I think it's about time I reveal that the timeline is some three to four years post "Let Them Eat Cake" or simply season 5. So, just a recap: Cuddy is getting married and House kidnapped her while she was on the way to the venue. He is obviously up to something. More is to be revealed... Just hang on.
This is dedicated to all the HUDDY shippers who believe that HUDDY will happen (and keep on happenning) until the very end of the show, that they may be able to keep their relationship for the better. I know I do.
CHAPTER 2
Play the Tragedy
"OUT of the car. Out, out, out!" House said, motioning his cane as Cuddy's cue to vacate the limousine.
Cuddy's eyes narrowed in contempt. She refused to move an inch in response to House's order. He held the limo door beside her. She challenged him with her stare.
But instead of fighting her, House allowed the half smile he's been keeping since he stopped the limo be drawn across his face. Cuddy turned red in annoyance, which earned a smirk from House.
"I'm so honored to serve as an amusement to you," Cuddy said, sarcastic.
"Yeah, you should…Now, enough talk. Get out."
"No." Cuddy said firmly.
House waited for her to change her mind, but after a minute had passed, he collected a deliberate volume of air and stuffed his cheek with it. He waited for her to fold in some way.
Cuddy shook her head defiantly.
"No?" House asked, leaning his weight to his cane.
"No."
"No? Really? Are you sure?"
"Still, no I won't get out of the car and yes, I am sure as hell."
"'Cos you know, I have the whole day to play 30 questions of yes or no with you, and you could always say no, and then I would ask again if you're sure then I won't stop bugging you until you say what I wanted you to say and do what I wanted you to do… But hey, in the end, whose time was wasted? I don't remember me having to attend someone's wedding… Oh, you look like you're the bride!" House teased.
House could swear he saw Cuddy's nostril flare when she reached for her veil pinned elegantly at the back of her head and carefully removed it. House offered to detach it for her, but she slapped his hand. She knew it was his way of acting out his victory. He was the one who told her to remove it in the fist place.
After another minute of silence, Cuddy asked: "What do you really want?"
"I want to show you something."
"Can't it wait until next week? That's when my vacation leave will end. I'll see you in the hospital after my wedding today, before we leave for Europe and everyday after next week. Nothing will change, I promise you. I am just getting married."
"It can't wait and I won't wait." House snapped.
Cuddy frowned and House realized that he just raised his voice. He breathed in deeply and wet his lips before he spoke, "I need to show you something today. Now. And stop pretending that nothing will change, things will change. That's why you're getting married. You want something to change."
Cuddy brought her hands to her forehead. House could read her considering his request. She couldn't refuse him. She wasn't very good with refusing him. She raised her head and looked at his eyes again, as if wanting to read him but she obviously couldn't. She felt defeated when she said, "Fine. But promise me you'd drive me back to my wedding as soon as we're done here."
"Promise. In 15 minutes it's over."
Cuddy exhaled and picked her skirt up. House offered his hand as she got up, which she took as she said "Thank you" in a low voice.
"WILSON," Kutner called out.
Wilson stopped his unmindful pacing and turned to find the voice that called his name, "Hmm?"
Kutner smiled, "Chase is proposing."
"Now?" Wilson asked, as if disoriented.
Chase groaned inwardly but answered Wilson's question, "No. Later. After the wedding."
"Oh," Wilson said.
Foreman and Thirteen looked at each other with Wilson's weird reaction.
"What's wrong with you?" Taub said, "And what time will the wedding start?"
"Wedding? No, wedding… What did I just say? Oh, no. Don't mind me." Then he faced Chase and said, "You don't have to wait for this wedding to happen, you can propose. Even if, the wedding is---"
"James!" Another familiar voice from the crowd called Wilson's name.
When Wilson saw from whom the voice belonged, his jaw literally dropped in awe. He forced a smile as he welcom the newcomers, "G-go-good Morning, Mrs. Cuddy. Mrs. House." The two women nodded in acknowledgement.
It was definitely worse than the day Tritter took his car and he had to ride the overcrowded bus to Princeton Plainsboro.
This must be the feeling of someone in death row, Wilson said to himself.
"FIFTEEN MINUTES?! Fifteen minutes! Are you kidding me?!" Cuddy screamed as she and House walked through the pavement of the newly created Eco Park of New Jersey.
House bit his lower lip as she exploded. He had been expecting the outburst around ten minutes ago. It was actually amusing for him to realize that it took the whole fifteen minutes before Cuddy would realize that he lied with the promise thingy.
"Promise, IN fifteen minutes its OVER," Cuddy said mimicking his tone when he had said that, "WE HAVE BEEN WALKING FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES NOW AND I CAN'T SEE THE END OF THIS PATH!"
He refused to answer. He just allowed her to talk.
"Where are we going? REALLY. Can you for once tell me the truth?"
"Like I said, I want to show you something." His legs were burning in pain, but he refused to acknowledge it. He was walking this path, with her, by choice. He wanted this, and he will reach the end of this road with her. For her.
She just didn't know it yet.
"I am wearing a huge dress for today and walking a park pavement early in the morning in stilettos for God-knows-what your surprise is…"
Still, he allowed her to talk.
This might be the last time she'd talk to him like that. That this may be the last time he'd hear her voice.
After her wedding, things were definitely going to change.
He had no intention of working with her if ever he would fail today. He'd leave her for her changed life.
And he'd give her peace.
"WHERE'S LISA?" Mrs. Cuddy asked Wilson.
Foreman, Thirteen, Chase, Taub and Kutner said their "hellos" and left him with the women.
"I don't know." The words sounded forced as Wilson said it.
Mrs. House looked at him suspiciously but did not say a word.
"I went here directly after my plane landed. Lisa knew I'd be here. I called her in her home but no one's answering the phone. So, I thought maybe she already left. But she's still not here." Mrs. Cuddy said, sounding concerned. "I wonder what happened."
Wilson shrugged his shoulders, "I have no idea."
"I am sure you are," Mrs. House said.
Wilson choked. "Have you two met?"
Mrs. Cuddy smiled, "We were together when we approached you."
"Yes, of course, we've met." Mrs. House said.
"It's actually strange. Her surname sounds really familiar."
"Oh, of course. It's also a noun." Wilson said then beat himself up immediately after. He was so sure he heard it from House before. But he, being Wilson, must have sounded really stupid when he said that.
Much to his surprise both women laughed.
"You have a good sense of humor, James." Mrs. House said.
But Mrs. Cuddy said to Mrs. House, "You're right. But what I meant was that your surname is familiar because there used to be an Engineer Greg House who called me around three years ago for Lisa's college desk."
"Oh, that…" Wilson said.
"And a Professor Gregory House used to call my husband when Lisa was in college. He was the one who reported to my husband Lisa's whereabouts in college. Not to mention every guy Lisa dated in Michigan. It was funny remembering how Lisa's father would immediately go to her dorm to measure up the guy. You think maybe the two House is related to you?"
"Yeah, maybe they are." Mrs. House said while looking at Wilson's direction viciously.
"PHOTINUS!"
Both House and Cuddy turned to look at the direction where the voice came from. They saw a group of 4 school girls wearing their girl scout uniforms. Obviously, they approached them to offer some of their cookies.
"Wow!" One of the kids from the park looked at Cuddy with admiration, "She's beautiful."
"Yeah, she is." House said, only to dismiss the kid. Cuddy tilted her head with House's comment.
"Photinus, we have the cookies you asked us to bring for you. That's 20 dollars, as you requested," the tallest girl in the group said, offering House a basket full of freshly baked cookies and muffins.
"My mom added some muffins!" said another girl.
"What did the other girl call you?" Cuddy asked.
"Photinus." House answered as he reached for his wallet and took out some bills.
"I never thought you were so charming to young girls," Cuddy said, obviously amused.
"Did you bring her here to show her the you-know-what?" said the other girl with the pigtails.
"Wait, who is she? Her dress looks really pretty..."
"She's the Queen of New Jersey, now go away!" House said.
"New Jersey doesn't have a queen," said the youngest girl in the group.
"We do have a queen," insisted House. Cuddy shook her head and watched House mess with the kids. He was obviously enjoying the silly conversation, which led her to think that they seem familiar with each other. It appeared like House had been with these kids for a while. Or maybe he spent time with them in some way she's not sure how, why and when.
"It was never taught at our school. My teacher Emily would have told us!"
"She never told you 'coz you're not suppose to know until you're twelve," House argued.
"IT was so charming watching you mess with the kids like that. Very fatherly if I may say," Cuddy said while she took off her stilettos and walked by the grass barefooted.
"And you look hot, being the pathetic messed up bride that you are," House countered while they walk the long path towards an atrium in the center of the Eco Park.
"Shut up!"
"Whatever you say, Queen Lisa Cuddy of the swamp areas of New Jersey," House curtsied which earned him a deadly glare.
"You're so evil playing at kid's thoughts like that. Wait, what's the basket of cookies for?"
"Breakfast."
"Breakfast? You brought me to this park and made me walk only to have breakfast with me?" Cuddy wondered aloud.
"Nope," House said and stopped, "We're here. Get in the atrium. Go, go. It looks like its going to rain."
Cuddy almost ran to the opening of the park's atrium when she suddenly felt the heavy drops of rain on her bare shoulders. She left House unable to keep up with her speed behind her. By the time they both got inside and after House had closed the door behind them, the rain fell mercilessly in every direction they could see.
Cuddy looked like she was about to cry.
House, on the other hand did not bother to hide his expression of full happiness and excitement.
Fate must be with him this time, and it's playing his game in his favor.
angcatalonan: There it goes, guys. I love reviews, so please give me some. Tell me what you think. BTW, I planted a hint in this chapter. If you were able to pick it, you'd know what was House's surprise to Cuddy. Shhh... Cuddy doesn't know about it yet!
