Chapter 1

Cuddy stared at her office computer screen, tears streaking down her face as she held her hand over her mouth. She was shaking slightly, and was glad no one could see her temporary loss of composure. She clicked through a few screens on her computer, each one bringing fresh tears to the surface. She was overwhelmed by what she saw and admittedly, she was scared to death.

House stood in the doorway momentarily. He had knocked, but Cuddy was so engrossed in whatever it was on the computer screen, that she hadn't noticed him. He was hesitant to say anything, not quite sure what to make of the situation before him. She was openly crying, though House couldn't tell if she was upset, in pain, or afraid. He was perplexed.

"I can come back later," he said, feigning an air of impatience.

With a start, Cuddy glanced up at him. "Don't you knock?" she said as she quickly brushed her tears away. As he approached her desk, she turned the computer screen off.

"I did."

Cuddy slightly blushed. "I didn't hear you."

"It must have been the ear piercing sound of your tears hitting the keyboard."

"I'm not crying."

"Right, and I don't walk with a cane."

"I'm fine."

House raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I didn't know you were into internet porn."

"I'm not."

"So, what were you looking at then?"

"None of your business. Why are you here?"

"I need a new television. Mine died."

"Forget it."

"Diagnostics, remember? Sort of essential."

"Use the one in the lounge, or the portable one in the clinic."

"But I nee-"

"Forget it," she said, interrupting him. "I don't have time for this."

"You never have time for me."

Cuddy sighed, she really didn't have time for his nonsense right now. "Look House, I have an important phone call I'm waiting on and I'm taking a week's vacation starting tomorrow. I don't have time to deal with this right now."

"Wait, this is the first I've heard of your vacation, you normally vacation in May. Why so sudden?"

"Something came up."

"Hey, you're not dumping me are you? Wait, let me guess, you have to wash your hair tonight? What came up that you have to rush off for a week?"

"None of your business. Now please, I have a consult I need to attend to and I'm expecting the call any minute."

"What kind of consult? You don't have any patients right now."

"House. Not now. It's none of your business."

"Um Hi, Dr. Greg House. Diagnostics. Ring a bell?"

"Not your expertise," she said, just as the phone rang. "House, please. I need to take this call." She glanced at the phone before picking up. "Cuddy here," she said as she answered. "Yes Irene, please patch him through." She gave House a look that clearly told him she was done speaking with him. "Hi there, yes, I'm so glad you were able to take my call on such short notice."

Looking more frustrated upon leaving her office than when he entered, House closed the door behind him.

Barging into Wilson's office, he stood by the window with brow furrowed. "What's going on?"

"Well, that depends. Do you mean on the global front or simply the Western hemisphere?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't."

"Wilson, don't play games."

"House, just say what you mean."

"Why's Cuddy suddenly taking off on a week's vacation tomorrow, mid winter, instead of mid May? And why does she have a consult that she couldn't miss today; she doesn't have any patients. What's to consult?"

"I didn't know Cuddy was going on vacation."

"Oh come on, she tells you everything."

"Apparently not."

House turned to look at Wilson in obvious confusion. "You really don't know?"

"Glad the brilliant diagnostician finally figured it out."

House turned away from the window and took a seat opposite Wilson. "So what's the big emergency that she's got to rush off on a moment's notice with a hasty consult before she goes?"

"Do you think she's OK?"

House looked back at his friend without answering, but he was determined to find out.

House approached Cuddy's office for the second time that day, and stopped to chat with her personal assistant. "Hello there Irene, and how are you on this beautiful winter's day?"

"Hello Dr. House. Dr. Cuddy said you'd be back."

"Right, she called me in for a consult with doctor, oh doctor..." House hinted at forgetting the mysterious doctor's name. "Seems I've forgotten his name, Doctor?"

"Sorry sir, she told me you would try to find out his name. I'm not at privilege to say."

"Why, if you do you'd have to kill me?"

"Something like that."

"Right," House smirked, turned on his heel and headed back to Wilson's.

"House, don't you have some place to be?" Wilson sighed as House propped his leg up on the couch in Wilson's office.

"Nope. Irene wouldn't talk. Looks like we'll have to resort to more invasive measures."

Wilson looked annoyed. "If she wanted us to know her business, she would have told us."

"Look who's talking, seems I'm not the one who stole her spoon to run a cancer screen on her."

"Oh come on, get off it, you were snooping too."

"Exactly, snooping, not running covert saliva tests behind her back."

"Ya, you're the picture of innocence. So what's your next move?"

"If you want in on this, you have to sign in blood; can't risk you running off to mommy. It's all or nothing."

Wilson curled his lip just a bit in disgust and though knowing that siding with House was never in his best interest, he too was concerned about Cuddy. Reluctantly, he said, "I'm in."

"Tomorrow, we stake out her place, and follow her."

"What? It's Saturday."

"Do you have a better suggestion?"

"House, she's probably heading to Hawaii or the Caribbean. On vacation." Wilson shook his head but could see House was not giving in. "Fine, at least we're not breaking into her house."

"That's the next step."