Yay, chapter seven! And I actually managed to post it at a decent enought ime after chapter six... The opportune moment! How amazement. Hope you likie!
CHAPTER SEVEN – BOWLING SHOE SYNDROME
"What's wrong?"
She stopped absently twirling the spaghetti around her fork and glanced up at Wilson. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I asked you what was wrong. You've been awfully quiet over dinner… you know this isn't a date, right? I'm not trying to get into your pants… well, dress… but the expression still stands. All I'm doing is sucking up to you for letting me crash."
She smiled at him reassuringly. "I know. I never thought you were. I understand."
"Well, then, what's wrong?" He looked into her eyes and read the expression in them. It was one he had seen many times. He sighed and put down his napkin. "House."
She shrugged. "I'm sorry. I know I said that he wouldn't affect me, but…"
"No apologies necessary. This time, I understand." He smiled briefly and watched her, sitting back in his chair. "You really have got it bad. Do I take it there's a shrine in your apartment just waiting to be discovered?"
"Wilson… You know him better than anyone. Why…" she searched for the words but couldn't find them. "Why?"
He shrugged. "Because… because he's House. That's what he does. He's ambiguous, he's a puzzle. That's part of why you like him, isn't it?"
She shrugged. "Yeah. It is, I guess."
He leant forward and looked into her eyes. "He does like you."
"He sure has a funny way of showing it," she muttered.
"I know. But as I said, he's—"
"House. I know. But why do I keep putting myself through it? Why do I keep giving him chances, going to see him, being nice?"
"Sucker for punishment?"
"Sometimes I just get so sick of being nice! It's so expected, so predictable, so boring."
"I know. But you and I, we're the same. We can't help it. We care. Sometimes too much."
She sipped at her wine thoughtfully, regarding him. He just waited, knowing that if she wanted to add anything, she would.
"It's not just House," she said carefully, setting down her glass. She stared hard at it, as if expecting it to morph and skitter away. "There's something else, too."
"Something else?" He racked his brains, but come up with nothing that it could be.
"Yeah. And it's really confusing, because it's conflicting with the feelings I have about another person. And I thought that nothing would, because the other person is House."
"Oh." He frowned. "So, you're having feelings… romantic feelings… about someone other than House. But you're supposed to be head over heels in love with House… I see… but why tell me?"
She picked up her napkin and daintily dabbed at her lips. "Well, for a number of reasons. One, because it's very confusing and I need to talk about it. Two, because you're the only person I trust to talk to who will actually keep it secret. And three…" she trailed off and frowned into her food. "Three…"
Wilson leant forward, but she just kept staring at her carbonara. "Allison?"
"Three… because you are the other person." She finally looked up at him, raw emotion on her pretty face.
Wilson took a moment to digest this and scratched his forehead. "Aha. I see."
"So, you know, I thought that I should… tell you. In case I start acting weird. And just know that I don't want or expect anything from you. You're rebounding, and I've got some mutated strain of Stockholm's Syndrome."
"So, you see me as your kidnapper?"
Despite the situation, she found herself laughing. "No! I just—"
"But you do see me as holding you hostage in your own house? Well, I suppose that's true, you're fed when I feed you, we only go out together, I watch you all day on the hospital's CCTV footage…"
She laughed harder, clapping a hand over her mouth and nose and stop from snorting out some very recently consumed wine. Managing to swallow, she gasped and coughed, eyes watering. He was out of his chair in a second, thumping her on the back in a well- practised move. He grabbed her glass of water and handed it to her, and she gulped it down, slowly calming herself.
"Okay now?" he asked, brown eyes concerned.
She nodded and he pulled her up, aware of the curious looks from the other patrons.
"What say we leave now?" he asked, and she nodded again. He signalled for the bill and paid, and they left the restaurant.
"Where would you like to go now? Home, or somewhere else? Coffee?"
"Um… I don't know. I'm still a little hungry, and I'm not tired yet, so how about…?" she looked at him hopefully.
"Okay. I know a good twenty-four hour feeding ground."
She looked at him in surprise as they pulled up outside a bowling alley.
"Bowling? You're taking me bowling?"
"Not unless you want to. The hotdogs here are the best around for miles. We don't have to bowl."
She considered. "No, actually, I want to. I don't even remember the last time I went."
"Okay, but be warned… I'm deadly in a pair of bowling shoes."
She scoffed and raised an eyebrow. "Obviously, you haven't seen me in action."
"Was that a challenge?"
"Yes."
"Well, then. Can't deny a challenge. Let's go." He reached for the door handle, but Cameron grabbed his arm.
"James. What I said—"
He held up a hand to stop her and smiled. "Later. It can wait."
"No fair! You only won because you had the right shoe size!" he insisted grumpily, untying his shoes.
"Yeah, that excuse worked the first time. But the other two times? Get over it. I beat you fair and square, three times in a row. The only deadly thing about your bowling shoes is their smell." She grinned and tied her two pairs of laces together before slipping her heels back on and standing, holding out her hand for his shoes.
He grudgingly handed them over and they took them back up to the counter.
"Food now?" she offered.
"Yeah. But you're paying." He now seemed quite happy about the fact that he no longer had to be nice.
She cooed at him and ordered two hot dogs and fries before turning back to him. "Aww, I'm sorry if I hurt your ego by winning. I promise not to tell anyone about it. Your dignity shall remain intact."
Wilson looked horrified for a moment. "What if House found out? I'd never hear the end of it…"
She laughed and patted his arm. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. Just don't be surprised if I use it against you and attempt blackmail every now and then." She accepted their food and took it to a table, James trailing behind her.
"You? Blackmail? I am loathe to include the two in the same sentence. I would not taint your name with such a blasphemous action!"
"Oh, please. Eat your food." She bit into her hot dog and looked impressed. "Wow, woo wew riwf! Thif ith gray!"
"And the Pig-to-English translation of that would be…"
She swallowed. "You were right. This is great!"
He swelled with pride. "What did I tell you? I have yet to teach you the implicit details of the culinary field, young Padawan, but you can be taught!"
"Yeah… but I still beat you."
He sagged again. "Way to beat a man while he's down." He shoved some fries into his mouth and sighed.
They sat in companionable silence until Wilson finished his food and wiped his fingers, pushing the plastic container aside. "About what you said before…"
"No, it's okay. It was stupid. I'll get over it. I shouldn't even have said anything."
"Maybe not. But I need to know why."
She nodded. "Fair enough. I can't just say it and expect you take it, no questions." She stacked her container on his and frowned, searching for an explanation. "I realised how good it felt with you. How you make me feel good about myself, and how you make me laugh. Before I've fallen asleep for the past couple of nights, I've been thinking about you, and not House. And that's confusing. And different. And it made me realise that I was… feeling. Things." Uncomfortably shifting in her seat, she twisted a napkin between her fingers. "Different things. About you. More than just friendly things. Possible romantic entanglement… things."
"Right," he said eventually. "And that would be difficult. Since I'm staying with you. And I'm getting a divorce. And you're in love another man. And he likes you back, but he'll never admit it in a million years. And I'm his best friend. And we all work together. And if House found out…" He grimaced. "I'd rather not think about it."
She nodded again. "Exactly."
"So you, what, thought it would be easier if you told me this?"
"I know. At the time, it seemed to make sense. There was some logic in there."
"So. I guess there's only one more thing to divulge."
"What's that?"
"How I feel about you."
She took a deep breath before asking. "How… do you feel about me?"
He looked into her eyes and said truthfully, "I like you. House, divorce and work aside? I… Allison, I'm beginning to like you. As a… possible romantic entanglement."
"So… What do we do?"
"I don't know."
She moved to sit next to him. "But… House, divorce and work aside. Do you think… I mean, would you… and me?"
"I think so."
She smiled gently and leant forward, and his heart palpitated at double speed. Until he remembered everything else. He pulled away, and she looked hurt.
"House," he reminded her, looking down at the table.
"Right. And your divorce and work… But House is our main concern, isn't he?"
"Isn't he always?"
Oh, and PS- In case anyone thought I was just being adumb Aussie, the whole ESPN thing is just a joke. I know it's supposed to be ESP, it's just something I actually heard someone say once, and I thought it was funny. Anyway, thanks!
