Mondays always bring me down

[dr_l_cuddy]

Who: Cuddy, open
Where: Cuddy's office
What: After her weekend at the resort
When: 9 am, Monday morning, 29 May

Comments

[dr_j_wilson]

There was something slightly embarassing about walking through the hospital lobby with a stuffed bear that held a bright red helium balloon in its paws. Or maybe only Wilson would think that. Perhaps it was because the gift was belated, as was the birthday card he held under his arm. Both the bear and the card had been in his trunk for some time now; for the past week he'd either been too busy to leave his office or Cuddy was making her rounds when he got the chance to go see her. He felt bad about it, so maybe that's where the mild discomfort came from.

It wasn't just Cuddy's birthday that caused Wilson to head straight for her office that Monday morning, though. Ever since the discussion he'd had with House concerning the trial date he hadn't been able to stop thinking about it. There was nothing comfortable about the situation and talking about it wasn't something he expected Cuddy to be thrilled over, but he intended to try anyway. What Wilson didn't intend to do was let her go through any of this alone. Even as independent as

[dr_l_cuddy]

Cuddy sifted through her email. Amazing how much of that could accumulate over a single weekend, given that most doctors and administrators hadn't been at work. Eventually she'd read it all but for now she was simply pulling up the ones that seemed important. At least she didn't have to worry about getting any more emails from the creep. The no-contact order she'd gotten meant he couldn't contact her through any means, not unless he wanted to go straight back to jail.

"Hi, Wilson. Yeah, it's early, but no rest for the wicked, you know." She glanced over at him, then did a double take as her brain registered the bear and balloon. Not a usual sight, but she figured it was something for one of his cancer kids. Looking faintly amused, she gestured for him to come in. "What's up?"

[dr_j_wilson]

"I'm incredibly late, that's what's up," Wilson replied sheepishly as he walked forward. He flashed her an apologetic smile and set the bear on her desk, then propped the envelope in front of the bear before sitting himself down in one of her chairs.

He let out a sigh and fought with his satchel's strap for a moment. Once he untangled it from his coat and set it down next to the chair, he gave Cuddy a show of hands. "I know, I know. There's no excuse. An entire week I've had that in my car," he explained, pointing to the small gift as he spoke.

"There's just been cases and... cases, mostly. Still, I hope you had a very happy birthday and if you want I'll sing you an apology - although I might end up apologizing for my singing, afterwards."

[dr_l_cuddy]

"Thank you, but singing won't be necessary," Cuddy said, staring at the bear in a perplexed manner. Perplexed because she didn't understand why Wilson was bringing her a gift when he and House had already given her the weekend at the resort. Unless Wilson didn't know about that. But why wouldn't he know if he'd contributed to the gift? And if he didn't contribute, then why would House say it was from both of them?

"Sorry. I'm just...a little confused. House said...." She looked across the desk at Wilson, shaking her head as if that would clear the confusion away. "I just spent the weekend at a resort being completely pampered. It was gift from House. And--according to him--from you as well. So either you're over-indulging me this year or he lied."