I didn't have the chance to post a chapter last Wednesday, I was busy with work stuff, my apologies.
Without further ado. Relatively short chapter to make way for a small time skip.
Enjoy.
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Even though Mr. Carroll was in good physical shape, I had no doubt that if necessary I could defend myself against him. The problem was that the man, even though he could pay more attention to his daughter, didn't deserve in good conscience, to be hurt by me... at least not excessively.
Raising my hands in a gesture of surrender, I thought about how I could get out of the mess I had gotten myself into by entering the room without stopping to think first.
"No daddy!" Mary shouted anxiously.
And even though I appreciated the gesture, I doubted quite a bit that it would help in that moment.
Grabbing the hem of my shirt collar, clearly ignoring his daughter's shouts. "Do you know what you did?" the man asked furiously.
Immediately taking a firm hold of his wrists. "I'm not who you think I am" I exclaimed, planting my feet to keep the man from continuing to push me.
I could easily break the grip on my shirt, maybe even an over the shoulder throw in the position we were in, if I really wanted to I could dislocate his hands by squeezing harder and twisting my wrists.
Pulling his arms as he felt the strength of my grip without being able to move them, the man frowned, surprised. "Then who are you?" he asked, immediately hiding as best he could the growing pain he felt in his wrists.
"My name is PJ Duncan" I said slowly trying to calm the situation "and I'm a student here" I added, adjusting my posture, I no longer needed to counterbalance against the man since he was no longer pushing.
Frowning, obviously suspicious of my claim. "Student?" Mr. Carroll murmured.
Behind him Mary freed herself from her mother's hands, who was trying to hold her back stopping her attempt to get involved. "Yes daddy" she said, straightening up, "he was here working, when I arrived" she added nervously.
Turning his face toward his daughter's bed for a second, returning immediately, almost as if he couldn't look at his daughter. "You're just a kid" he said, frowning incredulously.
"Well actually I'm seventeen years old, yesterday was my birthday" I joked without being able to help it.
Fortunately much calmer than when I arrived. "Seventeen" The man echoed, raising his eyebrows.
Noticing that the danger of being physically attacked, at least more than I already had been, disappeared. Nodding, I carefully let go of the man's wrists, who had already let go of my shirt some time ago.
Rubbing his wrists. "You've got a good grip there" he complained.
"I'm sorry" I apologized, smiling stiffly, honestly I didn't mean to, he had attacked me first, "I should have introduced myself before coming in."
At least I would have if I'd had the chance.
"No, no, I'm sorry about... all that" Mr. Carroll apologized, embarrassed.
Yeah, I didn't entirely blame him for reacting the way he had, in fact in a way I could understand it. His position as the father of a twelve year old girl was one that I doubted anyone would want to find themselves in.
Before he could say anything. Jennifer, the nurse on duty and whom I had greeted a few moments before, came in visibly agitated. "What happened?" she asked looking around the room, but her gaze finally settled on me.
She had clearly run at the sound of the commotion.
Lowering his face, embarrassed, Mr. Carroll avoided looking in the nurse's direction.
Smiling at the nurse calmly. "Just a misunderstanding Jenny" I answered for everyone in the room.
Frowning, intrigued for a moment, Jennifer turned her attention back to the unease of the two adults in the room, especially that of Mr. Carroll, who was standing closest to me.
Still visibly intrigued, Jennifer nodded stiffly. "Okay" she murmured, having surely formed a mental picture of what had happened "just please remember we're in a recovery area, there are people on the other side who are resting" she said in a scolding tone, focused entirely on Mr. Carroll. Moving out of the room only once the man nodded, embarrassed.
As soon as the nurse left the room. Holding her daughter's hand, worried. "You really work with Doctor House" Mrs. Carroll said, impressed, "wait" she added, frowning suddenly, "is something wrong?" she asked, frightened.
Seeing Mary's parents' expressions, with no more threat of being attacked, I noticed how tired they both were, surely from not having slept a single moment the night before.
Shaking my head immediately. "I just got here, but if no one from the diagnostics team or a nurse has come with worrying news, then everything must be fine" I explained, immediately regretting my choice of words.
If I was right and their twelve year old daughter was pregnant and seriously ill, 'everything' was not fine.
Noticing the irony of my words, Mary's father exhaled, walking to one of the walls of the room.
Trying to ignore the pain on Mary's face at seeing her father's disappointment, I returned my attention to her mother, who kept looking at me strangely.
"So, what are you doing here?" she asked.
It was an excellent question, and honestly I had no idea. Yes, obviously I had a very strong interest in knowing how Mary was doing, and yes, maybe I was a bit nervous about going to the diagnostics lounge where I could very well get that answer... so subconsciously I chose the less uncomfortable option, at least that's what I believed.
"I'm just here to check on Mary" I answered, smiling at the girl, who smiled back forcedly, "how are you feeling?" I asked, uncomfortably.
I was ninety nine point nine percent sure my diagnosis was correct, even without Mr. Carroll's reaction to a random teenager, I could state it with my eyes closed, but as tiny as the possibility that I was wrong might be, I couldn't just say it in front of the family.
Confirming my suspicions immediately. Mary, along with the rest of her family, avoided looking in my direction, clearly embarrassed. "You know... right?" she asked me.
Sighing heavily. "Yes" I answered, clenching my jaw.
Nodding stiffly, Mary returned her gaze to me. "Could be better" she tried to joke.
Forcing a small smile. "Yeah" I murmured.
Without needing to know the treatment plan, I knew what had to happen. Given Mary's age and her illness, the pregnancy was a significant risk that endangered her life so, no matter how resilient and intelligent the girl was, an abortion was a heavy burden to carry.
Swallowing the bitter lump in my throat. "The good thing is that you're definitely going to get better" I smiled hopefully, "maybe not tomorrow or the day after, but you will" I affirmed even more surely, after all, Mary was a twelve year old girl, she had her whole life ahead of her.
Snorting ironically. "I guess" Mary murmured, making her mom look at her worriedly.
Her father on the other hand, kept looking out the window anxiously, rubbing his chin.
I was quite worried about the distance, physical and emotional, that Mr. Carroll had with Mary since I entered the room. I didn't know what it had been like before, since the parents had their backs to me and I hadn't heard any conversation, but the whole time I had been there he hadn't been able to look directly at his daughter for even a second and it was obvious enough that Mary noticed it too.
"I'm being serious" I said immediately to the girl, "you're going to have to go through a complicated recovery" I nodded with a certain disappointment, it will certainly be a very long and complicated recovery, much more than it might seem at first.
It wasn't just recovering from TTP and going through the physical toll of the artificial termination of the pregnancy, Mary would have psychological scars that would need all the emotional support from her parents and even professional treatment. I had to find out who her new doctor would be, to remind them of the need for psychological therapy.
"But with your parents' support and following your doctors' recommendations I promise you you're going to recover" I continued, speaking more for the adults in the room than for the girl.
Holding both of her daughter's hands. "Yes sweetheart" Mrs. Carroll said sadly, "you're going to get better" she added in a high pitched tone as she spoke trying to keep her tears from falling.
And fortunately, and maybe thanks to my not so subtle hint, Mr. Carroll finally turned toward his daughter with an attempt at an encouraging smile. It seemed that after all he was willing to try to be a good father.
Relieved, I returned my attention to the girl. "And you have to recover fast" I insisted, "we have a bet to settle" I raised my eyebrows, watching amused as Mary shifted her attention from her father to me, "I'll be training" I warned haughtily.
I won't.
Snorting, amused. Judging by her mother's reaction, maybe for the first time in a long while. "Even with a hole in my brain I'm a thousand times better than you" the girl boasted.
Laughing, I shook my head. "We'll see" I said trying to look intimidating.
Saying goodbye to the family a couple of minutes later, I left the room heading to the lounge, mentally prepared for whatever House had ready for me. Not without first, of course, answering Jennifer's questions.
Greeting the people I passed, I mentally rehearsed any scenario I might find myself in when I got in front of House and with it what I would say to defend myself. With the good night I'd had I was able to confront how I felt about my mistake and thanks to my mother's wise words, accept it. I had no doubt that House would have his choice of words for me, knowing him full of sarcastic jokes that would put me down, but I also knew I wouldn't let it affect me, at least not as much as it would have affected me the day before.
Arriving at the lounge, still thinking about how I'd defend myself from House, I walked in distracted without paying much attention to everyone there and their conversations. "Good afternoon" I greeted without stopping on my way to House's office, after all, I didn't expect more than a quick and curt response from the two doctors on the team and it would be better to rip the bandage off all at once.
"Hey PJ" Cameron said with mock offense, "you're only going to greet me like that?"
Stopping in front of House's office door. "Oh sorry" I said, "I was a little distracted" I explained, turning on my feet, freezing only a second later, "Cameron!" I exclaimed, incredulous.
Amused, she raised one of her hands. "Hey" she repeated.
Genuinely relieved and happy to see her. "Yes" I celebrated, raising my face as I approached, "it's great to have you back" I said, hugging Cameron, who amused hugged me back.
Even though I tried hard not to show it, being in an environment of constant tension, as any situation with the diagnostics team was, was incredibly tiring. Between Chase, with whom there was mutual dislike, Foreman who was barely starting to accept me, and House... being House, there was no one I could really talk to, without exhausting myself mentally.
Barely half a second had passed since my hug with Cameron, when walking in through the door. "Well, isn't this nice?" House asked sarcastically, surprising everyone. Walking toward the light boxes, at the same time that Cameron and I separated. I could feel his gaze fixed on me that swept over toward the doctor. "Twenty one year old male" he said monotonously, "comes in with grinding of the teeth-"
Walking into the lounge a few steps behind House. "And House gives him a stroke" Doctor Wilson interrupted him, "Totally blew out his pupil."
Surprised. "You scared a guy into stroking out?" Foreman asked House.
"Does that surprise anyone here?" Wilson asked sarcastically.
Ignoring the joke. "Blown pupils usually means brain stem edema" Cameron commented, frowning seriously.
Correct, but the patient couldn't have died or fallen into a coma, it wouldn't be a case if that had happened.
"Sure, but since he's not dead or in a coma, I'm going with stroke to the optic nerve" House said, arranging the images against the light boxes, "C.T. scan shows two things" he declared, turning with the rest.
"Ischemia, death of brain tissue" Foreman pointed out immediately, "Means there's been some damage, hopefully not permanent."
Nodding. "And?" House asked, resting his eyes once more on me.
"And that's it" Foreman shrugged. "There's nothing there to tell us what the underlying cause is" he shook his head with certainty, "we need to do an MRI."
Shifting his attention to the other doctor. "You're looking at the wrong part of the scan" House said seriously, "or maybe you saw it, but you're ignoring it" he added, raising his voice with irony.
It had only taken me looking at the images twice to see the reconstruction in the patient's jaw, it had surely been done with a metal plate, which made it impossible to use machines with strong magnetic fields, like an MRI.
"I'm looking at the brain-" Foreman answered.
Sighing. "The jaw" I interrupted him.
House raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure?" he asked me arrogantly, "I wouldn't rush with your first observation" he added in a sarcastic and aggressive tone. Causing everyone in the room to look at us uncomfortably, everyone except Cameron who had taken a couple of steps up to the images to look at them closely.
Turning, puzzled by House's attitude, only just then noticing what was happening. "He's right" Cameron murmured, frowning at how uncomfortable the room had become.
Forcing his attention back to the topic. "The jaw tells us why he stroked?" Chase asked, puzzled, leaning further toward the images.
Studying House for one more second, who kept staring at me. "No, the jaw tells us why we can't do an M.R.I." Cameron said, "unless we want his jawbone flying across the room" she joked, apparently deciding to figure out later what was going on.
Slowly pulling his gaze away from me. "Metal plate" House explained. "He's had major reconstruction, and there's no way we're removing it" he raised his shoulders, "so we're forced to be clever, angiogram to rule out vasculitis, E.M.G. for peripheral neuropathy, tox screen to eliminate drugs, and echo to rule out cardiac emboli" he ordered.
Nodding, as one, the three doctors under House's command turned on their feet, heading out of the room.
"Doctor Cameron" House stopped them at the door even though he was only speaking to her, "I'd appreciate you keeping the terms of your new contract to yourself. Don't want everyone clamoring for the same perks" he added meaningfully, causing Cameron to huff.
Nodding once more, Cameron left, and along with her, Foreman and Chase, visibly intrigued, followed.
Snorting, amused, Doctor Wilson shook his head. "Same perks" he repeated mockingly.
Tilting my head slightly, I thought about what Wilson's jab could mean... or at least I tried to.
Frowning, immediately pointing at me. "Don't even think about it" House ordered me, annoyed, "now that it turns out you can do it" he added, with a hint of disdain.
Nodding stiffly, I rolled my eyes, exasperated.
So far nothing I wasn't expecting, all that was left was to see in what other way he'd insult me.
Keeping his gaze fixed on me, House leaned on his cane, completely expressionless, apparently with no intention of speaking first.
And since apparently we were in a staring contest, I also kept silent, staring fixedly at the man.
Only a couple of seconds were enough to make the silence in the room incredibly uncomfortable, causing Doctor Wilson, who was leaning against the lounge table between House and me, to shift on his feet, apparently wishing to be anywhere else. "Okay-" he murmured, drawing out the word nervously, causing me to lose focus on the staring contest.
Enough for House to see himself as the champion of the duel. "What are you doing here?" he asked me dryly.
Even though I felt a quick pang in my chest. "Yesterday you forgot to stamp my parking ticket" I answered sarcastically.
Snorting dryly, clearly finding the joke funny even though he didn't want to show it. "You're not going to be involved in this case" he declared resolutely, "you have an appointment with a bunch of assholes... so to speak" he smiled maliciously.
"Of course" I exhaled, frustrated, "House-" I tried to say.
"Shut up!" he ordered me, surprising Wilson, "you think this is an inappropriate punishment?" he asked, shaking his head incredulously, "that you didn't do anything wrong?" he added.
Shaking my head. "Look I'm not perfect, all right? I know I messed up-" I tried to say, but once again House interrupted me.
"What? No, stop" he said, waving his hands frustrated, "you think this is because you made a mistake?" he asked, offended.
"Well... uh yeah" I answered, puzzled.
Snorting ironically. "Oh please" House murmured, amused, "you're an idiot kid-"
"House-" Doctor Wilson intervened as a warning.
"Shut up" House ordered again, this time without shouting but visibly frustrated by the interruption, "you're an idiot kid, it was a given that at some point you'd make a mistake" he explained with obviousness, "knowing you, I'm actually surprised it took you this long" he added, raising his eyebrows.
"Then why-" once again House interrupted me, this time raising a hand.
"But then you go and doubt your own observations?" House asked, resigned, "you told me the coach couldn't be abusing the girl, but when Foreman questions you, you doubt it?" he added, incredulous, "what am I even teaching you?" he struck his cane against the floor, exasperated.
Without realizing it my mouth had fallen slightly open, as had Doctor Wilson's, but surely for completely different reasons.
Was that why House had been so upset the day before? Because I backpedaled on my observations about the coach.
Really?
"It only took me half a second of paying attention to how they interacted to know the coach wasn't her abuser" House huffed, annoyed, "you were with them for at least a couple of hours" he added with disappointment in his tone.
Thinking about it, even when he was clearly upset about my error in judgment, House had only blown up at me after I answered Foreman's question.
Choking on a laugh as he forced himself not to laugh out loud. Doctor Wilson cut the tense moment short, catching both House's attention and mine. "Sorry, sorry" he finally said, breaking and laughing amused, "it's just-" he added between laughs, "you were so mad at him over a, 'if you can't trust yourself, then how can I trust you' situation?" he asked in a very poor attempt to imitate House.
With distaste on his face, possibly realizing Wilson had a point. House sighed heavily. "I guess" he murmured, tilting his head. "That doesn't mean you're not still grounded" he added a moment later, smiling maliciously.
...
Author Thoughts:
As always, I'm not American, not a doctor, not a fighter, not Magnus Carlsen, not Michael Phelps, not Arsene Lupin, not McLovin, not Elliot, not Capone, not Tiger Woods, not Sam Fisher and not Greg Louganis.
Another chapter has passed, so new thanks are in order. I would like to especially thank:
11332223
Victor_Venegas
RandomPasserby96
I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll correct them immediately.
Thank you for reading! :D
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