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Chapter 38
House grabbed his phone and called Cameron.
Cameron looked at her phone and saw it was House calling her wondering where she was, no doubt. She quickly answered her phone. "I'm on my way back." Just then her pager went off with a 911.
"Where the hell are you and why am I getting paged with a 911?" He asked in a gruff voice.
"I don't know. I'm not at the hospital. Something must have happened with Jeremy. Call Taub or Foreman. I'll be there in a few minutes."
They both hung up their phones. Instead of House making another phone call, he headed straight to his patient's room.
House entered the room to find Thirteen and Taub working on the patient.
"He's bleeding out." Taub said.
"Call surgery." House yelled.
"We've already done that. We're taking him there now." Thirteen answered.
House stepped back and let his team and the nurses do their job.
"When your done, meet back downstairs and lets go over everything again and where's Cameron?"
"On a wild goose chase." Thirteen answered as she walked out of the room.
House wasn't sure what that comment was about but he was sure he would find out soon enough.
House waited impatiently for the members of his team to join him. The conversation with Chase was still fresh in his mind. A few minutes later, his array of underlings filled the room.
Still, no Cameron.
"What's the status?" He asked glancing at the empty coffee pot.
Taub saw House looking at the coffee pot and started towards it.
"We don't know yet. They were still trying to stabilize him before they took him into surgery." Thirteen said.
"Who's doing the surgery?" House could see Taub going for the coffee pot. "Don't touch that!" House snapped.
"I thought I would make some fresh coffee." Taub answered. House stared at him. "I said don't touch it. Now, again. Who is doing the surgery?" They all looked at him curiously.
"I requested Chase." Foreman said.
House nodded in agreement.
Just then, an out of breath Cameron entered the room. "Sorry I'm late. I got hung up in traffic. What happened?"
"Why don't we start with you explaining where you were and you can make coffee while you're doing it."
Cameron raised her eyebrow but preceded to the counter to make coffee.
Taub shook his head and sat down.
Cameron began to explain, ignoring the death look from Thirteen. "I went back to Jeremy's office to see if we missed something."
"I thought we already did that?" House asked.
"We did." Thirteen said coldly.
House suddenly realized what Thirteen had meant by the wild goose chase. "And did we find anything else?" He asked Cameron.
"Maybe. I talked to one of the partners, Jacobs, who was not there when Remy was there."
Remy looked surprised.
Cameron continued. "One of the firms top clients is in Thailand and Jacobs and Jeremy made a fast trip there ten days ago. They were there less than 72 hours."
"Why didn't anyone else know about it?" House asked.
"Because no one knows except for Jacobs that Jeremy went too. Apparently it was a last minute decision. I gather Jeremy is Jacobs pet project."
"So, he's been in Thailand. That opens a lot of possibilities."
"I have a theory." Cameron said quickly.
House stared at her impatiently. "We don't have all day Dr. Cameron."
"As I was driving back to the hospital I thought about a case study I just read and the subject was Dengue Fever." Cameron said. She didn't miss the surprised looks directed her way.
House is intrigued by her theory. "Really. So you think he has Dengue Fever?"
"All his symptoms plus the fact he was in Thailand, fit." Cameron said with confidence.
"Except that he is about ten years too old. It only attacks young children and teenagers." Foreman said.
Cameron stepped forward and gave House a cup of coffee. "True but we know that Jeremy had recently recovered from the flu. What if his immune system was too weak to fight off the virus?"
"If that's the case, then he's at the end. We may not be able to save him." Kutner added.
House listened as the team went back and forth with their doubts as he wrote three words on the white board, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever. He stood back and stared at the board. "Interesting. The Dengue Fever is caused by the Aedes mosquito." House cocked his head, still thinking. "If he does have this, he may be in the last stage given his symptoms. I'm not sure there is a treatment that will cure him."
"We could do a blood transfusion." Cameron said.
House turned his attention to Cameron again. "That's pretty risky."
"To risky. He just lost a lot of blood." Thirteen added with a smirk.
"Riskier than dying?" Cameron shot back.
House smiled and thought for a minute. "Let's do it."
"House, it's too risky." Foreman insisted again.
They heard the door open and turned to see Chase standing in the doorway. House saw the dark look that flashed across Cameron's face. He also noticed how awkward Chase was and that he didn't look in House's direction. "You're patient is stable but he's lost a lot of blood."
"Just in time to have a blood transfusion." House said.
"What?" Chase asked. "I wouldn't recommend that. Who's bright idea is that?"
House couldn't resist. "Cameron's."
Cameron crossed her arms in front of her and gave Chase a look of confidence. "It may be the only way we can save him."
"Well, it's a stupid move." Chase stated bluntly.
"Well then, it's a good thing your opinion doesn't count." House said and dismissed him and turned his attention to the others.
Chase took the hint and left the room.
"That was rude." Thirteen said.
"What?" House asked innocently.
"He just saved our patient's life. The least you could have done was thank him." Thirteen said to House.
"He's a doctor. He did what he was supposed to do. We need to focus on what is going to cure this guy and Cameron's theory fits."
Thirteen rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
"Hey!" House snapped, startling everyone. He looked directly at Thirteen. "I don't know what your problem is with Cameron but she is the only one who has come up with something solid. If you're so worried about Aussie boy getting his feelings hurt, go after him and console him. The rest of us are going to do our job and save our patient. Now, someone set up the transfusion."
They scurried out of the room except for Cameron, who was still leaning against the counter watching House. "Thanks."
"For what?" He asked.
"For backing me."
"I only backed you because you made sense. I'm impressed that you came up with Dengue Fever."
"Nothing impressive about it. I read a case study and it stuck with me."
"Don't sell yourself short. I read the same case study and I didn't think of it. You have good instincts and that's what it takes to do this job."
Cameron stared at him for a minute. "Did you just pay me a compliment?"
"A little one but let's not forget how I really am, so don't let it go to your head."
Cameron smiled and was about to leave when he stopped her.
"One more thing."
She turned around. "What."
House looked at her. "I know about Wilson and Cuddy and that you lied about sleeping with Wilson."
Cameron's eyes grew wide with shocked. "Oh." Was the only word she could get out of her mouth.
"I know you would love to stay here and explain to me why you came up with that little charade but you have a dying man to save. We'll talk later."
Cameron didn't say anything because she knew whatever came out of her mouth at that moment would be something stupid. So, she simply nodded her head and left the room.
House couldn't help but smile knowing he had totally caught her off guard but the smile and satisfaction quickly disappeared when he thought about Chase and the secret he held inside.
