ok guys, here's a long one for ya. some Christmas cheer (in the story at ) For those of you who have missed some Wilson/Greene (and adding Cameron/House/Cuddy) interactions, well here ya go. Lot of important stuff in this chapter.

Enjoy!

Chapter 33:

Around one o'clock in the afternoon, almost four hours after House had carried her into the bathroom, Cuddy was setting the dining room table for five. She had on black stretch pants and a simple loose fitting maternity red top with cap shoulder sleeves. The heart necklace that House had given her that morning was proudly displayed around her neck.

After setting the plates, red cloth napkins and off-white pearl silverware, she wandered back into the kitchen just in time to see House sneak a piece of ham from a platter, and pop it into his mouth.

"Greg," she scolded, "can't you wait just a few hours?"

"I was hungry," House whined as he watched Cuddy take the platter with the ham away from him.

"When people get here, I'll put out the appetizers," she told him.

"But I'm starving," House whined again, putting emphasis on the word 'starving'.

Cuddy smirked and rolled her eyes. "You're gonna have to wait," she repeated again. Making her way over to the counter, she scooped humus out of a container that she had prepared earlier, and dumped it in a bowl. She situated the bowl on a medium sized plate, and then arranged pita chips on the plate around the bowl.

House came over to where she was, snagged a chip and popped it into his mouth.

"You are unbelievable," she scoffed at him.

House smirked and went behind her, wrapping his strong toned arms around her slender waist, letting his hands join together in front of her belly.

"Mhmm…unbelievably sexy is more like it," he teased, as he swept her locks of raven black hair away from her neck and planted a soft kiss on her neckline.

Cuddy smiled and rested her hands over House's on top of her belly.
"…That too," she responded playfully, after a few seconds of silence. Twisting her body around so that she was facing him, she laid one hand against his cheek, stroking his scruff gently.

House lowered his head down, and in one swift motion, captured her lips in a soft passionate kiss. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her closer to him, as he took possession.

"You want me," he breathed quietly into her ear.

She didn't answer. Yes, she wanted him. She wanted him to fuck her right then and there in the kitchen, but guests were to arrive any minute. Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Saved by the bell," Cuddy whispered, as she slipped her arm behind House's neck as she kissed him hard on the mouth.

"Damn," House whispered, as he reluctantly broke off the kiss, and then followed her down the hallway to the front door.

"Lisa, that necklace is gorgeous," Cameron gushed once she had stepped over the threshold into Cuddy's home, "and you look absolutely radiant."

"Thanks," Cuddy replied, as she closed the door and took Cameron's coat. "Greg got it for me."

Cameron looked around at House, who was leaning against the doorway to the hallway, with his cane leaning against the wall and his arms crossed in front of him. "Wow House, didn't know you had such great taste," she remarked, jokingly.

"Zales," he responded.

At this, Cuddy looked over at him, her eyebrows shooting up. "You never told me this," she exclaimed.

"You never asked," he said casually.

"Uh-oh," Cameron said, smirking, "I think someone's in trouble," she teased.

Cuddy sniggered. "What do you think should be his punishment, Cameron?" she asked her.

"Hmm," Cameron said, as she scratched her chin in mock thought, "well, you could always bring out the whips and chains."

"You know," Cuddy began, a smile starting to form on her lips, "…that's not such a bad idea..."

House smirked and limped to where Cuddy was standing. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. "Isn't that my job?" he asked seductively, as he traced her features hungrily with his eyes.

Tearing her eyes away from House's face, she looked over at Cameron, smirking. "Let's go into the living room, shall we?"

A few minutes after Cuddy had brought out the pita chips and humus, bruchetta, and a plate of raw vegetables and dip, the doorbell rang again.

"Where's your better half?" Cuddy exclaimed, opening the front door to reveal Wilson standing there.

"He had to stop by the house to change his shirt. He'll be here soon," said Wilson as he closed the door behind him. "Merry Christmas Lisa."

He gave her a peck on the cheek and embraced her. "You look great by the way," he said, once he stepped back and looked her up and down.

"Thank you," Cuddy said warmly, as she led him down the hallway and into the living room.

"Hey Jimmy….where's Johnny Boy?" House called out from his usual spot on the couch once Wilson came into the room following Cuddy.

Wilson walked over to the couch and greeted Cameron before turning and addressing House.

"He should be here soon…that is if he doesn't get lost," he added with a slight smile. He sat down on the opposite side of the couch from House as Cuddy wandered over and parked her bottom right next to House, who slipped an arm around her back.

"So how's the hospital?" she asked Cameron and Wilson.

Before Cameron even had a chance to speak, House interjected. "Geez, you haven't been there for two days and your asking like the building burnt down in your absence or something."

Cuddy glanced sideways at him. "What, I can't ask about my job?"

"Just ignore him, Lisa," Wilson joked, helping himself to a pita chip dipped in humus.

"You know…I think I'm going to do that from now on," Cuddy joked.

House scowled and pulled her closer. "You're gonna pay for that," he growled in a low voice.

Cuddy smirked. "Sounds like fun," she whispered, locking eyes with him.

Without breaking eye contact, House lowered his head down and brushed his lips against hers. After breaking apart, he lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Will you two get a room already?" Cameron groaned as she stared at the two of them.

House went to stand up from the couch. "Gladly," he remarked, as Cameron, Wilson and Cuddy all rolled their eyes at his comment.

"Careful Cameron," Wilson said, "he might actually take that literally."

House scowled and changed subjects. "So now that we're done talking about me, what do you guys want to drink?"

"If you have wine, I'll take some," Wilson piped up.

"Same," Cameron said.

Standing up, Cuddy went over to the cabinet near the dining room table and pulled out a bottle of Pinot Grigio along with two wine glasses.

Wilson's cell phone suddenly rang throughout the room. Digging in his pocket, he pulled it out, and smiled once he glanced at the caller ID.

"You're lost, aren't you?" he said, once he had brought the phone up to his ear.

"How'd you know?" John asked, smiling to himself as he drove along a neighborhood street.

"I know everything," Wilson teased lightly.

"Mhhmm," John murmured into the phone, "so where do I go from Nassau Street? I just passed Murray Place".

"Hang on. I'll ask." Bringing the phone away from his ear, he addressed Cuddy. "He's at Nassau going east, just passed Murray Place."

Cuddy stuck her hand out. "Gimme the phone. I'll tell him."

Wilson handed the phone to Cuddy, who gave John directions. She handed the phone back to Wilson and said,

"He should be here in ten minutes." Eyeing the empty wine glasses, she said, "I'll be right back. I'll get the wine."

Upon entering the kitchen, she saw House at the counter, pouring scotch into a green frosted glass.

"I was wondering where you snuck off to," she said, as she walked over to the drawer beside the oven, and pulled out a wine opener from the drawer.

House finished pouring his scotch over ice and then set the bottle down. Just as Cuddy was crossing the kitchen to exit back into the living room, he reached out his arm to stop her from going any further. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her to him.

"Not so fast," he growled quietly into her ear.

Placing the wine opener on the table beside her, Cuddy smiled and placed her arms around his neck, caressing the soft skin just below his hair. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the lingering scent of his aftershave. She felt his breath on her face as she moved closer to him, filling the void that separated them.

House lowered his head down, brushing his lips softly against hers. She compiled and opened her mouth, as she felt his tongue beg for entrance.

House's hand went down to rest on her stomach as he caressed her small bump through her shirt. Cuddy's hand came down, resting on top of his.

House nuzzled her neck with his nose, as he inhaled her lavender shampoo scent.

A loud clearing of a throat caused House to lift his head up from Cuddy's neck and look around.

"Sorry," Cameron said, embarrassed.

"You two can't be left alone for two seconds, or three minutes for that matter, without groping each other," Wilson exclaimed.

Cuddy smirked, as she faced Wilson and Cameron, who were both standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Actually, he's the one with the problem," she joked, jerking her head in House's direction.

"Oh, blaming me now?" House asked, smirking. "How about blaming the little parasite?" he said, as he rubbed Cuddy's belly with his hand.

"Gregory House, our child is NOT a parasite," Cuddy scolded him, narrowing her eyes at him.

House smirked and looked over at Wilson. "See what I have to deal with? A hormonal pregnant boss all day?"

"Watch it," Cuddy warned, staring at him. "I may be pregnant with your child but I am still your boss, and boy do I smell triple clinic hours in your future?"

Cameron and Wilson chuckled as House scowled. Just then, the doorbell rang and Cuddy ventured down the hallway and opened the door.

"John, hey! Merry Christmas," Cuddy exclaimed, stepping aside to let him enter.

John handed Cuddy a bouquet of roses. "Merry Christmas, Lisa," he said, as he handed over the bouquet and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"John, you really didn't have to get me flowers, but thank you," Cuddy told him, as she took the roses from him.

John shrugged. "No problem."

"Greg, look what John brought us!" Cuddy gushed, entering the kitchen.

House threw a glance at the flowers and then turned to Wilson. "Wow Wilson, I didn't know your boyfriend had such great taste. He obviously doesn't get that from you," he snarked.

Wilson narrowed his eyes slowly, but didn't say anything.

"Who says I got it from him?" John replied, without missing a beat. He extended his hand, which House grasped firmly and shook.

"Merry Christmas," he said. Turning to Cameron, he did likewise. Upon reaching Wilson, he stopped.

"I already wished you a Merry Christmas," he said, softly, "So I guess this will have to do." He captured Wilson's lips in a soft and gentle kiss.

"Eww, gay PDA," House shouted. A second later he grunted as Cuddy elbowed him in the ribs.

"What, it's true," he defended after receiving an icy glare from Cuddy.

"Let's go eat," Cuddy said quickly. Before House had a chance to limp past her out of the kitchen, Cuddy stopped him with her hand.

"Don't go thinking that I'm going to let you slide after that comment, mister."

And without waiting for a response from him, she turned her back on him and followed her guests into the dining room.

House dumped three helpings of ham on his plate, and then sat the plate down next to Cameron, who was sitting next to him.

"Does it kill you to eat human sized portions once in a while?" Cuddy asked him, looking up from helping herself to honey-glazed baby carrots, as she glanced at the vast amount of food on his plate. "Carrots?" she asked Wilson, who was sitting to the one side of her.

House ignored her and shoveled a forkful of food into his mouth.

"Greg!" Cuddy scolded, "didn't your mother ever teach you manners?"

House looked at her and smirked. "She tried but apparently she wasn't a very good teacher."

"Or you weren't a very good student," Cameron muttered, more to herself then to anyone else.

Helping herself to some roasted potatoes, Cuddy rolled her eyes at House's comeback as Wilson chuckled to himself as he heard what Cameron had retorted.

"Lisa, this ham is exceptional," John exclaimed to her, as he finished chewing and set his fork down on his plate.

"Thanks, John," Cuddy replied, "More wine?"

John raised his glass towards her. "Just a little. Thanks," he said, as he watched Cuddy pour more into his glass.

After taking a sip, he lowered the glass down, and addressed House. "Was the ham your doing?"

House shook his head. "Nah, I was at work slaving away while this one over here did nothing all day but shoved the ham in the oven and set a timer," he joked, jerking his head in Cuddy's direction.

"You better watch yourself there, doctor," Cuddy told him, as John, Cameron and Wilson all chuckled. "I prepared the potatoes and the carrots, I set the table, I picked up the dessert, I cleaned…I bet you just sat in your office and threw your ball up and down all day, am I right?" she snarked.

"You got that right," Cameron spoke up, before House even had a chance to answer.

"Ouch, House," Wilson mocked, looking at him, "you just got dissed by your boss, who's also the woman carrying your child. That's gotta hurt."

House scowled at him before smirking. "Yea, but since I'm screwing my boss, I think I can get away with it."

Cameron let out an exaggerated groan. "I cannot believe you just said that, House!"

"Keep dreaming," Cuddy told House, with a slight smile playing on her lips.

John smirked. "Wow, Greg. I think that just translated to no sex for about a week."

House looked over at Wilson. "Wow Jimmy, your boyfriend's hilarious," he joked sarcastically.

"Well, you see," Wilson immediately started, "that's one of the criteria I look for in a guy. If he's severely lacking the 'hilarious factor', then I just toss him back on the street like garbage."

Cameron, who had just taken a sip of wine, choked as Cuddy almost choked on a piece of ham. The two women met each other's eyes and smirked.

"Wow, if I knew that was what you based me on, I wouldn't have tried so hard to woo you," John replied, with a cheeky grin.

"Can you two stop it?" House whined, "I think I'm getting turned on."

Cuddy snapped her head around to face him, and her eyes narrowed. "Gregory James House, I swear to God, if I hear one more comment like that out of your mouth, not only will you be doing triple clinic duty with no help, but you can also be expected to be sleeping on the couch," she told him sternly. "And your team can't do it for you," she added, referring to the part about the clinic duty.

"Wasn't going to do it for him anyway," Cameron muttered. Cuddy smirked but didn't say anything.

"Yea, I could definitely see who wears the pants in this relationship," Wilson commented.

House grinned at him. "She just can't separate out her administrator mode, that's all." Not even a second later, he recoiled as he felt someone give him a blow to the bicep. "Oww!"

Cuddy smirked. "You deserved that."

House brought his face close to hers and stared into her eyes. "Admit it," he stated in a low voice, "you like having to put people in their place. You like being in charge."

Cuddy shrugged. "I like my job," she said coolly, "but I don't thrive on power," she finished out, locking eyes with him.

Without faltering or breaking eye contact with her, House tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and grazed his finger tips along her cheekbone.

"Oh, I don't believe that for a second," House said, chuckling softly.

Wilson caught Cameron's eye and smirked. Cameron rolled her eyes as the two people in front of her carried on with their usual playful banter, the kind of back-and-forth long time banter amongst two people who should be married but just aren't, for some reason.

Leaning forward, House captured Cuddy's lips in a soft, lingering possessive kiss.

That was all he had to do in order for her anger to dissipate instantly. As soon as he looked into her eyes, Cuddy felt herself slowly melting inside, her annoyance at him gradually fading, as it always did when she was with him.

And he knew it too. One look, one lingering kiss, that was all it took for Lisa Cuddy to release and forget about everything, except for the man in front of her.

Pulling back, she stared into his eyes. Without having him say anything, she knew what he was feeling at that very moment. She could see it in his eyes.

Wilson broke the silence. "Hey, are we going to eat or are you two just going to continue making 'goo-goo' eyes at one another all night?" he said, smirking.

Earlier that day, Cuddy had picked up a chocolate log cake and an apple crisp pie for dessert from a local bakery downtown. Before setting the desserts on the table, she was stopped by Cameron, who requested that she talk with the older woman in private.

Excusing herself, Cuddy walked into the kitchen with the younger doctor following. When she was out of earshot of everyone in the living room, she turned to Cameron.

"What's up?"

Cameron took a breath and stared directly into Cuddy's eyes, waiting until she had the full attention of the woman in front of her. "Lisa," she started hesitantly, "I visited Chase last night."

Cuddy stared at her, surprised. "…what…why are you—"

"Why am I telling you this?" Cameron answered for her, cutting her off. "I don't know. I just thought you'd want to know how he's doing…"

"So how is he doing?" Cuddy asked, her eyes narrowing slightly to which Cameron was rather surprised at her unexpected change of expression.

"…uhm, good. He's alright. I mean, he's coping. Pissed at himself for drinking and driving…"

"So, he realizes what he did, a.k.a that drinking and driving had consequences', at least now he does anyway?" Cuddy asked her.

Surprised, Cameron stared at her. "Yes…Lisa, you told me a week or two ago that you weren't mad at him. Based on your tone and facial expression, something changed." She paused, and crossed the line from employee to friend, adding in a softer voice, "Is everything okay, Lisa?"

Exhaling slowly, Cuddy shook her head. "…I don't know," she said softly. "It's just…one day, I feel lucky that I'm still alive and that I do still have a son or daughter on the way, but…there are some days where I'm like, 'If Chase hadn't done what he did, then none of this would have happened and…' " Pausing as her voice caught, she wiped her eyes. "I just…it's really hard sometimes…"

Cameron kept her eyes on her, reaching out with her hand and gripping the older woman's shoulder as she said,

"Lisa, listen to me. You're going to get through this. You need to give yourself time." She paused, opening her arms wide. "Come here."

Cuddy welcomed the younger doctor's embrace. As Cameron hugged her tightly, she whispered, "You can get through this, Lisa. If Chase is trying, then you can too."

Pulling back after a minute, Cameron looked at Cuddy, who was wiping her eyes, and squeezed her shoulder.

"You're doing great so far, Lisa," she whispered encouragingly.

"Thanks, Allison," Cuddy told her, sincerely. "I mean it." She paused and then said, "…Is it horrible that I'm not sure if I even want to go see him?"

Shaking her head, Cameron said, "No, it doesn't. It's going to take time for you to wrestle with your feelings. But it doesn't make you a bad person for not wanting to go visit Chase." She paused and then whispered, "His actions hurt you. So it is understandable what you are grappling with. It does not make you a bad person, Lisa. At all. You need to understand that."

"Thank you," Cuddy whispered quietly.

"You're welcome," Cameron told her sincerely. "Now let's go back before your boyfriend eats everything before we get a chance to have anything."

It was during House's fourth helping of log cake (and everyone else's second) that Cuddy brought up the question.

"So, John," she asked him, "you still jobless?"

John glanced at her over top of his wine glass, from which he had just taken a sip. "Yeah," he said, "why? Wanna hire me?" he asked, clearly joking.

"Actually, yes," replied Cuddy.

John lowered his wine glass. "You're kidding, right?" he asked, eyeing her somewhat jokingly but with a hint of curiosity.

Cuddy chuckled lightly before responding. "John, do I look like I'm kidding?" She paused and then continued.

"Our hospital lawyer is moving to Ohio because her husband got relocated. I interviewed two applicants," she told him, "but both of them are fresh out of law school. I want someone with experience, similar to yourself."

House raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "I would have put a hundred bucks on the fact that that proposal was a result of the alcohol, but since you're sober, I guess it's something else…"

Cuddy rolled her eyes at him. "Oh I'm sorry," she said, sarcastically, "I didn't realize I had to clear new employee hires with my diagnostics department head."

When House didn't say anything, Cuddy merely smiled and then turned back to face John.

"Of course," she added, with a slight smile as she looked towards him, "I am not automatically going to hire you on the spot just because you're dating one of the hospital's best oncologists."

John grinned. "Damn," he said, with a gesture of the hand, "For a second there, I thought that dating James was one way to get my foot in the door," he joked.

Wilson smirked. "I feel so flattered right now."

John chuckled softly as he pulled his Blackberry out of his pocket. "Let me check my schedule."

House turned to Cuddy with a genuinely bewildered expression on his face. "You're actually serious!" he sputtered out.

Cuddy cocked a single eyebrow at him but said nothing.

"It's Christmas Day!" House exploded, amazed that the woman in front of him could not grasp that concept, "normal people don't hire people and set up interviews on a holiday." When no on spoke, he continued. "Holidays are for escaping the place you call work and getting drunk off a shit load of eggnog, or some other form of entertainment!"

Cuddy chortled softy. "Maybe that's what you do, but you aren't running a whole entire hospital," she said to him, and then switched topics. "Can you hand me my phone?"

House reached over and picked up the phone that was sitting on the small table against the wall. Before handing it over, he looked at her.

"Anything for you, boss," he said, smiling.

Grinning at him, Cuddy looked away as she turned her attention to her phone in her hand.

"Okay, let's see," she said, paging through her calendar on the screen with her finger. "Tuesday, I have an OB appointment at eleven." She glanced up at House. "That was a reminder for you by the way. Don't forget."

Looking back down at her phone, she said, "What about one o'clock on Tuesday?"

"One should be fine," John replied, after scrolling through his calendar for Tuesday.

For the first time during the entire conversation, Wilson noticed that John had an unreadable expression on his face as the two men looked at one another.

"Are you okay with this?" John asked sincerely, staring into the other man's eyes.

"Are you kidding?" Wilson exclaimed. "Yes, I think it's great!" He lowered his voice slightly and said, "It gives me an excuse for me to see you every day."

"You sure you won't get sick of me?" kidded John.

Wilson smiled, knowing the meaning behind those words. He remembered himself asking the same question a week or so ago. "Nope," he replied.

John turned back to face Cuddy. 'Well now, since I have the boyfriend's approval, let's do it," he told her as he smiled. "Tuesday, one o'clock it is."

Thoughts? I had planned for a while to have the possibility to having John work at PPTH. You'll have to wait and see if he gets the job. :D