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House came into the office.
Dressed in a tie, which looked like Wilson's or one Wilson would buy for him.
He was smiling, genuinely smiling. Not a "I just got a crazy case and I'm getting obsessed about solving it" but a genuine smile.
It was unnerving for all the ducklings. Before House could say anything, Cameron spoke up.
"Are you high?"
"No?" House looks at her and raises an eyebrow. Cameron, Chase and Foreman shared glances.
"28 year old patient, car crash." House continues, putting a file on the table.
The ducklings waited for a moment, being met with silence from House.
"That's it?" Foreman asks. "No crazy symptoms, no hidden disease?"
"Nope." House replies simply. "Just a mild concussion and some pretty nasty scars."
They all stared at House with confused unnerved gazes.
"What?" House spoke up mildly annoyed.
"What's up with you? Why did you took this case?" Chase's uncertain voice spoke up.
"To have more time to do clinic hours."
"There's no way—"
"I have to kiss up to Cuddy so she will let me leave early today. I have a date." House said with that horrifying genuine smile. After a moment of stunned silence he adds sarcasticly. "Not with Cuddy."
"Who?" Cameron asks, suspicious. House had to be playing them, he's planning something and it's not good.
"Take care of the patient, I'll be at the clinic." House said ignorantly, already limping to the door.
"Who?" Now it was Foreman asking, concerned but not entirely for House.
"Wilson." House said before leaving.
The ducklings looked at each other and there was unspoken agreement on that whatever House is doing, it's not good.
They took care of the patient, ran some tests to be sure there's no underlying issue or illness and let the patient rest. House was right, there was nothing ordinary about this case.
Cameron and Chase watched House taking care of the patients, leaving and entering the exam rooms. The patients didn't look annoyed or angry, which was even more frightening.
"He's actually doing clinic duty." Cameron spoke up, disbelief clear in her tone. "Maybe he's not lying."
"Yeah, and he's obviously going on a date with Wilson." Chase spoke up sarcasticly. "There's gotta be something, and if there is we'll either be in huge trouble or picking up the pieces of chaos that House will cause."
They all watched House all day, trying to pick up any clues on what might be going on, what is House up to. But House seemed normal, too normal. House isn't normal, so when he's normal — it's not normal. He's willingly doing clinic duty for god's sake!
Near the end of the shift, the ducklings decided to ask the only person who can figure out House.
Cameron, Chase and Foreman stepped into Wilson's office and found him adjusting his tie, looking ready to leave. When he spotted the three doctors, he frowns a bit.
"Don't tell me there's a cancer case." Wilson spoke up, sounding almost disappointed. "If so, get another onco—"
"What's up with House?" Cameron spoke up.
"What's up with him?" Wilson raised an eyebrow and squinted an eye in confusion.
"He's acting weird." Chase spoke up.
"Well, that's a surprise."
"Not that kind of weird." Foreman continued. "He's doing clinic duty."
"Maybe it's a punishment from Cuddy." Chase thought aloud.
"Hah." Wilson looks in the distance for a moment and blinks a few times before continuing. "I'm glad to hear he listened to me, makes things easier."
Wilson grabs his coat and was about to excuse himself when Cameron spoke up. "Where are you going? Your shift doesn't end yet."
"You guys are awfully curious today." Wilson says with a thoughtful frown. "I have leave early, now if you excuse me—"
And with that, Wilson passed by the stunned ducklings, which watched him leave with disbelief.
"He's covering House's ass." Chase said.
"Definitely." Foreman agrees.
The next day, House limped into the office, looking more like the crazy self than whatever he was yesterday. He put a file on the table and spoke up.
"Good morning, kids. 32 year old female, paralysis on the right side of her body, seizures, memory loss, liver failure." He said, already picking up the markers to write down the symptoms on the white board. "Brain tumor, most possibly. No family history whatsoever, also wouldn't explain the liver failure."
"Where were you yesterday?" Cameron says, almost accusingly. House looked at her with sarcastic disbelief.
"Memory loss. Did you have any recent seizures?" He turned back to the whiteboard. "On a date."
"With Wilson?" Foreman raises an eyebrow, just as accusing as Cameron.
"At least you remember." House says, not tearing his gaze away from the board. "Do an MRI and start her on steroids, when you're done bring me the scans I'll consult Wilson."
The ducklings watched silently as House held up the scans, Wilson leaned against his shoulder, looking focused.
"I don't see any masses."
"Neither do I." House said thoughtfully.
"Did you guys really went on a date yesterday?" Chase blurted out.
House looked at his team and rolls eyes. "Is it medically relevant? We have a patient dying here and you all are still focused on—"
"You told them?" Wilson looks at House with wide eyes and a frown, earning disbeliefed stares from the ducklings. Cameron's mouth open ever so slightly in surprise.
"Of course I told them, they're my kids." House says with mock innocence which melted away under Wilson's embarrassed glare. "If I lied to them, they would find out and tell Cuddy and she wouldn't let me leave early."
"You're unbelievable." Wilson says, his cheeks turning a nice shade of red. A clear sign of embarrassment. He scoffs and begins walking out of the office.
"The tie gave it away immediately! They would've know anyway." House yelled after Wilson, smirking subtly as he watches him leave.
Once the disbelief and surprise fades from the ducklings, Chase looks at Foreman expectantly. Foreman sighs and rolls eyes before taking out a 20 dollar bill and handing it to Chase.