The Intern

Chapter One

Cuddy let herself into House's office with a smug, yet satisfied look sprawled across her thin cheekbones. Her arms crossed, and her foot tapping in anticipation, she glanced around the room for the familiar scruffy face she loved to see frown. Too bad House wasn't there.

Nicole sat at her desk on the opposite side of the room, mindlessly leafing through a magazine and blasting "The Suffering" (by Coheed and Cambria) on her iPod. Cuddy tapped her on the shoulder, startling her and causing her to fall out of her chair. "Jeez, Aunt Lisa!" Nicole part laughed, part scowled as she plucked her headphones out of her ears and picked herself up off the carpeting. She gathered herself, smooth her skirt, then sat back down.

"Where's House?" Cuddy barked, anxiously waiting for a reply. She wanted to see House's face when he heard this news, which means she wanted to be the one to tell him.

"Dunno. Clinic duty?"

Cuddy rolled her eyes at her niece. "I wish he was in the clinic. Seriously, where is he?"

"I don't know. He hasn't come in yet."

"It's ten o'clock!" She sighed, throwing her arms into the air. Apparently, her new would have to wait. "As soon as he comes in, I want to see him in my office."

"That might not be possible..." Nicole contorted her face into a worried look.

Cuddy stopped before taking her leave. She turned to her niece with a scowl on her face so fierce, it made Nicole cringe. Her seemingly good day, with an opportunity to annoy House, was quickly turning into an upsetting disappointment. "Why not?!"

Nicole stood from her chair, throwing her hands in the air. "Hey, don't shoot the messenger!"

Cuddy's expression softened. "Why?"

"He can, I lied. Why do you want to see him?"

"No reason."

"Apparently there is since you went from zero to crazy in two seconds flat. What's going on?"

Cuddy thought a moment, pondering whether she should let her information slip. "Can I trust you?"

"Aunt Lisa, I'm family. Since when couldn't you trust me?"

"Since you started working for House." Cuddy sighed. "Oh, okay. But you can't tell House."

Nicole nodded, placing three fingers in the air. "Scout's honor."

"Okay. Well there's this really talented and genius girl who just transferred to a college around here. She's starting her internship this year. She's going into diagnostic medicine and requested to have House as her mentor. Not only that, but..."

"HELL NO!" House screamed, looming over Cuddy.

"How long has he been there?" Cuddy continued to sigh. Her happy moment was ruined, and she knew that this was the foreshadowing of a boring, dreary day. Until House found some way to torture her, that it.

"The entire time." Nicole frowned.

"Great." She turned to House, trying to have an authoritive air about her. "House, before you say..."

"Too late. I believe I already said...uh...what was it...oh yeah. Hell no! I am not going to have some whiney little intern following me around all day and asking me annoying little questions while I am trying to save people's lives. I have Nicole for that!"

"Hey!" Nicole protested.

"I was making a point..." House bobbed his head. Less than ten minutes in this building and he was already getting a headache. "No, no, no, no, and no. Give her to Wilson."

"She'd probably end up there anyway." Nicole mumbled, walking out of the room and heading for the nurses station.

"Too late. I already said she could and she's coming today." Cuddy was hoping to leave the conversation at that, but House stopped her from leaving.

"You did that without consulting me?"

"You seem shocked." She retorted, trying to get by him. He stuck his cane in front of the door, preventing her from making an exit, whatsoever. "You do this sort of thing all the time. You hired and assistant without consulting me..."

"Oh, you know you had your hand in that cookie jar the entire time."

Cuddy pushed passed his cane and opened the door for herself. "Her name is Jessica and she'll be here at noon, whether you like it or not."

"Good...cause I won't!" He yelled down the hall after her. Giving up with a sigh, House sat at his desk and grabbed his tennis ball from it's resting place. With precision, he threw the ball at the same spot on the wall, trying to figure out how to pawn this girl off on Wilson. If that washn't possible...one of his team.