Our PoTW is Lupe, and when we meet her she’s part of a scam artist team performing three-card monte on a Trenton street. Her role is to be a plant in the crowd to help dupe people into placing money on a bet. But much to her partner’s chagrin–she loses her concentration and can’t keep track of the card. The dealer lets it slip that he knows her, the crowd disperses, and she collapses.

Foreman diagnoses her with abulia–the inability to make decisions or exercise will–and is part of a Transient Ischemic Attack. He questions her on drug use or possible exposure to toxins. She describes her last couple of menial jobs, none of which seem helpful.

In a later discussion between House and Ducklings, Foreman reveals Lupe was pregnant at 15, dropped out of high school, and her baby died of SIDS. While they’re talking, House looks out the window toward the elevator and sees Wilson kissing a 30-something woman, Bonnie, on the cheek. Foreman is talking about the patient when House excuses himself and leaves the room.

In another scene, Foreman knocks on the door of a hotel room and the door is opened by Rodney, Foreman’s dad. Foreman’s mom is also there, and asks Foreman if he’s happy. She’s talking about a high school photo of his that she had reframed and brought with her. During some of their conversation, it seems that Rodney and Eric aren’t sure if Alicia is having an Alzheimer’s moment. She mentions that they only person they’re missing is their brother. Eric and Rodney exchange glances and Rodney says quietly that he thinks the brother is „going to miss tonight.“

Later, Lupe is on a drip being treated for arsenic poisoning. Cameron comes in to talk to her, and Lupe starts coughing, then spitting up blood.

More procedures performed on Lupe. During one led by Cameron and Chase, they have yet another convo where Chase lets Cameron know that if she changes her mind, he’ll be available. She again clarifies how much she is not interested in dating him, having sex with him, or doing anything with him. She chastises Chase for continuing to bring it up when she considers it closed. Chase remains calm and reasonable.

Later, Bonnie appears to be a realtor showing a condo to House. He’s questioning her about dates she’d been on with Wilson. House appears to feign interest in seeing the condo just so he can ask her questions about her past relationship with Wilson. She claims she was coming off a bad relationship and Wilson said they could go out as friends. She appears to be a little bitter that Wilson was actually sincere about that. She talks about getting sucked in emotionally because he’s so „knight in shining armor.“ Until he’s not. But then you’re hooked. House posits that if she and Wilson had actually had sex before they „connected“, she’d be over him. She affirms that sex with Wilson is fantastic. That no one works harder to give a woman what she wants.

Meanwhile, Lupe is still weak and still coughs occasionally. Foreman confronts Lupe over a crack pipe found where she lives. She claims it belonged to the guy who used to live with her. She claims she doesn’t do drugs. She thinks Foreman doesn’t like her. She accuses him of having too high an opinion of himself because he got out of the projects when others didn’t. While he’s examining her and talking, she has another „brain freeze.“

She’s later diagnosed with cancer and Foreman is going over the consent form for the radiation. She has another brain incident while thinking about signing the form. She crashes. She revives to sign the form and receives a radiation treatment. Foreman and Cam are examining her post-treatment. Foreman detects a heart murmur. Cam tightens the blood pressure cuff and Lupe screams in pain.

Bonnie shows up at House’s office and complains that he’s not returning any of her calls. She may have another condo to show him. He tells her he’s off the market. She deduces that Wilson was right, House was never going to buy anything from her. It turns out that Bonnie is Wilson’s ex-wife! House tells her that just because she and Wilson are divorced, Wilson won’t stop giving her good advice. Bonnie lays into House about how much she’s resented him since she married Wilson. She named their bad-tempered dog Hector because he peed on the carpet every morning and „Hector does go rug“ is an anagram for Doctor Greg House. She resented how much House needed Wilson and Wilson would be there for him. She resented that House never cared that he infringed on Wilson’s time with his wife. She doesn’t blame House for breaking up their marriage, but says he didn’t help it, either. House says „Hector does go rug“ is a lame anagram and a better anagram for Gregory House is „Huge ego, sorry“. He tells her to get out of sales because she talks too much about unimportant things and he’s not going to buy a condo just to make her feel better. She leaves.

Foreman approaches Lupe to tell her she has an infection and she’s dying. She has less than 24 hours. She doesn’t have cancer and it turns out the radiation is the worst thing they could have done for her, because it destroyed her immune system.

Foreman and Lupe have a meaningful conversation about how they rightfully and wrongfully assessed each other and talk a little about their pasts. Foreman says that the last time he came home for Christmas in college, where the only book in the house was the Bible, he didn’t think he could do this anymore. But when he said goodbye to him mom and she put her arms around him, that’s the last time he ever felt at home.

Lupe says Foreman was right about her. Sometimes the system is tough, but it’s also crap that the system always works against you. She knows she made some mistakes, but she always thought she was young and „had time.“

Eventually Lupe loses consciousness and doesn’t revive. We see only Foreman alone in the room with her.

House performs an illegal autopsy, just far enough to determine how Lupe died. Chase says that they were all wrong, even House.

Wilson talks with Lupe’s grandparents. Wilson pats the grandma’s hand empathetically, just as he had earlier taught Foreman to do. House says that the cause of death was a a simple staph infection and some bad decisions.