Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not Buffy or House sadly.
A/N: I feel really awful…it seems like forever since my muse has obeyed me. As it is this chapter was extremely difficult to get out. All feedback welcome. Hopefully there will be more regular updates.
September29th
"…listen to Andrew, unless he goes on a rampage regarding figurines," Buffy intoned to the girls.
Emmy and Melody giggled softly. They had quickly learned that their new roommate was more than a little goofy. He had ended up making them a rather extravagant breakfast-in-couch complete with fresh made scones and earl grey tea. Of course he had fluttered around and insulted their fashion sense and called them Padawans repeatedly.
It had taken Buffy skipping into the apartment with a basket full of laundry for Andrew to calm down. Trading laundry for slayerettes, Buffy sent Andrew on his way to the laundry room and she ordered the girls to stretch with her. To say the least, both girls had been grateful for the brief respite from Andrew.
"Okay," Andrew sighed as he finished folding Buff's clothing, "so what do you want us to do today?"
Buffy shrugged, "Why don't you teach the girls the basic vamp and demon rules and regulations and start teaching a few simple punches."
Andrew's face lit up like a disco ball, "Really, I get to teach them?"
"Yep, don't kill 'em."
Melody rolled her eyes, "Where's House?"
"Work. Unlike us slackers, he has a nine to five job—okay, more like eleven to four—with an hour and half for lunch."
Emmy frowned, "What do you do during the day?"
Andrew interrupted, "Usually she goes to control him. He can be very scary."
"I didn't think he was scary. He seemed nice."
Emmy's admission and Melody's nodded agreement caused Andrew's jaw to drop.
Buffy chuckled, "Alright, I have to go, so don't kill him girls, he feeds us."
With a one armed hug for each girl Buffy was out the door and in a cab. She didn't see the sense in driving when she would in all likelihood catch a ride back with Greg.
"Are you kidding," Allison grinned brightly, "I would love to!"
Chase chuckled as his girlfriend and one of his best friends hugged and squealed, "What about me?"
Buffy turned to him and tugged gently on a long lock of his blonde hair, "Well, I don't know how you'd look in a taupe halter dress…but if you want to."
Chase gulped, he knew Buffy had done crazier things than put a man in a dress, the day he met her was a testament to that.
"That's alright. I'm more than fine not wearing a dress."
Cameron traded eye rolls with Buffy, "I can't believe it, you're getting married to House, and I get to be your maid of honor. Who else is going to be in the wedding party?"
Buffy thought for a moment, "Well, Lisa, and I was hoping that my two new charges, Emmy and Melody would. Otherwise I'd be a little short. House has, Wilson, Andrew, Chase, and Foreman."
Chases' eyes widened, "Whoa. I—I don't think he wants me there."
Buffy stuck her tongue out at the Aussie, "He does. Are you kidding me, he misses you three. He was all crotchety for weeks after you left. I had to threaten to move in with Andrew before he stopped. Trust me, just let me talk to him, and once Erik gets here everything will peachy."
Cameron smiled again and crossed her legs, "Foreman's coming back?"
"Lisa told me this morning, she arranged it so that he would be watching out for the new fellows—making sure Greg doesn't go crazy on them."
Chase sniffed and shifted in his pink scrubs. Allison had certainly been right. Chase looked positively yummy in them.
"Have you decided who's going to walk you down the aisle?"
Buffy stuck her tongue out at him, "Thought about it, kind of not thinking about it now. I mean the wedding is going to be during the day and I don't think I really want all my exes at the wedding. I mean Spike and Angel—I'd be asking for a massacre."
Allison snickered, "True."
"Speaking of," Chase said as he picked up his mug of coffee, "How are the girls?"
A happier topic, no wedding stress, "Good, they're good, annoying Andrew, so good. I hate to ask, but Allison would you mind doing their physicals?"
"Sure," she agreed quickly, "Just say when."
"Tomorrow? Then I have to find a school for them—mmm," Buffy whimpered.
Chase smothered his laughter but leaned over to embrace his small friend, "Hey, you can do it. You tamed the beast, the rest is cake."
Buffy chuckled at the statement, "Right, and if the beast hears you say that, even I won't be able to stop him."
Clandestine operations were hardly so amusing to Oncologists. But watching his best friend's fiancée go through his office, hop over the dividing wall on the balcony just to get to said best friend was more than a little amusing to James.
"Avoiding the trainees?"
Buffy pouted, "Yep, apparently he wants to be all mysterious and stuff."
"Give him a hickey. That should be enough of a mystery."
"Ooh, fun. So, how's life been?"
Wilson sighed, "Hell, and on that subject, have you decided when to meet the parents?"
"Nope," Buffy shrugged, "We're supposed to tell them eventually but he's just putting it off."
"Well this is House, and he and his Dad aren't exactly Saturday-ballgames-at-the-park material," Wilson reasoned, leaning back in his chair.
Buffy rolled her eyes knowingly, "But this important to me too. This will the first ever Buffy-parent-meeting event."
"Ever," his voice betrayed his shock.
Buffy whimpered, "Yeah."
"Huh."
Buffy pouted, "Well can you blame me? All but one of my long-term boyfriend's parents were dead for a century or two before I came along."
"And the 'one'?"
"They were in Iowa, I think. Besides, I had no desire to really become Mrs. Finn the Cow Farmer. Buffy Finn just doesn't jive."
"And Buffy House does?"
Buffy scrunched her nose up, "Not hardly, but I can't find the effort to care. But seriously, House, totally not the best last name."
Wilson coughed, his eyes bugging out for a second, "Of course, I mean it couldn't be that your first name is Buffy."
Buffy's eyes snapped into slits, "That means war."
Before James could apologize let alone wince, Buffy had hopped the brick wall and slipped into House's office.
"Hey," a soft voice cut into Greg's thoughts.
An involuntary smile pulled at his lips and he kicked his desk to spin his chair round. There standing, framed in the sliding glass door, sunlight pouring in around her was the love of his life.
"Always with the head tilting and honey coated lips."
Buffy scrunched up her nose and darted past him to flip the locks on both doors and slide the blinds tightly closed. As an afterthought and a cheeky grin she flicked the light switch to off.
"Mmm, but you love me for it."
House rolled his eyes and set his tennis ball down on the paper covered desk, "I know, I'm a damned fool."
At his gesture to sit on his lap Buffy happily did so. She inhaled deeply as she nestled her head under his chin. He smiled like home. Not like the wet of England. He smiled like warm aftershave and something that was a mix of her vanilla and the hospital.
"So the latest in your long list of mischief is drinking at work."
Her voice was soft. From anyone else it would sound accusing.
"Hmm, Cuddy rat me out?"
"Who else?"
"I hope she drowns in a bucket of ferrets?"
Buffy chuckled and shook her head disbelievingly, "That is it, seriously. No more hanging out with Spike, Baby."
Greg's eyebrows inched upward, "Ah, but I learned my threatening imagery from you, Dearest."
Buffy clenched her eyes closed and stifled the groan, "So what are you doing today?"
Shifting beneath his burden, House nuzzled her, "Nothing."
"Uh-huh, so this amazingly diverse pile of junk on your desk…and floor is nothing."
"Pretty much," House surmised.
"So you wouldn't want to explain the receipt for 50 cents of gas or the list of safety tips from the fire department," Buffy questioned.
"I was bored?"
"Well, that does actually make a lot of sense in this case."
She continued to rifle through the odd papers and bric-a-brac, "Ooh, can I have this?"
House twisted until he could read the paper she held, "List of schools in the area? What for?"
"The two teens at home. You don't' want them to be educated by Andrew, do you? All we'll get of them will be Yoda-speak. 'Slayed we did. Yes, hmmm. Defeated we did, the green horned demons.'"
"Right, tomorrow then? You, me, a few traumatized principles?"
House's instant straightening had Buffy wiping tears from her eyes in laughter.
"Everything is piling up, isn't it?"
"Hmm," he asked.
"The wedding, Grunty-Man."
House's arms tightened around Buffy, "Cold feet?"
"Want to check," Buffy returned.
"Alright, then give me a clue."
"Okay," Buffy scooted down in his lap and sighed, "It starts with and Australian accent and ends in 'man'."
House pursed his lips, "Is this the intervention portion of our reunion?"
"Nope," Buffy ran her fingers down Greg's arm and twined her hand with his, "This is me trying to make everything good. I know where you live. I know you don't hate them. They're our friends. And if you don't call them and ask, then…well I don't know, but you won't like it."
House didn't respond to her threat, he needed small victories after all. Buffy allowed it.
"Remember how you told me I owed you something."
"Yep, is it present time?"
Buffy jumped out of the chair and pulled House up after her, "Close your eyes."
Buffy pouted, "Why?"
"Just do it," House rolled his eyes as he reached behind his chair.
Buffy let her head loll to the side as she placed one hand over eyes, "Okay, but if I turn around and you're naked…I won't be responsible…"
Buffy was cut off when a particularly fluffy, warm thing shrouded her shoulders, "Wha—"
House pulled her hand from her eyes and pulled her into the circle of his arms, "If I had known that office sex was a possibility…"
"Shut up before you need a shovel."
House tilted his head from side to side, apparently weighing the options. Settling for quiet and a stolen kiss or two instead of a round of banter, House leaned down and claimed her lips. Her lips were soft with a coconut covering where his were chapped and cracked. Buffy didn't mind if she had to wet his lips for him.
Pulling away from him Buffy sucked in a breath, her heart thudding in her ears, "So what was the mastermind plan behind the blanket?"
House shrugged as he adjusted the dark, soft blanket draped over her, "Nap-time. When I have to work, you can nap on the couch."
"Ah," Buffy smirked, "And if you happen to need a nap too?"
House's face contorted into an expression of pure bamboozlement and surprise, "I guess we'll have to find out…right now?"
Buffy smiled and the pair stumbled backwards onto the couch with a little maneuvering. House pulled the blanket around them until they were covered. Buffy pillowed her head against his chest, playing with a tuft of hair that hung below his ear.
"I could get used to this."
House smiled at the ceiling, "You know, there is still the option of office sex, just imagine how pissed Wilson would be."
Buffy rolled her eyes and squirmed like a kitten settling for a nap, "As hot as that gets me, I think not."
As House was about to respond, a frustrated knock came from the door, "House! Open the door! You can't do this!"
Buffy quirked an eyebrow, House just grumbled.
House scowled and yelled at the door, "Go away! It's nap-time, moron!"
A frustrated growl came from outside before a pair of footsteps retreated. Buffy bit her lip and mouthed the question, "Fellow."
House nodded and ran his hands up and down her side reaching lower each time. Buffy squeaked when a large warm hand came to rest on her butt and she ground against Greg in retaliation.
"Never mess with a slayer," Buffy reminded House.
House could only smirk. Surely he was the getting the better end of this deal.
A new chapter! Yay! Please review, some hints for upcoming chapters are some or 3 past Buffy characters. Any ideas who?
