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  Newton's Law 
 by gorblimey2	

 Newton's Law

"I'm not selling my soul again...no, I learned from Volger." Lisa held her
forehead in one hand and the phone receiver in the other. "Why should I
take a chance?...Right...no strings except a Fellowship for a special
person. Alright, who is the fellowship for, some fat cat's son who
graduated from a Grenada Medical school?"

Lisa paused as she listened to Mike Najera explain the terms of the
donation. "Let's see if I get this right, the fellowship salary will be
paid by the trust, the trust will make a donation to the hospital of $3.0
million and the Diagnostic Department will receive a grant of $500,000?
The only catch is a three year fellowship for this medical student?" Lisa
listened as she was corrected by Mike, her long time and trusted friend,"
The fellowship is for a practicing doctor, not a resident, not an intern,
not a med student? I'm tempted, but you're asking a lot...I mean, it is a
fellowship under House, our own Prince of Darkness. If I'm going to sell
this to House you better tell me who it is and send me a CV." The friendly
voice on the other side of the receiver revealed the information as Lisa's
jaw dropped.

The attachment to the email confirmed the terms of the fellowship. Lisa
hastily put in a call to Wilson. Within minutes, Wilson was reviewing the
attachment and shaking his head. "I don't envy you. He's extremely
competitive, why would he want to let the wolf into the herd?"

"She's not a wolf and she no longer has any affiliation with Bart's. She
says that she wants to study under him. She thinks he's the best and she's
obviously a masochist..what can I say?" Lisa looked to Wilson for
approval.

"Are you up for this? Two maniacal doctors in one department? This could
become a battleground." Wilson asked.

"What makes you think she's as bad as him? I heard she was well liked by
her colleagues."

"Yeah, but you know diagnostician. She's reached the top of the pecking
order over there...you can't do that without an ego." Wilson smiled.

"Molly McGee, Christ it sounds like an Irish whiskey. Dr. McGee has all
the right credentials, she'll be an asset to his department, how can he
argue with that?" Lisa looked directly in Wilson's eyes. They both broke
down into peals of laughter. 

"I suggest you start out with an Irish whiskey when you tell him."

 ***

House was much earlier than usual and the nurses all noted it with
surprised glances to each other. House was not happy about getting up so
early but he wanted to call his bookie in England to place a bet on the
Derby. He always used the hospital phone for his overseas calls...why pay
when you don't have to? He only had a half an hour to get the call in
before his bookie went to the pub. Damn Brits, between tea, high tea and
the pub opening, there was little time to place a bet. House had been a
winner with Sir Percy and felt sure he had a winner for this one. But he
sure felt lethargic, the price he had to pay to place a good bet.

"House, what are you doing here?" Doctor Chase asked with a slight hint of
amusement. 

"What is it with you Brits and your tea and your warm beer?"

"What?? Where did that come from? And, once again, I'm not a Brit and the
beer is not warm." Chase shook his head in dismay.

"Yeah, well you Australians didn't immigrate from the Bronx."

"Yeah, well neither did you Americans...."

"Touche" 

The elevator opened and they stepped in. There was a pause and then Chase
chirped up, "The beer is on draft from the kegs in the basement of the
pub, England isn't sunny and warm. The typical basement in England is
about 10 degrees Celsius. The beer isn't ice cold, but it contrary to
American hype, it isn't warm either."

"If you aren't British, how do you know so much about English pubs?" House
tilted his head to the side and smirked at Chase.

"It's part of our grammar school curriculum, English Beer 101."

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out.

"Seriously, why are you here so early? Is there a case?" Chase asked
hopefully, it had been over a week since their last patient left the
hospital. The whole diagnostic team was bored and tired of clinic duty.

"Seriously, none of your bloody British Business and no, no case yet."
House twirled his whangee cane at Chase before he turned towards his
office. 

House could see through the door of his office that Lisa Cuddy was
hovering over his desk anxiously. "Oh, this should be fun..." he thought
to himself.

"Are you here for the semen sample? I already gave at the nurses station.
Seems Blue Eyes are all the rage."

"Funny, ha, ha. What are you doing here so early? I was just going to
leave you a note." Lisa looked at House nervously.

"Her husband came home and wanted a threesome, I'm not into two boys and a
girl."

Lisa grimaced. "I have good news for you."

"Yeah, I can tell from your relaxed posture that it's going to be REALLY
good news. Well?" he made an overeager face at her.

"You get a new Fellow for your team. One that comes with a lot of
credentials."

"Don't need anyone for my team." House was now bending over his desk and
staring coldly at Lisa. 

 You need this one, you owe me this one after Vogler."

"What? What has Vogler got to do with a new Fellow."

"This Fellowship comes with a hefty donation to the hospital and your
department. It won't make up for Vogler's donation, but it will pull your
department out of the red for the first time in eight years."

"I'm not doing it." he said.

Lisa started to laugh. "House, this isn't your decision. The Board voted
on this last night. If you say no, you go. Unanimous, even Wilson voted on
this one. This Fellow not only comes well endowed, and I mean with money,
she comes with a great reputation that will just add to the cache of your
department. Imagine, another world famous diagnostician wants to study
under the great Gregory House."

"Ok, I'm listening. Who is it, Catalina Cruise? Delores Chillis? " House
was puzzled.

"Molly McGee."

"Barts' Molly McGee?" 

"She quit Barts a week ago to take this Fellowship." Lisa started to
relax, she could see House was curious and if House was curious, this was
a good sign.

"Why? She runs the department, she gets all of the European patients."
House was skeptical.

"She thinks she could learn something from you. God only knows what that
could be, cynicism, sarcasm, impatience, misanthropy...."

"No." House tried to sound convincing.

Lisa laughed, she knew he was buckling. "She starts Monday, get used to
it." Lisa turned around and walked out. A minor victory in their tug of
war.

 *** House spent the morning Googling Molly McGuire. Now he was not only
curious as to why she was coming, he was leery. Was she returning to the
United States and Princeton-Plainsboro to try to usurp him? Did she think
she could sneak in under Fellowship and then convince the hospital to get
rid of him and keep her? 

The Google sites all mentioned the numerous medical articles she had
authored. Most of them were milestones for diagnosing tropical and African
diseases. She was one of the foremost authorities on Hemorrhagic Fevers,
Avian Influenza and Zoonosis. Dr. McGee was a native Southern Californian
who had done stints at UCSD, Cedars Sinai, the CDC and St. Bartholomews in
London, England. She had numerous awards to her name. House winced. If
anyone Googled him they were unlikely to find many medical articles under
his name (unless one of his team had submitted it with his name as co-
author.) Once a case was solved, he didn't want anything to do with it. He
couldn't be bothered writing it up. And they certainly weren't going to
find any awards. House wasn't one to curry favor with his peers.

"Maybe that's what McGee is counting on." He thought. Most of House's
patients were referred by word of mouth because of his reputation. "Her
advertisement are her medical articles..." He admitted to himself that
they were great medical articles, many which he had used himself in his
practice. But still, it was a form of advertising. He viewed it as
cheating...writing articles and garnering a following that way.

Surprisingly, there was little on her family background on the net. And
there was no mention of her backers for this Fellowship. House was sure
that she must be a pharmaceutical whore. The donation was pretty hefty and
very few foundations could afford that kind of backing.

Her photo showed a woman in her late thirties, not beautiful, not plain,
and more important, one with a definite look of intelligence. House was
both weary and curious. At least it broke the boredom. Monday couldn't
come fast enough.

 ***

All hell broke loose Sunday. House received not one, but two frantic calls
from Lisa Cuddy which he failed to pick up. The answering machine screamed
"panic." He returned the calls at his leisure. 

"There are two patients being referred to you. I need you to review the
cases right away. They want to transfer the patients to the hospital as
soon as possible, but I need to know if you want them." It always irked
Lisa to know that House could turn down a paying patient if he wanted to
do so. He didn't turn down many because doctors only came to him as a last
resort. They hated dealing with House unless they were forced into it. But
still, the last one he turned down was a famous clarinet player for the
New York Philharmonic. The case went to another hospital and so did the
money and the press. House shrugged his shoulders and said, he just wasn't
in tune with the patient's needs. 

House was not happy about giving up his weekend, but he knew if he didn't
give his team something to do they would mutiny. He grabbed a peanut
butter sandwich and headed for his bike. He was interested in both cases
even though one presented with what might be an easy diagnosis. He decided
to call in the team, which made him smile. It would be fun watching them
moan about coming in on a Sunday. 

House wasn't wrong. As each one came through the door of the office they
had some retort about giving up their weekend. "Well, if you guys feel
that way, I'll send them both back to their doctors with a little note,
Sorry, but we couldn't be bothered on a Sunday, call us on Monday.'" They
all shut up because they knew they'd rather give up a Sunday than drag
their butts through another week in clinic.

House assigned Cameron and Foreman what appeared to be the more serious of
the two patients and then handed Chase the file on the other patient.
Chase studied the file while he waited for the patient to be transferred.
At 6:30 p.m. he was notified by Nurse Brenda that his patient had arrived.
He made his way to the third floor to get a history for the team. Chase
was happy to be one on one with the patient. Sometimes he resented having
to buddy up on a case.

He walked in to find a young man named George and an even younger woman
named Margaret silently waiting for him. After introducing himself, he
started taking the history. He almost felt like asking, "Tell me what you
don't like about yourself. " but resisted the urge. He was watching too
much tv.

The history included familial diseases, his medical history,
immunizations, family pets, known allergies as well as travel. 

"And have you been anywhere outside the USA in the last five years." Chase
asked.

The answer came back quickly, "Just Germany. I was stationed there for two
years before coming back six months ago. Before that, I was stationed in
Georgia and before that, Florida." 

"Anywhere else?"

"No." 

"Pets?"

"Two dogs and a cat."

"Allergies?"

"None."

"Blood Transfusions?"

"No."

"So, are you in the military?"

"I was in the Army, but I got out in February."

"Ok, let's talk about why you are here."

Chase returned to the office an hour later and found Cameron and Foreman
talking about the first patient to arrive. The white board was filled with
symptoms and House was leaning on it. Chase was thinking about George and
his symptoms and wanted to find his own white board. 

"Earth to Chase, can we focus here?" House gave him a quizzical look. 

"Sorry, just thinking ahead to my case."

"MYYYY CASE?" House pretended to be insulted.

"Our case. I was thinking about George."

"Ok, you are in the batting box. Right now, we're pitchin' with Cameron
and Foreman...ok? Can you get your head in the game?" House cocked his
head to the side.

"Yes, of course. Continue." 

They continued, baffled by the fact that the patient had gone from being
hypoxic to normal OSATS above 95 as soon as he was transferred to
Princeton-Plainsboro. 

"Ok, rash, burning in the mouth, inflamation, pneumonia. Sounds like a
fungus infection. Run a RAST test and see if we pick up any allergies. In
the meantime, Foreman, you check out his house and Cameron, you check out
his hospital room at Milton Medical Center."

"We're talking about a four hour drive!" Foreman complained. 

"Wellllll....the patient is getting better, not like we have an emergency
here...you have the time, get up in the morning and go check out the
hood." House waved his hand at them to leave.

"Ok, Chase let's take a look at Jeff."

"George, his name is George."

"Yeah...so, fluctuating fever.. cachexia, he's lost 13 lbs. in the last
two weeks. We have an enlarged liver, enlarged spleen and night
sweats...Check for hepatitis, cytomegalovirus, malaria... Check the
aminotransferase levels. Get a CBC and find out if his wife can cook."

"I don't think Margaret is his wife...I think she is his sister."

"Ok, find out if his SISTER can cook. Find out what he is eating or what
he isn't eating. After you get the samples to the lab, you can go home
too. Doesn't look like he's going to die in the next twenty-four hours. In
the meantime, I'm going home." House grabbed his backpack and leather
jacket and headed for his bike.

Chase spent the next hour getting the samples to the lab and asking about
Margaret's culinary skills. Margaret appeared to be a good cook from all
accounts although Margaret didn't actually live with George. But George
had been eating well up until two weeks ago when the pounds just melted
away. Chase put down his pencil and turned out the lights. There was a
Hardees on the way home, he was going to make a detour to pick up some
food.

 *** Molly looked in the mirror and saw her wet hair and scrubbed face
staring back at her. Except for drying her hair, putting on moisturizer,
deodorant and brushing her teeth, she just had to put on clothes and she
was out the door. Her time at Barts had spoiled her. Makeup wasn't a part
of her work life in England. Very few of the doctors bothered putting on
makeup. Her white Celtic face, arms and legs weren't considered a social
faux pas in England. In fact, most of the models in the magazines in
England were milky white with blue veins running visibly through their
bodies. She debated about whether or not she should bother with pantyhose
and she took a pass. The last thing she wanted to do was to walk in
looking like a fashion whore. She knew House would be gunning for her and
why give him anything but the real, unvarnished woman to aim at?

Without makeup, Molly's eyelashes were a dark blonde and one could barely
see how long they were. Her face appeared young for her age. But without
mascara she look a little tired, even though she was well rested. She
chose a loose fitting white blouse and an A line cotton skirt with a pair
of tan Aerosole shoes to match. She looked professional but bland.
Appearing anything less would evoke a lack of respect for the job,
anything more would appear to be trying too hard. 

Molly grabbed the keys to her Escape Hybrid and left for work. She was
excited and nauseated. Her colleagues and friends had all had strong
reactions to the idea of her working for House. Words like,"insane, out of
your mind, masochist, loony, delusional..." .were bantered around in every
discussion of her Fellowship. But Molly wasn't afraid of a challenge. She
had spent her internship under Dr. Taregui at UCSD. He was an @ss, a
sexist pig and a brilliant doctor. She had to bite her tongue so hard at
times that it would bleed. But she had learned a lot from Taregui and she
had gotten as far as she had because of it. One thing for sure, Molly was
adaptable and Molly was a survivor.

The office was feminine but professional. Lisa Cuddy reached out and shook
Molly/'s hand, " Welcome to Princeton-Plainsboro. I'm sure you'll find
your Fellowship interesting and challenging." 

Molly could tell that Lisa was having a hard time putting a good face on
the Fellowship. She liked Lisa for that. Most administrators, knowing that
several million dollars were on the line, would have polished the apple
and made House sound like Mother Theresa. 

"You need to go first to human resources to get your badge. I have your
lab coat. You are suppose to wear it when here." she handed her the lab
coat with Molly's name embroidered on it under the hospital logo. "You
have to give us at least six hours of clinic time each week, more if the
department does not have a case."

"If we don't have a case? You mean there are days when there are no
cases?"

"House averages about twenty-four cases a year. He turns down the ones
that he believes don't need his level of skill." Lisa explained.

"Wow, welcome back to private healthcare. We had the National Health and
then the private pay patients. We didn't get to pick or choose. I can tell
I am back in the USA! House must be God."

"More like Simon on American Idol." Lisa smiled.

"Ouch. I thought you might be more positive about the Fellowship."

"I want to be blunt about it. I don't want you coming in here crying every
five minutes telling me what House said or did. I already get that from
Dr. Cameron." Lisa smiled again. "He's a jerk, a bast*x!*, the spawn of
the devil...but I already know that. He's been eight years despite that.
So I doubt there's anything you could tell me about him that I don't
already know or would surprise me."

"Understood. I know I am entering the lion's den. I'm just grateful for
the opportunity. I have heard so much about House...I was getting stale, I
needed to jump start my brain and he supposedly thinks and acts outside
the box." Molly hesitated.

"Oh, House doesn't even know the box exists." Lisa pushed her chair back.
"Let me show you where Human Resources is located. I'd like to have lunch
with you or, better yet, you'll probably need a drink by the end of the
week. Maybe I can take you out to Happy Hour on Friday and see if you
still plan on staying for your Fellowship."

Molly laughed, "That sounds like a deal."

Molly finished filling out her tax form, applications, and debated as to
whether or not to smile for her photo badge. Molly was an optimistic
person so she smiled pretty for the picture. All the formalities were
done, it was time. Molly straightened her shoulders and headed for the
second floor.

 ***

House had just put down his knapsack when he saw her. He recognized her
immediately as she walked down the hall hunting for the office. She looked
shorter in person...maybe 5'4". Her hair was shorter too. She wasn't
knockout gorgeous like Cameron but she certainly carried herself as if she
was in charge...he'd have to remedy that. 

The door opened and in walked Molly. She made direct eye contact. She
wasn't expecting this. In the photos online he was clean shaven, nicely
pressed, well turned out. In front of her was a homeless guy with designer
sneakers. But those eyes. They took the wind out of her entrance. They
were sharp; they were curious; they were blue. Boy were they blue.

"Greg House..." his arm was extended in an over-friendly gesture. He was
playing her.

"Molly McGee." She smiled, relaxed a little and shook the very
enthusiastic hand of the devil himself.

The false smile dropped and he snarled,"What the hell are you doing here?
Is this 24? Are you the double agent that's going to infiltrate the
department and get us all killed?"

Molly was taken aback, "I'm the student, you're the teacher...I'm here to
learn. Obviously you want to score first blood." Molly opened up her arms
and said," Well, take your best shot." The lines were drawn very quickly.

"I have no desire to "TEACH" YOU...You have been inflicted upon me.
However, now that you are here, go see Chase and get your @ss in gear,
you're already two hours late."

"Who's Chase?"

"You're a big girl, figure it out." and he walked out of the office and
down the hall.

Molly had a big smile on her face. "Oh, Greg House, you have met your
match." She thought to herself.

 ***

She found Dr. Robert Chase in a lab on the third floor. She liked what she
saw. He was young, he was handsome and he gave her a gentle smile of
welcome. 

"Can I help you? " he said sweetly.

"I'm Molly McGee, the new Fellow in the Diagnostic Department...House sent
me down here to...I don't know what."

"Molly McGee?? Barts' McGee? You turned me down on my Fellowship request."

"Oh, sorry. I got so many applications. Really, they only gave me a budget
for one Fellowship every two years. Butt looks like you landed on your
feet...." her voice trailed off.

"It's ok, I knew it was a long shot. I suspect House wants you to work on
this case with me." Chase was excited about working with her. "You're a
Fellow? Under House?" he asked as Molly shook her head yes. ""Crikey, this
is going to be interesting."

Chase was Australian and Molly liked Australians. They were more
optimistic than the British and less dour. Chase was no exception. His
excitement at meeting her was palpable. He started to fill her in on the
hospital pecking order, the lab and finally the patient. 

Molly read the file and looked up, "He hasn't been anywhere outside of the
USA except Germany? Are the transferase readings back?"

"Normal. And he is adamant that he's only been to Germany for two years."

"Doesn't make sense. Is the Hep test back?"

"It's Negative."

"Whoa..." Molly scrunched her face up in thought. Chase was fascinated,
she was like House, her whole mind went somewhere else when she was
thinking about a patient. He waited for her to make eye contact again.

"What's his fever like today?" she asked.

"103."

"It's strange to be working in Fahrenheit again. Ok, febrile, losing
weight, no exotic travel and ex-military. I'd like to see the patient."

They went into the room. But George looked tired and upset. He was down
another pound and his sister had to leave to take care of her children. He
was all alone. 

"Hi, I'm Doctor McGee and I need to examine you. So let's start with the
upper torso." Molly gently removed the sheet and helped him untie the
gown. 

"What are you looking for?" Chase asked.

"Bites."

"Already looked, I didn't see any."

"Well, doesn't hurt for me to do the examine anyway." Molly stopped
abruptly. "George, you've been a very bad boy and it almost cost you your
life."

"What?" George was surprised.

"I see your tattoo." Molly pointed it out to Chase. It was in the shape of
an upright sword and three lightening bolts going up the shaft. "You said
you were stationed in Georgia?"

"Yeah." George hung his head.

"Fort Benning, right?" Molly asked.

"Yeah." 

"What? I don't understand what that means?" Chase felt like he was in a
Sherlock Holmes movie and he was Doctor Watson.

"Fort Benning is where they train Rangers...Special Forces. George here is
a Ranger and if he did, let's say, have to make a special visit to some
place like Afghanistan or the mountains inside Pakistan...he probably
wouldn't tell us about it. Or, couldn't tell us about it. Am I warm
George?"

"I'd have to kill you..." George answered sarcastically.

"I thought so. Well, we'll just assume that's where you were. A lot of
Rangers are stationed in Germany so that they can do "special projects"
for us in the mid-east." Molly turned to Chase, "You said that his
transferase levels were normal?" Chase shook his head affirmatively.
"Still doesn't make sense. Do we have a bone marrow specimen yet? I want
to look for pesky little critters."

"No. House didn't order it."

"Well, let's get one." Molly smiled.

"Not so fast, we need House's approval." Chase said firmly.

"Oh, blimey, you're right. I'm not in Kansas anymore and the Wicked Witch
is in control." Molly grimaced. 

"Huh?" Chase looked perplexed.

"Let's go grovel." Molly turned to go find House.

As they walked the halls, Chase pummeled Molly with questions about why
she had come to Princeton-Plainsboro. She was funny and self-deprecating.
He was laughing all the way down to the cafeteria where House had been
spotted. He wished he had worked with her at Barts, she would have been a
lot easier to deal with than House. But then, she had come to House,
despite his reputation for abuse. He had to respect her dedication and
willingness to submit herself to House's control just to improve her
already stellar gifts.

"Who is that with House?" Molly asked as they started towards the table
where House sat with another doctor.

"That's his best friend and head of Oncology, Dr. James Wilson. He's a
good guy, the only one who can, kind of, get through to House."

"You mean he is capable of forming meaningful relationships with other
humans?" Molly chuckled.

"I didn't say that." Chase and Molly were both laughing when they reached
House.

"Isn't this Special? The Pommy and the Aussie, bonding in that British
Benny Hill way. Pretty soon they'll be shagging their brains out." House
mocked them as he sipped on his coke. House looked the pair of them up and
down with eyes that appeared to notice and note all.

"I wish." Chase responded but then noticed that Molly blushed. "I'm
joking." He said in a sheepish apologetic voice. He forgot that Molly was
new and not used to the banter yet.

"We need a bone marrow specimen from the patient and apparently we need
approval from de Fuhrer. .. Please, please, may I???" Molly pleaded.

"Boy, she has your number." Wilson nodded. "Hi, I'm James Wilson." He
shook Molly's hand. "I'm really pleased to meet you. I can tell that you
are going to be my main source of entertainment for the next few months.
At least until another patsy shows up."

"Glad to be of service." She acknowledged Wilson's pity and turned again
to House,"I need it to check for parasites."

"What type of parasites?" House asked.

"Really bad ones." Molly said sarcastically but she could see House was
not amused. "Kala-azar."

"Hindi? Black Sickness. Well, he didn't look black to me and his
Transferase was normal. And, according to the fine history taken by Chase,
he hasn't been in the Mideast." 

"Well, apparently he lied." Chase butted in. "Molly saw a Ranger tattoo on
him and he admitted that he had been to Afghanistan or maybe Pakistan."

"He hasn't turned black because it is Visceral, not Cutaneous. And not all
patients show elevated aminotransferase levels right away." Molly said
with unassuming authority.

"Kind of admit?? Is that like being slightly pregnant? Well, Doctor McGee,
you wrote the book...I mean, the one of many articles, on these pestilent
diseases. It would explain the weight loss, the fever, the enlarged
organs... Ok, get a bone marrow specimen and if they come back negative,
do a liver biopsy."

Molly wasn't sure what came over her but she clicked her heels together
and gave House a Nazi salute. She regretted it immediately. Wilson and
Chase laughed while House gave her a stern look of disapproval. Molly's
sense of humor had gotten her in trouble before, but never so quickly.
"Sorry." she said sincerely in House's direction. She turned and almost
ran out of the cafeteria.

"Well, you've done it now. I'd make my self scarce around House. He's
going to come after you with his wit and it isn't going to be pretty. He
can be pretty scathing and callous." Chase warned.

"Yeah, I knew better. It was pretty stupid of me. But I thought he was
suppose to have a wicked sense of humor."

"He does, but not at his expense." Chase patted her on her back and
stepped into the hospital room to get the bone marrow sample.

After running a light-microscope examination, Molly was relieved to see
Leishmanial parasites in two areas. She sent samples to an outside lab to
run a test for rK39 antibodies just to confirm it. In the meantime, she
started George on a lipid formulation of amphotericin B. She also notified
her friends at the CDC.

House was outside of George's room so Molly stepped out to talk to him.
"It was positive."

House shook his head as if he already knew. "Where did you learn about
Ranger tattoos?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Once again Molly immediately
regretted her response. But this time House actually cracked a smile. "I
was occasionally called into Landstuhl to diagnose some of our soldiers. I
would stay and visit. They get kind of lonely. I learned a lot about the
Ranger mentality. The Rangers usually had one of three tattoos and George
was sporting Airborne's tattoo."

"Visit?? Is that what they're calling it? I hope you used protection."
House turned and went back to the office. But he was feeling uneasy. Molly
McGee had walked in and, by physically examining a patient had solved a
case in less than five hours while he had eaten lunch and watched his
soap. He knew he had to get back in the game.

Molly, on the other hand, was hoping by solving the case House would see
that they were on the same side and maybe give her a break. When she got
back to the office, a young woman and man were sitting in the room talking
to House. 

As she entered into the room with Chase behind her, House was asking for a
differential diagnosis of the patient on the board. "He's getting
healthier each day. The pneumonia is clearing up. What did you find at the
hospital?"

The woman spoke up. "I couldn't find anything out of the usual..it was a
hospital room, lots of disinfectant, lots of clean sheets." 

"I found nothing in the home." The man spoke up. The man and woman looked
curiously at Molly.

"Children meet your new stepsister, Molly McGee. Molly is an orphan from
Barts. Her family abandoned her and now she has bought her way into ours."
House gave Molly a little bow of introduction.

The young and beautiful brunette was not only puzzled but appeared
threatened. Molly took quick note of that and decided she needed to step
gingerly into this arena. The young African-American man came over and
introduced himself. "I'm Eric Foreman. I didn't catch your name, did he
say, Molly McGee? Barts Molly McGee? Are we consulting with you on a
case?"

"No, I'm the new Fellow, under Dr. House. I'll be joining you." 

"Uh, welcome aboard." Foreman shook her hand.

"Wait," The brunette was obviously leery. "You mean you, Molly McGee, are
the freshman Fellow on the team?"

"Yep, and that means she makes the coffee and answers the mail." House
smiled wickedly at Molly.

"But I answer your mail." the brunette looked upset.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?" Molly asked.

"Allison Cameron." Cameron gave her a warm handshake.

"Dr. House, if she wants to handle your mail maybe that would be best."
Molly didn't want to step on her toes, she remembered that Cameron was the
woman Lisa said constantly complained.

"No, I think having Doctor McGee handle all the crazy calls, the speaker
invitations and fruitless requests for consults might just be the best use
for her special skills. Now boys and girls and Molly, can we get back to
the patient. Something is in the air that is causing this guy's lungs to
shut down. It has to be environmentally related. We took him out of the
environment and he got better. Ok, Chase and Minnie, you're up to bat. You
go back out to the hospital and house tomorrow and find out what's eating
Gilbert Grape."

"Minnie?" Cameron asked.

"My bad...I see you Dr. McGee and I think Minnie Mouse for some reason.
Ah, yes, maybe it's the way you managed to sneak into this department...or
perhaps its just your looks...but it makes me think "rat". But then,
you're too short and pale for a rat, so mouse makes more sense." House
gave a silly face and then shooed them out of the office. 

Chase shook his head. "Now you will forever be Minnie to House. Just get
used to it because if you fight it, he'll only play it over and over until
you want to kick him in the nads."

"Yeah, I saw the writing on the wall." Molly paused, " It's been a long
day and I'm going back to my hotel room."

"Hotel?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, I just bought a house but escrow hasn't closed. I'm staying at the
Embassy Suites and living out of a suitcase. I'll pick you up here
tomorrow and we can ride together, ok? " Chase nodded yes to her and she
walked to her car. 

 ***

The hospital room was as Cameron said, just a hospital room. Neither Chase
nor Molly could find anything suspicious. The patient's house was three
miles away from the hospital and when they arrived no one was there. 

When no one answered Molly started to walk back to the car. "We are
expected to break in." Chase said matter of factly.

"We are in Pennsylvania and I don't think they are going to appreciate two
Jersey doctors and the, we're just trying to save a life, officer'
defense." Molly replied.

"Molly, I'm much more afraid of House than the law. You can stay outside
if you want but I'm going in."

"Ok, ok. Let me do it. I saw an alarm through the window and it looked
armed. We set it off and we'll have the Keystone cops on us." Molly said.
She stepped back and looked up at the windows of the house. The first
floor windows were locked and armed. But the second floor windows were
open. "Our in is up there." She said to Chase.

Molly climbed the back porch and then up onto the portico above the stoop.
She took out the screen of the tiny bathroom window and hoisted herself up
and through. She worried that there was a motion detector so she
cautiously poked her head out the door. She didn't see any motion
detectors so she continued downstairs and checked out the alarm. If she
could figure out the pin number, she could disarm the alarm and Chase
wouldn't have to follow in her footsteps. Where would you put a number so
that your visiting sister could disarm it without having to memorize it?
Then it hit her...you would pick a number your sister already knows. His
birthday? Her birthday? No, that was too obvious and accessible on the
web. But what about the street number where you grew up? That address
wouldn't be in any current database but it would be known to both of them.


Molly went back to the bathroom and yelled out to Chase, "Chase, do you
know the address of where he grew up?"

"Yeah, its on the questionnaire, 32092 Valley View Road. Why?"

"I'll Be Back." Molly yelled in an Austrian accent. As she turned she
caught a glimpse of a dark line of grout at the bottom of the shower tile.
The address disarmed the alarm and a grateful Chase walked through the
front door. 

"Whew, I thought I was going to have to squeeze myself through that
bathroom window. Well, where do you want to start?"

"The bathroom." Molly said. 

Molly found a screwdriver and a chisel in the garage and started chiseling
away at the dark grout. She worked one of the tiles loose and pulled it
out. Along with the tile came a portion of the greenboard behind it. The
greenboard was covered in a shiny black substance. She loosened another
tile and could see that the black substance stretched up and behind the
tile. The whole wall inside the tile must was black.

"Poor guy. He never knew what hit him. Judging by the new fixtures, his
bathroom was obviously remodeled in the last year. He probably started
using this shower and mold started growing. It's a common mistake made by
amateur tile installers. They are suppose to use a cement backerboard, not
greenboard in the shower. But a lot of amateurs think you can use
greenboard. The water gets through the grout and the greenboard gets wet.
The constant water allows Stachybatrys Atra to grow. It produces
mycotoxins that some people are very allergic to...we need to run some
blood work, but I bet he is highly allergic to Stachy. Stachy is pretty
sticky, but it was starting to come through the surface of the grout and
that's when he started getting sick."

"Molly, you scare me. You ARE a Minnie....a mini-House. How the hell did
you know this?"

"There was a rash of mold cases in California when I was at Cedars Sinai.
I did some expert work for some lawyers and well, showers were the one of
the usual suspects. The problem with my theory is the hospital room. We
need to get back and find out if my theory will hold. If we don't find
Stachy in the hospital room then I am out to lunch and we are back to
square one." 

They bagged the Stachy and looked around for anything else just in case
she was wrong. They bagged some food, chemicals, some dust bunnies under
the bed and some weeds around the house before leaving. They made a
beeline for the hospital. On the way, Chase called Cameron and told her to
test the patient's blood for antigens to Stachybatras Atra.

In the hospital room, Molly got up from looking under the bed. "I just
don't see a source for the Stachy. I must be wrong." Molly conceded. They
both collapsed in chairs.

"Ok, let's just wait a minute and think it through. The mold has to be
airborne or he has to be in close contact with it to get sick. Well, there
isn't a close contact source because it would be visible to us so it has
to be in the air. If it is in the air, it....." Chase's voice trailed off
as he and Molly both jumped to their feet. Chase grabbed the chair and a
screwdriver and took off the vent to the heating/a/c duct. Nothing. They
were both visibly disappointed and disheartened. Without another word,
they slowly picked up their tools and bags and started down the corridor
of the hospital. Chase looked at the little old lady in the next room. She
was sitting in the hospital chair reading a book and enjoying the fresh
air from the open window.

"The WINDOW....we didn't check the window. Princeton-Plainsboro's windows
don't open, but theirs do! " They turned on a dime and ran back in the
room. Chase pulled up the window casing and just about burst with
excitement. Sitting outside on the second story roof, next to the window
of the hospital room was an air conditioner with an obvious leak and even
more obvious was the black goo around the fittings. 

The ride back to Princeton was a celebration and a lot of high fiving.
Chase wanted to get a drink, but Molly just wanted to get back to the
hospital. She wanted to see if the patient had the antigens. Chase was
really having fun with Molly and was glad to have her on board. Cameron
and he had shared a strange night of sex and ever since then she had been
trying to browbeat him with mean comments. It was nice to be with a
colleague that was fun and insightful. Besides, even though she was older
than him, she was pretty, not gorgeous, but certainly good looking and he
was attracted to her. Who knows what she would look like with a little
makeup.

The rest of the team had gone home when they got back. So much for a team
celebration. Molly and Chase checked the lab results and a series of high
fives were exchanged. House had read the results earlier and had already
started treatment before they got back, so there was nothing left to do. 

Chase suggested they go to The Tiger's Tale for a drink and bite to eat.
Molly was hungry and on a high from solving two cases in a row so she said
yes. They were walking in when they saw House and Wilson drinking at a
tall table near the bar. Molly's stomach tightened and the wind went out
of her sail. She could tell that Chase wasn't phased. Chase either had a
comfortable relationship with House or he was a duck and water rolled off
his back . He walked right over to the table and slapped Wilson on the
back. House looked around Chase and spied Molly. He had a look of surprise
on his face when he saw her. He and Wilson had just been discussing her
impact on the department so far. The fact that she and Chase were 2 for 2
in two days and the rest of the team were barely pulling up the rear was
depressing for Foreman and Cameron. Foreman, the consummate politician,
asked House if he could pair up with Molly the next time. Cameron seemed
wounded and moaned about the fact that the team seemed to be split and it
was up to House to keep them all together like a well oiled machine. House
himself was impressed with Molly, but he was also concerned. She had to be
admired and she had certainly made his life easier at work, he hadn't had
to do anything but approve tests. But then, that was the problem. The more
work she did, the less he had to do and House lived for the puzzle. Take
the puzzle away and what did he have? A bum leg.

"So, the conquering heroes have returned. Need sustenance? I'll even buy.
What's your poison Minnie? I know Chase will have a lager." House reached
for his wallet.

"A Mojito please." Maggie sat in the chair between Chase and Wilson and
across from House. House got up, grabbed his cane and went to the bar to
get the attention of the barmaid. She listened to his order and he sat
back down.

Lisa Cuddy showed up a few minutes later and when the drinks arrived,
House ordered her a Mojito too. She told the barmaid to have the bartender
take it easy on the rum. Molly, on the other hand, could taste almost
nothing but rum. She knew House must have ordered a double for her but she
didn't dare call him on it. She also knew she was a lightweight and a
double meant trouble. 

She leaned over to Chase. "I'm going to need a ride home if I drink this
so don't let me drive." 

Chase nodded in the affirmative and held his hand out for her keys. She
passed them to him under the table and he put them in his pocket. He then
got up to go say hello to some friends and play some darts.

She could feel the alcohol relax her. House announced he needed to take a
leak and left for the bathroom. Wilson immediately leaned in to talk to
her. 

"You need to slow down." Wilson said. "I'm on your side, but you're
creating a problem for yourself and you don't even know it."

"Huh?" Molly was surprised and nervous but realized quickly that Wilson
was trying to give her some advice for her own good. She knew she should
listen to him.

"In two days you have walked in and, without the help of the team or more
importantly, without the help of House, you have cured two patients
practically single handed. That's great, but what did you learn? You came
here to learn House's methods and process and so far you've skipped it all
together. More importantly, what do you think is going on in House's
brain?"

Lisa cut in, "You will not meet anyone more competitive than House. If you
don't let him get one up, and soon, you will be on a treadmill to hell." 

"Oh my God, this isn't the fifties where the girl has to let the boy win
so he will like her." Molly was getting spooked.

"No, but you are dealing with a force greater than nature. House is that
good...go up against him in a battle of wits and you will lose. You could
go head to head with him, ignore the team and put yourself in the pissing
contest with House for the next three years. You won't have learned
anything from House because he'll spend his energies making sure you use
your energy sparring with him. I know you didn't mean to start it, but
just realize that you have." Wilson's voice was calm, firm and caring.
Wilson sat upright as House rejoined the table.

"Wow this looks serious. Is Wilson hitting on you. Has he given you the
line that he hasn't had sex since he divorced his wife?" House asked Molly
jokingly.

Molly took a drink and sat back. This was scary. She had started a war and
didn't even know she had ammunition let alone a gun. She took another
drink. The glass was emptying quickly. House signaled to the barmaid and
another Mojito magically appeared. She was quiet as the conversation topic
changed several times at the table. She looked across at House and really
saw his hands for the first time. They were long, thin, graceful hands.
She loved his hands. The fingernails were nicely clipped but not
professionally manicured. They were the hands of a conductor, a surgeon, a
masseuse, a pianist. She wanted to stroke them but even drunk she knew
better. House looked at her and saw she was staring at his glass or was it
his hand? She looked up and their eyes met. God the blue eyes again and
now they were locked with hers. She was drunk and so a stare down meant
nothing to her, it just meant she had something pretty to look at. House
cracked up...she was drunk. She was funny drunk. 

Lisa saw their eyes lock and decided she better do something quickly.
"Well, I have to go and Molly, you are too drunk to drive. You should come
with me and get your car tomorrow morning."

"It's ok, we'll make sure she gets home." House was just about to have fun
at Molly's expense and didn't want it to end.

"Yeah...that's what I'm afraid of...come on Molly." Lisa picked up her
purse and lead the drunk Doctor to her car. "Where do you live?"

"Embassy Suites, about five miles that-away." Molly pointed north.

Molly sat in the passenger seat and thought of House's hands. "I love his
hands." she said mumbled. She wasn't sure if she had just thought it or
said it outloud. 

"What? What did you say?" Lisa wasn't quite sure.

Molly back-tracked. "The bartender, I loved his hands while he made those
Mojitos...."

Lisa chuckled to herself, "Yeah, we all love those hands. They play the
piano. Just watch whose ivories they are tickling." She paused, " Look, we
all fall for the bad boy. I like House, he's a colleague, an employee and
a friend. But I keep him at arms length because if you get too close,
House will burn you and not even bother to bury the bones. Hell, he'll
invite your friends over to see the bones. Just be careful, he's
complicated. As he says, Chicks dig that.' Here you go, Embassy Suites."

Molly got out and watched as Lisa drove off. She still loved his hands and
wondered what they would feel like on her. Molly shook her head. She
really needed to get laid if she was starting to have fantasies about
House. It had been well over a year since her boyfriend had died...she had
been celibate long enough.

 ***

The next few months went quickly. Molly pulled back a little but not so
much that House was suspicious. House started to demonstrate the genius
for which he was famous. Molly was in awe of his thought process and
realized Wilson was right. She would have been in a pissing contest and
missed out on what she came to learn. The genius was messy sometimes,
filled with sarcasm and moments of insanity. He had little respect for
humanity let alone for his patients. But how he put together the pieces of
the puzzle was truly different than Molly and Molly secretly enjoyed just
basking in his lunacy. What Molly didn't know was that House was learning
from her too and he enjoyed the process, as much as House could enjoy
anything. He also enjoyed making her miserable.

"Minnie, you're looking a little mousy today. You must remember, Mojitos
are the gateway to unprotected sex. You must be careful, wouldn't want any
little Mickey Mouses running around out there." House grinned.

"Yeah..yeah, I'm tired because I moved all weekend. My stuff finally
arrived from London."

Wilson saw the Bagels on the table in front of Cameron and popped in to
the office to grab one.

"By the way," Molly began, "I have a friend who has given me the use of a
45 foot Gulfstar Hirsch for next weekend. Anyone up for a day of sailing
off the coast of Brigatine?"

"I'm up for it." Said the voice from behind her. Molly twirled around and
stopped in her tracks. It was House."That's a big boat." he added.

"Uh, well ok, that's great. Chase?" Molly wanted to appear unfazed.

"I'm in." Chase gave the thumbs up.

"Count me in." Wilson said.

Foreman shrugged his shoulders as to say, "Why not?"

Cameron looked around, "I don't know how to crew."

"Oh, don't worry, you can be the bar maid." Molly suggested.

"Ok. I'll be the barmaid." she smiled.

"Then its set, I think the best thing to do is to drive down the night
before, stay overnight at the marina hotel and get an early start in the
morning. Ok?" Molly asked. Everyone agreed.

The next Saturday they had breakfast at the hotel and were out on the
docks by 8:00 a.m. As they loaded the stores, Molly noted that Cameron had
on a lovely bikini and see-through coverup along with nice beaded sandals.
A great thing to wear at a resort, not so great for crewing a large sail
boat. All of the guys, except Foreman, had on Board shorts and deck shoes.
Foreman had on respectable sneakers. House had on a sailing cap and Ray
Bans. Molly was in a tank top, women's board shorts, a baseball cap and
cheap sunglasses. Molly always bought cheap ones because she always lost
them. She wore her old deck shoes, the ones that she had worn in
California when she crewed.

"Ok, who knows how to crew?" Chase and House raised hands. Wilson raised
his hand slightly to let her know he wasn't confident about his crewing.
Foreman and Cameron definitely didn't crew and they were shaking their
heads no.

"So...this is a big boat and we are going to need a lot of manpower if we
are going to sail. I have to warn you Allison and Eric, if we get going
you're going to want to hold onto something stable. The wind is up and
this puppy could fly which means we'll probably be up on our side. You two
better wear life jackets." She threw them each a life jacket and they put
them on.

"House, can you captain?" She knew he wouldn't be able to man the masts
with his leg but steering a boat this large at high speeds would be no
easy feat either. It would take a lot of upper body strength but it would
also mean House could stand in one place for the trip.

"Yes. I can do that." It was perfect, House could bark out orders and his
minions would run. Molly smiled, it was just perfect.

"Chase and Wilson, we will be the deck crew. With this much sail we'll be
busy. Is that cool?" They shook their heads yes.

They motored out of the harbor and unfurled the sails. House immediately
started calling the orders and Molly was up first. She started laughing.
It was clear that House knew what he was doing and loved making her run.
It took a few minutes for the crew to get their sea legs and coordinate
between them but it wasn't long before the boat was at top speed. Everyone
was excited. The wind was high and the boat was on a 45 degree angle to
the sea. Cameron and Foreman were grinning from ear to ear as they white
knuckled the port side of the boat.

Chase and Molly were getting a real workout. Wilson was crewing
occasionally in between snapping photos. House was holding his own with
the steering and orders. At one point, Molly was up in the yard arm
untangling a rope when she looked down and smiled at House. His eyes were
crystal blue and smiling. His lips curled up and for one moment they were
the only two on the yacht. All in all, the team was having a blast. It was
a gorgeous day and they were pushing the yacht to extremes.

House pointed to the Starboard bow, "We'll anchor there by the buoy and
have lunch."

Everyone began talking at once about the morning's trip. There was
laughter over Chase slipping and falling from port to starboard and just
barely being caught by Wilson before he went over. House was being teased
about his cap and his method of barking orders in a voice straight out of
Monty Python. Cameron and Foreman displayed for everyone how they kept
each other from falling over. Everyone remarked at how fast Molly could
move around the boat.

 "Yeah, you have to give it to her, Minnie can run rings around all of us
on this boat." House quipped. "Where did you learn to crew?"

"Wednesday beer races off the coast of San Diego."

"I know them well, my Dad was stationed at the Marine Base in Imperial
Beach as an instructor for two years. I spent most of my summers doing
beer races off of Coronado." House said.

"Is that where you learned to sail?" Cameron asked.

"No, I learned over in the Mediterranean Sea when I was twelve. My Dad
taught me when we were stationed over in Italy." 

"You're Dad?" Cameron seemed to be shocked by that, as if she didn't
expect House and his Dad to be sailing together.

"Occasionally we would spend time together...actually sailing was
something we both enjoyed." His voice trailed off and he got up, threw
away his sandwich wrapper and empty bottle signaling for the crew to get
back to work.

No one had ever seen House happier. He seemed to genuinely be enjoying the
day and the company. Molly suspected it had to do with the fact that he
was doing something very physical that several of those present could not
do. It made him equal on the playing field.

The day continued and although no one really wanted it to end, Chase and
Molly were beat. They finally asked House to motor back in because the
wind had died down and they were too tired to tack. 

Chase rode back with Molly while the rest rode with Wilson. The first
thing out of Chase's mouth was, "He really seemed happy...almost human
today, didn't he?" 

Molly shook her head in agreement. "It's sad isn't it. Monday that grin
will be gone."

 *** Molly went to work each day in slacks and a shirt and the same
Aerosole shoes but in different colors to match her slacks. She knew she
probably should polish her appearance but it didn't seem to be important
to anyone else and her plain appearance gave House the fodder he needed to
needle her. As long as he was calling her mousy, he was berating her for
screwing something up, even if she didn't do it.

Each year in the late fall the hospital held a Casino Night Charity event
to fund certain endowments. The clinic was turned into a casino with
several card and gambling tables, a buffet and a dance floor with a local
band. Molly thought this was an odd venue, but everyone apparently looked
forward to a night of eating, drinking, gambling and dancing. Each
department head was expected to buy tickets for his department at $250 a
piece. Two weeks before the event, Cameron handed out tickets to each of
the team, apparently bought by House. She gave Foreman two tickets because
he had mentioned he was bringing a date. She also had two tickets because
she had just started dating an English professor from Princeton. House was
going stag and so was Wilson in the hopes of hitting on the new staff.
They both knew they cleaned up well and looked smashing in their tuxes.

"I'm not going." Molly said as she handed back the ticket to Cameron.

"You have to go." Cameron said, pushing the ticket back to Molly.

"She's right. House hates these events but even he goes. He knows the
Board of Directors REALLY frown if you miss it. Last time he missed one of
these and the whole department got extra clinic duty. You do have to go."
Foreman cautioned her.

"I don't have a date." 

"A lot of us are going stag. You won't have any trouble meeting someone
who is single." Chase assured Molly.

"Ok, if I must...but formal wear to the clinic?" Molly asked.

"Its suppose to be a casino in the Mediterranean...you know James Bond and
the Bond girls." Cameron added.

 Ugh, I see painful blisters in my near future." Molly shrugged.

Molly went home and looked into her closet to decide what she would wear
to the dance and if it needed cleaning. If the team could have seen her
closet they would have been surprised. Very few people knew Molly's
background. She was orphaned by the age of 14 but she had a very hefty
trust fund. So hefty that it embarrassed her. The Fellowship, the grant,
the donation were all from her own trust fund. It was old school money.
Her family were some of the original east coast mining magnates. They had
holdings throughout the world including South America, South Africa and
Mexico. She tried not to be too flamboyant with her money. She really
didn't need a lot of material things. When she did want to use a high
ticket item like the sailboat, she just had to call one of her uncles or
cousins. Everyone was happy to let Molly use their toys. She always took
good care of them.

But one thing Molly did love to splurge on was designer evening dresses.
She not only owned many of them, some of them had been designed just for
her by designers she considered close friends. 

The afternoon of the charity event, Molly went to her hairdressers and had
her hair cut into short layers. Her hair was strawberry blonde. Although
it was fine there was a lot of it and if it got too long it just laid
limp. The cut was gorgeous and sophisticated. When she got home she had a
snack, laid out her clothes and jewelry, took her shower and started to
apply her makeup. It had to be just right because this would be the first
time anyone at the hospital would see her in full war paint. She didn't
want to over-do it but when you wear a designer evening gown,
evening-makeup is a must.

She pulled out one of her favorite dresses by Carmen Marc Valvo. It was
deeply cut black Spanish lace on top. The bottom was a flowing white satin
that clung gracefully to her hips and draped down her thin legs and
skimmed the tops of her shoes. Her breasts rode high and full above the
built in wire bra, almost as if they would fall out of her dress at any
moment. But Molly knew these girls weren't going anywhere, the dress was
well made and insured that her breasts stayed put. The high cut of the
waist made her look even thinner. The flowing satin gave a full but not
too abundant shape to her rear. The dress made Molly look as if she had
the proportions of a Goddess, even if some of it was done with smoke and
mirrors.

It took thirty minutes to apply the foundation, rouge, concealer, eye
shadow, eye liner, lip stick, lip liner, lip gloss and powder all by Trish
McEvoy. It had been so long since she had seen herself in makeup that she
stared in the mirror for a few minutes. Was it too much? She put her dress
on, stuck her feet into her Jimmy Choo "screw me" shoes, put the flawless
diamond necklace and earrings on, then grabbed her velvet full- length
cape and headed for the Escape.

She was running a late. It started at 8:00 p.m. and it was almost 9:00
p.m. So what, she'd make an entrance.

House and Wilson were at their usual table playing poker with Lisa and,
for the first time, Allison and her date. There were others at the table
from Human Resources, Accounting and Cardiology, but House basically
ignored them. House and Wilson were teasing Lisa and Allison about their
attire, making lewd comments and insuring that both women knew that,
despite the jokes, their assets had not gone unnoticed. The woman from
Human Resources grew so uneasy about the sexual banter and the legal
ramifications that she had to move to another table.

House was laughing at his own joke when he saw the shocked look on
Wilson's face. He followed Wilson's gaze over his left shoulder. The rest
of the table did the same. House wasn't sure who it was at first. She was
beautiful. Her petite figure and her perky symmetrical breasts were
stunning. It was only after a few seconds that he drew in a breath and
realized it was Molly. Wilson had not recovered. Looking over to Chase,
who was dancing, House saw that he had stopped in his tracks and stood
with his jaw dropped.

All House could think of was the title of the Peter Sellers movie, "The
Mouse that Roared." Well Minnie was roaring and nothing in the department
would ever be the same.

Chase recovered first and made it over to Molly's side. "Molly, you are
absolutely stunning tonight. I didn't even recognize you. All I saw was
this incredibly delicious woman standing by the coat check. You really are
magnificent. Will you dance with me?" 

Molly giggled, leave it to Chase to be the kind gentleman who rescued her
from wandering around the party alone. 

"You dance a great cha-cha!" she told him.

"Thank you. Have you noticed that we are the center of attention?" Chase
said.

"I don't think its our dancing, Chase, I think they're looking at your
hair." She laughed. Chase smiled at the joke. His beautiful blonde hair
was the constant butt of House's jokes.

Molly looked over and saw House, who nodded in acknowledgment of her
presence. She felt her stomach tighten, his hair was nicely combed and in
a tux he looked good enough to eat. It wasn't fair, men cleaned up so
easily. 

One of the cosmetic surgeons came up to Lisa and asked her, "Who is that
woman?" House looked at him and considered what was happening. There were
a lot of alpha males among doctors and Molly was definitely looking like
an alpha female tonight. They would all be positioning themselves, hoping
that they would have a chance to go home and make alpha babies with Molly.
House wondered how that was going to impact the department.

Allison and Lisa were amused by the attention Molly had generated. Clearly
Molly had scored the coup tonight. Both Allison and Lisa were gorgeous in
their gowns but they had the disadvantage of having been seen dressed up
at previous parties. More importantly, there was no getting around the
fact that Molly carried herself as if she had "been to the manor born." 

Chase grabbed a table for them, "Would you like a Mojito?" Molly said yes
and Chase went to the bar. He knew it was not a wise thing to do, leave a
woman like Molly alone with all the men circling, but he also knew he
didn't have a chance with her. They had become too close as friends and
she had never shown an interest in him romantically. Still, it did make
him slightly sad that he wouldn't be the one going home with her tonight.

The poker table was trying to get back to playing. Everyone, including the
dealer, had forgotten where they were. Since it was a friendly game, no
one got upset when they decided to just toss in the hand and deal another.
House sat back down but his mind was not on the game. He left the table
after a few more rounds and went to get a drink. Wilson was doing well
enough that he wanted to stay. And now that House was leaving the game, he
had even a better chance at scoring big.

House wanted to go over and talk to Molly, but he knew he needed an angle,
otherwise he was just one among several male drones hanging around the
queen bee. House didn't have to think too hard because Molly was coming
his way. He realized that he had placed himself directly in the path of
the women's restroom.

She smiled as she walked by House and towards the bathroom. Five minutes
passed and she emerged, lipstick freshened and walking back towards the
room and past House. He held out a Mojito and she stopped. 

"Mojito for the siren?" he asked, baiting her with not just a drink but a
sly, sensual smile.

"Ooooh Doctor House, you are evil. You know Mojitos are my Achilles Heel."
she smiled back at him with a sexy grin and took the Mojito. She paused,
smiled and then kept walking back to the table where Chase was talking to
a brunette . 

House was surprised when she walked away. But then he grinned to himself.
She was good. She knew that by walking away after that smile, he would be
forced to pursue. "Well," he thought, "The game is afoot." 

House took his cane and whiskey and made his way to a table near hers. He
was directly in her eyesight. She was flirting with several other doctors.
Molly tried to keep her attention on the plastic surgeon talking to her.
After all, he reminded her of Eric Brana, only maybe just a little bit
shorter. But in the corner of her eye she could see House staring at her
like a hunter stalking prey. He looked so handsome, so smooth like Sean
Connery in Dr. No. He was tracking her every move. It was unnerving.

She dropped all pretense of trying to pay attention to the surgeon and
excused herself to go over to House. She sat down next to him and leaned
in to give him the best view of her breasts, "Doctor House, are you
following me? Did you want something?"

"Why no, I just wanted to observe the black widow and her male suitors."

"Afraid I may mate and eat one of them?" Molly teased.

"The thought had crossed my mind. You certainly have set a lovely trap."
he said as he purposefully stared down at her breasts for emphasis.

Men staring at her had never phased Molly, so she continued to give him
the best view. She didn't want to be the first to flinch. He finally made
a funny face of exhaustion and looked away from her breasts and into her
eyes. He had never noticed that her eyes were nicely shaped, not too big,
not too small. They were gray and they were laughing at him.

"Minnie, you are an enigma, by day you are the plain, but consummate
employee; by night you are the delicious and voluptuous minx. It is
difficult to reconcile the two, especially when the minx shows up in
couture that would cost the employee two months wages. Care to help me
solve the puzzle?" He raised an eyebrow and sat back.

"A girl has to have a few pleasures. I don't spend my money on much, but I
do have a few decadent luxuries." She leaned back too.

"Clothing, perfume, makeup, it plays right into our primal need to
reproduce. Your clothing shows off the breasts and the hips, both designed
to advertise fertility. You, Minnie, have done well tonight for a woman
who is clearly at the end of the fertility spectrum. You had all the
fertile males in the room ignoring the more fertile females just to get
near you." House smiled but then he detected slight changes in her
expression and her posture. He realized immediately that he had said
something that had hurt her. He wished he could take it back.

"Well, nice to know that the gown worked." she tried to act nonchalant, "I
think I've had enough Casino night, I'm rowing in the morning. Good night
Greg." with that she got up and said good night to Chase and several
others, grabbed her coat and was out the door.

"Damn." House said under his breath, "Damn."

Chase smiled. House had struck out and no one was going home with Molly. 

 *** The next few weeks were busy and Molly avoided House except for the
occasional meetings in the office. They both refrained from the usual
verbal sparring that they had taken to an art form. It had kept the team
in stitches because Molly was as good as House at dishing the wit and
sarcasm. The team realized that something strange had happened between
House and Molly and now House was back to aiming all his sarcasm and black
humor at Chase, Foreman and Cameron. For the most part, he was ignoring
Molly and she was ignoring him. 

"I'm not sure what I said that caused her to bolt." House told Wilson at
lunch. I remarked about her being at the end of the fertility spectrum. I
guess she could either be upset because I was insinuating that she was
getting old or there is something about fertility that upsets her. She's
only 38, not exactly ready for Botox." He stopped and looked to Wilson for
feedback.

"Ok, but either way, why would you choose to say that to the most
beautiful woman in the room? Were you purposefully going for a buzz kill?"
Wilson asked.

"I was going to follow it up with something charming, but she ran."

"Well, what if she hadn't bolted, where is this going? Are you attracted
to her or just curious about her?" Wilson paused for his answer.

"Not sure. Won't know. Need more data." he said in clips to Wilson. House
really wasn't sure. He had fallen for very few women in his life. He had
screwed many, but had only given up a piece of himself to three that he
could count. One was his second cousin, Hildy. He loved her as deeply as a
teenager could. She died at the age of 17 of cancer. The second was his
girlfriend while he was in med school, but she left him to become a white
water rafting guide. The third was Stacy. 

"Well, do us all a favor, don't hunt in your own backyard unless you're
willing to clean up the blood." Wilson got up and took his tray to the
dish stacks and left it. House was still sitting, deep in thought. Wilson
shook his head in distress and went back to work.

 *** Since coming on board, Molly had handled telephone referrals and the
requests for speaking engagements while Cameron continued to answer the
mail. House did not like to do speaking engagements unless there were
perks that interested him. He went to Hawaii for one recent engagement and
as part of the package in the last engagement he was given a chauffeur and
a masseuse. Molly was good at filtering the calls. She talked to the
doctors who had referrals and accepted more than House did when Cameron
answered the phones. Most of the doctors were excited just to have Molly
McGee consider the case. In fact, if she turned the case down for House
she would still assist the doctor by phone and email until a diagnosis was
reached. This assistance had started to create a lot of good will in the
medical community, which in turn meant more referrals. House didn't
usually overrule Molly's decisions on what cases to take because he
figured that if she was curious about the case, then he was even more
curious about her curiosity. Since Molly's arrival at
Princeton-Plainsboro, the number of interesting cases had increased
substantially and even Lisa Cuddy was noticing the revenue increase in the
department.

"Molly, the CDC is on the phone in House's office." Foreman was a little
out of breath because he had run down to the lab to get her.

"Ok, can you tell them I will be there in a minute or just find out who it
is and I'll call back."

"Ok." And Foreman was off down the hall.

They had stayed on the phone. "Hello, this is Molly."

 "Hey gorgeous." Said a deep familiar male voice.

"Hey handsome." She responded.

House and Foreman looked at each other with feigned shock.

"We need your help. We're here at Princeton General and we have some kind
of African thing going on over here. Patient 0, who just spent two months
in Liberia, bled out last night. We could use your help. We thought you
might like in..."

"You're kidding! Any details?" Molly was excited and her voice reflected
it.

"Can you get here by noon? I'll give you the file when you get here." He
said.

"I'm on my way." She was looking at House and smiling. She hung up the
receiver. "That was John Rapple, the CDC is requesting my assistance at
Princeton General, they have a possible case of hemorrhagic fever. Mind if
I go boss?" She looked to House for an answer.

"Wow. I've never seen one. Can I tag along?" Chase asked.

"You have a case already, remember the mother in room 329? The one with
the symptoms we haven't figured out?" House admonished Chase. He turned
back to Molly, "Sure Minnie, we can spare you. Scoot."

Molly almost skipped out of the office. House followed her out the door.
"Minnie." He yelled down the hall at her.

Molly stopped and turned around. "Yeah?"

"Call me and let me know how it is going. Let me know if we should be
looking for it here." House said matter of factly.

She stopped and thought about it. House was one of the great
diagnosticians, if not the best, but unless you had been in Africa or
South America, the odds of having seen a hemorrhagic fever in person was
rare. "Have you ever seen a case of hemorrhagic fever?" she asked him.

"No." 

"The CDC typically don't like outsiders messing with Level 4 pathogens but
since it would be you, and if I asked, they would probably let you in."
Molly offered.

"The CDC and I don't have a lot of love between us." House answered.

"I was at the CDC when you lost their "love.'" Molly remembered the head
of infectious disease screaming down the hall about some jackass doctor
breaking all protocols on a Legionnaires disease cluster. It was House.
"But if I tell them to forgive and forget, they will. Do you want in?"

"I wouldn't mind reviewing the case and seeing the patient." He said in
his best professional voice. Molly thought it was ironic that House
actually wanted to see the patient. 

"Ok, if it turns out to be the real thing, I'll give you a call." and
Molly ran off like a kid going to Disneyland.

 ***

"God, you're a sight for sore eyes." Dr. Rapple was always happy to see
Molly. They had buddied all over Africa in search of nasty critters. Molly
and John had worked the Ebola outbreak in 2001 and if it hadn't been for
the fact that they had each other the horror of it would have been
unbearable.

"God, I missed you too." Molly hugged John. "How's Tina?"

"Just talked to her. She's excited to hear that you were going to help. I
think she loves you more than I do." John's wife, Tina, was a good friend
to Molly. She missed the two of them and didn't get to see them very
often. The last time they got together was for dinner in Washington D.C.
about a year ago when Molly came over from Barts for a conference.

Molly read the record and the lab results. "The patient's husband returned
home from Liberia two weeks ago and then presented at Urgent Care with
fever, headache and pharyngitis. It was diagnosed as influenza and he was
sent home? Didn't the word, Liberia give them a clue? Ok, let's see, then
the patient went to California for four days on business only to return
and find her husband worse with fever, headache, vomiting and bleeding
through his nose. She cleaned him up and took him to the hospital. He died
the next day. Oh great, she cleaned up his bloody nose. Now that's true
love." 

Molly looked up at John, "Have you notified the California contacts, the
airline and health departments? Tell them that if anyone presents with
fever, retrosternal pain, sore throat, back pain, cough, abdominal pain,
vomiting, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, facial swelling, proteinuria, and
mucosal bleeding they should immediately isolate and send us blood
samples." she barked orders just like the old days.

"Molly, we're already on it. You think it's Lassa, huh?" John said.

"I'm afraid so, but I have to look at it through a scope and we need to
run an ELISA. You know, while you're at it, why don't you try to culture
it. It will take about ten days, but we need a good clean culture to do
additional genetic studies to see if it has recombined or mutated. Do you
have any samples set up? "

"Yeah, just suit up and I'll take you inside."

The CDC often set up labs inside a hospital but occasionally they would
set up a Stage 4 trailer outside to insure that any lab work or critters
didn't accidently escape. Today they had a trailer.

"John, before we go any further I'd like to ask a favor. Can I bring Greg
House over to observe?" she asked very seriously but with a sweet pleading
smile.

"GREG HOUSE? WHY? Are you a masochist?" John was visibly disturbed by her
request.

"Look, he's an @ss, but he's the best. He may come in handy when the Avian
flu hits. It would be good if you guys called a truce. I'll babysit him.
He'll behave." Molly smiled again.

"From what I hear, that's a promise you can't keep. I don't think Greg
House behaves for anyone." John chastised.

"Yeah, you're probably right, but I still need for him to see this. It
will be helpful in more ways than one. It means the CDC and I both get the
thanks of the brilliant Greg House. My relationship with him has been a
little strained and I'd like for him to have a way to save face. If he has
to spend twenty-four hours with me, it means he and I have to talk." Molly
shrugged.

"Ok, but if he pulls any of his stunts he goes back to his cage."

"Aye." Molly nodded.

Molly grabbed her cell and dialed. House picked up his phone and answered
it. "Greg House."

"How's the patient in 329?" Molly asked.

"It was Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever without the spots."

"That happens. Hey, can you get over here? You'll find me in the Biosafety
trailer outside the side entrance. You'll have a badge waiting for you at
the front desk when you get here, they'll just need to take your picture."

"On my way." House was secretly thrilled. At least it would be something
new and different. 

House arrived on his motorcycle and went to the front desk where they
pulled out a Polaroid, took his photo and them laminated it onto his pass.
He followed a young woman to the trailer and was instructed to get into
the clean room gear at the front of the trailer. After getting into the
gear and going through the procedures, he walked through the negative air
screen, through a door and into the lab portion of the trailer. Molly was
talking to a man in his forties while looking at a computer screen. Molly
looked past the man and at House. She smiled warmly.

"Greg, say hello to my leeetle friends...." and she pointed for him to
take a look in the light microscope.

House walked over to the microscope and looked through. The virus he was
staring at was round and enveloped, approximately 150 nm in diameter. He
recalled the slides he had seen at one of the conferences on emerging
diseases. It looked like Lassa.

"This and the ELISA results will differentiate it from Malaria and
Streptococcal pharyngitis. Scary part is that the Patient has been on a
plane to California twice since being in contact with the original
infected patient, which was her husband. He died last night. We just
started her on Ribavirin. He bled out but she isn't bleeding yet. However,
she is showing signs of encephalitis and that's not good. I'm going to do
the genetic analysis to find out if it has mutated, recombined or is
static. But I can do that tomorrow, would you like to examine the
patient?" She asked.

"Yes, I assume she's in isolation."

"Yes. I haven't seen her yet, I've been working on the blood results and
viral identification. The husband's body is in the back of the trailer,
we'll take a look at it and then we can go see the patient." Molly
motioned for House to follow her.

"You have the body in the back?"

"It's being held for a full autopsy and to prevent contamination. Do you
want to do the autopsy with me tonight?" Molly asked.

"Before or after dinner?"

"Probably during..." They were pulling the husband's body out of the body
bag. 

House noticed the positive air flow in the back to prevent the virus from
spreading outside. The blood in the body had drained to the back of the
corpse leaving the chest and face almost opaque. He could see signs of
caked blood around the nose and sides of the mouth. Molly showed House a
rash on the inside of the arms of the corpse. "Look up his nose." House
took the scope and looked up the nose of the corpse. He could see
capillary lesions which were obviously the source of the bleeding.

After looking at the corpse, they took off the protective gear and headed
for the hospital isolation ward. Compared to Princeton-Plainsboro,
Princeton General was a typical high-volume government hospital with old
equipment and a harried staff. House left his cane outside the isolation
room so that he wouldn't have to sterilize it coming and going. 

Molly walked House through the examination of the patient. The patient was
awake and when Molly pressed on the abdomen, the patient grimaced. "She
has abdominal pain. Are you still sick to your stomach?" The patient
nodded yes. "According to her chart, she's been vomiting and has diarrhea.
Let's check the pharynx." Molly took a quick look and then let House have
a look. He could see that the mucous membranes were inflamed and she
clearly had pharyngitis and it was exudative...oozing up.

He palpitated the neck, "Her neck is swollen." House looked at her mouth
and lifted up her top lip. "Minnie, her gums are bleeding."

Molly came to attention, "Crap." She nodded for them to retreat to the
other side of the room to discuss this finding out of the patient's
hearing.

"Bleeding in the gums is not good for her prognosis. Only about 25% of the
symptomatic Lassa patients bleed and they tend to be the one that have the
highest incidence of death. We better increase the Ribaviran. I'm afraid
that she may go into shock followed by vascular collapse and death. The
shock results from platelet and endothelial dysfunction, which causes the
hemorrhaging and it allows fluid to leak into the intravascular system."
She told him.

"Are you sure this is Lassa?"

Molly shook her head yes, "Looks like the hundreds of cases I saw in West
Africa when I was there. It's pretty common down there. A lot of the
infected are asymptomatic. Did you know that the last person to die of
Lassa in the United States also died in New Jersey?"

"Yes, I remember that case. I was actually contacted, but by the time I
called the primary doctor back the CDC was already there." 

House found the disease interesting. He doubted that he would ever see
another case, but that's what made it so appealing to him. Molly was right
about dinner. By the time they had the body up and ready to do an autopsy,
it was dinner time. John knew that Molly would not stop to go get dinner
so he ordered a large beef and bean burrito for her. He poked her shoulder
and she turned to see the burrito which she grabbed from his hand and
said, "Ta."

"You're going to need fuel to keep up with Molly tonight." John offered a
second burrito to House who nodded in thanks.

"Molly, I'm not feeling well, mind if I leave you and House to do this?"
John asked.

"Not well? Are we talking Lassa symptoms here?"

"No, I was getting the flu before I left D.C. yesterday. I'll see you
tomorrow. Just be careful, I don't want to have to wash your hiney again."
he laughed.

"Ha..ha.."Molly said sarcastically as John left.

"What did he mean by that?" House asked.

"We were called into Uganda to figure out what was going on in a local
village where they told us a few people had died from Lassa. We got there
with little in the way of protection and discovered that it was more like
two dozen that had died, including the doctor and nurse. The village
hospital floor was covered in puddles of blood. It wasn't Lassa, it was
Ebloa. I contracted Ebola. Ebola Sudan to be exact."

"WHAT???" House was truly surprised. He'd never met an Ebola survivor. 

"Did you know that the Ebola virus can be passed in semen for up to 4
months?" Molly said matter of factly. "I guess that's the true meaning of
being screwed..."

"Ebola?" House continued to press. "How did it happen?"

Molly stuffed down the burrito quickly. "Did you know that 15% of the
patients that get Ebola Zaire present with hiccups?" She looked at him and
started to giggle.

He started laughing. "Ok, answer me. How did the great Minnie McGee get
Ebola?"

"You wade into a village where the blood is knee deep from your patients
and see how well you fare. We were there over ten days putting out fire
after fire in this village. Ebola was going through the village like crap
through a goose. John saved my life by demanding that I be evacuated as
soon as I got a fever but before we knew for sure that it was Ebola. He
got me back to Gulu and the CDC evacuated me. But before they evacuated me
I had diarrhea. The pilot wouldn't take me on board the helicopter until I
was cleaned up. John risked his own life by being the one to clean my
hinny. I spent five days on my back wishing I would die. I bled out of my
nose, my ears, my mouth, my butt...it wasn't pretty. I became jaundiced. I
had pulmonary interstitial edema...It took me six weeks on my back to
recover fully. It turned out to be the largest Ebola outbreak ever. There
were over 800 cases and over 50% fatalities. I am one lucky puppy...I
survived. But I probably wouldn't have if John hadn't evacuated me when he
did." 

House had listened intently. He had never done what Molly had done, gone
into the lion's den. Since he had become a doctor, he had the luxury of
being protected by modern American science in the safety of modern
American hospitals. He wondered if it would make a difference in the way
he practiced if he had been in the thick of a massive outbreak of some
virulent and deadly disease where the luxury of American medicine was not
available. 

"Why did you want to go into Africa after this disease in the first
place?" He asked her as she got up and grabbed a scalpel to begin the
autopsy.

"I was curious. I wanted to see how diseases act in the wild. I wanted to
see what a deadly disease would look like without the benefit of modern
medicine. I came away with a healthy respect for God." She saw him smirk.
"I know you don't believe in God, but you remind me of what Isaac Newton
once said. An atheist friend asked him who made the beautiful globe on his
desk. He told the friend that no one did. The friend got annoyed and told
him that someone had to have made it, it couldn't have made itself. And
Newton asked him how he had such a problem believing that someone had to
have made the globe on his desk but didn't believe that someone or
something had to have made the Universe? I have the same problem. I
watched this horrible disease sweep through these villages and towns and
the force of it was scary. I also watched families and friends take care
of their loved ones, even at great risk to themselves and sometimes ending
in their own deaths. I saw the worst of nature bring out the best in man.
Until you see that up close and personal, it doesn't have the same impact
when you just talk about it. I believe in Newton's law, there are strong
forces in this world, call them God, Gods, Spirit, the Force, whatever,
but I believe we tap into their power and, depending on what we do with
it, we are hurled on our own special path through the galaxy. I know, it
sounds cheesy, but then that's me...a cheesy, romantic doctor who gets
excited about killer diseases."

House had the good sense to keep his mouth shut. He looked at this woman
as she wielded the knife across the chest of the cadaver and he had a
desire to hold her. He shook his head and the thought went quickly away.
He stepped towards her to assist in the autopsy.

 *** The autopsy was unremarkable. It was Lassa. Molly sent tissue and
blood for a PCR. She showed House the various markers for the disease.
House began to talk about what had happened to Foreman the previous year
when Foreman almost died from exposure to a waterborne infection. Molly
found his story incredibly interesting, especially since she actually knew
Foreman.

They cleaned up and left the trailer again to go back into the hospital to
see the female patient. She was not doing well. In fact, Molly was pretty
sure that the woman would be the next morbidity statistic. She was worried
about the airplane passengers. Ebola was usually passed through bodily
fluids. Most people were infected when they cared for a patient or
attended a third world funeral of a victim. However, Ebola could be passed
by aerosol exposure and if the woman had coughed during the flight, the
plane's HVAC system would have been like a giant delivery system. Time
would tell.

She was dead on her feet. She took a look at House and he was tired too.
She grabbed his hand on an impulse and pulled him out of isolation. "You
need to go home and sleep, me too."

"You want me to go home and sleep with you?" he smiled.

"You are so funny..." she said sarcastically. But inside she thought it
would be nice to wake up in someone's arms, it had been a long time. She
wondered if she would ever find love again. Hell, right now she would be
happy to find sex. IT HAD BEEN A LONG TIME. 

 *** For several months things got back to normal. House berated Molly and
Molly dished it back as good as she got. "Watching them is like being in
the middle of a Monty Python movie." Wilson told Cuddy. "I don't think
either one of them knows how they feel about the other because they're too
busy thinking about the next comeback. I guess denial works for them."

"Well, they both have scar tissue around their hearts. He may have sent
Stacy packing, but I think he regrets it sometimes. Molly's love boat is
just as shaky. She was suppose to have been married two years ago. Her
boyfriend decided he needed one last adventure before settling down.
Instead of getting a hooker to jump out of a cake, he and a friend go to
the Himalayas and he summits Everest. On the way down his friend lost his
footing and the two of them tumbled together into a crevice. From what I
understand, both of the bodies are still up there somewhere. It's sad
because her boyfriend had a daughter from his first marriage. Molly really
wanted kids, but she's afraid she had her last chance with her boyfriend."

"Wow, now that's a tragic tale. It also explains why she was upset when
House teased her about her fertility."

"All I know is that she seems to handle House better than I do. We haven't
seen a single malpractice case from his department since she arrived. Even
Cameron isn't making as many trips into my office as usual. I can't help
but think that the other shoe is going to fall and this will all be a
dream."

"Oh, come on, stop worrying and just enjoy the House-McGee show."

Cuddy had been right. The shoe was about to fall. It started several weeks
later on a Monday morning. House turned down a case that Molly had
accepted. 

Molly pushed the office door open," What's this about? You're not going to
take the Simon case? I don't understand."

"I don't want to work with children with cancer. Cameron ends up crying,
the guys get all quiet and pouty, and I'm forced to make myself available
for tears and hugs when they walk out the front door...only to have them
die a few months later."

"Oh come on, I know about that little girl that Chase kissed. She was
terminal from the start. Sherry Simon has a chance for survival...that is
if we figure out why she has pleurisy and aphasia. I can't believe you
would turn her down because it means you have to deal with feelings."

"I said no."

"Greg, this kid is the daughter of one of my friends, hell, I changed her
diapers for God's Sake." Molly begged.

"No. That's final. And changing diapers isn't one of the factors we take
into consideration for taking cases. Besides, we have another case that
just got referred." House started handing out files to everyone.

Cameron, Chase and Foreman watched quietly while the anger registered on
Molly's face.

She tried one more time, "Let me work on the Simon case alone. I'll figure
it out and you can take the credit. Just let me call them back and tell
them we'll help their ten year old daughter. Please." 

He tilted his head to the right and scrunched his mouth, "What is it about
the word, NO' that you don't understand?" He was firm.

"Come on House, we don't need Molly on this case, we could spare her."
Cameron backed Molly. She just couldn't understand how he could turn down
a ten year old girl with cancer. 

"That's it." He slammed his cane on the glass table. They all thought it
was going to crack into a million pieces but it didn't. "Doesn't anyone in
this department respect my decisions? Look over the case I just gave you
and I'll be back after I get a cup of coffee to discuss the differential."

But as he started to leave, Molly grabbed his cane and they had a tug of
war. Chase started to come around the table to grab Molly because he was
sure she was going to kill House. House finally let go of the cane and
Molly went sailing backwards into the white board.

House was angry too. "If you don't like my decisions, there's the door."
He told Molly as she lay sprawled on the floor.

Without a single moment of hesitation she got up and looked him calmly in
the eye, "Fine, you have my two weeks notice." 

As she walked past him and towards the door he grabbed her elbow. "I don't
need two weeks, be out by the end of Friday." 

"Not a problem." and Molly quickly left the office to go cool off.

House looked down and shook his head. Maybe he had been too harsh, but he
knew from the new symptoms that the little girl was terminal. He just
didn't have the emotional energy to deal with it. Since he had a choice
between two good cases, he might as well take the one that wasn't going to
keep him up nights after he solved it. But as he looked up he could see
the disappointment in his team and their disgust. He stared back at them.
He wasn't worried about Molly, when she cooled down they'd figure a funny
way out of this stalemate. Molly would come back.

Two hours later, Cuddy appeared in his office. "I had expected you an hour
earlier, what took you so long?" House said mockingly.

"I had to find out from Cameron what happened here this morning. You ARE
going to apologize to her and let her take the case." she demanded.

"No, I am not." He made it clear that this was a control issue for him
that he had to win. Cuddy was boiling.

"Alright, we'll play the game your way. Assign Molly to Wilson's
department for the purpose of a consult. Wilson will be the doctor of
record, you won't have to get involved with the cancer girl and maybe we
can save Molly's Fellowship." She was firm herself.

"Fine, Wilson can have Dr McGee. But if he takes her, it's got to be on a
three month rotation, just like a real rotation in this hospital." House
pierced her with his eyes.

"Ok, that can be worked out." Cuddy left to go find Molly.

But it wasn't worked out. Molly had crossed the Rubicon. She was so angry
at House that it physically hurt inside when she saw him. He was shocked
when Cuddy came back and told him she couldn't convince her to stay.

"You've got to talk to her. You have to apologize."

"I....don't think so." House nodded no.

"Yes you will or you'll be the one leaving Friday." Cuddy threatened.

"Tenure." He smiled.

"Screw you." and Cuddy walked out.

On Wednesday, House and Chase had switched clinic hours because House
wanted the afternoon off to go buy tickets to the jazz concert. The
tickets weren't being sold online for another day so if he wanted really
good seats he had to go this afternoon and buy them in person.

House was tired of the mind-numbing clinic patients and sat down a minute
to fill out a chart. He started thinking about Molly and how she hadn't
given an inch about leaving. He wished he could go back to Monday and do a
better job of explaining why he was turning down the case, but the fact
that she had mutinied along with Cameron had really ticked him off. After
thinking it through, he had called the doctor on Tuesday afternoon to tell
him they would take the case. But Molly had arranged for the girl to be
transferred to another diagnostician in Dallas. The knot could not be
untied.

House opened the door and there was Molly sitting on the edge of the
examining bed. "I thought Chase had clinic hours." she said quizzically. 

"We swapped." he said calmly. "Why are you here?" 

"Vaccinations. Hep A and B, Meningococcal, Rabies, Typhoid, Yellow Fever,
Measles and Tetanus." She said with authority.

"You're going to Africa?"

She didn't say a word but shook her head yes and rolled up her sleeve. He
went to the door and called the nurse to bring him the vaccines. He turned
around and for a few moments, everything was quiet in the room.

He was wondering what it would be like to make love to Molly McGee. Was
she serious in bed? Playful? A screamer? Quiet? This wasn't the first time
that he had thought about sex with her. But then he thought about sex with
just about every single female he can into contact with. But his thoughts
about Molly were different. He actually wondered what would satisfy her in
bed. 

"Vacation?" he asked her.

"CDC. Democratic Republic of Congo. Suspicious outbreak, possibly Ebola."
she told him.

His heart sank. Not only was she really leaving but she was going into a
country that had recently lost 3.5 million people to civil war, the
majority being women and children. Millions more had been displaced by the
conflict. Outsiders were fair game to the guerillas. Outsiders were often
kidnaped and ransomed, or just killed for shock value.

"Molly, you can't do this. If you were hurt, Cuddy and the Team would
blame me. Stay and finish your Fellowship." He said solemnly. 

He had called her Molly and this almost made her cry, "Can't, my face is
already on the tea towels." she said, a reference to Princess Diana's
pre-marital indecision about going through with the wedding to Prince
Charles. "Don't worry, I've arranged for the hospital and your department
to still get their funds." She could tell that this reference to money had
stung him deeply. He shook his head sadly and started loading up the
vaccines. They were quiet.

"Do you need Mefloquine?" He broke the silence.

"No, they'll supply that. They just thought it would be good for me to get
a jump on my vaccinations as soon as possible." 

"When do you leave?' House was finishing up the shots.

"One week from today." She rolled down her sleeve and their eyes made
contact. "I heard that you called back and agreed to take Sherry's case.
It's ok, I got Rhine down in Dallas to take the case."

He barely nodded his head yes and she gave him a brief smile.

 You're done." House threw away the syringes in the biohazard waste can.

"Thanks." she said as she walked out of the clinic. Molly felt sad, she
wanted to go home and sit in a tub for awhile and sulk. 

Thursday afternoon House left work around 3:30 p.m. The team had planned a
little going away party for Molly at 4:00 p.m. and House didn't think it
would be appropriate for him to be around. 

"We all went in on this, even House. AND this I made for you." Cameron
handed her one small package and one larger one." Molly was grateful and
teary when she opened the small box and discovered an IPOD. The gift
Cameron had made was a scrapbook with photos. The scrap book had pictures
of her with some of the patients, with the Team, of the trip on the
sailboat and her with House. It was very sweet. There was one picture of
just her and House on the sailboat. House had his hand playfully on the
top of her head and they were both smiling into the camera. They both
looked like they were having fun. It was her favorite.

On Friday Molly was frantic to finish all the paperwork including the
charts, follow ups and human resource paperwork. At 6:00 p.m. House came
into the Team's office. He was in his leather jacket and ready to go home.
The rest of the Team had left an hour ago. 

"Good luck." he said without inflection.

"Thanks."

"Let us know how you are getting along." he looked down at her and nodded
goodbye.

"Sure, I have the email address, I'll keep in touch."

He left and her heart sank. She was quiet and then she started to cry a
little. She wondered what had happened and how much of it was her fault?
He had been wrong to turn down Sherry, but then he turned around and
agreed to take the case. What was that about? 

Usually they enjoyed working together and he had even been nice to her
when the Team wasn't around. They actually had real conversations about
their lives and work when it was just the two of them working together.
But then he would pull something like he did this week and she wanted to
get as far away from him as possible. He was impossible sometimes. Still
she thought they had definitely grown closer over the last few months.
Nonetheless, she still wasn't sure what her relationship was with
him..Svengali? Friend? Mentor? Peers? Colleagues? Employer/Employee?
Student/Teacher? Caretaker? Maybe once she was gone she could be objective
about it.

She was winding down her work when she saw the JAMA on his desk and it
reminded her of the article. They had been so busy she forgot about it.
She rummaged through his desk and found it. It was the article she had
written. She was waiting for House to sign as a co-author so they could
send it in to be published. It was the best case that the Team had handled
while she was there. It would elevate House to another level among his
peers. He didn't care whether it got published or not, but Molly knew it
would blow the minds of even the most adamant HOUSE-hating doctors out
there. Cuddy had been ecstatic when she discovered that Molly was writing
it up. It would probably translate into substantial revenues for the
department. But House hadn't gotten around to signing it.

She grabbed the article and then scoured the office for anything that had
House's home address on it. She found an old parking ticket notice and saw
the address. She couldn't believe that he lived at 221B...was this a joke?
Obviously not, because she found a second bill with the same address. Only
House would have the same numerical address as Sherlock Holmes.

She looked at her watch, it was 8:15 p.m. She doubted he would be home,
but if he was she might be able to play on his guilt to get him to sign it
for her. She headed home to clean up a little before going over.

House wasn't feeling like going out so he called Wilson around 7:00 p.m.
and cancelled their plans to go to the first night of the cartoon
festival. Wilson wasn't surprised, House had been pouting all week. House
changed into some flannel lounge pants, grabbed his bottle of Lagavulin
single malt whiskey and poured his first of several drinks. At 9:50 p.m.
there was a polite knock on the door.

"Damn." he said to himself. He just wanted to be alone.

He got up and opened the door. There stood Molly McGee holding a large
brown envelope. She had on a peasant skirt, blouse and jacket. It even
looked like Molly was wearing mascara and lip gloss. 

He opened the door wider to let her in. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a favor to ask. Sign this for me." She handed him the envelope and
then wandered over to the baby grand piano. She sat on the bench and
waited for his cue.

House put down his drink and reached into the envelope. He pulled out a
medical article that he had seen floating on his desk and then inside his
desk for weeks. "I haven't read it yet."

Molly was starting to pick out tunes on the piano with one hand, "You
don't have to, it's the Angus case and it's well written because I wrote
it. All you have to do is sign it."

House reached for a pen and signed the first cover sheet and the last
page. He initialed the rest. He then walked quickly over to the piano and
slammed the cover down, barely missing Molly's fingers.

Molly jumped up in shock only to find herself less than six inches from
House's chest. Those blue eyes looked down into her eyes, "Unless you can
play with two hands, keep your paws off." 

Molly looked up, gave him a sweet sensual smile and played the double
entendre. She put both hands on his chest and said, "Oh, I can play with
two hands."

House grabbed her and pulled back her head by her hair to kiss her. The
kiss was deep, long and with just enough tongue. Molly felt something
sexual rise inside from her groin to her lips. House was moving quickly.
His long fingers found the hem of her shirt and he slipped both hands
underneath and up her back. In less than a heartbeat he had the bra
unsnapped and his right hand had come around to the front to cup her left
breast. He grabbed her hand and lead her into his bedroom.

After hours of sex, they were both drenched in sweat and exhausted. House
sat up on his elbows and looked down Molly's naked body. "I haven't gone
blind since I was a teenager." He chuckled. " God that was "a howling
success." he said in a phony British accent. He laid back down and then
sat back up. "Molly, we skipped right over the, "are you using birth
control" conversation. Are you?" He asked rather sheepishly.

"No. I haven't used birth control in three years. My boyfriend and I had
been trying to have a kid, but after a year of trying nothing happened. We
were going to go for testing but he died. It probably wasn't him because
he had a daughter from his first wife. My gynecologist told me that at my
age it was not only harder to get pregnant, but sometimes impossible. My
eggs might be too old or too lazy. I was angry for awhile. You know, women
have been sold the idea that you can have kids well into your forties and
I was only 36 at the time. My gynecologist told me that, yeah, you can
have kids in your late thirties, but many women need medical help to do it
and lots of money to pay for it." she gave him a sad smile.

"That explains the Casino Night retreat." he stroked her shoulder and then
down her perfect breast. He just wanted to touch her tonight, every inch
of her body, every freckle, every mole, every rise and fall. It was like
he had been dying of thirst and then offered a whole Sparkletts truck of
water. 

"Yes, I have thin skin when it comes to my "fertility.'" She told him and
then slid closer to him. They held each other for several minutes before
Molly asked him, "Do you usually use protection?"

"Yeah, I usually have an "overcoat" ready to put on at the sign of rain.
Tonight just goes to show that you can lecture until you are blue but
sometimes that primal urge to mate just shuts down all logical thinking.
But then, I think it also depends on who you are trying to screw. If you
had been a hooker I would have definitely had on the old french letters." 

"I guess I should feel flattered that you thought I would be free of
disease. By the way, is it true that you hire hookers?"

House wasn't sure how to handle the question. The truth was that he hired
hookers on occasion when he just needed a sexual release and didn't want
to have to do any emotional work for it. But that sounded pretty callous.
Still he didn't want to lie to Molly. "Yes, they don't need a lot of small
talk."

Molly laughed. "Oh, I understand that. Sometimes the beauty of a one night
stand is that you don't have to worry if they are going to call you. Molly
lifted up the sheet that covered them from the waist down. She reached
over and stroked the scar on House's right leg. Then she lowered her head
down and kissed the scar lightly. Her kisses traveled up his thigh to his
pelvis, up the hip and then she lifted her head up to kiss his mouth. He
stroked her back as he pulled her tightly to his chest. She reached up and
stroked his beard.

"This beard needs to be just slightly longer if you plan to do what you
did again. I enjoyed most of it, but that beard was just a little bit
scratchy in the sensitive areas. However, there is something about the
mixture of pain and pleasure....perhaps, I shouldn't gripe."

"Well, I have to admit, you are not the first to complain." He raised his
eyebrows.

"Oh, now I'm curious, who's been sleeping in your bed Papa Bear?"

"I'd have to kill you if I told you. At least, I would have to kill you
before you killed me." He chuckled.

"Thirsty?" Molly asked.

"Yeah. By the way, that move with the ice cube was intriguing. It
certainly combines the Yin with the Yang." He said. 

"Oh, stick around little boy, I have more special moves. Have you ever
gone through the positions in the Kama Sutra? Definitely makes life more
interesting. Unfortunately, there are some in there that I just can't do
anymore...not as limber as I use to be." Molly jumped up to go get some
water.

"You seemed pretty limber tonight." He paused, "Molly, don't go to Africa.
Stay...let's enjoy this....well, whatever this is between us." House said.

"Cat got your tongue? Can't quite say the word relationship or courtship
or something with a ship in it?" She mocked him.

"Ok, I'd like you to stay and work on this relationship. Satisfied?"

She turned and gave him a sweetly sad look. "I'm sorry but I've made a
commitment to the CDC for the next six months. Maybe when I get back you
might let me finish out my Fellowship."

"I don't know, it takes a lot to convince me to do something." He wiggled
his eyebrows in a suggestive way. 

"Ooooh. Let me get that drink of water and maybe we can work on convincing
you."

She walked naked through the apartment as if she owned it. She was
comfortable with her body. He loved her body. Granted, Victoria's Secret
wasn't going to sign her up for their Angel line, but he wouldn't have
changed any of it. Her body was soft, womanly and round where it should be
round. When he grabbed her to position himself, there was something to
hold on to and a soft landing. It wasn't hard, boney or angular like some
of the "hard bodies" he had bedded. Yet she was thin and she had definite
signs of having worked out. Her muscles were developed but feminine. He
loved the way that her body gave to his when they had sex. He also liked
the confidence she had - strutting through the apartment naked with an air
of "look at me' She knew he was looking at her and she liked it and he
liked that she liked it. 

She came back with two glasses of water. "What the hell is it with all
that peanut butter? Do you eat or buy anything else? I didn't even see any
jam or jelly."

"Ran out last week." He pulled her back down on the bed.

"No, before you ravish me again I want you to play the piano for me." She
demanded.

House kept stroking her body but Molly jumped up, put on her panties and
picked up the T-shirt House had been wearing and put it on. She crossed
her arms and then crooked her finger at him. House knew it was fruitless
to try and get her back in bed, so he stood up, slipped on his boxers and
grabbed his cane. 

Once seated on the Baby Grand he asked her, "What do you want me to play?"

"Rachmaninoff's 18th Variation on Rhapsody on a Theme from Paganini." she
said.

"You're joking, that's pretty cheesy." House grimaced. 

"I LOVE IT, do you know it or not?" She demanded.

House started playing it for her. "If you tell ANYONE that I know this by
heart I WILL kill you."

"Keep playing lover boy."

He played so well that Molly choked up at the cheesy, romantic part. She
wondered if he had ever played professionally? A good question to ask
later. He played several more pieces, some she knew and some that she
didn't know. He looked content and relaxed while playing. 

"Do you play any instruments?" he asked while he played her Coldplay's
"Clocks."

"I play guitar and sing a little." she said.

"Well go pick a guitar off the wall and play me a song." He nodded behind
him at the numerous guitars, banjos and mandolins that were hung up and
down the wall. She picked out a smaller, beat up acoustical guitar and
began tuning it. He smiled at her while he continued to play. "That was my
first guitar, given to me by my parents when I was twelve."

"Sweet. I don't need anything fancy. I like a guitar that's worn in... she
said.

"You've found the right one then. Give us a song." He turned around from
the piano bench and watched her. He started to notice little things about
her that he hadn't before. She had a laugh that attracted your attention,
but not in a bad way. It was the type that made you want to know why she
was laughing. She also had a way of tilting her head just slightly if she
didn't quite believe what you were saying. She was funny and witty and
well read. And sex with her was, and he thought hard about this, simply
the best sex he had ever had.

Molly grabbed the guitar, "How about an old English Ballad?" Molly started
playing. She played for him.

When I was apprenticed in London I went to see my dear The candles all
were burning The moon shone bright and clear. I knocked upon her window To
ease her of her pain She rose up to let me in Then barred the door again.

I like your well behaviour And this I often say I cannot rest contented
When I am far away. The roads they are so muddy We cannot walk about So
roll me in your arms my love And blow the candles out.

Your father and your mother In yonder room do lie A-hugging one another So
why not you and I? A-hugging one another Without a fear or doubt So roll
me in your arms my love And blow the candles out.

I prithee speak more softly Of what we have to do Lest that our noise of
talking Should make our pleasure rue. The streets they are so nigh, love
The people walk about They may peep in and spy, love So blow the candles
out.

And if we prove successful, love Please name it after me. Treat it neat
and kiss it sweet And daff it on your knee. When my three years are over
My time it will be out And I will pay my debt to you By blowing the
candles out.

"Am I suppose to read something into that song?" He asked. "I didn't know
you had such a pretty voice. It's actually very pleasant to listen to..." 

"Man, you will say anything to get laid." she grinned.

"No, I'll DO anything to get laid. But the truth is that you have a lovely
voice." and with that he reached out, grabbed her and pulled her to him.
He kissed her very gently on her lips. "Now can we go back to bed?" 

"Ohhhh, alright. But first I need food."

He limped into his kitchen without his cane and picked a menu off the
refrigerator. "I'm ordering a pizza. What do you want on it?"

"Ooooo, I want mushrooms, sausage, pineapple and pepperoni."

 *** When the sun came up House woke to find that Molly was naked and
tucked safely in his arms. His left arm was tingling from her laying on
it. He thought about all the time they had wasted. He also thought about
her leaving in a few weeks. Would she want to come back? Why was it that
he stayed and the women he cared about left? He studied her face. He
wanted to memorize it so that when she was gone he could play back this
night in his head. He wanted to remember each detail. He leaned over,
pulled back the hair from her cheek and kissed it. She woke up.

"Ahhh, just let me get a few more minutes." She whined.

"Ok, but I need my arm back. Can you please give a guy back his arm?
Wilson is going to be here in a few minutes and I need a shower"

Molly bolted upright. "Wilson? What's he coming over for?"

"A threesome...We're driving down to Philadelphia for the car show."

"Man...you're already abandoning me for your buddies." she pretended to
pout.

"Hey, when we bought these tickets I didn't know that there was a you to
abandon. I'll be back sometime tonight, I'll call you when I get in." He
said.

"Oh, so you can make a booty call?"

"Hell yes. Is there any other reason?" House grinned widely.

"No, except maybe my charming company. My inner beauty. This cosmic
connection between us."

"Whoa, You do need more sleep."

"No, I'm up now. You better get you're @ss in the shower before I beat you
to the punch." Molly got up.

"What's wrong with taking one together, it's small enough." he wiggled his
eyebrows up and down to suggest some nookie.

"Boy, you really know how to entice a woman. Come on big boy, shower sex
is my specialty."

House had to agree, shower sex was pretty damn phenomenal with Molly. He
toweled off and then turned to her, "Why don't you come with us."

"No, I have to pack and start putting things in storage. My friend is
going to lease my house furnished, but she doesn't want to stare at my
family photos, clothing and other personal crap." Molly kissed House on
the cheek.

The reminder of Molly's departure was depressing to House and his
enthusiasm for the day at the car show quickly diminished. Still, he put
on some Levis, a clean T-shirt and his new Nikes. Molly was quicker than
him. She already had her skirt and blouse on and was picking up her purse
to go. She grabbed House's dirty t-shirt and stuffed it in her purse.

"What are you doing with that, it's dirty?"

"It's mine now. It has your smell on it. I'm taking it to Africa with me.
It should keep the mosquitoes away, don't you think?" She blew him a kiss
and disappeared out the door. Molly really did want something with his
smell on it. His body odor was masculine but not pungent and something
primal stirred in her when she smelled it. It would be one of the first
things she would pack for her trip to Africa. 

House gave a quick shrug and thought, "Women are strange creatures."

When Wilson showed up he took one look at House and knew something was up,
"You look like you've been ridden hard and put away wet."

"Well, in a manner of speaking, I kinda have." House replied as they got
into the car.

"Hooker?"

"Molly."

"Golly Batman, what a cunning plan. Get her to quit and then screw her.
You are good. You figured out how to screw a woman coming and going."
Wilson said. He was a little annoyed with House. Molly was about to go to
an incredibly dangerous area because House had been a jerk and now House
starts something with her that he can't finish. "Why are you doing this?"

"I know you think I plan everything out, but I don't. This really did
"just happen." House shrugged.

"Poor Molly." Wilson said shaking his head.

"Poor Molly? I'm the one who is going to be here wondering whether she is
ok and feeling guilty for causing her to leave. Come on, give me some
TLC."

"House, you don't feel guilty about anything." Wilson admonished.

"I do about this." House said solemnly.

They drove to Philadelphia, saw the car show, had a late lunch and then
returned to New Jersey. The car show in Philadelphia was a favorite of
theirs, it was huge and had all the latest models and some prototypes. It
had turned out to be a good day after all.

 *** House had never been in Molly's house. It was a three story townhouse
with a basement. When he entered the house he could see a small bathroom
at the far end of the hall. There was a staircase on the right leading up.
To his immediate left was a room that Molly was using as an office. House
was curious and stuck his head in the door. The office had built-in
bookshelves on three of the walls that were packed with papers and books.
Down the hall to the left was an incredibly large living room with several
areas for conversation, a large fireplace and a corner of built-in book
shelves that were brimming with books. The ceiling was very high so the
books looked like they reached to the heavens. An LCD television hung on
the wall to the left. This house couldn't have been cheap.

"How was the car show? Are you hungry?" Molly took his jacket and helmet
and put them in the hall closet.

"The show was better than last year and yes, I'm hungry. I haven't eaten
since lunch."

Molly looked at the hall clock, it was 9:00 p.m. "Come downstairs and I'll
fix you something." 

They went downstairs to the basement which had been turned into a modern
kitchen, adjacent dining area and separate laundry room. French doors lead
out to a long, narrow garden and patio in the back. Molly rummaged through
the refrigerator and freezer. She gave House a cutting board, an onion and
a knife. "Chop." She insisted.

She fixed him a stir fry with rice and it hit the spot. They had talked
while he sat at the counter chopping various vegetables for her. They
talked like they had been together for a long time. Molly felt a certain
urgency, like she had to find out as much as she could about House before
she left, just in case. House felt the same urgency and it bothered him,
no, it scared him.

"Did you bring an overcoat? I see rain in the forecast and I'm probably
going to start ovulating soon. Don't know if we need protection
considering my history, but we better not take any chances. I can't
imagine having a mini-House running around causing havoc." She gave a
pretend shutter.

"Have you been talking to my mother?"

"Ok, you stack the dishes in the dishwasher and I'll clean the stove and
counters."

They started the climb to her bedroom which was on the second floor or two
flight up from the basement. Molly was acutely aware that all the floors
on this house would prove a challenge to House and his leg. He had popped
some Vicodin during dinner, indicating that the long day at the car show
and car ride was taking a toll.

The second floor contained the master bedroom, ensuite bathroom, a second
generous bedroom and a hall bathroom. House wondered what was on the upper
floor and if she was going to make him climb up the stairs.

Molly seemed to pick up on his concern and said, "I'm not going to give
you the Cook's tour yet, so relax."

The lovemaking was neither wild nor sedate but satisfying for both of
them. They were both tired and wanted a good night's sleep. When they woke
up on Sunday, Molly made breakfast and brought it to House in bed. Rather
than be happy and enjoy it all, House was getting melancholy, knowing that
Molly would soon be gone.

"What's going on in that head of yours." Molly asked. "I feel like I just
entered a funeral parlor."

"Nothing, just thinking." He said.

"I know." She stroked his cheek, "But we have four days left. Let's enjoy
it."

"I think I better call Cuddy and let her know I won't be in this week."

"That would be great." Molly had been hoping that he would take the time
off to be with her.

Cuddy was delighted with these new developments. If House and McGee were
in a relationship it might mean that McGee would return to finish her
Fellowship and keep a lid on House. Cuddy gave him the time off.

 ***

The four days went by quickly and both of them were acutely aware of the
clock ticking down. On their last night they decided to stay in and spend
the time with just the two of them. They grabbed a bottle of champagne and
made their way to the Master bathroom and the Jacuzzi tub. House was
leaning back in the hot circulating water when Molly got in, sat between
his legs and leaned back on his chest. 

Out of the blue House said, "I didn't take the Sherry Simon case because
she had the same cancer that my cousin died of. I just didn't want to be
reminded of it."

Molly felt horrible. Why hadn't he said this when she was insisting he
take the case? She wouldn't be going to Africa. "You're cousin died of it?
Tell me about him."

"It was a her.' Elizabeth Thompson. She was actually the daughter of my
first cousin. We spent a lot of time growing up together. She gave me my
first french kiss, taught me the Tango, told me what it was like when she
got her period and, in general, was my friend, my first love and
confidante. We really enjoyed each other. She was 13 when she got sick,
she died when she was 17. I felt powerless. I didn't want to feel
powerless again so I decided to become a doctor." 

"You fell in love with your cousin? Where were you guys from, Arkansas?"

"My second cousin..." he corrected her, "...and even then she was my half
-second cousin because her mom and my mom were half sisters."

"Wow, that's getting complicated, but I understand. I had a huge crush on
my cousin Billy. Actually, I still do. So, why did you wait until now to
tell me?"

"I've been feeling like crap because I didn't explain it to you that day
you quit. I was flexing my power muscles ... you know, like when you ask
your parents why you can't do something and they say, Because I say so.
That's why.' I didn't think I had to give any reasons, it was my
department. But, I'm sorry...I'm really sorry." He put his arms around
her, pulling her deeper into his chest, like he didn't want to let go.

"Oh, bugger all. I'm an optimist. It will work out in the end. We probably
wouldn't be here in this bathtub if you hadn't fired me." She rubbed his
leg affectionately and they settled back to enjoy the champagne.

Everything they did that night caused both of them pangs of sadness.
Knowing that it would all end the next morning was hard to deal with so
they both worked hard to keep it out of their thoughts.

They made love early in the morning and when they were done they held on
to each other without saying a word. Molly knew that if she tried to say
anything she would start crying. Eventually she got up, took the clean
underwear she had laid out and went in to shower. That's when she started
crying, she sobbed in the shower, hoping the water would drown out the
sounds. 

House knew she was crying and he was biting his lip to keep from doing it
himself. He could still smell her on him and the pillow next to him. Now
he understood why she wanted the T-shirt. He almost took her pillowcase as
a souvenir but thought that would be soppish.

When she came out, she stripped the bed and put the linens in the washer
with a note to her friend to dry them. House took his shower while Molly
shut the drapes and began the process of leaving. House was going to drive
Molly to the airport and he would keep her car until she got home. They
had to be at the airport two hours before takeoff just to get through
security, so they left as soon as House was dressed.

It was every bit as painful as they had imagined it would be. Despite all
the hugging, kissing and Molly's tears, neither would admit that they
loved each other. It would be too much to bear if they did.

Molly's plane left for Washington D.C. where she would be briefed before
actually leaving to go to Africa the next day. House was driving past the
airport when he saw the plane fly over. He felt numb.

 ***

The computer image wasn't as clear as it had been the time before. But the
satellite link between Kinshasa and Princeton was usually pretty good.
House and Cameron were staring into the screen when Molly's face came up.
The delay between the conversations was annoying, but the connection was
better than nothing. Molly had been in Africa for five weeks.

"CAMERON!!!" Molly was ecstatic to see her sitting next to House. "It's
good to see you, how's Matthew?"

"I'm fine and so is Matthew. The question is, "How are you and what have
you been up to?" Cameron was smiling brightly.

"I'm fine. We'll be going out into the villages on the east side at the
end of the week. So far we have been handling the disease here in town.
It's definitely Ebola Zaire. We're looking for patient 0. Unfortunately,
there's something new in the genetic code of this strain. If it is really
novel they may give it a different subgenus...maybe Ebola McGee." She said
jokingly.

"Not funny." House commented.

"Oh, lighten up...I'm ok." Molly frowned.

"Remember, just because you got Ebola once doesn't mean you're immune."
House cautioned.

"Yes, mother. Cameron, you're more fun to talk to...how are Chase and
Foreman? Are they still bickering over that football bet?" 

"No, they're on to who's hotter, Jennifer Beal or Amanda Peat. But they're
fine. Chase has a girlfriend but he won't let us meet her. I think she
must be either a figment of his imagination or she's coyote ugly." Cameron
started laughing.

"Jesus, don't those boys have anything better to do? Greg, don't you have
any cases to give them?" Molly smiled. House looked tired and worried. He
also looked good enough to eat.

"We've had several. I can't help it if they're morons. What are your
precautions like over there, do you need any gowns, gloves,
respirators..." His voice trailed off.

Molly was laughing, he was like an old hen, "For God's sake Greg, we're
not in the stone ages. The CDC sent us in full battle gear. How's Wilson
and Cuddy?" She was saving her personal questions about him for later in
the hopes that Cameron would excuse herself.

Cameron chimed in, "Cuddy is pregnant and Wilson is the Daddy."

"You're pulling my leg."

"It's true. She's been taking IVF treatments. Did you know that House here
administered the shots?" She's almost four months along...I just thought
she was putting on some weight. She's so petite that she started showing a
month ago. Well, I know you want some time alone, anything we can send
you?"

"Chocolate. No, seriously I don't need anything right now. But why
Wilson?"

"He has good genes." House said seriously.

"I'm going to go and let you two catch up." Cameron patted House on the
shoulder.

 It was good talking to you Cameron, give that boyfriend of yours a wet
kiss for me." Molly waved at the web cam.

"I will and you take care too, we miss you." Cameron waved back and then
left.

"You gave Cuddy hormone shots?" Molly was surprised.

"You know me, any chance to see a nice @ss. Yeah for over a year now.
That's why I've laid low the past twelve months, I didn't want to be in
her aim. " His voice became gentle, "How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm enjoying being with my buddies, and it's always interesting being
in Africa, but I miss you, and most of all, I miss my bed."

"Well, I see I come second."

"Hey, if you had to sleep on these cots, you'd put me, Wilson and your
whole family in second place. Before I forget, I can do another link up
the day after tomorrow but then it will be awhile before I can do it
again. We won't be close enough to a satellite connection. I sent you a
package so look for it in the mail."

"Any problems with the guerillas." House asked.

"That's funny, considering I'm in the Congo. I assume you mean guerillas
and not gorillas. I haven't had any problems with either, yet. We have
heard that there are some problems about 20 klicks from here. One of the
supply trucks was ambushed but the escort team scared them off." Molly
could see his face darken when she mentioned the ambush. He popped some
Vicodin. Well, then, she certainly wasn't going to tell him about the
missionary hospital that was attacked and burned down. She was going there
next week. "But I sit her on my butt looking through microscopes and
running tests. Sometimes I actually get to be a doctor and go to the
clinics to monitor what's coming through the door. Have you checked into
that new physical therapy we talked about?"

"I really haven't had time. We've had three cases and they overlapped each
other. It has been a rough two weeks. I did manage to take care of that
parking ticket."

"Well, there's some progress. Greg, I have to go. I only get so much time
on this and then they start giving me the finger. I miss you." She wanted
to tell him she loved him, but she knew it would only make things between
them strained and make him feel worse. "Try to be good and please check
into that therapy, it really sounds promising."

"I miss you too and I'll try. Don't forget to duck. From what I read on
the web it makes me really uneasy about you being there. Bye."

She blew him a kiss and then hit the clicker to end the transmission. She
sat for a minute trying not to cry. The tears rolled anyway. She got up
and John Rapple saw her. 

"Awww, poor baby." He held her tight like a big brother. "I cannot believe
that you are crying over Gregory House. Are you insane?" 

She shook her head yes as she continued to cry.

"Well maybe six months away from him will help give you some objectivity
about who you are in bed with."

She continued to cry and shook her head no. He just laughed.

 *** The package arrived the next day at his apartment but he didn't have
time to open it. He was very late for work and had just had an emergency
call. He took the package with him. It sat around on the credenza behind
his desk for most of the day. Late in the afternoon Wilson walked in and
noticed the package.

"What's that, sex toys?" He asked.

"Oh, crap, I forgot all about it. Molly sent it." He began to tear it
open. Inside was a small box. He opened it and there was a small wand with
two blue lines across it. He wasn't quite sure what he was looking at and
then it hit. It hit Wilson at the same time.

"Holy Shi*!" House yelled. 

Wilson started laughing like he had never laughed before.
"Congratulations, Daddy."

 ***

If you want the next installment, please leave me a message. Otherwise
I'll do something else. Thanks.

 *** Wilson poured House into the car and then into his bed. House was
moaning all night long about women and how sneaky they were. 

"May I remind you House, you said you initiated sex with Molly...so where
was your protection?" Something slurred and indiscernible came out of
House's mouth but Wilson just ignored him. He didn't envy having House's
head tomorrow. He was going to be in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain. Wilson
smiled, he deserved it.

House woke up, dragged himself into the kitchen and grabbed some Naprosyn
and Vicodin. He was pretty hung over. He flopped onto the couch and stared
at the ceiling. What was he going to do? Greg House was not Daddy
material.

Molly's smiling face came up on the computer the next day. She saw his
image at the same time. She could tell already what the answer would be.
House was pale and stern. He was not pleased. 

"Was that your idea of being cute? Notifying me that way? It wasn't funny
and I didn't appreciate finding out that way." He lambasted her.

"I'm sorry, I was chicken. I wanted you to have time to digest it before
we talked. I wanted you to be able to give me your thoughts without having
to say, I need to think about it.' I admit it was poor judgment on my
part. You deserved to hear it from me."

" We used protection when you said you were ovulating. What happened?"

"Oh God, Greg, who cares? I must have miscalculated. But even so, if you
recall, the first time we had sex you didn't stop to find a rubber, so
what does it matter?" She was getting upset too. She could see this
conversation wasn't going to end well. She took a breath, "Hey, it
happened, we can't go back. I still want to know what you think. No matter
what, if I have the baby I won't ask you for a dime or ask you to be
involved. " 

"What I think is that we have two options, either you have the baby or you
abort it." House hated not having control. The control was all in Molly's
hands and he knew that she wanted to have a baby. This wasn't going to go
his way. "Molly, I won't lie, I have never wanted children. I'm not cut
out for the diaper changing, life altering, hair pulling world of
parenthood."

"So Greg, what are you saying?" she bit her lip as it started to quiver.
She could feel it coming, she braced herself. 

He knew this was it, this was going to be a deal breaker. But he wanted to
be honest with her. Even though there was a delay in the communication, he
had to look away to say it. He couldn't bear the pain he knew he was going
to cause her. He didn't want to see it register in her eyes. "I want you
to have an abortion." He looked up and saw her frozen on the screen.

"Coward." and she hit the button to end the conversation. She got up and
started shaking. She left the building and ran into John.

"We're moving out tomorrow. Molly? Did you hear me?" He knew she had been
on the satellite link with House. Something was up.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll be ready." She walked away briskly.

She was angry. Well, House must have shown his true colors. John went to
prepare the trucks.

The next day they were to move out towards Kindu and then Masisi. It was
going to be a very long ride, taking several days. They had received
notice that Kindu, Masisi and neighboring villages were experiencing a
massive outbreak of Ebola. John and Molly were being mobilized to take
supplies to the towns and access the situation. 

"John, we should travel in separate trucks. It's our best way to make sure
that the supplies get through. If one of the trucks breaks down or God
forbid, it taken, maybe the other can get through." Molly suggested.

"No,no,no,noooo." John was shaking his head, "Molly I want you to stay
with me. We need to stick together just in case we do get taken."

"That makes no sense and you know it. The only real chance we have if the
rebels get us is for one of us to get away. Come on, you know I'm right.
We have to travel royally." It was a reference to the fact that the Queen
did not travel in the same plane as Prince Charles...just in case.

They argued for another ten minutes but John knew she was right. In the
end they separated. They were going to keep in contact through walkie
talkies. Molly had the GPS in her truck since it was going to lead the
way. 

The villages were small with little chance of stopping for sustenance or a
stretch. The road was killing Molly's back. She hated this part of her
job, the days of bone- crunching, butt-bouncing travel. 

They had an escort from the Movement for the Liberation of Congo through
the western and central part of the country and then there was suppose to
be a handoff to the Rally for Congolese Democracy as they moved into the
Tutsi controlled areas of the country. In the meantime, there were over
200 rebel groups within the country roaming around like gangs. It was
these groups they were worried about. Both the MLC and the RCD both wanted
the CDC there. The Ebola outbreak was spreading rapidly because the Congo
had a high percentage of people compromised by HIV. It took very little to
infect them. The disease was starting to get a foothold in the army camps
and the two factions were losing their soldiers. Molly and John were not
sure what to expect, 40 per cent of the health infrastructure has been
destroyed in Masisi, North Kivu during the civil war. This would mean that
their support structure would be extremely compromised.

Her nurse, a young man named Joseph Kabila, was also her interpreter. He
spoke both Swahili, Lingala and the national language, French.
Unfortunately there were over 100 other dialects spoken in the country.
Usually, some form of French would fill in the gaps. Unfortunately, Molly
did not speak French although she did speak Italian, Spanish and Arabic.
John spoke French and he had his own nurse/interpreter with him. 

Joseph's wife and children had all been tortured and massacred by a
fraction of the RCD. Before she died, his wife had been gang raped in
front of Joseph. They left Joseph for dead but the U.N. had rescued him.
That was six years ago and now Joseph was a trusted and kind friend of
Molly and John. He had sad soulful eyes and a huge heart.

 *** Greg House was sleeping soundly in his comfortable queen sized bed.
The alarm went off and he looked at the ceiling. He thought of the
conversation the day before and he closed his eyes. Again he wished he
could take it all back, say it in a way that would not have forced her
hand so abruptly. Wilson had chastised him all night long. They had rented
some DVDs and watched them at his apartment. 

"Couldn't you have said something like, "I know how much you want children
Molly, but I think I'm too selfish and narcissistic to be a good father. I
wish it weren't true, but it is. And I would hate for a child to be raised
without a good father. If I had to make a choice, I wouldn't have the
baby. I know it's your choice, but it's going to impact both of our lives,
so I hope you consider what I've said." And not, "Get an abortion.' How
thoughtful and considerate is that?"

"Diplomacy is not my strong suit." House said. "You're right, maybe I
could have been a little more subtle. But I was still angry about the
package. Well, now I'm up the creek. She's left for the east. She doesn't
have the ability to send emails or make satellite calls. My only contact
with her is the mail and God knows when that will get to her. I'm not sure
what I would say if we did make contact. I can't take back the truth."

"True, but maybe you could tell her that you will accept her decision and,
to whatever extent you can, be a part of their lives. After all House, it
will be your child, get used to it."

"Ahhhhg." House replied. ***

Two days in the truck and Molly was not a happy camper. She was feeling
nauseated and tired. She slept when she could and drove when the driver
needed to sleep. She snacked on crackers to keep her stomach from coming
up into her throat.

Molly's truck slowed for the children playing in the road. John's truck
was a few Klicks behind her because he had to stop to take a leak. Molly
kept looking outside at the side mirror to see if John was catching up.
She saw a glimpse of metal flash and she knew immediately they were in
trouble. The jeep escort of four men with automatic weapons was now
stopped, confronted by two jeeps of Union of Congolese Patriots. Molly
surveyed the entire area and saw one more jeep. They were greatly
outnumbered. She was scared that John was going to drive right into this
mess and they both might be captured. She kept her eye on the jeeps and on
the mirror. She saw a speck in the mirror and knew it was John. 

"God, please don't let John get into this mess. Please." Molly prayed. She
was relieved when she saw the truck make a quick right and drive out of
sight. The rebels hadn't noticed the second truck. They were too busy
barking orders at her MLC escort. She started to get out when the
automatic weapons went off and the bullets went flying everywhere,
including within a few feet of her. Molly screamed and scrambled back in
the truck where the driver and Joseph were both supine. She joined them on
the floor of the truck. Molly was brave but she was no hero.

Within minutes the rebels were pulling them all out of the truck. Words
were exchanged between Joseph and a short man who had the look of
authority. "He's instructing us to follow him."

"Please tell him that these supplies are needed to save lives in Kindu."
Molly pleaded with her eyes.

Joseph interpreted and the man became agitated and started screaming and
pointing his gun at Molly. "He said essentially to shut that bitch up and
follow him."

Molly kept her mouth shut and they all crawled back in the truck. Molly
could see that the escorts were all dead, their bodies shredded with
bullets. The rebels put one jeep up in front of the truck and the other
behind with the leader's jeep flanking them. The truck started and they
rode south for awhile before turning east. Molly was sick to her stomach.
She wasn't sure if it was the pregnancy or the stress, but she vomited
into her handkerchief and then threw it out the window.

 ***

John was out of his mind. Molly's truck had already traveled too far for
walkie talkies. He had to use their radio to contact Kensasha. The radio
contact was spotty and he had to be brief. The CDC immediately contacted
both the CIA and the U.N. to let them know what had happened. John turned
his truck around and headed back to Kensasha because they were closer to
it than to any other large town or city. The following day he met the U.N.
division on the road. They were traveling with several jeeps and a truck
of MLC soldiers. They had been dispatched to find Molly.

"Look, we have to assume that they kidnaped her for ransom. I know she's
not dead. She was traveling with a GPS. We need to have them track her.
The CDC in Kensasha will have her frequency." John started to give as much
information as he could. The last thing Molly transmitted from the truck
on the walkie talkie before going out of range was that there were 14 UCPs
and they were heading south. She also told him the escorts were all dead. 

The U.N. caravan took off to the south and kept driving until the CDC
could give them the coordinates of the GPS. The U.N. was suppose to remain
neutral and give tactical assistance only. Only the MLC was suppose to
engage the rebels. But those boundaries often got blurred when the U.N.
soldiers were in the thick of it.

John had another day to go to get back to Kensasha. He started to worry,
what if the UCP found out who Molly is? What if they discovered they were
sitting on a gold mine? John hated having to call Tina, she would worry to
death.

 *** House didn't like having feelings he couldn't suppress. He was pissed
at Molly for putting him in this position. He did know that if he felt
anger he didn't feel the sadness and worry. So he stayed mad at her. The
Team was bored again, there were no cases and House was acting bizarre. He
wouldn't talk about it and neither would Wilson, although they did try to
get it out of him.

His phone rang and when he picked it up he knew it was international by
the static on the line. "Greg House."

"House, this is John Rapple."

"I thought you were headed east and wouldn't be near phones?"

"I'm back in Kensasha. I have bad news. Molly has been kidnaped by the
rebels."

House sat down and went blank. "House?? Are you there?"

"Yes, how did it happen?" he was numb and calm and like a stone.

"Our trucks were separated by a few Klicks, all I could see was that
Molly's truck was surrounded so we turned and got out of there. They
killed all the soldiers accompanying her and headed south. We have the
U.N. looking for her. She had a GPS and it is still giving off signals.
She's gone east now. She has an interpreter with her."

"What can I do?"

"Nothing. It's being done. I just hope they don't find out who she is."
John commented.

"Who she is? She's a doctor working for the CDC. What do you mean?"

"No, I mean I hope they don't find out about her family. Got to run, they
need the satellite phone. I'll keep you posted." The phone went dead.

House didn't know what he should feel. It was like everything inside him
shut down to reboot. He was curious about what John meant about not
finding out who she is. He went back on the web and tried to hunt down
information about her background but he was hitting dead ends. Then it
came to him. He looked up the phone number for the marina in Brigatine.

House dialed the number and a man answered. "Brigatine Marina."

"Hello, my name is Greg House and this summer I had the pleasure of
sailing on the Irene with Molly McGuire. I'm in the market for a Gulfstar
Hirsch and I was hoping to talk to the owner of the boat about their
experience with the upkeep and maintenance."

"Well that boat is owned by the Getty Petroleum Market Inc. but its
usually Gordon Getty that we have to call if there is a problem. But I
don't think you're going to be able to reach Mr. Getty, he's in San
Francisco. You'd get more information from Molly or her cousin, Bill
Getty, they use the boat more than the others."

"Do you have Bill Getty's phone number?"

"I couldn't give that to you, but if you leave your number, I'll contact
him and see if he will call you back."

"That would be great." He gave him his contact information, " If you get a
hold of him, please tell him that I have some important news about Molly
McGee."

"Ok, I'll do that. So Long."

"Thanks, Goodbye." House hung up the receiver.

House sat back and stared at the x-ray screen. It started to make sense
and yet it didn't make sense. Molly wearing couture, the large house, her
desire not to publicize her background and her famous words, "I had a
crush on my cousin Billy" all added up. But why did she even work? Why put
herself in danger? And she didn't live a lavish lifestyle. Did he really
know Molly. Obviously not.

John Rapple was right. The rebels were sitting on a gold mine, a diamond
mine and an oil field and so far, they didn't know it.

 ***

Now that House knew where to look he Googled the Getty family and found a
hole where he was sure Molly fit in. The tree simply showed a line for
Agnes Getty Harrigan (deceased) with a line to a question mark (deceased)
and a line descending and showing a child born in 1968. It did not give
the name of the child. This would mean that Molly had descended from John
Getty's first marriage. She was fairly removed from Gordon Getty which
probably meant she called him uncle out of respect but not because he
really was her direct uncle. William Getty would have been three times
removed from her, but technically speaking, he was still her third cousin.
The Getty fortune was in the billions, how much of that had trickled down
to Molly he did not know. But he suspected that Molly could have bought
Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital if she had wanted to.

The fact that Molly went out and contributed to the world when she could
have stayed home and eaten bon bons was perplexing. She was a mystery to
him. Why did she choose the life she did? The phone rang and he picked it
up, "Greg House."

"Hello Doctor House, I'm Bill Getty, Molly's cousin."

"Oh, thanks for calling."

"I want you to know that you are a hero to my brother and I. Whenever we
have dinner with Molly or we go sailing she tells us "House stories."
You're a legend among my family. The supervisor at the marina said you had
news about Molly. Isn't she there at Princeton-Plainsboro?"

House was sullen,"No she is in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the
CDC working on an Ebola outbreak." But before he could finish Bill Getty
butt in.

"Jesus Christ, we told her to stay home. We thought with a three year
fellowship she would be safe. What's happened, did she get sick again?" He
sounded a little angry with Molly but also very concerned.

"She was captured a few days ago by rebels."

"Oh Man." Bill Getty sounded very upset. "Was John Rapple with her?"

"Yes, but he was in a separate truck and he got away."

"Is she ok?" he asked quickly.

"They don't know yet. John told me that they have the U.N. working on it."

"Do the rebels want money?"

"I frankly don't know. They are tracking her truck with the GPS system and
it appears that they are headed east to the more unstable areas of the
country. You now know as much as I do." House said calmly.

 Well I appreciate you calling me, I better call our corporate security
and put them on notice. I suspect my brother, Andrew, has been told
because he is listed as next of kin." He sounded like he was trying to
formulate a plan. "Thanks again for letting me know. If you hear anything
would you please call me, my cell is 909-254-7867."

"Actually, I was hoping you would do the same. Molly and I became very
close before she left and I am worried about her." House was trying to
stay calm but he could feel his blood pressure rising as it began to dawn
on him that Molly might not be coming home at all. 

"Sure, I'll let you know when and if I know. Take care." the phone went
dead.

Now there was nothing to do and House was alone with his guilt and his
worry. He would deal with the baby issue later. Right now he just wanted
Molly to be safe.

Wilson walked in and House looked up at him. "What?? House??" Wilson
asked. House looked like a deer in headlights and it scared Wilson.

"Molly has been kidnaped by rebels."

"Oh no. What all did they tell you?" Wilson asked.

House filled Wilson in on the details. Wilson didn't know what to do.
House wasn't touchy feely so hugs were out. The best he could do was sit
there with him until he wanted to talk. There was a pause for what seemed
several minutes as House stared at the floor.

"I'm not sure what I'm suppose to do, just sit here? She has to be
scared." House threw a rubber ball across the room. "Turn on CNN, see if
they have anything."

CNN did not have anything yet. The CDC wanted to keep it quiet until they
knew where Molly's truck would stop. They were about to get that
information. The truck stopped near the Lualaba River south of Kindu. 

 *** The rebels waived their guns at Molly and the driver, motioning for
them to get out of the truck. Joseph followed Molly out of the passenger's
side. They stood in what appeared to be a camp in a lush tropical area. It
was raining, it always seemed to rain in the Congo. Molly, Joseph and the
driver stood in the rain for more than an hour until the short little
rebel started yelling at Molly. 

"He wants you to come and look at someone who is ill." 

"Tell him I need to get supplies out of the truck." Molly said. Joseph
told them and they allowed Molly to grab some stuff out of the back. Molly
nodded and motioned for them to lead the way.

They could smell it long before they reached the tent. It was blood and
human waste mixed together. "Oh man, Joseph, I don't think we are ready
for this. We need real protection from the truck." Joseph tried to explain
to the short rebel that they needed to go back and get more supplies. But
he wouldn't let him. Molly held her breath, the smell was unbelievable and
Molly was gagging. They opened the tent and Molly flashed back to 2001.
There were puddles of blood and cots full of sick boys. 

"Where did all these boys come from?"

"Molly, these boys have been stolen from their parents and forced to fight
for these rebels." Joseph said quietly.

She counted 26 cots full of boys from as young as nine up to men in their
twenties. They were bleeding and dying. The short man waved his gun to
indicate that Molly should examine them. She looked up and said, "Joseph,
we need to put on protection. We have gloves, plastic sheets, masks and
gowns here. But we really need those respirators that are in the truck.
Beg him to let you go back and get them. We also need saline, sponges,
Platelets, you know what we need..." 

Joseph nodded yes, he started talking to the short man when a taller,
thinner and much more imposing man walked in.

"Yes, you may go back to your truck and get your equipment." he told
Joseph in English so that Molly could understand too. Joseph left to get
the equipment. 

"Are you a doctor?" He asked Molly.

"Yes."

"We heard that they had an important doctor in Kinsasha, one who knows
this disease and how to cure it." The man looked at Molly with great
expectation.

"I am a specialist in this disease, but there is no cure. There are ways
to improve the chances of survival and to keep others from getting ill,
but there is no cure." Molly was firm.

"Well, Doctor, what do you suggest we do first?" 

"First everyone who comes in here must wear protection. Second, we need to
move these patients and cots into a clean area while we clean this tent
up. Third we must make sure that all dead bodies are either burned or
wrapped in plastic and buried. We have the plastic in the truck. Fourth,
we start treating the living. We give them a new medication that increases
their chances for living. It is an anti-clogging protein known as rNAPc2.
The CDC and WHO are using it under a compassionate protocol. We can also
treat with the usual platelets, blood and intravenous fluids. Now I need
to examine the boys to see which ones can be saved."

"That is fine doctor." he said. "You will have the help you need." The man
left but before he did he gave orders in a calm voice.

Molly went from being scared to death to full battle mode in a matter of
minutes. She suited up and made sure the men working in the tent were
protected too. Within hours the tent was washed and sanitized, including
the floor. The patients were rotated off their cots while both the cot and
the patient were cleaned. Each patient got a clean blanket from the truck
and their old one was burned. Molly was horrified at how young these
little soldiers were and how fast they were dying. In just the two hours
they were there they had lost two. There was no doubt that Joseph and
Molly were standing in the middle of a very virulent Ebola Zaire outbreak.
Molly made the tall leader have his men dig latrines and gutters to drain
the rain away from the tent. They needed to keep the patients dry and
clean. Molly assigned a soldier to every four patients to make sure they
were kept clean, cry and sanitized.

Molly checked each of the stricken soldiers to see if they should receive
the protein. She found that about half of them were at a stage in which
the protein would probably be helpful, the others would receive the
regular treatment with platelets. Molly was pretty sure that they were
going to lose the half that wasn't going to get the protein. After the
drive and working another eight hours, Molly was feeling lightheaded.

The tall man entered the tent, took one look at her and said,"You must eat
and get some sleep. Come with me."

"I can't, some of these guys are in the stage where we could lose them."
Molly said. "You will be no good to these soldiers if you are sick. Tell
your nurse to get some food and sleep too. We will tell Stephane to
administer the drugs, he is very bright."

Molly knew she should have argued, but she was so tired, so hungry and so
faint that she nodded her head. Joseph was grateful for the break and
Stephane appeared competent enough to provide palliative care. Molly
followed the tall man to a smaller tent. It appeared to have one cot and a
folding table and a folding chair. She suspected it was his tent. She got
a sinking feeling. What did he expect of her?

"Please sit. My men will bring you some food." He pointed to the table and
then after speaking to a young teenager, he sat on the cot.

"Why do you spend your time treating Ebola?" He asked in a distinct rich
Congolese accent.

"I am not sure right now. It suddenly hit me how stupid I am. I could be
home in the USA sleeping in a nice bed with my boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend is an idiot to let you come here to this God Forsaken
Land."

"You have no argument there. He is an idiot." She sighed and wondered if
House knew she had been taken. "Why do you take these little boys from
their families?"

"I am not proud of that, but it is their country too. If we do not make
sure that our voices are heard, then they will be lost." He said
convincingly.

"But the civil war is suppose to be over. Why continue the fighting?" The
food had been brought and she was scarfing it down fast. She looked at the
man. He was handsome with a scar across his left cheek. He had a look of
intelligence and he was articulate. He had long thin cocoa colored
fingers, long like House's. 

"Our region is one of the poorest and so far it has been ignored by the
larger factions. We are trying to get the new government to pay attention
to us and our needs."

"Well, I don't think it will make a good impression if you use your youth
as fodder." she said.

"Fodder?" He asked.

"Something you just use and is easily thrown away."

He smiled. "You see them as fodder, I see them as patriots."

"Why didn't you just ask for us to come down here? Why scare us and kidnap
us?" Molly sat, full of ...well she wasn't sure what she just ate but she
was full.

"We are not high on the list of the government, you would not have come."

"I would have." She said with authority. "I don't care about your politics
except when you kidnap me..then I'm not exactly happy about them. Those
four escorts lost their lives because of your needs." She. said sadly

"My man tells me that he tried to make them come but one of them started
firing and, well you know the end.

Since she did not see who fired first, this could have been true. This man
was an enigma. He seemed so gentle, but no one could be gentle and steal
children from their homes. "What should I call you?"

"Jean. Now you should get some sleep."

"One more question, Jean, are you going to let us go?" She asked.

"We will see."

Molly laid back on the cot and listened to the rain on the tent. She
thought about House's hands stroking her head and back and it calmed her.
She eased into sleep.

 ***

House wasn't sleeping and John Rapple hadn't called him since the first
call a week ago. House had even gone into work early each day because he
wanted to be there if Rapple called. Lisa stopped House in the hall as he
walked in. She had just gotten back from a week long conference in Los
Angeles.

"God House, I'm so sorry. Do you need anything?" Lisa was obviously
concerned.

He shook his head no. 

"I called my contacts at the CDC. I left them my number and yours just in
case something comes up. I don't know why she puts herself in these
positions. Why not just devote yourself to something a little closer to
home?" Lisa shook her head, nodded sympathetically and went down the hall.

House wondered what Cuddy would say if she knew Molly was pregnant. Lisa
herself was looking radiant.

Around 2:00 p.m. House received a call. He picked it up, "Greg House."

"House, its Rapple. Sorry I didn't get back to you. Someone in D.C. called
and told me to call you and someone named Lisa Cuddy to give you an
update. The truck has stopped in an area that they know is the base for
these rebels. The U.N. isn't going to take any action until they get a few
more truck loads of MLC and that should take a few days. We haven't
received any requests for money, which isn't a good sign. If they had
kidnaped her for ransom, we probably would have heard from them by now.
They are starting to think that Molly and Joseph may have been taken just
for the supplies and if that's the case, they'll probably kill Joseph and
keep Molly for...." His voice cracked. He took a breath and
continued..."for the satisfaction of the soldiers. Or they may just kill
her and dump the body where she can be found so that the MLC won't look
for her and try to take the camp." Now John was having a hard time talking
and trying to keep from crying. "I'm really sorry. I wish I had good news,
but I don't."

House closed his eyes. This was too much to bear. "Is there anything else?
"

"No, but I promise that I will call more often. I just forgot, I've been
working in our Ebola clinic and trying to monitor the situation at the
same time. I'm pretty frazzled."

"John, I don't know if this information is important right now or if she
already told you, but Molly is pregnant." House said sadly.

"Oh sweet Jesus..." John blew out a deep sigh. "Damn...I assume it's
yours." He paused, "Congratulations. I don't see how it changes anything
but it will be good to know if they bring her in and she isn't conscious.
Well, that's about all I can tell you for now."

"Have you called her cousin Bill?" House asked.

"No, I think they are in contact with Drew. Well, must go. Take care." and
the phone went silent.

House updated Bill Getty and Bill told them that the corporation was
sending in their own team to access the situation. He wouldn't give
details but House was afraid that with all the guns floating around
between the U.N., the MLC and now the Gettys, Molly might get caught in
the crossfire. Bill assured him that their team was comprised of "the very
elite." 

House had a case come through the doors and he briefed his Team. He wasn't
sarcastic; he wasn't witty; he wasn't House. Cameron stopped into his
office. "House, what's up? You've been so distracted, so distant this last
week. What's wrong?"

House looked up and Cameron was struck by not only the fatigue in his
eyes, but the sorrow. "Molly has been taken by rebels and they aren't sure
if she is still alive."

"Oh, noooo." Cameron started to shed tears. She had really grown to like
Molly. Molly had been both a friend and a mentor to her. "No wonder you've
been ...well, is there anything I can do?"

House shook his head no. But Cameron came over anyway and patted his hands
to comfort him. House looked up and gave her a weak smile to acknowledge
the sympathy. Cameron left and it was then that House finally cried. He
was just too tired to keep it in. Luckily, he recovered before anyone else
came into the office.

Late in the afternoon Chase ran into House's office, "TURN ON THE TV, TURN
ON CNN."

House quickly turned on the television. Scrolling across the bottom of the
screen was the news about Molly. There was an old picture of her with
longer hair and a big broad smile. 

"...taken by militant rebels in the DRC. It is not known if she is still
alive, but the CDC has indicated that they are taking all necessary action
to insure her return. Dr. McGuire is one the foremost authorities on Ebola
and had been sent to the Congo to address an outbreak of the disease.
Colleagues at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London, England expressed
concern at the kidnaping of the Doctor." The newscast went to a shot of a
man in a white coat standing outside of Barts.

"Molly is one of a kind. She's generous, hard working and kind. We are all
distressed at this news and have contacted the Prime Minister to see if
there is something that can be done. We are very concerned about her
welfare and hope that she returns to us safely." The man was identified as
Doctor Nigel Weston, head of infectious diseases.

"Great, just what they need, the British MI6 involved. Half the world is
in the Congo trying is trying to find her." House was getting agitated.

"How long have you known?" Chase asked in an accusatory voice.

"Over a week now."

"And you didn't tell us? You don't tell me about my father and now you
don't say anything about Molly? You're such a jerk." He was yelling at
House.

"What good would it have done? What, you're going to grab your UZI and
rush over to rescue her? I thought it would be easier on the Team to not
know until they had information about whether she was alive or not." House
was yelling back and the release felt good.

"You're still a jerk." Chase left to go find a bigger television and
watch.

 ***

"Molly, you have made the news. " Jean told her.

"What?" Molly was confused.

"I was in town yesterday and your face was on CNN. There was a doctor, a
doctor Weston taking about you. Is this your idiot boyfriend?"

"No, hardly. Dr. Weston is gay. My idiot boyfriend is in New Jersey
probably playing piano and watching DVDs. No, I shouldn't say that. I'm
sure he is worried about our safety. Jean, we have done about all there is
for these boys except to administer fluids and keep them clean. The
disease is under control, we've only had one new case since I've been here
so that's excellent. Stephane can handle the treatment from here. Can we
go home now?" 

"You are so valuable to us. We have no one to help our soldiers when they
get sick or injured. I am not so sure I can let you go." He sounded sad
that he could not grant her wish. There was something very sympathetic
about Jean even when he was refusing to release her 

"Jean, I need medical attention. I'm pregnant and I need to get vitamins
and care for my baby." Molly said matter of factly.

"Your Idiot boyfriend is even more of an idiot than I thought. I do not
understand American men. Or maybe it is the women. But they have strange
ways of demonstrating their affection for each other. I would never let my
pregnant girlfriend come here." He was shaking his head in amazement. "I
must give this some thought, I am not without sympathy for your
situation." 

Jean left the tent and Molly sat down. Now that she knew these boys would
be ok, Molly just wanted to get back to Kenshasa and some form of
normalcy. She let her thoughts wander to New Jersey and her family,
friends and House. She could see his blue eyes and she tried to remember
everything she could about his body from the shape of his nose and lips to
the very temperature of him as she lay next to him. She wondered what he
was doing and if he even cared. If she was gone, the baby issue would be
resolved. She smiled, not even House would be that callous. She knew in
her heart that he was probably worried and frightened for her. 

It was Joseph that broke her reverie. "What is it Joseph?"

"Molly, they are very nervous outside. Apparently they spotted a
helicopter not far from here. They think it is the American Army coming to
rescue you." He said.

"That's crazy. Politically the USA has to let the U.N. handle this. If
anything, it's the French or Italians, not Americans."

"Well, whoever they are, they are stirring up the rebels. I am afraid that
they may do something to move us or maybe even worse." Joseph was very
concerned and Molly had to agree that Joseph was usually right in these
matters.

"Crap." Molly said. "I need to talk to Jean again."

Molly left the tent to look for Jean. Her guard followed her around the
camp. He was a sweet faced sixteen year old and nervous about chasing
after her. There was a lot of frantic movements in the camp. Something was
up. She found Jean under a canopy talking to some men. He looked up at
her.

"Molly, go back to the tent." He said calmly.

"Jean, if they are looking for me, then it is time for you to let us go.
Otherwise, they'll storm this camp and you'll lose more than the 10 who
have died from Ebola. You and I know that the smart thing to do is to give
me to them so that you can keep your camp. I will not be an asset to you.
They will continue to hunt for me unless I am dead or returned. I'm
betting on your humanity and hoping that dead isn't an option." Molly said
sincerely.

"Molly, do not make any bets. I must think of the men. You know where the
camp is now and could show them." Jean said.

"Jean, they know where the camp is already. They've known since I've been
here. The truck has a GPS system and they have to be tracking it. Let me
go and I will make sure that they do not storm the camp." Molly wasn't
sure it was wise to let him know about the GPS but if his concern was over
his camp location, then he had to know that Molly wasn't what he needed to
be worried about.

Jean immediately gave orders and the truck was stripped of the GPS. He
instructed the sixteen year old to take Molly back to the tent. Molly went
without a fight but she could see that the camp was being dismantled very
quickly.

"Molly, I think we are in trouble. They are talking about the white woman
and they are not sure if she should be burned or buried in plastic."
Joseph said. 

Molly started to get a feeling of panic in her chest but she pushed it
down. She had to remain calm so she could think. She continued to treat
the soldiers in order to keep herself focused. But all around her she
could hear activity. An hour later she looked out the tent and the camp
was packed up, all except the tent with the patients.

Jean stepped towards her. He smiled and said, "Molly, please tell your
idiot boyfriend that he is a fool if he does not keep you safe and near to
him. You will make a good mother. Take care of my soldiers." With that he
jumped in a jeep and the camp, along with the CDC truck, disappeared.

Molly started to cry with relief. Joseph was smiling and dancing. They sat
for a few minutes and then returned to their patients. They worked on them
most of the day. Around 3:00 p.m. they heard a helicopter. Molly stepped
outside to see what it was. 

A helicopter hovered near the tent. Men dressed in camouflage and with
guns scurried down a rope and jumped to the ground near her.

"Dr McGee?" The first soldier said in an American accent.

"Yes. I'm Molly McGee."

"Are you ok and is this place secure?" he asked as if he was Kiefer
Sutherland in 24. "I'm treating some sick children in that tent, but we
are safe and the rebels have moved on." She said. 

The man appeared to relax and he radioed up to the helicopter. 

"What is the American Army doing here?" She asked when all of the soldiers
had landed.

"We're not the American Army, your family sent us to get you out."

"Oh Lord. Glad to see you. Now, I need for you to radio back and get me
some trucks to transfer my patients back to Kenshasa." Molly was back to
giving orders. She went to sit down for a minute. She had a fever.

 *** The computer made a sound, the one that indicated a satellite hookup
was coming in. He was hoping it was John Rapple. House sat down at the
computer and punched up the connection.

In front of him was Molly. Tired, thin, but safe Molly. House had such a
violent physical reaction to the relief he felt that Molly was sure he was
having a heart attack. He had closed his eyes, grabbed his chest and his
shoulders had fallen forward.

"Greg....GREG...are you ok?" She said. She watched his reaction and was
worried.

He tried to sit up but he wasn't doing a good job of it. He finally took a
big gulp and answered in a broken voice, "Are YOU ok?"

"Yes, they brought me back by helicopter this afternoon." she saw how much
this had affected him and she felt bad. He had been very upset. "I still
have ten fingers and toes." she said softly.

"The Baby?" He asked.

"No spotting so I assume I'm still pregnant" 

He shook his head in acknowledgment. "What happened?"

She spent the next five minutes giving him the Reader's Digest version and
then sat back. "God, it is so good to see you. I'm sorry about hanging up
on you. It wasn't very mature of me. Why do we make each other so crazy?"

"I don't know about you but I think you drive me crazy because I love you
so much."

Now it was Molly's turn to react. She started crying. Within minutes the
entire two weeks boiled down again to the issue of the baby.

"I'm not having an abortion." she said calmly.

"I know. You don't have to. I'm not sure what kind of Dad I will be, but
I'll do my best to be whatever it is you need from me." House smiled.

"I just want you to be your irascible self. I'm not expecting miracles. I
know this is not going to be easy, for any of us and for the record, I
love you too." She put her hand to the screen and he did the same. ***

She ended the transmission and went back to see John again. "I have a
fever and my head is killing me."

"Ah, crap. MOLLY..."

She scrunched her shoulders and sat down. She let him draw blood and she
was placed in isolation. She was given Tylenol for the fever and headache.
Luckily the Tylenol did bring down the fever to a level not threatening to
the baby.

Molly saw John come in with lab results in his hands. She wasn't sure she
wanted to hear the news. The idea of bleeding out of every orifice again
was depressing.

"Good News. You have Dengue Fever. You're going to feel like hell for the
next few days, but you'll live." He smiled widely and squeezed her hand in
his gloved one.

"I never thought I would be happy to have Dengue Fever!" She laughed.

"Now I want to check the fetal heart rate."

"You know?"

"House told me, he thought we should know in case it became an issue in
your treatment." he grabbed the fetal stethoscope which was attached to a
speaker so that anyone in the room could hear.

For a minute he couldn't find anything and Molly braced herself for the
worst. Then there was a strong rhythmic gushing sound beating fast and
strong. Once again Molly started to cry. She was so happy and so tired.
She laughed outloud and John chuckled too.

"Well, I can't imagine another House on earth, but apparently this one can
survive just about anything.

 *** House wasn't happy when Molly refused to come home. She felt that she
had made a commitment and should honor it. However, the CDC removed her
from the Ebola cases and placed her on the Tuberculosis crisis. It was
unlikely that Molly would get sick reviewing and monitoring these cases.
She learned so much about TB that she became one of the world's
authorities on the African strain.

House renewed his passport, got his vaccinations and flew to the Congo for
two weeks in Molly's fourth month. He had to laugh when he saw her. He
admitted that she looked sweet and happy with her belly protruding
slightly.

"I need some maternity clothes." She told him. 

For the next few weeks House saw the horror of some of the worst diseases
in the world. He was humbled by what Molly and the others were doing. So
much so that he didn't have any sarcastic or witty remarks while he
visited the clinics and hospitals. At night he would cling to Molly in the
hopes that he could make her safe from all of this. They made love each
night and then fell into a deep slumber in each other's arms. He hadn't
felt this way about anyone, not even Stacy.

One day he got up the nerve to ask her, "So, how much are you worth?"

"39 million." She said matter of factly.

"Then that's why we'll never get married." He saw the look of
disappointment and then explained, "I don't want anyone saying I married
you for your money."

"Don't worry between the prenups the Getty Trust prepares and the
limitations on the Trust Fund, you wouldn't get a dime anyway, unless of
course I gave it to you." She grinned.

"Well then, it's set, when you get home we'll get married. Have your goons
draft those papers."

She was happy but she couldn't help tease him, "What makes you think I'd
be crazy enough to marry YOU, Gregory House?"

"To paraphrase you, my charming company. My inner beauty. This cosmic
connection between us.'" he mused.

"Oh man, that came back to haunt me."

 *** They were married Getty style. Four hundred of Molly and House's
closest friends and family were there. House never expected David Bowie to
attend his wedding but there he was. How the hell did she know him?

Blyth and John House were over the moon, getting both a daughter-in-law
and a grandchild was what they always wanted, and more importantly their
own baby looked happy for the first time in years. Despite the fact that
House was notoriously anti-social, he managed to come up with a
respectable 72 guests.

Molly was very pregnant and decided to wear white anyway. Ralph Lauren and
Vera Wang wanted to design the dress but she went with Carmen Marc Valvo,
the one that had designed the dress that had turned House's head. There
was no denying that even pregnant Molly was gorgeous.

Lisa Cuddy was there with Madeline, her three month old daughter. The
child had deep brown eyes, not the blue of Lisa's. Wilson was very
attentive and no one could fault him for not being the perfect donor. He
didn't crowd Lisa, didn't demand or ask anything from her, but did babysit
and help out when needed.

Chase brought the girlfriend that he kept talking about and she looked
like a young Molly. Even Cameron was impressed. Cameron and Matthew had
broken up but she had recently started dating a friend of Molly, Jeff
Dupont, so she was pretty happy.

House had to live in the four story, painful mansion from hell for a month
while their single story house was built overlooking a New Jersey wooded
park. Molly gave him two new toys, a Ducati motorcycle and a Volvo C70. It
was a convertible but it was also a Volvo and she felt it would be safe
with the baby in the back. House was chuffed. He didn't know which one to
drive first so he switched back and forth frequently. House gave her his
Great -Grandmother's necklace that still carried a lock of his
Grandfather's hair. She was moved.

When Molly went into labor, House amused her with silly antics in-between
the contractions. When the baby's head finally came out, House was silent
and Molly actually saw a tear go down his left cheek. They named him Hugh.
He had deep blue eyes, just like his Dad's.

 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.