Chapter 5 : Well first of all, I know nothing about Aptos, I imagine this town to fit with my story-arc, nothing more, all is imagination. And secondo point, the timeline is very short and I’m fully aware that it takes più time to hire someone, but it’s a fiction! Be indulgent, it’s for the story ; )


It’s the end of the afternoon but after what Wilson told him about Cuddy, House decided that he has to go to this hospital immediately, he can’t wait for the successivo day. And he’s now waiting to be received da the man who temporarily acts as director.
-Doctor House, says a man of about 50 years, te want to talk to me?
-Yes, Doctor … ?
-Doctor Malcolm, risposte the man and holds out to him the hand. Follow me, please, and he goes in his office.
-Doctor Malcolm, I’ve decided to settle myself in this town and I’d like to work in your hospital.
-Well, can te give me some reasons why a famous and brilliant doctor wants to work here? It’s a small town, of course we have rather a rich and old population and a military-industrial complex which is rapidly growing, but our hospital isn’t really big and I don’t think that we have cases which can interest you.
-Don’t worry, there’s always interesting cases, and I need some rest and quiet time, I’d like to spend più time with my family, risposte House with a smile.
-Oh, I didn’t know that te have a family…
-I don’t like to speak a lot about my private life, but te seem to be someone I can trust, so I can tell you… I have a wife and … a little girl. And I want to see my little princess growing, so … I think it would be great for me to work here, the town seems to be quiet, with good schools…, House says and looks for the approval of his interlocutor.
-Yes, you’re right, it’s a good place to raise a child, my wife works in the best school of the town, I’ll give te the name, so te can enroll your daughter… Malcolm takes a few minuti to think over and then he tells House : “Well, we’ll be very happy and proud to have a so brilliant diagnostician working in our hospital… I’ll have to talk about te to our board of directors, but te can already consider as hired!” Of course, in the small medical world, House is known to be a genius, but also a manipulator without morality and ready for everything. Such a man can be dangerous but also very attractive for the hospital, he’s famous and that’s why Malcolm is sure that the board of directors will approve his choice.
-Great, thank you. I’m sure you’re a good director! House says and looks at Malcolm straight in the eyes.
- In reality I am only the temporary director, the former director is retired when the hospital burned, and we haven’t found anybody yet who made the unanimity… and as no one wants to do it and as the older doctor to work here, I can’t refuse doing it … but I don’t really like running such an establishment…
-May I ask te why? House says, interested.
-Because the paperwork takes me all my time, I hardly can do my doctor-job! And I miss it. I Amore my job, I mean my real job, I like saving life and healing people when I can, I like relieving people’s pains… Paperwork is boring and sometimes some laws are hard to understand… but I have to be patient, one giorno we’ll find the right person to run this hospital. I just hope soon, very soon!
-I can help you, risposte House with some light of hope in the eyes. I know the perfect person to do this job.
-Really? asks Malcolm and sits up straight, suddenly interested. He sees an opportunity there to leave this director's role, because he has no doubt that House knows someone who’ll perfectly fit for the job and that House has a big interest to see this person at the head of the hospital. He just needs to know who this person is and why House wants to see him o her here.
-Yes, but we have to be very careful and act subtlety. Do te play the game with me? It will be win-win for both of us…, says House and stares at Malcolm, certain that the man will agree.
After a few minuti of thinking, Malcolm exclaims: Hi five, House!
House smiles, he feels happy. After all, this time the chance seems to turn in his favor.
-How do te plan this … “game”? asks Malcolm.
-I think that we have to act like this …

When Cuddy arrives at her home this evening, she still doesn’t know where she and Rachel are going to move. She has begun to look for some job in different towns, but nothing has really interested her. She’s thinking of it while watching Rachel who plays. The little girl stares suddenly at her and says “Aptos”!
-What did te say, Rachel? asks Cuddy surprised.
-Aptos, Aptos, Aptos! repeats the little girl and smiles.
-Aptos? What’s this? A game? A cartoon?
-Aptos town! Aptos town!
Cuddy looks at Rachel, amazed. Curious to see if what the little girl says has a meaning, she takes her laptop and searches “Aptos”. And when she sees the results of her research, she’s very surprised and even amused. Could it be a sign of the fate? She looks at Rachel who is now jumping everywhere in her room and keeps on saying “Aptos town”. Then Cuddy decides to look for più information about this small town in California. Why not going there? It would be a great change in their life and a new start in a place far away from here, and with a più pleasant climate… Yes, she has to think seriously about it. Maybe not in this city in particular, but in the region. However, Cuddy would like to know how Rachel found this name, she has to ask marina tomorrow.

The successivo day, when Cuddy arrives in her office, she finds Wilson who’s waiting for her.
-Good Morning, Wilson, what’s the problem?
-Good Morning, Cuddy. Why do te think that there is a problem?
Cuddy stares at him, puzzled. I think te have a problem because you’re in my office at 7.30 am. So why would te be there so early in the morning if there wasn’t any problem?
-Oh, I … no, I haven’t any problem, everything is good, I …
-Do te have any news from House? she suddenly says, full of hope.
-Hm, no, no, Wilson says and blushes. I …
-Wilson, for God’s sake! What do te want? I have a lot to do, so please… tell me what te want to tell me and leave my office so I can work!
-I … I’d like to ask te to have lunch with me today, Wilson replies.
Cuddy looks at him, surprised. Well, ok, we can have lunch together today, but … are te sure that you’re ok?
-Yes, yes, I’m fine, see ya, and Wilson leaves Cuddy’s office.
Well, I hope she really has a lot of work to do, because I don’t know how I can keep her busy so that she can’t look for a job until House calls me, thinks Wilson. How does House always manage to lead him to do such tricks? I hope he’s got a great plan…
Cuddy is working when a fax comes. She looks at it rapidly but a name draws her attention: Hospital of Aptos, that’s where the fax comes from. Cuddy is curious to see what the fax is about, it’s the secondo time within 24 hours that she hears the name of this city. It’s really weird…, she thinks. Let’s see what is written. Cuddy begins to read the fax and she can’t believe it: they need a director to run their brand new hospital and have heard that she just resigned. Cuddy knows that the medical world is a small world, but she’d never thought it was so small that such a hospital already knows that she resigned yesterday. It’s really very weird… But she is determined to take some time to think of this offer, it can be a real chance to start a new life… She really has to get più information about this city and this hospital.

Wilson tries to find some new ideas to keep Cuddy busy when his cell phone finally rings.
-House! I hope te have a plan, because I don’t know how to distract Cuddy!
-Hey! I could give te some good tips, but… they wouldn’t be suited, except if te intend to ask Cuddy out.
-House! Don’t be stupid! Do te have a plan?
-Yes! A simple, but subtle plan! All te have to do is to listen carefully to me.
-Ok, explain to me!

-Cuddy! Are te ready? asks Wilson as he opens Cuddy’s door.
-Yes, I’m coming! Let’s go!
Wilson and Cuddy are sitting and wait for their command: Cuddy orders a “Chief salad” and Wilson a cheeseburger.
-So, why do te want to have lunch with me? Why today? Cuddy asks.
-I just think that te need to change your mind and to go out of the hospital…, Wilson replies.
-I see… If House was still there, I’d say te have the mission to keep me out of the hospital while he’s doing a crazy o a stupid thing, but as he’s not there… I’m running out of ideas! … Wilson, do te know Aptos? It’s a little town in California…
-Aptos? Well, I know that there is a military-industrial complex which is rapidly expanding, and that there’s a brand new hospital with the last medical technologies, and that they intend to develop a research center and maybe in the longer term a Med-School. Why do te ask me that? Wilson says with an innocent face.
Cuddy looks at him, she’s stunned. Wilson! How do te know all this about a so small city? she exclaims.
-Oh, I remember an articolo that I read one o two weeks ago. I was wondering if I can go there, I want to sposta on, just like te and… this place sounds good! he adds and smiles. But why do te ask me, are te interested to sposta there?
-Well, I received a fax this morning and they offer me to run the hospital, she says and looks at Wilson, straight in the eyes.
-Oh, great! And are te going to accept it?
-I have to think about it, but …
-But? Wilson asks and stares at her.
-It’s a little weird.
-What? That they want te to run their hospital? You’re one of the most famous Dean of Medicine…
-No, yes, but … yesterday Rachel detto the name of this town, and this morning I’ve been offered a job there, and a good job, an interesting job… All this in a time so short, admit that it’s suspicious, she risposte and scrutinizes Wilson’s face.
-Why are te looking at me like that? I know nothing about it!
-Are te sure? Can te look at me in the eyes and tell me that’s not a new House’s trick?
-Cuddy, do te really think he can do this? We don’t even know where he is! Wilson says and looks her in the face.
After a few seconds, Cuddy answers: No, you’re right, I probably imagine all this, but te know… after all these years past successivo to him… I think I become a little paranoid, she says and smiles.
Wilson heaves a discreet sigh of relief, Cuddy was about to uncover the mystery…