AN: Sorry for the wait, I had a busy week after I posted the last chapter. But on the bright side, it's the weekend, then I have three more days of school before the December Break. Everyone, cross your fingers for me that I get a laptop this year. :)

Chapter Twenty Three

Three hours later, House stood out on the roof of the hospital, waking the stars appear across the sky. He leaned against the wall, his head turned towards the sky, his cane laying on the ground besides him.

"Hey," Katheryn closed the door behind her, "James said you'd be up here."

"Get out of here, please," House turned to her. "Before I do anything I'll regret."

"When do you ever regret anything that has to do with you and Lisa? House, stop second-guessing yourself, you shouldn't be working about what already happened between you and her."

"Why does everyone tell me that?"

"If 'everyone' means James and I then I don't know, maybe because it's the truth." Katheryn shrugged, "You and Lisa are truly made for each other, it's just going to take some figuring out."

"Figuring out? House repeated, "My relationship with Lisa isn't a diagnosis, there's nothing to figure out about it. We've always been like this."

"Not always," Chase put in, having discovered them on the roof. "I thought it would be the same with Alison and I, that nothing would ruin it. Yet look what happened, I didn't think I could tell her anything about Dibala. She left me after that, what does that show you?"

"That you need to tell the truth to your spouse?" House suggested.

"Yes," Chase shrugged, "But when I told her, and she suggested that we leave Princeton, she said that she would end up supporting me. Then, when I told her that it was better for me to stay here, she still left. It wasn't about me; the reason she wanted to leave, she tried to make it about me, but it couldn't be."

"So...?" House didn't see what that had to do with him and Cuddy.

"Sometimes, people hide what they truly feel for the better of the other one." Chase explained, "You have feelings for Cuddy, everyone here knows that, and if they don't then they're stupid. She has feelings for you too, we know that as well, we aren't stupid."

"So?" Katheryn kind of saw where Chase was going with this, but she was still confused.

"So..." Chase began dramatically, "You and Cuddy have feelings for each other, are aware of your mutual feelings, but because you don't want to ruin what you already have, you don't say anything."

"Oh my God," Katheryn started dramatically, "You're right! House, you and Cuddy need to get over your high school nervousness and say something, somethig that's going to change how she sees you as a human being."

"Where do I start?" House was interested now.

"How about with ridding her of Lucas once and for all?" Wilson stuck his head in the doorway, "He showed, just as you thought he would House. It's show time."

House didn't bother to grab his cane, knowing his main objective was to get into position in a stopped elevator. Wilson would be in a nearby patient room with Kevin, who would be playing a dying patient, while Katheryn, Chase and Brittney hid behind the nurse's desk. They already had a camera set up in Cuddy's room, as well as one in the lobby and the clinic, which Ellis was monitoring from Wilson's office. A security guard, who by coincidence, was stationed a few feet from Cuddy's room, had been alerted and was told to let Lucas pass, but to then page Wilson and House to alert them to be ready.

"Ready," House spoke quietly into the speaker that he had hidden under the desk; one was wired to Wilson's room and the other to the room where Kevin and Wilson were waiting. Now, all they had to do was for Lucas to show up.

"Evening," Lucas's footsteps were heard and he stopped, "I'm here to visit Dr. Douglas, she's my wife."

"I know," the security guard remained silent other than the simple replies he directed to Lucas, "Go right in, I'm actually headed out now. Have a good night." As Lucas went in, the security guard ducked around a corner, keeping himself hidden in the shadows.

"Evening Lisa," Lucas slid the door shut and smiled, seeing Cuddy shrink back into the pillows.

"Lu … Lucas?" Cuddy's voice shook and she glanced around, hoping the little hidden camera was working, "What are you doing here?"

"I had to make sure you were all right Lisa," Lucas sat on the edge of the bed, reaching forwards the caress her cheek, "You're my wife and I love you, nothing is going to change that."

"Lucas," Cuddy began, already knowing she couldn't trust him, "How …. did I get this concussion?"

"House," Lucas replied simply, "Lisa, you know better than to trust him."

"I don't believe you," Cuddy began, "House would never hurt me, at least not physically. Sure, he's said a lot of rude things to me that have ended up hurting me but that's who he is. Tell me the truth, what happened to me?"

"Lisa, I'm telling you the truth, why would I lie to you?" Lucas began, leaning towards her, his breath hot on her cheek, "I love you more than anything."

"Lucas, please, I know you're lying, maybe this is the only thing you've lied to me about, but I know it wasn't House, he was here all that night. He told me so himself, his team even confirmed it, since I wouldn't believe him."

"Then you fell or something Lisa, it happens." He stood, pacing the room angrily.

"You liar!" Cuddy cried, "You know the truth, please Lucas, just tell me what happened." She was nearly crying, "Please, Lucas, I just have to know the truth. In all of our years of marriage I never lied to you. I know you've lied to me, so tell me the truth. I'm not going to do anything, I just have to know! I don't care who it was now, I just have to know what happened!"

"Lisa, you don't..."

"Tell me you selfish, lying, son of a bitch!" Cuddy yelled, her voice carrying throughout the room.

"Like I couldn't say the same about you!" Lucas cried, "You let House father the twins when you stayed married to me this whole time!"

"I did not, and if you don't believe me, the paternity tests are siting in my office right now." Cuddy cried, "Go find them and you'll see that I was never once unfaithful to you. I thought I could love you Lucas, I truly thought I could, no matter what happened, no matter what changed between us. I would still try to, but these past few months, I just keep loosing faith in everything we had."

"So you think you can just go and bail on me now?" Lucas whirled on her, his rough, calloused hand connecting with her cheek. "What kind of wife does that?"

"Lucas, stop, please." Cuddy's heart sank in her chest, she knew that House, Wilson, Katheryn or someone else would have shown up by now.

"Oh really, that's it?" Lucas growled, his grip tightening on her wrist, "You expect me to stop, just like that? Like I'm going to listen to a lying, cheating little whore like you." He leaned closer, his breath hot on her lips. "Kiss me and prove that you'll be mine, or else you'll regret it."

"No," Cuddy replied, a plan already forming in her head.

"Did you just say no to me Lisa?" Lucas leaned forwards, kissing her roughly on the lips, his arm wrapping around her waist. He felt her flinch away at his touch and he scooted closer to her, wrapping his other arm around her waist. His lips attacked her neck after, leaving angry-looking lovebites on the skin.

"Lucas," Cuddy whimpered, nearly shaking in his arms, "Stop, please."

"Not...until...you...learn...a...lesson," he replied in between kisses.

"Lucas, leave me alone." Cuddy was sobbing into his shoulders, "Please."

"No," his grip tightened around her waist, "You heard me the first time."

"Let go of her," House's shout rang out but the security guard was first in the room, and he moved towards the bed, wrenching Lucas backwards. Wilson had locked the door behind them, not allowing anyone out, his weak-looking frame blocking the door. House stepped towards the bed, where Lucas struggled, half in vain, against the security guard's grip.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?"

"You asshole, get out of here, this is between Lisa and I." Lucas growled, his eyes glued on the door.

"Oh really? Then why did you have every intention of making your fights about me?"

"I never said..." Lucas trailed off, "You staged this didn't you? You knew that I'd come here tonight, you knew that I'd try and see Lisa; you're just trying to land me back in jail. Where you actually belong!"

"And why might that be?" House drummed his fingers on the bed.

"Your drug addiction, for one," Lucas began.

"I gave up Vicodin years ago! The year you and Lisa started dating, to be specific." House snapped, "Think again."

"Uh, you and Lisa planned this whole act just so I'd end up in jail while you go off screwing my wife whenever you want." Lucas was yelling himself hoarse and the other occupants in the room looked between House, Cuddy and Lucas.

"Excuse me? I wasn't the one getting completely wasted and returning home to expect your wife to enjoy a night with you!" House cried.

"You little bastard!" Lucas flung himself towards House, gripping House by the collar, "You think you can just waltz into our home and try and steal my wife away from me?"

"What the hell are you talking about? You're the one who started abusing your wife!" House yelled, slapping Lucas's arm off him.

"Excuse me?" Wilson cut both of them off, "This isn't really about us, what the hell are we doing here House?"

"Making sure this jerk doesn't pull a fast one on us."

"A 'fast one'?" Lucas tossed back his head and laughed, a full hearty laugh, "That's not too hard with you is it?"

"Lucas, stop," Wilson began, "Look, Lisa and House are both two of my best friends and I know that House isn't lying, he gave up on Lisa as son as he found out you two were dating."

"Oh really?" Lucas turned his attention to Wilson, not catching the glares House and Cuddy were giving Wilson, "And why should I believe you?"

"Because I tried to tell House to keep his nose out of your and Lisa's personal life." Wilson began.

"Yet now, you've got my three children living with you and your fiancee." Lucas stepped closer, "You're trying to help Lisa with all this, just like your buddy was trying to do before."

"Would you rather have them staying with House?" Wilson began, challenging Lucas.

"No, but surely Lisa can take care of the kids without anyone's help, even yours." Lucas turned on his heel, "You're no help, get the hell out of here."

Wilson ducked out of the room, and without question, the security guard followed, everything was going according to plan now.

AN: Cliffie! Only Lucas, Cuddy and House in a room ... the showdown should be posted this weekend or Monday!

Reminder* There's a still-running poll on my page for the outcome of the story...vote if you haven't already.

Another Reminder* People who are reading but not reviewing, I'd really like to hear your opinions on the story, even if it's a simple "great job", I know those 17,000+ hits don't come from the same people refreshing the page.

Reviews please?