Disclaimer – I do not own House M.D. It all belongs to David Shore and Fox.

~Chapter 3~

"Where is Dr. House?" Cuddy asked the main nurse as she tapped her index finger on the desk impatiently.

"Dr. House signed in at…" She glanced at the sheet, "10:00am. He should be in exam room 1." Cuddy looked at her in disbelief.

"You mean he actually did come to the clinic?" She asked shocked.

"Yes, he has seen about three patients since he got here fifteen minutes ago." The nurse said as she picked up a file, "I need to go…anything else you need?" Cuddy shook her head, "No, thank you."

I thought he was joking when he said he would go to the clinic… She thought as she made her way through the crowded clinic towards the room that read 'Exam Room 1'.

"Dr. House?" Cuddy asked as she hesitantly opened the grey door.

"Yes, Mistress?" House was sitting on the small black stool holding a patients folder. Sitting on the exam bed was a young blonde haired girl wearing a green shirt, and dark blue jeans. Her mom stood beside the young girl, and was glaring at Cuddy for interrupting whatever they were doing.

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you that I would like to see you in my office once you're done your clinic duty." Cuddy improvised…not having a real reason for barging in. She had thought he was playing his PSP or hiding somewhere.

"Don't you have pagers for that?" The mother asked rudely.

"Yes, but-"

"Whatever" The mother interrupted Cuddy and rolled her eyes. Not wanting to cause a scene, Cuddy turned around and left without another word.

"Ok, so I will take a small amount of blood, and we will call you back with the results of your tests." House explained to a very annoying patient when he heard the loud (and equally annoying) fire alarm.

"What's that?" The annoying, twenty-two year old female asked as her green eyes became ten times larger than normal.

House rolled his eyes and grabbed his cane.

"It's the fire alarm, idiot. Come on, let's get out of here." House told her as he opened the door.

The word 'fire' accompanied by screams was heard all around as people ran towards the main entrance doors. Smoke engulfed the clinic, and you could faintly see doctor's white lab coats running back and forth trying to help people get out safely. House turned around to see the young lady – Valerie – frozen in the exam room.

"Go, get out of here!" House yelled as he grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the exam room. After a hit from House's cane, she ran towards the doors like everyone else.

Where's Cuddy… He thought as he pushed people out of the way until he reached her office. The blinds were open, and Cuddy was not inside. Damn it, she could be anywhere in this hospital…I have to know if she's ok… House turned around and started limping towards the stairs.

Lisa Cuddy ran through the many hallways of the PPTH making sure all the doctors and patients were getting out safely. Smoke is getting really bad… She thought as she shouted down the cloudy hallway. All she could see and smell was smoke, and she was becoming dizzy. Maybe if I just sit down for a while… Cuddy thought as she slumped back against the wall coughing and wheezing.

Stairs are difficult enough in the light…let alone in a hospital full of dark stinky smoke. House thought as he almost fell down for what seemed like the hundredth time.

Most, if not all of the doctors and patients were outside watching the hospital burn down in shock, and House was trying to play 'hero' with a doctor who would have probably made it out a long time a go. Why am I even looking for her? I am probably going to die because I am looking for a doctor who has already evacuated the building!

House started to turn around but stopped when he heard someone coughing down the hall by his office. Well…it's not going to be my office for long. House smirked as he thought of all the arguments that took place in that differential room.

A couple of minutes later, and no anonymous coughing person to be found, House started to regret his decision of not turning back sooner. The smoke was getting thicker, and the air was getting warmer. I hope Cuddy is ok, and that I can get out of here alive… He thought as he dry-swallowed a couple Vicodin.

A/N – Hey, hope you enjoyed it…even though I kind of left you at a cliffy…Please review! It gets me motivated to write the next chapter faster :)