Sorry for the lack of update. Real life has been a real bitch lately. Anyway, here's the next chapter! And thank you for all the wonderful comments. You guys are awesome.


Cuddy entered into her home and closed the door behind her. She heard the television playing from the living room. After locking the door, Cuddy made her way into the living room. House looked up from his spot on the couch.

"Hey," Cuddy greeted. "You stayed here."

"Yeah," House agreed. "You've got better movie channels. How was your sister's?"

"Great," Cuddy told him and felt her stomach grumble.

"That's good." House nodded. "And slightly odd considering you weren't there."

Cuddy's lips pressed together. House stared at her, waiting for her to say something because he wasn't going to say any more. Cuddy shifted her weight.

"How did you find out?" she asked quietly.

House raised his eyebrows. "Where were you?"

Cuddy looked to the floor and then back up at him. "I was with Adair." She paused a moment. "Neil offered that if he got to talk to me, he would give the location of another one of his victims."

"You went to see Neil?" House wasn't sure if he believed her.

"Yes," Cuddy answered.

House grabbed his cane and stood from the couch. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"I knew what you would do," Cuddy told him. "You'd talk me out of it. And I needed to go."

House frowned. "Well, it seems you were dead set in going. Even if I tried to talk you out of it, we both know you would have gone. What is this really about?"

She eyed him up and admitted, "Yeah, that was part of it."

"And the other part?" he prompted.

"If it," she drew in a breath, "would cause me more harm. I... didn't want you to know why if I started having more nightmares or something."

"So, now when you do have more nightmares, I know what I can blame?" House asked. "You shouldn't have gone if it's going to set you back. And you should have talked to me about it instead of lying to my face, Cuddy."

"You don't understand." Cuddy's voice rose in volume. "I needed to go there. And I didn't want the guilt of going against your word."

House's eyebrows drew together. "So, you'd rather have the guilt of lying to me?"

"Yes," Cuddy snapped. "It's easier than trying to tell myself that you're wrong."

"I guess you expect me to clean up the mess you made," House concluded with a snide nod of his head.

"I'm not a mess," Cuddy harshly replied. "And I didn't make a mess. I think-" She softened her tone. "I think I'm okay."

"You're okay?" House was positive he was talking to someone else. "After seeing Neil, you're okay? I don't believe that."

"I was scared to be there, to see him," Cuddy honestly confessed and began to pace. "But, it was on my own terms. I knew what I was getting into. And on the way home, I thought about everything he said to me and..." She locked eyes with House. "He was pathetic. He's in there, scrounging around for any sort of control, but he has none. That's why he set up that deal. For control. But, he's the one behind bars. He's the one that will be there for the rest of his life. I needed to do this for me, Greg." She stopped and faced him. "I... I won't always need you."

House stared at her for one quiet moment. When he spoke, his voice was laced with resentment.

"You think I don't know that? I want you to get better. I don't want to stay here forever with you."

"So, leave." Cuddy folded her arms across her chest defensively, not expecting that kind of reaction. "I'll be fine."

"Yeah, right," House said. "You'll lock yourself in your bathroom."

"Why are you being such an asshole?" Cuddy asked, feeling hurt.

"Why did you lie to me?" House was quick to reply.

"I told you why." Cuddy stepped closer to him. "I needed to do this for me. Some things don't include you, House. Some things aren't your business."

"It is my business when I have to pick up the pieces of you falling apart," House insisted.

Cuddy frowned. "I'm fine!"

"Now," House dragged out the word. "I'm waiting for the nightmares."

Cuddy shook her head, trying to shake him off as well. "Leave, then. Don't stick around for them."

"Fine." House moved past her and into the hallway.

"Fuck," Cuddy muttered to herself and then went after him. "Wait."

House turned by the front door. "What?"

Cuddy let out a heavy breath. "I don't want you to go."

"Tough." House shrugged at her.

"House. I needed to do this," she stressed again. "I don't expect you to understand that. You have no idea-" The tears started before she could stop them. "You don't know..."

"Damn it." House breathed out. He hated when she cried. He made his way toward her. "Lisa."

Cuddy swiped at her tears quickly, embarrassed by them, and walked away from him. House followed after her and into her bedroom. Cuddy was sitting on the edge of her bed, her head down and her hands in her lap.

"Just fucking go if you're going," she told him, defeated.

"I don't want to go." He sat down next to her on the bed. "Wanna tell me what happened when you went to see Neil? I want all the details." He gave her a gentle nudge to get her to look at him. "I do care, Cuddy."

Cuddy kept her eyes on him, making sure he was being truthful. "Adair drove. We got there a little earlier than scheduled, but we went in anyway. Adair was prepping me for what to expect and I could feel my heart just...like, pounding in my chest..."


An hour later, Cuddy finished recounting every detail to House and was stretched out on the bed, her bare feet in House's lap. He lightly tapped his fingers on her shin.

"And after all of that, you still think you're okay?" House asked, unsure if he could buy into what she was telling him.

"I do." Cuddy nodded. "Yes."

House raised his eyebrows. "After everything he said to you?"

"Yes," Cuddy insisted. "Like I told you, he's powerless. He only has power if I let him affect me."

House nodded slightly and removed her feet from his lap. He stood from the bed and looked down at her.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, actually." Cuddy gave him a small smile.

"I'll get you something," House told her as he headed for the door, cane in hand.

Cuddy swung her legs over the bed as she sat up. "No, that's okay. I'll-"

"No," House cut her off. "I ordered Chinese earlier. I'll heat up the leftovers for you."

"Thanks."

House left the room and Cuddy settled back down in bed, feeling the exhaustion of the day wash over her. She tried to force herself to keep awake considering her stomach was feeling extremely empty and she wanted to eat. But, as she shifted her head on her pillow, her eyes fluttered closed and she drifted off.

When House returned to the bedroom with a fork and a plate piled high with food, he was surprised to see Cuddy asleep. He set the plate on the night stand and then carefully placed her legs beneath the bedcovers before pulling them up over her.

He switched the light off and picked the plate of food back up. As House began down the hallway and toward the kitchen, a knock on the door sounded. House headed for the door instead, plate still in hand.

House opened the front door, surprised to see Wilson standing on the porch. Wilson gave House a smile.

"You didn't answer your phone," he said. "I figured you were here."

"Yeah," House replied.

"Something wrong?" Wilson asked, his eyebrows drawing together in concern.

House extended the plate of food. "Hungry?"

Wilson stared down at the food. "Um. No." He looked back up at House, slightly confused. "Can I come in?"

House took a step back, allowing Wilson to enter. Wilson closed the door behind himself and unbuttoned his winter coat.

"Where's Lisa?" Wilson directed his question to House.

"Asleep," House answered.

"Oh." Wilson gave a short nod. "I was wondering if you and Cuddy wanted to go out tomorrow afternoon."

House raised his eyebrows. "With Cutthroat?"

"No." Wilson shook his head. "Amber's going to visit a friend tomorrow."

"Old boyfriend?" House couldn't stop his small smirk from forming.

Wilson narrowed his eyes at his friend. "House."

House shrugged. "I wouldn't put that past a cutthroat bitch."

"Don't call her that," Wilson told him. He paused a moment. "So, do you want to?"

"I'll have to ask her." House gave a nod toward the bedroom.

"Okay." Wilson placed his hand on the door knob to the front door. "Let me know tomorrow."

House frowned. "You came all the way over here just to ask if we wanted to go out with you tomorrow? Cuddy has a home phone line, you know."

"I know," Wilson replied.

"You wanted to check up on us," House accused. "See if we were in the throes of passionate sex."

"House," Wilson scolded for a second time.

"What?" House asked. "Why else would you stop by?"

"I was in the area," Wilson said.

House raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to him. "Alone?"

Wilson held House's eye contact a moment before giving up. "It was Amber's idea. She's in the car."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, House."

With a shake of his head and a slight roll of his eyes after being caught, Wilson pulled open the front door and headed out of the house. House watched as Wilson made his way toward the car with Amber in it. She was driving, which didn't surprise House at all.

House shut front door and locked it. He made his way down the hallway and into the kitchen. After dumping all the food back into the Chinese food cartons, he placed the plate in the sink and the cartons back in the fridge. House made sure the lights were off as he went back into the bedroom.

Cuddy was still asleep in bed, her mouth partially open. House limped around the bed and over to the dresser. He opened the drawer he kept some of his clothes in and extracted his pajamas. Once he was changed, he went to the other side of the bed.

He checked his watch, noting that it was after eleven. House climbed into bed next to Cuddy. She stirred as the bed shifted and looked over at House.

"I fell asleep," she muttered, her voice tired.

"That's okay," House told her, speaking quietly.

"Sorry," Cuddy apologized.

"It's okay," House replied. "Go back to sleep."

Cuddy scooted closer to him and snuggled up against him to keep warm. House stared at her for a few seconds before placing his arm around her and pulling her closer into him.