The Diogenes Club

by gorblimey2

The Diogenes Club

House was watching a rerun of "Faulty Towers" when he heard a knock on the door. That was fast, he hadn't expected someone so quickly. House took the remote off the arm of the leather couch and turned the television off. He grabbed his cane and made for the front door of his one bedroom apartment. He opened the door and there stood a woman, a gorgeous woman, but not the woman he was expecting. He took a look around her to see if someone was standing nearby, but there was no one. He then looked at her. He then looked back at her and his eyes were drawn down to her cleavage. House could see two beautifully shaped round breasts sitting high and pert and just barely covered by a shantung evening dress.

"Can I help you?" He asked. He was actually thinking, "I know how you could help me..."

"Dr. House?"

"Yes?"

"May I please come in for a minute, I won't take up too much of your time." She said very sweetly but in a professional way.

"Ok, but I'm expecting someone soon." He told her just in case they were interrupted.

"Yes, I know and she will be here as soon as I leave."

"Dr. House, my name is Caragh Donovan, I own the Diogenes Club." She shook his hand with a firm but not overwhelming grip.

"Oh!" House was surprised. "So are you looking for one honest man?"

She laughed, "Well, my aunt named the club, not me. But I guess every woman is looking for that honest man. No, I'm looking to settle something."

House thought to himself, he was a Diogenes Club regular and always paid well. What score could she be settling? He looked at her, she looked younger than her age which he could tell by the sun damage on the back of her hands. She must be in her late 30's, early 40's, but she looks younger. Her hair was strawberry blond and it fell just below her shoulder in natural waves. Her face was petite and freckled. She didn't have the Hollywood full, pouty lips. Hers were well proportioned but in no way could they be called full. Her nose was small with just a little upturn at the end. Her body was incredible for her age. Nothing was large, but all was well proportioned. When she stepped into the apartment, House had watched as her sweet little @ss swayed slightly as she walked. The dress hugged the round, high and symmetrical cheeks. There was just enough to hang onto in bed. You could tell that she didn't even know her hips were swaying, but it certainly was mesmerizing. When she turned to speak to him she caught his eyes on her butt and when he met her eyes he smiled. She smiled knowingly, this was a woman who knew what her effect was on men.

"Dr. House, I am here to make up for a couple of months ago. I understand that Barbara didn't meet your expectations and that you had a problem?"

House was a little embarrassed to be talking about a hooker to this woman. "Well, I must admit that I hadn't expected someone to break down in sobs when I asked her if she was going to get undressed."

"I understand she made also made a comment about your scar." She said sheepishly.

"Something like, it's so ugly it reminds me of one of those freak show things...'"

"Oh dear, that is bad, very bad." She was very apologetic in her manner. "Barbara was new to this area and although she came with good credentials, you just don't know until she gets out there. I let Barbara go after that. Well, I made sure she had a regular client so that she wouldn't starve, but she is no longer associated with the Diogenes Club. However, that doesn't make up for your bad experience."

"I take it Paula told you."

"Yes, well I knew something was up. You usually don't ask for any specific girl, but you asked for Paula. When she got back I asked her if you had mentioned anything. She told me that you asked for her because you said the last one was about as pleasurable as an enema.'" She chuckled. "That's why I'm here. Tonight is on the house, forgive the pun. I want you to know that if you ever have a bad experience again, please don't pay for it, just call me and I will sort it out. I don't want to lose you to one of the other services in town. You're a good client, even if you don't use our services as often as I wish you did."

"Well, that's nice of you, but that won't really make up for the bad taste in my mouth."

She was taken aback, this was very generous of her, it meant that she would have to forgo her $100 cut and pay Paula $200 to service the good doctor. "Well, what would make up for it?"

"You. I'd like for you stay tonight." He said it with one eyebrow slightly lifted and with a sly smile.

She blushed briefly and then shook her head no. "I'm sorry Dr. House, but I don't work on the service end. I'm purely administrative. I appreciate the compliment though." Caragh never dated clients. Not only was it bad for business, but she had a hard time dealing with the idea that a man would pay to have sex, she had been in the business quite awhile and she still had the feeling that if a man had to pay for it, then there was something very wrong or sad about them.

"Well, I did get a coupon for the Princeton Escorts, 50% off. I may have to try them next time."

"Oh Dr. House, you know that's not fair, I've been very generous." She smiled, she knew he was playing her.

"Well, what if I pay for tonight, but you go out with me next weekend?" He was persistent.

She was tempted. Standing in front of her was a 6'2", thin man in his 40's who had a closely cropped beard and bed-head hair that was turning a gorgeous gray. He had these eyes that took in everything. The blue of his eyes had to have turned several heads over the years. He was handsome. He was also a doctor, so he must be bright. He had a Baby Grand in his living room which meant he was musical. One look at those long graceful fingers and she figured the piano wasn't the only thing he probably played. He hired her girls, but only four or five times a year. So why did he need the occasional hooker? A lot of her clients hired girls weekly, so he wasn't really one of her best clients, but one of her most reliable. He always gave cash and tipped the girls well. They usually made an extra $50.00 off of Gregory House. They also told her that although the sex was athletic and varied, it wasn't perverted. The girls liked servicing Gregory House and so she rotated them through so that they would all get a chance. That is, until he actually asked for Paula. After five years of not caring who was sent, she knew that something was up.

"Dr. House, you are so tempting, but I'm sure that there are lots of women who would want to go out with you. I know that if you weren't a client, I would find you very attractive."

"So you don't find me attractive?" he gave her a sideways glance and smile.

"I mean that I don't allow myself to think of you that way." She was worried that he was going to figure out what really bothered her about going out with him.

"That's crap." he said bluntly. "There's something you aren't telling me?"

"I can't. But thanks. Now will you accept my offer to foot the bill tonight?"

He hesitated, he wasn't sure that going out with her was a dead horse. "Ok, but one more thing, I want to talk to you from now on when I call."

She wasn't sure where this was going so she agreed. "I will personally take your calls when you call in. Here's my card with my cell phone on it." She smiled and he opened the door. Standing out in the lobby was Paula, waiting patiently for their meeting to end. "Paula, see me for the money. It's free to Dr. House tonight."

Paula nodded in acknowledgment and then smiled at House, "Good evening Dr. House, how are you?" She entered the apartment and the door closed.

Caragh couldn't help but feel like she might have made a mistake. There was something very alluring about the doctor. But it still nagged her, why did he hire hookers. Why didn't he just pick up a woman? According to the girls, he certainly had all the right parts.

***

House went to work the next day a little late. He was met at the clinic doors by Lisa Cuddy, who was obviously not pleased with the tardy doctor. "House, did you forget that you have that Dr. Salem's class to teach in ten minutes? Come on, you need to get in gear."

House gave a grimace and wanted to go back to bed. "Do I have to teach another class?"

"Hey, you know it's part of your contract. This is a teaching hospital, operative word, teaching.' It's a class in Epidimiology...something you should know! Now get going, the class is in the Carnegie building."

There was no way that House was going to make the class on time. He could only make it if he could jog over there and that wasn't going to happen. "Yes Master, I'm on my way." House made his way across the hospital campus which was comprised of several buildings. Princeton University was adjacent to Princeton-Plainsboro Medical College and Teaching Hospital. They often shared facilities and faculty. House made it to the Carnegie building and found his classroom. There were approximately 30 students patiently waiting.

House walked at a fast, but unsteady clip into the class. "Alright, tell me what you're studying?" The students appeared to have gone into shock. Their jaws dropped and they looked at each other with eyes that registered suprise.

The faces went blank. "Hell, if I put you all in a row I'd have a wind tunnel. Come on folks, you remember, what was the last thing you talked about?"

They were all intimidated by the great Gregory House. He was a legend on campus and had increased his fame by being shot by one of his patients. He was known to be caustic, abusive and brilliant. One student raised his hand, "Dr. House, we were suppose to have a lecture today on the 1918 Influenza."

"The Spanish Flu. How many people died in the 1918 Pandemic?"

Hands went up, " 40 to 100 million." House didn't bother to actually wait for an answer. More people died from the Spanish Influenza than from the war. And it was the War to end all wars. The interesting thing about the Spanish Influenza is that it didn't start in Spain. Where did it start?"

Hands went up. House actually called on the pretty brunette with a very lowcut blouse, "Carmen?" He looked straight at her.

"Dr. House, I'm Jessie."

"Sorry, your breasts reminded me of Carmen Electra. Jessie, where did it start?"

"A fort in Kansas. Fort Riley." she said demurely, with a smile that she thought would melt his gruff exterior.

He returned the smile with his own sexually dripping one. Within seconds he dropped the smile. "Did you get that out of a textbook?" House asked mockingly.

"Yes." she answered.

"You guys are imbeciles...don't you actually do research outside of the textbook? Do you ever pick up a medical journal? Alright maggots, we now know that there was a British base at Etaples, in Boulonge, which housed soldiers on the way to the front as well as large numbers of wounded brought by train directly from the front each night. In particular, Oxford University noted that more than one million soldiers moved through the camp by November 1917, symptoms consistent with the flu started appearing there as early as December 1916. The camp was overcrowded, with the 100,000 troops quartered there housed in tents and temporary barracks. It was the first time that the British had actually raised food at a camp. There were numerous pigs, fowl, and horses in the vicinity, some of which were prepared for food by the troops themselves. Finally, a great many of the troops in the area had been exposed to chemical weapons, some of them now known to be mutagenic. That is, a large number of soldiers were living in very rough conditions, many of them with respiratory systems compromised by gas attacks, amidst animals known to carry viruses that jump to humans or recombine with viruses that we host. So the conditions were ripe for more than one virus to be proliferate in immune compromised patients, a necessary condition for recombination to take place within humans.

Recently they analyzed the 1918 HA gene, however, it has been proposed that recombination had occurred such that the majority of the globular domain (HA1) in the Spanish flu virus was acquired from the swine lineage, but its stalk region (HA2) was derived from the human lineage. This intragenic recombination resulted in the increased virulence associated with the 1918 pandemic. They found no evidence for recombination in the 1918 HA gene. The apparent recombination results from a difference in the rate of evolution between HA1 and HA2--a difference present only in human influenza A viruses." House paused and looked at the now very blank faces and students scrambling to take notes. "Are you guys studying the actual recombination of viruses?" House asked.

A few of them nodded yes, but most of them nodded no.

"Are you all schizophrenic? Someone make up their mind. Are you studying the recombination of viruses such as the 1918 Influenza?" House was yelling at the class.

"Dr. House, we are and we aren't. We're discussing that recombinations actually occur but we aren't getting into the specifics of it, not like you were just discussing." a brave student in the front row offered.

"There is no hope for medicine." House paused. "Epidemiology is the study of where the diseases come from and how they developed and how the surroundings contributed to diseases. What we know about viruses in the past dictate how to deal with them in the future. Viruses become virulent by either mutation or by recombination. In the case of the Spanish Influenza, recombination was a key player, but mutation was not. You need to get your heads out of your butts and start paying attention to medicine. Medicine is not static. If you keep relying on texts you'll get behind."

House continued to lecture on the effect of the Spanish Influenza. "The flu went around the world three times. 20% of the world contracted the disease and 2.5-5% died and that equaled between 40-100 million people. Alright, anyone know what the mortality rate is for the current H5N1 virus?" More blank looks. "Christ, commonly known as the "Bird Flu?" The current Avian flu kills between 58-62% of those affected. Now do you understand why WHO and CDC are pissing in their pants over this one?"

The bell rang. House sighed deeply. He was frustrated with the class and their ignorance. He didn't envy the sap who took over this class on a permanent basis. He had just been asked to substitute for the day until they could find someone permanent. Apparently Dr. Salem was going through chemotherapy and radiation for colon cancer. House decided that the first thing he would do was to burn their textbooks.

He picked up his cane and started to exit the classroom. As he was doing so, the door at the top of the classroom opened up and a woman yelled, "Professor Salem?? Professor..." and then she stopped in her tracks. "Dr. House?"

House was smiling, there was Caragh Donovan staring down the steps of the classroom at him.

"Oh, I forgot, Dr. Salem started his treatment today, right?"

"Yes. What are you doing here?"

"One of the courses I teach is Medical History, the history of the available medicines, techniques, instruments. Dr. Salem and I try to coordinate our class lectures so that they are relevant to each other. I will be giving a class on the available medicines and procedures used during the 1918 Pandemic tomorrow." Caragh paused and was scared to ask the next question, "Are you taking over his class for the rest of the semester?"

House was very amused. He could tell by her voice and body language that she was hoping he would tell her that he was not taking over the class. But House couldn't help himself, this would be fun. "Yes, I will be taking over the class for the rest of the semester. So I guess we need to talk about the next few lectures." He saw her face fall and then she composed herself and flashed a smile.

"That's why I'm here, to talk about the next two weeks."

"Sorry, I have to get back to the hospital, but we could have dinner tonight and talk about it." He knew she would say no.

"Dr. House, I, uh...well, it wouldn't be a good idea for us to have dinner. What if we meet in the faculty room after work?"

"I don't feel like hobbling back here tonight. I tell you what, you come over to my office on the second floor tomorrow at noon and we can have a very public lunch in the hospital cafeteria if that will make you more comfortable."

The idea that they would be in the public and in a very non-romantic setting appealed to Caragh. "Ok, that sounds fine."

"One question." He was still talking loudly since Caragh was standing at the top of the theater seats in the classroom and he was at the bottom, "I thought you were a madam of the local cathouse? What are you doing teaching?"

She turned red and nervously looked around to see if anyone heard her. "Dr. House, please, very few people know about my extra-curricular activities. I'd appreciate it if you would keep it to yourself." She was getting annoyed.

"Well walk me to the hospital and start explaining." He grabbed his cane, twirled it and started to walk out of the classroom. Caragh chased after him.

"Dr. House, I beg you to not say anything. I'll answer your questions in your office tomorrow, ok? "

He looked at her and squinted his eyes. A smile came over his lips and he said, "I can accept that."

"Well, I'm going to take off then." She said and started to walk to the parking lot. He watched her get into a Aston Martin DB9 Volante convertable and drove out of the parking lot.

House thought to himself, "I like her car, but I wonder what she has under the hood?"

When House got back into the hospital he looked for Cuddy. "I'm going to teach the class for the rest of the semester." Cuddy stopped in her tracks, turned and looked at him and then shook her head in disbelief.

"What are you up to? Besides, I got Dr. Paulson to take it for the semester."

"Well, tell him that I'm doing it. They'll learn real medicine from me, not textbook drivel."

Cuddy liked the idea of House teaching a course. The Board and Dean of the Medical School had been after her to make House teach a course or two. Everyone knew he would be difficult to deal with but they also knew that advertising that Gregory House was teaching a course would draw in lots of students. The medical school was looking for ways of pulling students over from Princeton.

"Only if you agree to teach it for the whole year. We'll want to cash in on your name and the only way to do that is to be able to put your name in the spring schedule."

He thought about it, was this going to be worth it? He had actually enjoyed lecturing this morning..."Deal."

***

Wilson was annoyed, House had borrowed his car and brought it back with no gas. Wilson had run out of gas on the way to the gas station and he had to call AAA. It meant he missed an appointment with a patient. As he walked into the hospital he saw House, their eyes met briefly and House did a 180 and took off down another corridor. Wilson shook his head, why did he put up with this. What did he get out of the relationship?

Wilson had the advantage of two good legs and caught up to him quickly, "House, I just spent three hours out of my day getting gas. Why are you doing this to me? Friends don't screw each other over. I'm at a point where I can't take anymore of your juvenile crap." Wilson's voice was elevated.

" Hey, it's not like I slept with your girlfriend. Although, I could if you think it would patch things up?" He was using humor, but Wilson wasn't in the mood for his humor.

"All these little things add up. You aren't a friend, you're a parasite. You take and take but don't give anything back. I'm done." Wilson turned around and walked to his office.

House ran his finger across his chin contemplating what just happened. He was going to have to do something to get back in Wilson's good graces. He might have an idea. In the meantime, he needed to get to his office, a new case had come in and he was anxious to get started.

"Well, what have we got?" "Patient comes into clinic with garden variety flu symptoms. He's sent home and the next day he is back in with flu symptoms, but he keeps saying that this isn't the flu." Chase was giving the background. "Now, this is where you yell at me, I believe him. I know, everybody lies, but we've all had the flu and this guy is adamant that it is not the flu. I took his history. He's just back from San Diego, California where he went to visit family. He is running a 102 F fever and he is lethargic, achy and he says his head hurts like it is going to explode and he is congested. He's taking prednisone for arthritis, but otherwise he has a pretty clean history. He had an appendicitis when he was 19, but no other surgeries."

Foreman laughed, "Ok, House, is this lame or what? We're not going to waste three good doctors and a battery of expensive tests on a flu patient are we?"

House looked from Foreman to Chase and back, "Well, considering Chase has a better batting average at diagnosing than you two and considering that he has backed me when you two tucked tale and ran, I'm going to bet his diagnosing skills and intuition have brought us a case."

Foreman was not happy and felt as if he had lost out on a competition. He started to sulk a bit. But House looked over at Cameron, "What do you have to say other than, House, you can't do that?'" House then smiled.

"I think we should at least take a run at it and see if there's something else going on. However, maybe we shouldn't jump in with the big, costly battery of tests...perhaps baby steps?"

"Maybe you're right, get me an MRI of his brain to see what's going on with this headache."

Cameron was pleased that House wasn't ordering his normal battery of tests that were not only expensive, but very painful to the patient. The three of them went off to conduct the MRI.

Foreman came in and said apologetically that the MRI did reveal an asymmetric bilateral temporal lobe involvement, strongly suggestive of herpetic encephalitis. "He probably has a cold and herpetic encephalitis."

Chase grimaced, "He didn't mention having herpes. But I'll go back and ask."

"In the meantime get him on intravenous acyclovir and acetaminophen to control the fever." House was less excited about the case than he was a few hours ago. It looked like it was going to be simple after all.

It was noon and House was fidgety. Where was she? He answered the phone and it was her. "Dr. House, I was held up a few minutes but I can be there in ten minutes, is that going to work for you?" "I'll be here."

Ten minutes passed and he saw her walking down the hall trying to find his office. He looked at her as she finally discovered his door. She was wearing a suit that wasn't off the rack. Even though the suit screamed, "Professional", it followed every curve of her body and showed just a little cleavage. It was a blue-gray jacket with a gray skirt. It was amazing that something with such clean lines could make her look like a goddess. She wore strap shoes with two inch heels. She was lovely. He had decided he would great her sternly, but when he saw her walk in, a smile escaped and he had to give in to the desire to smile at her.

"Caragh." He held out a hand for her to sit.

"Dr. House. Sorry that I'm late, a problem at the Diogenes Club." She sat where he pointed.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"You promised to tell me how a madam becomes a professor."

She looked around and asked non-verbal permission to close the door between his office an the conference room next door. He nodded yes and she got up and closed it. "It's more like, how does a professor become a madam.' My aunt started the Diogenes Club in the 70's. She had been an escort, ok, a call girl, here in Princeton. She was very beautiful and she had numerous clients. She couldn't handle all of them so she started recruiting some of the college girls. They were ok, but they would leave after three to four years. So she knew that she need to supplement the young college girls with some real pros. She recruited some of the finest from England, New York, Canada, the west coast and Japan.

Of course my parents didn't know what she did. Every summer I would come out and stay with her for a few weeks and she would treat me to little trips all over the east coast. Sometimes, we would have company, male company. I always had my own room, so I wasn't the wiser. However when I was in my teens, I figured out that she was a call girl just from the phone messages, the black book, the men... but I didn't care. I loved her dearly. When I was 16 she asked if I wanted to work for her for the summer as a receptionist. I jumped at the chance to come back to Princeton, I loved it here. So I worked every summer for her through high school and college. Her business was legitimate on one level. She did provide real escorts for business men, professors, doctors, lawyers, anyone who needed a beautiful woman on their arm at an event or someone to keep them company without sex. Then again, she also provided hookers. But her clientele for the hookers was very exclusive. Not everyone qualified to be her call girl client. She made sure that they had credentials that she could easily verify and that they had money to pay. It's because of this that she was never busted. Well, my aunt died about five years ago and I inherited the legitimate escort business, which I might add was very lucrative. I was going to dissolve the hooker side and sell the escort service but the girls were distraught. Many of them supported their families and had no other real skills. And you have to remember, I've known a lot of them now for up to twenty years. Then the clients begged me not to dissolve the company. I was getting a lot of pressure from both sides. I told the girls that I would run it until they could purchase the entire business from me. It's been working out well. We have a business plan that means they should take over in about three years.

In the meantime, I went to Princeton and received a doctorate in history with an emphasis in medical ethics and history. I did this while working for my aunt. Not too many of us around which is why Princeton-Plainsboro picked me up for their medical school. Of course, I don't want my real employer to find out what I do on the side, it would obviously be awkward and I would probably lose my job. I understand from my contacts that keeping secrets isn't always your strong suit, so I have to ask, what will it take for you to keep quiet?" She was hoping he would just acknowledge the story and tell her that he would keep her secret without any strings attached.

"I'm not sure, let me think about it." House said while looking deep into her eyes. He was wondering what she was willing to do to keep the secret.

"Ok, let me know. Now, can we go down and get lunch. I am hungry and I need to talk to you about tomorrow's lesson and the lessons for next week."

At that point, Cameron, Chase and Foreman came in and gave Caragh the once over. Caragh could see that she was either very protective of House or very enamored with him. "House, the patient is getting worse. He's running a fever of 103 F and he isn't responding to the acyclovir." Cameron was concerned.

"Where did you say he had been?" House asked as if he already knew.

"San Diego." Chase answered.

"You don't go to San Diego without eating Mexican Food. Christ, get a CSF and check for Listeria."

"Listeria? But Listeria only causes problems in people with weakened immune systems.

"Or people on glucocorticosteroid medications such as prednisone. He's on prednisone for the arthritis and he's probably eaten some Mexican food. The cheese used in real Mexican food, like the kind you can find in San Diego, is often unpasteurized. Start him on ampicillin until we get the tests back."

The three of them took off and Caragh turned to House, "Wow, that was impressive. You really do put the puzzle together quickly don't you?"

"I should have put the puzzle together quicker but I let Cameron talk me into not running a full battery of tests. Well, still, its early days and we don't know yet if it is Listeriosis. Shall we go to lunch?" He grabbed his cane and they took the elevator to the ground floor and walked to the cafeteria.

House noticed that several of the doctors took double takes when they saw Caragh. He wasn't sure if it was because she was so stunning or because a beautiful woman was with him. House paid for both lunches, which obviously threw the cashier for a loop. She was confused when he pulled out his wallet and told her to ring up both. "Dr. House, are you buying both lunches?" She said with incredulity.

"Yes, both lunches...." he said exasperated.

They sat down and Caragh pulled out a pad and some notes. Ok, I plan to go through the different medical applications of sulfur tomorrow and the use it had in World War I. I also plan..."She paused to take a bite of her sandwhich, which she quickly chewed and swallowed, "to talk about isolation techniques in 1918 vs. today. Is that going to work into your lecture?"

"It should, I plan to talk about recombination of the 1918 viruses and how that expressed itself as virility. I think your lecture will demonstrate the way that conditions under which the recombination occurred. What's the lecture next week?"

"The plagues."

"Some of my favorite moments in history." House sucked on his coke.

"The text still has Yersinia pestis as the Black Death...I assume you will be addressing that in your lecture." She continued to eat her sandwich.

"I wonder how many of them will know...I guess we'll see whether or not my reprimand the other day took hold. If so, then they'll have read the recent periodicals."House looked at her chowing down on her lunch and was pleasantly surprised. Typically women hated to at in front of men, but not Caragh, she was eating like there was no tomorrow. House liked a girl who could chow down and still look gorgeous.

They talked for another half hour about the plague and what each would cover in their lecture. House leaned forward, "Were you ever one of the girls'?" He asked.

"That is none of your business." she said.

He started to talk louder so that several of , "I just want to know if you were ever a ......"

She interrupted him, "DR. HOUSE! Ok, ok...I was never a call girl but I did escort for awhile."

"Escort. Mmmm. I bet you were in demand." He emphasized it by looking her up and down.

"I was picky, my motto was, See no evil, hear no evil, date no evil.'" She looked at him with distaste. "Any other personal information that you want?"

"Am I annoying you?"

"All men are annoying, some are dead." She stood up to take her tray to the dishwashing window.

House chuckled and watched her walk out of the cafeteria. When he got back, the team was in the conference room next to his office. "Well?"

"It's Listeria...we've got him on ampicillin."

"Great." ***

The following morning, House saw that Wilson's office door was slightly open and he was at his desk. House opened the door all the way with his cane.

"Happy to see me?" He said sarcastically to Wilson.

"As Oscar Wilde said, "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." Now why don't you go to your own office so I can be happy."

"Would you go out with a hooker if she looked like a sex goddess?" House was fooling around with the paperweight on Wilson's desk.

"No, I don't think I would. Why do you ask?"

"What if she were just an escort, no sex, just a string of blind dates that like to pay?"

"Well...I guess, you mean she isn't a hooker, just an escort that accompanies men to events or for company, no sex?"

"Yes, no sex."

"Maybe." He paused, "I'm still mad at you , get out of here."

"Oh, come on, if I promise to be good, will you play with me?"

"House, before you open your mouth to speak, please make sure it's an improvement upon the silence. I need a break from you. Just back off for awhile."

"Well, ok, I have to go teach my class anyway." He started to leave.

"Class? What class?"

"Im teaching a class on epidemiology while the professor gets nuked."

"You're teaching Dr. Salem's class?" Wilson was shocked.

"Yes, you know him?"

"He's my patient. I can't believe that Cuddy gave YOU his class. This I have to see. When is your class?"

"10:00 a.m."

"Well, it's almost 10 now!" Wilson told him.

House ran as fast as he could with his cane through the corridors and out the door. He was only five minutes late when he arrived. He started the class by writing the words, Lisa Cuddy, 609-606-3000 ext. 110. He noticed that there were about ten more students in his class. "I am taking over this class for the semester. If you feel the need to whine or complain about me or my teaching methods, Lisa Cuddy is the one to call. However, I warn you, there's probably nothing that you could tell her about me that will shock her, nothing you can say about me that she hasn't heard and nothing that she will probably do. But if you must whinge, there's the phone number. Now, there will be one test at the end of the semester, mainly because I don't want to grade papers. So pay attention, it's going to be a doozy. I was told that I had to have office hours. Well, my office hours are 5-7 p.m. on Thursday and The Tiger's Tale. It's Happy Hour and if you buy me a single malt whiskey and I'll talk to you." He grabbed his attendance book and threw it at a plain woman in the front, "You look like you don't have a life, I want you to be in charge of attendance. You take it every day and leave your phone number, if I need it I'll call you."

House continued the lecture on the 1918 pandemic flu. "Eighty years ago, a strain of influenza virus spread across the globe, eventually reaching Brevig Mission in Alaska. Five days after the flu hit the Seward Peninsula, 72 of the 80 villagers in Brevig Mission were dead.

Dr. Johan Hultin made it a personal mission to find a sample of the 1918 virus he calls "the most lethal organism in the history of man." He overheard a virologist say that the clue to understanding the 1918 flu might be found in the bodies of victims who were buried in permafrost. He flew to Brevig Mission, Alaska in 1951. With permission from Native elders, Hultin, Geist and two Iowa researchers opened a mass grave, marked by two crosses. In the grave, missionaries in 1918 buried the bodies of the 72 people who died of the flu.

Hoping to study the virus to see what had made it so deadly, Hultin's goal was the retrieval of live flu virus from the lungs of the victims. He removed lung tissue from four bodies, closed the grave, and returned to Iowa. In a lab there, he tried to revive the virus using a number of different methods. After he failed, Hultin resigned himself to perhaps never solving the mystery.

Fast-forward 46 years to 1997. Hultin, then 72 and living in San Francisco, read an article in the journal Science written by a molecular pathologist, Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger. He and his colleagues developed a method to isolate genetic material from viruses that he applied to the tissue of two young soldiers who died of the flu in 1918. The only drawback to Taubenberger's samples, encased in chunks of paraffin the size of a thumbnail, was that they were extremely small. He needed more to work with, but he did not know where to find tissue of people killed by the 1918 flu until Hultin wrote him.

Hultin traveled back to Brevig Mission and after receiving permission from the elders, he again opened the mass and found the body of an obese woman. Her lungs, which Hultin removed, were well preserved. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology to amplify the genetic material, and primers -- the scientist were able to match the overlapping ends of the in the right order.

In later examinations of specimens, signals of RNA - the nucleic acid of the virus - were detected. While the RNA signal was detected in parts of the lungs and kidneys, the best signal was from brain samples. Research revealed that the 1918 virus (Influenza A HA1/HA2) had an extra 'pathogenic' sequence giving it additional virulence. A sample from a surviving victim of the encephalitis lethargica epidemic of the 1920s suggested that this influenza virus could have caused the strange disease, with its propensity for the brain. Because of the widespread pathology and severe pneumonia, possible early outbreaks of this strain were not attributed to 'flu.

The scientists exposed this replica virus to mice, and compared those results with data using three other flu strains. One of the three was a conventional flu strain; another was a conventional strain with two of the 1918 genes; and the third comprised a strain with five 1918 genes. Mice who had been infected with the full eight-gene 1918 recombinant virus rode the fast track to death. They outstripped the three other strains for the speed at which they fell sick, the high concentrations of virus in their blood and for their high mortality rate within five days. Within 24 hours of infection, four key foot-soldiers in the immune system went haywire, unleashing huge inflammation of the lungs, while genes that order cells to commit suicide, a process called apoptosis, were activated. Post-mortem analysis, carried out at various points during the experiment, showed the mice's lungs were ravaged by a "massive" build up of fluid caused by haemorrhaging and bronchitis, while the lungs' lining, the epithelium, was swiftly destroyed. Taken together, the results indicated that enhanced inflammatory and cell-death responses might be contributors" to the severe rates of sickness and death caused by the 1918. Research has shown it descended entirely from a strain of avian flu, something that is at the heart of today'sfears surrounding H5N1 bird flu.

The 1918 flu mutated into other strains for which many people today may have some immunity; there are also vaccines and antiviral drugs that are believed likely to be effective against the original strain. Finding out the pathways by which H1N1 was able to kill so quickly could help the fight against H5N1 bird flu." House continued with further discussion of the genetic makeup of the Spanish Influenza and the current Avian flu.

The students were quiet and taking copious notes. The epidemiology of the Spanish Influenza and its application to today's Avian Influenza was not lost on them. Wilson sat in the upper level of the classroom and thought to himself, "House isn't bad at this. He really knows how to make the class relevant and interesting. I just hope no one tells him that, he's already got a big head."

Wilson looked to his right. He stopped and started to stare at the gorgeous blonde woman sitting just four seats away from him. She was in her thirties and she wasn't taking notes. Wilson wondered who she was and what she was doing in the class. Maybe he could start a conversation and possibly ask her out, if she was single. Wilson was having a hard time concentrating on the rest of House's lecture after noticing her.

After the class was over, the blonde got up and went straight down to House. He acknowledged her even though there were half a dozen students waiting to talk to him about something."

"Dr. House, when you are done here, can I speak with you?" She was talking around the group of students clamoring for his time.

"I'm done now...skidaddle...all of you. If you need to talk to me, you know my office hours." He grabbed his cane and used it to part the group of students and step forward to Caragh.

"I didn't mean to interrupt you but I wanted to let you know that your lecture was well done. You really kept their attention and it was incredibly informative. I even learned a few new things!" She was sincere in her flattery.

"I wasn't trying to entertain them, sadly medical students never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge." He smiled and looked up to see Wilson coming down the stairs.

"Wilson, meet Dr. Caragh Donovan, she has a medical history class that is joined with mine. In fact, she was the individual I was mentioning in our conversation this morning. Dr. Donovan, this is James Wilson, the head of Oncology at PPTH."

Wilson was confused, he hadn't remembered House talking about a history professor. Then it hit, this was the escort that House wanted to ask out. Wilson thought to himself, "Maybe House needs a taste of his own medicine. If I show him what it feels like for your best friend to not have any thought about your feelings. This time I'll be the one who doesn't play by the rules."

"I'm glad to meet you. So you teach medical history? That sounds really interesting. Perhaps you could educate me about the history of cancer treatment. What about drinks sometime this week?" Wilson was as charming as possible.

She smiled and looked at Wilson and then at House. House looked like he had just been hit with a saucepan. He recovered but he was quiet. Something was up between these two and she was curious. "I usually go to Conte's Bar on Fridays around 5:30pm.. They have a piano player and some of the faculty show up. If you want to join us, that would be great. You too Dr. House."

"I'll see you Friday then. House that was a great lecture, I didn't know you had it in you. I have to get back to the hospital, are you coming?" Wilson turned to go.

"In a minute. Dr. Donovan, was there anything else?" He was very formal, very stiff.

"Yes, I wanted to give you this article that just came out in Nature about ebola, it's our lecture in two weeks."

He didn't say thank you or anything, he just nodded and then left with Wilson. Things were quiet as they walked across campus back to the hospital.

"So, are you going to go on Friday?"

"Maybe." and then he was quiet again. ***

Caragh had spent the last few minutes talking to her office manager and was exasperated. One of the girls had tested positive for Chlamydia and that meant she had to be pulled off the rotation until she got well. The women were all instructed to insist on condoms and usually they were very good about this. However, most of them also had boyfriends (most who were clueless as to what their girlfriends did for a living) and they occasionally picked up an STD from their boyfriends. Now Caragh had to pull Debbie off of the escort side to service a client on the intimate side. That also meant that one of her best clients would be without an escort to an important function, the Princeton Fall Gala. Caragh had her head in her hands. She picked up the phone and dialed.

"Professor Murphy, I have some bad news, Mary won't be available for Saturday." Caragh swallowed hard. Mary was in her mid-thirties and had worked for Caragh's aunt and now Caragh. Mary was a sultry brunette that reminded Caragh of Demi Moore. She was Professor Murphy's first choice so she knew he was going to be disappointed.

"Oh man, that's bad news. Now what? Do you have anyone suitable? I can't show up with some young thing or they'll worry that I will start hitting on my students. Come on Caragh, help me out here." He sounded desperate.

"Well, would you consider going with me on your arm?" Caragh knew Professor Murphy well, he had taught her American Literature when she was at Princeton. He was only ten years older than her so the difference in age would be similar to the difference in age with Mary.

There was a pause, a low whistle and the said,"Are you kidding? I'll be the envy of everyone. Yeahhhh. This is great..." He was genuinely pleased.

"Ok, any special dress code and what time will you pick me up?"

"It's formal and I'll pick you up at 6:30 p.m., we're having dinner with my friends at Triumph Brewing Company at 7:00 p.m. What's our story?"

"Let's try a modified truth. I am an old friend of yours. When you're date got sick, I volunteered to substitute. Pick me up in front of the Diogenes Club."

"Sounds good...could you throw in that we used to date, just so it looks like..."

"I understand, sure we dated for a year about six years ago. Ok?"

"Ok."

Now Caragh had to break her own date with Bob. They had been dating for six months and things looked promising between them He was about 5'10" and had dark hair. He was handsome, not Brad Pitt - George Clooney handsome, but good looking. He was a lawyer and practiced civil law. She dialed his number and cancelled the date, explaining that an old friend desperately needed a date for a big event because his date had backed out. Bob seemed to be fine with it and so they arranged to see each other on Sunday. She hung up and turned to her closet, now what to wear? Obviously, from the conversation, Professor Thomas Murphy wanted her to wear something sexy. So she pulled out four dresses and tried each of them on. She settled on the gold one and then sent it to the cleaners.

Friday came around and Caragh was beat. She didn't want to go anywhere except home for dinner and to watch television, but she had suggested that Drs. Wilson and House show up at the bar. If they weren't there by 5:45 p.m. she was going to be out of there.

Caragh got to the bar early. She met up with Sandy Kowtowski, another professor at the medical college and they started griping about how lazy the students were these days. Sandy was drinking a gin & tonic, Caragh was sucking down Margaritas. Dr. Wilson was right on time, 5:30 p.m. Caragh gave him a warm smile and wave and he made his way over to the high table that they were sitting. After introductions, Wilson ordered a beer and some nachos.

"Dr. Wilson, what..."

"Call me Jim or James." He nodded for her to continue and took a drink.

"Jim, what made you go into oncology? The chances of losing patients is pretty high in that field, doesn't it stress you out?" Caragh asked.

"Yeah, but someone has to treat the dying. It does give me great pleasure when they pull out of it. It's hardest when you watch a family dealing with the illness of a child. They have so many hopes stored in that child and it's hard for them to let go of those if the child doesn't go into remission."

"Well I admire you for doing it. It takes a very special person to not allow his ego to get in the way of treating someone. I can't imagine Dr. House as an oncologist, the fact that he would lose the battle so many times when treating a patient would drive him mad." Caragh said.

"Not a very long drive." Wilson raised his bottle in a salute and they both laughed.

"He's a strange duck. I haven't figured him out."

"I think if you do you'll end up like Ophelia, drowned at the bottom of a lake."

"Who's this House guy?" Sandy asked.

"He teaches a course in conjunction with mine. He's the head of Diagnostics at PPTH."

"He's bitter, lonely, unconventional, onery and brilliant, very brilliant. He's so difficult to work with that he would not be at PPTH if he weren't so brilliant. He also happens to be my best friend, although that has been strained lately. He frequently does things until he pushes me to the edge and then he backs off." Wilson was frowning at the thought.

"Oh, now I remember...he was the one shot, right?"

Wilson and Caragh said in unison, "That's right."

The time went fast, several of Caragh's friends and colleagues came and went. It was 10:00 p.m. and Caragh really was tired. Caragh liked Wilson a lot, he was kind, funny and handsome. She was afraid that he was going to ask her out because they were hitting if off. Since she was dating Bob, she wondered if she should go out with Wilson. Bob had never said anything about being exclusive. In fact, Caragh had seen Bob out with another woman about three months back.

Wilson was feeling strange. He liked Caragh, who wouldn't? She was funny, smart and beautiful. But he couldn't help but feel he was walking on House's toes, he had seen her first. Still, he couldn't resist asking her out, "Would you like to get some dinner and catch a movie tomorrow night?"

Caragh laughed to herself, three date requests for one night...that was a record. Still, it made her life easier to know she was taken, "Sorry, but I am going somewhere with a friend tomorrow night."

"Maybe next Friday?" Wilson proposed.

"Yes, that would be nice."

***

House liked the fresh brewed beer at the Triumph Brewery so when Efram Potter called and wanted to wine and dine House, they decided to go there for dinner. House liked Efram. Unlike most pharmaceutical whores, Efram would just leave the samples and literature and let House read up on them later. He discovered long ago that he couldn't convince House to purchase any until after he had read the literature and House read every line of it. So it was a waste of their time together to hock his wares. Instead, he and House would go out and have dinner and then get wasted. Efram was the only one at Merkle Pharmaceuticals that could tolerate House. In reality, Efram enjoyed House, he was a breath of fresh air compared to most of the holier than thou doctors he was forced to also wine and dine.

House opened the door, "DUDE!" House had a big grin on his face as he shook Efram's hand, "Long time. Don't I rate anymore?"

"Man, they just doubled my route from what it used to be. I'm having a hard time getting back to see my old clients...and in your case, old has two meanings."

"Ouch." House said as he grabbed his keys. He locked up his apartnment and followed Efram to his car. They got into the car, turned on the Who and took off for the Triumph Brewery.

When they arrived, it was 6:20 p.m. and they were told it would be about a 45 minute wait. This didn't faze them because they were planning on spending some time in the bar anyway. They grabbed a tall table and both took a stool positioned so that they could see the hotties come through the door, just in case they wanted to score. Efram was good looking even though he was balding. Still he scored a lot with the women. It was kind of a Jean Luc Piccard thing. Sometimes they would pick up women and party with them, other times, it was just boys night out.' They both ordered a Roggenbock, one of the Triumph exclusive beers. It had a rich flavor of rustic black rye bread. They also ordered the Cannelli bean dip. Efram noted that if they were going to get the bean dip, "Women may not appreciate us in few hours." They started to talk about jazz bands and musicians. Efram played guitar and so he loved to talk music with House.

The Diogenes Club was in a brick building not too far from campus. It was two stories, the first floor was the administrative office where the clients were checked in and screened before being allowed upstairs. Caragh's office was also on this floor. As you climbed the stairs, the decor turned into that of an English Men's Club, like the well- known "Reform Club" in London. It had bookshelves stuffed with books, wingback chairs, card tables, a billiards table, newspapers and flat screen television over the very large, Victorian fireplace. Around the room were overstuffed sofas and chaise lounges. There was a full bar on the back wall along with fresh hors d'oeuvres. It was a place that would appeal to a man, which was the purpose of the Diogenes Club. Over the bar was a reproduction of Sidney Paget's portrait of Sherlock Holmes, a nod to the fact that his brother, Mycroft Holmes, used to spend all of his free time at the fictional Diogenes Club. At the top of the stairs was a portrait of the philosopher, Diogenes, living in a bathtub and holding a lantern, supposedly searching for that one honest man. Caragh liked the portrait of the philosopher, she wondered if he ever found that man.

The purpose of the Diogenes Club was twofold. Clients that were in need of a place to relax or stay between flights, appointments, etc. could come there anytime. The second was a place for the clients to meet or pick up the girls. The girls didn't want the clients to know where they lived and so they would have the client meet them at the Diogenes Club.

Caragh was talking to one of the clients who was there to pick up Elizabeth as an escort, no hanky panky. He was a pleasant man but slightly pudgy and not the brightest tool in the toolshed. He had given her his Visa for payment and she had just ran it through the machine. It was good. The card read, Herbert Philips. He had told her he was from Asheville, North Carolina. Caragh loved Asheville, it was the east coast version of Boulder, Colorado...beautiful mountains and a hippie atmosphere. Her watch told her it was time to get out front. She grabbed her floor length velvet coat and draped it over herself. No sooner had she stepped outside and the limousine with Professor Kieran Murphy in the back drove up to the curb. The limo driver opened the door and she got in.

"Hello. It's good to see you again. How have you been?"

"I'm great now. Do you know how many times I have dreamed about this over the years. Of course in the end you go home with me, but I do know that's just a dream." they both smiled.

He was an anomaly. Kieran Murphy was tall, thin and decent looking. He was intelligent and he wrote mysteries when he wasn't teaching. The income from the books afforded him the good life. But Kieran was both shy and paranoid. He was always sure that women were after his money which was why he loved Caragh and the Diogenes club. At least he knew with the Diogenes Club that they really were after his money!

Caragh turned to Kieran, "You smell good. I know it's old school, but I really do love Polo on a man. Mmmm."

"I'll remember that." He said.

When they arrived at the restaurant, the maitre'd took Caragh's wrap and hung it near the door on a hook. The bar, the restaurant and kitchen all began to buzz as all eyes turned to her. Kieran noticed the attention right away, but Caragh had learned to ignore it. Kieran's palms started to sweat when he saw Caragh in her formal gown.

The gown was by Jean Paul Gaultier and it was strapless and barely hanging on to her breasts which looked to every man in the room like they were going to free themselves any minute. It was made out of a lovely spring green organza that wrapped diagonally around the bodice and then flowered around one leg. The leg was exposed to the thigh where there was a matching green garter around the stocking. The right leg was hidden under yards of organza that flared back into a short train. Caragh dropped her small handbag and bent over to pick it up. Every man in the restaurant held his breath. Were the girls going to pop out? The view as she bent to pick it up was titillating. When she stood up she was staring across the bar at House, who was admiring the view.

"Jesus H. Christ...whoaa, I need a cold shower." Efram said to House. "She may be shorter than a model, but with those breasts and those legs...I wouldn't kick her out of bed for shelling peanuts if you know what I mean."

House nodded at Caragh who nodded back.

"Kieran, I see an old friend that I haven't seen in awhile, can I join you in a minute at the table?"

"Sure." He was glad to have the time to compose himself. He joined his party which had already been seated. The table was all over him, asking how he knew Caragh.

Caragh walked confidently over to House. Efram almost dropped his beer. "Dr. House, I was expecting to see you last night. Dr. Wilson was there." She paused so House could make the introductions.

"Efram Potter this is Dr. Caragh Donovan. But before you start peddling your drugs on her, she's a doctor of History and Medical Ethics."

"Glad to meet you." Efram's voice broke in the middle of the sentence. But he offered a dry and steady handshake.

House said nothing about her looks but did say, "I went to the movies last night. I see you're up to your old ways. The way your date looked at you when you took off your coat wasn't exactly the way a boyfriend looks at his girlfriend. I suspect that he's not your boyfriend. Are you escorting him to the Princeton Fall Gala?" House said it in such a way that it just sailed over Efram's head.

"You look beautiful." Efram interjected out of nowhere.

Caragh broke her gaze with House and turned to look Efram in the eye, "Thank you Mr. Potter." She turned back to House, "I better get to the table, I just came over to tell you that Dr. Salem dropped by and gave me a huge stack of materials that you might like to go through, along with some quizzes and tests. It was a pleasure meeting you Mr. Potter. Dr. House." and she left.

Efram turned to House, "If I could have just touched her then my life's work on this earth would have been done. I I could have touched one of those breasts then I know I'd be in heaven. Man, how do you know her? And, more importantly, have you screwed her? Come on, details."

"I'm teaching a class that's linked with hers and we simply compare notes to make sure were both on the same page." House looked over to the table where Caragh was seated. He could see her profile and he though to himself, "Sorry Wilson, the game is on."

"Oh, I'd like to be teacher's pet. Maybe I could give her an apple and she could polish it."

"You're innuendoes are getting worse."

The maitre'd called, "Potter, party of two."

They were shown their table and House chuckled. He was sitting five feet from her to her right side. If she looked to anyone sitting on her right at her table, she saw him. Caragh felt a chill run down her spine. She couldn't concentrate on her meal or her company. All she could think of was House and his eyes. Whenever she looked his way he would catch her eye and give her a half smile. She tried to pretend that she hadn't seen him, but it was no use. You couldn't get ignore those gorgeous blue eyes.

House had the veal tenderloin and Efram the king salmon. The conversation between them was steady. They talked about football, movies and current events...guy stuff. The food was good but the view was delicious. House wanted to run his hand up her thigh and snatch that garter. As he drank more and more beer, the idea became more appealing.

Caragh received a phone call and "Teardrop" started playing on her telephone. She excused herself, told them that when she heard that ringtone it meant an emergency. She went towards the side door and stepped out to get better reception. She went around the wall and leaned up against it, "What's up?"

"Janet had to go home sick. The client is pissed."

"Which client?"

"Daniel Torrance."

"Damn, he's such an @ss too. I wonder how he ever got on my aunt's list." "Well, call in Tatiana and tell him he that we're just going to charge him $200."

"Ok, how's the escorting going?" Vickie always found it amusing when Caragh had to go out as an escort. No one every complained but Caragh hated it. The way Caragh was looking tonight, she was going to make Kieran Murphy one happy customer.

"A little weird, Dr. House is here and sitting just a few feet from me."

"Gregory House himself?"

"Yep, gotta go. I need to get back to my date. Bye." She hung up and turned around to find him standing four inches from her. His hands went to her shoulders, brought her close and then he went in for the kiss. He was already french kissing her before she could react. She pulled back.

"Dr. House, you've been drinking quite a lot tonight, so I will excuse this behavior but when I told you that I wouldn't date you, that meant no, no dating, no kissing, no sex."

House was still holding her. He looked down at her face and then followed the hollow of her clavicle and then looked at her breasts. He reached down and kissed her neck where it met her shoulder, "You're with the wrong man."

His breath smelled like warm beer and she was worried about getting back to the table. "Please let me go. I need to get back."

He let her go and for a moment they paused to look at each other. Alarms were going off in her head. Get back to the table or he's going to grab you again and not let go.' She took off.

The rest of the evening went well and Kieran Murphy was on top of the world. Caragh was a great dancer and Kieran Murphy excelled at cha-cha and waltz. They danced quite a bit. Kieran couldn't thank her enough and offered her a $100 tip. Caragh laughed at the idea of taking a tip from this man she had known for years. "No, you keep the tip, I had a great time."

When Caragh got back to her house she started to worry. How was she going to work with Gregory House, he had no boundaries and that scared her.

***

All week long Wilson was feeling sheepish for having asked Caragh out. He wondered if he should tell House about it. He decided against it. If the date went well, then he'd tell him, if not, then why rock the boat?

House sat down at Wilson's table at lunch. "You're avoiding me." House was looking around, taking in everything as usual.

"I told you I just need a break for awhile."

He squinted his eyes and looked sideways at Wilson, "No this is something more, you have that little squint when you aren't telling the truth. So, are you screwing a new nurse? Dropping acid? Selling body parts?"

"I'm eating my lunch."

"Right, and I'm Rowan Atkins."

House ate fast and then went to the locker room. He brushed his teeth and made sure there were no stray hairs. He grabbed his cane and made his way to the Carnegie building. He sat in the back of her class to watch her. She was in tailored Brodie Hunting-plaid pants and a light gray blouse. She had noticed him right away and he saw a frown pass briefly over her lips.

"...The Bubonic plague first spread to Britain in 1348, traveling from Bristol to Oxford and London in several days. More than three hundred years later, in 1665, perhaps the worst of the English epidemics broke out in London. That summer, the nobility and clergy fled the city, as some 7,000 people died each week. As many as 100,000 lives were lost before winter killed the fleas and the epidemic tapered off. Even one person in a household showing plague-like symptoms was enough to mandate a 40-day quarantine for the whole home -- a virtual death sentence for everyone living in it.

A small village in Derbyshire called Eyam, has a story of tragedy and courage that will always be remembered. In 1665 a box of laundry was brought to Eyam by a traveller. The laundry was found to be infested with fleas, and the epidemic started. 80% of the people died and there could have been a terrible outbreak in Derbyshire had the village not had a courageous rector called William Mompesson. He persuaded the villagers not to flee and spread the infection, but to stay until the plague had run its course. His wife was one of the many victims and her tomb can be seen in Eyam church.

In some towns and villages in England there are still the old market crosses which have a depression at the foot of the stone cross. This was filled with vinegar during times of plague as it was believed that vinegar would kill any germs on the coins and so contain the disease.

The plague lasted in London until the late Autumn when the colder weather helped kill off the fleas. Over the centuries Bubonic Plague has broken out in Europe and the Far East. In 1900 there were outbreaks of plague in places as far apart as Portugal and Australia.

Local Eyam lore tells plague survivors who had close contact with the bacterium but never caught the disease. Elizabeth Hancock buried six children and her husband in a week, but never became ill. The village gravedigger handled hundreds of plague-ravaged corpses, but survived as well. Could these people have somehow been immune to the Black Death?

Dr. Stephen O'Brien of the National Institutes of Health in Washington D.C. suggests they were. His work with HIV and the mutated form of the gene CCR5, called "delta 32," led him to Eyam. In 1996, research showed that delta 32 prevents HIV from entering human cells and infecting the body. O'Brien thought this principle could be applied to the plague bacteria, which affects the body in a similar manner. To determine whether the Eyam plague survivors may have carried delta 32, O'Brien tested the DNA of their modern-day descendents. After three weeks of testing at University College in London, delta 32 had been found in 14% of the samples. This is a genetically significant percentage, yet what did it mean? Was this really a higher percentage than anywhere else? O'Brien assembled an international team of scientists to test for the presence of delta 32 around the world. Native Africans and East Asians and Indians did not have delta 32 at all in their genes. In fact, the levels of delta 32 found in Eyam were only matched in regions of Europe that had been affected by the plague and in America, which was, for the most part, settled by European plague survivors and their descendents...."

The bell rang.

Caragh started yelling over the noise of the students packing up and leaving, "Ok, read up on the delta 32 drugs that they are developing for HIV, there'll be a quiz...."

And then she was left with House. He was starting to annoy her. He was everywhere. "Dr. House, what can I do for you?"

He limped down the stairs. "For one thing, you can call me Greg. Another thing, I came for the documents you said Dr. Salem gave to you for me."

"What? Did you run out of toilet paper?" She had forgotten about the stack of documents sitting on her desk at home. "Dr. House, I'm sorry, I forgot them at home. I'll bring them in next Tuesday for you."

"Alright. So, you met up with Wilson at the bar. Where did he say he was going to take you?"

She was wondering why he was so interested, "I'm not sure, just dinner and a movie. Or maybe we'll just skip that and elope. Why do you ask?"

"Saturday night, its hard to get a table at a good restaurant." He was playing a hunch that it would be Saturday.

"Well, that would be true if we were going out Saturday, but Saturday is my night to contemplate the stupidity of Doctors with canes. We're going out on Friday."

House had played his hunch, he knew Wilson was feeling guilty, acting guilty and the only thing he could think of was Caragh. They walked back to her office so that they could discuss future lectures. House was very professional. Caragh was hoping he would apologize and agree not to grab her again. He said nothing about what had happened.

House looked at her computer, "While I'm here, may I look up something on the internet? I read a journal the other day about Ebola, I thought the article might be of interest to you and possibly good to give to the class."

She wasn't happy about this, she had back to back classes and she needed to get her books and handouts and run. "Well, ok. Just pull the door shut when you leave and it will lock. And, try to behave."

House waited a few minutes and actually did go to a journal article on Ebola just so it would register in her computer history. Then he got into her email and he typed in Wilson's email address. "Something has come up and I can't make it Friday. I'll call you next week. Sorry, I was looking forward to it. Caragh." House sent the email and then deleted it twice from the system. Now he just had to get to Wilson's computer.

It wasn't easy. Wilson had patients booked back to back for consults in his office. But House finally got the chance when one of the patients cancelled and Wilson got up to go get something to eat.

House worked quickly, "Dear Caragh, I have to run errands before our date, so I'll meet you at The Alchemist & Barrister Restaurant at 7:00 p.m., thanks Jim." House sent the email and then deleted it from Wilson's computer.

Then House made reservations in the name of Dr. James Wilson at The Alchemist & Barrister Restaurant for two at 7:15 p.m. He then sat back in his chair and smiled. He loved email.

Wilson was disappointed when he got the email but the fact that she said she would call next week was promising. Caragh received the email and thought nothing of meeting Wilson at the restaurant. She liked The Alchemist & Barrister Restaurant so she was happy with his choice.

Friday night came and Caragh chose a red peasant skirt and a white low cut top. She put on ballet-type shoes and drove to The Alchemist & Barrister Restaurant. She waited, it was 7:10 p.m. and no sign of Jim. She was going to give him the benefit of the doubt since he warned her that he was running errands. But if didn't show in ten minutes, she was out of there.

"Caragh?" The voice came from behind her and it was not Jim Wilson's.

She turned and her whole body stiffened, it was Gregory House. "Greg, what are you doing here?"

"Wilson was running some errands and then got called in on an emergency, one of his younger patients was admitted this afternoon and it isn't looking good. He asked me to come and let you know. He also told me that he made reservations and we might as well take advantage of them." House was very calm and nice. Almost gentle.

"No, I'm not a masochist, I think I'll just go home."

"Come on, you have to eat, I have to eat, we could eat at the same table and I promise not to call it a date."

She smiled, she did love the food here. "Why do I feel like I'm in some Punk'd episode? I'll eat...and I do mean just eat...with you if you promise not to grab any of my body parts and we go Dutch."

"Deal."

They were shown to a table, the waiter took their drink order. House excused himself to go to the bathroom. He dodged into the little nook off of the kitchen where their server was standing. "My date changed her mind, she wants a Mojito with double rum, she's had a rough day." The server went immediately to the bar to change the order to a double and House went back to his seat.

House behaved himself. They talked about both being military brats and tried to figure out if they ever lived on the same base. The closest they came was San Diego, both sets of parents had retired there.

"Greg, can I ask an incredibly personal question?"

"I know, you want to know if I really am that good in bed, those call girls sure have big mouths. Sure, you can ask, I don't know if I'll answer."

"Have you ever been in a serious relationship?" She asked trepidly.

House thought about making a joke but decide against it, "A couple of times. Once in med school and then I lived with a woman for five years until my leg operation. And then of course, there's Wilson." He laughed.

"She left because of your leg?"

"Let's just say I wasn't..no correct that...I'm a jerk, always have been a jerk but I was really a jerk after the operation."

"When did you have the leg operation and why?"

"I needed an angle with the chicks." When Caragh gave him a look of disapproval, he got serious, "About five years ago and it was from an infarction, it caused muscle death." House seemed uneasy talking about it.

Caragh felt a little embarrassed. For a moment she saw the sad little boy inside the man. House had started using the Diogenes Club after his girlfriend had left him and after the surgery. He was probably lonely. Every call girl that came back from Greg House's bed described the scar and how they felt sorry for him. He must have seen that in the eyes of a lot of women."

Caragh was starting to really loosen up. The drinks were pretty strong.

"Why didn't you marry her...I mean five years, you should know by then if you guys were good together?"

"We just never thought it was necessary. She didn't want children and neither did I. The only real reason to get married is if you're going to have little nippers. Funny thing, she got married to another guy three years ago, no nippers. What about you?" he asked.

"Oh..I've had a couple of long term relationships. One was for six years, the other three. The last one just couldn't resist the temptation of what I do for a living. I found out he was blackmailing the girls into having sex with him. According to them he had gone through all thirty of them, including the ones that only did escorting. I felt horrible about it."

"I would have thought that someone as...as attractive and intelligent as you would be married and have several kids."

"Truth be known, I thought so too. But I'm 37 and it doesn't look good. That's ok, I've come to terms with being alone for the rest of my life."

"And yet, you accepted a date with Wilson?"

"Hope springs eternal!" she said with a sad look but a cheerful voice.

They both smiled. House was starting to feel guilty. This was just a game to him, he just wanted to get back at Wilson for asking her out when he knew that House was interested in her. Here was this beautiful, witty, intelligent and sweetly vulnerable woman just hoping that some day she might find a guy like Wilson and he had sabotaged it. He noticed how kind her smile was as soon as she let her guard down. He couldn't imagine her going home alone to an empty house. She would be nice to come home to.

"Do you like jazz and reggae?" House asked.

"I can tolerate jazz but I love reggae. Why?"

"One of my favorite local bands is playing at the Triumph, let's go listen to them."

Caragh was relaxed and feeling very tipsy. She knew going with House anywhere would be asking for trouble. But she also knew she couldn't drive just yet.

"What's the band?"

"Buzz Universe, it's a blend of rock, jazz, reggae and funk."

"I've seen them, yeah they're really good. Ok. Just one thing. I'm feeling the alcohol and I drove here. Can you make sure I get a cab home?"

"I took a cab to the restaurant, we'll share." House told her.

They paid and went to the Triumph. When he went to the bar to buy her a Mojito, she took a good look at him. She didn't know why but he was actually very sexy. She shook her head as if she didn't know why she felt this way, after all his hair was thinning, his beard was a little rough around the edges, he didn't look like he worked out much and he was a jerk. But God, those fingers looked luscious and the way he smelled was scrumptious. He wasn't wearing cologne and all she could smell was his body odor. It was very manly, the first good whiff of it in the cab and she had rumblings in her groin. And when he grabbed her arm to cross the street to get to the cab it was warm and strong. Why did she find him so damn attractive? Was it the booze? Maybe.

He bought her another Mojito, which he did not double this time. She began to sip on it and sway to the music. Caragh was really enjoying this non-date. House sat on the stool next to her. They began to talk about music. House had forgotten that she was a historian, she knew the history of jazz, rock, reggae, classical as well as the history of musical instruments, they talked for a couple of hours...she easily kept his attention. After her mojito was done, she stood up and started to dance next to the table to a reggae song. House watched her body move to every beat of the music. He enjoyed watching her. Her breasts jiggled as she danced. It was driving him nuts and he was starting to get aroused. Suddenly, she grabbed his arm and turned him around on the stool to face her. At first he thought she was going to ask him to dance, but instead she parted his legs and came forward between them, reached up and grabbed the back of his neck. She pulled his head down to hers. He came down slowly for the kiss, wanting to see her face as she closed her eyes and parted her lips. The kiss was long and sweet. She was pressed up against his crotch, she had to know the effect she was having on him.

Caragh didn't know what had come over her, but he was just sitting there looking so sexy. He was looking at her with amusement and approval. She had to let him know somehow that she approved of him too. So she kissed him.

After that kiss, House wanted to take her on the floor of the bar. He called a cab and they told him it was a busy night, it would take a half hour to get there. He went ahead and ordered it and then House grabbed her arm and pulled her down a corridor past one of the doors of the kitchen. He looked around and saw the pantry. He pulled her into it and closed the door. The he turned to Caragh. He grabbed her around her waist with his left arm and pushed her up against the door. He undid the two buttons on the blouse and pulled the top down over her bra, then his right hand slipped up her back and grabbed the fastener of the bra. In one flick the bra was loose. It wasn't long and he was kissing her everywhere. His lips were soft but his beard was scratchy. It was a sensation that made her even hotter. He reached down and then up under her skirt. He pulled her panties down her legs until she stepped out of them. He then lifted her up to rest on the edge of a short cabinet, just enough to take her weight off of him and his leg. They had sex standing up. Caragh was the first to reach orgasm and she let out a scream that not even House's kisses could muffle. Her scream caused a cascade of physical pleasures in House. He tried to hold back but the words just escaped, "Jesus, Jesus, Oh God, Oh God!!"

After it was over, Caragh said, "I didn't know you were so religious." They laughed but House was having trouble composing himself. He hadn't had a knee trembler like that since he was in med school.

"I've had sex in some strange environments but never with a can of tomato sauce poised precariously over my head." she said.

House picked up the panties and stuck them in his pocket. "We better get out there, the taxi should be here soon." They dressed and then grabbed their jackets and waited outside for the cab. They started making out like teenagers. When they got in the back of the cab the driver warned them, "No intercourse back there, I just got this baby clean." They were kissing when he said that and they both started laughing while they were still kissing.

They went to House's apartment because it was closer. They barely got in the door when they started taking each other's clothes off as they went down the hall to the bedroom. The sex was even better, slower with more exploring of each other, the build up was so intense that the release was almost painful.

As they lay there, Caragh looked down at House's right thigh. She reached down and stroked it fondly and then looked up into House's eyes. They kissed and then fell asleep.

Saturday morning she tickled House awake by blowing on his neck and in his ear. He grabbed her and said, "Be careful little girl, this monster has a big stick." They made love again.

House went out to the kitchen to make coffee while Caragh took a shower. There was a knock on the door and at first House was baffled. Who could it be at 10:00 a.m. in the morning? Then he remembered, Wilson and he had bought tickets months ago for the drag races in Trenton.

He opened the door and Wilson blew right by him before he could stop him. "You aren't even dressed, come on House." Wilson admonished.

"I have company. Can you give me an hour...give me my ticket and I'll catch up with you." He was nervous about Wilson seeing Caragh. He was feeling a little shameful about what he had done to Wilson and Caragh and he wanted a chance to tell Caragh in his own way. Hopefully, he could soften the blow.

" You have company? Or a hooker?"

"Just give me the ticket."

"Why are you so nervous, is she coyote ugly?" Wilson smiled.

House had his hand out as Wilson was pulling the ticket out of his wallet. It was too late, the door opened and out came Caragh in a towel. She looked up and there was Wilson. She ran into the bedroom.

Wilson was so angry he followed her into the bedroom. "You broke our date to go out with House?"

"Broke the date? You broke it last night...House said you had a patient and couldn't come."

"There was no patient. You sent me an email?" Wilson accused her.

"No, you sent me one."

As they tried to straighten out what had happened, House just walked over to the easy chair and plopped down in it. This was going to get ugly. ***

Wilson went out to the living room and said in a calm and controlled voice, "It's one thing to mess with my head, but I don't understand why you needed to drag Caragh through this. Was that you're way of marking territory? I don't understand you, you purposefully push away the people who care about you. You just love being miserable. Well, you can be miserable alone." Wilson walked calmly out the door.

Caragh was stunned and unable to really comprehend what had happened. How could anyone do this to another human being, especially to your best friend? This was just a game to House. She had enjoyed last night and she had felt a connection to House, but it was clear that she was just a pawn he used in his sick game with Wilson. What was he feeling when he did this? Was he capable of feeling? Tears ran down her cheek but she was quiet. She called a cab from the bedroom. She put on her clothes and tried to get the courage to go out to the front door. She finally opened the bedroom door and walked down the hall. She saw House, he was sitting on the piano bench, bent over his knees. He looked as if he was deep in thought. The floor creaked under her as she made her way to the door. He looked up at her. They locked eyes, the tears continued to roll down her cheeks. Neither of them said anything and then Caragh left.

"F#ck" House muttered. For once he knew he had really screwed up and he wasn't sure how to undo the damage. He hadn't intended for this to go so far. He thought they would have dinner and then he could lord it over Wilson. He hadn't intended to spend the entire evening with her and he hadn't expected to have sex with Caragh. He thought about the sex and how much he had enjoyed it. He had forgotten how nice it was to have a woman he actually liked spend the night in his arms. He had really enjoyed waking up to her. He could still feel her wrapped up in his arms as they slept.

Wilson wasn't giving House the time of day and the team and Cuddy were aware of it right away. Cuddy called Wilson into her office.

"That wing of the hospital feels like a freezer when you walk through it. What happened between you and House?"

"I really don't want to go into it. He's crossed the line and I don't see how we can get passed this one."

"Please, just tell me what happened."

He explained to Cuddy what had happened. "This reminds me of high school? So you were going to do the same thing to House, ask out a woman that you knew he was interested in, and get in the first date? Now you're surprised when he beats you at your own game?"

"It's not that, it was that he got her drunk and then had sex with her. It's one thing to beat me to a date, but to use her in his game just to rub it in? That's low, that's very low. When Caragh found out that he had duped her into going out with him and having sex, she was upset. You should have seen the look on her face. I think she thought he was starting to have feelings for her. It was like telling her that there was no Santa Claus."

"Well, how can you be so sure he doesn't have feelings for her? You know House occasionally has flashes of being human?"

"Maybe, but it was still pretty low."

"No argument there, but I think Caragh has more of a beef than you."

"He needs to learn a lesson that he can't use people."

"Yeah, and I need a night with Brad Pitt. Just don't let this interfere with hospital business."

Wilson nodded his head yes.

Caragh sent House an email. "I think it best that we communicate about the class through email. I'm sure you understand why I would prefer not seeing you. I have attached my lesson plan for the Ebola series. Please look it over and see if it reflects what you are doing."

House looked at the lesson plan and wrote back, "I was hoping to cover Ebola Sudan and Ebola Zaire as two distinct viruses rather than lumping all of the Ebola's together. I think the students are lacking in their understanding of the genetic components of diseases. As you know, I don't do lesson plans so I can't attach anything to show you. Meet me for lunch and I can discuss this in detail."

Within minutes he received a reply, "What planet are you living on? Do you think I would come anywhere near you after what you did? Maybe you're used to women who have no self-respect, but I'm not one of them. I suggest you tape your lecture and leave it in my faculty mailbox. I can go from there." Caragh was shaking her head when she hit the send button.

House smiled when he got the email...didn't hurt for a guy to try. He'd just have to go at it at a different angle.

Wilson called Caragh, "Are you ok?"

"I'll survive, I just can't believe that anyone would be that callous. I really am sorry that you had to be a part in it." She said sadly.

"I'm sorry that you were involved. I feel somewhat responsible for this. I'd like to explain. Look, I have a lot of patients today, so I can't leave the hospital, but why don't you come have lunch with me in the cafeteria? I'd like to see you."

"I really don't want to risk of running into Greg."

"He hasn't been eating in the cafeteria lately. I think he knows he needs to steer clear of me for now."

"I think it's still too risky."

"Oh, don't worry, if he shows up it wouldn't hurt him to see how civilized adults behave. Come on, noon?"

"Sure, noon at the cafeteria."

They grabbed their trays and went through the line, Wilson paid for both lunches. He turned to her and motioned to a table by the wall. They sat down and took the food off of their trays.

"I thought maybe we could start over...try and put all of this in the past. I'd like to get to know you better and I promise that if you agree to go out with me I won't get you drunk." "Oh, well, where's the fun in that?" She laughed.

Wilson was laughing too, "Well, if YOU decide to get drunk, I won't stop you, but it won't be me plying you with liquor. Shall we try Friday night again?"

"I should warn you, I have been dating a guy for awhile. It's not serious, but I think you should know. There's something else that you should know before I agree to go out with you. If I don't tell you, I have a feeling Greg will use it in some way." Caragh looked around to make sure no one was listening, "I'm ..."

Wilson butt in, "...an escort? Or are you a prostitute? House didn't actually say that you were either, but he inferred it."

"I'm not a whore! I don't sleep with men for money. I own an escort service called, "The Diogenes Club. I actually inherited it from my aunt."

"Escort service?" Wilson was leaning in and talking in a low voice, "I thought House got his hookers from the Diogenes Club?"

"There are two sides to the club and, yes, he is a client of the not so legitimate side of my business. It is a long story, better left for when we are in private."

"Any you? Have you ever..." Wilson didn't know how to say it tactfully.

"I fill in when I have to on the escort side, but that's rare. Like I said, I've never worked the call girl side."

Wilson relaxed. "I'll pick you up at 7:00 p.m., I'll need your address." Caragh wrote down her address and they talked for another few minutes.

House needed Wilson's opinion on a patient and realized that it was lunchtime. As he entered the cafeteria he saw Caragh first. He stopped in his tracks to assess the situation. He peeked in and saw that she was with Wilson and they were laughing. He thought about it, was about to turn around and leave when Caragh saw him. Her face reflected her displeasure but then, House was used to that look from most people. Caragh jumped up and bussed her dishes. House continued over to Wilson and handed him the file.

"I need to know if this is Adenocarcinoma." He threw the file down and looked around to watch Caragh. Wilson watched House watch Caragh.

"Don't go there. " Wilson warned House.

Caragh waved at Wilson who waved back and then she left. House turned back to Wilson who looked disgusted with him.

"So, you two going out? It won't work, she's not your type, she's not needy."

"Well, I didn't ask you for an opinion did I?" Wilson said as he looked through the records.

"Nope."

"It's not Adenocarcinoma." He threw the file back at House and got up to bus his dishes.

Friday night came and Caragh had her first real date in years. James Wilson showed up in a nice silk shirt and slacks that fell perfectly down from his hips. They made him look very sophisticated. He certainly was a nice dresser. He brought her flowers which she put into a vase and then displayed on her Hepplewhite table. She gave Jim the cook's tour of her house. Wilson was impressed, the house was gorgeous and it reflected impeccable taste.

"I have to admit, a lot of this furniture was my Aunt's. Her boyfriends frequently gave her very nice things. I just inherited her legacy. My bedroom is all me...but I think it's too soon to show you it. I haven't had the obligatory ten mojitos." She chuckled and Wilson laughed.

They had dinner and talked about Dylan Thomas, James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway. Caragh thought, "The Sun Also Rises" was Hemingway's best but Wilson made a good case for "From Here to Eternity." They also enjoyed some of the same movies, Caragh promised to have Wilson over to watch, "Smoke Signals," her favorite movie. Wilson promised to bring, "Sean of the Dead," for a double header. Caragh found James Wilson to be charming, sweet, unaffected and intelligent.

After the evening was over, Wilson walked Caragh to her door and said, "Do you have any plans for tomorrow night?"

"Actually, I do. Sorry."

"I'll call you then." He leaned forward and gave Caragh a light kiss on the lips and then left. He really didn't want to come on too strong after what House had acted. They both ended the date feeling great.

Caragh was not surprised when House started to show up in class. He would just sit in the back of the class. One Monday he sent her an email stating that he was completely changing the subject for the Tuesday lecture and he would have handouts for her to work off of if she would stop by his class.

She sent back an email stating that he could leave them in her faculty mailbox. The email bounced back to her...there was either a glitch in the email system or House had purposefully blocked it. It was obvious, he was manipulating her to come to see him. She had no choice.

Caragh waited for the last fifteen minutes of the class before going over. She was shocked to see people standing up in the aisles. Her class had 52 students, which was the limit for her class. There had to be over 80 people crushed into House's class and he obviously didn't care. She was surprised that the Fire Marshall hadn't complained. Most of the students had to be auditing the class because only 32 had registered for Dr. Salem's class. She made her way in, spotted a student that she knew had already taken the course and made her give up her seat for Caragh. He saw her and just kept lecturing. The lecture was on the epidemiology of syphilis, a subject that wasn't usually taught until the last few weeks. But Caragh understood why House had deviated the course. There was almost an epidemic of syphilis on both campuses and it was resistant to azithromycin which gave House the opportunity to discuss genetic mutations and recombinations again. She agreed with him that it was important for the med students to understand how recombinations of old diseases may lead to the next plague or pandemic.

After the students left, Charagh made her way down the steps with her stomach in her throat. She tried to maintain a calm exterior. She stood in front of him without saying a word. He gave her a look, shrugged his shoulders as if to say, "well??"

"I'm here for the handouts."

"Do you think not talking to me will work?" He looked at her like she was some imbecile.

"Look, I'm not your type, I'm not inflatable. So let's just stop this dance right here and give me the handouts."

"They say, Never mess up an apology with an excuse,' so I won't give you one. It wouldn't ring true if I stood here and told you I was sorry that it happened. I'm not, I'm just sorry it ended." He said sincerely.

"Gee, I guess this is where I melt and tell you that it's ok and I forgive you. Hmm...sorry, don't feel the words coming. You said it first, you're a jerk. You are what you are. I learned a long time ago you can't change a man unless he's in diapers."

"That's not what I mean. I mean that what was a prank turned into something unexpected, I didn't expect to enjoy you and the evening so much. The fact that the evening started out on ostensible beginnings doesn't negate the fact that it ended as a meaningful experience."

"Greg...give me the handouts so that I can leave. This isn't productive. I don't like being treated like a game-piece. I know you may find that hard to understand, but there it is."

He handed her the handouts and watched as she walked out of the classroom. Rather than be dissuaded, House felt elated. He thought her protest was rather weak, he had expected more of a protest from her. This was a good sign.

A few weeks later Bob finally told Caragh that he could feel her pulling away. "What's going on?"

"I haven't felt like this relationship was on the right track for a long time. I get the impression that you like having me around for the once a week date and a screw, but that's as far as this is going to go. I've started dating other men." Caragh was feeling guilty.

"I've never said that I was looking for anything more than what we have. I don't even mind you dating other guys, but I get the impression that you are just not here when we're together." Bob was looking at her for answers. "Have you fallen for one of these guys?"

"I dated one guy and it went sour overnight. The other guy I've been dating for a month and it's going well. We really enjoy each other's company and I look forward to seeing him. I'm not sure what that means. I don't know if it is because it's new and there's that honeymoon period or if it really means something."

He shook his head as if he understood and then pulled her close, hugged her and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Caragh knew that this would be her last date with Bob.

Caragh was pretty sure that she and James Wilson were going to have sex for the first time this coming weekend. He had been very careful not to push her after what had happened with House. But they had done some pretty heavy making out and she didn't think that either of them could get through another night of that without consummating the relationship.

Her phone rang, "Caragh?" Wilson was on the other line.

"Jim, hello! How are you?"

"Fine, I wanted to call you personally and let you know that I can't make it this weekend. I have to substitute at an AMA convention for one of our doctors who was presenting. His wife just went into labor. I'm leaving on Thursday for Hawaii and I'll be back late on Sunday."

"Oh well, that's ok...at least you didn't do it by email." They both laughed.

"I was thinking that when I get back maybe we could go somewhere for a nice weekend together." he was a little hesitant.

"I have to know which weekend so that I can get everything covered at the Club, but that sounds great." They spent another ten minutes talking and then said their goodbyes.

Caragh wasn't sure what she was feeling. James Wilson made her feel safe and secure, steady and calm. He had so many good qualities that he almost seemed too good to be true. But her mind kept coming back to House. House was unpredictable, irascible, cruelly witty, biting, uncompromising. Yet, she couldn't shake off the night they spent together. He was also tender, caring and fun. And she felt safe in his arms that night. She couldn't let her mind go there. Greg House was a jerk.

Thursday morning's lecture on the HIV was something that Caragh didn't want to miss. She was sure that House would have an interesting take on the HIV crisis. She again kicked out a student so that she could have a seat. House hadn't given her any idea of what he was going to do and so she had no idea of how to prepare her lecture for Monday.

"...and when the disease first emerged, it was spread by a gay steward who dipped his quill in several wells all across the world. He had been infected in West Africa. The genotype that he spread had a 7-15 year germination before turning into full blown AIDS. However, another type of AIDS was spreading in the Netherlands. This HIV genotype came from the Dutch Congo. War had divided the African continent and the HIV coming back to the Netherlands from the Dutch Congo had an incubation of approximately 3-5 years before turning into full blown AIDS. If you look at the genotypes of these two viruses you see a cleavage here..."

Caragh was impressed with everything she learned and realized she needed to get back and do some homework on the Dutch Congo! She got up before the lecture was over and went back to her office. She grabbed her things and took off for her car for her lunch appointment with Vicki. She started the car and backed out of her parking spot and took off. She saw a car coming at her from the right and swerved to avoid him only to hear a thud. She had only been going 10 mph but still she knew that she had hit someone. She immediately stopped and jumped out of her car.

"Oh crap. Greg, I'm sorry...oh my God..." She grabbed her phone and called 911. He looked as if he was in pain and he was trying to get up on his elbows.

"You're aim was perfect." He was wincing.

"I wasn't aiming for you, I swear. God, where does it hurt?"

"My right leg is broken and I think my ribs on my right side might be bruised or broken."

"That @sshole was coming at me and I swerved, I should have let him hit me. It was just automatic." She started to cry as the paramedics and police pulled up. They loaded House and took him the 1/8 th of a mile to the Emergency Room at PPTH. Witnesses came up and backed up Caragh's version of events. Although the other car had taken off, one of the witnesses had been an off-duty police officer and had gotten the license plate.

The police didn't arrest her and didn't cite her at the scene. They said that they would wait and interview House before they decided what to do. After half an hour they told Caragh that she could leave. She went immediately to the Emergency Room.

"You MORONS, for God sake, get me an xray and some pain killers." Caragh could hear his voice down the hall. She went back and the emergency staff stopped her.

"Please, I have to get back there, Dr. House is..." and she stopped in mid-sentence, she wasn't sure what she was. "He's my colleague and I just hit him with my car."

The staff looked at each other with a quizzical look? "Maam, we can understand why you hit Dr. House, we just don't understand why you want to go back and be with him?"

"I need to make sure that he is going to be ok. For God's sake, I just hit the man."

One of the nurses passed by her and said, "Good Hunting."

"Please let me go back there. Please, just for a minute."

"It's your sanity, go ahead." the male nurse pointed to the back.

Caragh went through and opened up the curtain and saw a prostrate House laying in jhis boxers talking to the woman she had previously met in his office, Allison Cameron. She looked worried and was admonishing House not to move around.

House looked up at Caragh, "What, did you come to admire your handiwork?" He winced in pain.

"Greg, I don't know what to say. I know you probably think I did this on purpose but I didn't." She had tears coming down her face, "I'm not that callous. I'm not you."

He looked at her and then motioned for Cameron to leave. "Go free up the X-ray machine."

"Have they said what's wrong?"

"They haven't gotten the xrays yet, they've gone to get me a gown."

"I'd like to stay if that's ok with you?"

"What, so you can have a good laugh?" he was looking at his leg, which had some blood on it from a deep cut that had been bandaged. He took another look at her and saw how distressed she was, "If you want to stay, stay."

They brought in the gown and House tried to position himself so that he could undress the rest of the way. He took his boxers off. Caragh stood up so that she could help him dress. Cameron came back in to let him know that the X-ray machine was available. Cameron was taken aback to see a nude House being helped by this woman who had just hit him. He seemed comfortable with her being there and she seemed to want to help. She didn't seem to be the least bit fazed or flustered by House being nude. Cameron herself felt a little embarrassed. She hadn't seen House naked, not even when he was shot. When House saw Cameron he actually covered himself with the gown.

The orderly came in and put House on a gurney and took him up to radiology. Caragh stood outside while Cameron went in with House and the orderly. When they were done, House was taken back to Emergency to have his cut sewn up and his leg put into a cast. His ribs weren't broken, just bruised.

Cuddy came down while he was being put in the cast. "I always knew this would happen, who did you piss off this time?"

Everyone turned and looked at Caragh. "I hit him."

"Good aim. Was there a reason for taking him out?" Cuddy asked.

"No, I was trying to avoid being hit by someone in the parking lot."

"I think I've met you before, I'm Lisa Cuddy." She stuck her hand out to shake.

"I'm Caragh Donovan."

Lisa immediately remembered the conversation she had with Wilson about Caragh. "Are you sure this was an accident? Don't you two have issues?"

Both Caragh and House looked at Lisa. Caragh looked back at House, "You told her?"

"Not me, must have been your boyfriend." House shook his head.

"What do you mean boyfriend?

"Our favorite oncologist, Jimmy. You know the one with the annoying habit of being right there to pick up the pieces when little girls have a night of unbridled sex and then fall apart."

"You have a horrible attitude." Caragh commented.

"I don't have an attitude problem, you have a perception problem."

"Right, I'm the one with the problems, not you..." Caragh frowned.

"Yeah, I can see you two don't have issues. Well, my work is done here. Dr. Samson says he's going to admit you for the night just to make sure you don't have any internal injuries." Lisa left.

Cameron looked at the two of them. They were both aggravated with each other. "House, do you need help getting home tomorrow?"

"I'll take him, it's the least I can do after running him down." Caragh said sheepishly.

"Maybe it would be better if I did, you two seem to be upset with each other." Cameron interjected. "She can take me." House nodded towards Caragh indicating that Cameron was off the hook.

House was taken up to the third floor and settled in his hospital room. They started to watch television in silence. Caragh's phone rang and she realized she wasn't suppose to have her cell phone on in the hospital. She looked at who it was from and then turned off the phone.

"I need to call the Club. Do you mind if I use this phone?"

House shook his head no.

She dialed and Vicki answered. "Diogenes Club. Vicki speaking."

"Vicki, what's up?"

"Where are you?"

Caragh gave her the Reader's Digest Version of the events.

"I need a check signed. Can I send someone over to the hospital with the check?"

"Sure, room 312." She hung up.

The team came in to see House. When they walked in he was sitting with the beautiful blonde they had met before. She looked shook up with her mascara a little smudged. Cameron brought him a coffee, just the way he liked it. Foreman and Chase started to tease him about being run down until they told him it was Caragh who did it. Chase had brought him a pair of gym shorts from his locker so that he would have something to wear home.

A few minutes later, a beautiful red head and a striking young blonde woman walked into House's room. "Dr. House, we heard about your accident and just had to come over to make sure you were ok." They sat on either side of House's bed. The red head pulled out a check and handed it to Caragh to sign. Chase and Foreman's mouths were open and Cameron's was shut tight. "Are you ok? Is there anything we can do for you?"

"This is certainly unexpected. It's always exciting to see both of you." House immediately recognized them as Jackie and Fawna. Both of them had interesting talents in bed, but House was more amused at the site of Chase and Foreman stunned into silence.

A few minutes later, another red head walked in the door. "Dr. House, we heard at the Club that you were hurt in an accident. Are you ok?"

Both Chase and Foreman had planned to spend a few minutes and then leave but they couldn't bring themselves to walk out. These women were hot. Just when they thought it couldn't get any better, three more walked in with flowers and candy for House. They each went up to him and kissed him on the cheek. One gave him a hot kiss on the lips, her name was Paula. Chase and Foreman's eyes were huge. Chase leaned over to Foreman and said within earshot of House, "Are these his hookers?" Foreman shrugged his shoulders. They were both thinking that from now on they wouldn't be teasing House about his hookers.

Caragh asked, "Isn't anyone working tonight?" They all laughed.

"Oh, it's busy at the Club, we just all had the night off."

House looked up and outside of the room was every doctor and orderlie on the floor. They were all wondering who these women were and why they would be fawning over House.

Nurse Brenda came in, "Dr. House, you have too many visitors."

"You're just jealous, come on in Brenda," he patted his bed, "I'll let you sit at the foot of the bed."

She marched out in a huff and picked up the phone. House figured she was probably calling Cuddy.

The women filtered out of his room over the next half hour and so did the team, leaving House and Caragh alone. It was about 8:00 p.m. Caragh turned to House and said, "I think its time for me to go home. Call me in the morning and I will pick you up and take you home." She walked over and touched his hand. "I really am sorry Greg, I promise that I'll do what I can until your leg heals." She walked out. House just smiled to himself. ***

The next day Caragh was at the hospital at 9:00 a.m. to pick up House. She helped wheel House out to the front and then went to get the supply van she had borrowed from the Club. Usually, Vicki drove the van to pick up supplies for the Club and it had a ramp that pulled out for loading. It was ideal to get the wheelchair inside. Since House's wheelchair wouldn't have fit in the trunk of her Aston Martin DB9 Volante, it meant Vicki got to drive Caragh's convertible. She was a happy camper.

Getting House into the apartment wasn't easy, his cast was a full leg cast because of the lack of muscle in the thigh. The doctor assured House that they needed to give the entire leg some support during the first few weeks. The doctor said that in a couple of weeks they would take another x-ray and if there was enough knitting of the bone, they could reduce the cast to half a leg. In truth, the doctor just wanted to make House's life miserable since House had once recently gotten him in trouble with Cuddy. House's ribs were also sore and moving him around did cause discomfort. As they drove to House's apartment she asked him, "How are you going to take care of yourself? It's going to be hard getting around, even on crutches, especially with bruised ribs."

"I haven't thought that far."

"Well, I'll make sure you have someone to help you by Monday. Do you want a female or male caretaker?"

"Are you kidding? A stranger staying with me at my apartment?"

"Well you can't do it yourself. Is there someone you know that you trust to do the job?"

"Trust is an issue with me. I trust my Mom and ...well, I trust my Mom. I guess I would trust you since you are so riddled with guilt."

"Oh no I wouldn't. I might slip something in your coffee. Try again. Anyone you know who can come over and help?"

"No." He was going to make her sweat.

"OK, I'll stay until I can find someone. I'll get some of the girls to come over and help too." He didn't answer, the thought of gorgeous women coming and going did appeal to him. But he wanted Caragh to do most of the waiting on him.

They got inside the apartment and Caragh asked House, "What do you want to do first? Go to bed, eat, get cleaned up?"

"I'd like something to eat, I'm hungry. Can you wheel me over to in front of the television?"

"Would you rather get out of the chair and sit in the easy chair with the ottoman?It's probably going to be easier on you than staying in the wheelchair."

"Yeah, any chance to make you touch me."

Caragh found transferring him into the easy chair more awkward than she thought it would be. Of course House was making it awkward too. When he grabbed around her waist he realized just how petite she was and how ridiculous this must look. Caragh tried not to touch his right ribs and that made it extremely difficult to get the proper grip to move House. House did help by pulling himself up, he held on to Caragh but refused to let go when he should have. Caragh tumbled with House into the chair and ended up essentially laying across his lap. The shocked look in her eyes was priceless. House was in some discomfort from the ribs but for the most part, he was enjoying this. He cradled her in his arms in an effort for her to gain her balance. She immediately noticed how warm he was and she could smell him, especially since he had not had his morning shower. His body odor was musky and delicious. The cast was digging into her leg and so she lifted her body up to move it. He helped her get up. She gave him a glare, not sure if he had caused that or not.

"I just thought. How the hell are we going to get you out of the chair?"

He laughed, "I'll scoot out to the ottoman and then transfer into the wheelchair with your help."

She thought about it and realized it would be easier getting him back into the wheelchair than getting him out.

"I hope you don't need to pee anytime soon."

"That's what that little container is for...men do have that added bonus of being able to pee in a bottle." He pointed at the vase shaped plastic container that the hospital had sent home with him.

She went into the kitchen and immediately realized he had no food to cook. House knew that she would have to go grocery shopping because his refrigerator probably had nothing in it but milk and left over Chinese food.

"I have to go to the store and pick up some food. Are you going to be ok?"

He nodded yes. She went back and looked through the cabinets to see just what she needed. She realized she needed just about everything. She grabbed her purse and was out the door. An hour later she returned and made several trips out to the van to get the fifteen bags of groceries she had bought. She put the groceries away. While she was out she bought him a submarine sandwich and potato chips.

She put it out on a plate along with a glass of milk and a paper towel. He could use the calcium for his leg.

"Greg, I've been thinking, you aren't going to be able to take care of yourself until they take off that full leg cast. I'm going to go home and pack a bag and stay the weekend and then we'll really have to find someone for you. Someone is going to have to help you get around at work and at home during the work week. Ok, well, I will be back in an hour, here's your pee bottle," she chuckled," and here's the phone. Anything else you need before I get back?"

"One of your girls?"

"Ha,ha."

When she got back she stored her weekend bag and then emptied the contents of the pee bottle. "You know, you guys really do have it easy. You don't even have to get up to go to the bathroom."

Caragh sat down and looked at him. He smiled at her and she had to smile back. "I really could use a Marine bath. I'm starting to get ripe." He told her.

"Ok, but can I just sit for a minute?" She sat down on the sofa and started to laugh to herself, "You got your wish, I have to talk to you...why couldn't I have run down some old lady?"

" Face it, you wanted to spend time with me. I admit it is a strange way to show affection, but I remember when Susie used to hit me in first grade...it meant she wanted to go steady. Anyway, is there something on television you'd like to watch?" He asked. House really didn't want to give us the remote control but thought the gesture might soften her up.

"No, I better go into the kitchen and get it ready for your bath. I don't think the two of us are going to fit into that bathroom with your wheelchair. At some point we need to get you up on your crutches so that you can get into your bathroom."

She got up and got a bar of soap, washcloth, towel, shampoo and clean clothes. She knew he was going to enjoy this. She transferred him into the wheelchair and then wheeled him into the kitchen. She helped him take off his shirt, t-shirt, sock and shoe.

"Ok, this is where you're going to have stand up and balance yourself next to the sink." Caragh brought over the crutches and House seemed to know just how to use it to get himself out of the wheelchair. Then Caragh realized that House probably went through this when he had his thigh operation. He stood and balanced himself next to the sink.

"Let's do your hair first." She ran the water to get it warm and then had him bend over the sink. She took the sink sprayer and wet his hair. As she lathered him up she thought of how intimate it is to shampoo someone else's hair. She rinsed his hair and then towel dried it. She lathered up the washcloth and then started to wash his face.

"Can you do this?" She asked.

"I'm a little off balance right now. " he was telling the truth. It took a lot for him to stay balanced on the crutches. He hadn't gotten used to them yet.

So she continued to wash his face, behind his ears and down his neck. She noticed a scar on the right of his neck from where he had been shot. "You certainly like to beat up your right side, don't you?" She rinsed the cloth and started to wash his chest. There was just enough hair on his chest to be sexy and most of it was a dark to silver gray. She carefully washed his rib cage and saw the scar from where they had sewn up his bowel after he had been shot. She rinsed and lathered. She went to his back and washed it. She noticed a few moles, the exit wound scar and in general an unremarkable back. She dropped down and washed the back and front of his left leg and foot. She came up his left thigh with the wash cloth and noticed the slight bulge in his shorts as she got up. She looked in his eyes and he was clearly enjoying this. What made it worse was that she was enjoying it too. She just hoped he couldn't read her.

She rinsed the washcloth and put it on the counter. Then, without a word, she stepped behind him and pulled down his shorts and boxers for him to step out of them. It wasn't easy balancing him to pick up his feet to get the boxers off. She stood up and grabbed the washcloth and washed the lower part of his flat belly. She looked down and saw the little trail of hair that started from his belly button to his genitals. She had to admit, she found the "Happy Trail" to be one of the sexiest things on a man. She rinsed again and went for the genitals. He had a slight erection which she had expected from the look in his eye. She was gently washing them when he said, "If you're going to be that gentle and slow, you may have more to wash in a minute."

"Oh." She picked up the speed and gave his testicle and penis a more brisk rubbing.

"Whoa...now it's a little too rough."

She started giggling, he laughed too. They were looking at each other as she continued the process. She rinsed and asked, "You aren't circumcised, should I clean under the..uh.."

"It will be ok for now, I think we're done down there."

She let out a sigh of relief. She was getting excited washing him and was feeling more and more like grabbing him. She cleaned under his arms and then started to towel him off. As she did so, her neck came within a few inches of his mouth. It took everything he had in him not to reach down and kiss it. She sensed that something was going on in his brain and so she looked up. He was standing there with his eyes closed. He looked so clean and handsome. She got him his toothbrush and toothpaste and he brushed his teeth. She helped him dress and then he got back into his wheelchair.

Bathing him was so sensual, so intimate, so erotic. She thought to herself, "This isn't going to get any easier. I could get in trouble. I'm going to have to let him do some of this himself before he gets out of the chair."

House felt clean and horny. Being male, all he could think of was what it would be like to have sex with a cast on...how would he have to position himself? Could he screw with bad ribs?

Caragh positioned House in front of the television again and then got up to clean up. She went into his bedroom, picked up the dirty clothes and stripped the bed. She put on clean sheets and straightened up. Men were pigs. She sat back down and watched televison with House. He was watching the History Channel, a program on D Day. She started telling him some of the details of D Day that the program had skipped. He told her about his Uncle's experience and she expressed a desire to interview him. "Sorry, he died of cirrhosis of the liver ten years ago."

Around 5:00 p.m. Caragh went out to the kitchen and then pulled out the chicken and ingredients and made chicken alfredo with walnuts over pasta. She made a fresh salad to go with it. They ate in front of the television on trays. House was enjoying this domestic scene, something he hadn't had since Stacy left him. He forgot how nice it was to just watch television with someone, even in silence. The food was great.

After the late news, Caragh was ready for sleep. She made up her bed on the couch hoping that House would get the hint. He made no move to go to bed. Finally Caragh said, "You're a night owl aren't you?"

"Yeah, I take it you want to go to sleep?"

"Kind of."

"Well, I guess I could go to bed and read. Look, you don't have to sleep out here, I promise I won't molest you if you want to sleep in my bed."

"Right. After that bath this afternoon I don't think it's a good idea for me to be within arms distance of you in a horizontal position. Come on, let's get you to bed."

The wheelchair made it to the door but there was no way to maneuver it inside his bedroom. This meant that House had to walk to the bed, which he did with the crutches. Caragh lifted his leg up and tucked him in. She sat down on the edge and asked, "Do you want me to read you a story or sing you a lullaby?"

"I could think of better ways to help me sleep."

"I bet you can. Maybe I can arrange for that tomorrow night if you want. I could free up Paula."

"Not quite as appealing."

"Well, think about it. It may ease a little of the tension between us."

"You mean the sexual tension?"

"Yes, sexual tension...if I'm going to have play with your genitals each day, it could get frustrating."

"For you or me?"

"No comment." They shared a smile and then she got up and went into the living room.

Saturday morning Caragh got up and made some tea. She also got the coffee maker ready for when House got up. She went in and took a shower and got dressed. She then sat down and read for awhile. She was reading a great book on Lincoln, one which inferred he might have had Marfan's disease. At ten Caragh was done waiting for House to wake up. She went in and there he was flat on his back, spread eagle and snoring, hardly his most endearing position.

"Greg...GREG."

House opened one eye and tried to focus on her.

"It's 10 am, I need to get you up and get going, I have some errands to run."

He raised himself up onto his elbows and then rubbed his face. "I need a shave."

She got him up and brought him a towel, a mirror and his electric beard trimmer. She handed him a cup of coffee and a plate with eggs, fruit and toast. "Chop, chop...get a move on. You're going with me."

"What??" He was not happy.

"I have to attend a lecture at 1:00p.m. in the history department. It's mandatory because I set the lecture up. Margaret Creighton is giving it and I'm taking her out to lunch afterwards. I can't leave you alone that long. You obviously have to wear your shorts but I want you to wear a shirt over your t-shirt."

"Crap, can't you just leave me with food, the remote, the pee bottle and a beer?"

"No."

She got to the lecture just in time. House was wheeled in and placed over to the side. The lecture was on the battle of Bull Run and House actually found it very interesting. Afterwards, House and some of the History Department Faculty went to lunch at the Nassau Inn. The conversation was very different from that and House's peers. It was much more boisterous with a lot of friendly arguing going on about historical issues. There was also a lot of laughing and drinking. In all, the group was fun to be with. House had very little to add to the conversation. But it didn't matter he was enjoying watching them argue. When House had to go to the restroom, Caragh made one of the male professors stand guard while she helped him into the rest room.

"Now that's penance, taking your victim to the restroom." The historians teased Caragh unmercifully.

On the way home they rehashed the lunch and Caragh gave him some insights into the background and peccadillos of the group. They were laughing all the way home. They got back around 4:30 p.m. and House was transferred to his chair. "Your friends are interesting."

"They are, but then again sometimes the politics in the Department get pretty petty."

"That's true wherever you go."

House watched Caragh as she made phone calls to the Diogenes Club. She was conducting business over the phone and laughing with whoever was on the other end. Caragh was going over the recent health reports with Vicki. Each call girl had to take blood tests once a month for STDs.

She was dressed in a shirtdress and low heels, her hair was back in a hair-band. She looked young and happy. It was nice having her in the apartment. It was also unfair. House was entitled under his medical insurance to have in-home health care which he could arrange with one phone call to PPTH. Caragh had been kind to him even when he had been a jerk to her. After she got off the phone she looked over at him.

"Caragh, you don't have to stay if you don't want to. I can call the hospital and they'll send one of the caretakers over from the agency. You've done enough for me, I don't want you to feel like you're a prisoner to your guilt, although you should feel guilty, hitting a cripple. I know it was an accident and I know that you're probably the only person on earth who WOULDN'T aim their car at me."

Caragh was a little surprised at the offer, why would he say this out of the blue? "Ah, I knew you'd get tired of my company." she chuckled.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm tired of your company." He tried to give her his most earnest look.

"Well good, now I can torture you for everything you've done to me. Come on, let's get you cleaned up." She gave him an evil grin.

"I don't know if I trust you with that washcloth."

They went through the ritual again and once again House was feeling frisky by the end of the bath. Caragh could sense that this was getting to House. She sat him by the television and then made a call.

Caragh made them a light supper and then asked House about his music collection. He made her bring over a stack of CDs and then play certain selections off of them. It was fun. She was learning a lot about the structure of jazz. She knew the history but didn't understand why so many people enjoyed Jazz, especially men. House knew a lot about music and it was fun to hear him talk passionately about something.

At 9:00 p.m. Caragh stood up and grabbed her purse and keys. "I'll be back in an hour."

The door bell rang. Caragh went to the door, opened it, let Paula in and then left. An hour later she came back to the apartment and put her things down. House was sitting in the easy chair watching a movie. She went over and sat down on the couch.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Caragh asked him.

"No." He sounded a little cold.

Caragh's phone beeped to tell her she had a text message. "He sent me away. No sex. Paula." Caragh didn't know what that meant. Was he unable to have sex or did he not want it? Maybe the pain killers were killing his libido? Nah, from what she felt, his libido was definitely in tact. For the rest of the evening they sat in silence watching television.

When it came time for bed, House wheeled himself back to the bedroom and then, using the crutches made it to his bed. Caragh brought in an antibiotic and a glass of water for him to take. He took them.

"I'm sorry. I thought I was helping." Caragh said.

"I know you must think I just like mindless sex." he paused, thought about it and continued, "Well, I do, but I only do it with hookers when I need a real distraction. It's hard to explain, the sex is fine, but it's the fact that my mind gets to take a short holiday and I just concentrate on the physical. But, I don't need your charity. I was enjoying our evening as it was."

She felt incredibly guilty. She had been enjoying the evening too and now she had ruined it. "We just don't seem to ever get on the same page do we?"

"I don't know, we do sometimes. Actually, we're on the same page most of the time and then, I don't know what happens, you run me down...I just know it's never boring." he shrugged his shoulders.

"I have to admit that I have enjoyed our conversations and this time together. I think I'd like us to be friends." Caragh said.

House squinted as if that was distasteful and then in his most sarcastic tone he said, "Yeah, and I think of you as a sister."

"Greg, you act like this is an easy choice...and it's not. I've been seeing Jim and he's been very good to me. He's easy to talk to and be with. I can relax around him, not worry when the other shoe is going to fall. With you, I just don't know. You're so mercurial and God forbid if I get on the wrong side of you...you're tongue would slash me in two."

"I can think of better things to do with my tongue."

"Funny..." She started to walk away and House grabbed her wrist. She turned and looked down at him in the bed. "Don't make me have to use my karate moves."

He pulled her over to the bed. "It's a simple decision, it's just hard to make." He started to pull her down to him and she pulled back up. They looked at each other for a few seconds. She stopped pulling and leaned down to kiss him. He reached around the back of her head and pulled her closer. His lips and breath were warm. She could feel his tongue exploring hers. She pulled back slowly.

"Good night." And then she turned off the light.

Neither of them got any sleep. House was wondering what she would do. He started thinking of Wilson. House knew this could be the final wedge between them and that bothered him. But it would be worse if Wilson and Caragh got together and she realized she should have been with House. Then House started to think about Caragh. What if he convinced her to be with him and then he pushed her away like he pushed Stacy and the others away? Then everyone would be miserable. It was impossible to sleep.

Nearly identical thoughts were going through Caragh's head. Wilson was the safe bet and if it didn't work out, she could give it a try with House. But it was House she thought about when she went to sleep and when she woke up. He drove her crazy with his games. She was an idiot if she picked House. She pulled the pillow over her head and screamed into it.

Early Sunday morning Caragh was surprised when House yelled for her from his room. "Yes, master?" Caragh was standing in her cotton nightgown with the sun filtering through it.

"Can you help me up?"

"Sure." She brought him the crutches and he got up to get into the wheelchair. "You're up early."

"Didn't sleep. I need to get out for awhile. Do you want to go with me?"

"Do I have a choice? I think I'm your ride. Sure. Where are we going?"

"Let's go down by the lake, they should be crewing today."

"I didn't know you liked crewing."

"I used to crew before the surgery." He said.

Caragh helped House get ready and she rolled him into the van. He told her, "You need to make a stop for coffee."

"Yes sir." Caragh pulled in and got coffee for House and tea for herself. She grabbed two cinnamon buns.

When she got back in the van, she handed him the coffee and a cinnamon bun. He took one look at the cinnamon bun and said, "Oh, man I love you!" He started to devour the bun.

"Is that all it takes to make you fall in love?" she joked.

"Buns, great sex and a hot car. Hey, two out of three. You're ahead in the game."

"What do you mean two out of three, you didn't think it was hot sex?" she was indignant.

"No, look at this crappy van you're driving."

"Come on, you know I drive a hot car."

"You ain't driving it now. Sorry, there has to be a confluence of events." He started laughing at her.

They sat near the lake's edge to watch the crew teams practice. House told her about some of the finer points of crewing and how he managed to gain an advantage once for his team by putting itching powder in the coxswain's shoes before the match.

They had a good time and when they went to lunch they were arguing over their respective lists of the "best" of everything. Best authors, best movies, best songs, and now they were on best generals.

"Ok, now that we've covered 10 through 2...who do you rate as number 1?" House asked over his burger with the juice running down his chin. He wiped it off with his napkin.

"No competition there, Julius Gaius Caesar." She said with conviction.

He chewed his hamburger and and swallowed. "No argument there."

"What? You concede that I'm right?"

He made a silly funny face and said, "You're right. How can you argue with the guy who never lost a battle and kicked butt all over a continent on horseback?"

She had a grin from ear to ear. "Well, isn't that something. The great Greg House agrees with me on something. I can die happy now." She took a bite, swallowed and asked, "What are we going to do about tomorrow?"

"I have to go into work. Can you give me a lift or does your assistant need her van back?"

"The van belongs to the Club and Vicki has my car. Of course I can give you a ride. What about tomorrow night after work. Who's going to take care of you then?"

"I can get the service arranged tomorrow. You don't need to worry."

"You know, Jim gets back tonight."

"I understand." He was sullen.

"Don't give me that look. You really don't understand. I'm terribly confused. Please don't push me." They ate the rest of their meal in silence. When they got back to the apartment, Caragh picked up and told Greg she had to go by her house to get some clothes for the morning. She got home and threw her dirty clothes in the laundry and grabbed some clean ones. She grabbed the handouts she needed for her class and then called Vicki.

"You get to keep the car tonight, I need the van to take him into work tomorrow."

"Cool. I'm going out tonight and I wanted to show it off to my friends."

"Fine, I'm going back to Greg's if you need me."

***

When she got back she put her stuff away and watched a little tv. Around 11 p.m. she asked House, "Do you want me to clean you up tonight or tomorrow morning?"

"We won't have time in the morning. I guess we should do it tonight."

She got the toiletries together and then wheeled him into the kitchen. She washed his hair and then dried it with the towel. She got the wash cloth wet and lathered. Then she turned to him and dropped down to pull his shorts off. He stepped out of them and then she stood up. She was so close to him she could feel his breath. She reached up to clean his face and neck when he leaned forward on his crutches and gave her a warm kiss. She kissed him back, and without pulling back she said, "I've got ya, there's no way on these crutches that you can do anything about that kiss...now behave." He stepped forward on his crutches and pinned her between him and the sink. He kissed her again only with much more passion. She could feel his entire body against her. She wanted to hold him and touch every inch of him but a voice kept saying, "Bad timing." She knew that she had to sort out her feelings before she let her raging libido make decisions for her again. She gave him several short kisses and in between each of them said, "Greg, you know this isn't the answer. I need to figure out what I am going to do first before I do this again. You know, some would say you aren't the safest pony to bet. I need to talk to Jim about how he feels."

House would not back off. "If I could give you some platitude that would make you choose me I would. But I'm not good at platitudes. If you choose me I can't even promise how long it would last ."

"Gee, Greg, that's so romantic..." She continued to wash his back. "I think it's rather early to expect that from any relationship. No one can make any promises this early in the game. I don't have a very good batting average so I'm a little gun shy about promises anyway. Now let me go so I can finish washing you."

"Forget this, let's go to bed. I'm dying to figure out how I'm going to insert A into B in a full leg cast."

"Get thee behind me Satan!!! Behave. Let me get you cleaned up for tomorrow. We both need to get some sleep."

He backed off and let her finish. She wheeled him to his room and then helped him into bed but he wouldn't give her back her arm. "What do you want?"

"Just stay and talk to me for a little while, it's only 11:00 and I won't be able to sleep."

"Boo-hoo. That's why they have novels. I have to get out there on the computer and teach myself about the two strains of AIDS in Africa. You remember, the lecture you failed to update me on?"

"Stay, and I'll tell you everything you need to know for your lecture."

She couldn't refuse this, it would take her awhile to find the information on the web and she'd have to go through several journals to do it. He could tell her where to go and she could pull the articles in the morning before the lecture.

"I really am tired, so make this the condensed version. She got up, walked around the bed and climbed on top of the covers with a pad and pen. She propped herself up against the headboard with pillows. "Shoot..."

He told her about the environment in which the two HIV strains had developed and how they had mutated. Since Caragh knew a lot of the history of the African wars, it all made sense. She needed to make a handout of the Congo for the class to show the river and the warring factions. The disease developed in two separate directions because the war and the river prevented the two carrying populations from mingling. It was fascinating. What Caragh didn't realize though was that she was nodding off.

House smiled when she finally fell completely asleep. He had a hard time reaching but he finally grabbed the afghan at the foot of his bed and put it over her. He turned out the light. Caragh woke up sometime in the night and was cold. She realized where she was but was too groggy to go out to the couch. She took off her dress, grabbed a t-shirt from House's chest of drawers and crawled under the covers. She was freezing. Like a heat seeking missel she slid over next to House's warm body and basked off the heat. She fell back to sleep.

*** Vicki wore so many hats at the Diogenes Club it was funny. She was nursemaid to the girls, confident, mother, bookeeper, human resource manager, purchasing agent, and all round gopher to name a few titles. Vicki was also eye candy. She was the first face that men saw at the Diogenes Club and they liked it. She had never worked as an escort or as a call girl, but she sure did have a knack with making sure the clients were happy. Caragh knew what a gem she was and paid her very well. Vicki made just shy of six figures each year.

Vicki loved her job and her boss. They had worked together for seven years and they knew how each other thought. They had been through lots of ups and downs and had nursed each other through a lot of heartache. Vicki had gone through a very bitter divorce three years ago and it had been Caragh who had given her a safe place to land.

Vicki loved Caragh's car and when she got the opportunity to drive it, she was over the moon. Everyone looked at her when she went down the street. Most people looked at her anyway, but the car was just the icing on the cake. The Aston Marten with a beautiful brunette with green eyes and long thin legs was straight out of a Bond movie. She had the grace of a ballet dancer and the wit of one of Shakespeare's fools. But she was no fool herself. She had a great head on her shoulder and more importantly, she was a good human being.

Vicki had spent a few hours with her friends and was headed home. She was surprised when the engine light came on. But her father had always said, "When an idiot light comes on, don't be an idiot, pull over and stop driving." So Vicki did just that. She was pissed, why did this happen when she had the car?

She was on one of the branch roads with gravel to pull over on. Vicki was concerned, she didn't like being stuck out on a dark road by herself. She immediately dialed AAA and told them where she was. They said that it would be half an hour. Vicki made sure the doors were locked and put on the emergency blinkers just in case a cop came by.

When the lights pulled up behind her she couldn't tell if it was the tow truck or a cop. She thought the vehicle must be a car because the lights were set low, nearer to the ground. She watched in the side mirror. She could see the outline of someone coming to the car and it scared her.

Standing next to her car was a man in a business suit. He was knocking on the window. When she rolled the window down a crack she said, "I've already called AAA and they should be here in a minute. Thanks." She started to roll it back up.

"Wait, wait..isn't this Caragh Donovan's car? I'm a friend of hers, is she ok? Did she try to go for help?"

"Who are you?" Vicki asked.

"I'm James Wilson, Dr. James Wilson. I work at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital." Wilson was pulling his driver's license out of his wallet to show her. He pushed the license up against the window so she could see it. "Who are you and why do you have Caragh's car?"

"Dr. Wilson! Oh, I know who you are, Caragh talks about you. I'm Vicki, Vicki Pinkerton, her employee." Caragh probably knew more about Jim Wilson than he wanted her to know. Women talked about everything...she wondered if he was as good a kisser as Caragh told her.

"Oh, ok. Well, are you alright?" He asked.

"I really am waiting for AAA. They should be here soon."

"This isn't a very safe place for you to wait. I'll stay here until the tow truck arrives. I'd try to see if I could fix it but I'm hopeless with cars." He was yelling above the traffic.

"I wouldn't want to put you out."

"No, I insist. Lucky I just got back from Hawaii and was going home. I passed the car the first time, but realized it was Caragh's so I came back."

"You're going to get hit if you wait out there. Come around to the passenger side and I'll let you in."

He went around and got in. He shook her hand. Wilson could see from the car interior light that Vicki Pinkerton was a goddess. She rivaled Caragh in looks, only she was a little taller than Caragh. He wasn't sure which one he would pick if it were just based on looks.

For the first few minutes it was awkward and then they started talking about Hawaii. Vicki had gone to university in Hawaii on Oahu.

"Wow, that would have made it hard to study. What did you major in?"

"Business Administration. And I was so busy trying to keep my grades up, I only got to enjoy the islands during the summer."

The conversation went back and forth over several topics until Wilson realized they had been there for almost an hour. "I think we need to give AAA another call or you could be here all night."

Just as she started to dial, the tow truck pulled up. The driver put the car up on a ramp and asked where she wanted it towed. Since Vicki paid the bills for the maintenance on the car, so she knew the name and address of the dealer.

"The tow truck driver will deliver it, they'll know who's car it is at the dealership, so let me give you a ride home." Wilson politely offered so that Vicki didn't have to ride with the tow truck driver.

"Thank you so much, I'd really appreciate it." Vicki turned to the driver, "There's a key box for when you leave your car overnight. Just drop these in it and I'll call the dealer tomorrow."

Wilson tipped the driver and they got in his car. Wilson and Vicki picked up the conversation where they left off. After a few minutes Wilson asked, "By the way, where is Caragh?"

"Oh, she's staying with Dr. House." No sooner were the words out that Vicki realized the import of what she had said. She saw his face drop. "Jim, it isn't what you think. Caragh hit Dr. House with her car and broke his leg, he's..."

"What? She ran him down? What the hell did House do this time?"

"No, no , no ...it really was just an accident. But Dr. House is in a full leg cast and can't get around. Caragh was taking care of him until she could get in a caretaker." Wilson started to laugh. "He wins. He wins. He has to get his @ss run over, but he wins."

"Jim, what do you mean?"

"I know House, he's going to bulldoze her. He'll either wear her down with guilt or he'll brow beat her with his charm. He has this effect on women, he's a complete jerk, but they still fall for him. I don't understand it. He's probably got her in bed with him right now."

"I doubt that, Caragh was sleeping on the couch from what she told me."

Wilson shook his head. He had no doubt in his mind that Caragh was caught in House's web. He'd known House long enough to know that what House wanted, House got. He tried to put it out of his mind and he turned the conversation back to Vicki.

"So what do you do for the Diogenes Club?"

He was glad to hear that her position was strictly administrative. She told him some of the funnier stories about the escorts but she avoided any discussion of the call girl side. Vicki was always worried about getting busted. When they got to her little bungalow she invited Wilson in for some coffee.

"I better not, I have a long day tomorrow and coffee will just keep me up."

"Well at least come in and get that DVD I told you about, "The Twilight Samurai."

Wilson thought about it. She was lovely, smart and funny. He would just get the DVD and leave. "Ok."

When they got inside Wilson felt at home. The house was filled with photos and art and had an eclectic, but sophisticated, feel to it. The furniture looked more comfortable than artistic, something he liked. He could never figure out why anyone would want to sit on a couch that looked good but felt like a board.

"It's over here." She went to the shelf and got it. "Let me at least get you something to drink. You've been so kind."

"A coke?"

She went and got him a coke and some cookies. They sat down across from each other on the matching love seats. For the next half hour he laughed so hard he could hardly take it. She told him about the time one of the Escorts got stuck in a toilet stall at the convention hall and her client got so drunk he forgot her. They found her, in full formal, the next day asleep on the toilet, waiting for someone to free her. Vicki had to run down and pick her up. The client sent her a huge tip.

"I better go." Wilson said it as if he didn't want to go. But he got up and went to the door. "I had a better time tonight than I have on most of my dates."

"Does Caragh know that?" She laughed, because she knew what he meant.

"You know what I mean. Thanks, I haven't laughed this hard in ages. Here's my card, if you get stuck by the side of the road, call me." Then he disappeared down the walk.

Vicki went from being happy and hopeful to sad within seconds. She recognized immediately that had Vicki met Jim Wilson first, things might have been different. Crappy timing.

Wilson was conflicted. The last few hours were fun and he was certainly attracted to Vicki, but he had felt a real connection with Caragh. Wilson just wanted to get home and go to bed.

Everyone managed to get to work and House enjoyed his reign from his new throne. He started doing wheelies, which was not easy to do, just to piss Brenda off. Cameron was annoyed too. The guys ignored it. After he stopped showing off they went of to check on their patient. They were pretty sure he had Lyme's disease but there had been so many different symptoms that they knew there was something else, hidden.

Wilson had been down in chemotherapy and in his consulting rooms. When he finally got back to the second floor he walked down the hall to see the wounded Greg House. "She must be a pretty bad aim if all she got was a leg that was already damaged."

"It was a really a cry for attention. She wanted MY attention." House kept the smile tight.

Wilson shook his head, it didn't matter that they were supposedly friends, House went in for the kill, "Well I assume she got it...or you got hers. So, you managed to wangle a weekend with her. Am I now suppose to sulk away and cry in my beer or do I still have a shot?"

"Don't buy the beer yet..."

"Oh,hooo. The great Greg House didn't close the deal."

"She just needs to trade in the OLD model and the deal is done."

"She just might decide to keep it, it still looks good, runs well and needs low maintenance."

House had to crack a smile at that...Wilson could be funny. "All I know is that it was my bed she woke up in this morning."

Wilson bit his tongue, something about the way he said it and the fact that Caragh hadn't made up her mind meant that he was being played. He'd wait and get the story from Caragh.

He changed the subject, "What's the diagnosis?"

"Simple fracture, bruised ribs."

"Why the full leg cast then?"

"I suspect to torture me. Ostensibly to support the leg because of it's weakened muscle."

"Yeah, I'd get another opinion. So how are you set for help?"

"I just got off the phone with a service, they'll have someone to take me home and then stay tonight until 9:00 p.m., I guess that means I get to go to bed early. Then they'll have someone at the house in the morning at 8:00 a.m."

"Gotta go. Patients with problems seem to want my help."

House nodded at Wilson as he went out. Wilson appreciated one thing about House, he always told you bluntly what you didn't want to hear. Now he knew that something had happened between Caragh and House but that she wasn't jumping ship just yet. Wilson had to think about this.

Wilson got a phone call around 3:00 p.m. "Can you come over for dinner tonight?" Caragh asked.

"Sure." Wilson didn't want to put off the inevitable.

Wilson hadn't seen Caragh's bedroom so he didn't know what her taste really was as opposed to what was her aunt's. He had thought he might make it to the bedroom soon, but he wasn't sure now. When Wilson arrived at Caragh's they went into the kitchen. Everything smelled delicious. Wilson looked around while Caragh attended the stove. The only person he knew that came close to having the same number of books as she did was House. Caragh's family room walls were covered with shelf after shelf of books, the hall had bookshelves, the living room had gorgeous 14 ft high ceilings and one incredibly long wall with nothing but bookshelves to the ceiling. Even Caragh's basement had been sealed and dehumidified and turned into a rather masculine looking library. He hadn't been upstairs so he wasn't sure if there were more shelves up there, but he assumed there were. House stored most of his books in a storage facility but even he had every cranny stuffed with a book at his apartment.

They sat down over Caragh's beef stroganoff, "I know you've heard what I did to House."

"I know now not to get you mad at me."

She sighed, the jokes were getting old and she had heard a million of them. When she entered her office this morning there was a bunch of balloons which said, "Congratulations!" and a basket of champagne and caviar. It had been sent by a group of doctors at the hospital. It seemed everyone was delighted with her driving abilities. When she walked out of the hall, people would pretend to jump out of the way. Wilson cracked up when she told him. Cuddy was going to love this.

"I took care of him this weekend. It was the least I could do."

"When you say, take care', what do you mean? Did you sleep with him? He told me you woke up in his bed this morning."

"That jerk. Technically I did. But he was giving me an update on his lecture for tomorrow and so I crawled on top of the covers, started listening and I fell asleep. So, yes, I slept with him last night, but we didn't have sex. That brings me to what I want to discuss. Jim, whenever I spend time with you, I enjoy it, I feel good, safe and I can't think of anyone I could trust more. You're handsome and a damn good kisser. But when I'm with Greg, I have these volatile highs and lows and it's addictive. I'm very confused and I wanted you to know this as soon as possible. I don't want to string you along or lie to you."

"Believe me, House would tell me even if you didn't. Caragh, I like you, I like you a lot and I think that if we continued to date I might even fall in love with you. But I'm at a place where if you choose House, I won't be crushed. Sure, I'll be sad, a little pissed and disappointed, but I won't be as invested in this relationship as I would be down the road. I have to tell you, and this won't be the last time you hear it, you're probably going to regret choosing House, if you do. He's pushed away every woman that I've seen him with. He goes out with them for weeks or months and then says something horrible or does something cruel. He can't help himself. He doesn't want to be happy. It's not his leg, it's not his parents, it's not Stacy leaving him, it's just House."

"I understand, I'm not naive...I've told myself over and over that I should pick any door but the one Greg House is behind. I don't know what I am going to do. I think I need to take a step back and look at everything. Are you willing to give me the time to do that?"

"I don't plan on going out with anyone right away, but I'm not going to wait around. I won't walk out tonight and slam the door if that's what you mean."

"Thanks. That's more than fair considering all that has happened"

They ate dinner. Wilson went home without seeing her bedroom.

***

When Caragh found out that the service was putting House to bed at 9:00 p.m. she offered to come over around 8:00 p.m. and watch tv until 11:00 p.m. a few days a week so she could put him to bed closer to his circadian bedtime. If she came over at 8:00 p.m., his bathing would be done and there wouldn't be any tension between them. She also realized that House was getting Cabin fever on the weekends. So she tried to think of places to take him that would accommodate his leg. They went to museums, movies, dinner.

The first weekend after her talk with Wilson, he asked her, "I take it from Wilson's demeanor this week that you haven't given him the boot. So, what's up?"

"I'm going to say this once and only once...I asked Wilson to give me some space to think, which he is graciously doing. I want you to do the same. If you push me, try to grab me, try to steal a kiss...I'll walk out that door and you can kiss this @ss goodbye!!!"

House resisted a comment about kissing her @ss. He figured that he had the advantage over Wilson anyway, she was forced to spend time with him because of the leg. It meant he got to charm her and when he wanted to be, House could be charming.

Two weeks after the accident, the orthopedist took pity on House and offered to reduce his cast. House wasn't really interested in reducing it, it would mean that he wouldn't need full time help and Caragh wouldn't have to come over to help him. Unfortunately, Wilson found out about the offer and House's refusal. He told Caragh who stopped coming that very night without calling House. The in-home nurse left at 9:00 p.m., she had offered to put House to bed, but he was sure that Caragh was just running late. Sometimes she was needed at the Diogenes Club and she would come afterwards. House ended up sleeping in his wheelchair all night. When he got in the next morning there was a note from Caragh..."Get the damn cast reduced you moron. " He did.

Caragh always had Thanksgiving at the Diogenes Club. It allowed the girls who didn't have family a place to go and be with friends. They would each pick a favorite client and that client would get an invitation. Most of the clients had family or friends that they shared their meals with, but usually they would have three or four show up. Caragh had Vicki send out invitations to House and Wilson. The meal was always set up at a formally set dinner table. Dinner was at 4:00 p.m. The guests were asked to arrive around 3:00 p.m. for cocktails.

House asked Wilson if he was coming to his apartment for Thanksgiving. "No, I'm going to the Diogenes Club for dinner. I assume you want a ride?"

House shrugged his shoulders and nodded yes. They both responded to the invitations. Caragh knew they both would come. House's family was in San Diego and she knew that Wilson had a cousin that lived nearby but, by the way he talked about him, she figured he'd rather join her and the girls for dinner.

Vicki and Caragh always did a great job with decorations and the table setting. The interior of the Club was dark so Caragh and Vicki brought in dozens of candles and placed them in strategic places. The light they gave off was romantic, very Victorian. The table had been placed directly under the small chandelier which illuminated the table just enough for the guests to see what they were eating. The fireplace was lit with a robust fire. Several chairs and sofas had been moved to the basement to make room for the tables. Three long tables had been placed end to end, from one end of the room to the end with the fireplace. It would seat 36. They were expecting 33 guests but someone always showed up unexpectedly. This year there would be 8 clients, a record number, 23 escorts and call girls, plus Vicki and Caragh. The place cards were placed so that the client that had been invited sat next to the woman who had invited him. However, Vicki put Jim Wilson down at the far end away from Caragh and next to her. House was placed in the middle of the table. Caragh always sat at the head of the table. Caragh did not cook the Thanksgiving meal, she always had it catered and served by waiters. It was one less thing she had to deal with. There was a small kitchen behind the bar where the food was kept warm and prepared for service.

Caragh asked the girls to wear dresses to Thanksgiving. Caragh herself was in a pumpkin colored sheath that looked great against her pale skin. She had on low heels and her earrings were diamond surrounded by small Topaz stones. Her hair was pinned up. She was dressed simply but she looked incredible.

Vicki opted for a little cleavage and a dress with a swing skirt. It looked cute on her and gave her an fresh appearance. She was in good spirits and went around pouring wine and champagne for all of the guests.

Most of the guests had congregated in the other room, around the second fireplace. The men had worn nice slacks and dress shirts. Kieran Murphy walked in wearing Givenchy slacks and a gorgeous sweater. He was greeted by Mary, his favorite escort. Caragh took one look and realized she was probably going to lose both an escort and a client soon. They were giving all the body signals of a couple in love.

Caragh had positioned herself at the top of the stairs to welcome the girls and the clients as they entered. She heard the door open downstairs and when she walked into the stairwell and looked down she saw House and Wilson at the bottom of the stairs. Wilson was wearing gorgeous dove grey slacks and a light pink shirt under an Italian loomed sweater with multi-shades of grey. He looked sensationally handsome with those dark brown eyes. She couldn't really see House behind Wilson. Caragh called down to them. "There's a small elevator to the left and around the corner. I'll meet you when you come out on the second floor."

They disappeared around to the left and she could hear the elevator gears. House stepped out first. It was the first time she had seen him since his cast had been cut off. He was simply stunning. He was wearing dark slate blue trousers, creased and just slightly baggy, which was the recent fashion. Tucked into his pants was a gorgeous silk blue shirt with a V-neckline. She knew from the cut and style it was Armani. Even in the dark room his eyes seemed bluer than usual. She stepped forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad you could make it. The wine and Champagne are in there, the bar is over to the left. Jim, you look great." She gave Wilson a kiss on the cheek.

Wilson and House had never been inside the Diogenes Club. House had received an invitation before to Thanksgiving from Jackie, but he had declined graciously. They both felt like they had walked into a Victorian holiday portrait. The room and table was beautifully set and decorated.

Wilson and House turned to enter the next room and their hearts stopped. Standing before them were 23 incredibly beautiful women of different sizes, hair color, nationalities, races, it was a cornucopia of Goddesses. They both took a step back, looked at each other and smiled, regained their composure and walked in. Caragh chuckled when she saw their reaction. Most of the first-time Thanksgiving attendees had that reaction. She watched as Wilson went straight over to Vicki and began talking to her like they were old friends. Caragh could tell from their body language that there was subtle flirting going on between them. House was being fawned over by several of his previous "dates." One of the girls got House a single malt whiskey, a rather large one at that.

Caragh was waiting for two more clients to show and within minutes they both walked in at the same time. She welcomed them and gave them a peck on the cheek too. She relaxed now that she knew the guests were all here. It was 4:00 p.m. and the food was ready to be served, everyone took their place at the dinner table and the food was served.

Caragh was just about to pour herself a drink when she heard the door open. She thought it must be one of her impomptu guests. She got up and looked down the stairwell. From this angle the only thing she could see was a badge on a belt. Caragh went cold inside.

She hurried down the stairs and met up with an officer she knew worked vice. "Detective Richmond, what can I do for you on Thanksgiving?"

"Dr. Donovan, I'm here to take you in on charges of Promoting Prostitution and Laundering Money. Do you need to take care of anything before we go?" he sounded sad.

She was stunned. Then she became scared and nervous, but she tried to put on a brave front. "I need to go upstairs and make sure my Thanksgiving guests are settled before I go, is that ok?"

"Sure, but I have to come upstairs with you."

"Detective, some of the people upstairs are family and I don't really want them to know what is happening, could you put your badge away?"

"Sure." Denny Richmond hated busting her. He liked her and she had supported the Police Department in a lot of ways including buying several pecincts the newest armored vests. The Diogenes Club was a well-run cathouse with clean girls and it had been around forever. But the current DA thought he could make a name out of busting the madam. Visions of the Mayflower Madam danced in his head. Denny couldn't help but think that busting the Diogenes Club was probably going to be the end of the @sshole's career...but no amount of arguing could convince him otherwise. Denny had asked if he could bust Dr. Donovan on Friday, after Thanksgiving, but the DA wanted to make it hard on her. He had been instructed to bring in anyone who was at the Diogenes Club, but that was an order he wasn't going to follow, he knew doing that could be a career ending move for him. He didn't know who he might be busting and how well connected they were. When he got to the top of the stairs, he saw everyone sitting around a formal dinner table with a large turkey in the middle. There was a lot of chatter and laughter. Dishes of food were being passed around. He felt like a schmuck.

Vicki knew Detective Richmond, she knew all the guys on vice. She occasionally needed their assistance for tricky situations. She was sick to her stomach. She got up as slowly as she could manage and excused herself to Wilson. She went over to Caragh. "What's going on?" Vicki asked.

"I'm being arrested for promoting prostitution and money laundering. In about two hours, come down and pick me up. Call Mike Neilson and tell him what's happened. You need to follow Plan A. And make sure that Thanksgiving isn't ruined for the girls and clients, ok?"

Denny had overheard her say send a car down.' "Dr. Donovan, you probably aren't getting out today. It's Thanksgiving and there won't be a Judge on the bench until Monday. Now we can only hold you 48 hours but they won't call the judge for bail until that time is close to being up. I can't tell you how sorry I am. The DA wanted to make sure you would spend some time in jail, that's why I was sent here today. Look, something else you should know, they're going to hit this place with a subpoena tomorrow if they can find a judge to sign it."

Caragh's face went pale and Denny thought she was going to faint, but she composed herself and nodded that she understood. Vicki started to cry but Caragh gave her a look that said, Suck it up.' So Vicki cleared her throat and told Caragh, "I know who to call." Caragh nodded back.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry but there's been a minor emergency at my house and my neighbor was kind enough to come get me. Please enjoy your meal and hopefully I will be back soon. If not, Happy Thanksgiving!"

They all raised their glasses to Caragh, "Happy Thanksgiving!" they said in unison. But House could see candlelight bouncing off beads of sweat on her neck and knew something wasn't right with this picture. Caragh left with Detective Richmond.

When they got back downstairs he read her Miranda rights to her and then cuffed her hands behind her back. He got her coat off of the hook and draped it over her shoulders to hide the cuffs from view. Caragh was glad it was Detective Richmond, he was being a real gentleman, he always had been.

Caragh always suspected that this might happen one day, but she hadn't expected it on Thanksgiving. She had drilled Vicki on what to do over and over. There were no books for the call-girl side. It was a cash business. All cards for the call-girl clients were kept on computer, but that computer was offsite and Vicki accessed it by remote. One phone call and the computer was history. Vicki was only to make that phone call at the very last minute. The only information kept at the Diogenes Club was for the Escort Business and it was legitimate.

Caragh arrived at the police station downtown. She was taken downstairs to processing. The photographer thought it was the most beautiful jail photo he had ever taken. The photo looked strange almost perverse, a gorgeous, elegant, petite woman with her case- board across her chest. She was fingerprinted and then put in a holding cell.

After Caragh left, Vicki disappeared for about an half-hour. When she returned House got up from the table and went down to Vicki's chair. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, why do you ask?"

"Caragh was sweating when she left and I've never seen her sweat. Your hands are shaking. That guy looked and acted like a cop...did Caragh just get busted?"

Wilson was listening to this with a look of surprise. He hadn't noticed anything.

"Yes. But please keep it quiet. I've already called her lawyer, there's really nothing to do. We have all the contingencies covered, well, except for the fact that she would be arrested on a holiday."

What has that got to do with it?" Wilson asked.

"There's no judges to arraign her and set bail, whoever had her arrested knew she would have to spend the night in jail." House told Wilson. Wilson gave him a look as if to say, How did you know that?'

House looked at Wilson, "I need a ride to the police station."

"Dr. House, she really doesn't want anyone to get involved. I've made all the necessary calls. I think Caragh will be out of jail soon."

"I'm going down there."

Wilson tried to convince House to let Caragh handle it. He knew that if she had given orders to Vicki, then she meant to have them followed. But it was no use, Wilson ended up giving House a ride to the police station.

When House got out of the car he told him, "Go on back to the party, there's nothing you can do down here."

"Are you kidding, you'll just get in trouble."

"No I won't. Now go."

Wilson had been having a great time with Vicki and now that he knew she was upset and needed some comfort, he was anxious to get back. "Ok, but call me if anything happens." House nodded yes.

Caragh was nervous but bored. There was essentially nothing to do. She was alone in the tank and there was no tv and nothing to read. There was a stainless steel partition with a toilet behind it and a small sink. The room smelled like sweat and urine. She chuckled to herself, she was slightly overdressed for her surroundings.

The heavy jail door slid open and a friendly face looked in, "Dr. Donovan, what are you doing here?"

It was one of her clients, he was an administrator in the court system. "Busted."

"Wow, bummer. Who is the idiot who busted you? I'll go make some calls. I have all of the judges home phone numbers, I should be able to get someone. When they hear who's in the tank they're going to have apoplexy."

Caragh knew what he meant. She didn't have any judges as clients but the judges did have to go through elections, which were costly. A lot of the big political backers in town used Caragh's call-girl service. Several of them had been clients since the early 90's and they adored Caragh and her girls. This could end up in a blood bath. She knew that if this wasn't handled right in the next few hours, it was going to be painful for a lot of people, important people and she would be without a job. She doubted the University would want to continue to have her in their employ.

The bailiffs opened the door and Mike Neilson poked his head in, "Just had to ruin my Thanksgiving, didn't you?" He smiled. He was a great criminal attorney and he was genuinely fond of Caragh. "Why does the DA have a hard on for you? Who did you piss off?"

" I guess there weren't any serial killers around so he thought busting me would make big news..."

"Well between you, me and the fencepost, the bailiff was told not to enter your data in the system for a couple of hours. Apparently the wheels of justice are turning."

Caragh relaxed a little, if she wasn't in the system yet, it was a good sign. They talked a little about bail and strategy.

Her client stuck his head back in, "Judge Makowski will hear your arraignment today if necessary...we'll get you out of here."

"Thanks so much. I appreciate it. Hopefully, I won't need his help."

Judge Makowski wasn't a current client of Caragh's but he had been one her aunt's. She smiled, she remembered him coming to the Club when she worked there in the summers. He was young then but he was madly in lust with one of the hookers and spent a lot of money on her over the next three years.

Mike Neilson turned to Caragh, "Hey, I forgot to to tell you, there's this jerk out front demanding to know everything about you. I figure he's press so you have to avoid the front desk when you leave."

"Uhhh, is he in his 40's, rough beard and cane?"

"That's him."

"That's Dr. Gregory House. Can you tell him to just go home and I will call him."

"That's if he's still out there, I think the police were about to arrest him for disorderly conduct."

"Oh Christ, just what I need." Still Caragh was amazed that House had figured everything out and was down here trying to ....trying to do what?...Certainly he wasn't helping. She laughed to herself.

"I'm going to wait around for your release or arraignment. So I'll be outside, in the meantime, I brought you some magazines to read."

"God, I love you! You know, when you go out there and tell Greg to go home, tell him thanks. It's rather touching that he came down to ...well whatever he's doing. "

"Sure."

When Mike Neilson got out to the desk he could hear more shouting and voices escalating. He knew that the Sargeant was within an inch of throwing this Greg House in jail. Mike yelled, "Dr. House!!!"

House looked up and turned around to face him. "Yes?"

"I have a message for you from Caragh. She says that you are to chill out and go home, she'll call you when she gets out and thank you for trying to come to her aid."

"Who are you?" House was still pissed.

"Her attorney, Mike Neilson."

"Is she ok? What's going on?" House was looking at him with the most piercing eyes Mike had ever seen.

Mike knew that this guy wasn't going to go away easy. He had worked enough with people to read them pretty well. This guy had a thing for Caragh and he didn't care if he was a jackass, he was going to make trouble until he got answers. Well, he was pretty good looking and she did say he was a doctor. "She's in the holding tank reading magazines. She's calmer now and we're just waiting for a friendly judge to arraign her, if she needs to be arraigned. I'm going to stick around until she gets out, I can give her a ride home."

"I'll wait too."

Mike said nothing, he knew from experience that he wouldn't be able to blast this jerk out of here with TNT. They both went to sit on a bench. House started to ask him about the charges and what could be the ramifications if she had to go to trial. House was bent over leaning on his cane listening to what Mike told him. Mike could see that House was worried, actually worried that Caragh might not beat the rap and have to go to prison. It was rather touching.

"Dr. House, she's not going to prison, I doubt she'll even walk out of here with charges. This DA messed with the wrong person. Caragh has a lot of clout in this town. Let's just say I wouldn't want to be the DA by the end of today. Hell is going to rain down on him and I suspect it won't be long before it does."

"If she has so much clout, why would he take her on?"

"Because he probably doesn't realize who he is dealing with. He thinks she's just a pimp. He knows she runs an upscale escort service, but he doesn't know just how exclusive her client list is. We're talking from the top of the federal government down to well, doctors like you."

They waited another half hour and then they heard some commotion and a lot of cursing. Mike Neilson had a big smile on his face, "That's the DA himself. The one who looks like hell rained down on him." Mike got up and waited for him to come through the door, "Well, hello Jack, what's going on?"

Jack Dubois was pissed. He obviously wasn't having a good evening. "She's being released now."

"Ok...anything else?"

"Yeah, but I have to wait until she gets out here."

Five minutes later, Caragh was being escorted down the hall towards the desk. She walked over to Mike and gave him a hug and then handed House the photo of her being booked. "I thought you might like to frame it." She tore up the fingerprint card and threw it away.

House was obviously relieved and happy. He reached out and grabbed her around the shoulder to hug her. She gladly put her arms around him and her head on his chest. "I probably smell bad."

"Yep, you smell like a jailbird."

" Can we go?" She turned and asked the Sargeant.

"Not just yet." Jack Dubois took a deep breath, "Dr. Donovan, I deeply regret what has happened here today. I now realize what an upstanding citizen you are and feel terrible that my office and the City of Princeton have dragged you from your Thanksgiving Celebration for nothing. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us. Please, pass on my apologies to your family and FRIENDS." The emphasis was on friends.

Caragh held out her hand to shake Jack's hand, "I hope we can put this behind us too." She smiled and they left the station.

House didn't want to let go of her and she was ok with that. It felt nice to have his hand in hers as they walked to the car. She and House got in the back and Mike started the car. House had his arm around her and noticed that she had begun to cry. He realized that now that it was all over she was ready to collapse. He tightened his hold around her shoulder and kissed her temple. She buried her face in House's chest and rode home the rest of the way like that.

***

She said goodbye and thank you to Mike and then opened the door to her house. "I've got to call Vicki." It was 10:00 p.m. She dialed the phone and Vicki answered. "Did I wake you?"

"No I was in bed but I wasn't asleep yet. How are you? What happened?"

"They released me with no charges. I'm a little shook up but I'll get over it. Did Thanksgiving go ok?"

"No one except Greg House was the wiser. He knew right away. He went down to the station, did you see him?"

"He's here with me. Look, I just wanted to let you know that we didn't have to go to plan B, ok. I'll talk to you tomorrow. And thanks Vicki for everything."

Vicki hung up the phone and turned over in bed.

"Well, is she ok?" Wilson asked her.

"Yep, Dr. House is with her right now."

"Great..now where were we?" He reached out and brought her naked body closer to him. ***

House turned on some lights and looked around. The house was magnificent, one of those old colonial mansions that sit on the edge of town in the "good neighborhoods."

"I desperately need a shower and I'm starved." She went to the kitchen and grabbed some cereal from the cupboard. She pulled down a bowl and got a spoon out of the drawer. House brought her the milk from the refrigerator.

House looked at the carton, "1% milk? Ugh, that's not milk, that's flavored water." He gave her a silly look of disgust.

"Just give it to me..." She poured it on her peanut butter Captain Crunch."

"1% milk, but Peanut Butter Captain Crunch???" He looked at her sideways?

She stuck out her lip like a little girl and said, "It's my comfort food, so zip it."

After she was done she went to the stairs and started up. House was unsure of what he was suppose to do. He stayed at the bottom looking up at her like a puppy. When she realized he wasn't following her, she turned around. She went down the three steps, grabbed his hand and lead him upstairs. House squeezed her hand tight.

The entrance to the master suite was to the left of the staircase. They went through the door. House thought he was in a different house. Instead of stark antiques and classic furniture, the room had a light, breezy feel with overstuffed furniture, a large bed, wispy white curtains and a mural of clouds in the sky on the ceiling. Everything was in whites and blues and it gave one the feeling of being on the beach. It was lovely, peaceful and charming. Over to the side was a small side room. It had a chaise lounge and was surrounded by three overstuffed bookcases. On the other side of the room was a very modern master bathroom, it had obviously been renovated in the last year or so.

"Unzip me please." Caragh took off her sheath and kicked it over to the side. As she walked to the bathroom she started taking her clothes off. Once again, House wasn't sure what to do.

"Are you coming?" she asked slightly annoyed at his slowness. She couldn't wait to get into the shower. She turned around and held out her hand again. She was naked and in that moment she looked as vulnerable as he had ever seen her. He was secretly hoping that he wouldn't disappoint her, that he could make this work. It scared him to think that he might hurt her.

She climbed in the shower after the water warmed up. He climbed in after her. He took the bottle of shampoo and put some in the palm of his hands and then rubbed it in her hair. She was a little surprised but then she relaxed and let him take care of her. He washed her body like he was cleaning the Venus de Milo. Caragh leaned back into him and he continued to wash down the front of her body. She didn't want it to end, it was so relaxing.

She finally got out and he followed. She toweled down, tucked the towel around her, walked up and put her arms around him. He held her until she broke away. She reached in her vanity, pulled out a new toothbrush and handed it to him.

"Is this a hint?"

"No, but I'm going to brush mine and if you plan on spending some time here I thought you might like your own toothbrush."

He took it and they brushed their teeth together. After she was done, she ran into the bedroom, threw the towel off and jumped in bed. He limped over to the door where he had left his cane, grabbed it and walked to the bed, whipped off the towel, said, "Ta,da." and then climbed under the covers.

"Ooooh, it's cold, come here and warm me up." She demanded. He slipped over to her side and their bodies became entangled. "God, I feel like I missed a bullet today, oh..sorry, forgot about your shooter...."

"You did miss a bullet. I have no problems with hookers, but the law does. You play with fire every day."

"Yes, well every time I suggest shutting it down the girls cry and moan. Hey, you're holding a naked woman and you're talking to me about hookers?" She picked up the covers and looked under, " What's your problem boy? Oh, there it is...well, isn't he all grown up? We'll just have to do something with him!"

She started to kiss him down his chest and belly. Then she began at his belly button and started to trace the Happy Trail with her tongue when House said, "You don't want to do that right now, I won't last very long. Last time this boy was this happy was in a pantry."

He pulled her up, laid her on his chest and kissed her. She could tell this was going to be quick, he was more than ready.

House was a generous lover, he made sure that after he came, she did too. It was so delicious that she held onto him with a death grip even after it was over. The tingling feeling took a long time to slip away. By the time it did, she was asleep. House looked at her sleeping and thought she looked very young, almost innocent. He brushed her forehead with his lips and then closed his eyes.

House woke up to the haze of sunshine coming through the white curtains. House loved her bed. It was firm but soft, the comforter felt like a cloud hovering over him, the sheets were soft and smelled clean. He looked over to her side but she wasn't there. He wondered where she had gone. A few minutes later, she came up with a tray. On it was a cup of coffee, a cup of tea and two bowls of Captain Crunch peanut butter cereal. He grinned.

They ate and drank in bed while they watched the flat screen television in her bedroom. After breakfast, they wrestled over the remote control. "Hey, there's a golf game on the golf channel I want to watch." He got the remote and turned to the golf channel while holding it high so she couldn't get it. After a minute she stopped trying. She went into her walk-in closet. Tiger Woods was ready to swing when he saw her turn on the stereo in her room. He cracked up. She was standing there in a cheerleading outfit complete with pom poms. The music started. It was Gwen Stefani's, Hollaback Girl'. She started singing and dancing to it very suggestively, her hips moving in slow circular movements alternated by quick bumps and grinds. She moved her hands over her body and up her thighs. He realized that although she had the outfit on, it was missing the underpants. He forgot all about Tiger Woods. Towards the end of the song he was trying to catch her with the hook of his cane as she continued her "Cheer" in front of him. When she finally let him catch her he tore her clothes off as fast as he could. She kept pushing him off and away. He was going nuts. He finally pinned her down and took her.

"Now, next time you want to watch golf, you're going to be thinking about my pom poms. Have I earned the remote?" She was sitting up in the bed looking down at him as he was spread eagle, spent and out of breath. He tossed the remote to her in defeat. She turned on the episode of General Hospital that she had digitally recorded. House lifted his head up when he heard the theme song and smiled. "You watch General Hospital? My God ,you are a vixen. Do you think Luke will ever tell Laura the truth?"

"Oh, no...you watch General Hospital too? We're a pathetic pair." House propped himself up on some pillows to watch. Caragh leaned her head on his chest and they watched General Hospital together. After General Hospital, House changed the station back to the Golf Channel. Caragh propped herself up and finished her latest novel on Lincoln.

Around 11:00 a.m. the doorbell rang. Caragh looked at House and shrugged her shoulders. She got up, put on her robe and went down. She opened the door and there stood a very happy Vicki, standing with a big grin on her face.

"Hi, come on in." They hugged as Vicki came inside.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes, much better. Now, tell me who you called and who did what. I need to make sure they are thanked properly."

Over the next fifteen minutes Vicki told her how the events unfolded. After Caragh was taken, Vicki called Mike first and then she called the Governor's assistant at home. That assistant tracked down the Governor who made a call to the Police Commissioner who called the mayor and two councilmen. Within minutes state and local authorities and high rollers all over New Jersey were trying to get Caragh out of jail. It was the Police Commissioner who paddled the DA. He called the DA at his home and started screaming at him. He named several of the men who had been some of the largest financial backers of the DA's campaign. He told the DA that these men just happened to be very satisfied clients of the Diogenes Club. It was at that point the DA realized the hornet's nest he had stirred. These men could sink his career with a snap of the fingers. The Commissioner also told him that these men were incredibly unhappy and that the only way he could correct it would be to get Caragh out of jail fast, purge her record and apologize.

"Well, we need to throw a private party at the Diogenes Club for these men, something very special. Let's plan it for January, after the holidays."

Vicki nodded in acknowledgment. "I have something else to tell you."

"You and Jim have hooked up."

Her mouth dropped, "How did you know?"

"I could tell by the body language yesterday that you two were flirting with each other. I'm happy for both of you. He's a great guy and I may wish sometime down the road that I hadn't blown my chance. But for now, that jackass upstairs is the one that makes me happy. I don't know how long that will last, but I'm tired of trying to fight it. I figure I just have to let it run its course, no matter how short or long it is."

"Well, I'm going to run, he's outside in the car waiting for me. We're going to go to lunch."

"Oh, he could have come in...I'm not going to bite."

"He wanted to come in and tell you but I knew we had to talk Club business and I wanted you to hear it from me."

Caragh leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "Go on, get out of here."

Vicki got up, hugged Caragh and left.

When she got back to the bedroom, House was still engrossed in the golf channel. "Get your butt out of bed, I'm hungry and you're taking me out for lunch."

"Whoa, wait, Tiger's back up."

"GREGORY HOUSE...I'm hungry!" She got his attention.

"Yes mistress." He continued to watch the screen as he put on his clothes.

Caragh had forgot it was the busiest shopping day of they year, so they decided not to go near the mall for food. Instead, they drove away from the town and found a small diner where they served a pretty decent Ruben for Greg and a cheeseburger for Caragh. They were making fun of each other and laughing the whole time.

They drove over to his apartment and packed him a weekend bag. "You know, I've never heard you play the piano, can you play something for me?"

"Anything you want to hear?"

"Clare de Lune?"

He winced, she knew that this was not one of his favorite pieces but he began to play it from memory. He played beautifully, music was definitely his solace. When he was done she hugged him and kissed him.

"You don't like Clare de Lune?" She asked.

"It's a little on the cheesy side and it didn't help that I had to memorize it when I was twelve. As I get older I'm beginning to appreciate it."

"And you are getting older...."

"Ahhh. Low blow."

When they got back to the house, House went into the room off of the kitchen to see if the Golf Tournament had ended. He wasn't sure what to call the room. It looked like a living room, complete with fireplace, television, etc but it was less formal that the living room that was off of the front entrance. It might have been called the family room, but it felt more formal than a family room.

"Are you schizophrenic? Your bedroom is 180 out from the rest of the house. I don't understand. It's such an anomaly, why the difference?"

"I inherited this house and the furniture. It's all so beautiful and it reminds me of my aunt. I haven't had the time or heart to redecorate. But I did do my bedroom, it's my sanctuary."

"The downstairs certainly gives the impression that you are the Grace Kelly of Princeton. Your bedroom screams, Reese Witherspoon."

"And what does my body scream?"

"Angelina Jolie on steroids."

She laughed, grabbed him and kissed him. "You're good, very good."

The phone rang. "Ok, on my way." Caragh put down the phone and looked up exasperated. "I have to run in and take care of a problem. One the clients wanted a blonde and Nancy went and dyed her hair red over the holiday. I'll be back in an hour. I know you're going to tear this place apart, so please just put eveything back so I won't notice the invasion of privacy?" "I'll try." He didn't try to deny it.

Caragh left and House grabbed a beer from the beverage refrigerator. Cool, a beverage refrigerator. It had beer, wine, sodas and champagne in it. House felt like he was in heaven. He checked the cabinets and found her stash for the bar. It had several bottles of unopened liquor, most of which cost an arm and a leg. He looked in and saw a bottle of Caol Ila single malt whiskey. He was impressed and wondered if there was an open bottle somewhere. He'd like a swig of that.

House strolled through the first floor library, bathroom and then he saw an office. He was hoping to find some photo albums but he suspected they were upstairs in her sanctuary. He turned on a light and went in. Other than a computer and papers strewn on the desk, the office looked like the rest of the first floor, impeccable. He went over and looked through the papers on the desk. There were requests for Caragh to speak at conferences, letters from friends-which he put aside to read later-and an airplane ticket envelope. He opened it up and found an open ticket to Dublin, Ireland leaving in just a little over a month. The passenger was Dr. Caragh M. Donovan. There was no return date.

He was stunned, why hadn't she said anything? Why was she going and when was she coming back. House kept looking. He found a letter on Trinity College stationary addressed to her.

Dearest Caragh,

I have made the necessary preparations for your arrival. I have arranged for you to have full access to everything you requested and more. I am not going to tell you the details as I want it to be a surprise. It has been a long time Caragh, I cannot tell you how many times I have thought of our time in Cambridge and wished I had not been the fool I was. Perhaps we can talk about it when you get here. In your letter you asked about housing, it makes more sense for you to stay with me in my flat. It is only five blocks from Trinity and one short block from a great pub. E- mail me your itinerary and I will meet you at the airport. Ring me if you need anything. I understand that you will be celebrating your American Thanksgiving in a few days so I wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.

Affectionately,

Liam

House read the letter over several times. He was going to have to find out who Liam is. He continued to look through the papers on her desk and found a bank statement. He whistled outloud, "Whoa...sex pays." He sat down in the desk chair and started reading her letters and was just about done when Caragh walked into the office. She wasn't shocked at all, she knew House would be House and that leaving him alone in her home was like leaving a kid alone in a candy store and telling them not to eat any candy.

"Any questions?" She asked.

"Dublin.Liam?"

"Oh, yes. Dublin. I'm leaving December 27th, I'm doing research at Trinity and around the U.K. for my book. Liam is an old friend who teaches at Trinity college, we did our Masters together at St. Johns in Cambridge. He has made arrangements for me to have access to all of the archives at the college, the Irish National Library and the National museums. He has a two bedroom flat and I'm going to stay in one of the bedrooms. And before you ask, yes, he is an old boyfriend, yes we had sex and yes, I still intend on staying with him."

"Wait a minute, you have enough money..." he held up her bank statement, "...to buy a flat...hell to buy a block of flats and you're going to stay with him?"

"He's funny, he's good company and I haven't seen him in years and it means that I won't be alone." she said, but he looked disgruntled and upset. "Greg, you and I have only known each other a semester and it's been a rather rocky ride. As far as I know, you don't even consider this to be an exclusive relationship. So, why should I change my plans because you're upset over an old boyfriend?" Caragh had him cornered. If he really wanted her to not stay with Liam, he had to admit that the relationship was exclusive.

"You're going to stay a month with a guy that still has the hots for you and I'm suppose to be ok with it?" His voice was elevated.

"Yep. Do you trust me or not?" she asked.

"NO!" He yelled it at her, "Remember, you were suppose to be on a date with Wilson when you screwed me in the pantry."

She laughed at him, "Well then, I guess you're just going to have to deal with it."

He was angry and upset that she was laughing at him. "You think this is funny?"

"Greg, you can't even tell me if you want an exclusive relationship...if it's not exclusive, then I can date whoever I want and so can you. I don't plan on dating Liam, but that's not the point of this discussion."

"You KNOW I have trouble with this...this..." he started waving his hand back and forth between him and Caragh to indicate the relationship they had.

"Well, until you can even vocalize what THIS is, then it's just dating."

He grit his teeth and moved his head from side to side to try and find the right words. He took a breath and asked, "When are you coming back?"

"Well, it depends if I find anything to help me with my research, but don't worry, I have to be back by the beginning of the semester at the end of January."

He started to calm down, "Does it count that I don't want you to go?"

Yes. It counts, it counts a lot."

Caragh was writing a fictionalized history of the Irish immigration and wanted it to be as accurate as possible. She planned to use the research for several papers and a class she was going to teach next fall at Princeton about the British Isles.

*** House saw Wilson in the hallway of the hospital. "So, is Vicki needy enough?"

"And good morning to you too." Wilson kept walking as House limped faster to catch up.

"Well, does she come from a broken home, have an illness, a third breast or something else that would qualify her for your attention?"

"As far as I can tell, Vicki can take care of herself and has done so for quite a few years. She doesn't need anyone and why do you care...you've won, you've got Caragh."

"Remember, bros before hos...I just want to make sure you aren't getting on the fast track to divorce number 4."

"Oh, can't I just date someone for awhile without you giving me a running commentary or analyzing every move? Can't you get your own life and let me have mine?"

House scrunched his face, looked up at the ceiling and then looked into his eyes and said, "I don't think so." He relaxed a little. "Caragh wants us all to go out for dinner on Wednesday. Something about us all feeling comfortable with what's happened. Are you available?"

"I'll have to call Vicki, but I'm ok."

House nodded and then turned in the direction of his office.

Caragh asked Vicki to make the reservations so Vicki made reservations at the Triumph Brewery for four. She knew Caragh often went there. When she told Caragh about the reservation, Caragh thought about changing it but decided against it. She really did like the food at the Triumph and they always had good music.

They were seated by a window and they also had a good view of the rest of the restaurant. Wilson held out the seat for Vicki and House briefly pushed the chair back for Caragh to get into hers.

House looked around the restaurant and then turned to the group, "Good choice, Caragh is passionate for this place. She really likes the beef here. I had a hard time getting her away from the meat." He smiled like the Cheshire cat. Caragh rolled her eyes. Wilson got the euphemisms but poor Vicki was in the dark.

"Oh, well then I'll have to try the meat here. What about this beef sausage and kraut?"

She said it so naively that Wilson, Caragh and House all burst out laughing simultaneously. "Vicki, House was inferring that I like to have sex here."

"Oh?" She paused, thought about it and asked, "Do you?"

There was more laughter all around. "I think I'll just keep you wondering." Caragh said. "I'm going to use the restroom, can you order me a Diet Coke?"

As she walked from the table House yelled to her, "Is this my cue to sneak off to the pantry? Did you bring protection?" She just kept walking.

When Caragh got back House settled down and the conversation drifted back to the the usual topics between friends. House and Wilson regaled the women with their stories of living together and some of their escapades.

The evening went a long way to smoothing ruffled feathers. The two couples seemed well suited for each other. Wilson noticed that Caragh gave House as much heartburn as he gave her. She certainly held her own.

Over the next few weeks, House nagged Caragh about her trip, asking her questions about Liam. He Googled him and even called Trinity College to try and get any dirt on him that he could. But all he discovered was that he was considered a "fine lad" and an upstanding member of the community. This just drove House nuts and he took it out on Caragh with his sharp wit and biting tongue. At first Caragh just shrugged it off, but the wit and tongue got sharper as the days went along and Caragh was beginning to feel it.

Saturday night, December 12th was the annual Christmas event for the Diogenes Club. It wasn't an event for the clients, it was strictly for the women and they usually went out to a nice dinner and then dancing. The Club closed and the clients who called to book were given a discount if they would book another day. Caragh tried hard to make this a special night for the employees. They had reserved a private room at the Mediterra Restaurant and Bar. The menu was varied and they had a good selection of wines. The women all liked to dress up either in cocktail or formal dresses. Caragh hired five limos to pick up the girls at their homes and deliver them to the restaurant.

House had gotten wind of the event...actually he had found her calendar in her purse and made note of it. He wasn't sure whether men were going to be with them or not. It bothered him that he had not been invited and he wondered if she someone else was coming as her date. Since the conversation about dating others, he hadn't been very sure of himself. He convinced Wilson to go out with him and Wilson, not knowing what House was up to, agreed. Wilson was a little surprised that House wanted to go to the Mediterra Restaurant, it didn't seem to be his style, but Wilson was game. They were taken to a table next to the far wall. House said, "Can we have that table over there?" House pointed to one a little closer to the door. The waiter sat them. Over the next hour House and Wilson dined, had some laughs and House started feeling the four neat whiskeys he had ordered.

The limos pulled up and the girls started to pour out. All the heads in the restaurant turned. Caragh had 15 escorts and 15 call girls and they each were captivating. Thirty beautiful women getting out of limos turned heads. House perked up when he saw the first limo. Wilson followed his gaze. Wilson recognized the women as those that had been at the Thanksgiving dinner. It hit Wilson that they weren't suppose to be here and that House had pulled one of his stunts.

They were incredible in their formal gowns and cocktail dresses. Several of them had open bottles of Dom Perignon and they were laughing and happy. Then a silver Rolls Royce pulled up and Caragh and Vicki Got out. Caragh was in a cocktail dress with a short lamb's jacket on top. Vicki was in a red chiffon gown that stuck out from under her winter coat. When they got in the door they all took off their jackets and the place buzzed. Caragh went to the front of the pack to meet with the maitre d'. House smiled at how gorgeous she looked tonight. She had black open toed heels, black hose that ran up under the dress. The bodice was a black velvet with a bow around the waist. The skirt was multi-colored drizzles over a dozen layers of black netting causing the skirt to flare out widely from the waist almost like a ballerina. She had long black gloves that came up past the elbows and leveled off at the same height as the top of her bodice.

Caragh talked to the maitre d' and the women were hustled into the back room. All the single men in the place stood up and gawked. Caragh stood back so the women could file into the private dining room. Caragh was casually surveying the restaurant when she saw them. She closed her eyes and shook her head in dismay. She walked over to House.

She leaned down with both hands on their table, "If I had wanted to invite you guys, I would have. Greg, you couldn't just let me have one night out without you pestering me? Just give me one good reason why you had to come?"

"How about 32 good reasons. Come on Caragh, you have 30 hot women in sexy clothes out for a night of boozing and partying and you expect us to stay away?"

"Don't lump me in with him, I wasn't even aware that you were coming here." Wilson looked at her with his palms held up in protest.

"Alright, Greg, yes I expect you to stay away. Now leave."

He smiled shook his head no and said, "You don't want us to leave. Come on Caragh, we'll be the life of the party."

"Greg, get your butt out of here now. This night isn't about you. I swear this is a deal breaker, I won't have you playing your games on the one night the girls get to let their hair down and forget about clients." She was sober and she was making direct eye contact with him.

He was tipsy and not thinking straight, "Come on, I bet Paula wants me to stay. She and I can party and we won't even bother you."

Wilson's eyes grew as big as saucers when he saw Caragh's reaction. Her eyes went cold and her lips were shut tight and thin. Wilson put his hand on Caragh's, "He's drunk, I'll get him home. He doesn't mean this. He thinks you want to date other men and he's just acting out. Please Caragh, go and enjoy your evening and we'll get out of here."

She took a look at Wilson and then at House whose head was swaying slightly from the whiskey. She took a deep breath and told Wilson, "Get him out of here." Wilson nodded yes.

Caragh got up and left. House tried to stand up but couldn't. He yelled after Caragh, "I get more from your hookers than I do from you."

"Christ, House, shut up." Wilson looked at Caragh. She had stopped in her tracks and turned around. Her face was sad. She turned back around and walked away. Wilson was worried, House was going to be sleeping alone until he worked this one out.

Caragh put on a smile and walked into the room with the beautiful laughing women. They all raised their glass to her and she grabbed a glass and toasted them back. Over the night they teased each other and traded gifts. Caragh gave them each an envelope with a $1,000 bill in it for Christmas. They gave Caragh a beautiful Balenciaga bag. No one could tell that underneath Caragh's laughter and smile, she was angry and sad. Sometimes she didn't understand House. When they were alone it was wonderful, but when they went out, he acted out, like a teenager. It was maddening. Sometimes it was funny and she enjoyed his lack of boundaries, other times it was disappointing and embarrassing. They'd only been dating for two weeks and she was already pulling her hair out.

*** The doorbell rang the next morning at 10:00 a.m. Caragh had risen at 8:30 and was working in the office on getting things in order before her trip. She went to the door and opened it. There was a haggard House with sunglasses standing on her doorstep. "Go away." she said as she tried to close the door. He stuck his cane in it. "Greg, get that cane out of here and leave."

"You can try, but I'm not going and neither is my cane."

"Go away. And I mean it. I need a break from you today." she tried to close the door again.

"No, I won't go away." he said very firmly.

"Ahhhgggg. You b@st@rd don't you understand that it's probably in your best interest that I DON'T see you today. Please, if you want to save this relationship, just leave."

"Let me come in side for a few minutes and then I'll leave."

She knew that with Greg he didn't understand the word, no' so she finally opened the door for him and walked into the kitchen. She plopped herself down on a stool and put her head down in her arms. House came in, walked over to the coffee maker and started making coffee. He looked over his shoulder at her. She still had her head down in her arms.

While the coffee was making he walked over and put his hand on the back of her head she batted it away. "DON'T," she growled.

He realized he better come at this from a different angle. "I was an @ss last night."

"Tell me something I don't know. I want you leave and I really, really mean it."

He thought about saying something fresh or funny but he knew that he had very little time to get through to her and he better cut the crap. "You're scaring me. I screwed up and I know it. You're leaving me in two weeks and you'll be with this Liam and I'll be here. I need to know that you're coming back. I know you're mad at me, but I'll leave if you just tell me you're coming back."

She realized he was a scared little boy. The closer they got to December 27th, the more scared he got and the more he acted out. He was doing anything to get her attention and to keep it focused on him.

She raised her head slowly to look at him. He found it hard to look at her, he was afraid of what he would see. He was afraid he would see disappointment and that would crush him.

She looked at him standing there looking off to the left and then at the floor. He wasn't going to look at her. "Greg, you want me to make promises when you can't make them yourself. You can't expect me to be the one to put my heart out there if you're not willing to do the same. What do you want from this relationship?"

Instead of the lie he should have given her, he told her the truth, "I don't know."

"That's what I thought. When you figure out what you want and are willing to vocalize it, then we'll talk and see what we have. But until then, you need to go home and figure it out. I'm going to go back in my office and do some more work, you can let yourself out."

She got up and went to her office. House sat down for a minute on the stool and drank his coffee. He got up and left.

House looked at the calendar, it was a week later and she hadn't called him and he hadn't called her. Christmas was in two days and he was wondering if they were going to call a truce and spend it together. He tried her cell phone but there was no answer. He called her house and left a message on her voice mail.

On Christmas Eve he decided to go over to her house and take her the gift he had gotten her. The lights were on and he could hear music inside. He rang the doorbell. He couldn't believe that he was so nervous, he really wanted to see her. The door opened and Vicki found herself looking at a suffering House.

"Greg, boy you look terrible. Come on in."

He followed Vicki into the kitchen and looked around. There was music on and Wilson was sitting at the counter drinking a beer.

"House! Have a seat." Wilson pointed to a stool.

"Is Caragh here?" He asked.

Vicki and Wilson stopped and looked at each other. Vicki gently asked him, "Didn't she tell you? She moved up her travel date. She left two days ago. I'm staying here while she's gone to take care of things."

House's face was crestfallen. He got up from the stool and looked at Vicki and then looked at the door. He started to walk away and then stopped and handed Vicki a gift. "Here's my Christmas gift for Caragh. I hope you both have a Merry Christmas."

"Oh, Greg, wait." She ran to the massive Christmas tree that adorned the front living room and picked up a large gift and brought it to him. "She told me to give this to you."

"Thanks."

Vicki couldn't stand how depressed he looked. It was Christmas Eve after all. "Greg, she just thought it would be best if the two of you had a little break so that you could figure out what you both want. When she didn't hear from you, she decided to spend Christmas with a friend in Venice before she goes to Dublin. Jim and I want you to come over here for Christmas dinner, ok?"

"Thanks, but I don't feel up to it. Did she say who she was going to Venice with?"

She lied, "No, she just said a friend." She didn't want him to know that Baron Francis Von Banfi had invited her. Caragh and Francis, were old companions and they enjoyed being with each other, not to mention that the sex wasn't bad either, but there had never been any expectation from either that there would be anything more to their relationship.

"Did she say how I can reach her?"

Once again she lied, "Not until she gets to Dublin." Caragh had told her not to give anyone her International cell phone number, including Greg.

"Think about coming over tomorrow. We'll be eating around 2:00 p.m., some of the girls will be here too."

House opened the door to leave. He reached over, gave her a peck on the cheek and said, "Thanks and Merry Christmas." *** Caragh loved Venice in the winter. It wasn't too cold, just brisk, there were no need for the flood boards that were hard to maneuver in the rains and, best of all, there weren't many tourists. She liked the winter sunlight on the beautiful buildings, especially the Bridge of Sighs. It turned them a golden red. The gondolas bobbed through the canals with what few tourists there were. It was beautiful.

Francis was a great traveling partner, charming, funny and intelligent. He was incredibly kind to her. But it had been a mistake to come. She missed Greg and wished she were home with him having Christmas together. After Greg had left, she had hoped he'd think things through and come to his senses. She had expected a call, but almost a week went by and nothing had happened. One call from him and she would have stayed. It was pretty clear that he couldn't figure out what he wanted from the relationship. He couldn't even tell her he wanted it to be exclusive. She assumed it wasn't.

Francis woke her up on Christmas morning with strawberries and champagne. He grabbed the lotion and gave her a massage which ended in very sensual sex. He was a wonderful lover, artful and inventive. He was not afraid to try something new. If she didn't like it, all she had to do was say no.

Francis was very handsome although he was only 5'7". He had gorgeous black saucers for eyes and dark brown wavy hair that he was wearing on the long side. His nose was long and straight. His chin was strong and his mouth was just a tad too wide for his face. As was with most men who grew up in European nobility, he always made sure that the woman knew he was the man. He wasn't overbearing, he wasn't a chauvinist, but he was strong and in control. He may have been short, but he was a commanding presence anywhere he went.

His family came from a long and well-liked line of nobility in Hungary. They owned mansions and villas all over Europe, including the one they were staying in. Caragh had met Francis when they were both teenagers. She had traveled with her aunt to New York and they met at a party. He always called Caragh around Christmas to see how she was. When he discovered that she would be alone for Christmas, he wired her an airline ticket to come to Venice.

Caragh had shared Christmas with the Banfis on several occasions. Francis took the champagne and strawberries into the bathroom where he and Caragh climbed into the large venetian bath to soak and clean. Afterwards, they dressed for Christmas. Christmas with the Banfi's was always elaborate. They were already scheduled to go to brunch on the Lido and then dinner back at the Villa with Francis's sister, cousin and their respective families. It was going to be a busy day. Before they went downstairs, Francis handed Caragh a wrapped Christmas gift.

"Oh Francis, I feel horrible, I didn't get you anything."

"Darling, don't worry, you being here to enjoy the holidays with me is my gift. Now open it."

She opened it and took in a deep breath. It was a sapphire necklace with six beautiful, deep blue sapphire and smaller twelve diamond spacers. "It's magnificent. It is so beautiful. Now I really feel horrible for not getting you something."

They went down and grabbed a water taxi to take them to the Lido where they met up with several other families for an indoor brunch. The home overlooked the Mediterranean Sea, it was lovely. There was a lot of laughter and teasing. Caragh was trying desperately to remember the proper tenses in Italian but she was a little rusty. The rest of the day went well and when they went to bed, they collapsed. Caragh looked at the clock. It was midnight, which meant it was 7:00 p.m. at home. She wondered what Greg was doing....

Greg had just finished pouring the last of a bottle of single malt whiskey into his glass. He was sitting on the piano bench in the new jet black Italian butter-leather motorcycle jacket that Caragh had given him. It was obviously made just for him because the proportions fit his body exactly. It was beautiful and thoughtful and it probably cost a fortune. He downed the last of his drink and resumed playing "I'll Have a Blue Christmas" on the piano.

Caragh and Francis spent their last day together visiting friends around Venice. Caragh hadn't seen most of them for five or more years. Everywhere she went she was given coffee of some form and she was feeling jittery. The Italians loved their coffee. Francis and Caragh got back to the villa around 8:00 p.m. and went to bed. They spent most of the night in bed talking and having sex. Francis told Caragh about a beautiful artist that he had fallen in love with who lived in Paris. He admitted that she was the first woman to ever make him tongue tied and self-conscious and he didn't know what to do about it. Caragh had never seen Francis in a vulnerable position and it endeared him to her. She talked about Greg and her frustrations. Francis assured her that he was being an @ss because he was afraid she wouldn't come back to him.

"Men are stupid creatures, we often act the fool to get the woman's attention not knowing it's what's going to drive them away. You two need time together, not apart. This other woman, Stacy, she left him when he was at his most vulnerable, physically wounded, that has to have made a mark."

The next morning Caragh said her goodbyes to Francis. She adored him and always felt comfortable and at ease around him. "Francis, thank you so much for everything. The trip, the necklace and most of all, you're friendship. I think I'd let that artist see just how flustered you are around her, it's very endearing." She kissed him on the cheek.

As she leaned forward to kiss him, he said into her ear, "This Gregory is a very lucky man. But you need to have patience. I will always love you dearly Caragh, you've been a rudder in deep waters." He kissed her on the lips and then put her into the water taxi. She took it to the train station and then a train to the airport where she caught a flight to Dublin.

*** Ireland. Dublin. Two of her favorite destinations. She always felt alive in Ireland. The Irish were optimistic people with very generous hearts. She remembered that the first time she traveled to Dublin she found herself lost downtown. She was standing on the corner with a map trying to get her bearings when at least six people stopped to give her a hand without even being asked. One offered to take her home to his wife and put her up for the night. That was fifteen years ago and now she knew Dublin well...or at least she thought.

Because she didn't know which flight she would be catching, she told Liam she would grab a cab to his house. On the way in from the airport she noticed how much traffic there was and that the city was building and bulging at the seams. She wasn't surprised, Ireland had been a poor country but they did something smart. In the 1980's they invested in teaching their children computers in school. It paid off big. When computers took off, the IBMs, Hewlitt Packards, Compaq and Dell were all looking for a place in Europe to assemble and manufacture their computers. Ireland was ideal, they already had a computer literate population and the economy was depressed. Technology moved into Ireland and the standard of living skyrocketed. Now families owned several cars, televisions, toys, and more importantly, homes. Homebuilding in Dublin and Ireland had exploded as people clamored for their own property.

When they turned the corner she saw the walls of Trinity College and smiled. She loved the old European Universities, the smell of dusty books, creaky floors, large picture windows. She was happy to be back. The cab continued to East Bow Lane near Stephen's Green. They pulled up to a Victorian brownstone and Caragh got out. No sooner had she got out than Liam leaped down the stairs towards her. His arms grabbed her and they hugged for what seemed to Caragh a very long time.

"Liam, it is so good to see you. I can't tell you how often I think of you."

"I have your room ready upstairs, come on, we'll get you settled and then I'll put the kettle on."

"Great."

After unpacking, Caragh made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She sat at the table and watched Liam make tea. Caragh loved the tea ritual, something she only saw in the British Isles. Everyone had electric kettles, they were faster. They talked while the kettle boiled. When they heard the click of the kettle turning off, Liam jumped up, grabbed the Brown Betty tea pot, poured some of the boiled water into it and swished it around to "warm the pot." This water was poured into the drain. Then the tea bags were placed at the bottom of the Brown Betty and the hot water poured over it. On top of the tea pot was placed a tea cozy, Liam's cozy was in the shape and image of a tabby cat. Liam sat down while the tea brewed it's necessary four minutes. They had continued to gab all through the process. Four minutes later, Liam poured milk into the bottom of two mugs, filled them with tea and brought them to the table. It was the perfect cuppa.'

It was good to see Liam, he did look older but he had actually improved with age. He was close to 6 ft and he had a square face with a masculine nose. His brown eyes were not large nor were they small but they did sit symmetrically on his face. He was average build, not thin but definitely not fat. His brown hair was short on the sides and the top fell in natural loose curls. At times she thought he looked like Colin Firth and then sometimes she thought, he looks better.

"I have so much planned for you! Of course once the holidays are over you will have access to the library and museums. Classes on campus do not begin for several weeks so I will be available if you need any assistance. Caragh, I am so glad you are here. I have missed you."

"Liam, before you say anything more I want you to know that I have been seeing someone at home and I really care about him. He's being a jerk right now, but I think that will pass. In fact, I hate to do this to you so soon, but I have decided to fly home for the New Year's Weekend. I am going to fly back to New Jersey on the red eye this Wednesday and I will be back Monday morning. I know you wanted me to be here for New Year's Eve, but I need to patch things up with him or I won't be able to concentrate on my research."

Liam was obviously disappointed but put his best foot forward as Caragh knew he would. "I completely understand. I only wish I had asked you to come to Trinity with me after Cambridge. I kick myself all the time."

"Surely there have been other women?" Caragh asked.

"Oh yes, I even have someone that I am seeing now. But I never quite found one as bright, as beautiful, as funny and as passionate as you. This man of yours better get his act together and wise up to what he has."

"Oh, he really is a good guy inside but he's an odd duck. Some find him hard to swallow, not their cup of tea."

"Well then, we have the next few days and then I get to put you back on a plane. If that's the case, we better get moving, we have some old friends to meet in town." A few hours later they took off to hit the pubs where their friends were waiting.

Greg House had gone into the hospital even though it was almost deserted. Most of the doctors and nurses took the week between Christmas and New Year's off because patients didn't want to seek medical treatment during the holidays. Only the clinic was busy with patients who had gastroenteritis from bad stuffing or the flu or some kind of holiday accident with a new toy.

House looked at his Fresno calendar, Wednesday, December 30th and only one more day to New Years Eve. He took the calendar down and threw it away. He went to the clinic and did his obligatory six hours for the week. He did it in one stretch to get it over with. Afterwards, he went back up to his office where he saw a light on in Wilson's office and there was someone with him. He decided to find out who.

House opened the door and, at first, all he saw was a nervous Wilson. He pushed it further and the voice said, "Hello Greg, I've missed you." There was no mistaking Stacy Warner's voice. House was numb, he wasn't sure what he was suppose to feel.

"Stacy. What are you doing here?"

"I have to get in my CLE credits before the end of the year, so I've been taking one of those all week seminars to get caught up. I leave tomorrow."

"Where's Mark?" House asked.

"He's in Wisconsin at his parent's for the holidays."

House nodded his head as if he understood. "Where are you staying?"

"Embassy Suites." she said. "I was hoping that maybe you and I could have drinks or dinner?"

"What about dinner tonight?" House's curiosity was killing him. He understood the seminar, but why come to the hospital, why pick at an old wound?

She looked at Wilson for some kind of approval, which he did not give, and nodded her head yes, "Where shall we go?"

"The Alchemist? I'll pick you up at your hotel at 7:00 p.m." He started to close the door but before he did he noted the disapproval on Wilson's face.

After Stacy left, Wilson made a beeline to House's office, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Having dinner with an old friend."

"Right, more like kerosene on dying embers. House, this isn't going to end well. Call her and back out. I told her you were seeing someone. I don't trust her right now, she and Mark are having problems and seeing you isn't going to help either of you work out your respective relationships." He was almost yelling.

"I'm just having dinner with her."

"Yeah and Clinton didn't inhale." Wilson stormed out.

House smiled, so Stacy was having marital problems. Why would she want to see him if not to stir something up? He wasn't sure how he felt about it, but he was certainly curious. ***

Stacy was lovely, she wore slacks and a top with a matching blazer. She always looked pulled together, always striking. They sat at the restaurant and talked for several minutes about the past few years since they last saw each other. Then House went in for the kill.

"So, you and Mark are on the rocks?"

She smiled and shook her head, "That Wilson. We're not on the rocks, we just needed time apart. We were starting to argue over stupid little things, you remember how that was. He wanted to go see his parents and I needed these credits, it seemed like a good break."

"Does he know you're having dinner with me?"

"Does your girlfriend know you're having dinner with me?

The answer to both questions was obvious and they were silent.

"Your girlfriend, is it serious?" Stacy wanted to see if he still had feelings for her.

"Hard to tell. We've only been dating a month...it's been a little rough."

"Wilson told me she had gone to Europe to do research. When does she get back?"

"In about three weeks. Stacy, what's going on with you? Why are you here?"

"I told you, I need the CLE credits for the bar."

"Don't be coy, why are you here, with me, having dinner?"

"I wish I knew. I know we have been down this path, but when I left, you still loved me and you wanted me. Before you make a decision about this other woman, I think you need, maybe I need, to know that we don't have a chance. The reality is that we are both at this table so you have to ask yourself the same question, why are you here?"

"I don't know." She was right, why was he here. Stacy was his siren. No matter what he did, he was always drawn to her.

"I see."

"I found your broach, the antique one you were wearing that night we had sex. But I forgot to bring it. We can stop by my place and get it on the way back to your hotel."

"That sounds great." Stacy gave him a coy smile.

They both knew what would happen if they went back to his place, but that's exactly what they did. The keys were barely in the door and they were grabbing each other, removing articles of clothing and making their way down the hall. The sex was comforting, familiar. House was having trouble figuring out what he was feeling, he kept thinking about Caragh, he tried to block it out so that he could enjoy the moment. He'd figure out his feelings later.

It was Stacy that heard the noise. House was asleep. She shook House awake and whispered, "There's someone out in the living room. I heard your door open."

They heard footsteps coming down the hall and a voice as she turned to enter the bedroom, "Greg, I'm home..." Caragh flipped on the bedroom light and everyone froze like deer in headlights. Caragh turned and ran through the clothes that were strewn throughout the hallway.

She could hear House yelling, "Caragh, Caragh, wait, wait." But she had grabbed her purse, threw the key he had given her on the table and was out the door and on the streets within seconds. She had recognized the woman right away from the photos she had seen at Wilson's apartment, it was Stacy. Stacy wasn't just casual sex or a date, Stacy came with emotional attachments for House. Caragh just kept running down the dark street as fast as she could. She needed to find a cab and get home but she couldn't see much through her tears.

"CRAP, crap, crap. " House was trying to get clothes on so that he could go after her. Stacy was on her back looking up at the ceiling mortified. House grabbed his cane and a jacket and ran out the door. He looked down the street and saw nothing, he went to the end of the block, she was gone. "CRAP."

He went back in and Stacy was almost completely dressed. "Greg, I'm so sorry, this was such a mistake."

"No, it's my fault, always is my fault. I do everything I can to sabotage something good. She and I have never committed to a monogamous relationship, but still, knowing it's you is going to kill her. She knows our history and she knows how I felt about you."

"Felt?"

He was searching for his car keys. He stopped and looked up, "Stacy, I will always love you, but we never really made each other happy. I don't know why because everything else was great. But when I'm with Caragh I have glimpses of happiness and I want that. I think after all these years of being miserable, I've earned it. I've been stupid lately, not telling her this and now I don't know if she'll even listen. Here's a twenty for a cab and you should go back to Mark, you'll be happier." He gave her a peck on the cheek and was out the door.

His car was cold and hard to start. The windshield was iced over. He got out to scrape it and then got back in the car. He took off towards Caragh's house.

Caragh stopped running and was out of breath. She saw a cab dropping a couple off and she went over and hailed it. The guy wasn't happy, he was about ready to go off duty, but he couldn't leave this woman stranded this late at night. "Where do you want to go?"

Caragh thought about it and realized that House would head straight to her house. She didn't want to see him so she told the cabbie, "Take me to the Embassy Suites." Caragh sat back and caught her breath.

Caragh paid the cabbie and went to the front desk. "I need a room please." The clerk helped her with the paperwork and asked her about luggage. Caragh hadn't brought any luggage from Dublin since her most of her things were here. "None." The clerk raised his eyebrows but said nothing. She got her key and was standing at the elevator when a woman walked up.

"Oh my God." Stacy said as they both stepped into the elevator.

Caragh felt ill, "This is great, just great."

"I'm staying here." Stacy shower her the card key.

"So am I." They both went silent.

The door opened and Caragh started to get out but felt a hand grab her wrist. She looked at her wrist and then up at Stacy who had gotten off the elevator but was holding the elevator door.

"I came to Princeton to get Greg back, I'm going home without him. Think about it." she got back on the elevator and disappeared.

Caragh opened the door to her room and laid down on the bed and cried. She woke up the next morning still dressed in her clothes, coat and shoes. She sat up and thought to herself, "Now what?" She got out her cell phone which had been turned off on the plane. When she turned it on, numerous voice mails registered.

She dialed her voice mail and heard Vicki's voice asking over and over, "Where are you? Greg's here and he says you are in town, call me." The next voice mail was, "Caragh please call, I have an agitated Greg House on my hands and I don't know how long I can take it." The next message was short and terse, "CARAGH, PLEASE CALL ME NOW."

She dialed Vicki. Vicki picked up and she could hear a scuffle in the back and voices, "Greg, stop it...let me answer, it may not even be her. Hello?"

"Vicki..."

"Caragh, where are you?"

"I'm ok, I'm in Princeton but I don't really want to see Greg so if I don't tell you where I am, you can't tell him."

"He's here and he's going crazy." there was a struggle again and Caragh could hear Wilson's voice telling House to settle down. There was silence in the back and then another scuffle and a voice...

"Caragh? Please let me see you. I need to talk to you. We need to sort this out. Please let me see you. Please." House had obviously wrestled the phone from Vicki and now he sounded so plaintive.

"Greg, it's ok, I'm not mad at you. I know we didn't have an exclusive relationship, you were free to sleep with whomever you want. I think I was just hurt that it was Stacy. I know how much you love her."

"Stacy and I are finished for good. I swear. I did sleep with her, but the whole time I did I kept thinking about you."

"Greg, you don't owe me an explanation whatsoever. We had no commitments. I should have knocked instead of using the key you gave me. I just didn't think."

"I want to see you in person, where are you?"

"I don't want to see you yet. I still have an image of a naked Greg and a naked Stacy stuck in my brain. Let me put some distance behind it. Go home and let Vicki get some sleep. I'll call you tonight before I go back to Dublin."

"Don't go back to Ireland, please stay."

"I'll call you." She hung up and turned off the phone. She knew he'd just redial off of the caller i.d.

She was right, he tried to redial and got her voice mail. "Damn...damn." He looked at Vicki and then at Wilson. They both looked like they were the keepers in the loony bin and he was the inmate. He handed the phone to Vicki, "Thanks."

House's phone was vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out, the i.d. said, "Stacy Warner." He looked at the phone and then at Wilson. He didn't want him to know it was Stacy so he walked out to the living room and took the call.

"Hello?"

"Greg. I know you sent me packing but I thought you might want to know that I ran into Caragh last night. She's staying here at the Embassy Suites on the fourth floor. I really hope she makes you happy. Bye Greg."

"Thanks Stacy." He closed the phone and was out the door.

Caragh called down and asked the desk to send up someone with a toothbrush and toothpaste. She also ordered tea and toast. After she ate, she called and booked her flight back to Dublin but couldn't leave until tomorrow, today's flights were all booked. Then she asked the desk for a late checkout. They gave her until 1:00 p.m. She was going to give it a few more hours and then she was going to sneak back to her house and pick up some things she had forgotten for the trip. Caragh took a shower and got dressed.

She was laying on the bed when she heard a service cart and a knock on the door. "Hello, do you need towels or anything?" the maid asked through the door. Caragh went to the door to tell the maid to come back at noon. She opened it and there stood a very nervous maid and a very agitated House behind her. He pushed past the maid and past Caragh.

The maid quickly asked, "Are you ok maam? Should I call security?"

"No, it's fine, I know him. Thanks."

Caragh closed the door and turned around. He looked like a caveman on acid. His eyes were wild and his hair was blown every which way. She chuckled to herself. He grabbed her by the arms and looked down at her as if he was trying to choose his words carefully.

"Hello Greg. I guess Stacy has a big mouth."

He was shaking he was so agitated. She wasn't sure if he was nervous, sad, happy or angry. Maybe he was all of that. He was still quiet, nothing came out of his mouth. This scared her more than if he had screamed a steam of expletives at her. He finally let go of her shoulders, went over to the bed and sat down on the edge. He let out a breath and shook his head.

"You might as well take off your jacket while you're here. By the way, it looks great on you." She helped him take it off and then she sat down next to him on the bed.

"I don't think I'm ever going to let you out of my sight. I don't think I can take this again." he said in pain. She got up and got him a drink of water. He took it, took a drink and then put it on the nightstand. "Why did you leave early?"

"I was hurt, I hadn't heard from you and I was pretty sure that was because you didn't want a relationship. An old friend offered to fly me to Venice to spend the holidays with his family so I did."

"His family?"

"Yes, his family. I've known him for more than twenty years, I frequently spend the holidays with them."

"I have to get my wits about me. I feel that every time I open my mouth around you, I put my foot up my own @ss."

"Well, stop kicking yourself. I think if relationships were easy the divorce rate would be nil." She put her hand up to straighten his hair and stroke the back of his neck. It was good to touch him again. It felt warm and familiar. She stood up and went to pour herself a glass of water. This looked like it was going to take awhile.

He came up behind her and put his arms around her and laid his head between her neck and shoulder. He kissed her neck very gently. She hugged his arms to let him know it was ok to hold her. They were standing in front of the mirror and he looked up into it and into the reflection of her eyes and said, "I really do love you, you know."

She turned around in his arms and they both met in a kiss. He kissed her up and down her face and neck. Then he pulled her closer. She could feel his heart beating fast through the t-shirt and shirt he was wearing. He started pulling her tucked-in top out of her pants. She undid his belt. He lifted the top over her shoulder and head. He kissed her again. She undid the buttons on his cuffs and the two top buttons of his shirt and he lifted the t-shirt and shirt over his head in one movement. He looked down and she was almost spilling out of her demi-cup bra. He snapped it open in the back and threw it on the floor. She unzipped his pants and they dropped to the floor. He did the same for her. He kissed her lips and then as he bent down he kissed her all the way down to her navel. He took the sides of her panties and drew them down slowly until she was standing naked in front of him. He dropped his boxers. They held each other and she was surprised as to how ready he was. They went to the bed, pulled the covers and climbed in. He didn't move at first, he just looked in her eyes and then down her body. She slid close to him and they made love.

After it was over and they were laying with Caragh's head on his arm they both looked around the room. "I can't believe how homogenized this room feels. I mean it's fine for a day or two, but you would think they would do something to make it feel special."

"Oh, like the downstairs of your house which doesn't feel at all like you?" House mocked her.

"Touche. Come on, I need to get home and pick up some things from the house." Caragh poked House to get out of bed.

On the way over to Caragh's house, Caragh called Vicki to let her know she was on her way. Vicki hastily went upstairs and stripped the master bed where she had been staying and put clean sheets on. She also straightened up. Wilson helped her by stacking the dishwasher and putting things away on the counter.

When Caragh arrived, Wilson and Vicki were shocked and pleased to see that House was with her and they weren't fighting. House went with Caragh up to her bedroom as she changed clothes. He watched her with the eyes of a diagnotician. He analyzed her tiny bone structure, her blue veins pulsating all over her pale body, including the ones that ran down her breast to her nipples. He loved the fact that her breasts were a natural C cup. He could see she was a natural blonde from her dark blonde pubic hair. Her teeth had obviously been straightened and whitened, but so had his. When she wasn't wearing makeup like now, her eyelashes were light blonde and she had to be careful to get sleep or she looked tired. Her lips were not lush like you see on some of the stars but they fit perfectly on her face. He knew she had allergies because on occasion when it was ragweed season she would rub her nose unconsciously. She finished putting on her clothes and looked up at him. She could see that he was analyzing her.

" What???" She asked him.

"Nothing...how did you get the scar on your eyebrow?" He noticed a one inch scar that ran through her right eyebrow.

"I was chasing my next door neighbor around the coffee table when I was five, slipped and hit my eyebrow on the very sharp wooden corner of a chair. Ten stitches."

"What about the scar under your left arm and the one on your left upper thigh? They look as if they healed about the same time." He pointed at them.

"They did. I got them rafting Cherry Creek four years ago."

"RAFTING? What were you doing rafting?" The image of the petite and sophisticated Caragh white water rafting was so incongruous that he laughed.

"Oh Gregory House, you know so little about me. I go rafting every year with my friends."

He did one of his silly double take moves and said, "You raft every year? Who are these friends and what is Cherry Creek?"

"There's three guys and a girl that I've known for ten years. They're professional guides on various rivers throughout the world. Every year we pick a river and go down it. We rotate on who is going to guide. Cherry Creek is a V+ river just above the Tuolumne River in California outside of Yosemite. It was Bonzo's turn to do the guiding and he's kind of a cowboy. Cherry Creek has eight foot drops and some pretty vigorous hydraulics. It's the toughest river to raft in California. Actually my friends said it was the toughest ride they've ever had. We got out and scouted Mushroom, a huge Class V with big hydraulics at the bottom. One wrong move on this puppy and you're out of the raft swimming for your life. Bonzo decides we need to slice through two rocks if we are going to avoid a strainer...that's a tree who's branches are in the water. Sometimes the water is high enough to put you at the level of the trees closest to the river, sometimes it's a tree that has fallen into the river. Strainers kill you if you get caught in the branches and can't get untangled. So we start and all of us are thinking that we need to high-side to avoid wrapping a huge rock but Bonzo was slow on the command and it was too late. We went up the side of the rock and all of us became swimmers. There was no one left in the raft to help pull us back in or give us a life line. I got sucked past the strainers and hit a rock at the bottom. I broke my arm and got two deep cuts. Bonzo ended up ok, Pepper broke her leg, Ted Bear got pretty bruised up and Jingles took so much water that he eventually got pneumonia. We had to be life-lighted out of the canyon. We lost our $4,000 raft, equipment and supplies, but we were all alive."

"Ted Bear? Jingles? Bonzo? Have you rafted since?"

"River rats tend to get funny nicknames for strange reasons and, hell yes, we went back and did Cherry Creek the next year. It pissed us off that it got the best of us. The second time around Pepper was guiding and she got us down it without a scratch."

House didn't know what to say. It seemed unreal, Caragh out in the wilderness rafting a river. She was right, there was a lot he didn't know about her. The way she talked about it was as if it was her greatest passion. "You really love it, don't you?"

"Oh yeah, I've often thought about giving this all up and just go rafting around the world." she said with conviction. He looked at her like she must be joking. "I mean it Greg, I have seriously thought about becoming a guide. I'm pretty good."

"I'm impressed."

"It's New Years Eve, what are we going to do tonight? Do you have any plans?"

"No plans, I was just going to stay home."

"Well, I need to make an appearance at my friend's party. He's one of the guys that helped me get out of jail free. Will you come with me? I'm afraid you'll need a dinner suit or tux. Vicki and Wilson are going. Vicki was going to make an appearance for me, but if he finds out I'm in town, he'll be miffed if I don't show."

"I hate New Year's Eve, it the phoniest night of the year. You have to pretend that you're having a gay old time...do I have to go?"

"No, but I have a flight back to Dublin tomorrow and I though you d like to spend the time with me."

"Tomorrow? Can't you stay for at least a few days?"

"I originally had planned to go home Monday but I changed it this morning. I'm sure that seat has been grabbed by someone."

"This sucks." He paused, made a face and finally said, "I'll go. WE need to go to my apartment then and get my stuff."

"Ok."

Downstairs Vicki and Wilson were watching some television. They were waiting for House and Caragh to come down. "Are you going to go with us to the party tonight?" Vicki asked Caragh who was in the kitchen making House a sandwich.

"Yes, but we'll take our own car. I suspect we're going to cut out early."

"Ok."

Caragh and Vicki talked about Caragh's Christmas. House was sitting on the couch with Wilson but he was trying to hear what she was saying. He didn't get much, just that the guy was a Baron. ***

House and Caragh took the Aston Martin to House's apartment. It was the first time that House had actually gotten to drive it. Before he could start it, Caragh held the keys in her hand and said, "Be careful, the car is well balanced because it has a lightweight and rigid carbon fibre propellor shaft housed in a cast aluminium torque tube which transfers torque from the front-mid engine to the rear-mid transmission. That's why it is so well balanced. It also has a Tiptronic Paddle Shift and an aluminum V12 engine making it lightweight and ready to rip. So, just be careful, she gets up in the 100's without you even knowing it."

House laughed at her lecture. "I can drive a car."

He started the engine and was a little startled. The least amount of gas and the car roared. "Cool." He smiled wide and put it in gear, "Whoaa..." The steering responded to the least movement of the wheel. They weaved a little and then he straightened it out. He was a little embarrassed, the car was reacting to everything he did. It was a piece of art. It's engine was exquisite. After a few minutes of getting used to it, he was purring down the road. "God, this car is like a woman, gorgeous but unforgiving."

By the time they reached his apartment, he was one happy camper. He wanted one. "How much was it?"

"Well I had a few custom items added, but it was $189,000."

Well, maybe he'd just borrow Caragh's for now. They went into the apartment and headed for his bedroom. He realized right away that the bed hadn't been made or changed since he and Stacy had been in it. He almost told her to wait in the living room, but she charged right in. She took one look at the bed and started stripping it right away. He sheepishly helped her.

"You know, she is a married woman? Doesn't that mean anything to you? To her?"

"It means we have to be careful. I can't knock her up." he quipped.

"Classy...thanks." Caragh made the bed for him while he got his things together. Luckily, he always sent his formal clothes out to be cleaned after wearing them and he kept them in the same area. His shoes, tie, and accessories were all in one bag. All he had to do was grab the shirt and some underwear and they were ready.

The party was held at a mansion twice as big as Caragh's house and with a heated tent just outside the back walkway. There was a band in the tent and a band inside the house. Both couples were actually having a good time. Caragh was introducing House to some of the big boys in town. He started a game where he had to guess whether the guy was a client of the call girls, the escort service or not a client at all. He was guessing about 2 out of 3 right.

Around 9:40 p.m. House got a call. He couldn't hear so he had to step outside. It was Cuddy, a patient had arrived and House's team was already at the hospital getting labs and a history. The patient, a ten year old boy, had been playing soccer and then started to complain to his mother of pain and stiffness in his left leg where he was kicked, fever and body aches. The first doctor sent them home with a diagnosis of influenza. The next day he started vomiting and his other symptoms had not gone away. Blood tests were negative for strep, flu, West Nile and several other obvious diseases. They needed House.

House wanted to say no but knew that Cuddy would go ballistic. He went back into the party, "I have to go in, there's a patient. If I can get the team working on it, I might be able to get back here, if not, can Caragh get a ride with you?" House asked Wilson.

"Oh no you don't. I'm coming with you. We don't have long to be with each other and I don't care if I have to ride you piggyback, I'm spending this time with you." Caragh was adamant.

"It's going to be boring for you. We do a lot of waiting for lab work to come back."

"Well, even more reason for me to come with you. I can keep you company while you wait for the labs. Don't argue."

"Why should I? I don't win arguments with you, I survive them." House put his arm around her and they said their goodbyes and Happy New Year's to those they saw as they left.

When they arrived at the hospital, Cuddy had already left for her party. Caragh excused herself to use the rest room. Chase and Cameron were back in the office waiting for various tests to come back from the lab downstairs. House walked in and looked around at them. Chase had obviously come from a party, he had a little streamer left on his shoulder. Cameron was dressed in work clothes.

"What have we got?" He looked at the white board which had several symptoms written on it, fever, raised pulse, aches, pains, vomiting and pain in his legs where he was kicked during soccer practice.

"He mother says he was previously well. He did suffer from 'septic spots' that disappeared after a prescription of amoxycillin"

"Well, it's obviously an infection of some sort. Where's Foreman?" House looked around.

Foreman walked through the door, "New symptoms, he's delirious, toximic and has a headache."

"Sounds like meningitis, start him on intravenous ampicillin and get a lumbar puncture." they all nodded and started to get up.

Caragh walked in. Foreman and Chase looked at each other, both appreciating the view. Caragh was dressed in a satin, off the shoulder light silver colored bodice, a band of gold satin with a bow around the waist accenting her petite body. The skirt of the dress was a pencil cut dark silver satin with lace panels running down the front. It was beautiful and it was sexy. Her hair was in a bun up on top of her head. She had two strikingly blue Tanzanite stud earrings, her Christmas gift from House. They remembered Caragh from House's hospital stay.

"Hello Caragh." Foreman was the first to recover his manners.

"Good evening Eric, Robert, Allison. Happy New Year." She went over and sat behind their desk at the computer.

"Come on...enough drooling, get going." House sent them off.

Cameron asked Foreman, "Do you think they were out on a date or something? He's in evening clothes and so is she, so I assume they were together. But she doesn't seem his type? Do you think she's his type?"

"Oh, and YOU are his type? Come on Cameron she's dropped dead gorgeous, she's closer to his age and this isn't the first time we've seen them together. He's seeing her."

Cameron turned to Chase for validation, "I think she's anybody's type, I'd nail her."

"Men are pigs." Cameron broke off to go check on some additional labwork.

House took off his tie and undid the first three button on his shirt, looked at the white board and then looked at Caragh and gave her a weak smile. "Let's go in my office."

She got up and followed him in. He sat down in his chair next to the computer and proceeded to log on. She sat down on his desk with her legs dangling by him. He started to go online to pull up the most recent CDC statistics for infectious diseases. "Checking for what's hot right now?"

"Yep." He was engrossed in the website.

"Honey, have you got a novel around here I could read?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, in the credenza." He nodded towards the credenza.

She went over, got down on her knees and started going through the pile of novels inside the credenza behind his desk. "Is this one good?"

House turned around in his chair to see what she was referring to . The only thing visible to Cameron and Chase when they walked in was House facing Caragh and Caragh's bottom sticking out between the credenza and desk. It looked very suggestive. Their surprise must have registered on their faces because House took one look at them and bust out laughing. Caragh looked up at House but couldn't see what he was staring at. She stuck her head out from behind the desk and looked at Chase and Cameron. She smiled, "Just looking for a book to read..." There was a collective sigh between Cameron and Chase.

House and Caragh couldn't stop laughing. Caragh stood up and put both hands on House's shoulders to support herself, she was laughing so hard. House eased her onto his lap and they both spent a few minutes trying to get control of themselves. But just as one would stop laughing the other would start up. House was finally able to ask Cameron and Chase what they had found.

"CSF is normal." Chase told him. Chase thought he had never seen House so happy.

Cameron said, "His blood sample showed 3.5 x 109 leukocytes per litre, of which 92% were polymorphs."

Foreman had walked in behind them, "It sounds like pyogenic sepsis."

"Get a brain scan to exclude cerebral absesses." House ordered

As Chase, Cameron and Foreman left to go run the brain scan, Foreman asked, "What was all that laughing I heard and why did House have her sitting on his lap? That looked cozy."

"Cameron and I walked in and thought Caragh was servicing House. Seemed she was just in the credenza trying to find a book to read."

"Oh." Foreman raised his eyebrows. "Does House seem less...crabby?"

"I think he's gettin' some." Chase said.

"Lucky boy." Foreman replied.

"Agh...too much information." Cameron said.

House enjoyed having Caragh in his lap, she fit so nicely and balanced most of her weight on his left thigh. His hand started to go up her thigh and under her skirt while he nuzzled her breasts through her top. "God you smell good. You feel good." his voice was muffled against her.

"Dr. House, if you keep doing that, I'm going to need a cold shower."

He jumped up and had an idea. "Come on, we have about fifteen minutes to half an hour."

"Where are we going?"

"You said you needed a cold shower?" he raised his eyebrows.

He took her into a lounge and then into a locker room with showers.

"Oh no...I'm all dressed up." But he was already starting to undress her.

"You leave in fourteen hours, now get undressed, we don't have much time."

Caragh threw up her hands and started to comply. House warmed up the shower and disrobed faster than she had ever seen him move. He jumped in the shower and pulled her in. The water felt good, but House felt better. They were in the throes of lovemaking when Caragh got the giggles. She kept thinking of Chase's face and now House trying to get in some nookie before she left. It was all too funny. House could hear and feel her giggling but he was too caught up in the lovemaking to really take notice.

Chase, Foreman and Cameron couldn't find House. Chase checked the lounge and could hear the shower, when he entered the shower room it dawned on him that the clothes on the bench belonged to Caragh and House. He was trying to back out gracefully when he backed into Cameron.

They both paused as they heard a woman's giggling and obvious sounds of passion coming from House. Foreman caught up with them, "Hey, did you guys find...."

Cameron and Chase turned around with their fingers to their mouths, "shhhh.." but both House and Caragh had heard them.

House was finished, he kissed Caragh on the mouth and started laughing into her neck. "What did you guys find? He asked the team from inside the stall after he shut off the water.

"Normal." Chase yelled.

"What, are you sure?... Get me a towel." House demanded.

Chase got him a towel, knocked on the door of the shower. A woman's hand came out and grabbed it. They used the same towel to towel off. House wrapped it around himself and stepped out. Caragh stayed behind in the shower stall until it was safe.

"What room is he in?"

"332."

"Ok, I'll join you up there in a minute."

Chase, Foreman and Cameron left to go to the patient's room. It was close to 4:00 a.m. and the patient was deteriorating.

After they left the shower room Cameron looked at Chase, "Any comments?"

"Told you he was gettin' some. Lucky bast@rd."

Foreman shook his head in agreement.

House handed Caragh the towel. "Ok, now they really think I'm a slut." she said.

"God, I hope so. How am I going to keep up my reputation as a stud if you don't cooperate."

House took off for room 332. When he got up there the parents wanted to know who this wet man in a dinner suit was. "I'm your son's doctor. You said your son was kicked at soccer practice? Which leg?"

"The left. Just under his knee."

House pulled back the sheet and examined the puncture wound from the cleats. It was red and swollen. He looked at the team, "Hasn't anyone been monitoring this puncture? Or are you guys too drunk tonight?"

Cameron was indignant, "I haven't been drinking. If it is infected it should have cleared up with the ampicillin he was given." said Cameron.

"On Cameron, remember infectious diseases 101 or did you skip that class to take home economics? Ampicillin is a shotgun and sometimes you need a bullet."

"Get a boring of the bone and start him on Cefotaxime right away." House told the team.

"What is it?" The parents asked.

"Your son has a penicillin resistant staph infection in his bone from the puncture. We're going to bore a piece of the bone to see if we can aspirate any of the bacteria from it. It's what we call osteomyelitis, it's rare, but treatable."

House got up, left the room and told the team. "My work is done, I'm going home. Call me and let me know the lab results."

House went back to his office and found a sleeping Caragh snuggled up in the corner chair. Looking at her he just wanted to keep her close to him. He reached down and kissed her ear. She woke and smiled at him. "Have you saved the world yet? Can we go home?"

He dangled the car keys. "I'm ready if you are."

They went to the car and House drove them back to her place. They went straight to bed. ***

Caragh was having trouble sleeping with House snoring. She pushed him to get him to roll on his side and after a few minutes he did, the snoring stopped. She was a little chilled so she scooted over and basked in House's body heat. It was just what she needed. With House being asleep it allowed her the opportunity to smell him and lay near him and listen to him breath without him making some flippant remark. It was nirvana. She looked at him and couldn't believe that this was the man than made her crazy in love. He was rude, crude, demanding, egocentric and absolutely impossible. No matter how much she tried to make sense of it, she couldn't. She had simply gone insane. There was no other explanation for falling in love with House.

Caragh looked up at the time projected on the ceiling. It was 10:00 a.m. She needed to get up and get ready to fly Dublin. Before she could get out the other side of the bed, House grabbed her wrist. "Try getting another flight out on Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday or never."

Caragh looked at him and said, "The sooner I get back to Dublin, the sooner I will be home." She crawled over and kissed him on the cheek. Then she got up and took another quick shower and put on makeup.

House was up, took a leak, washed his hands and brushed his teeth. He needed coffee. He went downstairs and made coffee while Caragh was getting ready. She came down, gave him her Dublin address and telephone number and then she said her goodbyes to Vicki and Wilson who had stayed in the guest bedroom. House drove Caragh to the airport where he pulled over to the curb, kissed her and told her, "I never heard you tell me you love me."

"If I tell you right now, it will be forced, I'll just be responding to your request. I want to tell you when it feels natural. But I will tell you that I'm coming back to you soon. Ok? Now kiss me goodbye." She leaned over for a kiss.

They kissed and then she grabbed the small bag she brought and ran into the airport. The flight back to Dublin was uneventful and she walked into Liam's house around 10:00 p.m. He gave her a peck on her cheek and she sat down for a cup of tea.

***

Monday morning Caragh brought Liam a cup of tea in bed. He was sick as a dog. He couldn't keep anything down and wasn't sure he'd be able to get the tea down. He gave her his key to his office and told her, "You can use it when I'm not there. They have your name at the library and museums so you do not need me to get you in...I'm sorry Caragh. If you want to use my car, it is in the mew in the back."

"Thanks, but I'm going to go in and get a bike. Are you sure I shouldn't stay here with you? You seem so miserable."

"No, I am just going to sleep. If you could get me some water, I will be fine."

Caragh grabbed her backpack with her laptop and started walking to the bus stop. She wanted to catch the bus to the Ha' Penny Bridge to Cyclelogical, a great bike store in town. Once she got there she told the clerk that all she needed was a commuter bike. He looked at her like she was from Mars. "Well buying a bike her for commuting is like buying a nuclear bomb to kill a fly lass."

"I know, but when I leave I want to give it as a present to someone. So what do you sugggest?"

She ended up getting a Kona Zing for the equivilent of $1,300. He threw in a lock and warned her that bike theft in Dublin was on the rise. "Come back in two hours and we'll have it ready for you."

Caragh went for lunch downtown the shopping district. She went shopping for a tartan outfit she knew she was going to need for the Burns dinner in Scotland. She found the perfect thing. It was a strappless wool that had a bustier styled top and came down over a tri-layered petticoat that was exposed over the left leg. It was gorgeous. She paid to have it delivered to the house later this afternoon when she would be home.

She picked up her bicycle and made it to Trinity by 1:00 p.m. She walked through the gate with her bike and smiled. To the right was the library and straight ahead were the cricket pitches and Irish football fields. To the left were the classrooms and offices. She almost loved Trinity as much as Cambridge. They seemed at lot alike.

She showed her credentials at the entrance and was allowed straight in. She couldn't resist walking up to the second floor and to the humetically sealed Book of Kells.' It was still as beautiful as she remembered. Each week they turned a page in the opened book. Today it was turned to a portrait of St. John. The intricate and vivid colors of the book were inspiring. The Book of Kells was written around the year 800 AD and is one of the most beautifully illuminated manuscripts in the world. The manuscript was given to Trinity College in the 17th century and since 1953 has been bound in four volumes. She loved to come back each week and see a new page.

The Irish literally saved literature in Europe, a little known fact to most people. When the Huns invaded Rome and turned the entire continent of Europe and Britain into the Dark Ages, most manuscripts were destroyed by the marauders. However, the monks in Ireland had spent centuries copying manuscripts and storing them. As the Dark Ages started to wane, the Irish monks started to travel Europe with their manuscripts, which were again copied by the populace, thus preserving many important writings that would have been lost. Caragh finally settled down, pulled out her laptop and got to work. The work was going well. Over the next few days she stayed at Trinity. With her credentials she was able to get access to the section of the library that housed the oldest manuscripts and treatise. Of course she was required to wear gloves to handle the documents, it made it somewhat cumbersome to read and take notes with them on, but still it was a small price to pay.

Liam was well by Thursday and joined her in the library. "I told you that I had a treat for you, well come on." He took her to the head librarian, there was some discussion and Caragh's heart started pounding when she saw the librarian walk over with the key to where they kept the two volumes of the Book of Kells that were not on display. He had her come to the front desk in the sealed room. She had to put on a mask along with her gloves. Liam took a photo of her being handed the Book of Kells. Caragh was so excited that she almost dropped the volume she was handed. She spent over an hour looking through it. When she was done, she handed it carefully back to the librarian and started to cry. It had really moved her. So very few people ever got to touch the volumes, let alone take time to really look through them.

"For God's Sake Lass, it's just a book of pretty pictures and scripture, get a'hold of yarself." The librarian was teasing her.

Carah and Liam spent the rest of the day visiting faculty in the history department. They were all excited to meet Caragh. Caragh had started to make a name for herself among historians as a well-researched writer. Liam then took her to dinner and they arrived home at 9:00 p.m. Caragh was going to call House, but she looked for her phone and couldn't locate it right away. She decided to call him in the morning. Over the next few days, Caragh looked for her phone but was too busy to get a replacement. She eventually called House on Liam's land line. They spoke for a few minutes but House was called into an emergency. The next six days went quickly and she was very happy with the depth of her research.

House was bored without Caragh around to liven things up. He spent the days tormenting his team and making them do research on bizarre tropical diseases that they were unlikely to ever encounter. When the next patient came in, they were amazed to find that he had a tropical disease not unlike one of the ones they had just studied. Chase and Foreman hated House for that. Just when they thought he had gone over the top, he would prove to be right. Cameron had accepted House's canny knack of foresight long ago.

House climbed the wall and entered Wilson's office. "I'm going to Dublin."

"Oh, come on House, Caragh is there to do research, not entertain you." Wilson shook his head no.

"I can entertain myself. I'll travel around Ireland during the day and we can have the nights together." He said matter of factly.

"I don't know how she puts up with you but you better call her and let her know you're coming. She may have something to say about it."

But House didn't call. He just he took a redeye and arrived unannounced at the airport early on Saturday morning. He still couldn't reach Caragh on her phone. Little did he know but Caragh had lost her cell phone and hadn't replaced it yet. House didn't know Liam's phone number so he simple caught a cab to Upper Bow Lane.

Liam answered the door and a middle aged man with an attitude stood on the stoop. He looked American from his dress and he was almost scowling. His eyes were searching behind Liam for something. "Yes, may I help you?"

"Is Caragh here?" House asked without an introduction.

The only American rude enough not to introduce themselves and be looking for Caragh would have to be the great doctor. "You must be Gregory House, I'm Liam." Caragh was right, Gregory House was an odd duck.

"Pleasure to meet you. Is Caragh here?"

"No, please come in and put your bag down." Liam was still trying to figure this man out. He was rude, impolite, no introduction, no smile, no apologies for just showing up. He was everything Caragh said he was. What made him so appealing? "Caragh is out riding." He was leery about telling him that Francis had arrived the night before in Dublin and had made arrangements for Caragh to spend the day with him.

"Riding?"

"Her friend, Francis popped into town and they went out horseback riding over by the Dublin race track. If you like, I can run you out there."

House eased up a bit, this guy seemed to be genuinely nice. "Thanks, I would appreciate that."

After House put his things down, they piled into his car and took off. Liam was a little worried about House meeting Francis. Francis had always commanded the attention of Caragh when he was around and he always got it. He was a formidable person and Caragh seemed to be one of his favorite playthings. House might not like what he was about to see. He wasn't sure how it was going to play out.

On the way to the stables House asked questions about Liam and Liam answered. Since Caragh had made it clear that Liam wasn't in the running, it didn't seem to much matter what House knew about him. They got to the stables and were told by the groomsman to take the second left down the road they just came. It would be a dirt road and they might catch them riding through some of the meadows and woods.

Liam took the turn but didn't see anything for awhile. The meadows were fenced by white clapboard fences. The sun was just beginning to thaw the frost on the grass. The scene was picturesque. Liam caught sight of them out in the meadows. He pointed them out to House. They were galloping after each other playfully. They jumped a fence and kept riding, Liam gunned the car to catch up. Francis was in traditional riding garb with a proper wool riding coat and white britches. Caragh was riding side saddle with a riding skirt on, an unusual choice even for her. They both had black riding helmets on and from the vigor with which they were riding, it was a good thing.

House got out of the car to watch. Caragh tagged Francis with her riding crop and then took off, jumping one of the fences but Francis was obviously the better rider and he easily caught her. This time instead of tagging her, he galloped next to her, reached over and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her off the horse and onto his. She was laughing and kicking, having a great time. Francis nuzzled her ear and kissed her neck. They looked very cozy and happy. Caragh looked over and saw Liam's car but didn't know at first who the figure was standing by the fence. When she saw he had a cane she hit Francis and said, "Take me over there, it's Greg, it's Greg!!!"

Francis obliged and cantered over to the man by the fence with the stern look. Francis eased Caragh down to the ground gracefully and she ran the rest of the way to the fence, jumped up on it and started to hug House. House barely responded.

"Who's the jockey?" House asked as Francis rode up.

"Behave. Greg House, I'd like you to meet Baron Fancis Von Banfi of Hungary. Francis, this is Greg." She was still excited about seeing House.

Greg nodded an acknowledgment to Francis who got quickly off his horse and came over to the fence to shake House's hand. House didn't shake it. He realized that this must be the Baron that Caragh had spent Christmas with. He asked Francis directly, "What were you two doing out there?"

Caragh was embarrassed that House had not shaken the outstretched hand. But Francis put the hand down and said, "We were having a friendly game of tag Dr. House or did you forget your glasses? "

"You have a ready wit, tell me when it's ready." House answered.

Caragh was still standing on the lower rung of the fence holding onto House under his right arm. "Why are you being such a Wally? Francis is one my oldest and dearest friends."

"Yeah and I let Wilson kiss my neck all the time, it's how I got mono."

"Greg, please, can we do this in private." She asked as calmly as she could.

"Why? He was nuzzling you in public." House said it loud enough for both Liam and Francis to hear.

Liam was actually rooting for House. He agreed. For years when Francis would show up, Caragh would drop everything. Francis thought nothing of pawing, nuzzling and caressing Caragh in public. Caragh always dismissed it and excused it as friendship or the European aristocracy. But still, Liam didn't like it, even when he and Caragh were living together in Cambridge.

"Dr. House, I can assure you that I did not mean anything by it. Caragh and I are dear friends and our playfulness may look like more to an outsider. I am sorry if I have upset you with my actions." He gave a short bow and then jumped back on his horse and went to round up Caragh's horse for her.

When he was out of earshot Caragh asked, "What are you doing? You're not here five minutes and you insult one of my closest friends. And, by the way, why are you here?"

"Why is he here?" House turned the tables on Caragh.

"He wanted to see me. He had some time off so he flew up for the weekend."

"Well, I had some time off, so I flew over for a week or two. Why is it ok if he does and I'm getting the third degree."

"Cause usually there's some ulterior motive with you. But actually, when I saw you I was incredibly happy...can't we go back to that?"

"Can you rewind that kiss out there?"

"Greg!! Please, please, please. Can we please stop this bickering. Can't you be nice for once?."

"I'm a bitter, cynical, spiteful man. Please don't take that joy away from me." he said it so dripping with sarcasm that Caragh wanted to kick him.

She jumped down from the fence and crossed the meadow to her horse that Francis had by the reigns. She got up on the horse and without a word rode off towards the stables. Francis looked at House as if to say, "Good work if you want to drive her away, you're doing it." It was also a look of amusement as if he found it interesting to watch this unfold.

House turned towards the car. Liam and House got back in the car and drove over to the stables where Caragh was already off her horse and unbuckling the saddle. The groomsman came over and took over. She took off her helmet and threw it in the Land Rover that was nearby. Francis arrived and she said something to him, kissed him on the cheek and then walked over to Liam's car.

"Liam, thanks for driving Greg out. She looked at House, "Francis is going to drive me back to Liam's. Now you can go with Liam or you can come with us. It is up to you."

House thought about it. He was angry with her and getting into the Land Rover would give him the opportunity to harass both of them all the way home. However, he saw how upset Caragh was and if he pushed his luck, he might just find himself on a redeye back to New Jersey. He couldn't resist it, he got out and walked with Caragh over to the Land Rover. Liam was amused and wished he could be a fly in the Land Rover.

Caragh was dreading this...she knew House too well and knew he wouldn't be able to hold back. Caragh got into the front of the Land Rover forcing House to get in the back. Francis was not intimidated, he was more amused by Gregory House than anything. And most of all, he was curious. What did Caragh see in this guy?

"How was your flight Greg?" Caragh asked to break the ice.

"Caragh, what's going on between the two of you? You have the body language of people who have screwed their brains out?"

"Greg, can we wait until we get back to Liam's before we discuss this?"

"No, I'd like Francis to give me his version of what's going on..." He looked at Francis from the back seat as Francis drove through Dublin.

"While Caragh stayed with me in Venice we had sex every night. Is that what you want to hear? Of course she also talked incessantly about you, but it didn't stop the sex."

"FRANCIS...SHUT UP."

"Darling, he is entitled to know. If he asks the question, then he as to be ready for the answer."

House asked from the back seat, "Were you playing hide the sausage with the jockey here at Christmas?" His voice had a accusatory tone.

"You mean while you and Stacy were screwing?" She was mad at both of them.

"Answer the question."

"I'm not going to discuss this with you in the car!" She yelled.

"Yes you are...now just give me a simple yes or no. Is shorty here telling the truth?"

She turned around looked him in the eye and said, "Yes."

They pulled up in front of Liam's brownstone. Francis was interested in what was going to happen next so he stopped the motor to come inside.

"No Francis, you've done enough damage today, go back to your flat. I'll call you. Good Bye." Caragh bolted up the steps.

Francis turned to the back seat where House was getting ready to get out of the car. "You fool. She's madly in love with you and you humiliate her just to give you some sort of satisfaction. Caragh is not the type to take that for very long. When she runs away from you, she'll run right to me. She always does. Not because she loves me, but I have always been safe to her...I cherish her just the way she is. Good luck Dr. House, you're going to need it." Francis tipped his cap to House who almost took his cane and hit him , but resisted. He wanted to get inside.

Caragh walked into the hall and Liam gave her a look of, "Yikes."

Before House got inside she told Liam, "I'm sorry you are being put through this. I'll find a hotel tomorrow to move into, I don't want to make this awkward for you."

House walked in just as Liam told her, "Don't be daft, you're not going anywhere. And for the record, Francis' familiarity with you always bothered me too."

"What?"

"He's all over you...he treats you like you are his property even when your boyfriend is around. It drove me loony."

She was shocked, Liam had never said anything, he was too much a gentleman. House on the other hand wouldn't let Francis get away with it. She turned around to see that House had heard what Liam had told her.

"Well apparently I'm not the only boyfriend who has a problem with your behavior."

"My behavior? He was upset with Francis."

"Ah contraire...Francis will only do what he knows you let him get away with...you control what he can and can't do."

Liam hurriedly squeezed by them and practically ran out the door with his jacket and car keys, "I'll let you two have some time alone."

"I see, then let me ask, who decided to take Stacy back to his apartment for a little horizontal ballet? Shall we blame Stacy?"

"You'll have your chance to analyze Stacy...let's stick to the Baron Von Shorty."

"Stop calling him that...it just makes you look smaller."

"You let him paw you, kiss you , and treat you like a girlfriend because you like it."

"He is my friend...FRIEND. We grew up together. For God's sake, I lost my virginity to him. When either of us is ill we take care of each other. When he's sad, I give him a shoulder, when I'm sad he gives me the shoulder to cry on. Hell, when you couldn't make up your mind about whether we were even going to be exclusive, he was the one who comforted me. Yes, we had sex, but the sex isn't what our relationship is about. It's about comfort, familiarity, safety. When I don't feel safe, he makes me feel safe. I am not in love with him..."

They were now in the front parlour by the coal fireplace. He looked at her as if to say, "Ok, come on ....say it...."

"...I love you ...I need a lobotomy, but I love you. Why are we fighting? YOU came all this way just for me..." She moved towards him with her arms outstretched. He was still curious about Francis, but he was no fool, makeup sex was the best.

He wrapped his arms around her and found her mouth. They kissed each other sweetly and lovingly. She was still in her jacket, riding skirt, riding boots and she smelled a little horsey. He loved it. There was something sexy about her being on top of a horse. House thought about her mounting him and smiled to himself.

"I'm fighting the urge to make you the happiest woman on earth tonight. Ok, I think I'm done fighting."

They went up the narrow staircase into a rather small but comfortable bedroom with a full bed taking up most of the space. They were taking each other's clothes off. When they were naked he pinned her down and started to kiss her when he noticed her breasts. "Wow! When did those develop?" He reached down and cupped the left one in his right hand.

"What do you mean?" She was mystified.

"These puppies are growing, soon they'll be big dogs."

"Well they always do just before my period and I should start any minute. Be gentle, they're sensitive right about now too."

"Alright, I'll be gentle..."

He slowed down, stroking her and kissing her slowly and gingerly until she was going crazy. "Please, Greg, now, now ...please!!!" He entered her and they finished together.

"What type of birth control are you on?"

"Oh, now you ask...I'm on the vaginal ring, why?"

"It's only 92% effective..."

"My God, do you keep every statistic up in that head of yours? And why am I the one in charge of birth control?"

"See, the problem is that God gives men a brain and a penis, and only enough blood to run one at a time. That's why women are better at the birth control thing."

House rolled over and closed his eyes. He was asleep within a few minutes. She snuck out of bed, grabbed a shower, put on panties and House's dirty t-shirt. She loved wearing his dirty t-shirts, she loved the smell, it was like sleeping in his arms. The T-shirt came down over the top of her thighs.

"Want a cup of tea?" Liam asked as she came down the stairs.

"Yeah, that would be great." She followed him into the kitchen. "He's not easy, but God he is good in bed."

"What do you Americans say? Too much information. Where is the doctor?"

"He needs some sleep. I better call Francis."

"Listen to what you're saying...you just made up with the man you love and you're already worried about Francis. Caragh, I know you care about Francis, but you need to put some distance between you and him for awhile if you want to keep the good doctor. You two sound like you have a rocky relationship anyways. Let it settle down before you add Francis to the pot."

She thought about what he said and she had to agree. It would probably be best if she and Greg got on the same page before she dealt with Francis. She nodded her head yes to Liam. "You are a great friend Liam. I hope Greg hasn't pissed you off."

"Uh,no...I actually like the bloke. It is nice to find someone who does not mince words. Are you two going tonight?"

He was talking about the charity party at the Temple Theater. "Oh, I suspect we'll go once he wakes up. By the way, he snores and sometimes he's loud. But then, I snore too...and you definitely snore..." she started laughing.

"I know, I know...so you can hear me through the walls? Moira keeps rolling me on my side at night."

"She'd have to if she wanted to get any sleep! Luckily, I'm used to Greg snoring so it's easy sleeping through your snoring."

Five hours later, Greg House came downstairs in his boxer shorts and bed head hair...Caragh patted the couch for him to come sit by her. He rubbed his eyes and asked, "What time is it?"

"7:00 p.m. Are you hungry?" She rubbed his thigh and then gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah, I am. Where's Liam? Is that my shirt you're wearing?"

"I made some stew earlier, I'll get you a bowl. Liam's gone to his girlfriend's flat to pick her up for the party. And yes, don't you like me in it?" She looked down at.

"Those new breasts of yours are going to stretch it..."

"Ha, ha...do you want something to drink?" she asked.

"Do you have a beer?"

"Guinness ok?"

"Sure."

"We need to get ready, we're expected at a party. It's a fund raiser for the children's ward at ST.James hospital. I have to go because I promised Liam, but you don't have to if you're too tired."

"No, I'm ok, I'll go." He shrugged his shoulders.

They left an hour later. Both were wearing jeans and a sweater. The party took up the entire theater which had been converted into a club. There were two floors with several rooms on each floor. Each room had a bar and music. There was also a cellar that had a bar and a band.

House and Caragh went from room to room meeting her friends. The music was varied. Upstairs there was dancing and rock music. On the first floor there was one room with a jazz quartet and another with a dj and karaoke. In the cellar there was a traditional Irish band. The tickets had been 200 punt each and included an open bar, music and a raffle.

Everyone was having a great time. Out in the entry hall was a grand piano. After several black and tans, House sat at the piano bench and began to play. Caragh, who had been drinking sodas because she had felt a little queasy, went over and stood next to the piano. She recognized the song that he was playing. She walked over and started to sing the lyrics. He looked up and gave her a look of pleasant surprise.

I'm still learning what love is, Everyday I wake up in your arms I"m still trying to figure out what works How to set off all your alarms...

I'm still learning what love is When I'm walking close to you The best way to hold your hand in mine The best way to comfort you

Guess it may, Guess it may Guess it may ,Guess it may It may always be this way

I'm still learning what love is Every time you look at me that way I'm still trying to figure out just how You can still look at me the same

Guess it may, Guess it may Guess it may, Guess it may It may always be this way

Even though I may not get it right All the time I will always try And I will always stand right by your side

I'm still learning what love is Everyday I wake up in your arms I'm still trying to figure out what works

Guess it may,Guess it may Guess it may ,Guess it may Guess it may ,Guess it may It may always be this way

He looked at her, "You have a very pretty voice. Why didn't I know that?"

"Rosie Thomas I love her music and her voice. That song...it's appropriate..."

He smiled and started playing again. "Sing for me my sweet."

An audience started to form around the piano. Caragh stood behind him and put her hands on his shoulder. He played and she sang several songs together. They were having fun and enjoying the fact that they shared music. House was amazed at her range, not only in voice but in choice of music. He played jazz, country, easy listening, show tunes and she kept singing. When they stopped, there was a genuine cry of disappointment from the crowd that had formed. They took a bow together and then went to get more drinks.

"When I heard they were going to have music, I had expected some kind of Irish IRA song fest..."

"That's downstairs. They're playing traditional Irish music and you'll probably hear a few Irish rebels songs thrown in...let's go and listen."

They went downstairs and found a couple of stools at a table that was occupied by two rather drunk lads. The band started up and right off the bat they started with "Come Out You Black and Tans" by Dominic Behan. The entire cellar was singing loud and hearty:

I was born on a Dublin street where the Royal drums do beat And the loving English feet they tramped all over us, And each and every night when me father'd come home tight He'd invite the neighbors outside with this chorus:

Oh, come out you black and tans, Come out and fight me like a man Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders Tell them how the IRA Made you run like hell away, From the green and lovely lanes in Killashandra.

Come let me hear you tell How you slammed the great Parnell, When you fought them well and truly persecuted, Where are the smears and jeers That you bravely let us hear When our heroes of sixteen were executed?

Come tell us how you slew Those brave Arabs two by two Like the Zulus they had spears and bows and arrows, How you bravely slew each one With your sixteen pounder gun And you frightened them poor natives to their marrow.

The day is coming fast And the time is here at last, When each yeoman will be cast aside before us, And if there be a need Sure my kids wil sing, "Godspeed!" With a verse or two of Steven Beehan's chorus.

The entire floor erupted into cheers. House chuckled at the enthusiastic Irish drunks. They had certainly enjoyed the song and reveled in the lyrics. He also had to laugh at Caragh who was just as boisterous and who knew every word. More rebel songs followed and House continued to laugh as Caragh sang each and every one of them with vigor.

House was tipsy by the end of the evening. On the way home in the cab, he was slurring his words and talking in what seemed like gibberish. He talked about needing a weeding, wanting to fan the soles of his happy feet and eat sushi off her stomach. She just smiled and nodded.

"Did you know the penis of a dragonfly is shaped like a shovel and has the ability to scoop out a male rivals semen? He asked her with great sincerity. "We need to get married before you have the baby." his words were audible but slurred.

"What? Where did that come from?"

"The baby is mine isn't it? Or is it Francis's? He looked at her but he was having trouble keeping his head steady.

"What in the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, your period is late. You must have gotten pregnant around the last week of December. You were with him on Christmas and me on New Years."

"Ok, I admit my period is late, but it's only ten days late and that's not unusual for me. My period is not very predictable, it has always fluctuated. I sometimes don't even get a period or it is very light. So don't go buying any baby clothes."

"We need to plan the wedding. WE NEED TO PLAN THE WEDDING." he insisted.

"Ok, we'll plan the wedding." she started to humor him. "What's the date?"

"As soon as you get back."

"Ok, where?"

"Your house, the hospital chapel, Princeton Chapel, in the morgue...your pick."

"Can I still wear white..."

"As long as you don't wear any panties, I'm fine with that."

She laughed...ok. "Would you mind wearing an Elvis outfit?"

"I was hoping Elvis would marry us."

"Sounds great, I think we have a plan. Well we're home..." They got out and Caragh paid the cabbie.

House was out like a light, but she was having trouble getting to sleep. He was drunk, but was he right? Could she be pregnant even though she used the ring? If she was, could it be Francis's? She was laying there in a cold sweat.

The next day Caragh got up and started working on cataloging her research. She heard House get up and go to the bathroom so she went upstairs. House asked for some naprosyn and she gave it to him along with some water. He was laying on top of the bedcovers, propped up on the pillows.

"You still haven't gotten your period." It wasn't a question, he knew.

"I told you that it isn't unusual for me to go a month without a period..."

"You're breasts are larger, your stomach has been queasy, you're tired and you've been emotional. You haven't had a period and you've had plenty of sex. We need to get you a pregnancy test at the drug store."

"If it will make you feel better, we'll get one tomorrow when they open up."

Caragh and House took a stroll around Stephen's Green and then borrowed Liam's bike and took a ride around the perimeter of the city. They enjoyed the day together. The next day Caragh got up early to bike into the center of the city and do some work at the Dubin's Writer's Museum. She left a note for House so he would know where she had gone. She told him she would be back around 4:00 p.m. She had no clue what he was going to do with himself, but she had to get the research done.

Caragh had no appetite so she just didn't eat. When she got home House was waiting with some candy and a little brown bag with a pregnancy test. "Candy or Test? Or both?" He asked.

She fixed a light dinner and they watched some television. She went to the bathroom and came back. "You don't have to worry about a baby, I started my period."

"What do you mean, you started your period?"

"I have a stain on my little panties...ooh, doctor, what could that mean?"

"It doesn't mean you aren't pregnant. Many women spot when they are pregnant."

"Well, I'll take the test in the morning. Will you be happy then?"

They curled up together that night in bed. It was cold outside and Caragh was chilled. House put his arms around her and warmed her up. She snuggled next to him and they went to sleep. Early in the morning, House blew on her neck to wake her up. She flinched and then turned around to face him. "Take the test."

"You woke me at 6:30 a.m. to take the test?"

"Take the test."

She grabbed the brown bag and made her way down to the bathroom. House followed her. "I don't need your help to pee."

" Take the test."

"Alright..." She went inside, the toilet flushed and she stepped out next to the sink with the stick. House sat on the edge of the bathtub and held the stick while she washed her hands. She was drying her hands and watching House's face. He looked up at her with a serous look.

"Congratulations. You've got 18 plus years of pure hell in front of you."

Her face dropped and she looked sideways at him, not sure she believed him, "You're joking, right?"

He handed her the stick...it was positive. He stood up and held her elbow as she started to wobble. "We better get you back to the bedroom so you can lay down. You're pale and clammy."

She said nothing but let him help her back down the hall. She laid down and closed her eyes, the world was spinning around her. House went downstairs to get her some water. When he came back she was looking at the back of the pregnancy test box. "I want to know how accurate they are."

"YOU'RE PREGNANT." He said it very loud and very slowly for her to get it.

" Now what?" she looked like a child herself.

"That depends on you. What do you want to do about it? Are you going to keep it or are you going to have an abortion?"

"I don't object morally to abortions, but I couldn't do it." She shrugged her shoulders.

He sat down next to her and put his arm around her. "Well, you have two viable candidates for father... care to enlighten me on what my chances are?

"I really need to know , if it turns out to be Francis's, what does that mean to us?" She asked trepidly.

"I don't know if you noticed or not, but I don't think anyone would vote me as a future father or the year. I never wanted children and frankly, I especially don't want to raise someone else's child. If the baby is mine, I will do the best I can."

She shook her head as if she understood. If her child was his, he would stick around, if it wasn't, then he would be gone. She was hurt and worried, she wanted some storybook relationship where he would be there no matter what. But she did appreciate his honesty, it meant that she didn't have to go nine months wondering what he would do.

Caragh and House went downstairs to fix breakfast. Caragh made sausages, eggs, fried tomatoes and beans, a typical Irish breakfast. Liam smelled the breakfast as he came down.

"Breakfast smells good. What is the occasion?" He asked.

"I'm pregnant."

Liam's face registered surprise. "Congratulations to you both. Was this planned? Are we happy?"

Caragh chuckled and shook her head no. She put the food on two plates and gave it to House and Liam. She ate a few tomatoes but limited her breakfast to mostly orange juice.

Liam could tell there was something underneath that was bothering them both. But Liam knew better than to ask. He gladly ate his breakfast and packed his bags to get going down to his office. "Where will you be today?"

"I'm going back to the Writer's museum. I'm almost done there. I have to go up to Belfast to do some research and then I'm done. We'll be out of your hair in a couple of days. I need to get home and see an obstetrician, since it's my first baby and I'm over 32, they consider the pregnancy to be risky..."

"I've really enjoyed it Caragh. You are welcomed in my home anytime."

A few days later, Caragh rented a car and they packed up to go to Northern Ireland. Before the country was split into two, the County that became Northern Ireland was called Ulster. It is still referred to as Ulster by many. Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and a beautiful city next to the sea. Many years ago it was a major shipbuilding port, but that industry had died out and now technology was Belfast's most important asset.

They said goodbye to Liam who was now the proud owner of a new bike. Caragh drove them north to Belfast. Almost three hours later they were unpacking weekend bags at a bed and breakfast. Caragh and House went out to explore the city with Caragh giving House the background on, "The Troubles." At around 7:30 p.m. they went to Nick's Warehouse, a very trendy restaurant owned by Nick and Kathleen Price. Nick was a fun guy and a great chef. HIs food was well-known throughout Ireland and he rightfully deserved the accolades that were heaped upon him.

When they walked through the door, Caragh spied Nick who was having a quick glass of wine and talking to some of the guests. Nick waved for her to come over and just as they did, Caragh realized that he was talking to Francis. Francis knew Nick and Kathleen well because he refused to eat anywhere else in Belfast. She stopped in her tracks, afraid to keep going. House bumped into the back of her. Nick, Francis and Kathleen all looked at her like she was crazy.

"Caragh, it's ok, I promise to behave tonight." House whispered in her ear.

Caragh continued towards the bar and smiled. She gave Nick and Kathleen a kiss and then reached down to give Francis a peck. Francis whispered, "I called Liam to find you."

"It's great to see you, Caragh. Who is this?" Nick smiled warmly at House. House actually gave Nick a nice, firm handshake back.

"This is Gregory House, my boyfriend. Greg, this is Nick and Kathleen Price. You know Francis."

"Glad to meet you. Good evening Francis."

"Good evening Dr. House."

House excused himself to use the restroom. Francis leaned over to Caragh and whispered, "Were you going home without saying goodbye? Is there something you need to tell me?"

"Liam told you."

"He said that you wanted to get home so that you could see an obstetrician. I don't think it even occurred to him that he was giving away the secret. So, what happened to the birth control?"

"I used the vaginal ring..."

"Obviously, not very reliable. Am I in the running to be Daddy?"

"We'll talk later..." House rejoined them.

He went quiet as House rejoined them. "Well, Caragh, Dr. House...I am on my way to London. Caragh, if Dr. House will allow you, can you walk me to my car?"

"I don't think..." She started to protest but House butted in.

"Go ahead Caragh, you have a lot to discuss. I'll sit here and have a drink."

On the way to his car Francis asked, "Well, am I the father or is Dr. House?"

"The truth is that I don't know."

"Caragh, if it is my child, I will support you and the baby. You know I adore you and will take care of you. If you want to get married, we can."

"That's a generous offer Francis but I don't know what I am doing right now. I'm just curious, if it is not your baby, I take it that the offer is off the table."

"To marry you? If it helps you out in anyway, then of course I would marry you."

"But you don't really love me in the, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you way', do you?"

"I come from a long line of men and women who married out of duty or politics. I learned that good marriages don't necessarily start out with two passionately love-sick people. Often it starts out with two very good friends."

"Francis, you surprise me all the time. Thanks for the offer, but I'm not marrying you. I really do love Greg."

"I can tell and for your sake, I hope the baby is his, although I secretly wish it were mine. I don't have any children yet and having one with you would be delightful."

She kissed him on his cheek and he got into his car and drove off. She didn't understand him half the time. He meant it when he said he hoped the baby was his. She wished that House had given her the same response.

***

When Caragh got back from Ireland, she made a decision to sell the Diogenes Club. She didn't want to be the mother that ran a brothel. She had several offers, some from clients. But Caragh took the offer that made the most sense. She sold the escort business to a business consortium that included Vicki and two of the escorts. The call girl business was sold to three of the call girls themselves. Vicki's group paid 3.9 million for the escort service, but it also included the physical club itself, worth several million because of it's location. The call girls paid $300,000 up front and agreed to pay $2000 a month for the next fifteen years. It all worked out well.

Three months later, Caragh was sitting in House's spring class and watching him torture the students. His class roster was filled within fifteen minutes after registration opened up. Caragh even noticed some of the hospital doctors in the audience taking notes. House's class was successful despite his callous treatment of the students.

Caragh was waiting for the class to be over so that they could go get the amniosintesis done. He was finished, he answered a few student questions and then waited as Caragh walked down to meet up with him. House put his books in his backpack and they took off for the hospital.

"Are you ready for this?" House asked.

"I don't think so...I'm afraid. If the DNA doesn't match you then I guess you move out and I'm on my own again."

"It isn't that simple. I'm not just going to leave you and never talk to you again. I just don't want to raise another man's child. Let's just get through this for now." He put his arm around her.

The needle went in easily and Caragh watched on the screen as the doctor took the sample. "Do you want to know the sex?"

"I can see the sex on the screen." House saw right away that the child was a boy.

"Well, I don't, what is it?"

The doctor pointed out the baby's genitals and said, "A boy."

Caragh started to get weepy. It was so overwhelming. When it was over she just wanted to go out and get something to eat. House bought her a big juicy cheeseburger and fries.

Caragh was going to get her results in a week. Her appointment was scheduled for Monday.

On the way home, House thought about his relationship with Caragh and that for the first time in years he was content and occasionally he was downright happy. House and Caragh had gotten through the last few months without any fighting. The idea of not being with her worried him. He loved her, but did he love her enough to stay if the baby was Francis's? He was nervous at the thought of being a father.

House managed to get the lab results before the doctor by hacking into the lab's system. It didn't take much. House read the results, put his head down on his arms, thought about what it all meant and then went to class. Caragh caught up to him afterwards and they went outside and sat on a bench. Caragh took off her shoes.

"My shoes hurt. Boy, you're quiet. What's up?"

"Did you know the male fox will mate for life, and if the female dies, he remains single for the rest of his life. However, if the male dies, the female will hook up with a new mate?" He watched her as she gave him a smile, "I was thinking that we ought to get married before the baby is born. What about this weekend? Let's fly to Las Vegas and get married?"

"You are joking, right?"

"No, let's have Wilson and Vicki to fly out with us and we get married."

"Not until I get the results, I need to know you're going to stay."

"I'm going to stay."

"Even if it's not yours?"

"I'm going to stay."

"Alright, then Vegas it is."

Wilson was sure that House had to know the results, but House wasn't say anything. Wilson packed a bag for a fun weekend in Vegas.

The wedding was hilarious. House wore an Elvis outfit, they were married by an Elvis impersonator and, according to House, the very pregnant Caragh wasn't wear any panties although Wilson wasn't sure why. Wilson and Vicki were relieved to hear them say "I do."

House and Caragh were going to take the limousine back to the hotel. Vicki and Wilson grabbed a cab and left the chapel to go gamble. House looked at Caragh and grinned, "I always wanted to have sex in the back of a limo in an Elvis outfit.."

"Thank God, I don't have any panties on." Caragh gave him a kiss.

"Did I show you what I got in the shop at the hotel while I was waiting for you to come down?" House asked her.

"What?"

He pulled out a yellow baby's t-shirt. On the front it said, "Who's Your Daddy? Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas."

"Funny, very funny. Why did you get yellow, didn't they have blue?"

"I thought yellow would set off his blue eyes, I know it does mine."

THE END.

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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.

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