- A man cleans crime scenes after losing his real estate company. His wife doesn't know. He suddenly gets a fit at a restaurant. Masters thinks he lied about his job. Foreman throws Taub out. Cuddy gets an award.
- A patient is admitted after breaking out in a severe rash triggered by caustic chemical exposure at his blue-collar job. As the team treats him, they discover that he has led his wife to believe that he is still maintaining his once-lucrative real estate career. Meanwhile, Cuddy is honored with an award and needs House to be at the charity event for support, but his attendance is threatened when his patient's battle to survive forces him to question his practice and his own happiness. Also, Chase and Masters teach each other a lesson in forging meaningful personal and professional relationships.—Fox Publicity
- Open with a man cleaning up what looks to be a bloody crime scene. His phone rings with his wife and it's clear that she thinks he has a completely different job. The man, Bert, arrives at dinner with his wife and she tells him there will be no discussion of real estate on this, their third anniversary. He eats a sketchy looking appetizer and begins breaking out into a strange rash.
House is ducking Cuddy because she is about to receive an award at a charity function he isn't excited about attending. But he does tell her that he has already RSVP'd.
Taub has borrowed one of Foreman's ties and he seems a little ticked. House says that our man Bert has not tested positive for any known allergy. Masters says she thinks he's lying about being a real estate investor since his hands show the signs of manual labor.
After tricking his wife Diane into leaving, the docs ask Bert about his real job. He says he lost his entire real estate company in the recession and now does industrial cleaning -- septic tank repair, crime scenes -- to make ends meet.
House is going to look into getting autopsy results from the homicide Bert was cleaning up and sends Taub and Foreman to the office where he hides out during the day.
Wilson bets House $200 he won't show up at Cuddy's thing. He then admits Cuddy is behind his wager.
Foreman finds Vicodin at Bert's work, then Taub notices a closet filled with chemicals.
After Chase tells Bert they think he's suffering from boric acid exposure his fever spikes dramatically.
This fever rules out the acid exposure and the autopsy report did not reveal any communicable diseases. Vicodin shouldn't cause his symptoms so House wants them to see if he's been lying about anything else.
Bert says the Vicodin was to hide manual labor pain from his wife.
House tells Wilson he's looking for a way to spice up the charity event.
Masters rips Chase for the way he treats women, sleeping with different ones each night. Another round of tests on Burt bring the team back to square one and they all get a page.
Bert is getting worse and can barely move his legs. The docs roll down the sheets and see his feet are turning black.
They managed to restore circulation to Bert's feet. House orders the team to attend the charity event and decides to give Bert steroids in case he's suffering from an insect bite.
Taub tells Foreman his wife is no officially seeing her online buddy. Foreman, whose date cancelled, agrees to have dinner with him at home. Taub will cook. That night during video games Taub tells Foreman he needs to lighten up. Both start getting food sickness symptoms.
Bert has locked himself in the bathroom of his hospital room. Inside we see him appear to hallucinate, imaging the walls closing in on him and blood pouring from the faucet.
Bert's rash is gone and Foreman thinks their treatment could have caused his psychotic break. The next suggestion (made while House, Chase and Masters stand outside the stalls while Foreman and Taub poop) is a fungus.
Before treating Bert's wife Diane, he decides to tell her the truth.
House auditions mariachi bands for Cuddy's big night. Wilson thinks he's making a mistake.
After being told the truth Diane leaves the room and tells Masters (who though honesty would be for the best) that their marriage is over. Bert's fever is back up and is now having hearing issues.
Bert (who is negative for sports or funguses) has almost completely lost his hearing. The new theory is that he has something in his brain, perhaps a tumor. Taub says he is going to move out. He would rather remain friends with Foreman than be roommates.
Cuddy tells Wilson she's worried House will embarrass her. She makes a comment about liking mariachi bands.
Before his MRI Bert asks about Diane. They tell him she's not back. He starts seizing during the test.
Both Bert's kidneys are fried and he's in a coma. He's near death. Though they could confirm a tumor via MRI, House thinks they should try chemo to give him a shot. This could kill him a few hours quicker if they're wrong so they'll need Diane's consent. House tabs Masters for the unpleasant assignment.
Masters tells Chase she has a difficult time making friends and can't even find a date for the charity event. Chase tells Masters to be honest with Diane but err on the side of hope over brutal truth. Diane asks if she can talk to her comatose husband and Masters lies and says his hearing is fine.
Diane apologizes to her husband for saying terrible things and says she loves him. She says she kept a secret from him as well -- she's pregnant. Masters hears this and sees that Bert's rash is coming back.
After Masters mentions Bert was cold in the MRI House figures out he must have a rare autosomal dominant disease called Muckle-Wells syndrome. House orders a course of treatment which should completely cure Bert. House says they're all idiots for not spotting it earlier.
When the docs get off the elevator on Bert's floor they see doctors trying to resuscitate him. Masters and Chase rush to Bert's side but it's too late. Bert dies as Diane looks on.
A few hours before Cuddy's event Wilson apologizes to House for being cynical about his plans.
Foreman says Taub doesn't have to move out if he doesn't want to. They both apologize for saying harsh things to each other and shake hands. Chase tells Masters he's going to the event by himself.
Cut to House drinking alone at a bar during Cuddy's event. Wilson sits next to him it's clear he's bothered by the patients he's lost over his career. He thinks his relationship with Cuddy has made him a worse doctor. Wilson says Cuddy is worried about House and upset he didn't show. House leaves to tell her the truth and Wilson takes his keys.
House arrives at Cuddy's door. She says "you screwed up" and he tells her to sit down "for this." He says being happy and being in love with Cuddy "has made me a crappy doctor." He thinks people will die because of his happiness, but says she's "totally worth it." He says he'll always chose being happy and being with her over saving everyone and passes out on her lap.
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