Chapter 2

House came into the bedroom to find Rachel throwing clothes out of suitcases as quickly as Cuddy was putting them in. "Jesus, woman," he commented. "You're only going for four days!"

"You get to be low-maintenance," she explained. "You look good in un-ironed shirts and sneakers. Women have more demands made on them."

"I think you look damn good in un-ironed shirts and sneakers," he countered, flopping on a strip of the bed that was not covered in clothes. "I don't know why you don't wear them more often."

She smiled at him quickly, before pulling a blouse out of Rachel's grasp. "I told Wilson I was leaving. He's gonna check up on you," she informed him.

"Cuddy, has it occurred to you that I am a fully-grown man who functioned just fine for decades without you?" he asked, letting his head sink into the pillows and closing his eyes.

"Define 'function.'" Cuddy countered.

"Touché," he replied. "But if you're concerned about my well-being and happiness, you'd provide Vicodin and hookers, not Wilson."

She glared at him. "What do you think I'm worried about?" she said with a mock evil eye. She picked Rachel up and moved her behind her, where the toddler started pulling Cuddy's make-up and toiletries out of another bag. House reached down and pulled Rachel up on the bed and gave her an airplane with his good leg. Cuddy watched him out of the corner of her eye. Rachel was laughing, but House was just staring at her the way he stares at a lab test result – like he was contemplating her.

"You're gonna miss me," she warned him.

"Parts of me will miss parts of you," he agreed. "I'm sure I'll find a way to stay occupied," he told her. "With you out of town, I'll have plenty of time to snoop through your stuff."

She laughed. "Have fun, House. You've seen my worst – You created my worst! I didn't get scandalous until you," she explained.

"I'm sure I'll find some rock I haven't turned over yet," he threatened. Cuddy was unfazed and walked into her closet.

"Oh yeah! Shit! You might find those crotch-less panties… that you bought me," she called out. "Or the naked photos… that you took." She walked out holding a pile of clothes that she dropped in her suitcase with a sigh. Then she walked back into the closet. "Maybe you'll have better luck in my office," she advised. "You might find files in which I approved reckless medical treatments or signed off on breaches of confidentiality." She reemerged somehow holding four pairs of shoes. She looked right at him with a smirk. "Face it, House," she told him, "You're my dirty little secret."

House looked up at Rachel who was still laughing. "You hear that, kiddo? Your mom is a devious tramp, and you have me to thank for it!"

Rachel laughed and said, "How-s!"