"I can't because I'm staying here," Foreman said. God, she should understand that. She might have the luxury of going home, but he was fucking responsible for this case, whatever happened. Something that had been straightforward had turned into a nightmare, and if he weren't here when shit went down, then he wouldn't be surprised to be fired again. She thought her job was precarious but House could be swayed by bold moves; Cuddy only saw what he could do for her hospital, how he could keep the lawsuits away. He was supposed to be in control when House was away. The buck stopped with him.

He stopped short, with his hand on the door, and turned back to her. Angry? He'd been fucking furious. On some level, he still was, but that had nothing to do with why he was staying at the hospital. He'd been going to work through it, on his own, away from her, until he could lock it away--whatever hurt and anger he felt--so that he wouldn't take it out on her. But if she wanted to hear it, then fine. Fucking fine. "You undermined me as a doctor," he said. "You had no respect for my decisions. You know this is the only job I could get after I was fired from Mercy, but you did your best to make me look like an idiot in front of the patient and the people I'm supposed to oversee." He shook his head, glaring at her. "I don't have the luxury to go off and I do what I want. I know no one else's career matters to you, but I thought I did."