Hello all!! Sorry about the delay, things have become MUCHOS hectic around my world :S.

This is quite LONG, so i hope it makes up for the wait. I will post the final part of this tomorrow evening (Aussie time) or on Saturday, depending on how awake i am. Yes, its a two part...otherwise it'd be about 8000 words that you'd have to read. :D

Thankyou to my lovely reviewers, you guys are fantastic, and always put a smile on my face. Your feedback always makes me a little more confident with what i'm posting, so i seriusly hope that i don't botch things up :P. Thanks again everyone, adn thank you to the silent readers who are sticking by me. It means alot!!

Ok, enough of my rambling, on with the FIC!!

"QUACK, QUACK"

"Oh, he is so far gone." Stella looked in the mirror to see Luca spread out across the backseat of his car, mumbling incoherent nothings, and random babbles of nothingness.

"You guys suck. You'rrre forgetting the coode."

The girls both looked at each other and smiled, "Quack, quack, Luca."

Luca yawned, "Too slow, I'm over it now."

Callie smirked as she reached back to push his head back on the make shift pillow, "Do you remember that time we were coming back from town, and there was that busker playing the trumpet on the side of the road-"

"At three in the morning,"

"and Luca decided to yell out the window 'Get a job!'" Callie burst into a fit of giggles, as Stella tried to gasp for air,

"It was so random, I mean. Three in the morning! That was so funny, and then Steph slapping him about for being mean,"

Callie's head fell back as she let out a huge burst of suppressed laughter, "and then she started shouting abuse out the window when trumpet man threw a can at the car, and trying to make Ryan pull over so that she could go after him,"

Stella almost had to pull the car over she was laughing so hard, "Oh my god, gasping for breath She's so scrappy that one! I seriously thought she was just going to jump out the car, Jake and I had to hold her back – and then, she was like, 'Oh my God, Ryan DRIVE he's chasing after me!'"

Callie's head fell back against the head rest as she tried to regain control of her breathing, "Ahh, good times,"

She nodded in agreement, "Yeah, good times,"

"Guys – shh, do you hear that," Luca called out from the back,

The girls quietened at his serious tone, "What? I don't hear anything," Callie whispered.

"Wait for it … PFFFFTTTTT "

"EEEWW!!! LUUCA!!!!!!"

Stella started hitting the window buttons, holding her breath until the icy morning air filled the car, and exterminated Luca's gaseous stench.

"I can't believe you guys listened to me! That was the oldest trick in the book! Oooh, Mickey D's, lets stop there, I need animal fat."

Both Stella and Callie gagged, "Not after you put it like that, that's disgusting. Although I guess that means you're sobering up a tiny bit.' Stella looked back at him and smiled as he kept looking at the approaching McDonald's wistfully,

"Yeah, don't worry Stel, I don't think he's had enough to puke, and even if he did, it's his car," Callie sniggered under her breath, but Luca heard her and swatted her on the head,

"Don't be nasty. How could I, my girls weren't drinking with me. Stel-la, what are you doing, You drove past it – oh wait, you can go in there - you still drove past it." He pulled himself forward and stuck his face next to hers and started whining,

"You're no fun anymore Smella. You used to do jello shots with me, and dance with me, but you ditched me for rocker t-shirt guy –"

Stella pushed his head back, as Callie started laughing again. Stella had always been Luca's 'go-to-girl' when it came to partying. She had always been the tamer of the trio, much to Cuddy's relief – at least there was one of them who would remember to be responsible at all times.

"That not true!!! I was the one that helped you shove the promo dancers out of the way so that we could jump on the platform and show them how to really move, and I do recall that were a hit, and were welcome back anytime-"

"I'm not so sure the promo dancer felt the same way, I thought she was going to jump you,"

Luca raised his voice and continued to talk over them, "AND now, you won't even pull over to buy junk food with me. Cal-ster what are you talking about. I don't remember our girl getting into a bar fight, I know I wouldn't have missed that,"

Stella grinned and ignored him, continuing her conversation with Callie, "I thought she was going to punch me for a minute, and Steph didn't help any either – "

"Hun, you were just as scrappy as Steph was – and you weren't even drinking!"

"No, just guzzling red bull and some other caffeine mix like I'd been in the desert for a month. I admit it, I can be scrappy. It's the Lisa Cuddy in me."

They both started sniggering,

"Hey, just because I'm slightly sloshed, does not mean that you can ignore me –"

"Sweety, you're not missing anything. We just managed to piss off one of the dancers while we showed our 'Greatness',"

Luca nodded slowly, and Callie pulled a cross-eyed look at him. He tried to reciprocate, but ended up making himself dizzy, he shook himself out of it and continued the conversation,

"Oh, our 'Greatness' would do that. We're just so great. Awesome actually."

Callie shook her head, "Oh dear, we need to get you home. Are you sure your mom won't mind us all crashing at your place? We can always crash at my place, or Luca's"

Stella shook her head, "Nah, Mom won't mind. It'll be like the old days. Besides, we've passed your neighborhood, and it'll take to long for Luca to find his keys, Besides, we're almost home now."

Luca stuck his head up between the two front seats again and pouted, "So…no McDonald's?"

"I'll make you a peanut butter sandwich, and some nice yummy coffee. OK."

"Ok."

Casa Cuddy Driveway

"I can't believe its only 2 in the morning," Callie whispered, as she leant on Luca, who was leaning on the doorframe.

"Well, we have pretty much lost concept of time over the last three days –"

"But sooo worth it," Luca drawled through a yawn, "Jesus Stella, hurry up will you,"

"Well it would be a lot easier if you would stop poking me – DON'T press the doorbell. Do you want my mother to wake up and yell at you?"

Luca pulled his hand back as if it burned, Stella's glare was scary enough, but Mama Cuddy – Woah.

When she finally got the door open, they each fell into the hallway, tripping over Fat Cat, who was sleeping on the mat.

Stella hissed back at him as she locked the door and set the alarm again, before joining her friends at looking up the stairs.

"It's so far up."

"Too many steps,"

"There's a bathroom down here right,

Yeah."

"Great, I gotta take a whiz. PB and J sandwich and coffee?"

Stella rolled her eyes, and Callie snorted as she collapsed on the couch and put her feet up on the table.

Moments later, the trio were fast asleep on the large couch with the throw covering their bodies. Luca was in the middle, his feet propped up on the coffee table, with an arm around both Stella and Callie, whom both had one leg kicked out on the table, and one leg thrown over Luca's. They were still in that position when Cuddy came downstairs in the morning after her shower. The PB and J sandwich lying forgotten, Luca with only one Converse sneaker on, and Stiletto's still adorning the girls' feet.

Just like the old days. The Troubleteers were together again, and home.

At last.

Cuddy stretched and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she headed for the shower. Her body was sore, but she wasn't going to complain. A grin spread over her features as she thought back to the weekend – oh no, she definitely had no complaints. He had picked her up on Friday afternoon (she's surreptitiously cleared the rest of the day of meetings), and told her that they were going to have to get a late lunch on the road, as where he was taking her was a fair while away. They had finally pulled up to a log cabin in the mountains, where he treated her like Queen. He'd made her a gourmet dinner, complete with a Chocolate Death Mudcake topped off with freshly whipped cream and strawberries. Desert had evolved from heavenly chocolate delight into a naughty, flirtatious round of foreplay.

She slipped a bit of the frosting from the chocolate cake onto his bottom lip trailing her thumb across his pout slowly, and seductively slid closer to him, staring into his desire soaked eyes. Their noses bumped, and their lips barely touching, her eyes slid shut as she slid her tongue out to lick the frosting from his lip, before succumbing to his kiss …

The sudden blast of cold water snapped her out of her day dream, and she quickly finished up and got dressed for work.

Desert had ended with the pair of them lustfully maneuvering each other into the bedroom, for several rounds of hot, steamy, star seeing, fantastic sex. Lots of it.

Buttoning up her high collared shirt, she couldn't help but give another chuckle as she thought back to when Angie had called over Sally, to come with her to return Hershey. With Hershey spending the weekend at Angie's house, it was the perfect opportunity for her to be 'in the neighborhood', and for them to call by. They both had such impeccable timing, knocking on the door, just when on the other side, she was pressed up against it, with his hand up her shirt, necking like teenagers.

As soon as he drove down the street and out of sight, Angie and Sally yanked Cuddy inside, handed over Hershey bolted around the house looking for Stella, before settling for 'his' tea towel and her lap – demanded a recount of her weekend.

"Hon, you'd better stop with the 'I've just had a weekend filled with fantastic sex glow, because little Miss Stella will latch onto it like a vampire and fresh blood,"

"Eew!"

Cuddy quickly interrupted them, "Ladies. You two need to get a weekend away from your kids – I feel THAT good!" Sally and Angie groaned, thinking wistfully of the times when they used to be able to spend weekends in bed with their husbands. "Well he's obviously good-"Angie stated "You have no idea" Cuddy blurted, "Details" Sally demanded,

"Every sordid detail?"

"You can skim over intimate, 'intimate' details." They both said together, and Cuddy laughed.

"Well, you know what they say about the size of a man's hand in proportion to …"

"Oooh…"

The sound of Fat Cat meowing jostled her from her thoughts again, and she decided to go and check in on Stella before making some coffee.

Seeing that her bed was still made, she frowned a little before going downstairs.

Stella, Callie and Luca were still asleep in the same position, only Hershey (whom had grown quite a bit over the last month), had jumped off the foot of Cuddy's bed to go to his outdoor bathroom, had returned only to nudge Stella arm so that she would shift, and had curled up beside her, his head in her lap, and her hand resting on his back. It was such a sweet site. Cuddy brought out the Polaroid camera and snapped some pictures, before prodding them awake.

She was rewarded grunts and mutterings of 'leave me 'lone', or 'go-way' by Stella and Callie, while Luca blearily cracked open his eyes.

"Hey there –"

"Ohw, can you, talk a bit quieter?"

Cuddy snickered, "Luca, I'm whispering."

Luca blinked, "Oh. Can you whisper quieter?"

"SHHHHH" they both looked over at Callie, who had rolled, and stuck her head under a pillow.

Cuddy smiled, and mouthed to him, "Do you want some coffee?"

Luca nodded, "Please." Gingerly she pushed Stella's head off his shoulder, and watched as she scooted down a bit and propped a pillow around Hershey, falling back asleep.

10 minutes later

"Stella" Cuddy whispered as she tried to shake her awake.

"Noo. Mmphhglmpphh"

"Stella, wake up. I have coffee-"

"Don't care, go away."

"If you don't get up, I'm going to pour a cup of ice cold water on you."

"No you wouldn't, you'd have to re-upholster the couch, now Shh, you're gonna wake up the Grinch." she mumbled into the pillow,

"Come on, you're going to be late for your first day at work."

"Whaa?"

"First day. You behind Clinic desk. Paid Punishment."

Stella sat up a bit, and glared as best she could at her Mom, "God, I thought you were kidding,"

"Did it sound like I was kidding when I told you that?"

"You could have been. You've got a weird sense of humour."

"Up!"

"No!"

"Guys can you go have your domestic in another room."

"Or, you could forget about this whole work thing, and let me go back to sleep."

"Nope. Once Luca has vacated the shower, its your turn. Callie you have 15 minutes before you can yell at me for waking you."

"MMMmppphh"

"Why does she get to sleep more?"

"Because she doesn't have to leave for work soon, now move it."

40 minutes later­

Stella trudged downstairs, dressed in black tailored dress-pants and an old 'The Doors' t-shirt, passing Callie on her way up for a shower,

"You'd better have left me some hot water,"

"Yeah well if you got up earlier, you could of showered while there still was some. The one that calls himself 'Luca' stole it all. Had to wait like 10 minutes. Jackass."

"Ooh, someone's cranky."

"Shuddup. I have work. Me. Work." She said it as if it were the most preposterous thing she'd ever heard of.

"Hey, if I can pull it off, you can too, and we all know how lazy I am."

Stella glowered at her best friend, "Why the hell are you so chirpy? You hate chirpy people in the morning."

Callie grinned slyly, "Unlike some people, my parents were kind enough to give me the day off."

Stella's jaw dropped, and she raced downstairs, ignoring the throbbing in her head,

"That's so not FAIR!! Cal's parents gave her the day off, why do I have to go in? I don't even WORK for you! You're just doing this to spite me!"

Luca looked up with pleading eyes, "Octave lower please,"

"Sorry." She only felt a tiny bit bad, Luca looked like hell, but she was more annoyed than sympathetic at the moment.

"Ok, one, lower your voice when you speak to me. Two, I'm not Callie's parents and three, this isn't just punishment. You need to get a job, I'm giving you a job that many people out there are scrambling for-"

Stella scoffed, "Oh please, Desk duty, a trained monkey with a good hands free set could handle that,"

"Great, so then you'll be perfect for the job. And there's more to working behind a desk than answering phones,"

"Oh, and of course you'd know."

Cuddy turned around from the fridge and looked sternly at her, and Luca looked on avidly, to see whether Stella would stare back or apologize,

"Sorry, uncalled for , I know."

Luca snickered into his breakfast, stopping only when he felt two pairs of death rays trained on his head.

"Right, so Brenda will show you around the Clinic desk, and then you can get started on filing, and inventory and anything else that needs to be done. Just ask Brenda."

"Why didn't you hire some little old lady who needed someway to fill up her spare time. Come on, make the senior citizens feel needed again,"

"Wow, I almost forgot how mean you can be when you're cranky." Luca stated, edging away from Stella, just incase she hit him.

"Funny. I just don't get it. Why do I need a job? It's not like I have bills to pay, and you give me a pretty hefty allowance. AND Grandma and Grandpa love me so much that they've each set up funds for me, just like they did for Uncle Aaron's kids."

"That is for College purposes ONLY, and I didn't raise you to be a little spoiled brat.-"

"Too late," Callie snarked cheekily from the doorway, and Stella held her hands up in defeat,

"What is this, 'The World Against Stella Day' or something?! I let you two sleep on my COUCH!"

"It's because we care Bub," Luca smiled sweetly at her, while she stuck her tongue out at him, before going back to munching on Pop-tarts.

"You're going to work, and you're going to learn the art of saving –"

All three 'children' chocked on their breakfast at the word, they all had a look of 'Saving? What's that?' on their faces,

Cuddy rolled her eyes before continuing, "and you're going to learn the art of 'well earned money'."

"Why? When there are parents and ATM machines?"

"And you're also going to go back upstairs and take off that tee-shirt, it looks like you've rolled in the mud with it on."

"What! This has just been washed. It's just OLD! Fine! I'll wear some boring blouse then, unless you want to hold my hand and pick something for me, just incase it doesn't meet your standards,"

she paused at took a quick look at the high collared shirt, with a subtly low neckline where had she not buttoned an extra button, the girls definitely would have come out to play. She expertly raised an eyebrow in a familiar fashion,

"Although, by the looks of that shirt, standards shouldn't be set too high," and with that she bolted up the stairs before the wet dishrag hit her.

Both Callie and Luca looked at Cuddy, not knowing how they should be reacting. Were they meant to laugh, or were they meant to run and hide.

"She's uh. Delightful when she's grumpy." Callie finally said,

"But you wouldn't have her any other way right?" Luca added at Cuddy's look of amusement, she grinned back at them.

"You two had better hurry up and finish eating. We've got to leave soon, and She might feel that she has to take out the 'unfairness of the situation', out on the both of you, now that she's finished raving at me."

"Uh yeah, good point, Hurry up Luca."

5 minutes later

"Stella, what are you -"

She'd changed into a black blouse with little capped sleeves, her hair in a low messy bun that sat to the left side, and had clipped a little black fascinator wispy black feathers, to her do, the tiny veil covering her right eye.

"It's vintage, and it is incredibly appropriate for this horrible occasion. I am mourning the loss of my freedom."

Luca and Callie snorted with laughter, "You know, I think might have a pair of black gloves in the car," Luca managed through a laughing break.

Cuddy groaned, "Oh, god please don't encourage her. Take it of Stella, and stop being so dramatic, Employment is not the end of the world."

"Lu-Lu, I don't want to know why there are gloves in your car. And Employment at your hospital IS the end of the world. Ugh. Let's get this over and done with. Good bye my friends. I'll see you when the Evil Warden sees fit for me to stop scrubbing the floors at Castle PPTH."

Cuddy smacked her arm as her friends laughed, and they all headed out on their merry way, one car headed to their homes for more sleep, and the other to the clutches of the demanding Baby PP. Stella looked forlornly out the window and gave a huge sigh.

"Oh would you give it up already? It's not that bad."

"For you maybe. You actually like working at that place."

"You've never worked there before, how would you know."

"Thanks to you, and Uncle Greg and Uncle Jimmy, and everyone - I've heard the horror stories. And you forget, you made me candy stripe there. You big meanie."

"Well, this time, you're going to be several rungs above Candy Striping. So if it makes you feel better, you have more power. And please take of the fascinator. How was the Fiesta?"

"Ooh yay, more power, and no, I'm making a statement with my vintage headpiece – Grandma said it was cute, so if she approves, the Gods have spoken. How was your weekend? Aunt Ange and Sally said that you guys had a girly weekend. Actually, you do look a lot more relaxed than usual."

Cuddy bit her lip, so Stella had called them over the weekend, luckily they had a plan all devised to cover her tracks, "No, I think it was just because you were gone this weekend,"

"Oh nice. She forces slave labor onto me, then tells me she'd rather not have me around. And the Mother of the Year award goes to-"

"I had a very lovely weekend in fact, but I do recall asking you first, so spill."

"I met a guy." Stella looked across at Cuddy and grinned at her.

"What about James?"

The grin fell away,

"What about him. He still works for you, and you've banned me from dating anyone who has anything immediately to do with the hospital. Anyways. This guy, I forget his name, and no I didn't keep his number, he was dancing buddy for the night. Luca and I almost got into a bar fight, Callie fell over, Steph and Megs and Jake and Ryan…well… they were themselves. Joe is awesome as usual…umm what else…oh! Rickie, Mat and Pauley almost got us all banned from HQ, was fantastically hilarious."

"Do I even want to know why?" Cuddy asked dryly, not taking her eyes off the road.

Stella chuckled, "Uh no. Ummm, lets see. Friday we had a 'The Quack's' BBQ reunion at the park. That was fantastic. Joe's pool guy is going to hate us after Saturday night's Mexican themed bash, Sunday…continued Mexican theme, but it was pretty mellow – we were beat, up until Joe's brother brought out the Red bull and everyone was happy again! I've just realized how out of touch I am with things. I mean, I was beat after the second day! But Everyone knows Party Pants is back, so all is good and well. Oh, and I have pictures I'll give them to you at the office… do I get an office?"

She suddenly perked up at the thought,

"Yu have the clinic desk. But if it makes you feel any better, we'll clear a spot and call it Stella's Section."

"I guess that's ok…"

Cuddy rolled her eyes, and just listened attentively as she switched topics and continued to tell her about the Fiesta, glad that Stella was preoccupied with the weekend events to ask her more questions about how she spent the weekend. Cuddy smiled a small smile to herself as she thought back to her time away. She began to wonder when their next weekend away would be…

It was Stella's fourth day working at PPTH, and she was already in trouble. She'd been in trouble for two days already – that's right, her second day, and Cuddy already had to scold her. It wasn't her fault that the stupid lady on the phone wouldn't shut up and just come in and be told that she just had a cold. Stella tossed the red file into a pile in the corner before sighing, thinking back to two days ago.

Stella was bored, and annoyed, and really wanting to hang up on this lady. Her feet were on the desk, and she was leant back in the chair, body limp, with her arms hanging over the arm rest and her head falling back. Her eyes were shut, and she'd intermittently mumble 'uh huh' into the hands free set every time the lady would take a breath.

She stifled a yawn, and looked at her watch before dropping her head back again, "Uh huh,"

"And my throat is all dry and itchy, my throat is all red and scratchy, I'm having trouble breathing, and I'm feeling all limp and tired, and –"

'Oh Gaawwd, PLEASE stop talking!' she inwardly groaned,

"Do you think that I'm having a heart attack?"

'No, because you're still TALKING,'

"Well, are you feeling a tightness in your chest, and any tingling sensations?"

"No, but after lunch yesterday, my chest felt like something was crushing it-"

'Yeah, it's called heart burn, you probably over ate and ate too fast,'

"Mmm hmm, yes…"

"And I have the sorest stomach, I've pretty much lost my appetite, oh dear, and my eye just twitched and went a little blurry. I accidentally sliced my hand the other day, and now the area around the wound is all puffy and red, and sore –"

'Probably because you didn't clean it properly you MORON.'

"Oh, well that's Obviously Vasculitus." She quickly stated, sitting up

"Vascu-what?"

"It's an inflammation of blood vessels. Your hand wound, did you bandage it?"

"Well yes, but I forgot to change the bandage –"

"Well there you go. The wound is infected, and that um, infection entered your blood stream and caused, uh – inflammation. Now clotted parts have gotten stuck in your brain, which has affected your eye sight – you know, the twitching. You should come in."

"But what about my heart, and the tingling?"

"It must have progressed. I don't think you understand how serious this is. It could be fatal."

"Oh my,"

"Yes. I'll refer you onto our specialist, Dr. House, and you make sure that he does every test possible. This is life threatening," Stella smiled to herself, 'and that should take care of House's stealing my lunch yesterday'.

"Your appointment is in 45 minutes Ms. Uh, Watkins. You best hurry, he'll be leaving soon."

"Shouldn't I call for an ambulance?"

"Oh no, there's no need for that, traffic is pretty light at the moment. I'm sure you'll survive. We'll see you soon. Thank you for calling Princeton Plainsborough." And with that, she hung up on the poor lady, and went on a little visit to see Uncle Jimmy.

Stella chuckled and turned on The Fray play list on Willard, putting in the ear buds, she went back to filing.

Cuddy had been furious with her.

''I've already got House to deal with, I don't need you causing trouble as well! I had to tell her that a psych patient got to the phone and..." Stella tuned out until Cuddy stopped talking and then cut in with,

"Well, what was I supposed to do? I told her to come in, and she kept talking and rattling off symptoms. My method got her here didn't it? She came to seek treatment at your hospital, and I got out of listening to her for several more minutes. It's a win, win!"

Cuddy sighed, "You are to stay away from the phone for the rest of the week. There are huge pile of files that need to be sorted and filed, and signed by various Drs - sort that out. Go."

The whole floor heard her cry of, "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME,"

The entire table was covered with folders, filing cabinets a complete mess.

The nurses and people waiting in the Waiting Room all stopped what they were doing and turned their heads towards where Cuddy and Stella were stood.

"Mom! This is going to take MONTHS! This isn't FAIR!"

"Lower your voice please and you'd best get started then shouldn't you. Back to work everyone."

Stella muttered curses under her breath as Cuddy retreated back into her lair.

"slave driver...should report you...inhumane...slave labor...witch…"

House had sent her a text message saying

'That's what you get for telling that woman she was going to die, and making ME run a million tests to prove she just had the FLU and a slight case of FOOD poisoning!"

To which she replied with,

"Shut up, You had the Duckies do the tests and had you been in my position, you'd have done the same thing. Stupid YOU and your STUPID influence."

"I saw Dr. Cuddy last weekend, she was with this man,"

Stella, who was hidden behind a pile of files and the filling cabinet paused the song as she heard her mother's name and 'man' come up in the gossiping nurses conversation.

"Ooh, really? Who was it?"

"I have no idea, but they were both at the supermarket, before heading out of town. I didn't get a good look at who the man was. He couldn't keep his eyes off her, let alone his hands."

"Playing the little voyeur were you?"

"I couldn't resist. Dr. Cuddy practically lived here before her daughter came back, and now she has a boyfriend, and is actually going home on time for most days."

"I wonder if it's her daughter's father. Like a clandestine meeting between old lovers."

Stella's eyes widened, -'WHAT!!"

"Oh I don't know, Brenda said that Cuddy and Stella are quite close. And that her father wasn't in the picture –"

"Brenda told you this?"

The nurse flushed a little, "Well. I may have been nosing about, and she pretty much just snapped at me, told me the father isn't even in the picture and to butt out."

'Yay, go Brenda…but mom was with someone this Weekend? Who! And why don't I know!!' Stella hurrumphed, and waited until the nurses left.

Things began to fall into their places. She'd been noticing that Cuddy had been averting certain topics. Her routine had changed over the last three days. Usually, Cuddy would wake Stella just after she came back from her run, or was still in a bathrobe, or she'd come in just as she was dressing before rushing out again. But lately, she was already dressed for work…and wearing high collared button up shirts…her hair down… and, the late night phone calls to her cell phone…realization dawned on her, and she grabbed the files allocated for Cuddy, and stalked swiftly out of the room, and into Cuddy's office, shooting a look at James that sent him scurrying out of the office.

She dropped the files on her desk, sat in the chair across from her and put her feet on the desk,

"Ok, who is it?"

Cuddy looked up confused, she was still caught up in Stella's dismissing James from the room with just one glare – She was definitely her mother's daughter.

"What are you talking about and feet off."

Stella rolled her eyes, and put her feet back down.

"I spend the weekend at away and all of a sudden you're wearing high collared shirts. THREE days in a row. AND, normally, you change into something comfy after work. I've noticed you dawdling, changing into something that STILL covers your neck. YOU had a sleepover while I was gone-"

Stella paused to study Cuddy's reaction. Despite her god poker face, her eyes had a glimmer of mischief in them,

"Oh my God! You did have aSleepover! Mom! I wasn't even aware that you were dating anyone! What's with that! My theory was only confirmed when I heard some nurse on saying she saw you out with some guy. How come I didn't know?! I tell you everything! And well, visa versa!"

"Not exactly,"

"Ok, so I prefer particular details to be left out-"

"No I mean, I only found out about your summer fling because of Katherine,"

"Aunt Katherine likes to exaggerate, and I don't know why you were talking to her, you don' t even like her. And don't use the She's married to Uncle Aaron excuse. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because there was nothing to tell."

"Three days of hiding your neck isn't 'nothing to tell'." Stella scowled at her.

"I can think of only 2 reasons for why you wouldn't tell me. The first, you're being the considerate, responsible mom – testing the waters before you bring him home. Or the second, you think, or you know I won't approve. I'm hoping that it's the former."

Stella waited, while Cuddy sat back and studied her daughter.

"I really wish you wouldn't do that."

"I find it really interesting how you've become so invested in my love life. Before it was pestering me while I got ready. That was cute. And endless questions, with you romanticizing everything I told you, comparing it to every movie that you could. And now, you're picking my dates, telling me what to wear, and getting testy over the fact that I went out with someone and it bugs you to not know who. Normally I get a grunt of, 'Whatever, have fun, and some snarky little comment that you've picked up from House.'"

"Oh god, you're stalling. It's the latter isn't it. You're doing the naughty with someone – naughty."

"Stop being so dramatic."

"Well answer my question! Because my incredibly imaginative mind is going into overdrive with worst case scenario's." And then the nightmarish possibility dawned on her,

"Oh my-" she clapped her hands over her mouth,

"Don't go there Stella,"

"You're sleeping with Mr. Westin???"

"WHAT?!" Cuddy's pen slipped as she snapped her head up at the accusation,

"Oh, god! Please, no. That's so – why?"

Cuddy's glower became deadlier,

"What, did he threaten to pull his donation unless you-" Stella narrowed her eyes back at her,

"Don't you dare even think about finishing that sentence Stella Margherita. I expect comments like that from House, but not you." She said sternly, pointing a finger at her daughter.

Stella held Cuddy's glare for a moment before blinking and averting her eyes,

"Sorry."

As Cuddy returned her attention to her paperwork, Stella sat up straighter, and shook her head 'No',

"No! I'm not sorry. You lied to me!"

Cuddy looked up from her papers again, and Stella quickly muttered,

"Ok, yeah, I'm sorry."

They both sat in relative awkward silence, the rustling of papers filling the room and Stella fidgeting with the letter opener.

"So…"

"If I tell you, will you leave me alone so that I can get all this done? I was going to tell you once we got home."

"So, your telling me means that,"

"There may be more nights where you'll be home alone, or running for cover at Callie's or Luca's."

Stella didn't know what to say, she sat there shocked for a moment, "How long-"

"Not long enough for you to have a complete hissy fit."

"But long enough for it to progress into something more."

"Like I said, we're still testing the waters."

Stella scoffed, "Yeah, well I'm starting to get the impression that you've tested them to perfection."

"You know, just for that I think I might just make you wait until we get home."

"What! you can't do that! That wasn't even nasty!"

"I can and I just did. Now scram or else you'll never find out."

Stella's jaw dropped in indignation, "You totally just did not dismiss me,"

Cuddy laughed, "Oh yes I totally just did. I have work to do, and I just know that you do."

"Fine! I'll just go and askGreggus then. He'll tell me."

"Yeah, good luck with that." Cuddy called out after her as she huffed out of the office.

Ok guys, that was the first part :p

I'm sorry if it seemed as if it were dragging along (i felt that it was myself), but you know...it kind of gives more insight into the type of person Stella is, her relationship with her friends, with Cuddy...and definately the influence that House has over her.

Wilson and House shall make their return in the next part, as do the Duckies, Cuddy's Bf is revealed (u may or may not have guessed), AND remember that dreaded dinner i mentioned AGES ago...well that time has arrived.

Now, if you're eyes aren't completely blurred over by the amount of words (:P - blame the muse), please drop me a bit of feedback. It's greatly appreciated, and i'll answer, or dodge any questions that you may or may not have.

Thanks again, and until the next posting

Prin