Chapter 3

Internet Porn?

Three hours later, House was still sitting at his desk. He knew his leg would make him pay for it later, but for now it didn't matter; he was engrossed in his work.

"You find a good porn site?" Wilson asked as he walked into the room.

House looked up from the web page that had held his attention. "Yeah, you interested?" He smirked.

"No, not in the least. I heard you got a case." Wilson smiled and sat down in the chair facing the desk.

"You have good spies, or did you force it out of one of my staff?" House replied, turning back to the computer screen.

"I ran into Cameron in the hall." Wilson tried to look over House's shoulders to see what was really on the computer but House maneuvered himself so that Wilson couldn't see anything. "Ok, I know you're not looking at porn, so what is it really?"

"I'm doing important research." House replied offhandedly, his eyes never leaving the computer screen. "And, you're bothering me. Go away."

"I just came to let you know what Cameron told me. They got the MRI done. The girl's going to need surgery." Wilson said, looking down at his hands, folded in his lap.

"What for?" House sighed.

"Some time in the last year or so somebody broke her kneecap. It was never repaired. I don't know how she even managed to walk. It must have caused horrendous pain." Wilson said with more than a little emotion slipping into his voice.

"Shit," The reply was so quiet Wilson almost missed it. "It probably has something to do with her autism."

"She's autistic? I thought she was deaf."

"Some idiot doctor who couldn't care less decided that it would be easier if she were deaf. Autism fits. The lack of response, little to no eye contact, jerky random movements, unresponsive to pain and voices, it's almost a textbook case of autism. But it appears she has the potential to be high functioning. Once we get a decent evaluation, we'll see." House pulled himself up out of the chair and walked over to the board that was covered in scribbling.

"So what do you think she has?" Wilson asked after House had contemplated the board for a moment.

"Fever, nausea, she's not eating. Her white blood count is normal though, that's what's weird." House sighed and turned back towards Wilson.

"You don't have any idea what it is?" Wilson asked, surprised.

"I have a few ideas, but I need to have Foreman and Cameron to check a few things out first. I'm going to go see Kelly. If you see either of those two tell them to come find me." House turned and limped out of the door, leaving a slightly stunned Wilson to watch him go.

House entered the quiet, softly lit room and glanced quickly around; making sure Mrs. Walton was gone. He saw one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs beside the bed, and slowly lowered himself into it. He watched as the small girl in the bed slept. Sighing, House leaned over his cane and closed his eyes.

"Who could do this to a child?" He asked the empty room. His words caused the slight form next to him to stir a little. 'How could any doctor in his right mind miss the fact that she can hear?' Another sigh escaped from him and he glanced at his watch. It had been a very long day and he really needed to get home. He knew that his leg would be bothering him soon; he decided that he didn't care. Nothing in the world made him angrier then a doctor, who because it was faster, made the simple diagnosis without looking for all the possible causes. He flinched slightly as the glass door was slowly opened and Foreman and Cameron entered.

"Wilson said you needed us?" Cameron asked.

"It's a little late, can it wait until tomorrow?" Foreman grumbled.

"Yeah, tomorrow, fine. Be sure to come see me first thing." House said and turned back to the sleeping form in the bed.

"Are you ok?" Cameron asked, concern written all over her face.

"I'm fine! Really. You can go." He hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but he was tired, and hurting and they were annoying him. Taking the hint, both Cameron and Foreman hurried out of the room. When House looked back to Kelly he saw that she was awake and focused intently on the handle of his cane.

"You like this?" He asked softly, pushing the handle of the cane over to where her small hand lay on the bed. She traced the smooth curve of the handle, her fingers barely ghosting across the surface. A small smile made its way onto her lips. A loud crash down the hall made the smile disappear and she shoved the handle away, knocking the cane to the floor. She closed her eyes once again and feigned sleep.

"Great, " House muttered as he contemplated reaching down for the cane. He knew the movement was going to cost him and was weighing his options when Wilson quietly entered the room.

"Need some help?" Wilson asked after surveying the scene in front of him.

"Would you pick it up for me if I said yes?" House snapped back.

"Maybe, it depends on if you say 'please'" Wilson replied with a grin.

"Damn it, Wilson," House sighed. "Just help me out would you?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely." Wilson walked over the chair and bent down to grab House's errant cane. As soon as the cane was within House's reach he grabbed it and levered himself out of the chair. There was a sudden flare of pain from the leg, and he tried to swallow the involuntary gasp. He limped carefully over to the door and shot Wilson what could be construed as a grateful glare. Wilson followed him as he made his way slowly down the hall.