- 9 -

House stormed back to the Department of Infectious Disease. He couldn't believe that he'd lost yet another job. Okay, he could believe it, but he wasn't happy about it. At least now, maybe, he'd be able to find a job with a boss who wasn't quite as uptight as Andrews.

Thankfully, neither Terry nor Donahue were in the office when House got there. That gave him some alone time while he packed up his things.

There wasn't much inside his desk to pack up, though: a game boy, an iPod, a mini whiteboard, some markers, some pens and pencils, a few books, a notepad. Other than that, House's desk was pretty much empty.

House had almost finished packing a box of his things when Allison walked into the office. Boy, she knew exactly when to come, didn't she?

"What's going on?" she asked.

"I got fired."

Her jaw dropped slightly. She was about to ask why, but then it suddenly hit her that Dr. House wasn't exactly Employee-of-the-Month. "I'm sorry."

Why was she apologizing? "It wasn't your fault."

"I know that… I'm just sorry that you got fired at all." Allison walked over to the coffee maker and started a brew.

"What are you doing?"

"You seemed upset. I thought you could use some coffee."

"Patients and their loved ones aren't generally allowed to touch our stuff."

Allison rolled her eyes.

"Come to think of it, you aren't supposed to be in here at all."

"Do you want me to turn off the coffee machine?" She gave him smug look.

Well, House never refused a good cup of coffee. Then again, he'd never had a cup of coffee made by Allison before. "No, it's okay."

Allison nodded. "So, where are you going to go?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you have other job offers?"

"I was fired; I didn't quit."

Allison crossed her arms. He was definitely a tough man to talk to, and yet she kept coming back for more.

"Why are you so interested anyways?"

She thought carefully for a moment. She couldn't tell him the real reason that she was interested. "What's going to happen to Sebastian and Joe?"

"How should I know?"

Her jaw dropped. "You're their doctor!"

"They're being transferred to Terry or Donahue or some other loser who works here."

"We came here to see you, not them!"

House set his box down and stared at its contents. The box was half-empty. He swore he remembered having more stuff.

"You're still going to treat them, aren't you?"

"I don't work here anymore."

"Then I'll take them wherever you do work."

House was becoming frustrated now. "Stop! Okay?!"

Allison jumped back, frightened by his sudden outburst.

House was slightly ashamed of the way he had yelled at her, but he couldn't deny the fact that she could be annoying at the worst of times. He settled his voice before speaking again. "Not many hospitals want to hire a guy like me."

"A guy like you?" she asked. "You're a brilliant diagnostician! What hospital wouldn't want that?"

"I'm a crippled doctor with little to no work ethic."

"Then get a work ethic!"

House snorted. "It's not that simple."

Allison smirked as the coffee machine beeped. She turned around to face it and began to work her magic. House tried to see what spices and mixtures she was adding, but he couldn't tell.

Allison finally finished the cup of coffee and handed it to House.

House took one sip of the coffee, and his eyes lit up. It was magnificent.

"Do you like it?" She was worried that she'd done something else to upset him. Why wasn't he talking?

House just nodded. "What did you put in this?"

"Just a little bit of cinnamon, sugar, and caramel on the top."

House looked down into the coffee. There had to be more to it than that. "It's good."

"Thanks." She smiled.

Allison followed House out of the office. She carried his box for him, since it's hard for a cripple to carry coffee, a cane, and a box.

House led Allison to the elevator, but he stopped short. They were right outside of Pediatrics, and he heard a familiar sound. It was crying. It wasn't a child crying, though, it was Lisa.

"What's wrong?" asked Allison, confused. She looked around for whatever House was looking for. She finally saw it, too. A female doctor was sitting in a waiting room chair. Tears slid down her cheeks as she spoke to someone on her cell phone. "Do you know her?"

House nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Allison set the box down on a chair. She was obviously uncomfortable with the situation. "Maybe I should go."

House nodded, his eyes never leaving Lisa.

"I'll just be… um… back by Sebastian and Joe's room… um… I'll talk to you later, House."

"Bye," he said quietly as Allison walked away.

Lisa finally hung up her cell phone and took several deep breaths as she cupped her face in her palm. House considered going and sitting down next to her, but someone beat him to it: Wilson.

Did this guy have radar or something?