"Clear!"

The doctor slammed the paddles into the patients' chest. The woman shuddered and convulsed as electricity surged through her body. The doctor glanced up as a blip appeared on the heart rate monitor, then flat lined.
"Again." said the Nurse anxiously. The doctor nodded resolutely, rubbing the paddles together.

"Idiot." muttered House under his breath.

"What?"

His eyes flicked over to Cuddy, who was standing in the doorway. She was looking very annoyed indeed. Apparently oblivious to her rage, House nodded towards the TV screen. The Doctor on the show shocked the woman again.

"He hasn't even plugged them in. See? You can see the plug dangling at the end. Plus he's rubbing too hard. Looks like he's trying to start a car engine."

Cuddy's cheek twitched.

Bad sign. House sighed inwardly and grasped his cane, heaving himself to his feet. He'd discovered that it was better to be walking when Cuddy was in one of her moods. She got puffed quicker.

"You skipped clinic duty yesterday."

House left the office, Cuddy in tow.

"I looked and didn't see any patients. So I figure 'Hey, free day-'"

"Don't give me that." she snapped. "You knew we had to move them to a new room because of the painters." House looked at her, face full of innocent surprise.

"Really? Gosh, news just doesn't get around like it used to." He watched with slight amusement as she went an interesting shade of purple. She'd been on a very short fuse lately. At the behest of Vogler, workmen were all around the hospital repairing and repainting; the chemicals gave her allergies. Her eyes were bloodshot; the tip of her nose bright red. He'd made a gentle rib at her appearance the week before. Which was why he was doing triple clinic duty this week.

Or at least, supposed to be doing.

Cuddy was apparently so annoyed she couldn't speak, as they managed to make it to the elevator without her speaking. House jabbed the down button.

"Look," she said at last through gritted teeth "You've got no special cases on, so there is no excuse. If I find you skiving off again I'll-"

"What? Spank me?"

"House, your job is on the line as it is. Don't give Vogler another excuse to fire you." she gave him a final warning look and stalked off. The lift pinged, door sliding gently open.

"Well, someone's grumpy." he said to himself as he stepped in. The woman in the lift scooted discreetly away from him.

The ducklings were lounging in the lab when he limped through the door. Chase barely looked up from his paper, before turning to the sports section. Cameron's eyes were carefully blank as she glanced up from her computer. House tried not to meet her gaze, though every day it was getting harder not to. He didn't want to know what he might see in them. After her comment a couple of week ago about 'his feelings' for her, he wasn't going to encourage her.

At least, that's what he told himself.

Foreman was on the couch, looking as though he sleeping. House sat down on a chair. For a moment he took in the cold silence.

"SO!"

Foreman sat up so fast he fell off the couch. Cameron and Chase were slightly more dignified with their shock, even if Chase did rip a large chunk out of the paper.

"Any new cases?" he said, voice now at a normal level. He twirled his cane round a hand, taking in the stony silence. He looked at Chase, deciding to play dumb.

"Something wrong?"

"You still haven't told us who got fired." House glanced at Cameron, centering on a freckle just above her eye.

"By Golly, you're right." He stood up, heading for the door. He was halfway up the hallway before they caught up.

"Yes Children?"

"Well?" insisted Cameron. House accidentally looked her in the eye. Bad idea. Cameron's emotions were always right there for anyone to see, glowing like neon signs. The instant House looked at her he could see everything she was feeling, piling up behind her eyelids.

Great. Guilt Trip.

House sighed.

"No-one. I gave him my choice and he didn't accept it." Chase's gaze flickered slightly, confirming what House already knew. He was a Mole.

"So, if I don't choose anybody else, its the entire department." he let this sink in. There were lots of things he could have said after that. 'I'm sorry' for instance; but that would have been lying. He was too pissed at Vogler's power plays to be sorry; besides, it wasn't his fault. So instead he let it hang, heading back along the corridor.

He had a patient to find.

The three doctors went back into the room, in various stages of shock, each suspicious of the other. Cameron started flicking through cupboards as Chase sank back into his chair. Although he picked up the newspaper, he had no intention of reading it. He'd seen that look in Houses eyes; he knew about the deal with Vogler. He wasn't actually surprised. House always seemed to know what they were thinking. But even if he did, what could he do about it? He'd tried to sack him, and failed; he was safe.

Chase wasn't exactly ashamed of what he'd done. After all, what was the point of being loyal to House if he was going to go down anyway? It might not be Vogler, but one day the old man was going to insult one patient to many. Better to save his own hide first.

Foreman looked up from the couch in irritation as Cameron began rummaging through the lower cabinet.

"What are you looking for?"

"Aspirin." came the muffled reply.

"There's some in the supply room." Chase flipped over a page, not looking up. If Cameron felt their eyes on her back as she left, she made no sign of it. It looked as the bun fight to keep their jobs was back in business.

House was flicking through the current files. The receptionist was typing on the computer, but House could feel her glaring out of the corners of his beady eyes. She knew what he was doing wasn't right, but wasn't willing to get in his firing line. If this was infamy, he sure wasn't going to complain.

"Ahhh." he said softly, pulling out a file. His eyes scanned over it, and a tiny smile appeared on his lips.

Excellent.

Hee hee! Sorry, not much Romance/Angst between house/Cameron yet. But its time will come. Bwahahahah!