A BIG THANK YOU TO KADDISON_ for editing on VERY, VERY, VERRRY short notice! xD Lobe you, Hon! :) And sorry you had to be late for class because of this story! LOL. *kisses*

A/N: Hey peeps, where are the other people? LOL! 11 reviews made me feel a bit sad. *pouts* I mean, compared to the 15+ or 20+ Absence used to get… Though those 11 were awesome, I'd like to hear from the closet readers. Because I'm losing inspiration to continue despite the stuff I have planned… I know Absence isn't based on S7 canon, but man… *pouts*

I don't mean to sound bratty or spoiled but I really do seek a huge amount of inspiration from the reviews. And I am very grateful that people read. I just wish that people would take time to at least leave kind words or a review.

Believe me, I am very flattered to know, via Story Traffic, that the previous chapter was read by at least 700 people (whether or not read by same people). Thank you for reading! :)

Know that I love you all, but I really appreciate those who review, more. To those who don't review but let me know what they think via Twitter or message, thanks a bundle as well! :D

Moving on…

The next two chapters might be fast-paced. Just so you know. ;)

SMUT WARNING: 9 PM onwards. The chapter has 3 parts. When you reach Nov. 15, you're in the clear. :)

Enjoy!

ABSENCE

CHAPTER 34: COMPROMISES

.

Nov. 3, 6 PM

"I'm ready for you to buy me dinner, Mistress!" House announced as he barged into Cuddy's office, smirking when he saw her unaffected, reading her file. "I take it we won't be eating out tonight?" he asked, sitting on the couch, "Again?"

Cuddy hid the smile that had taken over her face when she heard the door to her office burst open as he entered. He had no idea how much she had missed it. After signing the file, she looked up at him and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry," she started. "I know we made plans but I have so much left to do."

"How 'bout I buy us takeout and bring it back here?" he suggested, both corners of his mouth tugging up expectantly. Let the people outside her office talk, he thought.

Cuddy shook her head, though, smiling sweetly at him. "I don't know how much longer I'll take. I really do have to get these done," she gestured to the pile of paperwork on her desk.

House smirked. "Incompetent," he shot playfully at her; face serious, voice joking.

She glared at him. "Unemployed," she retorted before slapping her hand atop the pile of paperwork and dragging the one on top until it was in front of her.

"You would have hired me if I weren't against it," House defended, sticking his tongue out at her childishly. She sneered at him before focusing on the paperwork at hand.

"Want me to leave?" House asked her, frowning.

"What?" she asked, shocked, "No! Why would you think that?" House shrugged.

Cuddy rolled her eyes at him before standing up and smoothing out her skirt. She walked towards him. "I'm sorry," she said, pecking him on the lips. "I'll make it up to you when I get home," she seductively murmured against his lips, not meeting his eyes purposely. "I just have to get those done," she gestured towards the folders stacked on her desk.

"Well, work faster!" he whined, pouting. She chuckled. As annoying as it was, most of the time, it could really be cute. "I'll get you dinner so you won't have to worry about it. Any requests?" he asked her, lips pursing into a thin line as he waited for her answer.

She thought for a while. "Hmm… linguine and salad?" she said off the top of her head. Yeah, she was definitely craving linguine.

House nodded. "Linguine and salad, it is!" he repeated like a waiter. Cuddy smiled at his thoughtfulness. "Anything else?" Cuddy shook her head. She gave him a quick peck on the lips, thanking him, before walking behind her desk and once again sitting on her ergonomic chair.

"Oh, and the other reason I dropped by…" he trailed off, obviously wanting her full attention for just a while before he continued. She looked up, as expected, and waited for him to start talking again. "I got the job," he continued, "at Princeton General." His eyes were on hers, watching how she would react to the news. "Apparently, they have been in need of a replacement for their Head of Nephrology. They had some issues with my way of working so they felt compelled to lay down the rules one by one—believe me, it was horrifying," he rolled his eyes. "But… so far I'm okay with them." House shrugged. He'd be dealing with more paperwork if he took that job but he supposed he could live with it.

Cuddy just looked at him for a while, checking if he was really okay with not working at PPTH's Diagnostic Department. He was made for it, that's why she had established it for him those many years ago.

"House," she started, seriously, though her voice was tender. "Are you sure about this?", she asked him, biting down on her lower lip and fiddling with the pen in her hand. She had believed it when she had said that their jobs wouldn't affect their personal relationship if they didn't let them. Maybe it had been naïve of her to say that. Of course, they would.

But it didn't mean they couldn't try to prevent it… Cuddy sighed. House would be House when it came to his puzzles and patients. As much as he seemed to resent them, he'd do just about anything for them.

House sat down on the chair in front of her desk, looking at the ground; elbows on his knees, fingers interlaced. "Cuddy… I have no filter when it comes to my patients. I don't want to risk it," he mumbled.

Cuddy stood up from behind her desk, occupying the chair beside House's. She pulled the chair forward and cupped his cheek.

"House," she whispered, looking into his eyes as she caressed his face. She smiled, saying, "I know you. You may think that it's important for both of us that you do this but… you'll always be your incredible self. You'll eventually crave the puzzles again because the ones you'll be having as Head of Nephrology at Princeton General would never come close to the ones you get here. I know you won't admit it, but you're terrified of what you could say to me. I want you to be yourself. I love you because you're you." She let out a small smile as she said it, thumb brushing against his lips.

She licked her lips before continuing. "I don't want you to sacrifice the job you love the most for something less. You'll be miserable soon enough. I don't want you to have to go through that," she told him, thinking of him, and his happiness. She knew that by working for her again, he could hurt her again and again, but she had long accepted that. She'd long been immune to it—though admittedly, every time it happened, she hurt. But it was part of life; part of the job.

He looked imploringly into her eyes. He was struggling with this thing. "I don't want to risk us." For normal couples, it wouldn't have been an issue. But they were far from a normal couple. They both doubted that they ever would be. They were unique. Cuddy loved it. House thought they needed to have more things in common. They had more things to work through, still.

One step at a time.

Cuddy pursed her lips, inhaling a deep breath, closing her eyes to just… breathe, for a while. She truly didn't want him to sacrifice what he lived for, for her. She stood up from the chair and stood behind him. She set her hands on his shoulders, running her hands along both sides. "House…" she breathed before hugging him from behind, setting her head where his neck met his shoulder.

"It's going to be okay," she whispered reassuringly, kissing his neck. She didn't care if they had been over this the previous night; he needed support and reassurance.

"Nothing you say is going to push me away, now." She said, kissing his neck again. "Well, nothing you say at work because of a patient," she added, her tone light.

House straightened his posture. She carefully tilted his head to the side so she could reassure him more. "You're not getting rid of me, old man," she told him, chuckling softly as she met his lips with her own.

When they parted, House gazed at her eyes. Never had he seen them so alive. He took great pride in knowing that he was part of the reasons her eyes were so full of life these days. He hoped he was one of those reasons.

"Let me just give this a shot," he asked of her, eyes full of hope; hope for the future. House usually thought of the endgame, not the now. It was making Cuddy's heart burst with hope and many more emotions, to see him looking towards the future and living the present—a thing the House from a few years ago would never have done.

"Okay." Cuddy acquiesced, kissing his temple. "Okay," she breathed against his skin, squeezing his arm with her hand for support. "But know that the doors of my hospital will always be open if you decide to come back as Head of the Diagnostic Department," she added. House nodded.

They stayed silent for a while, House leaning towards her warmth.

Cuddy broke the silence. "Now, get out of here," she playfully whispered against his ear, "I've got work to do, bucko."

A corner of his mouth tugged up into a one-sided smile. He watched as she sat back down on her chair, resuming work.

"So… that's linguine and salad, right?"

"Yup," she replied, not looking up.

"Alright then," he said, standing up. "I'll see you later," he said before walking towards the doors. He paused, turning. "Cuddy?"

"Hmm?" she asked, looking up from the file to meet his gaze. His tone had taken a different tone, causing her to focus on him for a few seconds.

"Thank you," he replied, "for understanding." He smiled for her before turning and exiting his girlfriend's office.

Cuddy smiled. Taking a deep breath and releasing it afterwards, she sought to finish the fifteen or so files on her desk as soon as she possibly could.

She had forgotten how it felt to come home to somebody.

It felt amazing.

9 PM

"I'm home!" Cuddy announced, removing her scarf and coat, then hanging both on the coat rack next to her front door.

No reply.

Cuddy toed off her shoes and walked to the living room, not finding him there. She frowned as she continued her House-search in the kitchen and dining area; no one. She kept silent for a while, listening with her ears instead of searching with her eyes and mouth.

The shower was running.

An idea popped into her mind and she grinned like the Cheshire cat.

Quietly, she strode into the bedroom she now shared with him. She smirked as she saw his clothes strewn all over the room—though she kind of liked having to pick up after him. Call the picking-up part practice, she thought.

After making sure there were no other article of clothing haphazardly lying around the room, she slipped into the master bath, quietly, and closed the door behind her.

She watched him as he showered, at the same time removing her own clothes. The steam obscured parts of him, causing her to undress quicker.

"What took you so long?" he asked, grinning, as he felt her presence behind him in the glass shower stall. He continued washing his hair, rinsing off the shampoo.

She stood there, pouting. "Killjoy," she muttered. House chuckled throatily. The chuckle died in his throat as he felt her hands cold hands come in contact with his warm body.

"How was work?" he sarcastically asked, knowing the answer already.

"God," she smirked, "I hope you don't plan on asking me that during foreplay," she muttered, checking the water temperature of his liking. She pulled her hand away from the shower head when the water hit her hand.

He smirked in return although she couldn't have seen it. "No, sorry. I talk about Wilson during foreplay. The mention of Wilson gets women gushing," he grinned mischievously, "if you know what I mean."

Cuddy snorted. "Not this lady," she commented, grimacing at the thought of future foreplay if Wilson was mentioned.

"Your water's too hot," she complained as she ran her nails down his back, opting to divert the conversation and mood to something more… relaxing. He was too caught up in what she was doing to him to argue, adjusting the water's temperature to a degree of her liking.

"That's enough," she whispered against his ear.

"God," he groaned as he felt her fingers splay against his abdomen, dipping lower until she reached the short curls resting just above his privates.

"Call me Cuddy," she purred against his ear.

He let out a strangled groan as she held him in her hands, flaccid still. We could fix that, she thought lustfully. She started stroking him to erection, kissing his back and his neck. Any part of him she could reach, she kissed. He braced himself with both arms on the bathroom tiles, his breath coming out in short pants and gasps as she continued running her skillful hands up and down his length, toying with his sack once in a while. Cuddy let out a guileful smile as she felt his pre-cum, the evidence of his desire for her. It coated her finger tips in a few drops coming one after another.

A few more tugs and strokes later, something in House snapped and he gently pried her hands from his erection. He turned to face her and gently turned her, then backed her against the wall. He chastely kissed her on the lips before lavishing wet kisses on her jaw line and down her neck. His right hand snaked up to cup one of her breasts while his mouth tried to capture the other as much as he could. He sucked on her nipple, causing her to moan, a hand moving to cup his skull, pulling his head towards her breast more while the other rested on top of his right hand, urging him to massage her breast harder. "House," she moaned, back arching off the wall as he gave her breasts his undivided attention. Minutes later, after lavishing enough attention to her breasts, House's lips moved down to her torso, peppering her moist skin with wet kisses. He glided down, mapping her body with his kisses until he teasingly stopped only a few inches below her navel, causing her to let out a huff of frustration.

He grinned as he kissed her pouting lips with his own, inviting her tongue with his to dance. They did, kissing open-mouthed. Cuddy's hands were on either side of his face, pulling her flush against him. She could feel the hot suede-like prod of him against her stomach and she moaned against his mouth in anticipation. Cuddy buried her face in the crook of his neck as she felt him tease her clit, brushing against it slowly. She mewed softly, her hips gyrating towards his hand.

He kissed the skin under her ear then sucked on it, soothing the sting with his tongue afterwards. She gasped, nuzzling her head against his neck. Her breath was coming in pants as he tested her wetness. A gentleman always checked before he penetrated. She was hot, wet and ready for him as he easily slipped his middle finger inside her. She gasped, exhaling as his ring finger followed the other, entering her velvety warmth. Her hands grasped his biceps, nails biting into his skin as he started an up and down motion as he gently pushed her back so that her back was firmly pressed against the wall.

Cuddy moaned loudly as he continued doing what he was doing, causing her to shudder in pleasure. His fingers were brushing over and over against her G-spot, making her moans louder as his fingers continued plunging up and down inside her.

"God, House, what are you doing?" she heavily breathed out in query. His free hand went to her breast, massaging it and he used his lips to trail sloppy kisses on her neck. His body pinned her more firmly against the wall as her shuddering and writhing against his frame. His simple technique was bringing her closer to the edge, causing her muscles to seemingly push against his fingers.

"You like it?" he asked against her neck, nipping and nibbling on her porcelain skin.

"God, yes!" she cried as her body was wracked with more spasms. She arched her back, her internal muscles pushing against his hand hard, crying out her orgasm. She felt herself squirt water from inside her and she moaned out loudly, her head banging slightly on the wall behind her. The pain mixed with her pleasure, making it the tiniest bit addictive.

House's body stood firmly against hers, helping steady her as her body continued being wracked with spasms. One hand was wrapped around her waist, cushioning her from the wall while the other came to cup the back of her head, not wanting a repeat of her head banging against it.

Minutes later, her body finally stopped writhing and jerking, her insides felt tingly. She was very sensitive at that moment. Her face was visibly relaxed. She felt boneless.

"Damn," House breathed. She couldn't even formulate a word so she looked at him with questioning eyes. "Nothing," House answered, "Just didn't think that that trick would do wonders for you."

An eyebrow arched; another question.

House grinned. Even if he hadn't penetrated her yet, the perfect words to describe her current state were: screwed senseless. "Wilson recommended a video," he mumbled against her lips, kissing her.

Seemingly, with that reply, she was able to formulate a threat. "Thanks for ruining my post-coital bliss," she rebuked, turning her head to the side to avoid his lips. "Talk about Wilson again during sex and I'll ask him to join you here instead."

"That would be nice," he smirked, eyes playful. "We could have a threesome!" he said, mock-excited.

Cuddy scowled. "God, House, you're a pig," she commented, pushing him from her. Of course, being House, the man only tightened his hold on her more.

"We will never have a threesome with Wilson, or anybody else for that matter," Cuddy said sternly. House pouted, she glared.

His voice softened, playful. "Glad to know I'm stuck with you," he commented, pecking her on the lips, making her smile a bit.

"Stuck?" she inquired.

"Sorry, other way around," he chuckled, kissing her again.

"Good to know we're clear on that," she laughed throatily, making him smile as he lifted her off of the ground, hitching her legs around his waist. Her arms dangled from his shoulders, crossed and one over the other.

"Now," she grinned against the corner of his mouth, a hand trailing down in between them, scraping his skin deliciously with her nails. "Let's get back to the topic in hand," she purred against his lips as she held him, stroking him hard.

He moaned. "I love it when you talk dirty," he commented in between kisses.

"I know," she replied, moaning as she positioned him in front of her entrance, nodding her forehead against his lips. She braced an arm around him, above his shoulder while the other pulled him into her. House gently pushed inside her, groaning at the back of his throat while she inhaled sharply from the sheer size of him and the pleasure.

Her one hand joined the other, clinging onto him as he started moving, slowly, to give her time to adjust to him. She hummed in pleasure as he started hitting a spot inside her that made her body burst into flames of pleasure, engulfing her and her senses. She moaned his name, nails biting hard into his skin, leaving red scorches.

"Cuddy," he groaned, her tight core pumping him hard as he rammed in and out of her. Her nails deliciously pierced his skin, making him more aroused as could be. The feel of her pulsing core was close to nirvana.

Cuddy panted hard, helping him impale her onto his hardened shaft. The sound of their skins smacking against each other heightened her desire and need to come apart. The feel of the warm water cascading from his body to where they were joined was driving her crazy.

They continued their movements for minutes long; House thrusting up, pulling almost out only to repeat the previous movement while she met every thrust and pushed her pelvis towards him whenever he retreated—though whenever they seemed to reach the edge, House would slow his movement. Even if it was just sex, he wanted to prolong their orgasms. He wanted to remain inside her more, pleasure her more.

Her legs, wrapped around his waist possessively, prevented him from getting too far whenever he pulled. Her toes were already curling, on the edge again.

"House!" she gasped as he sucked a nipple into his mouth and thrust harder and faster. She let out a strangled groan against the crook of his neck, arms tightly crossed around his neck, her head buried there as well. "I'm…" she whimpered, panting, "I'm going to…"

"Come for me, Cuddy," he whispered against her ear after having released her nipple from his mouth with a pop. He felt her hesitance, saw her bite her bottom lip, stopping herself.

He secured her with an arm as he brought the other to her cheek. "Let go, Cuddy," he breathlessly whispered against her lips, his forehead aligned to hers, his fingers brushing her cheek as he continued pleasuring her.

With a strangled cry she came, muscles tensed for a while before her body let go as well, writhing and shuddering against him. Her orgasm was intense. She called out his name once, twice, multiple times, riding him as she continued writhing.

The strength of her muscles clamping around him caused him to let go, driving in and out of her tight channel even stronger, faster and harder, prolonging their pleasure and their orgasms. Cuddy was almost crying from the beauty and bliss of their carnal lovemaking. She kept letting out muffled cries against his mouth as he repeatedly hit that spot inside her, his muscles bunching, flexing and then thrusting, again and again.

House came hard, exploding inside her in hot bursts, filling her. She moaned as he did, the feel of his warm seed saturating her, prolonging her orgasm. She spread warm, wet kisses along his neck, laving at his jaw, kissing his lips, meeting his tongue. They moaned breathlessly as they kissed, slowly descending from their climax.

Cuddy moaned as she felt House's semen slide down the insides of her thighs, pecking him on the lips again. He thrust gently up at her and she smiled against his lips, teasing him back by rolling her pelvis. He moaned.

"Bed?" he suggested.

"Hmm…" she answered, thinking. "We haven't exactly showered yet," she reminded him with a naughty grin. "Shower, food, then… bed," she told him, eyes hazy with want for him. She had just had him, yet she already wanted him again. God, what was he doing to her? She smiled. She wouldn't have it any other way.

"Okay," he agreed, gently setting her on the floor. He reached for the shampoo and pulled her under the shower head.

"I'll wash your back, you wash mine in return," he bargained, grinning.

"No sex until we've eaten," she decreed.

He pouted.

She smirked, although she couldn't exactly glare at him from where she stood.

"Fine," he acquiesced, lathering the shampoo onto her hair before gently proceeding with getting her clean.

He didn't see the point.

They'd get down and dirty again soon enough.

November 15, 7:30 PM

"Hey," Cuddy greeted, pecking him on the lips as she dropped her briefcase next to him on the couch. He always went home earlier than she did. He had started working at Princeton General a week ago and she always felt a bit bad because whenever she asked him about how his day had been, he always replied the same, telling her, "It was fine."

She knew it wasn't, really.

She had expected to hear him complain but she hasn't heard a single whine from him and it was making her worry more. He wasn't talking to her about it. It had been a week. She had to take matters into her own hands.

"How was work?" she inquired. It was the first question she asked him when she got home.

"It was fine," he replied.

See?

"House…"

"What?" he inquired, staring at the plasma TV showing monster trucks crashing against each other.

"How was work? And don't say it was fine. Something tells me it isn't," she put her hands on her hips after removing her suit jacket.

House smirked, eyes still plastered to the screen.

She arched an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Well, that something is wrong. Everything's fine," he told her, finally ungluing his eyes from the television.

She sighed before snatching the remote that laid next to his thigh, pushing down on the power button on the remote.

"Hey!" House whined, glaring at her. "I was watching that!" he argued. She glared back at him before he lowered his head.

"I'll have the cable removed if you do not start talking to me about work!" she threatened, a hand on her hip, remote on the other.

He scrubbed his face with a hand. "Cuddy!" he moaned tiredly.

"What? Come on, House, tell me, please!" she plead, sitting next to him after dropping the remote on the center table.

He looked into her eyes. "There's nothing to tell," he shrugged. "Every patient is boring. The mountains of paperwork I had and will have to review is boring," he finally admitted. Heavily, he sighed, his shoulders slumped.

Cuddy's face softened, her heart broke. She walked towards the couch and sat next to him, embracing him. "We knew it would be hard for you," she said, rubbing his back. "But… you have to be strong. You wanted to try this. You're going to have to persevere, okay?" she tilted his chin and looked into his eyes. He nodded. He knew that he could resign after a few months but he knew he had to avoid the temptation to resign earlier to go after the puzzles that Cuddy's hospital offered. He had to sacrifice his love for puzzles for his love for Cuddy. A year ago he'd finally admitted to himself that the puzzles weren't enough, that he could be happy, and that he could be not alone and miserable. He had the woman and happiness now.

Was it worth the sacrifice?

Yes, he thought.

Cuddy was right, though. Eventually, he'd crave the puzzles so badly that he'd be miserable.

"House?"

Apparently he'd been too lost in his thoughts. He glanced at her. "Huh?"

Cuddy smirked though it quickly faded into pursed lips. "I was asking if you wanted to be a consultant for the Diagnostic Department."

His eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas morning.

She smiled. She had always loved his eyes whenever they contained happiness.

"Well, your old team wouldn't stop nagging me about it when they found out last week that you're back in town for good, believe it or not," she smirked. "Though I think it's a brilliant idea," she smiled.

"So, what do you think?" she asked, smiling lopsidedly, knowing the imminent answer.

"Sure," he agreed, grinning.

"Great!" she grinned back.