Divided Emotions
Title: Divided Emotions
Pairing: House/Stacy
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Done for
eclecticmuses application. Prompt was ‘divided’. Another season two missing or extended scene dealing with House’s thoughts during Failure to Communicate, based in canon, but not following it.
He knew it was a mistake following her up to the hotel room. She was vulnerable and he, well, he was an asshole. A horny asshole that wanted her back and wanted to believe he had no qualms about using her vulnerability against her. He stepped inside the room walking over the large double bed, staring at it and then at Stacy who had moved to the opposite side of the room. No matter how much he wanted the both of them naked and in that bed, he wasn’t going to go about this lightly. He didn’t want this just to be Stacy getting back at Mark. That thought fueled his ego, but wounded his pride. He wanted her to want him more than she wanted to hurt Mark. If this was all about revenge for her, nothing would happen this evening.
“I have to know what's going on here, cause when you have a fight with Mark, and you try to avoid me, I have to think that-“ he said, curiosity and need undisguised in his voice.
“That I'm feeling vulnerable and I don't want to be around you because it might lead to something.” Stacy interrupted him, taking a few steps closer, staring at the man she had crippled and then let push her away. So different from the one that was pushing her away now. So much stronger than Mark, and as complicated as he was strong. When she left House, she swore she would never get involved with another emotionally retarded man no matter how smart and sexy he was. That her next relationship would be with someone who was able to make room for her in his life, would be able to communicate with her. Damaged, aloof and mysterious was great for awhile, but she had burnt out. She found Mark, who was the opposite of everything House was emotionally. Yet here she was, in a hotel room with House, dancing around his fire like the moth she had always been when it came to him. Was she willing to throw away what she had with Mark to be with House? Was she ready for that big a step?
He watched the indecision flash across her face. “Right. But then a hotel room...” he prodded gently. She was so close now. He could reach out and touch her, pull her closer, but he wouldn’t. She was going to have to make the first move. He was still trying to figure out the root of her motivation.
“Might also lead to something.” She finished, staring at him. It was no longer about Mark at all, but the tall blue eyed aggravating man in front of her. The true love of her life, the ONE, something she had already admitted to him, but before her loyalty to Mark had been stronger, not marred by weeks of rehab and his increasing attitude bent on shutting her out.
“Hmm. So... which is it?” He asked her, memories of the many years they had shared, the bad along with the good and he wanted nothing more than to bring her closer and kiss her. They had an early flight and if tonight was all he was going to get, he decided he would take it and he wanted every second he could steal. She started blathering about him being like a really hot curry and how addictive it was for her. He was getting tired of the hesitation. He reached out, tilting her chin up with his fingers so she was looking at him.
“You’re a jerk.” She said, no venom in her voice, just a fond wishful sadness.
“I know.” He admitted gently, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. He leaned in close, tucking his head down to kiss her lips softly. An emotion that he swore he would never let himself feel again flooded his chest as their lips touched and he pulled back slightly. His mind changing with the kiss, he couldn’t do just a fling. He didn’t want her to draw up divorce papers this evening, but he couldn’t put himself through this if he was going to have to send her back to Mark. “If you just hadn’t had a fight with Mark…” he started.
“For once in your life, will you just shut up?” Stacy said with a forced laugh. She didn’t know what she was doing. That kiss had woken something in her that had never been there with Mark, but Mark was her husband and despite current circumstances, he had been willing to commit and share his life with her. With House, it had been different. When he was attentive, he was kind and loving, but had a tendency to get lost in his puzzles and without meaning to shut her out. It wasn’t always puzzles that called him away either, periods of depression took him away just as much, not that he would ever admit to that. She was oft lonely when she was with him although when he was attentive, no man had ever been able to make her feel so good. She wasn’t exactly sure of what she was doing, but she didn’t want to stop yet.
Her words startled him, but he leaned back in, tugging her even closer, his kisses no longer soft, but deep and demanding. Her cell phone began to ring and he let one hand slide from her waist to her pocket, taking it out and powering it off. He didn’t want to take the chance it was Mark.
“Could have been work.” Stacy murmured in between kisses.
“Don’t care. Could have been Mark.” He whispered, unable to stop himself from voicing it although he knew it could put a halt to things.
“Don’t care.” She said with a small smile, pulling them both down onto the bed, surprised as she realized that was the truth.