House strode into Wilson's room purposefully, without knocking of course, and Foreman was right behind him.
"So, what's the plan?" Wilson said without preamble.
"Well, I've taken a look at your MRI," Foreman said, "and I think the biopsy should be pretty routine. I'll start by-"
"Wait a minute," Wilson said, looking between the two men, "you didn't tell him?" Wilson said, looking at House.
"Tell me what?" Foreman said.
"The chicken came first," House said sarcastically, "would you go on, Foreman?"
Wilson broke in before Foreman could continue.
"Look Foreman, I need a good neurologist on my side, and that's you," he said, looking at the younger man, "but I told House I wanted him to do my biopsy. It's nothing to do with you, I just-"
"Hey," Foreman said, smiling reassuringly, "there's no need to explain, this is your call." Looking once more between the two other men, Foreman left the file he was carrying on Wilson's bedside. "We can talk later," he said to Wilson, nodding, then turned on his heel to leave.
"Thanks, Foreman," Wilson said quietly.
"Damn it, House, what was that all about?" Wilson said as soon as Foreman had closed the door.
"Look, I'm the last one who wants to admit this," House said, now rounding on Wilson, "but Foreman is the one who should be doing this."
"Why?"
"Because he's better, okay? The brain is what he does-"
"Cut the crap," Wilson said vehemently, looking into House's eyes. "You would never admit that anyone is better than you unless-"
"Unless what?" House said shortly, "unless I was desperate? Scared? Would hearing that convince you to stop being so stubborn and make the right medical choice? Consider it said."
"You really think I'm not making the right medical choice?" Wilson replied, his voice softening, "I'm choosing to have one of the best doctors in the country take care of me. Tell me how that's a mistake."
"Because he's not the best neurologist," House said, his blue eyes flashing.
"He's the best doctor I know," Wilson said simply, "and bottom line is I trust him more than anyone else."
House shook his head, now bewildered.
"Haven't you learned how dangerous that is by now?" House said, his voice rising.
"Damn it, House," Wilson said, his voice weary now, "I'm the one who's supposed to be scared here," Wilson said, throwing an extra pillow across the room in frustration.
"What is that supposed to mean?" House said.
"The only reason you're refusing to do this is that you're afraid you'll screw up. That would never stop you with another patient."
House said nothing, but merely stared. Wilson could so easily lay bare all of deepest fears, and it was always unnerving.
"If the biopsy is screwed up who knows what kind of damage there'll be to your brain? That doesn't scare you?" House said.
"Of course it does," Wilson said, the brown eyes making plain the fear they were discussing, "that's why I want it to be you."
In that moment, House understood. As he looked into the brown eyes of his best friend he knew that Wilson was just as frightened as he was, and just as unwilling to show it. Wilson had said the words that made plain that he was afraid, but House knew that there was so much more he wasn't saying. James Wilson, who was always telling House to try to understand his own feelings, was now suppressing his own. At first House couldn't understand why, but now he had a sneaking suspicion he knew what his friend was thinking.
House knew, deep down, that his friendship with Wilson had affected him and influenced him for the better. He had never suspected that he had influenced Wilson, until now. Wilson was all about the heart, the humanity, he always had been. He was sublimating all of that to make this easier for House. Wilson was doing his damnedest to let his head take the lead; the least House could do was return the favor and do what his heart was telling him.
"You're scared, so you want it to be me," House said thoughtfully.
Wilson nodded, giving House a "yeah, I guess," kind of look. House scoffed.
"You must have had a real short applicant list," he said, "but I'll take the job anyway."