(1177 words) 

Your POV 

Sitting outside with House and Wilson, I watch as House notices the parents for our patient this week. He and Foreman have a bet of the father not being his actual father. After a MS diagnosis the kid ended up on the roof thinking he was on his lacrosse field. Chase had to tackle him to keep him from jumping. 

"The thing about not meeting parents is they don't know what you look like so they can't yell at you." 

"How can you just sit there?" 

"If I eat standing up I spill." 

"Our son is dying and you can care less? We're going through hell and you're doing nothing?" 

"You need to vent, I understand." 

"Stop being condescending. You haven't checked in on him once." 

Before House could say anything I stood up. Moving the parents away from the table with Wilson and House. 

"Dr. House knows your son's file inside and out. He's constantly going over it to see what he missed before. Dr. House's methods are unorthodox yes, but he is a genius in his field. All of our cases he covers he very rarely actually meets the patient, let alone their families. He doesn't believe that patients want to have a sick doctor. Just because he doesn't visit, doesn't mean he doesn't care."

The father looks at me for a moment before he shakes his head slightly. "You're in love with him aren't you?" 

Looking between the two parents I sigh. "My feelings towards him does not make what I just told you any less true. He may not be a shoulder to cry on, but he is a very good doctor." 

They nod after a second before walking back inside to hold their son's hand. Watching them walk off for a second, I feel a hand on my lower back. Looking over I find James. He watches the other people for a moment before he speaks. 

"House can stand up for himself you know." 

I nod gently. "I know." 

"He doesn't need protected." 

"I know that too." 

"Then why did you do it?" 

"Everyone needs protected sometimes. And it gave him a chance to grab those coffee cups for the bet." 

"What side are you on?" 

"Neither of the parents are his. I bet he's adopted. The kid has a cleft chin, and neither of them do." 

Wilson chuckles and shakes his head. "You're perfect for each other." 

"Yeah well, I just wish he wasn't so stubborn." 

Heading back inside House is already giving the cups to get tested. Walking into the lab he looks up at me, his eyes following for just a second before he looks back at Cameron. 

"I don't believe it. The father is not his father, but neither is the mother." 

I smirk as House looks at me. "That means I was right. He's adopted." 

Wilson sighs as he shakes his head, handing the money over to House as I smile to myself. House walks over to me as he smiles. "That's my girl." he says before kissing my cheek. Putting the money into his pocket, he sighs as he gets a page from Cuddy. 

"I have to go see the principal. Are you going to leave without me again?" 

I shrug gently. "Who said I was still mad?" 

Leaving the lab everyone else leaves shortly after, House smirking as he watches me walk away. Turning the corner and going to the elevator I went back up to the office to see what else I could find. 

~ 

House comes back into the office and looks at us. "What did you find out?" 

"The kid has measles." 

"From his biological parents?" 

He nods as he looks at me. He's always loved when our brains are on the same thought. "His mother was never vaccinated as a baby." 

Nodding gently I understand what he's saying. Chase speaks up. "Are you two going to share with the rest of the class?" 

"Until a baby is 6 months old, they're protected by their mother's immune system." I started. 

"Since his mother was never vaccinated, she caught measles and passed it to the kid. An infant picks up a regular old measles virus. He has a rash, is extremely uncomfortable with a wicked fever but he lives." 

"Now here's the kicker. Once every million or so times the virus mutates. Instead of Dan having a fever and a rash, the virus hides in his brain, like a timebomb. In this case for 16 years." 

"Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis." Foreman says. 

"There's only been 20 cases in the United States in the last 30 years." Chase exclaimed. 

"We just have to hope he isn't in stage 2 because that's universally fatal. " 

Chase shook his head "We can't put a spike in his brain without a diagnosis." 

"Not unless we biopsy the retina. That way we know he actually has the virus." 

They left to go run the tests and get the consent. Making sure House was right, but then again he's very seldom wrong. Standing to get more coffee I feel House behind me, his body against mine as he hums. 

"What is it?" 

"I love that you know what we're always in sync." 

Humming I smile gently before turning to look at him. "If you love my brain so much then why aren't we married." 

He chuckles as he looks down at me. "Better watch it, that could still happen." 

"You'd pull your hair out if you were married to me." 

He shrugs gently. "To have hair or to not have you. I think I like you just a little more." 

"A little?" 

"If it was more than a little, that would just be too much." 

Chuckling gently I stand on my toes to give him a kiss. He leans down as he follows for another one. He puts his hands on the counter behind me, keeping me from moving. Pulling away from me he rests his forehead against mine. Putting my hand on his cheek as he leans into my touch slightly. 

"What is it?" 

"I'm sorry I'm so difficult. No matter what I do it's wrong." 

"Greg, love. As long as you're trying it's all that matters." 

He kisses me again before putting his head on my shoulder. 

"I hope you're right. I know what you said to the parents. I'm surprised you stood up for me." 

"Why wouldn't I?" 

"You were mad at me, I thought you would have let the me rip a new one." 

Shaking my head I look at him. "Just because I'm mad doesn't mean I'm not going to be around to defend you. You're the best doctor I know. You might not have the most common ways of treatment, but it very rarely fails." 

His blue eyes scan mine for a moment as he looks at me, trying to read them. Raising a brow I look at him. "What are you looking at?" 

"Just thinking." 

Furrowing my brows I tilt my head. "About what?" 

"Nothing you need to worry about."