House had been sitting in the armchair for hours, gazing at the photo book. It were supposed to be happy memories, now more than ever. Still a kind of pang went through him when he thought about it, his hand shaky whenever he tried to reach out for it.

While he sat he barely thought of anything else. He wondered how much it must've hurt Lisa, putting each picture into the book, opening Pandora's box of memories.

Somewhere past midnight his hand was steady as it reached forward. His fingertips grazed then leather, memorizing the texture and storing it deep in his mind. He opted to look through it from the last page back to the first. Pain first happiness to cure it.

The last picture was of their Christmas together, their last Christmas. Lisa had gotten an intern at another Hospital in the city. They had been happy that she worked there too, same city, still they wanted to wait a little longer to move in together. Both knowing they needed their respective spaces.

'Hold still or the picture will be shaken...Lisa hold still' Greg leaned down and smooched her cheek, both laughing widely.

'Stop it...Greg! That must be the hundredths photo you have taken.'

He hugged her tighter, looking down at her tenderly.

'You're beautiful.'

House swallowed hard and closed to book again, taking deep breaths. He couldn't understand why memories always pained him so. Why he wasn't able to look at an old picture without feeling the weight of remorse settling on him heavily. Back then he could walk, laugh, love without trying not to hit his injured leg. Back then he was able to look into a mirror without disgust.

A few months after that picture was taken he had started his affair with Stacy. She had been a patient when he was in clinic, left her number with him and somehow he had found himself ending up in a bar with her, telling her how hard he had it with his girl, never once seeing her. All she had replied was that maybe it wasn't gonna work out.

Two weeks after that, House had taken Stacy home with him after meeting for Lunch. Thats when Lisa came home early.

'Greg I'm home early and I brought us some Sandwiches. You will not believe how I had to fight for that damn Reuben!'

House woke with a start, his eyes wide, sweeping the room erratic, his pulse and heartbeat hard and fast. He heard her steps and looked down at his companion, fear and disgust sweeping him. Before he could stand up and make it out the room, the door opened and Lisa stepped in.

'He got pretty nasty but I could...Oh God!'

She looked up in mid tirade, eyes wide with shock and hurt.

'Lisa...'

She ran.

House opened the book at an earlier page. Lisa's graduation. A smile broke from his face at the picture of Lisa pulling a dorky face at him in her robe and hat, while receiving her diploma. Greg chuckled dryly and stroked his fingers over the pictures on the pages. Her graduation, the party afterwards, someone had made a picture of them kissing while he handed Lisa her present.

'Open it.'

House smirked at her, watching with glee as Lisa pulled at the bow to open the box.

'Oh my God! GREGORY HOUSE!!!'

Her face was contorted with held back laughter and a bit of embarrassment. Lisa closed the lit again, blushing for real. Inside rested a leather nurses outfit, that she guessed he had gotten from some sex shop.

'So will you be my doctor tonight?'

Greg sipped the last gulps of the long cold tea, flipping page per page. Memories reeked havoc in his tired brain, bringing the headache of the decade with them. Rubbing his temples he groaned and finally set the book down around 2 in the morning.

Cuddy felt the bed dip behind her as House got in, making it possible for cold air to sweep under blanket Goosebumps pebbled her flesh, a shiver racking her.

'What...time is it?'

'Shhh ...2...go back to sleep.'

She nodded and let herself be pulled into his warming embrace, forgiving him for waking her. House buried his face in her full hair, taking a deep breath, inhaling her smell.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

When he clambered into the kitchen that Sunday morning, it was already filled with delicious smells of breakfast. Lisa only took time to prepare this on Sundays. Waffles and Pancakes were already on the table, the smell of coffee penetrated his nostrils and Lisa was currently pressing out some Oranges and grapefruits.

House casually leaned against the kitchen door frame, watching her every move. She was still in her frilly nightgown, which was not far from being translucent. He walked up to her after awhile, pressing his long frame against her back, his arms encircling her and pulling her against his torso, while his lips busied themselves on her neck and shoulders.

'Good morning!'

'Morning...why didn't you wake me? Now I missed all the fun.'

'Last time I woke you you only watched me and made crude comments.'

Cuddy pushed him away a little to get room for preparing the breakfast, smiling as he pouted at her.

Once he had seated himself he waited for Lisa to get the pitcher on the table, as soon as she did so he grabbed her around the waist and made her sit sideways on his good leg, his nose buried in her neck.

'Hey hey...what's gotten into you today mister cheery?'

House bit her neck tenderly and then smiled up at her.

'I...took a look at the scrap book yesterday night. I...I often miss those times. When we were happy, ready to take on the world. When...I could look at myself in the morning without pitying myself. Maybe...I want that back more than ever before.'

'Greg...wanting things back, is understandable. But back then we were practically young adults. We could take on the world and be happy because we hadn't lived yet. I love you, now, today, like I loved that man Greg back then.'

Cuddy blushed at admitting the range of her feelings and slid of his lap, giving him space and busying herself with loading his plate.

' I understand what you mean Lise! Don't worry I'm sure I can't stop being the insufferable ass that I usually am.'

House waggled his brows and snatched a waffle of her plate. Live somehow seemed tolerable.

THE END

I've decided to end it here for now. It's a good point to say stop.Thanks to all for reading and reviewing!