"You want to take me to dinner? Is this a joke?"
"Do you want to go or not?" he said as he tapped his cane to the floor.
"You know I'm dating Paul. It wouldn't be..."
"So, you finally slept with him."
"Excuse me. That's amazingly inappropriate and none of your business."
"See, the way I figure if you hadn't slept with him yet then you wouldn't think twice about going out for dinner, but now your emotionally invested," he said as he got up to stand in front of the window.
"So, this was a test to see how far we've gone? You're incredible. Get out!"
He turned to face her. Her eyes were heavy with anger and something else, something he couldn't quite discern.
"It was a test that you failed...it was only a few days atrás that you professed feelings for me, and now you're screwing the funny looking P.I."
"What does this prove then, House? Does this affirm your view that everyone lies? Just because I have feelings for you doesn't mean I'm going to wait around pining. You know I'm not that type of woman," she said as she moved to stand in front of him with her arms crossed.
"He's just a distraction. You're lying to yourself if you try to call him anything mais than that," he said leaning into her personal space.
"You don't like me giving my attention to someone else, well that's tough. I like him and he likes me. I asked you once, point blank, if you liked me, and you couldn't even look at me let alone give an answer."
He pulled back, taking himself out of her o espaço and turning to face the window once more. There was complete silence that went on for what felt like years.
"Will he be joining you at the fundraiser?" he finally said.
"Of course. Why?"
"Just another reason to avoid going."
"House, everyone is required to attend."
He turned toward her.
"What do I get if I go?"
"What are you fifteen? Sometimes you have to do things you'd prefer not to. There's no negotiation this time."
"You want me there. I don't want to be there. You're gonna have to offer me something."
Exasperated she went to sit in her chair. He followed sitting down across from her.
"I can give you a week off clinic duty. Okay?"
"Not enough."
"I think that's mais than enough. And don't even thinking about asking for the t.v. from the doctor's lounge again."
"I want you to have jantar with me."
"Deja vu. You already did this little test, remember."
"Yes, that was a test then. Now, I'm asking you for real. That's all I want. You can take clinic duty off the table, so you know that I'm serious."
"House, what are you planning?"
"I just want dinner,Cuddy. We can have it at your place if you want to feel in control..."
"My place? I was thinking a restaurant."
"But what would Paul think if he found out we were out at a restaurant together? That looks suspiciously like a date, Cuddy."
"And what do you call jantar at my place?"
"A get together between friends, of course," he said with a menacing smile.
"Fine. jantar at my place it is. When do you want to have this 'get together'?"
"Tomorrow night will be just fine. I'll come por around eight. If that works for you?"
Rolling her eyes at his fake sincerity she put out her hand for him to shake.
"It's a deal... Now, I think you have some clinic duty to get done, Dr. House."
"Oh, I'll get right on that," he said with his trademark sarcasm as he left the room.
Cuddy was nervous. She didn't know what he was up to and she wasn't too thrilled to find out. He was so frustrating. In the length of one conversation he had manipulated her twice. First, finding out the personal details of her new relationship, and now getting her to agree to a non-date, date. Maybe this was his twisted form of courtship but it felt mais like war strategy than an act of chivalry. She just needed to focus on the fundraiser. One night of jantar with House wouldn't be such a big deal.