Chapter 7

Back in the office, House looked at his team, hoping they had come up with the answer while he was stealing Wilson's lunch.

He questioned his team. "Any breakthroughs while I was gone?"

"What're you eating?" Chase asked.

House replied, "Stuffed peppers and rice. Yum".

"Where did you get that?" Cameron asked.

Sarcastically, House replied, "Emeril's in the oncology ward today".

Excited, Chase said, "Really?!"

Smirking, House said, "Are you an idiot? Of course not. Cuddy would never let something that fun happen in this hospital".

Foreman interrupted their discussion about Cuddy's exclusion of fun in the hospital, "Back to the patient".

"Right. Itchy rash girl. Anyone have any ideas?" House said to his team.

Chase had an idea and was hoping House would briefly consider it, even just for a minute. "So many things can cause a rash. Even stress can cause a rash" he said.

"But how many things can cause a rash and closed airways?" House said in response to Chase.

"It sounds like an allergy to me" said Foreman.

"Perfect! Except we already ruled out allergy. We've ruled out virus too. Anyone want to try and convince me she's got that?"

"What about another type of infection? There are lots out there" Cameron said hopefully.

House paused for a minute. He appeared to be thinking. Finally he said, "She's not dying yet, is she? We've got some time. Do some tests. Let me know how it goes". He walked towards the door, and threw out his empty plate of food. "I'm going back for seconds".

Later that day, House walked into Dr. Cuddy's office. She was holding a stack of papers in her hands, walking over to her file cabinet to put them away. House stepped up in front of her, and knocked the pile of papers out of her hands. She rolled her eyes at him, and bent down to get them.

"Can you do that again...but a little slower, maybe?" House said to her.

Smiling, she said to him, "You're an jerk".

"And that's why you love me!" he said to her, jokingly.

Defensively, Cuddy responded, 'What? I don't…"

"I was just kidding around. Don't be so defensive, woman" House said.

"I wasn't being defensive" she retorted.

Smirking, he said, "There you go again".

"Why do you mess with me like this?" Cuddy asked him. "Do you love me, House?"

House paused, "What? I…no."

Cuddy looked deeply at him, "Listen, no matter what either one of us says, there's something going on here. Why don't we just…I don't know…It's just…we… Two people can't bicker this much without there being some underlying feelings. I know everyone would say there's a one in a million chance of us being together…"

House suddenly had a revelation. He stared off into the space, and began to think. Cuddy continued to speak, but he just tuned her out. "…but maybe we can…I don't know".

She was going to stop, but then quietly said, "…prove them wrong?"

House started smiling; he knew the answer.

"House. House? Are you listening to me?" House walked off as quickly as his leg would let him, without a word. Cuddy's face dropped, completely disappointed, wondering why she even bothered.