Disclaimer: I do not own House, or else ep 15 would have been gradual.
A/N: Hey guys, its Jess and I have come up with some closure for the Huddy. I mean yea, we can live it on here in Fanfic, but as for the show. I think this was be a cute way to end it... years from now xD I wanna thank my awesome friend SissiCuddles for beta-ing this one shot cuz she is AMAZING and I hope you guys all
ENJOY
The snow fell gracefully towards the ground on another winter night. It left a beautiful, light sheet on the road, perfect for the occasion. Cars drove around on the road without mess or worry, all going home after a good day. Kids rushed home as the wee hours of the night began to peak around the corner.
As the neighborhoods turned quiet and dark, one bar stayed lively and exciting. Inside the bar a group of friends all drank, laughed, and joked, and had fun as some wished a dear friend goodbye and others welcomed her into their exclusive group. They toasted and ate in her honor, each one happy and proud to have known her.
"To Cuddy," a dear old friend rose his glass, "to the best ex-boss and friend an oncologist could have! After 36 successful years of running PPTH, she is finally retiring to a well deserved life."
"Here, here," they all chanted, raising their glasses before bringing it to their lips to drink it.
"Thank you Wilson," Cuddy smiled, stood and turned to all her friends and co-workers, "Let me just say, those were the most amazing and eventful years of my life. I will miss the hospital so much and I feel very confident leaving it in trustworthy hands." she acknowledged her well known employees from HR.
"Here, here," they all repeated as they all took another swig at their drink and continued with their good-bye party.
After an hour, it began to all die down. Most of them still had work the next day and others had families to attend to. As 10:00 began to creep its way into the night, the last of Cuddy's friends began to leave. Wilson, already retired at this age, stayed behind to catch up with her.
"So, has the hospital changed since I left?" he asked as they sat on their bar stools.
"It definitely was different. You have to have been one of the best Oncologist the hospital could have gotten." she complimented, taking a sip of her Martini, "I did start to miss your moral nagging after a week."
Wilson laughed and shook his head as he remembered those days. He had retired 5 years before, deciding that after sticking to one wife after so long, it was time to settle down and be with her and only her. The child they had together had already gone to college by then giving the couple plenty of time to themselves. It was a step encouraged by many.
"How's Melanie?" Cuddy inquired curiously. She was definitely the wife that Cuddy favored the most.
Wilson smiled at the name. "She's great," he looked at Cuddy with happiness dancing in his eyes. "she and I are taking a Yoga class together, after you suggested it to her she fell in love and what she loves, you know I love."
Cuddy couldn't help but smile for his happiness, and she also couldn't help but feel a bit envious that she did not share that common feeling. Yes, she has had many suitors, now even, but no one really lived to what she hoped. She raised Rachel alone, for the most part, and after she went to college, the big old house felt so lonely. She moved into an apartment not too soon after. It made her feel better and less alone, especially when she had company over.
After her best friend retired and moved, she was lonely once more. Wilson and Melanie began to visit her more often after he had left, but it wasn't the same. Wilson was definitely one of her best friends, but they weren't as close and they couldn't be.
Quickly sending the thought of that old friend to the back of her mind, Cuddy smiled and looked back at Wilson as they continued to reminisce and catch up.
As the night continued on, the time slipped between the two old companions. Looking at his watch, Wilson frowned. "It's almost 11:30," he said sadly, "Melanie's probably still waiting for me. Come on, why don't you come with me and we could all have some wine at home."
Cuddy smiled at his gesture, but shook her head. "No thanks," she almost whispered. "I think I'm just gonna stay here and catch a taxi home in a little."
"Are you sure," Wilson asked a bit worried, as always, "Melanie sure misses you."
"Yeah," she insisted, "I'll see you both tomorrow. Before my flight, we can all catch lunch and really catch up."
They stood up and gave each other a tight, warm embrace.
"Alright," Wilson agreed. "you take care of yourself and we're expecting you tomorrow." he looked at her with fond eyes. "It's really great seeing you again Lisa."
"It was great seeing you too James, bye."
She watched as he walked out the door and went back to her drink. She swung her glass between her two hands as she watched the liquid move around. She had long switched from a martini to a scotch, thinking it was time for a little hard liquor.
The hospital was the only place she didn't feel lonely anymore. Her house used to be filled with not only an energetic child and all her friends, but also a dear friend that kept her company whenever it was needed. She had never needed to ask him to visit, he some how had a premonition whenever she was feeling a little lonesome and he'd come to her rescue. They'd laugh, drink, watch a movie, then say goodnight until the next time.
Now was alone again. Her apartment was long ago packed up and her car was sold that night. She was leaving the next day, so she wouldn't - couldn't be alone anymore. She was going to travel the world and then she was going to settle in a country she knew she wouldn't feel lonely in. A country that would have exactly what she needed.
"Finally retired huh?" a familiar voice suddenly disturbed her thoughts. "It's about time, Wilson and I were having a bet on when you'd finally cut the apron strings. I won of course, but by just a year."
She bit down on her smile until she knew it was very small and subtle. "House," she greeted and gave a small laugh as she looked over at him, "what are you doing here?"
He looked so different from the last time she had seen him. His hair, like hers and Wilson, had long turned gray and he had given up coloring it like they had. His wrinkles were more defined and his skin just a bit tanner. His cane fit his age much better and he still wore the same old clothes, but he looked so much calmer. So much happier.
"Didn't think I'd miss my best friend's retirement party did you?" he smiled coyly as he took a seat next to her.
Cuddy tried not to grin as his gesture. "You didn't have to fly all the way from Japan," she told him, "I would have seen you in 3 months."
House laughed and shook his head as he took a sip of his vodka. "Yeah, I heard about that," he told her, "you were seriously going to travel around Europe for a little bit and then suddenly move to Japan were you, because any sane person would know that was insane."
"Well you rubbed off on me after a while," she stated and they shared a laugh.
"Yeah, I was pretty out there," he admitted.
"Oh you weren't the only one," Cuddy nudged him as she took a sip of her drink, "your whole team was crazy." she teased.
They continued to laugh and tease and joke, just like the days before House retired and moved to Japan for a more peaceful life. Though they didn't succeed much as a couple, their friendship seemed to survive and only grow stronger. Wilson often commented that they were much more couple-like as friends then they were as an actual couple. It was a statement they often laughed at and ignored, finding it ridiculous, but also wanted to stay away from dangerous waters.
As friends, House and Cuddy found a new dynamic that worked perfectly at the hospital. They were no longer afraid to step on each other's toes, but their pride wasn't in the way of apologizing when they knew they were wrong now.
And although House wasn't exactly a father, he had occasionally looked over Rachel and helped mold her into the genius musician she aspired to be, once House got into her head.
After they lightened the mood when their teasing and memories, they trudged into deeper areas and began to catch up on everything they had missed.
"How's Rachel?" House couldn't help but ask.
She smiled at his inquest, "She's amazing. Still a musician, trying to follow the footsteps you set up," she bragged, "she really misses you."
House hid his smile and continued to stare down at his drink.
"How's Japan?" she asked after a moment of silence sliced between them.
"Oh you know, Japanese," he stated nonchalantly.
She had no idea how guilty he felt for leaving. He truly didn't want to leave, he loved it in Jersey. He had fun and he didn't want to leave her alone, especially since he knew she felt so lonely. But it was for the best. Japan was where he found himself at 16, it was where he could really relax and actually grow up. Leaving was exactly what he needed to do, what they both needed him to do.
"I'm sure you'll love it," he assured her.
Cuddy smiled, she really had missed him. After he left, the hospital became sane and boring. Nothing was exciting and as time continued to move forward, she realized just how much he was embedded in her life. How much she really needed and craved his presence. Something she wish she told him before he left.
As they went on, telling stories of how their lives changed and panned out, it became clear that their friendship was still intact. They shared stories about losing family. About gaining flames and eventually losing them too. About new friends, that seemed to sooner or later leave as well. Their stories all started to happy, but ended the same. Alone.
The night quickly began to turn to early morning as they shared their life stories. Neither of them drunk, having ended the drinks with the ones they shared, they were very much sober and only sharing now. The distance really had made a difference in their lives. They both grew, expanded, and renewed.
"Oh, and remember when I got so mad that you wouldn't let me biopsy the kid's lungs, that actually went as far as to hide Rachel in my apartment for three days."
Cuddy laughed at the insane memory. "She nearly starved there, you had no food whatsoever. When she finally came home, the first thing she said was, 'Mom, I don't ever buy Chinese again.' I mean I swear, is that all you ate?"
"Lived and breathed," House stated.
Their laughter began to calm down after a few minutes and they sat in a comfortable silence. "We were so old, but still so young." Cuddy finally stated. "It's like, our bodies aged but our minds refused to follow."
"Yeah," House agreed, "you were very childlike."
He smiled after Cuddy jokingly smacked his arm. They both sighed and realized how young they and naive they were, and at such an old age too.
"Whoa," Cuddy broke the new silence as she looked at her watch. "It's almost 2," she laughed as she thought how quickly time escaped them. "I better go if I want to have lunch with Wilson before my flight leaves. How long are you gonna be in town?"
"Just for tonight," he said, "then I decided I'd check out Germany and a few other places before I go back home."
Cuddy looked at him incredulously, "Wilson told you didn't he?"
"Can't trust that man with a secret even if he were in the grave."
They shared a laugh as more memories flew through them. "Do you have a place to stay?" she asked him.
"Not really," he laughed, "just a backpack full and my cane."
"You can stay at my place, it's empty, but Yoga mats are really comfy." she told him, "You should know that by now."
House smiled and agreed as they both stood from the booth they had acquired. He bowed jokingly, letting her through first and she laughed as she went ahead. House easily caught up to her as they exited the bar.
"Do you mind calling a cab, my phone's in Japan," House joked as Cuddy took out her cell.
They stood close to each other, keeping each other warm against the cold winter night.
"It'll be here in 5 minutes," she told him and he nodded as he blew on his hands and put it in his pocket.
Cuddy shivered and hugged herself as they waited the longest five minutes of their lives. House instinctively wrapped his arms protectively around her and she quickly hugged back. They laughed as they held onto each other for warmth.
"I really missed you," she told him and she felt him laugh, but sincerely.
"I missed you, too." he confessed. He felt her smile against him.
When House saw the cab near, he and Cuddy pulled apart. It came into the parking lot and waited for the two to make their 3 yard trek towards him. Together they began to walk towards the cab. Their arms were mushed together as they walked, their legs in sync, and their hands laced around the each other.
It was time for them to retire to a well deserved life.
A/N: THE END! :D SO yeah, I hope you guys liked that closure and please do share your thoughts, love or hate :) Thanks