Chapter 7 - The Truth Hurts

Holmes hung up his silver tie. He had decided to get in early and study. Dr. Cameron’s face flashed across his subconscious and he stopped what he was doing, his tie falling to the floor. Without that death on his mind, she had come front and center. “Why can’t anything be easy?” he whispered to himself.

Cameron woke up next to Chase, smiling. Another fun night. It was only four o’clock. Chase grunted in his sleep, returning to snoring a moment later. Cameron wondered about Holmes. She had heard he had turned in a letter of resignation, but House had torn it up. Then he hot-dropped him into a new case, one that he wasn’t ready to solve. He had pulled it off, though, saving his job. Life was unfair to all of them, to him especially. Cameron felt like she was part of it…

Holmes turned on the lights in the diagnostics office, picking up a thick volume he planned to study from. He started to sit at his normal spot, but stopped…He picked up the book and walked down the hall into an employee lounge and took the book back up. He immediately looked up to see House, sleeping in front of the big-screen TV. Holmes shook his head, wondering if House had consciously decided to stay, or had just passed out from mixing Vicodin and gin. He took up the book, studying it’s contents. It was about 6:00, so the others should get there in about an hour. Holmes was suddenly restless. He wandered down to see Wilson.

House sat up as soon as Holmes had left, smirking. “Avoidance. It’s a beautiful thing. Good choice.”

“I’ve never seen anything like that Wilson. I was too damn shocked, or scared, or whatever, to grab the knife sooner.” Wilson shook his head, sipping his coffee. The chilling story of the suicide had woken him up. “If you had, he would have cut his throat quicker, maybe yours too.” Holmes conceded that he had a point. Apparently, he was fidgeting, since Wilson suddenly said “Cameron picked Chase, huh? Don’t take it to heart. It wasn’t an easy decision for her.” “I’m not supposed to take that to heart? Wait, I’m not even sure I liked her…Damn, you’re good Wilson. How do you get people to spill their guts like that?” Holmes asked. “It’s a gift.” Wilson answered mysteriously, giving a salute to his comrade with his coffee mug.

“Okay Dave, line ‘em up!” called his buddy Garrett. “Right-O G-man!” Dave started to do just that, lining up some tin cans across a fence for his crack-shot buddy to aim at. He suddenly doubled over, clutching his stomach. “Dave? You okay?” “I- don’t know…it feels like I’m giving birth! Call an ambulance G-Blearch!” Dave threw up. “Oh damn, oh damn, hang on man!” Garrett urged him, helping his friend lie down.

Chase and Cameron walked in, expecting to find Holmes. He had been here, the coffee was done and their mugs were near the coffee maker. But he wasn’t around. “He probably just had to pee, or went to see Cuddy.” Chase assured her, pouring them both some of the rich, black coffee. “Needs sugar.” Chase said with a grimace, helping himself.

Holmes had wandered down to the emergency room to talk with Gerry, the pediatrics nurse that had stopped by to make sure he was alright. It was more of a grandmotherly concern, since Gerry was roughly sixty. Holmes appreciated the gesture. They were just exchanging “Good Mornings” when a man was wheeled in, covered in his own vomit. “You’re in diagnostics, right?” one of the EMT’s barked at him. “Yes.” Dan answered. “This guy’s one of yours then. Good luck!”

“House…House…HOUSE!” Cuddy gave him a rap on top of the head. A sleeping House woke up, startled. “What? Cuddy…Just like in my dreams…” “Save it House. You’ve got a patient.” “Oh, right, right…(winks) I get you…Time for your physical, right?” Cuddy rolled her eyes while shaking her head. “You’re lucky you’re brilliant or I’d” “How could you know I’m brilliant, we haven’t done it yet…or did you mean brain-wise?”

House and Holmes met in the hallway. “I see Lisa gave you a wake-up call.” Holmes said brightly. “Don’t make me give you a time-out…” “29 year old male, intense abdominal pain, vomiting, and newly-developed jaundice.” Holmes said in a terse, but respectful, reply. “Let’s go see what the other children are up to.”

Chase and Cameron were kissing over their coffee when Holmes and House walked in. Holmes kept a stoic look. House, however, banged his cane on the table. “You can get rooms for that. Right now, it’s time to do what you’re paid for…” House laid the case out, writing the symptoms on his white board. “So what could all these mean?” “Kidney Stones.” Surprisingly, Holmes had called out his answer first. “Wouldn’t explain the jaundice.” Chase answered. “It could be unrelated.” Holmes returned, shrugging. “Frisky today…But wrong. Not kidney stones. What else…let me see…Cameron, we haven’t heard from you yet…” “I think he’s drunk. That would explain the yellowness on his skin, the vomiting, and the abominable pain.” She finished. “Let’s go with that. It’s easier.” “There’s nothing we can do for a hangover.” Chase protested. “Is that a problem? You’re such a slacker-wannabe Chase.” House limped off to his office. Holmes immediately exited, heading to pediatrics.

“I think he’s avoiding me.” Cameron told Chase, surprised. “Nah, he’s just a workhorse. He hasn’t taken a break yet! He thinks he’s got something to prove.” “I guess…that does make sense.” “Stop worrying; he’s a good kid. That suicide is probably still rattling around in his head.”

Pediatrics wasn’t overly busy today, just one kid in for a checkup. “He’s got this bulge on his arm, I think it’s cancer!” little Corey’s mother fretted. Holmes knelt down, feeling the child’s arm. He noticed that they matched. “You’re nine, right Corey?” Corey nodded and smiled, showing off some missing teeth. “Do you play a lot of sports?” “I play hockey and football and baseball, and I bowl!” he said proudly. “Excuse me, what does that have to do with it? I will take my child to a competent doctor if you’re just a babysitter!” Corey’s mom snarled. Holmes smiled. “Corey’s only problem I that’s he’s not getting any time to be a kid. That lump you’re feeling is muscle. It’s not unheard of.”

“Nurse! Nurse!” Dave yelled. “My head…it’s killing me! It feels like it’s in a vice! Do something! Hurry!” “Okay, hold on.” “Dammit, you worthless dog!” Dave grabbed the pills out of her hand a tossed them down his throat.

Holmes was studying an X-ray with Wilson when House, Chase, and Cameron entered. “Good, both of you are here. Wilson, we think this guy has cancer. Holmes, my file cabinet needs some serious surgery, if you get my drift. So, let’s hop to it! Can I get a “Whoa, team?” No one paid any attention to House, instead going about the procedures. Holmes was sure he let a small surge of anger past his stony face, but he hoped he didn’t. The last thing he needed was to have to deal with a pissed-off House.

“The guy’s a drunk! His hangover got worse, and he’s a mean drunk.” Cameron explained. “But a mood swing? There’s probably drugs involved.” “It could be cancer. All the symptoms are there.” Wilson stated, mentally going through his checklist.

“Do the liver biopsy. Let’s see if that annoying old organ is hiding something.” House ordered. All three left to run the test.

Holmes angrily trashed some old papers. He wasn’t sure what he was angry about, just that he was furious about something. He just wanted today to be over with. It was already four o’clock, meaning he had been here for ten hours straight. Then it hit him. He was bitter over losing to Chase. That snobby import had all the advantages. “That’s not right.” Holmes shook his head. “Chase was the better man. I’m going to accept it.” “Bravo.” House limped over to Holmes. “Explain something to me: You’ve done all this crap work without complaining, you’re nice to everyone, make good money…but you’re miserable?” Holmes didn’t argue. “I am House. I have been for some time. It’s not work related. Just a bunch of little frustrations eating at me. I’ll be fine.” House gave him a hard look, like he could see into Dan’s soul. “If you need to talk, you know where to find Wilson.” House said, fully serious.

“Biopsy came back negative.” Wilson informed House. “Any hangover he would have had would have been gone by now.” “It could be kidney stones after all…” “Doesn’t explain the mood swings. And the tox screen was negative for any drugs.”

The file cabinet was finally clean. Holmes checked the clock. Six pm. House would be heading home, unless that patient was really in trouble. It looked like another long night. Whatever. Holmes had nowhere to be, so he could have cared less. Until Cameron walked in, Chase right behind her. Holmes turned back to the cabinet, sticking a pair of head phones in his ears and humming mindlessly to some tune his laptop was currently emitting.

Cameron, kindly get his attention. Holmes was trying to so hard to look distracted, he actually way. Cameron put a gentle hand on his shoulder. CLANG! Holmes elbow bounced off the metal cabinet. “Sorry about that.” Cameron said with a laugh. “My fault for being distracted.” Holmes murmured, not making eye contact, but keeping his voice pleasant. “Well, does our new “boy wonder” have a guess?” House demanded. “What does this guy do anyway?” Holmes asked. “Just got out of the marines. Now he’s a hunter and fisherman.” Chase supplied. “I assume you’re going somewhere with this.” House said. Holmes looked over at House, guessing that House wanted him to figure this out. “Let me talk to him. Give me fifteen minutes.”

“It’s…Dave, right?” The man in the bed nodded weakly. “What the hell do you want, yuppie?” he coughed out weekly. Holmes ignored that, and asked him “Just tell me what you’ve done the past week. I know you hunt and fish, but anything else?” “Not that it’s any of your business, but I painted my Grandmother’s house. Her paint was from, like, the seventies. Then I moved some old toys up there, real heave, lead toys, and I” Dave started shaking. “Dave? Dave?” Dave was flailing around now, knocking over the bedside lamp, which flew near Holmes, who ducked. “Nurse! I need Clonazapam! Hang on Dave!” Holmes got out of the way while the nurses injected the drug into him.

“The genius returns. What do you have to say? We’re all ears.” House told Holmes, who gulped nervously. “I think he has lead poising.” No one said anything for a moment. House limped over to the white board. “Jaundice…vomiting…abdominal pain…all signs of cancer…add to that a seizure, irritability, and muscle weakness…” “It could still be cancer. I mean, the tox screen was negative.” Chase argued. “We only looked for drugs…we wouldn’t have noticed…the tox screen might not have even registered that…” Cameron said in wonder. “Ring a ding-ding, give the kid a cee-gar! Lead poising it is! Start him on the Chelation Therapy, and give him a list of instructions. Vitamin A, D, and iron.”

“So you got it right?” Wilson asked Holmes. “He said “lead,” and between that and the marines, hutning, fishing, and painting…he deserves credit, not me.” Holmes answered miserably. “Not too many 18 year old interns could have pulled that out of their @$$.” House limped in to join them. “It was a good guess…lucky, but good.” House said, sitting down and propping his feet up. “Thanks House. That means a lot from you.” Holmes answered. House looked over at him. “I’m right all the time. I figure it was someone else turn. Now I’m going to be right again: Grow a set and quit avoiding Cameron. So she chose Chase. Life goes on…you could always shack up with Cuddy. I’m sure she’d provide a “service” to her golden boy.” Holmes and Wilson exchanged glances.

Start track: Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones

Holmes was sitting in diagnostics, still reading the book he had started yesterday. He snapped it shut, leaning backward and closing his eyes. “Good book?” Cameron asked. Holmes opened his eyes slowly. “If you like medical jargon.” He answered, slightly more coldy than he meant to. “I’m sorry if” “It’s okay. Really. It’s not you Cameron. I’ve just got some other things on my mind.” “Is that what you’re REALLY feeling, or is there something else. You can be honest with me Dan. I’m sorry if I hurt you; I picked Chase because” “Because Chase was the right person to pick.” Holmes told her, forcing a smile. “I admit Cameron, I cared for you, but you would be better off with Chase. I’m the anti-social loner that’s gotten lucky with a couple cases.” “I didn’t say that!” Cameron protested. “No, I know you didn’t. I did. And that’s the truth.” Cameron didn’t understand that one.

House watched all this happen. “You’re just going to leave?” Wilson questioned him. “Some lessons are better learned without help.” “You mean it’s easier for you to leave the kid to drown!” House said nothing, walking away instead. Wilson felt that Holmes was growing on House. But his worry was that House was growing on Holmes…

But he didn’t have to worry about that. Holmes looked in his paycheck and found a bonus. Walking back to Cuddy’s offie, he handed her a thick was of cash. “Put this somewhere the hospital needs it. I don’t deserve it.” “What are you talking about? I mean, if you’re sure…” “House knew the answer to that case. It was great of him to let me get an ego boost by solving it. And I do mean it. Keep the money.” He left without a backward glance.

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