A/N: We'll be posting a chapter every day until the end of the month. So sit back and relax :) Only one more chapter after this one, and then part 3!

Chapter Seven

Ro quietly let herself into the bedroom, being careful not to wake Brent who was sound asleep. He wouldn't be for long, if she had anything to say about it. Smiling wickedly, she undressed and slipped into bed with him. He stirred and rolled over on his other side, still asleep.

"Mm..Brent...I missed you," she whispered as she began to kiss his neck.

"Missed you too."

"Wanna show me?"

"Wanna sleep now. Gotta get up early for my shift at six," he yawned as he rolled away from her.

She sighed and rolled over onto her back. "Whatever."

"Clemmie, come on…" Brent groaned. "It's past midnight…"

"I know what time it is," she snapped back as she rolled over onto her side and eventually fell asleep.

In the morning, Ro awoke when Brent got up to get ready for work.

"Could you make any more noise?" she murmured.

"Yes." After he finished getting dressed, he sat on the edge of the bed and smiled at her. "I'll see you tonight, Clemmie."

"Will you?"

He frowned. "Got plans?"

"No, but you usually do. If you're not out training for one of your marathons, at the gym or hitting the bar with the guys from work, I never see you. We're like ships passing in the night," she complained.

"Well it's not like you're home that much either," he pointed out. "And now that House is back, you'll probably be spending all your time helping him."

"House does need help. He's detoxed and now we need to get him on a pain regimen. But that doesn't take away from the fact that you and I haven't screwed each other senseless in weeks!"

"Well maybe you should go screw House, then, if you're jonesing for sex!"

"Excuse me!?" she said in outrage as she sat up.

"You heard me. I know that you're attracted to him." Brent grabbed his hoodie and threw it on. "Why don't you call him up? I'm sure he'd be all over that."

"Fine! Maybe I will!" she shouted as she followed him to the garage.

"Fine!" he shouted back as he climbed into his car and revved the engine. She sighed as she watched him back out of the driveway and speed off.

At the end of the day, once Ro finished all the work she took home with her, she called Cameron but there was no answer. When she called House, she was surprised he answered, as he usually just let calls go to voicemail.

"Cruella," he said and she could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Yeah, it's me. What are you up to?" she asked.

"Not much. Watching the game. If you're looking for Cameron, she's at the hospital. She got called in to deal with some crisis."

"Oh, that explains why I can't get a hold of her. I was going to go shoot some pool but I don't want to go by myself."

"Where's Brent?" he asked.

"I don't know. He's still at work and then I don't know what he's doing. I just feel like getting out of the house for a bit."

"I get that. Want me to come get you?" he asked.

"Really?" she asked in surprise. House usually made her come get him.

"Sure. Your place is closer to the billiard hall."

"Okay. I can be ready in half an hour," she told him.

"Cool. See you then."

House showed up on his motorcycle to find Ro standing on the sidewalk waiting. She looked very enticing in tight black jeans, a form-fitting black t-shirt, boots and a leather jacket. He handed her Cameron's helmet and they headed to the billiard hall.

Two hours later, Ro was on her fourth glass of wine and hanging onto every word House said. It seemed the more she drank, the better looking he became. Which she thought was incredible since he was already good looking.

"So what's the deal with you and Brent?" he asked as he lined up a shot.

"Huh?"

"What did you do, have a fight?"

Ro shook her head. "Nah, it's the same old married couple bullshit. I insulted him, he patronized me and then went to work."

"How long has that been going on?"

"Awhile. He's never home anymore. I need sex, House. When he comes home from work he's too tired and just goes to bed." Ro hopped up on the edge of the table and ran her finger down his chest as she smiled demurely. "I'll bet you've never turned Cameron down."

House rolled his eyes, finished off his beer and put the cue stick back on the wall. "It's getting busy. Let's get out of here."

Ro hopped off the pool table and nodded. "Good plan."

He took her back to her place and she hopped off the bike, wobbling slightly. House groaned and proceeded to help her into the house.

"Gonna be okay?" he asked once he had her safely inside.

"Mmmhmm," she murmured as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I will be."

"Clemmie…"

"Come on, House. I just want one kiss," she begged as she tried to press her lips to his.

"No."

"Why not?"

"A) You're hammered. And B) You're a married woman and I don't play ball on a full field."

Ro cocked her head to one side. "What the hell does that even mean?"

He removed her hands from around his neck and stepped back. "It means that I'm not going to betray Cameron and you're not going to betray Brent, either. Sleeping with me won't solve anything. It'll only make it worse."

"Who's going to tell them?" she demanded.

"I wouldn't, obviously, but there were a few people at the billiard hall from PPTH tonight that saw us leave together. Tomorrow morning is going to be a shit show as it is. I don't need this adding to it. That said, I'm gonna head home. Drink lots of water and go to bed, Ro. You'll thank me for it. When Brent gets home you can jump him."

"But I'd rather jump you," she said, sullenly.

"Well it's not going to happen so you best get over it. G'night, Ro."

Ro pushed him out the door and slammed it. In that moment, she hated him. She hated Brent. She especially hated that House knew her first name and used it even though she asked him not to. In all, she hated her life. So, she went to the kitchen and poured another glass of wine.

The next morning, Ro went straight to her office and locked the door. She had a vague memory of coming on to House and Brent coming home to find her drunk off her ass. Now she had a hangover and felt miserable. She toyed with the idea of going to the pharmacy to get some Compazine and maybe even an IV of electrolytes. Squinting at her calendar, she saw she didn't have time. Her first patient would arrive in ten minutes. She dug through her desk, found some acetaminophen, and washed three down with some water.

By lunch time, she was ready for a nap and was contemplating that very thing when there was a knock on her door. "Come in!"

Cameron entered, looking slightly pissed off and Ro steadied herself for the shit storm that House predicted.

"So what did you do last night? I got your message but I was here."

Ro shrugged casually. "I went to the billiard hall."

"With Brent?"

"Yeah," Ro responded without meeting Cameron's eyes.

Cameron sat down. "Liar. You were with House."

"So what if I was? It was a few games of pool, not a roll in the sack."

"Right."

"Seriously, Al? We're going to do this? Do you really think I'd do you like that?"

"I have sources that say you were all over him last night."

"I was drunk."

"That doesn't excuse you crawling my boyfriend like a tree," Cameron informed her as she got up. "I need to talk to House. Just concentrate on your patients."

She stopped with her hand on the doorknob. "And get something for your hangover. You look like shit."

Once she was gone, Ro put her head on her desk and groaned.

House was pacing in front of the white board tapping a marker against his chin. He looked over at Cameron who stood in the doorway.

"She and Brent had a fight. I picked her up. We played some pool. She got drunk. I took her home. The end," he said and turned back to stare at the list of symptoms on the board.

"Okay," Cameron said and walked toward the elevator. As she waited for it, House walked up behind her.

"No questions? No screechy accusations?" he asked as he leaned on his cane. Though the pain was tolerable, he still used it. Detoxing from the Vicodin didn't mean he magically grew new thigh muscle. Thanks to the pain management doctor Ro arranged for him to see, he now took carbamazepine and went for PT weekly which helped immensely.

The elevator doors opened. Cameron stepped in and turned to face him. She smiled slightly as she pushed the button. "I'm not Cuddy. I believe you and I believe her."

The doors slid shut and House stood blinking. "Well, I'll be damned."