Cuddy stood at the lobby counter and was surprised to see House show up next to her. She glanced quickly at him as he scooped up pink slips that had messages written down for him and she flashed back to the last time she saw him and could have sworn she still felt his lips on hers. "What are you doing here so early?" she asked as casually as she could.
"Couldn't sleep," he answered nonchalantly, still flipping through his messages.
"So you decided to come in to work? That's not like you," she responded, trying to keep things as normal as possible, not knowing if she was the only one thinking of the night before. He inhaled to answer but exhaled when he heard his cell start to ring and pulled it out of his pocket. She watched as he made a face at the screen and hit ignore to end the call. "Who was that?" she inquired.
He slipped the messages into his pocket with his cell phone and turned his head to his right to look at her. He looked as though he was holding something back. She could tell there were words in his mind that he wanted to say but he wasn't allowing himself to say them. Then, the tension in his face drained, "no one."
"House," she said softly.
"I'll see you, Cuddy."
She stood frozen, and looked confused as House limped away from her and headed towards the elevator. She thought that maybe she read too much into the night before. Maybe he had been drinking, but, then, she didn't remember tasting or smelling any alcohol on him. Maybe he was upset and needed some kind of release, some challenge, and decided trying to kiss her was it. She sighed when she watched him enter the elevator and she walked towards her office solemnly.
House inhaled and exhaled slowly when he caught a glimpse of the look on Cuddy's face before the doors closed. He froze. He wanted to tell her everything. That it was Monica calling but its not what she thought. He was trying to end things with her.
But his damn nerves wouldn't let him tell her, so, he just left. He thought about how he could fix things with her, how he can tell her what he wanted her to know on the ride up to his floor.
He still had no idea once he got there.
He sighed, and glanced towards the office door of Wilson but opted to not go in. The way he seemed buddy-buddy with Cuddy lately, he knew he ran the risk of getting yelled at for not only kissing her and leaving her the way he did but, also, doing so when things weren't officially over with Monica. He's one to judge, he thought to himself, but kept on towards his office anyway.
"What have you mindless beings been doing since we've parted over night?" House asked his team when he entered the room where they were all sitting and waiting for him.
"House, you have a visitor," Foreman told him, lifting his eyebrows in the direction of his office.
House swung his head to follow and when he saw the long legs that he grew used to seeing crossed in his chair waiting for him he looked back at Chase, Cameron, and Foreman. "Wait for me," he told them and went into his office.
"What are you doing here?" he asked when he stepped through the doors that joined the two rooms.
Monica uncrossed her legs and sat up, "you weren't at the meeting last night, and I tried calling you but-"
"I was busy," he interrupted, motioning for her to get out of his chair so he could take it. She obeyed and took a seat in the chair to the right across from his desk while he sat down.
"You couldn't answer when you were walking in? I just tried calling a second ago."
"Which was pointless, since you were here anyway," he snapped back.
She narrowed her eyes on him, "what's wrong? Is there something you're not telling me?"
"I should be asking you the same thing. You should have done both of us a favor and just ended it instead of just keeping me around for what?...when everyone else is busy?" He reached into his pocket and dug out a pill bottle.
Monica's eyes widened, because from what he said, she knew he saw her the night before, but also because of what he was doing. "You're taking Vicodin again?" He looked at her defiantly and popped a couple into his mouth. "Look," she stood up and walked over to his side of the desk and turned his chair so he would face her, blocking the next room with her body. "I did something stupid that I regret because what I came to realize is that its you that I-"
"House, I think we should talk about-" Cuddy stopped short when she looked up from entering his office through the other room and saw Monica turn to look at her, with House exposed in the process, sitting comfortably on his chair, wide eyed, seeing Cuddy. "I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to interrupt," she said, looking away disoriented, not expecting to see what she was seeing.
House's heart beat faster and pushed Monica out of his way with his cane and tried to catch up with her as she left from where she came from and took quick steps down the hall. His leg was shooting with pain, not allowing him to go as fast as he wanted. "Cuddy," he called out, as he exited the adjoined room. She kept walking, and looked like she was gaining speed. He stopped in the hallway, grabbing his leg, knowing the pain would be too much if he tried any further to catch up with her. "Cuddy, it's not what you think!" he shouted desperately. Before he was able to get another word in, the elevator doors opened and closed and Cuddy was gone...