"Epic Fail" post-ep ficlet.
Sep. 28th, 2009 10:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lit_luminaryTitle: The Only Constant
Author: dominus_trinus (lit_luminary)
Rating: PG
Characters: Chase, Cameron, Cuddy.
Summary: Chase's thoughts on House's absence and imminent return, and Cuddy's request that he and Cameron return to Diagnostics.
He stays out of the ruckus of Foreman’s first case as head of Diagnostics, because that’s a riptide he doesn’t want to end up pulled into. Still, when it hits the hospital grapevine that Thirteen solved it based on an answer posted on the Internet, he makes a guess and hopes, because he knows the lure of an unsolved puzzle is irresistible to House, the patterns of the differential etched too deeply to fade.
Maybe a new pain management regimen has ended the narcotic dependency, but he won’t believe House can walk away from diagnostics. His own thoughts find those lines automatically after only four years’ training; surely House, with all his years of practice…
When Cuddy calls him and Cameron into her office, it’s answered hope.
“House is coming back to work,” she says without preamble. “Foreman will officially be in charge until his license clears, but House will, unofficially, be his supervisor.” A pause. “Doctor Hadley has been reassigned to the E.R., and House needs a team.” Half-smiling, she adds, “I hoped I could get you to go back to your old jobs rather than let him stress-test new employees. The familiarity should be good for him.”
He’s ready to agree, because he’s missed his mentor and the challenge of pursuing diagnoses, but the question is only half about what he wants. “Cameron resigned,” Chase points out, “but he fired me. He might not—”
Cuddy makes a dismissive noise. “He fired you because you had to stop leaning on him,” she says. “You’re done leaning. He wouldn’t have made you his personal on-call surgeon for the last two years if he didn’t respect you as a doctor.” She meets his gaze. “Any other concerns?”
“No. If he’ll have me, I’m glad to go back.”
“Cameron?” Cuddy says.
“I’m in.”
“Good.” Cuddy smiles at both of them; then her tone cools. “I shouldn’t have to say this, but given the”—a delicate pause—“incidents when you were working together and dating—there will be reprisals if I hear about inappropriate behavior on hospital property.”
He feels himself flush. Nods once in acknowledgement and thanks God Cameron’s no longer interested in making every flat surface in the hospital an extension of their bedroom. (Not that he hadn’t been just as guilty for going along.)
Cuddy lets the topic drop and starts into discussion of salaries and contracts and all the rest of what’s necessary to satisfy Legal, and Chase wonders how much has changed in Diagnostics since he left and how much still has to change.
He and Cameron are both older now, more experienced: Cameron’s been running the E.R. and even stepped into Cuddy’s shoes once; Chase has learnt some new skills in surgery, and to trust his own judgment. To argue more often when he knows he’s right.
They’re not the students they’d been three years ago, but House isn’t going to be the same man he’d been before Mayfield: that makes things more or less even.
And enough will be the same that there won’t be a void in the hospital anymore where House’s presence is supposed to be: he’ll fit back into it just like a puzzle piece.
END.
Author: dominus_trinus (lit_luminary)
Rating: PG
Characters: Chase, Cameron, Cuddy.
Summary: Chase's thoughts on House's absence and imminent return, and Cuddy's request that he and Cameron return to Diagnostics.
He stays out of the ruckus of Foreman’s first case as head of Diagnostics, because that’s a riptide he doesn’t want to end up pulled into. Still, when it hits the hospital grapevine that Thirteen solved it based on an answer posted on the Internet, he makes a guess and hopes, because he knows the lure of an unsolved puzzle is irresistible to House, the patterns of the differential etched too deeply to fade.
Maybe a new pain management regimen has ended the narcotic dependency, but he won’t believe House can walk away from diagnostics. His own thoughts find those lines automatically after only four years’ training; surely House, with all his years of practice…
When Cuddy calls him and Cameron into her office, it’s answered hope.
“House is coming back to work,” she says without preamble. “Foreman will officially be in charge until his license clears, but House will, unofficially, be his supervisor.” A pause. “Doctor Hadley has been reassigned to the E.R., and House needs a team.” Half-smiling, she adds, “I hoped I could get you to go back to your old jobs rather than let him stress-test new employees. The familiarity should be good for him.”
He’s ready to agree, because he’s missed his mentor and the challenge of pursuing diagnoses, but the question is only half about what he wants. “Cameron resigned,” Chase points out, “but he fired me. He might not—”
Cuddy makes a dismissive noise. “He fired you because you had to stop leaning on him,” she says. “You’re done leaning. He wouldn’t have made you his personal on-call surgeon for the last two years if he didn’t respect you as a doctor.” She meets his gaze. “Any other concerns?”
“No. If he’ll have me, I’m glad to go back.”
“Cameron?” Cuddy says.
“I’m in.”
“Good.” Cuddy smiles at both of them; then her tone cools. “I shouldn’t have to say this, but given the”—a delicate pause—“incidents when you were working together and dating—there will be reprisals if I hear about inappropriate behavior on hospital property.”
He feels himself flush. Nods once in acknowledgement and thanks God Cameron’s no longer interested in making every flat surface in the hospital an extension of their bedroom. (Not that he hadn’t been just as guilty for going along.)
Cuddy lets the topic drop and starts into discussion of salaries and contracts and all the rest of what’s necessary to satisfy Legal, and Chase wonders how much has changed in Diagnostics since he left and how much still has to change.
He and Cameron are both older now, more experienced: Cameron’s been running the E.R. and even stepped into Cuddy’s shoes once; Chase has learnt some new skills in surgery, and to trust his own judgment. To argue more often when he knows he’s right.
They’re not the students they’d been three years ago, but House isn’t going to be the same man he’d been before Mayfield: that makes things more or less even.
And enough will be the same that there won’t be a void in the hospital anymore where House’s presence is supposed to be: he’ll fit back into it just like a puzzle piece.
END.
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no subject
Date: 2009-10-06 02:43 am (UTC)