House works to meet a 3 month deadline with a daily opportunity to screw it all to hell. Will he?

"You really accept Rachel?"

"Well, of course. I mean, she's a part of you now. So, yeah." Cuddy smiled at his words. "Bye, Cuddles." House waved a little as he backed out of coma guy's office and she watched him go.

It was going to be a wild ride if House was involved and Cuddy had no idea what laid in store for them all. Cuddy glanced at coma guy who laid undisturbed by their heated conversation.

"I'm going to be so embarrassed when you wake up," Cuddy said to the slumbering patient.

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House approached the whiteboard in his office and grabbed a black marker hesitating long enough to rethink what he was about to write. Glancing around, he noticed his staff was out and he was alone for the moment. He mentally replayed Cuddy's requirements over in his mind: "That you're a caring, trusting, loving and demonstrative person capable of putting someone else's needs before your own,"

Quickly he listed the key symptoms:

Caring

Trusting

Loving

Demonstrative

Put others needs 1st

House stared at the words he had written. He had to prove himself capable of this to Cuddy not just once but consistently for three full months.

He quickly erased the whiteboard and hurried to his computer. He'd have to find a way to remind himself to do something along these lines each and every day. He changed his screen saver to " C.T.L.D.O1st" and hit the save button before leaning back in his chair and letting his mind wander over how to do these things right.

House grabbed his cell phone and dialed. "Want to make a lot of money?" House asked the startled man at the other end of the line.

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Cuddy finally finished reading through her files and decided to return to her office. Walking through the halls of PPTH, Cuddy dialed Lucas and left him a voicemail when he didn't pick up. She wasn't going to let her new deal with House interfere with her romance or her boyfriend. Letting Lucas know she'd be home on time, she promised to make dinner ready for 7 pm.

Entering her office, she didn't notice the lone flower in the bud vase sitting on the corner of her desk. A fat orange gerber daisy greeted her glance causing her to do a double-take. The note taped to the vase made her smile ruefully. The note read "Not from Lucas."

Cuddy pulled the note off and stared at the handwriting. It didn't look familiar but she was sure it was from House. She tossed the note in her drawer before putting her files away and heading to the clinic.

Wilson glanced up to see Cuddy entering the clinic.

"Before you ask, yes, House is doing his clinic hours," Wilson said as he finished signing off on a patient file.

"Thanks," Cuddy sounded pleased. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, why?" Wilson looked a little surprised.

"No reason. Not too many patients in the waiting room I see."

"Yeah, maybe you'll get out of here on time for once?" Wilson replied.

"Maybe we'll both get out of here on time!" Cuddy said with a smile as she grabbed a patient file, glanced at the name and called out the patient name before escorting the elderly patient into an exam room.

Seconds later House emerged from another exam room and approached Wilson at the nurses's station.

"Cuddy's in a good mood."

"Really?" House said.

"Yep. Don't screw it up."

"Why does everybody say that to me!???" House pretended to look hurt.

Wilson snorted at him and handed off the completed patient file to the nurse behind the desk. "Well, I've done my hours for the day and I'm out of here. See you at home, House."

"Brag, brag, brag. Later." House groused. The nurse looked up at House. "So Cuddy's in a good mood huh? I wonder why." The nurse shrugged and House shuffled off with a grin.

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Cuddy had spent a restless night and was a bit tired the following morning. She had found it difficult to keep her mind on Lucas and their evening after the conversation she had had with House and the 90-day window of opportunity she granted House. Lucas had been wonderful and delighted to have Cuddy home early enough to enjoy time together. They celebrated their evening with Lucas staying the night and a guilt-ridden Cuddy made sure he enjoyed it fully.

The next morning Cuddy raced into her office to make a quick pot of coffee and prep for the morning board meeting. She barely had time to hang up her coat and empty her briefcase as she hurried about. She glanced at her desk and noticed the gerber daisy was still there. She smiled to herself and hurried off with a full mug of coffee and an armful of files.

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Mid morning and the long meeting had ended. Wilson and Cuddy strolled together toward her office debriefing each other over their takeaways from the meeting's outcome. Thankfully, House was not among the subjects of contention and Cuddy was noticeably more relaxed.

As they entered the office, Wilson noticed a glass vase sitting squarely in the middle of Cuddy's desk with two large lavender peonies in full bloom.

"Did I forget your birthday?" Wilson asked Cuddy as he gestured to her desk. Cuddy looked surprised.

"What? No. It's not my birthday."

"Then who are they from?" Wilson asked.

"I have no idea." Cuddy walked over to the flowers and set her files down and saw there was no card. Guessing they were from House, Cuddy acted cool and said little. Wilson glanced at her.

"Lucas, huh?"

"Who else?" Cuddy said casually. "So, you think the board's going to approve the budget or are we in for more cuts?" Wilson was easily diverted and the two chatted about the future of the budget process for a few more minutes before Wilson left.

Cuddy checked her phone messages and moved the flowers revealing a small sticky note where they had been standing. The note read: "Again, not from Lucas." Cuddy smiled and pulled the note off her desk, tossing it in her top drawer. "Cute, House" Cuddy mumbled to herself.

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Cuddy wondered if she should stop by House's office to thank him for the flowers but decided to lay low. Her guilt over sleeping with Lucas and enjoying herself mightily kept her from wanting to face House. Likewise, her guilt at giving House another chance to …to what? To behave better? To possibly read her face like a book and notice the slightly puffy bags under her eyes and deduce she had had sex? No way. She didn't need that. She hunkered down and stayed in her office.

Before the day was over, House had come blasting into her office.

"Need your approval to do a kidney transplant." House asked calmly.

"I didn't realize you had a case this week," Cuddy seemed surprised.

"Actually, I don't have a case," House glanced at the peonies and then glanced at Cuddy. Cuddy pretended not to notice.

"So who needs a kidney?"

"Some kid in Peds."

"And this is your patient, how? Cuddy asked.

"Not my patient. A patient. Of this teaching hospital." House said slowly.

"Again, how is this patient any of your business?" Cuddy wasn't being rude just curious.

House blushed a little as he glanced around her office suddenly finding a great many things instantly fascinating. "I'm uhm….helping out the pediatricians. They're backed up and asked me for a consult on a case."

"Oh." Cuddy smiled appreciatively. "That's very …. nice of you to do that, House."

"Yes, it is. Isn't it." House smiled back at her. "Seriously, I need a kidney."

"Where's the patient's file?" Cuddy asked reaching for it.

House actually handed it to her instead of throwing it on her desk. Cuddy's eyebrows raised.

"I could get use to this."

"There's a lot more of that where that came from," House pseudo-mumbled. Cuddy glanced up at him with an amused smile on her face. She opened the file and reviewed the findings.

"Okay."

"Seriously?" House seemed shocked. "No arguing?"

"I said, okay. What's the big deal, House?" Cuddy was the model of sweetness.

House frowned. "So this is what it's like when people don't argue. I get it now. It's faster but no where near as fun without the verbal foreplay. Still, I'll take it. Thanks!" House whipped around and quickly ambled out of her office before Cuddy could think of a snappy comeback. Both of them had a little grin on their faces.

-------

As the week wore on, Cuddy found more flowers on her desk. Each day a different flower than the day before arrived while she was out and the previous delivery was gone. Eventually the notes stopped coming as the number of flowers increased. It had been five days since Cuddy's conversation with House and today, there were 5 white daisies in a small vase. Yesterday, four yellow bud roses. Cuddy was enjoying the attention and wondered what flowers she'd receive the next day until she realized it would be Saturday. No flowers at home she guessed and she was right.

By Monday morning, eight lilies were waiting for her. She smelled them instantly before seeing them on her desk. She smiled at the sight. House was making an effort and she appreciated it. She'd have to let him know.

Leaving her coat and briefcase in a chair, Cuddy walked over to the pale pink lilies and sniffed their wonderful fragrance. Heavenly. She checked her watch and realized House wouldn't be in for a while yet. Still, she could leave him a quick note. She left for his office and was surprised to see House seated at his desk well before 8:30 am. House saw the surprised look on her face as she entered his office.

"You act like you didn't expect to see me here, Cuddles." House said facetiously.

"You surprised me." She admitted.

"I've been on time for the past 8 days. Nice of you to finally find out. All that extra effort and nobody to notice it," House fake pouted. Cuddy grinned.

"Well thank goodness somebody told me."

"Whatcha want?"

"Well, I was going to leave you a note but…"

"You could have left me a voice mail, you didn't have to stop by…unless you just wanted to see me." House flirted.

"I didn't expect to see you," Cuddy reminded him.

"Oh right. Well, you're here and I'm here. What did you want to tell me?"

"Just….thank you for the flowers, House. It's sweet of you."

"What flowers?" House pretended.

Cuddy blushed slightly. "The flowers not from Lucas?"

"Oh….those flowers. Right. Glad you like them." House seemed a little embarrassed but acknowledged Cuddy's appreciation.

"The lilies are just beautiful," Cuddy added shyly.

"So are you." House said as he rested his chin on his hand. "And you're blushing."

Cuddy knew he was right. "Well, that's it. I'd better be going."

"Bye, Cuddles." House said playfully as Cuddy shot him a frown at the nickname. House stuck his tongue out at her and she rolled her eyes at him. Cuddy hurried away and House found himself grinning. Taub watched them silently from the glassed off classroom outside House's office.

"Oh, get a room already!" Taub murmured before taking a sip of coffee and glancing back at the crossword before him.

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