A/N: Well folks, I think the story is coming to an end so I'm going to be winding it down over the next few chapters. Thanks to everyone who read it and many many thanks for all the positive feedback. It really means a lot to me to know that there are people who read and enjoy my work.
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"Good morning, Dr. House."
"Good morning, Dr. Wilson."
"Welcome back. Your crew is anxiously awaiting the return of their fearless leader."
"Yeah right. They probably ran down the batteries on my GameBoy," House said, limping to his office. "You didn't tape General Hospital by any chance, did you?"
"No, I didn't get the memo on that." Wilson held the door open for his friend. "With all that booze in your system it must have slipped your mind. Or maybe it was thoughts of a certain woman doctor spinning around in your head."
House shot a cool look at the younger doctor. "How are things with Julie? Did she hurl any small appliances at you this morning?" He tossed his knapsack on the floor and flopped down at the desk.
"She threw a coffee cup at me," Wilson confessed, his face turning pink. "Thankfully there wasn't any coffee in it. But she did settle down long enough to agree to have a talk after I get home tonight."
"Love is grand," House smirked and swung his good leg onto the desk. "Are you going home tonight or sleeping in your office?"
"I'm going home. Next time the coffee cup won't be empty." Wilson raised his eyebrows at the doctor. "Are you going home tonight or having a sleep-over with your new best friend?"
"That's for me to know and my new best friend to find out."
"Are you going to tell me what you meant by being separated from Stacy?"
"No."
"Dr. House," a voice called from behind Wilson. Cameron was smiling in the doorway with Chase and Foreman hovering behind her. "It's nice to see you back."
"Hello kids." House smiled and twirled his cane. "Did you miss me?"
"Of course," Chase said dryly, folding his arms.
"Your sincerity is overwhelming, Dr. Chase. I'm sure the seminary school had a three day mourning period after you left." He watched the blonde doctor roll his eyes, then turned to Foreman. "Anything happen that I should absolutely know about? Or shouldn't, for that matter."
"Nothing that defies explanation," Foreman shrugged. "Unless an honest-to-God case of vasculitus intrigues you."
"It doesn't. Anything else?"
"Your paperwork is about a mile high. There are about a million forms that need your signature."
"Ah...paperwork, the reason I get up in the morning." He stood up and waved off the younger doctors. "You all go do whatever the hell it is you do when there is nothing to do. I'll be by to finish my beloved paperwork when I damn well feel like it." Turning to Wilson, he said, "You too. Out."
"Where's the fire?" Wilson asked, stumbling to the door.
The doctor popped a Vicodin and said, "No fire. I just want to have a chat with my boss."
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"You made it," a wonderfully familiar voice called out.
House watched as Cuddy made her way down the corridor, holding a stack of files.
"Why wouldn't I?" he asked, leaning on the cane. "Was there a bet going against my inevitable return? It was Foreman's idea, wasn't it? He's a sly little devil. How much did he lose?"
"Welcome back, Dr. House," she smiled.
"Thank you." He glanced down at her low-cut sweater. "I see you brought the twins out to play. You didn't have to go all-out just for my sake."
"Your charm is still intact."
"It takes more than a little scotch to dull my charm, Dr. Cuddy. But you already know that."
Suddenly aware the corridor was filling up with doctors, nurses, and patients going every which way, Cuddy said, "Let's continue this discussion in my office."
"Lead the way, boss."
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"You still owe me four clinic hours this week."
"So what else is new. Am I going to get my liquor back, or do I have to pay a ransom?" House asked after he closed the office door. His boss opened a file and pretended to read it.
"I didn't realize your liquor meant that much to you."
"It's mine and I want it back."
"It's in the trunk of my car. Feel free to get it." Cuddy looked up and saw him standing in the middle of her office, looking as rumpled as ever, but his eyes were surprisingly clear. "Don't you have patients to see or work to do?"
"No patients with life-threatening illnesses that I know of, and some paperwork to catch up on."
"Are you going to do your paperwork?"
"Eventually." The doctor tilted his head. "You know very well I can't drive home on a motorcycle with a box of booze in my lap."
"That is a problem." The Dean of Medicine rounded the desk and sat in her comfy chair. "But I'm sure a brilliant doctor like you has a solution." She rested her chin on her hands and waited.
The brilliant doctor took a few steps toward the desk and said, "There is only one reasonable solution I can see for the woman who was brave enough to kidnap my scotch and bourbon. She has to swing by my place and release it into my custody. And maybe she can persuaded to stay for a while."
"You said you wanted to be alone."
"That was yesterday. This is today."
"Are you lonely, Dr. House?"
"When I push, you push back. That's a quality I admire in a certain lady doctor whose company I'm in the mood for."
"It's a tempting offer." She drummed her nails on the blotter. "Why should I take it?"
"Because you have some requests you want to hear me play," he said, looking into her blue eyes. "Because you don't want me to drink all that scotch and bourbon by myself, and because you want to."
Cuddy leaned back into her chair. "Throw in dinner and you have a deal."
"I knew I could talk you into it. Now if you'll excuse me I have paperwork to do." House turned and limped to the door, then paused with his hand on the doorknob.
"Lisa," he said quietly.
She glanced up and tilted her head in question.
House smiled wickedly. "You can keep the tee shirt."