FIVE

Cuddy was back in her office sorting through a pile of patient's files. House was bound to be getting bored and annoying the entire hospital staff by now, so she was determined to find a case for him. There was nothing extremely interesting, so she just grabbed the file for a man with fever and shortness of breath. It was probably just a simple infection, but she had to give him something to do. She got out of her chair, reviewing the file as she walked to the door. Without looking up from the file, she reached out to push her door open. She jumped back when all she hit was the body of someone walking into her office.

"I know it's hard, but try and keep your hands off of me, woman. We're in public," he stated in his usual mocking tone. She just glared at him and slammed the file against his chest.

"I found you a case."

"I can't take it."

"Why not?"

"I have a patient already."

"Your patient has been out of surgery for a day and has been stable since. I know you'd love to hang around by his bedside and make sure all is perfect with him, but I found you another case."

"I told you I can't take it," he said simply, holding the folder out towards her. She put her hands on her hip, refusing to take it back. She stared at him, waiting to hear what was wrong with the patient whose folder he hadn't even opened. "The girl who got out of surgery two days ago; I'm taking that case."

"You mean the girl that broke her leg playing soccer?"

"Yeah."

"She's fine, House. She just needs to stay here until the drugs from the surgery are out of her system."

"She's hot," he replied, as if it explained everything. Cuddy just stepped closer and let out a disbelieving laugh.

"You're a pig," she replied, pushing the file back against his chest. "And you're taking this case."

"I can't. This soccer player is my new case. She's really hot," he replied. "38.7, to be exact."

Cuddy let out a laugh as he realized that he was talking about her fever. She looked back up at him and couldn't help but laugh again when she saw the puppy dog look on his face as he leaned towards her. She knew that she wouldn't win this battle, but was determined to make him lose somehow. A moment passed, and she suddenly realized how close they were standing. The same feelings from the bathroom earlier on came flooding back and she couldn't pull away. In fact, she seemed to be getting even closer, and her heart was pounding so loud that she thought he must be able to hear it. Or maybe it was his heart, she thought, as she realized her hand was still holding the file against his chest. But she didn't drop it.

Suddenly the phone started ringing and they both let out a breath and looked at it.

"I should get that," Cuddy said quietly, scared that her voice would betray her emotions. She turned around and headed back to her desk. She reached out to get the phone, but House's cane slammed down on it before she could pick it up.

"House, move," she said sternly. He just raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for a deal. She sighed and placed the file back in her pile. "Fine. You can have the soccer girl. Now get out!"

He moved his cane and took a few steps back, only to sit himself in the couch by her desk. She glared at him as she picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Oh! Mr-"

"Right, sorry. Ethan. It's good to hear from you," she replied, looking up at House and waving her hand at him to get him out of her office. He just leaned back and swung his legs up on the couch with a shrug.

"Mhmm."

"That would be great, Ethan. I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Goodbye," she replied, glaring back at House as she hung up the phone. The amused look on his face made her furious and she picked up a pen from her desk and threw at him.

"Whoa, you're angry," he replied after catching the pen. "If you really don't like him, don't go out with him."

"I'm not going out with him. And it's you that I don't like, House!"

"Nah. That's just what you tell yourself when you're really mad," he said as he got up and walked back to her desk. He leaned across it and grabbed her hand; sending goose shivers through her entire body. Sooner than she wanted to admit she liked, his warm touch was replaced by the cold pen.

"Thought you might want that back," he said with a smirk and before she could think of a witty remark, he was gone. She let out a frustrated sigh and threw the pen at the door he just exited, cringing at the loud bang it made as it hit the glass.