It was the morning of their departure for Seattle and Cuddy was waiting for the cab for the airport. She and House would have taken the same flight and would have met each other at Newark airport. She felt excited at the thought of spending three days with House, like a kid waiting for the school trip. She had been worried at first but that feeling had partially disappeared after he had been so caring at her in the previous week. She really didn't know what to expect now.
She sat in the waiting room. Their flight was leaving in 40 minutes and she was ahead, as usual. He saw her right away as he walked pulling his trolley. He stopped at the airport check-in to board his luggage and then headed toward her. She was reading a book.
"You should be careful! A beautiful woman like you standing all alone might be approached by a dangerous guy" he said jokingly.
"By a grumpy diagnostician for example" she replied with a broad smile and a mischievous look.
"Good morning" he said sitting down next to her.
"Good morning" she said still smiling and not breaking eye contact.
They were silent until boarding. She read her book, he was pretending to read his with his I-pod in the ears.
They boarded half an hour later and headed for the large business class seats. She started to lift her carry-on bag to put it in the overhead bin but he was faster and wordlessly took her luggage from her hands saying "Gimme ..." She sat in the window seat. He put in the overhead bin their luggage before take a seat in the corridor seat next to her. Those gestures of chivalry continued to surprise her.
It would be almost 6 long hours of flight, the arrival in Seattle was scheduled for 4 pm.
House closed his eyes listening at the music of his I-pod. Cuddy looked for a little out of the window as long as the plane gained altitude and all she could see were clouds, clouds, clouds. She then closed her eyes leaning her head on the headrest and let sleep take possession of her body.
She woke up about an hour later realizing that her head was slipped from her headrest and was practically leaning on House's shoulder. He was awake reading a magazine. He could have arranged her headrest, but he hadn't ... Cuddy smiled to herself.
"Oh ... I'm sorry ..." she said moving quickly and arranging herself in her seat.
"You're welcome, Sleeping Beauty," he replied with a smile continuing to read his magazine.
A minute later the hostess came up with the lunch cart.
"Good morning sir. Good morning madam. I hope your flight is going well" she said to House and Cuddy. Both nodded with a hint of a smile.
"Do you prefer meat, fish or vegetarian menu?"
"I'll have the meat menu, please" House said
"And ... the vegetarian one for me, please." Cuddy added
"Here they are" she smiled and took their lunch trays from the cart.
"As drink you can have red wine, white wine, beer, soda and mineral water with or without gas"
"A glass of red wine, please" House said
"Uhm, just mineral water, please" Cuddy said
"Here it is" she said handing Cuddy her bottle of water, then she turned to House handing him the glass of wine and adding "Do you even want a bottle of water like your wife, sir?"
Cuddy almost choked with her water. That word "wife" sounded so weird, especially thinking about her current relationship with House. But he instead did not got upset, after all he was good at hiding emotions. He look at the hostess with a hint of a smile and said quietly "No, thank you. I'm fine."
They ate in silence, that comment had frozen the atmosphere.
Cuddy ate a few forkfuls of her pasta and a few leaves of lettuce, then lowered her fork. She really couldn't eat anymore.
"Next time you'll faint, I can't promise to be there to pick you up before you hit the ground ..." House said looking at her practically untouched dish.
"... I'm sorry - she said looking at him - but I really can't eat anymore"
He looked at her like watching a kid throwing a tantrum and restarted to eat his chicken curry.
"Do you still feel sick?" he asked a moment later.
She nodded looking into his eyes with a serious expression and biting her lower lip.
"When we'll come back I'll prescribe you a check-up - he said - with or without your will"
She nodded again. "It's been almost 3 months since my surgery... I have a scheduled medical examination with Dr. Hayes in early July."
"Fine then" House said taking another forkful of his meat.
The flight was on time. They landed at Seattle airport at 4 pm and an hour and a half after they arrived in front of their hotel. It was a beautiful and luxurious five-stars downtown hotel, built at the beginning of 1900 and decorated in French style.
They stopped at the reception to take their room keys and then headed toward the elevator.
Their rooms were on the tenth floor. Room number 1016 for him, room number 1022 for her.
"I'm exhausted ..." Cuddy said "I really need to take a shower and a good night's sleep..."
"Yeah, me too," he replied with a smile, as the elevator doors opened. They headed to their rooms and approached the key card to the reader. The reader light turned green and the door opened.
"Good night, Cuddy," he said "See you tomorrow"
"Good night House" replied with a slight smile.