Titled: Pain in my heart chapter 16
Author: curseofavalon
Rating: PG
Summary: turning points

Authors Note: comments, reviews and critique are very welcome.

This chapter is longer and my birthday present to the sweet Prinni. Happy birthday and I hope you enjoy this day.

BTW since I have no idea about US cold medicine I had to Google it. And I have no idea if it works together with Vicodin since most cold pills here have 'soft' painkillers in them. If I killed house with a cocktail somebody might wanna tell me g.
Pairing: Huddy
Disclaimer: I don't own House or its characters Fox does tho, I just used them shamelessly for this snippet.

Cuddy had immediately left after getting his call. She felt somewhat relieved that he could jump over his ego and request her. It must've gotten worse, so she picked up Advil and more stuff from the pharmacy then went to a 24 hour grocery and deli store and picked up groceries for the next week. She had already cleared him of all his duties for that time at the front desk and left his Ducklings a message making clear not to disturb him with a mentally added Cameron.

After his last cold Cuddy and the hospital didn't need the repeated disaster.

When Lisa arrived back at his place it was 8, earlier then the usual time she went home at. This time House opened the door when she knocked, looking pale and barely able to keep upright. Ushering him back to the couch she made sure he was settled and then got the groceries to the kitchen.

Opening the fridge she was astounded to find it almost empty. Only a sixpack and coffee adorned the door shelves.

'Thank god I was shopping...'

Turning back to the shopping bags she jumped, Greg had somehow snuck in and was already rummaging through the bags, looking for something interesting, haphazardly putting things down left and right.

'House, go back and lie down on the couch!'

Lisa handed him a Kleenex box annoyed and tried to pick things up before they fell, apples rolling over his counter and carrots dangerously hanging over the edge.

'I don't like carrots, nor spinach.'

House made a face as he pulled the spinach from the bag, setting it close to the trash bin.

'Greg stop it! I'm trying to put this stuff away. And the food is healthy. God knows you'll need it the next couple of days. How do you even survive without food in here?'

Giving him an incredulous look she squeezed the last things into his fridge, now full to burst.

'Wilson takes care of me.'

He was slumped on the counter again, hanky in his hand, wiping his nose every few seconds.

'Meaning you're stealing his lunch still?'

Her hand moved of its own volition, softly stroking over his head. He leaned into the touch, sighing and closing his eyes. Yep, he was like all sick kids, he craved being taken care of. Briefly she wondered if his mother had ever done that for him, or if his father had always stopped all shows of affection towards the boy. Lisa had met his parents and had gotten her share of stories already back in University.

'He's paying for me.'

It ripped her from her thoughts and made her chuckle.

'I thought about making soup, is that ok with you?'

Greg nodded and looked at her spend, the moving to the kitchen and talking had taken up his last energy resources.

'Go back and lay down, I'll bring you tea?'

He shook his head and put it back down on his folded arms on his work bench.

'Wanna watch, 'm bored.'

If Lisa would've cooked after what he wanted in the soup they would've had hot water with letter noodles. Greg was against carrots, beans and not really fond of not having any chicken in it. He ate the soup anyways, his stomach had been grumbling all the time and she guessed he hadn't eaten the whole day.

'You up to telling me how you sported that cold?'

Handing him Advil and hand checking his temperature again, she looked at him inquiring. He shrugged weakly.

'Was taking a walk.'

Simple as that.

'Before or after you followed me?'

A snort, followed by extensive nose blowing and use of 4 kerchiefs. Lisa knew he wouldn't answer, she also suspected that he had taken a day long stroll after seeing her with Jeremy, it would explain why they couldn't reach him.

After clearing the table and doing the dishes Cuddy checked up on him again. He was on the couch, zapping.

'Good I guess you're settled. If anythings up give me a call, ok?'

Greg's eyes shot up to hers, his were red and heavy lidded, nose red, cheeks fallen. He looked better than at her first visit though.

'Can't you stay?'

The small child again.

'I'm not sure thats a good idea Greg.'

'Please...?'

Lisa ended up staying, in his bed, since he told her the story of Wilson and the couch.

'I'll get ill just like you.'

She laid on her side facing away from him. Instead of saying something 'House like' he spooned her, his breathing warm against her neck. She sighed, it was still bliss, feeling as if she was floating when she was in his arms.

'You're trying to weasel back into my good books.'

House kissed her neck then, slightly open mouthed.

'Is it working?'

A hoarse whisper, crackling with held back coughs.

'Not when you're sick Greg.'

'Spoilsport.'

A last kiss to the nape of her neck and then he snuggled her close once more.

Lisa laid awake for another half another, listening to his rattling breathing. His embrace was warming her to the core, almost making her forget. What should she do? How should she react? Forgive!, her heart screamed while her brain send alarms.

'He was down, drank himself into delirium, because of you.'

She sighed and then turned to him pressing her face into his solid warm chest.

'I thought you'd never turn around.'

'Shut up you stupid git.'

It was mumbled against his neck, his arms tightening around her. Greg kissed her forehead softly and she could feel him smile. She punched his chest gently, groaning with frustration.

'I hate you for doing this to me.'

' But you still want it.'

Lisa sighed but her hands stroked his side still. He was right. It was as if she had this masochistic streak. She couldn't stop wanting him.

'Goodnight Greg.'

Kissing his chest was the last thing she remembered before falling into a deep slumber, the first night since they returned that she fell asleep at all.

House woke up in the middle of the night sweating hard, feeling sick, he groaned, then tried to stand. He needed to get to the bathroom, fast. Before he could stumble out of the bed he felt Lisa helping him sit and hold the bucket under his face so he could throw up.

Afterwards she stood up and got cold washcloths, wiped his forehead of the cold sweat, mumbling to him to lay back down. Lisa got him water and and helped him drink before checking his temperature again. Only slightly high, she'd make sure to check repeatedly.

He was beside her, panting, trying to regain normal breathing.

'Are you ok?'

She whispered, rubbing his tummy slowly remembering her mom always doing that when she had felt sick. She was right, he turned more into the touch and Lisa rolled onto her side to have a better angle.

'Peachy.'

'Try to sleep Greg.'

Stroking sweaty hair of his forehead she waited until he had slumbered off, then allowed herself some more sleep.

Morning sun tickled him awake and the first thing House felt was his burning throat as he swallowed and the dull headache as well as white hot pain in his thigh. He turned to his nightstand to fish for his pills when he saw that Lisa had already arranged everything for him. His Vicodin, an Advil, a glass of water reminding him not to dry swallow, steaming tea and on the ground a cleaned bucket.

Taking his pills he tried to listen for any suspicious sounds. Lisa must be in the kitchen from the sound and smell coming from there. He slowly grabbed the tea and inhaled. Honey and cough bonbon's he obtained from Germany. He remembered those from when he was a kid and his Dad was stationed in the western sector of Berlin, which was enclosed by eastern Germany. A friend from his Dad knew someone in the eastern part and for cigarettes they got Kruegerol cough bonbon's. Dropping them into hot tea and drinking it, even if he wasn't sick was his favorite way to drink tea and his mother swore that it was the only way to get tea into him when he was a kid.

He took another smell and almost had to smile. Still like then, same smell, same taste. He went out of his way to order those packs, and right now, as he drank the hot tea and the herbs from the bonbon's laid over his aching throat and stilled it together with the honey he was grateful he did and he was grateful that Lisa had found them.

'Good morning.'

She stood in the door way, his huge robe wrapped around her small frame, hair tousled and frilly but eyes brighter than ever. And he had to admit that seeing her standing in his apartment like that felt right and all too normal.

'Hey Florence.'

House rasped and set the now empty mug on the nightstand. He looked up at her again, outlined by the morning sunlight spilling from his living room and this time he did smile, crooked and long been unused but still a smile.

'Feelin' better?'

Her voice was hoarse with sleep and still she had been up already to make breakfast. Lisa walked over and crawled back into bed, House opened his arms and let her nestle against him.

'Sickness is gone, aching throat and cold stuff still there.'

Greg kissed the crown of her head and his hands skimmed over her sides.

'Ugh...since when are you so cheery in the morning? You're sick, you should be grumpy.'

It was muffled against his neck and made him chuckle, which resolved in coughs.

'Maybe I'm stoned and maybe I'm just ...lets say delighted, because happy would be too big for me, that you have stayed with me.'

Lisa looked up at him, searching for honesty, and found him dead serious. He really meant it. He was 'delighted' because she was with him. Her heart did a triple backflip /flutter and her cheeks flushed bright red. She ducked her head so he wouldn't see, but this particular morning he would have none of it. Greg tilted her chin up and kissed her cheek tenderly. She gave him a questioning look at that.

'Still sick, you don't want to end up like me, and I need my Florence to take care of me. Don't get me wrong you immobilized not able to yell at me is a nice thought, But all the healthy stuff in my fridge needs to be cooked and frankly, I'm not gonna do it.'

It made Lisa chuckle, the simplicity of his thinking and she snuggled back and kissed his throat.

'I made some breakfast. Pudding as you requested last night.'

'Vanilla?'

She nodded and showered his neck with kisses, her hand stroking circles over his churning stomach.

His hands were wandering up and down her back and he was smiling softly.

'You made Vanilla pudding, just for me?'

'You asked for it. And it's easier to eat anyways.'

Lisa shrugged nonchalantly and rolled away from him again, stretching on the bed before getting up.

'Hey...come back.'

She laughed as he started pouting and grabbed his hand helping him out of bed, then handing him his cane. Huffing House walked past her and she took the chance to pinch his boxerbrief glad rear.

'C'mon breakfast is turning cold.'

He shook his head and chuckled.

They sat together at the Island counter in the kitchen longer than needed, just talking to each other. It was refreshing for both of them, making Lisa feel as if she had never really slept and lived before. By ten she went back to the hospital checking that everything was in order and deciding to take some of the work home that night. Trying to work through the pile of papers and folders as fast as possible and then trying to clear her clinic hours while supervising the Ducklings for House.

'Where is House, Dr. Cuddy?'

To say that Cameron was annoying was an understatement and she came to understand House's short temper around her.

'He's sick, I left you a message. Now could we please get on with work. Dr. Foreman report to Dr. Chang up in Neurology. Dr. Chase I'd like to send you to NICU again and Dr. Cameron...wait...'

She shuffled through the request sheet and tried to think of a place where Cameron could do less harm.

'...Radiology needs help.'

Yeap, Job done. Radiology, no why she could care someone to dead there. Lisa was just about to leave when she was stopped once again.

'How is Dr. House doing?'

'He is fine. It's just a cold, he'll be back soon to harass you guys.'

'Maybe I should go over and check that he has everything. God knows he never goes grocery shopping, He usually snags one of Chase's sandwiches.'

'Don't worry Dr. Cameron I am quite sure he is well taken care of. Now if you guys would please go do your jobs.'

Cuddy could finally leave, knowing that Cameron would not let up until she went over to see he was doing fine and knowing she'd be eaten alive by sick and grumpy House. To make sure he was brought some food for Lunch she asked Wilson to check up on him.

'So...you two...?'

'I went over because he asked me to James.'

She rolled her eyes for emphasis, he was nosy as twelve cheerleaders.

'Am I gonna find a bag with overnight stuff there?'

And perceptive as a bitch.

'No, I'll bring that tonight. Please make sure he eats something healthy?'

It was almost sounding like a beg and Lisa knew that Wilson would try. As she looked up again he was smirking at her, one eyebrow raised.

'What?'

'You're staying at his place?'

'He's sick James. He's asked for help.'

'And your heart is to good to be true around him, I know, I know. I don't have to ask if you're sleeping on the couch right?'

She made a face then, remembering what House had told her and even if it hadn't been Wilson's fault, there was no was she was sleeping on that couch nor sit on that side.

'What?'

His turn to ask.

'Nothing...just a bit nosy of you don't you think Dr. Wilson? Or are you questioning my authority?'

'By what House told me I don't have to question that.'

Touché , it made her blush and shrug.

'Go, he's probably waiting for Lunch.'