Before entering Cuddy's office, House peered over his shoulder to make sure no one was following him. As soon as he walked into her office he gently closed the door and drew the blinds shut.

He sat down behind her desk and scanned the surface. It was neat—too neat. He opened the middle top drawer and began rummaging through it. He found exactly what he was looking for, a roll of scotch tape and tore a small piece off. Then he placed said tape over the computer mouse's laser tracker.

Suddenly, the door handle jerked and the door flew open. House jumped and accidently banged his left knee under the desk. "Ouch! Haven't you heard of knocking?"

"House, this is my office. What are you doing?" Cuddy stood in front of the door irritated with her arms folded. He was caught red-handed.

"You told me to wait in here for you. I didn't think you'd be back so soon. And for the record I was…I was just looking for some more nicotine patches for Mr. Moron."

"Mr. Morris."

"Well, I guess you don't have any in here." He closed the drawer. "A couple more of those babies and he can fashion himself a nice—pardon the pun—patchwork sweater."

"House! You know I don't smoke."

He stared at her ass. "I beg to differ." Cuddy pushed him out of her leather office chair and rolled her eyes. "What?" he asked innocently.

Silence.

"Okay. I admit I acted a little unprofessional in there. But the guy had it coming to him. I mean, it clearly states that you are only to wear one at a time. Honestly, how can you not laugh at his stupidity? Darwin probably would have."

She took in a deep breath but still remained silent. And the silence was killing him.

"I'm sorry. Okay. I'm sorry." He stretched out the last syllable. "But the guy was a total moron. Can I go now?"

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"I mean that I called you in my office to ask you about what you plan on wearing to the reception tonight? You better show up in something nice and wrinkle-free. It's a formal event."

"No, you mean you called me in your office to ask me about what I plan to wear if I were going to the reception tonight—which I'm not by the way."

"House this is not negotiable. All department heads need to be there. That includes you. The Kobayashi Family has kindly donated a lot of money to help expand the Cardiology Wing in the Pediatrics ward. They will personally be there to hand over the eight million dollar check."

"Eight million dollar check? Couldn't you use that toward the new MRI machine so I wouldn't have to do those fifty…"

"One hundred. Now two hundred."

"…clinic hours. Seriously, I'm not going. I would rather poke…"

"House!"

"Relax, I wasn't talking about you. Really Cuddy? Is that, all you think about? Jumping my bones? Because sex with you, would be cruel and usual punishment and I'm not…"

Cuddy quickly retorted, "A man?"

House coughed. "I was going to say 'that desperate'. Anyway, as I was saying, I would rather poke an assortment of metal objects into a light socket than go."

Cuddy rolled her eyes and shook her head.

House stood his ground. "What?" And then he remembered the electrocution incident a year ago with a patient's knife. "Oh, right! I guess I already did that, huh?"

Cuddy sighed. "House this is very important to the hospital and near and dear to the Kobayashi's. Your presence at the reception is very necessary. Their daughter, Alexa, was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease last year. She had seen several doctors and specialists at four different hospitals for the first three years of her life. And because of that her case was diagnosed late."

"What a bunch of idiots?"

"That's exactly what you said when you solved her case last year. "

His widened. "I did?"

"Yes. And that's why you really need to be there."

"Please tell me there'll be music and an open bar."

"Yes. Following the presentation we'll dine and dance."

His eyebrows shot up. "We'll?"

"Well, yes. We'll dine and dance. I'm assuming you'll be dancing with your date and I'll be dancing with mine."

House snorted while grinning ear to ear. "You've got a date? Where'd you find this one? E-Fetish Dating dot com?"

Cuddy took a few steps and leaned in a bit closer to him. "And let me guess. You'll be bringing or rather paying for your date the entire evening?" She stepped back and lowered her voice. "House, please I don't want you to embarrass or cause any trouble for the hospital. No hookers."

House pointed a finger at her. "HA! You deflected, which means your trying to hide the fact that you really are a member of E-Fetish dot com."

"House, I mean it."

"Sure. " He waited a beat. "You have my word. You can count on me."

"Thanks."

He stepped out of her office and quietly closed the door before looking back at her once more with a weak smile. "You can count on me to screw with you," he muttered under his breath.

Cuddy sat behind her computer to check her email. She moved the mouse back and forth but her cursor failed to move on the screen. She knitted her brows after double-checking the cable connections. She was perplexed until her index finger rubbed slightly against the underside of the mouse. "What the hell?" It was a sticky. She flipped it over and discovered the piece of tape. She bellowed, "House!"

House waited outside her door well within earshot. With a satisfied grin he limped to the elevator with a near bounce in his step.