The Dare (Post-Eppie: House Valentine Day's Eppie)

DJ Dubois

February 2007

Notes: House MD belongs to FOX and its copyright holders. All other characters are fictitious and of my own design.

Chapter 1 [The Morning After—West Princeton, NJ]

Around 5 AM, most of West Princeton, NJ remained asleep with only a few hearty joggers and midterm crammers defying that logic. The darkness would hold sway for another hour or so, resting from the snow squall it had dumped on the region earlier.

In a white house (with a questionable roof), an alarm clock buzzed annoyingly through the nocturnal cloak.

In response, a slender white hand slapped its top, postponing the inevitable. "Sh't up!"

Cuddy groaned as she rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Sleep had eluded her for much of the night—fitting considering the wreck of a date she had earlier.

The event seemed so easy and foolproof. She had met this guy online and discovered that they had a lot in common. After that, she arranged for them to do a Valentine's Day dinner around the corner from PPTH. Dinner was all right. Things back there were really heating up….

…That is until Fate limped up to the café door.

She frowned, recalling how House had interrupted her evening not just once—but twice. Both times she advised him quickly, trying to get him away from there before he could ruin the evening.

House being House just couldn't resist sticking his two cents in, elaborating on her love life in front of her date and effectively driving her companion away.

House, what were you thinking? She thought back to the second exchange on the doorstep. Having had enough of his pursuit, she asked him The Question.

Do you like me, House?

Of course, he didn't answer. Well, that wasn't exactly true. House being House was a creature of pain. Love isn't something he felt comfortable about much less would admit to someone. Due to his resentment of the world at large, the diagnostician had built a wall around himself. He had always had trouble letting people in…especially after both times with Stacy Warner, his former fiancée.

And as always, House created a loophole for himself, evading both implications of her question in addition to circumventing the Dreaded Commitment Issue. He declared that he was messing with her and left. Even as he did so, however, he had trouble looking her in the eye.

She lay on her back, thinking of her initial goals for the evening. I love sex but would a one night stand be worth it? She rolled her eyes, not wanting to go through that debate with herself again. I swear that if I tackled a patient at random, locked us in the Clinic and we agreed to sex, House would find a way to wreck it! She threw a pillow at the wall in frustration.

That was—before the irony of the thought hit her.

"House actually breaking into the Clinic. Now that would be a sight!" she laughed in spite of herself. As her mind untied itself from the previous night's knots, she recalled their friendship from the previous twenty years. Even when he was at his worst, he had always held back where she was concerned.

Before the previous night, she never thought of their relationship in that way. Always, they had sparred intellectually, bantering to see who was top dog in their peculiar relationship.

At that point, she whacked the alarm again, gaining more time to think.

I always thought it was a game. Is it one really? She snorted to herself. Of course it is! But why is he playing it? Why are you playing it with him, Lisa? She rubbed her chin, fishing over the possibilities in her mind. She had brought him there in spite of his multiple firings. She had defended him against Vogler, Tritter and the court, perjuring herself in the latter case. She put up with his antics and attitude. He's the best but is that the only reason? She shook her head, recalling what Stacy had said about House being a kid. The whole panty raid thing and the interrupting of my dates with other guys were his way of getting my attention? HE REALLY CARES? Her eyes went wide.

Then her date's words echoed through her head. You seem different around him so assured and confident. The implication from that independent source seemed clear: they belonged together.

House, you always have to make things difficult. She sighed and relaxed some more. As she did so, a plan formed there. I've screwed around with this for too long. She smiled wickedly. "Okay, House, you want to play? I'm about to change the rules." Feeling good about that decision, she rose from her bed and headed for the shower.