Ok, my night started awesomely! Went to see P!nk in concert, was three people back, moshed!! - then it all went to hell. I'm talking macas run, cheeseburger getting thrown at my friends car and some random guy ending up with strawberry thick shake down his shirt and now im at said randoms house…the excitement.

Anyway, the point of all this is I suppose my inspiration. As I sit on the wooden floor, also known as my bed, at 1:28am - somewhat annoyed, with P!nk lyrics running through my head. This fic just decided to start writing its self, its unbeta'd, its probably not going to be overly good but anyway -

Title: Sober

Disclaimer: I own nothing but a somewhat smushed cheeseburger.

Discription: A continuation of House season five final. Will deal with his recovery as well as House and Cuddy's relationship. Huddy eventually.

Should also probably mention that I actually loved the final. I know a lot of Huddy fans feel like they've been ripped off, but yeah I didn't get that at all and ill shud up now - downwards!

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"No. I'm not ok"

Cuddy's hand cupping his cheek - drew him back to reality, to her…but he couldn't quite meet her eyes. Amber sneered, an expression so similar to his face on many occasions he may as well as have been looking into a mirror.

"House. You need help" It was Kutner. Worried Kutner. Moronic Kutner. Dead Kutner.

"I'm…I'm hallucinating" The soft caresses stilled abruptly and he felt the worry practically radiate from her being, the slight hitch in her breath making him feel like an absolute basted for bringing her into his problems again…not again.

"This sounds familiar" Ambers voice cut into him, but he forced himself not to react. He focused on Kutner. Kutner still dressed as a Doctor. Strange…why did he always imagine them in their lab coats. As representations of an accepted societal role, respected and trusted…

"House. I can help, we can get you treatment…" He closed his eyes briefly as her thumb started moving in small circles again.

"How do you know this is real?" Amber stalked into his line of sight , her arms wrapping themselves around Kutner's neck. "I mean, you've hallucinated this all before…hallucinated Cuddy"

Her hand left his cheeck abruptly and his eyes snapped to hers "..can't go to the wedding…I'll just call my sitter and…"

"NO!"

She froze, looking up at him with wide eyes as his hand on her shoulder turned into a vice like grip. It must of hurt her, he was holding on too tightly. She didn't complain.

"Go to the wedding"

Blinking up at him, her stance hardened "House... I want to help you"

"No" He forced himself to release his grip on her shoulder and take a half step back "I …I want Wilson…he knows somewhere"

She nodded hesitantly "we can both take you.."

"No. Dr. Cuddy. You should go to the wedding"

"Aww, you've hurt her feelings" Amber said heartlessly as Cuddy's face fell just long enough for House to feel like he should rip his own heart out.

He didn't precisely recall when he left Cuddy's office. He knew they rode the elevator in silence as Amber hummed a children's tune and he followed a few steps behind her down the corridor's as Amber skipped beside him. She entered Wilson's office first and glanced back at him. He could tell she didn't know what to do. Hell, he didn't know what to do.

Absently he noticed Kutner had disappeared, honestly he had no idea if that was a good thing or not. He stood in Cuddy's shadow, not really listening. Not really being there. He caught a distorted whisper of Wilson suggesting they would all go and shut the world out abruptly. He couldn't hear Cuddy say he didn't want her.

Upon hearing House had told Cuddy to go to the wedding, Wilson had looked at him in surprise, confusion evident in his eyes. He was met with the red rimmed eyes of Gregory House. As complicated and un-answering as they always were.

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"Why didn't you want Cuddy to come?"

House let out a deep breath as he stared out the car window, avoiding the side view mirror where he could just see Amber smiling happily from the back seat. "It wasn't real"

Wilson paused before speaking "but you could make it real?"

"Like you'd get someone like that in the real world" came an unladylike snort from the backseat.

"Like that would really happen. I should have know, Cud…she wouldn't have…we wouldn't…things like that don't really happen"

"House, you were happy"

"and what if I do it all again and it's not real! What if I wake up one day and Cuddy's married with two point five kids with a dog and a picket fence. Then what?" Suddenly he was angry. He wanted to hit something or yell or hide.

"House!" Wilson looked over at him with concern seeping sickeningly from him "she can help you and you know she will if you ask. Besides, I don't think Cuddy needs the whole white wedding with the dog thing" he added in attempt to brighten the mood.

"What would he know"

The rest of the journey was conducted in complete silence. Save for the soft humming originating from the back seat, the one occupant of the vehicle forced to endure the torture of his own mind - gazed out the window. Blue eyes loosing their focus with each passing mile.

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Entering Mayfield Psychiatric Hospital felt in many ways like entering a prison. The three stepped hobble up the drive passed slowly, trees choked of life by Winter bending yieldingly to the cold breeze; the building its self towered imposingly overhead. Devoid of life, of laughter of freedom.

He didn't say goodbye to Wilson, wasn't really sure if there was a point.

He told himself he wouldn't look back. He glanced back anyway as the door closed in the worlds face.

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"Dr. House, I am Dr. Campbell" said a short man with dark hair "I assume Dr. Wilson told you about me?"

He nodded absently taking in the starch white walls and sterile air.

"This is nurse Harry, if you follow me we will lead you to you're room" The nurse in scrubs took House's bag from him with a smile on his lips. It wasn't too happy or too pitying, it was perfect. It was sickening.

"and this is Dr. Elizabeth Small" said Dr. Campbell as they began walking down one hall after the next "Our leading Psychiatrist, she will be visiting with you daily" the blonde smiled at him encouragingly, he stared back blankly.

"She's kind of hot, bet we could tap that" Came Ambers docile tones from beside him. They entered a small room, a bed and closet the only furniture occupying space.

"We aim to determine what has caused these hallucinations and in time cure you"

Amber snorted over his shoulder.

"Thankyou Harry" said Dr. Campbell as Harry placed House's suitcase by the closet and placed the contants of the bag on plastic hangers before leaving the room. "Now Dr. House, I need to know the specifics of these hallucinations"

He didn't reply, simply stood. Staring out the one window in his room.

"Dr. House" He looked up, irritation beginning to stir as the blonde moved closer to him "I know this is difficult for you and we are obtaining a detailed medical history from a Dr. Lisa Cuddy" he closed his eyes briefly at the mention of Cuddy's name, a motion which did not go un noticed by Dr. Small. "However, the more information you can give us and the faster, the quicker we can get to the root of the problem"

"Who is this moron?"

He glared at Amber and turned his attention to the shrink "A woman named Amber, she was my frie…Dr. Wilson's girlfriend who died last year on a bus crash I was also on. Today I also saw Kutner…"he trailed off.

"Kutner?" prodded Dr. Small, scrabbling in a notebook she had produced from her pocket.

He ignored the wise cracks about the notebook that momentarily flooded his mind before continuing "Kutner was a fellow of mine, he…suicided a few months ago"

Pity was not something he wanted to see and yet both Doctors deemed it necessary to look at him in such.

"Was their anyone else?" Questioned Dr. Campbell.

Cuddy's mouth connected with his in a flood of passion, his grip around her waist tightening as she bit down on his lip. She smirked up at him and he smiled into her mouth at her surprised gasp as he spun her around and into the book case. Supporting her weight fully as he lifted her off the ground.

"No"

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"I get why you wouldn't mention Cuddy I mean you hallucinated sleeping with her - how pedo is that!"

House lay on his back, fist clenched against his forehead; eyes squeezed shut as Amber sat cross legged at the end of the bed.

"Could you imagine what she's going to think when Wilson tells her"

"He wont"

"You have this…sick 'fantasy' about sleeping with her…"

"Shut up"

"Do you think she'll ever be able to look you in the eye again, be able to look at you.."

"Shut the hell up!"

"Face it Gregory you have no chance with Lisa Cud.."

"SHUT UP!" Abruptly he sat up, anger flashing through his eyes.

"You alright man?" he turned to the door, nurse what's his name was standing just in side the frame.

"Peachy" he retorted irritably as he swung his legs over the side of the bed with a wince so he was in a sitting position and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Here" House was handed a glass of water and two Vicodin "you'll be having a monitored amount every three hours for the continuation of you're stay here unless the Vicodin is suspected of doing you more harm then good"

"Thanks Larry"

"It's Harry"

"Whatever"

Harry just smiled "Dr. Small will be here later today to talk to you and I will see you again when I bring you're dinner. Are you going to take those?"

House realised he was holding the Vicodin in his palm and stared down at the pills in hatred.

"I can't leave until I've seen you take them"

"Right…" he looked back down at the two white pills. Maybe he didn't want to take them, Maybe he wanted to give them back to Barry.

"Take the pills House"

He froze and looked up at Lisa Cuddy standing opposite him

"no" it was weak and he knew it.

"Take the damn pills House!" she stepped closer to him and he shrank back instinctively.

"You alright? Are you hallucinating?"

"You're in pain. You know I hate it when you're in pain" her voice changed, became softer. Her hand reaching out and rested softly on his shoulder.

It felt so real.

He chocked the pills back.

"I'm fine"

"I'll see you at dinner" Harry left, hesitating briefly.

House pulled his knees up to his chest, not noticing the twinge in his thigh. Amber had disappeared, so had…Cuddy.

He was alone.

Tbc?