Chapter 2: 'Cause I know that you'd feel me somehow

The conference room was empty, except for the two of them.

"So," Kutner said, trying to lift the awkwardness of the situation. "Have a nice night?"

"Not particularly," Thirteen answered shortly, and Kutner knew not to press for details.

"I didn't see you leave last night," Kutner said in what he hoped was a casual tone. It was true after all. Usually he saw everyone one his way out. Foreman and Taub had been walking right ahead of him the whole way to his car, like always. Usually Thirteen arrived at her car about the time Kutner was pulling out. She hadn't last night though. From what Kutner could see, she hadn't even left the hospital building yet.

"I left late," Thirteen said, and left it at that.

Kutner nodded, knowing now that her seemingly restless night had to do with, and was probably caused by, whatever it was that she was doing after everyone else had left, but he didn't asked for details. He knew he wouldn't get any if he did. He would just frustrate her, and that was the last thing he wanted.

He had, once again, the impulse reach out, put a hand on her shoulder, and tell her he was there for her. He knew it would make a difference, no matter how slight, but they really didn't know each other that well. He didn't even know if they could be considered friends. To her, he might just be some guy she worked with, so he decided against it, for fear of freaking her out.

Thirteen sat down at the table facing the board, and Kutner put his things on the chair across from that and went to lean against the counter where the coffee machine was. Finally, after a few minutes of standing there awkwardly while Thirteen sat silently, clearly enveloped in her own thoughts, Kutner decided to actually make coffee.

"You drink decaf, right?" Kutner asked as turned and opened the cabinets.

"What?" Thirteen asked, her head shooting up.

"You drink decaf?" Kutner repeated.

"Oh, yeah, I'll make it," she said, though she didn't move from her chair.

"Oh, okay," Kutner said, moving away from the machine.

"You'd better make yours first," she said, watching him. "House will want the coffee to be made when he gets here."

"Right," Kutner said quickly, going back to the machine.

Thirteen turned her attention back to her thought.