Run out (open)

[Doctor Aoife Jones]

Ethmoid Sinusitis, Aoife had decided was indeed really horrible and after years and years of having dealt with it, she should have been used to it. She had a slight stuffy nose that morning but completely ignored it; she was starting to regret that. Sighing, she sat down, setting her cup of tea down on the table in front of her. She looked at the old blue Nike digital watch that she wore; only 7:48, it wasn't even late but she was tired as hell.

She sniffed softly, rubbing her forehead. She was tired, slightly dizzy and didn't quite look the picture of health with slightly swollen, watery eyes. She knew she should probably have taken a Guaifenesin that morning but she'd forgotten, she was getting late, and her vintage VW Beetle wasn't exactly the speediest ride. She patted both her pockets and then smiled slightly as she found an orange pharmacy bottle clearly marked, 'Claritin D'. Her smile fell; just a decongestant, she needed something more effective. She shrugged and popped one into her mouth anyway, hoping it would help soon.

She was still new at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, just about a month or so since she'd arrived. Despite suddenly being thrown into a normal, everyday life again, she was missing Phnom Penh. She sighed again, feeling the heaviness in her head and closed her eyes and put her head in her hands. Hearing footsteps, she knew she wasn't quite alone any more. "Whoever that is," she said, her strong Northern English accent coming out, "if you decide to bother me now, I am going to chase you with an epee until you're sorry."

[Dr. Robert Chase]

Chase hated mornings. Waking up was one of the worst times of the day. By now you have thought he would be used to it, but wasn't. He didn't think he would ever be able to wake happy and cheerful, like Cameron could. The two had stayed the night at her house again, but still she didn't offer him to stay more then the night. It was kind of getting annoying. He loved her so much. He had never been so in love, but yet he still had no idea if she felt the same way about him. Oh well there was no reason to dwell on that fact.

Yawning he walked into doctors lounge alone. As they walked into the hospital Allison had gotten bagged. Sometime big had happen, no doubt some sort of car crash, and they needed all the ER doctors they could get. As he walked in the girl inside started to speak. He stopped suddenly at the sound of her words and considered turning around and forgetting the chocolate muffin he knew as in the fridge. Deciding that he didn't want to pay something from the cafeteria and that chocolate was just what he needed to wake up he continued in, but stayed as far from the English woman as he could.

"Sorry..." His Australian accent almost making him laugh. It was odd how two people could both meet in a room and have accents. "I don't mean to impose, but... this is a doctors lounge and others have to get in here..." Hesmiled widely turning his head at her for a second. Man did she look sick! He turned back to the fridge and started to look through it. After a few moments he finally founded the muffin and started to eat it slowly savoring every bit.

[Doctor Aoife Jones]

Hearing an Aussie accent was strange to Aoife. She was English and the only other place she'd lived in was Cambodia, it was safe to say that she'd never met someone Australian in her life. She was aware of how odd she sounded in America, with a strong Sheffield accent. She lifted her head from her hands, wincing in pain because of how heavy it felt. It was most definitely not someone she knew. Then again, she was new, and knew nearly no one. She sighed, running a hand through her hair in a manner that made her seem like she was stressed out.

"Oh no no no, feel free to enter, but just don't tell me there's something I'm meant to be doing," she sniffed and then finally made eye contact with the man, "and I either don't know you or don't remember you." Her eyes were slightly bloodshot and swollen, "tell me what I'm meant to be doing and I will seriously drive back to my apartment in my slow as a turtle car, get my epee and chase you down." She sniffed again, "seriously," her voice made her sound completely tired and worn out. "Don't ask if I'm okay; the answer's far too obvious."

She got up from the chair a bit too quickly for someone in her state and immediately swayed slightly, "woah, sinus. Makes you feel like you're drunk, it's just a lot more painful," she commented to herself, watching the man take a muffin out of the fridge. She walked towards the kettle with a mug in hand. The label of a tea bag could be seen hanging from the mug, Aoife stared at the kettle, "right uhhh, I'm still not so used to the developed world," she looked at the man, "which means I'm going have to stop being rude, introduce myself and then ask you how the hell one is supposed to work that thing," she pointed at the kettle. "Aoife," she stuck out her free hand, "nice to meet you, and before you ask, yes I'm English and yes I'm new. Now, what the bleedin' hell is one meant to do to get that kettle working?"

[Dr. Robert Chase]

Chase could help but laugh. he didn't mean to, but this girl seemed really out of it. She was talking seriously and reminded him of House, but not quite. House was threatening and rude, she was sick and crazy. It was a big difference. Seeing her face confirmed that he didn't know her, and thus she didn't know him. It made a lot of sense that she was new, there was always new people around.

"I'm Robert Chase. Nice to meet you Aoife. And I'm Australian. I work in Surgery. What about you?" It was a really odd name and he wondered if it was English. Seeing her out stretched hand he slowly shook it. She hadn't been sneezing so it was a good chance the hand was clean, but he made sure to remind himself to watch it as soon as it wouldn't be rude. Not to mention not touching his muffin with that hand. "And you...." He moved to the kettle and showed her what to press. He really wasn't one to drink tea, but he had before when he was sick. "There... Its tricky when you're feeling good." He move back slowly and sat in a chair. he hated being sick and sure wasn't going to let Aoife give him what ever she had.

"What do you have? Is it just a cold?" Old habit. After leaving House's team he hadn't really diagnosed anyone and really missed it. "Maybe you should have stayed home...." he suggested trying not to sound to critical, or anything unless she went off on him again about chasing him down with an epee; which seemed to make no sense. Maybe he should cut the first few minutes and drive her home.

[Doctor Aoife Jones]

She heard laughter and raised an eyebrow at the man, "blimey, and I thought I was rude." She rolled her eyes in annoyance. She very highly disliked working in a proper hospital, it just felt completely unnatural. The only good part was the people came in when whatever they had was in it's early stages, rather than the less treatable and more horrific later stages that she'd seen.

She frowned at him, "you sound like the typical level headed sort who is going be afraid of infections because I'm sitting here with red eyes and a siffle-y nose and you're going to tell me to go home." She smiled sarcastically. "I'm in diagnostics." She watched him press a button on the kettle, "thanks," she muttered, waiting for it to boil. She leaned against the counter, her arms crossed in front of her. "See, I'm used to old kettles, the proper ones that you put on a stove -or fire, depending on where you are. Just got back from having spent a long time in Cambodia, so electric kettles are really just not my thing." She paused as the kettle indicated that it had come to boil. Aoife pur hot water into her mug, closing her eyes in relief when the steam hit her nose. She didn't add in sugar or milk.

"Ethmoid Sinusitis. Well, a combination of that and mild allergies" she said, answering the question, "so no, you're not going to get anything from me." She smiled tiredly. "And I was fine this morning, just a little sniffle-y, forgot to take a Guaifenesin, which really would have helped, but I think I've run out. Just had a Claritin D, so should be looking better in a bit, hopefully." She walked towards the seating area again, sitting down opposite Chase and taking a sip of her hot tea. "So, are you one of the old timers here?"

[Dr. Robert Chase]

Ethmoid Sinusitis. Interesting. At least he didn't have to worry about getting sick. It was a bad thing to be a surgeon and be sick. If you could give the patient something then he could work and if he couldn't work then he wouldn't get payed. Taking another bit of his muffin he sat more naturally. "I'm not afraid of infection. I'm afraid of going a cold and not being able to work." She didn't look like she had a cold, but then if someone had something to to bad than they would even come to work because they were doctors, they knew better.

"Cambodia? What were you doing there?" He hoped she didn't take it as a dumb question. He understood she was a doctor and all so she should be able to make the inference and just answer the question, but if she was anything like House then she wouldn't get let it slide. "Yeah.. I've been here for years. You know House?" Of course she knew House. Everyone knew him and she was part of his department. "I used to work for him about half a year ago..."

[Doctor Aoife Jones]

Aoife laughed dryly, "like I said, the typical sensible doctor. Most definitely not the sort who might actually live a little." She was starting to realise that she needed to get over the fact that she was somewhere that she was working for a salary, and working for someone else; rather than working somewhere that she would actually be needed. To shorten it, she was just another brick in the wall and whether she stayed or left- it wouldn't make a difference. It had however, made a difference to her fellow volunteers in the province of Kep. They were running short of medical staff and supplies and had sent her a letter or two, asking her about her return. Working for money was so strange to Aoife.

"What would a trained medic be doing, living in Cambodia for over a year? Well, I'll tell you what, it wasn't exactly a holiday." She was being slightly rude, but for her, it was probably the nicest she'd be while answering a question like that. She sipped her tea again, the colour slowly returning to her face as the steam hit her. Her eyes were also going slightly less red than before. She set the mug down again and looked at the surgeon in front of her. Not half bad to look at, she decided, but seemingly boring.

"Been here for years? Hah, well, that explains everything." She rolled her eyes with a smile. "House? The head of the department I'm in? Yep, I know of him but don't personally know him." She leaned forward to pick up the mug again, "very happy about not being on his team, actually. Not entirely sure I'd want to know him either."

[Dr. Robert Chase]

Live a little? Chase lived a lot. The only thing different was that he enjoyed his work and thus didn't need to go outside work to have fun. Then there was the small flaw in her theory. Sick wasn't living! Chase hated being sick more than he hated waking up in the morning. "I don't think being sick would be living a little..." He half muttered to himself. "You should know." He regretted saying it as soon as he did. He had been away from House so long that he forgot to watch his words. Sure Aoife wasn't quite like House, but the two were close enough for there to be a good chance that she would have something to say about the comment, But for once it didn't matter, she wasn't his boss.

"I meant what exactly you were doing there. I know you were being... well a doctor, but what kind? Aids?..." He said this time he was the one being slightly rude. At least now he understood that she was more like House then he originally thought. True she wasn't as arrogant as he was, but she was still had the same sarcastic attitude. "Not entirely sure I'd want to know him either." That would be fun to see. Sure they weren't exactly alike, but it would be enough for them to be at each others throats. "I'm sure you two would get along just fine." he said sarcastically. "He's a good doctor, though. Saves a lot of people." He said almost defensively. It was hard wired into his brain that even though he was the biggest jerk in the world he was still the best doctor there ever was.