The cab pulled up outside his apartment and the driver turned towards House in the back seat, watching as he stared towards the street entry doorway of the building.

"This not the right place?"

House heard the guy, but didn't bother turning to look at him, "No. Well yeah, it is, but I've changed my mind. You mind heading back down the street and taking a right?"

Giving a slight shrug of one shoulder the driver turned back and started the cab. House could feel the guy watching him in the rear view mirror and knew an attempt at inane small talk was coming. He only had to wait a beat.

"So, angry wife waiting for you in the last place, tapping her watch and brandishing a frying pan?"

House let out a surprised chuckle and his slightly shy eyes met the driver's in the mirror, "Uh, no," he hesitated for a second, not sure whether he should continue, but felt the guy had ultimately earned it with his straight to the point questioning, "Ridiculously hot girlfriend keeping a perfectly good bed warm for me at the next stop."

House watched the man give an understanding nod and could see one side of his mouth turn up in what he thought was a genuine smile, "Then you were an idiot for having me to take you to that first place at all."

House chuckled again. This guy was very easy to like.

Once they had pulled up outside of Cuddy's place, House exited the cab and approached the driver's window handing the man, Duncan as a matter of fact, a few bills to cover the fare and then some, "Sorry about the detour."

Duncan waved off his apology and House nodded gratefully before turning and heading towards the house. He noted that the porch lights had been left on and knew that Cuddy had done so for him. It was a nice gesture given that he had told her he probably wouldn't be spending the night at her place. Letting himself in to the deafeningly quiet house, he closed the door behind him as gently as he could before turning off the porch lights and switching on the small lamp in the hallway. As he took the first few steps towards the bedroom he heard a soft creak and looked up to see Rachel peering around her doorway. She waved one little hand at him and he sighed as he took a couple more steps towards her. If he had woken her then it was only fair he should have to deal with her.

"Did I wake you?" he whispered.

Rachel shook her head and stepped further out in to the hallway, "I'm thirsty."

Her soft voice matched his own and he couldn't help a small smile, "Okay, we'll get you some water." He propped his cane against the corner of Rachel's door frame before picking her up and perching her on his left hip. A bit more strain on his leg but he figured it was worth it to get the kid watered and back to bed quickly so that he could hit the sack himself.

House found the kitchen light and then stepped inside and towards the sink before plopping Rachel down on the counter and asking, "Where's your disgustingly pink cup thing?"

When she shrugged House rolled his eyes and stepped to his left towards the cupboards. As he rummaged for a toddler appropriate cup he saw Rachel sleepily rub her eyes and put his right arm out and in front of her. No way was she cracking her head open on his watch. He didn't even think he could count high enough to work out how long Cuddy would with hold sex for that.

Sippy cup retrieved and filled with water House handed it to the kid and watched as she took a couple of greedy drinks before hoisting her on to his hip once more and heading back to her bedroom. Tucking her back in to her crib he let her take one last drink and then moved the sippy cup in to the corner, "Your cup's down there if you get thirsty again, okay?"

Rachel nodded contentedly as she closed her eyes, "Bye bye, House."

His palm rested on her tummy and his thumb stroked across it once, "Night, kiddo."

Opening the door to Cuddy's bedroom he could see that she was resting on her side facing the door and he flinched as the light from the hallway illuminated her face. Her eyes didn't open and he jumped a little as she spoke, "I'm not asleep, you can stop creeping."

She didn't sound pissed off and he let out the breath he had been holding as he closed the door and stepped towards the bed, sitting heavily down on Cuddy's side and forcing her to move her legs back. He hooked his cane over the end and removed his jacket, throwing it towards the chair in the corner of the room.

"Where you talking to yourself out there?" She still had not opened her eyes he noticed as he glanced at her, before returning his gaze down to the buttons of the shirt he was currently undoing, "Rachel wanted a drink," the shirt flew in the same direction as the coat, "She's gotten a little too good at the escape artist routine. If her next word is 'passport' you might want to keep a closer eye on her."

He heard her laugh as he unbuttoned his jeans and shucked them off, leaving them exactly where they fell, his socks landing on top a second later. Down to his briefs and t-shirt he climbed over Cuddy and settled himself under the sheets before turning to spoon up against the warm body beside him. She lifted her head to let him settle his arm under her, and his other hand found her hip before gently stroking the length of her thigh soothingly. Leaning further in to her, he gently kissed the nape of her neck before letting out a long and contended sigh.

He thought she was asleep until he heard her voice once again, "Why do you not stink of booze?", the slightly amused lilt making him smile against the skin of her shoulder, "Because I only had one beer."

Cuddy's eyes opened and she turned to see his face, "But I thought this was some sort of Happy Hour sponsored Boy's Night Out. I didn't expect you to be capable of remembering your own name, let alone where you lived." The arm resting on her thigh moved to encircle her waist and pull her closer to him, his lips running from her shoulder and up to her ear, "And yet you did expect me to be able to remember where you live, as evidenced by your ever so welcoming porch lights."

Cuddy turned on to her back and he propped himself up on his elbow as her eyes glittered up at him in the darkness, "Or maybe you've just become that predictable."

He couldn't fight the smirk that tugged one corner of his lips up, "Nothing to do with predictability, Cuddles. In the great debate of empty apartment versus hot MILF, the MILF always wins."

She laughed at him but rolled her eyes anyway, before running her hand over his stubbled cheek, "Did you and your BFF have fun?"

He smiled, "Well, Wilson did manage to bag himself a tasty little piece of eye candy, who I hear is very partial to the use of whipped cream. I'd say that counts as a successful evening."

Cuddy narrowed her eyes a little, but continued to stroke his cheek, "You don't think he's gonna hook up with some girl he picked up in a bar, do you?"

Shrugging a shoulder, House shook his head slightly, "Probably not, but at least he's trying to get back in the game. I just wanted him to see that there's no need for solitude and cats with questionable health when there are plenty of skanks out there who'll help him forget Sam. For 6 minutes at a time anyway."

"House, you can't force Wilson to get over Sam," she said with concern, "I know you're worried about him," at this he rolled his eyes, "but you have to let him to do this at his own pace."

He really didn't want to get in to this tonight, so he settled on deflection and ran with it. His fingers ran the length of her ribcage and paused as they met the underwire of her bra. She didn't usually wear a bra and panties to bed, opting instead for one of her many top and shorts sets. His fingers continued up and over her right breast to feel the smooth material covering her before he whispered, "What are you wearing?"

Not waiting for a response he lifted the covers and peered under, his gaze travelling all over her body; from her smooth bare thighs, to the silky purple panties covering her sex, over her flat and toned stomach, past a bra that matched her panties and shielded her erect nipples from his touch, until he stopped at the cleavage seemingly being offered to him by the push of her bra. He couldn't not place a kiss to the creamy flesh of the breast closest to him.

"Is this for me?"

Cuddy laughed incredulously, "No, House. I was tired by the time I got home and had Rachel settled. Once I got my work clothes off I just fell straight in to bed."

He continued to run his hand over her stomach and breasts as he leaned down to pry her lips open gently with his own, kissing her achingly slowly, his tongue sneaking out to flick teasingly against her own before he pulled back. Her eyes were closed and he waited until she opened them to meet his own sultry gaze, "Mind if I take advantage of this very fortunate turn of events?"

She shook her head and watched his hand run from her breast, slowly down her side and to the edge of her panties. His mouth closed around her nipple through the bra as his finger found her clit and she let out a soft whimper, her hand finding the back of his head as she arched her back, not sure if she was aiming for more pressure from his hot mouth or gentle finger.

As she felt the bulge in his briefs grow against her hip and he ground against her slowly with a groan, she was extremely thankful that he had found his way to her.

AN: Was that last line ridiculously cheesy? I really loved that House had gone back to Cuddy's after he left the bar, so wanted to do a little missing scene for it. How cute was the last scene with House stroking Cuddy's elbow and his little smirk? And the almost naked wet Cuddy scene almost killed me. I love this couple.

Anyway, I hope someone out there read this and enjoyed it.