Cameron had picked up John House from the airport. She felt a bit awkward trying to explain to him that his son was too busy to come himself. But he seemed to take it in his stride, like he hadn't expected anything else – not really. They drove to PPTH mostly in silence, though Mr. House did ask a few questions about his wife and her health. Cameron answered as best she could, but since they still didn't have a definite diagnosis, her answers were somewhat vague. Once they arrived at PPTH, Cameron took Mr. House to his wife's room. Blythe House was happy to see her husband, and as she was feeling quite well – no surprise there, as she had had no major symptoms at all – they decided to go see House.
House was not in the clinic anymore, so they decided to try his office. The office blinds were drawn, but they heard voices inside and chose to open the door to tell House his father had arrived. They walked into war zone. House and Wilson were having an all out shouting match.
"Who the hell do you think you are to tell me how I'm supposed to treat my patients?!" Wilson shouted at House.
"I'm not telling you how to treat them. All I'm saying is: listen to her! Not everybody else. She has had enough!" House told him.
"She was perfectly happy with her mother's guidance until you decided to put your oar in," was Wilson's response.
"She was the one who wanted to see me, not the other way around. And the reason she wanted me, was because I'm the only one who will listen to her," House stood toe to toe with Wilson. "She has already done everything in her power to prove to her mother that she loves her. What more does the mother want? Andie has been trough surgeries that grown men would refuse to even contemplate! She has had more chemo than anyone should go through in twice the lifetime she has had. She allowed us to rip her heart out, cut it to pieces and put it back. We froze her and killed her. Sucked out her blood like a murder of vampires and then put her back together again! Isn't that enough?"
"You are not the judge of that. Just because you would not have the courage to go through all that does not mean Andie is willing to die! Or that her mother is willing to give up. She loves her daughter! She will be devastated when Andie dies, she will not know what to do without her child." Wilson tried to appeal.
"And where is the medical reasoning in that? You should be thinking of the best of your patient, not of her mother. She has had enough time with Andie, it's time to let go. So she is lost without a child, you can tell her to get another one. She is young enough and attractive enough. She can go into any singles bar in Princeton and attract a host of guys who will be happy to oblige. Or if she is not willing to take the possible risks with that, I'm sure you can refer her to a suitable fertility clinic." House responded coldly.
"You callous bastard!" Wilson gasped and turned to leave House's office – only to come face to face with Cameron and House's parents. He stopped shocked that Blythe and John had witnessed the argument. Just as he was about to say something he heard House say:
"You are wrong, Jimmy. I'm not a bastard. My parents were quite solidly married by the time I came along; ask them if you don't believe me. I'm more of a jerk. Callous, of course, is quite possible, but at least I don't torture children."
Wilson lost it. He turned and let fly with his fist. It connected with House's jaw and Wilson grunted with pain. House had been leaning against his table so he remained standing but his head snapped back. Wilson stormed out of the office nursing his fist.
House looked up shaking his head and met Cameron's shocked and outraged gaze. "Go see to his hand," he instructed her. She almost said something but then decided to just give him another searing look and then followed Wilson.
John House, however, was not satisfied with just looks. He was outraged at his son's behaviour and was not about to let it slide.
"James was right. That was a callous thing to say. I'm ashamed to be your father, son," he said.
"Yeah, and what else is new in your life?" House snapped back sarcastically. John was about to say more, but House stopped him with: "Save it!" Turning to his mother he did soften his demeanour. "I'm sorry mother; I wish you had not witnessed that. I know how you hate confrontations."
"And I ought to know by now that surprising you is always a risky business. Given how much you thrive on confrontations," Blythe responded resignedly. "How is your jaw?"
"Fine," House said. "This is not the first time I've been hit. Contrary to what the TV lets you to believe the jaw is mightier than the fist. I just hope Wilson didn't break any fingers. He was foolish enough to hit me with his left hand."
"Is that all you have to say?" John asked outraged at the matter of fact way his son was behaving.
"Yep, pretty much. As none of this is really any of your business," House dismissed, popping a Vicodin in his mouth. "I'm in pain, Dad," he flipped at his father's admonishing look. "If you want to talk to Foreman, he is right next door and he has some new test results for you," he said to his mother more civilly.
"Then I better go and hear them," Blythe agreed and turned to her husband. "Come along, I'm sure Greg has work to do, now that he knows you have arrived. We can catch up later, when things have calmed down a bit." She almost pushed her husband next door to talk with Foreman and leaving House to nurse his jaw in the office.
Foreman had heard bits and pieces of the confrontation, but as it was none of his business had not paid that much attention to House being House. Actually, it was almost comforting to have him behave normally – so to speak.
Foreman had not met John House before, though he had been around the last time House's parents visited. They greeted civilly, but before he got around to discussing Blythe's case John asked him:
"How can you work for my son?"
"Well, I can't say it is always easy, Dr. House can be very demanding, but this is the most prestigious fellowship in the country. Having worked with Dr. House means I can pretty much choose my next position anywhere I want," Foreman revealed.
"But the way he behaves! What he said to Dr. Wilson just now," John was still full of outrage.
"Well, he can be a bit difficult at times, but he is the best doctor I have ever worked for. He is a legend in his field. This is an opportunity of a lifetime," Foreman tried to explain.
"John, do stop putting Dr. Foreman on the spot. Greg is his boss, and no matter how outraged you are, I am Greg's mother, and asking Greg's people criticise him to his mother is really not done," Blythe decided to take over. "Greg said you had some new test results, I would like to know what they mean, and I think my husband would like to know what the situation is in general."
"Yes, ma'am," Foreman agreed with relief and started to explain what had been done, what had been found and what needed to be done now.
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House had had a difficult day. He had visited his mother just before leaving home from work, but it was a very brief visit accomplished while John was settling into the room Cuddy had reserved for him. But that was just postponing the inevitable as there was going to be tomorrow. Scarlet got it all wrong: tomorrow was not a thing to look forward to.
House sat at his piano quietly playing blues: "Ghost of yesterday / Stalking 'round my room / All night long you stay / Walk around profound gloom / When the darkness falls / When I've gone to bed / Weirdly come your calls / Mournfully, scornfully dead ..." When there was a knock on his door he stopped playing, but took a moment to decide if he was going to open the door. It could be Wilson; it could even be his Dad, or maybe Cameron. But none of the choices he could think of were very comfortable tonight. He did open the door, though. Since tomorrow was going to come anyway.
He found Wilson on his doorstep. But Jimmy was not alone. Andie's mother was with him. House looked at Wilson questioningly but then stepped quietly aside to let them in.
"Greg, I ... we ... " Wilson tried to find words.
"How's your hand," House decided to help him out.
"It hurts," Wilson answered ruefully.
"Good," House said with a small glimmer of a smile.
"Yeah, I suppose I deserve that. Thanks for sending Cameron after me, though," Wilson acknowledged.
"Dr. House," Andie's mother addressed him. "Dr. Wilson tells me that Andie had a talk with you. About her treatments."
"Not exactly," House said. "The conversation was more about her wishes concerning her life."
"What did she say?" she asked.
"I can of course repeat it all to you, but don't you think you should have this talk with Andie, not me?" House asked. "It is her life we are talking about."
"If what Dr. Wilson said was accurate, then how am I going to ask my daughter if she wants to die?"
"You don't." House said. "That would be a pointless question. Like asking her what she wants to do when she grows up. Not-dieing is not an option for Andie. She is going to do it soon no matter what anyone does. The question you need to ask her is: what does she want. Just that, and just listen to what she has to say."
"That simple!" she gave a small almost bitter laugh.
"Yes. Difficult things often are very simple. Sometimes I think that is why they are so difficult." House agreed.
"She is ten! Ten years of age," she sounded desperate.
"Maybe, maybe not," House said. "If maturity comes from how long you have been here, then she is ten. But if maturity comes from how much time you have left, she may be more mature than any of us. She loves you. She would have given up a year ago already, if she didn't love you. But enough is enough. Its time you loved her enough to let her go."
"On your say so?" she mocked.
"No. You don't have to take my word for anything," House declined. "In fact you shouldn't. What you need to do is talk to Andie, and take her word. Whatever it is."
"I don't know if Dr. House is right when he says Andie wants no more treatments," Wilson decided to take part in the conversation. "I wasn't with him when they talked. But I do think he is right when he says this is Andie's decision. That she is the one we need to ask."
"How am I going to live with it?" she asked, not really asking or expecting an answer.
"You'll find a way," House said quietly. "Because the last thing Andie would want is for you to die with her. So you will find a way, for Andie's sake."
She gave House a resigned though not convinced look and turned to leave. Wilson followed her. At the door House stopped Wilson for a moment.
"When you comfort her," House murmured. "Be careful. She is still the mother of your patient and as a doctor you could get into a heap of trouble there!"
"You really are a jerk!" Wilson said and left.
"Yep, through and through," House called quietly after him.