House really loved riding his bike. In fact it was the best part of going to work. And on his way back it was a good chance to clear his head from all the stuff going on in the hospital.
Actually House was in a good mood today. Cuddy sent him home early, after he had convinced her that his leg pain was very bad in those days. He smiled when he thought of the scene in the clinic one hour earlier.
Hose had seen her coming out of her office, when he left the exam room. Immediately he started limping, more than usual and his face had written pain all over it. He made sure, she saw him, because he let the file in his hand drop. It worked, she looked at him.
"I'll get it for you, House.", she said and walked over. Unfortunately this time he didn't catch a good look at her backside. She had known that trick a long time and made sure not to give him that pleasure anymore.
"Here you go.", she said, handling him the file. "Are you alright, House?"
"Oh, I'm fine.", he said putting all his effort in giving her a heartbreaking performance.
"Wait, House, what's wrong with you?" He got her, she really looked concerned.
"Well you know, with all that weather changes lately my leg is worse than usual. Seriously, I didn't need the weather channel during the last week, waking up in the morning will tell me. Actually there is much snow heading towards New Jersey."
"Is it really that bad?", Cuddy looked at his leg, as if she could see, whether he was telling the truth.
All he did was nodding, letting his ice blue eyes speaking for themselves.
She took a deep breath. He had lied so often to her, she didn't really trust him anymore.
"How much Vicodin do you need this week?", she finally asked.
"Not more than usual, doesn't help with this pain level anyway. And actually I'd like to keep off the morphin. Don't worry, I'll make it through the day." God, he was good!
"House, why don't you go home early today? Take it as a reward for not using the worse pain as an excuse. I'm almost proud of you." She smiled at him.
"Well thanks, anyway. But there is only half an hour left. ", he said.
"Actually three hours, House. Did you forget about last month? You should not go bowling with Wilson during work hours. I told you, you will do these hours as well this week."
"Oh come on, he missed work time, too. But I can't see him down here, making them up."
"Well, we can change that. Someone has to fill in for you."
"Wilson has to fill in for me. I can't let this opportunity pass. So I'm off immediately. See you tomorrow!", he almost forgot to keep in character, when he limped over to the elevators to get his stuff.
Cuddy looked after him. "No chance that was for real.", she thought, "weather changes, what a drivel…" She led him go anyway. He behaved pretty well that week, so why not give him a small success.
House didn't know that when he was driving home. Actually, right now he was getting angry. People started putting up their Christmas decoration earlier every year. It was not even December and he had to go through all that crap again. God, he really hated Christmas…
Just a week ago he was getting some stuff from the drugstore when he heard the first Christmas carol this year. November 23th? Way too early. But people just didn't care for the feelings of one miserable jerk like him, they just had to be happy about this for over a month.
"What's so great about a virgin birth anyway? Poor woman, missed all the fun…", he thought.
House finally turned right into his street and stopped in front of 221B. He sat there for a moment, rubbing over his right leg. Damn, it really hurt bad at that moment. Probably as a little punishment for his lie. Suddenly he felt something else on his leg, not at his thigh, but his ankle.
House looked down. It was a really wet nose belonging to a really wet and dirty dog.
House pulled away his foot.
" Hey, get away.", he said
But the dog had other plans. He hopped up, putting his really, really dirty feet on House's trousers, leaving nice looking foot taps on his blue jeans.
Now that really pissed House of.
" Come on! Get away!", he shouted, pushing the dog away gentle.
But the little fellow didn't give up that fast. He was sitting on the pavement, wagging his tail.
House looked at him and shook his head. What the hell was going on?
Then he looked around the street. Nobody seemed to be the owner of that pain in the neck.
House got of his bike. The dog took this as an invitation to another round of decorating House's pants. House had trouble to stay on his feet. The dog was not too big, but he had pretty much power. House turned around to get his cane from the motorcycle. As soon as the dog saw the cane he started to snarl and bark. He immediately stepped a few steps back. House got more and more uncomfortable with this dog. He raised the cane just a little bit but it was enough to make the dog run away.
"Moron!", House thought. He crabbed his stuff and went into his apartment. It didn't escape his view though, that the dog had stopped about 50 feet away still looking at House.
House spent a usual afternoon, lying on the couch, watching his soaps and going through some medical journals. After a while he got hungry. So he limped over to the kitchen. A look in the fridge showed him that he was definitely out of everything. He even ran out of bred and peanut butter, his all time favorite.
He looked at the fridge again. Inside was nothing to find, but on the outside was his rescue. Takeout menues. He was in the mood for Chinese. So he ordered and went back to the couch to wait for his dinner.
Finally the door bell rang and House went over to open it.
"You really shouldn't let your dog outside in this snow, Sir.", the guy said, handing over the ordered food.
"That's not my dog.", House said.
"But he was lying in front of your door."
"That is not my dog, and if you expect a tip here, stop interfering with other people's business, especially when it includes different other people's dogs!"
He took the food, gave the guy his money, no tip included and shut the door.
Dog and delivery guy looked at each other. Delivery guy pet the dog and went away, while the dog lied back right in front of the door.
House enjoyed his dinner and half an hour later he had forgotten about the uninvited guest in front of his door. He got reminded when his neighbor came home.
Again the door bell rang. House was annoyed, but he got up and opened. The dog took the opportunity and went right into the apartment.
"Seems as if you forgot something outside, House!", the neighbor said.
"That is not my dog!", House shouted.
"Well, he seems to have another opinion about that." the neighbor answered pointing at the dog, that was already sitting on the couch, as if it had been his place forever.
"Well, he's gonna find out my opinion on that matter pretty soon!", House said.
"Hey, House, don't get violent. It's just a lonely soul looking for its place in the world. Reminds me of someone living right next door of mine.", he smiled.
"Oh shut up, Peterson!", House slammed the door right in his face.
"And a nice evening to you, House.", Peterson said and vanished in his apartment.
House took a deep breath and looked at the dog on his couch. The couch was wet like after the night he played that trick on Wilson with his hand in the water. This time it was also full of mud. But the dog seemed to be comfortable. And there went the rest of his dinner, the dog really enjoyed that Chinese food.
"What's the matter with you?", House asked, shaking his head.
"Of all the people in New Jersey you follow me around. Seriously buddy, you really could do better someplace else."
House sat down next to him on the now dirty couch. The dog put his head in his lap waiting for a hand starting to pet it. He didn't get disappointed.
"I can't keep you here.", House finally said. "I hate dogs!"
He talked as if he had a person sitting next to him.
"You guys chew on anything. I had Wilson's old dog for a while, it was horrible. I lost good shoes, expensive LPs and many books in a few days."
He looked down at the animal. The dog enjoyed this obviously.
"Plus, I'm not really good in taking walks, seriously pal, you have to get out of here."
House took the head out his lap and got to his feet. He limped to the kitchen and poured some water in a bowl putting it on the floor. The dog came over immediately and started to drink.
"Why am I doing this?", House asked himself. He was thinking of a way to get rid of that animal and here he stood in his kitchen feeding it. The dog looked at him as if to ask for more.
"Oh God, I think I start to like you!", House said out loud.
House walked over to the door grabbing for the cane. He usually put him on the batten over his door. But as soon as he had the cane in his hand the dog started barking, snarling and baring his teeth again. House put it down on the floor. "Well, that could be a problem. We only come as a set. If you don't like the cane you gotta get out of here!"