Chapter 652 - 948: House: If We’re Friends, We’re Doing It Together

Medical Center.

Hospital Room.

"Wahhh!"

The young woman, cradling her baby, burst into tears after hearing her husband's words. She'd had no idea about any of this.

"Jude, you're so stupid…" she sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

"No," said Captain Jude, who'd been given morphine and was now basking in a sunny haze. He reached out to wipe her tears, smiling gently. "Being with you and the little one—it's all worth it. You're my home, my happiness."

Adam let out a sigh.

A normal, happy life had been within reach, only to be shattered by someone else's greed and cruelty, exacting such a heavy toll. The risk Captain Jude had taken was no joke. Infection wasn't something to mess around with. Even if they'd caught it in time, amputating his infected right foot to stop the spread, the pain would haunt him for life.

Adam glanced at the silent young lieutenant and turned to leave.

A 19-year-old kid, unable to adjust to civilian life, wanting to escape by amputating a leg to get back to the battlefield? That was just dumb and naive. An irreversible surgery like that—99% chance he'd regret it later. And there'd be no take-backs.

"I'm calling in a war vet," Adam said seriously, dialing Dr. House.

"You met that idiot?" House picked up on it immediately.

After all, someone pulling a stunt like that was hard to forget.

"His wound's infected again," Adam griped. "You're ruthless, man. You know he almost decked you, right?"

"Of course I know," House said, unbothered. "That moron pulls something this stupid without doing his homework and expects me to warn him? How am I supposed to do that? Lay it all out nice and clear? That's illegal, and I'm a law-abiding citizen!"

"You? Law-abiding?" Adam teased.

He said it jokingly, but deep down, he agreed with House. Big decisions like this were on the individual to figure out. Expecting a doctor to cheat the system for you was unrealistic. Only someone like House would even entertain it. Any other doc would've reported it ages ago, and Jude's leg amputation would've been for nothing.

"How's he doing?" House asked, his usual sarcasm in tow. "Chopped off his right foot—feeling all warm and fuzzy now?"

"He's holding up," Adam chuckled. "Wife and kid by his side, high on morphine, spouting heartfelt optimism. But when your name came up, his smile turned into a gritted-teeth grin."

"Idiots sure have a lot of fun," House quipped, rubbing his own bad leg with a venomous sigh.

"That's what you get for being a genius," Adam shot back.

If House weren't so damn smart, a little less perfectionist, a little less proud, he probably wouldn't be limping around solo right now.

"Aren't you a genius too?" House retorted. He didn't know the meme, but he caught the sarcastic vibe instantly.

"I'm good-looking and lucky," Adam said matter-of-factly. "So I've always felt pretty happy."

"Mostly shameless," House jabbed.

"Borrowing your favorite line—everybody lies," Adam laughed. "So when you call me shameless, I'll just take it as you being too proud to outright compliment me. Anyway, last question—I've been dying to know: did you actually fight in the war?"

"Of course I did," House said with a mocking edge. "Start to finish, I'm a bona fide war vet!"

"Start to finish is a stretch," Adam grinned. "But timeline-wise, it checks out. When Jude pegged you as a war vet just by your limp, I laughed—thought it was ridiculous. But then I did the math. You're 46 now. The war ended 25 years ago. If you joined late at 17, you'd have made it—not just barely, either. You could've fought for three or four years. I remember your dad—well, stepdad—was a military guy, pretty high-ranking. Strict as hell, loved a good 'physical persuasion' session. Did he ever 'convince' you to enlist and take up the family trade?"

"…"

House went quiet for a moment. "Oh, he tried his 'convincing,' alright. But I wasn't some hotheaded teen who'd shoot himself in the leg, let it fester, and lose it like that moron. I knew he wasn't my real dad by 12. You think at 17, in full rebel mode, I'd listen to his 'persuasion'?"

"Hard to say. No one knows what you were thinking back then," Adam teased. "Everyone's got their dumb moments. Maybe you weren't as jaded as you are now. But I'm curious—who's your real dad? Next time you see him, tell him thanks from me."

"For what?" House scoffed. "Because you hate soldiers like them, and my bio-dad cuckolded my stepdad to make me, so you want to give him a thumbs-up and say, 'Nice job'?"

"Nah," Adam said, not taking the bait, smiling instead. "I'm just grateful he brought you into existence. You're a legend in medicine. No matter how much of a jerk you are, the field's better with you in it."

"You're full of crap," House said, shaking his head.

"Takes one to know one," Adam laughed.

"Game's on tomorrow night—you, me, Wilson. You in?" House offered.

"I'll pass," Adam declined. "Wouldn't want to crash your date."

"I knew your 'happiness' talk was bullshit!" House griped.

"It's because I'm honest that I'm saying no," Adam chuckled. "Between hot women and medicine, you think I'd spend my night with two old single dudes? You'd say no too, wouldn't you?"

"…"

House had no comeback, then let out a dry laugh.

Fair enough—Wilson was one of a kind.

After a bit more banter, Adam hung up and turned to the approaching young lieutenant. "Still want that amputation?"

"I don't know," the lieutenant said, visibly torn.

"Then figure it out first," Adam said, brushing him off.

A 19-year-old so obsessed with the battlefield probably had plenty of innocent blood on his hands. As long as he didn't drag Adam into it, the kid could do whatever. If Adam were House, he'd have thrown last Halloween's case in the guy's face—the surgeon who wouldn't amputate, so the patient grabbed a chainsaw and did it himself. Actions over words. Too bad Adam wasn't House—he had zero interest in getting tangled up with this kid.

"What's going on?"

Adam walked down the hall and spotted Meredith looking worried, with Christina consoling her.

"It's Derek!" Dr. Montgomery stepped in to explain. "Ugh… the patient died. They saved the baby in her belly, but the husband can't handle it. To him, they could always have another kid, but his wife? She was one of a kind. He'd made it clear—her life came first, no matter what. Derek got too emotional this time, wasn't thinking straight, and made the wrong call. Now the husband's suing him."

(End of Chapter)