The dream team were already in the conference room when House limped in at five past the hour.

"Good morning Doctors," he declared, unslinging his backpack in his office and joining them, "I've got a surprise for you." He sat down at the table, enjoying the moment of annoyed interest from the boys and speculative concern from Cameron.

"Aren't you going to ask me what it is?" he asked them patronisingly.

"Aren't you going to tell us anyway?" Foreman snipped.

"Oh, alright, if you absolutely have to know, I've hired a new doctor."

All six eyes widened.

"Yep. See, I think you three are getting a little too comfortable in your little doctor shoes. And a comfortable doctor makes for a dead patient round here, so I've hired someone who's definitely going to keep you on your tippy toes. In fact, I'm surprise she's not here already. Cuddy's probably got to her, trying to tell her nasty things about me. And speak of the devil…"

Cuddy was rounding the corner of the hallway, and in her wake marched a young woman in a white coat. Cuddy was looking serious as she entered the room.

"Doctors, meet your new colleague, Doctor Olivia Arden, Toxicologist."

Doctor Arden stepped into the room and nodded somewhat reverently.

"Doctor Arden, this is Doctor Foreman," Cuddy said, and Arden stepped forward and shook hands. The woman made momentary eye contact, but looked away almost immediately.

"Doctor Chase," Cuddy continued, and Arden did precisely the same thing.

"And Doctor Cameron," Arden shook Cameron's hand, and this time paid considerably more attention. Arden fixed Cameron with a frighteningly penetrating and appraising look that definitely made Cameron uncomfortable.

"You know Doctor House already, of course. But before I go, I want to let you three know before House gets the chance to tell you."

"Oh come on," House whined, "Are you seriously going to take this away from me?"

"Doctor Arden has Asperger's syndrome." Cuddy announced.

"Damn! I was so looking forward to that! That was going to be the highpoint of my day."

Doctor Arden stood silently and blankly by as everyone stared at her.

"See!" House grinned as he limped over to her, "How cool is this?" he pointed to her face, "She is absolutely blank. She is neurologically incapable of expressing emotion through body language, or understanding it from others. She never shows emotion on her face, and she never gets upset. It's like she's wearing an emotionally bullet-proof vest. You three are all so boring, everything is always written on your face. But this, this is going to be a real puzzle. And the best part is, Doctor Arden has been trained by Doctor Paul Ekman."

"The facial expression guy? The one who teaches people to read faces for lies and stuff?" Chase asked incredulously.

"Bingo. That's what makes Dr Arden so fascinating. We'll never know what she's feeling, but she'll always know about what we're feeling."

"That actually appeals to you?" Foreman asked incredulously.

"Sure. Because I've got nothing to hide. But you three do. And patients definitely do. Doctor Arden is my own personal lie detector."

"How can you support this?" Cameron said to Cuddy.

"Because despite the sounds coming out of House's mouth, Dr Arden is actually a great doctor, and not a lie detector. Trust me, you won't be sorry."