I Can Never Say No to You - Chapter 2
Title: I Can Never Say No to You
Chapter: 2 of 8
Author: daisyb10
Genre: Romance/Angst
Rating: Teen. 13 years +
Warning: Spoilers for 5:13 “Big Baby”
Pairings: House/Cameron
Summary: When Valentine’s Day plans go terribly wrong …
Disclaimer: I do not own House M.D. or its characters, nor do I profit from this story.
Chapter 2
“Wil-son? Oh, Wil-son,” House’s sing-song accompanied a jaunty rap on the door.
He rattled the doorknob, then pounded impatiently. “It’s locked. Open up!”
“You can’t hide from me, Wilson.” House pressed his ear to the door. “I can hear you cowering in your chair!”
He grinned maniacally as he straightened.
It’s time to pull out the big guns.
House scoped out his audience. Let’s see, we’ve got a doctor and nurse dabbling in a little eye-sex by the water cooler, two RNAs gossiping about said doctor and nurse, a lone dietitian supervising the noon-day meal and a six-pack of visitors stepping off of the elevator. They’ll do nicely …
“WILSON?” he shouted, feigning concern in his voice. “ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? WHAT’S ALL THAT PANTING AND MOANING I HEAR?”
House winked at the crowd. ”HEY, WAIT A MINUTE … I GET IT. YOU’RE NOT ALONE!
ARE YOU BACKING UP YOUR HARD DRIVE IN THERE?”
The door flew open. “Get in here!”
House grumbled his way in, past a beet-red Wilson. “What took you so long?”
Wilson peered down the hall at his tittering colleagues. “It’s okay, folks. House was just joking. I’m not … you know … doing anything,” he sputtered, shutting his office door. “Why do I even bother?”
“Dunno.”
“That’s my lunch,” Wilson protested wearily. In the scant thirty seconds House had been in his office, he’d strewn Chinese food all over the desk and was peeling the lids off the cartons. “It’s a dinner for one, House. There’s not enough for you.”
“Haven’t you heard? One’s the new Two! There’s plenty for me!” House twirled a pair of chopsticks and rolled up a chair. “See? I even brought my own utensils.”
“How considerate of you,” Wilson said with a sigh, taking a seat at his desk. “How’d you know?”
“Easy.”
“Are you psychic?”
“Nope,” House mumbled with his mouth full of noodles. “Wong’s delivery guy. He walked past my office. Gimme the sweet and sour pork … oh, and throw me an egg roll.”
“Here. Knock yourself out.” Wilson tossed an egg roll at House. “So why are you here? Besides the obvious.”
“Nothing to do. Thirteen, Kutner and Taub are working my clinic hours, Foreman’s researching an article and I’ve got,” House looked at his watch, “two hours to kill before my soap comes on.”
“You should talk to Cameron about easing your workload,” Wilson dead-panned.
“Good idea,” House smirked, reaching for the chow mein. “And don’t think your dripping sarcasm’s gone unnoticed.”
Wilson laughed. “Any plans for tomorrow?”
“Nope.”
“You do know what day it is, don’t you?”
House threw down his chopsticks in exasperation. “Of course I know what day it is, Wilson.
Do you think I’m some sort of moron? Geez.”
Wilson decided to tread lightly, slightly taken aback. “I … I just thought you’d be going out with Cuddy.“
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you like Cuddy. You kissed her. And it’s Valentine’s Day.”
“Really?” House looked up from his lunch. “That means today’s Friday the 13th. How cool is that?”
“I knew you’d forget. Look, if you’d like, I can babysit for Cuddy so you two can make plans.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa …” House held up his hand. “Slow down there, Wilson. I have no intentions of taking Cuddy on a date.”
Wilson’s heart sank. “Don’t tell me you’re backing away?”
“I’m not backing away, I’m running away.”
“Why? You seemed happy …”
House squirmed in his seat. He had no desire to play true confessions with Wilson.
”Happy? Cuddy was driving me nuts. She was getting all clingy. Every time I saw her, she handed me Rochelle …”
“It’s Rachel, House. The baby’s name is Rachel.”
“Whatever. As I was saying, Cuddy handed me the kid, then looked at us with this syrupy sweet expression on her face. She was living in Never Land.”
“Never Land?”
“Yeah, Never Land. As in, it’s never gonna happen, in a million years. Not with me, anyway.’’ House could see the confusion on his friend’s face. “Cuddy’s nesting. She wanted the whole enchilada, Hubby Greg, Daddy House.”
Wilson toyed with his food.
“Hmmm … communing with fried rice,” House observed. ”I can see disappointment oozing out of your pores.” He pursed his lips as he thought. “I don’t really give a damn, but in an attempt to keep this scintillating conversation aloft, I’ll bite. Why do you care?”
”Why?” Wilson smoothed his hair and leaned wearily on his desk. “I don’t know. I guess it’s just, well, call me a romantic, but I was hoping, some day, you’d fall in love,”
“Call you a romantic? I’d rather call you a fool!” House softened his demeanor. “I don’t love Cuddy.” House spoke quietly with no hint of regret. “It was best to end it before someone got hurt.”
“So it’s over?”
“It’s over."
Wilson tried a new tack.
“I was just thinking … do you realize, in your entire life, there’s only been … what … two, maybe three, women who loved you?”
“That many?” House asked with surprise.
“There’s Blythe,”
“That’s a given. Mom has to love me.”
“Then Stacy,”
“Maybe.”
“And Cameron.”
“Cameron? Cameron didn’t love me, she had a crush on me. There’s a big difference.”
“Call it what you like, House. She was devoted to you.”
“Was. That’s the operative word. She’s moved on. So have I."
Wilson scooped his garbage into the trash.
“Fortune cookie?” he offered, cracking open one for himself.
House shook his head, no. “Why are you smiling? Did you get a good one?”
“Let’s see.” Wilson unrolled his fortune.
“It says ~ Ignorance never settles a question ~ “
“It’s a dog.”
“Woof!” Wilson barked.
“But to answer your question about why I was smiling, I was still thinking about Cameron, how she’s changed over the years. She’s blossomed into a beautiful woman.”
“Always was,” House said thoughtfully. “She matured. She’s more confident. It’s sexy as hell.”
“It’s too bad about her and Chase,” Wilson pushed.
“Meh …” was House’s only reply.
”I often think of the day you bought Cameron’s corsage.” Wilson leaned across his desk. “That’s the only time I’ve ever seen a glimmer of romance in you.”
House scowled, crumpling his napkin. “You’re full of crap, Wilson.”
“Fine, I’m full of crap. But you know I’m right. You’re not a romantic. That’s why all your relationships fail. I was actually relieved when you screwed up your date. You could never make Cameron happy, and don’t glare at me, House,” Wilson scolded. “It’s not your fault. You just don’t have it in you …”
An insistent beeping interrupted his thought. Wilson reached for his pager.
“Gotta go. I have patient waiting for me.” He glanced at the remnants of House’s lunch. “You will tidy up your mess, won’t you?”
“Go.” House grumbled, still stinging over Wilson’s barb.
“Thanks. Call me if you want to do something on the weekend.”
“Yeah, yeah,” House dismissed, opening the last fortune cookie. “What does Confucius have to say about me?”
~ Those who risk the most, reap the greatest rewards ~
House picked up his cane, garbage untouched, and limped down the hall to his office.
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