Another smut alert ahead. It *is* rated M, after all. I don't own any of them except the occasional OC, yadda, yadda.

House wrapped things up a little quicker than he'd planned on. It turned out that he and the team were on the same wavelength for a change, and Thirteen agreed to stay and monitor the patient for the night. Arrangements made, House packed up his backpack and dug out his car keys. He would have driven the motorcycle, but Avery had given him that look last night when he'd mentioned it. Any other time, any other woman, and he wouldn't have given it a second thought. But things were different now. Damned if he was going to unnecessarily risk his life for a thrill ride. House smiled to himself at the thought. If things kept going like this…plenty of time to consider that later on. Right now he was focused on his rumbling stomach, and the woman who would fill that empty feeling in more ways than one.

In his pocket, the light on his phone indicating a new voice mail kept blinking, unheeded. House made his way to his handicapped spot where his old beater was parked. Maybe it was time to replace the old thing. He couldn't ride his motorcycle full time, and he couldn't bum rides off Avery forever. He noticed a piece of paper tucked under his wiper blade. Oh, joy. Advertising flyer. House pulled it out from under the blade and opened it up, ever curious.

The handwriting was unfamiliar, but the message was unmistakable.

Doctor House:

I told you it wasn't over.

B.

"Fuck." House cursed softly, crumpling the note. He had really hoped he had left this all behind in Chicago. Apparently trouble decided to follow him. Nice, real nice.

House was undecided as to go to Avery's now. If Bryan felt the need to leave a note on his car, he imagined he had tried to contact Avery, too. For all he knew, Bryan could be laying in wait at Avery's. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. He pulled out his phone, starting to scroll through the contacts until he noticed a new voice mail message. Some instinct told him to listen to the voice mail instead of making his intended call.

"Change of plans, babe. I'll meet you at your place." Avery sounded shaky. A chill ran through House, and he knew that Bryan had managed to contact her, too. He started the old beast and sped out of the parking structure, wasting no time getting to Avery.

He pulled into his parking spot, right behind Avery's car. She was here, at least, and he didn't see any other unfamiliar vehicles around. House immediately rushed from the car to the apartment as quickly as he could, crashing through the door.

"Avery?! "

"In here!" Avery called out from the kitchen. House hung up his coat and step-thumped into the kitchen. She turned from the meal she was working on and gave House a quick kiss on the lips. "I see you got my message."

"Yeah, sure did. I got another one, too." He dug the crumpled note out of his pocket, spread it out, and showed it to Avery. "This look familiar to you?"

Avery's heart froze. It was one thing for Bryan to screw with her, but for him to screw with House…it was too much. She nodded silently. "He left me one, too. I was so furious I threw it away without even thinking about it." Her eyes glazed over and she started shaking. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I never meant to bring all this down on you."

House immediately closed the short distance between them, wrapping his arms around Avery and pressing her to him, trying to stop her shaking. "Don't you dare apologize. This isn't about you. It's all him. He's an asshole. Forget about him." He rocked her gently, stroking her hair. "He's probably still pissed that I jacked him up, that's all." House stepped back, brushing Avery's hair from her face. "We'll just have a normal night, okay? Chances are he won't bother to show his face here."

Avery sighed and chuckled sadly. "Well, I have to go back to my place eventually. I can't just stay here forever, you know."

"Why not?"

The simple question left Avery speechless. Was House asking what she thought he was asking? She relaxed her shoulders and placed her hands on his rough face.

"Baby." She smiled gently. "As much as I love being here with you…all my stuff is still…there."

House shrugged. "So? They have these things…moving trucks, storage units. It would only be temporary, anyway." He turned away, irritated and confused. "Forget I asked. It was a stupid idea anyway."

"No, it wasn't." Avery placed her hands on House's waist, laying her head on his back. House turned around at her touch and leaned against the counter. "I love you, you know that, right?" House half nodded and shrugged. "Under any other circumstances, I wouldn't have a problem. I just don't want to make a move based on…fear, avoidance, whatever this might be." Avery reached up and kissed House lightly on the lips. "When this storm blows over, we'll revisit this. My lease isn't up until April, anyway." She stepped closer until her body pressed against his, once again meeting his lips with hers. "I'm still in this for the long haul. Nothing's changed, okay?"

"Okay." House replied so softly Avery almost didn't catch it. He placed a hand around the nape of her neck, pushing his tongue into her mouth with uncharacteristic roughness. Avery leaned into the kiss, allowing herself to be carried away. They broke away from each other, fear and concern mirrored in each other's eyes.

Suddenly House wrinkled his nose. "Is something burning?"

"Oh, dammit." Avery rushed over to the stove, where smoke was rolling out of the pan, quickly turning it off. "I don't think I can save this one."

"No big. How's Thai sound tonight?" House was already making the call, handing the menu to Avery.

Across town, Bryan waited in front of Avery's apartment complex. There were only two places that he knew for sure she would be, and he thought for sure she would show up here, first. He kept checking his phone, awaiting that call from Avery. She always called him back, always. Bryan couldn't imagine what was keeping her, why she would deviate from her familiar pattern.

Finally it clicked. House. That goddamn cripple was making life very difficult for Bryan. House actually had the nerve to tell him to step off from Avery. Who the hell did he think he was, anyway? Nobody told Bryan what to do. If House thought he could get between him and Avery, he was wrong. Dead wrong.

Bryan pulled out of the parking lot and headed the opposite direction. Now it was time for him to check in on the other place. He didn't want to have to hurt Avery, but House was a problem that had to be dealt with. Once he did that…he could bring Avery home to Chicago, and they could pick up where they left off. Things would be as they were before, possibly better. It might cause Avery a little short term pain, but she'd get over it. The sooner she learned her place in this world, the better off they would both be.

House and Avery settled in the living room, take out containers spread out across the coffee table, each of them taking up opposite ends of the leather couch. House stretched out, right foot on the floor, left leg tucked in next to Avery. Avery was equally relaxed, her right hand playing lightly with House's calf, both of her long legs extended down the couch, crossed at the ankles. To House, those legs were a beautiful sight. Damn shame she had to cover them up.

He slid a hand under the hem of Avery's lounge pants, feeling the soft skin and strong calf underneath. Avery made small noises in response, looking over at House with a slight smile, her eyelids dropping over her deep brown eyes.

Avery continued to move her hand up House's leg, finally stopping mid-thigh. She shifted so that she was on her knees, placing both hands on either side of House and leaning in for a firm, seductive kiss. House pulled her closer so that she laid on top of him, feeling her soft breasts against his chest, the strong muscles of her back, her soft lips on his, her tongue rolling around in his mouth.

"Mmmm…" In one swift move, Avery's shirt was off her body and on the floor, House's hands sliding from her back, up her ribcage to play with the soft flesh of her breasts. His fingers found her nipples, gently rolling them around, making her gasp softly with delight. She left his lips, lightly nipping at House's neck, working her way down to the collar of his t-shirt.

"Ah…damn, babe. That's too good…" Straddling him, Avery pushed House's t-shirt up and over his head, tossing it so it joined hers on the floor. She continued kissing him, planting them from the base of his throat, down the middle of his chest, down his stomach, stopping at his belt buckle.

Avery slid onto the floor so she was on her knees. She gently guided House's legs so both his feet were on the floor, Avery between his legs, working his belt buckle, quickly undoing both the buckle and the button, slowly unzipping his jeans, teasing, torturing. House's breathing changed, now rough and ragged with barely contained need. Avery tugged at House's jeans and boxers so that they slid down around his ankles, then planted small kisses near his core, making him growl with pleasure.

Avery's tongue flicked the tip of his shaft, then rolled around the tip before finally taking it into her mouth. House grabbed the back of her head and growled louder, spurring Avery on as she continued moving up and down on him.

"Stand up." House's voice was rough and thick as he pulled Avery roughly to her feet. He hurriedly untied the lounge pants so that they dropped and pooled around her feet. She quickly stepped out, and House pulled her to him so she was straddling him.

There was nothing between them now. "Nice…" He muttered as his hands roamed over her now naked body. House maneuvered Avery and quickly slipped inside her, stroking roughly, feeling her tense, hearing the breath catch in her throat, her voice rising in pitch the closer she came to peaking.

"Baby…" Avery's voice was whisper soft in House's ear as she went over the edge, collapsing against his chest, taking House with her. House clutched Avery to him, his breath still ragged from exertion and desire. Avery nuzzled his neck, her arms still wrapped around his ribcage.

"You're too good to me. You know that?"

"Get the hell out of here." House let out a low chuckle. "I think it's the other way around. One of us is confused here."

"Tell me something." Avery lifted herself so that she could see House's face. "Why did you tell me to stand up?"

House's face turned serious as he stroked Avery's face. "You're too good to be on your knees. You don't belong there." He kissed her lightly on the lips. "If anything…I should be at your feet. Metaphorically speaking, of course."

Avery felt a lump rise in her throat. She couldn't help comparing House with Bryan once again. Bryan, who would almost always push her down to her knees, forcing her to give him head. "A woman's got to know her place. On your knees, bitch."

She fell against House again, a few tears leaking out and falling on his chest. "What's wrong, babe? Was it something I said?"

"No, not at all." Avery assured House, kissing his on the lips again. "I just…thanks for being you. That's all."

House laughed again, a low, throaty sound. "I can't think of a time anyone has ever said that to me. That's definitely a first." He lightly smacked her bottom, gently moving her off his lap. "I need a shower…care to join me?"

Avery laughed, her spirits up once again. "Of course. Who wouldn't want the chance to lather you up."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Matthews. Race you to the bathroom…"

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