Hello again

It's officially Christmas so MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY :) and season's greetings for all of you who don't celebrate Christmas :)

Again thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I just adore them.

So this chapter is, as you might have guessed, centered on Christmas. I know in the series, Cuddy is Jewish but I'll just admit here that she also celebrates Christmas. I added a little bit of cuteness [Christmas spirit and all that XD]. I hope you enjoy it :)

As usual, read and enjoy :D

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Chapter 10 – Merry Christmas

'Oh, oh, oh merry Christmas!' House sang as he entered the differential room.

Foreman cocked one eyebrow as Taub rolled his eyes.

'Well children have you been good this year?' House asked in a low husky voice.

'Define good...' Thirteen retorted mischievously.

House smiled at her 'Ah you little minx!'

'Is there a point to this..' Taub sighed.

As a response, House threw a red file on the desk.

'Four year old, female, coughing up blood. '

'Bleeding ulcer.' suggested Foreman

'Scope shows that lungs and stomach were clean, though she continues to spit up blood from both her stomach and lungs.'

'Means it's probably something wrong with the blood itself. Leukemia.'

'Thoracic tumor is a better fit. Rose into her airway and esophagus explaining the blood.'

House nodded and glanced at his window. There stood Cuddy, file in hand.

'Go do a bleeding time test confirm that our patient's blood is screwy.' House ordered as he walked out of the room.

'Good morning sunshine! Still have a headache?'

Cuddy glared at him. 'Please don't remind me of that night.'

House smirked at her and took one step forward, invading her personal space and staring deep into her eyes.

'It was a good night though. Shame you don't remember, you did show a great amount of…'

'House!, she cut him off, I was drunk, you were drunk. It was only the alcohol talking.'

'You know what they say 'In vini Veritas'; the truth lies in the wine.'

'Elizabeth is doing fine by the way. You do realize the recklessness of your actions though?'

'I was helping a poor dying girl. I'm a humanitarian.'

'I think that's an oxymoron.' Cuddy responded sarcastically. House chuckled and leaned forward so that their faces were now inches apart.

'Now Cuddy don't tell me you didn't enjoy that night.'

She looked at him defiantly.

'Don't you have a patient you need to get to?'

She gave him a fake smile and turned around.

'Deflection doesn't look good on you.' House yelled out through the corridor. He smirked. He just knew how to push her buttons.

-------

'We just need to make a tiny cut on your arm to see how long it takes for you to stop bleeding. It's going to hurt a little but you are going to be fine.' Thirteen said to the little girl in a warm and encouraging voice.

The little girl nodded shyly and clenched harder on the book she was holding.

'What's that you're holding?' Foreman asked the girl in attempt to distract her.

'It's a book on astrology, the girl responded, there's a lot of stars and it tells us all about the planets.'

Foreman smiled. 'So you want to be an astronaut?'

The girl nodded. At the feel of the cold blade on her skin, she flinched. She closed her eyes and clenched more tightly on the blue book.

'OK done. Time zero.' Thirteen said.

'Very good sweetie, you are very brave.' The patient's mother whispered to her daughter, as she put a hand on her shoulder.

'Dr Foreman I need to see you after for some paperwork that needs to be filed out and I… Oh my god! Alicia is that you?' Cuddy's voice echoed through the room as she appeared in the doorway.

The dark haired woman looked at Cuddy, raising an eyebrow, her intriguing expression soon replaced by a smile.

'Lisa? Lisa Cuddy?'

Cuddy responded with the same smile. 'How long has it been? I mean I haven't seen you since that family reunion. When was it again? Like ten years ago.'

Alicia chuckled. 'Yes that is right. I'm so happy to see you! Who knew when I came up here I would see my beloved cousin. Are you a doctor at this hospital?'

'I'm actually the dean of medicine, Cuddy answered a slight sense of pride in her voice, Are you still a lawyer?'

'Yes. I actually have my office here in New Jersey. Just moved here two months ago.'

Cuddy glanced at the small girl in the bed.

'Is this your daughter? She is precious. How old are you sweetie?'

'Thank you. This is Ophelia. She is five. Sweetie, this is one of your aunts. Her name is Lisa.'

The girl looked at Cuddy shyly and mumbled a low 'hello'. Cuddy chuckled at her cuteness.

'What's her status?' Cuddy asked Thirteen in a more professional voice.

'She came here after coughing up blood. We are doing a bleeding test to see if there's something wrong with the blood.'

Cuddy nodded in approval. She approached the little girl and smiled at her. She looked back at the mother and held out a comforting hand to her shoulder.

'Don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Anyway you have the best team from the diagnostic department. I'm sorry but I have a meeting with a donor. I'll come back later though. It was so nice seeing you again Alicia.'

Alicia gave her a small hug. 'It sure was. See you soon then Lisa.'

----

'Merry Christmas Wilson! What did you wish for this Christmas? Love, happiness, a new wife?' House cried out as he joined Wilson on the queue to the paying counter in the cafeteria.

'And what did you wish for? Sex in Cuddy' office. Wait a second… You already did that!'

'I was wondering when you would bring this up again…'

'I'm sorry House but I got to ask: what are you two doing? I mean first you're married and then you're not and then you sleep with her in her office. I'm getting confused and I don't think confusion is strong a word here.'

House rolled his eyes but did not have time to respond as Cuddy joined them. She blushed as Wilson looked at her, raising one eyebrow.

'How's your patient?' Cuddy asked House in attempt to break the awkward atmosphere.

'Stable for now.'

Wilson cleared his throat. 'So Cuddy, any plans for Christmas?'

'I wish but on the 25th I have to work because of a meeting that could simply not happen any other day. You?'

'Not for now.' House smirked at the awkwardness of the situation.

'Now, now. Yes Wilson we slept together. Yes Cuddy I just said that out loud. No Wilson it didn't mean anything because yes we were drunk. Now should I just say that again or did that suffice to relieve the tension?'

Cuddy glared at him and bit her bottom lip. Wilson held the same glare. After a few seconds, Wilson broke the silence.

'Let's forget all about it. It's Christmas for god sakes.' Cuddy nodded, still glaring at House.

As House was about to add another witty comment, the cashier cut him off.

'Your order please?'

'Yes I'll have the burger and the fries with a bottle of water.' Wilson responded as he handed him money. Wilson moved to the side to get his food as it was now House's turn to order.

'Yes I'll have the same and she'll have the chicken salad with extra vinegar and no tomatoes. Dressing on the side. She'll also have an ice latte, no sugar, extra milk.'

Cuddy widened her eyes as House wiggled his eyebrows.

'How..?' she mumbled.

'Oh please Cuddy I know you.' She glared at him.

'You think you know me…'

He turned to the side so he was facing her.

'Oh please Cuddy, don't play this game with me. I know you so well. I can even tell you that right now you are considering taking a piece of this chocolate cake over there but you don't want to mess with your diet.'

Cuddy opened her mouth but could not find words as he was right. She just handed some money to the cashier and grabbed her salad and her coffee. She turned around.

'You know I'm right!' House cried out cockily. She clenched her fists in frustration.

----

'So what are you going to do about Cuddy?' Wilson asked as he and House were walking in the hospital's corridor.

'Why should I do anything?'

'I think if you dated her…' Wilson was cut off by Chase's presence.

'Cameron and I are throwing a party tonight for Christmas eve. Everybody is invited. If you guys haven't got any plans, you want to come?'

Wilson raised one eyebrow to House. House crinkled his nose.

'It's open bar.' Chase added seeing House's hesitation.

'Well who are we to refuse free booze?' House responded joyfully.

'Great. I'll see you around seven, our place.' Chase gave them a smile and turned around.

Wilson opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by House's pager. House glanced at it.

'Sorry duty calls. Need to save a life.'

Before Wilson could retort, House turned around and walked away, disappearing through the corridors.

---

'You paged me.'

'Bleeding test was normal.'

House cocked one eyebrow. 'And you paged me to say that?'

'We think it may be cancer or TB.' Foreman said ignoring House's previous comments.

The team and House entered the patient's room. There stood Cuddy sitting next to the patient. The blue book was opened, lying in front of the little girl.

'And that sweetie is the Orion nebula. The Orion is a diffuse nebula situated south of Orion's Belt. It is one of the brightest nebulas, and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. It is estimated to be 24 light years across and it is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. It is also called the Great Nebula in Orion or the Great Orion Nebula.' Cuddy became suddenly aware of the doctors' presence.

'The mother was called up to work for an emergency. I was just here to keep Ophelia company. Are you here for more tests?'

'We need an MRI of the patient's lungs.' Thirteen responded approaching the girl. Ophelia hold out the book to Thirteen showing her the picture of a star.

'Wow that's beautiful is that the Orion nebula Dr. Cuddy was telling you about?'

Cuddy glanced at the picture and shook her head.

'No that's the Bow-Tie nebula. You can see it from his shape. The star itself is actually one of the hottest known, with a surface temperature of about 200,000 kelvins.'

Thirteen looked at Cuddy impressed. 'You can recognize stars just from the picture?! Wow I'm impressed.'

Cuddy blushed at the compliment. 'Well I always loved astronomy. I took an astrology class when I was in high school but did not continue after that.'

House looked at her, cocking one eyebrow. 'I didn't know you liked astronomy…'

'Well proves you don't know me so well.' She retorted cockily. He chuckled.

'Oh please if you're referring to our previous conversation, you liking astronomy must be the only thing I didn't know about you.'

'Oh really?! Well I don't think you…' Cuddy was cut off by Taub.

'Not that I don't enjoy seeing the two of you banter but I think we need to bring the patient to do the MRI. It's Christmas Eve and personally I would like to go back home and be with my wife.'

Cuddy faked a smile and nodded. She turned around but before she stepped out the room, House's voice echoed once again through the room.

'You know I'm right… again.' She didn't reply. She just left the room. Damn she hated it when he was actually right!

------

'Here I think it's here. House number 36.' Wilson said as he stopped the car. House stepped out of the vehicle and walked towards the house.

'Wow it's really cold!' Wilson mumbled as he clenched on his coat.

'It's not snowing though…' House replied absent mindedly.

'Well I hope it won't snow because then it would get even colder.'

'Wilson how can you wish for such a thing?!, House cried out putting a hand on his chest in attempt of a more dramatic effect, It's not Christmas if there's no snow. It's like tequila and strippers. You can't separate the two of them!'

Wilson rolled his eyes and rang the bell. A few seconds later the door opened.

'Glad you could come. Merry Christmas eve.' Chase cried out joyfully.

Wilson smiled as House gave him a disgusted look.

'The bar is in the living room.'

'Thanks Chase.' Wilson gave him a thankful smile as he removed his coat.

'Now come on let's get party!' House smirked. Wilson sighed. What could possibly go wrong?

----

House was staring out the window absent mindedly. He was a little startled as he heard Cuddy's voice.

'Merry Christmas House.'

'There's no snow.'

'And that's always a good answer to 'merry Christmas'.' Cuddy responded sarcastically.

He turned his head away from the window. 'No I mean. There's no snow –ergo it doesn't feel like Christmas.'

She looked at him cocking an eyebrow.

'Anyways, so what are you getting me for Christmas? Because you know if you have no idea, you could always remove your top. It would be a merry Christmas for everybody.'

She rolled her eyes and walked to the bar, House following her closely.

'Yeah I'm sure. I was more thinking like extra clinic duty? I just know how much you love taking care of patients.'

'What would you like to drink?' the bartender asked them.

'I'll have a glass of champagne and he'll have a dry martini. Three measure's of Gordon, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet, shake it over ice then add a thin slice of lemon peel.'

She smiled at House cockily.

'Is that you're way of proving you know me too?'

'I guess it is. All I'm saying is I think I know you better then you know me.'

House smirked at her, staring defiantly into her deep green eyes.

'Want to bet on that?'

'What are you suggesting?'

'Well since it's Christmas I say we each give the other one a gift. The one who gives the most perfect gift to the person proves that he or she knows him or her better and wins. Shows who's paying more attention to the other's desires.'

Cuddy nodded slowly. 'Say the magic words and I'm in.'

He leaned forward. He gently brushed her hair away from her ear, sending chills down the length of her body. She held her breath as his hot breath caressed her neck.

'I dare you.' He whispered into his ear. She grinned as he took a step back.

'This game is on!'

----

'Wilson I need help.' Cuddy grabbed Wilson's arm and dragged him into one of the quiet corners of the living room

'What did he dare you to do this time?' Wilson sighed.

She bit her bottom lip, looking down at the floor.

'I have to find the perfect gift for House so that I can prove that I know him better than he knows me.'

'That actually sounds nice … coming from House I mean…'

Cuddy slapped his arm.

'Wilson focus! We don't have time for nice. I have to find a present for tomorrow and it's already past eleven!'

Wilson rubbed his arm and frowned.

'Hey I'm not the one who's responsible for the fact that you got enrolled in one of House's games…. once again.'

'No need for a lecture I know what I got myself into…'

'Cuddy I think you don't. Last time you ended drunk and having sex in the hospital. '

She bit her bottom lip to the memory.

'But I think you're aware of that. I mean it's your problem after all. Anyways you know House well, you should find him a present easily.'

'All I can think off right now is a present including strippers but I really don't like the idea.'

Wilson sighed. 'Well it's Christmas. Get him something Christmassy…'

'Oh thanks Wilson! I'll get him a reindeer; I guess that IS the perfect present.'

She gave him on last annoyed look and walked away. Wilson sighed again, closing his eyes. These two would just never change.

-----

'I just love seeing you all desperate and begging Wilson for help.' House said, a devilish smirk spread across his face.

'Stop stalking me!' Cuddy responded frowning.

'Oh please! I could hear your desperation from all across the room. Face it: you are going to lose.'

She took a step towards him, their body almost pressed together and looked at him defiantly.

'We'll see about that…'

'Baby, I'm too lost in you
Caught in you
Lost in everything about you
So deep, I can't sleep
I can't think
I just think about the things that you do
I'm too lost in you' the song echoed through the living room.

House wrapped his arms around Cuddy's waist and dragged her to the dance floor. She held out a gasp, almost losing her balance in the process. She was taken aback by House sudden movement but followed him and put his hands on his shoulder.

Their body moved slowly in harmony to the rhythm of the music, closely pressed against each other. Cuddy's breathing rhythm increased at their closeness. House's touch sent shivers down her spine. They were staring at each other defiantly. House broke the silence first.

'So tell me how it feels to know that you are going to lose?'

'I don't know why don't you ask yourself?' she retorted in the same tone.

'Well played mister!' He leaned to her ear 'Admit it: you know I know you better than anyone. And that is true from the first day I saw you at Michigan.'

'Oh yeah?' she asked him defiantly.

'On Mondays, at ten you had anatomy class that was next to your dorm room but you always took a detour because you knew Professor Lambert always gave a lecture at ten so you would catch a glimpse of him, hoping that one day he would notice you and see your desperate admiration and long lost love for him.'

Cuddy widened her eyes, her mouth slightly ajar. How did he know that? She asked herself startled. She snapped out of her shock state.

'You used to skip Mr. Grog's class every Tuesday to sneak in to the senior diagnostic class and take notes.'

House was taken aback by her comment, and gave her the same shock expression. She smirked at him victoriously.

'See I know you just as well.'

He suddenly leaned down and their lips crushed together. She was taken aback by his sudden actions and sank immediately into the kiss without even thinking. She felt the feeling of fiery passion rising through her body. He broke the kiss as she looked at him startled.

'What was that for?' she asked in a low voice.

He looked up as she followed his glance. She smiled as she saw the mistletoe hanging from the roof, right in the middle of the living room.

'Merry Christmas Cuddy.' He whispered to her as he let go of his grasp and turned around. As he disappeared through the crowd, she chuckled grazing her own lips, still sensing the feeling of his lips against hers. It suddenly dawned on her. She smiled. She knew what do give House…

---

The sound of his pager echoed loudly through House's bedroom. He grumbled and opened his eyes forcibly. He glanced at his watch and mumbled seeing that it was nine in the morning. His pager echoed again through the room. He cringed and got up.

A few moments later, he was in the hospital's car park, the cold wind sending chills down the length of his body. He walked towards the hospital's entrance.

'What the hell could be so important that you had to wake me up at nine on Christ…' He did not finish his sentence as he glanced at the hospital's lobby.

On the walls were projected images of a winter landscape, giving the illusion that it was snowing. From the ceiling, fell some white cotton balls, once again giving the illusion of snow. A thin layer of white covered the marble floor. Cut out snowflakes were hanged everywhere in the lobby. House watched the scene in awe.

Cuddy stood in the middle of the lobby, amused by House's reaction. She approached him.

'Well you said it wasn't Christmas without snow. I'm just giving you what you wanted. Merry Christmas House.' She smiled at him.

He was at a loss for word. He was utterly flabbergasted by her present and admitted to himself that her idea was brilliant. It suddenly dawn on him.

'Ice…' he whispered to himself.

Cuddy looked at him intrigued as he limped towards the elevator. She followed him closely, knowing that he just add one of his diagnostic brainwave.

A few moments later he was in the patient's room. He sat next to the little girl, her mother eying House suspiciously.

'Who are you?'

'I go by many names but you can call me Santa.'

'This is Dr. House Alicia, Ophelia's doctor.' Cuddy said, glaring at House.

'Is there something wrong?' the mother asked worryingly.

'When your daughter started coughing blood, was she playing outside?'

'How is that relevant to anything?!' the mother asked annoyed.

'It's relevant to everything.' House simply responded.

'Yes she was playing in the garden with one of her friends.'

'Your daughter is suffering from two sicknesses. One is a nosebleed that dripped blood down into her lungs initiating the coughing up of blood and the other one is clumsiness from falling. One of them is curable. Lucky for your daughter it's the former, unfortunately for you.'

'How do we cure it?'

'Just stop the nosebleed.' House got up and walked towards the door.

'So she's going to be ok?' the mother sighed.

'Yes she is. Merry Christmas.' House whispered. The mother held out a sigh of relief and kissed her daughter's cheek. Cuddy chuckled joyfully and put a comforting hand on her cousin's shoulder. She turned around and looked at House. He gave her a thankful smile, thinking of her present. She nodded, giving him the same smile.

---

'Here's your coffee and this just came in for you. Also, Mr. Matthews called.'

Cuddy sighed and grabbed the coffee and the small brown package.

'Thank you. So much for a free Christmas evening right?'

The nurse smiled at her as Cuddy stepped into her office. She took a long sip of her coffee and sat at her desk. She closed her eyes to the feeling of the caffeine invading her mouth. She sighed and examined the brown package. She opened it intrigued. Inside was a red envelope.

She cocked one eyebrow and opened the envelope. Inside was a white paper. On the paper, a small inscription read out 'You should really be more careful before you drink your coffee...'. She widened her eyes as she suddenly felt dizzy. She tried to get up but her legs seemed to not respond. A second later she fell to the floor, unconscious.

---

Cuddy opened her eyes and was surprised to see that all was dark. She suddenly realized that she was blindfolded. She tried to remove the blindfold from her eyes but her hands were tied together in her back. She let out a gasp remembering the package.

'No need to get all riled up. We are almost there.'

'HOUSE! What the hell do you think you are doing?' She hissed through her teethes.

'The rules stated that I had to give you a present. It didn't imply how I had to give it to you.'

'Maybe but there is this other thing that forbids people of drugging other people and kidnapping them. What's it called again? Oh yes the LAW.'

'Potato, potado. You say drugged and kidnap, I say giving out a Christmas present. '

'House get me out of that car right NOW! Or I swear I will kill you!'

'That's the Christmas spirit! Don't get too riled up though 'cause we're here.'

'Here is where exactly?'

'Now if I told you that wouldn't be called a surprise would it?' he wiggled his eyebrows and got out of the car. He opened the passenger seat. He put a hand around Cuddy's waist and helped her up. He didn't untangle her hands, knowing that she would just run away if he did.

'House where are we going?'

'A few more minutes of suspense sweetheart and you'll see.'

'Don't 'sweetheart' me' she mumbled angrily as he motioned her to take a step forward, his hand on her back pushing her gently forward.

------

A few minutes and a lot of mumbling on Cuddy's part, they stopped.

'Are we there?'

'Yes we are. Now you're going to listen to me carefully. I'm going to let your hands free and when I say it, you can remove the blindfold from your eyes. Are we clear?' She sighed angrily but agreed with a nod.

He untangled her hands and took a few steps back.

'Ok you can remove it now.'

She followed his order and froze at the scene before her. She was standing in a dark room, the biggest telescope she had ever seen in front of her. It took most of the room. From the look of the room, she guessed she was at a planetarium.

'Look in the telescope.' House indicated her.

She looked down in the lens and gasped in awe. In the telescope she saw the most beautiful star she had ever seen.

'House… what is that?' she whispered startled.

'This is officially your star. It's named after you at least.'

Next to the lens, on a small table lied a gold paper. She took it in her hands, her mouth slightly ajar.

'This is the certification with all the information pertaining to the star. Now I can say that I do know everything about you. Merry Christmas Cuddy.' He smiled at her and turned around.

She was still staring at the golden paper in awe. A tear of joy rolled down her cheek. She quickly brushed it away and turned her head were House stood a moment ago. He had disappeared. She held on the gold paper to her chest. She smiled. 'Merry Christmas.' she whispered.

-----

Hope you liked it :) – I think a star as a present is just so romantic XD. And again happy holidays !