Hi You!

Sorry for the lack of updates, writers block…ANYWHO, I noticed that I had lots of hits, and I just wanted to say, to anyone who hasn't read Down Deep, then you should read that before continuing with the story, otherwise it'll be very confusing. Stay with me folks, just keep breathing! I advise you not to hold your breath in-between updates… ;)

Onwards!

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Wilson, Cuddy, Cameron, Chase, and Foreman looked at each other.

They were all asking themselves one question in their heads: Why the hell a stripper boat? Except Chase. He was rather aroused by the idea.

"Well, it's the closest one that's open for miles. The rest are closed this week." Wilson said.

"Why?" the rest inquired.

"Oh…I tried to rent a boat last weekend and they were all closed. I asked them why, and they said…they said….Dammit! I can't remember what they said!"

"Hey! Calm down! This boat might not be so bad! Sounds pretty good to me!" Chase piped up. Foreman smacked him up round the head, and he got a round of applause and a standing ovation from the rest.

They got in their car and drove over to the rental. The dock where the 'party boat' was perched looked like it needed a repair. The wood was soggy and slick with slime, and it shook violently every time you took a step. A malodorous stench hung heavily in the air, some sort of mixture between feces, cigarette smoke, and rotting corpses of sea animals. The group instinctively pulled together, becoming so tight-nit they could feel the others breaths on their necks. The water was brown, and masses of black, brown, and dark green gook pooled around the shore. Women scantily clad with bright red puffy lips and caked on blue eyeshadow leered at them while they leaned leisurely on crates, cigarettes between two fingers and a small knapsack in the other hand. They were scared out of their wits, but their friend needed help; and they would do anything to get to him. Yes, even embark out of this shit-hole.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"Argh!" he yelped for the god-knows-what time. "Damn mosquitoes!" he shouted to no one in particular.

The little buggers had been gnawing on him for the past half-hour, where he had been wandering aimlessly looking for some sort of fruit. Then he spotted it. Something so glorious that he would have never imagined it to be this wonderful should he ever see it before he was stuck on an island.

Bananas. A whole green/yellow bunch of bananas. He was in heaven.

He pulled. They didn't budge. He jumped up and used his whole body weight to pull. They were still stubbornly attached to the tree.

Losing patience, he ripped off one banana instead of the whole bunch. He eagerly stripped it of its peel and was about to cram it into his mouth when he drew back in horror.

A huge maggot had just crawled out from a hole in the banana. He screamed like a girl and dropped the banana on the ground. I should have noticed it before, he mentally chided himself.

Checking every single banana he could reach, he fell to the ground dejectedly. They all had holes where the bugs had infested.

He laid his head in his hands and felt a hot prick behind his eyes. Everything was so frustrating! Why did these things always happen to him? The tears continued to roll. He heaved a great sigh, and slapped himself in the face. "Hey! Stop blubbering! You haven't cried since you were nine! Get a hold of yourself! You're just going to give up now? Come on! Maybe I can catch some fish?" he coached. Now he felt better. He hastily wiped his face and left the site.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"Dammit! We need to rent a boat NOW!" Wilson yelled.

"Sorry sir." the man smirked. "Even we have close down now."

"But WHY!"

"Well, they don't want people swimming or hanging out in the water when there's red tide, do they?"

"Re-red tide?" Wilson gulped.

"Yup."

"Don't worry, son. You'll get your fix yet." the captain smirked. "Were opening in secret in two days. We can let you on for free if you and your little friends attend to the ship until we start boarding. Then you'll be the first ones on; and it's first come, first serve."

"I'll do it. So will my friends."

"And your little lady friends," he pointed a grubby finger at Cameron and Cuddy. "Can work with my ladies."

Cam and Cuddy looked at each other, then glared at the man, arms folded across their chests. "Excuse me? We'll be doing no such thing."

"Fine!" he snapped. "But you will be doing work!"

The women rolled their eyes. As long as their tops stayed low-cut, they could do anything they wanted here.

But Wilson was worried about different things. What if House didn't know about red tide?

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House stood on a slick yet flat rock. Waves arose on either side of him, and a fish was speared to the base of his cane. Aw yeah, he was good!

But satisfaction was ebbing away from him like the tide on the shore. That catch had been easy. Too easy. He studied the fish's body.

It was long and thin, with a split tail, and it was silver on the sides while very dark on top. From these observations House could deduct that this was a very fast fish that mainly stayed on the surface.

So why had he caught it so easily?

Well, he wasn't about to eat it now….

Or could he?

Maybe it was already injured, maybe it was a baby? Maybe it was just really old?

He risked the chance and tore off a long strip of raw meat. He knew he should have at least cooked it, but he didn't have a fire, had no idea how to make one, and could worry about that after he somehow managed to make a shelter.

He popped the strip into his mouth. Looks like fish, smells like fish, doesn't taste like fish! He spit it out, wiping his tongue.

He scraped the fish off his cane on the rocks, washing it along the way, stumbling as he made his way across the precarious winding path, until making it back to land, sweet beautiful land!

There was something wrong with this water…. He thought as he plopped himself down on the beach.

The exhaustion was taking over his body, the sound of crashing waves lulling him, rocking his mind gently…the hiss of the water quickly receding, a hoarse bird cry, blackness tinting his vision…and he was asleep.

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Sorry this was such a sortie, and that it took such a long time, but I had writers block, school, extracurriculars, another fanfic, plus about 5 unposted fanfics I'm working on…Anyways, what I'm trying to say here is that I am profusely (teehee! profusely, how old am I again?) sorry for the wait, but stick with me, I'll always be there for you!

To spur on my writing, why don't you give me a little review? PLEASE! I REVIEW EVERYTHING I READ! Unless it doesn't let me, then I can't and it's happened several times before.

Thanks for sticking with me, and special thanks to POB and meck for your support and side conversations.

ILGH