Chapter 4: Weird Request
"Father, I met Dr.House in the hallway, He asked me to meet him at his office" After 3 days of Anu insisting to call them mom and dad instead of their names, AJ still feels awkward to call them, mother and father, but he did. John who just talked to the director came to AJ's resting room while sitting he heard this. "Hmm, yes I heard about Dr. House from the director. She said to not accept any request from him. She just said that, I don't why. But why is he asking to meet you? what happened?" John replied.
"Its just a patient suddenly collapsed in hallway when I went for a walk, I just helped them little. And Dr. House happen to be there in that occasion, and he invited me." AJ replied. "Oh, its okay, Dr. Foreman is working under Dr. House, if there is something, you can ask him. When did he says to meet you?" John asked. "In the evening" , "Ok, you take rest, I will be outside if you need me" John said. "Okay" AJ said.
.....
"Hey, Jasmin, may I know which floor is Dr. House office located?" AJ asked the front desk nurse whose name's Jasmin. "Hi AJ Carter, it is in 4th floor, third room from the right side. What's problem? Did you lose any bet against him?" Jasmin said. "No..." AJ replied slowly. "Then its just me? huh" Jasmin murmured to herself. "Thank you, Jasmin" AJ quickly said and moved towards the elevator as he is in 2nd floor.
AJ took elavator to 4th floor. Soon he came before the glass wall, where he sees Dr. House sitting across the table with his feet on it, Dr. Foreman in one of the chair, alongside he sees a blonde man and an woman standing besides a white board talking about something.
"Excuse me.." AJ opens the door, "AJ, what happened, do you need something?" Foreman asked. Before AJ answering, "He's mine Dr. Foreman. Don't steal him" House said while getting up. "Looks like Dr. House is into teenage boys. That would be a good rumor or is it?" Chase said while looking at AJ. "Don't tease him." Cameron said, before House become surprised "I meant the boy" Cameron added.
"Don't listen to them, AJ, what's wrong?" Foreman continued. "Dr. House asks me to come" AJ said while looking at House. "yeah, yeah.. let's talk real. Kid what does that white board says" House said. AJ looked at the white board where 3 symptoms written on it. {Double Vision, Myoclonic Jerk, Night terrors}.
AJ thought for a moment and said "Epilepsy, Brain Tumors, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Narcolepsy, Sleep Apnea", "Now imagine these symptoms are occurs in your favorite buddy boy of your age" House continued with interest. AJ stops to think and then continues "we can strike MS and Sleep Apnea, others still stands. We can also include head trauma and PTSD."
"From the tests, there is no extras in his brain (No tumor) and no history of epilepsy or Narcolepsy. What do you think it is?" House said with some excitement in his tone. "In an extreme cases this symptoms can be caused by virus such as measles, if he or his mother might not vaccinated. But that situation is super rare." AJ said after thinking. Suddenly realizing "Dr. House why are you asking about this? and what do you want from me?" AJ just now realized that he answer subconsciously.
"I just got what I want kid." Dr. House said with interest. Then looked at others and said "Didn't I said this kid is mine". "Dr. Chase go check if the family got shots", "Dr. Cameron, go practice my signature more and give me a descent one", "and Foreman stay here" House quickly instructed everyone while having his usual sarcasm comments.
Soon, House, Foreman, AJ Carter only in the room. "Kid, I read about you. 16-years old, stumbled on his own foot to gotten hit in the head and became 'Dr. Robert 'Doc' Malone' (Author Note: it is one of the memory loss character from a 80s show). But still doesn't gone mad or idiot. Also, no history of reading medical book according to your parents. Can handle heart attack patient in shortest time. Also, come up with diagnose given the small symptoms. Say kid do you have any secrets? why are you lying to us like memory loss, so you can become a prodigy or genius while particularly forgetting your old 'memories'. Is it about your ex right?" House said.
"Dr. House, I personally checked him, he is also my patient. He really lost his memory given the tests we took." Foreman said to house. "Dr. House, from the moment I woke up, I was in state of panic, I don't know where am I? who am I? and who are the people that says my family? It took 3 whole days to accept everything around me. I don't know how and when I read the things I spoke, but I know subconsciously. If you are going to talk about my memory loss, then I don't have any reason to stay here. Dr. Foreman see you later and thanks for believing" AJ said and trying to leave the room.
"Woah!.. relax kid, its not like I was the one hit your head. you don't have to be rude, see Foreman" house said stopping AJ Carter. AJ turned to see house. Foreman stares at house. House sighed and said "Okay, Okay.. I have an offer kid. What do you say to study under me?", before AJ reply, House interrupted, "Yeah, I know, you want to process what's going on now in your life or whatever... Listen kid, whatever hit your head atleast gave you above average brain. I am not going to drag you here everyday. If you want to diagnose someone again or to learn some fancy words, come here. My offer stays. I still have sometimes to babysit a kid." house said.
.....
'Ah.. what is Dr. House saying? Yeah, he is especially rude, no wonder nobody likes him. But do I want to learn about medicine? and why I can remember medical stuffs and can use easily whenever the situation forces me? Oh god. What is happening...' AJ walks to his resting room while thinking.
"AJ dear, how are you doing? your dad said we can go to our home tomorrow after some checkup." Anu said while AJ walks inside the room. "Yes AJ, I can introduce you to missy (her bestie-level friend), just now she asked about you when we left our home. Also, you need to careful of sheldon, missy's twin. Argh.. he is super rude, he doesn't know how to treat a lady *scoff*. Also, he is really scared of chicken like missy said, and ..." Emily talked again non-stoply. "Emily honey, what did I say earlier?" Anu asked. "AJ needs rest and I can talk to him in home, Not hospital" Emily said while lowering her voice.
"Oh AJ, you are here.. what did Dr. House said to you?" John just entered the room and seeing AJ sitting in bed, he asked. After some thoughts, AJ replied slowly "He asked me to study medicine under him.."
"What?! who asks high school student, just got his head injury to study?" Anu suddenly shot back. "And why he asked?" Anu continued. "Dear, please calm down, let give AJ some space to talk", John said while Anu just now realized she lost her composure. "Sorry AJ dear" Anu said. "It's okay, Mother" AJ said with some awkward.
Then AJ narrated how he helped the obese man on hallway but in simpler terms like 'just helped a little' and how Dr. house came to ask him, but he refrained from talking about diagnose session talks, he thinks they were just discussed something and he just participated, nothing else.
"Hmm, AJ, I recently heard about his reputation, he is one of a big shot in diagnostic medicine in the medical world, he only sees if the case interests him and saved many, but he have really bad reviews for his attitude." John said after some thoughts. "AJ, this is your decision, we will support you no matter what you decide. Take your time to think about it."
"Okay, Father" AJ said after sometimes. 'Let's take one step at a time.' AJ thought. 'God, it is one hectic day uh?'.