Chapter 3

The Beat Goes On

"Thanks for behaving."

"I didn't do it for you."

Maggie chuckled, "No, you did it for humanity."

House leaned back into the chair and listened to her voice come out of the speaker. "I did it to get Cuddy off my back."

"Fair enough." She paused. She felt herself turn mushy, "House, why don't you come over to Geneva? Come and spend some time with me."

The grin on House's face turned into a frown, "I can't."

Maggie felt embarrassed. I've read too much into our flirting. "Oh, I understand. I just meant that if you ever needed a break you could – "

"Maggie, I can't because my passport expired last month. I need to apply for another one."

"Oh! Well, if you decide to get one, then think about coming over."

"Sure, I'll send it in for renewal this week. They say it's taking several months now. When I get it back, I'll give you a call."

"Greg, if you think it's a bad idea, I'll understand."

House took a deep breath, "I don't know Maggie. I could use someone like you in my life. But I don't know if I could use you."

She choked up, "I understand. Believe me, I really do understand. Take care Greg."

"You too Mags."

House hung up just as Cuddy marched into his office. "I need that last report so that the CDC can close the case and our insurers will take it off their books."

"Get Taub to draft it."

She looked at him, bewildered, "He did. He said it's somewhere on your desk for review and signature."

House sat up and started looking around.

Cuddy shook her head, "Well, while I'm here, good job. You managed to put a lid on a possible epidemic. Even the CDC was impressed. It will go down well with the Board."

House shuffled papers, "Great, do I have a 'Get Out of Jail Free Card'?"

"Don't push your luck."

House signed the report and handed it to her.

"Aren't you going to read it?"

House snickered and frowned. Cuddy put her hands up in surrender and left. House watched Cuddy and remembered the "ship has sailed" speech. He wondered if it was true. Had all his ships sailed? Was he rudderless? Did he have any wind left in his sails? House needed to find out.

"Okay, we're in a prime seat, our drinks have been ordered and you're actually looking presentable; is this "Punked"?

House scowled at Wilson, "Ashton couldn't make it tonight, so he sent Demi." House nodded at a brunette with a more than passing resemblance to Demi Moore. Wilson nodded back in approval.

"I've come to find my soulmate."

Wilson was less than impressed, "In a club?"

"Where else would I find her? Not like I go to church. I could try parents without partners, but then I'd have to look up my long lost bastards and parade them out. How else am I going to meet someone?"

"Work? Join a book club? Maybe go to some of the hospital functions?"

House laughed at Wilson, "Yeah, I need another doctor in my life to tell me what I'm feeling. No thanks, I've got you."

Wilson watched House as he continued to scan the club for women. He noticed that, for a Thursday night, the club was busy. The lights were low, but there were enough women strategically placed that there was a decent pool to dive into. "Maybe you could go to a bar event, meet another lawyer. They seem to be able to handle you."

"Objection, lacks foundation. Remember, she left me? Your suggestions are just getting worse. What about that one over there?"

Wilson saw the young brunette with brown eyes and wide mouth. She was definitely House's type, physically. "She's pretty. But she's too young; you'd eat her up alive. You need someone who can say no when you suggest a threesome."

"Are you joking? I need someone who suggests a threesome."

House stood up and went over to the brunette's table. Wilson watched as House made his move. When House motioned for Wilson to join them at her table, Wilson had to smile. When House wanted to charm, he could do it better than anyone else. Wilson grabbed both of their drinks and took them over to the table.

"Wilson, this is Brianne. She works at J & J Adult Bookstore." House gave Wilson a look as if he was in Nirvana. "We were just discussing the benefits of a rabbit ear vibrator over a regular dildo."

Wilson shook his head at House when Brianne wasn't looking. He decided that he do a little background check, "Brianne, where do you live?"

"I live in Plainsboro with my parents."

Wilson gave House a look of amusement. "Oh, how old are you?"

She flashed him a toothy grin, showing off her perfectly corrected and whitened teeth. "I'm 21, yesterday."

"Well, happy birthday. Did you hear that House, she's the big 21. What, you turned 21 in 1980, right?"

House's mouth went up in a snarl as his eyes narrowed.

The young girl laughed, "Oh, don't worry, I know you're probably older than my Dad, but I like older men."

House gave Wilson a smug smile. "We're both doctors. So, how did you get your job at the adult store?"

"I walked in and filled out an application. I'm a college student."

House gave Wilson another smug smile, "Princeton?"

"Rider University. I want to be a Kindergarten teacher."

Wilson started to laugh, trying to keep his hand over his mouth so he wouldn't hurt the girl's feelings.

"You think being a teacher is funny?" she asked.

Wilson shook his head quickly, "Oh no, I was just laughing at a kindergarten teacher working in an adult book store." Wilson looked at House who knew Wilson was really laughing at him.

She giggled, "I know. My friends joke about it all the time. But I do their bookkeeping."

House leaned forward, "What's their best seller?"

"The porn flicks."

House shook his head, "I mean adult toy.'

She smiled, "Besides oils and lotions…dildos and then handcuffs."

"Do you have handcuffs?"

She blushed.

House was taken aback. Blushing at that? That's a bad sign.

"No, sorry. I don't have much experience in that area."

House was suspicious, "Much experience or no experience?"

She looked down shyly, "What do you mean by experience?"

Warning bells went off. House looked at a rather amused Wilson who was turning red from holding in the laughter. "I'm leaving." House got up abruptly and took off towards the front door.

Wilson finished his drink in one swallow, "It was nice meeting you Brianne." Wilson took off after House. House had already made it to the car in the parking lot. He was clearly frustrated and upset. He looked around, staring abjectly into the night.

Wilson saw the dejected look, "House? What's wrong? You can't be upset by striking out in there."

He sighed, "It's not just in there. I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

Wilson knew he had a brief window of opportunity to get House to open up emotionally. He unlocked the door and they both got in. Before starting the car, Wilson turned his head slightly towards House, but not looking at him. "You're healing. After all these years you're healing and it itches. It's uncomfortable and painful at times when the scab gets knocked off, but you're healing. You know, you always had a woman in your life until Stacy left. Between your leg and her leaving, you took a major blow. You just need to be patient with yourself."

"I'm tired of being patient. I'll be fifty in a few years. At some point, granted we're talking about ten years or more, my attractiveness has to diminish." He turned and gave Wilson a sly smile.

Wilson laughed, started the car and drove them to their favorite bar where House proceeded to get shitfaced. Wilson managed to pour him onto the couch and then locked the door as he left. House looked at the phone and picked up the receiver.