The marriage didn't have changed them. House and Cuddy were the same as always. At work she was his boss and he was the crazy diagnostician she had to constantly supervise. House and Cuddy at work, Greg and Lisa at home. It was not always easy, but they were trying to leave their quarrels and boss-employee fights within the hospital walls. They can handle it... sometimes ...


"YOU WILL KILL my patient if you don't authorize a total body irradiation" he shouted raising his arms

"HOUSE! If it's not cancer, YOU will kill the patient! Wait for the results of the histological" she yelled trying to raise her voice more than him.

"DAMN CUDDY! If I'm going to wait, he'll die!"

"Oh yeah! But if it's NOT cancer but it's an infection he'll be all but fine after that your total body irradiation will have completely destroyed his immune system!" She paused taking a deep breath and looking him straight in the eyes "WAIT for the result of histological and AFTER I'll give you the authorization for total body irradiation. Until then STAY AWAY from the patient!"

He looked straight at her and said nothing. She could read in his eyes anger and frustration. He turned and left slamming the door. She sat down in her chair leaning her back to the seatback and closed her eyes. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before opening her eyes and came back writing her report for the meeting of the next day.


House had left the hospital after their quarrel and had told Foreman to call if there was any news.

Rachel was asleep on the couch, she had collapsed just after dinner. House was sitting at his piano as his fingers moved skillfully on the keys.

"Hey ..." Cuddy said entering the room and taking off her jacket "I'm sorry ... the meeting lasted much longer than I expected ..."

He looked up from the piano and looked at her.

"Is my patient still alive?"

She nodded her head and sighed "I authorized total body irradiation half an hour ago ..." she said in a serious tone "I told Foreman that I would have told you ... and to call you if there are other news." .. she paused ... "you were right ..."

He stared at her without said anything and just nodded.

Cuddy could clearly feel the tension between them. Sometimes it was not easy to leave the problems to the hospital, not after fights like that of that afternoon. She didn't like having to boss her husband, but House needed to be supervised and this had not changed. His methods were brilliant but too often impulsive and without a logical basis. It was her job to contain his impulsiveness, it had always been part of her job.

"I'm very tired ..." she said looking at him and rubbing her neck with her hand "and this back pain is killing me ... I'll take a shower and go to bed ..."

She was six month pregnant and although she had gained just a few pounds her belly was now very evident. For at least a month her pregnancy did not pass unnoticed anymore and she no longer tried to hide it. She wore more comfortable clothes but she didn't have yet given up her heels.

He watched her walking away and stayed in silence watching the blacks and white keys of his piano. He was still bothered by the fight in her office but he knew she was right. He knew he was impulsive and that his impulsiveness needed to be contained. This time he had been right about cancer, but he wasn't always right. She was his objective part and basically he had always respected and appreciated her for this. He agreed to work for her so many years ago because he respected her and had confidence in her judgment ... although often their medical opinions were in contrast.

Cuddy came out of the bathroom and closed the window. The cool breeze of that night in the early September gave her chills down her spine. She slipped under the thin blanket and lay down resting on her side with her head on the pillow. Her belly allowed her to be comfortable only in that position. She inhaled and exhaled deeply trying to relax as in her morning yoga. She hated going to bed alone ... she hated going to bed with that tension hanging between her and House ... she hated unresolved situations ... and she had to concentrate to hold back the tears ... since she was pregnant her hormones amplified and exasperated her mood ... and she could not control it. She snuggled under the covers and rubbed her abdomen trying to calm the little kicks inside her. It seemed they felt when she was agitated.

She felt House slip silently under the covers with her but she remained motionless. He approached her and hugged her from behind by wrapping his arm around her waist. He stood in silence savoring the scent of her hair and feeling under his hand the small and uninterrupted kicks inside her abdomen. He kissed her hair before moving to kiss tenderly her neck.

"I'm sorry ..." he whispered in her ear "I exaggerated..."

She didn't move.

"You were right ..." she whispered

"... yes I were... but again I had no evidence to support my thesis ..." he tightened her more kissing her neck again

"We will never change, won't we?" she asked hiding a smile as she turned to him to meet his eyes

"No ... we will never change" he said smiling at her and kissing her gently on the lips.