Chapter 7

Now we get to the cloak & dagger stuff….get ready. smirk

Monday night—Philadelphia Airport

House labored off the plane in good spirits. The last two days of the conference had featured several insightful lectures (including an impromptu one by him requested by the session organizers).

The Smashers concert had exceeded all of his expectations.

Yeah, all seemed right with the world….

Maybe work might be tolerable this week. At the thought of seeing his boss/girlfriend again, he smiled. As much as he wouldn't admit it to another soul on Earth, he had missed her.

The PA announced, "Attention! The baggage from Flight 345 is coming up on Carrousel 3."

"The bag will wait for dinner," he figured, heading for a local cheese steak bistro down the hall from himself.

Baggage Carrousel 3

Even as House went to the restroom and then dinner, Foreman blended in with the crowd heading for the baggage claim. Recalling the flight number that Cuddy had given him, he stood at Carrousel 3 and watched the bags coming around the belt.

As the black garment bag with the red stripe on its handle came around, he grabbed it, making sure that it was House's. Then he left quickly for the parking garage and the drive back to Princeton. As much as he has it coming to him, I agree with Wilson. This is pushing it. I hope she knows what she's doing.

He didn't want to be within the city limits when House found out that his bag was missing.

Waiting Area by Security—Ten minutes later

Cuddy checked her watch, wondering what could be keeping House. According to the airline's web site, his flight had landed over twenty minutes before. What could be keeping him? She rolled her eyes. For her plan to work, she had needed time but not that much.

Then she saw him limping into view and waved to him. He looks happy at least. "You look like you enjoyed yourself. Please tell me you stayed out of trouble."

He kissed her. "For the most part. I ran into Michael Chang."

She grimaced, recalling that name. "I'm sure he was thrilled to see you."

"He made some comment about how I shouldn't be allowed to practice and wondered what your deal was that you hadn't fired me yet," he recalled.

"Some times I wonder about that myself," she teased half-seriously.

He gave her a half hearted tap with the cane. "Hey. No threats now. Let me at least get back to Princeton before you start up again."

"Fair enough," she agreed as they headed down to the Baggage Carrousel to find that it was empty. "Where is it?"

He rolled his eyes. "The damn baggage cops. You leave it too long and they have a cow."

Seeing him starting to get antsy, she squeezed his hand. "Let's check with the airline, all right? Come on."

They headed over to the airline counter where a slender blonde woman with a red ascot watched them approach.

"Can I help you?" the counter person asked in a friendly manner.

He saw her give the 'keep cool, please?' look. He exhaled and asked, "Hi, I'm Dr. Greg House. I just came in on Flight 345. I had checked a bag on the flight but it isn't there on the belt."

The salesperson typed a few keys on the computer. "Gregory House. You did have one bag. It should be here. We did have a few bags go unclaimed. Just a minute." She walked through the back door and fished around in there.

"Great. The whole world's looking through my bag," he groused.

"Calm down. I'm sure everything's okay," she assured him—since of course she knew where his bag was.

The airline employee came back out. "Dr. House, I'm sorry. We don't have your bag and security hasn't seen it either. Somebody probably picked it up by accident."

He rolled his eyes and frowned. "Damn! My notes were in there!"

"It's okay, House. At least you're here in one piece," Cuddy assured him while trying to calm him down. She turned to the representative and handed her a business card. "Can you call there when it turns up please?"

"Certainly, Dr. Cuddy. So sorry about this, Dr. House. We'll have the bag sent to you as soon as we find it," she apologized.

Before he could say anything more, Cuddy grabbed his arm and guided him down the escalator to the parking garage. "You take traveling light to a whole new level, House."

"Yok it up. I had some pretty neat souvenirs in there including something for you," he pointed out gruffly.

"Why didn't you get down there sooner?" she queried pointedly.

"Nature called twice," he informed her almost nonchalantly. "She rings, I listen."

She stared at him incredulously. "Too bad you didn't listen for the announcement instead. Come on, I'll buy you something decent. That cheese steak isn't going to hold you until morning."

"All right," he surrendered, knowing she had a point. "Thanks for being here with me."

"My pleasure," she agreed before they drove off towards the freeway.