Don't own House. Psychiatrist is all mine though.

House in Therapy

Second Session

Interior. Psychiatrist office. Day

House is sitting the couch in front of his psychiatrist who is sitting in his armchair. They are both silent. House doesn't look more cooperative than before. The psychiatrist looks comfortable.

Psy: (calm & amused) Silent treatment again? Not very new. (beat) Okay, tell me about Dr Wilson.

House stubbornly remains silent.

Psy: You don't want to talk about you so tell me about your friend.

House: Why?

Psy: I don't know. He apparently isn't as cynical as you and he's not a moron. And he's your friend. How would you describe him?

House: As the one who would need therapy.

The psychiatrist smiles at that.

House: Seriously! This guy is a mess! He is needy. He needs needy. He craves needy. Neediness drives his life. It's probably why he chose oncology… Anyway, he's an enabler.

Psy: That's an interesting way to describe him. All these comments about neediness. Do you really think that's why he became an oncologist? You think that's what his job says about him?

House: He needs to be needed. He is totally incapable of turning his back on a responsibility. He needs to be the guy who is here for you no matter what. That's pathological.

Psy: Lucky for you, I guess.

House is surprised by this comment.

House: … Yeah.

Psy: What about you? What does your job say about you?

House: That I'm a brilliant jerk who loves puzzles?

Psy: I'm sorry are you asking me?

House: What, so you're the only one here who can answer a question withanother question? (beat) Anyway, that's what everybody says.

Psy: And you? What do you say?

House: It's not for me to say what my job says about me. I couldn't care less. I guess everyone's right. I'm a brilliant jerk who loves puzzles.

Psy: Does absolutely everyone think you're a jerk? Even your friend Wilson?

House: Oh yeah! He and Cuddy especially.

Psy: Dr Cuddy? Your boss? She thinks you're a jerk too?

House: Yeah. But I don't want to talk about her.

Psy: Fine. Why do you think your job says that you're a jerk?

House: Cos' all I think about are the puzzles. I don't care about patients. I don't care about hospital rules and ethics.

Psy: You just want to find the answer, no matter what.

House: Basically yeah. Caring doesn't cure. It makes you less objective. And the rules pffff… I really do believe they're here only to be defied.

Psy: And it works. You save a lot of lives this way. Your results speak for themselves.

House: Well yeah. Why do you think she keeps me here? I'm the biggest asset of her hospital.

Psy: She? You mean Dr Cuddy?

House: Yeah. You know who she is. The Dean of Medicine. Why do you think she hired me?

Psy: She's the one who hired you? Do you really believe, you being an asset is the only reason she did it?

House: I've just told you. I don't want to talk about her.

Psy: Okay, let's go back to the needing thing. You said Dr Wilson needed to be needed. Is that part of the reason you two are friends? Do you feel that you represent what he needs? Do you think your friendship is based on this neediness and that you fill this role perfectly? Perhaps a little too perfectly?

House: (defensive) What? What does that mean? No! Look, it was just a comment. You asked me to describe him, so here. Anyway, he's a good friend, okay? He's always there.

Psy: I was asking because you seem to be needed a lot. Think about it. Your patients need you to diagnose them, your best friend needs you because you're needy and your boss needs you because you're the biggest asset of the hospital. Everyone seems to need you and you said Dr Wilson was an enabler. That's what interested me. (beat) It makes me wonder if there is someone who doesn't need you. And what about you? Who do you need?

House doesn't answer. He is clearly uncomfortable by this turn of the discussion.

Psy: It makes me think about what we said last week about you possibly getting better. In regards to your friendship with Wilson I wonder if you fear becoming less needy. Are you afraid that if you get better then you won't be what Wilson seems to need and subsequently lose his friendship? Are you afraid not to be needed? Not only by Dr Wilson but by Dr Cuddy too perhaps?

House: (too defensively to be convincing) I think that is a lot of crap. You think Wilson is responsible for my misery? You think I want to stay miserable just to please him?

Psy: That's not what I said and you know it. I've just asked about fears that you may have in your relationships. Something unconscious. I don't think it is a coincidence that you admitted for the first time that you were miserable just then.

House: (angry & sarcastic) As if it was a huge discovery! It's not an unconscious thing though, I'm more aware of my condition than you think. I even tried to get out of it.

Psy: Oh so now you even admit that you want to be happy.

House rolls his eyes angrily. He can't believe he admitted that.

House: Well isn't it what all people want? Why shouldn't I want it too?

Psy: Exactly. Why shouldn't you? Why do you fear happiness? Do you think it would make you common? Are you afraid to lose what makes you special? Maybe you think that people won't like you or respect you as much if you were happy. Cos' you won't be special anymore.

House: I don't care if people like me. I don't seek their respect.

Psy: Oh I think you care very much about that. I think you care about respect and seek that. I think you want people to respect you for who you are and more importantly, respect you despite of who you are.

House: You're wrong. I don't care what people think of me.

Psy: I think there is a very good reason why absolutely everyone who crosses your path sees you as a jerk. I think you make sure people see you that way. It's probably a defense mechanism to keep people at arms length.

House: People see me as a jerk because I AM a jerk. Even Cuddy agrees.

Psy: I'm sure you are. Just like I'm sure that part of this extreme jerkiness is an act. I find it particularly odd that all the people you have any contact with – from just a person you bumped into on the street to your best friend – all have the same idea of you. I think you're so much uncomfortable with yourself and you care so much about how people see you that you make sure that they all see the same thing: a jerk.

House: You really think I have nothing else to do?

Psy: If you wouldn't really care about what people think about you why would you care if they could see you as you really are? Why put so much energy to create and maintain this "jerk" image? If it weren't important you wouldn't have to feel the need to claim that you don't care.

House doesn't answer. He doesn't look at the psychiatrist; he is really uncomfortable.

Psy: She can see beyond the mask, can't she? (House looks up) Dr Cuddy. You said that even she agreed that you were a jerk. Does that disappoint you?

House: That's…..She…No. I AM a jerk. I always was. Cuddy has nothing to do with that. Why are we talking about her? I thought we were supposed to talk about Wilson!

Psy: I thought so too but for some reason you kept mentioning her. She's obviously very important to you, like Dr Wilson.

House: So is my mom and we don't talk about her! (angry) And you're pretending to be clueless again! You know who Cuddy is. You know about us so stop playing dumb. I said I didn't want to talk about her!

Psy: Fine. I just want to point out that I'm not the one who brought her up three times in the discussion. You did. You might want to consider the fact that perhaps you do want to talk about her.

House: (standing up) I don't! You're really full of it! You know about Cuddy, the pills… everything. You already have made up your mind about me. Just give me the prescription and we'll call it quits, okay?

Psy: No, I won't. I'm nowhere near a place where I can give you a prescription. And that's because I haven't made up my mind about you. (beat) Our time is up. I'll see you next week.

House looks angrily at the psychiatrist who doesn't seem to care. Eventually, House leaves, slamming the door shut.