Chapter 3

Clinic Exam Room 1

Much to the Clinic nursing staff's continuing surprise, House waded through six patients and their cases without insulting any of them too badly. In fact, the patients were relatively easy to deal with, choosing not to complain (and hence: whine) too much.

House knew though that he really wasn't in the mood to pick any fights at the moment. Perhaps, Cuddy, Wilson or even Cameron was rubbing off on him. More likely, it was the idiot vigilante masquerading as a detective who haunted the PPTH halls like a demented jinn waiting to cause trouble. As long as I'm in here, he can't harass me. He won't do it with witnesses around.

As much as he hated the thought of dealing with yet another whiner, he limped to the front desk and looked for the clipboard. "What? No more contestants?"

"Actually I'm taking over," Ramirez from Pediatrics informed him while taking the next chart. "Not that I want to discourage this inexplicable altruism of yours. Somebody should tape this for posterity."

"Or blackmail," Henderson muttered at the desk under her breath.

"You know, Ramirez, Cuddy will be so mad at you for not letting me make up Clinic hours," House informed him sarcastically.

"I'll deal with it. You have bigger fish to fry right now," the pediatrician retorted, motioning to the Ducklings who trudged through the door with mixed looks of anger and dejections on their faces.

"Oh for Pete's sake! I thought I told you all to check on Rubenstein! Amoxicillin takes time to administer, people!" House chided his subordinates.

The trio eyed each other, wondering who would tell their boss.

Finally, Cameron stepped forward. "Sorry, House. When we tried to get the Amoxicillin, the pharmacy refused to honor the script. Any of our scripts."

"This is crap!" House groused, somehow managing to stop himself from throwing a full fledged tantrum in the middle of the Clinic. "Sorry, Alvarez, seems we're all in the same boat. Well almost all of us." He picked up the phone and called the pharmacy. Getting a response, he ordered harshly, "Yeah, this is Dr. Gregory House. I need you to fill the Rubenstein Amoxicillin script pronto! Spare me the garbage. The man's dying." He slammed the phone down and limped out of the Clinic toward the elevator. Once inside, he pulled his cell phone out.

"I guess he's done for the day?" Henderson supposed.

"Yeah I'd say so," Foreman agreed, wincing at that latest outburst. Now what?

Princeton Police Department—ten minutes earlier

Cuddy parked her car in the "case" lot and sighed. "You can do this." She hefted her satchel before getting got out of her car and pushing the lock button on her key chain. She walked into the building and into the bullpen area.

"Good afternoon. Can I help you?" the desk sergeant greeted.

"Yes. Can you let Chief Wilkins know that Lisa Cuddy is here to see him please?" Cuddy requested.

"He's expecting you. Follow me," the officer indicated before leading her to the back of the area and Wilkins' door. She knocked. "Chief? Dr. Cuddy is here to see you."

Wilkins opened the door. "Thank you, Officer Harris. That'll be all." After the desk sergeant had left, he invited Cuddy into his office and shut the door. "I have to admit I was surprised that you called me, Lisa. I was going to put my check in the mail next week."

"Thank you but actually…that's not why I'm here, Tom," she admitted before frowning. "We have a problem that needs to be dealt with."

"This wouldn't happen to be Detective Tritter's case against Greg House, would it? Lisa, House was caught with drugs in his possession! Tritter says he seized them in a raid. I believe it," he reported.

"He seized drugs that were legally prescribed," she protested.

"Forty vials worth? Lisa, you know the DA wants to get House for trafficking!" he countered in disbelief. Then he put his hand up. "I know you too well. You wouldn't be here if you felt that House's situation interfered with his job."

"The Vicodin is how he does it, Tom. He's in pain from an infarction. We tried ketomene last summer and it worked—at least for a while," she explained before bowing her head. "It didn't last. He's in more pain than ever."

"So House has tried other options. Is this noted anywhere?" he inquired, taking out a pad and making notes for himself.

"In his file," she replied. "Meantime, there is the matter of Detective Tritter's behavior toward my staff and myself."

"He is focused and driven, Lisa."

"Tom, I understand what it means to be that way but there's a line to it," she countered. "I understand that he has the right to question people. But did you know about James Wilson's situation?"

"What about Wilson?" he asked. "Jim's a friend of mine as you know. What is it?"

"Tritter's had his car impounded, frozen his bank accounts and managed to have his ability to prescribe medicine revoked," she summarized. "He's also leaned on House's staff, pulling them away from patients in the process."

Wilkins stood and paced silently about the office, considering those words.

Then her cell phone vibrated.

She tried to ignore it but it persisted.

"I'm sorry, Tom," she apologized while getting it. "This better be important."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Cuddy," her assistant apologized. "Dr. House won't leave until he talks to you."

"Terrific," she groused. "Francie, put him on please. Thank you."

"Cuddy, where the Hell are you?" he snapped.

"Cool it, House. I'm in an important meeting right now," she replied firmly. "Tell me what happened? Did you do anything in the Clinic?"

"No, I didn't do anything to the little whiners! We need to talk about Tritter! He's pulled the same thing with my staff that he did to Wilson!" he snapped angrily. "We're in the middle of a case and he pulls this crap!" She heard him slam his fist on the desk in frustration.

As much as she wanted to tell him it would be okay and what she was doing at that very moment, she refrained from doing so. And now, Tritter's interfered with his puzzles. Lord, help us. "Can you and your staff meet with me in an hour? I want you all in my suite. I'll have Wilson join us."

"I'll get Wilson right now," House told her. "Just get that crap done and get back here." He shoved the phone back at the assistant who hung up.

"What was that about?" Wilkins queried with concern.

"That was Dr. House. It seems Detective Tritter's throwing his weight around with more of my staff, Tom. House's team can't prescribe medicine anymore. The AMA's yanked their privileges too. I suppose I'll be next," she reported. "I can't have my staff be blocked from doing their duties, Tom. Nor will I be threatened in my own suite."

"Threatened? Did Detective Tritter say anything?" He stared at her.

"Sorry, Tom. He accused me of shielding House and insinuated that he would make trouble with the Board of Directors over that." Noting the VCR and TV to their left, she pulled out the tape. "Did he ever mention what started this whole thing?"

"He said that he had a lead. A source of some kind," he replied. "Is that what I think it is?"

"It's from the Clinic on the day Detective Tritter went there as a patient. Just watch and see," she advised while putting the tape into the VCR and starting it.

They saw the initial interaction between House and Tritter.

After shutting off the tape, he frowned at her. "I could still nail House with assault for that."

"He didn't start it, Tom. Granted, two wrongs don't make a right but Tritter attacked him first," she countered while pulling out her folder next. "I have statements from the staff reporting him hanging around the hospital and stalking House as well. I can't have someone like this in the hospital interfering with and threatening my doctors or the staff."

"No, you can't and I understand that," he agreed. "I signed off on those orders too. He said they were routine. I can't believe it. I should've known better." He ran his hand through his hair. "You're meeting with House, his team and Wilson, correct?"

"That's right," she agreed. "Why?"

"I'll need signed statements from everyone including yourself. Have the hospital notary seal them first," he instructed. "This isn't to incriminate anyone. We just need our I's dotted and T's crossed. Before I confront Tritter, I want their side of the story."

"Fine," she declared before getting up and shaking his hand. "Thanks for seeing me on short notice, Tom."

"You're welcome, Lisa. Anything we can do to help. Sorry about this mess," he apologized while shaking her hand. "I'll need those statements by close of business tomorrow."

"You'll have them," she concluded before leaving. Let's hope that I can keep House from exploding over this.