House waited until the others were gone before he made his way to her room. She seemed happy to see him, a response he wasn't used to.
"I feel very popular, having so many people doting on me like this." She struggled to sit up amongst the swaddling of blankets that were meant to keep her warm.
He approached the bed and used the controls to raise it for her. "Winter-wear is a good look for you," he commented. Someone had brought her a knitted hat from the lost-and-found. Her short brown hair had curled some as it dried, leaving small ringlets poking out from under the wool.
"I asked them for the matching mittens, but no luck." The dark circles under her eyes did little to take away from their brightness. "I was told I might not see you again. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"
House turned away briefly to hide his annoyance, not at her but at his team for talking too much. He removed his suit jacket and tossed it aside. "I come for the sauna, I stay to avoid the rectal parasites." And it was a sauna; they had raised the temperature in Kelly's room after they realized her own temperature had started to drop again. House could feel sweat beading on his forehead. "I'm sure someone has already asked, but is there anyone we can call for you?"
Her expression revealed nothing as she shook her head "no".
He pressed her. "Not a family member? Your husband?" He was playing dirty; a wedding band and engagement ring had been found on a necklace chain in her purse, probably removed for her initial exam.
She was on to him. It was something about his sincerity when she'd been told to expect none that tipped her off. "What exactly is it you're fishing for, Dr. House?"
"Dr. Kutner got your medical history, but apparently not an explanation of why you're here or where you're going."
She had been vague in her responses to that line of questioning. Her reason for her travel was deeply personal and not something she was sure she could have put words to without becoming emotional, not when she'd just had such a harrowing experience. But she was calmer now, more in control. "You think it could be relevant to my condition?"
He misinterpreted her question and tone as evasion. "Well, SOMETHING needs to be relevant, and your tests so far haven't been helpful. If whatever your hiding IS relevant, we're going find out about it. But if you're going to waste my time jerking me around you'll probably be dead before it'll help you."
He was surprised when his comments were met not with fear, guilt or anger, which was the menu of what his special brand of truth often brought out of people. Instead, she seemed amused but his gruffness. "Why didn't you just say so in the first place? Pull up a chair and tell me what you want to know."
And so he did.