The morning brought with it not only the shining golden sun but the pounding headache associated with a typical hangover. Liz and James were together, in her bedroom. It was a miracle they survived the night. Both of them were more worse for wear and it showed. Liz slid out of bed trying not to wake him up as she did. She staggered out to the living room and saw her friends on the floor. Danny was wearing only his boxers. Amy was in a camisole top and... oddly enough a pair of Danny's boxers. Liz had to snicker. She went to the fridge to see what there was to eat. The pickings were few. Leftover chicken, a handful of french fries from a few days ago and a half full half-gallon of milk. She wrinkled her nose and shut the door. As she headed back to her room she caught sight of the clock. A groan escaped her. Not even four hours had passed since they had decided to call it a night. The time was now reading 4:21 am.

"James, baby." she cooed as soft as she could into Wilson's ear. Her own voice hurt her so she was trying to keep him as pain free as possible. "Baby." she whispered a bit louder. He stirred and rolled over to face her. "Morning." she said in the same whisper.

"Why are you whispering?" he asked her in a similar whisper.

"Headache." she replied. He nodded. The motion of such made his own head throb with the thunder of his own heartbeat. He groaned. "What a night."

Liz smiled at him. "It gets better." she managed to say with her actual voice.

Wilson squinted at her and asked "How?"

She grinned, even though that too seemed to hurt in some way. "It's only been about four hours." She grinned again. "Time for work."

"Ugh." He said as he slowly sat up. "You're a cheerful hangover. I'm in trouble aren't I?" He curled his lip at the thought of Liz being happy in spite of the pounding in her head.

She snickered, then winced as another shock wave of guilty pain shuddered through her skull. "I'm happy that you're here to wake up next to." she said, looking longingly into his eyes.

James lifted the sheet. He was in just his boxers. "Did we...?" he asked slowly.

Liz smiled. "No clue." she replied. "Sucks huh?" He nodded. What a thought. To not remember having sex with your girlfriend because you were both blitzed out of your minds. He tried not to think... It hurt. "Wanna take a shower?" she asked him playfully. "The water might help. Besides, the Acetaminophen is in there and I believe I can hear it calling to us."

Wilson leaned toward the bathroom door and strained. "Yes, I do believe I hear it too." he said with a grin. "And a shower sounds good."

&&&&&&

Amy rolled over when the sound of the shower kicking on started the pipes rattling in the walls. It was like a freight train chugging through the room. She groaned and pulled a pillow over her head in attempt to drown out the sound, but it only made it worse. The rumbling only got lower and more thunderous. "Oh, Elizabeth." she groaned.

Danny, who had, up until this moment been sound asleep lifted his head out of the balled up tee shirt he was using for a pillow and asked "What time is it?"

Amy rolled over onto her stomach and groused "It's too damn early, that's what time it is! Those doctors and their early hours."

&&&&

The hot water was not the only thing creating steam in the shower. James and Liz were busying themselves "helping" one another wash. The hot water seemed to relieve the pressure of the hangover and they were beginning to enjoy themselves. Possibly a bit too much. As Liz reached for the soap again she slipped and nearly fell on her butt. James caught her but she was all soapy and she slid out of his grip. The two bodies tumbled to the floor of the tub and started to laugh. The water was causing the bubbles of soap to run off them. They just sat there in the garden style bathtub and laughed.

"Suppose we should get out and get dressed?" he asked her.

"Why?" asked Liz. "I'm comfy."

Wilson looked around the tub. Even though she was a smaller person, the two of them filled the tub. "How on earth are you comfortable?" he asked motioning to the cramped space.

Liz slapped her forehead and cringed at the sharp pain. "You're dense in the morning aren't you?" she asked. She waited for the meaning to sink into his brain. When he smiled and nodded knowingly she laughed. "There ya go." She leaned over and kissed him, the shower acting like rain, falling on their heads.

Their makeshift make out was interrupted by a knocking on the door. "Hurry up, will ya." came Amy's shouting. "Other people have to pee, you know."

"So come in and pee." Liz hollered back. She went back to kissing Wilson. They stood up and finished rinsing off. "Give us a minute." she said as she stepped out onto the small rug and grabbed a towel.

There was a pause before Amy's voice echoed through the hollow door. "Oh... Gods! You're in there together! Ugh, I did not need that visual!" She continued to make sounds of being grossed out. Liz looked at James, winked and snickered.

Amy stood back as the door opened and both Liz and James walked out... in just towels. Amy diverted her eyes. "Gods you guys! Come on, I didn't need that."

Once Wilson and Elizabeth were safely in Liz's room Amy muttered to herself. "I wish Dan would do things like that with me." She went int he bathroom and promptly stepped in a puddle of water. The sounds of her curses could be heard in the hallway.

&&&&&&

House paced the floor in the Clinic. He wasn't scheduled for clinic duty but he wanted to see Wilson immediately when he came in. Cuddy saw him and approached him with an air of caution. "House?" she asked warily. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for Wilson. He went to a party last night. I want to see how hung over he is."

Cuddy let out a disgusted sigh and rolled her eyes. "Ok, then. But since you're here, you might as well sign up for you clinic duty. I'm not going to let you out of it again." House winced. "Pick your days." she ordered him. Without looking, House reached behind him and pointed to the days he would work. Cuddy looked and announced the days he chose. "Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday." She nodded her approval. "Good, since today is Tuesday, I'll expect to see you at nine when the clinic opens." She turned on her heels and walked back toward her office feeling mighty.

House continued to wait... and wait... and wait. It was nearly five when James Wilson's car pulled into the parking lot.

&&&&&&&&

Elizabeth Sullivan's pager went off. It was the Daileys. Mrs Dailey was scheduled for her heart surgery. Bypass was a fairly easy procedure. Dr Patel would be able to do it without any problems. She was needed to explain things better to the family. It seemed that they liked Liz in particular to all the other doctors. Maybe it was because she was what the administrators called "more human" than the other professionals she worked with.

After her consult with the Daileys, Liz headed to her office to do more charting. She was feeling lucky that she wasn't one of those doctors that had to deal with people a lot. She was a pathologist and usually stayed close to the lab. Her charting was behind so the lab work was left to her assistant pathologists, of whom Melissa was in charge.

As Liz waited for the elevator to come down to her, Jarvis, the head of the hospital walked up beside her. "So, I hear you're sleeping with the enemy." he said coldly.

Without missing a beat, Liz retorted "At least I'm sleeping with someone, Jarvis."

The elevator doors opened and Liz stepped inside. To her dismay, so did Dr Jarvis. "Listen, Dr Sullivan." He started off by using her title, this wasn't going to be good. "You're well aware that I think your methods of doing things are quite unorthodox."

Liz replied dryly "I am."

He continued. "I've come across some interesting evidence that would suggest that you are... how do I put this as delicate as possible?"

Liz turned to look at the older man. "By all means, Troy, I'm not a pretty little flower all fragile and weak. Tell me what you really think of me. I insist." Her temper was raising.

Jarvis, obviously annoyed at the use of his first name made a stifled coughing sound and said "You're falling behind in your work, the interns are doing the brunt of it and I feel that you're more of a hindrance to this hospital that an asset."

Liz was stunned but she kept her cool. "You do realize that I was in out due to a sudden illness. I was unable to be here and do my job properly. The interns are simply helping me out until I get back on my feet. Is that a problem?" The elevator doors opened and Liz stepped out into her hallway and headed toward her office. Jarvis followed her.

"Yes, sudden illness. I'm sure."

She turned on him. "Are you accusing me of faking my illness to get out of work? Who do you think you're talking to?" Her voice was starting to pitch. "I have put in more than my fair share of hours to this hospital and I'll be damned if I'm going to let some bureaucrat like you try to fire me because I took a week off to recover from almost dying!" She was starting to get loud and a crowd was gathering. "Now, if you'll excuse me... Doctor Jarvis, I have work to do." She opened her office door, stepped in and pointedly closed the door in his face. She pulled closed the blinds and sat alone in the dark. The realization of what was happening rushed over her like a tidal wave. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the first appropriate number she came to...

&&&&&&&

The phone in House's office rang. He wasn't there, of course. He was following Wilson around trying to get him to spill about the party the night before at Liz's place. When his voice mail picked up, Liz sighed and left a message. "House, it's Elizabeth. I need to speak with you, it's rather important. Call me on my cell, I know you have the number." She hung up and waited. She didn't get right to her charts because her fight with Jarvis had brought the return of her hangover headache.

&&&&&&&&&&

"Leave me alone, I'm not telling you shit!" Wilson said as he tried once again to duck away from House and his probing questions.

"Never. Not until you tell me what you did last night." House poked Wilson with his cane and grinned when the younger man made a face of pain. "I'm not going to leave until you tell." he said.

Wilson, tired of the harassment, gave in. "Alright." he said, leaning over on a counter. The fluorescent lights were making his eyes burn and his head throb. "We played a drinking game. With a movie."

House leaned in. "What movie?"

Wilson raised an eyebrow. "We watched Van Wilder." he replied. "Why do you care?"

House smiled. "I don't. I just wanted to know." He turned and walked around the counter to the other side and faced Wilson. "Where'd you sleep?"

"You're a sick and twisted individual." Wilson berated. When House brandished the cane like a broadsword Wilson held up his hands. "In Liz's room... in her bed..." House raised an eyebrow. "With her." he added an emphasis.

House winced as if the information was too much for him to handle. "Ok." he said defeatedly. "I get it."

Wilson smiled and laughed. "So... I win?"

"Not quite. I'm not through with you." House said venomously. "Later though, I have work to do."

Wilson scoffed. "Yeah, what kind?"

Without turning back to look at his friend House muttered "Cuddy roped me into doing clinic duty." He walked off in the direction of his office. Wilson snickered and retreated to the darkness of his office.

House walked into his office and gathered up his things before heading down to the clinic. It was 8:42 and if he was a second late Cuddy'd have him doing extra hours just make him miserable. He noticed the light blinking on his phone. He had a voice mail. He almost didn't check it because he was in a hurry, but since he could talk and walk at the same time; talented as he was; he'd check it on his way down.

"House, it's Elizabeth. I need to speak with you, it's rather important. Call me on my cell, I know you have the number."

The sound of Liz's voice coming out of his phone jarred him. Why hadn't she called Wilson? He decided that he'd call her closer to lunch to keep the she-devil at bay.

&&&&&

Liz was working in silence when there was a sift knock on the door. "Come in." she said. The door opened and Melissa entered. "Hi Miss, how are things for you today? Has Jarvis been to threaten you today too?"

"Actually.. yeah. He accused us of being your workhorses and that we needed to start making you do your job. It's crap."

Liz smiled. "I know." she said to the girl.

"Is it true?" asked Melissa. "Is Jarvis really going to fire you?"

"He'd be a fool to but seeing as he is who he is... I wouldn't put it past him."

Melissa was fit to be tied. "What will you do?" Her voice tinted with worry.

Liz looked up from her work and grinned. "I have a plan." she said cryptically. Melissa didn't look too sure. "Trust me Miss. I have things under control. If my back up fails on me, I have third option."

Missy sat down in a chair opposite Liz and asked "What's that?"

"My friend Amy."

"What about her?" asked Melissa. "I thought she was a psychologist."

Liz smiled. "She is. But her father is a lawyer."

Melissa's face lit up with the realization. "Ahh, " she said knowingly. "I see now."

Liz pointed to her assistant and smiled smugly. "Jarvis won't know what hit him if he fires me."

Melissa was intrigued. "How's that?"

Elizabeth smiled. "In time, my dear. In time."

&&&&&&&

It was eleven o-clock. Wilson as in his office, trying to avoid being seen. His patients were important to him but in his semi- hung over state he was quite useless to them. He had decided that solitude was far better than the sounds of crying mothers and whimpering kids. He then realized that his thoughts made him sound like House and he had to smile.

He decided that he'd take lunch early and try to eat in the cafeteria to avoid the gossip that he was somehow becoming a hermit.

&&&&&&

House sat in Exam Room one and waited fro the hour to chime. His last patient of the morning had just left and he was cleaning things up as best as he could. He put the trash in the trash can and closed the drawers and walked out into the hall.

"Where are you going?" asked Cuddy.

House turned to see her standing behind him with a frown on her face. "Me?" he asked innocently. "I'm going to lunch. Care to join me?"

Cuddy shook her head and sighed. "Be back here in one hour."

"Yes, Mother." House sniped as he limped of to the cafeteria. On his way he dialed Liz's number.

&&&&&&&

Liz's cell phone rang, startling her as she was napping in her office. She sat up violently and answered it without looking at the caller id. "Hello?" she asked.

"Liz?" asked House's voice. "You called?"

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Liz yawned and answered "Yeah, I need to ask you a favor."

House raised an eyebrow. The smile that formed on his face was eerie, creepy even. "I thought you had a boyfriend? Or is Jimmy not doing his job well?"

"Shut up. Cretin." She snapped into her phone. "Listen, some things might be going down here and I might be in the market for a new job." She paused. "Might. I need the number of your Dean of Medicine."

House scoffed. "You want Cuddy's number. Why'd you call me for it?"

Liz rolled her eyes. "James told me you had it in your phone. I'd like the number, House." She sighed and added, strained "please."

House sighed and relented. He gave Liz the number and asked quietly. "How bad are things over there?"

"My boss is accusing me of sleeping with the enemy." Her voice was dry and hollow sounding.

House stifled a snicker. "Oh?" he asked

"Stop." Liz said coldly. "Don't joke, this is serious. I could lose my job over dating James."

House stopped walking and sat down on a bench in the hallway. "Can they really do that?" he asked.

"I don't know. I do know that Freehold and Princeton-Plainsboro are in some kind of argument over a study on something... It's not my field so I'm not sure of the particulars." She sighed. "But if it comes down choosing my job over James, there's no contest. I'll quit before I'm fired."

House was stunned. Liz was prepared to give up her job before she'd break up with Wilson. It was admirable. The kind of thing he'd never do. "Ahh." he said, unable to come up with anything else.

"House." Liz said on her phone. Her office was seemingly closing in on her.

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Thanks. I know how weird things must be, me dating your best friend. But I really do care about James. You know that right?"

"Yes." he said. "I get it."

"I, uh... I'd better get on with my game plan. I need to call Dr Cuddy as soon as possible before they start tapping my phone." Her voice was full of humor but it didn't have the happy tone to it.

House nodded, though he knew she couldn't see him. "Ok. Talk to you later.."

"Ok."

"Liz?"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck."

Liz smiled. "Thankyou." She hung up her cell phone and dialed the office of Lisa Cuddy.

"Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, this is Dr. Lisa Cuddy, Dean of Medicine, how may I help you?" came the rapid answer to the call. She was used to answering the phone this way, Liz could tell.

"Dr Cuddy." she started.

"Elizabeth?" asked the other woman.

Liz laughed in spite of the circumstances of the call. "Yes." She cleared her throat. "Um, Dr Cuddy, I have a question for you. A proposition for you really. An offer if you will. Something that will boost the notoriety of your hospital." She waited.

"I'm waiting." replied Cuddy. This girl knew how to get her attention. And she had it, fully.

"How would you like to be the newest employer of the state's leading Hematopathologist?" Liz was leaning over onto her desk.

"I'm listening." Cuddy answered. "How's this?"

"I'm in the market for a new job as it were. I know you know who I am, what I do. You knew before House and James did. You knew the minute I was wheeled through your doors. I know you did."

"I did. Go on."

"You see, I have a small problem. A dilemma. My boss, Troy Jarvis, m sure you know him or know of him. Well, he has more or less told me that he's out for blood and I'm the target. He's not too happy with my relationships with House and James. He thinks I'm a spy for you, even." Liz laughed. "He accused me of faking my illness to get out of working here at Freehold so I could give you and your team important information on the test that Pathology is working on, our medical journal studies. The things I'm sure you know our respective hospitals have been fighting over for the past five years."

Cuddy leaned forward onto her own desk and chewed her lip. "Yes, I know Jarvis. A real creep. A misogynistic bastard and a liar to boot." She sighed, smiled and asked "When can you start Dr. Sullivan?"

Liz grinned and laughed a tiny bit. "How does Thursday sound? I have to give a bit of notice to my staff. I have to appoint new people, that'll take the rest of today and tomorrow."

Cuddy smiled. "That sounds good."

Liz paused. "Will my relationship with James cause problems? We will be working together."

Cuddy nodded to herself. "Only if you think it will. That's between you two."

Liz was relieved. "Thankyou Dr Cuddy."

"No, thank you, Liz. You made my day. I'm just wish I could see the look on Jarvis' face when you tell him you quit to come work for me."

Liz laughed. "I can have that videoed." she offered. "My assistant had a camera phone." Cuddy laughed. "I'll see you on Thursday... Boss." Cuddy laughed again and the two women disconnected their call.

Elizabeth rose from her desk and walked to her door. She paused, then turned around. She went to a closet and pulled out a few collapsed file boxes and set them up. She removed all her pictures from her wall and set them neatly into one box. She then went to her computer and printed off every file she had. She smiled as she dropped the papers into the other box with a finality that made her feel rather good. She emptied her desk and cleared off the top. She left only her unchecked charts and her computer, a few pens and her scrip pad.

As she walked out of her office she thought about the past ten years. A whole decade this room had belonged to her. It had sen her turn twenty one and had watched her fight over the phone with numerous people, her mother included. "Good riddance." she muttered as she stepped over the threshold and into the hallway. She made her way toward Pathology and to Melissa. She saw the girl standing at a microscope. "Missy, can you come here for a moment?" she asked, just peeking into the room. Melissa walked out into the hallway.

"What is it?" she asked, straightening her lab coat.

"I'm leaving." Liz said with such finality that Melissa knew she wasn't lying. "I'll be gone by Thursday. You are my replacement. I've made it official... In writing." Seeing the other woman's apprehension she added quickly. "You're ready for this, I know you are. I have faith in you, Miss. have faith in yourself. You can do this."

"But what about Dr Jarvis?" Melissa was close to tears.

Liz sighed and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "When the board finds out that he's the reason I quit, there will be a hearing. As my replacement, I'm leaving it up to you to tell them exactly the kind of crap he's put us all through in the past few years. The comments, the suggestions, the looks, everything. Do not leave anything out." She smiled. "And one more thing."

"Anything!" Missy replied.

"When I tell Jarvis... I want you there, with witnesses... and your phone. I want his reaction on video.. for a friend."

Melissa couldn't help but laugh. "Ok." she giggled.

Liz sighed again and looked at her colleague sternly. "You have to be strong. You can't cave in around Jarvis. He's an animal. He takes pleasure in making others miserable. He thrives on it. Don't ever let him make you cry... at least not in public." Melissa nodded. "Ok. lets get your stuff into your new office Doctor."

As the two women walked toward their respective destinies, James Wilson was stepping into his own...

&&&&&

"Who were you just talking to?" he asked as he walked up to House.

"Elizabeth." he said, his voice touched with confusion. "She wanted Cuddy's number. Any idea why?"

Wilson shrugged. "Could be some girl thing. I don't pretend to understand it." House shrugged. and the two men walked into the cafeteria and ordered their lunches. Wilson payed for both. "You plan this don't you?" he asked as he shelled out the cash for both sandwiches.

House tried to look hurt. "Who, me? James, I'm ashamed of you." He started but Wilson just walked away from him. House followed. "About last night." he said suddenly as he sat down.

"What about last night?" asked Wilson.

"Are you aware that I called to talk to Liz last night and you guys were in the middle of your partying?"

"You called last night to talk to my girlfriend?" Wilson asked as he took a bite of his Reuben.

"I wanted Jesse's new number." he said quietly. Wilson's jaw dropped open. Luckily he had swallowed his bite of food. "Yeah, I know. I'm pathetic."

Wilson shook his head. "No, you're not. You're still in love with her. Aren't you?" he asked. "Did she give it to you?"

"Some girl called Amy answered the phone... I was too stunned to speak. I could hear you guys having fun and laughing and I was caught off guard. I hung up."

Wilson fought to keep a straight face. "Ahh, Amy. Well she's Liz's best friend. And we were having fun..." he trailed off. "Are you upset that you weren't invited?"

House answered so quickly that Wilson almost dropped out of his chair. "NO!" He went quiet again. "No, I'm not. It's just that..." He sighed. "It isn't like you. To go off and do things during the week. It's unsettling."

Wilson didn't try to repress his smile now. "You're jealous! Oh, this is rich! You're jealous of my girlfriend."

House frowned. "I am not."

Wilson started to laugh. "Yes you are. I can see it now. You can't stand it that she and I spend so much time together and I'm not around for you to bug. That's it isn't it?"

"Shut up." muttered House. "I just wanted Jesse's number. That's all. Shit!"

Wilson coughed out his last laugh and calmed himself. "Well, if I see Lizzie today, or talk to her, I'll ask for it for you."

"Thanks." mumbled House. He picked up the remainder of his sandwich and walked out of the cafeteria.

Wilson remaining at the table watched his friend go. Stunned he thought about the conversation. He felt left out, that had to be it. He'd talk to Liz about it later.