part 3

Stopping into the lab, House glanced at his fellows as they were busy running a culture and asked, "Any problems down at ER?"

"We will have once Cuddy realizes what we're doing," Vale stated. "Don't worry, hopefully by that time we'll have a patient back in here," House stated, to which Gabe said, "What makes you think that she'll come back?"

"I don't," House said as he looked thru the drawers as if searching for something and then adding, "But I'm pretty sure she'll be reconsidering her previous conclusions in by tomorrow afternoon."

For a moment the three fellows looked at each other and then North stood in front of him and said, "If you're planning on causing a reaction, you know we can't just stand idly by while you do that."

"I liked you better when you treated me like a saint," House remarked, preparing to leave; but then Gabe and Vale stood in his way and she said, "These two may not have the courage to go to Cuddy, but I do."

"Thought you decided to stop being her muse?" House asked.

"Doesn't mean I'm going to let you endanger a patient's life," Vale stated. "I'm not endangering anything, I'm saving her life. It's obvious the reaction she had is being caused by some sort of condition that could easily give her another stroke at any time. So by me making sure she gets treated, and ultimately saving her life; you're saying I'm breaking some ethical code? Yeah, sure sounds like you've got your priorities straight," House stated to which Jason said, "Or it could be absolutely nothing. We don't have the authority to just give her some kind of drug that could easily kill her!"

"I never said I was going to give her an injection," House said, opening his hand and showing them that all he had actually gotten was a pair of tweezers.

"What?" Vale asked, glancing at the object at surprise.

"I wanted to see if you three would band together and become the Mousekeeters. Looks like I was right," House said, as they slowly dispersed and let him thru before he added, "It's too bad, really thought we had a bond going here."

"So if you're not going to inject her, what are you going to do?" North asked. "Uh uh, no more hints. I'm sure by the time I walk out of here all three of you will be running off to tell the grand pumba," House countered.

"No," Vale said defiantly even as House began to walk off and she forced him to stop once more declaring, "We're not to going to rat you out."

"We're not?" Gabe asked. "I'm pretty sure that's what he is counting on us doing, which probably means he'll figure out an alibi for how he couldn't possibly have been there whenever whatever he's got planned actually happens," Vale decided and then added, "You're right. I'm not Cuddy's chimp, so I don't need to be running to her to tell on you. I'm pretty sure you can mess things up either way."

"Glad to know we're on the same page," House sarcastically replied and then turned to the other two and asked, "What about you? Not man enough to stop me?"

"She's right, this is your show; not ours. I can't risk you tarnishing my record," North concluded and Gabe just shook his head and walked away. "Looks like I was wrong about you three," House said as he began to walk off and then added sourly, "You're just cowards."

East Hubert Veterinary Clinic wasn't exactly what you would call a five star facility. As they parked, Wilson couldn't help but to feel that the place was understaffed, in need of a paint job and probably a new sidewalk.

"Are you sure we haven't been here before?" he asked as he shut off his car and stepped out onto a drifting pinecone. There were plenty of trees surrounding the area, not the sort that gave proper cloud cover though, he thought as he glanced back at his car and hoped it wouldn't be too hot when they got back. "I'm forty to sixty percent sure," House answered as he slung the backpack onto his shoulder and James stated, "You never did explain why you brought that along. It's not like we're going camping."

"Always good to be prepared," he countered as they entered the main lobby and a Yorkshire terrier immediately began yapping at them. House turned and glared at the dog before remarking, "If you get one of those I'll never come over again."

"Is that incentive?" Wilson said with a smirk as he went to sign in and then told the receptionist the reason they were there. House seemed to be looking around for something in particular and Wilson asked, "Not considering one for yourself are you?"

"Does it look like I would enjoy giving one of these mongrels a bath? What am I Doctor Dolittle?" he countered, to which Wilson was about to make some remark, when he spotted a familiar face and called out, "Madeline? Is that you?"

The young doctor smiled broadly at seeing his old friend, and she returned the greeting until she saw House and remarked, "Greg is this your idea of a house call?" "I make sure to keep the meter running," he quipped.

Wilson gazed at the two of them and then asked, "Is there something going on that I should know about?"

"I was at PPTH yesterday James, I'm surprised he didn't tell you," Madeline explained to which he asked, "Was there some case you were consulting on?"

"I was in the ER. I had a minor stroke, that's all," she answered. "A stroke? Are you okay?" he asked.

"She's obviously in top condition, especially since she ran out of the hospital and straight back to work," House commented.

"Unlike some people I do have bills to pay," Honors countered and then crossed her arms and asked, "So what're you doing here if not to check up on me?" "I thought we were coming to look at your adoption roster, I should've known he would have an ulterior motive," James commented, to which his friend stated, "Am I really that predictable? She's been discharged, there's nothing I can do anymore."

"Then why come to my clinic?" Honors asked.

"Since our visit yesterday was so short lived, I figured we could go somewhere and have a bite to eat," Greg said with a shrug.

"Now I'm positive that I've slipped into some alternate universe," Wilson said crossing his arms. Defensively House said, "I'm being serious. Wasn't there a coffee house just around the block? It's almost eleven, go on break and have lunch with us. My treat."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were replaced by a pod person," Madeline quipped but then sighed and nodded and said, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to catch up with you two. I'll be clocking out in a few minutes."

She walked back to the clinic and as she did, Wilson muttered, "This was never about me and Julie was it?" House looked at him in shock and then muttered, "It's not my fault you don't like ballet."