The chapters will probably be a little shorter than usual, but hopefully that will mean more frequent updates. Please review, it makes me smile!

Chapter 4

House stepped out of the airport terminal and pushed his way through the throng of people toward the baggage claim area. After retrieving his lone duffel bag, he turned and began scanning the crowd to find Wilson. After searching for a few minutes, he spotted Wilson against a wall, holding up a sign that said 'Manipulative Bastard'. House grinned.

"Missed me lots, huh?" House snarked.

"Oh yeah. I could barely eat and I cried myself to sleep every night staring at your picture," Wilson returned in a slightly girlish voice, tossing the sign in a trashcan. God he'd missed this.

"I knew it. Well, as long as you didn't kiss it and then slide it under your pillow, we're okay," House replied. God he'd missed Wilson.

"You look good," Wilson commented. He took House's duffel bag from him and started walking to a nearby exit. "My car is right outside. You must be anxious to get home and get the airplane smell off you." Wilson knew how much House hated to fly, not just because it was uncomfortable but because of all the people it forced him to be around.

"I just want to go home and sit in silence for a whole day. If I'd realized how much those rehab people talked, I might have reconsidered," House joked. He pulled his sunglasses out of his jacket and donned them as he and Wilson stepped outside. "How's Steve McQueen?"

"He's fine. I've been feeding him and taking care of his cage for you. Can I just say, next time get a fish, okay?" Wilson pleaded. Wilson did not like rats.

"Fish aren't cuddly," House replied simply. He began to say something else, but stopped when he noticed a woman sitting in Wilson's car. Was it Cameron? House squinted, even with the sunglasses it was too bright to tell for sure. He glanced at Wilson, would he really have brought Cameron here? House wasn't sure he was ready to see her yet. Wilson seemed oblivious to House's concerns. Only when House stopped walking and Wilson realized he was alone did he notice there was a problem.

"What's wrong?" Wilson asked. Then he looked in the direction House was currently staring. "I'm sorry, I know you probably wanted me to come alone but she was sleeping, and I tried to slip out quietly but she woke up and then she wanted to come with me and …" Wilson let his voice trail off at the expression on House's face. "House?"

"You're rambling. That's never good," House said slowly. "It means you're afraid to tell me something."

"Look, House she's been really nervous about this. I don't know why she cares what you think, but she does. She won't even tell anybody about us because she wanted to hear what you thought first. Honestly, you might think she liked you instead," Wilson said. House just stared. "I know it's not in your nature, but try to be nice, okay. Don't scare her off about me?"

House looked at Wilson incredulously. He was about to say something extremely nasty, even by House's standards, when the car window rolled down and the woman stuck her head out.

"Hey, why don't you boys just smooch and get it over with? I haven't had any breakfast and I'm starving," she yelled.

"Cuddy?" House gasped. Wilson nodded and gave House a pleading look. "Huh," House said.

"What?" Wilson asked, afraid.

"I'd just always assumed Cuddy would bite her partner's head off after mating," House quipped. "I call shotgun!" House yelled at her and she smirked. She got out of the front seat and looked him up and down.

"Glad you're back," she said softly, and kissed him on the cheek. House looked away embarrassed, and then jerked his head toward Wilson, now putting House's bag in the trunk. "So?" Cuddy asked him.

"You'll have a job keeping him in line," House warned.

"I know. But it'll be fun trying," Cuddy replied with a grin that couldn't quite conceal the question in her eyes.

"Eeeww. Can gouging your eyes out erase a mental image?" House asked. "He's a good man, Lisa. Just a little weak. You'll have to be the strong one. Shouldn't be a problem for you, we all know you used to be a man," House quipped at her. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, then whispered "Good luck," in her ear. She smiled, and climbed into the back seat. House sat in front of her and looked over at Wilson in the driver's seat.

"So, who's buying me breakfast?" House grinned at his best friend, who rolled his eyes as he started the car. It was good to be home.