A/N: OK, I know nothing about House's home or the working hours at Princeton Plainsboro either. But, incidentally, I do play the piano, even though I didn't put in many details about that.
Disclaimer: The song is obviously not mine.
Chapter 5: I Think I Love You
"Can you play?" he asked.
Cuddy blinked.
"What?"
House hobbled across the room and stood next to the grand piano in the corner.
"Can you play?" he repeated.
She shook her head.
"A B C D E F is about all."
"G," he corrected.
House limped over to the door where Cuddy was standing. He held out a hand to her.
"Here," he offered.
She placed her smaller hand hesitantly in his rough one. He led her over to the piano and sat down heavily. Then he gestured for her to sit next to him on the stool, which was big enough for two.
"A B C D E F G," he said, playing all of the notes as he said them.
Cuddy nodded.
Then House put his hand on hers.
A sharp intake of breath. It was hers. Her body shivered involuntarily. But his touch was comforting. He placed her hand on the keyboard and guided her fingers to make a tune.
"What…?" she began, at a loss. And then she felt a warm sensation inside when she recognized the tune. "I Think I Love You" by The Partridge Family.
House grinned.
"Now play it by yourself."
She did so without too many mistakes, and House started to play the complex introduction with both hands and to sing, "And didn't I go and shout it when you walked into the room… now!"
Cuddy played her little bit.
"I think I love you!"
They managed to get through half of the song before House leaned over and kissed Cuddy on the side of the face.
That threw her off without hope of return, but, neither seemed to mind as they had continued the kiss with the lips and the hands and were tied up in an awkward embrace on the piano stool.
House broke away first.
"Do you mind?" he asked. "It's just… my leg."
Cuddy immediately backed away.
"Oh! Sorry," she apologized.
"It's fine," he assured her.
Cuddy got off the stool and she watched House pop two Vicodin. Something stirred inside her. She didn't know what it was so she forgot about it straight away.
Is there anywhere you would care to go?" asked House.
Cuddy shrugged nonchalantly.
"I have to work at five."
"You own the hospital," said House. "No one's making you."
She gave him a highly disapproving look, then smiled.
"I guess. Wanna go to the zoo?"
"You're kidding, right?" House raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know," replied Cuddy. "We could."
House grinned.
"OK," he said. "As long as we're together, that's fine with me."
