Dangerous Liaisons: Catalyst: Chapter Four
Title: Dangerous Liaisons: Catalyst: Chapter Four
Pairings: Gen. for now. House/Wilson/Cuddy friendship.
Rating: R
Chapter: 4/8
Warning: Takes place in Season Four.
Disclaimer: I don't own House M.D. nor the characters.
Summary: Cuddy enters a relationship and isn't prepared for the damage that is to come.
Cuddy gave a smile as she picked up her phone. “Three minutes.”
“Want me to time you?” Neil smirked and held up his watch as he sat across from Cuddy in her office.
“If you want to be bored for three minutes,” Cuddy replied and punched in the phone number.
“I’ll go get a coffee then,” Neil told her and stood up.
Cuddy nodded in response. Neil crossed her office and let himself out. He smiled at her secretary and soon found himself in the waiting room in Clinic, coffee-less, and without a hope of finding a vending machine.
“Lost?”
Neil turned and his eyes fell on House. “Looking for a coffee machine.”
“Go out that way, make a left, and you’ll eventually run into it,” House instructed and slapped a chart on the counter of the nurse’s station.
“You’re serious?” Neil asked as House limped toward him.
“One friend to another,” House offered, raising his eyebrows slightly.
“We’re not friends,” Neil replied, eyes locked with House and holding his ground.
“Here you are,” Cuddy’s voice traveled across the room as she approached Neil. She noticed House. “Oh.”
House looked to Cuddy. “I found your boy toy.”
“He’s not a boy toy.” Cuddy glared. “Don’t be rude.”
“I can see why you said those things, Lisa.” Neil eyed House up and down. “No wonder you’re always wiped out.”
House tilted his head upwards slightly, looking over Neil. He wasn’t stupid and knew Neil was trying to get a rise out of him. House looked to Cuddy to determine who she would side with.
“It’s not that bad,” she muttered, which caused House to smile. Cuddy gave a tug on Neil’s arm. “Let’s go get lunch.”
“Yeah, I gotta get back soon,” Neil agreed with a nod.
“Have a good time.” House kept his eyes locked with Neil’s.
“We will,” Neil replied.
Cuddy turned to go, but Neil stopped her before kissing her. House looked toward the ground, annoyed, before he brought his eyes back up as Cuddy pulled away.
“Not here,” she said quietly to Neil.
House tried to hold back a smirk at catching Cuddy’s words. “Yeah, no PDA’s.”
Cuddy shot House a strict glare. She took Neil’s hand within her own and walked out of the Clinic with him. House frowned and picked up a chart from the stack on the counter.
____________________________
Cuddy let out a heavy sigh as she entered through her front door. She shrugged out of her coat and hung it on the coat rack. As she began down the hallway, she thought about making a fire to help get the edge off the cold.
Turning into the living room, Cuddy jumped at the sight of the man sitting on her couch. “Neil. How did you-”
“There’s a key outside,” he cut her off. “You should hide it better.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Cuddy gave him a smile and turned on the lamp. “I’m sorry about tonight.”
“Where were you?” Neil asked her.
Cuddy straightened and stared at him. “Didn’t you get my message?”
“I did,” he replied.
“I told you I had to stay at the hospital.” Cuddy’s eyebrows drew together. “There was a problem with a patient and I had to step in so-”
Neil stood from the couch. “Was he there?”
Cuddy stared at Neil in her puzzlement. “Who?”
“Dr. House,” Neil’s tone suddenly became crisper.
“Um, yeah.” Cuddy nodded. “He was part of the problem actually.” She gave a little laugh to lighten the mood, but Neil didn’t react. Cuddy frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Was Dr. Wilson there, too?” Neil asked her harshly.
Cuddy stepped closer to Neil. “No. Neil, what...?”
“You cancelled our date to stay with Dr. House,” Neil accused with a pointed finger.
“No,” Cuddy stretched the word out as she looked from Neil’s finger to his face. “I had to stay because of my job. If I could have been with you, I would have. I thought you understood-”
“I understand,” Neil cut her off, “that there’s something going on between you, House, and Wilson.”
“We’re friends,” Cuddy replied.
“It’s more than a friendship.” Neil brushed past her, hitting her hard in the shoulder along the way.
“What are you talking about?” Cuddy spun in his direction, her hand on her now tender shoulder. “I don’t-”
Neil stopped and turned. “Enough.”
Cuddy watched him. “Are you saying you’re jealous of-”
“I said enough!” Neil interrupted loudly.
Cuddy lowered her hand, her eyes locked with Neil’s. “I think you should go.”
“Yeah,” Neil agreed.
“And I’m not so sure you should come back,” Cuddy added.
Neil took a step closer to Cuddy. “What?”
“I thought it was weird when you kept asking about House and Wilson, but I shrugged it off,” Cuddy told him. “I just thought you were interested with who I spend my workdays with because it is House and he’s crazy, but this... this is too much.”
Neil shook his head. “You know, Lisa, I needed to know you were with me, not flirting around with those two men while they stared at your breasts. I see the way Dr. House looks at you. I should have known this would be coming.”
“Neil, I can’t believe you actually think there’s something going on between us,” Cuddy said. “I thought you knew me better than that.”
“I know you stayed late for a different reason,” Neil accused.
“This is...” Cuddy paused, trying to find the right words. “Absolutely ridiculous. You should go. I don’t...” She was flustered by this sudden change of events. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore. Clearly, we’re in two different places.”
“We could have been in one place if there was trust in this relationship,” Neil spat back, taking another step closer to her.
“My job is very demanding of me,” Cuddy told him harshly. “I thought you understood that since yours can be too. I thought our trust came from that same understanding.”
“Yeah, but I don’t hang out with members of the opposite sex after hours,” Neil shot back.
“It was work,” Cuddy insisted. “What the hell has gotten into you?”
Neil raised a pointed finger again. “I’m not second rate, Lisa. I’m not someone who steps down.”
Cuddy placed her hands on her hips. “Well, I don’t think this is going to work then. Sometimes, you have to step down. And I can’t be with someone who will always be suspicious of me when I cancel plans or have to work late, Neil.”
Neil shook his head. “You should have known better.”
Cuddy’s mouth fell open. “Should have known-”
“This is a mistake, Lisa,” Neil said. “Things should have gone differently. I thought we were going to have something good. I guess I didn’t know what kind of person you really were.”
Cuddy frowned. “I’m not whatever you’re implying I-”
“Don’t.” Neil cut her off and headed for the doorway.
“I don’t know where this all came from,” Cuddy told his backside as she followed him. “How long have you felt threatened by House and Wilson? Was your trust in me always this low?”
Neil spun in the hallway, causing Cuddy to stop. “It’s not about trust. It’s about seduction and lust. I’ve seen what it’s done to people, how it tears families apart.”
Cuddy let out a sigh. “But-”
“I don’t do well coming in second,” Neil fastened his coat. “You’ll see that. Goodbye, Lisa.”
Cuddy stood speechless, not quite knowing what more she could say. Neil hurried out her front door, slamming it shut behind him. What seemed like a promising relationship had suddenly come to end and all Cuddy could think about was how House had ruined another great chance for her.
Chapter Five.
Pairings: Gen. for now. House/Wilson/Cuddy friendship.
Rating: R
Chapter: 4/8
Warning: Takes place in Season Four.
Disclaimer: I don't own House M.D. nor the characters.
Summary: Cuddy enters a relationship and isn't prepared for the damage that is to come.
Cuddy gave a smile as she picked up her phone. “Three minutes.”
“Want me to time you?” Neil smirked and held up his watch as he sat across from Cuddy in her office.
“If you want to be bored for three minutes,” Cuddy replied and punched in the phone number.
“I’ll go get a coffee then,” Neil told her and stood up.
Cuddy nodded in response. Neil crossed her office and let himself out. He smiled at her secretary and soon found himself in the waiting room in Clinic, coffee-less, and without a hope of finding a vending machine.
“Lost?”
Neil turned and his eyes fell on House. “Looking for a coffee machine.”
“Go out that way, make a left, and you’ll eventually run into it,” House instructed and slapped a chart on the counter of the nurse’s station.
“You’re serious?” Neil asked as House limped toward him.
“One friend to another,” House offered, raising his eyebrows slightly.
“We’re not friends,” Neil replied, eyes locked with House and holding his ground.
“Here you are,” Cuddy’s voice traveled across the room as she approached Neil. She noticed House. “Oh.”
House looked to Cuddy. “I found your boy toy.”
“He’s not a boy toy.” Cuddy glared. “Don’t be rude.”
“I can see why you said those things, Lisa.” Neil eyed House up and down. “No wonder you’re always wiped out.”
House tilted his head upwards slightly, looking over Neil. He wasn’t stupid and knew Neil was trying to get a rise out of him. House looked to Cuddy to determine who she would side with.
“It’s not that bad,” she muttered, which caused House to smile. Cuddy gave a tug on Neil’s arm. “Let’s go get lunch.”
“Yeah, I gotta get back soon,” Neil agreed with a nod.
“Have a good time.” House kept his eyes locked with Neil’s.
“We will,” Neil replied.
Cuddy turned to go, but Neil stopped her before kissing her. House looked toward the ground, annoyed, before he brought his eyes back up as Cuddy pulled away.
“Not here,” she said quietly to Neil.
House tried to hold back a smirk at catching Cuddy’s words. “Yeah, no PDA’s.”
Cuddy shot House a strict glare. She took Neil’s hand within her own and walked out of the Clinic with him. House frowned and picked up a chart from the stack on the counter.
____________________________
Cuddy let out a heavy sigh as she entered through her front door. She shrugged out of her coat and hung it on the coat rack. As she began down the hallway, she thought about making a fire to help get the edge off the cold.
Turning into the living room, Cuddy jumped at the sight of the man sitting on her couch. “Neil. How did you-”
“There’s a key outside,” he cut her off. “You should hide it better.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Cuddy gave him a smile and turned on the lamp. “I’m sorry about tonight.”
“Where were you?” Neil asked her.
Cuddy straightened and stared at him. “Didn’t you get my message?”
“I did,” he replied.
“I told you I had to stay at the hospital.” Cuddy’s eyebrows drew together. “There was a problem with a patient and I had to step in so-”
Neil stood from the couch. “Was he there?”
Cuddy stared at Neil in her puzzlement. “Who?”
“Dr. House,” Neil’s tone suddenly became crisper.
“Um, yeah.” Cuddy nodded. “He was part of the problem actually.” She gave a little laugh to lighten the mood, but Neil didn’t react. Cuddy frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Was Dr. Wilson there, too?” Neil asked her harshly.
Cuddy stepped closer to Neil. “No. Neil, what...?”
“You cancelled our date to stay with Dr. House,” Neil accused with a pointed finger.
“No,” Cuddy stretched the word out as she looked from Neil’s finger to his face. “I had to stay because of my job. If I could have been with you, I would have. I thought you understood-”
“I understand,” Neil cut her off, “that there’s something going on between you, House, and Wilson.”
“We’re friends,” Cuddy replied.
“It’s more than a friendship.” Neil brushed past her, hitting her hard in the shoulder along the way.
“What are you talking about?” Cuddy spun in his direction, her hand on her now tender shoulder. “I don’t-”
Neil stopped and turned. “Enough.”
Cuddy watched him. “Are you saying you’re jealous of-”
“I said enough!” Neil interrupted loudly.
Cuddy lowered her hand, her eyes locked with Neil’s. “I think you should go.”
“Yeah,” Neil agreed.
“And I’m not so sure you should come back,” Cuddy added.
Neil took a step closer to Cuddy. “What?”
“I thought it was weird when you kept asking about House and Wilson, but I shrugged it off,” Cuddy told him. “I just thought you were interested with who I spend my workdays with because it is House and he’s crazy, but this... this is too much.”
Neil shook his head. “You know, Lisa, I needed to know you were with me, not flirting around with those two men while they stared at your breasts. I see the way Dr. House looks at you. I should have known this would be coming.”
“Neil, I can’t believe you actually think there’s something going on between us,” Cuddy said. “I thought you knew me better than that.”
“I know you stayed late for a different reason,” Neil accused.
“This is...” Cuddy paused, trying to find the right words. “Absolutely ridiculous. You should go. I don’t...” She was flustered by this sudden change of events. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore. Clearly, we’re in two different places.”
“We could have been in one place if there was trust in this relationship,” Neil spat back, taking another step closer to her.
“My job is very demanding of me,” Cuddy told him harshly. “I thought you understood that since yours can be too. I thought our trust came from that same understanding.”
“Yeah, but I don’t hang out with members of the opposite sex after hours,” Neil shot back.
“It was work,” Cuddy insisted. “What the hell has gotten into you?”
Neil raised a pointed finger again. “I’m not second rate, Lisa. I’m not someone who steps down.”
Cuddy placed her hands on her hips. “Well, I don’t think this is going to work then. Sometimes, you have to step down. And I can’t be with someone who will always be suspicious of me when I cancel plans or have to work late, Neil.”
Neil shook his head. “You should have known better.”
Cuddy’s mouth fell open. “Should have known-”
“This is a mistake, Lisa,” Neil said. “Things should have gone differently. I thought we were going to have something good. I guess I didn’t know what kind of person you really were.”
Cuddy frowned. “I’m not whatever you’re implying I-”
“Don’t.” Neil cut her off and headed for the doorway.
“I don’t know where this all came from,” Cuddy told his backside as she followed him. “How long have you felt threatened by House and Wilson? Was your trust in me always this low?”
Neil spun in the hallway, causing Cuddy to stop. “It’s not about trust. It’s about seduction and lust. I’ve seen what it’s done to people, how it tears families apart.”
Cuddy let out a sigh. “But-”
“I don’t do well coming in second,” Neil fastened his coat. “You’ll see that. Goodbye, Lisa.”
Cuddy stood speechless, not quite knowing what more she could say. Neil hurried out her front door, slamming it shut behind him. What seemed like a promising relationship had suddenly come to end and all Cuddy could think about was how House had ruined another great chance for her.
Chapter Five.