Part 21- Next Morning Walk of Fame

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The next morning at Princeton-Plainsboro, the team had confirmed that their patient from yesterday did, indeed, have BPPV and it was the dominant cause of her chronic migraines. She was prescribed some new medication, given the contact of a vestibular therapist, and released from the hospital. 

The team walked together, on the way back to House's office and were feeling extra cathartic that they solved the mystery. 

"I'm so glad she's going to be okay." Madelyn cheered, having bonded with the patient the most. 

"You did the damn thing, Gilmore!" Foreman congratulated, patting Madelyn on the back-- they'd become good friends.  

"Yeah, for real," Taub added, "Chase and I were thinking Wilson was going to have to come in and diagnose her for cancer." 

"Thankfully, it didn't come to that. Good job, Gilmore." Chase replied. 

Thirteen agreed with the guys and told Madelyn, "You did amazing"! 

All the encouragement was really inspiring, and Madelyn thanked them all as both her colleagues and friends. In her heart, Madelyn knew much of her success in diagnosing the patient came from all four of her team members. They'd been such great mentors for the past two months, and she told them exactly that. The five of them shared a special moment in the main lobby, they each felt the synergy generated between them. 

Just then, they saw the little girl coming down the hallway with her mother who pushed her small wheelchair. Chase, Taub, and Foreman waved goodbye to her and then to Madelyn--they wanted give them a private moment. 

Thirteen hugged Madelyn who had become her best friend in such little time and the feeling was mutual. Madelyn hugged back and told Thirteen she'd see her shortly. 

"Feel better, sweetie." Thirteen wished the patient who nodded in response with an adorable smile. 

Madelyn walked over to the girl who sat patiently in her wheelchair, 

"You'll be feeling better in no time, I promise!" Madelyn assured her. The child held a small, brown stuffed bunny and held it out towards Madelyn. 

"For me?" Madelyn asked. She nodded. Lowering herself to the child's level in a squatting position, Madelyn teared up. 

"Oh, sweetheart. You don't have to give me your bunny." 

"Keep her safe." The girl said smiling bright and beautiful even with a couple missing teeth. 

Madelyn leaned in to hug the girl, and rubbed her small back comfortingly. She lightly stroked the child's golden blonde hair that was tied in braids.

"Thank you, Ivy" Madelyn expressed, her heart swallowed by love in this moment. 

Madelyn watched Ivy leave then found a bench to sit on, wanting to take a minute to herself. She realized she was surrounded by plants: all of them healthy, green, and thriving. Madelyn felt the whole world coming into perspective; that life was everywhere in all different stages and forms. She landed on the idea that the ability to help even just one life was a gift she was grateful for. 

"You look perplexed." House stated, announcing his presence. Madelyn snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at him from the bench, her eyes still watery. House noticed the bunny she was holding, 

"I didn't realize it was show and tell day..." 

Madelyn exaggerated an eye roll, "Ivy gave it to me". House seemed confused. "Our patient?"

"Oh, right. You sure you want that? It's probably a fluffy mess of boogies and drool". 

"Well then it's even more special." Madelyn joked, a smile slipping onto her lips. She stood up, smoothed out her white jacket, and moved closer to House. 

"Jealous?" Madelyn teased, waving the stuffed animal in House's face. 

In some ways, House was jealous. He'd rarely been given gifts from his patients, and while he knew that didn't reflect his abilities as a doctor, it did reflect what kind of person he was. Wilson, on the other hand, had shelves filled with gifts like that. It was right now that House began to see the parallels between Wilson and Madelyn and, ultimately, why they would've been good together.

"Fat chance" House replied, his tone overly confident as he was now feeling insecure. Madelyn didn't seem to notice. 

"Well, even if you were, you'd have no reason to be. You're the best doctor here... without a doubt." Madelyn flirted, her lips curling into a small smirk that enticed House.

House blushed, then began to blush more after feeling embarrassed from having done so in the first place. 

"If you'd said that last week, I'd call bullshit." Madelyn strutted towards House, and seductively whispered in his ear, 

"Good thing it's not last week." 

Madelyn's lips came so close to him that he tried kissing them, under the impression that that was her intention. But, she was quick and scuttered off down the other direction of the hallway. 

As House was waiting to get onto the elevator, he heard Wilson's voice far behind him. 

"Madelyn!" Wilson shouted almost too loud. Back in that same hallway where Madelyn had just started down, Wilson ran into her. 

"I'm so glad I ran into you." Wilson enthused, somewhat out of breath too. 

"Hi, James." Madelyn greeted him. "You're upbeat today". 

House watched the two conversing while he himself grew more insecure. 

"Yeah, actually. We need to talk. I think you'll be interested." Wilson insinuated.

House watched from afar and noticed the expression on Wilson's face: eager and looking a little constipated. He knew that look. House's curiosity immediately piqued. 

Madelyn also became interested in whatever Wilson had to say. Wilson was her friend, and practically as good as they come, and he would remain important to Madelyn forever. 

"Okay, yeah. Show me the way" Madelyn happily agreed. Wilson kindly let Madelyn towards the elevator on the opposite side of House who continued to observe. He began to feel worried. 

"Does Wilson know about last night?", House wondered.  




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