Disclaimer- Ignore the comment in the last Chapter, I didn't want a Chapter 13 but somehow I've wound up with it, so there you go. Bad luck in itself. I still don't own them, just in case you're wondering, but I'm working on it.

Men's Room 3.03pm

House looked at his face in the mirror, as he did so splashing his face with the icy water. God, he looked his age today, he thought to himself. Older, perhaps. That's the effect women have on you, even more of a reason to give their whole damn sex a wide berth. Nothing but bother. He unhooked his cane from the edge of the basin, and took a step forward towards the door. As he did so, Cuddy entered the room.

'Just the man, House, I've been looking for you.'

'Dr. Cuddy, not again, not in here. Jeez, I know all this stainless steel is real easy to wipe clean afterwards, but hey, I figured you'd at least allow me the luxury of a little comfort in my advancing years. If not a mattress, do me a favour and throw me down on a little wall to wall Axminster.'

Unimpressed by his juvenile remarks, Cuddy looked him firmly in the eye and placed her hands on her hips purposefully.

'Dr. Cameron's work is not affected by her "relationship" with Dr. Clarkson, I'm fully satisfied with that. Thought you should know, caring as much as you do about your employee's welfare.'

House leant back against the basin. 'And you know that to be true because...? Been playing with my Magic 8 ball again? Reading tea-leaves? Held a glass up against her bedroom wall?'

'No, I asked her outright. She's given me her word that her private life is just that...private.'

House shouldn't have been surprised that Cuddy had confronted her, but he was all the same. ' You spoke to her? When? Just now? Why?'

'What is this? 20 questions? I called her in because you mentioned this morning that you had a few concerns, concerns that held potential implications for the well-being of the department. I had a duty to investigate.'

'And I told you to forget it. Just my imagination getting carried away by itself again. You know how active my imagination can be. Right now, I'm picturing you before me in nothing but a birthday suit and a smile.'

Cuddy arched her eyebrows as House continued. ' So, she did admit they're in a relationship then? Did you get the play by play? Wanna fill me in on all the details over breakfast?'

'Er.. no. She didn't specifically say that they were dating, but she didn't say that they weren't either. Anyway, they aren't my primary concern at the moment. You are.'

House grinned at her. 'Awwww, sweet. You're worried about me? You know you could always drop by later on with some chicken soup and I'll let you play mommy.'

'Again, that would be a no. Tempting or terrifying, either way, still a no. I'm worried about the fact that you're in denial, and as a result, running the risk of letting your emotions interfere with work. The way I see it, only you can fix this. How hard can it be?'

House feigned a look of shock. 'Dr. Cuddy, wash your filthy mouth and mind out, right now! You're a doctor, you don't need me to answer that question surely! As you well know, it's only my leg that suffers from restricted blood flow.'

Cuddy grinned, aware she had walked straight into that one. 'Correction. I'm starting to think your brain has a similar affliction. I meant, how hard can it be to just tell her how you feel. I know you'd like us all to believe you're a fully paid up member of the brooding and melancholy brigade, but you can't fool me. This is your life we're talking about, not some Woody Allen film. Enough with the angst already! She likes you and despite your best attempts to conceal it, you have feelings for her. Stop analysing and go with your instincts.'

House, having heard enough and no longer in the mood to playfully rut antlers with her anymore, stepped forward, tentatively extending a very numb leg as he did so. He looked idly beyond Cuddy's left shoulder, as she continued to speak.

'I mean, seriously, you're not an adolescent on prom night. You lived with Stacy for long enough, you should know how the whole man/woman thing goes. Hell, you don't have to show your sensitive side to us mere mortals. Just to her. Once you've blown the cobwebs off and reacquainted yourself with it.'

With that, Chase walked into the room, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw Cuddy before him. 'Oh, sorry,' he mumbled, looking behind himself at the symbol on the door, unsure as to whether he'd walked into the wrong bathroom. Confirming the fact that it was indeed the little boys room, he wandered aimlessly back out, the momentary interruption in his train of thought causing him to forget why he had even gone in there in the first place.

House frowned. 'Frightening that a brain that razor-sharp is allowed to venture out on it's own , isn't it? You worry about my ability to keep the home fires burning when I got Scrappy-Doo there as a sidekick? Anyway, I'd love to stay and waste my time further, but I have to go tend to the sick and needy. However, I will, as I close my eyes tonight and drift off to sleep, ponder your words of wisdom. Assuming of course you allow me to get some rest tonight. Even God had to rest on the seventh day.'

Cuddy sighed, realising that she hadn't managed to make any in-roads at all with this conversation. 'Fine, have it your way. Continue to keep yourself closed off. Stay on the bench and watch opportunities pass you by if it makes you happy. But I gotta tell you, I don't see a whole lot of happy coming from you right now. I see someone fighting inner conflicts, someone cutting off their nose to spite their own face. And trust me, however sore you're feeling right now, you're gonna be hitting the Vicodin tenfold when you see the source of your pain riding off into the sunset with someone who wasn't too afraid to open up a little.'

Cuddy looked at him, his eyes now firmly fixed on the handle of his cane, knuckles white and locked. She tutted and left the bathroom, walking straight into Chase, still unsure of where he was or what he was doing.

House let out a sigh of relief that she had finally given up with the sermon. He hated that she was right. Wilson too for that matter. Both smart enough to be doctors, he thought to himself. Yes, they only wanted what was best for him. But they had no idea. None whatsoever. Of the pain he had gone through when Stacy had left, the depths he had plummeted when he was left alone with too much time on his hands, just him, his dark thoughts and the physical manifestation of her betrayal.

He'd been open with her, let her in. Trusted her. And she'd played stickball with his guts. And even though, years had passed, he hadn't managed to let it go. He couldn't, wouldn't allow himself to be that vulnerable again. And seeing another so vulnerable in Cameron, he knew just how much damage he could inflict unwillingly upon her. That's why he wore the 'Keep Out' sign on his forehead, the one she clearly hadn't taken notice of.

He turned back to the basin, glancing briefly in the mirror again. And as he did so, he swore he'd aged further still in the last fifteen minutes. As he splashed more water on his face, he knew if he didn't extract this particular thorn from his side, chances were it would most likely turn septic and spread a virulent infection through his entire body, even potentially making it's way into his heart.