Return

AN: Also, rating change! It's up to T now. You'll see why later.

Summary: "But you know that I'm always going to be the one who screwed us up." He never expected her to admit defeat, but here she was. Lisa Cuddy was giving in.

House/Cuddy. AU-ish. post 8x04.

Part XXI

"So, explain to me what happened." Almost teasing, Julia Cuddy leaned back in her boyfriend's arms, staring up at her sister. A smirk spread across her lips at her sister's blush, and she nodded at her boyfriend. "She refuses to admit that she's never going to get over House."

"Clearly." James Wilson nodded, his mind wandering back to the conversation that had followed his announcement, and he squeezed Julia's hand gently. He turned his attention slowly to his girlfriend's sister, staring at the younger Cuddy with a curious gaze. "Are you going to get over him?"

"Who ever said I was trying to?" Embarrassed by the sudden intrusion into her love life, Lisa Cuddy blushed furiously, her eyes narrowed a bit. "You two both know that getting over him impossible."

"Actually...I'm straight. I wouldn't know that." As if trying to prove his statement, Wilson gave Julia a quick smile and kiss, more shaken with House's sudden departure soon after his announcement. Trying to change the subject away from Cuddy's love life, he sagged back into the pillows, suddenly looking twice his age.

"Should I get going?" Sensing both Wilson's avoidance to discuss House, and his own health, Cuddy leaned against a chair across from her sister and friend. A part of her reminded her that she wouldn't be able to sleep without another conversation with House, and she pushed herself off of the chair. "I'll see you both soon?" Hugging her sister quickly, she reached for her purse, eager to detour by House's apartment.

"If you can...call House for me?" Wilson made eye contact with Cuddy, already knowing that she would at least call him, "I want to make sure he's not drowning in loathing because of me."

Nodding, Cuddy gave her friend's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "Of course." She paused, meeting her sister's eyes, "But don't worry about me, either of you." A simple nod to them once more assured them that she was right, she would be fine. And not only would she be fine, she'd find a way to make sure that House was fine as well.

Collecting her things together, Cuddy hitched her purse a bit higher on her shoulder, meeting both their eyes. Giving her sister's shoulder a squeeze, she bent to hug her loosely, "Let me know if you need anything, all right?" Knowing their mother, Arlene Cuddy would be the one who found meaning to intrude into Julia and Wilson's relationship with his forthcoming endeavors. As she headed out, she couldn't help but feel guilty as she left the two of them in her sister's living room.

Dropping herself into the driver's seat of her Lexus, Lisa Cuddy pressed her fingers to her temple, letting out a long sigh. Getting through to House at times like these were always hopeless, no matter who it was, and she couldn't help but wish he would let her listen. She leaned back in her seat, eager to get going to see him, and she almost wondered if he would allow her to stay with him a bit longer.

As she pulled onto one of the main roads along Princeton's outer limits, she reached for her Blackberry, in hopes that calling House in advance would give him a warning, and a chance to consider his words. But, after three tries, she tossed her phone and earpiece into the seat besides her again, letting out an angered sigh. It was like him to ignore people at a time like this, she reminded herself as she pulled alongside a moving van at a stop light. Fumbling in her purse, she tugged out House's apartment key from her wallet.

Finding a parking space around the corner from House's apartment, Cuddy pressed her fingers into her temple once again, steadying herself. She collected her purse, phone and keys into her hands, making her way along the sidewalk. There was a part of her that worried he wouldn't allow her inside, or if he did, then he wouldn't find reason to open up to her. As she leaned on the door, she gave a friendly smile to the neighbor, and approached House's green apartment door nervously.

"I knew you'd show up." The door swung open, and House stood in front of her, balancing his cane between his fingers. Almost willingly, he allowed her to slip by him, and she dropped her purse on the table in front of the leather couch. "What are you doing?"

"Staying." Cuddy glanced up at him out of the corner of her eye, "Is that all right with you?" She frowned, spotting the scotch glass on the table in front of her, and she circled back around to look at her friend. "Are you all right?" Reaching up, she ran her fingers along his stubble, her eyes wide with worry.

House let out a grating sigh, his eyes dull, "Do you think that I'm all right?" He pulled away, turning to stare back at the door. "If you're going to insult me, then you're doing pretty well at it."

"Shut up." Eyes narrowing further, Cuddy grabbed House's large hands in her own, and she pulled him towards the couch. She couldn't help but feel a flash of worry as she remembered the last time the two of them had sat in those places, discussing the beginnings of their relationship. "I'm worried about you."

Once again, she ran her fingers along his cheek, her eyes meeting his, "You didn't take Wilson's news well, and I know you - we - don't have a case." It took time for her to adjust to the fact that she was now working under him, and she felt her stomach jump into her throat as he pulled her a bit closer.

"Cuddy." His voice dropped, as if he was ashamed to admit his weaknesses to her once more, "I need you." He met her eyes, blinking at her, and tentatively, he leaned forwards to kiss her gently once again. The feel of their lips against each others once again was something that the two of them always thrived upon, and House wrapped his arms around her slowly.

"Hey." Mumbling against his lips, Cuddy inhaled nervously, and she pulled back to rest her forehead against his. She reached up, a small smile curving onto her lips, and her eyes shone slightly, "I came here to talk to you about how you're doing, not find myself being made out with." A twinge of laughter crept into her voice, and almost instantly, she found House kissing her again.

"I know." House's kisses were feather-light against Cuddy's lips, and he pulled back enough to trail his lips along her jawbone, "Can't I do both?" He ran his hands along her sides, knowing how easily she gave into his affections during their relationship, and he rubbed his cheek against her neck. As Cuddy shuddered, he reached up to toy with the zipper of her dress, tweaking the metal between his fingers.

Her words meant nothing to him now, and Cuddy let out a quiet gasp as the gentle sting of House's stubble rubbed against her shoulders. "Stop...House, you're a tease." The smile on her lips widened as House kissed along her shoulder lovingly, and she let her head fall back against the couch. Shuddering slightly as she felt the zipper drag down her back, Cuddy blinked fondly up at House, the words dancing on her tongue.

"Say it." House whispered against her skin, half laying across her as he ran his fingers lovingly over her arms. He rested his head gently on her shoulder, half curled besides her, "Say it." His voice was a whisper, and he kissed the valley between her breasts lightly before he twined his fingers with hers.

"I ... I still love you." The words tumbled from her lips before she could stop herself, and Cuddy almost wondered if they still meant as much to her now as they had when they first lay together after the chaotic night in Trenton. She ran her fingers through House's short hair, enjoying the way he dragged his fingers slowly over her bare stomach. There was something so innocent about their intimate positions on the couch that made their relationship feel almost normal.

"I love you too." House's breath tickled her skin, and he let his hand rest, palm open, against her stomach. He craned his head towards her, blinking as his blue eyes met her gray-brown ones, their lips meeting in another all-too-short kiss. Though they would never admit that their most sincere moments always seemed to follow a tragedy, the two of them never forgot what they meant to each other. Their words were something, no matter how tormented they found themselves, was always the one rock that they held onto.

Stretching quietly, Cuddy wiggled herself free of House's embrace on the couch, trying to tug her dress back up around her shoulders. She turned to look at him as he made a grunt in protest, a faint blush tinging her cheeks. Reaching for his hand, she pulled him up so they stood together in the middle of the room. The last time they had stood there in front of each other in such a way, it had been his first declaration of love to her, but now, they were far beyond that.

Pulling her hand from his, Cuddy twisted, deftly tugging the zipper on her dress up to her shoulder blades. "Finish this, will you?" She knew she didn't need to ask, because the minute she had let go, House was already reaching for the zipper, tugging it upwards. "Thanks." As she turned to look at him, the smile slipped from her lips just enough for her to turn serious.

"You need to go, don't you?" The disappointment in House's voice was evident, and he momentarily glanced to where he had left the scotch on the table, wondering if the short but intimate moment they had shared together was her way of guilting the truth from him.

"My mom's watching Rachel." Embarrassment seeped into Cuddy's voice, and she touched House's arm gently, "I promise you, we'll talk tomorrow sometime." She stretched up, a gesture that would have once felt so foreign to her, suddenly feeling absolutely perfect once again, "I love you." Their eyes met, and as House echoed her promise, she knew they would once again find a way to make their relationship work.

AN: No idea how many more chapters will be left - but I hope you all will enjoy the end half.

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