Inquiry: Day Eight, 1 p.m. - Rachel Cuddy

[zeppomarx]

Title: InquiryAuthor: zeppomarx
Characters: All the usual suspects, plus more.
Summary: When a panel is convened to review the facts of Gregory House’s life, his fellows (past and present), colleagues, patients and friends are called to testify.
Thanks: To Brigid45, for her infinite wisdom and advice.
Warnings, etc.: Possible character death.

Comments

[deelaundry]

Still curious about what kind of panel this is. I don't know of any public or private body in the US that can or would have a four-year-old testify in front of them alone. So... Star Chamber? Don't tell me; I don't want to be spoiled.

[pyewacket_1975]

Hmm not sure what the purpose was for interviewing Rachel. I suppose she's a witness to House's character like anyone else has been, and she did spend some time around him. Kids are brutally honest, so I guess that's what they were after.

[visitkarte]

That's what I figured. And if you can end up in jail for flushing tickets down a toilet, or get a year more for saving someone's life, why not this? they surely did such not long ago. I am, of course, referring to poetic freedom.

[violettblack]

I love that you added Rachel to the list of witnesses. Rachel Cuddy was one of the highlights of season 7 and I was as sad to not to see her again in season 8 as I was happy that Cuddy was gone after Moving On. I have to admit that I’ve let out a scream of joy as I’ve read that LE was quitting her job at House MD. The twin actresses who played Rachel are really good and I hope to see them again on screen in the future.

There’s one thing that irritated me in this chapter. You said that Rachel was visiting Aunt Julia. But Julia was at Cuddy’s house together with her husband (?) and Cuddy’s new boy toy as House has parked his car in Cuddy’s dining room.

[zeppomarx]

Good point... let's assume, for the sake of literary license, that someone was babysitting Rachel and Julie's kids at Julia's house.

I adored those little girls... as far as I can tell, they've done nothing since that Cheerios commercial. I was just positive they'd be snapped up and put in a movie or a series. Unbelievably cute.

[visitkarte]

Grandma Arlene was babysitting Rachel. That's canon (20 Vicodin, cold opening). But the kid can't remember details all that well, she might have mixed "House in Hospital" with "House crushing in the dining room". ;-)

[zeppomarx]

Let's go with that... If you think I should change it, I will. Not worth sticking with something that's easily fixed.

[cuddyclothes]

Great...Hows has caused Rachel abandonment issues. A four year old in front of a tribunal? This seems more like child abuse than anything else.

ETA: Does she have a babysitter or home attendant with her? Is she sitting alone? Who brought her to the courtroom?* And how has she not gotten sick for 21 months?

*Calling it a courtroom because I'm not sure where this is taking place.

[visitkarte]

Let's say it was done in a "protected room" of the “court” (or wherever this is taking place), child-proved, questioned by someone with the necessary qualification. It's not about the technicality, it was more about what would Rachel have to say if anyone cared to know.

[cuddyclothes]

Thanks, but I'd prefer the author to respond, if she cares to.

[zeppomarx]

I think you've all made an excellent point, one that did occur to me while I was writing my original draft, but somehow slipped through the cracks in my brain before I posted the chapter. Instead of posting a new chapter today, I'm going to go back and rework the Rachel chapter to reflect your concerns. Thanks for pointing it out.

--zep

[zeppomarx]

Thanks for your comments... I felt it was important to include Rachel, not only because of what you've pointed out, but also because House is generally very good with children, and it seemed to me that she was the only one I could bring into the story. Please note my response to the previous comment -- I will be reworking the chapter slightly to reflect people's concerns.

--zep

[visitkarte]

Actually, Cuddy dumped House because he was sick. What else do you call a Vicodin-addicted depressed chronic pain sufferer in acute heavy distress? Than he was recovering from surgery and did something admittedly unforgivable while still coming back from very recent surgery and heavily drugged.

(Actually Wilson should have been the one driving in the first place, not the heavily drugged and stressed-out-of-his-mind House. Sigh, that was probably a plot device, albeit very in-tune with the general actions of the characters in the show. If you keep it medical, Wilson was responsible for letting House drive in the first place.)

So, while the reason Rachel isn't even allowed to mention his name is a felony and not an illness, the last reason Cuddy gave her for not visiting House was probably House being sick. And yes, Cuddy's insane standards make me feel sorry for Rachel. House was so good for her, he would have made her a happier, better person.