A/N: We're glad you're all enjoying this :) Opening lyrics are from a song called Butterfly by Christina Perri. Hughville is a master at picking the right songs for each chapter, isn't she? :D

Chapter Six

I know exactly what you do

I made damn sure I studied you

You won't pick me

I am just a breeze underneath your wings

So I pray each night you'll change your mind

And maybe I am worth the fight

But I am wrong every time

You only know how to fly

One bright chilly day in October, Kutner walked into the Diagnostics conference room. He stopped short when he saw a young woman sitting at the desk in the corner. She had a stack of patient files in front of her. Her long dark hair was smoothed back from her face with a headband, she wore a vest over a puffy sleeved floral top and she looked up at him with a smile. She had large brown eyes and two tiny dimples next to her full lips.

"I'm Sarah Edwards, Doctor House's assistant," she said. "Are you Doctor Kutner?"

Kutner smiled and nodded. He hung up his coat and walked over to her.

"You can call me Larry," he said.

"I made coffee and there are bagels with cream cheese, Larry."

"Did House hire you?" he asked as he leaned against the side of the desk.

"No, Doctor Cameron did."

Kutner bit back a laugh. "Well, welcome to Diagnostics," he told her. "I'll let you get back to work."

Amber arrived a few minutes later. She stared at Sarah and then looked at Kutner.

"Sarah," Kutner said with a shit eating grin. "This is Doctor Volakis." He turned to Amber. "Doctor Cameron hired her to be House's assistant."

Amber's eyes widened and then she smiled widely. "Hey, Sarah. Did you make coffee?"

"And she brought bagels," Kutner told her.

When Foreman arrived, he nodded at Sarah. "Good morning, Miss Edwards."

"Good morning, Doctor Foreman."

"Did you make copies of the new patient's chart?" he asked her.

She stood and picked up a small pile of files which she brought to the table. As she was passing out the files, House entered. He threw his backpack into his office and stumbled slightly when he saw Sarah. She had her back to him and he stared at her.

"What year is it?" he asked looking slightly shocked. "Is it 2004?"

Sarah turned and smiled at him.

Foreman leaned back in his chair and his eyes gleamed with amusement. "House, meet your new assistant, Sarah Edwards."

"Good morning, Doctor House," Sarah said smiling brightly. She held a file out to him.

He snatched it from her and eyed her suspiciously. "I don't need an assistant. I already have my own group of bitches to do my bidding."

Sarah swallowed nervously and edged past him to sit at her desk.

House looked at Foreman. "You hire that?"

"Cameron did. Though I did help vet her. I think she'll fit in here very well." A slight smile curved one corner of Foreman's mouth. Part of him felt sorry for Edwards and another part of him looked forward to the rest of the day.

For the most part, House ignored Sarah until she asked him to sign the patient files she worked on all day. He didn't react when she put the pile on his desk and cleared her throat. House clicked to the next video. Suggestive music played and he bobbed his head in time to the beat. A slight gasp escaped her when she caught sight of his computer monitor. Two women were having sex with a horse. He looked over his shoulder at her.

"You like horses, Edwards?" he asked with an innocent look.

She shook her head and practically ran from the room. He waited a few minutes and then turned to sign the files. When he was done, he opened his desk drawer and took out a length of pale pink ribbon. Tying it around the files, he set them back on his desk, called the hospital mailroom and asked them to be delivered to Doctor Cameron.

As he was packing up to leave later that evening, Cameron walked into his office. She wore a dark green dress with a scoop neck that showed off the upper curves of her breasts and a full skirt that swirled around her toned legs.

"Porn?" she asked. "Really? You couldn't do any better than that? I'm disappointed." She turned to leave but stopped with her hand on the door frame. "Your new assistant starts in the morning. Try to be a little more creative."

House watched her until she disappeared from sight. Then he laughed. The game was on.

Cameron walked into the lobby and saw several balloons attached to a stack of patient files. She picked them up and smiled. Yesterday, House sent his fourth assistant home crying after he placed several white mice from the genetics lab in her desk drawer. Cameron knew the woman was terrified of mice and sent House an anonymous text letting him know. She also made sure the woman got a large bonus and placement at a local doctor's office for it.

House sat in his Eames lounger when he heard the familiar click of heels out in the hall. He looked around for a way to escape but it was too late. Cuddy entered his office with her baby in a car seat carrier.

"Oh, how convenient. I was just talking about you," House commented.

"Really…"

"Well, not you specifically. I was just lecturing my team about whores and hypocrisy."

She frowned. "I was just about to ask if you were free on Friday night."

"Nope. I'm taking a lovely lady to the Philharmonic."

Cuddy looked at him, doubtfully. "Is that your polite way of saying you're going to be with a hooker?"

"Two. Can't create a harmonic with just one." He motioned to the baby. "And how is your boozy crack baby?"

Cuddy narrowed her eyes and put the carrier down on the floor. She sat on the footstool and lifted the baby out. "Rachel's fine. Want to hold her?"

Without waiting for a response, she handed Rachel over to House and he held her up for inspection.

Cameron approached House's office but stopped just short of the open door. Cuddy was there with her baby. Cameron started to turn away but stopped when she heard Cuddy speak.

"I was going to invite you to Rachel's Simchat Bat but I don't want you there. It's a special occasion filled with love and acceptance, and the last thing I need is someone there who's filled with loathing and contempt."

House nodded as he continued to study Rachel.

Cuddy blinked in surprise. "That's it? You're really not coming?"

"Yes. I'm really not coming."

"Thank you."

Rachel gurgled and then suddenly spat up, causing Cuddy to laugh. Cameron heard enough and she turned and went back to her office.

After Cuddy visited House, she went down to see Cameron next.

"I don't know how you managed House for so long," Cameron said as she typed something on the computer. "I'd be bald from pulling my hair out."

"Is he giving you problems?" Cuddy asked as she put Rachel's car seat carrier on the couch. Rachel cooed as Cuddy sat down next to her. "Come meet Rachel."

Cameron got up and took Rachel from Cuddy when she held the baby out. Cradling her, Cameron looked down at her. Rachel wore a pink fleece footed onesie and a pink hat. She had large blue eyes and tufts of soft dark hair.

"She's adorable," Cameron said.

"So what's going on with House?" Cuddy asked.

Cameron sat down on the couch and continued to hold Rachel. "Oh, the usual. He's gone through four assistants already." She didn't mention the game playing aspect of it. The last thing she needed was a lecture from Cuddy about professionalism.

"You let him have an assistant?"

Cameron handed Rachel back to her. "Every department head has one. He's caught up on all his paperwork and billing. The second one actually lasted a week."

"House can't have an assistant," Cuddy told her as she put Rachel back in her carrier and buckled her in.

"Why? Because I did all his paperwork for him?"

"No one made you."

Cameron counted to ten. "Well, I will continue to hire assistants for him until I find one who can deal with him."

Cuddy barked out a laugh. "Good luck with that."

Cameron stood. "Well, it was good to see you and Rachel is adorable."

Cuddy stood, too. "I'd like to invite you to Rachel's Simchat Bat on Friday night at seven. It's a Jewish baby naming ceremony."

"I'll have to check my calendar and get back with you," Cameron told her. "That okay?"

Cuddy picked up the carrier and looked down at her daughter. "Fine." She walked to the door and then turned back. "A word of advice? Stop hiring assistants for House. Let the board know he's not doing his job. It'll do him good to deal with the consequences of his actions."

Cameron merely smiled as Cuddy left. Slowly, she sat down at her desk. She waited for the rage that surged through her to cool. Then she picked up the phone and arranged for House's fifth assistant to start the next day.

The next morning, House walked in and saw an older man sitting at the desk in the conference room. He looked over at Foreman who shrugged. The man stood and held out his hand.

"Henry Dobson," he said as he waited for House to shake his hand. When House continued to stare at him, he lowered his hand. "I'm your assistant."

House turned and entered his office. Dobson sat down and went back to work. A few minutes later, Cameron walked past the conference room and into House's office.

"Problem?" she asked as she sat down in a chair in front of his desk.

House leaned back in his chair, folded his hands over his stomach and shook his head in mock disappointment.

"We were having fun and you changed the game," he told her.

"Dobson worked in the admissions office at Columbia for thirty years. He also audited all their medical classes. You need an actual assistant who can actually help you."

"I actually need some actual sex. You up for that?"

"Yes, actually, I am," she countered with a smile.

His eyes widened and then he grinned. "Oh, you're good." He sat forward and put his hands on the desk. "We okay now? About the whole letter thing?"

Cameron looked at him until he squirmed slightly. "Yes," she said softly and got up.

House watched her go and sighed.