Stacy looked down at House as he snored lightly. She brushed a stray strand of thick brown hair away from his forehead. She couldn't have imagined 6 months ago being here with him, in bed together, after what had started out as a horrendous first date after she settled the lawsuit.

"Now that I'm no longer a client of yours, will you take me up on that dinner date now?" House asked anxiously, a week after they settled out of court, sizable sum notwithstanding, with the overweight woman who was slighted by House.

"I don't know" Stacy said with hesitation.

"Oh come on! You can quit playing hard to get now!" Gregory House flashed his best winning smile and the rest was history.

Not that accepting a dinner invitation sealed their fate. Actually, it ended up pretty horribly with House mumbling something about a 'roll in the hay' after dessert, which resulted in Stacy hurling her drink in House's face, and leaving the restaurant abruptly.

Stacy called her friend, Lisa Cuddy.

"I told you to stay away from him!" Cuddy reminded her.

"I thought you were exaggerating!" Stacy groaned, as she thought about that disasterous first date. "The man is incorrigible...how you ever ended up being friends with him is beyond me!"

Lisa smiled to herself. Stacy would never know why she trusted House and considered him to be one of her best friends. That part of her life was over with, she wanted to forget it, although she'd never forget what House had done for her. And he felt the same way about her.

"Look Stace, you're my friend, I told you House and I were medical students in Michigan. He was a legend then, he's a legend now, there are things even I don't know about him. He keeps a certain part of his life locked up and I think he's thrown away the key, so if you want a relationship with this man, expect the unexpected, and don't be surprised at anything he says or does. That's just...House". Truer words were never spoken.

House opened one eye to find Stacy smiling down at him affectionately.

"Already?!" he whined liked a 5 yr. old. "Honestly woman, you have me beat as far as sexual stamina goes...are you sure you ain't gettin' testosterone shots or something? I think I've got a headache!" House mimicked in a high voice, touching his forehead with his hand, in a feigned attempt to avoid sex. The woman was a tigress and they were very compatible in the sack. Sometimes, House wondered if that's all it was with them. Odd for a guy to think that. Most men would be thrilled to have someone so available.

The sex was great. But so were there fights. And there were many. Too many to keep count anymore. If House thought he was stubborn, he'd met his match. Stacy rarely gave in and never apologized. House found himself apologizing even when he knew it wasn't his fault. He was tired of the bickering. And his leg was starting to hurt.

"What's wrong, honey?" Stacy asked House, as he tried to get up from the bed and winced in pain while holding his thigh.

"I dunno...maybe I pulled something when we jogged the other day".

Stacy thought that was odd. House was in great shape. They jogged several times a week. When they weren't running, she'd taught him to play golf. Or when the weather permitted, they'd go for a swim at the Jersey shore or at the apartment complex's indoor pool. House had been in pain for awhile now but kept it from Stacy. This morning, he could hold back the pain no longer.

to be cont'd.