1.

"He's barely eaten in weeks," Cuddy said into the circular holes of the phone's receiver. She sat at her desk, her eyes idly shifting every few moments as the afternoon's shadows played against the walls. Done up in a pressed mauve suit, she slowly licked her lips and brushed her fingertips through her dark, short waves.

"I'm not talking about this," said the voice from the other side of the phone in a curt tone.

Cuddy sighed aloud, her nails drumming absently against the surface of her desk. "James, please." There was a persistence that resonated from those simple two words. "I don't want to beg."

"I'm not asking you to beg," Wilson argued with a soft mutter. "I simply asked you not to talk about it."

"House is not an it, James. House is a person – and was your best friend." A hint of a snort emitted from the small receiver and Cuddy's eyes gave into a slight roll. "All right, I'm not saying he was the most positive influence in your life but you stuck around for as long as you did for a reason."

"Because I had the key to his training wheels and you needed me there or else the whole hospital – your hospital, would fall to pieces." Cuddy's brow stiffened and she pursed her mouth tensely.

"That's hardly fair."

" – and yet completely true," Wilson interrupted. "House is an addict, whether it be for pain medication, knowledge, or answers. Nothing ever satisfies him but he'll never realize that. Instead he'll go above and beyond to satiate his current need for a fix, not caring if he happens to destroy everything in his path both bad and good. I won't deny that House has done a lot of good for a lot of people in this life – but for me," he trailed off with a disheartened sigh. "I just can't."

"Can't come back or can't talk to him?" There was no answer, only static silence.

"You don't understand," Wilson replied softly after a moment's hesitation. "You just don't."

"Well here's what I do understand," Cuddy explained, her eyes narrowing into two impossible slits as she shifted against the seat of her chair. "I understand that you feel as though I, in the past, put you in a bind regarding House and his behavior – which I will admit that I did. I should've spent more time finding ways to reel him in rather than just expect you do clean up his mess for him or for me. However," she continued. "However, what I don't understand is how you can just pull yourself out of his world so quickly without seeming to care about the damage that's being done."

"How is this any different from normal?" Wilson's voice was beginning to stammer, though whether from anger or nervousness, Cuddy couldn't tell. "House loves being miserable. Whether I'm in his life or not he'll find a way to self destruct and pile the guilt on somebody else. By eliminating myself from that situation, I've eliminated myself from his mind games."

"So now he can just thrust all his guilt onto me, is what you're saying?"

"Look, there's no perfect way to resolve this. Let's just face the facts and the facts are that House will never be happy. He abused whatever was left of our friendship to the point where all I was, was a second body and brain for him to use. Any pain he was feeling? Why, take it out on Wilson. That's what friendship is, right?"

"No," Cuddy let out a great sigh, cradling her head in her hands as she shook her head. "No, you're right. That's not friendship and House is definitely a jackass."

"Brilliant," Wilson interjected. "But still a jackass." There was a pause from his end of the phone. He cleared his throat. "Is he really not eating?"

"I don't know," Cuddy admitted with a groan. "To be honest, everything I've been getting is from his team. Kutner's come in at least twice just this week with concerns. At first I figured it was just another ploy for attention."

" – he knew you'd call me," Wilson said quietly.

"Exactly," she affirmed. "But, I realized that was probably the game plan from the start which is why I didn't."

"Until now."

"Until now. I just don't know what to do with him. He's been messing up on cases. He looks awful," she listed, ticking each item off on her slender fingertips. "House has been at the bottom of almost every barrel you could find on the planet but this – I don't know, this is the first time I've really seen him, well lost."

"Have you tried talking to him?" Cuddy laughed, lips parting into a small smile.

"Like that would do any good? House barely listens to me as it is. I really don't think sitting him down and having a heart to heart is any sort of future reality. You know how he is."

"I do," Wilson replied. "Well, what about your boyfriend? I thought he and House were close. Have him talk to House." Cuddy blushed furiously, her cheeks automatically shifting into a brilliant pink.

"Lucas is not my boyfriend," she clarified with force. "He is an employee of this hospital and nothing more."

"Since when does a hospital need a private investigator employed?" Wilson countered with an almost humorous cadence.

"Since I said so," Cuddy argued pathetically. "He's not my boyfriend." Wilson chuckled.

"All right, all right. I'm getting the picture. It's probably better that way anyway. Nothing says committed relationship like signing your loved one's check every month."

"He helps with House."

"Good."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do. Why would you even ask that?" Wilson defended. Cuddy shrugged, though fully aware he could not see her do so.

"I thought the whole point of you removing yourself from House's life was so that he'd stop using others."

"No – it was so he'd stop using me. I was nothing but an enabler for his every whim. I'm sorry that he's still himself, but I can't change him. I could only change where I was in regards to him. Do you see what I'm saying?" he questioned carefully.

"I do," Cuddy nodded. "Honestly, I do and some days I really wish I could do the same." A vibration erupted across her desk as her cell phone began to bounce and swivel along the surface, a red light blinking as the screen read a familiar name. "James, I've got to go I've got another call."

"Is it your boyfriend?" Wilson teased sweetly. Again, Cuddy's face alit with a fiery shade.

"He's is not my boyfriend," she repeated for what felt like the thousandth time. "I find both him and his profession just a little too creepy. In fact, I'd date House before I dated Lucas." Wilson's laughter rang out from the phone's speaker and Cuddy grinned. "It's good to hear you happy, James."

"It's good to be happy."

"I've really got to get this call. Promise me you'll at least think about what I said?"

"Fine. Tell the boyfriend I say hello." Cuddy smirked.

"He's not my boyfriend."