn't want it to get any worse – and dialed some numbers then waited for the person to answer their phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey, you're late for work. Get your ass in here."
"It's … 4 a.m., House!"
"I'm impressed, Foreman! They do teach how to tell time in da hood. Try this: See you in 15 minutes. That'd be 4:15 in Hood Central Time." House pushed the hang-up button down without taking the phone from his ear and dialed different numbers.
There was a groan before he heard a hoarse and almost incoherent "Hellow?"
"Crickey!" House said in a legitimate Australian accent. "There's a croc loose in the hospital and you're the only Aussie we know!" Silence on the other end. House heard a snore then screamed, "Oh, shit! Nurse Brenda has just been swallowed by the croc! Get in here, now! Save Brenda!" House hung up the phone with a slight giggle and proceeded to dial the last of the numbers he needed.
The phone rang a few times then was picked up, but no one said hello. House hesitated for just a second before he said, "I need you so badly, Cameron! Meet me in the Janitor's closet at the hospital in 15 minutes." House then hung up the phone.
The nurse looked at House strangely before he winked at her and headed to the conference room to make some coffee - strong coffee. After he poured a cup and sat down behind his desk he looked at his watch: 4:26. "Okay, they're late. They are so fired …"
House immediately grew silent when he saw Chase walk into the conference room and House hollered out to him to come to his office. Chase nodded his head, walked to the coffee machine, poured himself a cup and only then did he go to House's office.
"You don't follow instructions very well," House said mockingly.
"Nope, sure don't," Chase answered as he sat down on the couch in the room, "especially not when it's 4:30 in the morning."
Both men looked up at his door to the hallway when they heard it open and watched Cameron as she walked in, carrying a bag of fresh doughnuts. House had to admit she looked pretty darned good in the burgundy sweats, fleece pullover and sneakers. By the look on Chase's face, House concluded Chase did, too.
As she laid them on the table House said, "You're late."
"Don't worry. You're not the father," Cameron answered as she removed the two boxes from the bag and set them on the corner of House's desk.
"Wow, you are so very enchanting and witty in the mornings. Chase, have you ever seen her this early in the morning? Hot, isn't she?" House snickered as he reached across his desk for a chocolate glazed doughnut.
"You're welcome, that's why I was late." Cameron said as she turned and sat down next to Chase, who had two doughnuts in each hand.
"Duh, really?" House answered sarcastically with a mouthful and wiped his hands on his jeans.
The three sat in silence waiting for the third musketeer to arrive. House finished off his third doughnut before he left for another cup of coffee.
Chase and Cameron looked at each other like two children just caught with their hands in the candy jar.
"It's a good thing I left when I did. If I didn't answer the phone he would have harassed the crap out me to find out who I was with. And I'm not about to tell him I was with you," Chase said as Cameron softly rubbed her hand on his left knee.
"Hey, easy. He'll catch …" Chase started to say but froze when he heard the door from the hall open and felt someone staring at them, quickly pulling his leg away from Cameron.
"Yep, you two are busted. You do know I can bribe you two, now," Foreman said with a smile as he entered and sat in the chair between the desk and couch.
"That's extortion," Cameron corrected, "I think. Or is that only with money? God I'm so tired I can't even think straight."
"Way to go, Chase!" Foreman teased. "Why the hell are we here, anyway?"
Cameron shrugged her shoulders and answered, "He hasn't told us yet."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
WHO AUTHORIZED HOUSE TO LEAVE WITH KATHI?
WHY EXACTLY DID STACY HELP HOUSE WITH THE GUARD? DOES SHE STILL LOVE HIM BUT PLAYING IT COOL, TRYING TO WIN HIS AFFECTION SLOWLY?
HOW DID YOU LIKE CAM'S COMEBACK OF HER BEING LATE? IS THERE ANY INSIDE MEANING WITH THAT?
AND WHAT EXACTLY IS WRONG WITH KATHI?
Join me later --- SAME HOUSE TIME! SAME HOUSE CHANNEL!!!