When Cuddy arrives at the hospital today, she feels uneasy and tense. She has the impression that everybody looks at her. Relax, Lisa, it’s just your imagination, how can they know for you and James ? You really need some days off. She goes to her office. There, she can try to relax and takes a little time to think about last weekend. But she has a lot of work to do, and certain tasks are urgent. She works since an hour maybe, when someone knocks at the door and enters her office. It’s Wilson. What a relief ! She was afraid it could be House. She’s not ready yet to face him.
-Wilson !, she says, I’m glad to see you. And she smiles. Wilson melts, this woman is driving him crazy.
-Hey, Lischen ! We need to talk about …. us. How do you think we have to behave here at the hospital ?, he asks and sits down in the chair in front of her.
-Well, I don’t know.I think that everybody knows that I broke up with House and that he’s now married to Domenica. But I wonder if to announce our relation is a good idea. What do you think of it ?
-I think it will be good to hide it for a while, I don’t really know how House will react, and he’s at the moment kinda nervous and upset, so…, Wilson replies without leaving her eyes.
-I agree with you, we’ll wait a few days or a few weeks before we make our relation public.
-Just a few days because I’m gonna miss you the whole days, Wilson adds with a smile, I hope we can have lunch together at least, and maybe I can come to your office or you can come to mine and…
-Stop, Wilson ! Ok for the lunch, but no sex at the hospital ! And as she ends her sentence, the door opens brutally. House comes in and stops when he sees Wilson. He stares at him, wondering why his friend is here and what they were talking about as he came in.
-Hey, I need your authorization for a risky treatment, he says without leaving Wilson’s eyes. He tries to see a shade of embarrassment in Wilson’s eyes, a sign of his betrayal, but Wilson turns away and looks at the floor. Really weird, House thinks, they hide something, I can feel how uneasy they are. And this thought makes him angry, angry at himself because of this stupid wedding – of course he really thought that Cuddy will have stopped him, he just wanted to hurt her as much as she hurt him- and angry at Wilson and Cuddy to plot something in his back, probably something against him.
-What kind of risky treatment ?, Cuddy asks without looking at House, she keeps her eyes riveted on papers in front of her.
-I want to open the brain of my patient to search a tumor. He has already given his agreement, I just need yours.
Cuddy takes a quick look at the patient file and gives House her agreement. She hopes that House will go now, so she can be alone with Wilson. But House seems not to want to leave, he observes alternately Wilson, then Cuddy.
-Do you need anything else ?, Cuddy asks him. I’ve got a lot of work, so if you could leave, I could work.
-You and Wilson are plotting something, but I’ll find it out !, House says and leaves her office.
Wilson stares at Cuddy, but doesn’t say anything. She looks at him, she seems tired.
-We do like we said, we keep our relation secret for a while. Are you ok with this ?, she finally asks him, and a little smile illuminates her face.
-Yeah, that’s the best solution, he replies with a smile. He stands up and comes near Cuddy to give her a soft kiss. She gives him a lovely gaze and sends him out of her office .
-Go to work, James !
-Alright, but I will miss you !
Cuddy follows him with the eyes, what a charming gentleman ! He’s so nice. Her phone rings and gets her out her thoughts. She picks it up and is amazed as she hears House on the phone.
-Cuddy, we have to talk, I know I behaved like a teenager, but I need to talk to you.
-….
-Cuddy, are you listening to me ?
-Yeah, I … , House, I don’t wanna talk to you yet, I can’t, she almost shouts, I’m too heartbroken, too hurt, give me some more time. And then maybe we can talk calmly about the situation, she says in a breath.
-Cuddy ! I love you !, he replies desperate. I need you, only you can make me happy and a better person ! You’re the only one in my life, you’re mine !
-House ! Stop it please. I love you too, but I need time to think things over. I dumped you for a good reason, I didn’t take this hard decision all of a sudden. And by the way, you’re married now, why don’t you talk with your … wife, she says with a bitter taste in the mouth. It should have been her on House’s sides on Friday evening, not this girl !
-Cuddy, I know I hurt you, but you broke my heart ! And that’s the only way I know to behave when I suffer, and you know me so well ! Cuddy, please, I need you.
-House, give us time. And she hangs up.
She feels very bad, very sad. What a mess-up ! She really needs to clarify her mind. She still loves House, and she’ll probably love him for the rest of her life, but to be with him, that’s another thing. He’s too immature on certain points. She needs a man on whom she can count all the time, a man who takes care of her, a man who’ll be there when she needs him. That’s Wilson. She really likes Wilson, and maybe with time he can be the man she’ll live with. But she knows, that House will always be in her heart, and she doesn’t know if Wilson can deal with that in the time.
****
House feels bad, sad and angry. He goes in the room where his team is working on the case of the week.
-Any new symptoms ? Any reactions to our treatment ?, he asks.
-Nope, not yet at least, Chase answers. We’re waiting for the results of the brain surgery.
-Well ! Does any of you know something about what Cuddy and Wilson are plotting ?
They all look at him surprised and finally Taud asks :
-Why do you think that they’re plotting something ?
-Well, I went yesterday to Wilson and he was still in bed, he told me that he was with a woman he met in a bar, but he was in a hurry to see me leaving, I found it weird, House replies.
-Well, I understand Wilson, if he was with a woman in bed and you came and disturb his… sexparty, then he was right to want you to leave ! Don’t you believe it ?, says Chase with a smirk.
-Yeah, maybe… but he didn’t want to tell me her name, he just said that I don’t know her, but I’m sure he was lying.
-And I suppose that you think that maybe Wilson and Cuddy were…, adds Taub slowly.
-No, Taub, you’re kidding ! That’s impossible ! Wilson is House’s best friend and Cuddy… well, Cuddy was his girlfriend 2 weeks ago, they wouldn’t do that !, Foreman exclaims.
-You’re probably right, says Taub, that would be miss tact.
-Why do you think that Cuddy and Wilson could be together, asks House suddenly interested.
-Forget it, that was a stupid thought, I’m sorry, replies Taub embarrassed.
House looks at him, but Taub doesn’t say anything.
****
Wilson comes into Cuddy’s office to take her for the lunch.
-Are you ready ? Can we go to eat something in the cafeteria ?
-Yeah, I’m coming.
They go together to the cafeteria, but none of them remarks House who observes them.
House tries to find something in their behavior that would confirm his idea. But they’re very cautious. Maybe is Wilson a bit too close to Cuddy, he cares a little too much, and House thinks of having caught a glimpse of … of love ??!! in Wilson’s eyes ! House is completely annihilated by this, no, he must have imagined it, it’s impossible, his friend won’t betray him, most of all in these hard times. But what if this is true ? He must find some proof of a possible relation between Wilson and Cuddy. A small smile appears on his lips : He’s going to organize a close surveillance, but for it he’s going to have to involve his team, excepted Marta. He bleepers his team and explains them his plan. Foreman and Chase seem to find the idea funny, Taub is at first reluctant, then he gets convinced.
When Cuddy comes to her office, she feels the eyes of someone on her back. She turns around but sees nothing abnormal. But the feeling doesn’t quit her. She calls Wilson to ask him if he noticed something weird in the behavior of his colleagues.
-Well, I didn’t notice anything, but I’ve got the impression that someone observes me, he says. And what about you ? Do you feel the same ?
-Yeah, that’s why I call you. I’m sure that’s a House’s plot. We have to be carefull, James.
-Yes, we’ll be. … I’d really want to be at home with you, Lisa. And he hangs up.
Me too, James, thinks Lisa. She feels annoyed with House’s behavior, why does he always act like a teenager ? Suddenly the door opens and Chase comes in.
-Chase ? Is there a problem with House ? What has he still invented to make me the life even more difficult ?, she asks with a sigh.
-Nothing, everything’s ok, Chase replies.
-So, why are you here ?, she asks with a bad feeling.
-Oh, I just wanna see if you’re fine.
-You just wanna see if I’m fine ?, she asks totally amazed. What the hell are you telling me ?!
-Don’t get me wrong, after Friday evening, I thought you were very bad and I just wanted to help you to feel better.
-I’m fine, thanks, so go to work now !
-Ok, but …. If you need someone to talk to… I’m here.
-Go out !, she says by containing with difficulty her anger.
-Do you want to have dinner with me this evening?, he asks with a smile.
-Doctor Chase ! I’m your boss ! Did you forget it ?, replies Cuddy stunned.
-No. I just thought we could learn to know each other better, and …
-And ?, she asks and rolls her eyes.
-And …, well you see what I mean, he continues embarrassed.
-Doctor Chase, am I dreaming or are you trying to pick me up ?, she says and smiles, thinking that’s another House’s trick to make her …. Angry ? To put her in an uneasy position ?
-No, no, well … maybe… You know you’re stunning and … I like beautiful women, so … If you change your mind, you know where I am.
-Go out !
Chase goes then to Wilson’s office. Wilson will be maybe more willing to speak with him.
-Hey, Doctor Wilson ! May I talk to you ?
-Chase. I’m very busy, can’t you come later ?, Wilson asks apparently annoyed.
-Sure, I can, replies Chase, but it takes just a few minutes…, he adds and stands in front of Wilson’s desk.
Wilson gets down to work, but Chase doesn’t move and waits. Wilson holds his head, irritated and says :
-Doctor Chase, what do you want ?
-I just wanna know if you think that Cuddy would accept to have dinner with me this evening ?, Chase asks and stares at Wilson to see how he’ll react to this.
-What ?, replies Wilson a little shocked. You wanna have dinner with Cuddy tonight ? Wilson can’t believe what he’s just heard.
-Well, she must be quite depressed after House’s wedding, so I wonder if I…
-Stop it ! I don’t want to hear anything else ! Go out of my office !, Wilson says in an irritated voice and with some anger. And Chase isn’t sure of it, but it seems to him that Wilson reacts a little too much violently.
-Ok, I’m going.
****
In House’s differential room. So, what did you find out, tell me, House asks to his team.
-I think, there’s something weird with Cuddy, replies Chase. I talked to her and she was a little nervous.
-And do you know why ?
-No, she threw me outside before I manage to know why.
-What did you tell her ?, wants to know Foreman.
-I just ask her to have dinner with me tonight, Chase replies.
-What ? You ask her out ??!! , Foreman and Taub exclaims. House stares at Chase and tries to figure out what Chase did.
-No, I just wanted to have dinner with her, that’s it !, Chase says a little embarrassed because of House’s glance.
-And with Wilson ?, asks House with angry eyes. Did you ask him to have dinner with you too ?
-No, Chase replies. Same thing, he seems to be on burning thistles.
-And what did you tell him ?, Taub asks with a smirk.
-Shut up !
-That would interesting me indeed, House says.
-Well, I just asked him if he thought that Cuddy would accept to have dinner with me.
-Well done, House says. And how did he react ?
-A little too much violently, if you want my opinion.
House thinks a moment, then he turns to Foreman and Taub. Did you find anything in Wilson’s apartment ?
-No, we found nothing, answers Foreman.
-Except a woman’s perfume, but we’re not sure it’s Cuddy’s, because we never were close enough to Cuddy to smell her perfume, adds Taub.
-Was it a scent of lily ?
-Yes, how do you… know ?, asks Taub and understands what this means.
-I see, answers House with a strange glimpse in the eyes.
-But a lot of women have to wear a perfume with lily scent, you know, Foreman adds. That’s not a proof that Cuddy was with Wilson.
-I don’t believe in coincidences but … I want other proofs before to attack.
******
Next chapter is coming soon ! :)
How Cuddy has changed
"I always want to kiss you,"
