Next Day

Chase looks up from his notes, "We have two hours to figure this out. Either we restore the blood flow or he loses the eye."

House picks up a stirrer from the coffee machine and puts it in his drink, beginning to move it around as he speaks, "Forget the eye. Tell him to use the other one to look on the bright side." Cameron stares at him in disgust as he limps over to the table and takes a seat, "The clot could tell us something. It could help us figure out what he has, which could mean he gets to live."

A short silence follows which's broken when House tosses the stirrer in the bin. Before he can lift the cup to his lips, he suddenly realises that none of them have said anything and he glances at each of them with a frown, "Different diagnosis, people. How does internal bleeding suddenly start clotting?"

Chase puts a hand out in confusion, "It makes no sense, they're opposing processes."

Again, House tries to take a sip of his coffee, but he's stopped when the door opens and Wilson walks in carrying a crossword book and pen. He doesn't even look at any of them, just walks around the table, past House, where there's an empty seat conveniently waiting for him. House's so busy watching him pick up the pen and finish the puzzle like this's normal that he almost misses what Cameron says.

"It can happen in lupus. Increased platelet count can cause blood clots."

Wilson writes down a few letters but doesn't look at her, "ANA was negative. It's not lupus."

Houses eyes narrow, the confusion in his head slowly growing as he watches Wilson purposefully ignore him, "What're you doing here? I thought we ruled out cancer."

When Wilson simply glances his way, his face completely betrays him, "I was lonely."

House fights off a smug smile - it would just draw suspicion from the team - and makes a humming noise, like he knows exactly what Wilson's doing, but tears his gaze from him to Chase…..who's talking again.

"Most likely candidate for throwing a clot is infection or cancer."

Wilson replies instantly, finishing a long word beginning with S, "Checked the biopsy twice, it's not cancer."

"And it's not an infection," Foreman has his arms folded, "Gallium scan didn't reveal anything."

"So what hides from a Gallium scan?"

The team begins throwing ideas back and forth, and House takes this chance to sneak another peek at Wilson, who's still determined to pretend he isn't there. He manages to tune back in when he catches them all looking at him; waiting for his input, he realises.

"Sorry, what were you discussing?"

Foremans brows knit together, "We think it's an infection in his heart."

House nods, "Great. Echocardiogram for the heart and IV antibiotics for the infection."

One by one, they file out the room. Last to go is Cameron, who shoots him a troubled glance, but otherwise leaves wordlessly - once alone, House gets up and limps to his office, and he smirks when he hears a magazine being closed and a chair being pushed back.

"I take it you didn't talk to Julie last night?"

Wilson follows him in and stands by his desk, "No, because there was nothing to talk about."

"Right, I forgot how you don't believe that communication is important in a relationship." He pops a Vicodin pill as he's talking, and when he's washed it down with some coffee, he looks Wilson over with a skeptical expression on his face, "You didn't come in here because you were lonely. You've been thinking about something."

The hint of a flush comes on Wilsons cheeks and he looks straight at House, deciding to start slow….though his tone of voice's firm, "Let's say you're right."

House almost chokes on his coffee, "You're saying I'm right?"

"No. Let's say."

"Sorry, I don't sleep with married men."

Wilson watches him throw himself in his chair, putting out a foot to spin around so his back's facing him. When he doesn't turn, he huffs in irritation, "Do you want to go out to dinner tonight? I'll pick you up at 7."

That catches his attention; the chair comes around and House's frowning at him, "You haven't even talked to Julie about your feelings for me, and you're already asking me out to dinner?" He puts his cane on the desk, "It's like you get a thrill out of cheating on your wives."

Wilsons forehead wrinkles, "So you're saying I shouldn't break up with her?"

"I'm saying you should get better at communicating with her. Reason why your marriages have never worked out. It's a miracle you managed to get a third wife."

"Is this what counselling is? I didn't realise I'd booked a session today."

House grabs his cane and drags himself up with a sigh, "Look, if you want to be more open with her, then tell her about your sudden infatuation for me. She'll either take it well or not, but at least you were honest."

At this, Wilson starts shuffling his feet, and House catches on, "Unless….you don't want to." Wilson gets that sheepish look on his face again, and it all just seems to fall into place; House rolls his eyes, "It's like having affairs turns you on. And I don't mean that in a sexy way."

Wilson throws his hands out, "Didn't you ever feel compelled to cheat on Stacy? You know, have a fling on the side?"

"No, because we had a healthy relationship." He smiles as he twirls his cane, "That's the great thing about hookers; no contract, no obligations or rules…."

"But you don't get a real relationship out of it." Houses smile slowly falls, "Didn't you want to be with someone after her?"

"You know I'm not like you in any way, right? I don't...have a yearning to cheat on my wives - "

" - Which is why you use sex to fill the hole in your heart."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Wilson shakes his head, "Anyway, you were saying something about taking me out to dinner?" He looks up in surprise as the smile begins coming back, "Unless you...wanted to start being true to your wedding vows…"

Wilson hesitates as Houses words go through his head, "You...want me to cheat on her?"

House shrugs casually, but he resists the urge to grin when he sees Wilsons eyes practically light up, "Judging from your face at the mere mention of going behind your wife's back to have a dinner date with me, I think a marriage counsellor gives better advice than I do. Either that, or you really didn't listen to a word I said."

He's about to reply when Chase comes in and Houses attention switches immediately as he walks up to the desk.

"Kid's echo was normal, no sign of any vegetations on the heart valves."

There's a beat, and House realises that Wilson's still in the room...watching them. Chase glances between them and it's as if all the pride he'd felt before halts in its tracks. He points a finger at Wilson then House.

"Am I...interrupting something here…?"

Wilsons eyes dart to House, "No, we...we were done." He shoves his hands in his pockets as he backtracks to the door, "I need to get back to work."

They both watch him leave, and Chase turns to House with a wry smile...but he easily doesn't miss House following Wilson down the hall, and his smile seems to grow in amusement.

When he's out of sight, Houses gaze snaps to him, "What?"

"Nothing, um what - what'd he want?"

"He wanted to know how many hookers I'm having over tonight. Been thinking about an orgy party, wanna join?"

Chase frowns, "The antibiotics aren't doing anything."

"So double the dosage."

"...You know that'll box his kidneys, right?" At once, House seems to phase out and he snaps his fingers in his face, "Did you hear me?"

House pushes his hand away, "Sorry, I was too busy thinking about what that would look like." He pauses, "Yeah, you're right. Save the kidney. The guy we transplant it into will be grateful."

"Also, I…." He's somewhere else again. Chase snaps his fingers for a second time, "House!" He puts his hand to his side before House can move it away, "You know, if you like Wilson, you can just talk to him."

"And if you want to be invited to the party so badly, you can just ask."

Chase laughs snidely, "I'm serious! Whatever you and him talked about, it was clearly about your feelings for him. Or lack thereof."

House starts spinning his cane again, "I'm worried about him, as a good friend should be."

"Why, is he okay?"

House looks past him to his door, as if Wilson's standing right there in the middle of the hallway, "Yeah, but his marriage isn't."

7pm comes too soon.

Moonlight streams in from the windows onto the teams faces, who're having a takeout dinner from the chinese place across from the Hospital. They're talking about how House's been acting these last couple days, and after Chase has taken a bite of chicken, he decides to bring up his weird behaviour when he went to see him about the patients test results.

"He kept tuning out when I was telling him about the kid, like he was thinking about something else." Foreman and Cameron exchange glances, "That's weird, right? I mean, he's usually so interested in the cases, but…." His voice trails off as he tries to grab a bunch of noodles with his chopsticks.

Foreman nods, "Actually, now that you mention it, Wilson was acting a little strange yesterday too."

"How'd you mean?" Cameron has her sticks poised in the air.

"I was asking him about House and...he said he didn't know what was going on with him, but…" He looks at them both, "I think he was lying."

Chase takes a bite of a prawn, "Why?"

"You know how Houses hand was taped up?" They both nod. "Yeah, well, he told me he did it himself."

"So?"

"So, I think something happened in that exam room."

Cameron snorts, "Like what?"

Foreman shrugs, but doesn't reply, and Chases eyes go wide, "You don't think - "

"What? No!" Cameron stifles a smile, "No way, they'd be a lot more ashamed if something like that went on."

Chase smiles and nudges her, "Or proud." The two men laugh but Cameron just rolls her eyes.

"Come on, you guys. Wilson's married. He wouldn't do that to his wife."

"He's been through two divorces, Cameron." Foreman nods across from her. "Maybe Wilson's just an unfaithful guy."

Cameron picks up her chopsticks and begins moving them around her food, "Well, House should know better anyway."

"House sleeps with hookers almost every night. What does he know about being faithful?"

Chase chuckles along with him, but Cameron's honestly had enough. What started out as hilarious is just making her think seriously about her boss and she can't even look at her food anymore - now she has this to mull over. She looks at the two, and doesn't speak until their laughter's died down,

"Well, he doesn't feel anything for them. So maybe he doesn't think about it since he's not in a real relationship with any of them." Chase frowns at her. "I mean, he had a girlfriend for 5 years, and from what we know, he didn't cheat on her, so he knows to stay true to someone he does actually have feelings for."

They're both quiet, until Foreman opens his mouth, "Uh, since when did this turn into us discussing Houses outlook on morality? He doesn't care about the consequences, as long as it benefits him."

"You can't believe House is that self-centered?"

Chase smiles through a mouthful of vegetables, "Face it, Cameron, all your opinions of him being a tosser were thrown out the window when you started to fall for him."

Camerons cheeks go pink, "I'm just saying what I believe - "

"Why don't you just ask him tomorrow? See if you're right."

"Ask him what, if he's a jerk who has no moral compass whatsoever when it comes to being in a relationship?"

Foreman cuts in, using his soft voice again, "No, ask him what he feels about the hookers he takes home on a weekly basis. About his take on Wilsons marriages." He glances at Chase, "And if you do go through with it but ask him about what him and Wilson're up to instead, then you owe Chase and I 20 bucks. Each."

"What? Since when did this become a bet?"

"Since now." Cameron looks at them both, dumbfounded. "If you ask him about his feelings in general, then you have a bias against him, but since you know nothing about him and Wilson, then you should have no problem bringing that up."

Chase pushes his container away, "Works for me."

Cameron goes silent as she processes this, and the guys hold out their hands when she finally nods, "20 bucks each you said?" They nod and she shakes in agreement, before gradually digging back in to her dinner. Another silence passes over the room, cut only by Cameron eating, when Chase promptly looks around,

"Hey, where is House?"

Foreman juts a thumb to the door, "He said he was clocking out for the night an hour ago."

Chase frowns, "But it's only 7. Doesn't he usually stay later?"

"Maybe he had a hooker coming over."

"...Or maybe…"

When Cameron looks up at him in frustration, the two almost double over in laughter.