Chase drove Harris in silence, just being there. She appreciated that. And she appreciated that House hadn't attempted to call either of them. That was his style of support; staying out of it.

After it was all done, Chase took her home, parking in her driveway. "Do you want me to come up?"

She shook her head. "No. Go on in to work. I'll be in late." She took his hand. "Thank you."

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "No matter what, I'm your friend, Molly."

She grinned. "I know. And you do a good job of it." Opening the car door, she let the sunshine come down on her face. "Wish I could be a good friend back."

()

Clinic duty was a nice pause. It let her remember the little things. She snatched up the next file and stepped into exam three. "Mr. Kane?" she greeted. "I'm Dr. Harris. How can I…?" her question trailed off as he pointed a gun at her.

He was perspiring profusely, his face pale. "They poisoned me." The gun was shaking. "You have to fix this or I'll kill you."

She nodded. "I can fix this." She kept her voice calm and steady. "What did they poison you with?"

"I don't know!" he shouted, steadying the gun at her.

She nodded. "Then let me take some blood to test it." Slowly, she moved to a drawer. "The needle is in here."

"You call a cop and I'll shoot you then myself."

"Then I won't call a cop." She pulled the test vials out. "How long ago do you think they poisoned you?"

He coughed. "A day ago."

She took a seat on the stool in front of him. "Dying is scary. Taking another life is damning. Give me the gun and I promise no cops. Just treatment." She showed strong confidence and no fear, even though inside she was coiled like a snake.

He studied her, judging if this woman was trustworthy. The answer must have been yes since he turned the gun around and handed it to her. "No cops."

"No cops," she repeated as she quickly unloaded the gun and set it aside, keeping the ammo in her pocket. "Let me start with this blood and get you in a room."

()

Foreman entered the lab with a confused look. "You're testing for mercury induced Sarcoidosis?"

"That would be correct." She jotted down some notes as she began to test ANA.

"We have an actual case we need you for. House sent me to get you."

"Like a nice dog, you play fetch." She set down her pen. "I have something I have to do. I'm sorry."

"House is our boss."

"And he works for the hospital. My patient is under the care of this hospital. I'm treating this patient."

()

"Mr. Kane?" Harris touched his arm. "How are you feeling?"

He opened his eyes, groggy. "Tired, but better." His face turned sour. "I'm parched."

She handed him a glass of water. "That's a side effect. It's okay. It'll pass. The mercury has been cleaned out completely. I'm just running a few more tests to make sure it didn't trigger anything else."

He sipped the water, glancing up at her. "You really didn't call the cops."

She shook her head. "Told you I wouldn't."

"I held a gun to you. Threatened to kill you."

"Sadly, not the first time that's happened." She pulled up a stool. "But I am going to ask you who poisoned you and why."

"I'll take care of it." He didn't meet her eyes. He was maybe thirty-five, rough built like a fighter and she'd noted several scars. And a certain tattoo on his neck.

"Yeah. You handled it great before, it seems," she sneered sarcastically. The door opened, catching her attention as House hobbled in. "Great."

"This your new boyfriend?" He slammed his cane down on the bedtable. "We have a case."

"So do I." She wasn't going to back down on this. Although, she wasn't sure why. It could have had something to do with her past. Something she wanted to forget but always surfaced.

"You're going to run the MRI and…" He paused to snag the chart. "Mr. Kane here, he'll go on getting the treatment you prescribed. It's amazing how drugs and treatment can work without you watching them every second."

"Foreman can do it."

"You're fired."

That gave her pause. "Are you serious?"

"You seem to have no need to work for me. So you're out." He snatched up his cane and headed for the door.

Kane tilted his head. "Who was that?"

()

Harris jogged to catch up to House at the elevator. "Wait!" she called.

He stopped, turning with that cocky look on his face. "Yes?"

She stepped close and lowered her voice. "He's part of the Hollows."

He lost his cocky grin. "Are you insane?"

"Clinically, no. I was tested. But if he…"

"Make your choice, Harris. You have three hours."

()

Harris stood at the foot of Kane's bed, watching him sleep. She still had an hour to decide. It was hard. She was delving into a past she thought that she was over. She's made it out of view of the Hollows. She was clear of their radar. They would always be a part of her. And House had tapped her for that very reason.

"Harris?" Wilson was beside her. She hadn't even heard him come in.

She shook herself. "Hey, Wilson."

"You okay?"

"You ask that every time you see me." She chuckled. "You can't help it, can you?"

"Occupational hazard." He crossed his arms, glancing at Kane. "I was surprised to find you weren't in House's differential room."

"This case happened first." She sighed. "I need to grab a bite. Do you want to come with?"

()

"Did House ever tell you why he picked me for his team?" Harris jabbed at her salad with a fork.

"No. Of course, I didn't ask." Wilson dug into his cheeseburger.

"I was an ER doc at a small town hospital. Which was really odd for someone with my credentials. The reason I was there in that office was to stay away from the Hollows."

"Sleepy Hollow? Headless horseman?" he jested.

"Not exactly. It's a mafia style gang specializing in prostitution and human trafficking." She said it with such a monotone voice, she could have been reading a menu.

Wilson about choked. "Pardon?"

"My boyfriend at the time was a high ranking member. When I wasn't on the clock at work, I was on the clocked tending to merchandise. I went state's evidence against them then bailed." She sighed heavily. "House scouted me first because of my credentials, booked me for my street knowledge."

He was frozen. Jaw open, eyes wide. "Wow."

"Yeah. And that guy? Mr. Kane? He's tattooed with a Hollows mark."

"He could tell them where you are." Wilson shook his head. "Harris, that's a dangerous game."

"They could have found me if they wanted to. I don't think that it's a risk. But if they're poisoning this guy, he must have more on them. If I told him he's not alone in standing up…"

"Or if he just pissed off someone, he could give them you to get back in their good graces."

She took a deep breath. "That thought crossed my mind too. House told me to choose. He knows if I choose to open up to Kane, that I won't be on his team anymore. I'll be in and out of court again."

"So what are you going to do?"

()

Harris slipped into House's office, walking past him and looking out the window. "It's a hard choice."

He pivoted his chair. "It's simple. You either want to throw your life away or you don't. But you crave that attention. So which is going to give you more attention?"

She turned to him, brow furrowed. "You think this is about attention?"

"Of course it is. If the guy is or isn't in the Hollows' good graces is none of your concern. You did your part. You got out and you have a new life. Then you had your surgery and got yet another new life. Once the sparkle wears off, you need something else new. Something to put you back in the limelight."

"Oh please. Pot, this is kettle, you're black." She rolled her eyes. "This isn't about attention. You know how I feel about the Hollows and what they do. If I can help put another nail in their coffin I should."

He stood, stepping close to her. "Should. But you're not going to." He locked eyes with her. "Why?"

"Because home is something I never really had. And this dysfunctional work environment, whatever this is, its home." She turned her gaze out the window again. "The Hollows isn't my fight anymore."

"You're right. You have a whole nother set of fights coming."