Time flew, and before I knew it Robert and I were on our way to Diagnostics Room 2, where we were to write the test. The next three hours passed in a blur, and then it was over. The six of us walked to the cafeteria. Emily and I started discussing the test, but Eric stopped us. "Please don't," he said. "It was bad enough writing it."

The queue was long, and the cafeteria crowded. "Why don't you two get us a table? We'll order for you," Dan said motioning to me and Robert.

Robert and I found a table and waited in silence. It was uncomfortable, and I wondered why. The silence hadn't been uncomfortable in the morning.

The four of them arrived, and Dan sat in between me and Robert. "Here's your coffee," he said, setting a cup in front of Robert. "And your decaf," he said, setting the other one in front of me. I smiled. He'd noticed that I drank only decaf.

I sipped, and wondered for a second why it tasted sweeter than usual.

Emily and the boys excitedly discussed a movie which was to be released the next week while Katherine and I remained silent. The conversation continued, and my mind drifted off to other topics.

Dan excused himself, but I wasn't paying attention. I didn't in the slightest see what was coming next.

"So, Al, aren't you into movies?" Eric asked grinning broadly. "I am, just not into the action packed ones," I replied wondering what was funny.

I realized that Emily was staring at me wide eyed, looking extremely shocked.

"What? It's not wrong to dislike action movies," I said, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. "No, behind you," Emily choked out, and I turned, suddenly scared.

Dan was standing behind me, and for a split second, I didn't understand. And then I saw a pair of scissors and a mass of brown hair on the floor behind my chair.

I whipped around again, waiting for my hair to swish to the front. It didn't. Dan had cut my well below shoulder-length hair till my shoulders.

I couldn't think. I couldn't even breathe. I started yelling through the tears that threatened to choke me.

"Are you crazy? What the hell? What…."

"It was just a dare, chill," Dan replied easily.

"Just a dare? Chill?"

I felt as though the world had ended. All I wanted to do was head back to my room and cry forever. I shoved past him blindly, not registering the walk from the cafeteria to my room.

Cuddy appeared from somewhere. "Are you okay?" she asked but I could barely hear her. I needed to reach my room before I broke down completely.

I thrusted the door open and walked in rather shakily. Cuddy followed me in looking extremely concerned. "What happened?" she asked. I started crying again, unable to breathe. She put her arm around my shoulder and led me to the couch.

"He-he-cut my-my hair," I said, crying even harder.

"Calm down. It's okay. You're okay," she comforted and pushed a bottle of water into my hand. "Here. Drink this. Deep breaths."

I took a sip and tried to calm down. I was hyperventilating by then, and I wanted nothing more than to wake up and find that it was all a dream.

"He did it for a dare," I said, unable to believe it. "A dare!"

I stood up suddenly, anger reignited. "I have to talk to him. And rip him apart."

"No," she said firmly but gently, pulling me back to the couch. "I'm not letting you go anywhere like this."

"You can't do that," I said, but I wasn't struggling. She could and I knew it. Some part of me wanted her to stop me; to talk some sense into me.

The sobs resumed, and she put her arm back around me. "I'm sorry," she said softly, stroking my hair. I wondered how she could be motherly and unrelenting at the same time.

I continued to take small sips of water. "It's not the end of the world. Nothing's changed," she said softly.

She sat with me patiently till I stopped crying. As soon as I did, I felt ashamed of my outburst. How childish, I thought.

"I've never cared so much about my looks. I don't know why I freaked out-" I began but Cuddy stopped me.

"There's no need to explain. It was the shock of it. If someone cut off my hair, I'd freak out too."

I smiled at her, glad that she understood.

"Are you sure you'll be okay here alone?" she asked. I nodded. 'Besides, I've to get back to class. House will probably be annoyed with me."

'I'm sure he won't mind if you take a break. I'll tell him," she said, and stood up. I did too, and she gave me a hug. I was slightly surprised, but I hugged her back. "Thanks," I whispered into her ear. "For everything."

"You're welcome," she said, and moved towards the door. I immediately missed the warmth of her arms around me.

She stopped before she reached the door, and turned back. "Who was it?" she asked her voice professional again. "Who cut you hair?"

"Um… It doesn't matter," I replied. I wasn't about to tell on a classmate even if he cut off my hair. She gave me knowing look. "You don't have to protect him, you know. Besides, I'll find out anyways."

And with that, the Dean of Medicine stepped out of the room.

I washed my face, trying to erase the evidence that I had cried, but it wouldn't go away. I even tried applying make-up, but that looked worse, so I ended up washing my face again.

"Ooh! What did you do?" House asked in mock shock as soon as I entered.

I didn't reply. Instead, I took my place next to Robert, who looked worried.

As soon as House tuned away, I turned to Robert. "Did you know?" I asked managing to sound as though it didn't matter to me. He looked guilty as hell, but from that expression I knew that whatever he'd known, that hadn't been what he had expected. "I'm so sorry. In the morning they told me that they were playing a prank on you. They said it was a small, harmless prank; never mentioned anything about cutting your hair off. I was uncomfortable about it but they convinced me," he finished anxiously, studying my face for a sign of what I was feeling. When I didn't reply, he seemed more tormented, but our conversation ended rather abruptly, for House told us that we could work out issues in the corridor if we wanted to.

I looked at Dan. I couldn't see from his eyes whether he felt guilty or not, but he wasn't fidgeting as usual. I wondered if Cuddy had been right when she told me that I didn't have to protect him. I wondered whether she could truly find out who had done it-

A cane rapping the desk in front of me brought me back to the room. "You," said House pointing his cane at me, "need to work out your issues. Either that or get fired."

"He cut off my hair!" I said, stung.

"As long as he didn't cut off your head, you can still diagnose," House said emotionlessly before he went back to talking about the diagnosis.