One Foot in Front of the Other
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<b>Heels</b><br>
Dr. Cameron springs into action when her pager goes off. In her rush, she loses her footing and the blister on the bottom of her left foot chooses that moment to rip itself from her foot.
<br><br>
She sees to the patient and then to her injury, and spends the rest of the day with a limp. Her colleagues spend the rest of the day teasing her when House isn't around, and smirking and muttering under their breaths when he is.
<br><br>
House doesn't know if he should laugh or tease her. He rolls his eyes.
 <br><br>
"God, you are such a sympathizer."
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<b>Stairs</b><br>
When Cuddy wants to avoid House, she takes the stairs. They are the perfect escape from a one-sided attack on her methods and policy. Or when House feels like indulging in some harmless, sexist remarks.
<br><br>
They are harmless, but annoying nevertheless.
<br><br>
So she will run up the stairs and leave House to wait for the next elevator, because there's no way he'll be able to follow her that way with his cane.
<br><br>
She will also use the stairs to escape House's genius inevitably undermining hers and proving her wrong. She hates having to face that, even more than his teasing.
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<b>Strides</b><br>
Like lovers sprawled across each other's bodies matching their heartbeats, Wilson matches House's strides.
<br><br>
When they walk together, shoulder-to-shoulder, they step forwards with the same foot, and then the other, in perfect symmetry. 
<br><br>
Even with the limp, they walk in unison, neither of them noticing. House is too focused and Wilson is too distracted.
<br><br>
Walking behind them, Cuddy watches in amazement at two men so contrasting, in perfect step with the other.
<br><br>
House stumbles; Wilson stops, offering an arm for House to steady himself on. Of course, he refuses. They both step forward, unconsciously stepping with the right foot first.
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<b>Cane</b><br>
In the lonely silence of the empty diagnostics office, House can hear his pain. Even through two vicodin, he can still hear it. Not all silences are comfortable ones.
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He thumps his cane on the carpet, but that is hardly a distraction.
<br><br>
There's an ache that starts deep in his shoulder and runs all the way down his right arm; from the cane...
<br><br>
He can stand without it. He can even walk without it. So why can't he discard it 
altogether and stand and walk without it?
<br><br>
Because it hurts... because he can't, which he will never admit or accept.