Chrysalis (Parts I & II)

by gorblimey2

Chrysalis

Housing in Baltimore was difficult to find but Greg House had rented the two- story house with the idea that he would sublease a room to a student or resident. A young med student had agreed to rent the room for $250 a month plus utilities. House had thought it was all in the bag until the student took a hacksaw to the beautiful Magnolia tree in front of his organic chemistry professor's house and when the professor came outside, the med student tried to saw him too. This happened just two weeks before the fall semester was to start. When the med student called from the lockdown facility, Greg was pissed and refused to give him back his first month's rent, mainly because Greg had already blown it on the horses.

Greg had been kicked out of Johns Hopkins when he was a med student and it had taken him five years to convince the hospital Trustees to let him come back to do his infectious disease residency under Dennis G. Maki, MD. He was warned that it would take very little in the way of complaints for him to be escorted out the door. House made the Trustees promises that he knew would be difficult for him to keep.

Residents aren't paid well and House was well known among his friends and co- workers for making Abraham Lincoln scream from all his pinching. He drove over to the student housing at Johns Hopkins and put up a notice on the bulletin board and filled out an availability form at the housing department itself. He received two responses. One was from a young man who said he could pay $200 a month but no more. The other came from Jordan Palmer who said nothing about the rent and simply asked if House smoked cigarettes because of tobacco allergies. House wrote back that he did not smoke tobacco in the house and if Jordan sent him the first month's rent then the room was Jordan's.

House assumed that Jordan was a male but Jordan had been named after Jordan Baker, the female friend of Tom and Daisy Buchanan, in the Great Gatsby. Jordan had grown up in Guthrie, Oklahoma and was a celebrity down there. She had finished high school at 14, her bachelor's at 17 and her Master's at 19. She was in her second year of her doctoral program in Neuroengineering at Johns Hopkins when the couple she rented a room from informed her one week before the semester was to start that their son was coming back to Baltimore and that she would have to find another place to live. Jordan's parents, Clarence and Floie Palmer, were unhappy with this turn of events because it gave Jordan such little time to find a place and it would make it impossible for them to check the room out before she rented it.

Jordan was naive. She had lived in the shadows of her parent's authority for so long that she didn't realize that, at her age, she was sanctioned by the state of Maryland to make her own decisions. Since she was a child her parents had decided everything for her. As a result, Jordan had experienced some difficulties when she came to Baltimore two years ago. She had a hard time adjusting to the fact that she alone decided where she went, what she ate, who she met or how she spent her time. She had to learn how to manage her own affairs without her parents. She was still learning this difficult lesson.

Unfortunately, because of the overbearing nature of her parents, no male had ever gotten close enough to Jordan for her to go on a real date. In fact, Jordan had never had a crush on a boy or knew how to function as a woman in the real world. She did know how to spend hours on research, study and academics. She had always been the admired child prodigy but she had been lonely, having few friends in her life.

Jordan was getting her doctorate in Neuroengineering and had a part time job in the Biomedical department doing research. She made a whopping $6.30 an hour. She had a scholarship from Johns Hopkins but it did not include her living expenses, texts or school supplies. She worked with Dr. Geocadin, doing research in the field of critical care medicine with a focus in acute neurological diseases. Geocadin's laboratory research focused on the development of novel neurophysiological-based measures for the early injury detection and monitoring, as well as protective and regenerative strategies for acute brain injuries. Jordan worked 20 hours a week, no less, no more. Between the rent and utilities, Jordan had budgeted $300, leaving her approximately $50 a week for food, supplies, texts and anything else that came up. Her parents were dairy farmers and unable to give her much money because her brother, who was 3 years younger, was in college at MIT and they were paying for his room and board.

At the end of last year, the couple that Jordan rented from had offered to store her belongings in their garage until she moved, so Jordan was trying to figure a way to move her stuff over to her new lodgings. She packed as much as she could on her back and rode her bicycle the four miles to the new house.

The doorbell rang while House was making a peanut butter sandwich in the kitchen. He had been expecting the new lodger for the last hour. He opened the door and saw this strange looking woman staring out from under a large backpack. He looked around to see if the lodger was with her.

"Dr. House?" He was amazed at her firm voice.

"Yes?"

"I'm Jordan Palmer, I'm renting your room."

He did a double take. At first he wasn't sure what to say. He gave her a look of exasperation, "Crap. I had expected a male...I'm not sure I can rent to a girl."

She was trying not to collapse under the weight of the backpack so she began to unstrap it before she fell over, "Your ad with the housing department didn't specify male."

House thought about it and said,"Yeah, maybe. But that doesn't change the fact that I like to let my boys air out every once in awhile and it's hard to do that with a woman running around."

Jordan was starting to panic and her face revealed it, "I don't know what to say, I really need a place to stay."

House wasn't happy, it wasn't like he was staring at the next Kathy Ireland. He couldn't really tell between her ball cap, straggly hair, sweat pants, baggy t-shirt and Nikes whether there was anything worth keeping. Still, he had already spent her $250 rent money on two tickets and hotel room in New York to see Pink Floyd's "Momentary Lapse of Reason" tour. He had asked the hottest nurse in the hospital and she had said yes. There was no way he was going to let this opportunity to get his paws on the nurse slip through his fingers.

Greg House stepped to the side and motioned for her to come in. She hesitated, "Where can I leave my bike?" She asked.

"Take it out back and you can chain it to the porch posts for now. We can figure out something else later."

He grabbed her back pack and threw it inside the front door while she walked around back, locked up her bike and then came in the back door. He handed her a key, "That's the key to the front and back door, you can use the kitchen and refrigerator as long as you clean up after yourself. The washer and dryer are in the basement. Your room is this way. They went through the living room-dining room combination, through the hall and up the stairs to the landing where there were four doors. Two were bedrooms, one was to the water closet and the other to the bathroom with the sink and bathtub.

"This is your room." He opened the door and there was a stripped twin bed, a night stand, and a small desk. On two sides of the room were bay windows and on the other wall with the door was a closet with drawers underneath and cupboards on top. It was a pleasant room and Jordan was pleased. It was also right next to the bathroom and water closet which meant she didn't have to go far to take her shower.

She turned around to him and said, "It's nice." She wasn't sure what to make of him. She didn't really respond the same way to men as the girls at school did. She saw a taller guy, blue eyes, long face, long ears, long fingers, angular nose, good symmetry to all of his features and he was thin. His hair was brown but occasionally she caught glints of red. He didn't smile and he looked bored. The information on the housing list said he was a doctor who could be contacted at Johns Hopkins Infectious Disease Department or at home. He must be smart, Johns Hopkins takes only the best.

"Any questions?"

"I don't think so at this point. Probably later. I have to figure out how to get my stuff over, I've got a few boxes stored in a garage a few miles away."

House suspected that she was fishing for him to loan her his car or worse, drive her over to get her stuff. But she was barking up the wrong tree. House could care less if she managed to move her stuff. Jordan was really trying to figure a way to get her boxes over, it never occurred to her to ask Dr. House. He was an authority figure to her, not someone she would ask for favors. She thought that the Fortnams, the people that rented her the room last year, might bring the stuff over for her.

She was a little nervous when she met new people and although her voice was steady, she had a hard time looking someone in the eye, "Dr. House, may I please use your phone?"

"Downstairs next to the front door."

"Thanks." She went down and saw the phone with a very long cord sitting on a little stand next to the front door. She called the Fortnams and they agreed to load her stuff and take it over, they wanted the room and were more than happy to get her stuff out of the way. There were only four boxes, none of them too heavy, and a few smaller bags of books. Jordan cycled over to help load the car and then cycled back and waited for them to drive over after dinner. They helped bring the boxes in and Jordan hauled them upstairs.

Jordan started to unpack and realized she hadn't eaten all day and was very hungry. She thought about it for a minute. She had to buy a couple of text books, probably $100 each if she couldn't borrow them or buy them used. Even used they would be around $60 each. She had $200 to last for three weeks until she got her first paycheck for the semester. Still, she needed to eat so she got on her bike and pedaled over to the store and found some rice-a-roni on sale and purchased a couple of boxes. She bought half a chicken to go with it. She could live on two boxes for several days, at least until she could find out how much the books were going to cost. She got back to the house, locked up her bike and went into the kitchen through the back door.

She went out to the living room and rather meekly asked, "Dr. House, am I allowed to use your pots and pans, plates and cutlery?"

House looked up from the baseball game, "Are you as dumb as you sound? Of course, that's what it means for you to have kitchen privileges. Just clean up after yourself."

Jordan looked at him like a hurt puppy, "Yes, sir." No one, not a single person in her life, had ever called her dumb. She cut up the chicken in little piece and browned it with a little salt and pepper. She got a pan out and started cooking. She had to skip the margarine because she didn't have any so she used the chicken broth and fat that was left in the skillet. She took the pot and scooped out exactly half of the finished product and put it in a bowl. She took the other half and put it in a bowl, covered it with clear wrap and put it in the refrigerator for the next day. She ate it in her room as she continued to put things away. When she was done with the food, she took the dish down and washed up. Greg House was still sitting on the sofa watching the television.

It was 9:30 pm when she was finally ready for bed. She came down in her pajamas and fluffy robe, grabbed a glass of water and went back to bed, "Good night Dr. House."

He said nothing but nodded his head. He couldn't believe her outfit. Long sleeve pajamas and a fluffy robe and slippers. She was thin, maybe too thin, long light reddish hair that seemed scraggly and unkept. Her face was petite with freckles and blue eyes. Definitely not his style.

House walked into the kitchen and looked in the refrigerator and saw a bowl of flavored rice. He opened up the clear wrap, grabbed a fork, ate two large forks full, covered it and put it away in the refrigerator. House looked around for something else and realized he had some Coco Puffs in the pantry. He got a bowl and went back to watch television.

The next day, Jordan got up, dressed and cycled into town over to Campus Books Inc. and paid $132 for her two text books, one for Human Anatomy and the other for Principles of Immunology. She was also taking Mathematical Methods of Engineering II, but she already had the text.

She had $65 to last three weeks until she got paid, or a little over $20 a week. It was going to be a breeze, she had lived on less. She arrived home opened the refrigerator and looked in the bowl of rice-a-roni only to see that half of it was eaten. She ate the rest but was still hungry. She grabbed some water and went upstairs to start reading. After an hour she went back down and made the second box, setting aside a large bowl of rice-a -roni in the refrigerator.

All week long Jordan would make food and find portions of it gone. Since she was living on one meal a day for the next three weeks, that one meal was important to her. She knew it had to be Dr. House, but she didn't want to give him an excuse to ask her to leave so she kept her mouth shut. She started leaving earlier in the morning to pedal down to the St. Vincent De Paul homeless center where she asked for a piece of fruit. She offered to help out but the nun just smiled and shoed her away. She kept saying, "Sweetie, you're too skinny, you need to eat." Jordan was kept afloat by the kindness of strangers. After her doctorate was over, she vowed that she would donate a dozen crates of fruit to the homeless center.

Her courses and her thesis were kicking her butt. In order to obtain her doctorate she had to conduct original research and describe it in a dissertation. She was trying to develop electrocorticographic (ECoG) spectral analysis as a method for mapping brain function, in order to minimize functional deficits during brain surgery for epilepsy. These methods could also being applied to electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings in normal subjects so that they may be used to noninvasively study the brain mechanisms of human language and other higher cognitive functions. It was especially difficult because in 1990 computers were in their infancy.

She was spending late nights in the lab with other doctoral candidates. It was a little nerve-wracking for Jordan because they were all males, mostly nerds, but male nerds, and spending that amount of time with mostly single males made her feel inadequate as a woman and nervous. She knew that there was something wrong with her and her ability to relate to others but she didn't know what she was suppose to do about it. The men seemed to ignore her as if she was just a blip in the lab. Sometimes they would ask questions about her research or her job, but it was typically polite conversation meant to make her feel more comfortable or to encourage her to give them help on their projects. More than anything Jordan wanted to be able to relate to people.

She made it to her paycheck and, on the same day she was paid, her parents had sent her a much needed $75 to help her out. On October 1st, she put the $250 in an envelope and left it on the dining table and went to school. Greg came downstairs in his shorts and saw the envelope and it's contents and shook his head, "Cool." There was a note in the envelope, "How much do I owe you for utilities?" House figured $50 would do, so he just wrote $50 on the note and then went on with his business.

Saturday night, Greg House's only friend at Hopkins, Doug Madison, stopped by to watch a video with House. Doug was collapsed on the couch when he saw the new lodger enter and immediately make way for the upstairs without saying a word, not even hello.

"Is she always that unsocial?" Doug was short, blonde and a brilliant surgical resident. He liked House because Doug liked people with personalities, even strange personalities.

House shrugged his shoulders, "I could care less, she pays on time, hibernates in her room from dusk to dawn, and if we're in the same room at the same time, which is rare, she keeps her eyes glued to the floor in deference to my superiority. She doesn't pee on the floor next to the toilet, hasn't brought in any drunk sailors or anyone for that matter, and she's afraid of her shadow. More important, when I eat her food she keeps her mouth shut. The perfect tenant." Still, Greg thought that she was really weird. Greg House had always circled the outer rings of the social world. Jordan Palmer seemed to have her own orbit off of her own satellite. She didn't watch television, play music or do anything that sounded or looked like she had a life.

Jordan realized that there was a rhythm to Dr. House's time at the hospital and that he had certain days on and certain days off. Fridays meant that he stayed at the hospital overnight. One Friday evening she bought 20 yoghurts for $3.00 along with other groceries, went home, took a shower, got dressed in her yellow cotton bikini panties and little thermal top and went down to get a strawberry-banana, fruit on the bottom, yoghurt. She grabbed it and a spoon and walked out of the kitchen and straight into Greg House.

He looked down at her with her wet hair combed back, her pert breasts sticking prominently in front and the little cotton panties covering her hips and smiled slyly. She gave out a short squeal and looked incredibly awkward and downright frightened. She was frozen in place.

He bent down slightly so that he was level with her face. "I'm a doctor, I've seen just about everything. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone that you have breasts and a rather nice butt, unless, of course, you want someone to know." She threw here arms up around her breasts. "Now, now...you should be proud of those C cups...they're rather pleasant to look at."

Jordan ran as fast as she could up the stairs and into her room. Greg was laughing to himself as he put down his keys and jacket. When she wasn't wearing her sweats and loose t-shirts she had a great little body. House grabbed a yoghurt and sat down to eat. *** House had never really given much thought to his new tenant. He knew she was quiet and that she liked poetry because he had seen a book of it in her hand one day. Other than that, he knew nothing about her. He started to wonder about her and why she hid such a sweet body under such ugly clothes.

Jordan tried to stay in her room for the rest of the evening wondering why he was home since it was Friday night. She didn't like Gregory House. He had called her dumb and he had talked about her breasts, two things no one had ever mentioned to her. How did he know she had C cups? She took her top off and stared at the full length mirror attached behind the door. Her breasts were very round and high with pink nipples that sometimes weren't prominent unless they had been stimulated by clothing or the cold. She had never really looked at her breasts before, they had always just been something she put into a bra and washed in the shower. She shook her head and put her top back on along with a robe. She was still hungry and wanted a glass of water so she grabbed the empty yoghurt container, dirty spoon and tried to sneak down the stairs. She would have made it except the last tread squeaked under her weight and he looked up from the couch.

He looked right at her and she looked back at him. She diverted her eyes down and ran into the kitchen. In the trash were three yoghurt containers. He had been eating her food again. It was killing her budget and pretty soon she was going to have to beg the nun for a full meals. She grabbed another yoghurt and started up to her room but he was standing in the hall smiling wickedly at her.

He motioned over and said very sternly, "Sit down over there at the table and eat."

"I have homework to do."

"It's a Friday night, you have all weekend to study." He looked at her like she had no choice and so she quietly went over to sit at the table.

She looked deep into the yoghurt carton as if it had tea leaves that she was reading, "Dr. House, why are you home tonight?"

He smiled, "Oh, you've figured out that I usually have the Friday night rotation. Well, I switched with someone so that they'll take my rotation next weekend when I go to New York. Don't look so happy, I know you like to run around nude so next weekend you'll have the entire house to yourself."

She became animated, "I don't run around in the nude!!!:"

He started to raise his voice, "Oh for God's sake, I was teasing you." He paused when he saw that this upset her, "You don't get yelled at much, do you?"

"No." She looked up and he could see she was nervous and scared.

"You don't like being alone with a man do you?" He waited for an answer but none came. "What are you studying?"

"Neuroengineeering."

House's head snapped back in surprised. He had expected that she was a budding Emily Dickinson, studying English Literature and Poetry. "Neuroengineering? Why?"

I scored high in engineering aptitude so my parents felt it would challenge and interest me."

He shook his head, "Wait, you let your parents choose your career?"

She looked surprised that he was surprised, "They were right, I do have gift for it."

"How old are you?" He suspected she was a freshman because she looked young. He guessed 18 or 19.

"21."

"What year are you in?"

"I'll have my doctorate next year." She could tell that she had just stunned him into silence. His mouth formed a perfect "O" and his eyes were frozen in large circles.

"Jesus H. Christ. A doctorate in Neuroscience by 22? What planet did you say you were born on?"

"I'm from Oklahoma."

"I thought toothless cowboys came from Oklahoma, not neuroengineers." She continued eating her yoghurt and he kept watching her. She was an anomaly and Greg House hated anomalies.

"Why do you stay in your room?"

It was her turn to shrug her shoulders. There were so many answers to that question. She had work to do, she didn't have money to go anywhere, she had no one to go with, she felt safe, she liked to read...she could given him a list, but the truth was that she never got invited anywhere. As far as the other students and co-workers were concerned, Jordan was a tiny blip on the radar of life, nothing more. The thought of asking her anywhere would be done out of pity, nothing more.

When he didn't get any answers to that question he asked her, "Why don't you go out with your friends, or bring them over?"

It was met with more silence. He didn't give up, "Why don't you have friends?"

She stopped eating her yoghurt, "Dr. House, are we done? I have homework."

"No... why don't you have any friends?"

She finally let loose and looked straight at him. Her voice was strong, "Because I'm different. I've always been different. Haven't you noticed how weird I am? Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go back into my cave." She jumped up. Went into the kitchen and threw the yoghurt container away and ran upstairs.

He was still sitting at the table thinking when she ran past him to go upstairs. He found it odd that he had met someone with fewer friends than he had. He wasn't sure it was possible. She was 21 and terrified of life. She was going to be shocked when she left the soft, safe world of academia.

He went to New York and for the first time in over a year, Jordan watched television. She tried not to watch television because growing up they never had one on the farm so when she did watch it she couldn't stop. She sat on the couch eating yoghurts and watching some of the strangest shows. There was one called 21 Jumpstreet that had this actor who even she could tell was incredibly good looking. When she did recognize a good looking guy it was hard for her to sort her feelings both physically and emotionally. Physically she knew that sex was a powerful drive and she spent a lot of her free time doing activities that would keep her from thinking about it. Occasionally she had wanted to touch herself but she was afraid that if she did, she might like it too much and that would just lead to wanting things she couldn't have. Kind of like marijuana leading to heroin. So Jordan kept her hands where they belonged, on a book.

It was two days before Christmas, Jordan didn't have money to go home and she was surprised to see that Dr. House took no steps to celebrate Christmas either. It was the end of the term and she was riding her bike home when the tire popped and the bike threw her to the pavement. She was scruffed up but ok. She wasn't sure how it had happened but not only was the tire ruined but her rim was bent. She walked the bike the two miles to the bike shop and they shook their heads.

"It's going to be about $50 to bend the frame back and replace the wheel."

Jordan went white. She had to really watch her money this month because the research lab shut down the last week of December for the holidays and it meant she was short a week of wages. She was just going to make it, but now she was going to be short. She needed to call her parents but she knew that they were going to have trouble helping her around the Christmas holidays because they had paid for her brother to come home and help around the farm.

Jordan walked the four miles to the house. It had turned cold and she had forgotten her gloves. Her fingers were freezing. She walked in and saw Dr. House with his friend, Doug (he had introduced himself in the kitchen one day.)

Doug called out to her, "Hi Jordan, come in and watch some tv with us." House grimaced at Doug and shook his head "no" to indicate he didn't want her to watch tv with them.

"Thank you, but I have to call my folks."

Her parents said they could send her an extra $100 the first week of January but not before then. She thanked them, wished everyone a Merry Christmas and then went up to her room. She took some of the money she had and paid off the bike shop. She rode home and went up to bed. She started to cry, she wished she could be home with her family for Christmas. This was the third Christmas in a row she would spend by herself and it was always the loneliest day of the year.

House worked an extra rotation for Christmas because it meant double-time on the next pay check. He got off work, drove home through the quiet streets and found the house dark. He had brought home a turkey meal from the hospital. The hospital always cooked up a nice meal for the employees that worked the holiday. He was eating when he heard a thud up in her room. He listened for a minute, heard nothing more and then went back to eating.

She was achy all over and her ear hurt but she really needed some water. She bundled up and went slowly down the stairs, hanging onto the rail all the way. She saw him eating something at the table. She managed a small smile, "Merry Christmas Dr. House, I left something for you on the coffee table." As she walked by he saw that her left ear was visibly red. He continued to eat his meal, thought about asking her if she was ok, but decided she would say something if she wanted his help.

She walked back through with a glass of water and ascended slowly up the steps again, the left ear still very red. He put the paper plate in the trash, drank down the beer and went over to the television. Sitting on the table was a wrapped present. He could tell from the feel of the bundle that it was a scarf. He opened it and realized that it wasn't just a scarf but a homemade one. She must have made it herself. It was nice, electric blue with black stripes at the ends. He felt like crap. He didn't get her anything.

He could give her a consult for Christmas. Find out what was going on with her ear and that slow achy movement she had going up the stairs. He grabbed his bag and went upstairs. He didn't knock on the door, it was his house, he just entered.

The room was dark and so he turned on a light, she tried to lift her head off the pillow to look up but she got it up an inch and it fell back down. She wanted to tell him to get out, but she was just too weak to really care. He came over to the bed and sat down on the edge.

He felt her forehead and she definitely had a fever. He took out the thermometer and stuck it in her mouth unceremoniously. He took out his scope and looked in the ear. It was very inflamed, probably strep. He took out some ibuprofen. As he waited for the thermometer to work, he looked over and saw the thread for his scarf and the crochet needle. He smiled and then reached over and read the thermometer, 102 F.

"You probably have a strep infection. I'm going to give you a prescription for ampicillin. Take these Motrin to bring down the fever and take some of the pain away. I'll get you a heating pad and you can lay your ear on it to help with the pain. Get the ampicillin tomorrow and take all of it, the whole course, even if you feel better." He put away his stuff in his medical bag, got up and looked back down at her. She was staring up at him with glassy, feverish eyes and looking like a sick puppy dog, "Merry Christmas, thanks for the scarf."

He turned around to leave and saw above her desk a drawing on an 81/2 by 14 inch piece of paper. It was pretty simplistic...just an amateur drawing of a Christmas tree with ornaments, a star and presents under the tree. He looked at it and then the stack of text books all around and realized it was the only decoration in the room besides one photo of her and what was obviously her family. He turned out the light and left.

House went back down to the living room and picked up the scarf. Except for the shirt and sweater his mother had sent him, this was the only gift he had gotten. The fact that she had taken time out to make it for him made him wonder even more about her. He knew one thing, that drawing of the tree meant one thing, she was lonely. He thought to himself, "Welcome to my world."

The day after Christmas, Jordan grabbed her purse and pulled out her wallet. She set aside the $300 for the rent and utilities and had $8.84 left. She took the $8.84 and went downstairs, put on her coat and gloves and walked out the kitchen door to her bike. She could hardly move but she knew she needed to get the medicine. She pedaled over to the local Walgreens and asked the pharmacist, "Can you tell me how much it is going to be to fill this prescription?

"Do you have a pharmacy card or health insurance?

"No."

He looked it up and said, "$19.33." She must have looked like he hit her because he quickly said,"If you sign up for the pharmacy card, it's only $17.22."

She thought a minute, if she could buy half now and half when her parent's money arrived next week, maybe she could get by. "How much will $8.84 buy?"

"I'm sorry, but it's the drug store's policy to only sell antibiotics in their full prescription because you need to take the full course. I'm afraid it's the same policy in all the pharmacies."

Jordan sat down on one of the chairs for customers who were waiting for their prescriptions to be filled. The pharmacist came around the counter and gave her back her prescription. "I'm sorry." He said it and patted her on the back.

Jordan pedaled slowly home and crept upstairs. She put the prescription down on her night table and then went into the bathroom to rummage through House's medicine cabinet for anything to take away the pain. She found some oxycontin and took it. She went in, took a drink of water and climbed in bed.

On December 30th, House had the day off and was looking forward to sleeping in and later on watching some videos with Doug. It was too cold outside to do anything else. Around eleven in the morning there was a knock on the door. He went to answer it and there was a guy in his early thirties standing outside doing the little dance you do to stay warm when you're freezing your butt off.

"Yeah?"

"Excuse me, is this where Jordan Palmer lives?"

"Why?"

"I'm Dr. Geocadin, Jordan's boss. Jordan promised to come in right after Christmas and calibrate our machines before the end of the year for some extra money. She hasn't shown up and that's not like her. She's never missed a day or been late in two years."

House opened the door and let the guy in. "She's been sick but she should be better soon. Let me get her for you."

"Thanks."

House went upstairs and opened the door. The smell was bad, it was a sickroom smell. He opened the dark drapes and looked down at her in the bed. He saw his prescription sitting on her nightstand and was pissed. If she was going to be an idiot and not get the medicine then he should just let her lay there and suffer. He nudged her to wake her up but she didn't budge. Her ear and face on her left side were bright red...there was an empty bottle of Oxycontin on the table. He felt her head and she was on fire. He pulled back her pajama top off of her shoulder and saw red streaks radiating down from her ear to her shoulders and down her chest. She also had a pink rash.

"CRAP, CRAP!"

He ran downstairs, "I've got to get her to the hospital right away. He put on his jacket, grabbed his keys and then ran upstairs, wrapped her in the blankets and started down the stairs with her in his arms.

Dr. Geocadin took one look at Jordan flopped over in House's arms like she was dead and said "Oh my God. Come on, we can get her in my car."

House ran her out to Geocadin's car and sat holding her in the back seat. She was incredibly thin. House was talking more to himself than to Geocadin, "I wrote her a scrip for antibiotics and she didn't fill it."

"She probably didn't have the money. She lives hand to mouth. Occasionally my wife and I will invite her for dinner or I'll take her some leftover food. She lives off of her twenty hours of work that I give her. She probably makes $500 a month, maybe a little more, but not much." He paused and looked at House in the rear view mirror, "She's brilliant though. The University is already planning on offering her a position when she gets her doctorate. If she goes out into the commercial world she'll be making more than most surgeons."

House did the math. He was taking $300 of her $500 each month when in fact, her share of the utilities was probably more like $30 than $50. He also realized he probably ate $10 a week of her groceries and there had never been any indication that she had eaten any of his food. No wonder she was so thin, he was eating her out of house and home. CRAP, CRAP.

They got to the hospital and House started barking orders at the interns and emergency docs. Her fever was 106.5 so he ordered that they get her undressed and place her in an ice bath to bring the fever down while they strapped her up to intravenous antibiotics. House had already noticed a faint pink rash and redness around her joints which was bad news.

Her admitting doctor came into the bath area. "House, who is she?"

"My tenant, she rents a room from me."

"Christ, why didn't you get her some treatment."

"I gave her a scrip for ampicillin but she didn't fill it. I've been working lots of shifts...hell, she's a big girl."

"Doesn't look big to me. She looks emaciated. Hasn't she been eating?"

House was feeling guilty and when he felt guilty he went on the defense, "Hey, I just rent a room to her, I'm not her Dad. Look, I diagnosed her, gave her a prescription and did my part."

"She was living under your roof, didn't you follow up?"

"Are we going to argue about this or treat her? She's got rheumatic fever and we need to get her on prednisone."

The ER doc looked at her,"How can you tell?"

"The rash and her joints are inflamed."

"So they are. I'll start her on prednisone. You need to go fill out some paperwork on her."

House could fill out her name, address and phone number but he knew nothing else about her. Dr. Geocadin gave him some information on her work and student information. House was filling the documents out in the waiting room on a clipboard.

"This will put her back quite a bit."

"What do you mean?"

"She's obsessive about paying bills, I mean obsessive. She sold her boom box and music when she got hit with a bill for lab fees. When she gets the bill for the hospital, she's going to want to pay it off. She'll have to quit school and go to work."

"She's not an idiot. If she just lets the hospital chase her for six months, she'll get her doctorate, make a lot of money and pay it off quicker."

"I'd like to see you convince her of that. She's an odd duck. Her parents are incredibly strange and have emphasized responsibility. They tend to favor their son who is smart but he's not a genius like Jordan. They pour what little money they have into him and the farm. From the time she was little she's worked in some way. She worked in their dairy or did her schoolwork. Play wasn't something they put much stock in when she was growing up. She never had a childhood."

"How do you know this?"

"My wife and I had her to dinner and gave her several glasses of wine. She had never been drunk and I doubt she's been drunk since. When you get to know her she's really very sweet. My wife is very fond of her and once offered to do kind of a make over. You know, cut her hair, put on makeup, give her some clothes, but she was too shy." He was quiet for a moment until House finished the documents, "What's going on with her?"

"She's got rheumatic fever and her fever is too high. They're getting it down by putting her in ice baths. I've got to get back there. Can you turn these in to the charge nurse at front?"

"Sure."

House went into the bath area and saw that they were getting ready to pull her out. One of the nurses looked at House, "Her fever's down to 104.

He shook his head yes and watched as they held her up to dry her off. He was trying to think of her as a patient but he couldn't help but admire her breasts and petite body with the strawberry blonde patch of pubic hair. The ribs and pubic bones were too prominent, but if she gained some weight she'd be gorgeous. House knew Jordan would be chagrined if she knew a man was looking at her sexually. He chuckled to himself and then walked out. There was nothing more he could do. He wondered if he should try and call her parents? He had their number on a phone bill at home. Nah, what could they do for her?

House went home, went into her room and packed a bag, threw it in his backpack and went to sleep. When he got into the hospital he had almost forgot that she was still a patient...what was it about her that made everyone forget she was even there? He went in and saw her watching television. She saw him and looked down, embarrassed.

"How are you feeling?"

She started twitching and had trouble trying to pick up the remote control which indicated to him some brain involvement. "I'm having trouble with motor skills."

"There's some inflamation of your brain, it will go away. You're going to have to be on antibiotics, a low dose, for the next year to make sure it doesn't come back." He picked up her chart at the end of the bed and read through it. "Well your fever was down to 101 this morning, that's good. You look better. I brought you a change of clothes. Of course I found the selection overwhelming, blue sweat pants, grey sweat pants, red with white stripes sweat pants or one pair of levis that look like they'd be three sizes too big on you." He walked over and took his stethoscope and listened to her heart. There was a palpitation and he was pretty sure that her heart was inflamed. "Your symptoms should all go away. You might have some damage to your heart valves, but we won't know that for awhile." He looked into her eyes, "Why didn't you fill the scrip?"

She looked down, away from his eyes.

"Was it money?"

She looked back up and shook her head yes. "I do have the money for the rent and utilities, it's in an envelope in my nightstand drawer. You can get it out."

"Wait, you had $300 but you wouldn't spend it on antibiotics? Are you a F#cking moron?"

She started crying, "Why do you always call me names? I'm not stupid. That money was yours, not mine. How would I pay you if I bought the antibiotics with that money?"

He continued to yell even though the tears were running down her cheeks, "You are a moron. How would you pay me if you were dead? You could have died. You have your priorities screwed up. If you don't have good health, you can't make money to pay your debts. It's simple fucking logic."

"I had obligations."

"Yeah and I have a headache." He shook his head in disgust and left.

The following day she only had a fever of 100 F and was deemed safe to be sent home to keep her costs down. House managed to scrounge up two months worth of antibiotics and prednisone in samples from the drug companies and gave them to her as she was leaving the hospital. It didn't occur to him until she had been gone fifteen minutes that she was probably walking home. He ran back inside and told the charge nurse he had to run home quickly, he had left something on the stove. He got in his car and took off. He didn't see her at first and then he realized that she was probably taking short cuts rather than the traffic route. He took a couple of side streets and saw her sitting down on a low wall.

"Jordan. Come on, get in."

She looked up, smiled and climbed in. "Thanks."

"You have got to learn to stop being a martyr. Why didn't you just ask for a ride home?"

"I knew you were working. Dr. House, I know you don't like me, so I don't expect you to do anything for me. Besides, I've got to learn how to take care of myself. So far, I've made a mess of it. I've got to find an extra job, something to help pay the hospital bills, do you know anything that starts about 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.?

"It's not that I don't like you, I just find you to be an illogical moron. Look, I eat a lot of crap and I spend a lot of money on fast food mostly because I can't stand to cook and clean. What if I cut your rent to $150 and that includes utilities in exchange for you cooking dinner for me and cleaning the house. I'll give you the money each week to buy groceries. You do know how to cook don't you?"

She looked at him strangely. She knew he wasn't fond of her but he was being really nice. "I know how to cook. I know how to do a lot of things...I don't want you to feel like you have to do this for me."

"Don't worry, you'll soon realize that I look after myself. This just seems to be a solution to two problems. Don't worry right now about your hospital bills, I've arranged for you not to be billed until after you graduate."

"REALLY?" She smiled broadly.

"Really." But House had lied. He had simply changed the address for the billing to go to him in Infectious Diseases. He had informed accounting that she would make payments of $150 a month for a year while she was in school but that she would increase the payments when she got a job. He told them that they could accept that or she'd file bankruptcy. They took what they could get. House used the $150 that she gave him each month for rent and made the payment. If anyone had asked him why he did this, he would have been unable to give them a reason except that he felt guilty and he really could use someone to clean and cook for him and he knew he'd pay at least $300 a month for someone to come in and do it for him.

She was doing better the following week and so House gave her $50 for the week's groceries. She walked with her backpack down to the store and carried the four bags of groceries home, balancing them and then sitting them down because they were too heavy. She wasn't sure what he would like so she started with something that most people enjoyed, Chicken and Dumplings and green beans.

He got home around 6:00 p.m. and saw that she was excited and worried whether he would like it. Her voice was slightly elevated and nervous, "When would you like to eat?"

He was tired and her perkiness was difficult to tolerate but he looked at the clock, "Give me an hour to get cleaned up, ok?"

She nodded and smiled. She set the table with a table cloth she must have bought with the grocery money. She put candles on the table, set a place setting and silverware. An hour later he came down and laughed when he saw the table setting. She came out with a couple of pots. He sat down and she began to ladle out the chicken and dumplings. She was all smiles. He watched her put the green beans carefully next to the dumplings and then she disappeared into the kitchen and came out with a beer. She poured it into a glass and then sat the rest of the bottle down next to it. She turned to go and he grabbed her hand.

"Whoa, wait up, where's your plate?"

"My plate?"

"The deal was that you cook dinner and you'd eat with me." He knew that eating with him hadn't really been part of the deal but he wanted her to eat and keep up her strength."

She looked confused. "You want me to eat with you?"

He wanted to say, "Not really, I just want you to eat. If you want to do it in the kitchen, your room, outside, that would be preferable, but I want you to eat." But he held back and simply nodded, yes. "Go get a plate and bring it out here."

Jordan hadn't planned on eating with him and now she was nervous. She fixed a small plate of food, grabbed a glass of water and took it out to the table. They ate in silence which was fine with House. He didn't want to talk about the weather or politics, so he said nothing. He had to admit, he liked the food. House had only eaten chicken and dumplings once before and loved them. He didn't tell her that he liked them but he ate them up so quickly, she could tell. "Would you like some more?" He was rubbing his tongue on the inside of his teeth to dislodge a piece of chicken and so when she asked he just handed her his plate. She came back with another full plate.

"Dr. House, is there anything you don't like to eat?"

"Butter beans, wax beans, liver...those are the main ones."

"You should be easy to cook for then. Tomorrow night is beef bourguignon over noodles. Does that sound good?"

He didn't bother looking up at her, "Sounds fine."

This went on for a couple of months. They started having conversations about fairly safe things like music, travel, dairy farming and school. He learned that she did like music, she just didn't own a stereo. She hadn't traveled much until she went to college and then she had been asked to join an academic quiz panel that traveled all over the United States. Usually they holed up in their hotel rooms practicing but occasionally the local sponsors would organize a tour for the students and she would get to see things like the St. Louis Arch or the Statue of Liberty. He told her about his life as a military brat. They both had something in common, their parents were very strict and their expectations were high.

Jordan didn't cook on Fridays or Sundays because House had overnight rotations those days. House started taking the leftovers to work the next day for lunch. Doug had started coming down from surgery just to get a taste of the food. "Man the girl can cook. Invite me over. I want a meal not just these dribbles you've been letting me sample."

House told Jordan that Doug was coming over for dinner on Saturday. At first Jordan panicked. Cooking for Dr. House was easy, he didn't really expect much in the way of food or companionship but Doug was different. Doug was coming over more often and he would corner her in the kitchen or in the living room and try to start a conversation. The easy way he laughed and said kind things to her made her nervous because she liked it. She avoided going downstairs when he was around because he made her feel strange all over. When he left she had to read a book to keep herself from exploring with her fingers to find out why she was having these strange physical reactions to just the sound of his voice.

She decided to make her phoney beef Wellington. She cheated on the crust by buying ready made philo dough and using it to make the crust. She also made sherry trifle for desert. While she was busy cooking, Doug came out to the kitchen to say hello to her and to get some more beer.

"Wow Jordan, this smells great. Where did you learn to cook like this?"

"At home. I did most of the cooking while Mom helped Dad milk the cows in the late afternoons. I used to love to experiment with food. Now, would you like a taste?" She held up a spoonful of the Wellington filling and pursed her lips to blow on it to cool it. House walked into the kitchen as she fed Doug the spoonful. House was a little miffed that she never offered him tastes when he would come into the kitchen.

Doug smiled broadly, "Oh my God, will you marry me?" Jordan blushed brightly and the two men laughed at her.

House handed Doug a beer from the refrigerator. "I think we need some wine tonight. He went down to the basement and grabbed a nice 1984 Cabernet Savignon. They all sat down to eat. House poured the wine and Jordan dished the food out.

After a few tastes, Doug looked at Jordan and said with great sincerity, "Jordan, this is really delicious. This meal is phenomenal. I don't know if you know, but House brings me in left overs and I love them. So I begged him to invite me over tonight." Jordan smiled sweetly and Doug thought she looked pretty in an awkward, disheveled way.

They started talking about their childhoods. Doug talked about the mischief he got into when he was a boy scout. He had his friends put itching powder in the scout master's sleeping bag and Doug was eventually kicked out for doing it. They were laughing at all the trouble House got into with his childhood friends who seemed to follow him anywhere. Jordan told them funny tales about the farm and how some of the cows refused to come in until after the other cows had been milked and even then they would only enter on certain sides of the milking barn. The one thing Doug and House both noted was that none of Jordan's stories were about having friends.

Half an hour after dinner, Jordan brought out the Sherry Trifle and once again Doug praised it over and over. Jordan looked at House to see if he liked it. He smiled in appreciation and Jordan was glad he liked it.

As he ate the trifle Doug would occasionally start laughing a little. When both House and Jordan asked him why he was laughing, he refused to say anything but then after they hassled him, he relented, "The first time I had Sherry Trifle was the night that I first had sex. I was 17 and there was a British family that had just moved into the neighborhood. My mom made them dinner and they brought desert, sherry trifle. After dinner their 18 year old daughter asked to see my record collection. That wasn't the only thing she wanted to see. God, I fell in love with her right away. We actually dated for a month...a month of sexual bliss I might add...until a 20 year old poet came on the scene. But now I think of Sherry Trifle and sex in the same sentence."

"My first time was one of those frantic awkward encounters in the back of my parent's station wagon. It didn't last long...or I should say, I didn't last long. We were both 16 and I'm just lucky I didn't get her pregnant because her next boyfriend did."

Jordan was looking a little worried as they turned to look at her. Rather than discuss the fact that there had been no first time, she simply said, "Would anyone like some more?"

Doug patted his stomach and shook his head no, so did House. She cleared the table and started loading the dishwasher. Doug went into the kitchen to help. He grabbed a rag and cleaned down the counters. House sat on the couch drinking the rest of the Cabernet and listening to music. All night long House watched Doug flirt with Jordan. Doug was a year younger than House and was considered good looking by most of the nurses, even if he was short. When they were done, Jordan and Doug came out and joined House in the living room.

"Let's play cards." Doug suggested to the two of them.

"I love to play cards." Jordan's family frequently played cards during the winter months. "What do you want to play?"

"What do you know?" Doug asked.

"Pinochle, Spades, Hearts, Poker, Rummy..."

House looked at them and suggested Poker. Jordan quickly stated that she had no money to bet. "Let's play with chips and whoever wins gets to ask the others to do something for them...like cook a meal, wash their car, wash their clothes..."

Doug and Jordan looked at each other and nodded yes. The game began at 7:30 p.m. and was to be over at 9:30 p.m. House was flabbergasted, Jordan was winning decisively. Doug and House were so far behind that neither of them caught up and at 9:30 p.m. Jordan's stack was easily double what the other two had.

Doug stretched his arms out wide and smiled warmly at Jordan, "Well, Jordan, I am your slave...what do you want from me?"

She thought about it for a minute. "What about a movie of my choice?"

He looked at her for a minute and then shook his head, "That's great. I shouldn't admit this but I feel like I just won. When would you like to go and to what movie?"

"I don't know but what about next weekend?"

"Great. Now what do you want House to do? Cook a meal for you? Take you dancing?"

"I have to think first. I'll let him know later."

When Doug finally left he reminded Jordan of the movie and said he would call her around Thursday to make a decision. When she closed the door, Jordan went back into the living room and drank the rest of her fourth glass of wine.

House was finishing the second bottle that he and Doug had opened. He looked over at her, "Doug has a crush on you."

"What?" She gave him a look that said she did not believe him, "I don't believe that for one minute, he's a surgeon, he could have any girl he wants. What would he want with me? I don't dress right or wear makeup... I'm pretty hopeless. I haven't got a clue how to act around men."

"You could have fooled me tonight."

"But that was because of you, I'm used to you now. You bark, but you don't bite. And Doug is so nice, it's easy to get to know him. When I'm around someone new I get nervous. But I think the wine made it easier for me to relax. Normally I can't even look at a single guy without freaking out."

"I know, you avoided talking about sex every time it came up. You've never had sex, have you?"

She looked down and blushed. It was hard for her to look him in the eye but she finally lifted her head, "I've never kissed a guy or held hands for that matter." She kept looking away from him and then she finally looked at him in the eye, "I was wondering if you could teach me how to kiss as the favor from the game tonight?"

He burst out laughing, "You want me to teach you how to kiss? What makes you think I know how?"

"I've heard the women at night in your bedroom. They sound like they are either in terrible pain or incredible ecstasy. They all talk to a deity when they're in there. I hear a lot of discussions with God and Jesus. You seem to get closer to God too when you're with them."

He had to laugh, she could be very funny. "I hate to disappoint you, but those cries aren't because I'm kissing them, at least not on the lips. Kissing is overrated. Licking, sucking, touching...that's where the action is. Would you like me to teach you that?"

"Ha, ha. Look, I don't even know how to go to first base on a date. I just want to know how to kiss back when or if I get kissed. Or at least kiss without looking like I have never done it before."

"Do you know how lame you sound?"

She took another drink of courage, "I wouldn't be asking you if I was anywhere close to being sober."

He thought about it. She wasn't very appealing sitting there with her hair straggly and wild, her old, baggy clothes. The idea of kissing her was not high on his list. "Is there any way you could control that hair and make yourself more presentable? It's hard to kiss someone when they look like a bad day in a cheap hair salon."

"I could put it up and put on my skirt. Would that help?"

"Well go see what you can do, and here, take this." He handed her another glass of wine, "You're going to need it." He took another drink and thought the same about himself.

About fifteen minutes later she came down and it was a good thing that she came when she did because he was almost asleep on the couch. She had slipped on a denim skirt that hit her calves. Her reddish hair was combed back, her eyes had on mascara and she had brushed her teeth and put on cologne. She had on a tank top with a bra that wasn't padded because he could see the outline of her nipples. House thought she looked pretty good for a 21 year old virgin.

He patted the seat next to him. She came over and sat down. He got up and turned on some Jefferson Starship, "Miracles." He turned down some of the lights and turned off the television.

"You start out with a normal kiss." He turned to her and she had her eyes closed tight and lips even tighter. "Wait, you call that normal? You look like an anal retentive nun who just sucked on a lemon."

She opened her eyes and said, well I kiss my parents and my brother this way. Why?"

He almost started laughing but realized if he did it would only make this last longer than it should,"Ok, don't close your lips so tight, open them a little make them softer and then turn your face to me." She did and then she started to giggle. "What's funny?"

"It's not funny, I'm just nervous. Okay, let's try again." She turned her face to him with her lips softer and more appealing, He leaned in, kissed her gently and then let his tongue move slightly forward, past his lips and then resting at the entrance of her lips.

She could feel his tongue resting just slightly on her lips and realized she needed to let him part her lips so she had to relax. She forced herself to relax and let his tongue come inside. She could feel his tongue touch her tongue softly and then it started to explore her tongue with more effort. She answered it with the same force. House was pleased with her progress, her use of her tongue was just enough to get him aroused without making him choke. He pulled back and looked down into her face and smiled.

House sat up straight, "You're a good student, that's what we call french kissing."

"Is that all there is?" She sounded disappointed.

He laughed, "What did you expect, nirvana?"

"In the books it's like everyone goes out of control and it's hard for them to stop...you know they want to have sex after french kissing. That was ok but I didn't feel any physiological response that wanted me to have sex with you."

House roared with laughter at how blunt she was, "I'm sorry I disappointed you."

She blushed and started shaking her head no. "I didn't mean it was you, I'm sure that you french kiss well. And thanks for showing me, but it doesn't make sense to me. Does kissing really make you want to have sex?"

Now it was his turn to be embarrassed. "Yes, it can be very arousing."

"It's probably me. I'm afraid that I'm, uh...what do they call them...frozen?"

"Frigid. Look making out isn't just about the french kissing. There's some body movements that go into it."

She was still thinking about her response, "Do you think I'm frigid?"

"How would I know?"

"Well did I kiss you right?"

He smiled and put his head back. "Yes." He signed out of frustration, "Isn't there someone else who can show you, a guy at work that you like?"

She laughed and put her head back on the couch too. "I did it wrong, didn't I? I knew I'd be bad at this. I'm pretty hopeless when it comes to men. I didn't go to any dances or the prom, no one asked me. My parents said that the boys didn't know what they were missing. But I knew they weren't missing much. I couldn't even look them in the eye let alone hold their hand or kiss them. Thanks Dr. House, you've been very kind, I think I'll go to bed now." She stood up and started to walk past him to the stairs and he reached out and grabbed her hand.

She hesitated and looked down at him. He looked from her to the couch and then pulled her down softly into his lap and arms. He kissed her with the same amount of tongue only this time he pulled her in and pressed his body next to hers. Then he brought his hand up and slipped it slowly under her top and then just rested it on the warm, smooth skin of her stomach. She shuddered as he moved his hand up closer to her breast. She didn't know what to do except she knew she didn't want him to stop.

After some more kissing he brought his hand up to her breast and felt the soft round shape under the bra. They continued to french kiss and then they gave each other little kisses on their ears and neck. He wanted to be soft and gentle but he really wanted her and was having trouble controlling himself. He wanted to cup and squeeze her breasts. He wanted the damn bra off.

She could feel something getting bigger, moving, pressing on her leg. She reached down and softly touched the bulge next her leg. He caught his breath and let out a quick sound of pleasure. She realized that as he was giving her pleasure by touching her breasts, she could give him pleasure too, by touching him. She wasn't sure if she would do it right. She touched him again, softly, and once again he stopped what he was doing briefly to concentrate on the pleasure she was giving him.

The touching and the round shape of her breasts, made him feel more excited than he had felt in years. He'd been touched and groped and stroked, but this tentative touching, knowing she was a virgin and the feel of her under the clothing made the sensations more furtive and exciting, like when he was 16 and just becoming aware of the feel of a woman. It was a huge turn on. When she would feel him through his trousers the sensation would make him stop and hold his breath.

He knew that he was going to have to get control of himself, he wanted to take her right there, on the couch. If he wasn't careful, the wine would let him. He started to pull back gently, to let her know that he was backing off. She grabbed his back and held him closer, "No, don't, don't stop now. Please." She reached down and unzipped his fly and slipped her hand inside to feel him. She touched him and gingerly stroked him until he could no longer breath normally.

He looked down at her and said, "Are you sure?"

She answered him with a kiss and with her hand, "Am I doing this right?"

He chuckled, "God, yes. You're driving me insane."

"Show me what to do. I want you to enjoy this." She whispered it into his ears as she continued to rub her body against his and touch him with her fingers.

Just her breath in his ear made him feel like he was going to explode, "I'm enjoying it, but I'm not going to last long like this."

She reached around and unsnapped her bra, he slipped his hand underneath it and felt the smooth skin of her breasts and the rougher tips of her nipples. He was trying hard to think of something else, anything else so that he wouldn't come. She took his hand and guided it under her skirt and to her panties. She kissed his ear and nibbled on the lobe, "You'll have to shift your weight to get them off.

He lifted up to get the weight off of her so he could pull the panties down to her knees. She pulled her left leg up and out of the leg of the panties. Then he undid his belt and the button on his pants. He slipped them and his boxers down. He picked up her left leg and pushed it over to the left for easier penetration. He guided himself inside of her and once again she reached around the back and grabbed his shirt tightly as he tried to thrust inside of her. But she was so tight that it was hard work and he knew that this couldn't be comfortable for her.

"It's painful the first time, you know that right?" he said softly and with some trepidation.

"Yes, just keep going. I'll be ok." He heard her take in deep breaths from the pain as he continued. The sensation for him was overpowering. She was so tight and her body so soft and sensual. He raised up and pulled up her blouse to look at the now exposed breasts. He took one look and then he exploded, "Oh...yes, yes..God, yes, yes." Just like when he was 16 he went blind from the power of the climax. He started laughing and then he collapsed on top of her. He was too heavy so she tried to pull out from under him and onto her side. He shifted so that they were on their sides looking at each other.

He couldn't do or say anything for a few minutes. He finally looked at her, "I don't believe I'm going to ask a woman this after having sex, but are you alright?"

She looked in his eyes and said, "I think so. I need to go pee though, I feel moist."

The doctor in him took over, "You're probably experiencing a little bleeding from the tearing of the hymen." He realized how lame he sounded and so he stopped talking and just tried to smile.

She smiled back as she got up and sat on the side of the couch and looked down at him. "Thank you. I really mean it. It was everything they say it is except for the orgasm part."

He got defensive, "Orgasms happen later...when you don't tear, when things heal."

"Or maybe I'm frigid and I'll never have one."

"You'll have one, just give it time."

"Will you give me one?"

His eyes went wide and he looked at her like she was insane. "You know, let's deal with what just happened here first, ok? We can talk about orgasms later."

She nodded yes and then pulled her panties all the way off and went upstairs. She went up to the bathroom and cleaned up. She was having trouble walking properly, it was still hurting. House wasn't sure what he was suppose to do now. Did he sleep with her in his bed or did they go to their respective rooms? The enormity of what just happened finally hit him. He had just popped the cherry of his tenant, what was he thinking? Well, he wasn't doing the thinking, his other head was.

He stood up and pulled himself together and sat back down. He heard her yell down, "Dr. House, I'm going to bed, I'm tired. I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks again, Good night."

He looked around like he wasn't sure he had heard it right. He went up stairs, saw that her door was closed so he took a shower. He went into his bedroom, got in bed, thought about what had happened, shook his head and fell asleep.

She woke up Sunday morning and felt below. It was a little painful but it would be ok. She decided to make some breakfast for Dr. House. She cooked eggs benedict with fresh hollandaise and scrapple. She made him coffee the way he liked it. She took the tray up and put it down on the floor and knocked, then opened the door, she picked up the tray and walked in. Greg looked up and rubbed his eyes.

"I have to go to the library but I wanted to bring you this."

She gave him the tray as he sat up. He looked at the tray and started eating. "Thanks." He took a bite and was in heaven, she was a damn good cook. He looked up, "Are we good?"

"Better than good.... Are you ok Dr. House?"

He rolled his eyes. "Can you please call me Greg, I just made it into your diary, I don't want anyone to think I insisted you call me Dr. House while I popped your cherry."

"Popped my cherry?"

"Deflowered you? Took your virginity"

"Oh.. " she thought about it for a second, "Well, I have to go."

House looked at the alarm clock and decided he could have another ten minutes before he had to get up and get going. He had rotation today. His entire day was occupied with thinking about what had happened. One minute he would be chastising himself for doing something so stupid, the next he would be thinking about her breasts, her touch or the feel of her body under his. He was torturing himself either way. He was happy when he was called in to diagnose a young child who he discovered had a strange staph infection that wasn't responding to the normal antibiotics. He tried a new one on the market, Vancomycin, and the kid started to improve.

Jordan had thought about the sex too. It was a new experience in her life. For once, something interesting had happened and she liked it. On Monday night when she made them dinner she sat down and smiled mischievously at him. He was eating and looking at her with her with curiosity. "Ok, what is it?"

"Have you thought about what I asked?"

"Asked?" He knew what she was asking but he wanted to hear it from her.

"Will you give me an orgasm?""

He continued to chew and look at her, he wished she'd buy some new clothes and work on that unruly hair, sometimes it was hard to imagine that she had that body underneath those clothes.

"I'm 31, ten years older than you. You need to find a guy closer to your age. Why are you asking me to do this?"

"I don't have any feelings for you." She saw the deflated look on his face, "Oh, don't get me wrong, I like you, but I don't worry whether you'll love me or not. I know that I would never fall in love with you. I want you to enjoy yourself because then I'll learn what it takes to pleasure a man, but I don't need you to love me. I appreciate the fact that you're blunt and approach sex like a science lesson. I also find you attractive enough that kissing you is pleasurable. Am I making any sense?"

Now, he was amused. She was making sense even if he wasn't sure he liked what he was hearing. He had no intention of falling in love either, but she hadn't done much for his ego by saying she had no feelings and knew she wouldn't develop them. For the first time in his life, he felt like a piece of meat, something he was pretty sure many of his dates had felt like. But she was offering free, unfettered sex. If he turned that down he was crazy.

"You make perfect sense. You need a little time to heal. It probably won't hurt as much the next time but it's going to be a little while before you have an orgasm from intercourse. But there are many other ways we could get you up on that horse."

"I was hoping to have an orgasm by Friday."

He knocked over the salt, picked it up and shook his head like he hadn't heard right. "Friday? You have a schedule? Why the hurry?"

"Because if Doug and I have sex after the movies, I want to know what to do and how to handle an orgasm."

House stopped in his tracks. She was using him as a springboard to sex with Doug, "I take it that you do see yourself falling in love with Doug?"

"He's good looking, he's a doctor, he's intelligent, he makes me laugh and he's nice to me. There's potential, isn't there?"

"Did you ever think that he might not appreciate me having sex with you if he does like you?"

"I would think he would appreciate that I had some experience."

"You think like a scientist. Men are sensitive about sex. I wouldn't tell him that you're first time was with me, it might be too awkward, you'll scare him off."

He saw her thinking it over, "Ok, I won't tell him but I still don't understand why he would be so sensitive. Can we start tonight?"

House thought about it. How likely was it that Doug would have feelings for Jordan, not very likely. He had lots of girls and enjoyed rotating them through his bed. He'd probably never know about this. "You need another day to heal, we'll talk about it tomorrow. But you need to do something with your hair and think about buying some new clothes."

At dinner on Tuesday night they talked about Jordan's thesis. House was uneasy, Jordan seemed so intelligent and knew so much more about neurology than he did. After talking to her he realized she only needed a year of coursework to get her medical degree, if she wanted one. He decided that Doug might just fall for her. Doug liked unusual, intelligent and accomplished women. Jordan was certainly unusual, intelligent and, in her own limited way, highly accomplished. He wondered if it would work between them.

She cleared the table and cleaned the kitchen. She went upstairs, took a shower, brushed her teeth and actually blow-dried her hair and put on some mascara. She walked downstairs in her bath robe. House was watching a Clint Eastwood movie when he saw her standing by the easy chair. When the commercial came on he looked over at her. Her hair was pretty, not wild or unkept, her eyes looked bigger and she was actually quite attractive. She undid the robe and opened it to reveal a very naked and beautiful body underneath.

"Jesus H. Christ Jordan. What are you doing?"

"I want to have sex, can we do it in your bed?" she continued to stand there with the robe open. House kept trying to look at her eyes but couldn't take his eyes off of the breasts and pubic hair. He grimaced. He knew this was wrong, so wrong, but he jumped up and walked over to her, stuck his right arm inside the robe and felt her bottom and with his left hand he fondled her breast. He leaned down and licked the nipple on the right one.

She was matter of fact, "Can we do it in your bed so it's more comfortable?"

He didn't want her to talk, he just wanted to touch her, "Yes, yes, yes..." He looked up at her eyes and led her up the stairs to his room.

Jordan made a mental note to change his bedding when she wanted to have sex with him. She asked him, "Do men like to have sex in the dark or in the light?"

"The light. We want to see your body and your face. It's sexually stimulating."

"Should I do anything when I get into the bed...like spread my legs or sit up or...you know anything that makes me look sexy?"

"First, it's a real turn on to undress a woman, but if you're already naked, just lie there and let him look at you. Your body is already a big turn on."

House stepped out of his trousers and took off his boxers. She looked down at it and up at him, "Wow, it sure gets bigger, doesn't it? Can I ask, is yours bigger or smaller than normal?"

"Now that's a turn off...I know I'm your science experiment, but a guy is sensitive about the size of his penis. But, since you asked, mine is normal, maybe a touch longer."

"Can I touch it?"

He started laughing as he climbed into bed, "The whole idea of this is for you to touch it."

She began to play with him, grabbing and stroking his balls and the shaft. "Is that how you do it?"

He swallowed and opened his eyes. His voices was raspy, "Yeah, yeah, that's how to do it. Alternate the pressure and pace."

After a few minutes, he moved away from her hand and pulled her body into the middle of the bed. He slipped down between her legs and began to delicately lick and then suck and then open the folds protecting the clitoris with his tongue. He felt her flinch with pleasure when he reached the clitoris and he smiled, she was going to enjoy this.

Jordan was a little uncomfortable with the idea of a man's head being between her legs, but when he started with his tongue, she didn't care. With every dance of the tongue she felt a tiny tingling sensation until the sensations began to cascade. She wanted to thrust or bring him inside her, but it felt too good to pause. There was a pressure, sensations building from where he was licking and they started to move out of her groin and up her chest until all she could feel were the muscles inside of her contracting and releasing as the sexual sensations overpowered her. She wanted to grab his head but she didn't want to hurt him.

"Oh yes, this must be it, oh God...Oh Greg, Greg...it's ...oh Greg......"She had her hand on his head and then she pulled her hand away along with her entire body. She couldn't take the continued sensations, it was uncomfortable now. As she backed up she could still feel the muscles inside contracting, releasing, contracting as the sensations decreased and then all she felt was a pleasant after-glow. He moved up and on top of her. As he did he entered her. He filled her completely and it was easier this time, it felt like there was more lubrication. It still wasn't comfortable but after the pleasure she had just had, it was easy to tolerate. He began thrusting quickly and forcefully until he stopped in mid-thrust and made a face like he was in pain. He was moaning ever so slightly. She wondered what would happen if she contracted her muscles while he was coming. She clamped down and his eyes flew open. He looked at her with his mouth wide open. She didn't know if she had helped or hindered the process. He started thrusting again, "Yes, oh Fuck...oh God." He stopped thrusting, relaxed and then pulled out of her. She felt some wetness as he pulled out and soon found out what the books meant about the wet spot." He rolled over and stared at the ceiling. He couldn't talk, he could still feel it. Eventually he composed himself.

"You are on the pill right?"

"Why ask me now? Don't I have millions of your sperm swimming inside me now, trying to find the promise land?"

"Hopefully, they're doing the breast stroke as we speak. That's why I ask. I should have asked the other night."

"I'm not on birth control. But the last day of my period was Thursday of last week. We should be ok for now."

He shook his head and said, If you're going to do this as a hobby, you need to make sure the guy uses a condom to prevent AIDs and pregnancy. To be on the safe side, you should use a back-up birth control.

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, Dr. House. I figured if you had AIDS I'd see pills and other hints of it when I was cleaning."

"Trust no one."

"When I contracted my muscle your eyes flew open. Did I do something wrong?"

"I was just surprised, that was kind of advanced for your level of expertise. You're a natural at this, a real overachiever. It felt great but you have to use it with caution. Don't do it too much or it won't get the same response. I take it that when you used my name and God's in the same sentence it wasn't because you got us mixed up in your prayers."

"The only prayer I had was that it wouldn't stop." Jordan turned to the side of the bed, grabbed the robe and turned to him, "Thanks Greg, I've got a few chapters to read. I'll change your sheets in the morning if that's ok?"

She didn't wait for an answer, but he thought as he watched her get up and go back to her room that this shy, shrinking violet was becoming a blossoming rose with sharp thorns.

Jordan went to her room and was all smiles. That had gone better than she thought. She now knew that a man found it hard to resist a naked body, liked to have their genitals rubbed and could give you an orgasm with just their tongue. As for orgasms, she wanted more, lots more. She was hoping that Doug would give her one on Saturday. She decided Greg was right, she needed to get protection and she also needed to buy some condoms just in case he didn't have any.

House went to work the next day and discovered it was going to be slow. This wasn't good, it gave him too much time to think about the night before. He knew this wasn't going to end well. It felt too good and she was perfect in bed...she had sex and then she got up and left. What more could a guy want without paying for it? He wasn't into cuddling or trying to make sweet talk just because you managed to do the universal prime directive. If he thought too long about her he started to get aroused. He had to find something to keep his mind busy. House had a certification in nephrology and so he went to the nephrology ward to see if he might be needed. There were no interesting cases. He wondered where Doug was so he wandered up to surgery.

He finally located Doug in the surgeon's lounge watching some tv and drinking a coke. He had just finished patching up a motorcycle victim. "What's on?"

"A Patch of Blue. You know, Sidney Portier?" Doug took a drink of coke.

"Have you gone gay on me?" House sat and watched the blind girl running around in the rain and was frustrated with the premise.

"When does Jordan get home? I need to call her about the movie tomorrow."

"Hey man, she's nine years younger than you...are you sure you want to encourage her? She's probably got a crush on you."

Doug shook his head and laughed, "Just because you can't get anywhere with her, doesn't mean I won't. Look, she's pretty, she can cook, she's intelligent, in two years she'll make more money than I do, she smells nice and she's a virgin."

House squirmed a little and looked away, "How do you know she's a virgin?"

"Didn't you see how she skirted the discussion on our first sexual encounters? I'm betting she's a virgin."

"Why, why not just find someone who knows what to do? Virgins tend to be all thumbs."

"There's something about her. Maybe I can be her first?"

"So, you're going to make a move on Saturday?"

"If she'll let me." Doug didn't ask House's opinion. If House had one, he'd share it.

Thursday night, House was reading a book at the dinner table when he felt her hand on his left knee and then it traveled up the inner part of his pant seam. She found her target and rubbed him just a little in circular motions. His stomach tightened and the sensations were delicious.

He removed her hand, "This isn't good...this is going to end badly. We need to stop now."

She looked at him with a strange grin, "You don't really want to stop. I wouldn't have made it all the way up your leg if you really believed that we should stop. Do you have feelings for me?"

He answered quickly and firmly, "No."

She relaxed, "Then what are you worried about?"

"You're 21 and a naive 21 at that."

"I'm trying to solve that problem." she got up angrily and bussed the table.

He sighed, "Sex without strings with a pretty 21 year old brainiac has to be a recipe for disaster. I just wish I knew what I was cooking."

It was already getting really weird. She came back out from the kitchen. She leaned on the table and looked him straight in the eyes. Hers were blue too and against the red in her hair they looked bluer, "Just one more time. There's something I want to try. Please? Then I won't bother you again, you can go back to screwing nurses."

Technically, Doug and Jordan hadn't gone out yet so he could always claim they got together before they started dating. He had to snap out of it. He was thinking with the other head again. He looked at her and she seemed to see his hesitance because she took off her top and popped her bra off as fast as she could. She knew he was a sucker for her breasts. "Just one more time."

House put his hand on his forehead and dragged it down his face. He jumped up and started for the living room but she ran and got in front of him. "Jordan, get out of my way and get dressed. I can't do this. I won't do this."

"You don't have to worry, I'm not looking for anything but sex. Just sex. You can handle that can't you? Is that it? Are you having problems getting it up?"

He was starting to get pissed off. He grabbed her and tried to get her out of his way but she started to struggle with him. He could see her breasts bouncing and the physical touching aroused him. He stopped wrestling her and simply whipped her around, threw her over the arm of the couch, pulled down her panties, unzipped his pants and entered her from behind. She was shocked and worried. This wasn't the desired effect and he was being rough with her. She was pinned and couldn't get away.

He grabbed her hair and leaned down. He reached around, grabbed her breasts and continued to thrust as hard as he could. He was bent over her and pushing her into the arm of the chair with each thrust, he came as he yelled in her ear a sound so primal that it scared her. He collapsed on her and it took him a minute before he pulled out and zipped up his pants.

He said hoarsely, "is that what you wanted?"

She was stunned, "No." She thought about it, "But I think I liked it. It was exciting and different. Did you like it?"

"Jesus Jordan, I just pinned you down and screwed you from behind."

"But I wanted you to screw me." She was quiet and then she took his hand in hers, "It wasn't like you raped me. Greg, come on, let's go upstairs."

"No, this ends right here. Right now."

She came up to him and held him. He could feel her bare breasts through his shirt. "I'm really sorry, I didn't think you'd mind. I thought that if you didn't have feelings, then sex would just be sex. I knew women had trouble separating emotions from physiological needs. I didn't know men did too."

"I just feel like a sex toy." He couldn't believe he just said that and sounded suspiciously like one of the many women who had complained to him.

"You aren't a toy. You've been my mentor, you've given me something no man has ever given me. You're the first man to treat me like a woman. I mean physically treat me like a woman instead of a child or a rock to step on or over."

He felt really awkward. Her breasts felt so good just resting on him. He wanted so bad to put his arm around her. She reached up, pulled his head down and kissed him just like he had taught her. "God, you are persistent aren't you?"

"You said there were lots of ways to have an orgasm. I just want to know what they are. I keep thinking of the other night and I want to feel like that again. I know I sound depraved, but I've never felt anything as incredible as that. And you were responsible for it. Please, come on upstairs."

She grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs and into the bathroom. They cleaned up and she turned to him and kissed him while she undid the button on her denim skirt. It dropped and she stood there in her little cotton panties. He found the cotton panties endearing, a mark of her farm days and sensible upbringing. He wondered what her parents would think if they knew their little girl was seducing her landlord?

She dropped to her knees on the fluffy mat and started to lick him and play with him. Her tongue went up, down and behind and then back to the shaft. She engulfed his sac in her mouth and remembered from the magazine article that she was to treat him like an ice cream cone. She thought of a chocolate ice cream cone except she kept a rhythm with all of her movements. He started to move with her until it was too much and he held her head still while he moved. She felt the wetness in her mouth and wondered if she was suppose to swallow or spit it out? She swallowed. He began to relax and breath again.

"I don't even want to know where you learned that."

"Was it ok? Did I do it right?" She sounded like an Olympic gymnast who wanted to know if she had scored a 10.

He just looked at her, tired spent and a little sad. He had created a monster. "It was perfect. Now let's go into my bedroom and I'll treat you to an orgasm." He kissed and stroked her and then reached down and within minutes she was screaming and panting. He had to smile, she really got into it.

When she was done, she looked at him and said, "I could do that by myself, couldn't I?"

"You've never masturbated?"

"I was afraid to, you know, slippery slope, ah too hard to explain...I can't believe I've wasted all these years worrying about that."

He laughed at her. She was like a sponge, soaking up everything around her. She hugged him and he let her. "You don't know how happy you've made me Greg. I feel like I've been dead for so long and now I'm wide awake and anxious to see and experience everything. I know this sounds silly to you but you don't know what it means to me. I can't thank you enough."

They fell asleep in each other's arms and when House woke up at midnight to take a leak he looked down at her in the soft lamplight. He liked the feel of her and the smell of her. She felt warm against his thigh and side. He wanted to kiss her face and stroke her body. Maybe he'd wake her when he got back and show her how gentle and sweet sex can be in the middle of the night. He pulled his arm out from under her and went in to take a leak. When he got back to his bedroom she was gone. He felt her side of the bed and it was still warm. He rolled over to her side and fell asleep.

Saturday was exciting for Jordan, she went shopping for clothes, the first time in three years. She only had $30 saved but that could buy a lot at the thrift store. She looked through dresses and found two for $7.00 each. They were in pretty good shape, one needed some stitching and the other had a small stain that didn't show much. They both showed a little cleavage, not too much and they were washable, she couldn't afford dry cleaning. She found a pair of dark brown trousers and a peasant blouse that went over it. She bought a nice black skirt that had a little flounce to it, not much. She also talked the lady at the front in letting her have a sweater marked $3.00 for $2.00. She found a pair of used black dress shoes to go with her dresses and skirt. She spent the entire $30.00 but maybe now House would stop moaning at her. Her next stop was the beauty college. She could get her hair cut and styled for $8.00. They cut it five inches to her shoulders, getting off the split ends and styling it with a side part and some volume. She looked sophisticated and pretty.

When she got home she washed and dried the dresses and picked the one that emphasized her waist. It was a simple wrap dress in a deep scarlet red with a black belt. She cleaned the shoes inside and out and then showered, put on her makeup, nylons, dress and the gold earrings she had been given by her parents when she graduated from high school. She looked in the mirror and sat back. Doug had suggested they have dinner first at Stuart Anderson's Black Angus. She heard Greg get home and rummage through the kitchen. She had cooked him a stew which was on the stove. At 6:00 p.m. the doorbell rang. A minute later she heard Greg yell upstairs, "Jordan, it's Doug."

House turned back to Doug, "You're pretty spiffy for a movie. It's not the prom you know."

"I'm taking her to dinner first. Do you think I'm overdressed?" He asked House while smoothing his shirt.

House nodded, "I don't know, she doesn't have a big wardrobe. She might feel underdressed."

They were standing in the living room when they saw her come down the stairs. First her legs and then her body and then her hair. She looked lovely, her hair was behind her ears but just hovering on her shoulders. Her makeup was subtle but made her eyes look huge. And the dress hugged her curves and made her look like a Victoria Secret model. House didn't realize what beautiful legs she had, thin and curvy. House swallowed hard, Doug was going to have trouble tonight trying to keep his hands off of her.

Jordan had achieved the results she wanted, they were both blown away. They looked like deer in headlights. She walked up to House who gave her a sly smile. "Your dinner is on the stove. There's some french bread to go with the stew. She turned and bent over slightly to pick up her purse. She knew that they were both watching. House saw her sweet bottom outlined by the clinging dress and he remembered the other night. He started to feel aroused. He adjusted his pants leg and quickly walked towards the kitchen. On the way he said, "You two behave and don't forget an overcoat."

Jordan didn't get the double entendre but Doug did. He helped Jordan on with the winter parka that was now out of place over her dress and shoes. Doug was thrown for a loop. He had expected to pick up this rather awkward shy girl and instead he was leaving with a butterfly escaping from her cocoon.

House waited until 1:00 a.m. and then went to bed. Around 5:00 a.m. she came home and threw herself on the sofa. He wanted to go down but debated it and finally decided not to go downstairs. He finally heard her come up the stairs. The footsteps came up to his door and stopped. He tried to will her to open the door but she didn't. He jumped up wearing just his boxer and opened the door. Jordan jumped back in shock. He looked at her sideways inviting her to tell him why she was outside his door. She just stood there obviously about to tell him something.

*** "Don't all men give women an orgasm?"

"I'm not following you, what do you mean?"

"He didn't even try, I don't understand, why wouldn't he even try to give me an orgasm?"

"I'm still not following you, although all this talk of orgasms does have my interest. You mean, he didn't do anything that caused you to have an orgasm?"

"Yes, we had sex, but no, he didn't give me one. That's not fair is it?"

"Jordan, I shouldn't be talking to you about this. Despite the fact that I find us quite amusing and fair game when I see Doug on Monday, that's between you and Doug."

"But Doug wouldn't talk about it...I need someone who will be honest and blunt and that's you. Why would he ignore my needs?"

"Because you're annoying?" House gave her a silly smile, she looked at him with disdain. He sighed, "Some men think women have orgasms by simple intercourse. They're a little na
"I don't think he liked what I had to say. He was pretty upset when I left."

"Something tells me I want to stay clear of the surgical ward on Monday. What did you say?"

"I told him that I'd always come in the past."

"Always?...Past? You didn't actually say my name did you?"

"No, but when we got to his apartment, we started French kissing just like you taught me, he started to..."

"... I don't want all the details. Just get to the part where you told him that he was sexually inadequate."

"I never said he was sexually inadequate." She looked at House and realized what he was saying, shrugged her shoulders and continued, "I asked him if he was going to give me an orgasm. He said that I probably came and just didn't know it. I told him, don't be a moron, I know when I have an orgasm."

House felt a horrible feeling inside of his stomach. He went over to the bed, sat down on the edge, closed his eyes trying to figure out what was going on here. She walked over and sat down next to him and hung her head.

"Is there anything I can do? I'm so sorry, I've really screwed things up, haven't I? I'm not good at this...I'm really an amateur."

"He's going to wonder who's been giving you those orgasms. Now he knows that not only wasn't he your first, but that you're comparing him to this other guy, who just happens to be me. He's going to be really pissed off and depressed. No man likes to be compared to someone else, especially if you make the other guy out to be better than he is."

"I had a great time with him and everything was going so well. I think he had a great orgasm because it seemed to go on forever and," she laughed, "he kept screaming for Jesus the whole time. Can't you give him some lessons? I really like him, but if he can't give me an orgasm, then this isn't going to work. Can't you talk to him?"

"Jesus H. Christ, how quickly you've become jaded. I don't think so, I'm not Dr. Ruth. If I start talking to him about your orgasms, he's going to become suspicious." She was disappointed, "If he brings it up, I might be able to say something. Until then, you're on your own. Besides, I thought you wanted a relationship and Dr. Ruth says there's more to relationships than just sex."

"You go without an orgasm for the next month and then tell me how unimportant they are."

"My God you've gone all your life without one until a few days ago. The way you act, you'd think that orgasms were the most important thing in your life."

"Well, right now they are. I like them, I want them, and I deserve them." She looked at House and they started laughing. She knew how ludicrous it sounded, "I've gone my whole life living for other people. I'm going to start living the life I want and I want orgasms. I've just got to figure out a way to get Doug to give them to me."

"Good luck. Remember, nymphomania is ugly in a 21-year-old."

"You should see me when I haven't had an orgasm. Now that's ugly."

"I've got to be to work in a couple of hours. I'm going back to bed. I don't want to hear any loud prayers coming from your bedroom, so keep it down."

I teased him, "Sure you're not up for it? I'd make it worth your while."

House smiled and shook his head, "You're going to get me in trouble. I think our days of horizontal dancing are over."

"Don't say that, you're my backup plan." She started laughing.

She put her arm around his shoulder and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Jordan stood up and sashayed out the door. House couldn't believe the conversation he just had. She really didn't understand that men and women normally avoided these topics at all costs. He was going to have to have a talk with her about what was appropriate. House chuckled to himself. That would be a first, telling someone else how to behave appropriately.

*** Monday morning House, who had just finished his Sunday rotation, woke up in the doctor's lounge to see a distressed Doug standing over him. House had been expecting this but he didn't think that Doug would look so forlorn. House sat up, rubbed his face and looked up at his friend. "What's wrong?"

"It turns out that she's not a virgin. She's been with some other guy and I guess this guy is really good in bed. Jesus Christ, when did women get so judgmental about sex? She was upset because she didn't have an orgasm. I did all the normal things, you know, all my moves that worked in the past, but she still said I didn't make it happen for her."

House was thinking that maybe he could pretend he had an emergency. He saw Doug's questioning face and resigned himself to whatever was going to happen, "Well what did you do?"

"We had sex missionary style the first time, girl on top the second time and then from the side. But nothing... she claims she didn't have one. House, the sex was hot. She really gets into it. But if I can't give her the big O the next time, there won't be a time after that. I really liked her, we had a lot of fun."

"You had sex three times last night?" House was not just impressed, he was slightly jealous.

"Yeah."

"You can't go wrong with cunninglus or digital manipulation, did you try that?"

"I'm not into that, kind-a messy. Plus the smell...if a girl isn't clean down there, it's a real turnoff."

"Something tells me that Jordan is squeaky...I don't think that will be a problem."

"Yeah, but what if it is and then I get stuck with having to follow through? I don't want her to get the idea that she could expect me doing that on a regular basis."

House couldn't understand, one of the hottest things in the world was to watch and feel a woman go out of control when she came and there was no better way than getting down to business. "But when they come it's such a turn on."

"For who?"

"Me for one. You know, the way they grab onto you or scream or wiggle. View's not bad either."

"You're sick."

"I'm a man. Hey, try a vibrator."

"But that's cheating. Isn't it?"

"This isn't the MSATs. She just wants to rock...I doubt she cares what you do to rock her. Plus you can do a lot with a vibrator while you're doing the deed."

"I don't know."

House threw his hands in the air, frustrated. He actually felt sorry for Jordan, getting Doug to be inventive in bed was probably going to take booze or drugs or a gun. "Do what you want."

***

I know I sound like a cheap two bit whore, but just imagine being fed rice all of your life and then someone walks in and says, "Try this," and they hand you chocolate. You look at it, everyone tells you it's forbidden and only special elders can eat the chocolate on special days, but you've been in a dark room all your life and there's nothing that brings you any joy. You taste the chocolate and someone says, "You can have that every day of your life but some people may not like that you ate it before becoming a special elder. Well, I ate the chocolate, and not any chocolate. I realized later that I hadn't been handed a Hershey bar, I'd been handed Godiva chocolate, because let's face, Greg House is Godiva. I've had a lot of Hershey since then, believe me. It's no wonder that I wanted it and I wanted it every day.

When I look back, I have to laugh at Doug. He was one of those men who really think they are Gods in bed, who think that they can make a woman writhe with pleasure just by looking at them longingly. I've discovered that surgeons, judges, politicians tend to think like this. It has to do with power. They don't get where they get by thinking they are anything less than omnipotent.

I didn't like Greg at first, he was so caustic and cruel to me. But it was strange, he would say such horrible, mean things and then do things that were out of sync with his words. I didn't have reason to laugh a lot growing up. But Greg made me laugh more in one night at the dinner table than I had laughed my entire life. He had so many interesting tales compared to my lame life. I was always enthralled and captivated. I didn't love him, but I liked him and I felt safe with him. I knew he'd be blunt and truthful.

Looking back I can see how frantic and out of control I was in the beginning, with the sex that is. It was occupying my thoughts more than it should have. I had trouble concentrating on my dissertation and my work. I would dream about it every single night of the week. I would see Doug and I out on a date, sitting on a couch. We would be french kissing, he would be touching and caressing me and the excitement in me would be building. We'd get into the bedroom, I'd turn to put my watch on the night stand and then turn back to find it was Greg House in bed with me. Instead of being shocked or surprised, I would be excited, even more aroused than before, and then he'd make me scream and wriggle and never want to get out of bed. It was a disturbing dream because I always felt unfaithful. But then, wouldn't you rather dream of Godiva than Hershey?

The week after my date with Doug was busy for me at school. I had to meet with my dissertation chair, who reminded me of Chewbaca and although he was obviously blown away by my research, he could tell that I was distracted. He also noticed my new look and started hitting on me. It was very threatening to me, I wasn't used to men taking an interest in me. I didn't know how to respond to the looks from the nerds in the lab. They were all asking if I needed any help or wanted to go out for lunch. I caught one of them staring at my breasts under the peasant top and when I tried to redirect his eyes up to mine it was like gravity took them right back down to the objects of his affection.

By Thursday I hadn't received a call from Doug and so I confronted House, "What did he say? What did you say? Is he going to call me?"

"I feel like I'm in a bad episode of Sex in the City. Hell if I know. For God's sake, you didn't exactly give him a reason to call you, did you?"

"What do you mean? I gave him THREE really GOOD reasons to call me. Believe me, he won't forget the three good ones I gave him."

"Yeah, but Doug can have three good ones with just about any nurse at the hospital and he won't be told what a lousy lover he is."

"I didn't say he was a lousy lover."

House rolled his eyes and gave me a look and said, "Give me a break."

"To hell with that. I don't need Doug." I stormed off and House went back to reading a medical journal. I went upstairs, tried to read but spent most of the evening pouting. Saturday night I was devastated that Doug hadn't called to ask me out again. I had been crying most of the night. I heard Greg come home with a woman and it broke my heart. I wanted to talk to someone, I wanted to talk to him. I opened the door and tried to listen. She had one of those high voices, all giggles and dripping with flattering cliches. I was standing out by the bannister in my panties and thermal top, not giving a rat's ass what I looked like. I decided that I would go down and grab a glass, no a bottle, of wine. I saw Greg climbing the stairs to his bedroom with the brunette in tow. He looked up at me and saw that my eyes were red. He mouthed the words, "Are you ok?" I nodded yes. They walked past me and into the bedroom. House looked back at me from the doorway. I gave him a rather pitiful smile to let him know it was ok. He closed the door. After that night, I decided that I would never cry over a man again.

My career counselor and the entire neuroengineering faculty told me that I should stay and obtain my medical degree since it would take less than a year to complete it. In their words, I'd be "a triple threat." I would be a neuroengineer, a doctor and a woman in a man's field. My advisor informed me I would be receiving a Carnegie Scholarship if I decided to go through med school. In other words, I had a free ride through med school. The great thing about the Carnegie Scholarship is that it also pays living expenses and for texts. I could continue to work if I wanted to but it would be difficult. I'm a sucker for learning. The idea of another year of education, free education, was too tempting for me. I said yes.

Greg and I didn't see each other for at over a week because of our respective schedules. I made dinners to reheat or took out some dinners I had frozen and he ate well without me. The following Wednesday night I made us tacos and enchiladas for dinner, something easy. When House was settled at the table I told him, "I'm going to become a doctor. I just received the Carnegie Scholarship to obtain my doctorate in medicine. It pays everything and gives me $1500 a month to live on. I went to talk to the hospital about my bill and they told me what you've been doing...I'll pay you back, I promise. I renegotiated with them. They're going to let me continue to pay $150 a month until I get out of med school."

House stood there with a beer half way up to his lips listening to what I had to say. "Are you just getting the degree or actually going to become a doctor?"

"I'm not sure."

"What was going on with you the other night on the landing?"

I gave him a tough, brave look, "Nothing, absolutely nothing."

"Give me a break...you were crying your eyes out because Doogie didn't call you."

I hated that he could read me, "Yeah, he didn't call me. I'm over it now."

He said very casually, "Hey. I've got a dinner thing to attend on Friday. Would you like to go with me?"

"A date?"

"A thing. You'll get to meet and size up some of your med school professors."

"A date?"

"No, not a date. I just don't want to take a nurse...too cliche. And I don't want to have to worry about impressing a date."

"That makes sense, too much sense. I can't go though because I don't have a dress."

He smiled, "We'll get you one...as long as it doesn't cost an arm and a leg."

"I know a consignment store where I can get dresses cheaper."

"How much do you need to get a dress? Remember I'm hoping it's a skimpy one so it should cost less, you know, not as much material needed."

"What type of dress do I need?"

"Cocktail."

"I can get one for probably $50 at the consignment shop."

"Here, here's $150, go buy a new one."

I must have looked stunned because he laughed. "You look like you just got stuck with a cattle prod. Gettalong doggie."

"That's a lot of money for one dress."

"No it isn't. Just get a dress." He sounded frustrated and bored with the conversation.

I went to the consignment shop anyway and found a great Oscar de La Renta cocktail dress for $70 and a pair of shoes to go with it for $10. I bought some jewelry, black stockings and then I bought a black wool swing coat for $30 so that I didn't have to wear the parka over the dress.

I had $25 left over and put it on the table for him. He got home and looked at the money lying on the table and said, "Well show me what you got."

"No, you get to see it Saturday. Now sit down, I've got tuna casserole tonight."

He moaned, "Oh God, no. I bet it even has peas in it."

I stopped midstream with the hot casserole dish in my oven gloved hand, "Wait, you never said you didn't like tuna casserole."

"Uhh...it's just that it was a staple around our house and I got really sick of it. It's ok, I can eat it ...I'm hungry, I could eat anything right now."

"Gregory House, you better eat it, I slaved over a hot stove for you."

"Jesus! You even sound like my Mom."

"Well, Gregory House, tell me what the plans are for Saturday so that I know when I should be ready for you to gallop up on your white horse and pick me up."

He gave me a look like I was nuts,"Be ready by 5;30 p.m., cocktails are at 6:00 p.m. and since it's an open bar I want to be there early. We'll be taking a cab over and a cab back."

I was half hoping that Doug would call and ask me out so that I could thumb my nose at him, but he didn't. I didn't cry, I just got pissed.

Saturday arrived and after showering and putting on my panties, I put on my makeup, dressed in my nylons and garter belt and then put my dress on. It was an emerald green satin halter top with a plunging neckline that had an excellent effect of displaying my girls perfectly. The dress had a slightly darker green satin belt with a fake diamond studded buckle. The skirt followed my body closely and came to four inches above my knee. I put my hair back in a french chignon like Tippi Hedrin wore in Marni. I heard Greg growl, "We need to get going sometime in this century...please make your debut Miss Scarlet. I put on my high heels grabbed my coat, did one more pass with the lipstick and started down the steps. He was standing by the front door with his coat on over his dark blue suit. He looked up at me, shook his head slowly and smiled.

"What did I get myself into?" he kept shaking his head.

I handed him my coat to help me with, " What do you mean?"

"It means that for the next two weeks I'm going to be asked, "Who was that redhead with you?""

"I don't know what you mean."

He leaned down and got right in my face, "Oh you DO know what I mean, so don't play coy with me. You look like a million bucks. Now aren't you glad you bought a new dress?"

I didn't say anything, I just smiled at him.

We arrived at the hotel and walked into a large ballroom that must have seated 500. We found our table which was somewhat in the back because Greg was only a resident. We were seated with four other couples, one of which was Doug and a brunette. As we walked up to the table the men got up to welcome me. There was no mistaking the fact that each one of them was undressing me in their minds.

House said under hit breath, "Let the games begin." House held a hand up to Jordan, "This is Jordan Palmer. I'll let you each introduce yourselves and your dates."

They each made their introductions and I saw that Doug could hardly look me in the eye. I didn't care, I knew that I was better looking and sexier than his date....naner-naner- naner.

Greg went and got in line for drinks. Doug jumped up and went to get some too. When they got back, Greg had a smirk on his face. He handed me my margarita and whispered, "Score one for the 21 year old nymphomaniac. He's crying in his beer, kicking himself for not calling you." I just chuckled.

We went out to the reception foyer to stand before we had to sit through the awards program. House pointed out several doctors to me, including the ones I would probably have as instructors. I was a little embarrassed because people kept coming up to Greg and asking who I was. Greg got me my second margarita before I even sat down for dinner. The tequila was going straight to my head and causing me to laugh a little too loud and smile a lot more than I should have. By the time we ate dinner, Greg and I were both in good moods. He was very playful.

***

What was I suppose to do? She was 21 and went from being a two-bagger to being a goddess. When she metamorphosed she was no dung beetle, she was Venus. To top it off she wants sex and she wants it with me. Do you know how many Hail Marys and Rosaries you'd have to say in a lifetime to get a good looking woman to beg you to pop her cherry? Now that in itself was worth crawling to the cathedral on my knees with a cat-o-nine-tails but then she keeps coming back and back and back. Since I'm a glass half empty kind-a-guy, I just know I'm a deckhand on the Titanic. Still, what a way to go.

I asked Jordan to the "Spring Fling", the Johns Hopkins charity event so she could see how Doogie treats women. After her boo-hoo fest I figure this naive 21 year old needed a lesson in love. Frankly, I think Doogie got it instead. Plus, I figured I needed something to shake things up, these stupid events are so boring. The surprising thing was that, although Jordan was confident and at ease with me, she had trouble connecting with the others at the table. She seemed shy.

When she walked down the stairs I knew I was in trouble. Her ankles are thin and they connect to calves that are firm outlined by the green satin and shapely. My eyes wandered up to those great thighs, those thighs that can wrap around and pull you deep inside. Then as your eyes were drawn up, you saw her sweet round ass, perfectly framed by the green clinging satin. But it didn't stop there, her waist was small, framed by a tight jeweled belt which leads us to those perfectly pert C cups with the perfect pink bottle tops, the shapes which were visible through the emerald green halter top. Oh...and her face and hair looked nice too.

We arrived and I sat back and watched the males turn to look at Jordan. All night long I was asked who she was, how long we had been dating and why she was going out with me. A few asked me about the age difference, mostly women. We had several drinks and I asked her to dance. She was trying to tell me something. Her lips were coming up to my ear, her warm breath was on my neck and I just did it...right on the dance floor. I put one hand on her right hip and pulled her in close and then cut off her path to my ear with my lips on hers. She responded by kissing me back. She started to rub her pelvis and thigh against me until I was at a half salute. God, for being a novice, this woman had some great moves. I would have taken her right there but she managed to break away from my mouth to say, "Let's get some air."

"That might be easier said than done. I've got a friend who wants to say hi."

"I'll walk in front of you, come on. "

We went out to the atrium and just walked around, not talking, just holding hands. I started pointing out different people and making up stories about them. "He's here to make a swap, his black brief case for the another black brief case full of drugs. Problem is he doesn't know that the FBI, that guy over there, is here to nail him. See that woman, she's a high priced hooker. She teaches English as a second language during the day but makes her big money at night."

She was giggling and after doing that for several minutes, I escorted her back into the ballroom. I excused myself to go to the bathroom and when I was out in the hall, Doug grabbed my arm and swung me around to face him. The first thing I saw were the glazed, bloodshot eyes and the second was the fist which hit just below the eye socket on my cheekbone. It was a good that it hit the bone because it caused him great pain (and me too) so there wasn't a second one. I went flying back onto the carpet.

"It was you, wasn't it? Wasn't It?"

****

I heard the commotion out in the hall and I realized that Greg was out in that general direction. I had a sneaking suspicion that the two were connected. I wandered out into the hall to see a sprawled Greg House on the floor and a very drunk Doug trying to kick him while his brunette did her best to pull him away from Greg. There was a nice crowd by this point. I was so pissed at Doug. I wanted to hurt him.

Doug was still shouting, "You jerk, it was you, you slept with her."

I ran over to Greg, bent down to see if he was ok and then looked up at Doug. I was shaking, I was so angry, "Yes, yes, Greg House gave me the orgasms that you didn't. He touches me and I have an orgasm, he looks at me and I have an orgasm. I dream of him and I have an orgasm. So when you and I slept together, I expected some fireworks, it didn't have to be great fireworks but after three tries I didn't even get a Roman Candle. So get away from him. I need him in good shape for tonight."

I had noticed a lot of snickering, chuckling and a few belly laughs as I was saying this but did it stop me? No, I delivered the humiliation with perfect pitch. Doug and his date left the party and so did Greg and me.

In the car I was very quiet. I should have let Greg handle the altercation and maybe he could have calmed Doug down. Doubtful though, we are talking about Greg House. "Greg, I am so sorry. I should have kept my mouth shut. Do you want me to cycle over and apologize to Doug?"

"I think you need to stay away from Doug, maybe forever. I don't know whether to kiss you or give you a good spanking, actually a spanking sounds too much like fun, but you get the picture. The whole hospital is going to know we slept together and, thanks to you, all the women will think I'm a sex machine. I don't know how I'm going to patch it up with Doug. I was going to lie to him, tell him we never slept together, but it's a little late for that now. When you're angry, you're pretty damn ruthless."

"I'm pretty damn ruthless all the time. I'm just subtle about it. People mistake my avoidance of relationships for timidity. Underneath, I'm very competitive."

We got home and he helped me with my coat. He walked over to the cabinet and got out a bottle of Scotch. I walked over, kissed him on the cheek, "I'm going to bed. I had a great time, despite what happened. Thanks."

***

I was right. The following day I had nurses and female doctors sucking up to me, smiling, leaving their phone numbers. There were a few that I took advantage of and several that I didn't. The surprising thing was that several men came up and asked for pointers. I told them to buy a book on anatomy...it was very simple. For the next few weeks I got more ass than I counted on. I heard later that the information just snowballed, the more orgasms I gave, the more phone numbers I got. I was the orgasmatron. But it gets old and the expectations run high. You feel like you have to prove yourself to each new woman that you bed. It was just too much pressure, I didn't need that.

I didn't see Jordan too often because she was finishing her dissertation and getting ready for her oral exams. We'd bump into each other and occasionally we shared the bathroom. I'd shave while she was in the shower. She'd shout out something about dinner or her dissertation and I would try to make a witty retort. Sometimes she would even laugh. The shower would stop and she would grab the towel and get out and I'd stand there and try to catch a glimpse.

I'm quite sure she figured out how to make herself happy at night because occasionally I would hear a muffled cry and soon afterwards I would hear her running to the bathroom. One thing about Jordan, she was clean.

I didn't see her go out with anyone. But she did bring home a girlfriend, Meghan, a cute one, and they watched some videos together. I tried to make a move on the girlfriend but she smiled at me and said, "Oh doctor, I know what you can do with that tongue," I looked over at Jordan who had a big Cheshire Cat grin, "but I have a boyfriend."

"Well, if you ever need my services, I'll be here." I gave her a little bow.

It was the end of May when my life took a completely different turn. Jordan had presented her dissertation and was nervously waiting the results. It just so happened that I got home Saturday morning and met the mailman as I was going into the house. He handed me the mail and I saw the letter from the Johns Hopkins Trustees addressed to Jordan and knew that these must be the results. When I got inside I discovered that she had gone out with Meghan to the swap meet. I opened the results and put the letter back in the envelope and took it to my bedroom, put it under my pillow and laid down to grab a nap. I got up around 4:30 p.m. and it was obvious that Jordan had been home and then left again because there was a note that said my dinner, a quiche, was waiting in the refrigerator. I wasn't sure where she went but around 7:30 p.m. she came home. I was watching television.

She walked in and put her purse down, looked up and said, "Hey."

I nodded. "Where'd you go?"

"Movie. We went and saw "Ghost." She started to go into the kitchen.

"Oh, there was a letter for you today, it had a huge Princeton logo on it."

Jordan ran over to the table where we usually kept our mail. She pulled out a few envelopes and said, "There's nothing here."

I pulled the envelope out of my pocket and started waving it, "Maybe because I have it in my hot little pocket."

She squealed and ran toward me. I jumped up and ran to the dining area. She chased me. I ran to the living room again and jumped over the couch.

"Greg, don't keep me in the dark. Let me have it."

"If ignorance is bliss, why not be orgasmic? I can tear it up." She took a giant leap at me and we tumbled over with her on top and my arms pinned behind me with the letter.

"Gregory House, you better give me that letter." She was laying on top of me wiggling, trying to get under me and to the letter. I was laughing and she was looking down into my eyes. She stopped and started pouting, "Gregory House, you're downright mean."

I rolled over and dumped her on the floor, held the letter over her. Now, I was having fun, lots of fun. But when I looked at how beautiful she was and how desperate she looked, it took all the air out of keeping her in suspense. I leaned in and kissed her. I shouldn't have done it. She reached up and grabbed the back of my head and pulled me back down. I kissed her again and again. She pulled my t-shirt up and I took it off. I pulled her polo style shirt up and over her head. I looked down at the bland little bra and smiled. Sensible.

I could feel the excitement building like a bullet train. It always happened like this. When we made love I would smell her, feel how warm she was, how soft and how her body fit with mine. It drove me crazy. She didn't ask about her letter, she pulled down her pants and there were a pair of yellow cotton bikini briefs. Sensible.

I got out of my trousers and I was already at full salute. She grabbed me and before I could even think, I had penetrated her and started slowly moving inside of her so I could watch her. I just watched her pretty little face and blue eyes as she moved in waves under me. She would look at me and then close her eyes. It was slow at first and then, without warning, she rolled me over, both of us simultaneously, so that she was on top. She was in complete control, moving her hips in circular movements while still moving up and down. The sensation was overwhelming and when she finally squeezed with her muscles I was hers. I thrust up, penetrating her as deep as I could and then lost control. I just kept riding the intense feeling of pleasure. Then it was too much and she kept riding. "Enough! Enough...STOP!" I grabbed her hips and held her down to keep her from moving.

"No, no, Keep going, I'm almost there. Please."

"Jordan, I can't. It's not going to cooperate just like that."

"Damn, I almost had an orgasm."

I pulled her down to my chest and cradled her in my arms. I felt between her legs and continued to give her the stimulation she craved. It didn't take long and she hit the peak of her orgasm. I smiled as her forehead scrunched together and her mouth opened widely and then the scream came out, "OH FUCK..." God, I loved it when she came, she didn't hold back.

"Well Dr. Palmer, that was spectacular. Why don't we stop dancing around and you move your stuff into my room?"

"Doctor? I PASSED?"

"The Trustees are pleased to announce that you have passed the necessary requirements and have been conferred the degree of doctor of science of neuroengineering."

"Thank God. Let's celebrate!" she jumped around.

"Uh...wasn't that what we were just doing?" I asked.

"About that...it was great but now I'm confused. You want me to move into your room? Why?"

I was deflated, I couldn't give her an answer that sounded flippant without also sounding condescending. The truth was that I wasn't sure why I wanted her to move in, I just wanted her close to me. "We have a good time, the sex is great and we could rent out the room to some poor sap for extra money."

****

We weren't supposed to do any more horizontal dancing. But let me tell you, Greg House just had to look into your eyes like he wanted you and it was hard to say no, especially when you knew he'd take you to the promise land. He had that sly smile and those blue, blue eyes and I wanted him in me.

I was happy to hear that I had passed but distressed when Greg asked me to move in with him. I wasn't sure what it meant. Did he have feelings or would I just be a convenient piece of ass? More important, did I have feelings for him? I liked Greg, he made me laugh, we had serious discussions, and I enjoyed the sex. But did I love him? I didn't know what love felt like. I had to make a decision and stick with it. If I said no, I had to prepare to move out.

"Are you sure?"

"We can try it."

I know I paused just a little too long because I saw him back pedaling, about ready to say something trite or to make it into a joke, so I jumped in before he could say it. "Fine, let's try it out."

He smiled, "Let's go dancing, go put on a dress."

It didn't take him asking twice for me to go up and get ready. We went out dancing and when the first slow song came on he grabbed me and we went out on the dance floor. House was an incredible dancer. He made you feel like you were the only one on the dance floor. He was very confident in his moves. He would dance slow with one leg between my leg, pulling me close to him and rubbing up against me. He kissed me and said, "Congratulations, now you've got med school in front of you. That's going to be fun."

When we got home, I asked him where he had learned to dance and apparently he had to attend lessons as a teen. He could actually dance the foxtrot, meringue, rhumba, cha-cha, salsa, waltz and tango. He began to teach me and for once the great Greg House was patient. We practiced a few steps that night and then went to bed. I started to get into my pajamas and he said, "Why wear pajamas? Afraid that I'll actually hold you? Come on, you don't need those, I'll keep you warm."

I crawled in bed with him and he began to drag his fingers up my legs and draw animals on my belly. I would write words on his back with my finger and he would have to guess them. For some ridiculous reason, this kept us occupied for at least an hour. When we were done, he pinned my arms gently to the mattress and crawled on top of me. It was the slowest that we ever made love and it was incredibly romantic. I fell asleep with my head on his chest and when we woke up the next day I made him breakfast.

He had rotation and for once, I had a day off without anything to do. I started to move my stuff into his room and I started snooping. I found a wooden box that looked like an old alchemist's box that was carried hundreds of years ago. I found photo albums of Greg as a child and teenager and he was cute. There were several pictures of him playing various instruments and looking very sober. I found some of his report cards and I laughed so hard. There were numerous comments about how he was bright but that he was lazy and that he had a hard time relating to the other children.

****

Why does anyone ask another person to share their life? I was bored being on my own. Jordi, was like a butterfly coming out of the cocoon. Everything we did together was not only new to her but she would make it an event. I took her to her first rock concert and she insisted on smoking some marijuana that was being passed around. She was so funny, trying to lead cheers for David Bowie (it was the Tin Man Tour.) I have to admit that half the auditorium was cheering with her. She threw me a"birthday party and, I don't know how she managed to do it, she got Doug and fifteen other people to actually come to it. Doug apologized and said that he was happy for the two of us.

Was I in love? That's the 64 million dollar question. I can say that for the next six months on the Greg House scale of happiness I was at a 8.5. The only thing that was keeping it from being a 10 was that I didn't get along with one of my bosses and I was trying hard to bite my tongue. If it hadn't been for Jordi I would have been out of Johns Hopkins sooner, but she kept me from being my own worst enemy. I don't suffer fools lightly and there are a lot of bumbling idiots in a hospital, and not all of them are patients.

Jordi wasn't perfect. She tended to pick her teeth, she didn't like jazz (at least not much) and she would get quiet and shy around people she didn't know. I remember one time we were out with a group of doctors, their wives and girlfriends. She said maybe two words during the first half hour. I was getting annoyed because it didn't look like she was making an effort. I looked at her and told everyone that I was, "...one relationship away from having 30 cats." And then a few minutes later, when she still hadn't joined in, I said to her loud enough for the whole table to hear me, "What, lost in thought and found yourself in unfamiliar territory?"

She said in a low voice, "Greg, please, you know this type of thing is hard for me."

"Christ, I could have brought a trained Myna Bird and had more companionship." She looked down at her plate and that's when I hit her with, "Come on Jordi, smile, it's the second-best thing you do with your lips."

She got up and walked quickly to the bathroom. I got dirty looks from everyone at the table. I thought it was funny but when I saw her little face when she came back, I knew she felt totally humiliated. I tried to hold her hand but she grabbed it away from me. I yelled at her, "I'm sorry. I just thought that you might get the hint that sitting there like a lump on the log isn't going to make you popular."

She scooted her chair out, grabbed her purse and took off out the door. I ran after her but she was fast on her feet and I didn't see which way she went. I went back in and gave Doug $60.00 and ran out. I drove around and couldn't find her. After not finding her for an hour, I drove home. She was upstairs in bed. I got undress and crawled in behind her. I was sure that if I cuddled her and said a few platitudes she would forgive me.

****

"Get the fuck away from me. I'll be out tomorrow and you can use your charm on someone else."

"Jordi, I'm sorry. I just know how brilliant you are and I wanted to show you off to everyone. But instead you sat there like James Brady on quayludes. I'm sorry."

Jordan turned over and said, "Yeah and you were so charming, I bet they're all back they're discussing the merits of your personality. I won't be a part of this, I'll figure out something tomorrow, but you can have your miserable little life back."

"I don't want it back. Come on, Jordi, what can I do for you to forgive me?"

"A lobotomy would be a good start."

The next day Jordan got up, took a shower and then got down her large duffle bag. House was supposed to go to work but he ended up being late because he got into a physical altercation with her. Every time Jordan would put something in her suitcase House would take it out.

"Greg, stop it. I've made up my mind, put it back in the case and get out of here. Go to work."

"No, I want you to stay. I was an idiot. I'm sorry."

"I agree, but it doesn't change anything."

House continued to remove things and after ten minutes of this Jordan couldn't take it. She started pummeling him with her fists. House did nothing but take it. He let her hit him for several minutes until she ran out of steam and then he put his arms around her, "Do you want me to say something like, 'I need you to stay?'"

"I don't want platitudes. I want respect."

"I know. I know. I respect you so much that I really did want to show the whole world how intelligent and articulate you are. When you sit there like a bump on a log, they can't see that."

"You want me to be some gem that reflects on you. This is about how you look to others. If it isn't bothering me, why should it bother you?"

"You're right. I'm wrong. Ok? I really want you to stay. Please? Who's going to make sure the toothpaste cap gets put on? Who's going to steal my covers? Come on, stay?"

She sat down and looked out the window. Where was she going to go? Would she be happy where she went? Greg had treated her well when it was just the two of them alone. The sex had been phenomenal. She felt safe and strangely happy most of the time. But when they were with other people he would make her the butt of his remarks and criticisms. She was an easy target for his frustrations.

"Greg, I think I'm going to regret staying, but I will, for now."

He looked visibly relieved. "I have to get to work. We're ok?"

"Go. I promise to be here tomorrow when you get off."

Greg knew that had been a close one and he also knew that he had to get a grip on things. He was having problems at work and rather than tell her about them, he went after her, wanting to hurt her, feel his misery too. But he had gone too far. He was willing to do anything to have her stay, including tell her he loved her. Did he love her? He wasn't sure. Love was so esoteric. He couldn't see it, examine it, study it. He could read platitudes about it, but to him love was just a psychological response to a physiological one. Nothing more. Why everyone put so much stock in it, he didn't know.

Greg arranged to have the weekend of her birthday off. He made reservations in New York City for the weekend. They were going to take off Thursday night after work and come back on Sunday. That Thursday Jordan woke up to see a sleeping House sprawled on his back, his mouth slightly open, his hair messed and in general looking adorable. She picked up the blankets and saw he already had his morning buddy. She laughed to herself. What a strange thing to happen every morning. It always amused her. He woke up to see her studying him.

"You never get used to my morning wood do you?"

"I find it absolutely amazing...are you thinking of sex?"

"It's either sex or a full bladder. Hate to disappoint you but today I've got to take a leak." And with that he gave her a silly look, jumped up and ran to the bathroom. He never bothered closing the door unless he was sitting down to do business. He yelled out from the bathroom. Did you know that when men are hung they frequently get erections from all the blood draining down to the lower part of the body?"

She started giggling, "Kind of their way of telling whoever is hanging them, screw you?"

He walked back in and got back in bed. "Come here, let me hold you. I want to read the bumps on your head."

"You're going to be late if you don't get your butt up."

He smiled and patted the bed, "Come on, I just want to cop a feel before I go."

House always slept in the nude during the summer, boxers and a t-shirt during the winter. She always had a nightgown, t-shirt or pajamas on. Sensible.

Jordan climbed back in bed and over to him. He gave her a quick kiss and just held her. Of course he gave her a quick feel up her pajama top and felt her lovely pink nipples. He wished he did have time for a quickie, but he had to tell her about her weekend so she could pack.

"I have a birthday gift for you." He leaned over and opened the top drawer in the night stand.

"My birthday isn't until Saturday."

He grabbed the tickets and handed them to her, "We have reservations in New York for the weekend. I also scored two tickets to the 'Phantom of the Opera.'" He thought she looked like a little girl, her eyes all round and her face lit up.

She grabbed onto him and hugged him tight. "You really are good to me sometimes. When do we go?"

"Sometimes?" He shook his head, "Tonight after work. Now I have to get up and go to work while I still have a job."

House was in a good mood all day which was always fun at work. He made all of the nurses laugh and even managed to tolerate the patients. Since working at Hopkins he realized that he didn't enjoy patients. He enjoyed them if they presented a challenge, otherwise they really annoyed him. He already had a reputation for diagnosing the ones that had eluded everyone else. He was constantly called on to consult throughout the hospital. The doctors hated calling him because he was such an ass. But everyone recognized his talent at putting all the symptoms together and figuring it out. He wondered how he could structure his practice so that he could just see the patients who needed someone who could piece the puzzle together.

Jordan was busy packing and readying the house for their departure. She unplugged appliances, called the newspaper boy and closed the drapes downstairs and turned on just the right lights upstairs. She had her bags downstairs and ready. She had also packed Greg's bags.

They took the train into downtown New York to avoid parking the car. House checked them in and they went up to their room. It was an ordinary room because House was still a resident and wasn't making a lot of money. Still it was nicer than anything that Jordan had stayed in.

****

I had been to New York twice before but only for one night each. I had been on quiz tours and so we didn't get to do much. Greg and I went to the World Trade Center and climbed to the top to look at the world. When you're up there, it's incredible, hard to believe that mankind can build something so tall. We could see Madam Liberty, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building...it was fantastic. I made Greg take me to the top of the Empire State Building too where we had drinks at the restaurant on top.

On our trip to New York, Greg had told me about some of his journeys to other countries. I realized there was a lot I didn't know about him, "Greg, did you ever think about getting married?"

He turned from the view and looked at me seriously, "Are you proposing? Because I expect a big diamond."

I'm sure I went white because I immediately said, "NO! Oh, no...I was just curious. You're 32 and a lot of guys are married by your age."

"No, I never thought I would get married. I don't see the point of it unless you're going to have kids or there's some financial reason like health insurance, social security, pensions...you know. Besides it's so much more delicious living in sin with you."

I shook my head yes, this was the answer I had expected. I smiled at him. I wondered how long we would be together and what would eventually send us our separate ways.

"What about you? You planning on getting married?"

I thought about it. As a little girl, I had imagined myself with a husband, a farm, children. But now that I was older, I could see that I knew so little about the world and the idea of having to answer to another person in my life was bone-crushing, "I'm not sure. I guess it will all depend on what happens to me. I think that at some point I'd like to get married, but the idea of it now seems suffocating."

He looked me up and down and laughed, "You'd be a handful."

The way he said it sounded like I was trouble, "What do you mean by that?"

"You're just waking up to the world around you and heaven forbid if anyone gets in your way. You're a steamroller Jordi. I just happen to like steamrollers, but you're going to have a lot of men in your life that won't."

I smiled but there was something very sad in what he said, it was an acknowledgment of the fact that we both knew that we would eventually part. I almost said something about it but decided that I didn't want to think of a life without Greg in it. At least not right then.

"Greg, thanks. Thanks for this. Thanks for ...I don't know, just thanks."

He reached over and grabbed my hand and said nothing.

New York is overwhelming with its sights, smells and tastes. We ate at mostly small little delis to keep the costs down but Saturday night before the show, we went to a nice, reasonably priced restaurant and had Italian food. It was delicious and we had enough wine just to make it fun. House looked so incredibly handsome in his suit and tie. I wore the dress I wore on my first date with Doug. It was one of Greg's favorites. Considering I had three day dresses and a cocktail dress, he didn't have much of a choice for favorites. Someday I'd have a wardrobe.

He was so funny. He asked me if I had ever seen, "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Of course I had. So he took me into Tiffany's and bought me a $125 silver key ring and had it engraved, "Tesoro (darling) Jordi, Remember Me, Greg."

If someone had asked me that weekend if I was in love with Greg House I might have said yes.

***

We got home to Baltimore and collapsed. I had switched the Monday rotation for my Sunday rotation so the next time I saw Jordi was Tuesday night. We had enjoyed New York a lot. Coming back to work had been a real downer but luckily I got an interesting case and spent most of my time concentrating on figuring out why this man's organs were shutting down. It turned out to be an Aspergillus niger infection.

When I returned home late, I found Jordi waiting for me with a late dinner. "I was worried because you didn't call."

"Had an interesting case? Wait until you do your residency, you won't get much time during the day to do anything."

"Greg, I was just noting that I was worried, I wasn't angry. There was a phone call from your parents. They are coming in this weekend to see you."

"Crap."

"Should I move into the other bedroom?"

I couldn't believe she asked that question, "I'm 32, not 12. If I'm living with a woman, they'll just have to accept it."

"We should give up our bedroom and sleep on the sofa bed."

I shook my head, I knew my Dad, "They won't stay here, they'll have reservations somewhere in town. I'll call them."

***

Sure enough his parents were staying at the local Hyatt. They'd arrive Friday night and leave Thursday morning. Greg warned them that he had rotation on Friday and Sunday and they understood, or at least his Dad understood, work came before family in his book. His Mom asked if he could get the time off but Greg told her that he had just taken some time off and couldn't. They gave Greg their flight numbers and he wrote them down. He was dreading it. Greg warned me that their reaction to him living with a woman, a young woman at that, would probably be amusing.

I couldn't stand the idea of his folks coming to town and then having to take a taxi to the hotel. So I didn't tell Greg but I met the plane with a big sign that said, "John House." I immediately spotted a couple that I thought looked like the photographs I had seen. They were both dressed in nicely pressed clothing. Mr. House looked like he Marine officer, with a "can do" attitude. He had on a short sleeved plaid perma-press shirt. Mrs. House had on cotton pants, a sleeveless blouse and a summer blazer. They looked like a typical middle-class couple, not exactly what I had expected. I think I had expected to ogres to get off the plane. Instead, I was looking at a more sophisticated mirror of my parents.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. & Mrs. House?"

"Yes, that's us."

" My name is Jordan Palmer. I am," I always had trouble telling people that I was Greg House's girlfriend, "Greg's girlfriend. I've come to collect you and your baggage and take you to your hotel."

Mrs. House looked at me strangely, as if she couldn't believe that Greg had a girlfriend, "Greg never told us about you. I'm glad to meet you, this is John and I'm Blythe."

They both shook my hand and then we left for the baggage carousel. On the way over to the hotel and we discussed about how Greg and I met. I think they were by on the uneasy with the fact that I was so young compared to Greg. But when I told them that I had already obtained my doctorate in Neuroengineering they seemed very impressed.

Mr. House seemed flabbergasted, "You look so young to be a doctor. How old are you?"

"I'm 22."

"That's young all right. It seems like he's hit the trifecta, beauty, brains and personality."

"Thank you. Greg is no dummy himself. He's always surprising me with his knowledge. He must've gotten his genes from you two."

When Greg got off of work the next day, he was surprised to find his parents sitting in the dining room having coffee with me. He came in and gave his dad a handshake and his mother a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. I got up and went to the kitchen to get him a cup of coffee. He followed me into the kitchen.

"What are they doing here?"

"They are your parents and they're having coffee with the woman you're living with. I went to the airport last night and picked them up. I wasn't going to have to your parents take taxis all over town when we had a car."

He looked at me suspiciously, "I had the car last night."

"I cycled over, picked up the car, took your parents to the hotel and then drove back to the hospital and cycled home."

I could tell that he wasn't happy that his parents were sitting in the dining room. It meant that he didn't have a chance to prepare himself for meeting them. I realize that the chasm between them was really deep.

"I'm sorry, obviously I should have let you do it your way. I just didn't want them to meet me and think that I was sitting here on my rear while they had to take a Cab."

I turned to him and gave him a hug. I looked up into his eyes and could tell that he was very tired. He managed a slight smile back and then picked his mug up and went back into the dining room to talk to his parents before he went to bed for a nap.

The entire weekend was awkward. His parents had lots of questions about us, including whether or not we were going to get married. I started to answer the question but Greg but it in, "Maybe, but Jordi has to get out of med. school first."

I have to admit that I was going to tell them no, so I was surprised to hear that Greg was trying to qualify it. I think he wanted to his parents to believe that we were a normal couple, in love, and building a life together rather than two really good friends who had taken the same bus to the next stop on the line. I kept my mouth shut.

When we took them to the airport, they gave me a hug and Mrs. House whispered to me, "I like you Jordan, but I can see that you don't have the same feelings for Greg that he has for you. Please don't hurt him too badly."

I wasn't sure what she meant by that but I must have looked surprised because as we were driving home Greg asked me what she had said.

"She said that she liked me."

Greg looked at me suspiciously, "Is that all she said?"

I shook my head yes and we rode the rest of the way home in silence. Her words haunted me for the next week and then as I prepared for med school I forgot them.

We had been living together for 2 months and like most couples, we had developed our own routine. Greg took out the trash, put the trash cans on the street, took the car to be washed, did a few loads of laundry and in general, helped around the house when I asked or begged. He also mowed the lawn and pruned the rosebushes. During the summer he paid for all of our living expenses with the exception of the utility bills, which I paid. I was still working at the lab 20 hours a week and using most of my money to buy things like clothes for Greg, underwear for me, and to purchase little things for the home.

The sex was never perfunctory, although it did slow down. We no longer made love every time we looked at each other. A lot of the time Greg was tired when he got home and frankly, I appreciated the nights off. I also appreciated the nights on, because there was no doubt in my mind that Greg was an exceptional lover. Despite what he says, Greg really does like to cuddle. There were nights when I would've preferred for him to stay on his own side but he insisted on spooning me. I didn't realize then how much I would miss it later.

***

Work was putting a strain on me. The attending resident was a real ass, and I was his least favorite person. I guess it didn't help that I called him a fumbling moron who couldn't diagnose a cold. I said this in front of our respective boss. Of course I was called in and chastised, given a warning and reminded that I was on thin ice. Gee, tell me something I don't already know.

Jordan had been really kind to my parents and I appreciated that. My relationship with my father's sucks. He is a former Marine Corps pilot and his idea of discipline when I was growing up would probably be called child abuse today. Among the Marines, it was just considered to be part of growing up. There is a part of me that blames my mother for not doing something about it. But she tried to make it up in other ways by giving me a lot of affection and attention.

My parents liked Jordan because she seemed so down to earth. They did tell me that the age difference was too much and I should probably find someone a little older. Still, Jordan went out of her way to make them feel comfortable and in some ways that bothered them because they didn't want like her. I think they went home confused about how they felt and that was just fine with me.

If I'm truthful with myself, I prefer being in a relationship. I like having someone to come home to, to talk to and to play with. It's even better having regular sex rather than having to go out on dates or on the prowl.

Jordi used to read books on sex and every so often I would come home and she would be excited,"I found this great position in this book. It says that it stimulates the "G" spot while allowing you to also stimulate the clitoris. Come Greggie, let's go upstairs and do some horizontal tangos."

"Can I just take a break for a few minutes? I just did a 10-hour shift. I could also use a shower." I had to laugh at her, she could get so excited, like a kid going to Disneyland. "Jordi, please let me just have a few minutes. I promise that I'll be your sex slave for the rest of the night, okay?" I could see the excitement drain out of her, replaced by disappointment. I felt guilty. After all, here was a beautiful woman begging me to screw her brains out.

She smiled, "is there anything I can do for you?"

"A beer would be nice."

She brought me a beer and sat down next to me on the couch. I put my arm around her and she picked up the remote and turned on the television. Then Jordi handed the remote to me and we remained quiet for the next hour while I watched an old Saturday Night Live.

"I have dinner in the oven, would you like it now?" She asked me sweetly.

"That really sounds great right now, I'm hungry."

Without any moaning she dished out the food and we ate. She asked me about my rotation and I told her about a patient with Legionnaires disease. She appeared to be fascinated, although that might have been a show for me, but we continued to talk without me feeling as if I was being pressured to finish. I went upstairs and took a shower, brushed my teeth and cut all the stray hairs before going back downstairs. I picked her up in my arms and she giggled. I carried her up to the bedroom and threw her on the bed. I then laid down next to her and started to give her kisses on her lips, cheeks, neck and little earlobes. I unbuttoned her blouse and unlatched her bra. She took them both off and I reached down to cup and lick her nipples. I undid the button and zipper on her jeans and then slipped my hand inside her little pink cotton panties. As I began to rub her, I asked her, "So, what's this new position you have for me?"

"I lay on my side at the end of the bed and you enter me that way."

"I'm up for it."

"Ooooh, I'm not sure that I want you to stop what you're already doing." She took in a deep jagged breath and began to match my rhythm with her body.

I always loved the way that she responded when we had sex. Her chest was wide-open and her breasts would rise and fall quickly as her pulse increased. Her pelvic muscles would tighten in response to stimulation and her breathing would accelerate and become erratic at times. I jumped up and took off my clothes, grabbed her ankle and pulled her down to the edge of the bed. I looked down at her, "Turn on your side."

She smiled seductively at me and then turned on her right side. I entered her while standing at the bottom of the bed. She was so warm and tight. I angled myself so that I would be rubbing what I hoped was her G spot (a bundle of sensitive nerves on the roof of the vagina.) This area also becomes engorged with blood during sexual intercourse and if it and the clitoris is rubbed correctly, it can give a woman the most delicious vaginal orgasm she'll ever have. I have to admit, that from this angle I could see everything that was going on and I was extremely aroused. I was looking down on her naked body as it bounced from my thrusting. I was so wrapped up in my own sensations that at first I didn't realize she was coming. She started grabbing at the bedspread, screaming so loud that I thought she'd shake the walls down. I saw her body flush and could feel her pelvic muscles contract quickly over and over, pulling me in deeper and deeper. Her nipples became engorged and I actually noticed that her toes were curling. I don't think any man could have held off from exploding while watching or feeling this. My own climax was overwhelming and one of the strongest I'd experienced because of the quick contractions of her muscles. I fell on top of her while I was still coming, unable to stand. When it was over, I slipped off to the side. I couldn't talk for several minutes I was breathing so fast.

After a few minutes she climbed up to the pillows and lay on her back. I followed. "Greg, she said so softly I could barely hear her, "Wow, I just had a vaginal orgasm...it felt different from the others. It was over the top." She rolled over to me and put her head on my chest. I could smell her hair and feel her soft body pressing up against me. It all seemed so perfect. What a fool I was, I should have captured that moment and held onto it for the rest of my life.

***

When med school began, Jordan found herself overwhelmed with work. On occasion, House would help her with her homework but usually he was either working a rotation or dead tired. Actually Jordan found med school quite interesting and was enjoying herself despite the long hours she had to put in on the course work. Greg frequently found Jordan asleep at night when he would get home. She was starting to prepare a lot of casseroles that could be heated up easily. Jordan was also contributing more from her scholarship funds to the household expenses. She had quit her job at the end of the summer, but occasionally she would go over to see how they were getting along on the project.

George would occasionally see Greg at the hospital and she would smile and wave at him when the instructors weren't looking. Greg was having problems again with his supervisor. In reality, the supervisor was very jealous of House's ability to diagnose patients so quickly and accurately. He was starting to have a national following and referrals were coming into the hospital for his evaluation. Unfortunately, at the end of October, House was suspended for two weeks when the husband of one of his patients got into an argument with him over the way House insisted that the wife had been having an affair. As usual, it turned out that House was right, but the husband was still livid over the way House delivered the news. House had a review hearing with three of the trustees who noted that House had an uncanny ability to diagnose difficult cases; however, his interaction with the patients and staff were very strained. He was reinstated but placed on probation. One more incident and it meant that he would be terminated. House had just received a certification in infectious diseases and had been hired by Johns Hopkins to work in Dennis Maki's Department. House had a great respect for Dennis, but not for the supervisor who actually ran the department, Jake Carter.

House came home one day, threw his keys on the table, and started ranting, "I swear, if that asshole doesn't get off my case, I'm going to make his birth certificate a worthless document."

Jordan looked up from her text and shook her head, "Well you're not going to win any awards for your stellar personality. But if you really think he is riding you, why not go talk to Dr. Maki?"

"NAH, Carter was handpicked by Maki. He's not going to do anything about it." House threw himself down on the couch, "Jordi, I don't think I'm going to last long at Hopkins."

Jordan looked at him with trepidation, "Oh come on, it can't be that bad. Try to find a way to work with him. Greg, please don't say this, you're scaring me."

House looked down at his feet and put his hand to his forehand and started rubbing it. He looked at her and just kept shaking his head, not knowing what to tell her. But his intuition, which he trusted a great deal told him that he better start looking around.

That night neither of them got to sleep. Jordan was holding onto him and had her head on his chest. He was looking at the ceiling and kept rubbing her arm. Both of them were wondering what would happen to them if House was let go from Hopkins. Every time Jordan thought about it she would get sick to her stomach. Despite the fact that he could be a jerk, House had been her anchor.

***

What was I supposed to do? Kiss the guy's ass? Well tough, I've never been an ass kisser. But the look in Jordan's eyes when I told her was so painful that I didn't dare share with her what happened the following week.

I had put out feelers just in case and received a letter from Massachusetts General requesting an interview. I told Jordi that I was going to a conference on emerging diseases at Harvard and she bought it. I flew up to Boston and drove to the hospital in a rental car. The interview was with an old med school buddy, Ian McKinley.

"House, you aren't fooling me. I know what's going on down at Hopkins. I also know Carter and he's a bumbling idiot. I don't know why Maki chose him to run the department, but the scuttlebutt is that you're going to be out the door by the end of the year. I just happen to have a position that is going to be funded starting January of next year and you would be perfect for it. We're going to try and diagnose difficult cases using a Gestalt approach and it requires someone who can take numerous baffling symptoms and come up with a diagnosis. It requires you. Are you interested?"

This had been exactly what I had in mind to showcase my abilities. It would be the perfect job for me. "You bet I am. It's what I've been doing everywhere I go. The doctors always call me in when they can't put the puzzle together. It would be nice to get the recognition and pay for it."

"I know. I remember watching you do this all the time as interns. Only now you'd get paid for it. You're going to have to go through a couple of interviews and I know you don't interview well. So please try to behave, I've gone out on a limb for you. I've told everyone that you're the perfect candidate for this job, and I believe that, except for the fact that you hate patients. One thing though, you'd have to teach courses and diagnostics at Harvard." I shrugged my shoulders and gave him broad smile.

*** The remaining interviews went well and House was informed that he was being seriously considered for the job. The pay would be considerably more than what he was receiving at Hopkins. They were going to start him at $147,000 plus benefits, including a nice retirement package. House flew home, not knowing how to break the news to Jordi. He had a headache. He decided that until he was offered the job he would keep silent.

When he walked through the door, she was all smiles. She got up, almost ran to him and hugged him. He hugged her back tightly and kissed the crown of her head. He loved the smell of her and it made him sad to think that he may have to leave her behind soon.

House tried to soak in everything she did so that he wouldn't forget it. He insisted that they take their camera almost everywhere and he would stop people and asked them to take a picture of Jordan and him. Jordan was amused by this, but not surprised, because every once in a while House would get a bug up his butt and take an interest in something that hadn't interested him before.

Jordan made Thanksgiving dinner and invited several of the students in med school over. House invited Doug who came bearing flowers for Jordan and wine for House. The meal consisted of turkey, ham, vegetarian loaf and all the side dishes. House was impressed, it was a huge meal and she had been working on it for two days.

***

"House, come and carve the turkey."

Doug laughed, "Jordan, are you sure you trust House with knives?"

"Don't worry, I gave him a Percocet cocktail, if he does come after me it will be in slow motion."

Doug came over and whispered to me, "I never said how sorry I was for what happened between us. I really screwed up and it looks like House scored big because of it. He got you and I got more dead-end dates. You know, I'm curious, are you in love with him?"

I immediately blushed. The 64 million dollar question and I hadn't thought about it for a while. Most of the time I enjoyed being around Greg except when he intentionally humiliated me or went on a slob binge. Occasionally, he would stop making an effort to put his clothes in the hamper, clear his dishes, wash out the sink after shaving, put the cap on the toothpaste and in general anything that would constitute being considerate of the person you live with. I'd tolerate it for a while and then I'd start taking his clothes and putting them in the trash, throwing the dirty dishes on his side of the bed and taking his shaving hairs and putting them in his clean shorts. He thought he could take it but he really is a woos when it comes to his own comfort. House would eventually get the hint and straighten up.

I came back to Doug's question. Did I love Greg? I knew that if I paused too long he would know that I wasn't sure. I laughed it off, "Doug, what is it to you? Do you want to know if you have a shot?"

He blushed and literally stepped back, "I..I didn't mean..."

"Oh, don't worry, I won't tell Greg. Come on, let's eat."

Our guests all pitched in to help clean up and then after desert most of them took off. The few that stayed were more Greg's friends than mine.

"Hey you guys, I'm whooped, I'm going to bed. House, put the stuffing in the refrigerator when it cools off." I went up and got ready for bed, had a headache and so I started down the steps to get a glass of water to take some Excedrin. I heard Doug talking to House.

"What about Jordan? Are you just going to leave her behind?"

"What am I supposed to do? I'll be at Mass General and she'll still be in med school."

"Maybe she could transfer to Harvard?"

"She's got a full ride here."

"House, you're just going to pack up and leave? Don't you love her?"

"This isn't about love. I'm about to be kicked out Hopkins after that incident yesterday, I've been given a dream job at Mass General...well, dream except for the teaching part...and Jordan has a full scholarship to attend med school here at Hopkins. It would be selfish for me to ask her to come with me, so I won't. Besides, she doesn't love me. She told me that months ago."

"Are you sure she doesn't love you? Who else would put up with your crap?"

"I'm not going to pull her away from Hopkins. I'll be down on weekends. She'll come up."

I sat down on the stairs and felt numb. He was leaving me and everyone knew it but me. I practically crawled back into bed and lay there with my eyes closed trying to imagine him leaving me. What did I expect? That he would want to stay with me forever? We never once said, "I love you" to each other. We had companionship. We shared our daily lives, our ups and downs. We shared a bedroom. We shared a bathroom! But we never said were in love. We paid bills together, did the grocery shopping together and went to Walmart together. But there had been no soppy cards that expressed undying love, no flowers with a little envelope that said, "I love you" and no discussion of marriage whatsoever. I had to face it. He didn't love me. Oh, I knew he cared about me, but he could obviously leave me and move on with his life in Boston. I had to steel myself to do the same. I guess I didn't love him either. I had to believe that otherwise what was I going to do without him?

I refused to cry.

***

I got word on the Monday before Thanksgiving that I had the job at Mass General if I wanted it. On Wednesday I lost my job at Hopkins.

I had discovered that Carter had overruled me when I ordered a patient quarantined. I spent an hour chasing him down. "Are you a friggin' moron? When those tests come back, you're going to discover that he's got pneumonic plague you idiot. Even the CDC quarantines for that. You're ass is going to be hanging out and I'm not going to lift a finger to help you."

"House, you are so far out in left field on this. This guy has simple viral pneumonia."

I couldn't believe that he had managed to come up with that diagnosis for someone who obviously had the plague, "I'm sorry, did I call you a moron? What an insult to the morons of this world...Carter, you represent the Peter principle to the nth degree. I guess intelligence wasn't a criterion where you went to med school."

"That's it House, go home. You're on suspension and this time I'd start packing if I were you."

They found out that the guy did have pneumonic plague but it didn't save my job. This was the second time I had been suspended by the Trustees at Hopkins. I wanted to tell Jordi but she seemed so nervous about her first big med test on Tuesday and spent all of Wednesday cooking, I just couldn't. The truth is that I felt guilty. Guilty that I couldn't control my mouth and keep my job so that we could stay together. I wasn't going to make Jordi share my excommunication to Boston. She had a great deal at Hopkins and besides, she had warned me from the beginning that she wasn't in love with me. So it didn't matter how I felt about her. Still I worried about telling her.

I put the stuffing in the refrigerator and the beer cans in the recycling and turned off the lights. I made my way upstairs, got ready for bed and climbed between the sheets. I slipped over to her side and put my arm around her little arm and waist. I wanted to smell and feel her as long as I could.

I woke up the next morning to see her sitting up in bed looking down at me, "So you're moving to Boston? When do you leave?" She sounded very matter of fact and she looked calm, in control, and not in the least upset.

I looked in her eyes. "The job starts the first of the year."

I thought I saw her flinch. "Tell me about your job."

I explained to her the details of the job, the interview, and what had happened at Hopkins. She seemed to take it well. She asked me, "Would you be willing to transfer the lease into my name so I can keep the house while I got to school? I'll get a renter in to help with the costs and I should be ok."

So, the decision had already been made, she would not come with me. I simply said, "Of course."

She smiled said, "Thanks," before getting out of bed and going downstairs.

The following week I was let go from Hopkins for the second time in my life. I started packing my things up. Jordi got home from school around 4:00 p.m. and saw some of my boxes packed. She put down her things and started helping me pack. She took a box into the kitchen and started packing the dishes, silverware, pots, pans, dish towels, all the crap I had accumulated over the years and from tenants who had moved out and left me with their crap.

I looked in one of the boxes and pulled out a pan, "I was going to let you keep some of this."

"Don't worry. I have $150 saved. What I can't get cheaply at Walmart, I'll buy at the thrift store. I'll be ok."

"I'm not taking much of the furniture. You can keep it or give it away but I'll be making enough to buy new furniture, furniture I actually like, not hand me downs."

"Are you sure? I could pay you for it?"

I looked at her with disappointment, "Jordi, please don't act like this, besides, I'd just throw it out or give it away. Anyway, we'll need the double for when I come down to visit."

She was quiet, too quiet. She finally turned around to me and I thought she might cry but she didn't, "Greg, please don't visit. If people know you come back to see me then no one will ask me out on a date. They'll think we're still a couple. It wouldn't be fair to me or to you to try and keep up some pretense of a relationship. I hope you understand. You know how fond I am of you. I hope we can stay in touch, maybe see each other at conventions, but we need a clean break. Don't you agree?"

I guess I had thought we would spend weekends together until she got out of med school and then she could come up and get an internship in Boston. I looked at her, hoping she would say, "Gotcha." But she was dead serious.

"No. Sure. I understand. I was hoping you would say something like that. Thanks for understanding and letting me off the hook." She shook her head yes and then turned back to her packing.

When we went to bed that night, I crawled over to her side and started to put my hand up her pajamas. Jordi didn't stop me but there was something different in the way she responded. Not as enthusiastic. I continued by pulling the pajama bottoms down and unbuttoning her top to expose her breasts. God, I was going to miss those pretty, pert breasts with the little pink nipples. I kissed each of them and licked them lightly. I looked in her face and she smiled back but it was a forced smile. I went down and used my tongue to bring her to orgasm and then I entered her. She had a hard time looking at me and she wouldn't hold me. When it was over, she rolled away from me and I guess she went to sleep. It was the last time we made love before we went our separate ways.

***

Christmas came very quickly. Jordan decided to go back to Oklahoma and see her folks who had sent her a bus ticket. House drove her to the bus station and she told him not to bother waiting for the bus to arrive, he should get home while it was light. She wasn't sure just when she was coming home so she told him they ought to say their goodbyes. She reached over, gave him a closed kiss on the lips and said, "I'll never be able to repay you for what you've done for me. Please take care, be safe and if you ever need anything, call me." She jumped out the passengers' door and disappeared with her luggage very quickly into the crowd at the Baltimore station. He watched until he could no longer see the red scarf she had around her neck. It was over.

House spent the Christmas with Doug drinking and watching porn. He had arranged to drive a rental truck up with his stuff and Doug was going to follow with Greg's car. House had flown up a few days before and rented an apartment, arranged the utilities and filled out the paperwork for the job.

When Jordan got home, he was gone and the house was quiet.

***

I hadn't cried. I came close but I bit my lip and screamed into my pillow, but I refused to cry. I found a roommate who was also in med school and the rent helped defray my costs. At first I occasionally saw Doug but it was too painful in too many ways so I was honest with him about how I felt and he appreciated it. The year seemed to fly by.

It was in December 1992 that I was downtown Baltimore shopping for Christmas presents when I stopped into a little bistro to get a bite to eat before continuing on my marathon hunt for the perfect presents for my family and new friends in med school. I had just ordered at the counter and then turned and spotted Doug by himself in one of the booths. "Hey stranger, fancy seeing you here."

He looked startled and worried. "Hi Jordan, how are you doing? I saw you the other day on rounds but you looked so busy I didn't stop you."

"I've been fine. I start my internship in January. Can you believe it? It all seems to have gone so fast. I'm hoping to..."

I saw Doug's face freeze in terror and then I heard a voice behind me, "Hi Jordi." I was actually happy to hear the voice and when I turned I was smiling. There stood Greg with a lovely brunette woman hanging on his sleeve. House leaned over and gave me a peck on the cheek.

"Hi Greg, how are you? Are you enjoying Mass General?" I stayed calm as they slipped into the booth.

He nodded yes and said, "It's been great, we're inventing a whole new specialty in diagnostics. I get some great cases and for once they seem to appreciate me. Jordi, this is Natalie. Natalie, this is Jordi, she used to be my tenant when I lived down here."

"Glad to meet you." She smiled and reached across with her hand. I took it and shook it a little too hard.

"You too." I said looking at her but she was looking around for something.

"Honey, have you seen that brochure I picked up about the Jazz festival?"

"No, I haven't." House said and then turned quickly back to me. He seemed uneasy.

I wanted out of there, "Well, it was good to see the two of you and nice to meet you Natalie."

Natalie looked up, "Oh no, you must stay and eat with us."

"Sorry, I've got a time crunch, but thank you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year."

"Same to you Jordi." His voice was soft and kind and I gave him a smile that I hope he knew meant that I understood.

You know how you want people you know to be happy, you just wish you could find happiness first so it won't hurt when they do? It's selfish but it was how I felt. He had his dream job and a beautiful woman. What did I have? School and my internship. It would be like that for a year until I did my residency. And then it would be more work and no play. Oh well, at least Greg did look good.

***

When I saw her in December of 1992 she looked so thin but pretty. She had on the red scarf she was wearing when I last saw her. I think she had planned to eat at the bistro but after seeing me she grabbed the food, had it wrapped and took it with her. I didn't think I would run into her. It was the first time that I had come back and that was just to see Doug and go to a concert.

Natalie and I had been dating two months. I didn't think it was serious but I found out later that she did. She was an underwriter for a large commercial insurer and she was beautiful. We had fun in bed but she wasn't Jordi.

When I kissed Jordi I could smell her, she still had that squeaky clean soap smell. It made me ache all over. I felt like I was leaving her all over again. It was hard not to show how much seeing her had affected me. I continued to joke and banter back and forth with Natalie and Doug but Doug gave me a sad smile that told me he knew.

I didn't see Jordi for years.
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Legal Disclaimer: The authors published here make no claims on the ownership of Dr. Gregory House and the other fictional residents of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Like the television show House (and quite possibly Dr. Wilson's pocket protector), they are the property of NBC/Universal, David Shore and undoubtedly other individuals of whom I am only peripherally aware. The fan fiction authors published here receive no monetary benefit from their work and intend no copyright infringement nor slight to the actual owners. We love the characters and we love the show, otherwise we wouldn't be here.

The House Fan Fiction Archive

Chrysalis (Parts I & II)