Sorry for the long wait. here's the next part ;)

CHAPTER 19

Kate was still fuming, irritated, and pissed off at House when she arrived at work 45 minutes late. There were not enough adjectives in the world to describe what Kate was feeling at the moment. The normally happy-go-lucky Kate who always had a smile on was now walking down the hall towards the elevator with a scowl that could rival House's. She was trying to get to her office as quick as possible as to minimize the number of people she had to interact with. Kate just knew that if she didn't make it to her office within the next 10 seconds she would end up exploding on some unsuspecting doctor or worse a patient, and her first legal case working at PPTH would have her as the defendant.

After waiting for what seemed like an extraordinary amount of time, the elevator doors finally dinged open. Kate was relieved that there was no one else in the elevators and got on hoping that maybe the quiet elevator ride would lighten her mood. However she was not so lucky. Right when the doors were about to close came a shout of "Hold the elevator!" from a very familiar Australian voice before a hand slipped in to stop the door from closing.

'Oh no, not now!' thought Kate willing herself to remain calm. The doors reopened and in entered Dr. Chase, but not before faltering when he realized who was in the elevator with him.

'Oh bloody hell, not again!' was what Chase was thinking as he pushed the button for the diagnostics floor. He had gotten his share of humiliation from Foreman and Cameron regarding their last elevator encounter and did not want a repeat of that episode.

"Hey. Nice weather we're having today isn't it?" asked Chase trying to cover the deafening silence in the elevator.

Kate smiled and nodded in reply hoping he'd get the idea that she was not in a talking mood and let her ride in silence. However, Chase was not that observant.

"Déjà vu?" he said laughing. "We have got to stop meeting like this."

Kate was beginning to lose her cool and was clenching and unclenching her right fist. She poked the button for her floor a couple of times hoping and praying the elevator would move faster.

Chase still didn't get the idea so he tried again.

"So you're late too huh?" That was her breaking point. She tried to remain calm as long as possible but couldn't handle it anymore.

"What is wrong with you? Can't you see that I'm not in a very good mood right now? What makes you think that I would want to have an inane conversation about the weather with someone in an elevator? And of course I'm late! That's the freaking reason for my bad mood! And I have your son of a b!tch boss to thank for that! And would it kill you to wait for the elevator like a normal person instead of shouting "HOLD THE ELEVATOR" like a maniac everyday!"

Kate was still ranting and raving when the elevator dinged on her floor. She turned around, rolled her eyes at Chase and walked out of the elevator as if nothing had happened. Chase just stood there shocked and truth be told, a little frightened. He just kept staring at her retreating figure as the elevator doors closed. Although he was a little shocked by her outburst, he couldn't help but think 'What a figure!' as he watched her walk away.

House was sitting in his office playing with his red and black ball waiting for the ball to drop so to speak. Katie's angry face in his side-view mirror was etched into his memory and although he knew all hell would break loose when she got a hold of him, he couldn't help but smirk.

Wilson walked into House's office as he did every morning just to see what House was up to, when he noticed House's little smirk.

"Okay, what did you do and who did you do it to?"

"Why Wilson, whatever do you mean?"

"C'mon on House. I know that smirk. It's the same smirk you have every time you pull one over on Cuddy. What did you do this time? And how long before she finds out?"

"I haven't done anything to Cuddy. Although now that you mention it, I am due."

"Okay, if not Cuddy, then who? Foreman? Cameron? Chase?"

"Nope, nope and nope. What makes you think I did anything anyway?"

"I know you House. If not them then who?" Then it hit him. "Kate! What did you do to Kate, House? You didn't play one of your stupid pranks on her last night did you? You can be so juvenile sometimes House." Exclaimed Wilson going into Uncle Jimmy mode.

"Relax Boy Wonder. I didn't play a prank on her."

"Then what? Wait, where is she? I didn't see her when I came in."

"Well my guess is she should be arriving just about now." Said House looking at the clock on his wall.

"Wait, you didn't come in together?" The wheels were beginning to turn. "But you were on time, so why would she be coming in just now? Did she sleep in and you just didn't wake her? No, that can't be it. How would you know that she should be arriving about just about now then? So what is it?"

House just shrugged and continued to smirk while watching Wilson figure it out.

Suddenly it clicked. "Oh my God, you left her! You left her at home, which means she had to take a cab, which means that she was late for her first day of work. What the hell is wrong with you?"

House said nothing, but was surprised at how quickly Wilson figured it out. He had to give it to the guy. His powers of deduction were getting better and better each year. Wilson continued to yell at House, but House had long ago learned to tune him out and was now thinking of what would happen when he came face to face with Kate.