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"Where are you going?" Cuddy asked and crossed her leg over the other as she sat on her bed.
"Magma Pizza," House answered. "Want me to bring you something home?"
"No." Cuddy shook her head. "That's all right."
"You sure?" House turned and slid on his jacket. "They make good pizza. Or a salad?"
"No, I'll make something here," Cuddy told him.
"Okay." House picked up his cane. "We shouldn't be out too late."
"Take your time," Cuddy replied. "I'll be-"
A knock on the front door interrupted Cuddy. House headed out of the room and down the hall, Cuddy following after him. He opened the front door to reveal Wilson standing there.
"Hi, Lisa," Wilson said, looking past House.
"Hi, James." Cuddy gave him a small smile.
Wilson turned to House. "Ready?"
"Yep." House glanced back at Cuddy. "See you later."
"Bye," Cuddy returned and watched House leave with Wilson.
She closed her front door and locked it. After pausing for a moment, Cuddy began toward her living room, planning to put on a movie.
Wilson handed their menus to the waitress and gave her a polite smile as she left them. He took a drink from his water and set it back down. He placed his attention on his friend.
"How have your cases been?" Wilson asked. "You're always in and out, I don't see you as much."
"Yeah, I know," House agreed with Wilson's statement. "My cases are fine. The new team's timid, but they're not hopeless. Foreman's been leading them as best as a pompous snitch can."
"He's not that bad," Wilson replied. "I've kept my eye on him, and your team, for you."
"Figured you would." House took a drink from his soda.
Wilson leaned forward in his chair, slightly apprehensive. "I, uh, meant to tell you about something else. I think I'm seeing someone. I mean, I am seeing someone."
House's eyebrows drew together. "Thirteen?"
"No." Wilson raised his eyes to meet House's. "Amber."
House set his glass down with a clunk. "Who the hell is that?"
"You liked to refer to her as Cutthroat Bitch," Wilson clarified.
House leaned in closer now, trying to determine if Wilson was telling him the truth or just pulling his leg. "You're dating Cutthroat?"
"We ran into each other the one day," Wilson explained. "I asked how she was doing. We got to talking and we made a date. That turned into another and... here we are."
"You sleep with her?" House leaned back in his chair.
"Um..." Wilson diverted his eyes.
"Oh my God." House pointed a finger as a smile began to spread over his face. "You did."
Wilson looked back up, sheepishly. "Yeah."
"Oh my God." House raised his eyebrows. "You and Cutthroat? Was she good?"
"Oh, I don't think I should say-" Wilson caught House's look and gave in. "Yeah. She was incredible."
"Oh my God." House merely stared at his friend in disbelief.
Wilson narrowed his eyes. "You can stop saying that."
"She a dominatrix in bed?" House asked.
"House!" Wilson's face quickly became flushed.
"What?" House smirked. "It's a simple yes or no question."
Wilson raised a defensive hand. "We're not talking about this."
"You brought it up," House pointed out.
"I didn't bring up our sex life," Wilson replied.
"Our sex life, Jimmy?" House raised his eyebrows.
Wilson gave him a look. "You're insufferable."
"Thank you," House smugly replied as the waitress carried over their order of buffalo wings.
The doorbell interrupted Cuddy's movie halfway through. Eyebrows drawn, Cuddy climbed off the couch and made her way to the front door. She peeked through the peephole and frowned at seeing Office Craig on her porch.
Cuddy took a step back and removed her hands from the door. She wondered what he was doing here and if she could manage to hide without him knowing she was home.
"Dr. Cuddy," Officer Craig spoke up. "I know you're standing by the door."
Cuddy drew in a breath, hesitating. "What do you want?"
"I need to talk to you," he said.
"No," Cuddy replied.
"I just need to know something."
Cuddy paused. "What?"
"Will you let me in?" Officer Craig asked.
"No. Greg's-" she cut herself off, thinking quickly, "in the shower. And I don't feel comfortable letting you in if he's not out here with me."
"I'll wait on the porch until he's done," Officer Craig told her.
"He just got in," Cuddy lied. "It'll be a while."
"This is very important." He sounded desperate now. "Please, Dr. Cuddy."
Cuddy frowned, annoyed with herself. "Hold on."
She hurried down the hall to her bedroom and went into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and then made her way back to the front door. Cuddy unlocked the door and opened it. She took a step back to let Office Craig in.
"What is it?" Cuddy demanded, her hand planted on her hip.
"I want to know why you refused to see Neil if he would offer up another victim's body," Officer Craig said.
Cuddy's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
Office Craig frowned slightly. "Neil said if you went to see him, he would tell us where we could find another one of his victims."
Cuddy shook her head. "I don't know anything about that."
"Adair didn't tell you?" Officer Craig raised his eyebrows.
"No," Cuddy answered.
Officer Craig let out a tired sigh. "We want to find all his victims, Dr. Cuddy. You have the power to help."
Cuddy folded her arms over her chest. "But, if Adair didn't tell me, she must have had a good reason as to-"
"She's trying to run this entire case," Office Craig cut her off. "She's not helping anyone, but herself."
"She's helping me," Cuddy snapped.
"You think she's helping you," Officer Craig replied.
"She is," Cuddy insisted. "Now, get out of my house."
"Fine, then." Officer Craig gave a short nod. "I just wanted you to know the facts since Adair refused to let you in on them."
Cuddy moved to open the front door, but Officer Craig was faster and did it himself. He left, closing the door behind him, and not once looking back at Cuddy.
Cuddy stood timidly in the doorway of Katharine Adair's office. Katharine was sitting at her desk, writing furiously on a pad of legal paper. Her office was packed with a lot of books, but it was relatively tidy.
"I need to talk to you," Cuddy said, but remained in the doorway.
Katharine looked up and let her eyes stay on Cuddy for a moment as if trying to remember who she was.
"You could have called," Katharine replied.
Cuddy took a step into the office. "I needed to see you."
"What's going on?" Katharine appeared slightly concerned.
"Officer Craig stopped by my house last night," Cuddy told her.
"Why?" Katharine asked.
"He wanted to know why I wasn't helping the case," Cuddy answered. "He wanted to know my reasons for not agreeing to see Neil."
Katharine shook her head. "He shouldn't have gone to see you."
"And you should have told me what Neil was offering," Cuddy was quick to remark.
"This is my case," Katharine reminded her. "I make the decisions."
"But, this wasn't your decision to make." Cuddy stepped closer to Katharine's desk. "You should have run it by me, at least."
Katharine paused, eyeing up Cuddy. "You want to see him?"
"I thought about it and-" Cuddy drew in a breath, "I want to give another family peace. I met Sherry's family. I had seen what it had done to her parents, her sister, but they have closure now. They know what happened now. But, there are other families who don't know where their children are. If I could help another family, I want to."
"And at what price, Dr. Cuddy?" Katharine asked. "Is it worth it to put yourself through the ordeal of seeing him?"
"I can do it," Cuddy insisted.
Katharine debated a moment and then sighed. "I can make some calls, get some clearance, and probably get us down there in two days. Saturday."
"Okay." Cuddy nodded.
"You're sure about this?" Katharine held Cuddy's eye contact.
"Yes," Cuddy answered. "I'm sure."
Cuddy sat on her bed with her legs crossed. She was writing in her journal for Harding as House finished changing into his pajamas. He began to head out of the room when Cuddy looked up at him.
"Greg," she said, stopping him.
"Yeah?" House turned in her direction.
"I was thinking about going to my sister's on Saturday," Cuddy lied, but tried not to show it. "I'll leave in the morning and spend some time with her and my nephews."
House shrugged. "Okay."
"So, you can stay here if you want to while I'm gone," Cuddy told him. "Or go to your place. Whatever you want to do."
"I'll go to my place if you won't be here," House replied. "Are you staying overnight?"
"No." Cuddy shook her head. "I'll be home later in the day. I just don't know when."
House gave a nod. "I think that'll be good for you."
"Yeah." Cuddy looked back down at her journal. "I think so, too."
