You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you get what you need
Short One-Shot, House&Cuddy but no Huddy sorry folks, Enjoy!
Princeton had been unseasonably hot the past week and today was the first day of pleasant warm weather. Cool enough to take a stroll outside without melting. House twirled his cane between his hands from his perch on the top of a picnic table in the park. He'd skipped clinic duty, again, but instead of hiding in an exam room with his PSP he'd snuck off to the solace of nature. His mind wandered as he stared blindly ahead into the horizon. Some rapid movements caught his attention and brought the foreground into focus.
Someone had set up a sprinkler in the park and several kids were enjoying the cool spritzing of water arcing back and forth over the green. The flash of brightly colored spandex from the children's swimwear had caught his eye. He watched the scene passively for a few moments and was about to return to his thoughts when he noticed a pair of amusing siblings. They were too far away for him to hear exactly what was said, but the little boy's comments had his younger sister waddling off in tears at a high pitched whine.
Earlier he had noted a similar situation where the parent had chastised the eldest and when they both began to whine, dragged them off in disgust. Some people just shouldn't be parents, he thought coldly. People were stupid and should have to take a competency exam before becoming parents. Curious to see if this parent would respond in a like manner, he looked back towards the tot.
She was probably two years old and decked out in a skirted swimsuit with ruffles and cheerful red cherries. Her good looks were marred by the tears streaking her face and a disgruntled pout. A young woman lying nearby in the grass stretched both arms out towards the girl. The child silently climbed into her lap, stubbornly refusing any assistance. The woman quietly wrapped her arms around the girl and whispered into her little ear. No, apparently was the child's new favorite word. Every question she posed, a firm negative was the immediate response. So the woman sat back leaning on one arm while the other rested near the tot.
House was mesmerized by the characters before him. He liked how she handled the kid's foul mood. She didn't take it personally, like the summer's heat she just sat back and let it be as it was. A fresh summer breeze blew, cooling those on the green. The girl tugged the woman's arm so that it hugged around her small waist. The woman smiled and skillfully balanced on her hips to retrieve a beach towel with her free hand.
Soon the child was swaddled in the terry cloth. All wrapped and warm the woman gave the little girl a strong squeeze. Much to the woman's and House's surprise a distinct giggle issued from the bundle of blankets. He could just make out the tot's sweet demand: do it again. And so she complied, the child's countenance changed quickly and effortlessly. The whinny voice was replaced with joyous peels of laughter, and squeaks of mirth. House marveled at the magic this woman had, it appeared as if she had hugged the tike out of a bad mood.
He was constantly berating others for their incompetence, and was flabbergasted to face a fit parent. A small smile slipped into place out of respect and partially out of awe of her parenting powers. His grin spread wider when the little boy raced into the pair knocking them both on their backs and talking a blue streak. As the sun slipped further towards the horizon, the people packed up their children and belongings. House stood and returned to his musings, only to be interrupted moments later by a rather wet and tight grip on his lower calf.
Thank goodness, for both House and the child's sakes, it was his good leg. House was all set to give his most disapproving glare, but weakened at the sight of the towheaded girl with the cherry swimsuit. She looked at him with frightened brown eyes. There she stood tentatively gripping the fabric of his slacks. He could see the little gears working behind those pretty lashes, trying to decide whether to cry or laugh. She went with the latter, and gave him a smile of wild abandon and joy. It was contagious and before his inner curmudgeon could squash it, he felt a baby roar of laughter churning in his chest.
The woman was walking towards them, an apologetic smile on her lips and the terry cloth towel limp in her arms. The mischievous boy appeared at his side. House was ready to hear the million and one questions pour out of his mouth like water from a spout. He was not, however, prepared for what the boy said. The little girl had been staring and stretching her chubby arm towards his cane. Her brother very gently took her hand and then placed both his hands on her shoulder, "Come on Leah. Sorry she got you wet Mister." The woman place one hand on the boy's head and stretch the other towards House. "I see you've met my family." House was silent, although he did take her dainty hand.
THAT Selfish Misanthropic Bastard, when I find that no-good quack I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. I'll wring his scrawny neck. If that jerk-face thinks he can just walk out of the hospital again during clinic hours, he's got another thing coming to him! I'll… I'll show him! Err!
Lisa Cuddy, Dean of Medicine at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital marched down the well-kept lawns of the running park with this diatribe drumming in her brain. As soon as Brenda notified her of House's disappearing act, her agile mind began to invent the most ingenious tortures and witty rants to scream at the irascible doctor. Her rage and frustration grew with ever step she took. And one could be certain that the huffing and puffing that would ensue upon their meeting would definitely blow the House down.
If it had been winter, steam would most assuredly be streaming from her ears. But it was not winter, despite the cool breeze the summer's heat was definitely on. And with the heat waves of summer come light flouncy skirts, thin tops, and strappy heels for someone's favorite hospital administrator. Needless to say, such grab while quite fetching especially on the figure of one such as Dr. Cuddy, is not the most suitable attire to march forcefully into battle, or down a hill.
As she navigated the sod in her stiletto heels, she stumbled and so did the seething tirade in her mind. She began to reassure her fury, by going through all the reasons the clinic was important for House. It wasn't to humanize him as Cameron believed. Despite his gruff and grouchy exterior, Cuddy knew he was human. It wasn't to improve his bedside manner as Wilson believed. If anything it probably spurred him to be more grumpy and inconsiderate to his own patients. It was part of his job. And she wanted him to do his job. And she wanted him to be around people. He didn't have to be nice to them; he just needed some interaction with others besides her and Wilson and his team, or what was left of them. She paused to adjust her top and sighed. What to do with House? As she straightened her breath caught at the sight of House holding a woman's hand and laughing. Her hand jerked automatically to clutch her chest. Cuddy almost went straight into cardiac arrest when she spotted the two kids.
He needs to be around people...some interaction with others besides her and Wilson and his team.
Her hand stilled over her heart. Well, it was something. It wasn't his job. She wanted him to do his job. So it wasn't what she wanted.
You can't always get what you want…. But if you try sometimes you get what you need.