Late August 2009

"What do you want House?" Cuddy asked as House entered her office unannounced as usual. She looked up from the paperwork she was filing and watched House limp across the room, intent on keeping his eyes on the low cut neckline of her blouse. She rolled her eyes as she heard him whistle.

"Well you're looking quite . . . perky." House mused wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"What do you want House?" She asked again, fighting back a smile. As annoying as House's sexual harassment was, once in a while she couldn't help but feel flattered.

"I need you to approve a procedure." He responded throwing the patient file onto her desk.

Cuddy raised an eyebrow before speaking. "Coming to me for approval before going through with a procedure? I like this new House."

"It's not as if I'm going to listen to you if you say no. Just running it by you first."

"Of course…"

Cuddy read through the file, finding no need whatsoever for the procedure.

"No." She said looking up from the file. House was studying her closely, intensity in his bright blue eyes. "What? Do I have something on my face?" She asked wiping hurriedly at her cheeks.

"No… It's just … never mind."

"It's just what? House are you okay?"

"I don't know… You tell me…"

In a second, he was leaning over her desk. His breath was warm against her skin, and as he placed a hand on her cheek pulling their faces closer, she felt herself shudder. He kissed her. He kissed her hard. He slid his tongue into her mouth and she heard herself gasp. Then it was over.

Neither of them spoke. House simply took the file off of her desk, and exited.

"What the fuck just happened…" Cuddy thought to herself as she ran the tips of her fingers across her lips just seconds after he exited. She knew House had no shame when it came to harassing her, but to randomly kiss her, in her office of all places was unacceptable. Not that she wanted him to be kissing her at all. Or did she? She pondered on the thought for a moment.

"No… There can't be anything between you… He's not the type of guy for someone with a kid."

She let out a low sad sigh, and resumed her paperwork.

House sat in his office wondering what the hell he had been thinking. It had nothing to do with kissing Cuddy. It had more to do with the fact that in the seconds before he kissed her, he showed the smallest hint of vulnerability. Mayfield had changed him. Lydia had also changed him. He grew to care about her, and in the process discovered his true feeling for someone else. Someone who he had known for years. Someone who at some point had also felt something for him. His time spent at Mayfield had led him to discover a different side of himself. A softer side.

"Momma!" Rachel shouted as Cuddy entered the house. Stooping down to pick her up, she spotted the bouquet of roses sitting on the dining room table. They weren't ordinary roses, they were lilac roses. She stopped for a moment and stared at them from across the room, wondering if they had been sent from the one person who knew she had a weak spot for them. The only person who knew her better than she knew herself.

"I see you've noticed the roses… There's a card too.." said the nanny, taking Rachel. Cuddy hesitated before taking a step towards the bouquet. As she opened the envelope containing the card, her heart raced. Taking a deep breath, she read the note, her heart sinking as she realized who it was from.

"Who the hell doesn't like roses? You, me, dinner. Friday. I'll call you tomorrow – Lucas."

Shocked and a little surprised with herself for even thinking it could be from someone else, she put the little card back into its envelope and headed into the living room.

"So who were they from?" the nanny asked handing Rachel back to her.

"Oh no one… Just a friend…"

House was sitting in his living room when there was a knock at the door. Knowing who it was, he took his time answering it.

"Took you long enough." said Wilson, shutting the door behind him. "I bare food."

"Great…" House responded unenthusiastically as they made their way to the couch.

"So why am I here?" Wilson asked placing the boxes of pizza on the coffee table and taking a slice. "What do you need to "discuss" with me?"

"I kissed Cuddy." House murmured, smirking as he heard Wilson choke. "Swallow Jimmy." He said passing Wilson a can of coke.

"You what?" Wilson asked after clearing his airway.

"I kissed her." House repeated.

"Whoa."

"I know."

"So now what?" Wilson asked curiously.

"I don't know." House responded.

"Well do you want to pursue a relationship with her or…?"

"I don't know." He retorted. He pondered on the thought of a relationship with her…

"It'd be nice.." He thought to himself, as Wilson studied him closely. He knew that at some point she had had feelings for him, but that was so long ago he doubted they were still there. He had let so many chances simply pass him by. This time, he would take it.