Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you reviewers: sonicTU, trilyluv, & lovewildfire.

Cuddy barely kept a grin off of her face as Cameron came in to tell her that House would be late. She managed to say something, though, as it would've looked suspicious if she didn't. "Oh, really. That's interesting. You did in…" she cut herself off, pretending to look at her computer, and almost bit her tongue right through in the process. "Um, yes. I assume you informed him that he will still be making up the clinic hours?"

"Sorry about that, Dr Cuddy. He hung up before I had the chance; you know how he is."

"Um… yeah… you can go now, thanks." Dr Lisa Cuddy, PHD, head of a major hospital, was laughing over a prank played on a friend. No one at the hospital would believe it… except House. That's gonna be a problem, keeping a straight face around House. Wilson will never forgive me if I blow it.

Meanwhile, at a certain doctor's house…

"When I found out whoever did this, they will pay with their LIVES!" He just couldn't seem to stop shouting. Finally, after a short phone call with Cameron (At least I cut her off before she tried to make small talk or something) he looked down at the little thing on his kitchen floor. "So, what are you supposed to do, anyway, besides transform me into a raging psychopath?" The little ball of fur just stared up at him with those emerald green eyes, staring out of a black mask. Other than that, two white stockings, and the black tip of its tail, the kitten was orange and white. That's a cool name, psychopath… or not; it's too long. Wait, no, I'm not going to name it! It's going home tonight! "I should take you right to the animal shelter. Um… where is the animal shelter?" Once again, the small kitten just looked up at him adorably. No! It is NOT adorable! I don't like it! It's a trick! This is not going to happen to me!

And so, after much self-debate over what in the world he was supposed to do with a baby kitten, he went to the fridge for another bowl of milk… or half & half, seeing as he was out of milk. This was going to be a very weird day, he could already tell.

10:00 that day:

"Come on, you little psycho. I'm bringing you to the animal shelter." The doctor reached down to pick up the little ball of fuzz… and it leaped out of his outstretched arms, giving him about four red lines on both arms in the process. "Ouch! You Psychopathic little monster!"

The kitten leaped onto the piano, teetering precariously on the far edge, out of House's reach. As he tiptoed towards it, the little thing fell backwards off of its perch, twisting to land on his (while Psycho was preoccupied with the milk, House had snatched him up and checked) feet. Immediately, the cat raced around the room, finally landing under House's dresser, where the doctor (unsuccessfully) tried to extract him with the cane. "You really are a little psycho, you… cat." Gregory House, Head doctor of a specialist board, had finally met an organism that had succeeded in stumping him: a six-week-old kitten. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you. How am I supposed to bring you back if you obviously won't move?"

That having been said, he went to the fridge, and got out half of a can of tuna. After checking online, he mixed in a little cream, and mashed them together in a saucer, which he left about eight feet from the dresser. Then, he sat down to watch. By now, it was about 9 PM, and House needed to play his piano, even if it meant giving up his vigil temporarily.

He decided on one of his favorites tonight: Edge of Eternity by Stevie Wonder. That would definitely calm him down about this whole 'unwanted animal' business. As he played the second stanza, he looked down at the dresser. The psycho-cat was sitting there, staring at the piano, mesmerized by the music. Cautiously, House reached down towards him, careful of not stopping his fingers in their dance across the keys.

It was way too late by the time he realized that he couldn't reach all the way to the floor without falling… Psycho darted back to safety under the dresser just in time. "You are such a… You little…" He was unable to find a word evil enough for the little feline. "I think I can get you to the shelter tomorrow; it's too late now anyway." He sighed, and went off to his bedroom tiredly. Finally, he collapsed onto his bed, dead tired.

That morning…

House woke up with a start. He felt a warm mass cuddled next to him, and decided to open his eyes slowly, as he didn't want to suddenly realize that he was on the floor, like that last time when he fell asleep watching some movie… what was it, The Quiet Man? Oh, yeah. Well, this was it… He was in bed, and some kitten was curled up against his neck. Then the events of the other day came rushing back into his memory. He picked up the little animal, which this time didn't cause a fuss.

"Ok, little Psycho, we're going to…" I can't miss another day of work! Cuddy'll kill me! "Wow. This is going to be tough."

He looked at the kitten. "Come on, little guy. Going to the shelter will have to wait." Glancing at the clock, he suddenly realized that he only had 45 minutes to get to work. Within half an hour, he had showered and dressed, and his lunch was packed. Not sure what to leave for Psycho, he looked at the saucer. It was empty; the little guy must've waited for him to sleep before coming out from under the dresser.

For some reason, the little ball of fuzz didn't come running when he poured the last can of tuna into a bowl. Oh well, at least he'll have something today while I'm gone. Picking up his medical bag, he walked out to the car and pulled out.

That day, at lunchtime...

"Well, it's about lunch anyway, so I'm going to eat. Come back with your problems in an hour." He limped out of the clinic, glaring at Cuddy as he passed. She barely hid her grin.

"Dr. House! Where do you think you're going?"

"Actually, I'm going to eat lunch, unless you're afraid that'll cut into my time, too?" Turning, he gave her a cold stare.

"No, go ahead. But I want you back here in twenty minutes flat!"

"What? Aww, come on, that's not fair! I've been prescribing pills for the past four hours, the least you can do is give me an hour off," he complained.

"Forty minutes."

"Thirty."

"Forty or twenty!" House gave up, flinging his hands up in despair, as he walked off to his office.

As he arrived, he almost thought he had walked into the wrong office. It looked like a tornado had gone through! "Oh my God, What in the..." He was at a loss. Exactly two minutes later...

"What the hell? Oh, no. Oh, no, not here, not now..." A trail of miniscule paw prints led through his (half-eaten) lunch, across his deck, onto his keyboard, and he could guess the rest.

Just then Cameron came in. "What do you mean? Just because I took a call in your office, you assume that I -" she broke off.

He was sitting there in front of his computer, his head in his hands. She caught a glimpse of something white and orange behind him. "Dr. House? I think I know the culprit."

A/N: Thanks for reading this, I will acknowledge reviewers.