Chapter 9: The Aftermath

Later that night when House normally would have gone home, he found Cuddy alone in her office. Unusually, she wasn't shifting paperwork, but instead sat on her couch and leaned forward; chin resting in hands, staring blankly into space. House opened the door quietly and she didn't notice him.

"Lisa," he said, breaking the silence. She turned quickly, annoyed at him for catching her out and for other obvious reasons.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, wiping her dry eyes as if she expected there to be tears where there were none.

"I wanted to say sorry," he confessed almost inaudibly in the silent room. "I… I had to tell someone." They both knew who 'someone' was. "Because I was happy for the first time in a long while." She looked up at him sadly.

"I'm glad you were happy," she let in.

"And he didn't believe me," House continued after he shared a moment of gratitude with her, "told me to prove it. And I… I'm an idiot, so I was incredibly insensitive and selfish and… I'm an idiot. I'm sorry." He bowed his head and peaked at her from under his brows. Cuddy stood up and walked towards him where he loitered half behind the door.

"I wanted to be very angry with you," she said. "I only have two things and that's my job and my reputation. You just put a mark on my reputation and may have compromised my social and psychological standing in the way my job works. I did enjoy the kiss though. However," she raised her voice as he started to grin, "that doesn't mean I'm not mad at you." His face fell again like an eight year old boy being scolded. "You know what? Hell, I wanted to be even angrier with you than I am. I wanted to leave you and you're 'making it up as you go' philosophy and be an adult; or be with an adult. But I didn't." Her voice and her face softened and she took a step closer to him. "Do you know why I couldn't bring myself to even be satisfyingly furious with you?" House shook his head.

"No," he said. He stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him. "Why?"

"Because I'm in love with you." House's hand slipped on the handle of his cane in his shock and he almost fell over. Cuddy lurched forward and grabbed his arms to steady him. She didn't let go.

"You what? Really?" House was lost for words but he broke out into a broad smile and, likewise, took hold of her arms. She nodded. "I love you too," he said. "I think, no, I know I do."

"I love you, House," she breathed indulgently. "Greg," she corrected herself.

"Lisa," he chuckled, loving every moment. He stopped and thought for a moment. "You know," he pondered. "You said that you had two things: your job and your reputation. Well, so do I: my job and my friendship with Wilson. I remember him mentioning to me that it was the same for him."

"You have a reputation too, House," Cuddy informed him.

"I'm talking about good things. Anyway, they say that good things come in threes, and now that we've got each other, it worked out quite well, didn't it?"

"You know what I think should also come in threes?" Cuddy asked. House waited for her to tell him. "Shags," she replied. He grinned.

"Groovy." He growled seductively. "You know what? I agree. Shall we say your place or mine?"

"Well, I've grown accustomed to your place. And you probably wouldn't appreciate my stairs."

"Good point. So, you're basically saying my place?"

"Yes, I am. But why don't we make it a proper night. Wanna go out with me, Greg?" House's eyes brightened.

"You're one. I haven't been on a date since…"

"Cameron?"

"Yeah, that'd be right." He held his left arm out for her to take and led her regally out of the office. "I know the perfect date. Just follow my lead. I haven't had a chance to do this in years."

House took Cuddy to a nice restaurant. They stayed in their work clothes as there was no time to change; which was acceptable for Cuddy, maybe not so much for House. They didn't care. Cuddy and House talked for ages about everything. It was the easiest date House had ever been on. After dinner, House took Cuddy back to his apartment on the back of his motorbike. To House's surprise, she didn't seem to mind the bike and wasn't bothered by it. She turned out to be quite the wild child to House's delight. He grinned as they sped along roads at night, Cuddy clinging to him with her thighs around his waist, her chest pressed up against his back.

They arrived back at House's place at nine thirty. He suggested they watch a movie. Cuddy denied him Sleepless In Seattle and it turned out he also had Gone With The Wind which he begrudgingly put on for her.

"I like the movie," he explained. "It's just so long." He and Cuddy sat on his comfortable sofa together. House rested his leg on the coffee table and Cuddy cuddled up to him, stretching her body out over the rest of the couch. House's big arm around her made her feel warm inside. He kissed her hair several times throughout the movie which made her giggle and when Rhett kissed Scarlet, he did a very good impression of the scene with Cuddy as his Miss O'Hara. At intermission, House brought Cuddy and himself a glass of wine and they did the other necessary things that one does during intermission.

House's eyes began drooping and he dozed off twenty minutes into the second half, so Cuddy woke him up by placing a hand on his genital area. He jumped out of his seat, eyes wide and when he saw Cuddy laughing her head off he tackled her on the sofa. Kissing ensued and then they undressed each other heatedly. The movie was still rolling while they kissed every part of each other's bodies.

"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."

"Oh!" House cried out in ecstasy. "Very nice, Lisa."

"I love you, Greg," she grated in his ear during the second orgasm. The big words, 'The End' popped up on the screen as they exhausted again and sank into each other's embrace.

"Why, I love you too," House said. "It's funny; I never thought I'd miss saying that. But now I get a kick out of it again and again and again."

"Good," she said. "Don't stop."

"I love you."

"Wanna go to bed now?" They turned off the TV and graced House's bedroom with more love making.

It was late at night when they finally rested and lay in each other's arms.

"What now, Lisa Cuddy?" asked House.

"We could go to sleep. Or we could just lie here. I think that was the best sex yet," she said.

"Probably because of all the recently revealed love floating around in the open. And if you're superstitious; third time's the charm."