It was an overcast morning when House awoke the next day. His pain was an eight on the pain scale, and his head was fighting to push it to a ten. Letting out a harsh exhalation, he propped himself up and began the daily drudgery.
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"You have two hours of clinic today House, and I don't want to hear any argument about." Cuddy said as she handed him the green chart for exam room 3.
He looked appraisingly over her form. She was wearing a dark purple v-neck blouse that fit snug against her breasts. Her skirt stopped above her knee revealing her shapely calfs. He noted her rosier than usal cheeks. He surmised that Lucas had made her quite happy before work this morning. She never could keep that silly with sin look off her face after sex.
"Whatever, Cuddy...the sooner I get done the sooner I can get to eating Wilson's lunch." He said gruffly as he pulled the file from Cuddy's hands. As House began to walk away he suddenly felt a soft hand pulling him back.
"You okay?" Cuddy asked with those same sorrowful eyes he had seen at her hotel doorway.
"As okay as I'll ever be." He said as he walked past her.
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After diagnosing three cases of herpes and two of the common cold, House was ready to leave for the day. There was no interesting case for his team to work on, and he really needed a break from the hospital and Cuddy. He decided he had more than made his quota for the day. He packed up his knapsack and started for the doors.
"Excuse me?" Someone said from behind him.
"Off the clock. Go bother someone else."
"I would but you are the only one who sent me a cup of coffee last night. I think it would be really weird to thank anyone else."
House froze and turned around to come face to face with his mystery woman.
"How did you find me?"
"What is this a suspense film? You're not exactly a felon I've been hunting..."
"So?" He asked in annoyance.
"I was here to pick up some test results and I saw you. Are you happy now to know I'm not stocking you?" She asked with that same sarcastic sting. He smiled.
"I don't know. I kind of liked the idea of a woman like you trailing me in the shadows and watching me undress in front of the window." He said leaning in to her space. She stood her ground never flinching at his subtle intrusion.
"That's the sweetest and most pervese compliment ever. Thanks for that." She said with a roll of her eyes.
"The name is Greg House." He said putting out a hand for her to shake(a gesture that was out of character for him).
She looked at his hand and placed her own within it.
"Ariel Harrison...and you would have found that out already if you hadn't pulled a Clark Kent after sending me the drink."
His eyebrows rose in amusement.
"Ah, comic book geek. Wouldn't have guessed."
"No. Just a woman who knows how to pull out trivial information at any given time.
He chuckled.
"My best friend is like that too."
She placed her hands on her hips and looked at him hard.
"So, since we ran in to each other are you gonna take me out for something to eat or what?"
"Do you like Greek?" He asked with his wolfish grin.