House and Cuddy were going on their first vacation together. Rachel was staying with Julia for the week as they were celebrating House's birthday, an occasion that House hated but was open to celebrating with Cuddy as she promised a lot of sex. House had always wanted to visit London and there's where Cuddy took him. They had shared dinner at the hotel restaurant during their first night, and the bar staff let House play the piano. Their fellow diners enjoyed the show and gave House a round of applause after every song. Cuddy sat at their table with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. House usually hated performing for others but tonight, there was something different about him. To Cuddy, it almost seemed like House was enjoying the show he was putting on and expressing one of his other talents. One of the bar staff was trying to convince Cuddy to join House on the piano bench and she eventually gave in. she strutted her way over and delicately sat down on the bench. House removed one hand from the piano and gently laced his calloused fingers with Cuddy's soft fingers.
House performed one last song one-handed and then pressed a chaste kiss to Cuddy's lips before unlinking their hands and standing up to take a bow. The restaurant erupted into another loud round of applause. House even made a show of mouthing 'thank yous' to the crowd and caught a flower that an older lady threw at him from her table by the platform. He then passed the flower to Cuddy who acted shocked playfully and dramatically took the flower with a cheesy grin plastered on her slightly flushed face. when they returned to their table, their meals and drinks had been paid for by the older lady that had thrown the flower at House. Cuddy thanked the lady and they briefly spoke about one of the pieces that House played. No one recognised it but everyone had agreed that it was beautiful.
Dessert was given to them on the house, Cuddy ordered a slice of lemon cheesecake and House ordered the more simple dish of brownies and ice cream. They spoke about places they want to visit over the next few days and other things. When they left the restaurant, the elevator ride up to their suite was filled with sexual tension and flirty touches.
Once they were inside their room, Cuddy was a little surprised that House didn't immediately pounce on her. Instead, he got changed into his flannel pyjama pants and sat out on the balcony with a glass of whiskey. Cuddy changed into one of House's t-shirts and some bike shorts before joining him with a mug of tea. Their view consisted of the London skyline and the twinkle of the city seemed comforting. There clearly was something that House wanted to say but from the look in his eye, what he wanted to say would spoil their good mood. Cuddy didn't mind if whatever House wanted to express would ruin the mood, she wanted him to be honest and not bottle things up as they had done previously.
"Take all the time you need," Cuddy said quietly, curling into House's side. It was still pretty warm outside and Cuddy was making the most of this rare moment where House was sat around shirtless. Her index finger traced light patterns into his skin and watched as his body reacted. A few minutes passed, House had taken one sip of his whiskey and the glass sat untouched on the glass table. Cuddy's mug was balanced precariously on her thigh as she waited for the liquid to cool.
"I never expected to live this long. I constantly predicted my death. Every time I overdosed, I would think about all the scenarios, like if you found me, what would you do? Would you leave me there and just wait for Wilson to come looking? Or would you call Wilson and actually mourn my death or pretend that you were glad that the pain in your ass was finally gone? So many scenarios and endless possibilities which to me, now I'm sober, seemed so far beyond reality. I'm still an asshole but an asshole who realised that he has someone to live for. That someone is you. You with the biggest ass I have ever seen who puts up with my batshit crazy behaviour and a daughter, who I didn't like at first but is slowly turning into a mini-version of you and me combined. There are things I have said over the years that I wish could take back which is stupid but this is my extremely complicated way of apologising for all the shit." House spoke quietly, avoiding eye contact and focusing on the fast pace of the city in front of them.
Cuddy bit her lip and let House's confession wash over. House wasn't fazed when Cuddy started talking, "It's true that you can be an asshole but the Vicodin made you an even bigger asshole. It's morbid and scary that you've predicted your death on multiple occasions but all that matters is that you're alive and sober now. You have a family that care endlessly about you and a friend who remains by your side even after the way you've treated him over the years. You deserve happiness because you've worked so damn hard to get to where you are now."
House nodded in agreement before taking a large swig of whiskey. Cuddy drank her tea and started naming the landmarks or buildings they could see from their balcony. The sky was an inky blue mixed with small streaks of pink.
"I assume my apology is accepted," House asked when Cuddy got up and started taking pictures of their view to send to her mother, presumably.
"Of course it is, you big idiot. But there's one thing you need to apologise for." Cuddy said, turning her body slightly to watch House's reaction.
"Are you going to tell me? I'm not a mindreader." House replied voice full of humour and a slight frown framed his face.
"I expected you to rip that dress off me as soon as we stepped foot in our room but instead, you left me all hot and bothered. I wore my sexy red lingerie for no reason."
"You have my full attention. Is it the lacy red set or the strappy red set?" House asked, shuffling on the couch and then attempting to look up Cuddy's oversized shirt. His attempt was unsuccessful as Cuddy held the shirt in place and then hurried inside, practically shouting "come and find out."
Cuddy was not wearing either of the sets that House had previously seen. They spent the next hour twisting in the bedsheets and racking up noise complaints, not that they cared.
-x-x-x-x-
On their second day, they became your typical tourists, visiting some of London's main tourist attractions. Every once in a while Cuddy would stop or make an excuse so they could stop. House knew that she was doing it for his benefit and he appreciated it. When they got in line for the London Eye, one of the friendly workers bumped them up to the front of the line, which earned them a few dirty looks and some unkind comments, Cuddy shot a House a look as if to say "You okay? Please don't do anything stupid" and House just gave her a quick nod. They boarded their pod which was packed but they found themselves the perfect spot.
On Cuddy's left, there was a teenager in a wheelchair who kept watching her and House with a smile on her face. The teenager said something to her mother and then turned her attention back to Cuddy who was talking to House about destinations for lunch. The teenager lent forward slightly and tapped Cuddy on the arm.
"I'm sorry for disrupting your conversation but I heard you talking about local places to eat. Stella's bar is a great place, it's literally about a 10-minute walk from here. Uh, we were heading that way if you're interested. If not, then just forget I spoke." The teenager spoke politely, not intimidated by House who seemed to be diagnosing her with his eyes.
Cuddy nudged House out of the teenager's eye line and they shared a look before taking the girl up on her offer. The girl introduced herself as Marie and she spoke with Cuddy about other local spots that were perfect for couples. House, on the other hand, was paying attention to the view but had one ear listening to Cuddy's conversation.
Their ride was over and Marie waited until their pod had emptied before her mother, Katherine pushed her out. House and Cuddy followed. They made general conversation as they walked. House and Marie spoke briefly about sports while Katherine and Cuddy spoke about Marie's condition. They arrived at Stella's and were seated at an outdoor table which was big enough for 6 people but the staff always gave Marie the space for her chair. Both House and Cuddy didn't mind the company. They all seemed to get along and shared common interests. When the food arrived their conversation died down but they enjoyed the live music that came from a street performer.
After lunch, they split the bill and headed their separate ways. Cuddy and House decided to head back across the city to their hotel as they were both tired. They caught a taxi and rode in silence with their hands laced together. House paid the taxi driver while Cuddy headed inside and booked herself an appointment at the hotel spa. One of the bar staff from the previous night asked House if he wanted to play the piano for a short period as the restaurant wasn't too busy. House went to check with Cuddy but she was already heading into the restaurant. He followed her and immediately sat down at the piano. He started with the song that Cuddy nor anyone else recognised and it finally struck Cuddy that House had probably written it himself. The few people that were in the restaurant applauded and Cuddy couldn't help but smile.
Cuddy left the restaurant for her spa appointment after rushing up to her room for some items and she found herself missing the sight and sound of House playing the piano. The trip to the spa helped relieve the ache in her muscles and bring a sense of calm over her that she hadn't felt in years. As she relaxed in the hot tub, she was surprised when someone joined her. Cuddy didn't even bother to open her eyes as she already knew who it was by the whistle that came from this person's lips.
"Nice of you to join me," Cuddy said seductively and House inched closer.
"You wanna massage my leg?" House said, making Cuddy laugh at the double entendre.
"Later," Cuddy replied completely relaxed. She felt House fling a wet arm over her shoulder and he pulled her slightly closer.
Not feeling in the mood to hit the town, they ordered room service, watched mindless tv, called Rachel and then House retreated to the balcony to call Wilson. Cuddy was reading a crime novel and thinking about the little present that was tucked away in her luggage. House had been explicitly clear that he didn't want any gifts but Cuddy took a page out of House's book and ignored what he wanted. It was a simple gift that had cost nothing. Rachel had made it for House (with Cuddy's help). It was a simple varnished keyring with the date that House and Cuddy got together on, written by Rachel on one side and the other side was a penguin drawing. She heard House promise Wilson an 'epic poker night' when they returned from their trip and House made it clear to Wilson that no women were allowed. Knowing Wilson, Cuddy predicted that Wilson replied that it was a stupid rule but he would kick his new girlfriend out for that night.
When House returned inside, Cuddy was closing the door with a takeout box balanced in her right hand. House eyed the box as Cuddy sat it down on the bed and then gestured for House to open it. House scoffed but stepped forward to open the box anyway.
"Why did you order a cake?" House asked, sticking his finger in the icing and tasting it. The icing was whiskey flavoured.
"Well we didn't get you a cake for your birthday and I wanted you to have a little sweet and boozy treat. The whole cupcake is whiskey flavoured, specifically Jack Daniels which is your poison." Cuddy said, scooping a little of the icing onto her finger and licking it off hesitantly. She expected the flavouring to be overpowering but it was just right.
"I know you got me a gift," House said after devouring half the cupcake. He occasionally fed Cuddy little pieces and she would giggle every time as House would always smear icing on her perfect face.
"You're wrong. We didn't buy you anything, we made it and it's only a little gift." Cuddy replied softly with a smile and House gave in. He finished the cake, washed his hands in the bathroom sink and flopped down on the bed, eagerly awaiting his gift. Cuddy rolled her eyes before getting off the bed again and going to the closet where their partially empty suitcases were.
Cuddy returned and House was watching her every move so she swayed her hips just a little more provocatively than usual. House smirked as Cuddy handed over the gift and he made her stand next to him. House pulled the ribbon off the box and removed the lid. Cuddy watched House trace Rachel's writing with his finger.
"Turn it over," Cuddy whispered and House locked eyes with her for a second before turning the wooden key ring over. He chuckled when he saw the badly drawn penguin but it was a sweet gesture.
"Thank you for not listening to me," House said, pulling Cuddy into him and pressing a sweet kiss to her lips.
-x-x-x-x-
Day three was filled with rain. They visited the British Museum and then went to the National Theatre to see a play in the afternoon. After the play, it had stopped raining and they took a slow walk across the Millenium Bridge. Cuddy stopped once or twice to take pictures and House would point out unusual things, some of these things made Cuddy laugh and others made her tell House to behave as they were crude.
Tonight, Cuddy and House were having their evening meal at a private club. The club was owned by a wealthy and well-known family. it was one of the newest hotspots in London and Cuddy had managed to book them a booth months ago. It was a jazz club, a place that was right up House's street and she found herself falling in love with the place when she had booked it online. She had the perfect dress packed to wear and she was excited to see House's reaction. Cuddy had also hired a chauffeur and a classic Rolls Royce Phantom. When Cuddy had told him to pack a suit, he had made a fuss and claimed he didn't have a full tailored suit, which was a lie because Cuddy remembered him having one that he hadn't hired for an event they attended together. She had eventually found it, hidden in the special hanging bag in the back of their closet and she had packed it for him.
When they returned to the hotel, House ended up falling asleep, watching some documentary while Cuddy relaxed in the bath. They still had two hours before their reservation so Cuddy let House sleep for another half hour before waking him and running him a bath. While House was bathing, Cuddy dried her hair and straightened it again even though House kept telling her to leave it in all its curly glory. When Cuddy left her hair in her natural curls, it reminded House of college Cuddy. One of the things that House never wanted to forget was their brief moment in college. There were things about that time that he wished he could change but all these years later, he finally got his girl. Cuddy was ready before House was pretty normal and Cuddy liked to watch House get dressed. He wouldn't follow a routine, like Cuddy, which annoyed Cuddy to no end but she found it so interesting to watch. House buttoned his shirt as Cuddy fixed her hair again in the mirror and made eye contact with House who was eyeing her. She smirked and turned to face him. He was fiddling with the bow tie that had been laying on the dresser.
"You want me to tie your bow tie?" Cuddy asked quietly and House met her eye with a slight grin.
"Yes, mom," House replied sarcastically and Cuddy shoved which pulled on the tie which tightened around House's neck. His grin dropped and something in his eyes changed. This change made Cuddy smirk and file that little piece of information away for future reference. Their chauffeur was waiting in the lobby downstairs and the car was clearly drawing attention outside the hotel. Cuddy and House walked outside, hand in hand, following the chauffeur who opened the door for Cuddy to climb in first. The chauffeur closed the door and walked around the other side and did the same for House who was walking with a slight swagger in his step even with his cane.
The journey was quiet. There was a fabric divider between the backseats and the front seat, it gave some much-needed privacy as House wasn't able to keep his hands to himself. At first, his hand would travel up her thigh and brush the edge of her thong before retreating. This always drove Cuddy mad and she found herself digging her nails into House's good thigh.
When they arrived, the chauffeur let the couple out and asked Cuddy to call when they were ready to leave. The chauffers had their own area to relax in and enjoying the music. The hostess showed House and Cuddy to their booth and took their drink orders. They looked over the dinner menu and House would tap his fingers on the table to whatever tune the band was playing. Cuddy found herself in awe of both the club and House, who seemed extremely comfortable in this environment. Everyone was friendly and would talk to House and Cuddy when they walked past their booth. House had struck a conversation with an older gentleman who was trying to convince House to play or join in in some capacity. House refused but thanked the gentleman for the wonderful offer. The hostess came back with their drinks and Cuddy ordered their meals as House had walked off, to observe some of the art on the walls behind the bar.
House returned to find Cuddy sipping on her cocktail and talking to the older gentleman that House had spoken to earlier. House slid into his side of the booth and listened to their conversation. Cuddy was telling the gentleman about House's piano performance at their hotel and the gentleman was impressed. House was certain that Cuddy wanted him to pull another one of those impromptu performances again. the gentleman turned his attention to House again and asked what particular pieces House preferred to play on the piano. Eventually, the gentleman left them and their food arrived.
After their meal and another round of drinks, House was bantering with one of the band members and Cuddy mingled with the other guests. Everyone was so friendly and clearly having a good time. Cuddy could see why people loved this place and why it was so popular. The music had increased in volume and Cuddy stopped in her tracks when she heard House singing and standing on the stage with the band. The gentleman from earlier took Cuddy's arm and led her towards the stage, the heat from the lights warmed her skin and she felt a blush rising her neck. The spotlight was on her and she was a little uncomfortable at first but once House's hand rested on her elbow, she relaxed and lavished in the attention. The crowd around Cuddy was growing and House helped her onto the stage. The audience clapped and cheered. House performed another song before stepping down and dragging Cuddy with him. Cuddy called their chauffer and waited outside until their car pulled round out front. They said goodbye to everyone and climbed into the car, both buzzed and unable to keep their hands off each other.
-x-x-x-x-
Day four was spent away from London. They toured the countryside of Kent in a hire car and stopped at Dover Castle. The view from the castle was breathtaking and they could see France across the Channel. The stairs of the castle had taken their toll on House but the pain was almost forgotten when he joined Cuddy who was staring off into the distance. She flinched at first when House's hand rested gently on the small of her back but once she knew it was House, she leant into his touch and whispered 'I love you' softly. House didn't respond but he did press a kiss to her temple, his way of expressing his feelings. They stayed there for a few minutes, just basking in the sun and enjoying each others company.
The trip back down the stairs was a little hard for House but Cuddy was right by his side. At times, the stairs were narrow and towards the bottom they were steeper. When they reached the bottom, Cuddy led House to the small café in the castle grounds and let him rest while she bought them a drink. It was warm but not the sticky uncomfortable kind. There was a light and cool breeze which cooled House down. He watched two young boys jousting with their wooden swords and Cuddy pulled him from his thoughts by placing the plastic tray down on the wooden table loudly. Turns out, she tripped over House's cane that had slipped down from its original resting position.
On the tray, there was a salad for Cuddy with some sort of iced drink. For House, Cuddy got House a plate of fries and a bottle of water. They shared smiles before tucking into their snacks. Cuddy asked House if he wanted to explore the underground tunnels or spend time walking the grounds. House preferred the grounds as there were more places for them to sit, rest and take in the views. Their journey started from the drawbridge of the castle.
Halfway around the grounds, they ended up stopping and sitting on the grass in the shade. The grounds were directly in the sun and it was much warmer than they expected as the storm clouds rolled in. House was looking at the map in his hand when Cuddy flicked water at him.
"What are you, eight?" House asked, Cuddy, gaped at him before pouring more water into her hand and flicking it at him. House moved closer to her and Cuddy tried moving away but House caught her by the hips, pulling her on top of him. The bottle went flying across the grass, completely out of their way but it didn't matter. It was a slightly awkward and exposing position but neither minded. Cuddy's hands were flat on the short grass as she hovered above House. She straddled his hips and one of his hands cupped her cheek with his thumb brushing her skin gently.
Thunder rumbled in the distance and they could hear the other visitors shouting about the weather or finding places to shelter. House and Cuddy stayed in their position on the grass. when it started raining, they didn't move. House pulled Cuddy against him, neither of them caring that they were getting soaked. Cuddy let out a loud laugh when House tried using the paper map as an umbrella.
"We should find shelter," House said, dropping the soaked map on the wet grass. Cuddy nodded in agreement and moved to get up when House pulled her in for a kiss with the front of her t-shirt.
"House." Cuddy moaned before pulling away. House let her get up and sort herself out. The rain was coming down harder and he struggled to get up at first as the ground was pretty slippery but he managed. Cuddy took House's hand and led him across the field to a stone building. There was no one inside but it was light and sheltered. The storm raged on and their clothes clung to them but their time out in the rain had been worth it.
The drive back to the hotel was slightly uncomfortable. Luckily, they didn't ruin the interior of the hire car and they shared a warm shower before ordering room service and calling Rachel.
-x-x-x-x-
Day five was their last day in the UK. Cuddy had nothing planned but she had given House some suggestions. They were both pretty tired and not in the mood to do much. House decided on spending the morning in the spa which took Cuddy by surprise. House lounged in the hot tub while Cuddy swam some laps in the pool before joining him. it had been years since Cuddy had swum laps and she had forgotten how much she loved it.
"I was waiting for some weird comment where you compare me to a dolphin," Cuddy said as she climbed into the hot tub. When Cuddy got no reply, she instantly knew that House was deep in thought and clearly stuck in his own head. instead of sitting opposite him, she went and sat down next to him. The movement of the warm water drew House out of his thoughts.
"I'm all out of dolphin jokes," House replied with a pout.
"What's going on in that brilliant yet frustrating heads of yours?" Cuddy asked, running her fingers through his hair, occasionally scratching at his scalp. House turned his head towards Cuddy and started talking, "I don't want to go home. I sound like a fucking child but I've enjoyed being anonymous and not having to worry about work which makes me sound like you in a way."
"I don't want to go either but we have a daughter who misses us and wants her House to help with her math homework. Maybe we should try and get away more often and we can bring Rach too." Cuddy said softly and House hung his head before nodding in agreement.
After their morning was spent relaxing, House and Cuddy did some last-minute shopping on Oxford Street and bought Rachel a few gifts. When they returned to the hotel, they had dinner in the hotel restaurant and then the bar staff asked if House would play the piano again. This time House didn't hesitate and he immediately got settled on the bench. Cuddy left halfway through his performance to answer her phone as Wilson was calling. When she saw Wilson's name appear on her phone, it was unexpected and she had a feeling this call was about House rather than anything at the hospital.
The call didn't last long but it was refreshing to hear Wilson's voice. Her prediction had been wrong and Wilson was calling about a slight problem with one of his patient's insurance. Cuddy quickly talked him through the protocols and then returned inside. House dedicated his last song to Cuddy and even sang part of the song. Some of the diners joined in and Cuddy found herself tearing up. It was such a beautiful sight and it was something that she would treasure.
That night, they made love slowly and confessed things that would just stay between them and the walls of their expensive hotel walls.
-x-x-x-x-
When Cuddy's alarm went off at 4 am, House picked up her phone and was going to throw it at the wall until Cuddy snatched it from his grasp. Cuddy turned off the alarm and climbed out of bed while House laid there, refusing to move. He tried to coax Cuddy back into bed for one more round of sex which failed multiple times. Cuddy was rushing around, packing things into their cases and House was lounging around doing nothing.
"Some help would be nice," Cuddy said snappily, pulling the covers away from House. House groaned and sat up, rubbing his thigh.
They ended up forming a routine, Cuddy would fold and tell House where to put them in their cases. House would put the items in the cases and piss Cuddy off at the same time. It didn't take them long to pack most of the things they didn't need. The essentials would be packed just before they checked out. Cuddy stormed off and took a long shower, leaving House pouting and ordering their breakfast to go.
House's way of apologising this time was laying Cuddy's comfort clothes out on the messy bed, organising her makeup on the dresser and even plugging in her hairdryer for her. it was the little things like that that Cuddy appreciated. Cuddy smiled at him when she saw what he had done and pressed a kiss to his lips before pushing him into the bathroom.
The staff at the hotel were sad to see that House and Cuddy were going which made it even harder for them to say goodbye. The taxi ride to the airport was quiet and Cuddy found herself getting emotional again. They are their breakfast at the airport while they waited for their early flight. House was getting antsy and started pacing. Cuddy was looking through all the pictures she had taken and was excited to show them to Rachel. They slept through the first half of the flight and spent the second half watching the in-flight entertainment. House picked the first Lara Croft movie and Cuddy picked a comedy before they just let a random movie play afterwards.
Cuddy found her car in the parking lot and loaded their luggage into the boot and House made himself comfortable in the passenger seat, not that Cuddy minded. He looked exhausted and had been complaining about his leg due to the cramped conditions of their flight.
As much as they missed the UK already, they were glad to be home.