Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore

January 1

Cuddy's alarm clock went off at 6:00 the next morning. "Not morning again," she said to herself as she tried to climb out of bed. "I should take the day off." Her head was throbbing as she remembered what had happened the night before.

"You need to forget about it, Lisa," Cuddy said to herself. "This is a brand new day and year." Cuddy was startled when her telephone rang.

"Hello," Cuddy said, wondering who was calling at this time in the morning.

"Are you alone, Lisa?" Natalie asked. "Should I call back later?"

"Is that why you called?" Cuddy asked. "You wanted to rub in that I am waking up alone?"

"I saw you and Greg really going at is last night and I just figured that maybe….you know, a little bam-bam want on last night," Natalie said. "You could have told me you wanted to do him and I would have backed off." Natalie was a little jealous that Lisa had gotten to kiss him and a little hurt, but she also knew that House and Cuddy had known each other for a long time.

"I don't want to do him," Cuddy answered back.

"You should have waved him over to me then," Natalie said. "I'd do him in an instant." It made it worst for Natalie that Cuddy didn't even really seem to care that she got to kiss House. She always thought that Wilson and Cuddy would be a better match because Wilson seemed stable.

"I'll remember that for next time House decides to kiss me out of the blue," Cuddy said.

"So you don't mind if I call him then?" Natalie asked. "I want my chance to do him to come soon." Cuddy didn't know how to answer that. A part of her thought that she didn't like House and another part of her was jealous that her friend might get him.

"I don't think he is really interested in you, Natalie," Cuddy finally settled on saying. She hoped that would make Natalie drop it.

"Oh, I'll make him interested," Natalie said with a fake evil laugh.

"You can't force Gregory House to like you," Cuddy quickly added trying to change her friends mind. "He is very stubborn." Cuddy started to worry that Natalie might be able to talk House into it. Cuddy couldn't figure out why that bothered her.

"I like stubborn," Natalie said. "Why do you think I am friends with you?"

"Yeah, but you are not trying to go out with me," Cuddy said. "He is a totally different kind of stubborn. He has the 'make your like miserable' kind of stubborn."

"I'll take my chances," Natalie said. "I'm going to call him now, so bye." Cuddy didn't get a chance to say anything else. Natalie had already hung up the phone.

"Why do I even care?" Cuddy asked herself aloud. "Because you might like him," she answered herself as she got up to go to work.

xx

House heard the phone ring and reached to the yell at whoever was calling him at 6:15 in the morning. "Hang up or die," he answered.

"This is Natalie," she said laughing at what he said.

"It is 6:15 in the morning," House said thinking evil thoughts of her. He didn't even want her to call him a 6:15 at night. "Call Wilson for a booty-call." Natalie laughed at that.

"You are so funny," Natalie said. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to lunch today."

"I haven't even had breakfast," House said as the thought of food made him a little nauseous. Natalie started laughing again. House didn't realize he was so funny in the morning.

"How about at 12:30?" she asked.

"December 30th?" House asked.

"No silly," Natalie answered him with a laugh.

"Good, because I am busy that day, too," House said.

"Lisa works you way to hard," Natalie responded.

"No, she doesn't," House said. He wished that she would work him hard, though. The thought made him remember the night before. He wondered what she was wearing right now.

"I will be at your office at 12:30," Natalie said. "I will bring something homemade to eat."

"I don't know," House said wide awake.

"Lisa said that you were stubborn," Natalie said.

"Does she know you are calling me?" House asked. "And why did she say I was stubborn?" He knew if Cuddy said that she was okay with Natalie calling, the kiss did not mean anything. He really wanted Natalie's answer. Natalie was totally oblivious to his motives.

"I called her this morning and when I told her I was going to call you, she said to be careful because you are stubborn," Natalie said.

"She didn't care that you called me?" House asked a little hurt. "She doesn't mind if we have lunch?"

"I don't have to ask permission," Natalie said.

"She won't get mad that you asked me out?" House asked.

"Why would she?" Natalie asked. "She said there was nothing going on between you two and she didn't want anything to happen between you two."

"I see," House said, feeling a slight pain in his chest.

"I have to go now," Natalie said getting no response from House. "I'll see you later. Have a nice day."

"Goodbye," House said quietly. He sat in his room in silence. I am an idiot, he thought to himself. House decided to go into work early.