A/N: I haven't written anything in a while. This story is inspired by Gossip Girl. If you're a fan, I think you'll know to what scene I'm referring. Enjoy and please review.
House sat in his office playing solitaire, waiting on the latest test results to come back on his current patient. He turned his head at the sound of the door opening, hoping to see Chase, but it was Cuddy.
The two had been avoiding each other since House had found out about her relationship with Lucas. For the past 2 months, almost all of their communication had consisted of paperwork due dates via e-mail and an awkward smile and wave in the hallways.
He was surprised she sought him out directly.
"I hope your not busy tonight," Cuddy said as she approached House's desk.
House had no plans other than to empty a bottle of scotch on his couch, but she didn't need to know that.
"Actually, I have a very important—"
"So, no then?" Cuddy interrupted. She could hear the bullshit in his tone of voice all too easily. She put her hands on the surface of the desk and leaned towards him. "Good. I need you to go to an event tonight that a donor is putting on. I need someone from the hospital to be there."
"I guess no one told you that the title 'Dean of Medicine' classifies you as 'someone from the hospital'," House responded sarcastically.
Cuddy rolled her eyes slightly.
"I can't go," Cuddy said. "I'm having dinner with Lucas and his parents tonight."
The mention of Lucas instantly made the room tense. House did his best not to let his face show any reaction.
"In what world is the newly reinstated mental doctor a good choice for representative of the PPTH for an important donor?" House asked.
"In the world where the donor's event is the opening of his after hours, early twentieth century burlesque club," Cuddy responded coolly.
This got House's interest, however he didn't want to let Cuddy see that. And no matter how interesting a burlesque club might be, House didn't want to participate in anything that would even somehow help further Cuddy's and Lucas' relationship.
"Well this case hasn't been solved yet, so I'm going to be DDX-ing with my team all night, so ask someone else," House said coldly.
He turned his head back to the game of solitaire as a signal for her to leave. Cuddy stood there with her arms crossed for a moment, sighed loudly, and then turned to walk away.
As she was about to open the door to exit, Chase practically ran into the office, nearly knocking Cuddy into the chair in the corner of House's office.
"I know what she has!" Chase said, unable to contain his enthusiasm.
House and Cuddy both looked at Chase expectantly.
"Pericarditis. Confirmed it with biopsy of the pericardium. Taub is pumping the patient with anitbiotics, and she'll be walking out the door tomorrow morning."
Cuddy looked with a devilish grin as House reclined back in his chair and rolled his eyes.
"Thank you Dr. Chase. Now House won't have to stay here all night DDX-ing with you and the rest of the team."
"Yeah, I guess not," Chase responded slightly confused.
"Yes, thank you Dr. Chase," House sarcastically snapped. "Well, now that we know the status of the patient both of you can leave. So, bye now."
Chase walked out of the office. Cuddy, instead, walked back towards House's desk.
At first she just basked in her glory, that he would now be forced to go.
"Get that smirk off your face, I'm still not going," House said.
"Limo will pick you up at 11, and wear a tux. This is a high-end place," Cuddy said, ignoring House.
"Well now I'm definitely not going if you think I'm going to wear a tux to a glorified strip joint."
"Oh no, you're going. Or you can spend this weekend in the clinic."
"Really? Threatening me with clinic duty? I've been blowing that off for years."
"Okay fine. If you don't go, I'll make you spend the weekend teaching my new Cyndi Lauper -obsessed assistant, Ted, our filing system. And if you think you're going to blow that off, I'll takeaway your internet and cable privileges."
House said nothing, which Cuddy knew was a sign of his defeat.
"Be on time and try to be tolerable."
House rubbed his face with his hands and tried to figure out his best plan of attack on how to convince Wilson to join him as a way to distract him from thinking about Cuddy and Lucas having dinner with Lucas' parents.
House glanced at the clock as he straightened his bowtie. 10:58. He limped over to the counter, and finished the rest of his half-empty scotch. He walked to the closet, and got out a black cane to go with his all black tuxedo.
"This is a very mature thing for you to do, ya know," Wilson said as he came out of his room.
"Well I don't think a place like is for children," House deflected.
They walked to the limo waiting outside for them.
"I meant with Cuddy," Wilson said climbing into the limo.
"I don't care about that. You do know what this place is right? Early 20th century strippers? Beats the hell out of Crystal the hooker coming to my place. That is why I'm going."
"Deflect all you want. You're here because Cuddy asked you—"
"Threatened me."
"Regardless, you're here because Cuddy is with another man tonight taking a big emotional step, and I know that can't be easy for you, so good job."
"Meeting someone's parents is not an emotional step. Cuddy met my parents and we're not emotionally anything."
Wilson gave House a look of disbelief.
"House, you and Cuddy are nothing but emotionally everything and you know it."
Before House could say anything the driver informed them that they had arrived.
"This is gonna be fun," House said.
The two walked inside. The room was dimly lit except for the 3 stages, two smaller stages in corners of the room each with 2-3 women, and one large stage in the center of the room with 6-7 women dancing in vintage lingerie. There was a distinction between strip club though. Hardwood floors, upscale furniture, and the women didn't have dollar bills in their g-strings.
Wilson looked slightly uncomfortable, unsure of how to react, but headed to a smaller stage. House scanned the room for the bar.
"The oldest scotch you got back there," House told the bartender.
"Quite the drink, Dr. House," a man said as he put his own drink on the bar next to him. The man noticed that House didn't recognize him.
"I'm Jackson Hawking. Princeton Plainsboro donor." He shook House's hand. "I'm surprised I managed to get two people from the hospital here tonight, especially two of such importance. You must really want an increase in this year's donation."
"Wilson goes anywhere I tell him," House responded. "And it's not us, it's Dr. Cuddy who is after your money."
"James Wilson head of oncology is here? Haven't seen him yet," Hawking said looking around the room.
"Then who were you talking—" House saw her standing at the corner of the bar.
Cuddy took a sip of her drink and was observing the atmosphere. Careful as to not look too interested, but not to look offended. She wore a long sleeve black dress that came about 3 inches above her the knee. It was more conservative than her normal look. It had a wide rounded neckline instead of her normal plunging V. She also had her hair in a loose bun held together by a sparkling silver hair piece but her shorter curls fell to frame her face.
"Excuse me," House said quickly.
"Drinks on me tonight Dr. House," Hawking called out.
House came up from behind and sat down next to Cuddy. His sudden presence startled her and caused her to jump. They both watched two women on one of the smaller stages.
"You know if you're into this stuff, I'm sure you and one these girls can come back to my place and—"
"Save it House," Cuddy interrupted. "You can't afford these girls. They aren't 'hookers' but high end call girls."
"I'll sell my apartment."
Cuddy gave him a small smile.
"So you make me cover for you so you can take an emotional step with Lucas tonight, but show up anyway? I hope you brought him with you."
The statement wreaked of sarcasm.
"Meeting someone's parents is hardly an emotional step," Cuddy responded, obviously avoiding something.
House smiled. "That's what I told Wilson."
"Lucas thought it was a big deal, and so did his parents," her voice started getting more irritated. "Started talking about our future and a wedding I just don't think I'm—"
"Cuddy! You're here!" Wilson interrupted. "This place is incredible."
House rolled his eyes in his friends horrible timing. Cuddy seemed relieved that she had been interrupted. And he needed to get her to finish that sentence.
"It definitely is something," Cuddy said. "I want to say it's sleezy but it's more intriguing."
Wilson and Cuddy talked for about 15 minutes until Cuddy finished her drink and excused herself to the bathroom.
"You need to leave," House said agitatedly.
Wilson rolled his eyes.
"House, trying to cozy up to Cuddy is not going to end up in you getting hurt, her feeling guilty, and me not getting any work done tomorrow."
"Well she was about to tell me something about Lucas until you interrupted. If I don't find out more, I'll be forced to come and bug you all day to analyze what I've heard so far. Still, no work getting done."
Wilson thought for a moment before reluctantly agreeing.
"Fine."
Cuddy came back to the bar.
"Neither of you ordered me another drink? What the hell?" Cuddy asked playfully.
"Well I would have but I was just telling House I'm on my way out," Wilson responded. "The hospital called and said a patient needs me first thing tomorrow morning."
Wilson walked out the door and there was a moment of awkward silence between House and Cuddy. House was deciding on the best plan of action for bringing up Lucas again without scaring her off. He'd made the mistake of being too forward before and they were just now recovering from it.
Cuddy was the first to break the silence. "I saw you talking to Mr. Hawking before, and he didn't storm away in anger so thank you for being mature." She smiled.
"Apparently I'm being quite the grown up tonight," House said. "Wilson told me I was being mature too by coming here tonight."
"That's certainly true. Although I had to threaten you, it wasn't nearly as hard to get you to show up. You've been doing well since you came back from…" She was hesitant to say the word.
"Mayfield," House finished. "Yeah I know. Turns out they don't let you leave until you've addressed ALL your problems."
Cuddy took a large sip of her new drink awkwardly to avoid responding.
"So, I'm surprised Lucas was cool with you coming here tonight, especially after having dinner with his parents. That must've been awkward to say you were ditching in-law bonding to go to a burlesque club."
"Lucas didn't have to give me permission to do anything," Cuddy said more seriously.
House looked at her until she made direct eye contact with him.
"Didn't?" House asked. "Past tense?"
She groaned as if it wasn't a discussion she wanted to have.
"Yes. Past tense, as in we broke up tonight."
"I'm sorry, Cuddy. I-"
"No, stop it. No you're not. I know you're not sorry. I came here to escape being confused and just be so if you're going to try to pry into my feelings and analyze everything then do it from afar. I'm not in the mood."
House stood there and didn't say anything. He had learned a thing or two in the past few months and decided not to pry any further. She was serious.
"I know a little bit about trying to escape," House said with a smile. "Bartender, 2 shots of your strongest stuff and leave the bottle."
Cuddy looked at him and smiled. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. You are in good hands."
For the next hour, House and Cuddy drained a bottle of whiskey and analyzed almost everyone in the club, making fun of the little quirks and the way people watched the women dance.
Around 1 AM, the hospital donor came up to them to tell them thanks for coming and that he was leaving. And reminded them not to worry about the tab.
"Where did the time go?" Cuddy asked out of the blue. "20 years ago I would have loved to go to a place like this, just to let loose and have fun. Now I'm at the bar, and won't even go over to those couches to watch closer because of the stake of my reputation."
"Your reputation is what you cling to, it's what has gotten you to where you are. But it's also what's been holding you back."
Cuddy didn't say anything in response. She looked at him a moment and then poured another shot for herself. And then turned to watch the burlesque girls.
"I have moves you know," Cuddy said slightly slurred.
House smiled. "You didn't miss a good party at Michigan. But like you said, that was decades ago."
"You don't have to say decades… makes me feel old."
"You are old."
"Hey!"
"Why don't you prove it? Go up there. If you've got moves, prove it to everyone here."
Cuddy smiled at him.
"You don't think I will?" Cuddy asked.
"I know you won't go up there," House replied. "You're reputation means too much."
Cuddy hopped off the barstool and took a few steps towards a smaller stage in the corner beside them and then turned towards House. "But like you said it holds me back."
Cuddy walked up to the stage and began to sensually sway her hips to the music. She slowly raised her hand to the hair piece holding her hair in a bun and took it off and tossed it in House's direction.
Their eyes never left each other. This dance was purely for House.
She began to unzip her dress on the side and it fell to the ground to reveal a black lace bra and matching panties. She turned around so her back was facing House and continued to sway to the music.
When the song ended, she picked her dress up off the stage and walked over to House.
"That was—" House started to say in shock.
"Give me your jacket?" Cuddy interrupted.
House took of his tuxedo jacket and put it on Cuddy.
"Thank you."
"No, thank you. I did not think you were going to do that."
"Me either," Cuddy responded with a laugh. She glanced at her watch. "It's 1:30. I should really go."
"There's not going to be a sequel?" House asked in disappointment.
"I think I've met my 'be a drunken idiot' quota for the night."
Cuddy walked out of the club into the night and House followed. She stood still for a moment, looking as though she was trying to figure out what to do next.
House offered her a ride in the limo and she accepted. Cuddy definitely wasn't driving home.
The two sat beside each other in silence, tired from the night. House turned to look at Cuddy, still in shock from her performance in the burlesque club.
"You were amazing tonight."
Cuddy rotated her head to meet his eyes and gave a weak smile. The alcohol was catching up to her and making her tired. She lightly closed her eyes.
House continued to look at her. He took in a deep breath. In his inebriated state, he felt bold.
"I really am sorry about you and Lucas. I know you wanted it to work with him. I'm sorry he couldn't give you what you wanted."
Cuddy opened her eyes and opened her mouth to interrupt him but House continued.
"I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you wanted, when you wanted it."
Cuddy 's face went blank with surprise from House's comment. There was an awkward silence, but House turned and looked out the window. He thought maybe he had said too much, too soon.
House felt Cuddy move closer to him. She reached out, cupped his jaw, and turned his face so that he was looking at her. She still continued to say nothing. She stared into his eyes and then to his mouth.
She inched forward again so their faces were just inches apart, and gave him a small tender kiss. She lingered on his lips for a few moments, then pressed her lips harder onto his, wanting to deepen the kiss. House opened his mouth slightly, immediately triggering a more passionate reaction from Cuddy. She cupped his jaw with her hands and slipped her tongue into his mouth. House ran his hands down to the small of her back and pulled her into him. The kiss continued to intensify as Cuddy let out a small moan. House brought one hand to cup her breast, while her hands felt his broad shoulders.
As House moved his hands down towards her crotch, the limo stopped. Cuddy froze and stopped kissing him. She looked at him drunk with desire, face flushed and out of breath.
"I should go," Cuddy mumbled. "Good night."
House watched her hop out of the limo and walk into her house.
The next morning when House walked into his office, he noticed his tuxedo jacket that Cuddy had been wearing hanging on his chair. There was a piece of paper in the pocket. He walked over and unfolded the paper and read it.
Last night, you gave me not only what I wanted, but what I've needed. –C.