Hey, guys! Glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I kind of figured you would. Heh. Thanks for all the comments! They were great.
House opened the door to Wilson's office and let himself in. He limped to the chair across from Wilson's desk and sat down. It was then that his eyes finally went to his friend. Wilson's attention had been on House since the moment he entered.
"Yes?" Wilson asked.
House paused a moment, thinking hard, but then said, "I slept with Cuddy."
It was Wilson's turn to pause. He wasn't expecting that and it caused him to fluster slightly. "I... kind of knew you two might have done a little something awhile ago, uh-"
"Last night," House interrupted.
"You had sex with her last night?" Wilson raised his eyebrows. "Who initiated it?"
"She did," House answered.
"And you just let her?" Wilson's voice rose slightly.
"She seemed sure," House replied. "She wanted to do it."
Wilson's eyebrows drew together. "Well, what happened this morning?"
"She left before I got out of the shower."
House's gaze went down toward the floor. Wilson realized that House was confiding in him because he unsure as to what he should do in this situation.
"Did you go in and see her here?" Wilson tried to get more information from him.
"No." House shook his head. "I shouldn't have done it. I know she's very emotional and I shouldn't have." He swallowed hard. "What if I made everything worse for her?"
"You should talk to her," Wilson told him.
House shook his head again, closing himself up. Wilson waited a moment before picking up his phone and dialing. He held the receiver to his ear.
"Hey," Wilson said into the phone. "Are you busy?" He paused. "Can you come up here for a minute?" Another pause. "Okay. Bye."
Wilson hung up the phone. House lifted his head and his eyes met Wilson's. He knew exactly who Wilson called. House stood.
"Sit down," Wilson told him.
"No."
House headed for the door, but Wilson got up and quickly slid in front of him, blocking him from exiting. House turned and made his way toward the balcony door instead.
"You can run, House, but you can't hide." Wilson folded his arms over his chest.
"Fuck you," House called out over his shoulder, but without much malice.
"Why did you sleep with her if you thought it was a bad idea?" Wilson asked him.
"Because she wanted to. And because I-" House stopped himself.
"Have feelings for her," Wilson finished his sentence.
House turned. "Yeah. I do. I care about her and..." he let out a sigh. "I shouldn't have."
"You don't know what she's thinking," Wilson replied. "She may be fine with it."
"Yeah," House agreed sarcastically. "Right."
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Wilson turned toward the door while House looked on nervously. Wilson opened the door.
"Hi, Lisa," Wilson greeted her. "Come in."
Cuddy entered the office, her eyes going to House, while Wilson stepped out, making sure the door was closed behind him. Cuddy gave House a tight smile.
"We overslept," she said. "I couldn't wait for you."
"That's okay."
House directed his gaze to the balcony door. Cuddy walked over to House and stopped in front of him. He brought his eyes back over to Cuddy.
"How, um," he ran a hand through his hair, "are you?"
"Fine," Cuddy answered. "Good. You?"
"Good." House nodded.
"'Kay." Cuddy nodded as well. A moment passed. "This is awkward."
"No." House shook his head.
Cuddy bit her bottom lip. "Maybe we shouldn't have..."
"You regret it?" House asked.
Cuddy thought a moment. "No... but, it's awkward."
"It's not," House insisted.
He leaned down toward her and kissed her. Cuddy kissed him back, flashes of the previous night going through her mind. The tenderness, the delicate movements, and his complete consideration for her.
House pulled back and locked eyes with her. "Not awkward. As long as you're okay."
Cuddy nodded. "I'm okay."
"So..." House tapped his cane on the floor. "What made you want to...?"
"It was just something Adair said yesterday." Cuddy shrugged.
House raised his eyebrows. "You talked to Adair?"
"She stopped by my office yesterday," Cuddy replied.
"I guess I should thank her," House said.
"Shut up." Cuddy rolled her eyes at him.
"No, really." House took on a more serious tone. "You were different yesterday."
"Yeah," Cuddy agreed, nodding slightly. "She gave me some advice."
"To sleep with me?"
Cuddy smirked. "No."
"And you're okay with everything?" House wanted to be completely sure.
"Yes," Cuddy answered. "Last night was..." she tried to find the right words. "It was nice." She lowered her gaze. "It probably won't happen again anytime soon, but-"
"Yeah, that's fine," House jumped in, letting her know that he didn't expect anything more.
Cuddy raised her eyes back up to him. "It just felt right last night." She drew in a breath. "Thank you."
House gave her a tight smile. "We should probably give Wilson his office back."
Cuddy returned the smile. "Yeah. We probably should."
House leaned against the door frame of the living room. "What are you watching?"
"Friends," Cuddy answered, her eyes staying on the television.
House stepped into the room, getting a better look at Cuddy. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Cuddy replied crisply.
"You were fine earlier." House sat down next to her, wishing she would look at him.
"I'm fine now," Cuddy said.
House eyed her up, trying to figure out what was wrong. "Did you listen to the recording today?"
There was a slight pause on her part. "Yeah."
"Are you okay?" House asked.
Cuddy brought her eyes over to House. "Usually I just get upset... but, I was pissed. I am pissed. I don't understand how this happened, how I let this happen."
"You didn't let this happen," House told her, his eyebrows drawing together. "None of us saw who Neil really was. And if he had succeeded in what he wanted to do with you, he might still be living his life as normal."
"No, he wouldn't." Cuddy shook her head. "You would have never given up on finding me."
House's eyebrows darted upwards. "He probably would have killed me, too, then."
Cuddy looked back at the television as the audience laughter sounded. House wasn't sure what else to say to her.
"I think I'm going to go to bed early." Cuddy stood from the couch when the commercial break came on.
"You sure?" House looked up at her.
"Yeah." Cuddy began to head from the room.
"Okay." House watched her until she disappeared from his sight.
House pulled back the blankets on his usual side of the bed. He climbed in beside Cuddy and settled down. His thigh was throbbing and he hoped it would lessen enough to let him sleep.
"Greg?" Cuddy asked.
House looked over at her, his eyebrows drawing together. "You're still up?"
"Yeah," she answered.
"You should have come out and watched TV or something," he told her.
"No." Cuddy turned in his direction. "I was thinking."
"About?" House prompted.
"It was nice that James came over to have dinner with us the other day," Cuddy said. "And I enjoyed it even more because you enjoyed it." She paused. "You should go out with him. Like you used to before all of this happened. I feel bad that you haven't been doing things you used to."
"Don't feel bad." House shook his head. "It was my choice. Wilson understands."
"I can handle being alone so you two can go out somewhere," Cuddy replied. "I want you to."
House turned in to face her. "I'll ask him tomorrow if he wants to do something."
"Good." Cuddy flopped onto her back.
House paused. "Lise?"
"Hm?" She looked over to him.
"You sure you're okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Cuddy answered.
She turned back onto her side and scooted closer to him. House reached out and lightly ran his hand over Cuddy's hair. He leaned closer to her and kissed her forehead.
"Try to get some sleep now, all right?"
Cuddy nodded and closed her eyes. "Yeah."
House stared at her for a moment and then ran his hand over her hair again. He rested his head down and closed his eyes, trying to go to sleep as well.
