AN: So… oh, right cliff hanger: so there I was, struggling with that beast of a flute solo… loljk

Angela just got attacked walking across the street. It could happen to anyone in a safe New Jersey 'burb. I swearz

Disclaimer: Nope. The characters still ain't mine, no matter how hard I hope and pray and all of those other things.

PART 4

House P.O.V.

Angela was taking a really long time to get back. She had really floored Cuddy with her singing and flute playing. She impressed me as well… not that I'd ever admit to being impressed with anyone, let alone a woman I had just met. Albeit a beautiful, talented, young woman… who lived right across the street… and just spent the entire day with me without screaming for her mother… Woah! Where had that thought come from?

I was sitting at the piano wondering where she had gotten to when I heard a scream coming from the general direction that Angela had gone. I could see some struggling behind a tree and hurried as fast as my leg would let me.

"HEY!" I yelled when I had made my way across the street already dialing 9-1-1. I heard a punch land on flesh and then the struggling stopped.

"Hey, if you want her after I'm done with her, I don't care, but give me some privacy, ok?" I heard.

"I don't do sloppy seconds. Now, I would leave if I were you. I've called the cops."

"Shit." A man came around the tree. "She's my girlfriend. She likes it rough, I only aim to please," he said, eyeing my cane and scoffing.

"No, she's not. She's new in town and she's with me."

I could see him weighing his options and he decided to take a lunge at me. I saw it coming so I easily avoided it and tripped him with my cane… and promptly sat on him. I was worried about Angela, I couldn't detect any signs of life from behind the tree. "What the fuck were you going to do to her, you sick freak?" I yelled at him, pulling his arms up and behind his back in an uncomfortable position.

Luckily, I live near a police station, so they weren't too long in coming, so I held him down for the half a minute it took them to come. As soon as they had surrounded us, I went over to Angela to look at her. Her shirt was in shreds and she was going to have a nasty bruise on her jaw. She groaned. She was going to be fine. Unconscious, but fine.

A policeman came over to where I was inspecting Angela. "I'm a doctor. She doesn't need a bus. There is no reason to believe that she'll have a concussion, or any other problem. But I do believe she will need a new shirt." I said before he even opened his mouth. "She lives right there. I live across the street. If we can do this whole 'take a statement' thingy here, that would be great."

Angela groaned and shifted in my arms. Her eyes fluttered open. "What happened?" she asked. Then it hit her and she tried to get away from me.

"Angela, chill, it's House. Don't make me sedate you. This is a cop he's going to get a statement from you while go and get you a shirt to wear. But first, you have to get off so I can get up." I got up as Angela went with the cop to his car. I was about to make my way in when I saw some music on the ground near the tree. I picked it up and carried it with me. It must have been the music Angela came for.

Angela's P.O.V.

House was uncharacteristically… kind…(?) to me when I came to. Even though I had only spent a day with him, many of the rumor I had heard about him were beginning to seem true. Until…

I gave the policeman my statement. When House came back he handed me a sweatshirt. I looked down and realized that my shirt was torn to bits. "Thanks," I said and I went to the curb and sat down shrugging into the sweatshirt he had brought me.

House gave his statement and then joined me on the sidewalk. "Are you ok? I mean, I know that you're not ok, but are you going to be ok?" he asked.

"I think so, just a bit shaken up, I guess," I answered. We stayed there in silence for a few minutes before I gathered the courage to ask, "House, can I… can I stay with you, tonight? I can stay on the couch, I promise I won't be too much trouble."

He was silent for a minute. He thought I was rude for asking such a thing after only knowing him a day. I felt so stupid. "Sure. C'mon, let's go inside, it's getting cold outside."

We silently walked back across the street and into his apartment. He went to what I presumed was the linen closet and handed me a pillow and blanket and a fresh towel.

"Thanks. For everything, House," I said and went about making my make-shift bed. I washed my face and then I lay down and tried to fall asleep.

"Lie down in the back and don't make a sound." I was told as I was roughly shoved into the backseat of my car. The man got on top of me and hit me. Hard. I screamed out. This time no one came to my rescue. He hit me again and ripped my shirt open. He fumbled for something in his pocket and drew out a knife. I whimpered.

"I said, don't make a sound. I will kill you," he said placing the knife at my throat. I was so scared. I tried not to scream. "Angela! Stop screaming, Angela!"

"Angela!! Wake up! It's just a bad dream!" My eyes startled open to see House looking bedraggled.

All of a sudden I couldn't stop the flow of tears that I had been holding back ever since we got back to his apartment. I don't cry in front of other people for a reason. I can't do it gracefully. Some women have the dainty single tear trail down their porcelain cheeks. I don't. I have huge, entire body- wracking sobs, my face gets all red and blotchy, my eyes become bloodshot. It's a mess that no one needs to see.

"It's alright, Angela, you're safe here. I can't do this right now… at least not standing up. Let's go c'mon." He tugged on my sheets, trying to look more encumbered than worried.

"Where are we going?" I asked between sobs.

"My bed. I normally don't do comfort. I'm making an exception for right now, because you're disrupting my sleep. So, I'll do my comforting from the comfort of my bed. Just don't steal the sheets."

He led me into his room there was a reading lamp on and a book open on the bed. I was pretty sure that he wasn't asleep when he heard me, but I didn't want to call him out on it and be wrong. I got into bed first and shifted over to the far side so that he could get in without bothering his leg. He climbed in and gathered me in close.

"Thank you," I said. I sobbed into his t-shirt until his reassuring hand on my back lulled me into a dreamless sleep.

AN: Ok, so kinda dark… I'll admit it. But, House is a sweetie down inside House No, I'm not. me Yes, you are. Deal. House I'm not. She was disrupting my sleep! me mmmhmmmm… sure, House. Whatever you say.