-1HOUSE'S CIVIC DUTY

Chapter One - Domesday Letter

Dr Lisa Cuddy sat behind her desk slowly reviewing the paperwork of a 13-year old girl complaining of chest pain after playing soccer at school. The MRI showed a mass in the lower right quadrant of her heart and as she silently closed the manila folder she thought to herself, 'Sometimes I just hate my job.'

It suddenly dawned on her that she was hungry. She glanced at her watch and sighed as she realized it was almost 3 o'clock. She pushed herself away from her desk when she heard her office door swing open but tried to ignore her guest before she stood and walked towards the door. After a few steps she found an envelope being flung into her hands but being caught off guard the envelope fell to the floor.

"Good catch there, boss," House snickered. "I bet you were the last one picked for the baseball team, weren't you?" He continued to tease her, narrowed his eyes and lifted the corner of his lips into a mocking smile.

"No, it was the moronic kid with the pimply face who tripped over his own shoe laces. You can relate to him, right?" she shot back as she reached for the door to open it then walked out into the hall. Just as the door closed behind her House quickly picked up the envelope and was out the door and at her heels.

She continued walking towards the elevator as she said, "I'm impressed. I haven't seen you move this quickly since that 17 year old was chasing after you. How is she, by the way?" she asked as the door opened and they both entered with a few other patients. Again he grinned wickedly.

"Oh, Ali is fine, Cuddy. But what I want to know is how could you have turned her down when she came to your house that night?" The lone man in the elevator turned to look at Cuddy and winked at her. "Ali's quite the little cheerleader. She does these awesome splits...well, I'd have to draw you a picture. But she could teach you a few tricks. 'Cuddy, Cuddy, she's our man!' Oh, wait, you're not a man, right? Didn't you ever take that test to determine that?"

She shot House a nasty look just as the elevator dinged as it stopped on the third floor. "House, this is your floor. The psyche ward is the second door on the left." The man that winked at her walked out and the doors closed again.

"I need a favor, Cuddy," House asked.

"Wow. You need something from me again and you treat me like this?" she asked incredulously as the doors opened and she exited with House closely behind.

"Well, yes. I always treat you like this. You love it. And slow down! I'm still a cripple."

She stopped in her tracks, turned and crossed her arms over her chest. "Whatever gave you the idea that I liked it? And stop playing 'the cripple' card," she said as she turned and continued walking down the hall.

He was silent for a moment until they entered the cafeteria and headed for the food counter. "I'll buy you lunch," he offered.

"Really? You need a favor that badly that you'd buy me lunch?"

"Sure. As long as it's…" House removed what change he had in his jacket pocket then continued, "less than $2.36."

"Oh, you are such the big spender, aren't you? I'm gonna have to pass," she said as she grabbed a yogurt and placed it on her tray.

"Ok, ok, you can have a soda along with that yogurt."

"House, knock it off. I'm not in the mood right now. I've got to tell a 13 year old she has a tumor on her heart and it's inoperable," she said forlornly as she grabbed a chicken salad sandwich.

He was quiet for a moment before they stopped at the register. He reached into his other pocket for more money and handed it to the cashier.

"It's $6.73; I need 32 more cents," she said.

"What! It's that much?" House replied rather loudly before he turned to Cuddy. "Do you have 32 cents I can borrow?" Cuddy rolled her eyes and pulled out the change from her purse then handed it to the woman.

"I'd start packing my lunch if I were you, Cuddy," House said as they walked to a table and they both sat down.

"No, if I were you I'd eat everyone else's…" Cuddy smacked House's hand as he reached across to grab her pickle before he could touch it, "…food."

The two doctors sat in silence as House sat back in the chair watching Cuddy eat her sandwich. After several minutes and severed nerves on her part she asked, "what's the favor?"

"Ah, thanks for playing. Thought you'd never ask," he answered as he pulled a folded page from the envelope and handed it to her.

She looked over the paper, and with every word her grin got larger and larger, as if she were to bust out laughing at any moment.

"Jury duty!" she asked and then couldn't control her laughter. When she calmed down she said, "God help the defendant that gets you on their jury."

"Very funny. I need you to get me out of it."

"How? And why? Wait, no way! I am not going to lie for you to get you out of it, House, no matter what you do."

"Oh, come on, Cuddy! I've been a good boy lately! You wouldn't want me to have a relapse, would you?"

"Sure, yes. Let me see you relapse. I'll call a doctor right away," she replied, meeting his challenge.

"Can't you just tell them I have clinic duty eight hours a day and that there is no other doctor to fill in for me?"

"I can give you the names of three doctors who would do it in a heartbeat if it meant not having to work with you for a day. According to those papers you have five days to find a good excuse why you can't serve, House. And you better think quick."

House gave her a look that would sear through her if his eyes were laser beams. He watched intently as she stuffed the last bite of the chicken sandwich into her mouth.

And instantly an idea popped into his head.