Chapter 2

"Cuddy are you sure about this?" House asked, too excited to stop but tried to be respectful.

"Just shut up…kiss me damnit!" She breathed heavily.

House needed nothing more. He gently ran his hands over her stomach, stopping at the base of her bra. Cuddy's hands were roaming all over his chest, up and down his arms and around his back. She wanted to feel every inch of him like it was the last time they'd ever see each other again. Reaching a hand around her back, House skillfully unclasped her bra, letting it slide forward on her arms. She released the hold she had on him to remove the garment and throw it to the other side of the room. Now, bare chested, she leaned forward once more and caught his lips in a searing kiss, as House brought his hands to her breasts and began kneading them. Cuddy's hands slipped their way to his belt and unhooked the buckle. She tugged and pulled as best she could but it wouldn't budge. Letting out a moan of displeasure, House removed his hands from her chest to unbutton and discard his pants as he watched her do the same.

"House…we can't do this here…your leg…" She tried to explain but was coming out in broken statements.

"Bedroom," he blurted in between kisses.

Stumbling to their feet, they held onto one another for dear life as the drunkenly swerved to her bedroom. Though only a few feet away, they tripped on everything even knocked over a lamp in the process. He heard Cuddy wince as her precious antique fell to floor and shattered, but she never broke contact with him to mend the situation.

They finally made it to her bed, both falling awkwardly together on top with a thud as House's head hit the head-board.

"Shit!" He winced in pain.

Not phased by the aching in his skull he continued to explore Cuddy's body with his hands, feeling every curve and dip committing it all to memory.

Then Cuddy stood, never breaking their gaze, and slipped out of her matching bright red panties. She tossed them aside and slowly, seductively climbed back onto the bed, straddling House in the process. She could already tell her was excited, and the look on his face was priceless. Moving her hands down her own body she grabbed at the waist of his pants, and quickly undoing the button and zipper she rid him of them in one swift move. Now in full view of his naked body she realized how much she wanted this, needed him, and even though she knew he was a jerk who didn't give a damn about anything, she cared a lot for him.

…

The next hour went by in a blur. House and Cuddy had sex three times and were now curled up in her bed, legs tangled in her sheets just enjoying one another's company. Playing with Cuddy's hair House thought about the moment they had just shared. He was the luckiest man on earth right now. He had a beautiful woman in his arms who wasn't ashamed to be with him in this position, and he was feeling good about himself for once not regretting his decision to console her in a time of need and show his human side.

"When's the guy from DHS coming?" House slowly asked, not sure if it was the right moment but waned to get more information.

"Umm…in the next few days I guess. They never really said, its all kinda vague…that and I wasn't exactly in my right mind to pay really close attention to the bitch telling me she was taking away my child." She replied, feelings of loss and hurt starting to seep to the surface again.

"I know it's hard…I've felt what you're feeling before. I know what it's like to feel so sad and depressed that you'd do anything to make the pain go away."

"House…I didn't sleep with you just to take my pain away if that's what you're thinking." Cuddy explained, now sitting up slightly looking into his eyes.

"I don't blame you if that were the case though. But I'm glad…" He trailed off.

"House look at me!" He turned his face slightly in her direction. "There's been something between us for a while now…I think we both know that. I was distraught, you were there for me, and to be honest with you this kind, gentle side of you that I'm seeing right now is such a turn-on I don't even know what to do with myself. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time but neither of us were willing to let go of our stupid pride and just take the leap. I hate that a situation like this was what brought us together but I don't regret it…and I hope you don't either."

Cuddy described all of her feelings to him like she was reading them from a book. His stare did nothing to calm her nerves. Emotionless features were displayed all across his face and she couldn't read him. She started to pull back a little, for fear he didn't feel the same, but a string arm reached around her back and dragged her back toward him. Suddenly a smile so wide, spread from ear to ear on his face, and true love shone from his eyes.

"I don't regret anything we've done Lisa. I've wanted this to happen for a long time…you know that. I've never been the knight in shining armor type, I'm not a comfort to anyone, hell I don't even offer advice good or bad. I'm not a nice guy, I'm miserable, cranky, an addict and probably a hundred other things. But when we're alone, or you're hurting, something inside me changes and I turn into a completely different person. You bring something out in me that I never knew I had…I don't know what…I can't explain it." House couldn't keep the smile from his face.

"I'm glad you feel that way…now if only you could be more like this at the hospital we wouldn't have all these issues." She laughed.

"Oh no…no way…you can see me all gushy and love filled here but once we're in that hospital it's back to grumpy old bitter House that everyone loves to hate. I have a rep to maintain you know!"

"Did you say the word love House?" Surprised by his admission she needed to know exactly how he was feeling.

"Did I say that?"

"Yeah…you definitely said love…do you love me?" She asked cautiously with hope filling her eyes.

"Umm…well. I don't know Cuddy…I like you a lot. Maybe I do…I don't know." He couldn't stop stuttering.

"House it's ok…you don't have to say it. I just thought that maybe we were both feeling the same for each other." She confessed.

"Do you love me?" He asked, just as hopeful as she was before.

"Yeah…I do." She blurted with no hesitation.

"I love you too."

A huge smiled spread across her face. She just got Greg House to admit his feeling of love for her. She's never known him to use those words with anyone. Not Stacey, not even his mother has heard those words in a long time. She felt so swept up with joy that she almost forgot about the child in the other room who ad slowly started waking up and let out a small cry for attention.

Rising from the bed she slipped out from the sheets skillfully, placing a small chaste kiss upon his lips, and sauntered over to the closet where she grabbed her robe and wrapped tightly around herself. House got the pleasure of watching her naked form sway over to the opposite side of the room, and in seconds she was gone to attend to her daughter, which began their entire declaration of love. House would have to thank her one day. As he waited for Cuddy's return, he slipped farther back into her bed raising the sheet up to his chest and shut his eyes. The smile never leaving his lips.