Because of the time limit, Amber and Taub agreed to perform only a handful of examinations and tests that’d confirm lupus. Of course, everyone wanted a piece of Casey, for a biopsy or lumbar puncture or drawn blood. With only one Casey and three hours, everyone might not get the time they needed. “I’m going first,” Amber declared, “Because I only need five minutes and you’re going to take for ever.”
And then she went ahead and did so. Amazing how simply going and doing what you wanted instead of waiting for permission worked. Any one of them could’ve done the same thing, or contested her going first, but they didn’t, so she won. “If I’d known being on your side was so convenient, I’d have done it before,” Taub said. Amber grinned. She knew how it worked—allies for as long as their goals were the same. She was okay with that.
Casey was still delirious and thrashing in violent protest at anyone who tried to go near; not even with her father there to cajole her did she stay still; Amber had no idea how Cole would get a lumbar puncture like this. Fortunately, that wasn’t her task.
As long as they had access to Casey, they quickly examined her body for other symptoms: a few rashes, which supported their lupus theory—and the heatstroke one, but that was no longer a possibility. That done, Amber had to bully her way into getting access to the labs to run the ANA test—which wasn’t that hard. Wielding House’s name as a weapon worked satisfyingly well.
Amber’s mind wandered as she prepared the slides. They could be running other tests right now. Urine exams, allergy tests, STD panels—Amber blushed, suddenly remembered something very important. Oh, geez, it hadn’t even really occurred to her, not once after she and Eric suffered an attack of stupid and had unprotected sex. She wasn’t worried about pregnancy; the levonorgestrel would do its work and she’d get her period on Tuesday (or a few days after that-- she wouldn't panic if it was a bit late, that was one of the med’s side-effects). But as for getting them tested, she... trusted Eric so much she'd forgotten? They still had to do that, though, just to be sure. She’d raise the subject with him after work.
At the end of three hours and as much blood analysis that could fit in that window, they returned to the conference room. Thirteen and Cole were there already, glum. Hah, didn’t need to ask them how wrong their theories were. Amber looked towards Eric, holding out the printed sheets, eager to show him—and the others—the results.
no subject
And then she went ahead and did so. Amazing how simply going and doing what you wanted instead of waiting for permission worked. Any one of them could’ve done the same thing, or contested her going first, but they didn’t, so she won. “If I’d known being on your side was so convenient, I’d have done it before,” Taub said. Amber grinned. She knew how it worked—allies for as long as their goals were the same. She was okay with that.
Casey was still delirious and thrashing in violent protest at anyone who tried to go near; not even with her father there to cajole her did she stay still; Amber had no idea how Cole would get a lumbar puncture like this. Fortunately, that wasn’t her task.
As long as they had access to Casey, they quickly examined her body for other symptoms: a few rashes, which supported their lupus theory—and the heatstroke one, but that was no longer a possibility. That done, Amber had to bully her way into getting access to the labs to run the ANA test—which wasn’t that hard. Wielding House’s name as a weapon worked satisfyingly well.
Amber’s mind wandered as she prepared the slides. They could be running other tests right now. Urine exams, allergy tests, STD panels—Amber blushed, suddenly remembered something very important. Oh, geez, it hadn’t even really occurred to her, not once after she and Eric suffered an attack of stupid and had unprotected sex. She wasn’t worried about pregnancy; the levonorgestrel would do its work and she’d get her period on Tuesday (or a few days after that-- she wouldn't panic if it was a bit late, that was one of the med’s side-effects). But as for getting them tested, she... trusted Eric so much she'd forgotten? They still had to do that, though, just to be sure. She’d raise the subject with him after work.
At the end of three hours and as much blood analysis that could fit in that window, they returned to the conference room. Thirteen and Cole were there already, glum. Hah, didn’t need to ask them how wrong their theories were. Amber looked towards Eric, holding out the printed sheets, eager to show him—and the others—the results.