Chapter 2 – Pain management
Wednesday night, Thanksgiving Eve 11:30pm
Cuddy was amazed by the change in his actions. Was it the Bourbon…probably. She decided to call him out on it. In reality, she needed her relationship with House to go one of two directions. She either needed to old House back or she needed to cut him out of her life as much as she could. The pain he caused her with his hurtful comments over the last few months was unbearable. Tonight she was going to find out which House was here to stay.
Cuddy sat down on the couch next to him. There was room enough for a person between them but still the closeness of their bodies seem to have an effect on both of them. House began to stare at Cuddy with his piercing blue eyes. It was a look seen on a ravenous wild animal. Cuddy could feel his stare penetrating her and finally she raised her eyes to meet him. A silence had fallen over the room and you could almost make out the sounds of Rachel breathing two rooms away.
House just couldn't stop staring. He knew he should probably say something. After all, he was the one to come to her place but at this moment, all his words left him. Finally Cuddy broke the silence "House, Why are you so anger at me?"
Crap, he wasn't ready for this. He actually wished he had a few more Bourbons in him so maybe he could tell her what he was really feeling. He wasn't a drunk as Cuddy believed but he wasn't about to let her know that. His mind was racing, come on House, just say it. "I'm not anger at you"
"How can you say that House, you have been nothing but a miserable, misanthropic jerk to me for the last three months" Cuddy retorted.
"I'm like that with everyone" House defended
"Everyone but Wilson and I and I still see you and Wilson palling around the cafeteria" Cuddy responded angrily. She started to get up and walk away from House when he grabbed her arm. Firmly but gently and pulled her back down to the couch. She briefly lost her balance and ended up landing within inches of House's wounded right leg.
Again, instead of speaking he just stared at her momentarily and then Cuddy heard the words that she never thought she would here pass House's lips. He said them slightly above a whisper. "I'm sorry for hurting you Cuddy"
Cuddy's mannerisms and mood immediately softened by his words and she inched back on the couch so her back was now against the back cushions. She then slowly turned her head to face House's saddened blue eyes and said in the gentlest of voices "but why"
House couldn't tell her the truth. He couldn't tell her that he thought about her day and night and he was trying to do everything in his power to piss her off and run her out of his life. Hoping that it would make the pain, and emptiness in his chest go away. His hallucinations had long ended in Mayfield but she was still ever present in both his thoughts, both awake and asleep. He mustered up enough courage to say "I was trying to make the pain go away".
Cuddy was a little taken aback. House was trying to open up to her the best she could but she still couldn't put the pieces together. How could being an a$$ to her making the pain in his leg go away. She was a little hurt by his words and she locked eyes with him saying "friends general help ease the pain, not make it worse. Did that thought even cross your mind"
House knew she misunderstood him. He left it hanging so that she could take the easy road and assume he meant his leg. Maybe he could get through this conversation after all. "and what, pray tell me, could you have done to help ease the pain"
Cuddy isn't really sure what came over her but she took his words as a bit of a challenge. She made up her mind what she was going to do before she really thought through it. "close your eyes" she demanded.
House wasn't sure were this was going but he was more than willing to play along. This conversation was getting more and more interesting! House close his eyes and was hoping that Cuddy pain management regime include a make out session. Instead, House eyes flew open suddenly and he gasped slightly when he felt the heal of Cuddy's hand gently moving along the scar on his right leg. He flinched as he open his eyes and stared at Cuddy with a look of astonishment.
Cuddy met his gaze and said a little more forcefully "Close your eyes and trust me". House wasn't really sure what to do. He had never let anyone, outside of his physical therapist, touch his leg like that. It did feel good but one wrong move and it could shift just as easily from pleasure to sheer pain. She asked him to trust. He wasn't sure he did.