Chapter 12

There was a knock at Wilson's door.
"Come in," called Wilson, not even looking up from his work.
"Excuse me, Doctor Wilson, I'm sorry to bother you but I've been looking for Kate to do her follow-up blood work today and I can't find her anywhere I was hoping she was here but clearly she isn't but you wouldn't happen to know where she is?"
Wilson took a breath. Doctor Woods was a lot. "I don't. How long have you been looking?"
"About an hour."
Wilson looked up at that. "An hour?"
"That's what I said. But one of the nurses said she saw Kate go off with you earlier today but I didn't need to do her bloodwork then."
Wilson got up from his desk and walked out of office. Doctor Woods followed as Wilson went straight into House's office. "Where's Kate?" he demanded.
House looked up from his Gameboy. "How should I know?"
"She was with you to go see my patient and now her doctor can't find her. Where is she?"
"She stormed out of here about oooh," House looked at the clock on the wall. "A little over two hours ago."
"Two hours?" Wilson practically yelled.
"I'll get the nurses to make a call on all pagers," said Doctor Woods.
"Of course she's going to be found by that," House said sarcastically.
"Go," Wilson said to Doctor Woods.
"It's not going to work," said House. "Damn!" he said as he died in the game. He put the Gameboy down.
"Well we've got to try something. Why did Kate storm out?"
"She may or may not have read a fascinating article on my computer."
Wilson frowned. "What was she doing in your office?"
"Kate was being an example to my team, she didn't want to do that I told her to wait in here."
"What did she read?"
"Today's article about Doctor Fairchild's appearance in court."
Wilson closed his eyes, took a breath, and rubbed his face.
"You should've told her," said House.
"You need to stay out of it," Wilson said.
"Well now she's pissed about…well, I'm not really sure. She was just pissed about a lot of things and stormed out."
"And you didn't think to maybe tell me that?"
House shrugged. "Why?"
"You're unbelievable," Wilson said and left House's office.
House's pager went off. The notification about a missing patient. He sighed.

Wilson wandered up and down every hallway, checked every bathroom, every cupboard. No sign of Kate. No one had even seen her.
"How the hell does a 14-year-old just vanish?" Cuddy demanded at the main station in the foyer.
"We're looking," said a nurse. "But she wears street clothes unless she's getting treatment, she could just blend in with everyone."
"You're telling me she could've walked out of the front door, and no one would notice?" Cuddy yelled. She was seriously considering changing the protocol on dress of their long-term patients.
The nurse nodded weakly.
"No luck?" Wilson asked Cuddy.
Cuddy shook her head. "I'm sorry, we've checked everywhere twice. Nothing. She doesn't have a phone, does she?"
"She does, it was in her room."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Any idea where she would go if she did leave?"
Wilson was about to say no but the remembered. "The library."
"The library?"
"I'll be back," Wilson said, and he headed for the main door.
"You have patients!" Cuddy called but it didn't stop him.

Kate was going to walk. The library wasn't really that far away. But the longest she'd managed to be on her feet in the last few months was about 20 minutes and walking; and power walking at that because she was so mad, she barely made it 10 minutes before she had to sit down. Desperate, Kate checked her jeans pocket, there were a few dollars and a few quarters. Thank god. After she caught her breath she made her way to the bus stop.
Kate got off the bus at the library and she could've cried. Seeing something other than the hospital and the surrounding school was such a beautiful sight. Kate took a breath and walked in. She couldn't find Toby, or Meredith, but she saw Jake at one of the library computers in the back. Kate sat down next to him.
"Hey," she said.
Jake looked at her nodded, back to the computer, then back to Kate. "Hey!" he said.
Kate smiled.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"Looking for friends."
Jake smiled. "You found one. Been a while! It's nice to see you, you know, not in a bed."
"You mean not beating you at poker?"
"That too," Jake laughed a little. "So what are you doing here?"
"Needed a change of scenery."
"I get that."
"Sick of the hospital."
"Well, you're sick right, hence the hospital."
Kate shrugged. "I know. But it's still damn depressing."
"I saw the…I mean Toby, told me about your…your stepdad…"
Kate looked at her hands. "Yeah. Just more fun in my life."
"Sorry."
Kate looked at Jake. "Not your fault."
"Wanna relieve some stress?"
She thought a for a moment. "Sure."

The back of the library looked the same. Smelly old dumpster, lingering smell of marijuana. Toby put his backpack down when there was a strange noise.
"Wait," Kate said.
Jake paused with his hand in his backpack as Kate walked over to the pile of crates by the dumpster.
"What is it?" asked Jake.
Kate peered behind the crates. She saw dirty boots, ripped jeans… "Oh my god," she said.
Jake came over.
It was a person, on their side. Kate carefully stepped over their legs and bent down at their side. They were curled up in the fetal position. Kate pushed the hoodie off their head, then their hair. "Meredith?"
Jake came running over. Meredith was pale. Kate put her hand on her forehead. "She's cold," Kate said.
Jake just stood there.
Kate gently picked up her arm, pulled Meredith sleeve down and felt for her pulse. "Slow…" Kate mumbled. She felt her own pockets. "Dammit. Do you have a phone?" She asked Jake.
He said nothing. He was just staring at Meredith.
"Jake!" Kate yelled. "Phone?"
"Uh, yeah…" He pulled it out of his back pocket and was about to hand it over. "You can't call an ambulance."
"Why not?" Kate demanded. "She's practically comatose!" She wasn't sure, really, but the fact that Meredith hadn't reacted to her yelling or her touching her was not a good sign.
"Her parents' will kill her."
"This might kill her!"
Jake thought for a moment, phone in hand. "Her brother, he has a car."
"So?"
"So we can get him to come get us, take her to that clinic, right? At the hospital you're at. They have a free clinic, right?"
"That's pretty much an ER!"
"But no ambulance bill!"
"Oh for god's sake. Fine."
Kate checked Meredith's pulse again. She wished she had a watch. She had to give up and get Jake to time a minute after he called Meredith's brother. Who sounded pissed on the phone but apparently was on his way to the alleyway.
"What do we do now?" asked Jake when Kate announced that the pulse was definitely slower than before.
"Keep her on her side, wait for help, I don't know what happened…"
"Drugs, right?"
"I thought it was just marijuana?"
"Not lately," said Jake.
"Oh god," said Kate and she looked back at Meredith. Kate rested her hand on Meredith's back, keeping her on her side. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes weren't moving under her lids.
"Meredith," Kate kept saying her name.
After a minute, her eye fluttered open.
"Shhh," Meredith said.
"Meredith, you're…what happened?"
Meredith seemed to think about it. "Where am I?" she slurred.
"Behind the library," Jake said, a little too cheerily given the circumstances.
"Oh…I think I came out for a smoke."
"Did someone hurt you?" Kate asked.
Meredith thought again. "I don't think so."
"Did you smoke?" Kate looked around but couldn't see a joint or a bong.
"No…I…" Meredith stammered.
Then Kate saw it, a syringe. Kate leaned over into the trash, picked up the syringe and put in her jacket pocket as tires came screeching into the alley.
Meredith's brother, who Jake called Gareth, ran up, door to the car still open screaming about what happened. Kate opened the back door of the old car as Jake and Gareth carried Meredith to the car and laid her on the backseat. Kate closed the door, climbed in the other side, and gently put Meredith's head on her lap, turning her head away from her.

Kate explained to Gareth where to park for the clinic and Meredith muttered and mumbled about something. Kate just kept repeating that they'd get help soon.
Jake and Gareth helped Meredith out of the car and walked with her to the clinic. Kate hid behind them a bit and got Meredith signed in at the clinic. The nurse eyed her but Kate smiled her biggest smile and the look of Meredith only half conscious and held up by other people, the nurse didn't say anything else. Within 5 minutes of Kate filling out the paperwork they were all filed into exam room 3. The boys laid Meredith down on the bed as Kate muttered under her breath a mantra of not getting a doctor she knew.

"You're making me nervous," said Gareth.
"Me?" Kate asked.
"You're muttering."
"Sorry." Kate said her mantra in her head and began pacing the length of the room. Thankfully the blinds were closed, but Kate still checked they were closed as much as possible.
The door opened "It's a party in here," said the doctor.
Kate swore under her breath and faced the blinds.
"What happened?" asked House sitting on the stool.
"We found her…like that," said Jake, "except she was…asleep. Cold. My friend managed to wake her up."
"Has she thrown up?"
"No."
"Can you sit up?"
Meredith struggled and Gareth had to help her up to sitting. House used his penlight to check Meredith's pupil response. "Your pupils are dilated. What did you take?"
"Uh…" Meredith said.
"What did you take?" House asked again.
"Kate found a syringe," said Jake.
Kate could've punched the wall.
House spun around the stool to face Kate's back. "Kate," he said happily.
Kate put her hand in her pocket, pulled out the syringe, turned and handed it to House.
"Thank you so much," he said.
"Don't-" she started but House was already yelling.
"Nurse!" he screamed.
Kate rolled her eyes and tried to become one with the blinds.
A nurse came in in record time.
"I found our missing patient," House said, nodding to Kate practically in the blinds.
The nurse looked over. "Excuse me?" she said to Kate.
Kate turned and smiled. It was the same one from the desk. "Hi."
"I thought you looked familiar."
"She's my friend," Kate said. "I want to stay."
"She's got Tweedledee and Tweedledum to look after her," House said.
Jake and Gareth exchanged glances.
"I found her," Kate argued.
"Tell her Doctor where she is," said House. He turned back to Meredith. "Now…"
"Meredith," Kate filled in.
"How much of this stuff have you had in the last few days?" House said, wobbling the syringe around.
Meredith shook her head. "I don't know."
"Is the same stuff every time?"
"I think so."
"Anything else in between?"
"Weed."
"You got any of that on you?"
"Why?" asked Gareth.
"Because it could be this, or it could be what someone is marketing at weed."
Gareth frowned as Meredith said, "No."
"I've got some," Gareth said.
"You do? That's fabulous Chachi, but I need the same batch."
"It is the same batch."
"You share weed with your sister?"
"Sharing is caring."
"Have you smoked any of it?"
"Last night."
House frowned at him but then yelled, "Nurse!" House got up and pulled out a Ziploc from a drawer, "Gimme your stash," he said to Gareth.
Gareth frowned but pulled out another Ziploc with two rolls ready to go and put them in the bag. House dumped the syringe in another baggie as the nurse appeared. "Test these apparently one's weed and the other is…god knows. Foreign toxins, please."
The nurse frowned but took the baggies.
"We're going to have to admit you," said House to Meredith.
"What why?" Meredith slurred.
"Because you're sick!"
"You can't tell my parents."
House looked at her. "Déjà vu," he said. "You remind me of someone…oh yes!" House grinned and turned and looked at Kate. "You teaching your friends your tricks?"
"No," Kate said, offended.
House turned back to Meredith and looked up at Gareth. "How old are you?"
"18," he answered.
House blinked slowly. "You're all idiots."
"What?"
"You can be her next of kin you idiot. You're an adult."
The nurse reappeared. "Testing sent off and, Doctor House?" House turned to her. "Her doctor is here," she said, nodding to Kate.
"Wonderful," said House.
Wilson practically ran into the room and when he saw Kate he breathed out, "Oh thank God."
Kate looked at House. "You said to tell my doctor!"
House shrugged.
"He's not my doctor," Kate said folding her arms.
"Doctor House gave me the look," the nurse said.
"The look?"
"Don't tell her," House dramatically whispered to her.
"The look was clear he didn't mean Doctor Finch."
Kate leaned against the wall.
"So you're all right?" Wilson asked Kate.
"Fine," Kate said flatly, purposefully not looking at him.
"Nurse, this one needs admitting," House said, pointing at Meredith with his cane. "And this one," he said pointing his cane at Gareth.
"Gareth," said Gareth.
"Is the next of kin."
The Nurse helped Meredith up and she, Meredith, and Gareth left the room. Jake stood a little awkwardly next to the now empty bed.
"What the hell happened?" Wilson asked.
"Dunno, but I know drugs were involved," said House, "Kate, care to elaborate?"
Kate just scowled at House.
"Anyone will do," said Wilson.
"We found Meredith by the dumpster passed out. Kate and I…helped," said Jake.
Wilson and House turned to Jake, both surprised to see him there.
"You're still here?" House asked.
Jake looked down at himself. "Uh…yeah."
"Why?"
"Well I.." he looked at Kate, then House, then Wilson. Wilson looked really mad. "I'll just…go," Jake said and slowly left the room. He had the decency to close the door.
"So you're friend overdosed?" Wilson asked.
"Don't yell at the girl," House said.
Kate just looked at her shoes.
"I'll yell! My daughter runs away from the hospital, and reappears hours later with someone who's clearly overdosed on something!"
Kate rolled her eyes and left through the other door.
Wilson chased after her. "You don't get to run away again!" he yelled.
The people in the clinic all looked over that them. Kate knew their eyes were on her, but she was too mad to care.
"And you don't get to decide what I get to know about my own family!"
Wilson's face fell a little. "You didn't need to know."
"That he's pleading not guilty? That mom is standing with him? That I might have to testify? Oh yes I can see how I didn't need to know any of that!"
"Oh get over yourself!" House yelled from to doorway of exam room 3.
Kate and Wilson both angrily glared at him.
"Both of you, actually," House said and walked over towards them. "You need to not assume that Wilson lied to you because he didn't want you to know, maybe your life kind of sucks enough right now without adding more sucky-ness to it. And running away when you have daily medical procedures and tests is a sure-fire way to freak everyone out and do even more damage to your already concerning health."
Kate at least the decency to look a tad ashamed.
"Thank you," Wilson said to House.
"And you!" House turned on Wilson.
Wilson looked a little scared.
"She's had her parental figures of the last 10 years lie to her probably on a daily basis and god knows what else, clearly she can handle almost anything. She's not some delicate flower you need to protect. And the rest of you!" House addressed everyone in the clinic. "Mind your own damn business!"
Wilson got a page for one of his patients and Kate could barely hide her joy that she didn't have to endure a completely awkward conversation. She told House she'd go to her room so they could run her blood tests. She was walking down the hallway when someone called out,
"Blondie!"
Kate turned, it was Bubba Ray, yelling from his bed. She smiled and went in. "Hello."
"I thought you were an intern…you're wearing one of these beautiful bracelets," he said, waving his arm showing his bracelet.
"Sorry I…"
"You wanted to meet a dying old rockstar?"
Kate smiled. "I wanted to meet a legend."
"And the other guy, the fake doctor?"
"Oh he's actually a real doctor."
"Huh," said Bubba Ray looking up at the ceiling. "He's…"
"Yeah. I know."
"So," said Bubba Ray, turning to face Kate properly. "What are you in for?"
"Poisoning."
"That sounds fun."
"So much so."
"How'd you get poisoned?"
"They're trying to figure that out."
"You didn't do it to yourself."
"Of course not," said Kate offended.
"You seem the type."
"You mean depressed."
"Takes one to know one."
"I'm not suicidal….I don't think."
"Oh trust me, you'd know."
"Is that why you're here, for end of life care," said Kate.
"Who said I was in for end of life care?" asked Bubba Ray, frowning.
Kate remembered what Wilson said about sharing patient information. "You're in the nice room," Kate offered. "Corner room, the fluffy pillows."
Bubba Ray smiled his famous smile. "So I'm in the room of death?"
"Comfortable death."
"How did you even know who I was?"
"I've been a fan for a while. Found your album at my local library a few years ago. I kept returning it and re-borrowing it so much I permanently scratched the disk and it skipped on every track."
"Which album?"
"Midnight Dreams."
"Ah."
"Track 3 was the worst for the skipping."
"Track 3?"
"Adoration," said Kate.
"One of my favorites."
"Mine too."
"You know, Midnight Dreams is the last album I remember making?"
Kate frowned. "But…you released…seven more albums."
"That album skyrocketed me to fame. And…many, many, many other things. I spent just over two decades either high or drunk or both."
Kate sat down in the chair across from Bubba Ray's bed. "Why?" she asked.
Bubba Ray huffed. "I think you're one of the first people to ask me that sincerely."
"Do you know the answer?"
"At first, because I could. Then, because it was fun. Then it was because I felt so much more creative on cocaine. Then I convinced myself I couldn't write music unless I was high. Then when I couldn't get drugs I felt so crappy about doing drugs that alcohol made me forget how bad I felt about doing drugs."
"That sounds…complicated."
"It always is."
"How long have you been sober?"
"18 months."
"Congratulations."
"12 years if you count California Sober."
"What the hell is that?" asked Kate.
Bubba Ray laughed and coughed a little. "Only alcohol and weed."
"Oh."
"Yeah, it's an oxymoron."
"You didn't want to take up music again?"
"The weed never gave me the creativity cocaine did."
"You wrote Midnight Dreams sober."
"Luck."
"What about What's Happening Now?"
"You know that one?"
"Your first album. Midnight Dreams was your second. It was more creative, but I'd argue not better."
Bubba Ray smiled. "I'm not in my 20s anymore."
"Even better. You've got life to write about."
"You're cute. But I've screwed up my life too much."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm in AA and NA, one of the steps on both is reconciliation. I have my mother, three brothers, two sisters, four ex-wives, two sons, and one daughter. Guess how many accepted my apologies?"
Kate shrugged.
"Two brothers, two sons."
"Oh."
"One son lives in Hong Kong, the other London. Never met my grandchildren. One brother in New York is currently someone in Europe doing great doctor things. The other is here in Jersey, thank God, but he's got his own family to look after. I've got no visitors. What life have I got if I haven't got my family?"
Kate leaned back in her chair. "Robert Clarence Ray."
He laughed again and coughed. "That other doctor, House? Is he any good?"
Kate laughed.
"He seemed to think there was more to me than just cancer. Why the laugh?"
"Good isn't really the word I'd use to describe House."
"Oh. What would be then?"
"Hard ass?"
"What about Doctor Wilson?"
Kate froze. But she couldn't lie. "He's good."
"That's what I like to hear."
"But…if Doctor House thinks there's something more, there might be something to it."
"Why?"
"He likes solving puzzles. If he thinks there's a chance he can cure you, he'll stop at nothing to do it."
"And Doctor Wilson won't?"
"Doctor Wilson will do what you want, but also what…what he thinks is right. He's made you comfortable, he's not going to torture you for a maybe."
"But Doctor House will torture me?"
"Yes."
"Why would he do that?"
"If there's a chance to save you, he'll take it. He won't care what it takes."
"Huh. To be honest with you kid, I don't know what sounds better."
"Me neither."
"What's you real name?"
"Kate."
Bubba Ray made a strange noise.
"Are you okay?" Kate stood and went to his side.
"That's…" He was crying. "That's my daughter's name."
"Kate," Wilson said from the door.
Kate turned.
"I invited her in, Doc," said Bubba Ray.
Wilson smiled gently at him. "Doctor Woods needs to run your blood," he said to Kate.
"Right," said Kate. "I'll see you later," she said to Bubba Ray.
He smiled. "I'm counting on it."

Kate and Wilson walked silently back down to her room where Doctor Woods met them with a string of conversation about how happy he was to see Kate and that she didn't look too much worse for wear. Kate looked away while Doctor Woods drew blood from her cannula and Wilson stood with his arms folded, watching.
"Well that's some beautiful blood if I do say so myself," said Doctor Woods. "I'm sure it's all good, but Doctor Finch wants to be sure everything is working the same amount, if not better every single day. And you know, especially after dialysis to make sure that's doing what's it supposed to be doing too. Oh and he did mention about getting another MRI soon to check your white matter too and the healing from the surgery."
Kate pursed her lips and nodded. "Sure."
"Okie dokie," said Doctor Woods and he threw away the rubbish into the yellow bin. He nodded at Doctor Wilson as he left the room and closed the door.
Kate kept staring forwards, purposefully avoiding looking anywhere near Wilson. He was mad. She knew it. He'd never yelled at her before. And she knew what came next. Perhaps if she just avoided the conversation altogether Kate could…she couldn't think beyond just avoiding the conversation.
Wilson sighed.
Kate closed her eyes. It would be over soon.
Wilson walked over to Kate's bed and leaned on the rail. "Are you all right?" he asked.
Kate paused. The tone wasn't what she was expecting. In fact, neither were the words. He sounded…concerned? That couldn't be right.
"Kate?" he asked again.
Kate scratched a phantom itch in her left ear. "Yeah…"
"Are you all right?"
She was still confused but she managed a nod.
Wilson sighed again. "Please never do that again."
Now Kate was really confused. "Do what?" she asked.
"Run off like that. You scared me."
Kate frowned, this…this didn't make sense. She looked over and up at Wilson, he was looking down at her. He…he looked scared and relieved all at once. "I scared you?"
Wilson laughed once, a breathing almost sigh of a laugh. "Yeah."
"What…" Kate's phantom ear itch was back. "What are you going to do?"
Wilson's brow furrowed. "About what?"
"About…me."
Wilson tried to figure out what she meant by that. He reached out to Kate, and she flinched away, her eyes squeezing shut. He pushed Kate's hair off her face; held her head in her hands. Her eyes opened, he could see the fear. "Absolutely nothing."
A tear fell down Kate's cheek.