Cuddy arrived back home, and dropped her ব্রিফকেস to the floor; leaning on the back of her closed front door. Walking dreamily to her kitchen, taking out a bottle of red wine and a single wine glass.

After changing into her pyjamas; a simple white ঢিলা জামা with a জরি edge, and light পরাকাষ্ঠা pyjama pants, which looked extra baggy on her small frame.

Reaching for the bottle, she uncorked it and poured a generous amount into the deep wine glass, and then sunk into her sofa, legs crossed and her arm lying across her stomach as she drank a quarter of the glass in one sip.

10 o’clock. The clock on her mantelpiece seemed to be moving at a snails pace. She put the glass down on the coffee table, she put her loose hair into a ponytail; pulling the stray curls behind her ears.

After a few moments of complete silence, with exception of the crickets outside, Cuddy got up and turned on the stereo; a smooth jazz song came on, instantly relaxing her body, as she retrieved the glass of wine, and began to drink from it again.


*


House was at his apartment, playing a slow melody on his acoustic guitar. The darkness of the room made it sound even আরো sombre.

He was also drinking, but his drink was always a scotch, maybe bourbon. Staring with intensity at his phone, he shook his head. Then there was a knock on his door.

Leaving his গিটার on the sofa, he walked towards the door, completely emotionless as he allowed a mysterious woman into his apartment.

“Cash first.” This petite brunette, wearing trousers and a black waistcoat with nothing underneath, stood close to House, chewing gum and glaring up at him.

House closed the door.


*

In House’s outer office, Cuddy was with Wilson waiting patiently from them to come in.

After sitting down, and exchanging puzzled looks, Cuddy cleared her throat not before looking at Wilson.

“House isn’t working here anymore.” Foreman looked at her, with dismay.

“What do আপনি mean he isn’t working here anymore? Did he quit?” Cuddy paused a moment, trying to figure out an explanation that wouldn’t incriminate both her and House in their torrid প্রণয় affair.

“I fired him-So until I decide who will replace him, Wilson is going to lead this department.”
Thirteen scoffed, which made them all wrench their necks to look at her.

“Do আপনি have anything to add Dr.Hadley?” Cuddy sounded serious, almost angry.

“No, its just Foreman has been working for House the longest. I think he should be in charge.”

Wilson looked down, before giving a small grimace, pointed at Thirteen.

“My decisions final, if you’ve got a problem, deal with it on your own time.” Cuddy gave one last hurtful look at Wilson, before she walked out.

“So who’s our new patient?” The team were left looking at each other with blank faces.


*

Cuddy was walking into the clinic, and onto her office, when she spotted House at the pharmacy.

“What the hell are আপনি doing?!” Cuddy stood at the entrance to the clinic, and shouted over all the nurses and patients.

Walking over towards him, Cuddy noticed him stuffing his prescription inside his blazer pocket. Before he knew it, she was dunking her hands inside them, and took back the prescription; checking the label and the amount.

“You’re on 500mg? That’ll sure enough kill you, if not cause serious irreparable damage.” Cuddy couldn’t believe what she was seeing; it was if he had হারিয়ে গেছে all care for himself, and that all he cared about was the high.

“Considering the fact I was fired yesterday, I’ve had to up my dose for the pain it caused me.” His acerbic wit was still intact, and so was his pride দ্বারা the looks of it.

“Overdosing on Vicodin won’t solve your hurt feelings.” Not buying his dramatic behaviour, Cuddy dismissed his words, and hit back at him with a sarcastic verbal knife.

“Unless আপনি want me to tell the board the real reason why I was fired, you’ll let me have my prescription.”

Cuddy’s face fell slightly, not out of people finding out, but the fact that House was bribing her; completely ignoring any feelings they had for each other.

“A bribe?” Her voice was cracking underneath the overwhelming anger and sadness she was feeling.

“Hey, it’s your choice.” With a glaring and sarcastic smile, with anger in his eyes, House held out his hand.
The wait felt like a lifetime, Cuddy had to make the hardest decision she’s ever made.

“No.” Simple, and powerful, it certainly sent House backwards, as his face contorted into an impatient fierce look.

“Give me my pills.” House let out a sigh, and tried to hide his tremors, as he couldn’t wait any longer for some আরো Vicodin.

“Since you’re fired, I can get security to escort আপনি out this hospital and keep আপনি out.”

Cuddy crossed her arms, both of them exchanging intense eye contact.

“What are আপনি going to do House?” A smirk appeared on her face gradually, which infuriated House to the point where he walked out, with no drugs. However, was this the right decision? Because in actuality, House’s leg pain was getting worse, it was just how long he would be able to tolerate it before something serious happened.