Complications AU

Part Two

Sorry this chapter is so short and poorly written. I did this in a rush :(

"So," House leaned the cane on his shoulder, eyes darting back and forth across the whiteboard that had Headaches, Jaundiced, and Pneumonitis scribbled in black dry erase marker, "Our boring guy just gained a new symptom. Inflammation in the lungs..." He trailed off in thought.

"We put him on corticosteroids to stop the swelling, and his headaches have faded as well." Cameron said.

"So he's cured! I've done my job." He strode off to his office.

The three team members followed after him, "He's still sick and we don't know what's wrong, just because the symptoms are going away doesn't mean he's fine." She stated the obvious.

"But he's getting better." House plopped down on his leather chair.

Chase spoke up, "But he isn't healed."

"Then why are his symptoms going away?"

Foreman was about to respond to his question but he was interrupted with the loud steady beeping of their pagers.

Cameron rushed off with her other two co-workers to the patients room.

"Greaty great great." House grinned.

They arrived at the hospital room to see Killian scratching at his chest furiously.

Foreman went forward and tried getting a look at his skin but his hands kept getting in the way, "Mr. Jones, stop."

"It's driving me insane." He groaned and kept nailing at the itching on his flesh.

"Mr. Jones, stop it." He held Killian's hands away and saw his chest covered in red, bumpy spots.

"Fantastic." Chase sighed.

-

"Yipee. New symptom." House grabbed the marker and added Dermatitis to the white board, "Differential diagnosis. Go."

Chase started, "Cirrhosis could cause itchy skin and yellowed eyes."

"But not the lung issue." Foreman added, "Could be lupus."

"It's not lupus." Greg said tugging on his lower lip with his thumb and forefinger while he scanned the board trying to come up with something.

"What about heavy metal toxicity?" Allison threw in the first thing that popped into her mind.

He nodded, "Run the lab for the most common heavy metal toxins and get the guy on prednisone before he tares out his skin."

They all nodded and headed off to do as he bid.

Robert and Eric went to the lab and Cameron went to start Killian on the medicine.

She slid the glass door open and stepped in with an IV bag in hand, "This should help with the unbearable itching."

She hooked the bag up and the metal pole and connected it to the catheter going into his arm.

"Thank you." He nodded, "Does Doctor House know what's wrong yet?"

"No. But don't worry I'm sure we'll figure it out soon and you'll be on your way back home." She smiled warmly and looked at him.

"Hopefully."

"Where do you work?" She grabbed a stool that was in the room and sat besides his bed.

"At a shipping company. ViaCargo." He said and looked at the gold ring on his finger, admiring the way the light made the jewel shimmer.

"Must involve a lot of stress."

"You get used to it," He shrugged, "Plus, my assistant makes it a hell
of a lot easier."

"I bet." She smiled and paused. "If you don't mind, I'd like to ask a few more questions?"

"Go ahead." He sat up a little more.

"Have you been exposed to any kind of heavy metals recently?"

"No. Not that I know of."

"And are there any other symptoms you have presented with? Maybe you felt shy and hid them?"

"No." He shook his head, "I don't see the point of lying or keeping something from your doctor when they're trying to fix you."

"Smart man." She grinned and it made his lips quirk up just slightly.

His expression changed and his hand brushed over his neck, "My throat feels funny."

She stepped forward and then backed up when he bent over and threw up over the side of the bed, blood splattering over her pant leg in little droplets.

"I-I'm-I'm so sorry." He looked at her pants, the red fluid dribbling over his bottom lip.

"You just vomited blood. You shouldn't be apologizing." She sighed and looked at him with concern. Already thinking of what in hell could cause all of this.