"Hello," the blonde woman said with smile. "You must be Dr. Lisa Cuddy."
"And you must be Detective Alexandra Eames," Cuddy smiled back and shook her hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you." Her gaze shifted up to blonde detective's partner. "And you're Detective Robert Goren."
"Yes, that's right," the tall detective said, engulfing her hand in his.
House stood to the side and quietly watched as more introductions were made and pleasantries were changed. Wilson hung up the detectives coats, and Goren presented the hostess with a bottle of wine. Cuddy excused herself to the kitchen. Eames and Wilson chatted away, apparently hitting it off. The diagnostician continued to watch as Goren's muddy brown eyes looked over the place, taking in everything. A cop habit he couldn't break. House was ready to bet a thousand dollars that the detective had a photographic memory.
"Dr. House." Goren's capped teeth gleamed as he caught sight of his friend. "Joining the party?"
"Can't start without me," the doctor smirked, looking Goren up and down. "You didn't have to get all dressed up just for me, Bobby. Nice suit."
"Thanks. New cane?"
"It's in the shop. This one's a loaner." House shouldn't have been surprised at that observation, but was anyway. Goren noticed everything. "How's the detecting business? Keeping busy?"
"No shortage of bad guys," Goren said. "Lately they all seem to be British. Must be some weird criminal exchange rate."
"Dr. House!" Eames came over and gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder. A smiling Wilson trailed behind her. "Good to see you again."
"Alex," the doctor grinned. "I trust you're keeping your partner here in line."
"You know I am," she laughed as her partner rolled his eyes.
Cuddy called from the dining room: "There's appetizers here." As her guests filed in, she opened the wine and added, "Dinner will be ready shortly."
The blonde detective nibbled on a baby carrot. "Dinner smells good, Dr. Cuddy."
"Lisa, please," the Dean of Medicine beamed.
"Lisa goes all out for company," House smirked as he took a glass of wine. "Especially when they carry badges and guns."
"I think they're about fifty miles or so out of their jurisdiction," Wilson said, handing a glass of wine to Eames, then taking one for himself.
House eyed the oncologist. "Jurisdiction or not, their guns will still shoot."
"We're off duty," Goren assured everyone. "We're out of our jurisdiction and our guns and badges are locked up. Right now we're just regular guests here for what I'm sure will be a wonderful dinner."
Cuddy raised an eyebrow at her lover. "I go all out for my company, no matter what their profession, or lack of it."
House raised an eyebrow back and munched a cracker. "Absolutely."
"We finally had to break down and meet the 'Lisa' Dr. House is always talking about," Eames said.
"Really." Cuddy looked at the diagnostician with what could be only described as shock and awe. He said nothing and swiped another cracker.
"How was the drive over?" Wilson changed the subject before his friend died of embarrassment. "Not too bad, I hope."
"Ever been to New York City, Doctor?" Goren asked the oncologist.
"No."
"As long as the vehicle doesn't fly off the road and you make it to your destination in one piece, any drive can be categorized as 'not too bad'."
Wilson chuckled and refilled the detective's glass. "Well, I can hardly argue with that. If the traffic there is half as bad as I think it is, I'll just take your word for it."
"Traffic worse than New Jersey," House mused. "I'm tempted to go there just to see it."
Goren said, "Traffic is traffic, Dr. House. The only difference is the license plate numbers."
A bell sounded from the kitchen.
"Dinner is coming right up," Cuddy said, and smiled at her guests. "I hope everyone brought their appetites."
