as_damaged | ☎ voicemail

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☎ voicemail

❝You've reached Allison Cameron, please leave a message.❞

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[ooc: you know the drill, if you need her and there's no recent post &c &c. whatever. ♥♥♥]

"That's your prerogative." Chase quirks an eyebrow at the response, but lets it go. He's not playing a game anymore.

"I wanted to know your most memorable case we've worked on. Or... most important? Not here, back at home."

It catches her off guard, and she stares blankly for a moment, giving it some honest thought. Considering that their cases are by definition extraordinary, it's difficult to cite any one as more memorable than the rest. Ezra Powell, she almost answers. Foreman. Cindy Kramer. House. People, not cases. It might be a better question for House; he cares about the puzzle rather than the patient. She makes up for it.

"I'm not sure," she answers, brows drawing together a little. "Why?"

Interestingly, the first name in her mind is the one he'd hoped she'd say, although he wouldn't count it as his own most memorable patient. He remembers being willing to go along with House, though.

"I've been thinking... and I'm not sure I'm at the end of the thought process yet. About whether we've got it wrong, trying to treat patients here the way we were expected to at home. Maybe we need to take different circumstances into account more than we do."

He folds the card back over his sandwich box and puts it down on the nearest free surface, essentially abandoned. Something that probably drove her crazy in the brief time he lived with her.

"So I was just wondering what had been important to you, there."

"Things are different here." She glances at the trash, but the light frown that carries isn't about that. It's just difficult to verbalize. "We don't have the same kind of cases. Too many factors." She laughs, short, suddenly. "No breaking in to apartments. Half the time we're just patching up after curses, anyway."

Shaking her head a little, she uncrosses her arms. "I liked the challenge. But it was more about-- saving people, who had no other options. That made a difference."

Chase has broken into a couple of apartments for the benefit of medical science since they've been here, but she's right. The pressure of the job now comes from curses that turn apocalyptic, not individuals on the brink. Though there are patients like that, there's also magic in this world and other aspects that render their help secondary.

"Saving people is what I'm thinking about, in a way. Can I talk to you when I'm further along? I don't want to bring it to House until I'm sure I know what I mean."

"I certainly don't know what you mean," she murmurs. Guarded though she's been this is the least uncomfortable conversation they've had since... Well, the least uncomfortable this year. Not that that's saying much.

"Let me know," she adds slowly, "if you figure it out." It's not exactly inviting-- he's still deep in colleague territory, not a friend-- but he's at least succeeded in piquing her curiosity.

He nods. Her reaction, when he does get to discussing it, probably won't either be completely or initially favourable. That's what makes her the best person to ask. They have such different standpoints that somewhere in the middle there might just be a balance.

"I'll send you a link to a patient file, soon. I just want you to tell me how you'd proceed with treating him based on what's available here."

"I can do that." A consult, in essence, doesn't violate the restricted terms of their interaction.

"Thank you."

He pauses, bites his lip. If there was anything else to delay things here a while, he'd be trying it right now.

"Well, that's what I came to ask. Guess I can leave you alone, now. Unless there's anything..?"

She shakes her head, glancing at the floor. Her welcome now is easy to overstay, and silently she's glad he isn't pressing the issue any further.

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☎ voicemail

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded

I hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded