Author: Morgan72uk
Summary: Two people who work together stumble out of a bar into the arms of a one night stand.
Rating: T
Pairing: Wilson/Cuddy/House
Disclaimer: Still hoping not to be sued.
Distribution: Sure - though please ask first
A/N - well, where to start... I suppose it was House teasing Cuddy about their having had sex. I started thinking - what if the one night stand wasn't House and Cuddy?
It takes an ending… to send you on your way
Wilson
He knows he shouldn't do this to himself, he knows that dangers lurk in memories, that the past is a foreign country – but he closes his eyes and lets the present slip away.
It is a wet and windy Friday night and he is in quiet bar, contemplating the dying embers of a marriage in the bottom of a glass of scotch. It is not his first – marriage or scotch. As he swirls the remnants of the liquid around in the heavy glass his thoughts dwell on questions without answers - questions of metaphysics and philosophy. It is a diversion from the questions he could find answers to – if only he wanted to dwell on the reasons two people can find to stop loving each other.
So intent is he on his study of these mysteries that he almost misses her. But not even alcohol can prevent him from noticing a beautiful woman when she walks into the bar.
For a split second he has no idea who she is; she looks completely different, wearing jeans and a dark shirt, her hair falling in soft waves around her face and without a lab coat or a suit in sight. When he does recognise her he actually considers the possibility that she is her own twin sister, the one who doesn't run the hospital where he works.
Seeing her in casual clothing is almost as incongruous as realising that she is on a date and watching her is even more fascinating than alcohol. He had no idea that she was seeing anyone – although there is no reason he would know. His closest friend refers to her as his nemesis, so it's not all that surprising that their relationship has never developed beyond the slight camaraderie that comes with trying to keep House out of trouble.
He tries not to stare, but her body language is – perplexing. She is talking to the guy she is with, a muscular, suited type who looks far too pleased with himself, but keeping her distance. She certainly isn't flirting and he wonders if this could mean she isn't enjoying herself.
The other people she is with do behave like a couple, maintaining eye contact as they talk, sitting close to one another, touching; he can almost see them finishing each other's sentences. He is irritated to realise that he never achieved this quite rudimentary level of intimacy with his soon to be former wife.
If he were House he'd go over there and interrupt, just for the sake of embarrassing her. But he isn't House and embarrassing Cuddy isn't the way he wants to spend the evening.
The conclusion that she is not enjoying herself is reinforced when she looks up and sees him. Her expression is one of relief and he almost smiles at the familiarity of the expression – this is how she looks in Board meetings after a verbose colleague has finished speaking. A few seconds later she excuses herself from her companions and winds her way across the bar, completely unaware of the several pairs of eyes following her progress.
'Dr Wilson,'
'Dr Cuddy,' sliding onto the barstool she orders herself a drink – her eyes flick over his scotch but evidently she decides he doesn't need a refill. 'Enjoying the date?' He asks, just to let her know that he's worked it out – she grimaces.
'Never let your friends set you up with people they are certain are "perfect" for you,' is her response and then she catches herself, 'sorry.' Well, at least he has no need to bring her up to date.
'I see the hospital grapevine is working.'
'I'm afraid so. She's really gone?'
'The matter is in the hands of our attorneys.' He half expects her to tell him how sorry she is – but instead she nods to the glass.
'How much have you had to drink?'
'Not nearly enough.' He glances back across the bar and realises the conversation is being watched. 'Your date doesn't look too happy about being abandoned.' She shrugs,
'He'll get over it.' At his raised eyebrow she adds, 'I don't think it's going to work out.'
'How long have you known him?'
'Twenty minutes.'
'Wow. That's fast.'
'He's in IT,' she offers, as though that should explain everything.
'Well, get back over there – you know we need to up-grade our systems.' Her laughter is all the more welcome for being unfamiliar; she really ought to laugh more. Suddenly he is bold enough to lean towards her and ask, 'do you want to get out of here?'
Surprise is quickly replaced by an equally unfamiliar look of pure mischief. 'It will have to be a crisis at the hospital – they'll page me first – and then you – I'll meet you outside in 5 minutes.'
She is waiting outside the bar, valiantly trying not to get wet, although her umbrella is in critical condition. 'I'm not sure they believed me' she gives every impression of being unconcerned by this, 'where are we going?'
'Anywhere but here.' He grabs her wrist and draws her with him, pausing only to pluck the contraption out of her hand and throw it away.
The bar he leads her to is out of the way, dark and smoky. He knows it well, since it is a favoured destination of House's and at first it feels odd to be here without him. And then it doesn't, because Cuddy slinks into the bar at his side and the atmosphere wraps around her, or she wraps around it and either way he decides not to think about House too much at the moment; which is why it is she who invokes his name first.
'So, why aren't you drowning your sorrows with House?' He isn't fooled by the casual tone she adopts, although the finger she slides round the rim of her glass is a distraction in itself.
'Because under the circumstances I thought I'd better come to terms with the situation myself first.' What he doesn't say is that being around House may not be what either of them need just now.
Cuddy looks thoughtful for a moment, 'and is that what you're doing tonight – coming to terms?' The truth is, he has no idea what he's doing – but he isn't going to admit that to her, although when he looks up and meets her candid gaze he realises that she already knows. He takes a sip of his drink, searching for a new subject.
'So, Dr Lisa Cuddy, toast of PPTH, just why is it that your friends are setting you up with dates? Surely you don't need their help?' He isn't prepared for the shadows that cross her face, before she banishes them to be replaced by an expression of amused resignation.
'Well, apparently I work too hard, only meet Doctors and, according to my closest friends, I can be intimidating.'
'Can't say I've noticed,' he drawls – succeeding in his goal of making her laugh.
The impending divorce must have dulled his senses – because it takes two hours to work out that she is trying to seduce him. She is good at it, incredibly subtle and letting her succeed is a very alluring prospect. But working with her, correction working for her – means it's not something he can just let happen without comment.
For a moment he considers that he might be wrong, that it might be wishful thinking and alcohol. But as he casts a glance in her direction she is watching him from under her lashes and she smiles, realising that her intent has become clear.
'This is a bad idea,' he tells her.
'Really?'
'You know it is. Why are you even considering…?' He isn't quite sure how to finish the question.
'Curiosity.' It is not the reply that he expects. 'You've never made a move on me Dr Wilson – and considering your reputation that is, surprising. So, I'm curious.'
'And how far does that curiosity extend?' She quirks an eyebrow in response and when she shrugs her shirt shifts to reveal a little more of the skin he's been carefully ignoring until now. There is something very ironic about making such an effort to be the perfect gentleman all evening – when in fact… 'Is this what your friends mean when they say you're intimidating?' He enquires – hoping to wrong-foot her, just a little.
'Yes – because I spend so much time finding ways to get the Doctors who work for me into bed.' There is something in her tone that makes him smile.
'I'm the first?' She sighs and rolls her eyes dramatically.
'Yes, you are the first Doctor who works for me I've even considered having sex with – although I have to tell you I'm going off the idea more and more by the second.'
'No you aren't.' This is territory he is familiar with and he leans across the table and captures one of her hands in his. 'Just to be clear – there are, conditions…?' Another one of those questions he can't quite finish; but when she moistens her lips before replying it is difficult to remember that he asked her anything. He fights the urge to kiss her – because he has a feeling what happens next is going to be very important.
'No one finds out,' she says quietly, 'and I mean no one.' She doesn't need to say the name – and he doesn't need to ask. But he nods, sealing the agreement – and then kisses her.
Time is, as he knows very well, an elastic concept. Which is why when he opens his eyes he is momentarily disorientated. It isn't the same bar, hell it isn't the same year and he is drinking to the end of a different marriage. If he turns his head and looks over his shoulder he will be faced with another difference – this time he isn't drinking alone.
He has no idea why that night is suddenly on his mind – he's scarcely given it a thought over the last three years. He let her get away and there is nothing that can be done to change that. She said, in the half-light of dawn, that she wasn't anyone's consolation prize and nothing that has happened since has given him any reason to doubt her.
But the truth is, she is sitting across the bar once again – and his memory is traitorous. This time there is no unsuitable blind date to see off. This time the competition might just be his best friend, although since he and Cuddy are being so careful about not watching each other it is hard to tell if either of them has realised that something fundamental has shifted between them. And if they haven't noticed – does that mean he can intervene with a clear conscience?