a/n: Thank you for all your feedback about my question from the last chapter. As much as I would like to accomodate larger chapters with more frequent updates, the life thing pretty much prevents that. So, I will continue with the current format, large chapters every 5 to 7 days.
This chapter ended up taking a turn I had no idea I was going to take. Everyone will have to tell me if you like, because I can really take this plot line far. Or I can drop it like a hot potato with one giant cop out! Anyway, happy reading and enjoy yet another bizzare fluffy twist.
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As soon as the door opened, they had to turn their eyes fast away. They needed to protect themselves from retinal damage.
"You had us come over here just to blind us?" Chase said to Foreman as he let them in. He squinted his eyes open far enough to guide himself into the room without completely falling on his ass.
"Strangely, your eyes get used to it after a while." Foreman said while taking Cameron's arm to help her in. She was covering her eyes tightly with her right hand.
Cameron lowered her hand from her face and carefully opened her eyes to gradually take in the brightness. "So you like this?"
"Me, no. Personally these supposedly warm and relaxing colors are driving me into some type of psychosis."
Cameron now focused intently on the strange color combination. She moved glances back and forth between one of the walls and her husband's face while Foreman and Chase stared at her strangely. "It's the same color as your eyes."
"It looks great on me, but on your wall it sucks." Chase quipped to Foreman.
Pamela came in all excited as she heard the voices from the kitchen. "I see you are looking at the new changes. You like?"
Cameron plastered on the best fake smile she could muster. "It's very colorful."
"Come on in. I found out some really fantastic information. We have a full assortment Chinese takeout, a plate of goodies and plenty of drink to help us get through it all." She had all her papers on the coffee table ready for sharing.
"Uh, dear, we would be better doing this at the kitchen table." Foreman wasn't thinking of the mercy his guests when suggesting the idea. His motives were purely selfish. That room was sapping his will to live.
Pamela surprisingly agreed, liking the suggestion that the kitchen table provided more space. "Yes, that would be a better place. I'll get everything together."
"I can help you," Cameron offered wanting to get herself fast into a less overbearing environment. It wasn't good for the baby.
"So you came up with a private practice idea because you aren't man enough to tell your wife to change the wall colors?" Chase asked in a low voice so that only Foreman could hear.
"It's a strange motivator. If I ever have doubts about the practice all I need to do is look at my walls to remind me what damage this woman can do when left on her own."
Chase laughed, actually finding reason in that warped logic.
"Wait until you see what she has to say. It isn't so far fetched. In the meantime, I found a glass of stiff whiskey helps with the colors."
Chase saw Foreman heading to the mini-bar. "Start pouring, my head is about to explode."
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"Being acquired by Trinity can be equated in experience to being assimilated by the Borg." Pamela told the group professionally as she passed out her packets of neatly grouped information.
"Resistance is futile?" Chase asked trying to grasp the reference.
"They come in, disassemble everything, assemble it to fit their machinery and then suck the humanity out of you in the process. In the end, you are a mindless drone."
"It can't be that bad." Cameron didn't want to believe the worst.
"They're efficient and all about bottom line. They are likely to treat Princeton Plainsboro a differently since it is a teaching hospital loaded with grant money, but the changes will be noticeable because departments will be expected to be self sustaining. As for Princeton General..." she paused to shutter, "...what they've done to the other public hospitals they've taken over is pure carnage."
"This is pure speculation, right?" Chase asked while skimming over more of the notes.
"Predictions based on the fact that they've followed the same MO with the last 10 hospitals they've acquired."
"Okay, bottom line, how does this affect us?" Foreman didn't care for the ghost story tactics that were happening.
"You and Allison would be gone. You both have done your time, so they would bring in a fresh new set of fellows for less money, assuming they even want to carry on the fellowship program. House doesn't have a lot of friends in his corner in that regards. Where it gets exciting is with Robert's situation." She stopped and eyed her audience for a reaction.
They all looked at her with pleading yet annoyed eyes, telling her to stop leaving them hanging.
"Sorry, I do so love building suspense. Robert, your attending position is considered because of billing purposes a hospital owned diagnostic practice, correct?"
"Yes, it is." Chase confirmed.
"If you read the article I attached in your packets, they are coming into the hospitals and encouraging hospital owned practices to go private. They are even going as far as waiving non-compete clauses and welcoming these practices with open arms into their physician based referral network."
"Why are they doing that?" Cameron asked.
"Money. The article says that hospitals can't run these practices efficiently. They lose thousands of dollars per year on one practice, where a team of doctors can make thousands of dollars per year profit taking the practice private. With diagnostics, the patient will need to be hospitalized or tested so the hospital gets the business while the doctors get their fee. It's win-win."
Cameron started scanning the article. "There is no such thing as a straight win-win. There has to be a downside."
"A private practice is a self sustained business. Accounts receivable would now be the responsibility of the practice, contracts with all insurance carriers would have to be negotiated, malpractice risk is greater which requires a better liability shield, plus getting started will be a bumpy ride because of leasing and equipment purchases. There are many legal and financial ramifications to consider when getting started."
Cameron and Chase looked very unnerved by those aspects, while Foreman just smiled. "It sounds like we need a tough as nails administrator with a flare for contract negotiation and business management."
Pamela coyly stretched out her hand and admired her recent manicure. "Really, who could that be?"
"You would do that for us?" Chase asked still wide-eyed and overwhelmed by all the info.
"Us nothing. This right now is all about you. The key to all this is negotiating the disengagement of your practice. Once that's established, these two can join you at anytime."
"So what do we do now?" Cameron asked noticing how distressed her husband was getting.
"I suggest we start negotiating soon, before the merger goes through. I'm sure Princeton General will be open to it considering they need a healthy bottom line for the new parent. This will likely be a three to six month long process. The first thing I'm going to have to do is find somewhere willing to grant a line of credit. Without financing, we go nowhere."
Chase got up unable to hear anymore. He walked into the other room without saying a word. The others watched him go with a stare of both confusion and disbelief.
"Did I upset him?" Pamela asked ashamedly.
"Nooo," Cameron said with a slight smile plastered on her face just before the smile abruptly turned into a trivial scowl. "You only freaked him out."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
Cameron grabbed her hand. "I know you didn't. I think I understand what's going on. Give me a few minutes to talk to him."
Cameron found Chase on the end of the living room couch, leaning forward with his head buried in his hands and a freshly poured drink sitting next to him. She slid next to him while putting her hand on his knee. "I guess you weren't expecting all that."
Chase lifted his face toward her. "What, that my position at the hospital can now be used as leverage in an evil corporate scheme that affects the future of all of us? No, I can't say I saw that one coming."
"I know you only reluctantly agreed because you thought that Foreman would be leading the way. So it will be you instead. What's the big deal?"
"I never wanted this. I never wanted to-" He stopped short of what was really bothering him.
"You never wanted to become your father."
Chase turned his eyes away and took a drink. "Yeah."
"So he had a well renowned practice. He was an attention seeker. You aren't like that at all. You shouldn't be holding back your talents just because you fear becoming the prestigious doctor your dad was. Your motives are genuine and your skills are invaluable."
"I never thought I would ever be in this position. I always pictured myself being the simple doctor who just quietly did his job at the hospital. Actually having to tell everyone in some marketing brochure what a skilled and accomplished physician I am, well that sounds exactly like my dad. What if this was exactly the way he started?"
"It's not how you start. It's what you do in the process. You aren't an ass like he was and you never will be."
Chase silently nodded taking all of Cameron's words in as well as a little more alcohol.
"Is that all bothering you about this? There are still some pretty scary obstacles to overcome before this becomes a reality. What about the financial risk?"
"There's none of that to worry about."
"We going to use our money?"
Chase turned to her, appalled at the mere thought. "Absolutely not. That money is going to get us a big down-payment on our new house and everything we need for the baby."
"Then what?"
"I'll go to the plan that was always there. It seems appropriate to use it in this situation."
Cameron had no idea what he was talking about, but let it go. They both stared forward for a while, using the stillness to let their minds bear the rush of thoughts and feelings spinning over all that had to be considered.
"Foreman was right."
"About what?" Cameron asked wondering where his stray thought came from.
"These wall colors aren't so bad after a few drinks."
They both broke into laughter. Cameron gave him a sweet, sincere smile. "Do what is best for you. Don't worry about the rest of us. We always have plenty of options."
He reached over with his adoring eyes and gently grasped her hand. "What affects you is my worry. We are in this together. Do you want a part of this?"
"Yes. I do. As a team of diagnostic experts out on our own, we'd kick ass."
"You can do this and handle a baby?"
"This is the best way to raise our baby. I can set my own hours and we finally have the flexibility we never have had. Maybe we can actually be there for those soccer games and/or dance recitals."
Chase gave her a reassuring smile, choked down the rest of his drink and stood up. "Then we've got to do this. Come on, I'm sure we've scared Pamela and Foreman enough now."
Cameron returned his bright smile and let him pull her up. She leaned in and softly gave him a kiss on the cheek for support before they both headed back into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry," Chase told both Pamela and Foreman as he took his prior place at the kitchen table. "I just needed a few minutes to take it all in."
"Take your time Robert. You don't need to decide this now."
"I'm in. If my hospital practice is the most beneficial strategy to make this work, then let's move forward. I trust you completely to handle all the details."
Pamela blushed in flattery. "This is a rare moment of humility for me so mark down this event." They all gave her happy faces knowing she was exactly right.
"Okay, since that moment is now over, I'll start making some calls on Monday. We need to setup some meetings with the hospital administrators, and we need to start applying for loans."
"No need for loans." Chase replied. "I know where I can find a very willing foreign investor. Someone who reaped the rewards of a very successful Australian Rheumatology practice."
"Your stepmother would do that?" Cameron was surprised that he was willing to pull that card.
"In a heartbeat. She knows my dad would have wanted it and the risk to her is very little. I can call her tomorrow."
Foreman was now wondering if they were moving a bit too fast. "Chase, we've already asked you to take a big risk by starting negotiations with the hospital. If this doesn't pan out, they will think you are unhappy and will eliminate your position. Now you want to bear the financial responsibility as well?"
"Only to start with. Trust me, you'll be asked to earn your keep when you join this practice." He flashed Foreman a stern glare, but then broke into a chuckle. Foreman began to laugh along knowing Chase could never pull off the tough guy act. "Besides, all the pressure is now on your wife. If she fails, she screws us all."
"Gee thanks." Pamela said trying to be nervous, but she was more amused instead. She gathered all her notes together and stood up. "Enough business talk. It's making all our heads spin. Let's get into the other room and start enjoying all that champagne I bought. I even got sparkling cider for you Allison."
"That was nice of you." Cameron said, even though she knew that any type of juice sparkling or not made her want to barf. Still, it was a celebration, so she would suck it up and make the most of it.
----------------------------------------------------
"Where's Dr. Foreman?" Cuddy barked as she barged into House's office without even a warning. Of course considering he had his headphones on, he did let his guard down a bit. He removed his headphones all while giving her the annoyed look of his quality time being disturbed.
"I'm not his babysitter, but if I had to fathom a guess I would say he's with a patient since he's a doctor and all."
"Foreman and Chase want to start a private practice?"
"Do they? I hadn't heard such a thing." House replied lying through his teeth. "I don't know why Cameron wouldn't be part of that too."
"Her name wasn't mentioned, but I suppose her involvement is a forgone conclusion. I'm surprised you aren't the slightest bit concerned about your subordinates out there trying to out do your brilliance."
House scoffed. "Please. They aren't even close to matching my wits even put together. They wouldn't be competition since this is a teaching hospital. If anything we would be feeding able bodied doctors to into their firm someday."
Cuddy squinted at him with deep accusation. "You only like the idea because it lessens your workload."
"Yeah, that does have a lot to do with it."
Cuddy then gasped, eyes dark with thoughts of betrayal. "You talked them into this."
"Me? No, they actually came up with this idea on their own. Although I'm sure my training on thinking outside the box influenced them somehow."
"This will affect us financially."
That was enough to break House into a rant. "Give me a break. Is the hospital budget that thin? Between the four days average per week of hospitalization and the chump change you pay me it isn't hard to break even. The fellowships come from grants. If you're worried about money just get Wilson to take in some more cancer kids. Or better yet, here's another thought. Maybe Chase and Foreman will refer their patients to this hospital? That will involve some type of relationship building. Hmm, if only we had a friendly rapport with those guys."
Cuddy sat in the opposite chair showing her indifference to his comments and a bit too much fatigue.
House smiled. "Oh, you didn't mean a negative impact. Never mind then. What's got you so tired today? Didn't take your vitamins?"
"I'm fine. This merger stuff has me putting in some long hours and is making me crazy right now."
"What merger?" House said again with his unconvincing lack of knowledge.
"Stop it. You know it was already approved yesterday. I heard the rumor mill churning outside my door this morning. The announcement will go out sometime this afternoon."
House was far from convinced over Cuddy's brush off of her fatigue and distraction of merger talk, but let her off the hook as his instinct told him this wasn't the right time. "So what do you exactly have planned for my troublemaking doctor?"
Cuddy got up. "Send Dr. Foreman to my office as soon as he is available. I need to deal with any potential situation right away."
"Yes boss." He stretched his legs up on the desk and went back to his headphones while lustily watching that rear depart his domain. He actually couldn't wait to send Foreman over to her. Foreman was a pretty worthy adversary. He would have to find a way to get in on the meeting of two pig headed opponents that were determined to get their way at all costs. All he needed was some snacks.
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Foreman entered Cuddy's office with his tough 'never back down' guard up. He wasn't going to take any bullying or threats. Cuddy waived him in with the same sturdy look in her face.
As Foreman was shutting the door, an object blocked it from completely closing. It was a round wooden object resembling a cane.
"House, get out of here." Cuddy ordered.
"My employee. I need to be here as his supervisor for any reprimand you might give him."
"Dr. Foreman, it's your choice."
"He can stay." Foreman knew that the more knowledge House had of the situation, the faster it would make its way around the hospital. He needed the buzz factor right now.
"Okay, if you want it that way. House, shut the door and sit in that chair. I don't want to hear a sound from you."
House did as he was told, pretending to be all obedient while as usual being completely conceited.
Cuddy stood behind her desk peering at Foreman with arms folded and eyes blazing, ready to push her authority. "I want in."
Two collective "What??" responses rang out in the office.
"Shut up House. A private practice of the three most recent fellows to go through our diagnostics program? If you are successful then I'll have people beating down my door dripping with grant money. We will need your referrals though so we can adequately teach the next wave of fellows. My success hinges on your success, so we can help each other."
Foreman smiled, loving seeing Cuddy the strategist. He rarely got to see that side, but he knew it existed given the success of the hospital's grant programs. "If we had a practice I would make an accord, but we have complications."
"Chase?"
"Princeton General."
"I don't get it. They won't let him go private?" She looked at Foreman, who didn't want to give away too much but his expression betrayed him. "No, you are negotiating with Princeton General. That gives them the exclusive rights to the referrals. I know how this works. The cases they turn down will be the ones that don't have insurance, so those are the ones that will come our way because we absorb the cost because of our grants."
"Wow, I just have a warm fuzzy feeling over our new family." House mocked.
"It seems I'm negotiating with the wrong person. I need to be talking with my counterpart at Princeton General about options."
"What good will that do?" A puzzled Foreman asked.
"You want your practice to happen? I can pull some strings, speed up the process, work out a referral agreement or better yet see if we can buy out Dr. Chase's contract outright. Who's your practice consultant? It seems my friend and I need to setup a meeting with that person and Dr. Chase to get things rolling."
Foreman pulled out a business card and wrote a cell number on the back. He handed it to her with a proud smile. "Her name is Pamela Foreman."
House broke out in deep laughter while Foreman and Cuddy gazed at him with disdain. "Your wife? No wonder Chase went along with this risky plan."
"Thank you Dr. Foreman." Cuddy told him completely ignoring House. "I won't be allowed to talk to you anymore about this, but I'm looking forward to seeing Pamela again. Now both of you, out!"
Both men didn't hesitate to leave. Cuddy slumped behind her desk and started digging through her desk for a snack. She desperately needed to get them out of her office since she couldn't miss a snack or risk getting sick, but she couldn't either give House any clues either. She was rather proud that this latest run in with House didn't result in any suspicion. Maybe she could pull this off for a while. And maybe New Jersey will fall into the sea.