Title: Dating Contract

TV Show: House, M.D.

Pairing: Cuddy/House

Timeline: Pre-series. College student Cuddy, legendary House, even before Stacey. You'll know.

References: Humpty Dumpty (2:3) Cameron asking Cuddy if she just knew him as a legend and from House's remark "no more naughty school girl" on Mob Rules (1:something) to Vogler about Cuddy. And the latest (you know… in season 3…), the "get over me" conversation.

Summary: Cuddy has to finish her thesis paper and needs a boyfriend as a material for the research. House has to mend a broken heart caused by his first fiancee. They met through Cuddy's friend which is also House's cousin. Then, they decided to date for a month. Well, that's actually the first chapter. I just gave it away.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I earn no money from this. The whole idea is not mine entirely. If anybody would object, don't sue. I don't have anything to pay you. Tell me to stop.

"SO, I recommend that you find an inspiration first. Experience life more, gather more materials. Then you write again, maybe your draft will be better," Lisa's thesis paper adviser, Dean Iris Chua-So told her, smiling.

She stood up from her chair and gathered her papers. "Okay, ma'am. I'll take your advice to heart."

Before she reached the door her advisor's word stopped her from storming off: "Don't lose hope, Lisa. Someday your dream to be a prolific medical researcher will come true. You should know that you already have the makings of a great doctor and administrator in the future. Don't let a single downfall drag you to discouragement."

"Thank you, ma'am," then she closed the door behind her. For the third time in a row, her thesis drafts were rejected by her adviser. What in the world was I thinking when I chose "Psychopathology of Romantic Love and Heartbreaks" as a research topic? Great.

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"LISA, what happened to your draft? Is it good for defense? What did Dean So said about it?" her best-friend, Yasmin, asked her in a coffee shop near Michigan University campus.

Her shoulders fell, then she sat herself opposite her friend. "Rejected. She told me that it still needs revision. She said I have to fall in love first before I could write a good psychopathology research paper slash journal about romantic love and heartbreaks."

"But there will be a bias effect to it if you as a writer would have to experience it first hand, right?"

"I am making a qualitative research. It would have to be more descriptive. I think what she means about me having to experience it is that I will have to make myself as the subject of the thesis."

"Will that be proper?"

"I'm gonna have debriefing in the end. And I don't really quite get it."

"Oh, stop being hard on yourself. Anyway, you're starting that thesis way too early than you should. You are three semesters early for the paper, honey. You're even lucky that the Dean likes you and knows you personally that much that she allowed you have her as an adviser even as early as now."

Lisa sighed.

"Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you come with us tonight? We're going out to dinner." Yasmin said, to cheer Lisa up.

"We?" Lisa asked.

"Me and my cousin."

"Cousin?"

"Yep. My cousin, Gregory House arrived from the East Coast for a vacation and I'm taking him out. He is an alumnus, you know?"

"Of course, I know. Your cousin is THE university legend." Lisa rolled her eyes.

"Who knows, maybe tonight you'll meet your potential lover."

Lisa gave it a thought. Normally, she doesn't go out. But since she feels a little down today, she found herself nodding "yes" to Yasmin's invitation. Maybe she's even hoping that she'll find there the inspiration the good Dean assigned her to search for.

"Really? You're coming with us?" Yasmin said, disbelievingly.

"I considered that I need a boyfriend or even just a constant date partner so that---"

"What? You want a boyfriend to use for your writing?" Yasmin said, indignantly.

She nodded. "I will pay if I have to. I'll make it clear to him that it is some sort of research."

"You're crazy! Why don't you find someone you could fall in love with for real?"

"That's too complicated and I don't want complications in my life right now. I just want to finish this paper now so that when its time for me to pass it, I'll just pass it and devote my time for data presentation and mastery of the subject. After that, maybe that's the only time I would consider finding myself a real boyfriend. But for now, I need a guy who would agree to be my constant date---with certain conditions of course---even for, at least, a month. What do you think?"

"That's the most absurd idea I've heard from you in a long while. Good luck to you. Bless the beast that would take advantage of your desperation."

Lisa smiled at Yasmin broadly, as if proud of her plan. She knows that someone somewhere will take her offer. Although she was not enthusiastic about it, she would do it for the sake of finishing her paper. This was for research purposes, only because she knew it was time for her to meet new people and maybe find something she was not really expecting. It is about time for her to mingle with the world.

I know I already posted this, but I am currently making some major editing. Plus, I'm giving those people who haven't read it yet a chance to do so (as was requested).

mariel