*Second times a this posts. It erased everything I wrote.
This one isn't about the Roman Empire, despite the fact that Huddy is in Rome, this is in the dark ages. This is... The Bubonic Plague!*
Rats, Fleas, and Death- Oh My!
The Roman Empire's fall was a crucial time in history. It marked the start of the dark ages, where all medical research became a felony and many doctors were killed for their practice. It also marked the beginning of something huge: the bubonic plague commonly known as the Black Death.
The Bubonic plague was marked by coughing, fever, chills, and red skin. Prayers were the only thing people knew to fix it during the time. It was carried through fleas on rats, every modern medical student knew that. If it were so elementary, Why was House so interested, Cuddy wondered.
...
He walked down the streets in a black hooded robe, a squirming satchel in his grip. He had to avoid anyone coughing, and the many rats that lined the streets of France. He only breathed when he had to, the stench of burning corpses covering the entire town. The town was struck by disease, and he had to stay healthy if he wanted to fix them.
He went down the stairs to the cellar of a rich couple's house, a couple that was- at one time- two very good doctors. The man was a blonde man with hair to his chin, he shared a striking resemblance to Chase. His wife was thin and blonde, with vivid facial expressions and a kind spirit; much like Cameron. Their slave, an African man, looked a lot like Foreman but spoke a lot less. The man hit his bag against the wall to knock its contents unconscious.
"Differential diagnosis." The slave handed the man a tablet and took the bag from him, cautious not to open it.
"Sir, if they catch us we will be hanged!" Cameron warned.
"And if they do or DON'T catch us we're going to die anyway." House corrected her. "Symptoms are fever, chills, coughing and red skin. Guesses?"
"Plague." Foreman answered. It was a markedly dumb question.
"We already KNOW it's the plague, House, how is that getting us anywhere?" Chase asked.
"We know it's the plague, but do any of you know what CAUSES the plague?" He asked.
"Nope." Cameron answered.
"Victims die too early." Chase explained. House opened his bag to reveal... A rat! Cameron squealed and screamed a little, she hated rats! Chase hit the rat over its head with a book, and it passed out on the table. "House, are you out of your mind?"
House raised two fingers as if about to pinch the air.
"Little bit, of course." Chase rolled his eyes. Foreman chuckled as thougH delusional.
"This is, yes, a rat. It is our host animal. Can any of you kiddies tell me what THAT means?"
"The rat is causing the disease." Chase answered.
"But no one has rat bites." Cameron told them as Foreman put the rat back in the bag.
"I'm getting there." House continued. "The rat is the host OF the host."
"That makes no sense, even for you." Chase muttered.
"On this rat there is about one hundred fleas."
"Flea bites would be unseen on the red skin!" Cameron's revelation was correct.
"Now onto finding a cure..."
...
Rome was so beautiful at nightfall. Cuddy sat across the table from a half-awake House at a little bistro for dinner. And it WAS scrumptious. He was starting to scare her though, the fact that he had been asking her questions like "Who actually cured the bubonic plague?" or "How long have Cameron and Chase been married?" or "Why weren't you helping when I cured the plague in France?". The questions were insane.
"House, why did you invite me to Rome?" She asked, twirling a forkful of spaghetti off of her plate.
"You deserved a vacation." He answered, shoveling another meatball onto his tongue. His expression was still blank, but at least he looked alive.
"But why did you decide Rome?"
"I needed to find myself." He said, then the conversation died.
He needed to find himself, Cuddy thought, what does he mean?