The Knife and the Cane

Chapter 10- Longing Pt 3

Nora> I am so screwed.

13> What happened???

Nora> House kissed me.

13> Ur kidding.

Nora> I wish.

Nora sighed and flopped on her bed in her apartment, her phone falling next to her. She couldn't tell if she was dreading the coming day or excited. Her phone began belting out Got My Mind Set on You By George Harrison. Nora groaned as he kept singing.

♪I've got my mind set on you. Set on you♪

She rolled over and looked at the caller I.D. House. She answered with a gentle, "Hello?"

"Hey." He replied. His voice was husky and quiet, even though Nora knew for a fact that they both lived alone and could make almost as much noise as they wanted.

"What's up?"

"I wanted to check on you. There was blood on my hands after you put yours on them."
Nora held her hand up in the air, staring at the bandage wrapped around her palm.

"Yeah, it's a bad habit I have. I clench my fists until they bleed."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it'll heal in a few days. Look, about the cuts, I-"

"It doesn't leave you and I. You can trust me."

"I appreciate it."

"On one condition."

"Of course."

"You have to tell me about the first time you tried to...you know." Nora sighed and got comfy.

"I was fourteen. I had a narcissistic mother, a half-absent father, and an abusive little sister. I wanted to be gone so bad it hurt. I overdosed. Somehow I woke up in the morgue and managed to escape. I went to a friend's house and tried to start over."

"Wilson?"

"No. He went to my 'funeral' but he didn't know I was still alive until the day I started working here. I changed my last name to my grandmother's maiden name. No record of her existed until she got married, so I'm safe."

"Wilson came to me worried that you were either depressed or pregnant."

"I was diagnosed with depression at thirteen and I haven't had sex in six months."

"I could change that."

"Nice try, not on a first date."

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" House asked. Nora paused.

"I'd like that." She replied, blushing furiously.

"Tomorrow after work sound okay?"

"Perfect."

The next morning, Nora woke up when her alarm began singing. She sighed and sat up gently, stretching a little. As soon as she unlocked her phone, the notifications began pouring in. Four missed calls from Thirteen, eighteen texts, and two pages. Nora stood up, looked into her closet and began her day.

She met up with Foreman on his way into the hospital and walked with him, discussing a case they were working on. When they entered, House was already there and he whirled around as soon as he heard the doors open. Foreman took his seat, oblivious to the way the corners of House's mouth turned up. Not quite a smile, but not a frown.

"Morning, grouchy." House said to Foreman.

"Not so loud." Foreman groaned. Thirteen entered and shot Nora a knowing look as she sat down. Chase walked in behind her, also sporting eye bags, barely brushed hair and an untied tie.

"Morning, team!" House practically yelled. Chase and Foreman both winced and covered their ears.

"A little hungover?" Nora giggled.

"Shut up." Chase spat playfully.

"Now I'm really glad I didn't go drinking with you last night."

"I went once and barely got out of bed the next morning." Thirteen laughed.

"Now we're just missing the jew. Where is he?" House asked, referring to Taub.

"He's probably going to be late today, traffic on the highway he and I cross was pretty bad."

"Perfect. Just the ones I need. New case."

"Shoot." Chase sighed, swallowing what Nora was sure was more than the recommended dose of advil.

"Fatigue, hallucinations, and frenzied, sometimes incoherent speaking."

"How old is the kid?" Thirteen asked.

"Nineteen year old male."

"I'll be of no help, I studied from eighteen down." Nora sighed. "It sounds like brain trauma to me."

"Foreman?"

"I'll do an fMRI." He sighed.

"Let's go, people!" House hollered. Chase handed Foreman the bottle of Advil and he threw some into his mouth before they left. Thirteen smirked and left to go help, leaving Nora, House, and their files. House sat across the table from Nora, occasionally looking up at her. She sighed heavily and moved next to him, dragging her files over. House was surprised, to say the least. Her auburn sweater complimented her tan skin and gray eyes well, and House could see a shimmer of silver around her neck.

"What do you want to ask?" Nora wondered aloud, keeping her eyes trained on her papers. "I can practically hear you thinking."

"Why do you wear a simple silver chain?" He asked. This close, Nora could almost feel the vibrations his voice made.

"My grandfather made it for me."

"Silver over gold?"

"'Gold will break hundreds of times before
the silver is scratched.'That's what he used to tell me, anyway."

"You sure he didn't give it to you because it matched your eyes?"

"No, he was the type to do that." House hooked his finger in the chain where it laid on the base of her neck, underneath her earlobe. Nora looked up and turned her head. House's gaze flitted from her eyes to her lips and he gently tugged on the chain, bringing her closer. He grinned as her soft cheeks brightened and she blushed. He leaned in and kissed her softly, his lips barely brushing hers, a gentle tease. Nora pushed in again, taking control. That's one thing House loved about her, she wasn't afraid to take control of any situation or stand up to him, occasionally putting him in his place. She unapologetically shot her tongue into his mouth, surprising him. Her pager buzzed and she tore away from him to check it.

"Damn." She muttered, standing up. She leaned down and kissed House again before leaving.

"Bye." He mumbled to himself. No one had ever left the great Dr. House speechless like that.

Especially not one of his team