The Little Things

Chapter 1

Today started out like any other day. I went to work as happy as ever, not just because I was going to work but because today was my birthday and there was no other place I'd rather be on my birthday. Most people can't say that about their job; that they enjoy their job so much that they'd be willing to spend their birthday there. The great thing is that at my job, I'm surrounded by friends. We may not all be the closest of friends but we're friends non-the-less.

I also get to be around the one person I love. Don't ask! I love him, yes, but he hasn't even touched the surface of how he feels for me. He doesn't even want to acknowledge my feelings for him. When I first started my job working for him, I attempted to find out how he felt. I told him my feelings for him but that's just not who he is. He's not the type to just jump into something; he's not the type to just let himself be vulnerable.

So, I guess I'll wait. I've already waited three years now and I don't have any other people I feel for. Plus, I love him for who he is. I hope that one day he'll let me in. I can tell he has feelings for me. What exactly they are has yet to be determined but he does little things that lets me know he cares; his actions speak volumes.

Today at work I plan to treat it as any other day. I don't plan to let anyone in as to the fact that it's my birthday. I don't need people to know. I'm happy either way.

I decided to take the stairs up to the diagnostic conference room and then I would start making the coffee. No one else is probably there since I'm usually the earliest to arrive.

I walked in, set my things down on the conference table and went straight to making the coffee. After preparing the coffee, I went over to my desk to start going through House's emails and mail from the previous day when I saw it. There was a small box sitting on my chair. It was wrapped in silver paper with a tiny bow on it. There was a typed letter under it. I unfolded the letter and it said:

Hope you have a great Birthday Allison!

There was nothing else on the letter; just the one sentence. I thought about who it could have been from. No one knew it was my birthday. I never told anyone it was coming up, or when it was in the first place. There were only two people who might know and that would be Dr. Lisa Cuddy or Dr. Gregory House, my bosses. I guess, depending on what it is, I might be able to figure out who this is from.

I opened the box and inside was the most beautiful heart shaped diamond pendant and chain. It was in white gold; my favorite. It has four beautiful diamonds around one side of the heart. They were maybe ½ to ¾ a karat each. It was remarkably gorgeous. I immediately removed it and put it around my neck. I grabbed a mirror from my purse and checked how it looked on me.

Cuddy wouldn't do something like this for me. And even if she did, she would have said it was from her on the card. But would House have done this for me?

"What's that you've got there?" a familiar male voice said from the conference room door.

"Oh, it appears someone got me a gift," I replied back. "What are you doing here so early?" I said as I looked up from my mirror.

"Oh, I just couldn't sleep and figured I'd come in early to check on the patient."

"Really? You checked on a patient?"

"I do occasionally do the doctor bit just to keep up appearances."

House approached her desk slowly.

"You know, that's a really nice pendant. Who ever got you that must have good taste."

"Yes, I do believe you're right. Thank you!"

"What for? I didn't do anything."

"Never mind."

House walked over to the coffee maker and started pouring two mugs of coffee. "Two sugars and no creamer, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! How'd you know how I like my coffee?"

"I do pay attention to my employees sometimes."

He finished with the coffee and brought my mug over to my desk.

"Here you go," he said as he handed it to me and walked back to get his coffee.

"Thank you! See, now you did do something I could thank you for," I said.

He winked at me and retreated to his office.

"Oh," he said as he leaned around the door to speak. "Lunch later?"

"Uh, yeah sure! I could use to eat at some point today. Thanks!"

"I'll page you," he said and continued on to his desk.