Hey guys, I wanted to thank the few people who read my story, and especially the even fewer who left encouraging reviews: it's always nice to get your input on what you think or what you're waiting for.

Since there are only like eight of you people, I can afford a minute to thank you each personally ;)

So thanks to Palikara, Ant1984, PMCM18 (I'll explore Potente's character in my third chapter, I promise), Andree Campbell, Alison in Oz, Shipper1013, Ratka and Lenasti16. You guys rock !!!

Anyhoo, the following chapter takes place immediately after the previous one.

Oh, I almost forgot: I still don't own House... like it's not obvious when reading my story...

Okay then, here we go...

Chapter 2 – Rationalization man vs "Rational" man

House watched Cuddy walk away, not even checking her ass. That's how upset he was...

He burst in Dr Nolan's office, quite mad at what had just happened.

"What the hell, Nolan??! Why didn't you give me the heads up? What is it with you people barging in one's room without knocking, bringing visit without a warning?" yelled House, getting more and more angry at the therapist's nonchalance.

"Why are you so upset?" Nolan asked calmly, the shadow of a smile lingering on his lips. He was interested in House's reaction to Cuddy's short visit.

"First off, House, you blaming me for not knocking is hysterical. Second: sorry but I told you it was against hospital policy for patients to make out with the staff, so I assumed you would respect what I told you yesterday" he said innocently. "You made your bed, now lie in it... ALONE!" he said with a fake annoyed expression, but deep down he was glad that House seemed to be worked up over his feelings towards Cuddy: maybe he would do something about it...

"If you feel guilty, just call her, House, I'm not the one you should be talking to right now" Nolan concluded.

"That's very smart Doc: you did it on purpose because you knew I'd never listen. And I have nothing to explain or to feel guilty about. Cuddy's just my annoying pain-in-the-ass boss, that's all" he claimed, wanting to appear nonchalant but obviously agitated.

"So, what's up with your outburst?" Nolan looked at House questioningly, intrigued by House demeanor but not fooled by his apparent indifference.

"I told you: I'm pissed because I hate to be surprised, and I want to be prepared whenever Cuddy -or anyone else for that matter- comes to visit.

"Okay, fair enough, I should have told you you had a visitor... Then again, you don't have to worry about Cuddy anymore: she said she won't be visiting anytime soon, so you can calm down. After all, you don't care" Nolan said as he got back to his files, apparently done with the conversation.

"It's a matter of principle" he said unconvincingly.

House was firmly decided to stay until he had Nolan's undivided intention, not willing to let him work and making it quite clear by tapping his cane on the floor.

Nolan finally looked up and stared at House "Funny how I usually have to hunt you down to make you attend your sessions, and now you won't get out of my office" he said with a smirk. "She must be more important than I thought".

Sensing he was being probed and tested by Nolan, House got out of his office, fuming and frustrated.

The first thing he did was call Wilson to yell at him: he urgently needed to vent and Nolan was being insufferably provocative. Normally when he was in that mood, he went to Cuddy's office for some bickering but he couldn't call her. She was the last person he wanted to talk to at the moment, and she obviously wouldn't pick up the phone anyway.

After two rings, as soon as Wilson picked up the phone, House lashed at him: "why the hell didn't you tell me that Cuddy was coming today? House yelled.

"Why, hello to you too, House" Wilson replied, not in the least flummoxed. "Why are you yelling? What happened?" he asked.

"She came and, well..."he began, interrupting himself. "Forget it, you should have warned me" his anger was so irrational that Wilson was going to pick on him if he told him why he was upset. He didn't even know why he was so mad. If he told him how conflicted he was, he would never hear the end of it.

"Well... what?" "Okay, I should have told you she was coming, but what happened?" Wilson insisted, knowing something important was up. He realized that this phone call had been all but planned, House was being emotional... It was getting interesting. Wilson was intrigued. "Did she catch you in your underwear? He teased, voluntarily annoying the diagnostician.

"She caught me making out with a doctor here" he admitted, emotionless.

"Wooa wh-what?" Wilson stuttered. "Wait a minute, who is this woman and why the hell were you making out with her?" he was stunned.

"What do you think? She's hot, that's why! I'm bored here, I can't call a hooker since our calls and visits are checked" he quipped.

"And Cuddy... saw that? What about her???" he asked in a judgmental tone that got on House's nerves.

"You're such a girl Wilson" he spat obnoxiously, aggravated.

"You're an idiot!" the oncologist spat angrily. "How did she react?"

"Hey, we've been through this: bros before hoes, Jimmy,..."

"Yeah, except the hoe is also a bro. And you have feelings for her" Wilson said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"...and you should talk: I'm not married to Cuddy, and we're not getting a divorce, you serial cheater" House continued as if Wilson hadn't said anything.

"You can deflect all you want, but why does it bother you so much that she saw you? You don't care, right?" he said, and House could almost hear his victorious smirk on the phone.

"God, you're annoying" House said, hanging up on Wilson without warning, even more frustrated and confused than after his talk with Dr Nolan.

House got back to his room, sat on his bed and stared pensively at the wall, swirling his cane absentmindedly.

Meanwhile, Cuddy was driving in the now stormy weather. Her mood matched the thundering mess outside. Her brain was harassed with images of House kissing the blonde and she was obsessed by the warmth of his hands on her hips. "Bastard" she hissed and gritted her teeth.

'God, get over him, get a grip, it's actually a good thing: you have Rachel now, you can't have a relationship with House, it's like playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun. The only outcome is a broken heart and humiliation' she said to herself, trying her best not to cry.

The day went by and House stayed in his room, still in the same spot on his bed, thinking and brooding over what happened. He kept thinking over and over again of her face and what Nolan had said "she's not visiting anytime soon". It was like a mantra, tormenting his mind, making his chest tighten.

It was time for dinner and he still hadn't moved when he heard a soft knock on the door. He didn't answer, hoping that whoever that was would take the hint and go suck an egg somewhere else.

There was a second knock and, exasperated, House said loud enough for the intruder to hear "oh, now we're knocking, are we? Go away!"

The door opened and the blonde doctor entered the room. He looked up at her and said in a noncommittal tone: "Lydia... to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I... there's a phone call for you. And I'd like to talk to you after. Then I will take you to the cafeteria to grab something to eat: it's almost diner time, and Dr Nolan said that if you didn't eat, you would not be allowed to get out of your room until tomorrow at breakfast time. Your choice" she said, looking intently at him.

"Okay, whatever" he grumbled, now staring at his cane. He got on his feet and leaning heavily on his cane, he limped in the hallway to get to the phone hanging on the wall.

"This better be good" he groused, annoyed, wondering who that might be.

"Hello to you too" Wilson replied, falsely cheerful. "You hung up on me earlier so I thought I would let you calm down before calling back" he said seriously.

"What do you want? I don't need another lecture from a professional philanderer" he said snidely.

"Look, I'm not calling to criticize, if you don't care about Cuddy, so be it" "So... how is she? I mean the mysterious woman? I want details"

House knew that Wilson had an ulterior motive. 'That should be interesting' House thought.

"So you called to gossip? Cuddy doesn't matter anymore? You're okay with that?" he asked Wilson, waiting for him to show his hand. It was a poker game, and he wanted to make him fold. "I don't buy it" he added suspiciously.

"Well, I must admit I'm pretty curious. I didn't say I was okay with that, I don't even know what that is. Whatever it is, I'm your friend. So... Is she a patient? He asked, half expecting House to mock him or deflect.

"She 's a doctor" House said. He wanted to torture Wilson and mess with him but he still had to figure all this out. He was confused, and he needed Wilson's input on whatever was happening.

"Are you kidding me? My God, you found a fellow doctor oblivious of any kind of ethics. A match in heaven! Do you people think reading the Hippocratic Oath was optional in med school???" The oncologist admonished, sounding shocked.

"You slept with a patient, we cannot possibly be having this conversation..." House countered.

"Is this about me?" he replied, annoyed. "Okay, fine" he sighed, defeated. "Go on"

"I decided to stage a mutiny, to stir things up around here" he said with his typical conspiracy voice, the one he usually used when plotting against Cuddy. This was not lost on either of them.

"And the means to annoy Dr Nolan is to make out with a doctor?" Wilson asked incredulously.

"Yeah that's pretty much it. Except I didn't just make out with her..." he said innocently

"YOU SLEPT WITH HER??? Saying that Wilson was dumbfounded was a mild euphemism, his jaw hit the carpet.

"Yup" house quipped, trying to sound cocky but Wilson could tell he was not really into it.

"House, do you like her?" Wilson finally asked after processing for a moment.

"Well, she has great yabbos" House bragged.

"That's not who I'm referring to" Wilson was losing patience.

"You're such a buzz-kill Wilson... Cuddy and I, it's never gonna happen, okay? She's my boss... well, assuming she's not gonna fire my delusional ass..." he sighed. "Actually, technically, she did fire me".

"Yeah, it's not gonna happen, not anymore... And that's exactly what you wanted" he thought aloud, disappointedly. "But you know you're not fired, House, don't be ridiculous"

"Wilson, have you talked to her since she was here? He raised his brows suspiciously.

"No" Wilson lied.

"You're lying" House observed.

Lydia came behind House and said "time's up, stud, and we need to talk".

Hearing that, Wilson told House he'd call the day after and hang up. 'Great timing' he thought, relieved.

The blonde asked House to follow her and ignored the lecherous comment he made about her intentions as they walked back to his room.

'This is going to be a long evening' House thought. He didn't want to confront the woman about who Cuddy was, he didn't want to think about Cuddy, about what he had read in her eyes when she saw him and the woman who currently was standing in front of him. All he wanted at that moment was to be alone and not to think about anything. The blonde didn't appear to be on the same page, she was standing in his room, watching him, visibly preparing herself for the conversation. She was so transparent... It made House think that he missed Cuddy's poker face. Lydia was so predictable... Or was she?

TBC - Thanks for reading :) Reviews are always nice. I'll take corrections as well, I had a hard time with this one: I'm almost fluent, but almost's not good enough: I'm not sure about some expressions I used. Gosh, writing in a foreign language is tough...