Hold On
Chapter 5
In the Dark of ended up stopping at a local bar that was close to his place. Due to the time of night and it being Valentine's Day, the place was pretty empty. Well, empty except for the few lonely hearted who were drowning their sorrows at the bar in between hitting on the bartender. To an outsider, they looked like a couple stopping for one more drink before they headed home. These outsiders couldn't be more wrong.
House and Cuddy quickly found a booth at the back of the bar and took seats across from each other. The attractive, female bartender arrived quickly to take their orders, anxious to get away from the men at the bar. He ordered a Scotch on the Rocks and she a dry martini. They waited for their drinks in a comfortable silence, listening to the sad attempts of a local jazz band in the background. After the bartender arrived with their drinks, he finally thought that he should probably say something. But what? This had turned out to be one pretty strange evening. She was still looking towards the band when he asked, "Are you alright?"
She looks at him, startled a little by the break in silence. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well after running into what's-his-face and his arm decoration at the benefit you were pretty upset. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."
His actual sincerity surprised her. "Yes, I am fine, really. I just needed to get out of there."
And that was it. Not another word was spoken the entire time they stayed in the bar. She had a few more martinis, he had way more than a few more Scotches. She decided she better get him home before he got really loaded, not that he wasn't already, and started making a scene, not that he didn't do that already. She drove this time, pulling up in front of his place to see that he had passed out in the passenger seat.
"Well, isn't that just my luck," she said to herself as she unbuckled and got out.
"Greg? Greg!" He finally came to and looked around like he had no idea where he was. "It was funny", she thought, "it was her idea to go get drunk and she was the one who was sober". She finally got him out of the car and up the front steps of the building. She rode the elevator to his floor with him and helped him unlock the door.
"Are you sure you are going to be alright if I leave?" she asked genuinely concerned.
"I'll be fine. Wilson has gotten me drunker than this before. I could have easily made it in here by myself. I just wanted a reason to hang on you."
She made a face at him, they said their goodnights, and she headed back down to her car. Just as she was about to get in someone called her name from behind. Someone who's voice she recognized. She turned around to see who it was only to be struck in the face with a brick. After that, it was total blackness.