Hunter and the Hunted
Title: Hunter and the Hunted
Author: phinnia
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: A wandering minstrel I, a thing of shreds and patches. I own nothing.


Her best friend had told her to take up meditation, citing its calming nature and how well it helped her find her true center. Lisa had tried to argue that even dealing with eight year old twins was exponentially easier than dealing with House, but Charlene had waved away her concerns and insisted she give it a shot.

It worked for about three minutes. She had not taken into account two things: that House hated change like most people hated being hit with baseball bats, and that as a result House could smell change a mile away. He was like some cantankerous pride lion in that way, with the hospital as his slice of the savannah.

Today she was the gazelle.

The door slammed open, spilling angry fluorescence inside from the hall. "What in the hell is that stench? And what's wrong with the lights that you're sitting here in the dark?"

Cuddy flipped on her desk lamp, revealing six feet of cranky diagnostician leaning heavily on his cane. "The lights are fine. And the stench, as you so quaintly call it, is ..." she turned the glass jar, squinting at the label as her eyes readjusted to the light. "Lemon cookie. I was trying to relax."

"Lemon is arguable and cookie is patently ridiculous. Give me that." He picked it up off the desk and hurled it into the trash can; she heard the faint tinkle of breaking glass. "Have a glass of wine after work instead."

She laughed, stretching. "Why, House, is that an offer? Could you be ... asking me on a date?"

"Sorry, you'll have to find some other poor victim to bite the head off of. I suggest Wilson, he seems to look for that in women these days - I'm off to the OTB, got a hot tip in the fifth race."

"You could always call it in, you know. We could still go out."

He paused in the doorway, briefly hovering, as though he was teetering on the edge of a decision.

She held her breath, waiting.

"Not the same." he replied, and vanished around the corner without meeting her eyes.