Kutner Fest: Phoenix
Title: Phoenix
Author: taiga13
Characters: Kutner, Taub
Rating: G
Words: 348
Summary: It could have happened differently.
Notes: Thanks to euclase, topaz_eyes and usomitai for their help. rivercrossing2, I’d already picked this title before you posted your story, I swear!
Kutner set himself on fire with the hospital equipment on April 6, 2009. Lou the janitor won Chase's pool.
One week later, he was completely healed and ready to be discharged and return to work. His parents marvelled at his quick recovery, but Cuddy assured them that that's all it takes to recover from severe trauma and surgery at PPTH when House is your doctor.
Now Taub and Kutner stood alone in Kutner's hospital room as Taub slowly unravelled the bandages from Kutner's face and body. Both men were silent as Kutner looked at himself in the mirror for the first time.
"Am I taller?" he finally asked.
"I don't think so. Why would you be taller?" Taub answered after a moment's pause. The smoke inhalation had permanently affected Kutner's vocal chords, altering his voice, and everyone was still getting used to it.
Kutner lifted his hospital gown and examined his stomach. He didn't remember having abs of steel before, but then he must have lost weight from a week of being fed through a tube. He stepped closer to the mirror to examine his face.
Taub held his breath. He had been so excited about being able to use his plastic surgery skills again that he had thrown himself completely into reconstructing his friend's face. (And why did it take almost losing him to accept Kutner was his friend?) Now he realized that he may have gotten a bit carried away in improving Kutner's looks; seeing his work now, he realized Kutner looked like a completely different person.
"I’ve regenerated, like Doctor Who!" Kutner finally exclaimed after a long silence.
Taub relaxed and smiled.
Back in his new office at the White House, Kal Penn watched and also smiled. He had worked with the new actor playing Kutner for two weeks, teaching him Kutner's mannerisms and speech patterns, and he was doing a great job. Omar had just Twittered him to say the new actor was doing well and getting along great with the cast. Both Kal and Kutner were where they were supposed to be.
Disclaimer: The characters of House are owned by Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions, and Bad Hat Harry Productions in association with Universal Media Studios. The events involving Kal Penn, Omar Epps and other cast and crew members of House are fictional and no disrespect to them is intended.