Thanks for the responses for the last chapter everyone!

I keep wanting to mention this, but I forget. Zachary Feeney's appearance is modeled after Dr. Jamie Conway from the fourth season episode Living the Dream. For some reason, he looks like he would be related to Cuddy with the hair and the eyes. He could so pass as being House and Cuddy's kid. Maybe it's just me. Okay, on with the story.

Enjoy :)

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About six hours later, House and Cuddy were awoken by the sound of a throat clearing. Cuddy's eyes fluttered open to a well-lit room, immediately aiming towards where the sound came from.

"Was your bed not sufficient enough, Dr. Cuddy?" Wilson teased, pretending to look slightly embarrassed.

"Tell me about it," House griped, shifting his legs a bit, untangling himself from her. "She took up the whole bed with that ass of hers."

"House, you're moving," Cuddy said, acting as if it were some huge shock. She completely ignored the ass comment.

"No kidding. They said I'd be able to move by morning, remember? How else was I supposed to get home?" Even with an authentic question like that he still managed to sound like a sarcastic jerk.

Moments later, Cameron appeared beside Wilson and Cuddy slid out of House's bed.

"I found Dr. Clement. He has the results for the tests."

"Who's Dr. Clement?" Wilson asked.

"He took over for nurse Holcomb last night," Cameron informed.

Cuddy suddenly felt herself become worried. What if the test was bad? What if she had typhoid fever or something worse? What if she was pregnant and that disease was threatening the baby's life and treatment would kill it? Ugh…those stupid 'what ifs.' Cuddy had to sit. She sat at the edge of her bed, wishing they could just hurry and get it over with. She was pretty positive she was pregnant, but did she have a disease that would threaten the baby's life? Her mind ran a mile a minute, but anyone looking at her wouldn't notice anything except for how worried she looked.

"Lisa, are you okay?" Cameron asked with deep concern.

Cuddy was spacing out and she didn't know it. She nodded. "Yeah. I just can't wait to get out of here."

They all agreed with her on that one.

Dr. Clement knocked on the door and walked in. Cuddy tried to study his face to see the results beforehand. Being a doctor herself, she could generally read their facial expressions very well before delivering news. With this one, she wasn't sure. He had a smile on his face, but she wasn't sure if it was a sympathetic smile or a genuine smile. She felt gravity oppose her for a moment, weighing her down with fear.

"Morning everyone, my name is Dr. Sam Clement and I have the results from the lab." He looked to House first while opening a chart and removing a pen from his lab coat breast pocket. "Dr. House, congratulations on the speedy recovery. I've never seen an illness vanish so quickly."

"Then you obviously don't know House," Cameron said, following a small laugh. "He probably scared it off."

"Yeah, yeah, can I go home now?" House asked, debating whether or not he wanted to take the IV out himself. He could care less about the news on his recovery.

"House, aren't you concerned about Cuddy?" Wilson jutted his chin to Cuddy, who was still at the edge of the bed, biting her lip in anticipation.

"Who? Oh, right, yeah, I guess. Don't go easy on her, doc. She may be a Dean of Medicine but she has the thighs of a stuffed animal."

"House!" Cuddy frowned in surprise at him. What was that supposed to mean?

Dr. Clement merely chuckled, not showing much interest. "Right. Well I have some good news and some bad news." Cuddy's head poked up when she heard about the bad news. "Congratulations, you're negative for typhoid fever and any other tropical diseases…but I'm sorry to say your pregnancy test also came back negative."

Cuddy's jaw dropped. "No, that's…that's not possible! I haven't had my period for two months!"

"You haven't been menstruating because of your diet on the island. You went into starvation mode, which caused your body to operate differently and your hormones to become a little unbalanced. Not menstruating is normal in a situation like yours."

"I'm well aware of what happens in starvation mode, doctor. I had pregnancy symptoms the last week we were there. Dizziness, morning sickness, aching…"

He sympathized with her. The look on his face showed it all. "Look at the position you were in, Dr. Cuddy. Your body can do funny things when it doesn't receive what it expects to. You've just given to me symptoms of what I could've given to you without even running tests. Those are all common symptoms of deprivation. Just lucky you were found in time. We should probably keep you here another night and administer another saline drip."

If Cuddy was feeling dizzy or ill at all, it was because of the sudden depression she was swung into. How could she have been so disenchanted? She's a doctor; she should've recognized the pregnancy symptoms from the deficiency symptoms!

She swallowed hard and shook her head. "No…no I just want to go home. I can't be here anymore."

"She's just pissy now because without a baby she can't change me."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh go to hell."

House looked shocked. "We just came from hell and now you want me to go back? No thanks, I'd rather go home and face a different kind of hell. Can someone unhook me here so we can get the show on the road?"

"Dr. Cuddy, we feel it's in your best interest if you let us run another saline drip on you," Dr. Clement said, ignoring House. Seems like all his focus was on Cuddy.

Wilson unhooked House when he noticed that Dr. Clement wasn't giving him the time of day. House noticed this also. He got out of bed with a grunt and grabbed Harry from the end table.

"Thank you for your services, my good man," he said, purposely interrupting them. "Did someone get me a cane?"

"It's by the door," Dr. Clement said, not even looking at him. He was too busy coddling Cuddy. Even though she kept saying she was fine, he found another reason, one after the other, on why she should stay another night.

"Coming, Cuddy?" House asked, fighting the urge to pop this guy where it counted.

Cuddy thanked him and stood up, taking her hand back from his when he latched onto it. He seemed to have taken a deep interest in her after she became depressed about not being pregnant.

After House and Cuddy changed out of their dressings and into clothes, they all left after thanking Dr. Clement, all glad to be going home. House and Cameron took the lead a few steps ahead. A sullen Cuddy followed behind, walking with Dr. Clement. Wilson stopped walking so she could catch up. When she did, he put her arm around her shoulders comfortingly. "I think we have it from here, thank you, doctor." Wilson wasn't being mean. They just wanted to hurry out of there.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked when Dr. Clement finally left Cuddy's side reluctantly.

Cuddy leaned into Wilson as they walked. "No. Well, you could speed up time to whenever it is I do end up having a baby."

Wilson dropped his arm around her waist. "I'm sorry. I know you had your heart set on it."

"You don't even know the half of it. James, we slept together every day, sometimes twice a day, for the past two months. If that doesn't get me pregnant, nothing will."

Wilson shook the images out of his head and shuddered a bit. "Too much information."

Cuddy laughed. It felt good to laugh. "Sorry. I'm just going to be so happy to get home and resume my life the way it should be. That is, if I still have a home to go back to. Knowing my parents, they sold off everything I own and kept the money for themselves. My nephew has my job; it's only a matter of time before I'm going to wish I was back on that island. The thought of being pregnant was the only hope keeping me sane and wanting to fight. I just don't understand it. The symptoms fit."

"If you ever need anything, Lisa, you know where to find me."

Cuddy reached over to kiss his cheek. "You're sweet. Thank you. But you've already done so much. If it weren't for you and Cameron, House would be dead right now and I would probably be joining him soon."

"My offer to help doesn't expire because of what I've done already. I care about you, Lisa. If you have to come stay with me for a few days until things clear up, you're more than welcome to."

Cuddy could argue with him for days on this and he still wouldn't change his mind. She just thanked him and let it go. She wouldn't take him up on the offer, but didn't tell him that. He's already done so much as it is. She owed her life to him. House did, too, but he'd never admit to that. Very rarely would you ever find someone in this world that would go through what Wilson and Cameron went through to get someone back, especially if you didn't know they were still alive out there. It was a severe long shot, but he went through with it anyway.

It was all worth it in the end. Seeing a smile of gratitude from Cuddy was enough of a reward for Wilson. House was grateful, too, but like hell he would ever say so. He was too busy walking several feet ahead of them, alone.

They jumped into a cab and arrived at the airport a half hour later. They took a private jet home. The service was on them for Wilson's agreement to generously contribute to their company once a month from now until the day he dies. It wasn't a signed contract or anything so he could easily take back his word, but Wilson wouldn't do that. In the end, it was the folks that took him and Cameron to the island that saved House and Cuddy's lives. He would owe them anything they wanted.

Cuddy was a bit skeptical about going back up into a plane after what happened. She never said anything about it, nor did she make a fuss about getting onto the plane. She had concerns, but kept them to herself.

"Think we're going to crash?" House asked when a quiet Cuddy sat beside him.

"Don't joke like that, House," she said, taking it seriously as she tightened her seatbelt as far as it could go.

"I'm not joking. Maybe we can crash again and pick a different island to stay on this time, only we'll have Wilson and Cameron with us. We can have one big orgy."

"House…just shut up for the next ten hours, okay? Take a nap."

Wilson and Cameron sat across from them moments later after having a few words with the captain and crew, mainly on Wilson's end, thanking them for their support and coming through successfully.

House tossed Harry from one hand to the other as everyone got situated.

"Great, let's go get the hospital back from Feeney," Wilson said, buckling up.

"Feeney?" House questioned, looking at everyone individually with a frown. No one's told him who that was yet.

"Nephew that took over the hospital," Cameron said.

House frowned at Cuddy. "I didn't know your sister had a kid."

"Brother, actually."

"You have a brother? I thought you only had one sister," House prodded, very curious.

"I have a half brother Eric, whom I don't associate with. Anything else you need to know?"

"We spent an entire two months on an island and you didn't tell me about him?"

"It was redundant."

"No it wasn't. You told me about your entire family but you didn't mention this guy? Why not? Is he a secret love child from one of your parents?"

"House, let her be," Wilson said.

"Well that's good she's not related directly to…what's his name?"

"Zachary Feeney. Does this mean that your bother's on the board?" Cameron asked, sounding concerned.

Cuddy shook her head. "No. He's just a benefactor giving the hospital large amounts of money a month. He's only doing it to spite me. I should've known Zachary would try to get his paws on my job. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he rigged the plane to go down into the Pacific."

Everyone exchanged glances.

"Was he at the funeral? Eric?"

"No," Cameron said. "Just your parents and Karen."

Cuddy chuckled weakly. "Of course they were." She slapped her hand over her forehead and kneaded the area as if she had a serious migraine.

"He's not actually going to stay the Dean of Medicine, right?" House asked, actually sounding worried.

"If he does, you're out of a job. He closed down Diagnostics and fired everyone."

"What about you? Did he fire you, too?" House asked Wilson.

"No. I quit."

"We couldn't stomach seeing the change of name on Cuddy's office door," Cameron added.

"Right, so back to this benefactor guy. Why didn't I know about him?" House asked, changing the subject quickly and ignoring the fact they told him it was none of his business.

"House, not everything is up for your review," Cuddy half snapped.

"Yeah, but someone who has that much power over your life I should know about. Wait…so when I saw your parents before…a very long time ago…one of them isn't your real parent. Who? I'm guessing it's your mom. Maybe she was a Feeney before she was a Cuddy—"

"Why does this matter so much to you?" Cuddy asked, visibly hurt and worried. "Can't you just let it be?"

"I'm curious. I need to know," he said simply, tossing Harry in the air.

"Fine. If I tell you, will you shut up about it?"

"No. But you can give it a shot. Maybe if I like what you tell me I'll shut up."

Cuddy sighed, taking her hand away from her face. Out of curiosity, Wilson and Cameron also listened in. Cuddy started after takeoff.

"He's not your half brother, is he?" House asked, smirking a bit.

"Lisa, you don't have to tell us anything. We don't need to know," Cameron said, glaring at House.

"Oh will you shut up already? If you don't want to listen, read a magazine and tune us out," House told her forcefully and looked back at Cuddy. "Start."

Cuddy took a deep breath before starting. "My father had a fling two years after Karen was born. Which is particularly funny considering he and my mom both had the same twisted sense of humor, making an affair seem nearly impossible. I don't know who the woman was and to this day I really don't care. I didn't know about Eric until the woman my dad was having an affair with called our home when I was about ten demanding that she have him pay child support."

"You understood all this at ten?" Wilson questioned.

"Yes, I did. I understood it well. Supposedly, the affair ended when my father learned out the woman was pregnant and they both agreed they would never see each other again. I guess she needed money and forced him to come out of hiding. My mom was furious. She never wanted anything to do with Eric so she, as well as my father, pretended he never existed, minus having to pay child support. After he turned eighteen, my parents cut off all ties with him and his mother. They continue to do that to this day, which is why I'm assuming they didn't mention him when they came to New Jersey for the funeral."

Cameron honestly shook her head. "No, they didn't mention him at all. Zachary either. Do they know about Zachary?"

Cuddy nodded. "Oh of course. They know Eric's on the benefactor's list at the hospital as well."

"That must be why they didn't want to come to the hospital. I had to clean out your office," Cameron said, recalling removing the awards from the wall and packing up books in boxes, trying to hold back tears.

"It still doesn't make sense, though. Wouldn't Eric have come to see us after he thought you died?" Wilson asked, wearing a frown.

"Probably not. He was too busy preparing his son to take my spot," Cuddy said dryly.

"Well that won't be happening."

"It's already happened, House," Wilson informed. "The papers are signed, everything's been settled. If Lisa didn't return in the following month, he would become permanent Dean of Medicine."

"That's just stupid," House said with a small scoff. "She couldn't help it if she was stranded on an island for two months. Cuddy, you have to fight this. Get our jobs back. Be our hero!" he cheered with a clenched fist.

If House actually sounded serious, Cuddy would take him seriously. It sounded like a joke to him. Cuddy didn't appreciate that.

"What?" House asked, meeting everyone's stare. "Just saying."

Seeing Cuddy worried made everyone else worry. If she couldn't get her job back, they didn't stand a chance either.

Wilson and Cameron exchanged identical glances. They both knew that rescuing Cuddy off the island was the easy part. Helping her get her job back if everything was already finalized was the hard part.

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Next chapter they finally arrive home! Thanks for reading :)