Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital - Princeton, NJ - December 1998

Lisa Cuddy sighed in exasperation. She had expected House in her office thirty-two minutes ago. Thirty. Two. Minutes. She understood that carelessness was his default mentality, but it made her second guess the deal she was about to offer him. It had taken an arm and a leg and one of her more revealing blouses to convince the board to go along with her idea, and she knew they'd be out to get her if this didn't work out.

There was a knock at her door before it opened.

"Thanks for joining me," she commented without looking up.

"You're welcome," House responded seriously as he dropped into the seat opposite hers. "So what's up, boss lady? Giving me my Christmas gift? You know, I asked Santa for a new set of golf clubs, but I'd settle for –"

Cuddy extended her right index finger and shushed House loudly, cutting him off mid-sentence. She finished jotting down notes that she didn't really need to jot down. A few moments later she closed the file, put her pen down, and looked at her employee. "How do you think the past two years have gone?"

"I think the fact that I'm still here sums it up nicely," he shrugged.

"Do you want to stay here?"

"I don't want to go anywhere else."

"Do you want to stay in nephrology?"

"Well I certainly don't want to move to OB/GYN or pediatrics. I think the State Medical Board might have a few issues with that. Not to mention the patients. Eek."

"Listen, Doctor House, if you can't be upfront with me—"

"—I am being upfront with you. I think the past two years have gone well and I want to stay here. Things are good."

"You're bored, though, right?" If he wasn't already, she knew he would be soon. She also knew what happened when Gregory House became bored. She wanted to avoid it at all costs.

House narrowed his eyes at her, "Diabetes, renal failure, and vasculitis aren't exactly medical mysteries, but I'm in the business of taking what I can get."

Cuddy nodded, "If you could do something else, here in the hospital, what would it be? Is there anything else you want to do? You're double board certified. You don't need to stay in nephrology forever."

"Listen, Doctor Cuddy, if you can't be upfront with me…"

She suppressed her amusement with his impersonation of her. "The board likes the money and attention you've brought to the hospital. They want to give you the chance to do more."

House's eyebrows rose.

"Department of Diagnostics. You'll get a few cases a week, mostly referrals from infectious disease or nephrology, maybe the clinic or ER. Solve the puzzles they can't. It's a significant pay raise, tenure track, better title, more flexibility and autonomy." She rattled off the positive aspects of the position.

"But?"

Cuddy sighed, "Three fellows. You'll handle the interview process—" Cuddy paused at House's groan of disapproval. "Hey, hey, hey," she held out her hands defensively, "this was the single condition the board had. The only one. You having your own department is one thing for the hospital's image, but you actually training fellows to do what you do is a whole other."

"So you're exploiting me?"

"Does that bother you?"

"No."

She smirked. "I'll need your answer by Monday at noon."

House nodded once and stood from his seat. "That it?"

"That's it." Cuddy nodded.

House had his hand on the doorknob, ready to open the door, when he paused and looked back. "I want the ortho suite on the fourth floor. Both rooms."

"With the glass walls?" She knew it was the one with glass walls. It was also the one adjacent to James Wilson's office.

A nod. "Give me the suite and I'm in."

Cuddy thought about his bargain for about as long as he had thought about her offer. "We'll talk logistics when the board reconvenes after the New Year," she said with a satisfied smile.

"Good." House nodded once more. He wasn't smiling, but Cuddy knew he was pleased. "Thank you."

"Have a good Christmas, Doctor House."