Chapter 6 : well I'm sorry for the very long hiatus between last chapter and this new one. I was very busy, but I promise to update soon. I hope you'll enjoy it nevertheless.

I just want to add that, as you probably know and see, English isn't my language. I try to do the best I can to write in a comprehensible English but it's not easy, so please be indulgent and forgive my mistakes and infelicities of style.

Next story will be in French I guess.

It's 4 am. House hesitates. He should go back to sleep but he knows he couldn't. Too much things, too much questions haunt his mind. All Cuddy and Wilson related. House is sure of one thing: Wilson left his wedding party with Cuddy after he followed her in House's room where she went to… to what? To hide? Because she refused to see him marry Domenica? To cry bitter tears? Because she was sad? Upset? Jealous? Angry? Why did she come? Did she think he wouldn't be able to go all the way? No, she knew him too well, she knew he would marry this girl because she knew why he did it: to hurt her as much as she hurt him. So why? Maybe she thought all this was just a farce and that the wedding wouldn't be legal… Or maybe she thought she could prevent him to say "yes" if she was there in the room? No, that's what House had secretly hoped, that Cuddy would maybe… maybe what? Yell "NO" when Chase would ask him if he wanted to marry Domenica? Yes, for a second, House had hoped Cuddy would do that, but she didn't. Whatever her reason was, nothing happened, House and Domenica got married. House didn't dare to go in his room to see her and talk to her, he felt bad and a little ashamed, and he was sure she was crying and he hated seeing Cuddy crying. Especially if he was the reason. And besides Wilson was with her. Wilson… He always needed to help, to comfort other people, and Cuddy was sad, heartbroken, so Wilson had probably jumped at the chance to give her a hand… Of course it doesn't mean he slept with her… But… there was a time, House remembers, Wilson seemed to like Cuddy much more than just like a friend, he took her out to an art preview, he went with her to a play, they had dinner in restaurants… And maybe more but House didn't know about it, Wilson wasn't always willing to talk about Cuddy at that time, House teased him with it but Wilson evaded the subject. And after a few weeks everything went back to "normal". And House found a new subject to dig at Wilson. But now, in the middle of the night, after all that happened the days before, House doesn't know what to think, he's not sure he can trust Wilson, his best friend. He needs to know what Wilson and Cuddy talked about in the room, what they made after they left his party, where they went, if they were together or not, if Cuddy is dating someone, if…

House suddenly gets up. It's 4.30 am. He goes to the bathroom, takes a shower, dresses up and goes to the hospital. The ride on his bike through the empty streets makes him feel a little better; he always enjoys riding by night through the city. But he's already at the hospital and a mixed feeling of fear, anger and jealousy sweep over him. The hall is deserted. He wants to make a detour via Cuddy's office just to see if she is there. Deep in his heart he hoped that maybe she couldn't sleep either and would have come here. But what if she was there? Would he have gone to talk to her? No, of course not. House goes then to his office; he sits down at his desk and begins to play with Ball-y. This ball has a relaxing effect and helps him to think. A lot of images go through his mind, always the same, Cuddy with Wilson, Wilson kissing Cuddy, Cuddy sinking in Wilson's arms… And then bittersweet memories come back: the sweet moments he shared with Cuddy, their flirts at the hospital, the way he tried to make her uneasy and her quick wit, their arguments about clinic duty or an "eccentric" treatment… the way she walks swallowing her hips in a sexy and sensual manner, his jokes about her ass or her breasts, her low top-cut or her skin-tight skirts that make her so sexy, so hot, that many times he has to remain sitting at his desk … He misses her, not just the lover, also the sexy self-confident boss, chasing him through the hospital to be sure he does his clinic hours, the sweet friend, always ready to give him another chance. Could they one day come back to the old good days, to the very special, unique relationship they had before dating?

Com'on Greg! You don't live in a child's fantasy world! Open your eyes, you lost her, definitely. Game over, he shouts and takes the head in his hands. He doesn't know how long he stayed like this: 10 minutes? 30? More? But suddenly, he felt a presence. He looks up but there's no one. Only darkness and the faint glow of emergency light in the hall. He strains his ears, but there's no noise, only a quiet silence. However this weird feeling doesn't quit him. He gets up to see if there's someone or something in the hall, but it's empty. House goes back to his desk, sits down and closes the eyes.

-Oh oh, the groom has a hangover this morning?

House jumps and looks surprised at Chase who's standing there with a big smile on his face.

-I thought you wouldn't come to work today…

-So you would have had a day off? You dream! Do we have a case?

-Hem yes. 52 years old man, with hallucinations, confused, fever and difficulty breathing.

-Where is the rest of the team?

-In the dif. room…

-What are you waiting for? House asks and enters the dif. room. Go and run the usual tests!

-Are you ok, House? Taub asks.

-Yeah, I'm fine. Go and do your job!

Once his team left, House decides to talk to Wilson. But when he comes to his friend's office, he finds the door closed. House looks at his watch: 9.00 am. Maybe is Wilson late this morning? But… the weird feeling comes back. And House begins to knock at the door.

-Wilson! Open the door! I know you're here! Open the door!

But no one answers and no noise comes out of the room. House doesn't know what to do when a nurse nears him and says:

-Doctor Wilson called this morning, he took a day off today. No need to break the door.

House looks puzzled at her and she smiles before leaving. He calls Wilson but he gets his answering machine. House returned to his office and thinks. He could go to Cuddy's office but … he doesn't have the heart to see her and to talk to her yet. That's why he paged Chase. 5 minutes later, his fellow comes in his office.

-You want to see me?

-Is Cuddy in her office?

-Well, I … I don't know. I haven't seen her this morning but …

-Go and find out where she is.

-May I ask why?

-No.

-Okay, then … I go.

-I wait for you.

Chase gives House a last look before leaving his boss' office.

-Is there something wrong? Taub asks him in the hall.

-Nope.

-You sure?

-It's … I find the boss a little weird this morning

-Really? What did he want?

-To know where Cuddy is

-Probably to avoid her. After yesterday, it's understandable, don't you think so?

-Maybe you're right.

But there's no one in Cuddy's office. Chase goes then to the clinic, but there's no Cuddy there too.

-Hem, excuse me, did you see Doctor Cuddy this morning?

-No. And it's weird because she didn't call to say she wouldn't come today. Maybe she's just late.

-Thank you.

-Where's Cuddy?

-I don't know.

-What do you mean you don't know? I asked you to find out where she is.

-Yes you did, but no one saw her this morning.

-Did she call?

-No.

-Thank you. You can go back to work.

-Are you ok House?

-Yes. Let me alone now.

House has a bad feeling about Cuddy. She's not there, and Wilson took a day off. He tries to call his friend, but once again his answering machine asks him to leave a message.