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You are pacing in Greg’s office angrily, repeating in your mind how you are going to rationalize your fury in this situation, but nothing good comes to your mind. You never thought of yourself as a jealous type, you understand that a man like Gregory House will stare at women just to test your reaction, but today was too much for you. You shove your hands into your lab coat’s pockets then pull them out again trying to decide how you look more serious. You suddenly stop and look at Greg’s desk.
“This was a mistake from the start.” You mutter to yourself. Of course, what you were thinking? You belong in his team, not in his arms, but James, of course, had to do something so that House doesn’t feel as miserable as everyone thinks he is.
At first it was charming. Greg being an ass except for you was fun. Sneaking kisses when no one’s looking and pranking Cuddy was somehow amusing too, but now you understand that you want Greg to be serious at least sometimes, yet you don’t know how to unveil this side of his and it frustrates you to no end. To you it seems like Greg is not getting serious on purpose. James told you and told you again that Greg doesn’t want to be hurt again like it happened with Stacy, but he pushed her away himself!
You throw your hands in the air with a loud angry groan.
“I’m going insane.” You complain.
“You and I both.” You hear Greg’s voice behind you and you quickly turn to face him.
“Finally you’re here.” You frown and fold your arms on your chest. Gregory smiles and comes closer. He leans his cane again his desk and tries to take your hands but you step away from him. This makes his expression become serious.
“What seems to be the problem?” He asks in a tone like he asks how the patient he doesn’t give a crap about is doing. After he grabs his cane, Greg limps around you and sits in his chair.
“Don’t you treat me like this, Gregory.” You look at him and he stops, puts his cane away and raises his eyes to you. “I don’t know how much of this I can handle.” You say seriously and Greg leans in his chair.
“What do you mean?” His attention is on you. You don’t know if he’s pretending not to understand or he’s really ignoring the obvious.
“I mean you constantly hitting on Cuddy.”
“She’s used to it.” Greg leans back to his desk and takes few files into his hands.
“I’m not used to it.”
He stops again. Greg drops the files back on his desk and looks at you again.
“Are you jealous?” Now he looks interested, but that’s not the reaction you want from him.
“No! Yes! I don’t know.” You turn your back on him for a moment, then turn to face him again. “How I’m supposed to know that you think seriously about our relationship when you’re groping her every time you can get your hands on her?” You know you sound desperate but you need answers that only he can give you.
Greg sighs, looks around his desk and lowers his head just a little bit.
“You shouldn’t care about it. It’s not serious, Y/N.” He says silently and you roll your eyes in frustration.
“But how do I know that you’re serious about us, about me?” You confront him more angrily again and Greg looks at you.
“If I stop treating her the way I do Cuddy will think that she can control me through you!” He almost shouts.
“And establishing pissing contest with Cuddy is more important to you than me?” You raise your voice too.
“YES! Because at one point you will leave and I will still have to work with her!”
It hits you like a physical blow. You know that Gregory can be rude and annoying, but you didn’t expect him taking lightly your relationship.
“Is that so.” You say calmly and turn from him storming out of his office.
“Y/N!” You hear Gregory shouting, maybe he’s even trying to go after you but you know that he won’t catch up to you.
You don’t want to see him right now.
With anger and hurt feelings you rush to the lockers room and change almost ripping your lab coat apart. When you’re done you shove your locker’s door and turn just to be stopped by James, standing in front of you.
“What happened?” He asks and you try to walk around him, but he doesn’t let you.
“Go away, Wilson. I’m not in the mood to listen to your fangirling over House.” You push him away and walk outside heading to the parking lot but James follows you.
“What did he do?”
“Why do you think he did something?”
“Because he always does.”
This makes you stop. You look at James and he sighs pushing hands into his pants’ pockets.
“Listen, House… is an ass. We both know that. But he doesn’t know how to open up-“
“Here we go again!” You roll your eyes. “You always protect him, you always defend him. Don’t you think that sometimes he is at fault not only because he may be hurting inside or outside?” You frown and James opens his mouth, then smiles.
“What I wanted to say, that House’s inability to properly open up is his problem and if he hurts you, you shouldn’t tolerate that, Y/N. I still think that you are great together, but you don’t need to sacrifice anything just because you don’t want to feel guilty in front of me or anyone else.”
You stare at James for a moment. You weren’t expecting that from him, then smile.
“Thank you, Wilson. I will think about it.” You say and James nods just before you turn and head to your car.
________________________________________
You sat in the diner for an hour now just drinking tea and thinking. You don’t know what to do. Gregory called your phone and even paged you tens of times, but you ignored it. You don’t know what he wants to say but you can imagine and this thought isn’t a pleasant one. You lower your head and close your eyes.
What should you do? Is constant war with Cuddy is this important to him? Why he thinks that you and he won’t last?
You raise your head. You need to know answers to these questions. You pay your check and head outside, then sit in the car and head straight to Greg’s apartment.
When you’re just outside the door you stop and inhale, still deciding if you should knock. You don’t hear neither piano nor television from the inside so you’re not even sure that he’s home.
This is a bad idea – You think to yourself and turn to walk away but at the same time Greg opens the door.
“Y/N.” He says and you freeze then look at him. A moment passes and Greg suddenly grabs his cane, leather jacket and joins you in the hallway. “Can we talk?” His voice is calm.
“Here?”
“No.” He mutters and heads outside. You follow him when Greg walks behind a building and starts climbing the fire escape stairs. You do the same until you reach the top, then you both sit down. Part of the city can be seen and it’s beautiful.
For a few minutes you sit in silence then Greg turns to you.
“I’m sorry for what I said earlier.” He sighs heavily and you look at him.
“Do you really mean it or you’re going to do what you always do tomorrow?” You ask and Greg takes your hand in his. His thumb begins drawing circles on your palm.
“I thought about it and… I don’t need to harass Cuddy anymore. It was wrong of me to do that. It was wrong because of you.”
“It’s nice, but I don’t believe that you’ll stop annoying her.” You quirk an eyebrow.
“Of course not! I am not made of stone you know!” Greg responds and you both start laughing.
“Though so.” You lean your head against his shoulder and for a moment you sit in silence again.
“But her ass in that skirt today-“
“Gregory!” You lean from him smacking him on the shoulder and he chuckles.
“Just teasing.” He takes your chin with his fingers and makes you lean back to him. “Your ass is way better than hers.” He explains and you chuckle.
“Can you shut up for a change?”
“Only with your help.” Greg smiles and kisses you.
You know that it won’t be easy, it won’t be easy understanding Gregory, but you think that you will do it.
You think that you can prove it to him that you’re not going to leave him because he’s bitter and miserable. Because Gregory House is so much more than that.
So much more.