Disclaimer: Same as before…..please don't sue me!

SpectralLady: I know aren't I? But as I said to Calliann – it wouldn't be me without some major suffering:O) Well, Jess is not a happy camper on many fronts – not least him teaching Molly how to flip the bird (wait until she founds he's also taught her to swear!) and that's without her anger at the Stacy situation! LOL

The Lilac Elf of Lothlorien: Good, because sometimes I think cold's are the worst thing, they make you just ill enough not to be able to do anything, but not so ill you don't care. Glad you liked the chapter; I had to as, although we've not seen those episodes in the UK yet, she comes across as a really heartless manipulator.

Calliann: Lucy sounds sooo adorable! Ah, Jaynie – yeah but come on it wouldn't be me without major suffering on someone's part! LOL Anyway, although not written I do have that part planned out and I am giving you a warning you will need a tissue. I doubt it will be that good, but have one handy just in case. Well, if you wanted Stacy to die in the last chapter – you definitely will at the end of this one…. Poor Jess. Well, I've been reading up on our Dr. Chase and decided that he's not that bad and I'd like to set him up with Cameron. The other one I thought might have been your favourite was the 'plastic cutlery' one (my main aim in this life, I can assure you!) LOL It will (eventually) but she has (already)! Aren't I cruel!

house-lover: We will see….hope so though! Let's just hope he does in the TV series too! Glad you liked the chapter and hope you like this one too….

WARNING: BAD LANGUAGE, SO READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL.

All reviews, and constructive criticism, gratefully received – but no flaming please; and I will try to update regularly.

'—' signifies thoughts.

"—" signifies speech.

Anyway…chapter Eleven!

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Kindred Spirits

Chapter Eleven – Ready to Run

Two weeks later Jess ready to leave the hospital and ready to run; or as she thought of it, leave with dignity; Stacy had spent every spare moment she could flirting with House, and generally ramming it down Jess' throat that she was working at the hospital.

She had alienated the entire nursing staff once they realised the 'sweetness and light' was all a front for what was actually a cold, calculating bitch. Well, that and the knowledge that she was hurting one of their own, who was also in no state to fight back.

Foreman and Chase were overheard saying they wished they'd never eaten the damn cookies she'd left them that time, as they knew where they'd like to shove them now.

Chase owed Jess a lot; she'd saved his neck with House. She'd denied it, but he knew she had. He had been by to see her just before she was discharged and tried to explain things; he felt he could talk to her as the others did. He knew she was a straight speaker and, unlike House, she was more inclined to not speak entirely in sarcasm.

He walked into her room after making sure she was alone "Hey, no one's here but this cripple…"

"Sorry, I was just making sure…."

"That House wasn't here? Don't worry, he'll either be with Stacy's husband or Stacy…..somewhere…he does come in though" she smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes and Chase immediately felt sorry for her. House was a dick if he couldn't see he was being seriously manipulated by Stacy Warner.

"The only ones you're likely to bump into regularly are the other ducklings and Wilson. Though House is around more in the afternoons, just so you know."

"Is Molly still with him?" He went and sat down next to her.

"Yeah, surprisingly – they get along well. She is a sarcastic little cow and I think he likes that…." She grinned suddenly "she's a cutie too, and not afraid to tell him off – so I think that's why he likes her so much."

"She certainly argues with him when I see them together. Foreman jokes she argues more than we do." he smiled uncertainly.

"What's eating you Chase? You've been keeping a low profile ever since Vogler left – don't you think if House wanted you gone, he'd have canned your sorry butt by now?"

"No, he could be punishing me by letting me sweat for a while."

"Nah, not his way on something like this; maybe for a day or two, but beyond that he couldn't be bothered – he's too lazy. So what did you want to come chat to the cripple for?"

"Don't say that…you're not…"

"I am…." She grinned good naturedly "you haven't seen my pathetic attempts at what can only laughingly be called walking!" once again, he wondered what House was thinking of.

"How's your friend, Jaynie wasn't it? How is she?" he needed time to build to explaining why he did what he did.

"She's fading really quickly;faster than even Wilson thought she would…." There was a pause, Jess took a deep breath and smiled "You know I don't know what I'm going to do without her. She comes in every day, but I don't think it'll be long before I'm hobbling to see her here…"

Chase nodded "oncology's on the 6th floor, you'd need the elevator with that knee. How's her husband and kids taking it?"

"badly….really badly. Oh, they're putting on the brave face for her; same as I am, but just underneath it we're all falling apart – she's the better part of all of us…certainly me." She sighed "Anyway, enough of all my bleating – 'fess up…" She looked expectantly at him.

"I did it to save my job. He said I was the weakest one and if I helped him he'd make sure I kept it; I love my job Jess – I mean, that's no excuse and I'm not trying to find one – I'm just saying." He looked down. "I'm not proud of what I've done…."

"You shouldn't be, and you could trying being a bit nicer to the patients." He looked up then.

"The overweight girl….I heard what you were like with her; you're attitude sucked Chase, it really did. You were lucky Cam was there and not me – I'd have lamped you one…"

"Yeah, and then there was you…..I was on the phone to Vogler and was trying to ditch him; I could see what was happening…."he sighed.

"Yeah well, water under the bridge now. Don't do it again – I figure we've got bigger problems to worry about now."

"The Warners?"

"Yeah….her anyway." She looked at him "Look, I'll speak to House and see what he says alright. But you owe me one – I want him looked after. She's going to screw him up again, I can see it coming; and I want to make sure you and the other ducklings are there to help Wilson clean up the fallout." She paused "for your sakes as well as House's."

"What about you?"

"I will be….." she paused "helping Mike….."

"You're leaving aren't you?" he realised with a cold dread, he didn't want her to go – not just because of the good effect she had on House, but because he and the others liked her a lot.

"Whatever…." She wouldn't look at him. He knew then; he was right.

"Well, thanks Jess….I mean it." He touched her arm and she patted his hand.

"So do I, don't do it again; next time, duff leg or not, I'll kick your sorry butt."

He nodded; he needed to get away, he had to warn Wilson and the others……..Jess was going to run, and soon.

0-0-0-0-0

Wilson had been in his office when Chase had burst in "She's going to run…."

"Who is and where?" Wilson asked in exasperation; he hadn't liked Chase much from the get go, but after the Vogler debacle he disliked the young doctor a lot more. He could accept a lot of things with an easy, or even uneasy grace; but disloyalty wasn't one of them.

"Jess and I don't know…" he related the conversation he'd had with her.

"It does sound suspicious. But she gave her word to House she would always be there for him…."

"Yeah as long as he needed her, I heard Jaynie say that too; she obviously feels he doesn't need her now, and she has said repeatedly to her friend that she won't go through 'that' again….but we don't know what 'that' is.."

"That' is the pieces she had to pick up the last time that shrew was in his life." Brenda spoke from the door.

"We all knew her back then…Jess that is. She was a real little demon, but she was good for that miserable bastard.

There was a group of them, a lot of them are dead now" Wilson looked surprised "I know…for a while she called herself 'the angel of death' as so many of her friends began to die off.

Accidents mostly – tough luck, nothing more; long story, but she found out the hard way life ain't fair." She shook her head as Chase went to speak "Ask her about it; though you'll be lucky to get her to talk. Sufficed to say out of 5 of them there's only her and Jaynie left, with House as their front man."

She smiled "but back then they had their own little clique; real rebels the lot of them – good doctors though – she was the ring leader, and they were his team.

As a student she gave him a tough time, but as a doctor she gave him hell – Cuddy even more….we all loved her because of that.

She did a lot for us, brought in doughnuts if it was someone's birthday – always remembered her 'please & thank yous' when we did anything for her. Never let us carry the can for a doctor's mistake.

If House barked an order at us, she'd give him the 'look' and he'd mutter but say 'thanks' or 'please', real sarcastic like but he'd say it all the same." She chuckled "wow, she could be a tough cookie – but ……" she stopped and sobered.

"Then he took up with the bitch; at first, just like this time, she was all nice and sugary. But after a while her true colours showed through.

Too late for us, Jess had left for Ethiopia – said she wanted to do more for people, help more - but we all knew it was because of House. She loved him then, as she loves him now – but you'd find it easier to make Cuddy become the next Mother Theresa than you would to get her to admit it, or him for that matter.

Then he got sick, Stacy just trailed around after him; no fussing, no trying to get it sorted. Of course she was already seeing the guy that's now her husband; I think that was the real reason why she gave the go-ahead to the op…"

"What in the hope he might die?" Chase asked, horrified.

"No!" the nurse rolled her eyes "because she felt it was better to leave him as a two legged cripple than a one legged amputee." She looked at the two doctors before her "if he's this bitter now, can you imagine what he'd be like with only one leg?"

They all shuddered.

"Anyway, we don't know what she said - but we do know she contacted Jess and back she came. By that time Stacy had left, leaving him alone for two days. He was a monster to Jess – drove her close to tears loads of times, but she took it. She stuck by him, showed him he could trust her.

He didn't believe it at first – tried everything he could to get her to leave, but she didn't." there was pride in the woman's voice "They became really close; and after her fella died, even tighter….we all hope they'd…." she sighed.

"Anyway, I can understand why she wouldn't want to put herself in that place again when that bitch sticks it to him this time. She will too; she can't stand sick people, believe it or not…."

She turned to go "If Jess runs, I for one won't blame her…but she won't go far – Jaynie will keep her here."

"Because they're so close?" Chase asked.

"Yeah and because she promised her; Jess always keeps her promises….." She paused once more and sighed "House is a dick…"

Wilson sighed and rubbed his face "Why does House always screw things up?"

Chase shrugged "A gift?"

Wilson grinned "Why do you suddenly care?"

"Not only do I want to try and put stuff right, but I also want to help her."

"Why?"

"I did wrong….and she's trying to help. Either way, I want to show I can be trusted and I can be part of the team again. Plus they don't deserve this; at least she doesn't. I can't be the only one to see that?"

"Nope, you're not."

"Good, then we have to have a plan."

"Whatever we plan, we have to have Molly on board" Foreman spoke from the door "That way when she's ready to go, the kid can let us know so hopefully we can stop her."

"You knew too?" Wilson was beginning to feel a little stupid – he hadn't really noticed; he knew something was up but put it down to Jaynie. But he had to admit he thought House was dumb where Stacy was concerned.

"I suspected; if she leaves, so do I. For all his infatuation with his ex, he'll realise what she means to him when she's gone. I for one do not intend to be around when the shit hits the fan….."

"Okay, go find her and bring her back here. Get Cam too, the more we have on board the better." Foreman stepped back and collided with Jaynie.

"You've finally realised – well, woo-hoo! I wondered long how it would take you." she smiled tiredly as she came and sat down. A few minutes later Foreman was back with Molly and Cam, with Cuddy in tow.

"What's she doing here?" Chase asked, a little belligerently.

"Look I made this mess worse than it already was…I want to help make things right. I don't like House much, and I enjoy disliking Jessica mainly because we both find it funny (the same with House to be truthful), but I don't hate them and wish them to miserable."

"Fine…just don't get in the way…"

"We could always kidnap the drama queen and throw her off the Wall Street – Jersey City ferry? I know for a fact she can't swim; mind you cats never like water…" Brenda stuck her head in.

"Don't joke…" Cuddy rolled her eyes.

"Who said I was joking? Let me know if you want help, Jaynie….the nurses are rooting for Jess all the way – even though he don't deserve her…" She left.

"We're running out of time….I want this sorted before I go…" Jaynie smiled.

"Where are you going? I mean if it's a trip, couldn't you postpone it?" Cuddy looked surprised "I mean she is your friend…" she thought "Maybe she could go with you? You know the old saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder', then when you come back he'll be so pleased…..what?" she looked at the horrified faces "it might work…"

"If she comes with me, as far as I know, there is no 'coming back'." Jaynie explained; Cuddy looked confused "I'm dying…my 'trip' is of the non-postponeable kind…"

"Sorry, I never….I mean….no one told me…." Cuddy looked horrified "How's Jess taking it? Next to House, you're the closest to her….."

"Badly….she's trying to be brave and stuff, like Mike and the kids, but she's not dealing with it any better than they are."

"Oh God, could this get any worse?"

"well, I don't know what you're all talking about running for…we're only going on a trip tomorrow – as soon as she's out of here, we're going. Mummy said so; that's why she gave Auntie Jaynie the beeper she used to use for House when he was sick." She looked a bit upset "I wasn't meant to say…but you all look so worried…"

All eyes turned to Molly, this was not good news. "Well, I think that answers your question Cuddy…" Wilson looked at the other doctors.

"Right….so whatever we do, we need to do it today." Jaynie looked around the assembled team "Oh come on people, we're some of the best minds this hospital has to offer and we can't come with a single plan?"

"I'm leaning towards Brenda's at this precise moment…" a quiet voice spoke from the back "don't all look so shocked at me, I can be violent too." Cameron sighed "We all know what's going to happen.

I've overheard the nurses talking, seen the worried glances. However he was before, they're expecting worse this time…"

"They are, because he won't have Jessica either…." Cuddy agreed.

"Look, if you are going to be one of us – however, temporarily – please call her Jess, it's really irritating to hear Jessica all the time…" Wilson snapped "it's like you're not really taking this seriously as her friend…"

"Well, I'm not really a 'friend'…..more a friendly enemy. But whatever – just make sure I don't call her Jess to her face, she'll be suspicious."

"Molly, when you think you and Mummy are going to leave I want to phone us…alright?" Wilson looked at the little girl.

"You think she's going to make me leave you all – leave House?"

They all nodded.

"Forever?" a whisper, tears welling.

"Probably…" Jaynie nodded.

"I won't go! She can't make me – I like you, all of you. Well, not you so much" she nodded at Cuddy, who nodded back "but I don't hate you. I love House, really love him very muchly and I won't go!" She stomped out leaving the others stunned and a bit choked up at her depth of feeling.

"Well, that could've gone better…" Chase mused.

"She'll do it, don't worry…." Jaynie replied.

"Will she confront them? Force her mother's hand sooner?" Cuddy wondered out loud.

All of a sudden they were up and moving to try and grab her…..but too late. Molly was a midget on a mission.