DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything related to Fox or the TV show House. I'm only borrowing some characters. The characters belong to David Shore and company.
A/N: We all know they're miserable… so a little time jump so we can get to the seminar soon. How soon? Maybe two chapters from now. Or even after the next chapter after this one!
Where are the others? Lol… Anyway, I hope you're liking the fast updates this week.
This one came late 'cause I was in a very bad position while typing up BW30 the other night thus making my right wrist sore and making it hard for me to type fast and properly. I bandaged it for a day and removed it earlier this afternoon at school.
*Don't kill me with the spoiler I have for you guys below* *Hides now*
One last thing, before I hide and before any of you guys would think about this, I would tell you now that NO CHANCE that Wilson will be falling for Cuddy, *In this fic or any of mine* ever! He'll always be the protective "big brother".
Enjoy! We're getting somewhere! :D
ABSENCE CHAPTER 11: FRIENDS
.
Over the previous weeks, House and Blair managed to establish a personal friendship outside and inside work; having coffee at times—which was rarely—and then conversing about different things whenever time was available.
They've been talking casually, which House got used to since he had to get used to talking to someone. He didn't have Wilson to bother, didn't have Cuddy to… well, everything. He had a team he could mess with but he's been given strict orders to not get involved in his team's personal lives lest it's already affecting their duties to the patients and the hospital.
But that didn't mean he never tried to get to their heads and mess with them even a little.
He hasn't had any contact from anyone other than his mother from the United States. He never dared open his old cell phone again in fear of having Cuddy or even Wilson get through him.
The disadvantage though, of having a sharp mind and memory on his part, was he couldn't forget either of those two important people's numbers.
He distracted himself by trying to explore the new place he's in. Getting to know people though, he didn't even thought about. He managed to go places via cabs, not even thinking of buying his own car so that he doesn't have to pay cabs every day. But he thought of buying a motorcycle.
He went out, worked out, always attended his PT sessions and never had Vicodin again. His leg wasn't hurting anymore and what remained of it was just his scar.
Although there were times when he played the piano in his big condo unit and couldn't help but reminisce on everything he went through while in Princeton.
Along with that, he also tried to assess how much his life and he, himself, has changed when he chose to run here.
And as time continued to run forward, he wondered whether it was taking him along with him and healing him at the same time or this wasn't really for the best of either of them.
As the days went by and Dr. Lexi Blair had more contact with every dean, chancellor, or doctor that were participating in the seminar, she got to talk to one Dr. Lisa Cuddy as well. And since they've been talking, as time went by, Blair couldn't understand how House and Cuddy could have went through something that could send them this far apart .
Dr. Cuddy always sounded so calm, reserved, yet could make some comment so the ice would break and they would laugh amidst the discrepancies they see on some lists that they then fix. Having heard from someone that Dr. Cuddy was great at organizing events, Blair didn't waste time in asking her if she could help her out with the topics and to whom they best fitted to be assigned.
Cuddy, having taken a liking to the business-oriented but very outgoing and nice host of the seminar, agreed to help. Only about thirty percent of her reason in agreeing was to get her mind off things.
Blair has tried many a time to stop herself from asking about Dr. Cuddy's personal or business relationship with House but she managed to hold her tongue. She agreed with herself that they weren't that well-acquainted yet for her to ask such a personal question.
VBCTH, Blair's office, December 11, 4 pm
"Dr. Blair, I've got Dr. Cuddy on hold," Carmen, her secretary told her through the intercom.
Blair thanked her and pushed the button for the speaker and shifted her attention to Cuddy.
"Dr. Cuddy, how may I help you?" Blair greeted cheerfully as she stuck a sticker label to one folder.
"Dr. Blair, I told you that you could refer to me as Lisa," she heard Cuddy say in the same tone she used.
Blair's chuckle echoed through her office as she replied, "Then Lisa, I'd prefer it if you called me Lexi. This is great improvement though Lisa, we've spoken to each other what, once or twice a week? Now we're on first name status!" she joked, causing Cuddy to laugh.
"Yes, Lexi, I'll be sure to get our bands ready," Cuddy rode along.
Blair shook her head at what they were doing. She had to admit it was fun though. She found it amusing how she could get along well with someone she barely knew but somehow, in some unexplainable way, gotten close to just by keeping in touch on the phone and through email.
This made her even more curious as to what got in between House and Cuddy.
Feigning curiosity, even if Cuddy wouldn't see, Blair raised an eyebrow and seriously asked, "Do they allow same sex marriage there in Jersey?"
A few seconds of silence later Cuddy and Blair burst out laughing as they thought of the two of them in that situation.
"That was fun. So, anyway, I'm sorry for getting us sidetracked. You were going to ask?" Blair said, still trying to get herself together after laughing hard.
Cuddy kept silent awhile, pondering whether she should push through with her question or just forget about it.
Knowing it would be her first time asking it, Cuddy took a deep breath and spoke.
"I just wanted to ask if you were able to get in contact with Dr. House?" Cuddy asked, her voice trembling just a little.
Blair sobered at her question. She now hated herself a little for lying to Cuddy. But she had a duty to her hospital and she made a silent vow to herself that she wouldn't interfere with anything she finds out regarding House and Cuddy. Also, she somewhat promised she wouldn't let the truth out until seriously necessary.
"I'm sorry Lisa but I still haven't had contact with him. I'm trying to though," Blair said, lying through her teeth, feeling a part of her wrench annoyingly in guilt.
She'll know and see him soon enough. Time flies quickly these days, Blair told herself.
She heard Cuddy sigh, "Thanks. Oh and I've fixed that list you asked me to organize. I'm just curious. Who's the surprise guest speaker going to be?" Cuddy then asked, her tone from disappointment to that of curiosity.
"Sorry, Lisa. You've been such a great help and I want to tell you but I can't. You're going to have to wait and be surprised at who it is," Blair then said. Well, there was no doubt Cuddy would be more than surprised to see for herself at the seminar who her "surprise guest speaker" will be.
Cuddy clicked her tongue but had a small smile on her face. Well, she couldn't blame Blair. If she were hosting the seminar she would as well hide the identity of her surprise speakers. "That's okay. Anyway, I have to go, paperwork waiting," Cuddy said.
"Thanks for organizing the list! And I'm really sorry for not being able to tell you. Although if I get hold of Dr. House, I'll be sure to let you know," Blair told her.
"Thank you Lexi," Cuddy said gratefully, "Goodbye."
"You're welcome, Lisa. Thanks again. I'll talk to you soon, bye," Blair replied and then they both hung up.
Feeling tormented by her own guilt, Blair dropped her head on top of a few paperwork on her desk and groaned.
VBCTH, House's office, December 11, 6 pm
"Okay… I have had enough!" Blair told House as she sat down on the couch in his office and crossed her arms in front of her, looking at him with a guarded stare. After having worked through her inner turmoil at being somewhat an invisible middleman between House and Cuddy, Blair finished more paperwork before snapping at the questions in her head and finally decided to go ask House.
House raised an eyebrow at her, "I didn't do anything!" he answered confusedly.
Blair shook her head and clicked her tongue. "No, this isn't work related," she told him.
House rolled his eyes at her as he grinned wolfishly at her, "I told you, before I even consider sleeping with you, you have got to get rid of that boyfriend of yours!"
Blair's jaw dropped and she chucked a throw pillow at him which he caught and threw back at her. "I told you never to stick your foot into my personal life!" she reprimanded.
House defensively raised his hands in front of him, "Hey! I didn't! What would you have had me do? Leave the restaurant I was eating at where you and your badass hubby were supposed to date?"
"He isn't a badass! He's perfectly—"
"Endowed?" House mocked sarcastically.
Rolling her eyes at his mocking Blair then chose to just join him, "He is, actually. And he isn't a badass. He was just stressed that night that's why—"
"He snapped indecorously at a waiter who accidentally hit his chair thus causing him to spill his wine on his pants?" House suggested.
"How near were you to us?" Blair asked him in a hiss. "Why are we even talking about this? I'm the one supposed to interrogate you here!"
"How long have you been with him?" House ignored her questions.
"Why? Not that it's any of your business anyway," Blair muttered, defeated. Maybe if she answered all his questions in an instant they'd get somewhere after his curiosity is satisfied and satiated.
"Because usually, if that happened on the first date, a woman such as yourself wouldn't have dated him again," House said knowingly. He had a bad feeling about her boyfriend.
Blair bit her lip and shook her head, "No," she drawled, "He's just… complicated. He's really nice if you get to know him. He just has a short fuse, is all." She told him with a small smile.
"So… how long?"
"Half a year," Blair said and before House could open his mouth added, "And I didn't come here so you can interrogate me about my love life!"
House shrugged, "Well, you allowed me to."
Blair shrugged as well, "I consider you my friend, House."
House sliced the air in front of him with a hand, "Pshaw, I'm touched," he said, then putting his palm on top of his chest and feigned being touched by her remark.
"I'm betting what got "touched" was your ego," Blair dryly muttered.
"So… you were going to ask me when you walked through my door?" House asked, getting them back on track.
And he finally gets satisfied… at the moment.
Blair looked at him for a while because she really wasn't sure how he'd take her question. Every time they talked, their topic either revolved around other hospital staffs, cases, or places in Canada she could recommend him to check out.
"What really happened between you and Lisa?" she asked.
House gave her a confused look which she rolled her eyes at before clarifying, "Cuddy?"
"So, what, you two are best friends now?" he scoffed at her, deflecting.
"I mean it, House," Blair's tone changing from exasperation in a heartbeat, "I don't understand how the two of you could have gone through something that made you move so far when you could just have moved some states away."
"It's none of your business," House muttered under his breath although she heard it.
Blair sighed and stood up. She made her way to the chair in front of his desk and sat down, reaching forward to pat his hand as she searched his blue eyes which were avoiding hers. "House… You could tell me anything. I won't tell her. Just tell me anything you can, because I'm sure you've been keeping this inside. I'm in front of you right now as a friend, not as your employer, not as your boss."
House just remained silent. Normally he would have up and left then and there. But she was right. Having no one to tell this to was hard. Then again, when did he ever have someone he could confide with, with these kind of things?
He used to have Wilson but the things he said to Wilson were also limited.
"House, I want you to know you can trust me," Blair sincerely told him, taking her hand back after one last pat, "Because you really can trust me."
House closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "It's complicated," he murmured gruffly.
"Everything's what you make it to be," Blair told him.
"We had a very bad fight," House then told her.
Blair rolled her eyes and scrunched up her face, "House, I'm not a child. I could perfectly rationalize and dissect things and situations" Blair defensively told him.
"Sorry, I thought you were—"
"Could you please stop deflecting? If you're desperate to not answer my question you could just say so," Blair cut him off.
House scoffed, "Well I'm sorry. I thought I already implied that with the words "It's complicated"," he sarcastically told her.
Well, rules of ethics and politeness never worked for him. She'll have to play his game. Manipulation can be a blessing sometimes, she thought.
And House needed a push. If he really went to Canada to move on, he had to talk about things so that he could work from there as to how to do it and move forward.
"If you don't tell me now, I'll go right down to my office and call Cuddy and tell her that you're the surprise speaker I told her whose identity I can't divulge," Blair threatened him, arching a brow at him in a dare when House's icy glare met her audacious ones.
"Do that and I'm out of here," House threw back at her.
"Do that and you're ass gets hauled to jail for breach of contract and you get stripped of your medical licenses. Oh wait, or you might get deported," Blair countered unhinged by House's threat of leaving.
House sighed and his tensed posture softened as he looked down, "Lexi," Blair's eyebrows shot up at the use of her first name with his confusing vulnerable tone, "I'm not apt to opening up to anyone."
Blair's gaze softened at his state. "House, I may be the only friend you have here, you know." She joked.
"Actually, yes, I think so too," House agreed sarcastically.
"And you're diverting the topic again. Tell me anything. And we'll work from there," Blair said, understanding that he couldn't tell her everything which was right.
"I love her," House said.
Blair rolled her eyes at that.
"Could you cut that out? It'll stick if you keep it going," House told her, annoyed.
"Well, if you didn't say such obvious things, I would be able to keep myself from doing it!" Blair told him pointedly.
"I helped her get pregnant," House then chose to say.
Blair's head lolled to the side as her eyes bugged out of their sockets. She was speechless.
"Behind her back…" House added when he saw his team a few feet away from his glass office door.
And with that, Lexi Blair, M.D. died from shock…
Well, actually no. She was just too stunned that she wasn't able to reciprocate House's team's polite evening greetings to her.
"Bryan's getting worse. The treatment didn't work, and we think you should see something," Alexis Chou, House's team member of Asian descent informed him with a well-practiced American accent. House liked calling him "blindy", much to his annoyance but he got used to it weeks later, because of his eyes.
House snapped his fingers a few inches away from Blair's poker face as she unblinkingly continued to stare at him in disbelief and shock, causing her to snap out of her thoughts.
She was about to speak when House cut off anything she was about to say or ask.
"Patient's dying. I'm pretty sure that's more important than dissecting my love life," House told her, the words "love life" that left his lips caused his team to look at him with curious expressions, eyebrows raised.
"We're not yet finished with this," Blair pointed at him with her index finger.
House waggled his brows up at her.
Though yes, having revealed a few things to her did make him feel a little—if nothing—better. Well, not better. Freed, rather.
PPTH, Exam room 2, December 15, 11 am
"Cuddy, are you really sure about this?" Wilson asked her for maybe the thousandth time.
Cuddy double checked to make sure the clinic door was locked before facing Wilson with a frown.
"They're just twice a day injection of Menotropin, Wilson," Cuddy muttered as she looked at him.
"Which is part of the protocol for In Vitro fertilization, I know. And since you're going through this, means you're going through the entire process," Wilson said knowingly.
"I could still change my mind," Cuddy unconvincingly told him.
"Yeah, right." Wilson said. Sighing, he put down the injection and patted the chair near him, asking Cuddy to sit.
When Cuddy frowned at him not injecting her first, Wilson patted the chair again and she finally complied although reluctantly. Wilson then leaned back on the exam table and looked at her, clearing his throat before speaking.
"Cuddy… I know you're probably sick of me making excuses and such about prolonging this but… this is the last time I'll suggest it. If what I'm going to propose next doesn't happen, I'll wordlessly and with my blessing, help you through the process," Wilson started seriously.
Cuddy sighed, "What is it this time, Wilson?"
"Wait until after the seminar. It's a diagnostic and oncology seminar. And there's a long shot of House attending it but it's worth the last try. If you, we, don't get to meet him there and you don't get to talk to him, then I'll wordlessly help you through this," Wilson proposed.
Cuddy shook her head at Wilson, "I don't need your blessing for this, Wilson," she said.
"Well, you need my help. And you still will if you succeed at conceiving," Wilson shrugged.
Cuddy briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Okay," she agreed finally, pursing her lips as she looked at Wilson.
"You think he'll be there?"
Upon agreeing Cuddy knew she was subjecting herself to hoping and being let down again but it would be the last, she promised herself. If their fates still didn't collide by then, then there really wasn't anything to be hopeful for anymore and she should, even if painfully, try to move on like she's been trying the past months.
And when the time was right and she was impeccably ready, she'd then try IVF again, with Wilson's help.
"I don't know," Wilson answered honestly on a sigh.
Cuddy looked hopefully at him, "I hope he will."
Wilson nodded in agreement. So did he, so did he.
A/N: Let me know what you think! Leave a rev please :D
SPOILER for next chap:::
HOUSE kisses BLAIR…!
