Amber glanced up from all the texting just in time to see Eric stride in the opposite direction, towards the elevators. She didn't even know how to feel, beyond drained. Just a few hours ago he'd waited to go back upstairs with her. Now he couldn't get away fast enough. Angry, that's what she should be feeling. And she was. Little bits of flickering resentment, clear and hot like lighted candles-- but she mostly felt heavy. How badly had she fucked up?
She couldn't just walk into that festering pit of rabid beasts and probably-ex without some kind of defense. Or, if it really was her fault, Amber wanted to know, so that she could start apologizing and damage control.
The phone number was filed under "Immunologist." It didn't ring more than once before a half-sleepy voice answered, "Hello."
"Hi, Dr. Cameron?" Amber asked.
"Yeah?"
"This is Dr. Volakis, one of the new doctors working for House." It felt almost absurd, introducing herself to someone she'd spoken to just this morning, but Amber couldn't be sure just how much of her fame was labeled as "CTB."
"I know who you are." Cameron's tone was sharper, more alert. "How did you get my personal phone number?"
"House gave it to all of us." Cameron muttered something, but Amber couldn't make it out. "Listen, I'm very sorry to call, but--" She went on to summarize the situation. It was a risk: she knew Cameron was all about putting the patient first. Amber played up that angle, explaining how she'd been worried about Eric-- Foreman-- ignoring some of Casey's symptoms. It must've worked, since Cameron sighed in what sounded like a sympathetic way.
"So, what do you think? Could’ve the steroids and interferon destroyed her immune system?"
"You'd have to confirm, of course," Cameron said, "but that wouldn’t have been the likeliest outcome. I wouldn't rule out the paralysis as a new symptom."
Amber's load lightened slightly. "Thank you."
Just in case, she also called House again. Still no answer.
By the time she returned to the conference room, everyone was there. The candidates all turned to look up at her, but they must've already worked out their incredulity because they didn't question her actions. That and Eric was a magnet for serious business, frowning in what probably had been a focused differential. It wasn't the time to ask 'what the fuck were you thinking.'
Amber slipped into a seat quietly, figuring out what she'd missed as the conversation resumed. 'Paralysis' wasn't on the board yet; did Eric assume it wasn't a symptom?
"Can we be sure it's an infection?" Cole asked. "Shouldn't we check before we pump her with antitoxins?" Ah, testing first. That was the recommendation Amber would've made. She nodded in agreement.
At some point Brennan had risen, pacing and staring at the whiteboard. "It's not botulism," he suddenly declared. His expression was wondrous, as if he'd been infused light and now saw with startling clarity. "It's polio, I’m sure of it!"
no subject
She couldn't just walk into that festering pit of rabid beasts and probably-ex without some kind of defense. Or, if it really was her fault, Amber wanted to know, so that she could start apologizing and damage control.
The phone number was filed under "Immunologist." It didn't ring more than once before a half-sleepy voice answered, "Hello."
"Hi, Dr. Cameron?" Amber asked.
"Yeah?"
"This is Dr. Volakis, one of the new doctors working for House." It felt almost absurd, introducing herself to someone she'd spoken to just this morning, but Amber couldn't be sure just how much of her fame was labeled as "CTB."
"I know who you are." Cameron's tone was sharper, more alert. "How did you get my personal phone number?"
"House gave it to all of us." Cameron muttered something, but Amber couldn't make it out. "Listen, I'm very sorry to call, but--" She went on to summarize the situation. It was a risk: she knew Cameron was all about putting the patient first. Amber played up that angle, explaining how she'd been worried about Eric-- Foreman-- ignoring some of Casey's symptoms. It must've worked, since Cameron sighed in what sounded like a sympathetic way.
"So, what do you think? Could’ve the steroids and interferon destroyed her immune system?"
"You'd have to confirm, of course," Cameron said, "but that wouldn’t have been the likeliest outcome. I wouldn't rule out the paralysis as a new symptom."
Amber's load lightened slightly. "Thank you."
Just in case, she also called House again. Still no answer.
By the time she returned to the conference room, everyone was there. The candidates all turned to look up at her, but they must've already worked out their incredulity because they didn't question her actions. That and Eric was a magnet for serious business, frowning in what probably had been a focused differential. It wasn't the time to ask 'what the fuck were you thinking.'
Amber slipped into a seat quietly, figuring out what she'd missed as the conversation resumed. 'Paralysis' wasn't on the board yet; did Eric assume it wasn't a symptom?
"Can we be sure it's an infection?" Cole asked. "Shouldn't we check before we pump her with antitoxins?" Ah, testing first. That was the recommendation Amber would've made. She nodded in agreement.
At some point Brennan had risen, pacing and staring at the whiteboard. "It's not botulism," he suddenly declared. His expression was wondrous, as if he'd been infused light and now saw with startling clarity. "It's polio, I’m sure of it!"