Chapter 1

"No! I won't go," House shouted, staring Cuddy down.

She sat at her desk, exasperated. Blinking tiredly, she retorted, "That's too bad. It's going to be a lot harder to drag you to Las Angeles against your will, which I will do if you refuse."

"I've been shot! I'm only a doctor, but I assume that means I need to recover," he sneered. He hated doctor conventions. The hotels were great, but it meant that you actually had to spend time with other doctors. The only worse alternative in House's opinion would be to spend time with patients.

"You were shot six months ago. So was another doctor who will be there. Do you know how many internationally famous doctors will be there? You're one of them. Go."

House shook his head vehemently, saying, "You know who will be there. I can't stand those two. They both have egos large enough to fill the state they live in. No wonder they always have patients," he seethed. "Their greatness makes me sick, too."

Cuddy smirked as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Pompous doctors. Huh," she said, "it's a good thing we don't have any of those in this hospital."

House knew he was losing, so he thought he better get something out of it while he still could. "One condition. My team goes with me and I get two weeks out of clinic duty."

His boss sighed as she consented, "Deal. You'll be there an entire week starting this Friday."

House nodded as he turned to walk out of the room. "One more thing," he said, shifting his head back to look at her. "My hooker bill gets sent to the hospital. I hear they're something else in LA."

Cuddy shooed him out with her hand. "Get out." She waited to smile until he shut the door.

Chapter 2

House left Cuddy's office, stewing. He was glad to get out of clinic duty for two weeks, but the pain of the week to come was almost unbearable. House hated world-famous doctors, and he especially hated the two he would have to see. They were cocky, alpha males to the extreme, and handsome. They had nurses and doctors, hell any woman with two eyes, eating from the palm of their hand. House could flirt a nurse into something, but they didn't fall all over him just because he stood there.

Secretly, his stomach felt tingly from butterflies at the thought of spending a week with Cameron in a hotel, but he also despised the idea of her being infatuated by them. He had threatened Cuddy into allowing his team to go so that he wouldn't be swallowed up by the crowd alone. He didn't feel comfortable in large groups, and he'd be damned before he was the only uncomfortable one.

Wilson came up and started walking with him. "So, you're going to this LA thing, too, right?" House asked without even looking at him. He didn't want his friend to see his nervousness.

Wilson glanced at him questioningly. "Cuddy got you to go this year?" he asked. "How?"

"She's buying my hookers."

"What about those that shall not be named?" Wilson asked, bracing himself.

"I plan to torment them the entire week with brazen comments and sarcasm. Sound like a mature and psychologically sound idea?"

Wilson smiled. "You really don't like them, do you?"

House's face scrunched incredulously. "Do you know that they actually call that guy Dr. McDreamy? Euthanasia should never be outlawed. He needs to be put out."

………………………………………

Meredith Grey: No matter how many years of school you take. No matter the amount of books you read and knowledge you attain. You're never ready for Life. It pushes you and pulls you until you just give in and take it.

It was pouring again outside of Seattle Grace Hospital. Miranda Bailey watched the drops fall from the large windows on the indoor balcony as she waited for her interns. She saw them scurrying in a huddle towards her. "Good news people. The Chief is rewarding us with a trip to LA."

"Why?" George asked innocently. He was excited to go to LA. Callie and he had broken up about a month ago and he needed something to take his mind away from it.

"Doctors Convention," Bailey replied. "All the allegedly smart people in one place to talk about smart things. I'll basically be there to supervise your rambunctious butts since you can't be trusted for more than about eighteen hours. We'll be there a week. Train leaves in three days." Bailey left them after giving them their assignments for the day.

"We're going by train? Wouldn't it be easier to fly?" George asked, his eyebrows scrunched.

"It was a figure of speech, Bambi," Christina smirked. Patting him on the head, she added, "Try and keep up."

Meredith fell into step with Christina. "This will be my first weekend away with Derrick," she told her friend. It had been six months since she had slept with a married McDreamy. He finally left Addison, and went back to Meredith, but Addison had yet to leave the hospital. In fact, the chief had promoted her to head of the OBGYN and Pediatrics Wards.

"Well, that will be fun," Christina droned. "If the tops of the top are going, then you know the ex-Mrs. McDreamy is going too."

Meredith winced. "Damn it."

TBC