Christmas was fast approaching, and Princeton Plainsboro did not go untouched. As soon as House walked through the front doors he groaned at the sound of Christmas carols. Picking up some notices from the front desk, he rolled his eyes before shaking his coat off and heading toward the elevator. Pounding the door open with his cane, House stalked into the Diagnostics room and headed straight for the coffee as he asked,
"Alright peons, what do have today?"
All three glanced at one another. Great, it was one of those days. Opening the folder in front of him, Chase started
"Patient presents with rapid loss of renal function, elevated potassium and change in bodily fluid balance." (BTW, it turns out to be acute renal failure leading to acute tubular necrosis.)
"Well," House stated raising his eyebrows, "let's get to work shall we?"
--
Closing the door of the apartment behind him, House shook the snow and cold off, before throwing his keys on the table and limping to the kitchen to get a drink. He didn't hear Liz, maybe she had already gone to bed. Even though she had the day off, she had definitely needed it. He had left her early that morning, and she had immediately curled up into his vacant warm spot, missing him already. She had been working extremely hard lately, usually coming in long after he was asleep and was exhausted, so he hadn't disturbed her, and left quietly. He looked up though as he heard a voice ask sleepily,
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Smirking as he walked over to her, he replied
"You wouldn't want to know."
Letting out a light chuckle, Liz swatted him, before leaning forward to rest against his chest.
"My clothes look good on you," House commented, eyeing the large button down of his that she wore. "They would look better off though."
"Pervert."
"Ah. That may be so, but you wouldn't have me any other way."
"Sad, but true."
Setting down his empty scotch glass, House grinned before stating sternly
"Alright young lady. I am ordering you to bed."
"Yes Dr. House," Liz laughed before letting herself be led down the hallway.
--
The next morning found House lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling while Elizabeth was sound asleep, curled into his side. Today was his day off, and another one for Liz as well. Usually House would be up, using any crazy story that popped into his head to try and convince Cuddy to let him come in. But today strangely, he didn't. He wanted to stay home and stare at Liz all day. And oddly enough, he was OK with that. At that moment, Elizabeth blinked and let out a groan, stretching before turning to smile at House. "Good morning," she murmured, her voice husky and eyes still half mast from sleep. It was creepy how she could do that. She always knew when she was on his mind. Turning his head, House smirked "Morning." Moving closer to him, she sighed as she felt his arm go around her shoulders.
"What are you doing up so early? Were you watching me sleep again? Quit it, it's creepy."
Smirking, he responded, "Good." Liz simply rolled her eyes before asking again,
"So, why are you up?" House was silent for a moment before stating,
"I was just thinking."
"About what?"
Stroking her back, House just murmured
"Nothing important."
It was silent for awhile, before Liz asked
"So, what do you want to do on your day off?"
"Oh, I can think of a few things," House grinned before rolling over to straddle Liz, her laughter quickly dying away to moans of pleasure.
"Do you plan on starting every morning this way?" Liz groaned, arching up to grab House's shoulders.
"You bet," came the gruff reply, before his lips found hers.
----
Despite House ignoring the Christmas spirit, Liz was determined to bring a little of it into the apartment. So one day after work while House was still at the hospital finishing up a case, Liz went out and picked up a small tree and brought it home. She had finished decorating and was in the kitchen preparing dinner when she heard the front door open and could hear the all too recognizable thud of House's cane as it hit the floor when he walked. She smirked when she heard a pause accompanied with a huff, before he walked into the kitchen.
"What is that thing in the living room?"
"I believe its called a Christmas Tree. Did I pick something else up by mistake?" Liz replied innocently.
"Smart ass."
"Egomaniac."
"Touché."
Liz just shook her head before leaning over to check dinner in the oven.
"Greg, quit staring at my ass."
"No."
Letting out a sigh, Liz stood upright, crossing her arms before saying "Gregory House, what am I going to do with you?"
"I don't know, but I think I deserve a very, very big punishment."
Laughing, Liz grabbed his jacket lapels and pulling him to her, captured him in a kiss. Breaking it briefly, she breathed "I love you House," before closing the space between them once more.
--
Early Christmas morning light shone in the bedroom, causing Elizabeth to wake, wince, and then turn and bury herself in House's warm embrace. As his arms tightened around her, he turned toward her a little, his face serene in sleep. Smiling, Liz settled back and let sleep carry her away once more. Hours later, Liz woke to find House still sleeping soundly beside her. Slowly slipping from his embrace, Liz pulled on her fluffy, warm robe to guard her against the winter chill and silently snuck from the bedroom to start preparing breakfast.
--
House squinted as soft clinking could be heard from the kitchen. Blinking sleep from his eyes, he eyed the clock. 11AM. Sitting all the way up, he let out a groan as he stretched before running a hand across his face. Pulling on a tee and his flannel pajama bottoms, House half shuffled, half limped into the bathroom before closing the door. Just as Liz finished placing the breakfast dishes on the table, she heard House and his cane thump their way into the kitchen.
"Morning," she smiled before kissing him slowly. Breaking away, Liz smiled at him as she handed him his coffee. After taking a gulp, House just grunted in reply before placing a rough kiss on her cheek and sitting. Liz grinned and shook her head, knowing that was his way of replying. Until House had at least one cup of coffee he was not with the rest of the world.
--
After breakfast/lunch, Liz called House into the living room. Having him sit, she went over to the tree and pulled a small, flat parcel from under it, bringing it to him with a cheerful "Merry Christmas!" Ripping the paper off, House was stunned to see a mint condition vinyl of Duke Ellington's greatest jazz piano hits, as well as a music book of the top 100 greatest jazz pianists, including Ellington, Strayhorn, and Cole.
"You don't like it?" Liz stated hesitantly.
"No," As her face fell, House turned and grabbed her, pulling her to him. "I love it." Pausing he bent to kiss her lightly before stating quite seriously, "Almost as much as I love you."
Liz froze and unknowingly let out an audible gasp. House gazed down at her with a look of confusion.
"What?"
Laughing nervously, Liz cupped House's face. "Nothing. That just the first time you've told me you loved me."
"So it is," House smirked as he turned his head to kiss her palm, "but it's the truth."
"I love you too Greg."
Smirking, House turned and, shuffling out of the room for a moment, stated
"I have something for you too."
Liz waited for him to come back but jumped when she heard him say,
"Well? Don't you want to see what it is?"
Knotting her eyebrows curiously, Liz followed wondering how on earth he could have hidden something from her. And once she saw what it was she became even more so.
A stripper pole was in the corner of their room. Good Lord. Liz's eyebrows shot up and she turned and looked at House, who was laid back and propped leisurely up in bed with his hands behind his head, smirking widely.
"I think this is more…for you, don't you agree?"
"My….pleasure, yeah…but it's a shared gift."
Smirking, Liz dropped her robe to the floor, revealing her short silk nightdress, falling just to mid-thigh. Slinking over to House, she leaned down and smoothing her hand up his chest kissed him languidly, as if she were tasting a fine wine. Pulling away, mentally cheering to see that she left House momentarily breathless (which was very hard to do), Liz practically purred
"Your…pleasure huh?"
Grabbing the pole, she swung herself around expertly before doing a move that nearly made House roll off the bed.
"Speechless Dr. House?"
"No," House hoarsely uttered as he continued to watch Liz, "trying to figure out if what you're doing is legal."
"Do you really care?"
"No, he growled, leaping up and stalking towards her, "but it damn well should be!"
Liz's laughter as they tumbled back onto the bed quickly faded, only to be replaced by moans.
--
Later that night, Liz lay awake curled into House's side. Sighing contentedly she shifted closer, feeling his arm tighten around her. She could tell he wasn't asleep either by his breathing pattern.
"How did you get that thing in here anyway?"
A gruff chuckle escaped him at her question. Turning to look at her, House smirked,
"I have my ways."
Liz just rolled her eyes and gently ran her fingers though the soft, dark smattering of hair across House's chest.
"That wasn't my actual present…was it?"
That caused an outright laugh to burst out of him. Sitting up, he looked at Liz and smirked
"I wondered when you were going to ask that."
Lightly smacking him, Liz furrowed her brow.
"Greg! You're terrible!"
"OK, I guess since I'm so terrible I won't give you your real gift."
"NONONONONO! I want it, really! I'll be good!" Liz pouted.
"Alright, here it is," House said before pulling out a box from his bedside table.
Liz looked at the thing in her hand. You've got to be kidding.
"Cigarettes?"
"Yeah, I noticed you were out. I had one, hope you don't mind."
"Of course not," Liz deadpanned, "sounds good actually."
Opening the box Liz looked down to grab one so she cold go out and smoke out her anger at her insensitive lover when she froze. Staring her in the face, hooked around one of the cigarette tops and glittering in the moonlight, was a diamond ring. Looking up slowly, Liz saw House smirking at her. Tears started to gather in her eyes as she watched House pluck the ring from it's current spot, slide it on her finger, and quite seriously utter
"Marry me."
Half laughing, half sobbing, Liz launched herself at him and began beating against his chest all the while crying
"You jerk! You horrible, arrogant, egotistical-"
She silenced very effectively as House covered her lips with his own. Pulling back, Liz let her forehead rest against his as she straddled him, before hearing a soft
"I'll take that as a yes."
Tilting her head up to meet his eyes, Liz sighed "Yes," before adding with a smirk, "God knows why."
Kissing her again, House muttered
"Whoever said 'You can't always get what you want' was an idiot."
"You think everyone is an idiot."
"My point exactly."
--