TITLE: Winter Fades 2/

AUTHOR:bandit_66

PAIRING: gen

RATING:13 and up

WARNINGS: None

SUMMARY: Winter fades into spring

DISCLAIMER: Every thing is fair game up through Safe. I’m not really screwing with cannon as adding to it.

NOTES: First House fiction and a bit longer entry…

March 17th

St. Patrick's Day

The warm weather of two weeks ago had turned cold again, with snow, freezing rain and a biting wind. Not riding weather, for sure, putting House in a sour mood. Spring, much like a woman, had teased him with the promise of warm weather and he had, against his better judgement, fallen for it and had gotten the bike out of storage early.

Spring could be a real bitch sometimes , he thought as he rode in the passenger seat of Wilson’s car.

Wilson had prodded him to go out to an Irish pub for just one drink to celebrate the holiday. House had no interest in fighting an intoxicated crowd to overpay for green beer. However, since Wilson was his ride home, he really wasn't given much of a choice.

Besides Wilson would be the one paying. Hopefully James knew this and had brought extra cash. “I hope you stopped at an ATM after lunch” House said as they drove through the slush.

James grunted in exasperation: “You know some people would feel as though they would like to buy the person who has been carting their ass around and cooking them dinner all week, a beer as a show of gratitude.”

“Some people should really know better.” House retorted as they pulled into the crowded lot of Sullivan’s. “Besides, I’m letting you stay at my place, we’re even-Steven. “ House was pleasantly surprised to find that Sullivan’s was neither a dive nor a high end sort of place, thus limiting the crowd of drunken, green beer drinking, college students. It was still busy though; all the booths that lined the outside walls were taken with revelers.

He and James made their way to the back and claimed two of the last four remaining high-backed, padded stools near the waitress station at the large wooden bar. Which was fine, as it gave them nearly a full view of the rest of the patrons as well as the small bandstand located near the door.

The band was on a break and the din of the drunken laughter made conversation challenging. One of the bartenders took their order and Greg nodded at James to pay her upon her return.

“The dater pays, Jimmy, not the date.”

Wilson just rolled his eyes as he dug out his wallet as the bartender hid a smile.

“You know, you could always run a tab and the last man standing pays.” said a voice from the waitress stand.

House turned toward the voice and was met with a slightly familiar face. He scrunched up his face a bit as he tried to place the younger dark haired woman.

“It wouldn’t matter,” Wilson said conspiratorially, leaning closer to House so the woman could hear his response, “He’d just steal my wallet after I passed out.” He paid the bartender. “Nice to see you again, Ella. I had no idea you worked here”

She smiled warmly at James and waved her hands in dismissal, “I just help out Megan occasionally.” Ella said nodding in indication to the bartender. She picked up her tray loaded with several pitchers and mixed drinks and made a silly, I can’t believe I have to serve these idiots, face, “Gotta deliver these to the frat hounds. “

Both men followed her with their eyes and took a long drink on their beers.

One of Wilson’s conquests? House watched her serve the boys at the booth directly across from them. She bent over to retrieve the empty glasses and he admired the way the Levi jeans hugged her ass nicely and the short black boots that helped to showcase her long legs. He turned back to Wilson to find his friend doing the same, “The next missus, Jimmy?”

“Huh?” Wilson said still staring after Ella, “No.” He responded, as he turned his attention back to House. When he realized that House didn’t recognize his across the hall neighbor he smiled at the uncharacteristic slip of his friend not noticing every little thing.

“What?”

“You don’t know who that is.” James smirked.

House turned back in the woman’s direction and watched as she went around behind the bar and bent down to retrieve something. He took a another drag on his beer as she stood and began to pull her long dark hair back and up out of her way and it hit him- the neighbor with the great ass. Well, I didn’t have wait until the summer for a better view.

In addition to the curve hugging jeans and boots, she was wearing a v-neck plum and cream Triumph motorcycle shirt with ¾ sleeves that were pushed up just past her elbows. What made it particularly fetching, in House’s expert fashion opinion, was the deep v-neck that presented her breasts in an outstanding way. She wore little make-up and was quite pretty. Not beautiful in the same way as Cameron, but very attractive. Assessing her age, House concluded that neighbor babe Ella, was older than Cameron, but younger than Cuddy. He took another drink of his beer and directed his attention back to Wilson.

“Yes, I do.” He leaned over and leered at Wilson, “The jogging neighbor across the hall. I just didn’t know you were on an intimate, first name basis already.”

Wilson rolled his eyes, catching Houses’ insinuation and said with sarcasm; “Yeah, I’m doing your neighbor without you knowing about it.”

James wished he had a dollar for every time House suggested a romantic entanglement on his part. James would be able to afford three more marriages and divorces.

“I met her during what I like to call ‘the stethoscope incident’.” Wilson gave House a look of exasperation at the recollection. “She came out, tripped over me, and dumped the contents of her bag all over the sidewalk. I helped her pick up her stuff and in the process got her name and why she’s staying in her uncle’s place.”

Slightly curious and a little peeved that Wilson knew more than he did, House turned giving Wilson his full attention, “Well, she’s got a great ass even though she’s not your flavor. I know how that piece of anatomy appeals to you. ” House commented loudly over the band that just returned.

“What flavor, would that be exactly?” inquired the feminine voice next him.

House turned to his right and standing next to him was the object of his and Wilson’s conversation.

Whoops.