DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything related to Fox or the TV show House. I'm only borrowing some characters. The characters belong to David Shore and company. I also borrowed some of the lines from "Insensitive".
A/N: This is my second story…: D
To those who reads and reviews Another Shot at Happiness, thank you so much for staying tuned in!
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This new fiction is T rated for now… It contains angst, humor, hurt/comfort, and drama…
Romance and smut will follow with the M rating.
Okay, I used some lines from "Insensitive" just for THIS chapter ONLY because it fits my plot really well…
This will be very full of angst in the next chapter… I hope you like it!
BREAKING WALLS CHAPTER 1: DEFLECTION AND DENIAL February 13
"You have the hots for Cuddy," Wilson said as he entered House's office.
"I have the hots for her ass," House said in his usual lecherous manner then paused for effect while he feigned thinking, "and various parts of her anatomy," he said as he stood up and grabbed the x-ray film from Wilson's hand.
"So you're saying you're only sexually attracted to her?" Wilson slyly asked. He wasn't surprised when House deflected.
"You are too, by the way, and other members of the federation of men that happens to come across our boss's super tanker," House added, examining the film and then unclipping it and handed it back to Wilson, "Nothing wrong with it, you can tell your patient he's going to add to climate change," he said in his usual unaffectionate manner.
Wilson cringed, yes, he thought Cuddy has, like House say, a very zesty bod, but if his best friend liked Cuddy at all; he'd give anything for House to be happy. If not, he's single, Cuddy's single, no harm there, right? Well, his record for three failed marriages isn't such a good sign so he actually had no intention to do so. But House was right. Cuddy was a definite head-turner.
"She has good… Assets, for lack of a non-sexual euphemism," Wilson slowly said, a bit confused how to put it into good words.
"I've seen how you acted with her for years, House," Wilson said. Well, there was actually nothing different at all with their dysfunctional intellectual interactions, he just wanted to mess with House's head.
"Was this a consult or a lecture from a man who's been married and divorced thrice?" House rhetorically asked with a smirk.
"Right, at least I got three women to marry me. Unlike someone I know who just stick to calling a particular woman at night, asking her what she's wearing," Wilson said.
"They help me get an epiphany," House said with a salacious grin.
"You know what, I give up. Thanks for the consult, House," Wilson said, holding his hands up in the air in defeat and walked out of the room.
Cuddy's Office
House barged in to Cuddy's office that day trying to bail out of the ER claiming he had a CIPA patient but Cuddy didn't bite and told him CIPA was a diagnosis.
"I also note that, although the snow was coming down in sheets this morning, you left your hat at home and used ear muffs," House told her.
Cuddy acquiesced to prevent him for further snooping, "Do your tests, except for the…"
"So, while everyone else was just worrying about getting in, you were concerned about "hat head." Blind dates are never a good idea. Only reason to wear a scarf like that is as a beacon to identify you in a crowd," Busted, Cuddy thought, He's going to screw this up again, I bet.
Cuddy had no choice but give in to his demands, "Do your tests, except for the nerve biopsy."
House insisted that he needs to do the nerve biopsy. They continued throwing reasons and excuses back and forth until finally, Cuddy was able to tell House to run a few more tests before he came demanding insane procedures to her again.
Leaving, House turned to her for the last time and smirked, "You could have left the scarf at home and just told him you'd be wearing a look of desperation."
Cuddy made a face. She isn't THAT desperate, or is she? Is it so wrong to want to find someone for you? After years of building up your career couldn't you at least try everything to be happy? She saw a bit of a point about the dating sites thing.
House. That pain-in-the-ass will be ruining this date, again! Why does he do that? It's either he has feelings for me or he just wants to mess with me as always, Cuddy 's known House for a long time and knew that he was a one woman at a time kind of guy—pre-infarction with Stacy—even if he was a constant pain. But Stacy had been very happy with him before the infarction. So what if she did try to have a relationship with House? Would it even work out? Or would they just prove that everything they experience when they're together is purely sexual tension and nothing more?
Cuddy scoffed at the thought of her having a relationship with House and House having feelings for her but deep inside was a longing. She didn't know why it was there but it was. She was the only one—other than Wilson—who can get under House's skin and vice versa. She practically stalked him in college because she thought he was a very interesting lunatic. They had slept together once, and she thought it was the best she ever had… up until now.
Cuddy shook her head at her thoughts and just got back to work, waiting for the time to run so she can get on with the date.
Later that night, about 6 pm
House was having a differential with his team in the conference room connected to his office.
"Which is why we need to look at the nerve that you didn't biopsy," he said, really annoyed.
Chase tried reasoning, "There are other tests…" and of course he didn't stand a chance.
House shoved the facts to Chase's face and the team, "HIV? Syphilis? She was negative for all STDs. Vascular? No, ANA was negative. Cerebral clot? No, MRI was…"
Cameron cut him off after staying quiet for a while, "Thyroid storm."
Foreman, with his arms crossed in front of him slowly nodded, "Makes sense given her glucose reaction was slow and her potassium is down."
House suddenly lit up a bit inside. He had a chance to do some collateral damage, "Yeah. I'll check with an endocrinologist," he said professionally, limping to the door.
"Bennett's on call," Cameron told him.
"Perfect," House said.
"Why do I have the feeling he's going to another endocrinologist?" Cameron asked, confusion painting her face.
"He always finds a way to mess with Cuddy. Even every microorganism in this building knows that," Chase said.
"You think we can try and solve the case instead of gossiping about our two bosses?" Foreman asked them.
His two other colleagues just shrugged and sat back down on the table and started running a differential.
Cuddy's house…
Cuddy immediately groaned when she saw him," Nooooo."
"Need a consult," House said, a bit shivery from the cold.
They then threw out a few banter and a mini-differential before House finally noticed something.
House looks at her then looks skyward in a much exaggerated manner and spoke, "Oh my God. You're not wearing a bra."
"It's not thyroid storm," Cuddy said, still reading the file and ignoring House. After a while she looks at him and hands him back the folder.
House scolded her, "You just met him!"
"I like him. And I like sex. Do I need to stitch a letter on my tops?" She said defensively.
"No. But it might be worth taking out an ad in the local papers," he said, a bit playfully.
Cuddy smiled at him a bit and took a few steps, getting into his personal space, "Do you like me, House? I was on the phone with Bennett 15 minutes ago. His cell phone's working. You're M.O is to avoid me at all costs. And suddenly you need my input on every move you make. I can only assume it's because I'm on a date," she said, a part of her hoping that he at least give her something.
House looked down and started shuffling for words, "When we met, I noticed…"
Cuddy cut him off, "You noticed he was a Shriner because of the way he parted his hair. You noticed he was a momma's boy because of the way he blinked his left eye. I'm not interested. I'm not impressed. There are only two reasons anyone would want to screw with me tonight. Either they're an altruistic, decent person who's worried about my well being. Or, they want me for themselves," she said.
House finally caught momentum and shot back with a shit-eating smirk, "You left out the third option. Evil bastard who just wants to mess with other people's happiness," he said, sabotaging himself in the way she knew he does all the time.
Cuddy just smiled knowingly at his inability to express himself, " Goodnight House," she said and then closed the door.
"We won't be bothered again," she told Don Herrick, Eastern Lube guy.
Cuddy saw that Don was already putting his shoes on and her face fell.
Don stood up and walked towards her, "It's late. I should go."
"Why?" Cuddy whined.
Don gave her a gentle look, "I part my hair on the left and I'm a Shriner?"
Cuddy covered her face with her hands, "You heard the conversation. I'm not interested in him." She said.
"I don't blame you."
Cuddy tried again, "I only said those things so he wouldn't come back."
Don gently spoke to her, "I don't really care about my job. I do it well. I provide a service. But my goal was always to make enough money to do the things I really like. Music. Travel."
Cuddy smiled, "I like those things too."
Don furrowed his brows a bit, "You like them but they're not really important to you. I don't know whether it's House, your job or if you just thrive on conflict but…" he paused for a while then offered her a soft smile, "You should hear yourself when you're talking to him. Nothing else in the world's going on. You're focused, confident, compelling. Don't… don't take this the wrong way, but I'd like to go out with that woman."
Cuddy gave him a soft smile, "I can get her on the phone," she said.
Don gave her a final kiss goodbye on the cheek and left.
Later that night
House was able to solve his case and was able to get a tapeworm from his CIPA patient. He was a bit disgruntled that the tapeworm didn't beat the world record.
He went back to his apartment and enjoyed Jack Daniel's company.
Back at Cuddy's house…
Cuddy sighed. House succeeded again, but this time it was kind of all her since House didn't actually say anything. She practically did all the talking.
She thought about what Don said. Was she really that focused and determined when she was talking to House? Surely the others would have noticed but no one talked to her about it.
She looked at the wineglasses on her coffee table. She took them to the kitchen and washed them. She then fixed her living room and sat near the fireplace for a while, contemplating what else she could do with her life other than running that hospital that House referred to as her 'baby'.
She groaned, House! That insufferable ass of an employee! He's infuriating!
"Why can't he just leave me alone?" Cuddy said on her way to the bedroom.
She laid down on her bed and tried to sleep.
A few minutes or about an hour; she didn't know, she found out that she couldn't sleep at all.
She had the strong urge to confront House about his actions. He's been doing this to her for a long time! So it's either he mans up or he promises to stop crashing on her dates because she couldn't stand it anymore!
Cuddy got up and got dressed. She had some tongue lashing to do, with the egomaniacal, narcissistic, pain-in-the-ass, nonetheless. She took her keys and drove to House's apartment. Intent on finally stopping him for further ruining her social life even if he was sometimes part of the joy she feels in her life in the office. Either that or she just made a few things clear between them.
A/N:
What do you think? Should I continue?
Chapter two is very angsty…
The second part is already done, and I'm just waiting for confirmation from you guys if I should continue.
Please review.