"So how was the show last night?"

An honest question but still House was in no mood to answer it. It had been one of those days that made him wonder why he had ever became a doctor.

"Fine."

"Did you run into Gloria?"

"Yup, and she brought a friend."

At this point in the conversation, Wilson arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms over chest. The tone in his friend's voice at this moment, suggested there was something going on and he was determined to find out what it was.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, and she was a real peach. God what an idiot. I'm telling you Jimmy, if all shrinks are like that I'd rather be insane."

She's a shrink? Well, isn't this interesting. "Let me guess, while you were sizing her up she in turn did the same and it terrified you, am I right?"

"That's the dumbest suggestion I ever heard."

This being said House left the office while Wilson smirked to himself and crossed his arms over chest while starring smugly at the door from which his friend had just exited.

Meanwhile, Cuddy exited the elevators with a look that could kill plastered upon her face. There was only one man in this entire hospital that could provoke such a look and unfortunately he had been blessed with poor timing as well.

"House!"

No sooner had the diagnostician entered the hall when the sound of his beloved dean of medicine's shrill voice filled his ears. Deciding to ignore her rather then answer right away, House turned his attention in the opposite direction and started to stroll nonchalantly down the hall.

"House! Don't pretend you didn't hear me. I know you live for the sound of my voice."

"Why Cuddy? Were you looking for me?"

"Your damn right I've been looking for you. You haven't even started your clinic hours this week and its already Thursday what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Sorry mommy, clinic will have to wait, I'm in the middle of a complicated case."

"Oh really, then why doesn't any member of your team know about it?"

Rolling his eyes at this question, House sighed while furrowing his brow towards Lisa Cuddy the one woman who could turn his world upside down then right back up with one glare towards her bosom.

"Do you think I tell them everything? Besides, the patient prefers this to be on a strict one on one basis."

"Show me the patient's file."

"Sorry boss lady, doctor, patient confidentiality applies here."

"Not for the dean of medicine, I own this hospital remember?"

Damn. "Alright fine, you got me. (pause) Follow me if you must."

This being said, House made his way inside the diagnostic department with Cuddy close on his heels.

Then once inside, House made himself comfortable behind the desk while glaring at his boss who remained by the door "You can come closer, I don't bite. (pause) Hard."

"I'm fine right here thanks. Now, the patient."

"Right, I forgot your all business no pleasure."

This being said House picked up a file from up off the desk and limped over to Cuddy. Handing it over to Lisa, the diagnostician waited for her to respond while breathing in a sigh.

"There's no name on this file."

"You think a name would be relevant to what's wrong? Trust me, it isn't. All you need to know is that the patient is male, 47 years of age and has a history of heart disease in the family."

"That's not quite everything. (Pause) What are the symptoms?"

"Why Cuddy, all that information is in the file which I might add is still highly confidential."

Snatching the file away from Cuddy's grasp House placed the document behind his back daring her to try and retrieve it.

"Why all the secrecy? I've never seen you care this much about any patient before. What's going on?"

Damn it's her. Why House felt so compelled to divulge such private information to this woman was beyond him and yet, here it was. Of course, he could always sneer at her and say this was just a rouse to get out of clinic duty but the thing is, it wasn't.

" You always have to know every little detail?"

"I learn from the best."

Shrugging in response to this comment, House gestured over to the sofa and made himself comfortable while trying to form the words. Looking into her friend's eyes Cuddy tried to see some glimmer of a thought but it was no use, she was at a loss.

"I'm not a mind reader House. Yu know what? Keep your secret, see if I care, it wouldn't be the first time you shut me out."

Getting up from the couch, Cuddy was about to leave the room when she was called back by…

"It's me, okay? the patient is me."

"What? I didn't even know you were sick?"

"I was feeling fine up until a few days ago after I met one of Gloria's friend's."

Furrowing her brow at this comment, Cuddy crossed her arms and glared at House with that all so familiar look.

"You mean, Joan the psychiatrist?"

"How do you know her?"

"I just hired her. We needed to find a replacement after Doctor Mac-men retired last month."

Well, that's just great. "Fire her."

"What?"

"You heard me, fire her. If you want my opinion, she is the worst shrink in all of New Jersey. Trust me, one week with her here, and all of your physicians will be sick in the head."

Arching an eye brow at this comment while smirking to herself, Cuddy couldn't help but find this situation extremely funny. It seemed her suspicions had been correct, House was terrified of psychiatrists.

"Come on House, admit it. She got to you and you couldn't take it. Why can't you just admit that to yourself?"

"Because it'd be meaningless."

The tone of voice in which this was said was new to Cuddy. The dean of medicine was used to the brash, egotistical ravings of a brilliant yet insane doctor not the humble man she saw before her now.

"Why?"

"Don't do this."

"You don't know do you? (sigh) I never thought I'd see the day where there was a puzzle you couldn't break. (Pause) Maybe that's it? Maybe the reason your so threatened by Joan is because she's managed to solve the one puzzle that is more precious to you then anything else…who you are inside."

"Oh give me a break, spare me the mushy mumbo jumbo Cuddy, for your information, I'm more complicated then that."

The smile on Cuddy's face widened at this point as she placed her arms over head and glared coyly towards her colleague.

"Tell that to Joan."