The Result Of Insomnia

Unnamed Script- In Progress

2006-05-21T09:57:29Z

Scene: A white, bland building. Indicative of a hospital by the large "Emergency" sign in the background. The main characters are sheltered under a tin structure, peeling with red paint and dripping with rain. JOELENE and SAM are standing in front of a bench seat.

SAM: um... how are you feeling?

JOELENE is silent.

SAM: Sorry. Stupid question.

SAM stares out into the distance. JOELENE continues to stare ar her shoes. A car speeds past them, and an ambulence's siren is heard in the distance.

JOELENE: You can leave now. Your not needed anymore.

SAM looks at JOELENE, starled.

SAM: I'm not leaving you. Why would you think that?

JOELENE: The situation has changed. You would have been long gone if you were smarter. There's no problem, so there's no need for you to be here. She pauses as the ambulence races past, siren blaring. Leave.

SAM: Can I give you a lift aywhere? Home?

JOELENE: I have somewhere to be. I don't need your help. Goodbye. She walks away, head down against the rain.

SAM watches her leave. He pulls the zipper on his jacket up, and runs towards the carpark.

End Scene

Scene: A train. JOELENE is sitting by herself in a three seater, staring out the window. It is still raining, and the lights are on in the carriage. KIRA, a student, approaches JOELENE.

KIRA: You look like shit. She puts her bag down, ans sits next to JOELENE.

JOELENE: Did I miss anything in school today? She continues to stare out the window.

KIRA: Nup. McRitch had a psych about your absence. Stuff her. Oh, and Ash and Rye had this screaming match, right in the quad. Miche told me that Ash told her that it was all over between her and Rye. They'll be having make up sex tonight though, betcha anything. Rye's such a horny bugger, can't keep it in his pants. And it's not like Ash is the world's biggest virgin. KIRA pulls out a pack of gum, and silently offers it to JOELENE. JOELENE declines, and continues to stare out the window.

KIRA: Hey, is everything.... ok?

JOELENE: Sam came to see you.

KIRA: Yeah, at lunch. He's worried, Jo. So am I.

JOELENE: I'm fine. Do you have that spare uniform?

KIRA: Yeah, here you go. KIRA hands JOELENE a plastic bag.

KIRA: Give it back to me soon, Mum'll go nuts if she finds out a whole uniform is missing. Those things are bloody expensive.

JOELENE: I'll give it back to you tomorrow. Thanks.

KIRA looks worridley at her friend for a momont, then reaches into her bag, and pulls out a small, clear cliplock bag. Inside are three white, round pilles. She hands one to JOELENE.

KIRA: Here, this'll take the edge off a little. JOELENE stares at the pill in her hand, not moving. The train slows down, then stops.

KIRA: I got to go. This is my station. Trust me, you'll feel better once you take that. I'll give you these two as well. She hands JOELENE the bag with the remaining two pills. She kisses the top of JOELENE'S forehead, and leaves.

JOELENE looks at the pills, and stuffs them in her pocket. She stares out the window.

End Scene

Scene: Small suburban house. JOELENE'S mother JULIE is in the kitchen, stirring a pot on the stove. JOELENE walks in, wearing the spare uniform. She drops her bag onto the kitchen table.

JULIE: Oh, hello dear. How was school? She continues stirring as she talks over her shoulder.

JOELENE: Fine.

JULIE: Anything interesting happen?

JOELENE: Ash and Rye broke up. Screaming match and everything. Apparently it's over for good this time.

JULIE stops stirring, and turns to face her daughter, who is unpacking her school books. JULIE looks angry.

JULIE: The school called today. Wanted to know where you were. Unexplained absence, they said. JOELENE stopsf or a moment, but then continuies to unpack her things. She remains silent.

JULIE: Well?

JOELENE: They must've got me confused with someone else.

JULIE: I doubt it. Where were you? And where were you last night, for that matter? If you were with that Sam again, so help me God....

JOELENE doesn't relpy. Instead she picks up her things and goes to leave the room.

JULIE: Stop right there young lady. You're father will be home any minute, maybe you'd like to explain to him where you've been, hmm?

JOELENE stops.

JOELENE: Nothing to explain.

JULIE: I've had just about enough of this secrecy and moodiness. This family deserves more respect. Go to your room until you can explain your actions and apolgise.

JOELENE walks out of the room. A door slams. JULIE shakes her head, and continues stirring.

End Scene

Methamphetamine dll.

2006-04-30T05:15:42Z

Cameron and House, a variation on the "Meth and Chase Episode"

The elevator doors opened much too slowly for me. My brain was screaming at it to hurry up, racing at a millon miles an hour. It seemed everyone and everything was deliberatly trying to piss me off this morning. Finally the doors creaked to life. When they were fully opened, however, my brain switched from mild disgruntlement to fully fledged profanity. You were standing there, staring right at me, as if you'd known all along that I'd be there. I ducked my head, today I had no interest in conversation with you. You said nothing, but continued to stare at me as the doors closed and the elevator began to move. You noted my continual movements, shifting my weight from side to side, and still you said nothing. You glanced at my red- rimmed and bloodshot eyes, and still you said nothing. I knew, however, that you were storing all this information as puzzle pieces, trying to make them fit in a logical order. Finally, you spoke to my bowed head.
"Hangover?" I didn't acknowledge that you'd spoken. You looked down at my shaking hands, and nodded in realisation.
"Or maybe not." Still, I ignored you. You lent over me, and pushed a button on the wall. The elevator jerked to a stop. I looked at you, surprised. However, your attention was now fixed on a small bottle. The next thing I knew, there were two white pills in my hand.
"This will wear down the affects of the meth pretty quickly." I dry swallowed them without a sound, humiliated beyond belief. My whole career working under you, I had strived to impress you. You gazed at the doors silently, in deep thought. Then, you spoke so suddenly, I often wondered afterwards if I had imagined it.
"Don't do this anymore. Don't use that as a stress relief." You paused.
"Don't become like me." With that, you lent back over and we began moving again. In an instant, the doors had opened, and you had vanished.
"Thankyou." I whispered to your retreating back.

The Black Dog

2006-04-15T09:05:47Z

The Black Dog sleeps in relative calm.

Sleethly creep up to your side, without your noticing. Without fanfare or announcement. The Black Dog makes its presence felt, quickly, quietly, disturb your tranquillity. The Black Dog begins to growl.

But the Black Dog sleeps in relative calm.

Snapping at heels, chasing you through a dark forest. Over twisted, knarled logs, down jagged cliffs. Along a path you know so well. The Black Dog knows where you are going.

But the Black Dog sleeps in relative calm.

There is no way to stop the Balck Dog. The Black Dog ignores comands, requests, despite its obediant personality. Loyal, a guard dog against the unknown. It is a close confidant, a comfortable unstability. The latest definition of normality.

But the Black Dog sleeps in relative calm.

You are not an entity without the the Black Dog. You and the Black Dog exsist similtaniously, feeding off each other. Creativity vs complacency. The Black Dog determains which part you play, when your curtain call is. How you take your final bow.

But the Black Dog sleeps in relative calm.

Until the next time.

The Pond, The Rock, and the Disturbance in the Force

2005-11-20T07:24:39Z

TRANQUILITY

"To keep the one you love, don't sleep with other people, particularly co-workers." This pearl of wisdom would never be found in a high school textbook, or in a university thesis, or even on a relationship- advice website. It was simply assumed knowledge, passed from generation to generation in an unspoken rite. However, like so much good advice, it is often thrown out the window at the arrival of alcohol and a willing (or equally drunk) co-worker. Allison Cameron knew this all too well.

Being a smart, intelligent, successful and well respected doctor often gave Cameron a false sense of security. This safe aura was rarely broken, but when it was, it was like throwing a dirty great big rock in the middle of an otherwise tranquil pond. The ripple effect ensured that when Cameron's pond was disturbed, the aftershock always came back to bite her. This aftershock was almost always in the form of a crippled, cranky, doctor who was always flirting with the line between genius and insane. In other words, her boss, House.

THE ROCK

"Nine hours, thirty one minutes and..... forty eight seconds."

"Huh?" Chase looked up from his coffee in confusion.

"Nine hours, thirty one minutes and..... well, now it's thirty two minutes." Foreman replied absently, staring daggers at the clock on the wall of the break room.

"Nine hours and thirty two minutes until what?"

"Not until anything. That's how long it's been since we've had an interesting case on or hands. Or any case, for that matter."

"And that's a problem because...?"

"House. With no case. That means nothing to occupy his mind. And that doesn't scare you?"

"Hey, we're safe for awhile. He's playing the 'avoiding Cuddy' game. She's just discovered how much time he owes in the clinic. Let's just say it was almost in triple figures this time." At that, a head poked around the door, looked cautiously around the room, under the table and even behind the door, before darting into the room faster than a man with a cane should be able to.

"It's like she has a House radar or something. I even went and hung out in Wilson's office for awhile, but Boy Wonder wasn't in such a great mood. Aparently he's not very appreciative of the fact that I may have spread a rumour or ten concerning him, handcuffs, latex and his childhood teddy bear. Honestly, some people are so ungrateful!" he exclaimed as he leant against his whiteboard. Looking around again, this time more carefully, he looked perplexed.

"Hmm, we have Wombat Boy, Boy-from-the-hood Boy, but where is Girl Boy?"

"She's running late. Traffic or overslept or something. Cuddy told her to take her time, it's not like it's overly busy anyway." Chase barely glanced up from the contents of his coffee, which apparently were fascinating. House, however, appeared to be in deep thought. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers, and a grin spread over his face.

"When she gets here to come and see me. I'll be somewhere far away from Cuddy. This tardiness can not go undisciplined." House smirked to himself and stauntered out of the room. Chase and Foreman exchanged glances. It seemed like the day was going to get interesting for Cameron.

THE THROW

Later that day, House was sitting in his office, killing aliens on his GameBoy and humming along to a tune in his head. Cuddy had gone into a lengthy meeting an hour ago, and wasn't expected to return to her House-hunting expidition anytime soon.

"Sorry I'm late." Cameron walked into House's office and collapsed into a chair, a defensive look already on her face. House switched off his GameBoy and was ready to launch into his grand scheme, when he looked at Cameron.

"Hmm, I don't remember paging the Living Dead. Or is it Halloween already? Gosh, the time really does fly when you're having fun." He waited, but his sarcastic comments illicited no response from the bloodshot-eyed, flushed cheeks of one Dr Cameron. She just sat slumped in the chair, staring at a miniscule dot on the wall of his office.

"Hello, Earth to Dr Cameron! Come in, Dr Cameron! Mayday Mayday, we're losing her! ZZCHHHHHHHHH"

"Do you need me to do anything?" Cameron's voice was barely above a whisper. House could only shake his head.

"Page me if you need me." She left his office without another sound. House thought to himself. He had two options- go after Cameron and risk running into Cuddy, or stay in his office and risk going crazy trying to work out what was wrong with the strange speciman called Cameron. He popped a Vicodin, and limped after Cameron.

THE MID AIR SPINNING

House entered the break room without his usual fanfare.

"Has anyone seen Cameron in the last.... oh, ten minutes or so?" he asked to the two male Ducklings. Foreman glaced pointedly at chase, who continued to stare into his untouched coffee, which had now gone stone cold. House didn't miss the look.

"Mr Australia, care to enlighten me? Hello? Anyone? Wow, dead audience." House knocked on Chase's head for effect.

"She was in here a moment ago. I think she headed towards the ladies bathrooms," Chase mumbled. House chose to outwardly ignore Chase's current disposition, instead filing it away in his brain for future referance. With one more glance at Foreman and Chase, he hobbled out of the room.

The ladies' bathrooms were the frontier of the unknown. House imagined himself as a daring (and dashing) explorer, venturing into the abyss for the good of mankind. And his own sanity. He cautiosly pushed the door open with his cane. And swore.

"HOUSE! I'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU!!! Do you realise how much time you owe me in the clinic? And I'm not letting you palm it off this time either! You, as in Dr Gregory House, must complete the hours. And what the hell are you doing in the female toilets?" Cuddy was, evidently, not happy. Before House could even get a chance to glance at her clevage (also for the sake of mankind, of course) she spoke again. But much more quietly.

"My office. Now."

"But Mom, I wanna go and play with Wilson! He's got this cool new GameBoy game and the bestest lollipops!" House whined.

"It's about Cameron." For the second time that day, House was speechless.

THE THROW

"She's asked for time off," Cuddy stated as she sat down behind her desk.

"How long? Why?"

Cuddy paused.

"Well?"

"She wasn't too clear on that. She just said she needed some time off, that she needed to get away. I said she could finish out today's shift and then take time off." Cuddy didn't look House in the eye.

"So you've given one of MY doctors indefinate time off without consulting me, and without a decent reason?" House wasn't happy. Sure, today was quiet on the patient front, but it was a rarity. Besides, Cameron was, he admitted begrudgingly, very good at her job, and an essential element of the team.

"She.... she scared me, House. Did you see how she looked ths morning?" House had no reply to that. Cameron's appereance had shocked him as well.

"I'm worried that something's really wrong with her. She won't confide in me, and you're... sneaky enough to find out what's going on," Cuddy continued. House still didn't say anything. He knew he could get some serious reward if he agreed to snoop on Cameron. Cuddy sighed. She knew what House was thinking.

"Look, if you find out what's going on, I'll cut down the hours you owe me in the Clinic." She waited. Still nothing.

"Fine. One week, no Clinic duty."

"Three."

"Two."

"Two, and you halve the hours I owe already." House popped another Vicodin and waited. Cuddy rolled her eyes.

"Fine, two weeks no Clinic duty, and you only owe me forty- six Clinic hours. But if you don't find out anything by the end of the day, the deal's off." House smirked.

"Nice doing buisness with you." With that, he left an annoyed Cuddy in her office.

THE ROCK

It didn't take long for House to find Cameron. Although he believed that all people lie, it seemed impossible for Cameron to lie to House. Besides, if she did lie, or didn't tell him anything, he had access to her personal files.

'Foreman and Chase seemed to know something as well,' he pondered, as he entered the lab where Cameron was cleaning the microscope. He snuck up behind her, watching her methodical movements. She sensed his presence, but did not acknowledge it. They allowed the silence to grow between them, until Cameron spoke.

"What do you want, House?" House thought for a moment before replying.

"Why did you ask Cuddy for leave? And why didn't you ask me?"

"She's your boss, which technically makes her my boss. You don't have the power to give leave." Cameron avioded the first question. This didn't go unnoticed.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me the first time. Why did you ask for leave?" Cameron stopped her cleaning, but kept her back to House.

"If this was Chase or Foreman, would you be pestering them?" Cameron resumed her cleaning.

"If Chase or Foreman looked like an extra from 'When Zombies Attack,' then yes. And don't answer a question with a question." Cameron didn't reply. She set down the rag and cleaning fluid, and rested her hands on the desk.

"Why does it matter? Did Cuddy do her 'concerned' thing? Or is it just that she doesn't want to give me time off without a reason? Do you get some kind of reward for barging into my private life?" House didn't let on that she'd hit the nail on the head with that last comment. She continued, getting angrier with each syllable.

"What part about 'private' do you not understand? Do you have nothing better to do in your sad, pathetic, lonely life than interfere with mine?" She stopped, and tried to control her breathing. Even with her back to him, House could see her counting to ten in her head, trying to gain control over her emotions. He waited for a moment, and then asked-

"What are you blaming yourself for?"

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

"What?"

"Look at me." Cameron did not reply. Her shoulders drooped, and she hunched over the now spotless microscope. She shook her head.

"Look at me," he repeated. Slowly Cameron turned around. She faced her body towards House, but did not look him in the eye.

"I'm fine."

"What are you blaming yourself for?"

"Just leave me alone." This last statement was barely above a whisper. A single tear made a track down Cameron's pale cheek.

"No." Cameron looked up, shocked. House was many things- rude, arrogant, egotistical, but she'd never thought he would be so completely insensitive towards her.

"It's noth-" She began to wave away her probelm, when she stopped. She realised she couldn't outrightly lie to this man. Not when it was about herself. She took a deep breath.

"I'm... I'm not fine, ok? In fact I'm an absolute mess, and all I wanted was to slip away from this place for awhile, and I couldn't even do that without the whole world knowing, without my boss interfering in my personal life. Hell, I don't know why I'm worrying, it's not like you were never gonna find out anyway, Chase and Foreman can't keep any secrets from you. I just need to get away, ok?" Cameron tried in vain to gain some control over her emotions.

"Please." She pleaded with him with her eyes.

"Tell me what's going on. It never has to leave this room. I need to know."

"That night, when me and Chase.... you know....we, um..... I got pregnant." Cameron blurted out.

"I know. And yet, this annoying little voice keeps telling me that there's more to it, isn't there?" Suddenly, any emotions Cameron had had were overwhelmed by a red hot anger.

"I miscarried, House. Two days ago. All I want is some time off, to try and stop from feeling like shit. It's not like I'm not owed time off anyway, I've worked, double, even triple shifts for God knows how long, and when I want some fucking time off I get the fucking Spanish Inquisition! Jesus Christ House, would a little sensitivity kill you? And-" Cameron trailed off, realising what House had said.

"How... how did you know?" she whispered. But House didn't answer. He just did something so un-House-like that Cameron would later convince herself that she had been hallucinating. He wrapped her in a giant hug. And she cried.