Author's Note: My first fanfic, it's horrible. I really need criticism. An ode to my favorite character, "Chief Defibrillator". It's short now, but I'll add to it.

Disclaimer: Nope. Last I checked I didn't own House MD.

Summary: It's been about four months after Kutner has 'gone to a better place', and everyone is still having trouble coping. And House just has to go and make things even worse...

Defibrillator

It had been four months. Four months since Hadley and Foreman walked in that dreary April morning and murmured something that none of them could believe. And after all this time, none of them had managed to recover, still sad, still tired, still weak...Well, except one of them...

When House walked in that day, but today, today there was something different about him. He looked awake, more alert, and overall, happier than he had prior to this. And while waiting for Cuddy to come drop off the next case, his team discovered why he did.

"...What...?" that was the only word that could break the team's initial period of silence. After House just shrugged and repeated himself, Thirteen followed suit. "What?" she asked with a little more aggressiveness, while the others remained in their shocked, quiet state.

"I'd have thought it was obvious the first time." House responded calmly.

"It's too soon!" Suddenly Thirteen had lost her composure, and began yelling. "You can't replace him! Not yet!"

"She's right House," Foreman finally managed, "We're not ready yet."

"Well, I'm sorry about your loss." The sentence simply dripped with sarcasm. House looked over at Taub. "Got anything to say?" He remained silent, his mouth agape. "Good. The new guy's coming in after our next case is over. If you aren't ready yet," House skimmed his eyes over Thirteen and Foreman. "You have until then to get prepared."

They all just stared at House then. And House stared back. And they all just stood there in silence until Cuddy finally arrived, informed House of their new case, and then disappeared once again.

"Alright, ten year old kid with respiratory and vision problems." He muttered while writing on his white board. "What do you got?"

When answered only with a lack of voices, House sighed hopelessly and replied, "While you sit there trying to remember that there are other people in this hospital want to live, I'm going to go and take an early lunch."

And so when he left, the team was left to stare at the spot he had been standing in, then the door through which he left, and finally each other. The spell of silence resumed for a good few minutes in that room then. When they acted at last, Taub was the first to leave.

Thirteen and Foreman just stayed there for a minute, before Foreman gently placed his hand on Hadley's shoulder and whispered, "It'll be okay, Remy."

She looked over her shoulder back at him, and gave as her only response a weak, tired, and sad smile. Because she truly hoped that he was right.