A/N: Thank you for the reviews, I still can't believe that so many of you like it! I'm sorry that I don't answer your reviews, but like House I don't deal well with compliments:-) I still hope though, that you will continue to review, some of them have really made me smile!

And here's the next chapter…

He had spent most of his day on the phone trying to find out more about Jack. He wasn't going to contact Jack's family that was the job the police, who had been contacted. What House had found out though was both shocking and incredibly sad. The boy had been bumped from one foster family to the next and it looked like his current family wasn't treating him well either. Jack's real mother had died after giving birth to him and there weren't any relatives that could take care of him, so the state had to take care of him and they had let him down so many times.

But House didn't understand, from what he could see in the file Jack is a very bright boy. He had very high IQ scores. So why would anybody want to hurt to him? Then again being smart was not something that did go well with bullies, House knew that from experience.

It was near dinner time and he was still reading through the information he had found. It was amazing what he had found and not in a good way. In a period through 3 years Jack had been at 4 different hospitals and eight clinics, none of them had enough courage to report the injuries, but that changed today. House had said to Jack that nobody was gonna hurt him and House wanted to keep that promise.

"Are you working on an article?" House looked up at the sound of Taub's voice. He was standing in the door with his briefcase and obviously on the way home.

"Shouldn't you be in some hotel and cheat on your wife?" House said and went back to the file he was reading.

"Whatever House. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bring bagels!" He yelled after Taub, who lifted his left hand showing him that he had heard House.

After another hour of looking through old x-rays and some other files, his leg started to bother him. So House decided to take a walk. Funnily enough he ended up right outside Jack's room. They had admitted Jack after his talk with the psychologist so he could get a real meal and stay until child services had found him a new foster family.

House watched him sleep and again he asked himself what kind of sick person would hurt a child.

He entered quietly the first thing he did was of course grab Jack's chart, which told him nothing new. After that he took a seat in the chair by the bed and continued to watch Jack sleep.

Then he noticed a backpack at the foot of the bed and just like a curious cat he couldn't help himself, he had to know what was in it. To his disappointment there wasn't much inside the backpack, just some homework and a very old and used copy of the first Harry Potter book.

The book looked like it had been read many times, some of the pages were in danger of falling out. House had never read a Harry Potter book but he knew what they were about and could see why a kid would like the books.

And so a few minutes past midnight, House started to read the book.

He was halfway through the book when he had the feeling he was being watched. He lifted his head and was met with a pair of questioning brown eyes.

"So you like Harry Potter, huh?"

After some hesitation Jack finally nodded.

"I like to read too. What else do you like to read?"

"Just this." Jack answered and closed his eyes again, but not because he was going back to sleep, he was trying not to cry in front of House. Somebody had obviously drilled it into the boys head that big boys don't cry, something House was very familiar with.

"Have you read all of the Harry Potter books? You can tell me what happened, so I don't have to read them." He said as he made himself more comfortable on the chair.

"No, just this." Jack said again.

House leaned forward in shock. "This is the only book you own and read?"

Jack nodded before carefully turning to his side away from House, the boy's shoulder started to shake.

"I'll be right back." Jack probably hadn't heard him, but House said it anyway.

He limped to the nurses' station and went through the door behind it. Inside the room were some special toys and two bookcases filled with books. Harry Potter was a classic, so they probably had it. As he looked through the books he saw many other classics, they had everything from Winnie the Pooh to Lord of the Rings. He should come in here and hide from Cuddy. She would never find him here and there were enough books to keep him entertained for at least a year.

He grabbed the Harry Potter collection and left the room. When he entered the boy's room again Jack wasn't crying anymore, he was lying on his back staring at the ceiling and ignored House as he sat back down in the chair again.

House opened the book and started to read to the boy. Jack turned towards him surprised when he saw what book it was. House noticed a little grin that slipped through the otherwise sad expression on the boy's face. Hopefully this could make Jack forget the day he just had and put it behind him, even if it was just for some hours.

2 hours later, long after Jack had fallen asleep, House was still reading the book, when somebody cleared his throat quietly. He looked up and it was Wilson dressed in jeans and a blue sweater, he had obviously been home.

"What are you doing here?" House asked after he had limped over to the door.

"Cuddy called me. She was worried because you weren't home and you're not answering your phone! What are you doing here?"

House went through his pockets, he must've left his phone on his desk. "Is she mad?" House asked.

"Surprisingly no. I think she is on the verge of a panic attack though. Here, call her." Wilson handed him his phone. "Speed dial one."

"Ouch, shouldn't your best friend be on speed dial one?"

"You never pick up when I call." Wilson said and rolled his eyes when House smirked. "I'm gonna go get some coffee."

House dialed and it did only ring once before Cuddy picked up the phone, she must've been sitting with her phone in her hands.

"Did you find him, Wilson?"

"Hi"

She sighed into the phone. "Hi… why aren't you home? Where are you?" She sounded relieved but still worried. And who could blame her, the old House would've been in some bar at this time of the night.

"I was working on some files, I guess I just lost track of time." House didn't know why he didn't tell her about Jack. Right now he didn't want to answer too many questions. Yes, House was breaking every rule Nolan had given him and every rule in the House Bible.

"You were working at some files? Are you sure you're okay?" Of course she didn't buy it, surprisingly her brain was sharper than his this time of the night.

"Yes, I'm okay don't worry. Go back to sleep, I'll see you in some hours."

"Alright, bye." She hung up not waiting for his reply and House knew she was mad at him, because she knew she was being lied to.

Wilson stood next to him and took the phone from him. "Why didn't you tell her you were with a patient? Who is he anyway?"

"Both of those are none of your business Wilson. Just go back home." House limped back into Jack's room, sliding the door close before Wilson could follow him inside.

He limped back to the chair and went back to reading the book while keeping an eye on Jack.