Rain steadily hammered down on the roof of the hospital. It was pitch black, apart from a single light that illuminated House's office. His eyes were fixed on one point on the wall – they had been for half an hour.
"Well done," remarked an anonymous figure stood in the doorway.
"What are you congratulating me for?"
The figure gradually made her way towards House's desk, as the few streaks of fiery light hit her face.
"I was being sarcastic," replied Cuddy.
"And I was humouring you."
She pursed her lips but said nothing. She had had plenty of experience of dealing with House before, but this was different.
"You managed to lose your whole team. Your WHOLE team."
She sounded very judgemental.
"So? I don't need them. And I fired Chase – it's not like they all quit. They were rubbish doctors anyway..."
His voice slowly trailed off. Cuddy could tell he was depressed. His face was the colour of clay and he was talking slowly, steadily, as if it hurt him every time he said a word.
"But Cameron and Foreman quit." She raised her eyebrows, "I'll start advertising then. There will be young doctors queuing round the block to work with a renowned diagnostician like you."
"How about no."
"What? You need a team!"
"No I don't. I can treat patients by myself. I only ever hired those other idiots in the first place because you made me."
Cuddy crossed her arms and stared at House for a few moments.
"That's ridiculous. Who are you going to boss around and manipulate? Who are you going to embarrass and mock? You can't treat patients by yourself."
"Of course I can. It's not that hard."
"Are you being intentionally dense?"
"Huh?" He replied, mocking her slightly. She scowled at him and walked off.
Cuddy knew House didn't share the same feelings that most people do. He was constantly racist, sexist and irreverent. But he had an air of melancholy about him and she knew that he could get hurt, she knew that all too well...