Work Text:
~*~
"We got multiple victims coming in," the head of ER told the crew. "You've seen it on the news; shoot out in Central Park."
"How many victims?" one of the doctors asked. "Should we prep the OR?"
"Be prepared for anything, I know we have at least four gunshots, two of them being the assailants." He paused. "PD lost an officer today, so the mood is going to be..."
"The OK Corral comes to mind."
"Dr. House!" the Chief of Staff admonished.
"What? Those twits robbed a bank, shot up a shopping center, killed a cop, and got their asses shot when they got into a fire fight with said cops." House stood up and shook his head. "And while we're trying to save them so they can go to court and get the chair, we're going to have cops in here who are wounded, high on adrenaline, and pissed as hell."
The Chief glared and was ready to reprimand the resident doctor, when the doors to the ER slammed open. Their first patient had arrived. The ER team went to action. House moved down the hallway with ease, assessing the guy on the gurney as he went. The young man was screaming and yelling demanding drugs for the pain.
"Get a saline drip and antibiotics on him." Gregory looked over at the two cops. "Are the cuffs necessary?"
"Yes," they replied in unison.
"I can't properly treat him with them on," he pointed out.
The older cop rolled his eyes and unhooked the handcuffs. "He bolts, I shoot him."
"Fair enough," he shrugged, and began his examination. He moved his hands down the chest, checking for any injuries, then looked up at the nurse who hovered at his side. "I want x-rays and call the OR. He's going to need surgery to get the bullet out."
"Fucking PIGS! They shot me!" the patient yelled out in pain.
House just eyed him. "There's a surprise, really. Shut up, I'm trying to save your life so you can go to jail."
"You can't hold me!" He yelled, "I got rights..."
"You want to leave?" Gregory looked at the punk kid. "Go ahead. I doubt you'll make it past the doors before getting shot down by the dozen or so cops lined up against the walls."
The shooter struggled to sit up. "I didn't do nothin'."
"Save it for the judge." House pushed him back onto the gurney.
~*~
The ER was starting to get back under some semblance of control, but the mood had soured when they lost one of the officers. It was lucky the two assailants who were injured were already up in the OR or there'd have been more deaths.
House tossed his gloves and protective paper coverall into the trash and stalked down the hallway. He wasn't really in a mood to deal with anyone else any time soon.
He paused on the way out the doors, and stared at the redhead sitting in the corner of the waiting room. The glint of the badge at his waist, indicated he was NYPD, but the suit, despite the dirt and blood on it showed he was not a beat cop. He was sitting quietly, head back against the wall, eyes closed. Gregory gave him a visual once over, his eyes settling on the dried blood on the detective's pant leg.
He walked over and kicked the muddy dress shoe. "Are you injured?"
The redhead lifted his head and looked up at the doctor, blinking. "Just a scratch."
"Are you a doctor?" House asked.
He shook his head.
"Then stop acting like one and let me see it."
House sat down next to him, pulling on fresh gloves. He pulled a pair of scissors from his pocket and cut down the seam of the pant leg, whistled painfully at what he saw. "Yeah just a scratch, one that will need stitches." House stood up and motioned with his hand. "Come on let me take care of that."
"I'm fine..."
"Get your ass out of that chair so I can do the doctor thing and look all cool," Gregory smirked. "Besides I gave an oath to heal the needy blah blah..."
The redhead moaned slightly as he stood up, leaning against the wiry doctor and favoring his injured leg. "Detective Horatio Caine."
"Dr. Gregory House."
~ The Beginning ~