The Wild Escape - Chapter 5
Title: The Wild Escape - chapter 5
Status: Short story
Rated: explicit content
Characters: House and Cuddy
Summary: After Help Me - This story depicts a vision of season 7 premiere, extrapolated from the various pics that've been available on the Internet lately...
(could be considered as a sort of sequel to "There Is A Us")
Disclaimer: OK. Fine! it's not (all) mine. It belongs to David Shore, the lucky b... * sigh*
** THE WILD ESCAPE **
When everything looked all shiny again, they left the kitchen and walked through the empty restaurant hand in hand to sneak out through the back door, where House had first gotten in. In the middle of the room, Cuddy suddenly stopped and held back his hand. He looked at her, while she scanned the room, almost with a trace of melancholy on her face and he took a deep breath.
"So many memories already." He stated in a sigh.
"What? You said that was the first time that... Hey! Did you bring a lot of women here before?"
"Are you jealous?" His voice sounded amused.
"No. I'm just asking."
"Oh-oh, you're so jealous. But it's ok. I think it makes you look hotter. No, wait! Technically, it makes me look hotter. Well either way, I totally dig this!"
"So?" She refocused.
"Not really."
"Not really?" She repeated and there undeniably was a "please elaborate" underneath that question mark.
"You've asked me if I brought a lot of women here before and the answer's 'no'." He took a deliberate pause. "But, I came here with a tranny once."
"O-kay, aaaand now, I don't wanna know." She said, frantically waving her hand in front of her face as if it would have helped brush away the disturbing visual.
"I had a good reason. I did it to piss off Sam. She had come up with that stupid idea that she and I should sort of bond for the love of Wilson, like we'd have signed a non aggression pact or something."
"Poor woman, obviously she was completely clueless."
"Well the thing is she actually had a great time. As it turned out, my date and she grew up in the same neighborhood!"
"Ouch! But what can you do? Seriously, if even geography is against you-" She mocked him with a teasing chuckle.
He wrinkled his nose and rolled his eyes theatrically.
"Yeah, even so, Wilson did propose to me in that restaurant, not to her!" He conspicuously fluttered his eyelids, faking to be overcome by emotions.
Cuddy's jaws dropped and she stared at him dumbfounded.
"I mean before Sam came back in his life and caught him in her web, obviously! And you know, in hindsight, that was a sweet moment... in an 'if-you'll-ever-do-that-again-I'll-have-to-kill-you' totally twisted kind of way."
"Wow! What the hell have you done this past year?" She exclaimed, spontaneously.
She instantly felt House's fingers clutching around her hand tighter and her breath hitched. He turned to the side to look at her and, before she could say anything, he stared into her already sorry grey eyes with forgiveness. He wasn't going to demand her to be careful about every word or thought she would have. And he knew slips of the tongue would be inevitable. Just like he knew some of them would certainly hurt. Like that last one did.
"Lots of things." He answered in a tone, as much neutral as his racing heart allowed him to fake it, "Detoxing, camping out at Wilson's, saving lives, singing in karaoke and, my favorite part: screwing with you, in every sense of the word-"
She bit her lips and came close to him, touching his stubble with her hand and cradling his jaw inside her palm.
"And taking cooking classes." She added to the list. He nodded and smiled gratefully for subtly bringing them back to the place they were. "Thank Joseph for the key. I don't know him but what he did was nice."
"Bah! No need to make a big fuss about it. I think the kitchen security camera footages would be good enough a thanking present for him."
Cuddy instantly stopped breathing and the next second, her legs gave way under her, as if she'd suddenly become liquid. House's eyebrows went up in an incredulous arch, stunned by her reaction.
"That was a joke." He said, at the same time visibly delighted to have made her so completely freaked out.
Ignoring his comment, she let go of his hand and started to walk back toward the kitchen, in the determined pace of a warrior that would have made Lara Croft green with envy. As he was picturing it, if he didn't manage to stop her, it would only take minutes before she would start to drill holes in the walls with her own nails to dig up the so called cameras herself.
"Cuddy, come on! There are NO cameras." He called her, under stressing the negative part of his sentence.
She stopped dead in her tracks and whisked around.
"Are you sure?" She asked, still doubtful.
Gee! That was too tempting.
"Hmm-no?" He couldn't help but smile.
"You're not serious, right?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him menacingly.
"Of course I'm not!" He chuckled, "Besides, if there actually was a security camera, the tape would be in my backpack right now!"
"You're sick." She declared, coming back toward him.
"Oh yeah, that's me! Cuz, you storming back in there like you were about to turn the place upside down was totally normal?"
"I was not!" She refuted, in an outraged high pitched voice.
"You were. And you should have seen your face by the way."
He mimicked her panic-stricken face with the kind of extreme emphasis only he could put into it but the moment he started, she shook her head disapprovingly and walked past him briskly, continuing her way towards the exit and conspicuously ignoring him in the process.
"That was completely worth it." He whispered to himself, catching her up.
# # # # #
Outside, though less high, the sun was still bright. They walked to the bike and House put his backpack on the saddle. Cuddy took a deep breath and looked at him with a smile.
"It was great." She said.
"Who said the day was over?"
She almost instinctively checked her watch. He widened his eyes and stared at her accusingly.
"Are you getting bored with me?"
"No! Of course I'm not! This... has been a very good day so far, I love it, but-"
He sighed.
"Marina's doing fine and Rachel is ok."
She shifted from foot to foot nervously. He studied her, biting her lips, struggling hard to hold back this irrepressible maternal - mostly control-freak - need to check that was pervading her, but she did it in such a touching way, he couldn't help it.
"Here! Call if you want." He groaned, putting out his cell.
She didn't wait to be asked twice and snatched the phone out of his hand.
"Press one." He added mechanically.
She froze and looked up at him with a fond smile.
"Aww, you have me on speed dial?"
"Yeah, you wouldn't believe how handy it is when the patient is dying and I need your green light to go on with the procedure that will save his life."
She let out a quiet laugh.
"Sure, as if you'd ever bother calling me first for that!" She paused and challenged him with a killing gaze. "You have me on speed dial." She repeated, "And I'm your number one."
"That's just a phone. No big deal!" He replied, averting his eyes.
Obviously, the woman didn't know the basic rule of poker: never go all in unless you're absolutely sure, either that your adversary swallowed your bluff or that you had the upper hand. Otherwise, you'd end up naked in the street, with your heart ripped off your chest. But of course, in those circumstances, it had nothing to do with bluffing at all, however he still wasn't sure of the kind of cards he really had in hands yet either so he couldn't let her call on him that easily...
She had taken a few steps away to make her call and he was looking at her, waving her hands in the air and talking, smiling, nodding and twiddling with a strand of hair, twirling it around her finger. She was so beautiful. Despite the many very vivid proves he'd gotten that it was real, a small part of him still strangely had a hard time believing it was. That was there, and he couldn't really put his finger on it, but there was something... He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Here, and now" he repeated to himself, "seize the here and now..."
When he opened his eyes again, she had joined him and she was handing him his cell phone.
"Something's wrong?" He said, quite immediately noticing the change in her features.
She looked down, just like people usually do when they stupidly think it will make the question disappear, or them, and that it will consequently magically solve their problem.
"No."
"Look at me."
She looked up and sighed.
"What? Is there a problem with Rachel?"
"No, she's fine."
"Then what is it?"
She sighed again. "It's Lucas."
"What about him?" He asked, instantly stiffening.
"Nothing. It's just that... Marina said... he was there earlier today to take his stuff, and she didn't really know what to do..."
House clenched his jaws and mentally forced himself to slowly count backwards, starting from twenty. At eleven, he decided it was pointless because one, it didn't unnerve him and two, it didn't appease her either.
"And? What did you say?" He asked with a soft voice.
"I... I said that it was ok... That Lucas didn't live there anymore." She gulped, embarrassed. Obviously that was something she'd have rather avoided doing.
House never doubted that she was fierce and bold but, at the same time, she was sometimes hemmed in a train of stupid social codes that dictated her what should be expected from a woman in her position and apparently, being forced to tell her babysitter that the man she was about to consider as her daughter step-dad was not "living in her house" anymore was definitely not something on top of her list. He wanted to tell her to not give a damn. Yes, she'd sent Lucas packing, but there was no reason to dwell on this, or feel guilty about it, with Marina or anybody else for that matter. It was her life. She was living it the way she'd decided. And she'd decided she didn't want Lucas. So what?
So what?
The buzz started in his ears again and he suddenly realized that he was still clenching his jaws and that it was now aching. There were a million things he wanted to say. So many things he could say. Instead he just stared at her, and tried to smile. It was ok. They were ok. Cuddy took a deep breath and touched the side of his arm gently.
"What's next?" She asked.
It instantly invigorated him, and his smiled widened. In one swift jump, he moved beside his bike, grabbed his backpack and fumbled inside it.
"Here, I got that for you!" He said, brandishing a scarf.
"What's that?"
"Duh! Can't you see by yourself? That's a scarf!"
"Why did you get me a scarf?" She asked intrigued.
"Because there's wind where we're going. And you'd hate it - and me consequently - if you caught a cold."
He took his helmet and put it on.
"Wind? Where are we going?"
"You ask way too many questions!" He stated dismissevely. "Now put that scarf on and get on that bike!"
She put her hand on her hip and took a second to study him before she grabbed the silky cloth and wrapped it around her neck. She got on the bike and snuggled up against him. He could take her anywhere anyway. Suddenly it seemed to her that any place but her home would be just perfect.
# # # # #
"The ocean!" She exclaimed, when they stopped later on a road overhanging a desert beach.
"You like it?"
She let out a quiet laugh.
"I love the ocean."
"I know."
"Of course you know." She said smiling.
The sky was clear and the sun still shining. The air was warm and soft. Despite House's warning, the wind wasn't blowing too strongly. There was just a gentle breeze that was playing with the ends of her scarf making them float in the air like a flag; like a black and white pirate flag. House spotted a trunk a few yards away. He took his jacket off and pointed in its direction with his cane.
"There!" He said and he started limping in the sand.
She swiftly took her shoes off and ran bare foot after him to catch up with him. Once there, House dropped his backpack, jacket and cane, while she sat on the trunk. He kneeled down in the sand next to her and picked up a stick that was lying there. He played with it in the sand, tracing winding lines, the roar of the ocean waves blowing in the wind and coming towards them.
"How do you know that beach?" She asked, breaking the silent between them. "It's not the nearest beach from Princeton."
"Precisely." He said, "Found it one day when I was specifically looking for a place where I would be alone, and far from Princeton."
"Oh." She bit her lips, a guilty look clouding her beautiful face over.
"After my dad died." He clarified, as if he'd read her thoughts. "Not everything is about you, you know!"
She felt stupid for a second. Of course, why would she automatically assume that she was responsible for every miserable moment in his life? That was completely absurd! And yet, the thought had crossed her mind. There were some things she'd done this past year and even before that, which she knew had hurt him. She was not trying to pretend it didn't happen but she was not proud of herself either and she still had to reconcile with the idea that what was in the past was in the past; even if letting go was something her guilt was finding hard to do at the moment.
Suddenly, House's cell rang and it made them both jump in surprise. He fished the phone out of his jeans pocket and checked the caller ID.
"Wilson." He announced flatly, as if it was something highly predictable.
She shrugged. "Pick up!"
He did and instantly, the impatient voice of the oncologist resonated in the receiver.
"House? What are you doing?"
"I'm answering your call obviously!"
"Don't be stupid-"
"I'm not stu-"
"I stopped by at your place. You're not at home."
"Wow! Your sense of observation is breathtaking Wilson! I always knew there had to be a reason why you never miss one cancer cell on the X-rays of your patients-"
"Your bathroom mirror is gone."
"Yeah, had a sudden Dorian Gray moment-"
"House? Are you ok?"
"I'm great!"
"You didn't show at work today."
"Cuddy gave me the day off."
"You saw Cuddy?"
"Well, yeah! Spent the whole night with her."
"I'm sorry. Foreman told me."
"What? Foreman told you... what?"
"About your patient. He said she was dead when the ambulance arrived."
House clutched his cell phone tighter and closed his eyes for a split second.
"Fat embolism. That's sad. But it happens."
"Are you sure you ok?"
"You've asked me that question 30 seconds ago. So unless a big rock just dropped from the sky and fell on me while we're talking, I think the answer's still yes. Wilson please, stop worrying for me like you're my mom, you'll end up with a stomach ulcer."
"Cuddy's not at work either."
"And?" His breath hitched imperceptibly, "She's the boss you know. She can play hooky whenever she wants. She doesn't have to ask your permission."
"That's weird."
"What? The fact that she's not at work or the fact that she didn't ask your permission? You know we had a real crappy night, well... not all crappy but-"
He turned his head towards the trunk on which Cuddy was seated and locked eyes with her. She had tied the scarf around her skull, like a pirate, and she looked back at him with a fond smile, her hand playing with the loose ends of the silky fabric that were streaming in the wind.
"No. I mean, Bonnie called me. She said Cuddy cancelled her visit."
House wasn't really paying attention anymore. The only thing he could focus on was the gorgeous woman who was looking at him, and suddenly nothing else mattered except the uncontainable need to be near her and hold her in his arms he felt rising inside him.
"About the house she wanted to buy." Wilson carried on, puzzled by House's silence and feeling oddly forced to explain himself.
"Oh yeah, sure! Good."
"Good? What do you mean good? That's all you have to say about this? House, don't you find it strange that Cuddy suddenly called off a project she's been trying to finalize for months?"
"Bah! Bonnie's a terrible realtor. Maybe Cuddy finally realized that if she wanted to have a nice place to live, she shouldn't ask your ex to find it for her."
"Yes but-"
"Wilson!" House exclaimed, now furiously needing to cut this conversation short, "You know, that's great! Perfect! Keep looking for more clues and... Call me back!" He reeled off in one breath, "I need to hang up now. I don't have any more coin... we're gonna be cut... sorry, ok... Bye!"
And he slid his cell phone shut. On the other end of the line, Wilson stared at the receiver with a "what the hell?" dazed expression. Then he hung up, shaking his head to fight the urge of finding some rational explanations to that incomprehensible conversation he just had.
"That was mature." Cuddy said, deadpan.
"Maturity is not my trademark."
"Oh! And what is?"
"Uhmm," House faked to give it a serious thought, "irresistible, highly addictive, assholery."
"That's not even a real word."
"Ahh see? That's why it's a trademark. It's mine. No one else has it; and I've elevated it to the status of Art."
She smiled and he joined her near the trunk, sitting down on the sand and resting his back against the wood.
"Everyone wants to be nice; because they think niceness is what makes them look attractive. But that's a lie.
"It is?"
"Of course! Look at you for example-"
"What about me?" She asked, stiffening.
He turned his head to the side and looked up at her over his shoulder.
"You're not nice."
"Thank you." She said with a sarcastic edge to her voice. "I suppose that's you illustrating the concept of assholery? I got it the first time you know-"
"No, it's me illustrating the concept of honesty." He raised his arm and stretched it to the side inviting her to sit down beside him. "Come here."
She pulled on the scarf and freed her hair; then she reluctantly glided off the trunk, and landed next to him in the sand, conspicuously pouting and keeping her head in the opposite direction.
"Oh come on!" He chuckled, seeing how upset she seemed to be. "You don't even want to be nice. Nice is boring. And you're a lot of things, but boring is certainly not one of them."
She deigned to turn her head to face him, a smile pointing toward imminent possible forgiveness forming on the corner of her lips.
"Ok. So, I'm not nice. What am I then?"
"You're a pain in the ass." Her jaws dropped and she straightened up imperceptibly but he seized that opportunity to wrap his arm around her shoulder and maintain her next to him. "A sexy pain in the ass." He clarified, "Probably the sexiest one I've met; which considerably lessens the 'pain' aspect of it, when you give it a second look."
"Yeah, I know: you like to stare at my ass, you like to lurk at my boobs. That's what gets you off. Thanks for the subtlety of the pep talk-" She said, sounding a little disappointed.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong." She defended herself, setting her lips and suddenly everything was screaming the opposite.
"Oh please!" He exclaimed, "Is it because I didn't swamp you under all the right compliments you're entitled to receive? But you know them all perfectly already. I don't have to actually say them, do I?"
She stiffened inside his arms, refusing to look up at him.
"Fine," He grunted, "since you want to play the insecure girlfriend card on our first day, then ok, let's get rid of this now: you're smart, you're sexy, you're funny, you don't suck too much at your job-"
"House, stop it, that's ridiculous!" She accused.
"Exactly! So why are you seeking for reassurance like that? You don't need that!"
"I just dumped a guy who asked me to marry him-" She stopped in the middle of her sentence and hissed, petrified by her own words.
He puffed. "There we are."
--> The Wild Escape - Chapter 6