06x01 - Broken (part 1)

[bunniefuu]

[Open on a sign that says “Floor 3.” There’s a framed photo of Mayfield and an old-fashioned picture of a hallway filled with doctors and nurses. Tapping can be heard. An office door with “Dr. Nolan Psychiatrist” on it is ajar. House is inside, slumped in a chair. He’s tapping on the chair arm and looking around. He sighs.]

House: So how’s this supposed to work?

Nolan: You sit. I sit. We talk.

House: About what?

Nolan: About whatever you want.

House: You want me to whine about my mother?

Nolan: Do you want to whine about your mother?

House: I can tell you about the time I was five and my goldfish d*ed.

Nolan: If that’s where you’d like to start.

House: I’ve had a billion things happen to me in my life. How am I supposed to know which ones are relevant?

Nolan: As far as I’m concerned, they’re all relevant.

House: Well, we better get moving, ‘cause this session could take 50 years.

Nolan: Yes, you are the sum of everything that’s happened to you. And, yes, some events are more relevant than others. But, uh, the only way we can figure out which ones are is to talk. So tell me, what’s on your mind? [pause] What do you want?

House: I want to get better… Whatever the hell that means. I’m sick of being miserable.

Nolan: So you’d like to be happy?

House: Again with the reflecting – Yes, I’d like to be happy.

Nolan: Being happy is an excellent goal. Not many patients can crystallize exactly what they’re hoping to get out of this.

House: Well, bully for me.

Nolan: [rising] So now all we have to do is figure out how to get you from here to happy. [He goes to a sideboard and takes something out of a drawer.]

House: SSRIs? That’s your genius technique?

Nolan: I don’t think we should ignore any tools than can help. [hands them to House] I know you don’t have a problem taking dr*gs.

House: For my leg. For pain.

Nolan: Well, think of this as being for psychic pain.

[House looks like this is a new idea. He looks at the pills and back at Nolan who is pouring a glass of water.]

House: I don’t want to change who I am.

Nolan: Miserable? [He hands House the glass. House contemplates the pill.] Do you think that by taking meds you’ll lose your edge, stop making the unique connections that make you a successful doctor?

House: If Van Gogh was your patient, he’d be satisfied painting houses instead of The Starry Night.

Nolan: Van Gogh would still be making inspired paintings of the night sky, just maybe not from the room of his asylum.

House: You don’t know that.

Nolan: I know both his ears would be intact. And I know his life would be better. [House puts down the glass and stares at Nolan.] I know this doesn’t come naturally to you. But you want my help, which means you need to trust me.

[House takes the pill and some water.]

House: Hmmm… Delicious.

[Cut to Ward Six. Safer is organizing meds on a tray. There is a card with each patient’s picture, name and medication behind each pill cup. She hands Jay-Bird his pills, which he takes with water. House is next in line. Alvie comes up to him.]

Alvie: Why are you here?

House: I’m waiting for my communion wafer. [He takes the pills and the water, handing the empties back to Safer. Alvie follows him as he walks away from the office.]

Alvie: You’re cheeking it, right?

House: Nope.

Alvie: [grabbing House’s face and trying to look in his mouth] Tell me you’re cheeking it.

House: [pushing Alvie’s hands away] I swallowed it. [He starts to walk away. Alvie follows.]

Alvie: No, you didn’t. We don’t take meds.

House: You don’t take meds, Alvie. I decided to get sane.

Alvie: You’re scamming again. You can tell me.

House: I’m not scamming, Alvie.

Alvie: They broke you.

House: [turning to look at him] They didn’t break me. I am broken. Now stop worshipping me and go worry about your own loser life.

[He walks off, leaving Alvie alone in the hall.]

Alvie: I hate you.

[Cut to House’s and Alvie’s room. House is sitting on the bed, reading. Nolan enters. He knocks on the door and holds up a suit, white shirt and tie on a hanger.]

House: Prom?

Nolan: Got an assignment for you.

House: [taking off his glasses] Role-playing? I’m not sure how pretending to be a businessman with a foot fetish is gonna help, but I’m game.

Nolan: Have you connected with any of the other patients? You’ve been here four weeks. Tell me about your relationships with the other patients.

House: Diane… is convinced that Silent Girl hates her. Richter’s not as paranoid as you think. He just likes that you think that. And my roommate hates me.

Nolan: Only one of the things you said indicated how somebody else feels about you. So…

House: I’m sure that they’ve done some form of rudimentary analysis on me, concluded that I’m a jerk.

Nolan: You know, there is a way for them to find out things about you without deductive reasoning.

House: I have had relationships.

Nolan: You’ve screwed up relationships. Every one of them. Almost like that was the goal. I want you to trust… people. [House stares at him.] Try. [He puts the suit on the bed.] Get dressed. [He leaves.]

[Cut to a fund-raiser. A jazz combo is playing No Moon At All. The catering staff walk around with trays. Medina is there, chatting up a blonde who is way out of his league. House and Nolan stand by the doorway.]

House: Just open up?

Nolan: Just open up. Trust.

House: Strangers?

Nolan: We’ll start with strangers then work our way up. If it helps, I find “hello” to be an excellent icebreaker.

[The band plays Night Train. House, holding a drink, walks up to Garney who is at the buffet table.]

House: Hi.

Garney: [uncomfortable] Hi.

House: It’s like “hello” only shorter.

Garney: Yes. I’m glad we were able to save that time.

House: Judging by the fancy suit, I’d say you were a donor. The nervous demeanor says maybe you’ve had issues, probably why this place has personal meaning. [He puts a fistful of nuts in his mouth and starts talking again before he swallows them.] But this is supposed to be about me. [He swallows.] I take advantage of my friends. Friend, really, I’ve only got one.

Garney: It can be tough sometimes.

House: I’m not gay.

Garney: Oh, neither am I.

House: Actually, I am. See that guy over there? [He indicates Nolan, who has his head tilted back, eating the Maraschino cherry from his drink.] He’s my lover. He’s also my psychiatrist, which some would argue is a little inappropriate, but they just don’t know what love is. Am I right?

[Garney nods nervously and walks away. Lydia is there.]

Lydia: You’re not gay.

House: No, but I have to tell intimate secrets to people.

Lydia: Maybe they should be true.

House: Hadn’t thought of that. To be on the safe side, I should probably do both, starting with the fun ones. Come on, let’s get me better.

[The music changes to I Love Paris as House pulls out a chair and sits down next to a pretty woman at a table.]

House: Hi.

Woman: Hi.

House: [geekily plays with a straw] I’m a philanderer.

Woman: Oh.

House: Philanderer doesn’t mean that I give a lot to charity. It means –

Woman: I-I know what it means.

[House leans over and covers his eyes and forehead with his hand.]

House: Uh, you were asking me if there were any nuts in the hors d’oeuvres.

Woman: What?

House: [looking up] Honey! [He stands.]

Lydia: What did my husband just say to you?

[House gives the woman a pleading look.]

Woman: I… was asking him if there were nuts… in the hors d’oeuvres.

Lydia: Then where is your EpiPen.

Woman: My what?

Lydia: No one with an allergy would walk around without an EpiPen. Give me your purse.

Woman: No.

Lydia: [reaching for it] Give me your purse.

Woman: Stop!

Lydia: Come –

Woman: What really happened is… I thought he was cute. I hit on him.

Lydia: [to House] We’re going.

[She grabs him by the sleeve. The woman smiles slightly as they pass. As they walk through the room, Lydia leading him by the arm, House has a huge grin on his face.]

[Cut to House sitting outside, pulling the petals off a daisy.]

Nolan: Having fun?

House: I did connect with one guy. But my propensity for screwing things up overtook me. Then my desire to have fun overcame my propensity.

Nolan: You didn’t screw it up. The assignment wasn’t to get you to trust people with a piece of your soul. The assignment was to teach you that you can trust. Did any of these people rat you out as the obnoxious womanizer or the p*rn producer that they think you are? [House smiles.] Why do you think that people would treat you worse if they knew the truth?

[He looks over as Lydia arrives with two glasses of wine.]

Lydia: Good night, Doctor. [Nolan leaves. She hands a glass to House and sits down.] Are you in trouble?

House: [thinks about that] Apparently not.

Lydia: So what’s next? You want to be my pimp?

House: Why don’t we just talk?

Lydia: Okay.

House: How come you weren’t pissed at me for stealing your car?

Lydia: It was a nice thing to do.

House: Hmmm. I’m not sure about the German-English translation of “nice.” Stealing was nice or… ruining Freedom Master’s life?

Lydia: What you did was misguided and irresponsible, but it was also nice. You gave him a moment of pure happiness. [pause] You asked me why I come here so often to visit Annie. She was my best friend. Then she started pulling away… from everybody. The doctors don’t know why. I think I married her brother because he was the only other one who was going through the same thing. But he stopped visiting after a couple of years. I just… couldn’t stop. I miss her. [House nods. There’s a long pause.] I should go.

House: Good night.

[She leans over and kisses him softly.]

Lydia: Good night.

[She leaves. House sits there.]

[Cut to House’s and Alvie’s room. It is dark. House enters, taking off his tie. He hangs up his cane and takes off his jacket.]

Alvie: So what happened?

House: You’re talking to me now.

Alvie: No.

[House sits on the foot of the bed and toes off his shoes. He slides back and stretches out.]

Alvie: Was it fun?

House: [sounding a little surprised] Yeah.

[Cut to Nolan’s office, the next morning. House is leaning forward in his chair. His elbows are on his knees and his hands clasped in front of his mouth. He rubs his lip with his thumb, thoughtfully.]

House: She kissed me. Don’t read into the phrasing. We kissed each other.

Nolan: And how do you feel about that?

House: How do I feel about that? It was a kiss. Kisses are good things.

Nolan: Okay.

House: That was a loaded “okay.”

Nolan: Not at all. Why would you assume that?

House: ‘Cause you’re being judgmental. If I’d said that I’d had some delicious Chilean sea bass for dinner last night, would you say, “and how do you feel about that?”

Nolan: If the sea bass was married, I might.

House: [laughing slightly] See, you’re being judgmental. Isn’t that against your code or something?

Nolan: I’m simply stating the obvious. It’s complicated. Not just because she’s married and not just because you’re institutionalized. I know you spent the last 12 hours trying to figure out what that kiss means.

House: [sitting up then slouching back in the chair] Who’s that woman you were with in the parking lot?

Nolan: When you deflect, it’s more effective when you’re not that transparent.

House: Obviously you have no problem with the infidelity.

Nolan: You’re trying to rationalize that, “if it’s okay for your doctor, it’s okay.” But, just for the record, I am not having an affair.

House: Then who is she?

Nolan: Why do you think you’re working so hard to figure out the details of my personal life?

House: I might not have to work so hard if there were some personal items in here. You got one number on speed dial. It says “Dad.” Come on, how old are you?

Nolan: Why are you so afraid to talk about this?

House: I want to talk about you. I want to know who I’m taking advice from.

Nolan: I’m not giving you advice. I’m asking you questions. I think that kiss meant a lot. I think that scares you.

House: I think there are no personal items in here because you have no personal life.

Nolan: How do you think you and Lydia will end?

House: you are a lonely man. You’ve screwed up every opportunity you’ve had in life.

Nolan: What’s the ending to the story?

House: [sighs] I don’t know.

[Cut to the orderly unlocking the door to Ward Six.]

Orderly: Visiting time!

[Lydia is the second one through the door. She sees House sitting hunched over on the piano bench. Annie sits on her usual couch next to it. As she approaches, House slides over on the bench to make room for her. She sits.]

House: Why did you kiss me?

Lydia: [shrugs and chuckles] How many reasons are there? [He stares at her.] I like you. It felt like a nice way of showing you that.

[He stares at her for another moment then nods almost imperceptibly. He hands her his cane and swings around so he’s facing the keyboard. He starts playing Schumann’s Kinderszenen Op. 15, the piece she was playing when they first met. There’s the sound of a door opening.]

Safer: Open it all the way. Keep it open.

[House looks behind him. Freedom Master is being wheeled into the day room. House stops playing immediately. Freedom Master’s right leg is bare, his left is in a cast that goes from his toes to his hips. His right arm has a cast and a sling on it. There’s a robe over his shoulders. He’s paying no attention to anything around him as he is wheeled toward the patient rooms. House watches.]

[Cut to a corridor that’s empty except for House sitting on one of the benches. Nolan comes out of his office and gestures for House to come in.]

Nolan: How’d it go with Lydia?

House: I found out you can only be happy so long before the catatonic guy with two broken limbs rolls off the elevator. Philosophically speaking.

Nolan: Why do you value your failures more than your successes?

House: My mother caught me masturbating… to pictures of her mother.

Nolan: Can we get past these cut deflections?

House: Successes only last until someone screws them up. Failures are forever.

Nolan: So you accept that fact. You accept that there’s nothing you can do.

House: Okay, I accept the fact that there’s nothing I can do. Now, what can I do?

Nolan: You acknowledge failure, and you move past it. You apologize.

House: Wow. Powerful things, these apologies. Get someone to jump off a building and you say two words and you move on with your life. Hardly seems fair.

Nolan: Is that the issue? You caused him pain. If the world is just, you have to suffer equally? [House lets this sink in as Nolan laughs slightly.] You’re not God, House. You’re just another screwed-up human being who needs to move on. Apologize to him. Let yourself feel better. Then you can learn to let yourself… keep feeling better.

[Cut to House returning to the day room. He walks over to Freedom Master who is sitting in his wheelchair. In addition to both his casts, his face is still badly bruised.]

House: Hey.

[Freedom Master doesn’t move. A door opens. Beasley comes out.]

Beasley: Dr. House, everything okay?

House: Yeah.

Beasley: Time for group. [She starts to wheel Freedom Master over.] Group time everybody.

[Cut to everyone in their seats.]

Beasley: I have a surprise. Two weeks from today we’re going to have the Mayfield Talent Show. [Stomp starts hitting his hands against his head.]

Richter: Talent show? Who’s in it?

Beasley: I’d really love it if everybody here could participate.

Richter: Then who’s gonna watch?

Beasley: The staff will come. Friends and family.

Richter: You gonna tape this?

Beasley: No, it’s just for us.

Richter: Well, if it’s just for us, I vote we don’t do it.

Beasley: Think of it as a fun way to work on – on our therapeutic issues. Alvie, maybe you could sing one of your songs.

Alvie: I don’t sing. I rap.

Beasley: Okay, well you can write something just for us.

Alvie: I don’t write. I just do, freestyle style.

Beasley: I think you’re gonna want to be prepared. Make something special.

Alvie: Always special.

Beasley: How bout you, Diane? Is there something you’d like to do?

Diane: I don’t have any talents.

Beasley: Sure you do. You all do. Steve, don’t you think that Diane has hidden talent that we’d all like to see come out? [Steve doesn’t move.]

House: You really think he’s gonna answer?

Beasley: Eventually.

House: Why?

Beasley: Because things pass.

House: Things change. It doesn’t mean they get better. You gotta make things better, you can’t just keep talking and hope for the best. [House starts looking in the distance, puzzled.]

Beasley: Diane, maybe you and I can work together and figure something out.

House: [getting up] I can save him. “They stole her voice box.” That’s what he said. That’s what she was staring at. That’s why she’s staring. [He goes to the window of the office.]

Beasley: Dr. House, please.

House: [pointing, rattling the glass] ‘Cause there’s a music box in there.

Beasley: Orderly.

House: [rattling the doorknob] Come on, just give it to me. I can – [The orderly tries to grab his arm.] I am not having a psychotic break. [to Beasley] I promise you this will work.

[She nods and the orderly opens the office door.]

House: It’s the blue box there on the top shelf. [He puts his cane on a ledge and takes the box from the orderly. He heads for Freedom Master.] This is what you wanted. This is what you needed – a voice. [He kneels next to Freedom Master and tries to hand him the music box.] You thought you could cure Silent Girl with this so by your own rationale, it should cure you. [Freedom Master doesn’t move.] There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re healing. All the parts work. Speak! [Nothing. House grabs his face and shakes it slightly.] Come on, speak! Say something!

Nolan: [approaches] I think maybe everyone should take a break now.

[House lets go of Freedom Master’s face. All the other patients and Beasley leave.]

Nolan: You’re trying to fix instead of moving on.

[Nolan wheels Freedom Master away. House slowly stands and sinks into a chair.]

[Cut to the day room. House is sitting on a couch, staring blankly. Lydia comes over with some sheet music.]

Lydia: I brought Dvorak. Four hands. [He looks at her.] What?

House: I need to know what this is.

Lydia: It’s sheet music. [long pause] I told you. It’s just… two people having fun.

House: There’s two possible outcomes. It ends, someone gets hurt. Or it doesn’t end, someone gets hurt.

Lydia: So, the end sucks. It doesn’t mean the beginning has to. Everything ends. Life ends. It – it doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy it.

House: I can’t – I can’t do this. [He hands her back the sheet music.]

Lydia: All I know is, I was happy five minutes ago, and now I’m not. How’s that better?

House: [sighs] Good-bye, Lydia. [He gets up and leaves.]

[Cut to group.]

Diane: I’m really worried about ECT.

Beasley: Apprehension’s normal. Has anyone else had it.

Alvie: They shocked me, man. [He does an exaggerated convulsion.] Aaah.

Diane: Thanks. That’s very reassuring. I don’t know if I should do it.

House: [slouched and glowering in his chair] Oh, just do the treatment or shut up.

Beasley: Greg, there’s a process.

House: Yes, a process. Wouldn’t want to disrupt the process with results.

Alvie: Heezy had a rough night last night. Guess he decided to go back to being an ass instead of a hypocrite.

Beasley: Let’s move on. Alvie, are you making any progress writing your rap?

Alvie: Yeah. But really, no. I just don’t want to write my songs down. It takes all the spontaneity out of it. It’s not… of the moment.

Beasley: Alvie, if you write things down –

Alvie: When the time comes, my rhyme comes. When my spotlight shines… [He goes blank.]

House: Yeah. You’re a genius. Rhymes with “penius.”

Medina: [coming over] Sorry to interrupt, Dr. Beasley. [He has a paper in his hand and he crouches next to House.] Dr Nolan asked me to give you this.

House: [opening the paper] Is this a day pass?

Medina: He’d like to see you.

[Medina leaves. House refolds the pass, thoughtful.]

[Cut to Nolan, leaning over something. He sits up at the sound of a door opening. House enters the hospital room. He sees the monitors, the IV dripping and the patient wristband, which reads “Nolan, Darryl Sr.”]

Nolan: Thanks for coming. [House closes the door, quietly.] I was hoping you could, uh, take a look at my dad’s chart.

House: A consult? What happened – you went through every sane doctor in town?

Nolan: I thought you wouldn’t mind getting off the ward. [House picks up the clipboard and starts reading.] The cleaning lady found him on the kitchen floor. Doctors here don’t think that he’ll recover, that I should pull the plug. I want a second opinion so I – I thought I’d be a fool not to call you.

House: [looking at an x-ray] Lacunar infarct. Converted to hemorrhagic stroke. It squashed his brain. They didn’t miss anything.

Nolan: That’s what I thought. [He’s holding his father’s hand and crying silently.]

House: That’s what you knew. His brain has been replaced by blood. It’s over. [Nolan kisses his father’s hand.] And that’s obvious to any doctor who looked at that scan, even a shrink. You want someone to tell you that what you need to do is okay, to give you permission, absolution.

Nolan: Not now, House.

House: You have no friends, no family. At some point, you made a mistake. You lost everything. And now I’m the closest thing you got to a friend.

Nolan: [crying openly] Just shut up. I don’t need you here to play this game.

[They look at each other for a few moments then House takes off his jacket, pulls up a stool and sits down to wait with Nolan.]

[Cut to the day room. It’s dark and quiet. The door beeps as House passes a card over the electronic lock. He comes in and starts toward the patient rooms but stops when he sees Lydia sitting on the stage, crying. He goes over to her.]

House: I’m sorry I pushed you away. It’s what I do when I’m afraid. [She makes a scoffing sound.] Again, German-English translation may be a little off.

Lydia: [trying to get control of herself] I’m not – I’m not crying because of you. I’m crying because I’m pathetic. I brought her cello in case she magically wakes up for the show.

House: Oh, well, then I take the apology back. [She laughs.] We’re all pathetic. It’s what makes everything interesting.

Lydia: I’m sick of life being interesting.

[He steps closer and holds out his hand. She takes it and stands up. She puts her arms around his neck, stroking his back a little. After a moment, he hangs his cane on something and puts his arms around her. They slow dance in silence.]

[Cut to the door to the office opening. House enters, followed by Lydia. He leans in and they kiss. He shuts the office door and slides her jacket off. He takes his jacket off while they continue kissing. He sits on a chair. She straddles him. He pulls her shirt over her head and runs his fingers around the back of her bra as she unbuttons his shirt. She gasps quietly. Her skirt is hiked up around her hips and his jeans have moved lower on his hips. He runs his hand down her thigh. They both breath heavily, but almost silently as they continue to kiss and clutch at each other. As the finish, House pulls her close. His eyes are red and he is crying. He closes his eyes tightly.]

[Cut to the talent show. Los Del Rio’s Macarena River Mix plays. Diane and Beasley are wearing red tops and leggings with flouncy black skirts. Each has a big red rose in her hair that matches the one at her hips. They shake their hands back and forth, look at each other and smile. Arms up, arms down, turn around. Each points one finger at the audience and shakes it in a “no” gesture. As the singer starts, they reach up and to the left side, then to the right. The fold their arms and unfold them, reaching behind and grabbing their own butts, one cheek at a time. It ends with their turning around, pulling up their skirts and shaking their butts at the audience. Beasley hugs Diane.]

[Next Jay-Bird, Richter and Hal stand in a stiff row. They’re dressed in tails and cardboard party top hats. They sing “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You”]

Trio: You’re nobody till somebody loves you. [Hal and then Jay-Bird put their hands to their hearts near the word “loves.” Richter doesn’t. He’s looking around.] You’re nobody till somebody cares.

[Lydia is sitting with Annie in the audience. There are about 20 people watching. Most of the performers are there when they’re not on stage. House is standing in the back, leaning against a wall. His cane is tucked under his arm.]

[The next act starts with a rhythmic tapping of a foot. It’s Stomp. He begins to slap out a counter-b*at with his right hand against his left arm, then on his right leg. Using both hands on his legs and chest he picks up the pace, as he becomes a human b*at box. He finishes to cheers and applause.]

Beasley: [at the mic] Ladies and gentlemen. The one, the only, Juan Alvarez!

[Alvie runs from the back of the “theater” to the stage. Richter is there as the DJ.]

Alvie: Yo, yo, what’s up? [grabs the mic from the stand] Ward Six is jumping off, y’all! Give it up for DJ Richter on the ones and twos. Yo, DJ Richter, spin that.

[Richter smiles and starts the hip-hop b*at playing.]

Alvie: Uh. Yah!
Welcome to Mayfield where the day feels long.
We act strong, but there’s got to be something wrong.
See, we got hidden talents.
You don’t see hidden secrets
If we could show you those
Uh wah whu whu [He imitates a record scratching as he gets stuck for a next line.]
If we could show you those.
[He stops and rubs his head as he tries to think of a next line. The audience is smiling, anticipating.]

House: [still leaning against the wall by the door, bails him out] Then we wouldn’t have no regrets.

[Lydia turns and smiles at him.]

Alvie: Wanna know my secrets?
Sit back and let me explain it.
My Pops split, Mama got sick
Cliché, ain’t it.
Now I’m a manic Hispanic
I’m trying to make it work
But the doctors think I’m lazy

[He’s stuck again. He looks toward House.]

House: And my roommate is a jerk.

Alvie: Dr. House is in the house, y'all.
Give it up for Dr. House to the stage, y'all.
Paging Dr. House to the stage, y'all. [House waves him off. The audience is clapping.]
Are you there, Dr. House it's on.
Bring it on. [House stands up straight and starts toward the stage.]
On. Oh, yo, he's coming to the stage, y'all.[Lydia smiles as House passes her.]
Unh, unh, it's Dr. House on the remix
Dr. House on the remix
Yup, yup, yup, yup yup. [House tosses his cane offstage.]
They say to take your pills
They say don't be a creep
But how can I get better

House: If I can't get no sleep?

Alvie: You got think before you act
In order to progress

House: [getting into the rhythm] If you don't make connections
Then your whole life is a mess

Alvie: [laughing] Yeah, so tell me, doctor, what I really got to know
How do I get better?

House: [shrugs] Just do a talent show. [Everyone, including Lydia, laughs.]

Alvie: Oh, well, I guess I'm just a mess, yes
Preach it to me, brother
A life of restlessness

House: [enjoying himself] But at least we have each other

[House provides the hand gestures as Alvie winds up the rap]

Alvie: Oh, we got each other, oh, we got each other
Like two brothers from another mother
Duck and run for cover, Ward Six

[House nods a little shyly, acknowledging the applause. Then he puts his arm around Alvie’s shoulder and they take a bow.]

[Cut to Nolan’s office.]

House: How are you doing? You hanging in there?

Nolan: Usually I open with that. [pause] Thanks for staying. [He nods. House nods back.] So, um… What do you want to talk about?

House: Things are actually… Actually good. [He sounds a little surprised.]

Nolan: Okay, you're not – you're not just saying that because you don't want to complain in front of the guy who just lost his father?

House: I'm not that cured. No, I still got stuff to do, but… I'm good.

[Cut to the day room. Freedom Master is sitting there, motionless. House stops in front of him.]

House: I'm sorry. [He looks around and pulls up a chair.] I was trying to prove a point. I was trying to be right. I ended up putting you in a dangerous situation, and I was not equipped to handle it. You got hurt, and it's my fault. And I'm sorry.

[Freedom Master still doesn’t move but Nolan, who has been watching from the office, nods at House.]

Safer: [announces] Med time.

House: [standing and steering Freedom Master’s chair] I'm gonna try those pink ones today. You?

[Freedom Master has the music box in his lap. They pass Annie. House stops and then rolls the wheelchair back. Freedom Master slowly lifts the music box with both hands and gives it to Annie. She takes it. Nolan, in the office, and House both watch, amazed. Annie opens the lid and a bit of Mozart’s The Magic Flute plays. Nolan and Safer come to the office door, staring. As the tune ends, Annie closes the box and turns to Freedom Master.]

Annie: Thank you.

Freedom Master: [whispers] You're welcome.

[Cut to the foyer outside the day room. House is waiting there as the elevator door opens.]

House: Got a surprise.

[He leads Lydia into the day room. Annie is playing Bach’s Cello Suite #1 Prelude in G Major fluently as everyone sits and listens. She ends to light applause. Lydia has gone from smiling to tears during the piece.]

[Cut to the day room. There’s a “Happy Re-birthday” cake on the table.]

Beasley: Today we're here to congratulate… Annie! We're proud of her! We wish her well, and we hope to…

Everyone: Never see her again!

[House is the only one who doesn’t look happy.]

[Cut to Nolan’s office. House walks in without knocking.]

House: If you go silent for over a decade, you don't just get to slide right back into society.

Nolan: She's going to a rehab facility first… In Arizona. Her family's moving there. Sorry, House. I just found out myself.

House: I want an overnight pass.

Nolan: I can help you with this.

House: I've earned it.

Nolan: You have, but –

House: Isn't extending trust part of the whole "getting me better" thing?

Nolan: If you insist on a pass, I'll give it to you. But I know where you're going, and I know you haven't thought it through. We need to sit down, talk about this.

House: Please give me the pass.

[A cab pulls up to a suburban house. It’s night. House gets out. He rings the doorbell and waits. A young boy opens the door.]

House: Hi.

Ben: Hello. Who are you?

House: I'm –

Lydia: [coming to the door] Ben, go inside, okay? [She comes out to the porch and pulls the door almost shut behind her.]

House: You didn't say anything. And now Annie's leaving, and I hear you're going to Arizona.

Lydia: My husband travels to Phoenix a lot. His corporate headquarters are there. We've been wanting to move for years, but we've been tethered here. And now we're not.

House: I don't want you to go.

Lydia: I don't want to go. But I can't break up my family. I-I can't leave my children.

House: I just don't want it to change.

Lydia: [stroking his face] I'm sorry that I didn't come to say good bye. I thought it ended kind of perfect. [She’s on the verge of tears.] I have to go.

[She goes inside and closes the door, leaving House alone on the porch. He bows his head.]

[Cut to the Mayfield parking lot. Nolan is leaving. He pulls out his car keys and sees House sitting on a railing near his car.]

Nolan: Not the most exciting use of the overnight pass I've ever seen.

House: She left.

Nolan: And...

House: I'm lost.

Nolan: [sits next to House] I'm gonna write your letter… To the medical board, recommending that they give your license back.

House: You can't just console me by giving me a lollipop when I skin my knee.

Nolan: Well, two things just happened. You got hurt, which means you connected to someone else strongly enough to miss them. And more important… You recognized the pain and came to talk to me, instead of hiding from it in the Vicodin bottle. The fact that you're hurting and you came here, the fact that you're taking your meds and we're talking right now… Come inside and get some sleep. Tomorrow you can start saying your good-byes.

[House thinks about this and nods.]

[Cut to the day room. There’s a “Happy Re-birthday” cake on the table.]

Nolan: Today we're here to congratulate Greg. [Everyone claps. House smiles with his head ducked down.] We're proud of him. We wish him well, and we hope…

Everyone: [with House silently mouthing the words] To never see him again!

Alvie: House!

[House takes the candle out of the cake and blows it out. He smiles. Everyone cheers and applauds. Beasley holds her arms open. She and House hug. Alvie, still clapping, comes over.]

House: Back off. People already think we're gay.

[There light laughter followed by an “aw” as House relents and pulls Alvie in for a big hug. He’s smiling. He lets Alvie go and stands, facing the table for a moment then plants his face in the cake. Everyone laughs as he stand up, his face completely covered in frosting. Everyone laughs. He bows slightly.]

[Cut to House leaving Mayfield. He has his suitcase in one hand and his can in the other. He starts walking. The Frames’ Seven Day Mile plays.]

[Cut to Alvie looking out the window as House approaches the bus stop directly across from where Wilson dropped him off a few months earlier. Alvie looks for a while then turns and goes to the office. Beasley slides open the window to talk to him.]

Beasley: What do you need, Alvie?

Alvie: My meds. I want to get better.

[Cut to House standing at the bus stop. A bus arrives and House gets on. As House walks back to a seat the ad on the side of the bus can be seen. It says “Prepare to Succeed!” House sits on the back seat and the bus pulls away. House sits straight with his head high as the bus pulls further and further from Mayfield.]