"Today my love smiled on me, it took away my pain say please" – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Soul To Squeeze.

"So what do we do about it?" Stacy's voice was sombre as she sat in Wilson's office. He looked at her with apologetic eyes.

"This form of cancer is very aggressive, and due to its advanced stage, treatment options are limited." He took the seat next to her and took her hand. "We can make her comfortable, monitor her pain, and maybe look into respite care."

Stacy felt numb, to the point where she didn't even realise that Wilson was holding her hand. She looked up and realised that he had stopped talking.

"Stacy? Did you hear what I just said?" She nodded.

"I heard. I've just realised why you never get sued…..you are really good at this."

Wilson nodded. It was an awful skill to have. He hated breaking this type of news, especially to people he considered friends. Perhaps he should have chosen a happier speciality, he thought. However there were the miracles….patients who were terminal and somehow managed to beat their illness and stay cancer free. If only it would happen in this case, he thought.

"Do you have any questions for me?"

She just stared blankly at him.

"I should do, I should have a lot. I'm a lawyer for God's sake! Questioning the evidence…that's what I do. If I was in court right now, discussing anyone else, I'd have them all in my arsenal. But it's my mother…" Wilson continues to hold her hand and listen. "If we were in court, I'd make you talk me through all the evidence you have but…" She presses her other hand to her forehead. "If this was anyone else I would be completely rational about this."

"You're not meant to be rational about this, Stacy."

"No but I am though! That's what I do, I make rational decisions based on the evidence that's in front of me. Mind you, I did that with Greg and look what that led too!"

She snatched her hand away from Wilson's and buried her head inside both hands. She wasn't really making sense to herself. Suddenly she felt too hot, like the air was clawing at her, and she felt her chest constrict.

"I can't breathe…..I need some air."

With that, she ran out of Wilson's office, out to the cold, spacious roof. Wilson let her go. He'd seen all manner of reactions to hearing the news that a loved one had terminal cancer. It never got any easier. He knew she would have run off to the roof, but he wouldn't follow her. She needed some time alone to focus. First Greg's illness, and now this. Sometimes he hated his job.

House strode through the long hospital corridors, ignoring the fielding questions of Cameron and Foreman about a recent case. Unfortunately they both kept his stride and continued to bombard him with questions until he snapped and snarled at them.

"You guys do realise that you are Doctors right?! That you don't need Daddy's approval over every little thing!" They stood back, slightly shocked by his demeanour. Of course they were used to his moods and sarcasm, but this outburst seemed to be fed on an emotion that they hadn't seen before. They gave each other quizzical looks, but Cameron took the bull between the horns and shoved the file in House's hand.

"There's a life at stake!"

He stopped and swivelled on his good leg, ignoring the 'puppy dog' eyes that she always gave him. Taking the file off of her he quickly scanned through the test results.

"No there's not." He handed the file back to Cameron. "Look again at the blood results. And if you haven't figured it out by the time I get back, you're all fired."

"Back?" She looked at him confused. "You never go away." Then a look of resignment crossed her face. "This is about Stacy isn't it?"

House swore to himself. 'How the hell had that spread across the hospital that fast?' he thought. 'If anyone thought hospital super bugs spread like wildfire, then they clearly have no idea how fast gossip could spread'

Cameron read his expression.

"I thought so."

House recovered from his thoughts.

"This has nothing to do with you. This has nothing to do with anyone of you! Now, cure this patient or I mean it, you'll all be fired."

This time his words seemed to work and Cameron let him leave, just offering a shrug to Foreman. After a few more strides House reached his intended destination, Cuddy's office. He walked in, without bothering to knock.

"All those holiday days I never took. I'm taking them now."

"I think we should book a holiday" he says whilst watching Stacy stretch out in bed lazily. She propped herself up on her arm so she could look at him properly.

"Already? We've practically just met" House ran his hand down her side, enjoying the way his hand fitted against her waist. Everything seemed to fit with the two of them. It a way it infuriated him. It shouldn't be like this with someone you've only known for two weeks, wasn't meeting someone and figuring out your next move supposed to be hard? In a medical sense, Stacy was as easy to read as a common cold. He squeezed her waist. "So? You moved in with me a week ago." She moved closer to him, enjoying the feeling of his hand on her side.

"That was a means to an end." She nuzzled him, before drawing him to her for a deep kiss. House's mind went into overdrive. How could he already love this woman after two weeks? As her tongue slid into his and she moved her hands down to his groin he forgot all his doubts. He groaned at her advances, breaking the kiss to move his lips down to her neck.

"Is that all I am?" He asked. She arched up into him, as his hand travelled south, wanting more of her.

"A very happy means to an end." He hummed against her as his lips travelled to her breasts.

"So a holiday then? I'm thinking anywhere that involves you wearing a skimpy bikini." Stacy was finding it hard to think as his tongue brushed against her nipples.

"I have to work." She eventually managed to say. He grazed his hand against her folds. "I'm a Doctor, I'll write you a note." Stacy, annoyed by his teasing manoeuvred him so that she was on top and in control.

"Fine….But just so you know I sunbathe naked." House groaned at the thought, just as she slipped him inside of her.

'Holy fuck…' he thought. 'Who knew relationships were this easy?'