All eyes were on Stacy when she entered the office that morning, looking rumpled, as if she hadn't slept. Whispers followed her down the halls as she headed towards her office. She stepped into the elevator, watching the doors close in front of her with relief. They could talk, she thought, but they'd never have any idea what went on last night ,and for that matter, what had she to be ashamed of?

Stacy turned to discover that her elevator partner was Doctor Cameron, and let a little air slide out from between her teeth in an aggravated exhalation.

"Good morning," Cameron said pleasantly.

"Morning." Stacy turned away from her and watched the numbers sliding by on the flashing indicator. She could feel Cameron's eyes on the back of her neck as the elevator doors slid open to allow her to leave. "Have a good one," she said, by means of excusing herself. Cameron just watched her go. As she left, she glanced over her shoulder, and saw a look of pained realization in Cameron's eyes. Shaking her head, Stacy turned the corner and headed into her office. Silly girl, she thought, you don't know anything.

"Excuse me," a voice came from behind her desk, "but you're late." Stacy started, and glanced up to find Doctor House swiveling back and forth in her chair , long fingers clasped together below his chin, tapping against each other rhythmically as he regarded her. "I mean, let's look at the facts. I left at least fifteen minutes after you, and you showed up at least fifteen minutes after me, which means you must have stopped. But you don't look like you've stopped." He made a face. "You're either losing your touch, or you didn't make an effort this morning, which isn't like you."

"You're so sure," Stacy muttered, "that you know me like the back of your hand." She came around to the back of her chair, and leaned one arm on it expectantly. "And," she added, "You're sitting in my chair, doctor House."

"Am I?" House looked down at the chair he was perched in, as if surprised. "Well, would you look at that." He didn't get up to leave, and Stacy sighed in frustration, grasping the back of the chair and wheeling it away from her desk, so that House now set in the far corner of the room. She stood behind her desk, and bent her knees slightly to reach forward and tap the keys on her keyboard, checking her email. "Nothing worth waiting for," she said over her shoulder. "Just Viagra spam, and I'm sure you get plenty of that at home. You can leave, now."

House didn't leave, but stayed quietly folded into her desk chair, his fingers now drumming against the arms. Stacy dropped her hands from the keyboard abruptly. "I want my chair back," she said, raising an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

"Just a friendly visit," House shrugged. Stacy glared at him. "No," he said, "honestly. Just a friendly visit."

"When have you ever paid me," Stacy remarked, "a friendly visit? Even when you "visit" Wilson you're short on cash." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "Tell me, Greg, what can I do for you that would encourage you to give me back my chair and leave me in some semblance of peace?"

"I'm not saying anything," House replied, mock-affronted. "Am I saying anything? I'm not. I don't 'see how I'm breaking your peace." He got up out of her chair and wheeled it towards her, holding it for her as she slumped into it.

"What," she asked, "you're not going to pull it out from under me?"

House rolled his eyes. "Please, if I was going to do anything I would have pulled out the rug. Much more of a satisfying crashing sound." He paused. "I came to ask you if you wanted to go to lunch with me, that's all."

Stacy blinked. "What, now?"

"Yes." House said, with an aggravating smile. "It's lunch time. Shall we?"

They were a few paces down the hall before Stacy again noticed every eye that they passed fixed on her and on House. "Oh," she said quietly, then stopped, turning to House. "Why do you want to go to lunch with me so badly all of a sudden?"

"Well," House reasoned, "seeing as we apparently had a hot wild night of extramarital sex, I figured we should probably get right to the talking and reconciling part."

Stacy stared at him. "Is that what you're telling everyone?" she asked, aghast.

House shrugged. "Who needs telling?" asked. "We both came in late; you looking like a train wreck and be looking like I'm in withdrawal."

"You are in withdrawal!" Stacy countered, heart racing. "And you're slandering me all over the hospital to make yourself feel better."

"That's not fair," House said pleasantly. "Not all over the hospital, just in this wing. Facts straight, Warner."

"So is this what you were aiming at?" Stacy exploded. "Keeping me there overnight so that you could then tell the hospital that I was cheating on my husband? 101 ways to break up an already faltering marriage?" She opened her mouth to speak again, but changed her mind, shoving past him towards the elevator. He followed, her quickening his pace to match hers. They stepped into the elevator, and the doors closed in front of them.

Stacy was seething, her breathing coming out in angry little hisses and spurts. House regarded her calmly. "Well, what did you expect them to think? You didn't come over to my house last night to bare your soul to me and cry about your lasting relationship troubles."

Stacy shook her head. "I didn't cry," she muttered.

House nodded. "That's what I said. So why did you show up at my door at an awful hour of the night? What were you looking for? Or is that really just part of your little game?"

"What game?" Stacy asked, raising her hands to the heavens in a beseeching gesture. "What are you talking about? I've done nothing to you!"

"You accus me," House said, his tone still level, "of slandering you to the office, when you know full well that last night you came over to show me just how much I'd never have. You can't accuse me of being the cruel one, Stacy. Not this time."

Stacy stared at him. There was silence in the elevator. It reached the bottom floor, and the doors slid open in front of them. House stepped out of the elevator, turning back to raise his eyebrows at Stacy. "Well? Are you going to eat anything today?"