When a Trembling Hand Reaches

Chapter Four:

Dr. Cameron, Foreman, Chase and Wilson all stand in House's office waiting for him to arrive. House is usually late for work, they need to tell them that Grace isn't actually Grace but Ash and that her parents aren't here, that they have to find them so they know she is here and so they can sign for her surgery. When it is almost noon House walks into his office glancing toward the other doctors. He throws his bag in the corner, and walks to the coffee machine to make himself a cup. After adding enough cream and sugar into it he turns around.

"So, did you get the signed consent form," he asks sipping his coffee.

"No. He parents aren't here. Also her name isn't Grace it's Ash Linhart," Dr. Chase says.

House abruptly puts his cup of coffee down, "Do the surgery! She's in constant horrible pain! Give her a chance to not be in pain!"

"We can't do the surgery without a signed consent form," Chase says.

"Get a court order! Just do the surgery! Just do something! She can't be in constant pain all the time like I am," House screams at Chase.

"Okay, will get a court order if the parents aren't here in the next three hours," Foreman says.

"She might not be able to deal with the pain for the next ten minutes let alone an hour! Get the court order now! Or I'll do it myself," House yells again.

When no one moves House pushes past them and walks quickly to the elevator passing Ash's room on the way. He quickly looks at her, she is in the fetal position clutching her leg wincing in pain. He has to get the order soon before this kid doesn't want to deal with the pain any longer. He knows what anyone would do to make the pain go away.

House walks into Dr. Cuddy's office. She is on the phone, when she sees him she stops puts one hand on the phone and says, "House can this wait?"

"Unless you want my patient to die," House says glaring at her.

Cuddy mutters a few words into the phone, hangs up and asks, "What is it House?"

"I need a court order for my patient," he says simply.

"And why is that?" she asks him.

"My patient's parents won't come in, and she needs surgery. She's a minor so she can't sign any consent forms," House says.

"Where are her parents," Cuddy asks yet another question.

"All she said is not here, now can I do the surgery or not," House asks getting irritated.

"Yes you can, but what does she have," Cuddy asks getting worried.

"What I have," House says before walking out of her office and back to his informing his team that they can start the surgery.

On the way to his office he notices Ash isn't in her room, he walks in seeing she isn't in her bed he quickly walks over to the bathroom seeing her sitting on the ground with her head in her knees. She doesn't even look up at House when he enters the room, House takes out his pager paging his team to start prepping for surgery. He slides his pager back into his pocket and looks back at Ash. He winces as he slowly slides down the wall to sit next to her.

Still not looking up Ash says, "Why are you here?"

House looks toward the girl and says, "We are prepping you for surgery. If the surgery works you will be okay."

"What if it doesn't work? What do I have," she asks.

"You have what I have, if it doesn't work you'll be like me. Where are your parent's Ash," House asks the girl.

"I already told you, they aren't here," she says lifting her head out of her knees.

"Why aren't they here? Where are they," House asks again.

"If I tell you, you can't tell anyone alright," she tells House.

"Fine," House says.

"My parent's weren't what you call the perfect parents. Honestly they were far from it. My father was a drunk, and my mother, well abused drugs. They both would be intoxicated by the time it reached noon, so when I got home from school they would hit me, and beat me. By the time I was four they threw me out into the streets. I was found and put into the system, I traveled between foster parent. Like my parents, they abused me, spit at me, and a bunch of other things I don't want to mention. My last foster parents were the worst. That's why I was glad they didn't do a full body physical, because then I would have to explain it to them. I ran away about two weeks ago. The leg pain started before that, just got worse. I refused to come to the clinic because they would ask for my parent's information. I don't have any so they would ask for my foster parent's information, and they hate me," Ash tells House.

"I'm sorry Ash, I didn't know," House says to Ash wrapping an arm around her.

"I lied. I'm not Ash Linhart. That was my old friend's name, before she died in a car accident," she tells House.

"Then what's your name," House asks looking down at her.

"Amelia Izabella Hilton. I was born on July 15, 2002. My parents names were Kara Chamberlain and Nathaniel Hilton," Amelia says to House looking into his eyes. "I'm sorry I lied before, I just didn't want them to know so they can track me back to my foster parent."

"Why are you telling me all of this," House questions.

"I guess I trust you," Amelia says to House smiling a little bit.

House's team runs into Amelia's room helping her up and into the bed prepping her for surgery. Cameron and Chase grabs hold of the bed and pushes it out of the room toward the OR. House follows behind with Wilson. Wilson glances at House and back at the girl. Knowing something changed. One hour into the surgery Wilson looks over to House as they watch the surgery.

"Wilson, you can't tell anyone this I promised her I wouldn't but I need to tell someone," House says turning toward Wilson.

"What is it House? What did she tell you," Wilson asks.

"Wilson, she is a foster kid. Her real name is Amelia Hilton. I was also wondering if you wouldn't mind an extra person in the house," House says to Wilson.

Wilson's eyes widen, "What do you mean House?"

House looks back toward Amelia, "I mean once she is out of here. I am going to see if I can adopt her."