Title:Dr. House and Ally McBeal? Objection, Your Honour!

Author:Rippertish

Chapter 6:The Package deal

A/N: Apologies for the delay in updating! I'm back with a new chapter. This one brings a key, powerful and graceful figure from House MD into Ally's world, along with all the Fish & Cage chaos that comes with it. Glad to have you along for the ride, and as always, have fun!

The elevator doors slid open with a distinct chime, revealing Dr. Lisa Cuddy in all her poised elegance. She stepped out, heels clicking on the floors of Fish & Cage. Her tailored suit was immaculate, exuding a level of command and confidence that was magnetic.

At that moment, Richard Fish happened to glance up from his conversation with John Cage. His eyes widened, and his mouth formed a small "oh." Lisa Cuddy was, without a doubt, a vision, and something about her presence stirred the unapologetically odd yet fascinating side of him.

Without a word, Richard abandoned John mid-sentence, striding toward Cuddy like a man on a mission.

"Dr. Cuddy!" Richard extended a hand, with admiration and intrigue. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person. Richard Fish, managing partner. But I suppose you already knew that."

"Yes, we spoke on the phone." Cuddy replied with a firm handshake.

Richard's gaze lingered a second too long before his brow furrowed. "Oh, excuse me, you've got something…" He gestured vaguely, then lifted a tentative finger toward her neck, hovering just below her chin.

Cuddy's body tensed instinctively, leaning back a fraction, but before she could react, Richard's finger brushed her skin with a light, deliberate touch. "There," he said, with the reverence of someone completely entranced.

Cuddy froze, and her composure faltered for just a second before she snapped back to herself. "What are you doing?" she asked, her tone carrying a pointed warning.

Richard smiled, unbothered. "Oh, just a little smudge." He drew his hand back, looking pleased with himself. "No need to thank me. It's what I do."

Cuddy's professional mask returned, though her narrowed eyes suggested she wasn't buying a word of it.

Before she could respond, Richard gestured towards Elaine, summoning her. "Elaine, would you please escort Dr. Cuddy to Ms. McBeal's office?"

"Of course," Elaine replied with her usual flair. "Dr. Cuddy, right this way. Ms. McBeal is expecting you." She smiled brightly, clearly thrilled to have someone as sophisticated as the Dean of Medicine from Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital to fuss over.

As Cuddy followed, Richard lingered behind, watching her retreating form, his head tilted slightly in admiration.

John, who had witnessed everything, finally snapped out of his starstruck daze, blinking twice before turning to Richard. "You touched her wattle!" he exclaimed indignantly.

Richard, still watching her leave, bit his lip, "Uh?" Then he shook his head slightly and waved a hand. "Bygones."

As Elaine led Dr. Cuddy down the hallway, her face lit up with an idea she clearly couldn't resist sharing.

"Oh, Dr. Cuddy," Elaine began, barely able to contain her excitement, "I just have to show you something on the way. One of my latest inventions. You know, I'm quite the innovator here at Fish & Cage."

Cuddy's eyebrows lifted slightly, in a mix of curiosity and mild trepidation. "Really? What kind of… innovations?"

"Oh, you're going to love this!" Elaine darted over to a small cabinet, rummaging inside with a mischievous grin until she pulled out what looked like a large, glimmering belt, complete with some kind of remote control.

She held it up proudly. "I call it the 'Stress-B-Gone.'" Elaine wiggled the remote for effect. "You wear it around your waist like this," she demonstrated, "and it sends these gentle pulses for… relaxation. Great for releasing tension in high-stress situations."

Then, with a wink, she added, "Or, you know, lonely nights."

Cuddy's eyes widened. "Is that… like a massage device?"

"Yes!" Elaine leaned in conspiratorially. "It's adjustable. From gentle… to very stimulating."

Cuddy, momentarily taken aback, managed a polite smile. "That's… quite creative, Elaine."

Elaine beamed. "Oh, I know." She tucked the device back into the cabinet with a sigh. "It's been a real hit around here. Though not everyone fully appreciates my genius."

Leading Cuddy onward, she continued. "Anyway, right this way. Ms. McBeal's office is just around the corner!"

Cuddy followed, suppressing a bemused smile. Working with Fish & Cage was shaping up to be even more… eccentric than she'd anticipated.

As they approached Ally's office, Elaine gave a brief knock before pushing the door open. Ally looked up from her desk, a warm, professional smile spreading across her face.

"Dr. Cuddy," Ally greeted, rising from her chair. "I'm Ally McBeal. Thanks for making the time to come in."

Cuddy shook her hand. "Happy to be here. Anything to help clarify the facts."

Before Ally could respond, the door opened again, and John Cage stepped in.

Ally gestured towards him. "Dr. Cuddy, this is John Cage, Senior Partner and second chair counsel in Dr. House's case."

John stepped forward, offering a respectful handshake. "Dr. Cuddy, it's an honour to meet you. Your reputation precedes you, not just as a Dean of Medicine but as someone who leads with integrity."

Cuddy's brow lifted slightly, clearly not expecting such a direct compliment. "Thank you, Mr. Cage. It's refreshing to hear something positive about hospital administrators for once."

John smiled, his hands clasped behind him, his characteristic nervous energy barely noticeable. "When it's true, it deserves to be said."

Ally, sensing the conversation teetering into awkward territory, cleared her throat. "Shall we get started?"

She moved, leading them towards the conference room. "Dr. Cuddy, I've reviewed the case in detail, but I'd love to hear more about Princeton-Plainsboro's perspective. We want to ensure that we're fully aligned."

Cuddy nodded as they walked, "Absolutely. I've brought some additional documentation that might help clarify House's actions. They were unconventional, but as you've probably realised, that's just part of the package."

Ally let out a short breath, glancing at John as she opened the door. "Oh, we've noticed," she muttered.

John, ever the diligent second chair, jumped in, nodding along. "Yes! And that's exactly why it's our job to prove Dr. House's package is worth a second look."

Silence.

Ally stiffened. Cuddy's eyebrow arched slightly. John remained blissfully unaware, smiling proudly.

Then, suddenly, his posture straightened. His smile faltered and his eyes widened in horror.

"Oh. His package? Oh no. I- I didn't mean his actual, not that it's not worth, I wouldn't know! I mean, I assume, not assume, I just. Oh God."

Ally squeezed her eyes shut.

John panicked, talking faster. "I- I mean. At first glance, it can be… hard to handle."

Ally choked. Cuddy's lips twitched.

"But in the right hands, like under your capable hands, Dr. Cuddy…"

Ally's soul left her body.

"...it seems to be very… effective."

Ally buried her face in her hands.

John, now fully spiralling, desperately tried to fix it. "What I mean is… House requires a firm grip… to, uh, manage properly."

Ally's head snapped up. "John."

John laughed nervously, now visibly sweating. Ever the gentleman, he pulled out a chair for Cuddy before offering, "It's just… he's difficult, but I'm sure he's responsive if handled correctly."

Ally groaned.

Cuddy, watching this unfold like a comedy sketch, finally stepped in. "I understand what you meant, Mr. Cage."

John let out a breath of relief. "Thank you."

Cuddy smiled graciously. "Not everyone has the skill to handle House's… full scope."

John visibly twitched.

Ally, flustered and ready to bury the entire conversation, snapped her folder open. "Shall we? Uh. Move on?"

Cuddy, completely unbothered, granted them all a reprieve. "Good idea."

Ally flipped through her notes, collecting herself. "Dr. Cuddy," she began, "Let's start with likely lines of questioning from the opposing counsel. John and I will help you sharpen your responses. Expect them to highlight Dr. House's unorthodox behaviour and challenge its necessity. So we need to focus on why his methods are medically sound and ultimately saved the patient's life.

John, reclaiming his composure, chimed in. "In your testimony, the jury needs to see the human side of his high stakes decision making. Not just the risk, but the reason behind it. Your input will help us frame that narrative."

Cuddy nodded thoughtfully. "Understood. House doesn't follow rules, but he doesn't break them lightly either. Everything he does, no matter how it looks, is driven by results."

Ally jotted down a note. "We need to show that Dr. House isn't defying the system out of ego, he's doing it to prevent loss of life. Focus on the stakes, not the rules."

Cuddy tilted her head, considering. "So you're saying I should emphasise not only the results but also the intent over the methods?"

"Exactly," John said. "They'll respond better to that. Results make him credible. Intent makes him personable."

Ally, tapping her pen absently against her notepad, grimaced slightly. "Personable. Right." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

The words tumbled out before she could stop them. Ally froze, her pen mid-tap as her eyes widened. "Oh. I… I… Did that come out loud?" She shrugged apologetically. "I didn't mean…"

Cuddy let out a soft, understanding laugh. "It's okay. You're not wrong. House might not appreciate being called personable either. What you see is what you get. I imagine he's not making your life easier."

Ally relaxed slightly. "That's an understatement" she confessed, not able to help herself.

Cuddy smiled sympathetically. "Between us, I've spent years trying to manage Dr. House. But I've learned to pick my battles. You have to, or you'll go crazy. House might frustrate everyone he works with, but his results speak for themselves. Better results than all of our other medical staff."

John leaned forward, clearing his throat, bringing the conversation back to focus. "That's a solid angle. The jury doesn't need to like him. They need to believe in his unique capabilities. We paint him as the diagnostician who takes the risks no one else would, to save patients no one else could."

Cuddy nodded. "He's not afraid to go against the grain. House is… bold."

John murmured the word as he wrote it down. "Bold."

Cuddy's gaze flicked to John, a small smile forming. "And from what I've heard, House isn't the only one around here who's bold."

John's pen halted. He blinked, looking up. "I… beg your pardon?"

Cuddy elaborated. "I heard how you handled the patient's cross-examination. The way you pushed to expose the underlying miscommunication. It was very audacious.

John froze, caught completely off guard. "A-audacious?... Me?" His pitch higher than normal

"Yes," Cuddy said. "It's not easy to take that kind of risk in a courtroom, but you made it work. It's impressive."

A faint whistle escaped John's nose as his face flushed. His finger raised to touch his nose. "Well, I, uh, thank you."

Ally, suppressing a grin, picked up the thread of conversation. "So, Dr. Cuddy, if we establish that his actions stem from confidence and expertise, the jury may overlook his personality quirks. We need cases where his approach directly averted fatal outcomes, preferably in ways no one else would have considered.

Cuddy straightened "I can provide that. I have plenty of stories where House's methods were the only reason a patient walked out of the hospital alive."

Ally nodded, jotting another note. "Good. We'll make sure that by the time the jury deliberates, they won't see him as reckless. They'll see a doctor who delivers results when textbook medicine, and other doctors, fall short."

With that, she and John went over a few final points, fine-tuning their approach until they were satisfied. Closing her notepad, Ally glanced at Cuddy. "Thanks for your help. And, uh… for understanding."

Cuddy's smile softened. "Anytime. House isn't easy, but neither of you strike me as the type to shy away from a challenge. I respect that."

Ally and John walked Cuddy to the elevator, offering a quick, professional nod as the doors slid shut behind her.

The moment she was out of sight, John leaned in, voice low and dreamy. "I'm drawn to her."

Ally tilted her head, staring at him. "John."

He nodded sagely, tapping his nose in quiet revelation. "Like a moth to a flame."

End for chapter 6

A/N: I know, no Greg House in this chapter! But I hope you still enjoyed the chaos at Fish & Cage, especially with Ally navigating new dynamics and our beloved Dean of Medicine, Lisa Cuddy, holding her own.

Bringing Cuddy into this world (with Richard, Elaine, and John) was too fun to resist. Don't worry, House will be back soon, but until then, I hope John's… unique phrasing kept you entertained. :D

Please let me know your thoughts :)