Chapter 11
Glancing around her bare hotel the next day, Buffy crossed her arms over her chest happily. She and Lauren were moving into the new place today and Faith had decided to take off tomorrow. She claimed it had more to do with the weather being crappy than an actual desire to spend some time with friends and Buffy let Faith believe that she bought it. She was glad Faith hadn't left yet, it felt nice to be around someone familiar who didn't look up to her as a mentor. Lauren was great, she and Buffy were getting very close but Buffy missed the camaraderie she'd shared with Willow and Xander at now Faith. She even missed Spike, not that she'd tell him so or jettison off to L.A. to see him of course.
Lauren bounded in with Faith right behind her, having just finished loading the last of Buffy and her own things into Buffy's car. Faith would be following them on her bike to check out the new place and to help unpack and would likely be gone by the time the other two woke the next morning.
"That all of it?" Lauren asked as she looked around for any leftover scraps of clothing or something that didn't belong to the hotel. Lestat was in his kitty carrier in Buffy's front seat, waiting for his owners to get in and probably crying. Lauren had tossed a towel over the carrier to block out the sun so he didn't get over heated and she'd only just put him in so he was fine.
"Yeah, I think so." Buffy answered, nodding an affirmative and taking the hotel room door key off her keychain so she could return it. They walked back to their vehicles, Lauren sliding into the passenger's seat and settling Lestat on her lap while Faith donned her bike helmet and climbed onto her Harley.
As Buffy was walking to her car when another car came up, and she turned to see House walking toward her, his cane in hand. She caught Faith's sidelong glance and gave her an imperceptible nod saying she was alright and Faith waved at Lauren to come with her. Lauren re-covered Lestat and climbed on the back of Faith's bike, her arms wrapped tight around the other girl.
"We'll be back in a sec!" Faith called to Buffy over the rumble of her bike and Buffy turned to face House, leaning her back against the car. She watched him as he studied the ground, waiting for him to say something.
"Moving then?" House stated finally and Buffy cocked her head to one side. She looked at Lestat and opened the door to turn on the A.C. and the radio. Lestat seemed to like the sound of music, and it bought her some time to get her head on straight.
"Yep, all packed and ready to go." Buffy replied and he tapped the wheel of her car with his cane. "That thing you did, the invading of my privacy? Very not cool." She said and House scratched an itch on his elbow.
"I know. I'm, uh, sorry." He muttered and if she hadn't been blessed with Slayer hearing she might not have heard it.
"And the background check?" Buffy went on and he turned surprised eyes to hers. "Faith told me. Really House?" she admonished and he shrugged.
"How else am I supposed to get to know you?" He defended weakly. "Not you know, like an interested party but as a casual kind of observer."
Buffy fought to keep a straight face but she had to admit he was right. She wondered how he'd handle the Big Secret, although it wasn't so much a secret, never really had been in her case. He wasn't ready to know now in any case.
"Why can't you just trust that I'll tell you when I'm ready? And just be my casual kind of friend that takes me to dinner and makes me laugh?" She asked and his lips twitched in a smile.
"I might be able to do that. Damn there goes my plan for corrupting your roommate." He cracked and Buffy laughed. He stepped closer to her so they were almost nose to nose and her hair brushed across his stubbly chin with each breath he took as they stared into each other's eyes.
Buffy's gaze flicked from his murky blue eyes to his mouth and she sucked in a breath when he leaned closer. His kiss was just as brief as the one they'd shared at her doorstep the first night they'd gone out but it was no less sweet. She felt his hand touch her hair, securing a few strands that had fallen from her ponytail behind one ear as he cradled her face.
As quickly as the kiss had occurred it ended and House straightened to look up as Faith and Lauren returned, shopping bags slung over Lauren's arm to her elbow. Lauren hopped off the bike and dashed over to them, squealing.
"Buffy they had it! They had the movie we were talking about!" Lauren gushed and House and Buffy watched Lauren bounce on the balls of her feet. She held open the bag for Buffy to see and House peeked inside then regarded Buffy with an ironic grin.
"Ghost?" He asked dryly and Buffy frowned at him in offense.
"What? It's romantic and sweet and okay so it's a total chick flick but you can't tell me it's not good." Buffy argued and House shot Faith a conspiratorial look.
"Horror flick kinda girl?" He asked and she flashed him a thumbs up.
"I like him, Buffy if you don't want him can I have him?" Faith asked and Buffy huffed and stalked to the manager's office to return her key. Lauren got back into Buffy's car to pet Lestat and Faith eyed House as he stared after Buffy.
"You really like her huh?" She assessed and he didn't answer. "Good." She said simply and leaned her elbows against B's car. House turned his questioning gaze on Faith at this and she met him stare for stare.
"Good?" He repeated and she inclined her head.
"Don't get me wrong, I meant what I said. Screw her over, you're a dead man. That includes the little stunt you pulled yesterday." She said sternly and he made a face. "Way I see it, B's been through the mill by guys and it's nice to see her smiling again. So as long as she stays that way, we're five by five you and me."
"She didn't used to smile? What her exes didn't have my sparkling wit?" He drawled to hide his curiosity.
"Let's just say they had a very dead sense of humor." Faith snickered at the inside joke. "As in flat-lining, turn to dust." She went on and he studied her closely. "You met Angel right?" She asked and he smiled.
"Point taken," He admitted. "The guy got touchy because my cane decided he looked better on the floor."
Faith burst into delighted laughter, "You tripped him?" She crowed and he bobbed his head, smirking. "That's so great, you're my hero."
She kept chuckling as Buffy approached and Buffy looked at them both warily. "Do I want to know?" She asked House because Faith was still laughing.
"Undoubtedly not, but I'll probably have a Tourette's moment and blurt it out later." He quipped and Buffy shook her head as Faith snorted.
"I'm following you then?" Faith asked Buffy and she nodded. Faith nudged House's elbow and raised her eyebrows. "Don't forget what I said Gimpy." With that, she walked back over to her bike and pulled on her helmet.
Buffy glanced between Faith to House, her face knitted in confusion. "What was that about?" She asked and he shrugged.
"Haven't the foggiest."
Buffy looked at him for another moment and he smiled innocently at her until she shook her head, giving up on that particular topic. "How's the patient? Do you have a diagnosis yet?" She asked.
"Not yet, we're thinking Tularemia but she's in a coma so that's probably not it." He shrugged, unconcerned. Buffy nibbled her thumb for a moment and he watched her, wondering if she knew how cute she looked when she was thinking.
"Want to see my new place?" She blurted and he smiled.
House followed Buffy into her new house, admiring the way her jeans curved to her behind as she walked. She set the box she was carrying down when she reached the foyer and she started to show him around. He was impressed; the house was big enough for Buffy and Lauren plus at least 3 more people.
When they made it back downstairs Faith poked her head out from the kitchen, her cell phone in hand. "Uh B? Got a minute?" She asked and without waiting for a reply, she latched onto Buffy's wrist and pulled her into the other room, leaving House in the living room. Unable to pass up the opportunity to eavesdrop he walked over to a spot he could listen in without notice.
"Willow and Xander are at the hospital. Giles told them about the accident and they're there to see you. That Chase guy just called me." Faith told Buffy in a hushed voice, fully aware that House was trying to listen in.
"Chase called you?" She asked, a little stunned. What were they doing there?
"Yeah he was a little reluctant about you discharging yesterday and I mentioned I was sticking around so we swapped numbers in case something came up." Faith said dismissively.
"Oh." Buffy leaned against the kitchen counter, thinking rapidly. Xander had taken Anya's death really hard and had disappeared to Africa after the final battle and Willow had chosen to go with Giles and some of the Slayers to England to re-establish the New Council. Aside from a few conversations, she hadn't really spoken to either at length, and she wondered how Willow had managed to track Xander down. She wiped suddenly damp palms on her jeans as House decided to abandon the pretense that he wasn't snooping and limped into the kitchen, Lauren at his side.
House's eyes met Buffy's and he saw the turmoil in them, but when he saw the faraway look in them along with the mixed emotions, he went closer to her. He leaned down to get her attention, and she focused on him formulating a plan of action.
"You okay?" He asked gruffly and she gave a distracted nod.
"We should get back to the hospital then, House has a patient to cure and apparently I have friends to see." Buffy decided finally and Faith watched her in silence. She remembered how things had gone down during the fight with the First and she wondered if Red or Harris had ever apologized for booting B out. She hadn't wanted any part of it, and B knew that then and knew it now. She had to- if she didn't then they wouldn't be as solid as they were now right? She wished it had been Lil Sis instead of the witch and Harris, or even the Watcher. She was just glad B had her and Lauren around to lean on, and House too, if the concerned way he watched her was anything to go by.
Seeing Faith's considering expression and House's concerned one made Buffy smile at them both in thanks before she went back to the foyer and to the porch. The trio exchanged looks and followed her outside, and Lauren made sure Lestat wasn't near the door before they left.
Buffy drove in silence and House spent the ride bickering with Lauren but when he reached over and closed his large hand around hers she shot him a grateful look. She was actually nervous about seeing her friends! House didn't ask, he didn't criticize, he was just there.
When she reached the hospital, he kept his hand on hers, as casually as if it was something he'd always done, not an offer of comfort and support she seemed to desperately need. They walked inside, Lauren on Buffy's left with her hand in Buffy's and House on her right and Faith bringing up the rear, united. Lauren had only heard about the Scoobies yet she knew more than House who just saved his questions for later. Buffy had no doubts about the fact that he'd grill her later but she was just happy he was there with her then, a silent supporter.
They saw Willow and Xander standing at the front desk with Foreman, but Cameron and Chase weren't around. Xander and Willow smiled warmly at Buffy and they didn't seem to notice her escorts. Buffy, House, Lauren and Faith all came to a halt less than a foot from the two Scoobies and only then did they notice Buffy and House's joined hands.
"Buffster, long time
no see," Xander said as he moved forward to embrace her in a hug and House and Lauren released her hands as she hugged him back. Willow took his place when he let her go and Buffy shut her eyes tightly to keep from crying. She missed her friends.
Once again the distance between them seemed like a gaping chasm and House turned to Foreman and they began discussing the patient as Buffy spotted another familiar figure walking toward them.
"The vending machines aren't working," Kennedy said as she reached Willow's side and then turned to look at Buffy. Even someone who knew nothing of the history between the two could plainly see that there was a lot of residual resentment. "Buffy."
"Kennedy." Buffy returned evenly and Willow glanced worriedly between them. House saw Chase exit the elevator and walking toward them and grinned wickedly.
"Oh goody now we can have that big orgy I daydreamed about, I get the blonde!" He commented and both Buffy and Faith rolled their eyes, used to House's humor by now. Willow, Kennedy and Xander looked at the doctor with confusion then at the giggling Lauren and finally at Buffy.
"Guys, this is House, House, my friends Willow, Xander and Kennedy." Buffy said, gesturing to each as they were introduced. Willow smiled and waved at House, Xander and House sized each other up, but Kennedy blurted, "I'm not her friend, I'm just here because Willow is."
House's eyes sparkled mischievously and Foreman decided to step in before his colleague could stick his foot in his mouth. Not quickly enough as it seemed, because he drawled, "Even better, girl on girl's always been my favorite."
Buffy rubbed the bridge of her nose as Xander and Faith snickered, Kennedy glared at House and Lauren gaped, Foreman just looked apologetically at Buffy and Willow.
"Your mouth should have one of those censor buttons for content whenever you speak." Buffy told House and he grinned at her in reply. "Or even better a Mute button." She pinched his arm with only a small bit of Slayer strength. "House?"
"Yes?"
"Remember the Bambi Rule we talked about?"
"Of course."
"Use it." She told him sternly and he pouted.
"You ruin all my fun; you're just as bad as Cuddles." He sulked and Buffy let out an exasperated sigh. She should have known better than to think he'd be anything other than himself.
Buffy ignored him to smile at Chase and he smiled back, and yet again Buffy made the necessary introductions. When she got to Xander, though Chase stopped listening, taking a step toward the other man and slugging him square on the jaw.
Xander stumbled in surprise as the rest of the group stared at Chase in shock. Willow put a restraining hand on a scowling Kennedy and Buffy intercepted Chase while House watched the scene with a wide grin. "Easy Rambo," she soothed Chase but he was still glaring at Xander.
"Ow!" Xander yelped, putting a hand on his red jaw. "What the hell was that for?"
"You cheated on my cousin!" Chase growled and Xander looked at Buffy for confirmation, who removed her hand from Chase's chest. "In high school you dated Cordelia Chase, then cheated on her and she wound up impaled and in the hospital."
Xander and Willow both paled as Faith's eyebrows rose almost to her hairline. She'd heard about it but she hadn't made the connection until now. Buffy obviously had before his explanation and House leaned against the desk as if he was finding the whole thing entertaining, which he probably was.
"She was your cousin?" Willow breathed because Xander seemed incapable of speaking. Chase nodded once and his beeper went off but he ignored it to continue glaring at Xander. House looked at his own pager when it went off and sighed disappointedly.
Foreman put a hand on Chase's shoulder and they walked off down the hall toward their patient's room. House looked at Buffy and asked, "Find me when you're done later?"
"That depends on if you plan on criticizing the movie all night," She replied and he scoffed.
"Of course I will, have we just met?" He said and she laughed. When he made no move to leave she nodded and he gave her cheek a swift kiss before following his ducklings.
The show of affection between Buffy and House didn't go unnoticed by her friends and she felt a knot tighten in her stomach as he left. She turned back to Willow and Xander and felt Lauren take her hand once again, as well as Faith's presence behind her.
"So…..hi guys." She chirped brightly and Willow gave her a small smile, Kennedy scowled, and Xander just blinked, his hand still on his jaw.
