A/N: I'm sooo sorry this took so long. I've been way to busy, but hopefully this chapter makes up for the wait!

Disclaimer: see chapter one


House was having a hell of a time making his way down the stairs. Running around the roof hiding from men with guns could really take its toll on a person. From the moment he had entered the hospital he was immediately hit with a gust of cold air from the air conditioning system. That combined with the dampness of his clothes sent a shiver up his spine and a new tightness to form in his right thigh. He hated the cold, it did nothing but irritate his leg which was why he despised the winter season so much.

He returned his attention back ahead of him. It wouldn't be very smart to get caught now only because he was too distracted by his pain to watch where he was going. He reached into his pocked for the familiar shape of his pill bottle and dry swallowed two vicodin. With the pain dulling out again, he took the last couple of steps down the stairs and paused to peer around the corner. Being extra cautious, he looked both ways twice and even listened for footsteps as an added precaution before taking off as stealthily as possible for a man with a cane.


Cameron's mind was racing. 'Should I do something?' she thought. 'If I make a run for it he might shoot me. If I don't…I'll be back in the break room in fear of being shot.' Cameron's pace slowed as she weighed her options. 'But where would I run to?' she looked up and down the empty halls of the hospital. 'There're plenty of places to hide. House hides from Cuddy every day. It can't be that difficult.' Cameron and her escort made a stop just outside the restroom doors and she looked the man carefully. He wasn't as big as any of the other men she had seen guarding departments and patrolling the hallways. 'I bet I could take him.'
Wilson, Chase, and Foreman all looked at each other, each trying to determine nonverbally if they should do something or not. They were all thinking somewhere along the same lines. They had a three to one advantage, but at the same time, what difference does it make how many people you have when there's a gun involved. And if they did somehow manage to incapacitate him and sneak away, they would need to somehow find Cameron and take down her escort as well.

Wilson was the first to realize all of this and decided for all of them by simply breaking eye contact and resting his head gently against the old carpet of the floor. The others got the message and also relaxed. They would have to wait until their captor's next naptime.


House took a turn around the next corner, but quickly stepped back and pressed his back against the wall to avoid being seen when he saw two figures standing in the hallway. Once he regained his composure, he turned his head to glance at the figures, still keeping his body flat against the wall. House was surprised when he realized exactly who it was he was looking at.

He watched Cameron as she sized the man up and anxiety rose inside of him when he realized well before her escort did what she was about to do. 'Don't do anything stupid!' thought House frantically. His fears were eradicated momentarily when she turned and reached for the door handle to the women's restroom, but were replaced quickly when she used the elbow of that same hand to jab forcefully into the man's ribs. He hunched over with a grunt of pain and cradled his stomach lightly. Cameron regretted what she had done instantly and watched the man's face flush with anger as he stood up abruptly, the pain in his ribs long gone, and raise his hand high over his head. Cameron was frozen with fear and was only able to close her eyes and wait for the impending blow.

A loud cracking sound resonated throughout the hallway followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor. Cameron flinched at the sound and waited for the pain to course through her body. When nothing came she opened her eyes apprehensively. Instead of seeing the fuming man in front of her with his hand raised threateningly, her eyes made contact with none other than Gregory House. Cameron was still too shocked to say anything and looked down at the man lying soundlessly on the cold tiles, bits and pieces of wood scattered all around him. She was broken from her adrenaline induced haze by the sound of House's voice. "Damn…" he held a look of disappointment on his gruff face. "That was my favorite cane."


Cuddy sat behind her desk with the inauspicious file in hand. Her shoulder still ached from where Michael's fingers had barred into her flesh and could still feel his breath so close to her face as he threatened her. She shook her mind of that memory and tried not to remember the menacing look in his eyes as he did so. She turned her full attention back to the file in hand and tried to figure out what to do. She didn't know if there was anything that she could do. This person obviously meant a lot to Michael, but the information in the file was clear. He was dying.
"What the hell were you thinking?" asked House and he grabbed the man's feet.

"I don't know." answered Cameron honestly, lifting the man's arms. They carried the small man easily along the hallway a short distance and stopped beside a storage closet.

"Well don't do anything like that again." ordered House, "I don't have anymore canes to spare." Cameron opened the door and House dragged the now bound and gagged man into the closet. House checked the man's pockets and took the harness off from around the man's waist that held a handgun. He attached it around his own waist and made sure the gun was on safety before securing it in its holster beside his hip.

"How long do you think he'll be out?" inquired Cameron as she watched House take the man's gun.

House smiled faintly. "Judging by the looks of him, he won't be escorting anymore doctors to the John anytime soon. But if you want I can hit him over the head a couple of times, just to be safe." He raised what was left of his cane in the air.

"I don't think that'll be necessary." said Cameron. "Come on, let's go." she turned and headed in the direction of the diagnostics department.

"Whoa, wait up!" Cameron stopped and turned around. "Where do you think you're going?"

"We've got to get Wilson and the others." she said gesturing eagerly down the hallway.

"No we don't." said House simply. "They're big boys; they can take care of themselves." Cameron looked at him incredulously. "Besides, like I said, I don't have anymore canes left." He turned and began to walk in the other direction.

"You have a gun." she said, starring pointedly at his hip, where the gun would be under his jacket.

"You want me to shoot someone?" House asked in amazement at Cameron's implication.

Cameron shook her head and waved her arms in a never mind gesture. "Well then what are we supposed to do?"

'I don't know about you, but I need to find Cuddy.' On any other day he wouldn't care what Cameron did, but in these conditions he didn't want to leave her by herself. "Well, you've already proved that you can't fend for yourself so you can come with me to Cuddy's office." He didn't know where they had taken Cuddy, but he figured her office would be a good place to start his search for her. Cameron didn't ask why he was going to Cuddy's office, but simply followed him, grateful that he wasn't going to leave her alone.


A/N: This might be my last update for a while with school starting and all that…but don't worry…I'll try my best to update as soon as I can! Just leave me some of your reviews that I love so much and I might be inspired to write faster! and I feel stupid for saying that anonymous reviews were enabled when they really weren't. I distinctly remember enabeling them, but I guess I didn't. But they are enabled now so please review!

Oh, and here's a little reader's challenge: Without going back and checking, how many times has House popped pills in this story? I was just wondering...it wouldn't be too good if I made House overdose without knowing it!

Next Chapter: Will House and Cameron make it safely to Cuddy's office? And what will Cuddy decide to do? Will House get there in time to help the situation any? More excitement to come in the next chapter!