1Title: Why? (Chapter 1/?)

Author: Sess Geek (me)

Summary: House meets "himself" and decides to save her from the fate he already was subject to. Rating: PG (so far. later chapters will have references of child abuse by neglect)

The first time he saw her was when he was (forcefully) on vacation.

"You need a break," said Cuddy while leaning over, which giving House ample time to stare down her shirt.

"No, I don't. Were else do I get a porn show every time I walk into an office?" House smirked as Cuddy quickly sat up and frowned.

"House. If you do not take a vacation, I will suspend you so you have to. You haven't taken a vacation in who knows how long. Go to the beach, a museum, anything! As long as you're not in my hospital, I honestly don't care were you are."

House smirked. "But what about-"

"Wait," Cuddy said, "Let me amend my last statement. As long as you're not in my hospital, or my house, I don't care were you are." House stomped his feet, looking as much as an eight year old than he'd ever had. "House. Leave. Now." Cuddy said, hiding her smile.

"Fine," House said, "I'll take some days off. But only because there's an L-Word marathon this week."

House actually liked being on vacation, not that he would tell Cuddy. The only problem was how boring it got. 12 hours of the L-Word could only take him so far. And there was also the fact that Wilson wasn't there to buy him lunch every day. Staggering up from the deep hole of his couch, House limped over to the kitchen. Grumbling to himself, he ripped open his fridge and stared moodily at the empty shelves. The fact that he hadn't eaten in around a day and a half reared it's head as hunger suddenly attacked his stomach. He needed a Ruben, and the only places that served them (where they didn't taste like crap) were the hospital and a little shack besides the library. Deciding to leave risking suspension to another day, House grabbed his helmet and headed over to the shack.

Three ruben sandwiches later, House sighed contentedly and decided to walk to the library next door. Even if there was an L-Word marathon tomorrow, he would need something to do during the commercials.

House was a like a little kid in a candy store when he was in a library. Medical journals were interesting, and he got a couple of science magazines monthly, but there was nothing more he liked to read than some over the top mystery books. He usually managed to solve them about three chapters in, but House thought it was fun to read chapter after chapter of characters blundering around and killing each other trying to find the answer he already knew. He was deciding what book to choose when a small hand ghosted around his back and a even smaller voice said " 'Scuse me." House turned around, startled, and came face to face (or rather, her face to his chest) with a small teenage girl. She was carrying a stack of three rather large mysteries, to of which House had read. He remembered them, and soon came to the conclusion that they were not for a girl of 14 or 15. She looked a little to smart for her own good, something that reminded House of himself. The girl moved past him, settled herself into a desk in the corner of the library, and started to read the largest of the three books. House watched her. He was interested, and he didn't know why. This teenage girl was his newest puzzle, and House wasn't going to stop until he found all the pieces.

Tbone