A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I want to update every day but I have a ton of work to do. I couldn't control myself and I had to write another chapter. R&R!!!

P.S. I'm afraid the characters might seem a bit out of character (in terms of House/Thirteen interaction) but that's just because they've been able to open up to each other since the elevator and the supply closet and everything. It's not because I'm trying to force them to be all sentimental and mushy, because the isn't like them, but I am trying to make them progress in their relationship. So that's why you might see a lot more of Remy's and House's thoughts and feelings.

Disclaimer: don't own anything.

Remy Hadley checked her calendar. Today was the day. Today, Saturday, was the day of the PPTH holiday party. She wasn't quite sure what to expect as the new girl at work, but Cameron had told her it was a formal black-tie event.

It was strange, really. Cameron had instantly begun to warm up to Thirteen. She would be kind and cordial, talking to her often and giving advice to her. Before Cameron said goodbye to House, she would give her cold looks and bump into her "accidentally" in the halls. Remy wasn't one for befriending, but she liked having the few people she could. She had always liked Kutner- he was friendly and sociable, but he didn't pry. Taub was ok as far as coworkers went, as long as she stayed out of his way.

House hadn't treated her that much differently in the few days since the incident in the elevator. He would dig for more information about her, but she resisted. Remy convinced herself that the elevator and her time with House with her head injury had led her to reveal far too much about herself. She didn't let it happen again. House would pry, and she would talk back or evade. She was quite good at it, anyway. Although, in the 3 days since it happened, House would occasionally look at her longer than necessary or steal glances at her when he assumed she didn't notice. He would let the occasional smirk or nod slip, and rarely drop hints. When he did, he would play them off.

For example, Remy considered a conversation they had the day before. They were finishing up and the rest of the team had left, eager to get an early start on their Friday nights.

Remy applied the finishing touches to a patient's chart while House erased the white board.

"The holiday party is tomorrow," He stated

"I was aware…" Thirteen replied

"Well I just thought you might still be reeling from when you hit your head. You weren't exactly on top of your game today."

Thirteen paused. She had made several mistakes in misdiagnosing a patient and she had beat herself up about it enough without House's assistance.

House continued: "Planning on going?" He tried to sound uninterested.

"I dunno. Maybe," Thirteen snapped, a bit irritated.

"Planning on staying home and stirring up your love affair with Mrs. Margarita then waking up alongside Mr. Hang Over?" House joked, with a hint of sincerity.

Thirteen raised her head to stare at her boss.

He frowned. "No seriously, you going?"

Remy considered it. She figured she had nothing better to do, but for some reason, she wanted to keep an air of mystery about her. "I might have plans…but I might show up I guess," She replied, shrugging. "Why do you care so much anyway?"

House quickly picked up an excuse. "Well its not BYOB and I was going to use you as an alcohol mule," He mimicked her shrug. "But I could always use another one of the ducklings."

"Actually," Thirteen turned the question back at him, "I'm surprised you're going. Work functions don't really seem like a day at the park for you."

"Cuddy forces me," House replied, cringing. "Trust me, I'd rather be out getting some Christmas lovin'." He said, wagging his eyebrows.

"Hookers work Christmas too?" Thirteen asked.

"Very funny." House said, unamused. It did not go unnoticed by Remy that he backed down so easily.

"See ya."

Remy reflected on this particular conversation, smiling softly to herself. House obviously wanted her to go, and she would definitely be present at the event. All she had to do to make him sweat a bit was show up late and act distant.

Her smile faded. Thirteen didn't really understand why she had to play hard-to-get and form a barrier about herself. Maybe she was discreetly afraid that House wouldn't want her if he knew the real her. And she did stay true to her own personality most of the time, but she just wished she could let him in completely. Maybe she secretly hoped that if she played hard-to-get, he would get so frustrated that he would tear down her walls on his own and she could open up to him. But she wasn't even sure if House wanted to know her better. Did he just want her because she was a mystery?

But deep down, Remy knew that House wasn't like that. House didn't forget about cases once they were solved. They stuck with him together. She was striving for the same effect on him. Forever.

Thirteen sighed. One hour until the party. She knew it would take her a long time to get ready, but she planned on arriving late anyway. She pulled her new dress out of her closet- The particular number was a pure, inky black mini-dress with spaghetti straps. It was simple and hot (that's what the men who passed her trying it on at the store told her, in awe). She decided to pair the dress with basic black high heeled shoes and pearl stud earrings. Her makeup was to be natural-looking, except for sexy smoky eyes. Her hair would be wavy. Remy had it all planned out in her head. She stepped into the shower and began the process.

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House awoke ten minutes before Wilson was to pick him up.

Wilson had convinced House to let him drive them both because he knew House would be absolutely smashed by the end of the night and would be in no condition to drive a motorcycle through the streets (while wearing a tux).

House hopped in and out of the shower, put on his tux (which he despised) and a spritz of cologne to cover up the smell of alcohol which he would soon consume. Cuddy had booked an expensive restaurant for the event and she would freak out in House even dreamt of walking in wearing anything less.

He was ready by the time the doorbell rang.

House opened the door with a gruff, "let's get this over with."

The two walked to Wilson's car. A few people stared along the way at the two awkward men.

"What, never seen a gay couple in suits before?" House yelled obnoxiously.

Wilson tried to hide his face in shame.

As Wilson started to drive, he began to interrogate House.

"Is Hadley coming?" He asked casually.

"She said she might…" House replied, giving him a sideways glance.

"Are you going to make a move?" Wilson blurted out.

"Are you going to get plastered and have sex with Cuddy?" House countered, unphased.

"You can't keep avoiding this topic," Jimmy snarled, referring to House's blatant changing of subjects over the past 3 days.

"Yes I can."

"No, House, be serious for a second. Can't you just be honest with her and yourself so you can be happy? It's not that hard, you know. And she obviously doesn't despise you, so that's a good sign."

"Oh, a women doesn't hate my guts? I have to marry her then!" House replied, annoyed.

"Just admit you like her! It's that simple! You're her boss and if she rejects you, you can just make sarcastic and rude remarks like you always do. She won't even notice the difference!"

"You just ran over a squirrel, Jimmy. Good job."

"Shit…"

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Thirteen checked the clock before fluffing her hair for the last time. 7:10 PM. The party started 10 minutes ago. She stared at her reflection for one final instant before deciding to leave.

As she pulled out of the parking lot, her stomach churned with anticipation. She was hardly ever nervous- but now, she was anxious like hell.

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Greg House and Jimmy Wilson sat down at their assigned seats at their assigned table at 7:25 PM. "Good evening, fellow inmates!" House crooned.

The table consisted of House, Wilson, Cuddy, Foreman, Taub, Kutner, Cameron, Chase, and an empty seat for what House hoped to be Remy Hadley.

"One of the sheep seems to have strayed from the herd," House said, acknowledging the empty seat beside him. Chase looked down; the seat was next to him too.

"I think Thirteen is supposed to be there. Is she coming?" He asked.

Everyone stared at House, anticipating a response.

"Why is everyone looking at me! How should I know?"

Chase coughed loudly and took a sip of his champagne.

Taub took the initiative and spoke the thought on everyone's mind. "Everybody knows about your escapade with Thirteen in the elevator. The nurses are vultures with this gossip."

"Awesome." House said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He chugged his champagne down. Cuddy leaned forward and whispered, "House, if you get wasted at another holiday party, you're going to have a 'holiday' with clinic duty."

"You're in no position to make threats, considering you're the one who forced me to come here," House snapped.

Cuddy began to squabble with House over a helpless Wilson who sat between them.

It's going to be a long night. He thought to himself.

House almost threw Wilson and Cuddy's relationship into the open, arguing loudly, "At least I'm not doing the horizontal tango with-" But was cut off when Kutner gasped, "Holy CRAP."

The entirety of the table turned to see what Kutner was referring too; it was Remy Hadley.

She emerged gracefully from the crowd, which seem to part in her presence. She looked absolutely stunning and unbearably sexy to House, and apparently, to every other man in the restaurant as well.

As she approached the table, Chase choked on his drink, Cameron looked positively envious, Taub and Kutner gaped unashamedly, Foreman was impressed (but looked away, muttering to himself), Cuddy stared blatantly, and Wilson practically smashed his knee on the underside of the table when it shot up. House could not think of any possible word in the dictionary to describe how amazing she looked. He stared as her curves made their way toward the seat next to him, but pretended not to be interested.

"This seat taken?" She inquired huskily.

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House sat at the open bar, glaring at the table where he sat previously. Everyone was mingling now, and people (particularly the men of PPTH) had been attracted to Thirteen like a magnet. The nurses "oohed" and "ahhed" over her dress and shoes and hair, and all that useless stuff. The men chatted her up like she was a one-woman show in a speed dating line. Remy remained polite, but wasn't especially interested. She caught sight of House lounging at the bar.

"Uhm…excuse me." She offered, setting down her champagne and walking to House.

"Funny…I thought I was supposed to be the one having a love affair with Mrs. Margarita tonight," She joked.

House turned to scrutinize her. Unfortunately for him, she looked even better up close.

Remy felt self-conscious under his gaze and wrung her hands in her lap ineffectively.

"Yeah well I couldn't abandon Mrs. Margarita. The woman is so damn persistent."

"I'm sure," Thirteen grinned.

"You seem to be having fun. These idiots are flocking around you like ants ona piece of rotten meat," House snorted. What the hell did I just say?

Remy frowned at the comparison. Maybe House doesn't even like me at all. He seems pretty bitter…I just got full of myself. I never had a chance.

Her eyes started to water and she twisted her seat.

"Fun? Hardly." She whispered.

House chided himself internally. What was he doing? The fact that Remy might come was the only thing he had been looking forward to and now he was being an asshole.

"Well I'm rude tonight…" He said, but turned to find that Thirteen was already gone, the seat beside him empty.

Remy was heading for the bathroom, holding back tears, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around to see Chase smiling at her.

"Hey!" She said, a bit too enthusiastically, out of surprise.

He mistook this for genuine excitement and his smile grew.

"I know we haven't really met, but I'm Robert Chase."

"Nice to meet you. Remy Hadley." She returned, shaking his hand.

"Care for a drink?" Chase asked.

Thirteen looked to the bar- House was now talking with one of the nurses- could he be flirting? He obviously didn't care about her, so why should she care what he thinks?

"Uh…sure," She smiled.

Chase led her to the bar and ordered them both drinks.

They stood and talked for a while, he was hitting on her pretty hard, but she played along, in need of feeling wanted. After a while, she realized he wasn't just a pretty face, he was also funny and witty. Even if he was trying desperately to win her affection, she started to enjoy his company.

House glared at the annoying nurse next to him. Couldn't she take a hint? He wanted to be alone.

Suddenly, a distinctly familiar feminine laugh filled his ears. He spun around on the bar stool, completely disregarding the nurse (who eventually walked away, dejected).

His eyes found Chase and Thirteen on the other side of the bar, talking and laughing. House began to make his way toward them. As he got closer, it became clear that Chase was desperately hitting on her and using every lame card in the book of his little Chase charm-isms. House instantly got pissed, for some reason, but kept his distance.

Remy spotted House a few feet away, and knew he was watching her every move. Why not make him a little jealous? She plotted, hoping to get back at him for being a jerk earlier.

"Chase…I'll tell you a secret if you give me one?" She whispered seductively.

House observed the scene that played out before him: Chase leaned in a bit too close for House's comfort and whispered something in Thirteen's ear, placing his hand on the small of his back.

Remy snuck a glance at House- he looked like he was about to strangle Chase. At first, she was satisfied that he was jealous, but that quickly turned into fear as House advanced on Chase like no man with a busted leg should.

Before she could react, House's fist had connected with Chase's pretty little face and he was knocked back onto the ground. Shrieks went around them and very conveniently, doctors rushed to the Australian on the ground to assess the damage.

"What the hell, house!" Remy screamed.

House stood still, breathing rapidly, his fist still clenched.

Thirteen grabbed his arm and practically dragged him out into the hallway. From there, she found the far balcony and dragged House out onto it, slamming the door behind her.

"What the fuck is your problem? Are you absolutely insane?!" She fumed.

"He was all over you. It was pathetic." House snarled.

"That's no reason to go around punching people in the face!" She yelled, stepping closer to House.

House backed down, exasperated. 'Ok! Could you calm down!"

Thirteen obeyed, shutting up but breathing heavily. Steam rushed out of her lips in the cold winter air.

"It's just that…" House struggled to find a way to justify his actions. He had obviously gotten jealous. Maybe it was the alcohol?

"You only had two drinks. I watched you." Remy confirmed, reading his mind. 'Don't you dare blame this on intoxication."

House tried to start again: "I-you-I…"

"No! Don't even try to make some lame excuse!" She shouted. "There's already enough going around about us and now you had to-"

Before she could finish House grabbed her arms firmly and pressed his lips to hers.

Well that works. She reasoned.

Remy lifted one hand to his face. It felt like he had tried and failed at doing a good job shaving, because his stubble tickled the pads of her fingertips. Her other hand slung around his neck.

House encircled her small waist with his arm and pulled her closer.

"You know," he whispered into the skin of her neck, "When you hit your head you said I was an amazing kisser."

He felt the flush hit her neck and grinned, begging to kiss her collarbone.

"No I didn't" She pleaded hopelessly. She wasn't going to lose the battle, even if they were making out.

She dragged his head back up with the guidance of her hands on his hair and tilted her head up. She bit down lightly on his lower lip.

House got lost for a second then gave up. "Fine," he whispered against her cheek, "You get one freebie. Only because you're hot when you're mad."

She smirked and broke the kiss. "Who knew you had a thing for those clichés."

"What can I say? I'm always exciting." House responded, putting his arm around her waist and leading her back inside.

"Wait…" Thirteen stopped walking abruptly, frowning. "I'm not going back in to deal with the aftermath of your stupidity."

"Well, let's just go somewhere else." House reasoned.

"That's the first good idea you've had all night" She laughed.

Not the first…he thought, smiling to himself.

A/N: Wow. That was long. Hope you liked it! (You better like it, because I wrote this whole thing instead of doing my homework…I'm screwed now. :D but I don't care, it's for the good of all those House fans out there.