𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄

six; the vogel must fly

(Mention of a patient with depression and bulimia)

"That was preposterous."

Wilson snorted and scratched at his nose, "That's one word for it."

Vickie heaved a sigh. She and the oncologist were walking through the halls of PPTH. They had just attended a chair board meeting —Wilson as a member of the board and Vickie as note taker— where a new chairman was appointed. A man named Edward Vogler. He had given a story about his relationship with his dad and his dad's Alzheimer's. It was a touching story, although he reiterated that he was going to implement a lot of change at their beloved hospital.

Wilson and Vickie knew someone who does not do well with change.

"You think we're in for tough times?" Vickie asked as they came close to the diagnostic office. Wilson nodded and heaved a sigh, "Yeah, just about."

"Ah, c'mon, James," she chuckled and tapped the underside of his chin in a teasing gesture. "Chin up. We'll make it through to the next battle."

"Yeah, but with all our armour intact?"

"That's why it's armour," she hummed. "When it breaks, we get new ones."

{☀️🌩️}

Cuddy and Vogler, the new chairman of the board, rounded a corner as they took a stroll around the hospital while discussing business. Vogler revealed, "I want to run this place like a business."

"What, you want to put more vending machines in the hallway?" Cuddy chuckled, "Maybe a roulette wheel?"

"Nice one," smiled Vogler, though it didn't last long. "But I'm serious. The product that you're selling is good health, it shouldn't be a tough sell. You don't want to sell, it means you don't care if people get your product," he looked down at her, "You care if people are healthy, or are you too proud for that?"

They stop walking and Cuddy did a twitch with her head, looking insulted at his insinuation. Vogler's eyes shoot over her head, once again making their height difference known, to let a strange sight come into view. "Who're they?"

Cuddy turned and sighed at the sight before her. House sat behind a glass door, his feet up on the table with the handle of his cane hanging onto the surface. He was bouncing a yo-yo up and down while Vickie stood besides him. The assistant was leaning her elbows on the table, her glittering heels being reflected on the tiles as she smirked at her boss.

Even from a distance it was clear that the two were flirting.

Cuddy rolled her eyes lightly before she scolded herself and turned to Vogler, "That's, uh, just one of our doctors with his assistant."

"Aren't doctors supposed to wear lab coats?" Vogler asked and as they started walking once more, he added, "She doesn't look like an assistant."

"They're... different." Cuddy revealed, purposefully being vague on the situation.

Vogler hummed, as if understanding, "Everyone's buddy."

"Well, she is, yeah," chuckled the Dean of Medicine. "Him... no, not exactly."

Vogler stopped them from walking again as he turned to her sharply, his tone of voice harsher now. "Then why does he get away with it?"