Chapter 1 - Late -

It was a spring ngày at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. The pollen was waving with the gentle passing breeze, and the normal daily rush started at 9.00 am for doctor Cuddy. She was in the lobby filling a few papers that the chief-nurse had asked for, when Wilson arrived and gave her a wide-open smile and a very enthusiastic ‘Good Morning’.

Cuddy went into her office and brought her mind to the huge pile of papers that her secretary had waiting in her hands.

Cameron, Chase and Foreman were at the Diagnostics office waiting for their boss. House was always late, but they were used to it. They didn’t have a case at this point so they were waiting, anxiously, for House to come in with a blue folder holding the history of a new patient.

It was almost 11.00 am and the ducklings were still waiting. Cameron was sitting on a chair đọc a few medical books, Foreman was making coffee and Chase was lying on the little đi văng near the door staring into space.

Wilson saw the team in the office, and decided to come in.

“Hey guys! “ Wilson đã đưa ý kiến opening the door and peaking from the doorway.

“Hi, Wilson. Do bạn know where House is?” Cameron asked looking at Wilson, hoping that he had the answer.

“I have no idea where he is, probably around.” Wilson answer.

“Right. He’s probably at trang chủ sleeping. I bet that he doesn’t even remember that today is Monday.” Foreman replied to the rest of the team.

House was home, sleeping too. The alarm clock buzzed at 9.30am and he got up. He did exactly what he was used to doing every morning. He popped one of his Vicodin pills, went to the bathroom, ate something in the phòng bếp, nhà bếp and grabbed his keys to his motorbike.

The ngày was sunny with a light breeze in the air. Spring he thought. He got up on his motorbike and started the ignition. The trip to the hospital was usually quick, but not on this day.

As he accelerated through the traffic mứt an out-of-control car appeared from out of the blue and almost crashed into House.

He didn’t have time to react as he was propelled to the floor and his bike was destroyed. Fortunately, bởi some miracle, he didn’t suffer any apparently life threatening injuries. He got up and went to the car that had almost killed him.

“Hey, bạn moron, bạn almost killed me. Don’t bạn know how to drive?” House đã đưa ý kiến furiously.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened.” A scared young pregnant woman answered him.

He did a double take. “Are bạn ok? xin chào lady, you’re pregnant bạn shouldn’t drive at those speeds. How far along are you?” House asked, regretting having yelled at her phút before.

“7 months.” The woman said. She looked back and made sure her child sitting in the back ghế, chỗ ngồi was still sleeping, which he was, like a little angel.

“You should go to the hospital, just to be sure that everything’s ok.”

“Thank bạn I will.” She answered him politely.

House looked at the car as it went away, and then looked to his motorbike, totally ruined.

Cuddy went to pick up her bàn phone and just as her hand touched it the phone rang, sending its shrill little calls throughout the room.

“Hey, it’s Wilson. House isn’t here yet. Do bạn know anything? I’ve called his cell phone, no sign of him.” Wilson said, getting everything out almost too quickly for Cuddy to understand.

“I don’t know. I didn’t see him yet either.” Cuddy replied, starting to feel a little worried.

“Well, he’s probably at home. Maybe his leg is hurting him too much.” Wilson guessed.

“Maybe you’re right. I think that I’m going there just to check it out. Thanks for telling me Wilson.” Cuddy đã đưa ý kiến as she got up.

“Call me if bạn get news.” Wilson finished.

Cuddy hung up and went to pick up her áo, áo khoác and purse. She headed to the lobby with a quick step. As she was opening the entrance door, House walks in.

“Hey. Where were you? We had begun to worry.” Cuddy đã đưa ý kiến looking at House.

“I had a little accident on the way here, but I’m ready for the dieing people now.” House answer sarcastically.

Cuddy rolled her eyes and turned back towards her office. When she sat down in her chair again she realized that House had followed her into her office.

“What now?” Cuddy asked.

“I got in an accident with bởi motorbike. A pregnant woman almost ended with my precious life.” House replied, his sarcasm still showed through but Cuddy saw through it.

“Are bạn ok? Do bạn want me to run a few exams?” Cuddy đã đưa ý kiến looking thêm worried now.

“No. I’m ok. I just need a ride trang chủ at the end of the day. If bạn don’t mind,” House đã đưa ý kiến politely.

“Oh! Sure. I’ll give bạn a ride home.” Cuddy replied a little confused.

House went to the elevator, and she looked at him from her office. Why did he want a ride trang chủ with her? He could have asked Wilson.

The rest of the ngày continued normally. House didn’t have a patient so he and the ducklings were at his office doing wherever they wanted, which meant he was tormenting them and they were trying to find a way get away from him. Cuddy was dealing with paperwork at her office, Wilson was with his patients, and the ngày outside the hospital was passing bởi just as it usually did.

TBC