A/N: As promised...

Chapter 11

They had a quiet dinner, exchanged some small talk, and when they left, Angela was very nicely buzzed and House was looking very good to her.

"So, movie?" he asked her.

"Sure. Are you going to try every cliché in the book in the darkened theatre?"

"I don't do clichés. I prefer to just go with the flow."

"Me too."

The movie theatre wasn't very busy and they had no problem finding a decent place to sit. House made her carry the box which held their popcorn and drinks as he limped across the aisle to the end seat so he could stretch his leg out.

"How bad does your leg hurt?" she asked him when she saw him pop a couple of Vicodin.

"Bad. Although the wine helped, the walk over here didn't. Now I have a mild buzz. Should be interesting."

About fifteen minutes into the movie, House would nudge her to give him some of her popcorn. "Why didn't you get your own?" she whispered.

"I wasn't hungry then."

"Oh so now suddenly you are?'

"Yep. And besides, popcorn always tastes better when it's someone else's."

"My God, House, you're like a child."

"Not where it counts," he whispered, causing a tingle down her spine and she visibly shuddered. "Cold?"

"Yeah a little. It's like they suddenly cranked the air conditioning or something."

"Here," he said as he wrapped his arm around her. "Better?"

Angela arched her eyebrow at him. "I thought you didn't do clichés."

"Hey, if it gets me a free grope then I'm all for the clichés," he said as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Throughout the movie, she and House would simultaneously reach into the popcorn box so their hands touched. She almost didn't want the movie to end, she was having such good a time. It both amused and surprised her.

House took her back to her father's house and walked with her to the front door. It was something he felt was important. Chivalry was not dead as far as he was concerned.

"Well, thank you, House. It was fun."

He nodded, nervously tapping his cane on the ground, trying to think of something witty to say.

"Would you seriously consider moving out here?"

Angela sighed. "I'll think about it. I don't know how long I'm going to be on the case. It could be a week, or it could be six months. Depends how hardcore the guy is."

"How do you know the stalker is a guy?"

"Because she told me."

"Oh, so your client is female. Well that's encouraging."

"Why?"

"Because I won't have to worry about you falling in love with some other guy while you're over there."

Angela laughed. "Are you implying that you might be jealous?"

"I know you have a tendency to wear your heart on your sleeve."

Damn, he was good! "Are you always this good at reading people?"

"Yes. Everybody lies. Do you have any idea how often the patient has omitted to tell me something important because they didn't think it was important? Yeah, you'd be surprised. It helps to be able to read body language."

"That's why you're world renowned. They pay you to figure that stuff out."

House nodded and still looked like he was trying to find something to say. "What time is your flight?"

"Early. Flight leaves at nine."

"Well, keep in touch."

"Is that your way of asking me to call you?"

"Would you?"

"Why can't you call me?"

"I'm not much of a talker where phones are concerned."

"G'night, House," she smiled as she leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his stubbled cheek.

"G'night," he said and headed down the steps to his bike.

She watched him climb on, attach his cane in its holder and start the bike. He gave her one last glance, nodded his head and then sped off down the street.

Angela went inside and leaned against the back of the door. Her lips were still tingling from kissing his cheek and she gently pressed her fingers there. He smelled good, too. Like whatever soap he used and also something that was just him.

It was then she hoped that she wouldn't be in L.A. very long and that she could come back to Princeton sooner than later. House was becoming her latest addiction. And she wanted more. Much, much more.

X X X

"So, how did it go last night?" was the first thing out of Wilson's mouth the next day.

"Fine. Good."

"That's it?"

"What did you expect? A story about how we made out in the back row of the movie theatre?"

Wilson looked stunned. "You didn't..."

"Of course not, you idiot! Let me reiterate that she's half my age!"

"Oh please! Like you care. You don't care that she's younger than you, you're worried that you won't be able to keep up with her!"

"She doesn't deserve a cripple like me. She's young, and beautiful, and she can have anyone she wants."

"Yeah. And for some messed up reason, she wants you, House."

"It doesn't really matter anyway. She left for L.A. this morning and who knows when we'll see each other again. It could be months."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, so they say," Wilson pointed out.

"Oh God. That's so cheesy."

"But it's true."

"Well there's no point in dwelling on something that probably won't happen."

"But it could happen. Why do you always do this to yourself? Don't you think you deserve happiness? After everything that's happened?"

"What's the point?"

Wilson was incredulous. "The point? The point is so you're not the miserable, ornery misanthropic son of a bitch that you're in danger of becoming."

"Did it ever occur to you that I like being miserable?"

"Nobody likes being miserable."

"I'm the exception," House sighed and left the office.

"Where are you going?"

"Clinic. Maybe I'll find me a patient."

"You're going to end up alone, House."

"It's probably better that way."

X X X

"I'm thinking of moving to New York," Angela blurted out over breakfast one day. Her best friend Jenn stared at her across the table, her fork half way to her mouth.

"Huh? Why? Where did this come from?"

"My dad is in Princeton. Since my Mom died a few months ago, he's been sad. I'm worried about him."

Jenn was skeptical, however. "And...who else is there?"

"Nobody," Angela said quickly as she went back to eating.

"Uh-uh. You're not getting away that easy. Who else is in Princeton?"

"My uncle Jim. He's an Oncologist at the hospital there."

Jenn's eyes narrowed. "You're not telling me the whole story. Give over."

Angela sighed. "There's this guy. I knew him when I was fifteen, but he was a friend of my uncle's and twice my age. When I went back for my Mom's funeral, we sort of..."

"You slept with him?"

"No! I didn't. But we did go on one date."

"Woo! Go Angela!" Jenn laughed. "So why do I have a feeling there's more to this?"

"Because there is. We got off to a bit of a bumpy start. I got shot, as I told you, he brought me back to life. Then he came to my Mom's funeral and he...he did something I never thought he was capable of. He comforted me. Even if it was just a simple gesture like offering me a tissue because I was a blithering idiot, I don't care. He doesn't comfort people. It's not his nature."

"He sounds like a winner," Jenn said dryly.

"Oh yeah. He has the worst bedside manner I've ever seen. He says things to patients that doctors say when they're out of the room. But it works for him. Anyway, we went out for dinner the night before I left to come back here, and then saw a movie. When he took me home, he asked me if I would ever consider moving out there to work. I mean...I can. I can find work over there just as easily as here."

"You'd seriously pack up everything and move across the country for a man? Damn, girl. You've got it bad."

Angela sighed. "The thing is, I think I always have. I just put it in the back of my mind because I figured I'd never see House again. And when I did, he didn't recognize me at all. That kind of hurt, but then I have changed a lot since I was fifteen. Once he realized who I was, he sort of came out of his shell a bit. At least to me."

"Do you honestly think he's worth moving across the country for? I know you two have sort of a history, but you were only a kid. He came to your rescue back then and I'm sure he must've seemed like a hero to you. Isn't it possible that some of those feelings still remain? He did save your life when you were shot. That would bring those hero worship feelings back full force, whether you're aware of them or not."

Angela shrugged. "I honestly don't know what I feel. It's been a long time since any man has been able to turn my head like he has. He's gruff and rude and yet he has this side to him that nobody gets to see. I feel like he only lets me see it and I feel privileged that he's letting me see that side of him. I don't want to lose that, ya know?"

"I know. But do you seriously see a future with this man? You're thinking of packing up and moving out there on a hunch that you two will have some kind of relationship. Do you know if he wants that?"

Angela scowled at Jenn. "Well aren't you a Debbie Downer?"

"It's my job to give an objective opinion. All I'm saying is that you should think long and hard about whether this is what you want. I know part of it is to be near your dad and I can understand that. But if the main part is this guy, if it doesn't turn out, then what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead. You know me. I don't think, I just do."

"I know. And that's one of the things I adore about you. But I think you should think a little more about this."

Angela sighed. "Okay. I'll think about it. Can I finish eating now?"

"Absolutely."

"Besides, I can't go anywhere right now anyway. I'm still in the midst of nailing this psycho stalker. He's pissed at me."

"Be careful. Guys like that will likely turn their attentions to you instead of the celeb they're after."

"Not if they're in jail," Angela smiled. "It wouldn't be the first freak I've sent to prison, and it won't be the last."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

Angela sighed again. "I must be crazy. But you haven't seen House."

Jenn laughed. "You call him by his last name?"

"I always have. Everyone calls him House."

Jenn's eyes suddenly widened. "You're in love with Dr. Greg House?"

"Shhhh!" Angela hissed. "Say it a little louder, I don't think everybody heard you."

"The Diagnostician? From back east? That Dr. House?"

"Yep."

"Hot damn!"

"How do you know him?"

"I sent a patient to him last year. The man is brilliant. A prick. But brilliant."

Angela giggled. "Yeah, that about sums it up."

"So when was the last time you talked to him?"

"The night before I left...four months ago."

"You haven't been in touch?"

"He's not big on phone conversations. Neither am I for that matter."

"What if he has a girlfriend already?"

"I doubt it."

"Why?"

"Because he just had a bad break-up last year. His girlfriend left him after he had his infarction and I don't think he really got over her."

"Yeah I heard about the infarction. Not the details though."

"He doesn't talk about it. It seems to be a sensitive subject. And he doesn't discuss feelings."

Jen simply shook her head. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I don't really, but I'm sure it will come to me."