Disclaimer: House and all respective characters do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them for personal enjoyment.

Also I am not a doctor so I have decided to borrow cases used earlier in the show for medical accuracy. My creativity comes in with building and developing character relationships as well as introducing original characters. Reviews are most welcome. Hope you enjoy.


A dark haired teenage boy walks up to a sliding glass door and knocks. An older woman walks up to the door and shakes her head.

"It's almost noon," the boy says.

"Sam sleeps a lot these days," the woman replied.

"Please, Mrs. Tolsen, I haven't seen her for a week," the young man asked his eyes pleading with the woman in front of him.

Mrs. Tolsen shook her head and smiled while opening the sliding door, "I'll go see how she's feeling."

"Thank you," the boy replied.

"And I've told you a hundred times to call me Donna," Mrs. Tolsen said shutting the door. "You know the drill," Donna said disappearing down a hall and leaving the boy alone.

The boy walks over to the kitchen sink and turns the water on getting his hands wet. Next, the young man grabs a bar of soap and begins to scrub his hands all the way up past his elbows. Once he had a good lather, he set the bar of soap down and rinsed. After shutting the water off, the boy reaches to a towel dispenser just as Donna walks in.

"All done," Donna asked.

"Yeah, I scrubbed for one minute, did my nails all the way up to my elbows," the boy replied. "The whole deal." The boy sneezes suddenly.

"Oh my God are you sick," Donna asked.

"No, of course not," the boy stammered.

Donna reaches up to the boy's neck checking his lymph nodes for swelling. "A cough, sore throat, anything," Donna asked.

"No, nothing. I just sometimes sneeze when I look at lights," the boy replied. "I always have."

"I'm sorry Dave, you better…" Donna started.

"Mrs. Tolsen, I would never get her sick I swear," Dave said pleading. "I just miss her."

Donna nodded and then motioned for Dave to follow her. Donna picked up a mask and handed it to Dave. "Please wear this," Donna said. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and watched Dave walk up them before returning to the kitchen to finish the dishes she was washing.

Dave walks down the hall and knocks on the door at the end of it before opening it. The room in front of him was almost empty. The floor was tiled; a twin bed was in the middle of the room. Next to it was an end table with a small lamp and an alarm clock. On the left side of the room was a large dresser. The room was spotless, not a bit of dirt could be found anywhere in the room. Lying on the bed was what Dave had come for. A young, thin, strawberry blonde was reading a book when he walked in.

"A mask," Sam asked when she saw Dave.

"Got caught by the bouncer," Dave said.

"She's crazy," Sam said. "She's only let me out like six times in the last two months, only to go to the hospital. I'm a prisoner!"

"It's ok," Dave said. Dave sat down next to Sam and grabbed her right hand in his left. Dave traces the surgical scar on Sam's chest with the index finger of his right hand.

Sam looked down at the ground embarrassed. "It's ugly," she said.

"No it's not," Dave replied. "Besides, I wasn't looking at the scar."

Sam smiles and zips up her jumper. "Take off your mask," Sam says.

"Uh, if your mom comes in here…" Dave stammered.

"Hey, either give me a kiss or I'll kill you," Sam interrupted.

Dave takes his mask off and gives Sam a gentle kiss on her lips. He is about to give her a second kiss when he notices hives on Sam's forearm. "Your skin, are you ok," Dave asks.

Sam starts scratching at her arm when suddenly she begins to have difficulty breathing. She falls backward on the bed and flails around unable to breathe. Sam wills herself up and struggles to get to the dresser on the other side of the room.

"Sam, what's wrong? Is it your heart? What is it," Dave asks worried. "Mrs. Tolsen! Help!"

Sam opens a drawer, takes out an epi-pen, and tries to give it to Dave.

"I don't know how to do this. I've never done this before," Dave says becoming more worried. The epi-pen falls out of her hand as Dave is unsure what to do. Sam mimes for Dave to stab her with the epi-pen as her face turns white from lack of oxygen. Donna runs into the room, picks the epi-pen off the floor, and stabs Sam in the thigh with it. Sam gasps for air as her throat relaxes. Dave is kneeling on the floor looking at the mother and daughter in front of him in shock.

"What did you do to her," Donna accuses Dave.

House opens the door to the ddx room around two o'clock in the afternoon. His team is sitting around the table in their usual seats. "Didn't think you'd be coming in today," Foreman says looking at his watch.

"Thought I should make an appearance," House says sleepily. "What's our new case," House asked sitting down in his chair and wiping his eyes.

"Thirty-six year old with swelling in his groin," Taub says.

"Tell him to start using cleaner hookers, next," House replies.

"Sixteen year old passed out after picking up a prostitute," Thirteen stated.

"As much fun as I could have mocking the idiot for his spineless behavior it's boring," House shot down.

"Thirty-one year old mother with vasovagal syncope," Chase said.

"Boring," House said.

"Then we have nothing," Foreman said.

The door opens to the DDX room. In walks a young man, probably in his mid-twenties. He is wearing dark grey slacks, black dress shoes, and an unzipped leather jacket. Upon closer inspection, it could be seen that under the jacket the man is wearing a light blue shirt and tie. He has short, spiked up dark hair and a short, well groomed goatee. Everyone turns their gaze to this intruder including House and everyone's eyes are drawn to his accessory. In his right hand is a cane which he is using to limp on.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Dr. House," said the stranger.

"Would you believe it's the woman," House questioned.

"I might, if Dr. Cuddy didn't give me your exact description, I was just being polite." The young man took a step closer to the group sitting at the table. "Firstly, your cane is a dead giveaway, why would you have it if Thirteen was you, and for that matter why would you be Thirteen? You don't look like you're twenty-six."

Chase, Taub, Thirteen and Foreman look back and forth at each other.

"And who are you," House asks annoyed.

"Wait, I don't want anyone to be left out," the young man said. He leans on his cane and raises his left hand pointing the file in it across the table at Foreman. "If you had tried to convince me that Dr. Foreman was you, it would have been more convincing. However, since he wears his confidence as that shit eating grin, your cover would again have been blown. As I understand it, you show your confidence by downing vicodin. Dr. Chase is far too pretty to be a former addict, and Dr. Taub, well Dr. Taub is just too short. As to who I am, my name is Adam Trzaska. As much of a smart mouth as I am I truly am honored to meet you and your team. I've read many of your cases, and I'm a huge fan of your diagnostic capabilities."

House perked up when he said his name. "Trzaska," House repeated. "You wouldn't happen to be Adam 'The Wolf' Trzaska would you?"

"I don't think I'll ever leave that nickname behind will I," Adam said smiling.

"Why would you want to," House thought aloud. "You made me a lot of money that year."

"Well I'm glad I could help," Adam said.

"Things didn't end the way you thought though did they," House asked.

"Not quite," Adam said bouncing his cane off the ground.

"I don't mean to spoil the party but we need to find a case," Foreman said.

"Go, don't come back until you find something interesting," House instructed.

The team stood up and filed out of the ddx room.

"Why are you here," House questioned.

"I'm here for my residency, I was told to report to Dr. House in the Department of Diagnostics. "

"I'm not accepting a resident," House thought aloud.

"Well if you like, we can take a walk down to Dr. Cuddy's office and clear this up," Adam suggested.

"You read my mind," House said grabbing his cane and walking out of his office. Adam followed close behind. They walked down the hall unintentionally in step together.

Chase, Taub, Thirteen, and Foreman watched silently from a side hall. "Now that's just creepy," Chase said. "It looks like House has a double."

Cuddy was at her desk going through a stack of papers that all needed her signature. She was beginning to feel like the stack would never get any smaller and it wasn't even lunch yet. Suddenly House bursts through the door in his usual fashion, with Adam right behind him. "So glad to see you, now go away. I'm busy," stated Cuddy.

"I'm not taking on a resident," House declared.

"Yes you are," Cuddy rebutted. "Masters graduated and is now a full-fledged doctor thanks to you so there is a new spot open on the team."

"I can remember a time when you only let me have three team members, now you want me to have five," House asked.

"Yes, I want you to have five," Cuddy said looking House straight in the eye. "This hospital has been doing well and recently received a new grant with which we have been able to expand our departments. We are even adding on a new surgical annex. So you will take Adam under your wing and create a diagnosing duplicate of yourself. He even comes complete with a cane and a limp to match yours."

House stared back at Cuddy as something dawned on him. "You are on a first name basis with this guy," House questioned.

"I wouldn't push it if I were you. She's already made up her mind," Adam whispered.

Cuddy glared at House, "For your information, I have known Adam for quite some time. But I suggest we talk about it later. Like after you get started on your next case."

"I don't have a case," House stammered.

"You do now; sixteen year old girl had an allergic reaction while in a clean room." Cuddy picks up a chart and hands it to House. "Now go." Cuddy stared at House begging him to give her a reason to yell at him further, but House having learned better silently turned and limped out of her office. Adam spun and took a few steps before stopping and turning back to Cuddy.

"So I guess I should keep our connection a secret huh? Give him another puzzle to work on."

Cuddy glared at Adam and then smiled. "Get out before I change my mind about taking you on."

Adam grinned and walked out of Cuddy's office heading out of the clinic after House. House turned right at the front counter and walked to the elevators. Pressing the up button, he waited as Adam caught up with him. "May I look over the file so I can be prepared to have an opinion when we start the differential?" Adam requested.

"Knock yourself out," House said handing the file over. "But that means you get to go first."

"Fair enough," Adam responded. The doors to the elevator opened and House walked in followed by Adam. House pressed the button for his floor and waited as the door closed. Adam briefed through the first few pages. "Well E.R. ruled out drugs and infection," Adam said. "But it's been my experience that doctors working in the E.R. are lazy and incompetent." House looked up suddenly as Adam continued looking through the chart. "She had a heart transplant six months ago," Adam said a little surprised. "Why did she need the heart transplant," Adam thought aloud. "No family history of diabetes, or heart problems?" Adam scoffed. "That's a lie; every family has at least one of each if not one person who fits both."

House smiled slightly, "What makes you distrust people so much," he asked.

Adam responded without looking up from the chart. "I could ask you the same question."

"My answer is complicated," House fired back.

"Well so is mine, and why must I be a cynic to think that most people are morons?" Adam retorted.

"No reason," House said.

"Here it is, car accident," Adam stated. "The steering wheel crushed her chest."

The doors of the elevator opened and House smiled as he walked out of the elevator and down the hall to his office and ddx room. He opened the door and walked inside the ddx room to find Foreman, Thirteen, Taub, and Chase back in their usual seats. Adam followed right behind and stopped behind House's chair.

"Thirty-two year old with dyspnea and heart palpitations," Chase announced.

"Don't care," House responded as he limped over to the back corner to make a cup of coffee.

"It's the best we could find," Foreman stated.

"You apparently didn't look hard enough," House chastised.

Adam threw the chart he had been reading onto the table. Chase and Taub both grabbed the chart at the same time but Chase ripped it out of Taub's hand.

"Sixteen year old immune compromised girl had an allergic reaction," House said.

"Why is that exciting," Foreman asked confused.

"Because she had the reaction while in a clean room," House responded. Foreman nodded while pondering the case. Chase whistled, and was about to speak when House interrupted him. "And before any of you answer Cuddy's 'boy wonder' gets to go first since he got a sneak peak," House instructed.

"Her boyfriend had just come in the room," Adam said recalling what he read in the chart. "It's likely he brought in an allergen causing the anaphylaxis."

"Why did she have a clean room in her home," Thirteen asked.

"Heart transplant," House stated. "The immune system's in the toilet, so Mommy builds her little angel a John Travolta quality bubble.

"How long ago was the transplant," Taub asked.

"Six months," Adam responds. Chase hands the file over to Taub.

"Six months after the transplant she doesn't need to be in a clean room," Foreman said.

"Six months after putting out, Cuddy doesn't NEED to wear thong panties but it's not our call," House said stirring his cup of coffee he had just made.

"File says she's had four days of workups. They tested everything in the room and anyone who came anywhere near it," Taub said.

"It's like a Nancy Drew mystery," House chided taking a sip of his coffee.

"Maybe it's not what was there but what she was doing," Chase said.

"Exercise allergy, love it," House said. "What sort of exercise could a strapping young man and a nubile teenage nymphet possibly be…"

"This says mom was in the room within seconds of when the attack started," Taub interrupted.

"As I said, the boyfriend brought in an allergen and lied about it," Adam interjected.

"Or the girl snuck out and she's lying about that," Thirteen stated.

"Or the parents are lying about the room being clean," Taub stated passing the file to Thirteen.

House nodded, "Foreman and Chase recheck mom, dad, the boy, and the girl. Thirteen take bite size and the new guy to check the home."

Thirteen and Taub got up from their seats and filed out of the room. Adam limped out behind them following them down the hall. Chase was looking at Foreman puzzled because he was still sitting. Foreman wore a smirk on his face as he watched House take another sip of his coffee. "Seriously, how excited are you that the new guy is just as mistrusting as you are?" Foreman asked.

"Overjoyed at the possibility that he's not an idiot, but it's still too early to tell." House responded. Chase laughed; it had been a while since he had some new entertainment.

"You called him Cuddy's 'wonder boy', why?" Foreman thought aloud.

"I said 'boy wonder' actually. Cuddy is on a first name basis with him. She wouldn't tell me why." House recalled.

"So naturally you think she's hiding something." Foreman said.

"Well of course she's hiding something. Otherwise, she would tell me. I just need to find out why." House put down his coffee and walked out of his office heading for Wilson's.

Foreman gets up from his seat carrying the file with him. He grabs his lab coat from the coat rack near the door and heads for the patient's room with Chase closely behind him. Foreman and Chase put on a fresh gown, exam gloves, and mask before walking into the patient's clean room. "Hi I'm Dr. Foreman," he said introducing himself. "And this is Dr. Chase." Chase nodded at the family in front of him and started to examine Sam while Foreman asked questions. "Any of you have a new soap? Detergent? Perfume," Foreman asked.

Sam's dad shook his head. "No no, Donna's really careful about that stuff."

Foreman looked at Sam. "And you haven't been outside recently," he asked.

"How could I," Sam responded. "I'm trapped up there."

"You're not trapped," Donna said. "It's just safe…"

"They won't even tell me the alarm code," Sam interrupted. "Just tell her I can go back to school."

"Until we've cleared this up," Foreman cut himself off and shook his head.

"Fine," Sam said angrily. "Find out what I'm allergic to and I'll stay away from it. Then I can go back to school right?"

"It's up to your parents, but medically, there's no reason," Foreman said.

"Hah, told you," Sam said antagonizing her mother.

"Could I speak to you outside for a second please," Donna asked Foreman. Sam and Dave exchanged a look as Foreman and Donna walked outside the room. Donna was the first to speak, "You know this is hard enough without you…"

"She asked my opinion," Foreman interrupted.

"She is sixteen years old, lie to her," Donna said firmly.

Foreman tried to explain himself, "Look, when I was eight, my mom, she… she hated…"

"I know, I…I need to loosen up," Donna said. "I'm overprotective, I saw Finding Nemo, I get it, I don't need another story."

"You're not just being overprotective; you're one of the most overprotective parents I've ever seen," Foreman replied.

"She has the best private tutors," Donna said. "I let her friends visit; I'm not going to apologize."

"I'm just giving you my thoughts," Foreman said sighing.

"She almost died three times during her childhood," Donna said. "Penicillin, bee stings, peanuts."

"I've seen her file," Foreman interrupted.

"Six months ago, we leave her home alone for the first time on a weekend," Donna said. "She goes out, buys one chocolate chip cookie, peanut butter in the dough. She's forgotten her epi-pen, she drives to the hospital, passes out, and has an accident. The steering wheel crushed her chest. She ended up losing her heart. So when you say to me that I'm one of the most overprotective parents you've seen, please, please introduce me to the ones who were more protective. So that I can find out what they're doing right." Donna stormed off back into Sam's room leaving Foreman to ponder what she said.