4.12 Don't Ever Change

I think if House believed the odds were good that CTB couldn't sustain the change, he wouldn't have stopped trying to sabotage the relationship. I saw three motivations in House's sabotage efforts. 1. He's an ass. 2. He doesn't believe Wilson can develop a long term relationship and still be friends with him - so he's scared he'll lose Wilson. 3. He was trying to protect Wilson, because he really did believe CTB just wanted to use him, maybe to get back at House, maybe just because she's supposedly "evil". If he thought the 3rd reason was still true, I don't think he would have let up. As far as boxes, there's another type of box. I believe saying House is an ass is a box that he doesn't fit neatly into either. Of course he's an ass, but he's not just that. Or, CTB is still the woman who can humiliate people if it serves her purpose and all that other stuff I can't remember House said about her, but she's also the person who honestly likes Wilson and isn't being manipulative in this case.Some of this I agree with, some I think is a little off. If House thinks the relationship may not last then he realizes it is better for him not to sabotage it. If he sabatoges it he gets the blame and Wilson's ire. It would confirm for Wilson his worse fears about his relationship with House, that he wants to keep both of them miserable, that he wants to control everything and he will do anything to avoid his own pain. That would be a surer way of losing Wilson. House knew from the competetion that there was more to Amber than just CTB, the same as he knows there is more to him than being an Ass even if they both can do their best to obscure it. He told Cuddy at the end of the game that she cared about people. In their last scene here he assures himself that Amber doesn't want to hurt Wilson which was a legitimate concern. She is leading here with her caring side instead of her CT side that I think is the change he speaks of to her. But no one knows better than House how hard it can be to keep the easier, negative aspects of his personality at bay so he knows that will be hard for Amber too. A month in and Wilson already notes her agressiveness and finds her bullying of others annoying. This is no cake walk they are looking at. Based on all that House has to let this one play out however he thinks it will wind up. That isn't completely self-sacraficing it's also smart and fair. If W/A does come to an end, which I think it has to and I admit I hope it does, it will be interesting to see what the cause is and how that reflects back on H/W. W/A is like the first trial run of a deeper H/W relationship. It's where House will get to see the pitfalls to be avoided and the bugs that have to be worked out.

I have to wonder...why did Cuddy back House up in questioning Wilson about Amber? Did she really believe Amber is the CTB she was portrayed as before, was she siding with House or is there some other motive? Also have to wonder about the very last scenes, with Wilson and House outside talking. Wilson said that House was self-sacrificing. House denied it (of course) but this does kind of play into the idea that House is slowly self destructing. It could be seen that House is letting go and allowing himself to accept Wilson and Amber as a couple, realizing that Wilson would be otherwise alone should something happen to House. He said he is not self-sacrificing, but he is also reckless with his health (vicodin, blood tranfusions, sticking the knife in the wall socket, etc.). This is a stretch, I know, but there is some validity to it too. As to the first point, Cuddy didn't like CTB in the first place. She wanted Cole to fire her with one of his picks, after all. It's not hard to believe that she wouldn't want to see him chewed up and spit out. As to the second ... my personal read is that House is actually in a better place, not self-destructing. We've seen him move on from losing his team to finding a new one, with Cate we saw him as reaching out to another person (albeit in a very long distance sense), and with Wilson he's willing to at least allow Wilson the possibility of being happy -- even if he doesn't believe it will last. Sure he still takes risks. That's part of what drives him in the first place, always wanting to know the answer even if it means risking his own health. But I don't see any downward spiral.

Also have to wonder about the very last scenes, with Wilson and House outside talking. Wilson said that House was self-sacrificing. House denied it (of course) but this does kind of play into the idea that House is slowly self destructing. It could be seen that House is letting go and allowing himself to accept Wilson and Amber as a couple, realizing that Wilson would be otherwise alone should something happen to House. He said he is not self-sacrificing, but he is also reckless with his health (vicodin, blood tranfusions, sticking the knife in the wall socket, etc.). This is a stretch, I know, but there is some validity to it too. I don't think it's that much of a stretch really, as much as I hate the idea of it. If he decides to let Wilson go, and Wilson does, there's basically no-one left in his life anymore. I did feel a more positive vibe in the episode though, more like accepting the situation than accepting the inevitable.

This is probably the wrong thread to ask this, but does anyone know if anyone has put up screen caps of this epi yet? House looked fantastic last night, and I think I want to make myself a new icon... perhaps the flashing-eyes look he gave Wilson in the hallway when Wilson said "What are you trying to avoid?"

CTB just happened to be the only one who had the potential to be a good choice. ITA. Given House & Wilson have managed to muddle along so well for however many years it is, it stands to reason that a female!House plus Wilson stands to be a similarly long lived choice in a way Wilson's previous relationships haven't been. Wilson's not changing so much as recognizing the reality of what has worked (i.e. House) & shifting that behavior to his relationships with women. I actually was saying the opposite of what you quoted. The rest of the sentence changed the context. I don't believe every other woman before CTB could automatically be put into the "bad dating choice" from the get go. My comment wasn't about the women that Wilson has been in a relationship with, it was mainly about House and him changing enough to at least allow that someone might be a good choice. It's possible that there were other potentially good choices before but House wouldn't even entertain that idea. I just thought my meaning in that post might have been confused, so I just wanted to clarify. But no one knows better than House how hard it can be to keep the easier, negative aspects of his personality at bay so he knows that will be hard for Amber too. A month in and Wilson already notes her agressiveness and finds her bullying of others annoying. This is no cake walk they are looking at. I agree with this. That's true of any relationship. But, I think House knows that whatever may happen in the future, CTB is being honest now. Her negative qualities may become more dominate (we've already seen they're still a part of her, and Wilson knows that they're there) and be a problem later on, but she's not tricking Wilson now. That's what I see him responding to.

It also seems to me that they're toying a bit with the dynamics of the h/w relationship more now than in the past. Before, House didn't want to push the relationship, he didn't want to lose that friendship. And now, he's ok with possibly losing that friendship to Amber? I wonder what would happen should Amber become ill. How would House treat the situation? Just imagine all the relationship ins and outs they could explore should something happen to Amber...what if House couldn't save her? How would Wilson react? Sorry, a bit off topic. I think it's intersting how they play with the viewers minds. Get rid of CTB, bring her back. All these characters, what could happen next? Who stays, who goes? What kind of tension will there be with Amber in the picture? Any? I wonder if House will be envious of their relationship? I don't mean jealous of Wilson's time, I mean House wishing that he himself were also in a relationship. Seemed he was genuinely in love and happy with Stacy, at least at one point. There was a bit of that from Frozen at the end with Cate and maintenance man (can't remember his name) and now again this week House is watching two people develop a relationship. I wonder where this would have gone had we actually gotten a Valentine's episode.

Regarding Cuddy's about-face, I think that when House approached her, she saw it a jealousy and fear of being abandoned on House's part. So she told House she wouldn't intervene. Later, when she had time to think about it, she did wonder whether someone as nurturing as Wilson would survive being in a second relationship with someone she sees as being solely a taker. Although she presented the idea in a snarky way, I think she was trying to ensure that Wilson considered all the ramifications. To me it read as one of those unfortunate things that Cuddy the character has to do because someone needs to say it. Alot of Cuddy's motivations don't make a lot of sense to me because they try to paint her as too many things to House. I could understand her lecturing Cameron and Chase because they had been caught on hospital property and that's an employee infraction as far as I'm concerned. But her "advice" to Wilson seemed more like meddling to me. (But then again, I've always seen that as one of Cuddy's flaws--the desire to make personal decisions for other people.) The show hasn't really established that Cuddy knows CTB all that well; they had one confrontation when CTB wanted off grave digging duties and when she set off the sprinklers trying to get Cuddy's thong. (A thong which Cuddy voluntarily gave up later anyway.) The only other motivation I can come up with is if Cuddy is actually jealous of Amber in some way because her own "dating" with Wilson came to naught.

I'm merely trying to make the point that they have no more ticked off the "absolutely gay for each other" box any more than they have marked the "no never ever gay" box. Their relationship has always been in this wonderfully complex, frustrating and highly intense gray area. I agree. Their relationship has never been black and white. Whatever feelings are there, they are complex. I can understand people just believing they are great friends who love each other, but saying they're like brothers kind of squicks me out. I mean, who would say to their brother, "OMG! You're sleeping with me!" followed by a "You're right...we're a couple, etc." Before, House didn't want to push the relationship, he didn't want to lose that friendship. And now, he's ok with possibly losing that friendship to Amber? But he's not losing that friendship, in fact I think he did the best thing to ensure he didn't lose it. It's been said a lot over the last few pages but I'll say it anyway, if he had kept trying to sabatoge them and W/A broke up over that, Wilson would be majorly ticked. He actually thinks he and Amber have a chance and if House ruined that, I think that could be the last straw for Wilson, he's already had problems believing that House gives a crap about him. I don't think House thinks their relationship will last and the best thing he can do to keep Wilson is to step aside, watch it crash and burn and wait for Wilson to come back (not that I think Wilson's really going anywhere but you get my meaning.)

I can understand people just believing they are great friends who love each other, but saying they're like brothers kind of squicks me out. I mean, who would say to their brother, "OMG! You're sleeping with me!" followed by a "You're right...we're a couple, etc." That depends on your take. If you think there is a sexual attraction, then those comments: "You're sleeping with me" and "We're a couple" are taken at face value (mostly) and completely rules out the brotherly issue. If you don't see them as being sexually drawn to each other, then it's typical House and Wilson off-the-wall banter that doesn't have an iota of seriousness to it.

But he's not losing that friendship, in fact I think he did the best thing to ensure he didn't lose it. It's been said a lot over the last few pages but I'll say it anyway, if he had kept trying to sabatoge them and W/A broke up over that, Wilson would be majorly ticked. He actually thinks he and Amber have a chance and if House ruined that, I think that could be the last straw for Wilson, he's already had problems believing that House gives a crap about him. I don't think House thinks their relationship will last and the best thing he can do to keep Wilson is to step aside, watch it crash and burn and wait for Wilson to come back (not that I think Wilson's really going anywhere but you get my meaning.) I was under the assumption that House has sabotaged other relationships before - or done his best, even if the ending came because of something other than his efforts. I don't know if it was actually said that he has on the show, it's just something I can buy House doing. And, if he has, Wilson has probably been majorly ticked before. What would make this relationship different that House would want to avoid Wilson's anger? Or what about this relationship would be the final straw that would make House's shenanigans a danger to his friendship?

And, if he has, Wilson has probably been majorly ticked before. What would make this relationship different that House would want to avoid Wilson's anger? Or what about this relationship would be the final straw that would make House's shenanigans a danger to his friendship? I think Amber is a different sort of person than Wilson's previous choices, which this ep seems to bear out. I think House respects Amber as a worthy opponent that he can't just steamroll or intimidate. I'm not sure House is backing off for altruistic reasons, though he might be. I can also see him deciding to back off as a strategic move, doing the opposite of what's expected. House and Amber's sparring this episode was very different from House's meeting with Bonnie. Amber's a player and she's good.

House is close to fifty. Wilson is close to 40. House was not talking about brotherly love when he said to Wilson "you're sleeping with me" when he realized that Amber was a his female alter ego. Men his age are unlikely to confuse friendship and romance and sex. Both Wilson and House have acknowledged that they are a couple. Wilson cruelly suggested that if he weren't involved with Amber he would have slept with House. Wilson though does not see himself as bi-sexual. He's clinging to the false belief that he's straight. He's been married 3 times but the only relationship that has endured is the one he has with House. If House's prediction is correct that the Wilson/Amber love and respectfest has a shelf life of two months then we're probably going to see at some point Wilson come to terms with his feelings for House sans the Amber proxy. I don't think House has a problem bedding Wilson. I think Wilson is in deep denial and although House has peeled back the onion so Wilson can see what's going on, he also recognizes that Wilson needs to come to an understanding of who he is on his own. In the closing scene, House clearly said that neither Wilson or Amber had changed. House is just getting out of the way of the big fall. All I can say is I LOVE WILSON :) He's got so many layers.

I was under the assumption that House has sabotaged other relationships before - or done his best, even if the ending came because of something other than his efforts. I don't know if it was actually said that he has on the show, it's just something I can buy House doing. And, if he has, Wilson has probably been majorly ticked before. What would make this relationship different that House would want to avoid Wilson's anger? Or what about this relationship would be the final straw that would make House's shenanigans a danger to his friendship? I can buy that House has sabotaged other relationships as well, perhaps intentionally but most definitely just by being House as well. I do think this is different, though, because Wilson has made a completely different choice in the type of partner that he wants and that he thinks will work best with his personality. Wilson, in the past, may have come to realize that his previous choices really were all wrong for him and that House, whether he sabotaged intentionally or not, was probably correct in his assessments of Wilson's wrong relationships. House messing with this pairing could seem to Wilson to be deliberately scoffing at all of the strides in self awareness that Wilson has made over the last 2 years.

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