Chapter 2: Magic

Trucy walked in, taking in the sight. The lobby was open, a high ceiling, and railing guarding the second floor balcony. It smelled like latex and desperation. Phoenix walked in behind her, looking like he's never seen anything this clean in his life. Trucy walked up to the nurse. "Hi. Is it alright if I perform for the kids?" She asked, "It'll be for free."

"What kind of act?" The nurse had short, dirty blonde hair, and a paisley patterned scrub.

"It's magical," She replied, waving her 'jazz hands', "It's nothing inappropriate. I can show right now, if you like."

The nurse nodded. Trucy put her had in her pocket again, and her puppet retracted out. "Hello," He said, "I hope you'll let me perform for the kids."

The nurse smiled. "Fine," She gave in, "The pediatric ward is on floor three."

"Thank you!" Trucy said cheerily, as she skipped to the elevator. Phoenix followed behind her. Phoenix pushed the button, and they waited for the elevator. It opened. The elevator wasn't crowded, a couple of nurses and a doctor walked out onto the first floor. They walked in, and pushed the button 'Three'.

The door was closing, and a doctor in a lab coat came rushing up. "Hold it!" He shouted. Phoenix smirked, and Trucy put her hand out to stop the door from closing. "Thanks," the doctor said.

"What floor?" Phoenix asked.

"Floor three," He replied, knowing that the elevator was already heading towards that floor. Trucy studied his features. Brown, thinning hair, brown eyes, and a square face didn't really interest her. She turned to look at the elevator. Ding! The elevator made it to the third floor, and the door slid open. They all stepped out, and seemed to head towards the same place.

Trucy followed him to a play room, where kids were drawing some posters. An older man was sitting on a brown couch, playing on an Xbox 360. An Asian woman was standing next to him. "House," The doctor from the elevator said, "Cuddy's going to find you eventually."

"Well, she hasn't yet," he replied, "Now, shut up. You're breaking my concentration." The video game he was playing was a racing game, and his go kart passed many other contestants. Trucy walked over to the children.

"Hey," Trucy announced, "Do you want to see some magic tricks?" The kids just looked up at her, and stared.

The man playing video games paused it. "Don't interrupt my workers," He said, glaring at her over his shoulder. He fidgetted with the controller. The kids went back to coloring with markers and crayons.

"Workers?" She questioned, walking towards him. Isn't child labor illegal? She wondered.

"Yeah," He replied, "I'm paying them to make posters to try to keep my boss from firing me."

"What did you do?" Phoenix spoke up. He walked next to his daughter. He looked at them with interest and curiosity.

"What's it to ya'?" He retorted. That guy was a real pain. He looked at them, inspecting every detail.

"He broke ethnic code," This was the first time the Asian woman spoke. She had straight dark hair, and red framed glasses. Her skin was tanned, and she had on a lab coat. Her hands where in the pockets of the coat.

The man turned to scold her. "Parks," He paused for effect, "You're fired."

"What!? Why?" Parks demanded, clearly upset. She took a step forward. Her voice was in a higher pitch than usual. Parks looked worried. Does this happen a lot? Phoenix wondered.

"You told on me," He turned to look at her and mocked concern, "How can I trust you?"

"If I may," Phoenix interrupted, "You don't have to fire her. I'm a defense attorney."

"Oh?" The man raised an eyebrow as he turned back towards Phoenix. Out of the things Phoenix looked like her could be, 'defense attorney' has not anywhere on the man's list.

"Yeah! My dad's the best attorney there is!" Trucy exclaimed. She was beaming. She must really think that. The man who was playing video games thought.

"Dad?" The man asked again. He gave them a puzzling look.

The man from the elevator sighed. "Never mind him," He said, "Are you really willing to help him? I mean... he can be a bit of a handful." He looked at the video game player with a look of... pity, almost.

Phoenix smiled. "Nothing I can't handle," He replied. He thought back to all of the crazy people he had helped before now. Maggey Bryde, the evil Will Powers, Lana Skye, Max Galactica... and not to mention Iris... He was still smitten with that girl, dispite all of the things they've been through. Iris...

Phoenix snapped out when the guy started talking again. "Well, then, I'm James Wilson," He introduced, "That's Gregory House."

"Are you a doctor?" Trucy asked House. House stared at her. She blinked and waited for an answer.

"No," He answered dishonestly, "I'm a chiwd in need of medicaw tweatment." House said it in a childish voice.

Wilson rolled his eyes. "No, he's the head of the diagnostic department," He commented, "He's sovled some of the most difficult cases in the... well... world."

"That's good," Phoenix persisted, "Now, can you explain your situation to me?" Phoenix hoped a tad to much.

"No," House remarked, "I'm smart enough to handle this by myself."

"Really?" Pheonix quizzed, "Do you know what the Fourth Admendment of the U.S. Constitution is?" A right to a fair trial, I think. Phoenix answered himself in his mind.

House started to talk, but Wilson cut him off. "You are going to help him," Wilson said, "House, this is for your own good."

House sighed, "Fine, Dad." and he explained his predicament. "It all started when Chase made the stupid-est remark..."