I think I should tell you right now that I have changed the rating of this story from T to M. In a few chapters you will know why. I had intended it to be T but…the M was calling to me.

CHAPTER 25

Leah's shaky legs somehow got her to her table where she found everyone waiting for her. Cuddy's eyebrows rose. "You're hair is down." Leah still didn't know how to react so she just nodded. "Where are your combs?"

"Oh…um…" Leah's countenance was confused which only confused everyone else. "…I um…I don't…I don't know."

"What's going on?"

*****

Once House gained some semblance of composure he limped into the dining area to find everyone sitting down, murmuring about the newest kidney dialysis, medicines or procedures. He scanned the room and quickly found Leah sitting beside Wilson and Cuddy. He studied her face, her confusion and agitation clear on the face that was framed by curls still mussed from his fingers.

The same fingers that ached to touch her again, to feel her skin on their very tips.

Quick thoughts, like those of an old black-and-white projector, flicked across his mind's eye. Images of his scruffy lips leaving scratches along her taut stomach as it arched into his mouth…of her hands in his hair…of her moans filling some obscure room, hanging low over their feverish bodies as they…

Someone bumped him from behind, hurtling him a bit forward and knocking him from his trance. With a few decisive cane thumps, House slowly limped to the table, his eyes never leaving her incredible face. Suddenly he stopped. It seemed that all seats were taken at the table and his face fell. Leah caught his presence before anyone else…she could always do that, even back in college…and his disappointed look before he could cover up. Without smiling and seemingly a bit more agitated, she pointed to a woman was sitting who was turned away and talking to someone at the next table. "Excuse me? I'm sorry." The woman turned to Leah. "This seat was saved."

The woman stood up. "Of course. I was just talking; my seat is over there. I'm sorry."

Leah smiled. "It's ok." The woman said her goodbye and left. Leah looked at House. "Right there."

House's eyebrow rose. "And what if I don't want to sit there?"

Leah's face froze and she looked at Wilson, his water glass frozen to his mouth, who was sitting between herself and the vacant spot. She looked back at House and could see he was fighting her. She shrugged. "Fine. It's up to you. Dr. Wilson saved you the seat but if you don't want to sit there I can't make you." She turned away from him and asked Cuddy, "When do I go on?"

This pissed House off even more. House looked around and saw that seat was truly the only one left in the room. Sighing dramatically he limped to it and pulled it out further. "There are no other seats so I guess I'll just sit here." He dropped into it with a huff and Cuddy covered up her smile. Leah managed to hide her own surprisingly pleased smile behind her water glass.

"Ok Leah…" Cuddy said when the salad came. "…we're going to eat then Dr. Gwen Boyer from the American Society of Nephrology will introduce you. Tell them about your clinic and all the breakthroughs you're making. There will be another social hour and the night will end by presenting you with a giant fake check for the money for the clinic."

"Can we speed this along? You know how much I hate these things." Leah took a bite of her Caesar salad.

Cuddy shook her head. "I wish I could but it's not my show. You could give a short speech, and maybe I could see if they'll combine social hour with the check presentation. How's that?"

"Better."

*****

The rest of the meal went by fairly smoothly as Leah interacted with the other doctors at the large table. She was constantly aware of House's staring, his brilliant blues taking in her every word, her every gesture. Wilson, who'd been aware of what his friend was doing, just like the rest of the table, sighed during the filet mignon. "House," Wilson leaned over and whispered to the blue-eyed annoyance. "You've got to stop staring. You just look moon-eyed."

"I'm not staring…" House said quite loudly so Leah could hear him. "…I'm undressing her with my eyes. Mental fornication just isn't the same as physical fornication, is it Jimmy?"

"You've been undressing her through three courses and forty-five minutes." Wilson hissed, ignoring House's embarrassing words and taking a peek at Leah's suddenly agitated face. "It doesn't take forty-five minutes to undress her."

House's voice grew louder. "It does when she's wearing a black patent leather bustier, matching leather hot pants, chaps and chocolate sauce. You've got to allow time for licking."

Jaymie threw down her dessert fork. Her next comment surprised everybody. "Oh would you two just have sex and get it over with? I don't think I can take watching you two like this. You're about ready to rip each other's clothes off anyway."

"Jaymie!" Leah exclaimed, ignoring the surprised but somewhat pleased look on House's face. "That wasn't called for."

"I'm game if you are Rogaine. What do you say, right now? You should tell your date…" He pointed to Wilson. "…you won't be going home with him. We really should wait until the kiddies leave though…"

Now Leah was infuriated. She felt betrayed by her daughter and angry at the man in question. Leah gripped her fists together and opened her mouth to try an admonishment but the microphone whined and thumped, interrupting her intentions.

"Hello? Ladies and gentlemen? Can you hear me??"

Cuddy leaned over and whispered. "Saved by the bell."

Leah's gaze didn't leave House's as she muttered, "You got that right."

"Jaymie's right you know."

Leah looked at her friend in horror. "No she's not."

"Yes she is. If I've told you once, I'll tell you again: do something about House. When he walked in and you two saw each other, I thought you were gonna drop right there and go for it. It's very clear that attraction is still there but now it's much more intense. Very curious what time can do. Maybe absence does make the heart grow fonder or, in your case, abstinence makes the body more desperate. What's so wrong about pursuing something with House?"

"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital! We are here tonight…" A grinning woman with a black dress and pearly white teeth smiled as she held the microphone, clearly loving being the center of attention.

"What's wrong with you Lisa?" Leah hissed under her breath so only Cuddy could hear. "You know what's wrong…he's Monkee Boy, annoying, childish and a selfish jerk. And if it did turn into anything else…"

"We're here tonight to welcome Dr. Leah Rogan. She's a board certified Nephrologist living in…"

"…there's no way we can make it work. I have a clinic in Wyoming I'm not giving up for him…"

"…she established, and runs, a 30-bed general clinic with plans to expand…"

"…and…and it just wouldn't work. That's it."

"…and Dr. Rogan is considered the top Nephrologist in the Pacific Northwest…"

Cuddy was watching Leah. "Who says it has to be serious? Take what you want and dump him."

"Please give a warm round of applause…"

"I can't do that again!" Leah exclaimed and waved her finger at Cuddy who could barely hear her. "I can't go through that again!"

"…for Doctor Leah Rogan!"

"Leah! Leah!!" Cuddy hissed but Leah ignored her as she sighed, threw her napkin on the table and looked at House. He had, of course, been watching them but hadn't heard what was being said. His eyes studied her critically. Leah stood up and turned away.

*****