Chapter Ten

"House?" Wilson groaned, pulling open the door, "It's nine-thirty at night on a Saturday and you are standing on my doorstep, making a racket. What do you want?"

"Let me in, don't tell Cuddy where I am and shut up." House shouldered his way in past Wilson.

"What?" Wilson looked after House as he collapsed on the couch, "Why can't I tell Cuddy where you are?"

"Because," House looked around, "I smell food."

"No you don't," Wilson glared at House, "Why are you deflecting?"

"Deflecting?" House sat up, "Not me, I just need food; one usually gets tried after sex, you know."

"Whoa, you and Cuddy had sex, and you're here now because?" Wilson looked at House, not sure if he should be angry or confused.

"She's practically obsessed with me, I left." House limped into the kitchen, looking for food, "She told me that she'd probably die out of loneliness and sadness if I died."

"House!" Wilson hurried after him, hitting him on the arm, "And you left her there? You ass!"

"What?" House looked at him, a mouthful of pretzels, "I didn't know what to say."

"You wouldn't have to say anything," Wilson pulled the bag of pretzels out of House's hand, "She loves you, no wonder she said that, you're a big part of her life. I probably would have said the same thing if I was her."

"But you aren't," House grabbed the pretzels back, "I want to know why Cuddy said it, not what Wilson would say if he was Cuddy; which you aren't."

"Does she even know where you are?" Wilson asked, annoyed.

"No?" House replied, "Well, she has to pick between my apartment, the hospital, here, or any of the bars in Princeton."

"Exactly," Wilson rolled his eyes, "There's got to be at least ten bars in Princeton and for all she knows, you aren't even in Princeton anymore."

"Why would I leave Cuddy alone in Princeton?" House snapped, "Look, I'm just stunned that she would say something like that so soon into our relationship."

"It's not soon for her," Wilson argued, "Cuddy's loved you for a long time, she told me herself, and she's happy to be with you. Don't screw it up by leaving her when she says something like that."

"Well maybe I'm not ready for a relationship with her then!" House snapped, slamming the bag of pretzels on the counter, "Look Wilson, I obviously care about Cuddy and Rachel, but I'm not really … no, I didn't except this from her."

"Obviously," Wilson snapped, "I'm calling Cuddy over here and you two are going to talk, clear?"

"You aren't my father," House growled, "You can't tell me what to do. I'll talk with Cuddy when I have to, not when James Wilson wants to."

"House, you're only making this harder on her," Wilson was already reaching for the phone, "Just let me call her and tell her."

House nodded, watching silently as Wilson dialed Cuddy's home phone number and relayed the information to her. As Wilson hung up, he glared at House, "She's furious and upset House, maybe you don't know why, but it hurt her when you left."

"I know it did," House retorted, "But I'm not ready to commit to something that serious sounding."

"You're an ass." Wilson snapped, "Let Cuddy in when she gets here, or else I will personally hand you over to her."

"We'll just see about that." House limped towards the door, bike keys in hand, before he yanked it open. "I'll see you later Wilson."

"House!" Wilson hurried down the steps after his friend, "You're not going to leave Cuddy again, are you?"

"No, I'm going to think, so I know what I can say to her." House started up the engine on his bike, "Tell Cuddy that she can call my phone, I have it with me; and from now on, you stay out of our business."

Rubber stained the pavement as House pulled away, and Wilson seemed to wonder why he had left so quickly. But when he looked up, he saw Cuddy's car round the far corner, opposite of the one House had taken, and for some reason, it was as if Wilson felt my toes go numb, as if ice cubes had been dumped on his feet, along with ice cold water. When Cuddy pulled up besides him, she watched the corner, as if hoping House would turn around and come back.

Wilson shook his head, seeing the longing stare Cuddy was giving the corner, opening the car door. "Maybe you should come inside, so we can talk?" He suggested, already seeing more tears beginning to slip down Cuddy's already tear-stained cheeks.

"What did he say?" Cuddy sat on the couch in Wilson's living room, setting Rachel's carrier down, rocking her back and forth in it with her foot.

"You don't really want to now Cuddy," Wilson leaned against the opposite end of the couch, looking at her and Rachel.

"I love him," Cuddy began, "He's also my boyfriend, I have a right to know what he said."

"No," Wilson insisted, "I'm sick of moderating every argument between you two. You two haven't even been together a month, and this is the second argument where I have to put up with the two of you. It can't be like this forever."

"I know it can't," Cuddy snapped, looking up at him, "I just need to know what he said."

"Before I say anything," Wilson sat on the couch, "I want you to know that House loves you, and he knows that you love him too."

"I know that already, and I'm not questioning it," Cuddy replied, "I'm not worried about that, I just need to know what he said about us."

"You mean about your discussion about you being upset if he died?" Wilson asked, knowing it was already the correct response.

"That's why he came here?" Cuddy asked, surprised, "He was upset about that? Then why couldn't he tell me?"

"He said that you were 'obsessed' with him, because you care about him so much." Wilson began, feeling rather awkward, "Look, Cuddy, you need to talk to him, this doesn't feel right. House was confused, he just doesn't know what this means, and what he should do."

"He doesn't have to do anything!" Cuddy insisted, "I'm not expecting him to, nor did I expect him to. He is who he is, and I like him who he is."

"Maybe he was just shocked about you being so dedicated to him, I mean, you two haven't been together for very long." Wilson suggested, knowing that it was reason that House had been so worried at first, but he didn't dare admit it to Cuddy without House's permission.

"You mean to say that he is worried about being in a relationship with me?" Cuddy asked, "Because I sure know that he cares about me, even if doesn't feel everything I do for him."

"Like the fact that you'd probably die out of sadness and loneliness without him?" Wilson asked, "You care about him and he cares about you, he just isn't ready for those kinds of things."

"Then he should have said something, not walk out on me!" Cuddy was crying again, and Wilson didn't know what to say. "I seriously thought I did something worse to upset him, he's so confusing and half the time, it seems like he hates me, even when we are dating."

"He's worried about showing his emotions Cuddy, House has always been like that, dating you didn't change anything." He stopped, hearing the doorbell ring.

"You go get it," Cuddy sniffled, trying to wipe her eyes, but failing miserably as more tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Obviously, it's my apartment," Wilson gave Cuddy a quick hug, watching her rock Rachel's carrier back and forth with her foot, before going to the door.

"Hey," House's voice came through the crack in the door, "Let me in."

"House," Wilson hissed back, "Once second, I need to sign for something." He called over his shoulder to Cuddy, before stepping outside, closing the door behind him.

"What?" House pretended to look confused.

"Are you out of your mind?" Wilson hissed, "Cuddy's here, and she's beyond upset now, what are you going to do? Take her into her arms and declare your undying love for her?"

"No," House snapped, "I want to talk to her." He sidestepped Wilson, pushing open the door and stepping inside the apartment.

"Wilson?" Cuddy looked over her shoulder, relief and anger clouding her vision as she jumped up, half running towards House.

"Cuddy." House began, hugging her back loosely, "Can we go for a drive, just you and me?"

"Wh...why?" Cuddy looked up at him, her arms still around his neck.

"I want to talk to you, alone." House began, "I'm not mad at you, I just want to talk to you without being interrupted. It's okay if we can leave Rachel with Wilson, right?"

"Sure," Wilson shrugged, "Go on ahead."

"Okay," Cuddy cracked a smile, slipping her hand into House's, trying to snuggle against his side.

"Then let's go." House pulled Cuddy out into the snow and towards her car.

AN: Don't worry, the tense air between House and Cuddy hasn't gone away yet! It's only just beginning!

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