"Take me in, tender woman, sighed the snake."

House was sitting in front of the TV deciding between pizza and Thai take out. The phone was in his hand when it rang. He glanced at the number and felt his chest tighten. House stared at the number as it rang again. He cursed his inebriated condition and sighed heavily as he flipped the phone open.

"What are you doing up so late?"

"It was a miserably long day and I'm taking tomorrow off. I would have phoned sooner but I left it at the hotel. I'm sorry, House. How are you?"

House thought for a moment. He couldn't help himself. "Just peachy. How about you?" House tried to sound upbeat but he knew the attitude was ringing through loud and clear. He fought to rein it in. He had no choice. This was probably his last chance with his wandering woman. He had to get Jesse to come home by whatever means necessary.

"I'm much better after a long hot bubble bath." Jesse answered after a pregnant pause.

A picture of Jesse naked in a tub with bubbles caressing her skin caught in House's mind. He smiled at the memory of it. "So we're not camping out in the desert with the working class stiffs?"

"No. There's a great deal of coordinating to be done with the museum and I'm in the city sometimes more than I prefer. But I'm here now." Jesse whispered. "I'm here talking to you at your request, my warm lover." She cooed into the phone and House's icy heart melted as her pet name for him spilled out of the phone.

"Yes. You are."

Jesse bit her lip. She could tell House had been drinking. She'd have to be careful not to ruffle any alcohol-laden feathers and she knew he had to have more than a few with her name on them. "Did you want anything specific?"

House hesitated. "No. Nothing specific. I wanted to talk, that's all." Silence. House rolled his eyes as he struggled for something to say, something that would make it alright again.

"I've missed that." Jesse sighed. "Shall we talk about me or you?" Jesse began.

"Or the weather or current events?" House continued to make a list. "Talk to me, Jesse. Just talk to me." House said as he closed his eyes and let his head fall back on the sofa. "Don't cry or fuss and I won't yell and bully, fair enough?" House offered.

"Sounds fair enough to me."



If she could only see the look on his face, House thought as a smile started to surface. Jesse would talk to him. She still wanted to talk to him. She hadn't labeled him a monster and eschewed him from her life. There was hope. Even if it was only a glimmer.

House listened to Jesse rattle on as she always did. Stories of sand and a newly discovered pyramid and a myriad of details House could have cared less about spilled out of the phone for his personal amusement. Jesse's musical voice washed over him like a refreshing breeze.

House listened, making the odd noise here and there whenever required. He tried to envision Jesse lying in her bed. She was alone. House was relieved. He hadn't been replaced either. Not that Jesse could ever find a replacement for him, House grinned as Jesse continued recounting her escapades.

Jesse knew House was probably too drunk to carry on any kind of conversation but at least he was listening. And he was being good. There was no pressure and no animosity. It was a start and that was something. It was enough for now.

House's beautiful songbird chattered and cooed in his ear until she had lifted his spirits and taken his memories somewhere they hadn't been in a very long time. The sands of Egypt came alive for him again through Jesse's eyes. House was drifting in and out of a happy alcoholic haze when Jesse's dissertation began to wind down. "And those are the highs lows and in betweens of everything going on here. Are you still awake?"

House's eyes opened. He'd been riding the crest of the wave. It was time to come down and participate. "Yes I am. There is no escape."

"Ah, you've made me your prisoner when I wasn't looking." Jesse cooed. She waited but there was no quick comeback, no witty remark.

"That was a long time ago." House suddenly replied with a tad too much confidence.

"Really? When was this?"

"The night we met. See how subtle I can be? I'm not always the bully you make me out to be."

Jesse tried not to laugh into the phone. From the sound of his voice House was half asleep or half gone from the alcohol. Or was he giving an Oscar winning performance in hopes of winning his fair maiden's hand yet again? Jesse wasn't sure but she decided not to spoil their promising evening.

"I never said you were." Jesse sadly answered into the phone. "What's that old saying? When you're good, you're very good."

"When I'm bad I'm better." House interrupted. There was silence. "You like it when I'm bad. Admit it." House said, deciding to take a chance and push ever so slightly.



"Sometimes."

"What about this time?"

"What?" Jesse asked, unsure of where this was going.

"Will the Mistress allow me to be bad this time without punishing me for being a bully? It might be good for both of us?" House dared Jesse.

"What did you have in mind, my warm lover?"

"I know you miss me." House's voice was a low growl. He was insistent but he didn't really push. Jesse caught her breath and hoped this wasn't about to go terribly wrong.

"Of course I miss you. How could I not?" There was silence. "House?"

"I wanted to hear you say it." House hauled the lead weight that was his head off of the back of the couch. An evil grin started at the corners of his mouth as an idea came to him. "I want you to come back to me, Jesse."

Jesse dabbed at her eyes with a Kleenex. But she utterly refused to sniffle into the phone. She wasn't about to let him know he was getting to her. "I'm committed to this project through the end of the year, House."

"But you have a day off. You said you have tomorrow off." House's voice slurred into the phone. There was silence. "You have holidays. The holidays are coming. It doesn't matter if they're your holidays or not. They're somebody's and everyone gets them off. Even wicked witches who fly away from their warm lovers come home to their families for the holidays." House taunted, but gently.

House knew he was pressing his luck but he had to take a chance. Did Jesse miss him enough to take him in small doses? Now was the time to find out. While she was comfortable in his company again. While she was reeled in halfway and didn't suspect.

"I hadn't considered it."

"I want you to consider it." Silence. Jesse's hand covered the phone as she sniffled and wiped a stray tear.

"House, you always want. You want more and more."

"I'm greedy that way."

"You are." Jesse replied, smiling in spite of her answer. Yes, House was greedy. But he was greedy for her. He wanted her still. Maybe they could polish the particulars later? Maybe.



"You knew that." House continued. His voice was gentle. He made sure of it. Firm but gentle, another small tug and reel in the slack.

"I did." Jesse answered as a line from a song popped into her sleepy head. You knew I was a snake, and still you took me in.

"You knew that and it wasn't that big an issue."

"It wasn't until you overstepped my boundaries. Not yours, my warm lover, mine." Jesse whispered as delicately as she could. There was silence. Jesse held her breath, hoping to hold the venom at bay as well.

"Then we'll leave that boundary intact." For now, House thought, but he kept that to himself. "Jesse?"

"Yes, House?" Jesse dabbed at her eyes again.

"What are you wearing? Are you naked?" A surprised nervous giggle was his only response. He'd caught Jesse off guard with the sudden change of topic. House grinned and clicked off the TV. He had his big fish in the net. Now all that was left to do was haul her back into his boat.

Chapter 4