House did not really mind talking to his mother about his ducklings, it was just that he was totally out of practise in sharing his life – even if it was only work. Sure he did on occasion discuss things with Wilson, but that was nearly always on his own terms, not because Wilson demanded to know. And he knew that his mother saw much more than Wilson ever could. She was the one person in his life he knew he could never fool. She read him like an open book and she knew, every time, when something was just flippant and when something was flippant because it hid a deeper truth. A truth he would rather nobody knew.

"How do your ducklings see you?" Blythe asked him, after some silence.

"How would I know, I'm not a mind reader!" House tried to scoff.

"Sometimes I think you are," Blythe disagreed. "There are times you see things that nobody else does."

"But that is only with things that matter to me," House pointed out. "What my troopers think of me is not really important – as long as they do what I want."

"I would still like to know," Blythe said.

"Well, I think Foreman doesn't know if he hates me or reveres me. So far my opinion seems to matter to him, though he tries to pretend – even to himself – that it really doesn't. Chase associates me with his father in many ways, though I think that, too, is subconscious. He almost fears me, but also wants my approval. But even so, he is also indifferent because he has yet to decide if all this matters at all. Once he knows he wants to be a doctor, things will heat up. I don't actually know if I'm looking forward to that or not."

"And Allison?" Blythe prompted.

"Allison, the eternal nurturer, is a bit of a puzzle. She ought to hate me, but still, the moment I have the sniffles she is there trying to take care of me. She cannot help but care for the cripple. "

"She does not feel sorry for you!"

"No? She feels sorry for everyone. She makes friends with terminal patients just so that they will have someone to cry when they die. I do admire her caring up to a point, but she is also burning herself out." House huffed.

"You do worry about her!" Blythe accused him smilingly.

"Maybe I do. I'm fairly sure that she will end up sacrificing her career to marry some insane scientist or some other man who is dedicating his life to one cause or another. Then she will spend the rest of her life serving him hand and foot and once he is dead, she will carry on his work in his name – and do better work he ever did but still give all credit to him." House summed up caustically.

"Don't you think you ought to acknowledge – at least to yourself – that you really care about her?" Blythe asked him.

"Mother... let be, please," House said quietly. He looked out of the window trying to avoid his mother's seeing gaze. As he looked out towards the entrance of the clinic he saw something that caught his attention. "That's Georgia! What is she doing here now?"

"Georgia?" Blythe wondered.

"Yes, she is coming in with her son and she is in a wheelchair, that's not good." House said.

"You still didn't tell me who she is," Blythe repeated.

"Georgia is a cool lady who totally has the hots for me!" House explained. "No, she is a patient of mine and I saw her only two weeks ago. For her to need a wheelchair to get here is not a good sign. I have to go and see what is going on."

"Can I come?" Blythe asked.

"Oh no, not until I know what is wrong with her. Meeting my mother might be too much for her heart," House said. "Or if not for her heart, then possibly mine. She might start hearing wedding bells, you know." House gave his mother a kiss and turned to leave the room. "If it is ok, I will introduce her to you. Just keep an open mind, will you." And with that he left the room.

----

When House got to the clinic Georgia was already there with her son, who was trying to get the nurse page House. House limped to them.

"Now, Georgia, you ought to know that you don't need to get yourself into a bad enough shape to need a wheelchair before you can come and see me!"

"Oh, I know," Georgia smiled, "but I didn't think this was anything serious and I had just seen you."

"Two weeks ago! That is an eternity," House admonished her, turning then to the nurse at the counter. "Is there an exam room free?"

"Well, I don't know for sure," Nurse Brenda said. "Dr. House is supposed to be seeing patients in exam room three, but I haven't seen anyone go in."

"One of these days..." House grumbled but lead the way to the exam room. He didn't need to do a very thorough examination before he diagnosed pneumonia.

"Ok, I'm asking the nurse to admit you and while she does that, I want to have a word with your son."

"Oh, you want me to stay, that will be fun," Georgia trilled.

"Not with pneumonia, I'm afraid. But I will ask the nurse to put you next door to my mother. That way I don't need to put extra stress on my bum leg!"

"Is your mother here, too?" Georgia was delighted.

"Yes she is, and she has already expressed interest in meeting you," House revealed. "But you must still remember that you are my patient and I'm your doctor! So remember to behave. Now, will you let the nurse take care of you, while I have that word with your son?"

"Well, if you insist. I promise to behave."

"Good!" House took her son by the arm and left the room. "So what happened?" He asked.

"You know that I have arranged for her to live in an assisted housing? They do have a doctor on call there, but the doctor changed about a month ago. I have told them that you are her primary physician, but when she got the sniffles three days ago, they did not bring her here, but just contacted the doctor they have. I have been away on business for four days, and when I got back, she was having pain breathing and was generally just totally miserable. Well, at least as miserable as she can be, as you know."

"Yes, I do know."

"Anyway, I didn't think bed rest and liquids were going to help her, so I just brought her here right away."

"Good for you!" House said. "She needs antibiotics and the doctor does not sound like one who knows what he is doing. Pneumonia is always a risk with the elderly."

"Well you would know more about that, but even I could see that things were not right with Mother. Is she going to be ok now?"

"You can never tell for sure with the elderly, but she has been in good health till now, so I see no reason why a course of antibiotics shouldn't cure her just fine."

"Good, I can then leave her in your care. I need to go and see that quack they call a doctor."

"Want some company? I'd like to say a few choice words to him myself."

"No, I don't think I need any assistance. I haven't eaten since breakfast, so I'm in a fine mood to tell him just exactly what he can do with his correspondence medical degree!"

"Good for you! And don't worry too much, I have Georgia covered."

"Thanks. Did you say your mother was here, too?" Georgia's son asked.

"Yes, she needs some tests done. She will enjoy meeting your mother, I'm sure," House dismissed.

"You do realize you may be getting yourself into trouble with that?"

"I'll live. But does this mean you have come to terms with your mother's condition?"

"Well, it is a bit embarrassing, there is no denying it. But she is happy. That is all she has ever wanted for me, so how can I grudge the same for her? Sure it's the result of a brain damage, but so what. She is happy, she looks forward to every day, and she no longer misses my father the way she used to. Not that she has forgotten him or anything, but she is not lonely and – as I said – she is happy. Yes, I'm fine with it. Well, most of the time."

"That is good enough. Now, don't worry about her, we will take good care of her."

"Thanks. I'll drop by later today, once she has settled and I have concluded my business."