Cuddy/Thirteen

Title: Revelations

Pairing: Cuddy/Thirteen

Summary: One parter in which Cuddy reveals exactly what she thinks about Thirteen, after House compares Thirteen to Cameron.

Rating: M

Spoilers: Minor Season 4 ones.

Disclaimers: House MD doesn't belong to me.

If Thirteen was forced to state the one thing she hated most about working at Princeton Plainsborough Teaching Hospital, it was the comparisons that were made between herself and Allison Cameron. Sure she got irritated by House's constant speculation with regard to her past, the bisexual jokes, the general attitude that she faced from him, but the supposed similarity between herself and Cameron made her cringe. As far as Thirteen could see, the only common factors between herself and the immunologist were that they had both had the unfortunate job of working for House, having served as the only women on his team at one time or another. Regarding everything else, Thirteen had no idea what planet people were on.

She'd got to thinking about this matter throughout her latest shift, mainly due to the fact that House had "accidentally" called her Cameron three times within the space of a day, meaning that half hour before the end of her shift she was ready to feign sickness and go home. As it was, she forced herself to remain professional and stick it out, though that didn't mean she was going to take his behaviour and not attempt to do a thing about it. She decided to spend the remaining half an hour she had left discovering ways of shutting him up, knowing that she wouldn't be able to rest until she'd done so.

Thirteen made her way down to the ER after making the choice to speak to the woman she was currently being compared to, and hope that she could shed some light on what course of action was best to take. When she found Cameron, she was perched upon a stool at the ER desk, flicking through a patient's file and frowning, evidently trying to make sense of them. Her blonde hair had fallen around her face and she was fidgeting, seemingly unable to keep still.

"Hi," Thirteen greeted, smiling out of politeness.

"No," Cameron stated with authority. "Whatever it is I'm not doing it. Tell House to…"

"It's nothing to do with House," Thirteen interrupted. "Well, not in the way you're thinking." She proceeded to explain why she was there. "He keeps comparing you and I, stating we're similar. It's getting tedious, and I wondered if you had any ideas as to how I could deal with him."

"Why does it bother you so much?" Cameron asked curiously. "And what on earth makes you think I'll know what to do about it?"

Thirteen shrugged. "It's nothing personal, I just don't like being compared to someone else who quite frankly, I don't see that I have anything in common with. And as for dealing with him, well, you've worked for him longer than I have and you know the best way to handle him."

Cameron sighed, taking a few moments to consider her words. "Ignore him. He's looking for a reaction and if you don't give it to him, he'll move onto something else. Like… five reasons why he believes Kutner is a closet homosexual. Or something."

"I'll give it a go," Thirteen said, though she didn't hold out much hope for Cameron's suggestion. She'd tried to ignore him when he first started it, and it hadn't worked then. Why would it suddenly work now? "Oh and I'm pretty sure he's used up all his interest in homosexuality already." Cameron raised her eyebrows at this, but Thirteen moved on. "It's more likely to be five reasons why Taub isn't really Jewish. Besides, he likes picking on him more than Kutner."

Cameron smiled at this. "That makes Taub the new Chase then. And if Taub is the new Chase, that makes Kutner the new Foreman which pretty much leaves you with the title of me. If I were you I'd just learn to deal with it."

Thirteen nodded resignedly, watching as Cameron stepped away. She knew the conversation was over, and that she'd get no more advice from her. Sighing, she turned around, intending on going back up to diagnostics, when she found herself face to face with Cuddy.

Swallowing hard, Thirteen acknowledged her boss. "Dr. Cuddy," She began to walk on, not knowing what to say to her, but found herself being held back by Cuddy, the Dean's hand pressed against her forearm.

"She's wrong," Cuddy spoke quietly so as not to be overheard, but casually enough not to draw unnecessary attention.

"Excuse me?" Thirteen frowned.

"My office," Cuddy ordered, taking great strides in the direction of it. Though it took her a few seconds to gather her thoughts, Thirteen soon followed, trying to ignore the sway of Cuddy's hips as they walked down the corridor.

The first thing Cuddy did upon entering her office was to draw the blinds, giving the two women complete privacy. Thirteen wasn't yet sure whether this was a good thing or bad thing. Being alone with Cuddy in her office wasn't something she'd experienced yet, and something arose from within, something which she willed herself to ignore.

Cuddy got straight to the point, making it clear to Thirteen why she was there. Leant against her desk, she stood a few metres from her employee. "The best way of dealing with House is to just… give in," She informed Thirteen. "Just pretend to agree with him and don't react. He'll be confused but he won't know how to take it, until eventually, he gives up and moves onto… well, something else." Cuddy paused, allowing Thirteen to take in what she was saying. "But it's unlikely to be your suggestion regarding Taub, I'm afraid to say, and far more likely to be speculation with relation to someone's sex life."

Thirteen laughed nervously, unsure of how she should react to Cuddy's comments. This was the first time they'd interacted without it being on a purely work basis, and Thirteen didn't know how to take it. She was surprised that Cuddy had listened to her conversation with Cameron, and had taken the time to stop and offer her advice. To go further than this, she was intrigued by the older woman's behaviour, and determined to learn more, she realised she had to continue the conversation.

"I'll give your way a go. Thanks," she stated. "But before I do, can I ask you something?"

Cuddy nodded, indicating that this was fine by her. Unconciously, she brushed hair back from her face, stretching her shirt across her chest, and momentarily distracting Thirteen from the conversation. To her credit, the younger doctor covered herself pretty well, forcing herself to concentrate on making eye contact with Cuddy. At least if she focused on Cuddy's eyes, and the bright bright blue of them, it avoided potentially awkward situations in which she was caught staring at her bosses' cleavage.

"I just wondered," Thirteen started. "If you agree with House?"

Cuddy frowned. "Do I think you're like Dr. Cameron?" She paused, evidently thinking about her answer. Sighing briefly, she began to speak, after looking around, seemingly checking that there was no one, including Cameron, to overhear her words. "No. In fact, you couldn't be more different."

Thirteen looked confused, wondering what Cuddy meant. "How do you mean?"

"Dr. Cameron is a perfectionist through and through. She wants to fix what is broken, make the world a better place. She goes out of her way to ignore the bad in people." Cuddy said, choosing her words carefully.

Immediately, Thirteen began to wonder what this meant for herself. Sensing this, Cuddy held up a hand to stop her speaking. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the opinion that you realise that certain things, certain people… they can't be mended. And the world is anything but perfect in your eyes; not everyone has good in them. I guess, in short what I'm trying to say is; you're nothing alike."

Thirteen swallowed, not quite believing that this woman whom she'd always assumed barely knew her, could read her so well. Even House himself had got her so very wrong nine times out of ten, but somehow, Cuddy could read her in the most intimate way.

"Am I right?" Cuddy's voice was lower, more personal.

"Hmm," Thirteen agreed, still in shock at how right Cuddy was. She didn't know what else to say.

Cuddy moved closer to Thirteen, standing directly opposite her. "You seem surprised. Or are you just upset that you haven't remained an enigma, the mysterious but beautiful female doctor of diagnostics?"

Thirteen couldn't help but smile at this, partly because of Cuddy's question, partly because the Dean had just called her beautiful. "I'm not upset. Besides, as long as House keeps getting it wrong I remain a mystery."

Now it was Cuddy's turn to smile. "It's not often I get one over on him. I must say, even though he's unaware of it, it is a nice feeling."

"I'll bet," Thirteen replied. Not sure of how to continue the conversation, she gestured towards the door. "I should…"

"Yeah," Cuddy stated, though she still took another step forward, now so close to Thirteen that there was just mere inches between them.

Realising that this was her chance, that Cuddy was leaving it open for her to decide what to do next, Thirteen took a deep breath. She could do the logical thing and walk away, or act on impulse and do what she'd been wanting to do since she'd first met Lisa Cuddy.

Screw logic.

Clashing her lips against Cuddy's, Thirteen wrapped her hands around Cuddy's waist, pressing their bodies together. Cuddy immediately reciprocated, not taking time to think about it, going with the moment and moaning as Thirteen's hands travelled up her back, making her skin tingle. When she felt herself pressed up against the desk she breathed harder, raising her hips until she was in a sitting position, resting on her paperwork. When Cuddy was more comfortable, Thirteen moved in towards her, allowing Cuddy to wrap her legs around her body, effectively trapping Thirteen. Once Cuddy leant up towards her again, she ran her hands through Cuddy's hair, enthusiastically pressing herself into the kiss.

Briefly, Cuddy moved slightly away, catching her breath so she was able to form the words she wanted to speak. "You know what would really drive him mad?" she said hoarsely. "If you told me something, anything about you that I could inform him I'd discovered."

"You want to use me in your power games with House?" Thirteen was somewhat amused. "That's hot."

Cuddy laughed, pressing a kiss to Thirteen's lips. "So?"

Thirteen considered what to reveal, knowing that there was no way on earth it would be something personal about her life. Formulating an idea, her grin widened, and leaning in towards Cuddy, Thirteen took hold of the Dean's hands, slipping them inside her pants. She took a sharp intake of breath as Cuddy began to move her hand around, and her voice barely a whisper, she uttered, "Tell him I don't wear panties."

Cuddy smiled, knowing that was about as much information as she was going to get from the young doctor. Deciding that it didn't really matter anyway, and that she had more than enough information to be winding up House with, she left it, and focused on the matter in hand. Silently, she thanked House for his ability to cause trouble, and lying back onto the desk and pulling Thirteen on top of her, she thanked God himself for the existence of revelations.