Title: Confessions

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own anything

Summary: Cuddy is faced with a suspected case of abuse and tries to help the victim. But her willingness to help puts her in a dangerous position and she begins to fear for her life.

!!Huddy!!!


"House?" Dr. Cuddy called opening the door to his office. She had been looking for him for the past hour and again she had come up empty.

"Where is House?" she asked as she spotted Wilson coming toward her.

"I couldn't tell you." He responded flipping through a patients file. "I haven't seen him since he came in." he paused "He's avoiding clinic duty again isn't he?"

Cuddy nodded "As usual" she turned and headed toward the elevator "If you see him tell him he's fired."

Wilson smiled and headed toward his own office.

Cuddy pulled out her pager as she came upon her office, typing in her message as she opened the door and walked in.

"Howdy!"

House smiled as she closed the door behind her.

"It's about time you showed up. You're simply impossible to locate. I hear the clinic is swamped today, shouldn't you be there instead of in here?"

"What are you doing?" she stood with a hand on her hip "I have been looking everywhere for you!"

"It's funny how it's always the last place you look." He smirked

"How did you get in here?" She asked assuming her door was locked

"I opened the door."

"Why are you in my office?"

"It's so soothing in here." He smiled swinging his cane back and forth "It's the only place I could find that was quiet."

"Did you forget about your clinic duty?" she approached the desk "The clinic duty I asked you to help me with?"

House shook his head "Yes, but you asked; you didn't tell, I assumed I had the option and I chose the latter."

"I'm sorry you misunderstood, it wasn't a question it was more like a demand."

"A demand?" he retorted "You're rather bossy!"

"That's because I am the boss." She shot back

"Okay. I'll help you." He slowly stood "But what's in it for me?"

"What's in it for you?" she repeated him. "How about a paycheck?"

House smiled "I get one of those every two weeks, that's not a new incentive."

"I assume you like your job and want to keep it?" she asked putting on her white coat.

"Like my job?" he walked past her "Where would you get a crazy idea like that?"

Cuddy didn't have a chance to respond as he disappeared in the hallway. She closed her office door and caught up to him. "Why do you make such a big deal over clinic duty? We all have to do it."

"Because I can." He replied as if his answer was obvious

"You're a doctor." She spoke handing him a file

"Really?" He turned to her "Thanks for the clarification."

"Well I think sometimes you forget."

"No, I…" he trailed off when he realized he had lost her attention.

"Miss?" Cuddy walked past House and approached a small framed woman who appeared to be lost. "Can I help you?"

House turned and watched as Cuddy walk away from him.

The small woman didn't respond to her;

"Miss?" Cuddy spoke again, taking a closer look at her. "Oh my…" she commented when she noticed the large bruises that appeared on the woman's arms, neck and face.

The woman slowly turned to her "I….." she paused looking around as if she were afraid. "I…."

Cuddy reached toward the woman "You should s….", before she could complete her sentence the woman pulled back, as if Cuddy's touch had stung her.

"I'm…." the woman stuttered "I can't…I shouldn't be here."

By this time House had joined the two women "Neither should I." he commented referring to clinic duty.

Cuddy shot his a glance, but didn't speak

The small women nodded "He's going to find me here, his friends….he's going to look for me here."

"Who?" Cuddy asked the women unaware of who she was talking about.

"I just…." The women began to speak "I just need to get out of here."

Cuddy looked over at House and then back to the women

"Can you tell me your name?" she asked squatting down in front of the women.

"N...Natalie…." the women muttered, flinching at Cuddy's touch.

"Natalie;" Cuddy sighed glancing over her bruises again "What happened to you?"

" I…." Natalie quickly stood up

"Natalie!"

House and Cuddy both turned toward the booming voice that came from behind them.

A large fair haired man in a uniform approached the three "I have been looking everywhere for you!"

The man glanced at Cuddy, he looked her up and down; then he looked over at House, and back to Natalie.

"How did you get here?" The man asked Natalie. "You can't just take off like this it's not safe." He grabbed her arm like he was scolding a child who had wandered away at the mall.

"Sir?" Cuddy interrupted him, slightly appalled at the man's actions

The man turned to Cuddy "Pardon my manners." He reached out his hand "I'm Marcus. My wife." He motioned to Natalie. "She's sick, and she's been acting strange lately."

"Well maybe she came so she could…"

"She fell down the stairs, and we have been to get her checked out. She just…"

"Fell down the stairs?" House commented "Are you sure the stairs didn't fall on her?"

Marcus ignored his smart remark. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take my wife home now."

"Because you plan to keep her safe?" House commented

Marcus ignored House once again as the two brushed past him.

"That's possession at its finest!" House snorted

"Can you believe that guy?" Cuddy commented

"I can." House shrugged "Sometimes you women just get right out of hand."

Cuddy gave House a cryptic stare "Your kidding right?"

"He thought you were hot," House spoke, changing teh subject. "He was undressing you with his eyes, when he came in."

"No he wasn't." Cuddy brushed off the accusation

"Well, It looks like I've done my good deed for the day." House turned attempting once again to avoid clinic duty "I'll just." He began to walk away.

"Nice try." Cuddy shook her head "If you keep this up I will double your hours."

"Black-mail only works if you have something against me." House raised his cane as if to surrender. "You'll never take me alive."

Cuddy smiled at his joke and handed him a second file pushing the thoughts of Natalie out of her mind. "Get to work."


"Good morning!" House blasted through the door of Cuddy's office with a smile on his face. "Good to see some of us are working hard while the others are hardly working."

"And surprise, surprise" Cuddy smiled " I assume it is you that's hardly working!"

"You assumed right!" House limped toward her desk and took a seat.

"Feet?" she posed it as a question

House ignored her and kept his feet propped up on her desk "They're fine, thank you for asking."

"So what are we going to do on this wonderful day?"

"Do?" Cuddy looked up from her paperwork again "How about our jobs? Without me having to chase behind you to do it?"

"What fun would that be?"

"Fun?" she dropped her pen "Fun for whom?"

"Well for me of course, although maybe we should turn the tables and let me chase after you?" he smirked "What are you wearing?"

Cuddy furrowed her brow "You are unbelievable."

"I am?" he sat up excitedly, like a child at Christmas. "Are you flirting with me?"

Cuddy rolled her eyes "Since your not doing anything I would appreciate your assistance."

"No." he put his foot down, literally. "I'm not doing anymore clinic duty, you can't make me."

"I never said anything about clinic duty." she stopped his tantrum

House raised his eyebrow "Oh really. How would you." He paused and a suggestive smile crept across his face "Like to use me?"

"Please. " Cuddy stood up "Don't flatter your self."

"I wanted your." She paused hoping she wouldn't regret her decision "Insight on something."

"I would think by now you would know where babies came from."

"House?" she sighed waiting for him to finish

"Alright, enlighten me." He sat back.

"Natalie Fisher; is in exam room two."

House didn't respond

"Natalie Fisher, you can't possibly forget."

"Ike got a hold of her again?"

Cuddy sighed with disappointment "That's not funny House, spousal abuse is not a joke. And if that's the case, she needs help."

"Not a giggle out of me." He added, taking note of Cuddy's stare.

"She's pretty banged up. But for some reason she's asking for us."

"She's asking for us;" House mimicked her. "You mean she's asking for you."

"I think she's looking for someone to open up to."

"Well that's fantastic, except that I am not a not a shrink. And neither are you."

"House; we are doctors."

"I believe you told me that yesterday, I haven't forgotten."

"So you won't come with me to talk to her, because you don't think I should talk to her?

"That's what I am saying."

"Why not?"

"You're Doctor Cuddy." he paused "Not Phil; I'm sure he would love to intervene, but you shouldn't."

"Fine;" Cuddy gave up " But I don't agree with you."

"That's a surprise." He was sarcastic

"I won't mention it unless she brings it up."

House was shocked that she was quick to give up in convincing him.

"That's it?" he watched her clear her desk

"Yep."

"You're not going to beg for a reason as to why we should come right out and ask her?"

"Nope;"

"And stomp your feet." He continued

"No."

"Have a tantrum, and use that whiny girl voice."

Cuddy looked at him and shook her head

"You're not going to use your sex to lure me?"

"N..." she began "What? Use my sex?"

"You know." He used his hand and motioned up and down at her body "You use it all the time."

Cuddy sighed; "I do not use my sex." She defended herself

"That's too bad." House admitted, watching as she walked out of the office. "I like when you do that."


Cuddy lightly knocked on the door of exam room two before walking in. "Mrs. Fisher?" she smiled sympathetically.

Natalie jumped when Cuddy approached her "I'm sorry it took so long."

Natalie shrugged. "I'm used to waiting." She whispered

Cuddy nodded taking note that Natalie appeared to have new bruises. "Can I?" Cuddy stepped forward and motioned the wrist Natalie was favoring.

"It won't stop shaking." Natalie admitted

"What happened?"

"Nothing, it just hurts."

"It's broken." Cuddy quickly concluded "You're going to need x-rays."

"X-rays?" Natalie repeated

"Yeah, I'll take you down there; it might be a bit of a wait."

"No!" Natalie pulled away "I can't wait, I don't have much time. I…" she paused pressing her good hand to her temple.

"Natalie?" Cuddy moved closer to her.

Within seconds Natalie's eyes began to roll.

"Natalie?" Cuddy called her name, but was fully aware of what was happening.

Cuddy managed to catch the women's body as she fell to the ground.

"You're okay." She spoke softly as the woman's body began to jerk around.

Cuddy made sure Natalie's surroundings wouldn't harm her before reaching for the door.

"Nurse!" she called "I need some help!"

TBC