Another chapter for all of you fabulous readers. Hope you enjoy it. Do any of you think Cuddy's guilty? If not her, then who?

Chapter 37.

Cameron was speechless for a moment. "You can't be serious. Cuddy was going to be fired? Why?" She leaned against a hallway wall.

"It seems too many of her best doctors were leaving the hospital," Cullen said.

She could hear his smirk over the phone. "Why didn't she try to hire replacements? There are plenty of great doctors out there."

"The person she put in your Dr. House's position isn't very highly recognized."

She assumed he meant Foreman. "Not yet. He's younger, hasn't had House's experience."

"Exactly."

"But that's not a motive for destroying the hospital. The Cuddy I know would fight for her job." Cameron felt the urge to talk to Cuddy about this, but doubted Cuddy would come clean to her.

"Perhaps you can feel her out, see how she felt about being ousted. You know, talk to her woman-to-woman." Had Cullen read her mind?

But Cameron had time to consider. "Maybe several years ago that would have been possible, but I don't think Dr. Cuddy would be willing to talk to me. If she was, she would have told me about it before this."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He sounded disappointed. "Well, maybe she told someone else."

Cameron tried to think of who Cuddy would confide in. Sadly, she couldn't think of anyone close enough to the administrator. "I'll see what I can find out, but I can't promise anything."

"Thanks."

Cameron turned to House who'd been eavesdropping on the conversation. "Had you heard that Cuddy was about to be fired?"

His wide-eyed stare told her his answer. "No wonder Cullen suspects her."

"The hospital had lost too many of its most prestigious doctors, including you, and now Wilson turned in his resignation, too." Cameron shook her head. "Cullen wants me to find someone who might know how Cuddy felt about being ousted."

"Thirteen."

"Huh?"

"Cuddy might not have told her, but Hadley's usually up on all the scuttlebutt, or at least she used to be." House smiled. "Bet she'd know how Cuddy was reacting."

"If Cuddy even knows."

"Oh, she knows alright. Even if she wasn't told officially." House's gaze wandered back to the door to Wilson's room. "Let's see whether Thirteen's around anywhere."

"And willing to talk." Cameron matched her stride to his loping limp as they headed to the elevator. "Where should we look?"

House checked his watch. "We can start with the cafeteria."

"So you can get something to eat while we wait for her to show up." Cameron guessed his motives.

He bit back a smile. "Am I becoming that transparent?"

"Only to me." The elevator arrived and they entered.

The car was almost full. Among the others going down was Cuddy. House and Cameron ignored her. Talking to her would be difficult now that they knew why Cullen suspected her.

But she refused to be ignored. As they exited the elevator, she walked next to them. "How's Wilson?"

"Peters operated again this morning. Wilson woke from the anesthetic a short time ago." Cameron kept to safe topics. "You can visit him if you'd like."

Cuddy nodded. "What's his prognosis?"

"Hard to tell," House said.

"Well, tell him I'll stop by this afternoon sometime." She walked off toward the cafeteria.

Cameron sighed. "That was awkward."

They entered the cafeteria and found a table. House sat. "Get me a roast beef sandwich, fries and a Coke."

"What, no pie?"

"This isn't Mo's." His gaze took in the desserts. "On second thought, how bad can it be?"

Laughing, Cameron got in line and picked up a tray. She loaded it with House's food and a sandwich and apple for herself. When she returned to the table, Thirteen had joined House. He was stealing fries from her.

"Thirteen says Cuddy had been acting strangely before the explosion."

Cameron put his food in front of him. "How strange?"

"Her attention seemed to wander when I talked to her." Hadley took one of House's fries.

Cameron smiled. "Why were you talking to her?"

"Who else would I complain to about Foreman?"

"Wait, what did Foreman do?" Cameron took a bite and chewed, her eyes on Hadley.

"What didn't he do? He never did understand House's style, did he? His interpretation was completely sexist and nasty." Hadley shook her head. "I threatened to quit."

"So, you went to Cuddy about him. What did she say?"

Hadley grimaced. "She nodded as if she understood, but then she seemed to be fighting with some kind of demon inside herself. She zoned out, focused on something on her desk, looked out the window, but never looked my way, not once."

House tilted his head. "Could she have caused the explosion?"

"Cuddy? You're not serious, are you?" Hadley shook her head. "The hospital was her life."

"What if it was being taken away from her?" Cameron asked.

"She'd fight for it, hang onto it by her fingernails." Hadley made a fist.

"Yeah, that's what we thought."

"What's this about?" Hadley looked from House to Cameron. "The police don't suspect her, do they?"

House tilted his head. "It's one theory."

"Know what I think?" She didn't wait for them to reply. "I think it was that nurse who was always poking her nose into things."

Cameron knew exactly who she meant. "Why would Ginger do it? She was just nosy."

"Yeah, what did she ever do to you?" House asked. Then he smirked. "Or not do to you."

"She was always angry about something."

"I'm surprised you didn't accuse Foreman." Cameron sipped her iced tea.

"I can't think of a motive for him, otherwise I would." She grinned. "I definitely would."

"I thought the two of you got along, as they say." House's eyebrows danced.

She snickered. "That may have been the biggest mistake of my life." She finished her lunch and stood. "If I hear anything else, or if Cuddy says anything, I'll let you know. It'll be fun playing spy."

They watched Hadley go. "Do you think it was a mistake to tell Hadley the cops suspect Cuddy?"

"She won't blab. More important, what do you think of Cuddy's behavior before the explosion?"

"We only have Hadley's interpretation of it, but Cuddy obviously had something on her mind that disturbed her." Cameron sipped her drink. "Probably the prospect of being fired, but it might have been the loss of Wilson from the hospital."

"You think that upset her?" House was surprisingly surprised.

"Oh, I'm sure of it. She cared for him almost as much as she cared for you."

"He knew she'd be an awful fourth wifey. At least I hope so."

Cameron nodded. "He had to recognize how manipulative she could be. Anyway, he's got Jessica now."

"He has to remember that for it to work."

She stared at him. "You don't think he ever will?"

He shrugged but didn't say anything.

"Even if he doesn't remember everything, the more time they spend together, why, he might fall in love with her all over again." Cameron smiled, ever the romantic.

He nodded. "She's been good for him. Like a breath of fresh air."

"Don't go all cliché on me."

He shrugged. "It's a cliché situation."

"Well, let's get back to them. See how they're doing." Cameron rose and bussed their tray.

They took the elevator back to Wilson's floor. Peters met them outside the room. "I've reviewed the films of our work this morning. Dr. Wilson should be better in a couple of weeks."

"Have you examined him since the surgery?" Cameron asked.

Peters nodded. "I was just in there. His eyes are responsive, his speech is clear. Looks like he'll heal just fine."

"Thank you, doctor." She flashed a smile at him.

"We'll keep him here under observation for twenty-four hours and then he should be ready to go home again."

"That's great news." She shook his hand.

He and House exchanged nods.

Cameron led the way into Wilson's room. He and Jess were discussing House's team in Snow Hill.

"My brother was so happy there, I decided to relocate to Maryland." Jess grinned. "Shelby's a great town with some wonderful people in it."

"Sounds like heaven."

House chuckled. "Oh, there are a few rotten apples. But all they do is make it interesting for the rest of us." They told him about some of the recent events. "Makes me homesick just talking about it."

Cameron looked at him and smiled. He did want to go back with her.

"Why wasn't I planning on joining you all in Shelby?" Wilson asked.

House and Cameron exchanged glances before she answered. "You need to find your own little piece of heaven. In fact, you'd already decided to do that when you resigned from PPTH."

His eyes narrowed. "Yeah, Jessica told me I'd done that. It hardly seems like something I'd do. How did Cuddy take it?"

"Not well, from what we heard."

He nodded. "I wish I could remember."

"Take your time," Jessica said.

"Do the two of you have to go back to Maryland?" Wilson looked mainly at Cameron. "I'll understand if you do."

House looked at the floor, but Cameron wasn't as hesitant. "I'll go back in a day or two, but I'll be only a phone call away."

"You can't keep driving back and forth." House glared at her.

"And you can't stay here forever." She crossed her arms. "Stay as long as you want, as long as Wilson needs you, as long as it takes for the police to discover who really caused the explosion." She kept her voice calm and steady, but the remaining annoyance underneath still showed.

His expression softened. "No. I think I'll go with you."

Cameron's mouth fell open. When she closed it she said, "Really?"

"We know Jessica will call if Wilson needs us. Even Cullen's a phone call away."

"What about his case against Cuddy?" Cameron asked.

"Wait, who's Cullen, and what does he have to do with Cuddy?" Wilson asked.

Cameron's gaze switched to him. "Cullen's the detective investigating the explosion and he believes Cuddy's responsible."

"No way." Wilson fell back against his pillows. "No way."

"That's what Cameron and I told him. If there were a way to find out who caused it, I'd be on it like cream cheese on a bagel, but even Cullen has no other leads."

"What does he think her motive was?" Wilson looked confused.

"Well, the two of us were gone or going and so were other doctors. The board was ready to fire her."

Wilson shrugged. "She'd fight, not blow up her baby."

House nodded. "That's what we told him, but he wasn't buying it."

Just then the subject of their conversation entered. "Wilson, I would have come sooner, but they have me helping in the cardiac unit." Cuddy neared the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Aside from the fact that I can't remember a thing about the last four months or so? Peachy." Wilson sounded more bitter than he had before. "How about you? Your hospital's gone, you're no longer in charge."

Cameron hadn't dared to ask her those questions. She was glad Wilson did. Coming from him, they might be better received. Whether Cuddy would answer truthfully remained to be seen.

Her reply wasn't unexpected. "Coping. But they plan to rebuild PPTH. I don't suppose you'll reconsider."

"Since I don't remember resigning, I don't know what I'll do. If my memory doesn't come back, I suppose I'll be no good to you or anyone else."

"You haven't forgotten your medical training, have you? You're one of the best oncologists I've ever known."

Out of the corner of her eye, Cameron saw House's eyes roll toward he ceiling. Of course, what Cuddy said was true, but she was pouring it on.

Cuddy's beeper sounded. "I have to get back, but I'll stop in again." She left without a word to anyone else.

Wilson dropped his sad face and smiled at House. "How'd I do?"

House grinned. "I thought Cuddy laid it on thick but you did a bang-up job. Unfortunately, she didn't say anything that we didn't already know. They are rebuilding the hospital."

Wilson tapped his chin. "Maybe I should have asked if she'd be the administrator when they do."

"You'll probably get another chance. The fact is, we don't know what the board is planning now."

"Is there any way you can find out?" Jessica asked.

"I wonder if Cullen knows." Cameron took out her phone. "I'll call and ask."

The desk sergeant put her through to the detective right away. "Dr. Cameron, I was about to call you. Are you at Princeton General right now? I'm on my way over to question Dr. Cuddy and a few others, but I'd like to run some things by you before I do."

"Yes. I'm still here." She smiled at House but continued talking. "Why don't I meet you in the cafeteria in, say, twenty minutes? It should be empty at this hour."