Dr. House finds himself battling his addiction to Vicodin while seeking treatment at the Mayfield psychiatric clinic.
There, he encounters a mysterious young woman who remains silent, despite her captivating beauty.
As House delves deeper into her...
The common room buzzed with the low hum of tension. House, his leg stretched out, cards held loosely in his hands, wore an expression of annoyance.
Across from him, Alvie animatedly shuffled his cards, a rapid-fire monologue spilling from him. Their third player, whom House had dubbed "Claustro" due to his notable claustrophobia, sat rigidly, eyeing the room's only door as if it might suddenly shrink.
Alvie: Would you believe, that for a whole week, I only spoke in rhymes? It was like living in a Dr. Seuss book. Not a bad life, except—.
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House: Except for the part where everyone wants to strangle you..........Can we please focus on the game?
Claustro shifted uncomfortably, his gaze flicking from the door to his cards.
Claustro: Can we... maybe open the door? Just a crack?
House rolled his eyes.
House: Sure, let's invite the entire ward to our little poker tournament. Maybe Dr. Nolan will bring the chips, and Volmer can creepily stand in the corner, watching us without blinking.
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Claustro: It's just...feeling a bit tight in here.
Alvie, ever the whirlwind, decided the game was "off balance" with only three players. Ignoring House's protests that "the only thing off balance here is your medication," Alvie dashed off, only to return moments later, half leading, half dragging a silent Ada into the fray.
House: (watching Ada being guided to the table) Poor girl. Didn't know she was walking into the lion's den.
Ada, looked between the men, her expression unreadable. Alvie, plopped down beside her and thrust a set of cards into her hands.
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