We're still in New York for Thanksgiving, but I still wanted to post the next chapter.

Chapter 39.

I picked a roast beef sandwich and a bag of chips, a piece of pie and some coffee. I would have gotten more, but I decided I shouldn't take too much advantage of Jess, especially knowing I still hadn't decided how much I could pay her. She only got coffee and a couple of chocolate chip cookies. Looking at them, I wondered if I should have gotten the cookies instead of the pie, but I knew I'd focused on that to delay thinking about what was going to happen once we sat down with our food.

I had to think about it, though. I had to be prepared, have some diversionary tactics at the ready.

We found a table in a corner and I immediately stuffed some food into my mouth to postpone the inevitable.

Jess smiled at me and took a dainty bite of cookie. My eyes never left her lips as she chewed it and licked a crumb off the upper one.

I chewed my sandwich and swallowed without really tasting it.

"House?"

I blinked, took a deep breath and said, "What?"

She let out a sigh. "You've been acting very strangely. You seemed to be avoiding me earlier and now...well, I don't know what's going through your mind. Should I be worried?"

"About me? No, never."

"Look we've only known each other a few weeks, and I haven't a clue about how to interpret what you've said, or rather haven't said, today. I know only that you don't want to talk about last night, but I'm not sure why not." She was actually trying to figure me out, not jumping to any conclusions, just putting the pieces she had together.

I knew I could mislead her, or spin a yarn, but she was smart enough to know what rang true for me and what didn't. I realized, too, that I was beginning to value her impression about me, wanted her to admire me, to believe in me. I didn't know how to make that happen.

"House?"

"I'd like to forget last night," I finally said.

"Oh." She sounded very disappointed.

I shook my head, knowing what I said hadn't achieved what I intended. "It's not that I didn't enjoy having dinner with you."

"Double negative, huh?"

"Jess, I don't do relationships." There, I'd said it. Maybe that would explain me to her and that would be that.

"OK. I can accept that," she said. "But I'm sensing a connection between us. I don't know what it is or where it's going, but I like it." She shrugged. "If you don't sense the same thing, fine. I won't bring it up again."

"Do you really mean that?" It had been too easy.

"House, at least let me end this discussion gracefully."

I smirked. "OK. Case closed. Now, about your mother's diabetes."

"What about it?" She bit into another cookie, but her eyes never left my face.

"Obviously you didn't inherit it."

"I get tested every time I have a physical. So far, so good. Mom controlled it with diet, exercise and medication, so I know I could probably do that too if I develop it." She held up the cookie. "And you must know sugar isn't the only thing you need to limit. Other carbs, too."

I nodded. I'd been thinking about what she'd told me, that her mother had been diabetic. "I know you don't like to talk about it, but what was the exact cause of your mother's death? How badly was she hurt in the accident?"

"I'm not sure what it says on her death certificate. I know she had internal injuries from the accident." Jess sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "Do you think her diabetes had something to do with..." She stopped and put her hand to her mouth. I could see the tears in her eyes. This was a difficult subject for her and I was sorry I'd brought it up.

"Just something I'm tossing around in my head. Let's talk about something else."

She smiled wanly at me. "Guess we both have touchy subjects, huh?"

"Has Ellie said anything about what she'll do when Christopher is released?"

"Not to me. Her parents probably want her to return to Dorsey and stay with them. That way she'd have help with the baby and could go back to work at Boomers."

Now that we were on a safer topic, I felt myself relax. "I wonder what Chase will think about that."

"I expect you'll want her to bring Chris here for an examination periodically. Besides, Dorsey's not that far. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if he chose to visit them sometimes."

"She could do a lot worse."

"I hate to say this about my brother, but she already has."

I continued to eat my sandwich. "Is she going to divorce him?"

"I think so, although I don't think she's told him yet. But how can he object? He basically abandoned her and Christopher." Jess looked into her coffee cup, but there was none left. "I'm going to get another cup. Want more?"

I nodded. "And a couple of those chocolate chip cookies." I'd already started on my pie, but the cookies would make a good chaser.

I watched her get the cookies and then fill two hot cups with coffee. She must have paid enough attention to know exactly how I liked mine. I watched her intently until she returned, but then I focused on a forkful of pie.

"Unless you need me to work on anything this afternoon, I think I'll head out and look for a place to live," Jess said.

I nodded, not saying anything. I wanted to offer to go with her, but forced myself to think of reasons I shouldn't. I finished the pie and started in on the cookies, noticing she'd gotten another one for herself, too. They were really good, better than the pie.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow morning," Jess said, breaking the cookie in two, but not eating it. I could sense she wanted to say more but held back.

"OK."

Neither of us had said another word when we finally left the cafeteria, and when we parted in the lobby, all Jess said was, "See ya."

I knew it would be a long afternoon and evening.

The first person I saw when I reached my office was Taub. The height-challenged doctor sat at the table in the conference room, drinking coffee. "Why aren't you doing something useful?" I demanded.

"I don't see you working." Taub wasn't going to be intimidated easily.

"You haven't carried your weight at all in this case! Not that you weigh that much."

"House, we know what's wrong with the baby. Now it's just a matter of checking to see whether the treatment is working."

"And you think that excuses you?"

Taub just glared at me, stood and left the room. I sighed, and withdrew to my office.

Taub must have spread the word that I was on the warpath, because no one approached me the rest of the afternoon. It didn't take me long to drain the bottle I kept in my bottom drawer. Finally at five thirty, Wilson dared to knock on my door and enter.

"Got plans for dinner?"

I just glared at him until he walked away.