The phone rang.

Wilson grabbed his new cell phone off the desk and stared at it incomprehensibly for a moment before finding the power button and hitting it.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” House asked.

Wilson rolled his eyes. “Yeah, or you could say, ‘Hey, how are you? I hope you’re having a good day.’”

“Hey, how are you? I hope you’re having a good day,” House repeated, “Where are you?”

Wilson glanced at the all too familiar walls of his office. “Playing soccer on the moon. Where are you?”

“At home. Why won’t you answer my question?”

“Because I’m at work. You know I’m at work. I told you last night I’d have to go into the office this morning. Just for a few hours.”

“So you’re at work?”

“Yes, I’ve been here since eight-o-clock this morning. I was trying to get done before you woke up.”

House let out a sigh. “Okay.”

Wilson’s eyebrows drew together. He set down his pen, leaned back from the pile of malpractice insurance forms and cocked his head to the side in a thoughtful manner. “House,” He said, “Are you checking up on me?”

“It there anything to check on?”

“Of course not.”

“Then what does it matter?”

“My fifth amendment right?”

“Right against self-incrimination?”

That wasn’t right. “Um, no.” Wilson’s eyes searched the ceiling for possible clues. “Second?”

“Right to bear arms.”

“Third?”

“Quartering troops.”

“I have the right to quarter troops?” Wilson asked.

“No, you have the right not to quarter troops.”

Wilson leaned further back into his chair. “What’s the one about innocent until proven guilty?”

“That’s not actually in there.”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure.” House cleared his throat. “And beside, technically, you are guilty.”

Wilson felt a jab of guilt somewhere around his stomach. “If you don’t trust me…” He began.

“I’m not checking up on you. I just wanted to know where you are.”

“At work.”

“Okay then,” House said, “What are you doing?”

Wilson sighed. “Paperwork.”

They sat in silence for a few moments.

“There’s one against illegal search and seizure. Is that what you meant?” House said, suddenly.

“Maybe.” The light that came in through the balcony window was extraordinary bright and cold. Wilson stared at the rectangle of light on the floor.

“Well, we are at war, you know.” House said, conspiratorially. “It’d be really easy to get around that. I’d just say you were a threat to America.”

“Oh noes, you’ve caught onto my dastardly plan.”

“I knew it. You’re probably leaving bombs in cancer patients so you can blow up their funerals. Spreading anthrax in your sandwiches. I bet you even drive a foreign car.”

“Actually, I do.”

“See, terrorist.”

Wilson laughed. “Why would I put anthrax in my own sandwiches?”

“You’re trying to poison charming, attractive doctors who occasionally join you for lunch.”

“Yes, I am. Do you know any?”

House scoffed. “Fine. I was going to let you go. Now, I’m turning you in to the authorities.”

“Then you’d always know where I was.”

“I was not checking up on you.”

Wilson laughed derisively. “Sure, you weren’t.” He smiled, softly and pushed his hand through his hair. “This is nice,” He informed House.

“What?”

“Talking like this. We’ve been…awkward…lately.”

“Well…yeah…that’s what happens when…”

Wilson swallowed. “When stuff happens?”

“Yeah.” He could hear the self-consciousness is House’s voice.

“Anyway,” Wilson said, deftly changing the subject, “Yes. I’m at work. I’ll just be a little longer, then I’ll come straight home. No checking up required. We’ll go out, if you want.”

Wilson heard House shift and sigh. “Maybe.”

“Let me take you to lunch. Anywhere you want.”

“Even that Indian place that makes you sick to your stomach?”

Wilson laughed. “Or we could go to any of the dozens of restaurants that don’t make me gag.”

“If I only did things that didn’t make you gag, I’d never have any fun.”

Wilson covered his face to hide a blush. The smile felt like his face’s natural state of being. He stood and pulled on his coat as quickly as possible.

“I’m coming home,” Wilson said, shutting and locking the office door.

“I thought you had to work.”

“Forget it, I’m taking you to lunch, the Indian place with the smell that makes me sick to my stomach and then we’re going home so I can jump you.”

“We don’t have to go out to eat.”

“Yes, we do.” Wilson said, striding down the empty hallway towards the elevator, “I want to stare at you for a while. Eating is a good cover.” He jabbed the call button and waited for the elevator to arrive.

“You’re a little clingy today.”

“Making up for lost time. Get out of bed. Get dressed. We’re going out.”

“I have to get up and get dressed so we can come home and get undressed.”

“Yes,” Wilson said, getting into the elevator and hitting the lobby button.

“Why does everybody thing I’m the crazy one?”

“My charming smile.”

“I have a charming smile.” House grumbled.

“If you don’t get up I’m dragging you outside in your pajamas.” The elevator bobbed gently at lobby level, the doors sliding open.

“Terrorist.”

“Whatever you say.”

“Hey, if you’re a terrorist, then it doesn’t matter if I illegally search you, right?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m looking at you’re planner right now. Why are you having lunch with your ex-wife next week?”

Wilson glanced around nervously as he came to the lobby doors.

“We’ll talk about that later.”

“Sure.”

“See you soon,” Wilson said, pulling his coat around himself as he left the hospital. “Get dressed.”

“Yeah, see you soon.

“Get dressed!”

Dial tone.