Only one word was scribbled onto the whiteboard: ventricular tachycardia. This was the only clue they could follow. The patients name was written onto the top of the board: WOMBAT.
- Come on, House, that's kind of rude! – stated Wilson, when House wrote the teasing nickname with his marker.
- Oh, come on. He deserves it. – House commented, throwing the ball to the wall. – Okay, people. Lets hear it. Differential diagnosis.
- His toxo is negative and he doesn't drink. – Cameron said, gazing at Chase's file.
- How do you know he doesn't drink? – House asked in disbelief.
- He… he doesn't. Have you ever seen him drunk? – Cameron asked in an offended style.
- Well, when he killed that young woman – laughed House with relish – he was looking kinda drunk…
- It was because his father, and you know that…
- His grandpa had ARVD. Maybe he has it too. – stated Foreman, cutting the two off.
- Great idea! – House stood up, leaning on his cane. – Cameron. Do an ECD, and if it doesn't show anything, do an angiogram of his right ventricle. Foreman. You stay here, and think of more bright ideas.
Cameron and Foreman nodded, and the former stood up. But as she walked to the door, she saw House hobbling behind her. She turned around, surprised.
- Why are you following me? – she asked.
- We have to wake our little patient! – House smiled, limping out of his office. Cameron sighed, and followed him.
He lay there, covered in blankets, his face pale, his eyes closed. Blond locks fell in his face, giving him the look of an angel. He looked so innocent, thought Cameron. She smiled as she saw him, but sadness soon creeped in her heart. He's very ill, she knew it. And she had to tell him the bad news.
She followed House into Chase's room, sitting beside his bed on a chair. House slammed his cane down onto the back of the bed, pulled out his penlight, and turned it on, flashing it into Chase's eyes. The young doctor narrowed his eyes in discomfort, and opened them slowly.
- Good morning, my shiny wombat! – House greeted him.
Chase looked around. Everyhting was too bright and colorful for his sore eyes. He felt himself very weak, and didn't knew why he was lying on a hospital bed. He knew for sure he was in PPTH, after all, he worked here, and saw many rooms of it. He was annoyed by the fact he was sick, but he couldn't remember why.
- What… what happened? – he whispered, looking around once more. He saw House and Cameron, the former frowning, and the latter smiling.
- You had ventricular fibrillation. – said Cameron. – It's probably you have ARVD. We have to test you for it, so were gonna have to do an ECG.
- I… I have ARVD? – Chase asked slowly. The infromation shocked him, yet he knew his grandpa died from it. However, it was ironic at the same time: a cardiologyst with a heart disease. How funny.
- It is not sure yet. – Cameron tried to calm him. – But we have to do some tests to be ensured. The first is ECG. We have to do it now. Okay?
- O…okay… – Chase murmured.
House went out, and waited for Cameron to help Chase in a wheelchair. She rolled him thorugh the corridors to the ECG room, with House hobbling on their side. They all remained silent, except Cameron, who frequently asked Chase questions about how is he feeling. Chase always awnsered with a short sentence, trying to indicate to Cameron that he doesn't want to talk. He was shocked about the possible diagnoses. Plus, the memories of the last time when he was awake came to him. He was working at the ICU so hard… he took a break… he met Wilson… and then…
- Here we are! – announced Cameron, entering into the exam room.
Chase was back into his bed, lying flat on his back, and trying to rest. His ECG showed abnormal heart rythm, but it wasn't clear enough. They have to do an angiogram, wich was organized for tomorrow.
Chase's head was full of bitter thoughts. His heart is abnormal, it doesn't work the way it's supposed to. He has inherited a disease from his grandfather. His paternal grandfather. He got the faulty genes from his father's family. He'll have to take drugs for his entire life, or may be implanted with a cardioverter-defibrillator. Chase was angry, yet afraid. He covered his face with his hands, trying not to think about his miserable future.
The door of his room opened, and Wilson stepped in. The oncologist smiled at Chase, an sat on his bed.
- How are you feeling? – he asked gently.
- I'm… I'm fine… – muttered Chase, not looking at Wilson. He doctor frowned indisbelief.
- Chase, I know how are you feeling about this. But ARVD can be controlled. You're gonna be okay. – he comforted the young australian man.
Wilson saw the expression on Chase's face, wich didn't exactly reveal that he was relieved. He sighed, and decided to bring up a happier topic.
- Cameron is really worried about you. – he said with a cunning smile. Chase sighed.
- Yeah, I know. She usually worries about everyone.
Wilson was rather surprised about what Chase said. Doesn't he have an interest for Cameron? He asked:
- Are you two together?
- Nah. – waved Chase impatiently. – She's not interested in me.
- And are you interested in her? – Wilson inquired.
- Well… I don't really know. – Chase awnsered.
He was very unsure about his feelings for Cameron. Sure, she was nice, and he liked him, but not like that… he didn't feel that strange tickling in his heart when he saw Cameron like he felt when he met his firts love interest. And he didn't waited eagerly to meet her. She was just a co-worker, nothing else. He didn't know what Cameron was feeling, but he didn't want to start a relationship with her.
Wilson, because he had nothing left to say, checked his vitals, and then left the room wishing the best to Chase. He was left alone, with his dark thoughts.
Suddenly, he started to feel a little weak and dizzy… the way he felt that day after the ICU hours. He knew something was wrong with him again. He started to find it difficult to breath; his breathing went into panting. With his last strengh, he pushed the nurse-calling button beside his bed. After that, the last sound he could hear was the accelerated beep of his heartbeat, and then he passed out.
The nurses rushed into his room, led by Wilson. He was running toward Chase's bed, yelling commands. One of the nurses gave him the defibrillators, wich he pressed onto the young doctor's chest, knocking him out. After two shocks, Chase's heartbeat came back. Wilson sighed, relieved that he could save him. For the second time.
He quickly paged Cameron and Foreman. There was no time to do the angiogram tomorrow. They had to do it now. This was Chase's second ventricular tachycardia. They can't let another one to happen.
Cameron was rolling Chase to the exam room. Beside them walked Foreman and Wilson. It was time for the angiogram.
Chase was awake, but was very weak, and his eyes were shut. He didn't say anything since his tachycardia. They told him waht happened, but he didn't respond. He just nodded. The others were worried about him, but they didn't want to force things.
They arrived soon. Cameron and Foreman helped Chase onto the exam table. Wilson remained silent in the background. He was just there as a spectator, because he was worried about Chase.
Cameron inserted the catheter into Chase's left thigh. Foreman asked him if he's feeling okay. Chase nodded. Cameron started the contrast agent. Soon, his blood vessels were painted and visible on the screen. The contrast agent came to his heart.
- There it is. – Foreman said vehemetly. – Bulging of the right ventricle.
- It is official. – Cameron muttered. – He has ARVD.