I started off calling this a companion piece to Casablanca but it's really a sequel. Same warnings apply as before. I suppose you could just read this one and not the other, but I would go for them both. Please review.

"You say you're looking for someone who's never weak and always strong; to protect you and defend you, weather you are right or wrong. Someone to open each and every door, but it aint me Babe. No, no, no it aint me Babe. It aint me you're looking for Babe," Bob Dylan.

Greg has been acting strange lately, and by strange I—well it's hard to explain. He's not himself; or rather he's more of himself than ever. He's been quieter in private, sadder and there have definitely been more bad pain days. But when we're at work, House is being . . .he's meaner to those little ducklings of his, more abusive than necessary. I heard Foreman grumbling about it Chase in the hallway. I won't repeat what his exact words were but to suffice it say he thinks it's all because of Stacy leaving. I won't lie; some of this can be blamed on her departure

That's just not the whole story. House is grumpy because she's gone, and this time its for good but the real reason that House is behaving strangely is that I told him that I am in love with him. Only that wasn't the end of that either. Normally when you get to the stage of a relationship where you tell somebody that you love them they either say it back or they don't and that makes the relationship change. But House isn't normal. He's about as far from normal as humanly possible.

So, naturally, nothing in his life or our relationship is close to normal. He didn't say it back. I didn't expect him to. I don't know if he's even capable, of loving anyone or me. He and I didn't end it either, though. We had this long drawn out painful excruciating discussion on it and he admitted to me how absolutely fucking terrified he is of love of me of us and now he's sulking, and angry and he's taking it out on everyone, including himself.

He's getting worse. Today he yelled at a patient. I'll be the first to admit that he has done that before, but he usually has a good reason. This one—I don't know what happened, all I know is that it must have been bad because the whole hospital is talking about it. I've been trying to keep an eye on him since that night but he knows it so he's been trying everything he can to get away from me. Needless to say I wasn't there when he did whatever it was that he did to this patient. All I know for sure is that he is in Cuddy's office and I have never seen her this mad at him.

She's got the door closed but I can see her yelling and House not listening. I don't have to be able to read lips to know that's threatening to suspend him. Cuddy would have to be out of her mind to fire him; he's too good of a doctor. But she can kick him out of her for a few weeks without pay.

He'd been fine his savings would cover rent and food but the pills and the take out and the booze would start to add up. He drinks too much takes too many pills and it scares me. Greg says he knows what he's doing but that's the biggest drug addict lie in the world. One of them anyway. I'm not taking too many, or too much. I've got it under control. I can stop any time I want.

We've done those dances so many times I don't even bother anymore. One of these days he'll take too many damn pills and I wont be there and. I try not to think about that. It's the only thing worse than this. The possibility of losing him… It's too much. He hobbles out of Cuddy's off, shoots me a pathetic look and head back to his room. I'm about to follow with the promise of something that will take his mind off of everything when Cuddy comes out of her office.

"We need to talk," she informs me. If I were brave I'd make a House-like comment about her half open shirt, but like a scolded toddler I follow her and accept whatever punishment she's a bout to dole out. Cuddy motions for me to sit down but I get the feeling that this isn't going to last that long. She stays standing as well. Her face is flushed with color and she's even more pissed off than usual. "What the hell is going on here?" she asks, screams actually.

"I wish I knew what you were talking about." I say trying to play it cool. I', not sure if Cuddy knows about us or if she has any idea even. IF she doesn't then he doesn't want me to tell her.

"You're the closet thing he has to a friend; what is happening with him? Does this have something to do with Stacy?" There's a moment where she seems genuinely concerned for him but I know its nothing like that. She wants to weigh the potential damages so she can decide what to do about House.

"Yes. No I can't really tell you. Not specifically. He's going through some stuff, I'll keep an eye on him." Cuddy shakes her head. I should have known. Nothing is that easy. Not that anything I've been through lately has been easy. "You can't fire him. Tell me you aren't thinking about firing him."

"No, Of course not, but he cant be here. He can't treat patents like this. I gave him a month of paid vacation to figure things out." Shit. If he's going to self-destruct and... do stuff a month off is exactly when he'll do it.

"You can't tell anyone that I told you this and he can't know that you know. If he has to take a month off I have to do the same. We're—he's—I," My voice trails off but I can tell from the look on her face that Cuddy figured it out.

"Oh. Ohh! Is that what this is about? Right, sorry. I know you can't talk about it. If you two can… The soon her he comes back the better. But."

"I get it. He can't come back until he's actually ready. I think it would be good for him to take some time off anyway."