(Dear Readers, I just saw the four sneak peek spoilers for the March 21 episode #17 "Fall from Grace" and it appears House purposely and personally invites Cuddy himself, going so far as to hand her the invitation and telling her it's (just) a "thing" and "we'd love it if you'd drop by" so she'll be completely caught by surprise, hurt and shocked to find out it's a wedding! I seriously can't understand House's behavior, still, I'm sticking to my fanfic and having Cuddy aware in advance yet still intrigued to see if he actually goes through with getting married or not. In this story, Cuddy is hoping and believing it's a typical House prank ploy for attention and shock-value).
"Mayyyyy-be Cuddy will kick him in the balls!" Taub fantasized out loud. "No, wait, she's already done that metaphorically."
"Don't blame Cuddy. Would you want to have to deal with someone like House 24/7?" Foreman asked.
"Good point. Either way, it's gonna be a bumpy night," Taub reasoned. Foreman nodded as he lifted his video control gun and shot back at the screen.
"Unpause the game, man," Foreman wasn't willing to dwell on this any longer. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen and he and the rest of the team had front row seats whether they liked it or not.
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House knew from the hard loud knock it was a pissed-off Wilson on the other side of his door. "What?" House yelled.
"Open the door, House!" Wilson didn't care who heard him other than House.
"Hang on!" House needed time to get up from kneeling on the floor picking up the scattered vicodin pills. Wilson fumed outside.
House hobbled to the door, opened it and walked away presuming Wilson wasn't going to be leaving soon. Wilson said nothing and stormed in, even slamming the door behind him and startling House.
"Hey! What the hell's the matter with you?" House snapped at Wilson.
"That's what I came here to ask you!" Wilson snarled.
"Lemme guess, this is about my upcoming wedding?"
"No shit, Sherlock!" Wilson was in no mood to be toyed with. "Why. Are. You. Doing. This?"
House sat down heavily on his couch and thought about it.
"She makes me feel good."
"Bullshit!" Wilson stood in front of House and stared down at him.
"And she wanted to get married."
"What, Cuddy didn't? Did you ever ask her?" Wilson demanded.
House stared silently at Wilson.
"Too afraid to even ask her, I thought so!" Wilson said angrily. He was torn up inside and couldn't believe just a week ago how happy he had been for his two closest friends and now it was as bad as things could be, short of death.
"She left me, remember?"
"Because she realized she was the only adult in the relationship!"
The two men stared hard at each other. Wilson responded first. "You took vicodin, House. What did you expect her to do?" House looked away.
Wilson sat down in the chair opposite the sofa and waited. He wasn't leaving until House and he worked through it. House had other ideas.
"Have you asked her to give you a second chance?"
"How'd Cuddy take the news," House had to know.
"Stop deflecting, House. Answer me."
"You told her about Dominika and Friday. I can see it in your eyes. No other reason you'd be here this time of night and this angry," House smirked at his own sharp observations.
"Tell me about the vicodin, first."
"No dice," House stood up and walked to the door. He opened it and waited for Wilson to take the obvious hint to leave.
"You're a fool, House. You wrecking your last real chance at happiness. I don't know how you can look at yourself in the mirror and not sicken yourself."
"Practice, plenty of practice."
Wilson got up, sighed loudly in disgust and headed for the door. "I wish I could fix this for you but I can't. Not when you're like this." He stopped directly in front of House. "What do you expect to accomplish by hurting Cuddy?"
"This isn't about her, it's about me," House said arrogantly.
"Sure it is. You keep on telling yourself that." Wilson said through steely eyes before exiting the apartment. "You still love her. You wouldn't try to hurt her if you were over her!" Wilson snarked once he stepped into the hallway.
House slammed the door in Wilson's face.
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Martha Masters sat fuming in the parking garage of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. She hadn't slept well the night before, tossing and turning over the impending hurt headed Cuddy's way when she learns about House's quickie marriage.
If only Cuddy were back from her surgery recovery, Masters could casually stop in and let her know what House was planning. Masters couldn't believe she was working for a full-blown vicodin addict, much less a sadistic man with serious rejection issues. All she could hope for was for Cuddy to skip the 'wedding.'
Exiting her car, Masters nearly collided with Taub's volvo as he pulled in next to the parking space next to her car.
Taub hit the brakes and gestured his apologies. Masters nodded and waited for him. She had to talk to someone about House even if it was the lying, cheating, divorcing Taub.
"Hey, sorry about that!" Taub quipped as he got out of his car. " I didn't see you…."
"Forget about it," Masters waved it off. "I want to ask you something before we get in the office, gotta a minute?"
Taub cocked his head at her question but nodded. He grabbed his briefcase and locked his car before falling into step next to Masters. They headed for the garage elevators.
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"But he is so much older than you, Niki!" Tara whined. "Why would you marry him? You just met him!"
Dominika smiled at her roommate. "Hees is old, bot hees also reachhh and an American see-tizen," Dominika winked at her friend as she continued packing up some of her things into boxes in preparation to move them to House's apartment.
"I thought you weren't going to move in with him?" Tara asked.
"Of course I em movink in weet Gregory or et vouldn't luke right," Dominika stacked two boxes by her bed.
"I guess I'll still see you at work? I mean you're not quitting, right?"
"Eet depends on Gregory but I steel vant to ave my own mon-nay," Dominika sighed. "Don't vorry, eet is wot I must do, ok?" Tara didn't look very happy but she nodded.
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Cuddy stared at her bedroom ceiling. The incision on her back was nearly healed and she'd have to see House's stubbly face at work everyday - that is if he wasn't gone for a honeymoon. Hey, House hasn't asked for time off for a honeymoon! Lisa smiled to herself. She had put Wilson in charge while she was home recovering and he hadn't mentioned anything about House needing time off.
It wasn't plausible that House would just up and marry somebody as a reaction to being dumped. Still, What would she do if House actually got married?
She held her breathe and let her mind race. There were really no options to consider. If he was getting married, it was game over for her and House. He'd be with someone else. She hadn't even thought that far when she broke it off with House. She knew he loved her and she loved him. She hadn't fallen out of love with him, she just couldn't be in a relationship with him if he was on drugs and he needed drugs to deal with the tough times. The times she'd need him the most.
Maybe this was a stupid prank, Besides, House would never get married to anyone, she told herself. Cuddy felt a small measure of comfort momentarily until she realized if it were a prank, House most definitely would have made sure all details were covered, like requesting time off to make everyone believe it.
Unless...he didn't expect her to find out in advance. Wait. House told his team he was getting married. He knows his team would tell Wilson who would, of course, tell Cuddy!
Cuddy decided if House was actually getting married, it had to be purely about striking back at her for breaking up with him. No other reason made sense. House doesn't fall in love at the drop of a hat! Lust, yes, love, no. Cuddy's stomach felt terrible. She knew it was nothing more that raw unhappiness churning with fear and nearly as painful as the feeling in her heart.
If this is a prank, he'll expect me to fall apart in front of everyone. If all he wants is to hurt and embarrass me then he can just go to Hell! Cuddy decided. Still, a nagging thought in the back of her mind persisted until she faced it mentally.
If House does get married, then...then… Cuddy's mind went blank. She realized there was no Plan A or Plan B to file away in case she needed to react on the fly. There was just the plain realization: Then I will just have to accept it and move on.
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Friday morning:
Julia looked in on Lisa but her bed was empty. "Lisa? Where are you?"
Cuddy poked her head out of the bathroom, her hair wet. "I'm up, I'm going in today."
"Do you actually feel well enough or is your curiosity driving you?" Julia said with a small smirk.
"I'm much better. No reason to stay home so long," Cuddy said. "I called Marina and let her know I needed her today. Would you mind watching Rachel until she gets here about 10 am?"
"Uh, yeah, sure."
"Thanks, Julia. You've been so good to me. I definitely owe you," Cuddy said with a smile. "Gotta dry my hair or I'll be late." Julia nodded and turned to go check on Rachel.
Cuddy wiped the fog off her bathroom mirror and stared at herself. She was tough. She could handle seeing House today. After all, she planned on seeing him this evening at his sham wedding. Besides, if he saw her, maybe he'd talk to her about their break-up and wouldn't actually go through with it. A girl can dream, right?
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Friday afternoon:
Dominika took a long, leisurely bath after giving herself a pedicure and manicure. She wanted to look lovely in her sexy wedding dress, an off-white cocktail dress in satin with beautiful detailing along the bodice. She thought about the flowers she picked up at the florist that morning and were now carefully packaged in a clear plastic box and awaiting her in the refrigerator.
Dominika elected to go with a lovely spray of white, fragrant flowers across a small band that would hold back her sleek brown hair. Veils were for churches. This would be a simple affair in Gregory's apartment with some sort of non-religious man officiating. Still, she had insisted on a small bouquet and candles for the private ceremony and Gregory had relented.
"In two years, I weel be free ...and an American citizen!" Dominka said aloud as she sipped a glass of champagne in her warm bath. She needed a little something to take the edge off the upcoming evening's significance.
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House's extra special guest arrived earlier as he was instructed and knocked on the apartment door. It opened immediately.
"There you are! Get in!" House waved him in. He stepped into the apartment and stood there unsure what to do.
House took a long, thorough look at the man. This was someone Cuddy had once loved.
The man didn't know what to think when he got the call from the diagnostician but after they talked for a while, he was quite excited and thrilled to hear Dr. House was going to re-introduce him to Lisa Cuddy.
"This party's going to be a big night for Cuddy so I need you to pay attention to my signal. When you hear the music, that'll be your signal to come out of my room and come into the living room, got it?" House asked.
"Think she'll be surprised to see me after all this time?"
"Oh yeah," House grinned. "You have no idea."
Extra thanks to those of you who took time to review and let me know your ideas about this story. The more reviews I get the more I know others out there care about Cuddy. If you're one of those who haven't yet given your opinion yet, pls take the time to write a review... don't leave me hanging! Thanks for reading.