A/N: While far from my first attempt at fan fiction, this is the first attempt that will ever be published to the general public. I've got a pretty thick skin, so feel free to flame me if you like. If not, leave a nice review. Those are so much better. This story is AU, with a different take on the board's decision back in 2.08 "The Mistake." I'm trying to follow the story arcs that the show has taken, but the new characters will start of affect the daily goings-on at PPTH, so no promises.

DEDICATION: This story is dedicated in full to one of my best friends, allhisengines who, along with being a wonderful writer herself (check out her POTC stories) helped me form the ideas behind this story and will be providing most of the interesting medical cases that occur in this story. I originally intended for this to be published by Christmas - but my relatives had something else in mind. So, while late, MERRY CHRISTMAS CORINNE!

Prologue

It had been a long day for attorney Stacy Warner. Not only had her clients not received the best reaction from the Board, and her whole view of Gregory House had turned on its head, she had been replaced. The Board had ruled that House had to be supervised by another doctor to be appointed by Cuddy and that the appointed doctor had to be in constant contact with an attorney employed by the hospital.

She had hoped that the appointed attorney would be her. Even more embarrassing, she had assumed that it would be her. Stacy replayed the conversation with Cuddy in her head and frowned, her embarrassment unbearable.

"So when should I come in?" she had asked, walking in sync with the Dean of Medicine. Cuddy had looked at her strangely.

"Same time, like usual." Stacy nodded. A beat later, she opened her mouth again.

"So, do I report to Diagnostics when I come in?"

"No, why…?" Cuddy stopped abruptly. "Oh." Her face fell as she realized the implication of Stacy's questions.

"I'm not the attorney in charge of Diagnostics, am I?" Stacy asked, her stomach already sinking into the floor.

"No. You're not," Cuddy said, smiling sadly.

"Why?" Stacy asked, perplexed. She felt the blood rushing into her cheeks as she began to flush.

"You can work with House. You've made that very clear. Besides, you're emotionally involved."

"I am not emotionally involved! I'm not interested in House!"

"I didn't say that you were romantically involved – just emotionally. You've got feelings, positive or negative, about House. I need someone who is impartial. Completely unaware of the way House tries to operate and impervious to his manipulations."

"I'm impervious," Stacy insisted.

"No you are not. I'm not. The team's not. Wilson's not." Cuddy sighed. "I've hired someone who has never met him."

"They'd better be just as qualified as me," Stacy said before walking off to her office.

The reverie ended as she arrived mentally where she currently resided physically. Her head dropped into her hands as she attempted to puzzle out what was going on at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.

A young woman strolled into the hospital confidently, clutching a briefcase in her left hand. Her heels clicked rhythmically on the flooring, perfectly in time, never missing a beat. This was due to the headphones dangling from her left ear, leaving her right free to hear the surrounding noise. The white cord snaked down her black overcoat and into her pocket. Her manner was carefree and she propelled herself forward as if no one was watching her.

She was wrong. Stacy Warner stood on the railing above the main entrance to the hospital, waiting for the arrival of the new lawyer. When the doors had ground open and the young woman had walked in, Stacy's curiosity had been piqued. This woman was clearly not the experienced lawyer she knew Cuddy would replace her with, so there was no tension, but Stacy had learned a few things during her romance with House. She knew that observation was key.

The woman walked forward and Stacy could see the severe dress boots that created the staccato rhythm on the floor. They were black, as was the tailored suit that hugged her young curves. She couldn't have been more than five foot two, but the impression she gave was of a much larger figure.

Cuddy stepped out of the clinic and evidently made eye-contact with the young woman, because she stopped. Then Stacy heard something that made her blood freeze.

"Josette Tandy, your new attorney."

While not as in-depth as House's practice of stealing records, Stacy's methods of Google searching a person's name was quicker and only a little less informative. Her blood had skyrocketed from freezing to boiling as she read the newspaper articles regarding Josette Tandy.

Valedictorian in high school at seventeen, undergraduate degree by age twenty despite double-majoring in political science and theatre, top of her class at Harvard at twenty-three and associate at one of the most prestigious firms for the past two years. Twenty five years old and replacing Stacy Warner.

Stacy almost considered barging into Cuddy's office and demanding an explanation until it became unnecessary. Cuddy walked by with the offending attorney to the open office that was connected to Stacy's. The office was bigger. It had a window. This was ridiculous.

Cuddy stuck her head through her door. "Oh good, you're here. I was just explaining to Josette that we're renovating this area to create a more comfortable working environment for our attorneys. House is causing you all enough trouble without having to deal with these cramped offices." Cuddy paused, and then whispered. "Sorry her office is bigger than yours for now."

Stacy laughed, her anger abating for the moment. Josette wouldn't last a week with House. She would bet all of her money on that.

Stacy Warner was in the precarious position of unknowingly becoming metaphorically bankrupt.