➹BEEPER

[intheblanks]

"It had better be an emergency."
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[intheblanks]

[And he's still a little blind to that reasoning but, so far as hospital gossip is concerned, he's learned to just keep walking.]

House would enjoy it. Is the car outside?

[synanthrope]

House enjoys pain in general.

Yes.

[intheblanks]

It makes him feel like people are on a level pegging.

[No it doesn't - House doesn't do equals (and Chase doesn't know it, but he's the closest there'll be)]

[synanthrope]

They never are.

[intheblanks]

All the people he's seen suffering, I haven't seen him decide one has suffered enough.

[As long as there's a puzzle, there is no enough.

Chase steps ahead just enough to hold the lobby door.]

[synanthrope]

[She tilts her head]

Why are there levels of suffering? Who decides on them?

[intheblanks]

In general terms, the person experiencing it is the only one who gets to judge. There's a reason we ask patients for their own pain scale - suffering is subjective.

[synanthrope]

Then why does House get to choose?

[Saya hands him the keys. He gets to drive.]

[intheblanks]

He doesn't. He gets to subjectively decide his suffering is worse.

[Even given the topic, Chase can't help raise his eyebrows at the offer of the keys.]

Whose birthday was this again?

[synanthrope]

[She just looks at him, her smile sharp]

I can drive everyday. You can drive.

[intheblanks]

I have to put some money into a car.

[His own keys would be a nice thing. He gets her door.]

[synanthrope]

[She slips inside, one bare leg slipping up the side of his leg]

If you find something, I'll fix it for you.

[intheblanks]

I'll look forward to your face when I bring in the battered RV.

[He says this to her knees before blinking and refocusing.]

[synanthrope]

Do you think I couldn't make a battered RV a good car?

[She blinks up at him, innocently]

[intheblanks]

Maybe if you smelted it and started over. [He closes her door for her, decidedly, to walk around and get in on his (her) side.]

Which I wouldn't put past you.

[Belt, ignition, hand on her thigh.]

[synanthrope]

I think that's a challenge, Robert.

[She settles under him, shifting slightly, her legs slightly awkward. But she looks comfortable]

[intheblanks]

Now where do I find a battered RV?

[His hand lifts to pull out onto the road, returning not long after, as soon as he can handle the wheel one handed.]

[synanthrope]

I don't know. You could ask the deities for a car. There's a Bentley in the City somewhere that doesn't belong to anyone anymore. I don't know where it is, though.

[intheblanks]

I wouldn't ask the 'deities' for a red cent. [He drops his attention from the road for a second to look at her.] Now a Bentley I'd believe you could make into a good car. Helps to start as one.

[He's not sure, however, that he wants something so grand. Maybe not the battered RV either. There has to be a sleek, fast middle ground.]

[synanthrope]

A Bentley is a very nice car, although not particularly fast.

You like fast.

[She knows. She's paid attention.]

[intheblanks]

[He taps the wheel with the edge of his palm, as good as a nod.]

Yup.

[synanthrope]

[She leans back and adjusts so her feet are up on the dash, her heels pressing into the molding]

Something fast and sleek, then. Something I can add a faster engine into without making it seem obvious.

[intheblanks]

[He whines softly, a sound caught somewhere between his nose and throat.

Cough.]

My thought exactly.

[synanthrope]

[She hears that and turns her head to look at him]

What are you thinking about?

[intheblanks]

Cars.

[He looks across at her, wide eyed, before letting his focus slide back to the road via a particular view across the dash.]

Not sure I'd define the rest as thinking.