A Chance Meeting
AN: Just a little drabble about my new favorite ship (besides Huddy).
Set pre-'Bombshells' but post 'Family Practice'.
After a long sigh, James Wilson drummed his fingers along the back of the green door, trying not to seem as embarrassed as he felt. If there was one thing that he constantly hated about his job, it was the middle of the night emergencies that late stage patients would call him about. And, as always, being the ever faithful doctor and healer to them, he would see their worries eased as soon as possible. He tried to think of a million different ways to berate House for once again, abandoning
"Hello?" Confused, a slightly taller, strawberry brown curly haired version of Cuddy pulled open the door, her brows slightly furrowed. "Can I help you?"
"Uh, I'm Lisa's head oncologist ... I need her to sign for something ... I tried calling but her phone was off." Looking just as confused, Wilson stuck out his hand, feeling that a greeting was in order. "James Wilson."
"Julia Cuddy." A smile slipped onto her lips, and she stepped back, spotting the file in Wilson's hand, "Sorry, I kind of stole my sister for the evening." She glanced around, trying not to mention House to him, "She wanted a break from work."
Letting out a laugh, Wilson managed a hesitant smile, "You mean from House?" Seeing Julia nod, he couldn't help but agree, "Can you just tell ... uh, Lisa that I need her to sign for one of my patients." He glanced down at the file, then back up to where Julia nudged him gently.
"She just went to put Rachel to bed." Biting her lip, Julia nodded towards the living room, "Rachel wanted House to say goodnight to her and it took a bit of time for Lisa to convince her that he's busy." She glanced to where her and her sister's wine glasses sat on the coffee table, "Do you mind waiting?"
A faint smirk appeared on Wilson's lips at the mention of Rachel's insistence to see House, and he joined Julia on the beige couch, his eyes on the wine glasses in front of him. "I have a feeling he's going to be a bad influence on her." His laugh was faint, and he blinked once at Julia, his words having caught her attention, "Cuddy has come to me to complain about his influence on her a fair few times already."
"Why do you do that?" Julia tipped her head to one side, and discretely she shifted enough to inch herself a bit further away from Wilson, "You call my sister and Greg by their last names all the time."
"Habit." His response was short, already half distracted with Julia's clear, but also subtle, attraction to him. "I guess it comes, at least in your sister's case, having really only known her as a coworker. House, well, he's another story." Wilson gave a noncommittal shrug, "He just seems to prefer it. There's very few people who he seems comfortable calling him Greg."
"And Lisa's not one of them?" Raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow, Julia made a face, "You'd assume he wouldn't mind it, since they are dating and all." She glanced back to where her sister was still helping Rachel get ready for bed, "I was actually surprised he wasn't here, they're practically living together, you know."
Wilson nodded, though he took in the information willingly, aside from House's complaints about his disagreements with Cuddy, he barely let on much more about their relationship. "They've always been House and Cuddy to each other, I honestly don't think that's every going to change."
"It won't." Voice echoing from the hallway, Cuddy poked her head around the entranceway of the living room, her eyes on Wilson and Julia on the couch. "I heard you come in, but I guess I just assumed you were House." Her eyes darted to the file in Wilson's hand, and she glanced at him questioningly, "This couldn't wait?"
"Emergency patient," Wilson stood and hastily shoved the file into Cuddy's hands, eager to get back to business. "I tried calling your cell phone, but I guess you have it off or something, since I tried a few times." He paused, "I tried House too, but since he's not here, I guess it wouldn't have helped."
"I guess not." Trailing off, Cuddy wrinkled her nose at the file in front of her, understanding immediately what he wanted, and she gave a slow nod. She folded the scans back into the folder, knowing that talking about her relationship with House was something that she didn't want either of them prying into her relationship with House anymore than they already did. She pushed the file back into Wilson's hands, letting out another one of her usual sighs as Rachel called for her from the bedroom. "I'll be back." Sounding none too pleased, Cuddy took off back down the hallway to her daughter's bedroom again.
Julia pushed a loose curl out of her face, blinking at Wilson slightly nervously. "Sorry about that. I think she's just a bit stressed because of House not being here."
Giving a shrug, Wilson glanced at her, not exactly sure if Julia understood the House and Cuddy relationship as well as he did. "Maybe." There was a clear chance in his mind that neither House or Cuddy were all too happy to be spending the night apart, but he compromised with himself to hoe that it was the right choice. "I guess he has really tried to bond with Rachel." The phrase sounded weird on his tongue, and he made a face at Julia, before standing, feeling as if he has overstayed his welcome.
"Are you leaving?" Her voice raised in surprise, Julia stood as well, all too convinced that Wilson would have wanted to say good night to her sister. "You can wait until Lisa is back if you'd like."
Wilson shook his head, sticking our his free hand, "It was really nice to meet you Julia." He grasped her slightly smaller hand in his, their eyes meeting, and he let a faint snile slip onto his lips as she blinked fondly at him.
"Hey James...?" Once Julia had dropped his hand, she reached for a small sheet of scrap paper, trying to find a way to not become too obvious. "Will you uh, writ down your number? Lisa doesn't exactly keep in touch well, and of something happens between her and House, or anything at all, will you give me a call?" She watched as Wilson scribbled the number onto the paper, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks as she stole it back, and she walked the few feet to the door with him.
"I seem to be more out of the loop each day." Wilson gave a faint shrug, blinking at her, "But of course, if there's anything important. I'll let you know." He froze, in slight surprise as Julia gave him a hug, before returning the gesture somewhat awkwardly. "Tell Lisa that I'll see her at work?" Pulling back to stand in the doorway, he knew Julia would, and he gave her another faint smile, "See you around."
Nodding, Julia echoed his words, and shut the door behind Wilson as he headed down the walk. A smile slipped onto her features just as Cuddy reappeared in the living room, and she jumped slightly at her sister's voice.
"Jules, seriously?"
Her cheeks were tinged pink, and Julia turned to look at her sister, "I'm just being friendly." She stuffed the slip of paper into her pocket, "Come on, you have to admit it, you rarely talk about your relationship with Greg to me, and well, if James knows more, he's just as supportive as I am." Though unsure of her words, she brushed past her sister to help herself to the last drops of her wine, "Come on Lisa, you know that I'm not that kind of person."
"Yeah." Cuddy mumbled under her breath, her voice barely heard by her sister, "But he is. And I am certainly not going to let my boyfriend's best friend ruin your marriage."
AN: Maybe there will be more Wilson/Julia fanfic from me? Who knows.