Mysterious Stranger: Chapter 13
Disclaimer: I don't own House. If only wishing made it so...
A/N: Big THANK YOU! to everyone who has read and reviewed. Reviews make me smile! Thank you so much. I'm glad to see that people are actually reading my story. Yippy! Sorry for the wait. Here's your update.
Cuddy! That's it! Her name is Cuddy! Hmm, that has a familiar ring to it... Oh, well no matter. Jane was almost certain that this Cuddy lady was the one who had captured House's attention. And anyone who worked at the hospital would freely tell of how much attention House paid to Cuddy's figure and similarly the proportion of Cuddy's attention paid to the cunning doctor and his antics. Now for a plan, it would be all too easy.
His attention had wandered, but quickly returned when Jane began tracing circles across his chest. He tilted his head and caught her searching gaze. Her face then became awash with innocence and intrigue as she softly asked: "Who's Cuddy?"
House was puzzled. He frowned in thought as he fought to focus on her words. Cuddy is a woman… but not just that… when had thinking become strenuous for him?
That's perfect, Jane thought, just a little diversion to insure a straight answer.
"Dean of Medicine at the hospital." It was if this wonder woman had caught him with the lasso of truth. Well, it's House so not the whole truth, but a truth nonetheless.
So someone from work, Dean of Medicine, that sounds pretty important. She could be his boss, but he was a total ass to her on the phone. Who would be so blatantly irreverent to their superior? Jane grinned diabolically; somehow she could imagine he would. But why be an ass, unless he really was a 5 year old chasing girls and pulling pigtails.
"Oh," and then it hit her; it was that simple. The man who spent hour upon hour pondering the mysteries and complexity of the human body was really that basic. Shocking, but then again it was House and he was undeniably unpredictable.
"Oh," he mimicked. "And just what brought about this line of questioning?"
"One question, my friend, does not a line make," she poked him on the last bit. "She called you last night, didn't she? I was just curious." Shrugged her shoulders, looked up naively, and then scrunched her forehead. "You think she's okay, with the snow storm and all?"
His face didn't betray him as his stomach fell to the floor when he thought she might be in danger. He'd known the woman the better part of twenty years and here was Jane, who'd only talked on the phone with her for less than twenty seconds showing more concern. No wonder he was alone; he wasn't human.
That's right, you're god chirped a voice in his head.
What if she is hurt?
No way man, you're talking about Lisa—freaking –Cuddy: fire and brimstone wouldn't dare mar her; she wouldn't even shed a tear.
Yeah, you made her cry once; more than once—you asshole.
You don't care about anyone. Remember? Why would you care about her?
That was one question he refused to answer even in his head. If he did, the chink in his defiant facade and rusty heart would crack as wide as a black hole and consume him. Everybody lies, even to themselves.
"Pff, 'course she's okay. Knowing Cuddy she's squirreled away in her office up to her neck in paperwork." His posturing sounded plausible and the mental image was nice, up to her neck in paperwork --provided that's all she's wearing. Still he couldn't shake the nagging worry that something wasn't right. Damn Jane.
His face was blank, she noted, not a hint of worry, also devoid of mirth or that devilish grin. It had to be her. Well, darn if the lack of emotion wasn't the big bad old House way of showing he cared. So now I've pegged the "who." I'm definitely curious about the how; however, that can wait. Now I need to find her and make sure she knows. Personally, I think they're both clueless that or refuse to admit the truth. Stubbornness, yeah that would describe House and anyone who would keep him around for as long as his mother said he had worked in NJ.
Her cell rang. It's still ringing, she thought. The administrator within poked at her weakly to answer, but that part of her had, by and large, died last night. In light of the fact she had gotten virtually zero Z's, her mind racing at a breakneck pace into the wee hours of the morning, she sighed and shifted her head to the other shoulder stretching her neck and falling into a deep slumber.
A/N: I'll try to update again soon. If you liked it let me know.