Okay, they screwewed up, and aren't coming to fix my computer untill Monday. So one or two more chapters.

"Hola Maria," Ace said sitting next to a Hispanic girl. This was her friend Maria. Maria could read and understand English, but she couldn't speak it to well. Ace spoke in Spainish with her so she would feel more comfortable.

"Hola, Julia. Como estas?"(Sorry, I'm tying on a laptop. There is no key pad, so I don't know how to do upside down question marks or anything.)

"Asi-Asi, Gracious. Y tu?"

"Mal," she frowned.

"What is wrong," she tried in English.

"Mi abulea, ella es enfermo."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Ella tiene cáncer." I suck at Spanish, okay. I'm trying…

"Oh, Maria, I am so sorry."

"Etapa cuatro," she said sadly. Ace looked at her. 'Etapa' she thought. Stage? Sounded right.

"Stage four," Maria said slowly.

"Pulmón?"

"Si." Maria had told her a few days earlier that they suspected lung cancer, but weren't sure.

"Nosotros vamos nuestro casa viernes."pretend I said that right (we'll be going home...)

"Si, sé."

"Buenos noche, Maria," Ace said as she said down in her sleeping bag.

"Buenos noche."

The Following Morning

"We are going to Australia next week," Cameron said when House walked in the next morning. She was attempting to get sudoku puzzle book back from Ace.

"What, who, you and Chase? No, you already went."

"We meant all of you are invited," Chase said.

"I thought your house was small," House asked.

"That was the guest house."

"Stupid kangaroo," he mumbled.

"Guys, I'm serious, we want you all to come down to my house for a week."

"Really," Ace perked up. "I've heard Australia is so beautiful. I've always wanted to go."

"Consider it a birthday present."

"Really, cool."

"Well do you want to come?"

"Who," Foreman asked. They had to be kidding.

"All of you. Tina and George are going. We are inviting you, Wilson, Wolf, House, Ace, Kristen, Katie—"

"Wait, I can take my friends?"

"The house is well, huge. Three stories, two family. Three bedrooms on each floor."

"Five teenagers, House, and Cuddy? Sorry guys, I'll have to pass," Foreman said.

"Yea, I'm not going," House grumbled.

"Hell, yes you are."

"No, you go, I'm not," House grumbled to his daughter.

"Come on, please come?"

"I'll think about it."

"I'd love to come, but not if I end up the only one… Good luck getting Cuddy out of work though," Wolf said.

"Five bucks says I can get Cuddy to come."

"You're on," Wolf said to Ace. The teen walked to the elevator. Cameron followed her, as did Wolf.

"Cuddy," Ace's voice rang as she walked into the office. "Cuddy, tell House we are going to Australia."

"What," she said. She was distracted by reading some papers.

"Cameron and Chase invited us down to Chase's house in a week. Tell House we are going."

"I'm sure he'll let you go."

"Are you going?"

"What?" She had her full attention now.

"Do you want to go to Australia?"

"Of course I want to go, but someone has to run the hospital."

"Carens can cover for a week," Cameron said.

"I guess… no, come on, it's…"

"Please?"

"No."

"Cuddy, since you've become Dean of Medicine, you have taken five sick/vacation days. Two were this year. Come on, use a few more."

"I don't think so."

"Cuddy, one week. One week of no chasing House around to do clinic duty. No files, no sucking up to every rich patient in this hospital, no caring what happens. Just a week of relaxation."

"I…"

"You know you want to."

"Of course I want to. I'm the Dean of Medicine which means I have to be responsible."

"Cuddy, it's Australia. Is one of your responsibilities having no social life?"

"No, and I'm not going." She said this, but her voice sounded weak. 'She is about to brake' Ace thought. 'Now for the killer.'

"One week of you and House in Australia." Cuddy stopped. She was definitely thinking about it.

"Fine, I'll go."

"Yes! Thank you Cuddy," Ace said as she hugged the woman.

"Umm… your welcome?" But Ace had already run back to the elevators. Cuddy looked at Cameron. "You alive?"

"Yea, just thinking. So Cuddy, you coming?"

"Sure, I would love to. But why?"

"Well, we have an interesting group here, you know, and I thought we should all get together. Then Chase said the place across from where we stayed was his. The place is huge, three floors or something. It's right on the beach." The three sat down on Cuddy's couch.

"It's really romantic," she said.

"Are you sure you got room," Cuddy asked.

"Yea, you two, House, and Ace & her friends can have one floor, Tina, George, Jackie, and Justin the other. Wilson I guees will go where evers left. Chase and I can take the guest house."

"Thats many rooms?"

"Ten," she said.

"Oh…"

"We are going next week. I know it seems last minute, but the people who were renting dropped, so it's now or never."

"And Ace's friends are coming, why," Wolf asked.

"Ace's birthday, I guess our gift to her."

"Nice, but we have to go to the mall and get her a gift. There's that new scent she's been asking for…"

"House and I got her a necklace. Well, I did. House was hopeless," Cuddy said remembering shopping with him. In truth, he was beyond hopeless.

"I saw a game in the store with all sudoku and crossword puzzles. Like a CD software thing. I think I'll get her that." Wolf frowned. "Maybe I'll have a better chance with the scent."

"I think you should go with the perfume," Cameron said, "She'll still steal our books."

"Maybe a CD; who does she like? Punk right?"

"Wolf, she's a miniature you! Just buy yourself a gift!" Cameron rolled her eyes. Cuddy was right.

"I think I'll go with the CD. Do you know if she has the All-American Rejects? They are pretty good."

"What kind of books do you like," Cameron asked Wolf.

"Fantasy and Sci-Fi, but especially fantasy," she said.

"Why don't you two go out and get her something," Cuddy said.

"No, I'm gonna wait for Chase…"

"I don't suggest it," came Wolf's reply.

"Just go now. Ace is going to spend the next hour trying to get House to come. If you hurry, she won't notice you're gone."

"Should we take Justin?"

"Yea, probably. But she will notice he's gone."

"So what?"

"Just go," Cuddy commanded. They smiled and left.

Cuddy looked at her reflection in the window. She had changed in the last few months. Maybe not physically, but she was becoming friends with her employees. Not that it was a problem; she just never mingled work and social life. It had been her and House's down fall. But she, House and the ducklings have become close. She knew it was Ace's fault.

Well, no. That sounded really negative. She loved being with House. She loved being friend with the ducklings, despite the age differences. 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 42. Such a weird group, they don't even call each other by their first names. But they were friends.

Conference Room

"Please House?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"House, please?"

"Julia, no." House starred at his daughter.

"House! Come on, Cuddy is going," Ace tried.

"No."

"House, come on, Australia," Ace said.

"It's like, ten degrees there right now!"

"More like 50!"

"Uh… 80-90ish. It's by Cooktown, and they are having a really warm winter."

"Chase, I know nothing of Australian geography. I have no clue where Cooktown is."

"It's pretty far north."

"I thought north meant cold," Jackie's voice piped.

"80-90 in the winter," Justin asked surprised.

"Yea."

"80 would be an improvement,"(it has been an amazingly hot summer here in Jersey...) House said. 'Am I really gonna give into this?' House thought to himself.

"So, then, are you saying yes," Ace asked hopefully.

"Yes, I'm saying yes."

"Yeah," Ace squeaked, causing everyone to flinch, except Jackie who was used to squeaking from her and her own friends. She ran over and gave House a hug.

"Note to self, keep children away from Ace," Chase mumbled to himself. House just gave in, something he had never seen before. Imagine what a few manipulation lessons from Ace would do.

"Oh please," said Jackie. "She is going to learn either way. It's just a thing girls pick up."

"If the kids a girl, we don't know yet," Ace said.

"Good point," Jackie sighed.

"What if she had twins Chase? How thrilled would you be," Justin asked.

"Thrilled," Chase said, trying to smile. The teens snickered.

"Chase, you are a sucky actor." Ace laughed. Foreman looked up at them.

"Wait, is Cameron pregnant," he asked all confused.

"You're kidding, right," Jackie sneered. "I even figured it out. I'm an idiot!"

"See," said Ace, "Now I like you. You're an idiot, but at least you know it. I'm an idiot, but completely oblivious. Also known as useless." Jackie stared at Ace trying to figure out if that was a complement. Hell, so was everyone else.

"Ace, that doesn't make sense…" Justin began, but Wolf and Cameron came to the door.

"Justin, come on. We have to go out," Cameron called.

"What, where?"

"Just come," Wolf said.

"Go," Ace nodded. He kissed her on the cheek, and walked over to Cameron and Wolf a bit confused.

"He can at least keep the PDA to a limit in front o me," grumbled House. Ace just rolled her eyes.

"So, House…"

"She still wants something," House said rolling his eyes.

"Kristen's dog had puppies—"

"No."

"Please, I'll be really responsible. The mother is really sweet, and so is the father. And mom is a therapy dog, so can the one—"

"No."

"If it helps, the dad has a bad leg. Interesting actually, infarction…"

"You have to be kidding."

"No. And it's a border collie, so it will be really smart—"

"No, no, a hundred times no."

"Then I'll ask a hundred and one times. I really want, no scratch that. I need this puppy. She's the runt. I named her Scamp. Just look at her, I know you will love her."

"No.

"Please? A border collie can be trained as—"

"Don't care."

"They are extremely athletic and still semi low maintenance—"

"How long did you research this for?"

"I wanted to be a vet when I was little, but I was watching TV and it said that vets needed really good people skills…"

"So you decide to be a doctor," Chase asked.

"You know, vet to doctor is a hell of a lot smaller jump than priest to doctor."

"Which you suck at," Jackie added.

"What is up with you today, Jackie, you're being so nasty."

"PMSing," the two girls said at the same time.

"You too," he asked Ace.

"No, I said she was."

"How did you know…" the guys asked looking at them.

"We have ESP, or I asked for Midol. Choose which ever makes the most sense."

"I think Ace has ESP," Foreman said.

"Yea, right… So, House, about that puppy," Ace continued.

"No."

"What would make you say yes?"

"I'm not gonna say yes."

"What if I got you a week off clinic duty?"

"For a puppy we'll have for 15 years? No."

"What if… I… Well, normally, this would be where most kids say, 'What if I get straight "A's" on my next report card… But I always do that."

"Oh, yea, this came in the mail for you," House said handing her an envelope. It was labeled 'LONG VALLEY REGIONAL HIGH' in read letters when she opened it.

"Yes, my schedule," she said. She looked at it and frowned. "That isn't fair. They didn't give me the right electives."

"Why what did you want?"

"Forensic science, chemistry, and bio AP."

"Wow, Ace, only you would ask for extra science…"

"Well, I'm already done with Italian. They want me to take German, but I suck at other languages. And math should be—"

"HAHA," screamed Jackie. "You have a weakness!"

"Yea, most great scientists only know a few languages, and I already.—"

"Wait, how many do you know?"

"Spanish, Italian, some Chinese, French, and starting Portuguese."

"Yea, you suck at languages…"

"Well, two of my foster family's spoke mainly in Spanish, and I was young, so I learned those easy. Italian is similar. Portuguese too, but that I'm just learning. The others… As you noticed, I have no life. No thanks to school," she added.

"What did they give you then?"

"Study hall, German, and creative writing."

"Well, you like writing," House helped.

"Yea, I guess… Not for other people…"

"And another language never hurts," Chase said.

"Chase, how many languages do you speak?"

"One," he said sheepishly.

"Two," said Foreman, "Used to be three, but…"

"Oh, about--," said House.

"Not you House. You lived like… Everywhere. And study hall? Honestly."

"What's wrong with study hall," questioned Jackie.

"I don't like study hall, boring, and my homework has a tendency to be a bit advanced."

"Oh…"

"I'm calling, right now." She whipped out her cell phone.

"You have to be kidding," Foreman muttered.

Ace: Mr. Spencer, I just received my schedule. Why wasn't I given any of my choice electives?

Spencer: Oh, Julia, I wanted—

Ace: Call me Ace.

Spencer: I am not calling you a gang name. You are not advanced enough for those classes.

Ace: I am a junior, I am allowed the classes.

Spencer: You are 14 right now.

Ace: And I'll be 15 in a few days.

Spencer: You already skipped a grade, and almost two.

Ace: You wouldn't let me skip two. It took forever for you to realize my language abilities, as well. I already stated I will not be taking any languages this year. I have completed your advanced French and Italian classes. I am done with basic math and should have had calculus this year.

Spencer: Well, the kids in some of those classes would be two years older than you. You need some work in your social skill—

Ace: You ruined any social chance I had when you pulled me up in stage and said I was the most prestigious student or something.

Spencer: You were, and still are—

Ace: Not if you don't let me take the classes I want. Right now you have me down for English IV honors, which is good, Pre-Clac honors, which should be Calculus honors, Physics honors, which should be Chemistry honors, US History III honors, which is fine, study hall, which should be Bio AP, German I, which should be Forensics, and Creative Writing II, which should be Spanish AP.

Spencer: Well, you can't always get what you want.

House: Oh no he di-int!

Foreman: Shut it House.

Spencer: Am I on speaker?

Ace: You're quick. You're right, you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get what you need! Yea, I listen to music too. Now, if you don't change my classes, I will tell every college rep. around how you are keeping the smartest of us down to make the others look smarter.

Spencer: But I'm not.

House: BS

Ace: House, zip it.

Spencer: Who is that?

Ace: My dad.

Spencer: Oh, lovely to meet you.

Ace: BS

Spencer: Excuse me?

Ace: Are you changing my schedule?

Spencer: I should think not.

Chase: Who the hell says that?

Foreman: Who says slim to none?

House: The British.

Chase: I'm not—

Ace: Will you three shut up? Spencer, I can graduate right now if I want. Would you like me to do that? What would the others say? They would think you tried to move me up fast so I look some prodigy child blesses enough to go to your school. They will say I wasn't done learning.

Spencer: You aren't advanced enough for all those sciences anyway.

Ace: I'm the youngest ever participant of Platy's Plan. I think I can take some advanced classes.

Spencer: Let me speak to your father.

Ace: Talk.

House: Yes?

Spencer: Um… do you have a name, sir.

House: Gregory House.

Spencer: Mr. House, you daughter needs to learn that—

House: She can't always get what she wants? Yea, I noticed. But when it comes to school, I think she should.

Spencer: Mr. House, I'm sure you don't understand. You don't really know your daughter. She has been at Platy's Plan the whole summer.

Ace: And who's department do you think I was in?

Spencer: Oh, you're a doctor.

Ace: Does that matter? He knows me.

House: Yes, I understand she can be a brat, but I think you should give her the appropriate classes.

Ace: I'm not a brat! Well...

Spencer: She has done this school more harm then good. She's in a gang. Did you know that?

Ace: Not a gang...

House: It isn't really a gang.

Ace: It's the closest I get to a social experience. Again, your fault.

Spencer: Your social life is not my concern.

Ace: That was your reasoning for putting me in simple classes!

Spencer: If you fail these courses…

Ace: Mr. Spencer, I have never failed a class in my life.

Spencer: Fine, you two come in on Wednesday, and we will discuss it then.

Ace: Looking at House We aren't going to be here.

Spencer: Oh. Where will you be?

Ace: On vacation.

Spencer: Fine what day is good for you to meet.

House: Danno, I'll have to ask Cuddy.

Spencer: Who?

Ace: His boss. I'm sure she'll give him off as soon as we get back.

Spencer: A female Dean of Medicine?

House: You got a problem with that?

Ace: Glares at House Next Tuesday?

Spencer: Fine.

House: Clinic Duty.

Ace: Foreman, will you take his clinic?

Foreman: Sure.

Ace: Tuesday it is.

Spencer: Hangs up

"Gee House, don't be so obvious," Ace said.

"What does he have against a female dean of medicine? I'll bet he assumed that she—"

"House, don't waste time on him. He's a babbling idiot."

"Good to know he defends Cuddy though."

"Can I go to Kristen's place and ask her about Australia?"

"What if your grandparents are around your old house? I don't think it's a good idea."

"They already sold the place. I'll take Jackie with me."

"I don't want to move."

"I'll get you Midol."

"I'll go."

House looked at his daughter. "Fine, go."

"Thank you," she said, and she and Jackie left.

"Damn House, why don't you just bow down to her," Chase giggled.

"Did you just giggle? Fag..."

"Shut up!"

Foreman rolled his eyes as to began another name calling contest.

Kristen's House

"Hey Scamp, hey girl," Ace said petting the tiny puppy. The fuzz ball licked her fingers. Ace picked her up.

"Atta girl," she smiled.

"Okay, Ace, what's up," Kristen asked.

"Okay, Chase and Cameron are going to Australia. They invited me and House and Wolf and Cuddy and everyone. They also said I could bring you and Katie. Do you want to come?"

"Oh my god, no way. Yea, I wanna go!" She ran up stairs to get her mom.

Jackie sat there playing with the dog. Kristen's mom came down.

"Okay, what is going on?" She looked at Ace.

"Umm… The people my dad works with have a place in Australia, and a ton of frequent flyer miles and vouches. They are giving me a trip to Australia for my birthday. They said I could bring two friends. Well, it isn't really for my b-day, they just needed an excuse to get away and bring the rest of the gang."

"I'm not sure."

"Please Mom."

"Why do you want to go," her mother asked. She had a tendency to make a project out of everything.

"It's another country. It's beautiful there…"