Lisa Cuddy's Office

Okay. It's 7.06 pm. He's late! That's not a good beginning. I should be the late one! Not him! He's the man! Only House is always late!

She sighed.

No, Jeffry's coming. Or maybe not… she was giving herself some hope.

Yeah, maybe something happened and he can't come. Maybe he…

"Lisa!"

DAMN!

"Jeffry!" She faked a smile.

"I'm sorry I'm late! There was a car accident and I had to wait that the traffic ..."

"No problem."

"Thanks. Should we go?"

Have I any other choices? "Sure!"

"Oh, these are for you." He said handing her flowers.

"Oh my God! They're beautiful. Thanks Jeffry. You shouldn't have…" She said sincerely. She didn't expect this. At least he's trying to be a gentleman.

"I wanted to!" he interrupted her. "Let's go. My car's over there."

The trip in the car was quite quick. She was grateful for that.

He had booked a table at one of the most expensive restaurant of the city.

The food was great but she didn't eat too much. She wasn't hungry. Not at dinner with Jeffry Pitt.

Every now and then he would stare at her clevelage making her feel more uncomfortable. Somehow a piece of their meal had found its place on one of Jeffry's tooth and just wouldn't go away.

So every time he spoke to her…ehm…to her breasts…Lisa would watch with great interest (and disgust) the life of this piece of something ( maybe meat).

"Is everything alright?"

"Mmm?" she licked her lower lip trying to move her attention to him from his teeth.

"You seem…distant. Is there anything wrong with me?"

Even if she wanted to run away from him, Lisa Cuddy was a good person. She wanted to tell him the truth but then she thought this would embarrass and humiliate him.

"No Jeffry."

"You're a wonderful woman, you know that?"

"Thank you!" It's always nice hearing compliments from a man.

"I wonder why such a beautiful, clever woman as you are is single."

She giggled."Me, too."

"I'm glad we're spending this wonderful evening together. We both needed this."

"Eh…but, weren't we here to talk about the hospital?"

"Let's not talk about work! Let's talk about us...I'd like to know everything about you."

A chuckle came from the nearest table. Cuddy ignored it. There are people enjoying their evening. Lucky them.

"I…uhm…what do you want to know?" She felt really uncomfortable.

"Where were you born? Do you have any brothers or sisters? What about your teenage-dreams? Did you ever fall in love with someone?"

"Excuse me, sir. Are you the owner of the black Mercedes parked in front of our restaurant?" a waiter cut him off.

God bless the waiters! She thought.

"Yes."

"I'm afraid you have to move it."

"Oh, sure. Lisa, if you excuse me."

She nodded mouthing a thank you to the waiter who now was watching her puzzled.

Then again she heard that chuckle.

When she looked to her left she saw a man sitting at the nearest table; his face hidden by the menu. She knew it was his laugher.

But why would a man, sitting alone at a table, chuckling to himself reading a menu? Unless…Is that a cane??????

In that very moment House peered at her from above the menu.

"What the hell are you doing here? And how did you know I was here?"

"I have my informers and I followed the scent of fear. Then teacups and "the lighter" showed me the way."

"Huh?"

"You know, Teapots and Lumiere…they told me where I could find the Beauty and the Beast!"

"Ha – ha!" she said glaring at him.

He smiled.

"Are you having fun over there?" she asked him.

"I'll tell you, YES!

"I had no doubts."

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice your cane? And how did you get this table?"

"Cuddy, you're yelling!"

"I'm not!" she said whispering.

"I thought that you might want a help from a friend."

"Who?"

"You're mean!"

"Seriously House! You can't help me. I know you. You'll humiliate me until I'll have no more dignity and you'll be satisfied."

"I'm not that evil."

"You are. And you know that!"

"Yeah, I am!" He said making one of those funny faces of him.

"So what's the plan?"

"What plan?" She rolled her eyes.

"I thought you had a plan!"

"I thought you didn't want my help!"

"House!" She sighed desperately.

"Why are you here?"

"To be near you."

She rolled her eyes, again. Then she saw a movement. He was putting something in the pocket of his jacket.

"What is that?"

"What?"

"You have something. I can see it!"

"I do not!"

"Are those photos?" Her voice rising.

"Nope!"

"House!"

"Cuddy!"

"Gimme the photos!"

"I don't know what you are talking about!" He said with puppy-eyes trying to play innocent with her.

She was getting frustrated. She got up in order to reach the photos but he was faster. He had put them in the pocket of his jeans.

She didn't care as she tried to take them.

"Cuddy! You're touching me there…!" He winked at her.

She blushed a little but continued. In that very moment Jeffry came back.

"I'm sorry you had to wait again, Lisa." Cuddy tried to pull back her hand but it was wedged in House's pocket.

This was funnier than he had imagined it to be.

Cuddy was even more embarrassed now.

"Dr. House! What are you doing here? Lisa?" Eventually Cuddy stepped back from House. The photos still under his power.

"Dr. House was giving me my car keys. I forgot them on my desk. He was going away!"

"Dr. House, if you want to stay with us…" House knew Pitt was a gentleman. He knew he would have asked him to stay with them and, if House was a gentleman himself, he would have discharged the invitation. Truth was that House wasn't a gentleman.

"Sure!"

Ciao :D