(1007 words) 

Your POV 

Getting into Cuddy's office, I scan the room before she looks at me, Vogler not being in there. She sighs gently before looking at me. "We need to talk." 

"That's why I'm here." 

"As you know, House is getting the budget cut, he has to fire one of his team, and do more clinic hours." 

"Then why did I get told to come down here if he only need to fire one?" 

"Vogler doesn't like that he's technically your boss and you're together." 

"It's not a conflict of interest. Don't you think he's got his hands on enough around here?" 

"I do, but there's also the fact you both almost got sued for the Giles' case." 

Shaking my head I look at Cuddy. "Did you tell him you thought we're codependent?" 

She looks down slightly. "You did, didn't you, Lisa what the hell? Everything was fine until Vogler showed up, now you're bending over backwards for him because of the money he threw at you. You're nothing but an over priced call girl." 

She pinches the bridge of her nose as she sighs. "I know you're upset, but you sound so much like House." 

"Good, at least we see what's actually going on around here." 

Standing she walks over to me, putting her hand on my arm as she tries to calm me down. "Vogler wants you two to either break up, or you'll have to quit." 

Seeing red I leave her office, going to find the new chairman. Finding his office I throw the door open and cross my arms at him. He stands as he smirks slightly, knowing what was going on. 

"Are you really so threatened by House that you not only have to cut his budget, making him fire someone off of his team, you're giving me the ultimatum to break up with him, or I get fired?" 

He clasps his hands together before motioning for me to sit. "No, I'm not going to sit." 

"Your relationship is a liability to this hospital, you two almost got sued and that's bad for business." 

"We saved a patient's life when he was going to give up for a diagnosis he did not have." 

"You really don't see it, you blindly follow his lead, and for what? Special treatment?" 

Furrowing my brows I look at him. "Special treatment? You think that's what this is? I get the same hours, same pay as everyone else on the team. The only special treatment I get is going home to the same apartment that he does." 

He gives a slight shrug. "He's more lenient with you," 

"More lenient with me? Chase did an angiogram on the wrong leg the other week, and didn't get fired for it. Probably because you've got him under your thumb, getting dirt on house." 

He smirks before standing and walking towards the door, opening it for me as he kicks me out of his office. Shaking my head I catch House as he's leaving the lobby. Grabbing his arm, I pull him along to an empty exam room. 

"Hey, I thought you went home" He looks around the exam room after I lock it. "Right now? In here? I know you said no more in the office but in the clinic?" 

"Shut up and listen." 

"What is it?" 

"I went to Cuddy's office, and she told me that we either have to break up, or I get fired." 

"What?" 

"They're worried about us being a liability." 

He shakes his head, his knuckles turning white as he grips his cane. Grabbing my hand he pulls me out of the exam room and to the car. 

"What are we doing?" 

"We're going to talk about this at home." 

Nodding gently I get into the car, the ride home being silent and tense. I could practically hear the steam coming out of his ears as he drives. The gears working overtime as he thinks of an idea. Getting into the apartment, he throws his coat somewhere and paces for a bit, taking a Vicodin to keep the pain on his leg down. Sitting at the piano I watch him hobble in circles. 

"Greg." 

He puts a hand up to get me to be quiet as he continues moving around, thinking better on his feet sometimes. He stops after a bit and looks at me.

"We should break up." 

"What?" 

"Just listen, if you quit I'll never want to be at work even more than I already do, I can't leave because that's what he wants, but if we pretend to break up, we should be fine." 

Processing his plan I rub my face. "You're insane, what if we get caught." 

"We won't, trust me." 

"We'll give each other horrible looks at work, pretend we hate each other, you can take a couple days off for the pretend break up, I come home to you being here still, having sex like usual, everyone's happy." 

"That means we have to avoid each other for most of the day, while we're working. No more having me on your lap in your office, or you undressing me with your eyes." 

He taps his cane as he listens, knowing I was right. "You already said no more in the office, I've proven I can wait until we're home." 

"But you still got to kiss me at work, make sure I was okay. Now you won't be able to." 

He walks over to me, putting his cane on the piano as he pulls me into a hug. Holding me close to him, he rests his chin on my head, I close my eyes as I try to stop a couple of tears from falling, only to fail. 

"As long as I have you behind closed doors, I'll be okay." 

Nodding as I hold him tightly, my nails holding onto his shirt as I do. Kissing my forehead we stand there, him trying to calm me down. 

"We should think of a plan, put on a real show for them."