Wilson kicked his shoes off, making his way into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of wine. As he threw himself onto his couch, he crossed his legs over his coffee table and took a deep cleansing breath. Closing his eyes for a moment, he let the peaceful silence and pinot grigio steal through his veins and relax his muscles after the long day.

He picked up the thick volume next to him and flipped it open, looking for the page he wanted. As he sat reading the familiar play he let his mind wander and let the words speak to him.

Leonato: You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her: They never meet but there's a skirmish of wit between them.

Wilson stopped for a moment, a kind of bell ringing in the back of his mind. He kept reading, however, and did not think much more of it. The play continued until Wilson came to another speech that made him stop. This time, he read the passage twice.

Don Pedro: Come, you shake the head at so long a breathing: but, I warrant thee, Claudio, the time shall not go dully by us. I will, in the interim, undertake one of Hercules' labors: which is to bring Signior Benedick and the lady Beatrice into a mountain of affection the one with the other. I would fain have it a match, and I doubt not but to fashion it if you three will but minister such assistance as I shall give you direction.

Suddenly Wilson knew what the words were trying to tell him. The image of House and Cuddy stood out crystal clear within his mind, and suddenly the bickering between them came back to Wilson.

"I can fire him. I can fire him now. I can fire him tomorrow. I don't even need a reason."

"She doesn't fire me, she never will fire me. She needs me."

"He's a good doctor, that's all. I respect his expertise, and I…"

"She's hot for me. Always."

"A kind of merry war," Wilson said into the silence, almost unconsciously. He felt a slow grin spread across his face, and he closed the book in his hands and placed it on the side table beside him. A plan began forming within his mind, and he leaned back comfortably, stretching his arms behind him. His smile grew larger as he repeated the familiar words.

"If I can do this," he said to himself, "Cupid is no longer an archer. His glory shall be mine, for I am the only love-god."

A/N: OK, so this is a product of my recent reading of quite a bit of Shakespeare and my Wilson obsession.

:)

The lines are from "Much Ado About Nothing", including Wilson's last comment (slightly modified from the play).

BTW, I'll only continue posting this if there's a response to it...otherwise I'll just continue it on my own...

Later, all!

P.S. I encourage anyone who hasn't to read this play...it's one of Shakespeare's funniest (that I've come across, anyway) and it's pretty easy to follow. As a bonus, Robert Sean Leonard (a.k.a. Wilson) was in a 1993 Kenneth Branaugh film production of the play and does a fabulous job as Claudio. Worth renting...

:)