Author’s Note: Okay I guess I got the whole patient sickness right out of House Training but I just needed something to go on and it’s not exactly very relevant to the actual plot of the story, so I just kind of stuck it in there.
Murder in the Clinic
Chapter 1: He’s NOT Suing!
“So what are you going to do about your new lawsuit?” Wilson asked as he and House casually walked through the hospital.
“What lawsuit?” House asks. At this Wilson seemed rather confused.
“Uh…the one you got a few days ago from that guy who looked like he was going bash your face in with your own cane and shouted it out in the middle of the lobby for the entire hospital staff and even a couple of patients to hear.” Wilson said rather jokingly, as though House was just humoring him.
“Oh, that…” House pretends to be in deep thought for a second. “Well he hasn’t given me any papers yet.” He said dully. Wilson was shocked at this.
“His kid died, because you screwed up the diagnoses, and he’s not suing?” He inquired.
“You act as though you want him to sue me.” House looks at him accusingly.
“No, no it’s just, after the scene in the lobby…there’s no way that guy’s not suing.” He and House walk down the hallway and into the elevator. Unfortunately their ride was going to be accompanied by a young couple trying to control their screaming toddler, a dazed looking college student, Probably looking to get a fix. House thought to himself, Oh, and he’s going down the elevator. Bet he got lost trying to find the clinic. And last but not least was an elderly man standing rather quietly in the corner of the lift, minding his own business. Good for him. As the doors closed, House and Wilson resumed their conversation in an attempt to drown out the screams of the whining four year old.
“Even if you didn’t get your papers yet, the guy could still be suing.” Wilson half yells.
“Or it could mean that he isn’t suing!” House says in a voice to rival Wilson’s. Luckily the doors open again, and the two step into the clinic.
“Trust me Wilson, there’s no way that guy’s suing me.” House said pompously.
“Wait a minute. You’re doing your clinic hours willingly?” Wilson asked partly because he’s actually surprised and partly because he wants to change the subject.
“How do you know I’m doing them willingly? What makes you think Cuddy didn’t hire some kind of telekinetic to psychopathically pull me into the clinic while you distracted me with you’re irritating questions?” House goads as he pulls a file off of the nurse’s station. Putting his hands up in defeat, Wilson walked away. Opening the file, House read the name
Andrew Stone
House uttered a small, “Damn..."
***
Limping down the hallway and into his patient’s room, House noticed a somewhat tall man, with salt and pepper hair, and the beginnings of a beard.
“Who are you?” The man asked. Three words House hears from his patients and their family so often.
“I’m Dr. House,” He says simply. “I’m your daughter’s physician.” Stone didn’t seem at all bothered at this sudden meeting, and returned his attention to his child.
“I have good news and bad news,” House tells him. The man looks at him, thinking he was prepared for whatever news House had. “Good news is it’s not cancer.” Stone is clearly shocked at this.
“But Dr. Wilson said….”
“Dr. Wilson was wrong.” House interrupted. “Bad news is I killed her.” The man looks at him questioningly. “Her real problem is an infection.”
“But you can treat that right?” Stone stutters. “Just give her antibiotics or something.”
“No, we can’t. Because the radiation we gave her destroyed her entire immune system. She’s going to die.” House said calmly. “I’m sorry.” House limped out of the patient’s room and into the lobby. As he approached the elevator he started to hear hurried footsteps come from behind him. Before he knew it, he was pinned against the wall.
“Because of your screw ups, my kid is going to die. You said it yourself, You killed her.” Stone yelled. House didn’t have anything to say. He knew he made a mistake. It would be foolish to try to hide behind excuses. ‘There’s right and there’s wrong’ he once said, ‘nothing in between’. He just looked Stone in the eyes sorrowfully and said,
“I know.” At this, Stone releases his grip on House’s lapels and allows him to fall to the tiled floor.
“I’m to sue you of every last penny you hold to your name, Doctor.” He sneered and walked out of building.
***
The day after this confrontation, the young girl met her premature death, and House had not seen her father since their scene at the elevator. The next day, the story traveled all the way through rumor mill and back again, and soon enough, Doctors, nurses, staff and a handful of patients were familiar with some variation of the story, either true or exaggerated to the point of misrecognition. And so that brings us to today.
Walking into the clinic exam room, House instantly recognized the man sitting on exam table.
“Hello Mr. Stone.”
Murder in the Clinic
Chapter 1: He’s NOT Suing!
“So what are you going to do about your new lawsuit?” Wilson asked as he and House casually walked through the hospital.
“What lawsuit?” House asks. At this Wilson seemed rather confused.
“Uh…the one you got a few days ago from that guy who looked like he was going bash your face in with your own cane and shouted it out in the middle of the lobby for the entire hospital staff and even a couple of patients to hear.” Wilson said rather jokingly, as though House was just humoring him.
“Oh, that…” House pretends to be in deep thought for a second. “Well he hasn’t given me any papers yet.” He said dully. Wilson was shocked at this.
“His kid died, because you screwed up the diagnoses, and he’s not suing?” He inquired.
“You act as though you want him to sue me.” House looks at him accusingly.
“No, no it’s just, after the scene in the lobby…there’s no way that guy’s not suing.” He and House walk down the hallway and into the elevator. Unfortunately their ride was going to be accompanied by a young couple trying to control their screaming toddler, a dazed looking college student, Probably looking to get a fix. House thought to himself, Oh, and he’s going down the elevator. Bet he got lost trying to find the clinic. And last but not least was an elderly man standing rather quietly in the corner of the lift, minding his own business. Good for him. As the doors closed, House and Wilson resumed their conversation in an attempt to drown out the screams of the whining four year old.
“Even if you didn’t get your papers yet, the guy could still be suing.” Wilson half yells.
“Or it could mean that he isn’t suing!” House says in a voice to rival Wilson’s. Luckily the doors open again, and the two step into the clinic.
“Trust me Wilson, there’s no way that guy’s suing me.” House said pompously.
“Wait a minute. You’re doing your clinic hours willingly?” Wilson asked partly because he’s actually surprised and partly because he wants to change the subject.
“How do you know I’m doing them willingly? What makes you think Cuddy didn’t hire some kind of telekinetic to psychopathically pull me into the clinic while you distracted me with you’re irritating questions?” House goads as he pulls a file off of the nurse’s station. Putting his hands up in defeat, Wilson walked away. Opening the file, House read the name
Andrew Stone
House uttered a small, “Damn..."
***
Limping down the hallway and into his patient’s room, House noticed a somewhat tall man, with salt and pepper hair, and the beginnings of a beard.
“Who are you?” The man asked. Three words House hears from his patients and their family so often.
“I’m Dr. House,” He says simply. “I’m your daughter’s physician.” Stone didn’t seem at all bothered at this sudden meeting, and returned his attention to his child.
“I have good news and bad news,” House tells him. The man looks at him, thinking he was prepared for whatever news House had. “Good news is it’s not cancer.” Stone is clearly shocked at this.
“But Dr. Wilson said….”
“Dr. Wilson was wrong.” House interrupted. “Bad news is I killed her.” The man looks at him questioningly. “Her real problem is an infection.”
“But you can treat that right?” Stone stutters. “Just give her antibiotics or something.”
“No, we can’t. Because the radiation we gave her destroyed her entire immune system. She’s going to die.” House said calmly. “I’m sorry.” House limped out of the patient’s room and into the lobby. As he approached the elevator he started to hear hurried footsteps come from behind him. Before he knew it, he was pinned against the wall.
“Because of your screw ups, my kid is going to die. You said it yourself, You killed her.” Stone yelled. House didn’t have anything to say. He knew he made a mistake. It would be foolish to try to hide behind excuses. ‘There’s right and there’s wrong’ he once said, ‘nothing in between’. He just looked Stone in the eyes sorrowfully and said,
“I know.” At this, Stone releases his grip on House’s lapels and allows him to fall to the tiled floor.
“I’m to sue you of every last penny you hold to your name, Doctor.” He sneered and walked out of building.
***
The day after this confrontation, the young girl met her premature death, and House had not seen her father since their scene at the elevator. The next day, the story traveled all the way through rumor mill and back again, and soon enough, Doctors, nurses, staff and a handful of patients were familiar with some variation of the story, either true or exaggerated to the point of misrecognition. And so that brings us to today.
Walking into the clinic exam room, House instantly recognized the man sitting on exam table.
“Hello Mr. Stone.”
