„ So, how do you do, old man?"
House was watching TV and had not seen him entering the room. Now he looked at him.
" What a stupid question. I feel perfect. Can't you see it?"
„ You have to see the bright side. I bet your right leg doesn't hurt at all at the moment. So, no Vicodin."
" Yeah, Morphin is way better for me! But I'm glad you are not Cameron. Couldn't take her pet talk right now."
" I don't have time for that anyway. We have a problem with our patient."
He told House the developments of their patient. House listened carefully and thought about it for some time. He asked some question and ordered some more tests.
" Keep me informed, Chase. And be a good boy and get me a pizza up here. You know my favorite."
" I doubt it that you should eat pizza."
" You think my leg cares?"
Chase gave him a nod. " You are the doctor. Get well soon!"
House looked after him, when Chase left. Then he shook his head and returned to the TV.
Chase didn't make it far. " What are you doing in there?", Wilson asked him.
" I asked him about our patient."
" Are you nuts? He just came out of surgery and you bother him because you can't do your job? Leave him alone!"
" Sure, he would prefer us standing around him, telling him how sorry we feel for him."
" Get out of here! He's got more important things to think about.", Wilson shouted.
" Well, you go in there. Clap him on the shoulder, encourage him. That's what you are good in anyway. I don't have time for this, I have to take care for our patient."
„ Excuse me for taking care of a friend!", Wilson got angry, but Chase as well.
" Yeah right. Like the way you did last night? You wanted to take care for him when you called him to that bar? Do you already feel guilty, Wilson?"
" What are you saying, Chase?"
" You just want him to tell you that it was not your fault."
" Listen, boy, my ex wife is dying in my own goddamn department and I needed a friend. That's what friends do. Help each other through tough situations. It was a goddamn accident!!!"
„ Good thing we cleared that out.", Chase said. " Then go inside and keep up caring for him. You must be in paradise right now, he's gonna need help for months. So go on trying to change him."
He wanted to leave but he turned back to Wilson again.
" You know, I really wonder what would happen, when you finally succeed and change him. Cuddy and you would lose their favorite hobby and I guess you guys would go miserable about this, because finally you had to deal with your own problems and admit that your lifes are not much better than his." Then he walked away, Wilson didn't answer him.
Wilson wanted to enter House's room, but Gillick showed up and so he left. Foreman finally returned and did some tests with Chase in the lab. The neurologist had spent some time asleep as well. The visit in the patient's apartment didn't bring any results.
House was glad, that Chase didn't mention the leg on his visit. But he ran out of luck pretty soon. Cuddy showed up first, then Cameron and even Foreman. He had to listen to the same crap over and over again. How sorry they all felt for him, that they hoped the best for him and so on. Whatever he said, they wouldn't stop.
" Should we call someone?", Cameron asked.
House shook his head.
" I think this room has reached its maximum capacity for visitors. What about those good old times when there was just one visitor at the time allowed?"
" We just wanna help you, House!", Cuddy said.
" Yeah, maybe you could do that on the other side of the door."
Finally Chase entered the room.
" Hey, everybody. Sorry, House, I have to interrupt."
" Come on in, help me, Chase!", House said to him in his ironical voice.
" I did all those tests you ordered. We just can't find anything."
Cuddy looked at Chase
" You look horrible. When was it the last time you slept?"
" Day before yesterday, I guess."
" Do this tests again, take Cameron and Foreman with you.", House said.
" I did them twice. House, this is a dead end."
House starred at the wall.
" Get out, everybody. Cameron, redo those tests. Foreman take a bigger history. Every generation back to Civil War if you must. And Chase, I need some stuff from the office."
" The file?", Chase asked.
" For example. And don't forget my white board. I have to think. And where is that pizza we were talking about?"
Cuddy interrupted.
" House, you need to rest."
" If you get out of here, I will relax enough."
Well, the general gave his orders. The troop had its orders and went out.
But right that moment Wilson showed up.
" House, we need to talk.", Wilson said.
" I gotta work. How is Sara by the way? Why don't you look after her?"
" I need to talk to you.", Wilson insisted.
" It was not your fault. Now you can leave.", said House, his thoughts were already deep in the case.
Chase smiled when he left the room. Wilson left as well but he wasn't smiling.
A minute later Chase came back. " You need something from home, boss?"
" Good boy. I need to brush my teeth. Bring the usual stuff. Keys are in my jacket."
" Alright. And I will get that pizza."
House raised his eyebrow.
" What's going with you Chase? You are so different. So self-confident."
Chase laughed.
" Wow, a compliment from you. Are you sure you didn't fall on your head?"
Now House was laughing.
" Get to work. And keep off my drawer with my porns in my bedroom."
" Yes, Sir!"
Wilson was sitting in his office thinking about Chase's words. He knew that his life was screwed up. But he was not as bad as House. Or was he?
At least House didn't get married three times just to break up every one of them. And probably Wilson would also be an addict, if he had this leg condition. Maybe House didn't show him too often that he does appreciate Wilson's friendship, but Wilson had to admit, that he had most fun in his life, when he was with House. And does this not make House a good friend?
" Damn it", Wilson thought finally, " that little Australian jerk really has a point there."
He went up to see House, but first he would get something important.