Chapter 28

"What the hell are you doing in here?" asked House as he walked into his office. Chase was sitting at House's desk once more, this time playing solitare on the computer.

"I'm playing solitare," said Chase. "What does it look like?"

House was taken aback by Chase's blunt response. Somebody was either very eager to be next in line at the unemployment agency... or there was something else. "Why...?" asked House very curious now. Chase never liked House, but he did like his job.

"Because I'm bored?"

"You're not worried I'll fire you?"

Chase laughed a bit before huffing. "You're not going to fire me for playing on the computer," said Chase.

Obviously House hadn't been strict enough with his three amigos. "Says who?"

Chase stopped dead. "Are... you going to fire me?"

House didn't answer the question... not yet at least. "Don't we have a patient?"

"We cured him, remember?" said Chase now looking worried. He REALLY didn't want to lose his job.

House nodded. He was about to tell Chase that he wasn't going to fire him since they no longer had a patient... but then a better thought dawned upon him.

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Cameron was roaming the halls of PPTH looking for the one and only Dr. House. He wasn't in the Clinic (who could have predicted that?). He wasn't in the lab. Cameron decided to check Cuddy's office before checking his own. She knew he often wound up there in times of need, trouble, or punishment.

"Cuddy?" asked Cameron as she knocked lightly on the door. She opened it slightly and poked her head in.

Cuddy rolled her eyes. "What now?"

Cameron was surprised by her answer. She hadn't done anything... "Um... I was just looking for House, wondering if you'd seen him," said Cameron lightly. She quickly turned to her more compassionate side though. "Is something wrong? Did I do something?"

Cuddy grinned. "Yeah," she said. "I've seen him. He came in here about five minutes ago to retrieve your little panties."

Cameron's jaw dropped. She didn't know what to say, but something did manage to fall out. "How did YOU get them?"

"Well," said Cuddy. "After your little boyfriend blackmailed me into getting them from Nurse Brenda... which was very embarrassing and has started rumors, by the way, he came back here to get them."

"He did what?!" asked Cameron in shock.

Cuddy just sighed and quietly answered. "He told me he'd get rid of the rumor."

"Why... would he do that?" asked Cameron. She didn't mean for it to come out as harshly as it had, but Cuddy understood. House never did ANYTHING unless he got something out of it.

"Look," said Cuddy. "I don't really feel like talking about this. I'm sure House would love to tell you all the details though."

Cameron nodded slightly before leaving. House was bound to be in his office by now, stashing her thong in his desk for... future use.

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"No way," said Chase. "You can't make me do that."

"Fine," said House. "You're fired."

Chase's jaw dropped. "No I'm not."

House stared at him. "Uh... I'm your boss. If I say you're fired you are."

"I'm talking to Cuddy."

"Fine," said House. "Don't think she'll side with you though."

Chase shook his head and stormed out of the room as Cameron walked in, nearly being trampled by a frustrated Aussie.

"What was that all about?" asked Cameron.

"Oh... nothing," said House. "So what's up?"

"Um," said Cameron. What to say first? "Daniel tested positive for psoriasis."

"No duh."

Cameron thought again before speaking. "Um... Cuddy told me about what you did to her. How could you do that?!"

"Well I had to get this back," said House has he pulled the thong out of his drawer. "Not to mention... people were starting to talk. Had to give them a story, right?"

"House!"

"Relax," said House. "I got it covered."

Cameron felt sudden unease. Whatever his motives for helping Cuddy... they definitely were not pure. She sighed briefly before sitting down at House's desk to check up on her mail... and his. House, oddly, picked up the phone and began to dail.

"Hey," he said. "Listen, in about one minute an angry wombat is about to storm into your room. If you want that little rumor to go bye-bye... I highly suggest you send him away."

Cameron glanced at House. What was he doing now...?

"No I'm not blackmailing him!" said House. "Look... it's the only way I can think of, okay? It's your choice. I could care less if people thought you and Brenda had a thing going on. Kinda hot actually. On second thought, tell Chase to come back to my office."

Cameron could hear yelling through the phone. Whoever was on the other line was NOT happy. And by the talk of rumors... Cameron suspected it was Cuddy.

"Alright... alright..." said House cowering from the phone. "Then do what you have to." With that, he hung up the phone and sat in silence.

Cameron occasionally glanced over at him. Something was up and she was determined to find out what.