Chapter 15

A/N: I know! I know! It's been over a month again! And I promised I would get this part to you sooner! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!

School has been a KILLER! Can you say uber-busy? I seriously have not had a free moment to get on the computer, yet alone write anything. I had my drama ensemble performance… and well, all creative energies went into that. And other energies too, frankly. Let's just say that Friday night I went to bed at 9:15pm and woke up at 11am the following morning. Tired, tired torzi.

My most enthusiastic love rays to my reviewers prinnie, GallopGirl, moo333, Chromo26, TNIIT, soccerchick13, bostonfan, cazness, QT Roo and jassy2009. I love you. I want to have your hot babies. (okay that was going a bit too far…)

Ok, now I have to be honest with you people. I'm starting to get a bit over this fic. But that's just part of my pattern I think, when I get this far into a story I get tired, and I get all these ideas for new fics (got a GREAT one brewing upstairs, btw). However, I am determined to live this one out! The whole Linda thing will definitely be addressed, etc, etc, and I hope to squeeze everything I wanted into this fic before it becomes bland. So, in line with that, things will now be moving a lot faster (except for this chap… which takes place over one night…). It's time to really get that ball rolling, and get those juicy secrets out there! Go with me here, people!

Anyway, this part has been a long time coming, really. (You'll understand what I mean later… hehehe) True, I already had the first part written for a while, but some of the in between bits were harder, so…

Enjoy and review! (screaming that last part…)

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Cuddy walked purposely up the steps of Wilson's path, Emily and Anna dragging a metre or so behind. She was going to enjoy this night – whether she liked it or not. In her right hand she clutched a bottle of white wine, and her purse hung over her left shoulder.

"Mom, wait up," Emily semi-groaned, as Cuddy powered up the never ending paved steps.

"We're late as it is," she breathed smoothly, the steps no trouble for her and her exercise regime. Anna dawdled a step behind Emily.

"Why on earth are you bringing wine?" Anna asked, finally noticing the bottle her mother was clutching.

"Yeah you don't drink wine," Emily pointed out.

"I do too," Cuddy retaliated, looking over her shoulder, disgruntled.

"I don't want to have to drive us home," Emily complained.

"It's just a present for James and Julie," Cuddy appeased, reaching the door and knocking quickly, "I do not intend for him to break it open."

The door swung open, and House stood there grinning broadly.

"Dr Cuddy!" he proclaimed jollily.

"I take that back," she flicked over her shoulder, suddenly despairing eyes fixed on House.

"Come in, come in," he smiled, holding the door wide open as the twins finally finished climbing the mountainous steps and stood behind their mother. Wilson then appeared at the door, obviously a bit annoyed at House.

"Lisa, hi," he groveled, a little embarrassed by House's excessive cheeriness.

"What is he doing here?" Cuddy muttered through clenched teeth.

"He invited himself," Wilson replied sheepishly, speaking as though House weren't there holding the door open with a wide grin. "Julie had something come up at the last minute, so… is there a problem?"

"Well actually," Cuddy explained, stepping inside and taking Wilson's elbow, leading him a bit out of earshot, "he kind of showed up and… ruined my date last night," she whispered.

Wilson's eyes widened, "I… ah…"

"It doesn't matter now," Cuddy sighed with agitation, "he's here, isn't he."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

"Well, let's just crack this open, shall we?" she suggested, thrusting the bottle of wine into Wilson's grasp. He took a moment to look at it.

"For you and Julie," she explained, "but it looks like we could use it here."

"I think… I agree with that," he answered, nodding and turning to face the twins, who were still in the doorway, looking at a still grinning House strangely.

"Hi girls," he said with a genuine smile.

"Hi Uncle Jimmy," Emily beamed, giving him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek stepping inside. House, upon hearing her refer to Wilson as 'Uncle', raised an eyebrow with interest.

"Hi Jimmy," Anna echoed, mirroring Emily's actions and giving Wilson a quick hug and kiss hello. The girls followed Cuddy further into the house, and Wilson shut the door behind them.

"Uncle?" House asked, intrigued.

"I'll explain later House," Wilson muttered, following the Cuddys into the living room.

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"…and so of course, Bettina and I hadn't ordered the eight large pizzas, so we were trying to tell this pimply faced little delivery boy, and he just would not get the message…"

House sat slumped in his chair, utter boredom evident on his face, as Emily spouted on and on to Wilson about something or other. House still hadn't gotten his 'Uncle' explanation, and quite frankly right now he was so tired that he couldn't be bothered to deduce it for himself. Cuddy sat reasonably quietly, taking intermittent mouthfuls of wine between avoiding House's gaze. Anna, on the other hand, was trying to get a word in whenever her sister stopped for breath, and Wilson was looking reasonably interested in what Emily had to say.

House took to loudly tapping his spoon on the edge of his bowl, his soup only half eaten, causing sidelong glances to be cast his way in annoyance. Finally, Wilson gave up.

"Sorry Em, I'm gonna have to interrupt you for a second… House, could I have a word with you in the kitchen?" he squeezed out the side of his mouth, glaring at House.

"What possibly for, Dr Wilson?" House asked, joviality creeping back into his voice now that he was getting attention again. Juvenile, sure, but fun.

"House…" Wilson warned, and House wiggled his eyebrows at the girls – who were watching him with cautious looks on their faces – and strode into the kitchen behind his counterpart.

The moment they were out of earshot Wilson turned and growled at House.

"Are you purposefully trying to ruin this evening, or does it just come naturally?" he scolded.

"You tell me, Uncle Jimmy, since you seem to be quite the party favourite tonight," House teased, leaning heavily on his cane.

"Either behave, or leave. This was meant to be a dinner for me to catch up with the twins, and you gate-crashing it wasn't exactly something I'd had in mind," Wilson shot.

"Hmm, the twins," House playfully mused, "whom… you've never met before, right? Like me?"

Wilson took a deep breath and braced himself. "Lisa is… my sister."

House just stared at him, eyes wide, for once without anything to say.

"We knew each other as kids, our families were good friends, and I found out on my 18th birthday that her dad was my dad too. My mum had had an affair with her dad years ago, which had resulted in me," he explained.

"So it does run in the family," House snarked.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't spread this around, no one knows except the two of us. And now… you," he winced.

"Don't worry bro, your secret's safe with me. So… whilst Cuddy was doing her best to hide her kids from the rest of the world, you lot were playing happy families."

"Something like that," Wilson sighed.

"Hmm… intrigue," House said dramatically.

"Can we go back to the table now? Can I trust you to not be a complete annoyance?"

"I'll have to talk to my people, but yeah. And don't worry, I'm not gonna go embarrassing sissy Cuddles. I did enough of that one last night," House smirked.

"Hey, about that," Wilson said strongly, grabbing House's arm to stop him from leaving, "what did you say to her?"

"Wow, you're quite the protective brother."

"I'm serious, House. I've seen her angry - this is dangerously pissed," he warned.

"I just put a few home truths out there. I don't think she took it so well," House justified.

"Do not trying anything tonight. If you say so much as one word to her…"

"You'll beat me up? You'll get your mom to call my mom?" House teased. Wilson gave House one final glare before heading back out to the dining room, House moseying on behind, a smug smile on his face.

The rest of the dinner went by reasonably amicably, House staying quiet, and girls sharing their news with Wilson. Soon enough the bottle of wine Cuddy brought had disappeared, though, Wilson mused to himself, he'd only had a small glass.

They were halfway through dessert when House went and opened his trap.

"So Dr Cuddy, how's J-Date working for you? Got any nice new prospects? Maybe a rabbi?" House snarked, only to have Wilson kick his leg (thankfully, the good leg) under the table.

"Dr Wilson!" House gasped, "did you just kick me under the table!" Wilson promptly turned a deep shade of crimson and tried to hide his face in embarrassment.

"So, are you married Dr House?" Anna snapped from the other end of the table.

"Only to the Lord," House snarked in reply, clasping his hands together in a praying gesture.

"Pre-Nup?"

"Of course. I want to milk Him for all He's worth. Ask 'ole Uncle Jimmy, he knows all about it."

"What did God let you get out of this pre-Nup?"

"A split share of heaven, Madonna sent to hell, and all of David Bowie's profits."

"You might be lost for cash then."

"Not a fan?"

"Let's just say if I were Ground Control, I wouldn't be calling Major Tom."

"I don't suppose you'd wear a space suit then would you?"

"Not a chance."

"It's a shame, the Cuddy hair would be so funny under a helmet."

"As opposed to the House hair? Sorry, lack of."

"Touché," House appeased, and they both took a moment to have a mouthful of chocolate mousse, other parties at the table wide eyed, before heading straight back into it.

"Diagnostics?" Anna began.

"Yep. Solving the world's problems one step at a time."

"From what I've heard, you seem to be causing one annoyance at a time."

"Oh, mommy can be so cruel."

"Don't I know it."

"I see, common ground," House commented with a smirk, and Cuddy's head snapped up from her dessert, noticing they were talking about her.

"The distance from here to college has become a blessing."

"Pre-med?"

"Of course."

"Michigan?"

"Harvard."

"Snob."

"Slob."

"Erm, House," Cuddy said, cutting off the banter awkwardly, "can I speak with you out… there, for a minute?"

"Dr Cuddy, this is neither the time, nor place for a booty call," he snarked. The table's collective eyes widened. Cuddy just glared as she stood up slightly clumsily and walked wonkily out of the room – the wine she drank starting to catch up with her – gesturing for House to follow.

"House, what are you doing?" Cuddy asked him exasperatedly as they stopped when reaching Wilson's study across the hall.

"I'm following you into Jimmy's mini cancer lab," House quipped, eyes flicking to the walls lined with oncology books.

"I mean in there," she rolled her eyes.

"I was enjoying Wilson's home-made chocolate mousse -"

"Don't act stupid. All those questions, interrogating my daughters. You have no place being here -"

"I think you're just afraid I'm gonna find out something you don't want me to know," House investigated, eyes staring strongly at Cuddy, ready to gage a reaction. She was speechless for a minute.

"Admit it, you didn't want me to know about your private life -"

"- because it's private -"

"- or anyone else to, for that matter. And the whole brother Jimmy thing? I can't believe you managed to keep that one to yourself. Talk about secret nepotism to the max."

Cuddy stood, the breath kicked out of her for a moment. "Who – how do you know about that?"

"Oh please, Wilson threatened to bash me if I hit on you. Very high school justice, you should be proud. Besides, there were too many "Uncle Jimmy"s thrown around for me not to find out," he fired.

"House, I…"

House sighed. "Look, Cuddles, I'm just here because… well, because I'm a curious man. You and kids were a puzzle, and hey, now half of it's solved. You know me. Just can't let things be," he mumbled, his voice softening. He looked down at his cane and fiddled with it for a moment, Cuddy watching his hand intently, and suddenly becoming aware of how close to her he was.

"Lisa… I'm sorry," he muttered awkwardly, her eyes flicking up to his mouth, "about last night. I crossed the line, I was rude and -"

House was cut off as Cuddy's lips suddenly crashed against his.

"- an ass," he tried to continue against her mouth.

"You're always an ass," she quipped back between kisses, her hands coming to rest on his cheeks.

"True, but -"

"Shut up, House," she muttered, hands reaching behind his neck and pulling him in even closer. Cuddy's head was fuzzy, all that wine impairing her judgement, and she suddenly wondered what the hell she was doing. She was being incredibly stupid. She was kissing a man, who in the last 24 hours had insulted her so badly she'd had half a mental breakdown. This was most definitely not a good idea. But, hell, she couldn't stop.

As her tongue moved to part his lips, House finally realized what was going on. He could taste the wine on her lips, and as much as he wanted Cuddy, and as much as he would keep going in this circumstance with another woman – this was Cuddy. And despite what he constantly tried to tell himself, he cared about her, and he didn't want to make this move in their relationship if she was going to regret it.

"Lisa," he protested, but the sound of him using her first name just flared up her passion even more, and she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck.

"Cuddy, stop," he said, pulling away and letting her arms slide down off his neck. There she stood in front of him, lips full and red and eyes wide with desire, and it took every ounce of his strength not to just grab her and pretend he'd never pulled back. It only took a moment, however, for her to realize what she'd done and that he'd pulled away, and she turned a bright shade of red and looked away nervously.

Suddenly she couldn't see properly. Everything seemed to be in blurred fast motion – her eyes couldn't keep up. Before she knew it she was stumbling backward.

"Cuddy?" House could see she was struggling to stay stable, and he quickly grabbed Wilson's leather chair and tried to position it behind her. He put a hand on her back and before he knew it she fell backwards into his arms and with him hissing a quick "shit", they fell into the chair, Cuddy straight onto his bad leg. He let out a gasp of pain and grabbed his leg, quickly moving her limp body onto his other leg. He fumbled into his pocket for a vicodin and swiftly popped it, knowing he hadn't drunk nearly enough for it to be a bad idea. Cuddy had done enough drinking for the both of them. Trying to slip out from underneath her, he awkwardly managed to get himself up, and moved her to sit squarely in the chair. And there she sat, head lolled down and body limp. He let out a sigh as he lifted her head and pushed the hair away from her face. Even passed out she still looked beautiful. He straightened her up briefly, as he hoped against hope that she would forget about how she'd practically jumped him. As much as he would enjoy teasing her about it, it would set back his romantic progress with her by months. And although he fought with her, hated her, teased her relentlessly and constantly embarrassed her, there was no one he looked out for more than Lisa Cuddy. Though he would never tell anyone – even Wilson. Especially Wilson now that he was Brother Wilson too.

He quickly glanced at the doorway to make sure no one was watching, and checked that she was definitely unconscious before he gave her an uncharacteristic kiss on the temple. He smiled internally then headed out of the room, leaning on his cane heavily as the vicodin hadn't quite kicked in, and entered the dining room. There Wilson, Emily and Anna sat quietly, eating their dessert.

They looked up as he came in, and he cleared his throat loudly before robustly announcing, "Dr Cuddy is unconscious in the study."

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A/N: woooo! Cuddy finally gets some lip action! Let's hope LE gets her wish for Cuddy in the show too… review people. Do it, seriously, do it. Just do it. Do it. Hehehe. But no, do do it.

Coming up next... Cuddy wakes up. Uh-oh.