"I heard about your date," Wilson greeted House in the corridor.

"Your kidding me," House replied. "Gossip travels faster than deceases in this place."

"You do know it's against our rules to date patients," Wilson commented.

"You know, James, it's one lousy date," House said. "A date I don't even want to go on."

"So why are you going?"

"Good question," House said and searched his pocket for his pills. "She threatened to come back until I said yes." And that said, Dr Wilson's beeper went off and he had to rush to the OR.

"A patient of mine is crashing, see you later," he said and turned around.

"Bye, Jamie," House yawned and entered his office.

---

"I hate sick people," House muttered as yet another kid with a runny nose closed the door to the exam room. She was the tenth girl today. All in all, it had been 16 children. 16 children, messing around with his instruments, yanking at his stethoscope. "A looong day. Time to go home." Just as he was about to leave, Cuddy came in.

"Dr House," she said. "We need you upstairs I have been beeping you for half an hour!"

"Sorry, Cuddy, but my shift is over. Sayonara!" he said and walked out.

"Look, Greg, this is important, we really need you," she begged.

"Well, I need a glass off whisky and a house keeper, but you know-" he shrugged "-what're you supposed to do?"

"It's Wilson," she said. House turned sharply. "He collapsed in the lift about forty-five minutes ago."

"Is he…" House didn't dare say the word. "Is he alive?"

"Barely. We think it was a blood clot, somewhere between the brain and chest. He's in the ICU, I would go see him if I were you." House nodded and hurried towards the lifts.

---

Cameron, Chase and Foreman stood gathered around the hospital bed.

"Dr House," Cameron said. "I'm so sorry." She had obviously been crying.

"I didn't know you knew Wilson that well," he replied and walked over to the bed. He wasn't quite sure what to do next.

"Neither did I," she said. "I found him." House didn't answer her.

"I think we'll leave Dr House alone for a minute," Chase said and the three of them went outside. House turned and saw them looking threw the glass.

"Don't you have work to do?" he said and they disappeared, like scared fish. He looked down on his friend, still not sure what to do. He sat down on the chair next to the bed. Cuddy came in.

"Is he in a coma?" he asked, not taking his eyes of Wilson for a second.

"Yes," she said. "He'll wake up soon." House nodded. "Greg, he'll snap right out of it, I'm sure he will."

"I don't need to be comforted," he said. "We're not married." Cuddy walked out from the room, but took one last look before she closed the door. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen House like this. She gently closed the door and headed for her office, tears burning behind her eyelids.

"Uhm… Listen, I know you can hear me," House started talking quietly, almost whispering. "And God help you if you should ever tell anyone that I'm talking to a guy in a coma." He paused, hoping that maybe Wilson would wake up. "Whatever it is we gave, you know this weird friendship kind off thing, I don't want to lose it." Again he paused. "If you die now, I will never forgive you." He got out of his chair and walked out.