House, Season 3

[Dr. Cuddy is sitting alone on the sofa with her back to the window. Wilson knocks on the door]

Dr. Cuddy:
Busy.

[Dr. Wilson walks in anyway]

Dr. Wilson:
You okay?

Dr. Cuddy:
Yeah, sure.

Dr. Wilson:
Uh, what I meant by "Are you okay?" is "What the hell did House do?"

Dr. Cuddy:
Nothing.

Dr. Wilson:
What did he say?

Dr. Cuddy:
I've seen House be rude a thousand times, usually to achieve something. I have never seen him be mean just because he can.

Dr. Wilson:
Seriously? What did he say?

Dr. Cuddy:
Nothing. Doesn't matter.

[Wilson sits down]

Dr. Wilson:
Well, I've seen House be rude to you a thousand times, but I've never seen it get to you.

Dr. Cuddy:
People think House has no inner censor. But the fact is, he holds himself back, because when he wants to hurt, he knows just where to poke a sharp stick. I have been trying to get pregnant, and House knew. He told me I would fail as a mother.

Dr. Wilson:
And you're this upset because you think he's right?

Dr. Cuddy:
I have had three separate implantations. The first two never took. The last one I lost.

Dr. Wilson:
I'm sorry. You didn't fail. Those where physical events.

Dr. Cuddy:
A little girl is... scared and in pain. I was awkward, terrified of doing the wrong thing.

Dr. Wilson:
That's normal. That's —

Dr. Cuddy:
[Crying] I didn't hug her. I didn't even reach out and hold her hand. I told her it was gonna be okay.

Dr. Wilson:
She needed reassurance.

Dr. Cuddy:
I told her her folks might get back together. When I see people with their kids, it's so natural. It's like they have an instruction book imprinted on their genes, maybe I just didn't get a copy. Maybe my wanting to be a mother is like a tone-deaf person wanting to sing opera or a paraplegic who wants to —

Dr. Wilson:
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Well, I see what you mean about House poking in the right spot.

[Cuddy chuckles wryly]