Chase eventually returned to the window. For the most part, the cabin was quiet. All there was to hear was the storm; and, only occasionally, a noise from the bathroom. The water running, or paper towel being torn, or the unmistakable sound of a plastic cap bursting open. Eventually House opened the door, calm and collect once again; and bringing with him the smell of various cleaners. His voice was perfectly normal, "A watched pot never boils."

Chase surveyed him quickly, turning his attention back outside. "That's a stupid saying."

"Find me a good saying," House retorted, as he limped towards the couch. Chase heard him sit, and turn the TV on, but then the cabin was quiet—even quieter than before. He turned to see House watching his favorite soap. On mute. And the closed captions were turned off.

Chase abandoned his place by the window, approaching the couch. "You know, it's more entertaining when you can hear it."

But he ignored him, staring at the TV.

"Am I on mute, too?" Chase asked, as he circled the couch. He sat down and turned his eyes to the screen, and was trying to read their lips when he became disconcertingly aware that now he was under intense scrutiny. He turned his head, frowning slightly when he realized House wasn't blinking. "Are we having a staring contest? Because I'm really in no mood for games."

House raised a hand, pointing at him with the remote control and finally saying, "I'm going to give you a B+."

"Thank you," he said hesitantly. "It's nice to know I haven't...slipped completely since my dissertation."

"I didn't kill him. And neither did the cancer, you idiot."

"So then what did you disagree on?"

"It's trivial."

"It may be trivial, but you didn't lie. If you say it happened, then it did."

House stared at him a moment longer, then averted his gaze; finally shutting off his soap. "We disagreed about whether I was going to kill him," he announced, and finally met his eyes again. "He told me to do it, so I thought...that's why I was there. But he grabbed the gun."

"What? He did it in front of you?"

"Told me to piss off." House looked ahead again, tapping his cane on the floor. "And he died hating me."

"No. I'm sure he didn't hate you. You were like brothers."

"Brothers can hate each other. Take Foreman and... The other kid his parents had. You know what I should have done?" House continued, before he could be corrected. "I should have ignored him."

"Remember that, for the next time you're gunning down a friend."

House stared into Chase's eyes. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he said, "There's not going to be a next time."

Chase tilted his head in gruff acknowledgment, and his response justified House's apprehension. "Well. I'm sure Thirteen will be walking on air when she hears it."

"She told you?"

"You kidding? She told the whole damn cortège."

House threw his head back, then ran a hand through his hair. "For the love of Satan!" he growled.

"It's assisted suicide. Nobody was judging you."

House glanced at him.

"'Course, they will when they learn you're not dead."

"And where would they get that information?"

"Well, apparently I have a big mouth." They looked at each other a moment longer; then Chase added, "You should call her. She needs to know that she's not alone."

"None of you filled in for me? I've been gone a whole year! I thought you had each other's backs. Did I corrupt every single one of you? Or were you all this useless when you sent me your résumés? Shame on you," House railed on. "Shame on all of you. Do I have to do everything?"

In the silence that followed his conclusion, the only sound was the door suddenly closing. "Uh, sorry," Kayla said. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's fine. Where's Cameron?" House asked abruptly.

"Uh, she's pretty mad at you, so she called a cab." Kayla hung her coat and took off her shoes before walking further inside. "I walked her halfway and then a police officer took over."

"A living one, I hope."

Kayla smiled at him. "They're all over the woods, digging up the bodies."

She walked into the kitchen and began pouring some wine. His guilt over Logan eradicated, House watched her stand in the darkness in a vulnerable state.

House looked at the digital clock beside the TV; then made the mistake of meeting Chase's eyes.

Chase observed him and narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't."

"How long have you known me?"

But it was Kayla who suddenly requested privacy. "House, would you give us a minute?"

Hm, not really what he had in mind. He hesitated, then gave an acquiescing nod. "Sure. I'll be snooping upstairs when you're finished," he announced boldly, and went to the stairs.

In his absence, Kayla turned to Chase; who spoke first. "I assume you erased her memory?"

"I managed."

"House really likes you."

"I know."

"And House doesn't like anyone."

She crossed her arms, finally meeting his gaze and asking, "Why do you think I feel so bad?"

Chase nodded, watching her intently as he tried to determine whether he could trust this...mutant. God, he would never acclimate to the truth. Even if she let him. Wanting to get the experience over with as soon as possible, he asked, "So how do you erase one's memory?"

His eyes followed the movement of her hand as it moved slowly up to his cheek.

Getting slowly and carefully to his knees, House dropped his cane on the floor before making himself as comfortable as possible on the hardwood, leaning on the side of the bed. He pulled out his phone and the charging wire he always felt in one of his pockets, leaning to plug his phone in beside the bed. His eyes briefly roamed the room, then he went into his contact list and speed-dialed Foreman—getting a most unwelcome greeting.

"Dr. Foreman's line, Dr. Taub speaking."

House hesitated for a few mere seconds, then snapped his phone shut. He sat there hoping Taub didn't know the good old star-sixty-nine. But it didn't take long for his phone to ring.

House spared a glance to the caller ID, and upon seeing Foreman's number, he ignored it; tentatively putting his phone on the floor and allowing his thoughts to run rampant. But he didn't have to focus for too long on his fear and the shame it caused him, because suddenly he could hear a woman's voice asking him, "You just don't know when to give up, do you?"

He looked up into the narrow crack of the mostly-closed door, expecting a partial glimpse of Kayla. But all he could see was the darkness of the hall. Then a flash of white turned his attention up front, and he saw a white skirt as the woman bent her legs. And he saw himself face to face with Cuddy. She looked at him with open pity as she joined him on the uncomfortable floor. "You want me to be impressed by what you feel. But...it's still negative."

"So?" House growled.

She scoffed, still deep pity in her eyes. "You've changed the world, House. But you can't change you."

House stared at her, wishing he could hallucinate her forever. Still, he had to ask. "Why are you here?"

She didn't seem too motivated to respond when Kayla's voice broke into his ghostly conversation. "Because we're finished. Are you okay?" she added, as he looked at her with wide eyes. "You have a pretty strange way of snooping."

"Yeah, I...banged my head," he lied, and took his time getting to his feet. "I can still kind of feel it."

"Should I call an ambulance?"

"Oh, no. Don't worry about me." He stopped by the door, looming awfully close to her as he added, "That's sweet."

Then, knowing he would only be rejected, he limped out into the hall. Feeling rotten, Kayla began to follow; stopping when she heard one of the old-school ringtones. "House," she called, but he didn't respond. So, naturally, she went to the charging flip phone and answered a call from Dr. Foreman with the phrase, "Dr. House's phone. This is Kayla."

There was a brief delay; she knew House's colleague was still on the line by the slight crackle on the line. Then finally, the doctor said, "I'm sorry...whose phone is this?"

"Dr. House. Do you have a message? I'll pass it on."

Another delay.

"Oh...dear God," Taub murmured. Then the line went dead.

(Back in New Jersey)

Taub hung up the phone slowly, looking at doctors Park and Adams; both of whom looked at him quizzically, awaiting an explanation. He rested his chin atop his knuckles and wouldn't speak, staring at the phone.

"What's wrong?" Adams finally asked.

Taub pointed at the phone, but had to fight for words.

"House is alive."

As the trio absorbed the newsflash, Foreman's office was totally and completely silent.