Then, one of the cops chasing the criminal, inspired by his physical deftness, decided it would be a great idea to try to jump 10 or 12 feet from one roof to another. Needless to say, he did not make it, and fell 30 feet to the ground. The kicker? He didn't die. Cue House opening credits!
It turns out the cop jumped because he's living life on the edge, with no regard to his own safety. His father and grandfather both died around age 40 from undiagnosed, untraceable heart conditions, and, as his 40th birthday is just around the corner, Mr. Cop has decided that, since he'll be dying soon anyway, he can try fun things like jump from rooftops.
House, of course, dismisses this guy as a possible case, saying that people die of heart conditions all the time, and it's not worth his time. To make matters worse, Cuddy is insisting that House go on rounds to requalify for his medical license. Oh, how terrible! Having to do doctor-y work to become a doctor again!
The team runs a battery of tests on Mr. Cop, and finds nothing to show any heart problems. The next logical step? Why, to exhume the bodies of his forbears, of course! We see a shot of increasingly less-putrified remains, starting with great-grandfather, then grandfather, and finally, a disgustingly decaying father. Really, guys, this was the next logical step? Whatever.
Chase is also having some serious guilt over killing the tyrant president, which is starting to get old. Dude, he killed thousands of people, and was an asshole. Get over it. I'm cure Hippocrates would give you a pass on that one.
At Wilson's apartment, House is getting tired of sleeping on the couch, (and having his masturbation interrupted) so moves into the shrine Wilson has set up for his dead girlfriend, Amber. House spends his first night in there, but is haunted by Amber's image everywhere, and hears strange voices. Considering that House's psychosis manifested itself in visions of Amber during his every waking moment, it probably wasn't the best idea to have him sleep there.
As for Mr. Cop, it turns out he has a son, and the boy's mother is concerned that whatever afflicts Dad will also bother Son later in life. So, little Michael undergoes tests, and the results are nada. But, to get him to submit to testing, he extracts a promise that he'll finally meet his father. Turns out Mr. Cop is an asshole, and tells Michael he never wants to see him or have a relationship, since he's going to die after he turns 40 anyway. Harsh.
Determined to get rid of this non-patient, House tells Mr. Cop he has a nonexistent disorder and to take a week of placebos, then he'll be fine. He then discharges him. House has also been making life hell for Dr. Singh, the head doctor on his rotations, in an effort to get him to sign off that House has completed the requisite number of hours, so he can get his license. Oh, and he still thinks Amber is haunting him, and begins to hear strange whispering.
Then, four hours after being discharged, Mr. Cop collapses and dies. Whoops!
So, they get the body shipped to Princeton-Plainsboro and do an autopsy. Foreman makes the initial incision into the sternum, and then OH GOD, HE'S STILL ALIVE!!!
Turns out his heart just slowed down enough for him to be declared dead, and make it all the way to the autopsy table. They figure it's something auto-immune related, and start him on steroids. He begins complaining about searing jaw pain, and, after he's maxed out on pain medication, staggers to the medical supplies drawer in his room and yanks out a tooth. The team can't find anything wrong with the tooth, and so, are at a loss for another diagnosis. They can't go to House, since he's decided he's not ready to come back to medicine, what with hearing voices and all.
While investigating the source of his returning psychosis, House realizes that the voice he's hearing is actually Wilson, through an adjoining grate in the two rooms, secretly whispering to Amber about the details of his day. We thought it was going to be exciting, or at least scary, but it just turns out it's incredibly sad.
But it means that House can come back! Hooray!
The team finds another diagnosis for Mr. Cop that's conveniently hereditary, and House makes Chase face his fears and go back to the room where both the genocidal president and Mr. Cop both reside. He also counsels Chase to get some help for his guilt, a rare turn of empathy without any perceivable upside for house, other than it will help Chase actually do his job, rather than moping all around the hospital.
Chase goes to confession and the priest tells him that he needs to go to the police. Chase is all like, "Hell no!" then goes and gets wasted. Cameron is mad. Also, the diagnosis for Mr. Cop is wrong. Again. Damnit!
House finally figures out the problem with Mr. Cop after receiving his certification of 120 hours of rounds for Cuddy (it's unclear) and diagnoses that he has some sort of weird self-destruct button that can be disarmed through brain surgery. Both father and son are cured, and the beginnings of a beautiful paternal relationship begin.
At the end of the episode, we see House taking a book from Wilson's page, whispering to his dead father.
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