A/N: Some nice fluffy fluff here. Bon Appetit.


"What'll be today, boss?" House asked as Cuddy reappeared from the kitchen with two glasses champagne. "Classical or contemporary? Jazz or Blues? Or maybe some good old fashioned Rock 'n' Roll? It's only Rock 'n' Roll but I really really like it."

"Do you know 'As Time Goes By'?" she requested more out of curiosity than the desire to hear it. The only sheet music in front of him was Beethoven. Cuddy wanted to get at least an inkling of how many songs were locked away in his head.

"Do I? Do I?" the diagnostician replied with an extra-large dose of his patented hokey dismay. "Does the pope wear a funny hat?"

"Yup, and I heard he's Catholic, too."

"Does a bear...ah, nevermind. Lisa, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were underestimating my piano skills."

"I'm not underestimating you or you're skills in the least," she said, sliding onto the bench. "Yes, Greg, you are an excellent pianist–"

"Why, thank you."

"You're welcome. But it wouldn't kill you to show some modesty for once in your life."

"Do you actually expect me to?"

"Stranger things have happened."

"Modesty is for spineless metrosexuals and pussies. If you're not underestimating me, what exactly are you doing, besides complimenting my wonderful piano playing?"

"I'm just...let's see...just testing your limits."

"Hmm...that's different," he mused, picking up the glass. "What kind of limits are we talking about here? My musical limits or my manly limits? I'd have to say musical since you're not screaming out my name in wild ecstasy at the moment. Are you waiting for me to play the piano with my toes or something?" He sipped his drink and waited, drumming his fingers and humming the Jeopardy theme song just to irritate the hell out of her.

She didn't bite. "So far you've been able to play just about everything I've requested," she explained while House's expression shifted into neutral. "Are there any songs you don't know?"

"Of course. You just haven't requested them yet." He set his glass down and began to hit random black keys, the notes fluttering through the air like wisps of smoke. "Many moons ago I took my piano playing very seriously and learned as many songs as I could cram into my pretty little head."

"So why did you give it up? Why did you become a doctor instead?"

"Chicks dig doctors more than piano men," he chuckled. "And in case you haven't noticed I didn't give up the piano. Who do you like better, Lisa, Greg House the doctor or Greg House the piano man?"

She rested her chin on his shoulder and said, "I like them both equally."

"Equally, huh? That's so you. Always fair and polite to very end. Choose one, Lisa, you're not going to hurt my feelings. I just want to know which one you like better."

"I can't choose."

"For crying out loud, just pick one!"

"I can't!"

"Sure you can. You pick one or the other. How easy is that?"

"Okay, how about this," Cuddy said, suddenly straightening up. "I like Greg House the doctor, I like Greg House the piano man, and I love Greg House, period. How does that sound?"

"I like that," House said with a gleaming smile, "I'll even go so far as to say I love it. But you still haven't chosen."

Cuddy smiled back. "I'm not going to. I want to play my request. Why are you talking instead of playing?"

"I want to play but you won't let me. Your talking is keeping me from playing."

Her gaze alternated between his eyes and the eighty-eight keys. "Or have we found a song you don't know? Is that the horrible secret you're trying to keep, Dr. House?"

"You underestimate me, Lisa." House turned back to the keys and began to play 'As Time Goes By', every last note was perfect and in tune, as if the music was burned into his memory and would never fade.