Disclaimer: I do not own House

A/N: Soooo sorry I would have had this done so much sooner but OMG my last week of school has been INSANE!!! seriously! I had a break down!! TWO TIMES! but I'm better now! If you havent read the news on my profile page I am on Christmas Break so I will try to update 24/7 but I am currently OBSESSED with this new book called Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn! Its awesome! If you read it tell me I just got to their Greek lives hehe

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys are awesome! The poll seems to be done so I'll be ending it soon probably rigth before I post the next chapter

Hehe my old beta, not - lupus . everybody - lies is back as my beta :D So yeah lets give thanks to her for QUICKLY beta-ing this!


House entered the lecture hall to see all his employees waiting for him. A few looking confident because they had gotten to the clinic just in time, and a few that looked afraid. He turned to his favorite candidate and saw her leaning back confidently and uncaringly. He narrowed his eyes, playfully and in mock threat, as he approached her desk. She simply smiled up at him and raised a brow. It annoyed him how calm she stayed and he fought hard not to smile. His actions were obvious to her and her smirk just grew wider. Damn her.

"You think just because you were my old boss that you don't need to worry about anything?" He asked her as he cocked his own brow. He saw her work hard to keep the smirk from turning into a smile and letting out a soft laugh.

"It's more of not caring than it is not worrying," She shot back wittily as she shot him a challenging smirk that he almost couldn't turn down.

They kept their stare down, House intensifying his glare as Cuddy stayed cool, calm and collected. Without breaking eye contact House call out, "Numbers 26, 18, and 12 thanks for playing." He saw Cuddy's smirk widen, if that was possible, and even heard a small chuckle escape from her sealed lips.

"What?" Eighteen stood up angrily as the other two just left without causing a scene. "I was there before those two and her! She never even showed up! You said the last three to show up are fired! Just because she can shake her ass means she can keep her job?" He shouted angrily.

Before House could respond, Cuddy stood up straight and narrowed her eyes at him. "I didn't keep this job because I know how to "shake my ass" as you said. I kept my job because I didn't show up at the Clinic. He clearly said "the last three employees to show up in the clinic get fired." I didn't show up at all so I automatically kept the job." House smirked at her insight. She knew him all too well. Eighteen stood there still angered as he thought of something to say. "Don't be upset because you weren't smart enough to listen to his warning." Before eighteen could respond Cuddy spoke again. "Why don't you just leave quietly and go while you still have a little bit of pride." She certainly knew how to make an employee feel fired, albeit she wasn't the boss anymore.

Eighteen furrowed his brows in defeat and looked down regretfully. He picked up his belongings and began to leave the room passing by Cuddy, who simply gave him a smirk of victory. He left with little to no pride. House stared at Cuddy a bit admirably as she watched the crude man walk out, though he would never actually admit that he sometimes respected her.

"Greg," Sarah called pulling House out of his trance. He hadn't realized he had been staring at Cuddy absentmindedly. "My shifts over and Walters said you're done for the day, let's go home." She informed him as she sent a glare at Cuddy, who had turned to look at the couple after she heard House's name being called.

"Right, everyone is dismissed." House called out as he looked at Cuddy almost sadly. He noticed her proud expression replaced by disappointment as she got ready to leave. "Cuddy, can I talk to you for a second." He called out, cryptically nervous.

" Yes, Dr. House?" She asked formally as she obviously put up her defensive walls.

House walked over to his desk and took out a white plastic bag from beneath it. He went back to Cuddy and held up the plastic bag to her as he averted his eyes. When he felt the bag still in his hands after several seconds he looked up and saw Cuddy looking at the plastic bag suspicious and a bit confused.

He cleared his throat before answering. "It's for, um, Rachel," He hated showing that he cared, especially when it came to Rachel. His relationship with Rachel was a secret until Cuddy had barged into his office when Rachel was three and found them sharing lunch. She never let him live it down either. That when she started bringing Rachel directly to House and let them spend time together, that was until he quit.

"Thank you," Cuddy spoke hesitantly as she reached for the bag slowly to see if it were some trick. She opened it to make sure it was just candy and found a variety of candy that looked like it had been collected by a child on a trick-or-treat mission.

"I'm sure with you as her mother; she probably doesn't get candy much and is fed 'healthy' vegetables." House stated as he tried to deflect his true intentions of caring and kindness.

Cuddy held back a smile as she saw past his deflections. Was this really the man that had left her and Rachel several years ago? She saw House turn around and look at her when she hadn't responded to his makeshift insult, though she took at as a compliment about the good eating habits she was enforcing on her daughter.

House saw a small sparkle in her eyes as she looked at him almost commendably. He also noted a small smile that was placed upon her soft, pink lips. He internally smiled at the positive results he was looking for in Cuddy. The small twinkle in her eyes stayed and seemed like it would be there permanently, or so House hoped.

"Rachel will love this," She finally spoke out softly. "Thank you," She looked down at the bag and then smirked playfully as she looked up at him. "This doesn't make us even though. I'm still going to get you back for kidnapping my daughter and almost giving me a heart attack." She stated almost jokily.

House returned the smug smile. "Threatening your boss are we, Dr. Cuddy?" He joked back. "That isn't very smart unless you were trained properly."

Cuddy bit back a chuckle and grinned. "Well I did learn from the best," She shot back as he had expected.

Before House could respond Sarah broke up their short moment. "Greg," She called out jealously which caused both doctors to look at her. "Come on, let's go home." She commanded firmly, not missing the small fire that was reigniting from these two.

House turned back to Cuddy once again sadly and saw a reflection of his expression on her face as well. Before he could say anything, he was once again beaten by his new boss this time.

"Dr. Cuddy, may I have a word with you in my office," Walters asked from the back door. She had been standing there unnoticed for several minutes and had caught most of what had happened, even before House's old employees left.

Cuddy nodded at her superior. She turned to House forlornly and let out a weak smile. "Thanks again for the candy. I'm sure Rachel will at least appreciate the effort when I tell her about it." She stated, hinting that she wouldn't give the whole bag to her daughter. "Goodnight, Dr. House." She gave a faint smile before following Walters out.

House stood there for a moment and bit back a smile from the sparkle in her eyes. He turned around when he heard Sarah clear her throat and he put his arm around her as they walked out. He calmed her down a bit and lied, saying that the gesture was so she wouldn't hurt him for kidnapping Rachel. She sighed and accepted the lie and snuggled into his touch when they passed the two female doctors. House looked back at Cuddy who gave him a quick glance before disappearing into devil number 2's office.

"Dr. Cuddy," Walters began as she pulled out Cuddy's file. "We have something very important to discuss."


A/N: Ooooh what was Walters talking to Cuddy about?? Do you have any ideas? I wanna hear all your thoughts and predictions!

I hoped you all liked it and I am SUPER sorry it was soo short. I will try to make the next chapter longer! :D Reviews are all very encouraging!!

-Jessica