Cuddy turned slowly in his arms to face him as House stepped to his right, guiding them under the steaming jets of water. She raised her arms to place them round his neck just as he tugged her top up and over her head. She moaned loudly into his hair as his lips made contact with her cleavage unclasping and removing her bra while pushing her back against the cool, slick tiles.

The hot water ran in rivulets through House's hair and down his face and chest. The wound on his shoulder was stinging and his right leg, excruciating. He was burning with both pain and relentless desire and he felt that at any moment he might scream in either agony or elation.

Cuddy felt his hands dip below her waist, relieving her of her drawstring pants and panties. Her hands immediately began undoing his jeans, returning the favor by dropping them, along with his boxers, wet and heavy to the floor.

House took a moment to step out of his clothes and as he did so, Cuddy opened her eyes and drank him in completely. The dust from the long night had been rinsed away and he was looking at her so intensely that she thought that she too might become liquid to melt and disappear down the shower's drain. Silver droplets of water clung to his eyelashes and his eyes were large and dark, perfectly matching the hue of the cobalt glass tiles surrounding them.

Wordlessly, House extended his left hand. Cuddy placed her palm into his, interlocking their fingers. He gently drew her to him once more and they stood under the water simply looking at each other.

After what seemed like hours but may have only been seconds, House leaned in to kiss her. It was like their first kiss this night, their first kiss ever. He was tentative, soft, restrained. It was as if all the time in the world was theirs and theirs alone to share and embrace and enjoy each other.

House let go of her hand and gently slid his long fingers across her back and down her torso seeking to thrill her, to pleasure her. Then she felt both his hands take hold of her hips and gently maneuver her onto the tile bench, kneeling against her as she reclined back, touching the wall.

No longer having to stretch up to meet his kisses, Cuddy now sat looking at him face to face. She closed her eyes again quickly as he continued to caress her, kissing down her neck, teasing and sucking at her nipples in an unhurried fashion. House's right hand found her again and with skillful fondling began to excite her once more.

Cuddy's breath came in gasps as she opened her legs wider and stretched them forward, wrapping them around House's hips, locking his body against hers. He sighed at feeling the closeness and heat from her body as well as the wetness that had nothing whatsoever to do with the running water.

House felt Cuddy push her body into him and he groaned at the increased contact. He needed to take her, to move inside her until they had achieved their own fluid rhythm. He softly pulled her head back, nipping and licking along her jaw down to her collarbone.

Her voice heavy with need, raspy with want, Cuddy spoke.

"Oh God House, I need you inside me. Please . . . please." She bit her lower lip in mild frustration.

House moved his hand from the back of Cuddy's head to her cheek, tenderly stroking her face. Her long, dark eyelashes fluttered open. House's gorgeous blue eyes were only inches away, staring at her, staring into her and through her.

This night he'd felt like he'd been lost at sea, Cuddy's eyes reflecting the blue and grey ocean threatening to overwhelm and drown him. But here he was now, with her. And what he had wanted for so long was now so close. All he need do was claim her, claim what was rightfully his.

As his yearning gripped him, so did his fear. He just needed to know they were still okay.