When Cuddy showed positive results just an hour after the treatment began, House began wondering what his next step would be. He had solved the case and certainly done Wilson proud by acting like a mature adult, but what was next? He sat in the Chapel, mostly for privacy rather than any religious sentiment. He remembered what Wilson had said about talking to Amber a few years back right after his girlfriend had died and winced at how cheesy what he was about to do was. His blue eyes were raised skyward, "I'm stuck." He admitted, "I need your advice again and you're not here. I know you'd talk me out of whatever crazy plan I came up with if it was actually crazy…" House sighed, knowing that Cuddy was doing alright without him, probably better than alright, she was better off. If he had truly changed, he thought, he'd leave her be and not screw up her life again.

The door opened and he saw Rachel tentatively peek inside. She smiled widely when she saw House and her tiny legs carried her to him quickly, "Maybe you could come over for dinner tonight." House smiled down at her as she took a seat on the pew, "I'll tell Aunt Julia and Grandma to be nice to you."

"Probably not available." He told her, knowing that Julia had probably already called the police and if he had half a brain he would bail immediately. Taking Rachel's hand, he stood, and she followed. He'd take her back to Cuddy's room and then disappear. He found Cuddy alone in her room, sitting up and gave her a small smile, "Where are the hens?"

"Looking for Rachel." Cuddy said, giving her daughter a stern look, "Because she wandered off."

Rachel looked unabashed, "Can House come over for dinner tonight?"

"Rachel, I'm not quite ready to go home, we'll be here for dinner." Cuddy said, patiently.

"Some other night, House." Rachel looked up at him and repeated what she had surely heard an adult say before.

House had planned to just disappear again, but with Cuddy right here, he couldn't bring himself not to say goodbye, "I'm going to take off, that card will be in the mail by the end of the year." He said, with a smile.

Cuddy bit her lip, "Where will you go?"

"I dunno." He said, surprised she asked, "Away from the long arm of the law." He said in a western cowboy voice in order to amuse Rachel who giggled.

"You could hire a lawyer, and-" Cuddy began.

"And what?" House asked, curiously, "Pray that forgery has a statute of limitations of two years?"

"Explain your circumstances." Cuddy finished.

"I won't use Wilson to save my own ass."

"You haven't done anything that would get your medical license taken away for good. After all the legal tape, you could practice again." Cuddy rationalized.

"I suppose that would be something." House admitted, "Thanks, I'll think about it."

Rachel was hugging House's good leg and he pried her off, once again caressing her hair affectionately. Rachel yawned and crawled up beside Cuddy to lie down. "You leaving, House?" She said, her blue eyes taking on a sort of sad puppy.

"I think I probably should, yeah." House answered her.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to make anyone else miserable."

"House," Cuddy tilted her head, sympathetically, "You should take my advice, start over."

"Let go, move on, start over, I've heard it all. I guess I just need more time to let some things go." He said, looking at the floor, "Can you move your arms?"

"A little," She said, thinking he was just testing her progress. Beside her, Rachel began to fall asleep.

"Okay," House took a breath, "I'm going to kiss you again before you can fight me off, then I'll leave you alone forever." He began to lean in.

"House." Cuddy said in protest, and he pulled back, disappointed.

"Sorry." He said, lamely, "I was going for tough guy, but I guess that came off as selfish jerk anyhow."

"If you had been a selfish jerk, you would have kissed me anyway." Cuddy pointed out.

"Did I just get tested?" House asked, incredulously.

"I think we both did." Cuddy answered.

"Is that the only reason I'm not a selfish jerk?" House asked, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

"No." Cuddy assured him.

"Am I enough of a selfless humanitarian to get a kiss goodbye?"

What was she doing letting House back in after all this time? "You're still screwed up." She took him down a notch.

"But, no longer the most screwed up person in the world. I'm at least down below the tenth most screwed up." What was he doing trying to convince her he had changed? Wasn't he just about to do the right thing and walk away?

"Why don't you give me a call when you're the twentieth?"

House was taken aback, "Cuddy, I…" He cleared his throat, "I was just going to leave, you're better off."

"There's a fine line between selflessness and self-torment. You deserve to finally be happy, House."

"There's an even finer line between love and stupidity." House countered, "You don't deserve to be miserable."

"I was never miserable with you, you just weren't there when I needed you." Cuddy told him, "It's not what I wanted, but I needed to be able to depend on you. Instead of proving that I could, you spiraled downward and screwed up even bigger."

"How do you know I won't do that again at the first bump in the road?"

"I think almost dying is a bump." Cuddy pointed out, "And you were here."

Julia and Arlene entered now, at the most inconvenient moment possible, House thought. He closed his blue eyes and turned to them. They saw Rachel fast asleep on the bed and a look of relief passed their faces. Julia's didn't last long, however and she regarded House coldly.

"I think you should go now or I'm calling the police." She said, heatedly.

"Thought you were doing that anyway." House shot back, "No need madam succubus, I'm turning myself in anyway. Know any good lawyers?"