'Sup. I finally posted 2day. Guess what? House and Cuddy go home! WOW! What happens? You'll just have to read!

~Dr. McCaney

Chapter 26- The Closer We Get, The Farther We Are

"I wonder if anyone ever found Chapman," Cuddy asked as they were boarding their plane.

When House didn't reply she looked over at him and saw he was zoned out.

"House?" she asked as she shook him. House snapped back to reality and threw out a careless, "Yeah."

"Do you even know what you're saying 'yeah', too?" Cuddy asked.

"Yeah…?" House replied.

Cuddy shook her head and put her carry-on bag in the overhead compartment.

"Ya know when I talk, I expect you to listen," Cuddy sighed.

"And when I'm horny I expect you to have sex with me," House returned.

Cuddy rolled her eyes and sat down.

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As the plane got closer to the U.S. House became more distant and Cuddy's cramps seemed to worsen. The sex last night reduced them to a dull ache but now they were back and they brought the company of a familiar dampness in Cuddy's panties. She sighed as she got up and went into the overhead compartment before making her way towards the bathroom. Her theory was proven correct when she found the growing red spot in her underwear. Cuddy was amazed at how many times she had unprotected sex and her body still couldn't produce a baby. She laughed bitterly to herself and washed her hands. Luckily she still had Rache which she was infinitely grateful for.

When Cuddy got back to her seat she noticed House zoning out, yet again. "Is there anything bothering you, House?"

House looked up at her, shook his head and furrowed his brow. "My leg is hurting more than usual," he said as he reached down to massage it.

Cuddy shook her head and sat back down, both of them silent for the rest of the flight. She knew he was lying because he hadn't started massaging his leg until she asked him what was wrong, but she let it go and picked up her novel.

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The ride back to his apartment was silent and awkward. Cuddy desperately wanted to ask him what had changed between now and when they had left their hotel room to board their flight, but she knew House would only come up with some lame excuse. She knew House had commitment issues but she still couldn't believe they had made the transition from lovers to barely even friends in less than 12 hours. She wanted to ask him to stay with her, to tell him she wouldn't be able sleep without being wrapped around his warm body tonight. She wanted to go back to France where he was himself before the infarction, less miserable. She started to reach for his hand but stopped midway and chickened out. Dropping her arm onto the arm rest in between them she sighed to herself as she felt the dull throb of a headache start up. She realized she had distanced herself just as House had, they both had issues that neither one of them wanted to deal with. House noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye and quickly turned his head, acting as if he hadn't noticed.

As she pulled up to his apartment he silently got his bags from the trunk and appeared at the window of the passenger's side. He stared into space for a while before speaking.

"Thanks," he paused for a moment, "for the…ride."

"No problem," she replied.

House stood there a while longer before shaking his head and turning on his heel and walking towards his apartment.

"House-," she called out.

He turned around and looked at her and she stared back. He could practically see the internal war she was waging.

"Never mind," she mumbled.

House stared at her for a couple more seconds and turned on his heel. This time Cuddy didn't stop him and she watched as he closed the door behind him.

"I love you," she whispered hoarsely to herself, eyes building with tears. House had, now, started something that he had no intentions of finishing, even though she was the first to actually admit having feelings for him. This is why she was so apprehensive to start anything with him at first. She fiercely wiped the tears away and scolded herself for crying over him, for being stupid, for admitting to loving him.

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Later that day Cuddy relieved her nanny of her duties and went to spend time with Rachel.

"Hi, baby," Cuddy said happily as she looked adoringly down at her daughter, "Did you miss mommy?" Cuddy blew raspberries on the baby girl's stomach and Rachel immediately burst into laughter. "Mommy missed you," Cuddy whispered, "And I brought you a surprise….well actually two."

Cuddy went into her room and retrieved the puppies. She took Rachel out of her playpen and set her on the floor where Rachel immediately began to crawl around. Cuddy opened the cages and the overly excited puppies scampered out. Rachel looked at them in amazement and wonder as they sniffed at her toes. She broke out into a fit of giggles when they began licking them.

Cuddy's heart warmed at the site and she took several pictures of the scene before her. As she looked at the pictures her finger accidentally pushed the arrow button and a picture of her and House at the Eiffel Tower popped up. She stared at the picture and her eyes built up with tears again.

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House was at his piano with a bottle of scotch, wallowing in self pity and the misery of his loneliness. He tapped a few of the keys in an uninspired manner and picked up his phone to call Wilson.

"House?" Wilson questioned on the other end.

"Yep. Honey I'm home!" House joked.

"So where's Cuddy?" Wilson asked casually.

"At her house," House said in a 'duh' tone.

"Ooooh. I get it! 'Cause you are her House," Wilson said densely.

"No I mean she's at the place which she invested her heart earned, albeit easy, money in," House clarified.

"What?" Wilson asked, "I don't get it."

"She's not here with me, IDIOT," House broke down further.

Wilson was silent for a second, "Why?"

"Because that's where her spawn is and it's where she lives. Oh and she rescued two stray dogs when we were in Paris," House finished.

"Wow," Wilson stated, "I was sure you guys would be married and living together by the time you got back."

"Haha," House said dryly.

"No, but seriously," Wilson said, "What are you guys doing?"

House furrowed his brow, "I…..don't know."

"Uh, oh," Wilson sighed, "That's your 'I screwed up' tone."

"I didn't screw up," House stated defensively.

Wilson was silent, allowing him to continue and when he didn't Wilson spoke up. "Well don't you think its Cuddy you wanna be talking to right now instead of me?"

"Aw, Jimmy. Don't be so hard on yourself," House joked.

"Call her, House," Wilson sighed exasperatedly, "Fix the conflict that you two can't seem to live without-"

"There is no conflict," House cut him off.

"Well fix the faux conflict you two have conjured up from boredom," Wilson sighed. "Maybe it makes the sex better," Wilson mumbled thoughtfully to himself.

House hung up the phone and limped back into his bedroom. After changing into his pajamas he settled onto his bed looking up at the ceiling.

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Cuddy had just got done putting Rachel to bed when her cell phone off, blaring the annoying ringer into the silent, night. She quickly went to answer it, to refrain from waking Rachel. The caller i.d. read 'Wilson' and she sighed as she pressed the 'Send' button.

"Hey, Wilson," Cuddy answered, "What's up?"

"Hello, Cuddy. I was just making sure you got home safely," Wilson made up a lame excuse.

"Yep. I'm fine," Cuddy reassured.

"Okay…"both lines of the phone were silent for what felt like an eternity, "So…"

"Wilson, ask whatever questions you have to ask about me and House, so I can go to bed. I have work tomorrow," Cuddy stated in a flat no nonsense tone.

"What's going on between you two?" He cut to the chase.

"Nothing," Cuddy said as nonchalantly as possible.

"Oh I see," Wilson started sarcastically, "You guys had sex just to see what would happen."

Both ends of the phone went silent again until Cuddy caved. "It's like we became two totally different people on the way back here. We both just shut the other out as if nothing ever happened. It was good while it lasted, but this just shows we could never be a 'thing'. We both have too many problems, issues."

"Uh huh…" Wilson began, "Well have you tried talking to him?"

"Nothing to talk about," Cuddy quickly resolved.

"You do realize this is House we're talking about?" Wilson sighed, "If this goes untouched for too long-,"

"We'll move on and forget this like the accident it was," Cuddy cut him off, "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get to bed."

Wilson sighed in defeat, "Night, Cuddy."

"Bye, Wilson."Cuddy rubbed a hand over her face in pure exhaustion and went to shower. When she got done she got into bed. She heard whimpering and looked over the edge of the bed to see Shadow looking up at her.

"Come on boy," she said as she pat the bed. It took three tries but Shadow had finally made it. "Good boy," Cuddy cooed.

Twenty minutes later Cuddy gave up trying to fall asleep without the presence of a certain, solid chest, pain-in-the-ass Diagnostician. She opened her phone and looked at the pictures he had seemingly taken of them at the Eiffel Tower. She smiled a true smile, as a tear slid down her cheek, followed by dozens more. Before she knew it she was out like a light, hand in mid stroke on Shadow's back.