Chapter 9 An hour later

Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital

House parked his motorcycle in its usual place and secured it. Fortunately for him, the streets between the apartment and there had been relatively quiet. He grabbed his cane and backpack and limped through the lobby.

During his progress, the other doctors stared incredulously at his appearance.

Harry, the elderly security guard, came over. "Morning, Dr. House. You look really nice…"

"Stuff it!" House growled. Bad enough, he was dressed like Wilson or Foreman but he didn't need anyone reminding him of that fact. He entered the elevator.

After the doors closed, Harry shook his head, not understanding why House had reacted that way. "All I said was that he looked nice. Weird."

House's Office

Even as Hell's fury bore down on them, Foreman, Cameron and Chase prepared for the worst.

"He got back last night, I take it?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, he got back all right," Foreman agreed. "I picked his stuff up last night. Don't say anything to House."

"You what?" she wondered incredulously. "He's going to be a real bastard all day. Remember the last time he lost his bag?"

"We hid in the Clinic for three days actually," Chase recalled tersely. Then he asked their colleague pointedly, "What possessed you to do that?"

"Orders from above," Foreman noted.

Cameron and Chase exchanged knowing looks. "Cuddy's plan."

Just then they heard the door slam open. They turned and stared in disbelief at the sight in front of them.

House labored into the room in a pair of beige slacks, a powder blue button down shirt and more amazingly—he was wearing a lab coat. "Not a word! Not one god damn word!" He collapsed in his chair, pouting from the whole ordeal of having to walk through the lobby like that. "I don't suppose any of you know about this or what happened at my apartment, do you?"

The Ducklings shook their heads, trying to cover their tracks.

"Right." His cold steel orbs burned into each of theirs with fiery fury. "If I find out you did, I'll can your sorry asses! We don't have any really pressing cases?"

"Nothing that can't wait for an hour or two," Cameron supposed. "What's going on?"

"Somebody trashed my apartment and took my clothes!" House spat. "Wait until I find Wilson!" He growled at the trio. "Beat it. I want to be alone!"

Knowing better than to try and survive the storm at that point, the others hit the road, figuring that extra rounds or clinic time was better than dealing with their boss at that point.

House fumed. He couldn't believe it. He left town for a weekend. One stinking weekend! "Can't even turn my back for three stupid days." He bounced his ball off of the wall several times, trying to alleviate his fury—how violated he felt at that moment.

"I'm going to get to the bottom of this," he growled, getting up and limping toward the elevator.

A/N: Now the climax….or when Irresistible Force meets Immovable Object

Cuddy's Office

Meantime, Cuddy hung up the phone and rubbed her temples, trying to deal with the headache. She had expected a reaction but nothing as volcanic as House's explosion. Terrific. I figured he'd call in sick or sulk with his soaps. No such luck. Fortunately, the budget's been turned in. She saw Wilson at the door with a concerned look on his face. "Come in and shut the door."

"You know he wants to kill me," he told her. "I'm the only one with a key to his apartment, Cuddy."

"I know." She frowned. "Just stay here. I won't let him touch you."

"All things considered, that's really kind of you," he sighed. Then, in spite of himself, he chuckled, "I wish I could have seen the look on his face when he woke up this morning."

"I'm glad I wasn't there." She frowned, almost feeling the disturbance in the overall aura of her suite. "But he needs to learn this lesson."

Less than a minute later, House stormed in. "There you are!"

She stood in between them, calmly taking the full brunt of his fury. "Wilson, stay right there." She folded her arms across her chest. "Are you finished yet?"

"Hell no!" House fumed. "You'd be angry too if somebody went through your things and…." He glared at them. "Wait a minute. You did this!"

She quirked an eyebrow at him almost as if she were dealing with a taciturn child. "Not so much fun when the shoe's on the other foot, is it?" She opened her drawer and held up her recovered lingerie. "Looking for these?"

"You set me up!"

Wilson took a deep breath and interjected, "I believe you wanted to make a man out of me. Congratulations, Dr. Frankenstein, you did it." He took the key off of his ring and set it firmly on the table next to his friend. "Now you know what it feels like to have your stuff rifled through. Think on that. If you'll excuse me, I have patients to deal with." He rolled his eyes and hustled from the room, feeling glad to be out of there.

She watched the door close and then returned her gaze to House. "For what it's worth, it wasn't his idea originally. It was mine."

"So you sent me to Seattle to get me out of the way?" he accused.

"Oh for the love of….!" She looked to the ceiling as if imploring divine intervention and then added, "No, House. I really wanted you to have a good time and enjoy the conference. I admit that the concert ticket was to keep you there over Sunday night." She went over to her closet and unlocked it. "As for your things…." She hauled the large box and the unopened garment bag. "Your clothes are right here."

"You know what you put me through?"

She snickered sarcastically at him. "Oh so you dress like a normal doctor for one morning and you're put out? House, didn't you hear what Wilson just said to you? What I said a minute ago? You have no respect for other people's property, all right? How do you think I felt when you invaded my home during that whole deal with Manny and start rummaging through my underwear? How do you think Wilson feels when he has to label things and that still doesn't stop you?" She reached back into the drawer, pulled out the boxers and tossed them to him. "I was going to stash those for a while and see if you would notice. But it isn't worth it." She shook her head and looked at him despondently. "I love you, Greg, but I can't respect you if you keep acting like this."

He put his hand up; not wanting to see her start crying over this. "Just tell me who fed Steve?"

"Wilson and I both did. I actually held him," she revealed.

He looked at her dumbly. "You held Steve McQueen? I figured you'd be the last person to do that."

She shrugged. "I didn't want to at first but he's really cute once you see him up close. You've done a great job with him."

"It works both ways. He respects me and I respect him," he replied.

"And it works well, doesn't it?" she supposed. "Why can't you do that for Wilson and me?"

"I figured it's okay." He looked at her apologetically. "Guess not."

"No, it isn't." She breathed a sigh of relief. "And by the way, I was the one who found the underwear."

"Great. Now everyone knows."

"Just Wilson and me. We're not telling," she assured him. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, "If you want to sleep with me, just ask next time. All right?"

"Fine," he muttered, conceding that point as well. "I never meant to hurt you."

Her eyes watered before she could wipe them dry. "I know. Just try to be more careful of our feelings, all right?" She smiled and squeezed his hand. "And hearing you say what you said means the world to me. I want you to know I'm sorry that we had to make you feel that way. It hurt us too, you know."

"Yeah right," he jabbed her. "You enjoyed it and you know it."

She blushed. "All right, so I did. You're a bad influence." She smoothed his lab coat. "Anyone ever tell you how sexy you look when you dressed like that, House?"

"No but you're telling me now."

She let her eyes sparkle at him. "Absolutely."

He frowned as he considered the woman in front of him. Every fiber of his being wanted to take her right there. But he needed to get the crap over with first. "Hate to bust the bubble but we can't let Wilson fume all day. I need to get this over with. Can…we pick this up later?"

She nodded. "Sure. Thanks, House." She watched him leave the office and shook her head. How did I do that? Some times I amaze myself. She drank some coffee and pondered the thought. It's true. Love is the most powerful force in the universe.

Roof

Wilson stood at the roof's edge, looking out over the university skyline. Before coming there, he had spoken to his ex-patient/new roommate about things. She thought we did the right thing but did we? He certainly understood how House felt.

House opened the door. "There you are. Been looking for you."

Wilson sighed, "House, I'm not in the mood to argue."

The diagnostician shook his head. "Don't get all defensive on me, Wilson. And thanks for being man enough to help kick my ass and get my head on straight."

The oncologist somehow managed to keep his facial expression neutral. "That's what friends are for, House. Thanks for saying that. I appreciate it…and you're right, let's not get defensive." He put his right hand out. "Start over?"

"Sure…as long as you keep Cuddy's bedroom discovery to yourself," House agreed.

"Of course. So you and Cuddy, huh?" Wilson asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. She's grown on me," House admitted.

"And the underwear? House, you know, a grown man doesn't do stuff like that," Wilson pointed out.

House looked pointedly at him. "Don't start lecturing me. I just got enough from Cuddy."

"So did you two break up?"

House shrugged and then smirked. "Actually, the reverse."

Wilson stared incredulously at him. "You apologized?"

"Don't rub it in."

"No, no, I won't. House, that's great. My lips are sealed. Let's go and get a coffee. My treat," Wilson agreed while holding the door for his friend.