Sorry for taking more than three days to write that part but the uni strike is sort of over so I have tones of studying to do and I don't have as much time because I need to prepare for my finals. BUT, I'll upload more in the next few days.

It's 4:40 in the morning and that chapter is really long! I didn't take the time to read it again and check the spelling, typos and grammar issues and in the end you'll be the judge of it. If there are any inconsistencies, please let me know because I can't remember all the single details even though I go through the entire fic all the time to check on these same small details. (ps. I used to upload my documents in docx which is why in most chapters there are severly wrong typos that aren't mine, it's the uploader that screws with the letters, lol -at least, I'm pretty sure it is.)

And now the big chapter! Please give me loads of reviews and love or hate or w/e but mostly love please, lol. :)

Chapter 9: Summation.

House’s day hasn’t been an easy one up until the moment flashes of memories re-appeared. As if his brain was set to normal again, he couldn’t help but focus on that interrogation room he supposedly has been in. If that man had abducted him, he needed to recall as much details as possible but to his regret, the entire situation was still a blurry mess to him. Maybe, just maybe, there was a correlation to what he almost did and his kidnappers.

He wanted to be told there would be more Saturdays. Being reminded of that simple day of the weekend made House try to look through different eyes, positivity was what he needed in order to get his memory back. There are things that can’t be fought against, you can remember something but you can never destroy it.

There are things that can’t be fought against, really. He should hate her, all of her, because at least that way, he wouldn’t have to try and find some excuse for his behavior. But he just can’t, he loves her and if he could get one of these Saturdays back with her, he would never let her go. House used to have a sleeping pattern with her and every time they had done it, the morning would feel like a Saturday morning. As a kid, House loved Saturday because it was the day he could put his mind at rest most of the time, his work used to be done and he could do everything he wanted, the sun used to shine but if it didn’t, the bad weather wasn’t an issue because his head and heart were at peace, pretending the sun was warming them. The warmth he was looking for, only Saturdays could bring. But along the years, the warmth had disappeared and one day, he realized the warmth had moved from the star that is the sun to a darker place. A place such as dark and miserable as him: Lisa Cuddy. She had become his Saturday and that Saturday had no place in the week or weekend, every single glimpse of her was a Saturday. A Saturday on a Monday morning when she would come and yell at him for the fact that he just wouldn’t do his clinic duty, a Monday night coming from some clicking of heels afar. If the rest of his seconds, hours and days were nothing but merciless days, he would try to remember his Saturday, the Saturday she had become to him.

House lay on his back on his mattress and heard someone come inside the Cells room; he didn’t bother to open his eyes and see who it was, as he was trying to form the sound of heels clicking in his mind.

House didn’t hear the person speak and he kept trying not to be bothered by it but the clicking that had form couldn’t last because that silence was almost deafening. The atmosphere increased in it density and House had to let it out, “If whoever you are, are here to tell me I’m going to spend a lot of time in jail, there’s no need, I’ve already picked out the wallpaper.” He hoped this would either make the person go away or speak, but this was getting absurd, “Seriously, just leave-“He stopped himself as he opened his eyes. Eyes wide with a look that exposed more fear than what was possible coming from a man like him, he also swallowed his saliva along his pride.

There she was standing before his own private bars that closed the cell, her face was facing down. The man without the cane rose up with some difficulty from his mattress, his knees obviously shaking, “Cuddy…” He tried, as he walked closer to where she was standing.

“Don’t get any closer, House.” She warned him, still looking down.

But House wouldn’t hear it and slowly kept on walking, never allowing himself to not face forward, “I can’t.” He said.

“If you have anything left of a feeling for me, you have to give me a moment here.” She was the one swallowing her saliva this time, “Please.” She said.

“Well, I need a moment too.” He admitted.

They both remained in silence for some everlasting seconds until House broke it, “Why are you here?”

She eventually tilted her head back and faced him, her eyes switching from a glimpse of an emotionally stuffed look to an angry one, “That’s a question I’ve heard a lot from you.” She said, “Along with the verb ‘leave’.”

House’s eyes were fixating hers, like glued to something he couldn’t penetrate, “You can’t always see through me, just like I can’t always see through you.” He paused, “Just like now.”

“I have no more desire to see right through you, House.” She expressed, a tear forming in her right eye, as it started trailing slowly on he cheek, House couldn’t help but say it, “I’m sorry.”

“Really?” She said, raising an eyebrow, her tears intensifying her blue eyes, “How is that petty word supposed to convince me?” She let out, even though she knew the word wasn’t a trivial one.

“Because there is nothing else that can be said. I can’t do anything and most of all I can’t take back what my hands have done to you.” He practically yelled, pain devouring him. He hated the tone in his voice.

“They are your hands, House!” She yelled back, uncontrollably.

“I know that.” He paused, trying to calm himself down, “Don’t you think I know that?” His voice trailed off. Hadn’t he been behind bars, he would have certainly cut his hands off if he could, and not metaphorically. They were worse of a pain than his bad leg ever since those events.

He started pacing around again. He wanted her to say something but she wanted him to speak first. Prior to coming in here, she knew what she wanted: to confront him. She was in it all that very moment and she couldn’t think of a reason why she had come in the first place – it wasn’t to check on him, it was definitely not to make herself feel better. It was simply the need to know.

House stopped pacing and suddenly moved to the bars and grabbed them with his hands, she could see that he was gripping them harshly and that sent her down memory lane, the good memories and the bad memory. She was surprised she didn’t have more than one bad memory: obviously, it was the memory that had destroyed everything between them.

“Talk to me!” He spoke through gritted teeth, “Say something, say you hate me, say you can’t believe it, say that it hurts so much you can’t even bear to look me in the eyes.” He said that, not proud of the fact that she could still look him in the eyes. He didn’t deserve it but he admired her struggled, she was above him. She had always been.

She sighed and simply asked, “Why?”

House looked up at the ceiling, pain blossoming in his entire body. Reaching his eyes, he felt tears coming. A man crying has always been a terrible thing to see and House considered the fact that she would probably feel cheated by it. He was an asshole to let it all out now, why cry now when he could have cried so many years ago?

“I don’t know.” He said in between a sob or two.

“What?” She asked, anger rising in her tone as she accentuated the word at its peak.

“I don’t know!” He repeated, louder this time, “I don’t fucking now, one minute I was with you and feeling good about everything for fuck only knows in about how long and then I… I…” His voice trailed off again.

“You decided Lisa Cuddy had no right to live anymore?” She asked, fearlessly.

“I didn’t decide for anything!” He retorted, sweat taking over his entire skin, flooding him with a bitter taste of disdain for the man he was, “It just happened.” He regretted saying this the second he uttered it.

“‘It just happened’?”She quoted him coming closer to the bars, “Like what, a voice asked you to do it?”

“No, Cuddy!” He said, “It wasn’t me!”

“I was the one being hurt House!” She expressed.

“It was me, it just wasn’t me.”He paused, “Please just hear me; you know I would never try to hurt you! In the past I’ve known no boundaries as to where I could go emotionally but physically hurt you? I could never do that to you.” He tried to catch his breath and as he noticed the look in her eyes had soften he didn’t think twice before trying to touch her fingers that had rested on the bars, not too far from his hands. He put his hand on the other end, wishing their palms could touch. Cuddy’s eyes wouldn’t leave his and the moment she felt the tip of his fingers touch hers, she flinched slightly but let the contact live on. “It takes a lot of will to stay alive knowing what I’ve done.” He said, his fingers trailing on her hers, roaming around until they reached the back of her hand. The touch on her hand felt so honest she didn’t know where she was anymore, as if put under his spell once again she closed her eyes, enjoying the man she has always known just a little too much. He extended his arms so that he could caress hers and he eventually gripped hers slowly. As much as he was certain he hadn’t done it willingly, he needed her forgiveness and so led her arm and the palm of her hand to his jugular. She opened her eyes again and the attraction his eyes had on hers, hypnotized her entire self, leaving it to what was left of him. She could feel his strong pulse and firm in his convictions he said, “The only reason it’s still beating is because I need you to forgive me.” He paused, she shot him a look that said ‘What are you trying to accomplish by having my hand if not the both of them around your neck?’Realization that as much as she didn’t want this to be a mind game from him, she couldn’t stop herself from escaping his sensitive hold on her and she in an instant, pulled back. “No… NO HOUSE!” She started yelling and House looked down once more, ashamed of the fact that for the millionth time, he just couldn’t handle the situation the proper and conventional way –even if it’s not supposed to make things better in his opinion. “You don’t get to make things alright. You don’t get to leave me to pretend nothing happened. I don’t want you to hurt so I’ll probably get better and forget about it from time to time but I want you to see how much I hate you for doing the one thing I thought you would never do.” She paused, seeing he would probably never look at her again, “I can’t forgive you.”

“Cuddy…” He tried, catching her arm one last time but she got scared and his grip on her became fiercer, “Let go of me.” She started screaming, “Cuddy, please!” He pleaded again and he suddenly heard, “Let go of her, House!” It was Jenny and she broke them apart by slapping House’s arm with her elbow, a trick her dad had taught her.

Jenny rushed Cuddy outside. The last thing Cuddy saw was House falling to the ground, his hands on his face, murmuring words she couldn’t comprehend.

Peter was still parked outside when he saw a car approaching the Police Department fast. It stopped and two men got out. The old one was dragging the other one by the handcuffs, literally.

“Shit!” Peter expressed, as soon as he recognized who it was.

“Norris, our guy here is warm and ready and we have to talk.” Gale said as he came to Norris with Josh.

“He knows something?” Norris asked, moving from behind his desk.

“I think he knows everything.” Gale smirked.

“We’ve got a problem.” Norris heard his daughter say as she came his way.

“What happened? Is Dr. Cuddy alright?” Norris asked.

“She’s fine; she’s in the waiting room with Nick and her friend Dr. Wilson.” She paused, “But there is something really wrong with House. I’ve been prying a little on their conversation and he told her the exact same thing he told us. Sure it’s his version of the truth but it’s still completely insane, he can’t be schizophrenic since he remembers strangling her and even his change. He’s really going for the ‘I wasn’t in control’ defense. Even a shrink couldn’t get passed this.“

Josh was eyeing them carefully and Norris noticed that, “You’ve got anything to say, kid?”

“I’m over thirty!” The man claimed.

“More like approaching forty.” Gale retorted.

“You’ve had your mid-life crisis, let me have mine.” Josh stated.

“He really is annoying!” Gale expressed.

“He’s deflecting. Trying to make us think he has no idea what’s going on.” Jenny cut in, “Yes, Mr. Whoever you are, I’ve studied psychology.” She added, glaring at Josh.

“I love your daughter, Norris.” Gale said.

Norris rolled his eyes and asked her daughter, “You don’t think it’s psychological? Like he’s trying to protect himself from the hurt?”

“I can’t think of any case of dementia or… no anything, really.” She said, folding her arms, “I’d say he’s being perfectly honest and even a disease wouldn’t be as persuasive.”

“And we can’t forget the fact that he has been kidnapped.” Norris let out.

“He has what?” Gale exclaimed, “And you’ve waited until now to let me know that? What kind of crazy person are you?” He yelled.

“The one that doesn’t yell at you!” He expressed, mocking his friend.

“Jenny, go get Nick and meet Gale and I with Mr.?” He asked Josh.

“Josh.” He answered, sighing.

“We’ll get your name from your complete ID anyway.” Norris paused, “We’ll be in the interrogation room.”

Gale and Norris went with Josh to the interrogation room while Jenny walked to the waiting room.

Wilson was hugging Cuddy tightly; she hadn’t been able to hold back tears. Jenny stopped herself to pick up a Kleenex from one of her colleague’s desk and moved again in their direction.

“Does it hurt a lot?” Nick asked, pointing at her still bruised neck.

“A little but not as much as I thought it would.” She admitted.

“Here, wipe those away. You don’t want to ruin your make up.” Jenny joked, handing Cuddy the tissue gently.

Cuddy appreciated the gesture and took it and started blowing her nose in it. Wilson patted her back tenderly.

“Nick?” Jenny turned to Nick who had his back resting against the wall, “As charming as it is to see you caring for another human being, I have to break that tender moment and ask you to come with me to interrogate that guy Gale brought in.”

Nick rolled his eyes and said, “Why do I have to listen to you again? You’re not even my boss!”

Wilson smiled at that and Cuddy was all ears, somehow listening to other people’s lives was a relief.

“Because there was a point in your life when you actually had the guts to tell me in my face that you didn’t have to listen to me and since we’ve dated and then broken up, you act differently, like you actually want to make my life easier.” She paused, smiling, “And yes, it makes me happy.”

“She’s still into you.” Wilson coughed.

Nick shook his head and said, “I’m not trying to make your life easier, I’m trying to make mine easier.”

“It works both ways.” Cuddy cut in.

“And how would you know that?” Nick asked.

“It used to work like that for me and House.” She paused, filling up her lungs strongly and then exhaled, “None of us would admit it though.” Nostalgia was a good thing because in most cases it only brings out the best memories. At least what had happened to her didn’t make her that different from most people.

“You should stick around.” Jenny said out of the blue, “Don’t go home yet. There’s a man we think is related to the case.”

“What do you mean?” Cuddy asked, “House is guilty, there’s nothing to look for.”

“My father and his best friend think there is something more than just a simple murder attempt.” She paused, not sure how to put it. Nick came to her help and said, “And we’re starting to believe your boyfriend isn’t completely nuts.”

“I was there, he was…” She tried until another voice came in the mix.

“Lisa, honey…” Came Peter’s voice.

“Peter…” She said, “I’m sorry, I completely lost track of time, are you-“She tried.

“We have to go.” He said stopping in front of Nick who eyed him carefully.

“You’re the one who came in with her last night?” Nick asked.

“Yes, officer.” He said, “Can we go now?”

“It’s Lieutenant Johnson for you, sir.”He said, “You seem a little stressed… Peter, are you?” he added.

“It’s doctor for you.” He glared at Nick, “She just saw him, didn’t she?” He paused, “Don’t you think she needs some privacy now?”

“With you by her side to hold her hand?” Nick mocked the man.

“Enough! Nick!” Jenny cut in and Nick reluctantly stopped pushing it.

“I could drive you home if you want-“Wilson tried.

“It’s okay, Wilson. Peter has been waiting in the car for more than an hour, I get it and I get him.” She expressed.

“Okay.” He said, watching her get up from her seat.

“Let’s go.” Peter said, taking her hand in his and they left.

“I can see why you don’t like that guy.” Nick remarked.

“Is it that obvious?” Wilson asked.

“Likely.”He paused, “But I also really don’t like him either.”

“Dr. Wilson you should go home too.” Jenny cut in, “It’s been a long day. We’ll call you as soon as we have news.”

Wilson nodded and got up from his chair, “Call me if you have anything.”

“We will.” Jenny said.

Nick watched Wilson go and after a couple of seconds, Jenny broke his thought process, “What are you thinking about?”

“Come with me.” He said, taking her hand in his.

He led her to the bathroom and closed the door behind them, “What is going on, Nick?” She asked.

“Do you trust me?”He asked.

“Right now I’m not so sure…” She replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t act suspicious with me; do you trust me right now or not?” He started yelling.

“Yes, I trust you, of course I trust you, I’ve always-“She said until two hands ended up on her neck, slightly under her jaw line. He pressed strongly on it, strangling her completely. And for about five seconds she choked, tried to free herself from his grip, kicking him anywhere she could, her eyes unable to withhold the terrified woman she was under his strength until he let go and put her into a hug.

“Shhh.” He hushed in her ear as she was trying to get away from what seemed like an embrace, “What have you… why have you-“ she tried to ask in between her attempts at gasping for air, “You’ll be bruised.” He spoke, hugging her tightly, “I took you by surprise because I wanted you not to be prepared and also because you would have never let me do it. I would never hurt you-“ He tried.

He slowly let go of her as she said, getting back to her senses, “Then why did you just-“

“To prove a point, he tried not to kill her.” He said, as realization had completely hit him.

“That just hurt a hell of a lot! You almost killed me!” She exclaimed, throwing a punch at him.

“Ouch, that hurts!” He screamed.

“That’s for trying to squeeze the life out of me.” She paused, “Now you have ten seconds to explain yourself! One.” She started.

“I don’t know what the reasons behind it were but he didn’t try to strangle her to death.” He caught his breath, “It was a chokehold!”

“What?” She asked, bewildered.

He shook his head yes and had the cutest face she had ever seen on him, he looked like a little boy who had discovered something so extraordinary he had to show it to his mother and father, “Indeed, it was a poorly applied choke, that’s why it almost took up to thirty seconds...” He paused again, “He tried to render her unconscious. Why? I don’t know why but her bruises where near her carotid, he’s a doctor, so he obviously knew that.”

“You mean… he tried to render her unconscious to delay a possible death?”

“Why not a certain death?” He expressed, “But nowhere did she say she had lost consciousness, he failed on purpose which is why it hurt her, it usually takes about three to five seconds if you know how to do it and he made it last. He had a ninety percent chance of killing her.” He paused, “He didn’t want her to be rendered unconscious so soon. He has been claiming he did it even though he had no intention of doing it, that he would never hurt her. Sure the bruises and the moment did hurt but… it just fits, you know.”

“Whatever the reasons behind it-“She nodded, staring at him.

“He somehow tried to save her from a death by strangulation, or at least delay something he maybe had no control over. It’ll be very hard to explain in front of a judge but…” He said, taking her hands in his as she sighed. He looked her in the eye, realizing that the fact that he was on such a roll wasn’t so appropriate in a moment like this, “Are you okay?”

“Did you really have to go this far as hurting me for real?” She smiled slightly.

“I know this case is important to you because it’s important for your father, you know I don’t do well with expressing things myself.” He paused, “I guess me figuring this out is a contribution I wanted to give you and you know how far I have to go sometimes.”

“You could have used someone else’s neck!” She said, hitting him in the chest.

“I knew you wouldn’t sue me, besides chokeholds are allowed in martial arts.” He smiled at her, taking her in his arms once more.

“Who says I won’t sue you?” She said, resting her head against his shoulder blade.

“He withheld himself.” He paused.

“He did.” She acknowledged, “And he doesn’t even know it.”

“I know it.” He said, putting a finger under her chin to tilt her head back a little, “Thanks to you and your complete trust in me.” He ran his other hand through her hair.

“I knew he was too much in love with her to just not try to fight back.”She said, happier now.

“Or he’s just an even worse sociopath than we think he is.” He expressed, seriously.

“True.” And there she was just as serious; however it didn’t prevent her from using that moment he had purposely built up between them, “But sometimes you’ve got to just play the game.” She said, bringing her mouth to his. While they kissed, he brought his hands to her neck and she suddenly felt the pain again, “Ouch!” She uttered.

“Sorry.” He said.

“Gosh! It must hurt her even a lot worse since your squeezing only lasted for about five seconds…” She expressed as he massaged her neck, their nose still touching, “Feels good?” He asked.

“That feels so good, thank you.” She moaned again and so leading her lips one more time to his, “I’ve missed this.” She said, in between kisses.

“Remind me never to try BDSM with you again!” He joked.

She pulled back and slapped him right where she had punched him previously, “Ouch!” His scream echoed in the bathroom again.

“That was for ruining the moment!” She said, trying to compose herself, “Seriously? Strangling me? What the hell is wrong with you? Of all the guys I’ve fell in love with; you are the worst when it comes to brilliant ideas! God why have you forsaken me?” She said, staring at the ceiling.

“Not my fault if you can take mostly everything! You’re a beast, but you’re mine!” He expressed.

“You really do sound like House, you know that?” She frowned.

“Speaking of which, we should go meet your dad.” He scratched his head, “Don’t worry, you’re revenge is only one minute away.”

She abruptly took her hand in his and led him out of the bathroom she said, “Yeah, I’m going to go cry to daddy.”

“So, Josh.”Gale started, “Is Dr. House a murderer?”

“Who the hell are you talking about?” Josh asked.

“We’ve asked Brandon to get your ID.” Norris said.

“We’re fairly certain we know who you are.” Gale let out, arms folded against his chest.

“He should text us within the next five minutes.” Norris added.

“Detective Norris here will then very happy to conduct this interview… or should I say-“Gale tried.

“No, don’t say it. You’re going to scare the poor boy.” Norris said.

“Oh come on just about the… you know and the…” He expressed, moving his head for each unspoken details in the process.

“No really…Really?” Norris kept playing.

“No…you’re right, we shouldn’t.” He remarked, shaking his head.

“Okay! Will you guys stop it?” Josh yelled.

“Are you going to talk then?” Gale glared.

“What do you want me to say?” Josh protested.

“You can start with the beginning.” Norris explained.

“The guy didn’t even really read me my rights, what are the charges against me, huh? I have a right to talk to my lawyer first.” Josh claimed.

“Oh shut it!”Gale let out.

Norris’ cell started vibrating, indicating a message had been sent to him, “Brandon really is the fastest on the market!” He opened the text message and read it.

“That smile on your face leaves me to believe you were right about that thought you had as soon as you heard his name, am I right?” Gale smirked.

“Yep.” Norris smirked back.

“This is getting good!” Gale nodded, still smirking.

“What the hell is going on?!” Josh let out, “I don’t even have a freaking clue who that Dr. House is!”

“You’re name is Harvey. Josh Harvey. I’m sorry to have to be the one giving you this glorious news.” Gale expressed, “You’re the worst liar and an incredibly big idiot.”

“You’re the one who called 911 that night. Allegedly, you were just a witness and you left the crime scene before the police arrived.” Norris explained, “I didn’t really think it was suspicious at first, I thought you were from the neighborhood.”

“Then in the course of my own investigation where I ended up at Dr. Cuddy’s house, I saw you with your best friend Peter, thanks to your confirmation and saw him give you that beautiful piece of a suitcase filled with lots and when I say lots, I mean a crazy amount of cash. I followed you and now here we are.” Gale added.

“And all that just because of the Lucky Strike!” Norris claimed.

“It makes you want to start smoking, doesn’t it?”Gale said.

“More like quitting, I have to admit.” Norris retorted.

“You guys figured all that from a pack of Luckys?” Josh cut in.

“Figured what out, Mr. Harvey?”Norris said, “You are the one who’s going to help us get to the bottom of this. You might even get a deal out of this.”

“Either you tell us and we make sure you don’t spend as much time in prison as the man behind the bars or the man who gave you the money so that you’d leave town or whatever bullshit he came up with, depending on your answers and I really do hope you’ll give us the right ones.”

Josh thought about it for a second, they were on the right track and he knew it, “Where do I start?”

“Have you ever heard of the Cole-Stevenson case Mr. Harvey?” Norris asked.

“Mr. Cole’s wife was having an affair with another man, Mr. Stevenson. He found out and tried to stop it but the love he had for his wife wasn’t reciprocated. She was in love with Mr. Stevenson. Since Dave Cole was-“He tried.

“Dave… that’s the name House remembered… one of his kidnappers I think.” Norris said.

“Keep going, we’re making progress.” Gale said.

“Dave Cole was a psychiatrist and he used drugs on his wife that he had been experimenting on with his colleagues that facilitated hypnosis. It has been said that he made his wife kill her lover before he shot himself in the head. But it’s always been debatable. The police thought the wife couldn’t actually take it anymore –her husband’s abusive love and decided to strangle her lover in his sleep because she couldn’t love him freely. A weird crime of passion that never really made any sense, especially with the cigarettes that were left on the table by the bed.”

“What were those cigarettes and to whom did they belong?” Gale asked.

“They were Lucky Strike and they belonged to Mr. Dave Cole. However traces of Tobacco were found on Mrs. Cole even though she didn’t smoke, which means she had been smoking that night. And that was unusual since the smell itself was enough to make her vomit.” He paused.

“And then what, Mr. Harvey?”

“Within the next five days after the murder, she was addicted to Lucky Strike. She never stopped smoking them after that. If I recall correctly she has been in a psych ward for almost twenty years now.”

“See Mr. Harvey, it seems to me that you have re-created that crime of passion twenty years later. I’d like to know why.” Norris asked.

“Dr. House had no drugs in his system contrary to Mrs. Cole. The only thing that seemed kinky enough to make us believe he is innocent is the Lucky Strike pack of cigarette he only smoked between the time he was abducted and the moment he tried to kill Dr. Cuddy.”

“You’ve seen him give me the money so I assume you believe he’s my partner in crime, right?” Josh let out.

Both men nodded, “Well you’re wrong he’s the one behind it all. I’ve been his friend for about twenty years. He made me fabricate the EBXF-“ He tried.

“The what?” Gale asked, as much intrigued as he hated feeling completely stupid.

“Electronic Bypass Exhilarating Frequency, it’s what we’ve implanted in Dr. House’s head. Don’t do an MRI because you’ll kill him. It’s been de-activated the moment Peter tasered him anyway. A CT scan will show it to you though.”

Josh saw the looks on both men’s faces and knew he would have to explain, “Peter wants Lisa for himself, except Lisa has always been in love with Dr. House, he hated that and all these years when Peter was cheating on his girlfriends and testing his love for them he was preparing for this day when he would find the perfect girl, the love of his life and enjoy destroying anything that would come in his way.” He paused, “The guy is insane but I’ve been enabling him for years by building that piece of technology. He told me about the Cole-Stevenson but he wanted me to make it more modern and of course a success. The point was to have no death this time even though there was a 99% chance he’d kill her which is why Peter and I were close by, ready to taser him. I was in the car, checking his brain activity and I have to say I really don’t know how he managed not to kill her within the first two seconds.”

“And what about the Lucky Strike thing?” Norris asked.

“You can call it a trade mark and it also helps with the EBXF’s impulses.” He paused, “That thing is my baby and I had no idea it would go this far at first. I thought he was joking fifteen years ago and even later, I mean two months ago I still had no idea he was still clung to the idea of making the whole thing happen.”

“So you’ve abducted Dr. House?” Gale asked.

“We have, he had been analyzing House from the beginning and knew all the things he wanted him to see and think of in order to have him attack Dr. Cuddy. I implanted the EBXF with him and a surgeon he got from God knows where, some Japanese butcher. He then had fun with Patient X as I decided to call him.” He sighed.

“House?”Norris asked.

“Yes.” Josh nodded.

“Now, I’m wondering, was it another quirk of his to use the name Dave? Why this fascination with the Cole-Stevenson case? It’s practically a cold case only old cops like us would be interested in…” Gale explained.

“He considers his mother like a whore… don’t you get it? You’ve figured this all mess out and you can’t even figure that one out? Don’t you remember me telling you about the psychological events in his life when we were at the video store?” He paused, Gale was a little lost with all the information he had been processing, “I told you his dad had developed an addiction to cigarettes and that he ended up-“

“Shooting himself in the head.” Norris said before Gale could.

“Like father like son.” Gale nodded, “Call Brandon, now!” He ordered.

Norris didn’t waste anymore time and dialed Brandon, “Hey, it’s Norris, I’m putting Gale through.”

Norris handed Gale the phone, “Hey Brandon… yeah, I’ll go downstairs for a drink later… but I need your help first. Give me the name of that Peter guy that came in for the deposition yesterday… “They waited a couple of seconds, hearing Gale utter a few, “hm…yeah…okay.” Before he hung up.

“I can’t believe we’ve missed this, his name is indeed Cole, Peter Cole! He’s Dr. Dave Cole’s son.” Gale let out, furious, “And we didn’t mention the Cole-Stevenson case to House, or Dr. Cuddy or even Dr. Wilson, which is why we couldn’t put it together. They all know his last name for Christ’s sake!”

“You know, none of this changes the fact that House definitely did it. I mean he was in control of his actions and even a small piece of electronics like mine –hell, especially a deactivated one that can’t be restarted, won’t get him off the hook.”

“He’s right…” Norris sighed.

“No, Norris, we don’t give up!” He said and then turned to face Josh again, a fierce look in his eyes, “And you, I’ll have you know that I’ll do everything in my power to prove to that damn jury he’s going to be faced with that he didn’t kill the woman he loves!”

“Dad!” Jenny suddenly barged in the room with Nick right behind her, “He tried not to kill her.”

Norris watched his daughter try to catch her breath and noticed something unusual, “Why are you wearing a scarf inside the building?”

“What do you mean?” Gale cut in; ready to save the jerky doctor at all costs now.

Nick saw his end coming within ten feet away, “Nick and I are back together, he says he wants to have my babies and all and so you know I got all excited and a few hickeys ensued.” She grabbed Nick’s hand and squeezed him, he sighed in relief. Norris got a huge grin on his face.

“That’s fantastic but please can we focus on the case again?” Gale asked, quite stressed.

“And, it’s Nick who figured it all out!” She smiled proudly.

Nick who had been swallowing his breath for the last minute was finally able to explain himself properly, “I’ve taken a closer look at Dr. Cuddy’s bruises earlier and I’ve noticed they were marking the carotid heavily. I’m a hundred percent sure that he was trying to prevent himself from strangling her and tried to chokehold her to unconsciousness.”

“That’s my man!” Jenny smirked, giving him a peck on the cheek.

Gale sighed with relief, “We have to go talk to Dr. Cuddy now.” He said, rushing outside.

“Gale, she has gone home already.” Nick explained.

“What?!” Norris cut in, “When did she leave?”

“About fifteen minutes ago with her friend Peter. Apparently he had been waiting for her in his car for over an hour already.” She said.

“Oh my God!” Gale let out, putting a hand against his forehead, “What if he has seen me coming in with Josh?”

“We have got to go, Gale!” Norris yelled.

“Wait a minute, do you think he is capable of hurting her?” Gale asked Josh, trying as much as he could to calm himself down before doing anything stupid.

“Honestly? I don’t know.” Josh admitted.

“What is going on?” Nick asked.

“He’s the real bastard in this story. We’ve had the confirmation, it’s too long to explain but it’s him. House is innocent.” Norris explained.

“I knew that Peter guy was trouble!” Nick couldn’t contain himself anymore and headed out in haste.

“Wait, Nick! Where are you going?” Jenny asked, concerned as she followed after him.

“I’m gonna go get House!” He exclaimed.

Hope you've liked it or that you think it's not too bad, so let me know! Also, the rest of the fic will definitely be more about the actual House/Cuddy relationship because you always need repercussions. ;)