Hooked on the feedback. Thanks for all the reviews and ideas! For those of you who caught it, yes, House did use the name "Lucas" to book a hooker. Sort of a jab at his nemesis. The feedback is 50-50 on Cuddy looking out for herself first and worrying about her needs. The characters are too mature for anyone to believe they aren't sexually active, particularly in a relationship of several months. Sorry if it offended anyone. Don't worry, I'm not about to let the Huddyshippers down. : ) hinty hint, hint.

"House, there's not a thing you could say that would work on me," Wilson looked a little too smug for House's taste. "I'm certainly not going to tell Cuddy you hired a look-a-like hooker to get your rocks off!"

House turned a deeper shade of purple. "Why are you home so damn early?"

"Board meeting got canceled." Wilson grinned as he hung up his coat.

House stared at Wilson and Wilson waited for House to say something.

"You got it bad," Wilson prompted.

"Not a word about this or I'll have to just kill you," House hissed.

"My lips are sealed," Wilson couldn't help but smirk. "So what's for dinner?"

House rolled his eyes. Wilson expected House to cook and House knew it was not an option to say no.

"Fine!"


Wilson dropped by Cuddy's office for two reasons: first to ask her to lunch if only to have House see them and worry that Wilson might mention House has been seeing a hooker because she looks a lot like Cuddy; the second, to check out the new flower arrangement on her desk. He couldn't put his finger on it but somehow Wilson thought House might be the one sending Cuddy the flowers. Still, no sunflowers ever did show up so perhaps the florist had the wrong number and left the random message.

Cuddy was busy. The hospital's legal team and a board member were standing around her desk and Cuddy looked agitated. Wilson hovered for a few seconds outside her door trying to ascertain what was going on just as Cuddy noticed him. She nodded to acknowledge him then shook her head as if to tell him "not now." Wilson nodded and left.

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House was waiting for the elevator when the doors opened and Wilson stepped out.

"Cuddy's got a bunch of lawyers in her office. You know anything about that?" Wilson asked House.

"Now why would you think it has something to do with me?" House sounded annoyed.

"I didn't mean it like that," Wilson looked serious. "She looks worried."

House looked intrigued, "so you're saying now would be a very bad time to interrupt her meeting?"

"Don't do it, House!" Wilson implored. "I could mention a certain look-a-like…."

House's head snapped toward Wilson. "You wouldn't!"

"How long have you known me?" Wilson smirked. "Seriously. Don't."

House stepped into the waiting elevator and glared at his friend as the doors closed.

Wilson was right. The room was crawling with lawyers and Cuddy looked outwardly calm and in control but he could see she wasn't relaxed. Something was up.

As if she had radar, Cuddy glanced at the door and saw House watching her. Her eyes narrowed a little and she barely shook her head as if to say "Don't come in."

House smiled mischievously. He reached for the doorknob and Cuddy's eyes grew larger. Grinning, House stepped back and let go of the knob leaving the door closed. He could see Cuddy sigh with relief. House tilted his chin at her and left with a swagger after glancing at the dainty violets clustered lushly in a china vase and perched primly on the edge of Cuddy's desk.

Two minutes later Cuddy's cell phone rang. It was a text message from House. "Lawsuit?" Cuddy managed to text a short message back. "Likely." Cuddy switched her phone to vibrate and held on to it.

Seconds later, Cuddy's phone vibrated. House sent another text message. "Abt me?" Cuddy realized House would have assumed that and let him know he was off the hook by texting him back.

"No. Personal." House stared at the message. Personal? Why would the hospital's legal team be in Cuddy's office if it was a personal matter? House headed back to Wilson's office.

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House searched for Wilson and finally found him working in the clinic.

"Please Tell me you didn't bug Cuddy during her lawyers meeting." Wilson said hopefully.

"Nope. I was a good boy." House replied. "Seems our Miss Cuddy may be in trouble."

"What?" Wilson stopped writing in a patient's folder and turned his attention to House.

"I just text her and asked her about the lawyers but she said it was a personal matter."

Wilson looked concerned as he searched House's face for further clues or additional information.

"Think this has something to do with the hospital?"

"No idea," House said as he turned to leave. "But I intend to find out."

House strolled by Cuddy's office and could see the attorneys were still milling about in her office. Not knowing had piqued his curiosity and he was dying to know what was happening in her life that he had overlooked. He returned to the nurses' station at the reception area and hopped up onto the counter to wait for Cuddy to come out.

He checked his blackberry. No new texts from Cuddy. He decided to send her another. "Can I help?"

A two minutes later Cuddy responded in kind. Her text read "No but thanks 4 offer."

House stared at the words on his phone debating his next move. He wanted to do something for her but felt helpless and worse, uninformed. He texted Cuddy once more, "R U OK?" He waited a few minutes hoping for a response but nothing came. House loitered out in the hall across from Cuddy's office and spied her now sitting at her desk with a very serious look on her face as she conversed with two of the lawyers also sitting at her desk. He'd have to kill some time until he could learn more. Only one thing left to do, go see Wilson and see what he could learn.

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"So why a hooker?" Wilson asked House who had been staring off into space after sharing all he knew with the oncologist about the texts and lawyers.

"What? I'm a man, I have needs." House said with a sarcastic attitude.

Wilson looked annoyed. "Let me rephrase the question, why not…" House cut him off before he could seriously irritate House further.

"Who I'd like to be with is currently UNavailable. Besides, I used protection."

Wilson raised an eyebrow.

"Look, I'm not going to do it again so leave me alone," House snapped. "I thought I would work out some things this way but it didn't actually work so…"

"Let me see if I understand your logic, House. You hired a hooker who looks like the woman you love because the woman you love is with someone else. You have sex with the look-a-like a few times but you're not going to do it again? That about right."

"Actually, no! I only had sex once with Gisela. The other times….we just talked" House shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Wilson was curious and pushed House to open up.

"What did you talk about? Work?" Wilson guessed. The look on House's face confirmed Wilson's suggestion.

"Yeah, but she couldn't really keep up her end of the conversation so we just …"

"Yeah, yeah, I know!" Wilson interrupted House as his hands flew up to cut off any detailed descriptions of what he walked in on.

"Not that I'm not loving this conversation into my sex life but how about we find out what the hell's happening that has the legal team in Cuddy's office," House snapped.

"Fine. I'll check it out and see if she'll tell me anything," Wilson offered.

"Good. let me know what you find out," House said as he got up and left.

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What happens next depends on your feedback. Cuddy's working through the conflict between her head and her heart but she's not leading House on. She's reestablishing their friendship with a new and improved House that she can't quite be sure is the real deal. House knows she has every reason to disbelieve him and is trying to work around his past bad rep. Lucas is still unknown in terms of a quality guy.