Meeting...

Before I met up with them, Maddie told me a few things that I needed to know. House used a cane, he can be a jerk, watch out for the smart comments and kiss major ass. I knew I had to kiss major ass cause I felt like I already did something very wrong.

"You'll be fine Marks." Maddie said, patting me on my shoulder as I walked away. "Easy for you to say..." I muttered back to him and headed for the entrance. I had been sent on Maddie's 'laundry list' as I called it ever since what happened with Erik. I don't know, but I think he doesn't trust me anymore, or he is trying to protect me. I hated it. Being a topic from behind my back. Oh well, now for these two.

Dr. Gregory House seemed older then me, maybe by 10 years or so. He didn't wear the tie and dress shirt thing like I wore to work, though do you dress up like your going to work for this thing? It was true that he was on a cane, but it seemed odd to me why he was on it. I took a quick look at his leg wondering what happened to him. He gave me a smug look and I looked away.

Dr. Wilson seemed nicer then House. He was well kept and very clean cut looking, handsome at that (of course House was handsome, but in a rough way). Though from the look in his eye, he was all too happy to be here at all. Great, I thought as I smiled at them, I made strike one today.

"Hello I'm Dr. Edward James Marks..." I put out my right hand to Dr. House then stopped. I put the hand out to where he would have to take his hand off his cane. Oh god...

Strike Two

"I-I'm sorry..." Quickly I switched hands. "I'm tired tonight...I can see well..." It was true, I was tired as a dog and it showed, I was pale and I had dark circles under my eyes.

"Pleasure is ours," House said, "Though I thought they would be nice to cripels in this hospital." The cornor of my mouth twitched and I was about to put down my unshakened hand, but Wilson stepped in and shook it. "I'm Dr. James Wilson and this Gregory House." I nodded to show I knew.

"Pleasure..." I said, but I think no one had any pleasure in this meeting.

I showed them around the hospital and told them about a few programs we had here. I kept it short and sweet, even skipping a few places. I knew Maddie will have my head for this, but I didn't care, I wanted sleep, and I bet these guys wanted out of here. As we walked around, I kept watching them. From their body movements, they seem to stay close together. Sometimes I even caught their's hands brushing up against each other. Could they? I shook my head again. No way...they couldn't.

When we got back to the entrance I let out a slow breath. I was more tired then I thought. "Well I hope you enjoy the...whatever. Maddie said if you needed anything, just call me..." I gave Dr. House my card. The older man looked at it then looked up at him. "You made this yourself?" I could feel the red heat on my face, as I nodded. "Doctors don't get their cards made by someone else?" I shook my head like a kid. "Well...they do, but I made those...I mean, I didn't want to trouble anyone." More like I didn't have the money.

"You didn't know what was going on in your own hospital. The congress I mean." House threw the card up like a playing card that Wilson caught. "Greg." He gave him a warning tone, but Dr. House went on. "It seems to me that your the guy to go to about this kind of stuff. What, do you even babysit for them?" Another twitch. "Your the door mat doctor, or you just don't care about what is going on here. You just do your job as quickly as possiable like you did this one." I stepped back and stared at him. He had the guts to say that to someone?

"I-I...well..." I stuttered and tried to say something to defend myself but he kept going. "This could of been done tomorrow, but instend you wanted to get it over and done with huh?"

"N-No! Maddie called me and told me to take you guys tonight." Everything was going bad. Forget strikes, talk about blows below the belt.

House laughed at me and glared. "Do you always do what your boss says?" Wilson behind him shook his head. "You don't give a damn about us, or this hospital do you? Go tell Dr. Maddie if he wants us to do those speeches, he can get someone else to do the job right."

I snaped. "I care! I do my job right!" Thats it, I had enough. I will tell him who cares. I cared ever since I was a med student. "You don't think I care about this place huh? Well look here, I do. Even though our place is not as big and fancy as yours, it still works as well. I do give a damn, because I wouldn't still be here if I didn't. If I didn't I would have gone to a bigger hospital and got more money..." Whew...I feel dizzy right now.

The older doctor hobbled over to me closer and placed his unused hand on my shoulder. "Take a joke kid. You just bothered us at the wrong time." Wait one second. That was all a joke? I turned my head, watching him as he left the building. Before I knew it, it was Wilson's hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it Dr. Marks, he gets that way when hes been disterbed." He gave me a smile. "You should get some sleep, you look like you need it."

"Yeah...I know..." I was giving out fast so I just leaned against him a little. "I feel like I already screwed up again..." I gave him a small laugh and pushed away from him. "I'm sorry about disturbing you two...." I bowed my head at him and started to walk away then I stopped. I handed Dr. Wilson a slip of paper. "Its a dinner for two thing at this place I know. Has good crab. The directions are on the back. Its free so treat yourselves...Its a good resturant and bar." That dinner was for Fayt, but I think they needed it. I walked away without seeing what his reaction was. All I wanted to do was sleep, but House got me thinking.

Maybe I will attend this congress after all. I need to show him up anyways.