House had hoped Cuddy would opt to read the letter later. Sitting in the chair, wanting to squirm while she read his honest thoughts wasn't something he particularly wanted to do. But when she said she wanted to read it now, all he could do was offer a nod. Megan nodded, too, when Cuddy said she wanted to get up and walk. House laced his fingers together and rested his joined hands on his lap, restlessly jiggling his legs while Cuddy got up to read the letter.
The silence in the room that followed was awkward, to say the least. Megan was simply sitting in her chair, politely waiting for Cuddy to finish reading the letter. House, on the other hand, wasn't sure where to look and he turned his gaze around the room, anywhere but at Cuddy. He didn't know how she was going to react, he didn't know if she was going to be upset - in a good or bad way - and he didn't know how much more of this talking he could do this session without going out of his mind with unease.
At last, Cuddy returned to her seat. She didn't seem upset which was a good enough start. And her remark about not snorting actually made him snort. Her little wink put him a bit more at ease, too. But then she got down to business and... he was actually surprised at what Cuddy said. He'd been expecting her to disagree with him or tell him he was misinterpreting her, or for her to argue with him and tell him he wasn't being considerate of her feelings. For what felt like the first time, well, ever it seemed he and Cuddy were finally on the same page. He even managed a small smile when she said she loved the way he made her laugh, the first smile he'd managed to crack all day.
"How do you feel about Lisa's response to your letter?" Megan asked him while he sat there, unsure how to respond.
"Uh..." He thought about that for a second. "Relieved."
"Why relieved?"
"Because I was expecting Cuddy to chew my ass out."
"And instead...?" Megan prompted, wanting more of an answer from him.
"And instead, we're finally on the same page. That doesn't happen very often."
Megan nodded. "Greg, yesterday you were extremely reluctant, to put it lightly, about writing Lisa a letter. How did it feel to actually put those words down on paper?"
"Frustrating. I never know if I'm going to end up saying the wrong thing. I have a history of that happening."
"Just frustrating?"
He thought for a moment. "Cathartic, too, I guess. I hate writing letters but... it was good to say what I wanted to say without any interruptions. Well, apart from the other neurotics in the common room who insisted on watching Jeopardy!."
Megan nodded again, ignoring his remark about 'the other neurotics'. "Greg, you seem a little bit more at ease. Is that because of giving Lisa the letter? It must feel good to be understood and listened to."
He drew in a breath and gave a single nod.
Megan turned to Cuddy. "How about you? How did it feel to read Greg's thoughts?" She paused and then added, "How do you feel about maybe doing the same thing? Writing Greg a letter that tells him everything you want him to understand and listen to?"
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The silence in the room that followed was awkward, to say the least. Megan was simply sitting in her chair, politely waiting for Cuddy to finish reading the letter. House, on the other hand, wasn't sure where to look and he turned his gaze around the room, anywhere but at Cuddy. He didn't know how she was going to react, he didn't know if she was going to be upset - in a good or bad way - and he didn't know how much more of this talking he could do this session without going out of his mind with unease.
At last, Cuddy returned to her seat. She didn't seem upset which was a good enough start. And her remark about not snorting actually made him snort. Her little wink put him a bit more at ease, too. But then she got down to business and... he was actually surprised at what Cuddy said. He'd been expecting her to disagree with him or tell him he was misinterpreting her, or for her to argue with him and tell him he wasn't being considerate of her feelings. For what felt like the first time, well, ever it seemed he and Cuddy were finally on the same page. He even managed a small smile when she said she loved the way he made her laugh, the first smile he'd managed to crack all day.
"How do you feel about Lisa's response to your letter?" Megan asked him while he sat there, unsure how to respond.
"Uh..." He thought about that for a second. "Relieved."
"Why relieved?"
"Because I was expecting Cuddy to chew my ass out."
"And instead...?" Megan prompted, wanting more of an answer from him.
"And instead, we're finally on the same page. That doesn't happen very often."
Megan nodded. "Greg, yesterday you were extremely reluctant, to put it lightly, about writing Lisa a letter. How did it feel to actually put those words down on paper?"
"Frustrating. I never know if I'm going to end up saying the wrong thing. I have a history of that happening."
"Just frustrating?"
He thought for a moment. "Cathartic, too, I guess. I hate writing letters but... it was good to say what I wanted to say without any interruptions. Well, apart from the other neurotics in the common room who insisted on watching Jeopardy!."
Megan nodded again, ignoring his remark about 'the other neurotics'. "Greg, you seem a little bit more at ease. Is that because of giving Lisa the letter? It must feel good to be understood and listened to."
He drew in a breath and gave a single nod.
Megan turned to Cuddy. "How about you? How did it feel to read Greg's thoughts?" She paused and then added, "How do you feel about maybe doing the same thing? Writing Greg a letter that tells him everything you want him to understand and listen to?"