A/N: Hold onto your hats! Things are gonna get freaky!

Chapter Fourteen

House was already up getting dressed when Ella stirred. Still under the covers, she shifted, poked her head out and looked at House in confusion.

"Morning," he said as he pulled on a shirt and buttoned half of it, covering a band tee.

"Wha…"

"Sleep well?"

"I...yeah, I guess I did."

"Good. I've got the coffee going. It should be ready by now."

"I don't want coffee," she said as she stretched luxuriously and yawned. House came over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"What do you want? Are you hungry? Do you wanna…" His words were cut off when Ella leaned over and kissed him softly.

"Ella…" House tried to protest but her soft hands were caressing his face as she nibbled on his lower lip.

"Don't you want this?" she asked him as she continued to stroke his cheek. "You certainly seemed to last night."

"Yeah I want it, but…."

"If not now, when?"

"There's no rush. We have plenty of time."

"But what if we don't? What if Alec is at the hospital right now, waiting for me. What if…"

"Ella," House said as he placed his hand over hers, "stop. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You're going to have to trust me on this. I've already talked to Marino this morning. They've got undercover cops all over the hospital on the lookout. He won't be able to get near you."

"I wish I could believe it. I'm sick of hiding."

"I know. If he's stupid enough to set foot inside PPTH, they're going to get him. Now come on, get up and and take a shower. You'll feel better."

She let him guide her to the bathroom and once she was in the shower, House went back to the kitchen and toasted them both a bagel.

She came out ten minutes later, dressed and drying her hair with a towel.

"Here, eat," he said as he handed her the plate. "Then we'll go."

"I'm not hungry."

"Eat it anyway. Doctors orders, sweetheart."

"You're getting pretty bossy these days," she grumbled as she took the bagel and poured herself some coffee in a travel mug.

"It's good for you. The carbs will keep your energy up and the coffee will keep you on your toes."

"Yeah, right."

The hospital was busy as usual, the endless chatter and sirens from the Ambulance bay did little to calm Ella's nerves.

"Relax," House whispered in her ear as they waited in the lobby for the elevator.

"Ha!" she muttered as the doors opened and they stepped inside.

"Just stay in Diagnostics today. Don't go downstairs unless you absolutely have to. He'd be stupid to show up here."

"He's not stupid, but he is that arrogant."

"The two go hand in hand."

It was a very uneventful day but Ella was constantly on edge and it drove House crazy. She was extremely jumpy and she hardly spoke a word all day. She didn't speak in the car on the ride home and when he pulled up to their building, she looked around frantically as she followed House inside.

"Go to your place and get some things. You can spend the night at my place again," he told her.

"Okay."

He watched as she let herself into her apartment before entering his and placing an order for Chinese food to be delivered.

In the quiet of her own apartment, Ella grabbed an overnight bag and started tossing stuff into it when she heard the creak of floorboards. She paused to listen but didn't hear it again so she continued. As she zipped the bag closed, she heard it again. Remembering the Glock in the lockbox under her bed, she quickly went for it. She always kept it within reach but as she felt for the metal box, it wasn't there. She got down on the floor and looked under the bed. That's when she heard the distinctive click of the hammer being pulled back.

"Looking for this?"

She froze and quickly got to her feet, facing Alec as he stood in the doorway of her bathroom, his eyes blazing as he pointed the gun at her. Cool and calculating, he took in her appearance. She was no longer the curvy, mousy, brown haired woman he knew, and he didn't like it. Not one bit.

"I hardly recognized you, which is saying a lot, since I've been in this piece of shit town for days."

Ella tried to remain as calm as possible, but she was shaking inside and out. She was sure he could hear her heart beating loudly in her chest. She just hoped House would get tired of waiting for her and come to get her. "What have you done to yourself? You look like a goddamn dyke with that short hair."

"Get out," she said quietly trying to keep the tremor of fear out of her voice.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Alec. Get out. There are cops watching this place right now."

Alec laughed. "Oh, those guys outside? I sent them home, told them their captain needed them back at the station for more important things. Gotta love rookie cops. They'll believe anything. So yeah, nobody's coming to rescue you, Princess. And you can forget about the cripple down the hall. He's nobody. He's nothing to you and me."

Just then, there was a knock on the door, wood on wood. Relief flooded Ella at the idea of House coming to her rescue.

"Are you coming over or what?" House called through the door. When he tried the knob, it was locked, and he didn't have a key. That in itself was strange, as she wouldn't have locked the door if she was coming right over.

Alec grabbed her jamming the gun into her back. "Get rid of him or I will," he hissed in her ear.

Ella steadied herself as she unlocked the door and opened it a crack. House stood there, looking less than impressed. "What's going on? I've got Chinese coming."

"Umm…"

The end of the revolver pressed deeper into her back and she winced. "I'm not really feeling well right now. I think I might take a nap first. Go ahead and start without me."

House's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. She wasn't acting right and her pupils were dilated. She looked to be on the verge of tears.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine, Greg," she said with a nod. "I just have a nasty headache. All the stress I guess."

"Do you want another Ativan?"

"No, no it's fine. I just need to lie down."

He seemed reluctant to leave, and she knew he wasn't buying any of it, but he nodded. "Okay then. Come over when you're ready."

"Okay. Thanks."

She closed the door and Alec nodded. "Good girl. Now get packing. You're coming home with me."

House stood out in the hall, sent a text to Marino to get to the apartment building and quickly returned to his apartment. He went to his lockbox and prepared a syringe full of morphine while he waited, and put it in his pocket. Marino must have been nearby because he was there within ten minutes and House quietly let him in.

"What's this about?" Marino asked as he put his hand on the gun hidden beneath his jacket.

"I think Rogan is in her apartment. I went over there but she quickly sent me away and then she did something which I think was the tip off that something is wrong. She called me Greg."

Marino shrugged. "So? That's your name."

"But she's never called me that. She always calls me House."

"Damnit."

"So did you have a plan for when this happens? Or were you just planning to wing it?" House snapped.

"I was hoping to intercept him."

"Well let's go, right now. God only knows what he's doing to her as we speak but they haven't left yet."

Marino nods. "I'm just going to call the local PD for back up. They've been great about the whole thing. The Chief knows my Commander, and he knows Alec Rogan. He's all too happy to help with this."

"What I want to know is how he got past the guys outside."

"I don't know," Marino muttered as he made the call.

There was noise out in the hall and they ran out to see Alec dragging Ella at gunpoint. She struggled to carry two large bags.

"Going somewhere?" Marino inquired of Alec, gun drawn. "I suggest you drop the bags and step back. Right now."

"House…" Ella said, her voice wavering as she dropped her bags on the floor.

"Everything is going to be okay," House assured her as he kept his eyes on her.

"Pick those up!" Alec screamed at her. Then he looked at Marino with a sneer. "He's not going to shoot us. Well, maybe you, since you're the felon who faked her own death. You're so fucking pathetic, Ella. You can't even do that right."

"Did you ever stop to ask yourself why she felt she had to do that?" Marino asked, his voice eerily calm. "And you're no saint yourself, Rogan. I've been watching the way you do things for years. You think you're untouchable but you're not above the law. Ella did herself a favor when she left you."

The sound of sirens in the distance made Marino smile. "It's over, Rogan. Just let her go. Do something right for once in your life."

Rogan turned the gun back on Ella. "I was good to you! I gave you everything!"

"Yeah, abuse, beatings…" House rattled off.

"Shut up, House!" Ella and Marino said in unison.

"Who the hell are you, anyway?" Alec demanded of House, then looked back at Ella. "Are you screwing this old guy?"

Ella didn't answer, just kept her head down.

Alec sneered at House. "She's a good fuck, isn't she? So...compliant…willing to please..."

House threw his fist into Alec's smug face, knocking him to the floor. While he was down, House used the opportunity to inject him with the syringe full of morphine while Ella watched in surprise. Seeing House act quickly and take over the situation made her see him in a whole new light.

"What the...what did you give me!?" Rogan slurred.

"Relax," Marino said as he slapped the cuffs on Alec and hauled him to his feet. "You've got more important things to worry about now, Rogan. You've got the right to remain silent…"

Hearing Marino read Alec his rights was like music to Ella's ears as she watched the cops come in and take him to a squad car outside.

"I gotta go take care of this," Marino told her. "You'll be okay?"

"Yeah," she said.

"We're going to need you back in Colorado Springs. I'll call you when we get things sorted out."

"Okay."

"Everything's going to be okay. He won't be getting out of jail with all the charges we're going to throw at him," Marino assured her

Once they were all gone, she went back to her apartment and House followed her inside. "I'm not going to be very good company, House. I...I don't know...I'm just...numb."

"You should at least eat something."

"I'm not hungry," she said softly.

"Stay here. I'll bring the food over."

"I'm going to take a quick shower."

"Good idea," he said with a slight smile and mischief gleaming in his bright blue eyes.

She smirked. "Are you saying I smell, House?"

"Welll…"

She playfully smacked him and sent him on his way. "Come back in twenty."

"Fine."