Titled: Pain in my heart chapter
Author: curseofavalon
Rating: PG
Summary: He went way too far

Authors Note: comments, reviews and critique are very welcome.
Pairing: Huddy
Disclaimer: I don't own House or its characters Fox does tho, I just used them shamelessly for this snippet.

They had been spending the rest of the day inside after the rather strenuous clothes shopping. Before they went back to her house, or home as House had referred to it, they had been eating at a small Diner enjoying the easy going companionship that slowly build between them. Now that they were home Cuddy was reading a book and House was trying to distract her by trying to get her to participate in his crossword. She had been reading the same paragraph for 10 minutes now without anything making it into memory.

'House, I'm trying to read, it's not like you couldn't solve this crossword on your own'

She glared at him, as he sat slouched in the recliner, looking over the edge of his newspaper.

'But its more fun this way.'

He was whiny, which was an indicator for him being bored. She had thought about going for a walk with him but then the weather had turned rain washing over the land. She rolled her eyes as he gave her another pleading look and then made him some place on the couch, which he gladly accepted. After he had finished positioning himself on the couch he leaned into the cushions heavily and beckoned her over.

'What now?'

Instead of answering he simply pulled her over so she half leaned against him, in a cocoon between his body's left side and the backrest of the couch. Lisa looked at him oddly and confused, which resolved in House rolling his eyes at her.

'D'uh, so you can see the crossword'

She nodded and turned her head back to the crossword, her back all tingly from where it touched his side. She wasn't sure if she should like the almost tender him or feel scared. He was looking over her head, jotting down words from time to time, and she knew that getting her to help him with the crossword was just a plot to get her into his arms. It was endearing somehow, and it screamed House. Getting someone to do something for him without making that person aware of the fact.

Instead of breaking the contact she got the afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over them. The longer she was in this warm embrace the heavier her eyelids grew until they slowly shut and she fell into a soft slumber.

He smiled down at her then kissed the top of her head, feeling that now that she was asleep it was safe to do. Being with her had suddenly made some parts of the old House resurface. He thought that one was dead, apparently he was wrong and what he knew all along was affirmed.

He had a soft spot for Lisa Cuddy.

Since he was at the house he had taken a little less Vicodin, the pain seemed to matter less now that he had other things on his mind. He had always wondered what it would be like to have her this close, but his imagination was far from the reality. She was small, delicate, well defined lines and softness in one warm package. Her breathing was deep and even, her face had softened when she fell asleep, her worries, he knew, had left her for that shortness of sleep. He knew part of that was his fault. He was her worry. But right now he just cared to be for once. No thinking, just trying out something he had denied himself long, a little happiness and comfort.

He solved the crossword and put the paper on the ground, his leg would hate him for the position he was in, still he relaxed against the cushions and hugged her closer. He loved her smell he had to admit. It was pure female, something fresh and flowery, a little salty. He sniffed her hair again before burying his face in the mass enjoying its silky softness.

Cuddy awoke as it started dawning outside. She groaned, trying to ward of the wakefulness and turned her face to bury it in his warm side. House made a deep rumbling sound in his chest and then stiffened. She could feel his body tighten as he tried to somehow move so the pain would stop.

Opening her eyes she moved away from him carefully and then got him the pills from the water table.

'Thanks'

He rasped it tiredly before dry swallowing a pill, after the effect kicked in he sat up and rubbed his thigh absentmindedly. She was sitting beside him again, looking at him.

'I'm ok, hungry. What about you?'

'I'm a little hungry too, you want to make your world famous dish now?'

She had to admit it tasted better than she remembered. Or maybe it was just the cooking together, the company. She knew it was inevitable to resolve what had happened, but right now she just enjoyed the company, the way it felt laying in his arms. Maybe it was all just a dream and it would probably end soon, and maybe they could find a base of understanding, a truce. She hoped for that.

They sat on the couch after having cleaned the dishes together, House sitting on one of the Island counter chairs, scrubbing the plates, Cuddy drying them and putting them away.

This time she was prepared for his boredom and had gotten more crossword puzzle magazine from a Gas station just outside of town. As she came back he had rummaged through her CD collection and decided for Blues. The CD's he had decided against lays strewn in the shelve next to the CD player. Lisa was reading her book while House solved one puzzle after another in record times.

Another song came on and House's ears almost visibly perked, a soft smile lining his features. Jimmy Reeds slow 'Outskirts of town' howled lazily through the speakers. She understood while House was fond of Blues. The slow melodies, lazily wafting through the air, making you feel like on a hot day in Louisiana, sitting on a porch trying to ward of the dry hotness. It seemed as if the melodies where made up, a spur of the moment thing, luckily recorded and stored. House's body seemed to hum with the music. Then his face darkened again and she couldn't stop asking.

'What?'

'I miss dancing to such music. Slow and soft, just moving, swaying.'

She could understand that he missed such an everyday thing. Every time he told her things he missed she felt an ache in her chest. Even if he told her a hundred times that he would've done the same, in the end it had been Cuddy's decision for the surgery, her fault he missed dancing.

She decided she would try to give something back.

'Stand up'

He looked confused at first, took the cane she handed him nonetheless.

'Nobody wants you to dance a Waltz or Fox. Slow dancing should be ok with the cane.'

She was set, her mind made up.

'C'mon Cuddy...its nothing really. I just wanted to say something.' I don't wanna look stupid in front of you.

'Maybe I want to dance with you'

She had that challenging come hither look again. She stepped close to him, having to look up to see his face, smiling reassuringly. The Song changed to Otis Rush's even slower 'I can't quit you baby' and House finally enclosed her with his arm, the other leaning on the cane as they started to simply sway to the music, sometimes taking a step back and forth, varying, coming closer and closer until no sliver of light would fit between them.

Their bodies pressed together in all the right places, his arms slung around her form making her feel safe and warm. And not just that, when half of the song had played his look had become almost smoldering, she felt her face redden and pressed it against his chest. He was lean and lank, soft and hard in all the right places, the strenuous cane walking building muscle in his chest, arms and back, which felt wonderful under her hands now.

His breath was washing over her in hot cascades leaving her feeling fuzzy. His face was pressed against the hollow between her neck and shoulder and somehow his lips ended up moving over her skin just as lazy as the Blues. She shuddered and hugged him tighter. Lisa was sure she could come up with ten dozen reasons that this was wrong. But right now it felt good.