Disclaimer: House MD is not mine.

A/N: Just a little soft fic for a nice April day. One shot hope you like it. Leave me a review. Sorry to the readers of "Mysterious Stranger," please don't be mad. This story right here wrote itself and refused to let me type anything else till it was completed. So, now that I'm done here I can get back to posting an update for it. Anywho...

She had will of iron and eyes of steel. Lisa Cuddy was truly a woman to be reckoned with… just what with House was still pondering.

In college she had cracked down hard core, cleaning up her life, straightening the edges, smoothing and tucking them in. She studied hard and played hard. Partying was the only guilty pleasure she permitted herself to indulge in, all the others she had systematically wiped off her list of vices. Dairy (yummy heavenly delicious ice cream—oh the sadness) went out the window along with portions of meat or fish at every meal. Exercise whether running or dancing was always accompanied by stretching before and after as well as before and after sleep. None after nine was her last crack down. First she'd thought about just no sweets, but after a long night studying with rice checks keeping her company she decided it was all or nothing. So, no food after nine at night and that was final. She'd ditched soda long ago, no big deal. And she'd made up her bed everyday since she was twelve. Her alcohol intake was negligible compared to her peers. And as graduation approached she couldn't suppress the self-satisfied smirk which snuck up on her lips. Eight glasses of water a day, plenty of sunlight and fresh air as well as a healthy dose of socialization. She was just where she wanted to be. She didn't know that she had it in her. Now she knew she could make it through med school. Just look at everything she'd changed in her life. If she had the personal strength to do this the sky was the limit.

And just over twenty years later, Cuddy sneaked a peek at the sky from her grand office window. The limit was the sky and she surely was at the stratosphere by now. She'd gotten through medical school coming out on top, though most of her self-improvements lay wrecked on the wayside by the intense environment she emerged from. It was a small price to pay. Cuddy shook her head recalling the scolding she'd given herself back in her junior year upon calculating that she'd only gotten seven hours of sleep. If only she'd known then… but at that thought her usually lovely face soured. No. It was better that she hadn't known. Innocence was bliss. Sighing and returning her gaze the stack of papers scattered across her desk, Cuddy felt undeniably jaded. Her lovely intentions at saving the world had morphed into a life behind a desk. But she did do good work. Her hospital was top notch. Again the smug smile hung on her lips. It was her doing—this successful hospital. With these thoughts she bent over and attacked the work with a renewed gusto.

Alternating between flexing and pointing her toes Lisa Cuddy leaned back fully into her chair. A satisfied sigh left her lips as she reached her fingers to the sky. The sky, yep she was that amazing. She took immeasurable pleasure in straightening and stacking the piles of paperwork she'd just completed. Finally, she was all caught up. She'd even surprised herself. Cuddy had never even dared to dream that the day, well night, would arrive when she'd accomplished everything set before her.

So how does it feel? Hey, was there an echo? She swore she'd just thought that! Looking up from her anal organization and filing activities she was caught by the gaze of that irascible bastard, House. Cuddy stared at him blankly, not betraying a single emotion, okay annoyance perhaps, but that was so commonly displayed on her features when addressing him that one should consider her stare to be blank.

"Pardon me."

"Has Cuddy been a naughty girl," he asked with that devilishly charming smile. Why else would she beg his pardon?

"How does what feel?" Her mind had gone blank. She couldn't fathom what he was referring to. She knew exactly what she'd been thinking of all that bloody paperwork. Him, well she hadn't the foggiest what he was talking about.

He gave her a look—another thing her careful scrutiny couldn't decipher. Then mockingly raised his eyebrows, "Well, if you don't know by now then…"

What the devil was he talking about!? She knew words were coming out of his mouth, but they were completely incomprehensible. Maybe she'd overdone it. At this realization her fingers began kneading the tension at her temples. Knowing House, his mind was in the gutter. She was too tired to be dragged down there with him. "What do you want House?" She gave up. She didn't care what he was trying to tease her about or his witty banter, she had finished and once just once she wanted to savor the moment. Well, so much for that… the moment of joy had been replaced with annoyance. She refused to look him in the eye and continued putting her things away shutting down her computer.

In his books her silence meant his victory. He liked victory. To the victor belong the spoils. So why wasn't she looking at him. He didn't answer her questions just stood there in the middle of the room waiting for her to recognize his presence.

Her life was just how she planned it, just how she wanted it to be, except it wasn't. Every detail was perfect, but somehow all that perfection didn't add up. All the perfect pieces were just that, pieces. She still managed to socialize, if you counted schmoozing donors and prospective doctors. Regularly exercised, her eating habits were relatively sound—well she did take a multivitamin everyday. Her sleep cycle was shot, but it'd gone to hell in med school and after her residency she just hadn't cared enough to worry about it. Her love life, well it was perfectly empty—she sadly smiled to herself.

House studied her from across the room. It seemed she'd forgotten he was there. Her attention was captivated by her thoughts. And they weren't too cheery from the sad smile that had slipped across her face. As she reached to switch of her desk lamp the light caught her eyes and he saw tears welling in the deep blue pools. Now, now, House clucked to himself; that just wouldn't do. In a stealthy step or two he had repositioned himself directly behind the dean. She still hadn't noticed him. This annoyed him only slightly 'cause he was about to do something about it. He gently placed a hand on her forearm from behind, causing her to halt in her progress to the coat rack. She gasped. Cuddy really had forgotten he was in the room. House quickly returned to their early conversation not wishing to startle her, "or maybe you've just forgotten…"

"GHmm?" A gurgle was all of a response Lisa Cuddy could eke out. She had forgotten he was there. She wondered when he moved. Last she remembered he was—she looked up and forward towards the center of the room—there, her eyes finding his favorite standing spot. Cuddy's mind was fogged by his presence behind her. What was she just thinking about, what had they been talking of? Oh yes, how does it feel? What did he mean? Had she forgotten how his touch made her skin dance with delight, or the softness of his lips covering her own, or the way her stomach and heart fluttered when he looked directly in her eyes with his piercing blue eyes? No, surely even House wasn't dense enough to think that she could have forgotten… no she never would… and a wave of sadness crested over her.

House couldn't stop the ridiculous sense of contentment wafting into his being at the response which he caused with such a simple touch. Her body tensed noticeably with was that anticipation? He knew she hadn't forgotten if he couldn't then how could she? Still, no harm in a refresher? House leaned his cane against her desk and placed his other hand on her shoulder, slowly turning her to face him. Hmm, something had changed in the blink of an eye she'd gone from bright anticipation to bleak depression. He tipped her chin up so he could see her face, two wet trails of tears down her lovely cheeks; she still had her eyes downcast avoiding his gaze. Leaning forward his lips meet hers so softly it felt like a breeze.

She blinked rapidly. He had already moved back allowing her just enough room to catch her breath. She couldn't speak. One thought dominated her mind: He just kissed me. Disbelief turned to doubt until she caught that smug twinkle in his eye. Despite however much she might have enjoyed it, that smugness ruined it sending her from sadness to anger quick as a flash. "What?!" exclaiming in frustration and vexation; she glared at him incredulously.

He seized the opportunity and leaned in for another, meeting with no resistance worth mentioning, he wrapped his lanky arms tightly around her slender form.

Her emotions jumbled and the perfect pieces of her life crumbling around her, Cuddy had no strength to protest his comforting kiss or strong embrace. For a few moments she permitted herself to forget… her responsibilities, her dreams, her hopes and anything else that would prompt her to move. As much as she wanted to revel in the warmth of the moment, her overworked body finally reached a threshold of emotional tolerance and the hot tears poured down her face. She refused to break the contact.

House carefully opened one eye to check, yep—she was crying. Damn. He pulled away reluctantly, but clutched her tight. Her forehead fell to his chest and her fingers gripped at his t-shirt dampening it with her hot tears. Slowly he hummed into her hair and rubbed large sweeping circles on her back. Great, he thought to himself, what a pickle I've gotten myself into now.

Cuddy collected her emotions and one by one sorted and compartmentalized them till the tears ceased. A few sniffles later and she gently pushed against House's strong chest, surprisingly strong… LISA her conscience shouted at her to focus, right. "Khmm," Cuddy cleared her throat. House aptly ignored her. "House," she voiced a mild reprimand.

You might be smart, but you can play dumb—perfect. So he only hugged her tighter and threw in a wiggle. She snorted with a laugh at his antics, that's more like the response he was looking for. Cuddy patted his chest and repeated herself drawing out is name tenderly, "House."

"Oh, I'm sorry did you say something?" She pulled far enough away to look him straight in the eye.

"You can let go of me now." He did, and just as she was about to step away he snapped her right back up again. "House," annoyance laced her voice, yet he held her still. Pondering whether he could get her riled up or whether it would be better to just let her go this once—let her go, wait what was he thinking. He smirked over her shoulder and rubbed his hands up and down her sides.

Cuddy slapped his hands off her silently cursing herself. She wanted to curse him but knew that her voice would betray her, and settled instead on a disapproving glare with a narrowing of the eyes. He was too quick for her and caught the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Yep, she'd enjoyed that last bit.

Cuddy moved away swiftly to the coat rack to gather her things. She waited for him by the door. She followed him out and turned to lock the door, assuming he had continued walking out, she called over her shoulder, "Good night House." Cuddy nearly jumped out of her skin as his gruff voice rumbled right next to her ear, "Good night Cuddy." When she'd straightened up and composed her features to face him, he'd gone. She couldn't help but be slightly disappointed at the empty hallway. Shrugging on her satchel she sauntered out the front exit, an extra sway in her step when she recalled what he'd done. House smirked from behind a corner. He'd seen it all… yep, not a thing wrong with a little refresher…