A/N: I couldn't think of a decent title for this story. The Bodyguard just seemed so..overused, and I watched An Affair to Remember recently and Moon Over La Gabriella popped into my head. So there you have it. It probably won't make sense if you haven't seen the movie so if not, just go with it :)
This is a story that's been floating around in my head for awhile and I had to get it out. I have no idea how long it'll be. It could be 5 chapters, or it could be 15. I just don't know. I haven't written any House fanfic in a long time so I'm a little rusty. Bear with me.
Disclaimer: I don't own House MD or any of its characters. So don't sue me.
Chapter One
"What do you think it means?" Cuddy asked Wilson as they stared at the note.
"I think someone felt cheated because House refused to take their case, someone died or whatever, and they're taking their anger out on House."
"Well whoever they are, they're not very good stalkers. If they were, they'd be sending these to Mayfield where House is."
"Maybe they're sending it here to scare us. To let us know they're watching."
"Or they know he's coming back in a few days," Cuddy pointed out.
"What should we do? We won't be able to hide this from him for long. He's going to be staying with me for awhile so maybe that will throw them off.
"I guess we'll just have to see how it goes."
"See how what goes?" A familiar voice said from the doorway.
Both Wilson and Cuddy turned around and she quickly hid the notes behind her back, hoping House doesn't see them.
"House, you're early."
"Yeah. It was getting crowded. They gave me a nice send-off though. I got cake and everything. So whatcha got there?" He inquired, pointing to the hand behind Cuddy's back.
"Nothing that concerns you."
"Then why hide it?"
"House just drop it."
House smirked. "I might've been in the booby hatch but that doesn't mean I've changed that much." He held out his hand. "Gimme."
Cuddy had to admit he was looking well. He'd cut his hair super short and his beard was fuller, but he'd definitely lost some weight. It looked good on him and a small part of her reacted favorably, causing her to blush slightly. Those big blue eyes of his practically entranced her enough to hand over the notes from his stalker.
He looked them over and ripped them up. "You think I don't get these every so often? Who cares?"
"It's from the same person," Wilson told him. "And they've been coming non-stop to your apartment and office since you went to Mayfield. Whoever it is means business."
"Nolan wants you to stay with Wilson for the next couple of months," Cuddy told him and then held up her hand when House started to roll his eyes. "Just until you get your medical license fully reinstated and..."
"To make sure I don't relapse?" House sighed and flopped down in the nearest chair. "Glad to see my best friends have so much faith in me."
"It's not just that. It's your stalker. If you stay with me, you'll be safe."
"Safe from what? You think he's going to climb in through my bedroom window and blow my head off?"
"What makes you think it's a he?" Cuddy asked him. "I seem to remember a certain teenage female stalker a few years ago."
House laughed and shook his head. "She had spores from the earthquakes in Fresno. The symptoms made her believe she was in love with me. She was harmless. Most stalkers are."
"No, they aren't. I can list half a dozen names of famous stalkers who killed or came close to killing their prey. So bottom line, you're staying with me until the coast is clear."
"But your place is so small," House whined like a petulant child. "I think you're both over-reacting but whatever. Since I'm in such a good mood I'll indulge you this time. So, got a patient for me?"
"Not yet. Until your license is fully reinstated, you have to do rounds and clinic duty."
"And if I get a patient?"
"Foreman's in charge."
House rolled his eyes. "You've got to be kidding me! Why did I even bother coming back? This is total bullshit!" he snapped and then limped out of Cuddy's office.
"Well that was unexpected," Wilson muttered.
"My hands are tied," Cuddy said with a shrug. "He can't treat patients right now. Foreman will have to have the final say."
"Why not Chase? He's the one who thinks more like House than anyone. He's perfectly capable of running Diagnostics."
"Foreman has seniority," Cuddy replied like it was the end of conversation, and then sat down at her desk.
"You know as well as I do that House is more than capable of running the department on his own."
"Maybe, maybe not but Wilson, we have rules for a reason. If the patient found out that House was treating him with a suspended license..."
"It's in the process of being reinstated!" Wilson pointed out. "When House saves his life I don't see him suing. You're reaching, Cuddy. What is your problem anyway? It's almost as if..."
Cuddy glared at him and then quickly looked away.
Wilson blinked. "Oh, this is too funny. After all that happened between you two, you like him. Really like him! And this is your way of controlling him. Well good luck with that. It's not going to work."
"I don't know what you're talking about. And I have a meeting in five minutes so..."
Wilson shook his head as he turned to leave. "Hope you know what you're doin..."
XXX
House stood in the middle of his conference room and looked around. It clearly hadn't been in use since he'd been gone and he wondered where everyone was. His attention was focused on a gift wrapped present on his desk. The name on the tag said Greg House, and the G was curly, much like Allison Cameron's handwriting. He was reaching for it when he heard a female voice from the doorway and the sound of a hammer being pulled back on a revolver.
"Step back."
The voice was definitely female but it held a certain air of authority that he held his hands up. "Identify yourself and keep your hands where I can see 'em."
"Identify myself? Are you kidding me?"
She was behind him so quickly her didn't even see her move. Her hands gripped his wrists and pulled his arms behind his back as she shoved him up against the glass wall. His cane fell to the floor with a loud clatter.
"I said...identify yourself, asshole," she hissed in his ear.
"I don't have to identify myself. This is my office!"
Wilson had heard the commotion from his own office and came to investigate. He took in the tall, athletic woman with long red hair holding House against the wall.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"Who the hell are you?" The woman shouted at Wilson.
"I'm Dr. Wilson and that is Dr. Gregory House."
The woman looked like she was going to die of utter embarrassment as other people came running to see what was going on. She took a step back and House shook her off.
"My mistake. I was called about a stalker. I saw you standing in this office and I thought you were the one leaving the present on the desk and I reacted."
House gave her a look of total contempt as he picked up his cane off the floor. "Great welcome home party, Wilson. I didn't even ask for a hooker. It's a nice change from the ties you've given me in the past."
The woman frowned and stiffened. "I am not a hooker, Dr. House. My name is Gabriella Toscano. I've been hired by Dr. Lisa Cuddy to protect you, and I'm going to do my job."
"Toscano..." House repeated. "Isn't that a restaurant in Little Italy?"
"I wouldn't know, nor do I care."
House turned to Wilson, and then Cuddy, who was now standing in his office. "House! What the hell?"
"What? Why are you looking at me like I'm the one in trouble? She's the one who pulled a gun on me!" he said, pointing to Gabriella.
"I said I was sorry," she replied, not looking so. As she and Cuddy spoke, he took in her appearance.
Gabriella was tall, well-built, with several visible tattoos on her muscular arms. She wore all black, a leather vest and boots all the way up to her knees. If he didn't know better, he'd think she was a first-rate dominatrix. The only thing missing was her whip.
"You're early," Cuddy said to her. "You weren't supposed to be here until next week."
"My current job finished up earlier than planned. And since I had to fly across the country, I decided to just get started. Seems I can't start soon enough," she said as she pointed to the gift wrapped present on House's desk.
Cuddy froze. "That wasn't here this morning when I unlocked the doors."
"You don't say," Gabriella glared. "You hired me for my expertise. That's what I'm going to give you," she said as she picked up the box. She held it up to her ear. The ticking was very faint. "Everyone out. I need a full evacuation of this floor right now! Go!" she shouted at them as she unwrapped the box with care.
"What? You're bomb squad too?" House inquired as Wilson led him out of the office.
"Yeah, so move!" she shouted to him as she took the device out and examined it. It was clearly homemade, but it could do a fair amount of damage. She glanced at him and had to admire his bravery and tenacity.
"Know anything about bombs?" she asked him.
"Nope. But I know there's more to it than just cutting or not cutting wires. Just throw it out the window."
Before she could respond, he took it from her, with only ten seconds remaining, went out onto the patio, shouted "Hit the dirt!" and tossed it over the side.
"Are you Insane?" Gabriella shouted at him when he came back inside looking proud of himself.
"Nope. I had a good-bye party at Mayfield and everything. Certifiably not insane."
"You could've killed someone!"
"But I didn't. It was third rate to say the least, not a landmine."
When she stood herself up to full height she was nearly as tall as House, but he wasn't intimidated.
"Let's get one thing straight, Dr. House. Dr. Cuddy hired me because for some crazy reason she wants you to be safe and I'm going to see to that. Someone wants to hurt you, but they're going to have to get through me first. Therefore, you don't go anywhere without me. Understood?"
"What if I need to take a leak?"
"What you do behind closed doors is your business, but if you try to evade me, or give me the slip at any time, we're done."
He looked down at her with his signature intimidating gaze but she didn't waver or blink as she stared back with defiance.
"This is gonna be fun," he said as he took a step back.
"I'm not here for fun, Dr. House."
"Just call me House." He pulled a dust cover from some of his furniture and sat down in his Eames chair. "So what do you think my stalker wants?"
"Revenge, to hurt you, any number of things. But from what Dr.'s Cuddy and Wilson have shown me, he or she means business. And I'm guessing it's someone in this hospital which means I'm going to be on you like a rash."
"Sexy. So, what? You're just going to sit in my office and watch me save lives? You can't sit in on the DDX."
"DDX?" she asked, looking confused.
"My doctor thing. There are regulations. Doctor/patient confidentiality and all that HIPAA mumbo jumbo. I may be an ass, but I do have an obligation. So you can sit in my office where you can still see me but that's it. Capisce?"
Gabriella nodded and House gave her a slight smile. "Italian?" he inquired.
"Yep."
"Me too. By birth only, though. My dad was stationed there at the time."
"Army brat?"
"Marines."
"My dad too," she smiled, finding relief in that she now had something in common with the man she was protecting. At least maybe now they had something to talk about besides who was trying to kill him. While she insisted on maintaining professionalism at all times, once in awhile she'd strike a bond with her client and things went much more smoothly all around.
However, she had no idea what she was in for.
A/N: So whaddya think so far? Yay or Nay?
