All righty guys. Here is the long awaited chapter. By long-awaited I mean that you guys had to wait long for it…XD Anyway sorry you guys had to wait for so long. RL was a bitch but it's all good. So here I am and here's the chapter. But first, as always, the review replies.

Review replies:

HOUSEM.D.FanForever: Thank you as always for your reviews! They make me smile!

Cwerner: Glad you liked it! Enjoy!

Ibreak4CSI: Sweet! Thank you for being such a devout follower! LOL Glad you enjoyed it and as always, it made me happy to see your review!

Mariel: Yeah that last chapter was quite short but hopefully this makes up for it a little…

TeresaB: You never cease to make me laugh! I love seeing your reviews. Thank you so much for reviewing! OMG…you write the most amazing reviews! Thank you again! Much love!

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PaulaAbdulChica2007: Huddy lovin? That'll come eventually but first we have to get through all the angst and drama…XD Huddy lovin is like the light at the end of the tunnel! XD

RogueButterfly: You most definitely should stop by the army thread soon. Gabiroba, Ang Catalonan, MJ0621, and some other fanficians are over there as well! You should come talk to us! Glad you liked the chapter!

House's phoenix: Well Cuddy definitely visits sites like that and we know that from Insensitive (3.14). Glad you enjoyed it though and glad you had fun at camp!

Wolf Maid: Hello there! Haven't seen you around these parts before. LOL Welcome to my story! Glad you like it! I agree, House and Cuddy are definitely made for each other! XD

Eleanor J.: Hey there! Yeah it is right? Gosh…I could totally see him doing that too! LOL Thanks for reviewing!

Huddytheultimate: LOL in this fic, though, Stacy is totally OOC…oh well. I can't get them all right can I? Glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing!

Buba: LOL Glad you liked it! Thanks for the reviewing…House does do some sleazy things like that doesn't he? But I think that's what makes House, House and I love him for it! LOL

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CHAPTER 10

As soon as House left Cuddy's office, he headed back to his own. He needed a place to simmer in peace. When he reached his sanctuary, he realized with something akin to despair that all the walls were glass. Damn it. Whose bright idea was it to make glass walls? That asshole. House quickly looked around and finally saw his life-saver.

The balcony. Perfect.

Bright...full of oxygen…just what he needed. He burst through the doors and just stood there for a moment, leaning on the ledge, watching the people walking below. Why would she lie to Stacy? He sighed. If only he had water balloons. That would have made his day much, much better. He was about to go back inside to see if there was a box of latex gloves he could steal when he nearly walked into Wilson.

"Wow…how did you do that?"

"House! I've been looking everywhere for your! Where have you been?" asked Wilson, only slightly annoyed. He really had been looking for House everywhere.

"Your mom's house. A little afternoon delight."

Wilson grimaced. "That's…fairly disgusting."

"Tell her that."

Wilson stepped back a little. "Um…anyway…changing the subject now. How was your date on Friday?"

House's eyes narrowed. "Yeah…about that." He limped over to Wilson and smacked him over the head.

"Ow! What was that for? It wasn't good?"

"How could you expect me to have a good time with that woman?" House tried hard to keep his cool but it was becoming increasingly hard with each question Wilson asked.

Oh…crap, thought Wilson. I really did set him up with Cuddy. Shit.

"Well…I uh…thought you could use some fun…"

"Fun? Jimmy boy, I like to have my own share of fun but going on dates with random chicks that look like Cameron and are old enough to be my daughter is a little too pedophile-ish for me."

Wilson frowned. "I know she's young, but she doesn't seem that young, no offense to her, of course. I think you're exaggerating just a bit…"

Now it was House's turn to frown. "What are you talking about? Why would you care if you insulted her or not?"

"Well she's my friend and I wouldn't want her thinking that I said that she was old. She'd get mad at me if she found out and knowing you, you'd let it slip to her that I said it and she'd come and hunt me down. And besides, that's not exactly what I said."

House's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "She's a friend of yours?"

Wilson looked at him awkwardly. "Um…yeah. Duh. She's your friend too. Don't even deny it."

"Oh Jimmy. Relationship not work out so well? What makes you think that I wanted your cast off?"

"Cast off? Now what are you talking about? I've never dated her before in my life! If anything, she's your cast off."

"Her?" House stared incredulously at Wilson. "Are you high?"

"How can you be asking me that question?"

"That's the only plausible explanation for you thinking that I'd ever date a girl as young as Amy was. She was freaking fresh out of med school!" House roared.

"J-just out of med school?"

"Yeah." House rubbed a hand over his face. Wilson just stood there in obvious horror. House just rolled his eyes. "I'm going inside." Wilson followed meekly behind.

House made his way over to his comfy chair and clutched his thigh before raising his leg and resting it on the ottoman. After a moment he looked at Wilson. "How dense are you?"

"Sorry about that. I…never mind. So you were saying?"

"What?"

"Nothing. What were you saying about her being out of med school?"

House glanced at him suspiciously. "She wanted to come work for me, not that she knew that I was me. Wilson, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Wilson sighed. "I thought you were talking about Cuddy."

House scrunched up his nose and put his finger on his chin in a look of thought. "Huh…yeah…because she looks just like Cameron."

"Well Cuddy told me yesterday that she was going on a date and it ended up being at the same restaurant you were and—"

"You didn't bother telling me? What kind of friend are you?" asked House feigning anger. He didn't actually care, considering he'd already known. But Wilson didn't need to know that.

"Well I didn't want you to freak out—," said Wilson. House opened his mouth as if to protest but Wilson stopped him and continued. "like you did, and bail out on the date, especially if it was Cuddy."

House thought for a moment. "So you thought I went on a date with Cuddy."

"Um…basically, yeah."

"Wilson, the fact that I didn't do her should have tipped you off."

"You would have done Cuddy, had she let you, of course."

"Wilson, do you actually think that I would pass up a chance at juggling the fine, fine funbags of Dr. McHotBod?"

Wilson chuckled. "Started watching Grey's, I see."

"Yeah the L-Word just wasn't doing it for me. And besides, McDreamy is one fine piece of ass."

Wilson rolled his eyes just as his beeper went off. "Well speaking of…er…Dr.McHotBod, she's paging us. We have to get down to the ER. There was some major accident. People are pouring in and they're short-staffed."

House sighed heavily. "But Jimmy!" he whined, "My leg hurts!"

"Then go tell mommy, or take some Vicodin and suck it up."

---- HOUSE M.D. ----

Over the next couple of days, House and his team were forced to work in the ER and the clinic. No new cases arose and House had nearly gone insane with boredom. After trying to avoid the clinic for as long as possible, he actually started treating patients because he had nothing better to do. He would have taken any case that came his way.

Luckily one did.

---- HOUSE M.D. ----

House barged into Cuddy's office, desperately trying to keep the smile off of his face. He'd found a case! He would have jumped for joy if it wasn't for the incredible pain in his thigh.

"Need to bail on the ER," he said, waving the file in his hand. "Gotta case." House stopped walking towards her desk and frowned. "Why are you wearing perfume?"

Cuddy ignored his last statement and put on a look of utter boredom. "Is this a real case or one of those imaginary cases that happen when you're bored?"

"CIPA" he replied simply.

Cuddy frowned. "CIPA is a diagnosis. Diagnoses happen at the end of cases."

"She's got no idea what's going on in her body. There's bound to be something wrong."

Cuddy looked at him disbelievingly. "In other words, she could be perfectly healthy but you're curious about someone who can't feel pain because you always feel pain so you want to go exploring."

House sighed. "She was in a car accident. She needs x-rays, blood tests, EEGs, nerve biopsy…" He trailed off as he came and sat in a chair in front of her desk. "I also note that although snow was coming down in sheets this morning, you left your hat at home and used earmuffs."

Cuddy frowned. "Do your tests except for the—"

House interrupted her. "So while everyone else was just worried about getting in, you were concerned with hat head." Cuddy closed her mouth and looked at him defiantly. But he saw right through it for the second time that week. "Blind dates are never a good idea," he said in a tone laced with disapproval. Cuddy nodded slightly expecting him to drop it. But it was House. He never dropped anything. He pointed at her scarf hanging on the coat rack by the door. "The only reason to wear a scarf like that is as a beacon to identify you in a crowd."

Cuddy looked at him incredulously and when she spoke she sounded slightly angry. "Do your tests. Except for the nerve biopsy."

"I need the nerve biopsy."

"You risk paralyzing her.

"If it's neurological—"

"You have no evidence of that," Cuddy said, interrupting him.

"Uh…" House paused and thought for a moment, "She…tripped."

Cuddy was finally bored and fed up with him and his games. "Do you have any evidence other than the fact that a typically clumsy CIPA patient tripped on an icy day?" House bit his lip and shook his head no. "If the EEG reveals a problem, we can talk then." Her tone was that of a dismissal. House took the hint. But she wasn't going to get the last word.

When he reached the door, "Could have left the scarf at home and just told him you would be wearing a look of desperation," he said nastily and walked out.

---- HOUSE M.D. ----

Cuddy stared at the door long after House was out of sight. He was right. He was completely right…as always. She was acting like a desperate, needy wench. Cuddy put her head in her hands and groaned. This was annoying. Count on House to cause a giant emotional upheaval every time she talked to him.

---- HOUSE M.D. ----

House trudged back to his office, his mood having taken a drastic turn for the worse. What the hell was she doing going on another blind date? Didn't she learn from the first one?

House glared at his thinking ball sitting innocently on his desk. He just wanted to…chuck it at someone.

She was being so stupid, and one thing Cuddy definitely wasn't was stupid. Wait a minute…why did he even care this much? He didn't like Cuddy…did he? He shouldn't care this much…should he? Sure she was his friend…one of his only friends…but she didn't need to know that. Maybe he really did have feelings for Cuddy. Maybe he really was over Stacy.

House smiled slightly at the thought. This was good…well not really. But it was better than harboring feelings for a woman who had a husband and probably wouldn't leave him for a crippled drug-addict who already threw her out of his life once.

House sighed again. Count on Cuddy to cause a giant emotional upheaval every time they talked. But he couldn't help but think, 'What's going to happen this time to her?' This guy could be a jerk-off or a rapist or something, and House wouldn't be there to stop it…to save her.

He thought for a moment. Or maybe he could be there…He grinned and leaned back in his chair. His smile widened as his plan took shape. This had the makings of a very interesting night.

---- HOUSE M.D. ----

Cuddy walked briskly down the sidewalk, carefully avoiding the random ice patches that seemed to have appeared overnight. The week had gone from pleasantly cool to freezing and expectant of snow in a matter of days.

She adjusted the scarf more securely around her neck. She had seriously considered not wearing the scarf after what House had said. She didn't want to look desperate, even though the last time she'd had sex with someone was about three months earlier with a man she'd met at her sister's wedding. She was in need of a decent lay and hopefully if this man was nice enough and she was attracted to him, she might get it. And besides it was freezing outside and the scarf was keeping her warm. Screw House and his theories.

Cuddy stopped outside of Joe's Coffee House, a little shop just down the block from the hospital that served the best coffee in Princeton. Sure, it wasn't the greatest place for a dinner date, but she didn't know where else to choose that was walking distance from the hospital. The diner was nicer, but she really wasn't that hungry. She took a deep breath and walked into the shop.

---- HOUSE M.D. ----

"So what does a Dean of Medicine do?"

Cuddy looked at him and took in his appearance. Don. That's what his name was. He was nice enough. He was dressed nicely too, though he seemed a little awkward. But that was ok. He was interesting and cute in a dorky sort of way. Maybe this date wouldn't be so bad.

"Oh, can we please not talk about that?" Cuddy asked, grimacing slightly, "We'll talk about anything else. I'm just trying to get away from work."

"Metaphorically," replied Don, leaning back in his chair and staring at Cuddy. She gave him a confused look. "Because geographically, a coffee place right around the corner from the hospital probably isn't the farthest you could get," he said with a slight smile.

"Well the snow…" she said, gesturing out the front window of the shop.

"The roads are clearing…but it's a good place to retreat from." Cuddy smiled at that and sipped her coffee. Don leaned in slightly. "You usually expect your dates to go wrong?"

"Experience has taught me to have an escape route."

"Well…low expectations. That's in my favor!" Don said with a smile. Cuddy laughed and put her chin in her hand. He definitely had a sense of humor and didn't seem at all offended when he figured out her real reason for meeting so close to the hospital. This was good.

Cuddy saw something move out of the corner of her eye and slowly she looked out the window. House was standing there and suspiciously looking inside. Cuddy's face slowly contorted into a look of horror. Oh no, no, no. House…

---- HOUSE M.D. ----

House slipped out of the elevator of PPTH and entered the darkened clinic. Surprisingly, Cuddy's office was dark was well. Of course it was. She was on a date. She wasn't working late tonight. House strode up to her door and jiggled the handle. Locked. House smirked. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the one thing that he kept with him at all times besides his Vicodin…a key. Specifically a key to Cuddy's office. It was one of the most useful things he'd ever stolen.

He made his way into her office and searched her desk. He needed something…anything to give him a hint as to where she went…He opened the top drawer of her desk and saw her keys. Her car keys. She went without her car? Well that narrowed it down.

And considering that he'd watched her down a huge mesclunsalad hours before, she couldn't possibly be hungry enough to go to the diner. So the only place she could be was Joe's Coffee House down the block. It was the only other possible place to go on a date.

He smiled. He was a genius.

House wandered down the block bundled in a long coat and scarf, carrying his alibi. When he reached his destination, he peered into the window and saw Cuddy sitting there with a some man. She seemed to be fine. She was laughing and smiling and seemed to be enjoying herself. House felt a little bubble of jealousy explode inside him. But that's how her date started off last time too. She could still get hurt.

He saw Cuddy look out the window and spot him. Well, so much for surprising her. But what surprised him was the look of horror that was now splayed across her features. House glared slightly and made his way into the shop. She'd thank him later.

---- HOUSE M.D. ----

Don saw her face and looked out the window as well, seeing the sinister man standing there. Cuddy's voice brought his attention back to her. "Whatever happens, I need you to understand that there are certain aspects of my life I'm not happy about."

The bell over the door and a gust of cold air signaled House's entrance. She heard him hobble over to them.

"Need the nerve biopsy," was all he said.

"And you had to come here personally to tell me that." It was a statement, not a question. "And how did you even know I was here?"

House sat on the ledge next to them. "To bring the file. And this is the most non-committal spot in walking distance." Cuddy's brow furrowed in confusion. How did he know I walk- "You left your car keys in your desk," he said, answering her mental question. Cuddy's eyes widened in realization and she glared at him. She opened up the file. House just smiled slightly and turned to her date. "Greg House," he said enthusiastically, putting out his hand. "You two must've met online. Either that, or you've got a friend that secretly hates you."

"Uh…Don Harrick" replied her date, shaking House's outstretched hand. "Yeah, we connected through SingleBallroomDanceLovers (dot) com," he replied only semi-awkwardly.

Cuddy's eyes widened in horror when she heard Don's confession. She slowly raised the file so that it completely covered her flushed cheeks. House smiled and tried to hold in his laughter.

"Why…would you volunteer that information?" he asked Don, amusement dripping from his voice.

"Why would I hide it?" asked Don, with confusion.

House turned to Cuddy. "You didn't tell him that everything he said would be held against you?" Cuddy grimaced and House turned back to Don. "So what line of work are you in?"

"Auto maintenance…changing oil and filters."

"Right…my place over charges…can't trust anything you guys say." Don chuckled. "So, where're you located?"

"In fourteen states. I own Eastern Lube."

Before House could say anything else, Cuddy interfered. She asked him some questions which House answered promptly and efficiently. The conversed back and forth for a few minutes, while Don sat there watching Cuddy talk, taking everything about her. She looked so engrossed in the conversation, nothing else in the world could have possibly interrupted them. Wow, he thought.

"Fine, House. Do it. But make sure you get the patient's consent first."

House looked as if he wanted to protest, but just nodded. He knew there was no way he could possibly stay any longer. He hopped down off the ledge and was about to leave but leaned over to Cuddy at the last minute. He was inches a way from her face and seemed like he was going to whisper to her.

Yelling, "He seems a lot nicer than that other one from WiccaNeedsADaddyFigure(dot)com."

Cuddy jumped slightly and glared at House as he grabbed her cookie with a big smile and left the shop.

House walked back to the hospital imagining Cuddy trying to explain that one to Dan…Drew…whatever his name was. He laughed, the sound of his voice echoing down the empty street.

Phase one of "Saving McHotBod" was complete.

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Well…that was chapter 10. Please bear with me. I finally know where I'm going so hopefully chapter 11 should be up soon. There wasn't too much of my original writing because I had to incorporate the scene from 3.14 and the beginning of 11 will have that too but after that the rest of the chapter will be all me. XD

Please review! I love you guys so much! You're the best reviewers and readers ever! Thanks so much!!!! hugs everyone and gives them all cookies