Hey, guys! This chapter's on the short side, but the next one will be longer. Thanks for all the feedback on the last chapter! Enjoy!
House brought the cell phone to his ear and spoke brightly. "Hello?"
There was silence on the other end for a moment before her voice came through. "House? Where's Wilson?"
"He's busy at the moment." House leaned his backside against his kitchen counter. "Can I take a message?"
"I'll wait to talk to him," Cuddy replied.
"He stepped out, actually," House told her. "Should be back soon, but it could be another ten minutes or so. Tell me what you want him to get for you."
"I... all right," Cuddy gave in after a short debate in her head. "I could use some crackers. And raspberries. I don't even know if the stores have raspberries this time of year, but I'm craving them so much it's beginning to make me crazy. And I'm in my pajamas. And my car's almost out of gas. So, I'd have to get gas while I'm out and-"
"Say no more," House stopped her. "I'll tell Wilson when he gets back."
"Okay." Cuddy was slightly suspicious, but she let it go because she felt she didn't really have any grounds for it. "Thanks, House."
"No problem, Cuddy," House spoke in a bright tone again and then snapped the cell phone shut.
"Here's your food," House announced to Cuddy's home before closing the front door behind himself.
Cuddy walked out of her bedroom and towards House. "Where's Wilson?"
"Still busy."
House passed her and headed for the kitchen with the plastic bag in his hand. Cuddy's eyebrows drew together. She retrieved her cell phone from the dining room table and called Wilson's phone. The ringing started and Cuddy watched as House pulled the cell phone out of his pocket before checking the number.
"Crap," he muttered.
House looked to Cuddy, his eyes meeting hers. Cuddy shook her head and closed her cell phone. She set the phone on the table and headed for her bedroom. She climbed into bed and turned herself onto her left side.
"What about the food?" House asked as he popped his head into her bedroom.
"I don't want it anymore," Cuddy told him. "I'm tired and my feet hurt terribly. Why do you have Wilson's phone?"
"He left it at my house," House answered, but the look Cuddy gave him prompted him to give her an answer based in truth. "Well, you weren't going to call me."
"You wanted me to call you?" Cuddy asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No," House lied.
Cuddy rolled her eyes at him and then closed them. House made his way over to her bed. He reached over her and picked up the other pillow on her bed. Cuddy opened her eyes and watched as he made his way to the end of the bed where he sat down.
"What are you doing?" she stared at him.
House placed the pillow on his lap and then lifted her feet. He placed them on top of the pillow.
Cuddy frowned. "House."
Slowly, House began to knead and massage her feet.
"You don't have to-"
"Shut up," House cut her off, almost gently.
Cuddy closed her mouth and shut her eyes. House continued to massage, Cuddy's feet completely thankful. After a while, House realized Cuddy had dozed off.
House set her feet aside and placed the pillow at the foot of the bed. He stood to his feet and took a few steps toward the head of the bed. He placed his hand on her stomach for a moment and then moved up to her head. House brushed some of her hair off her face and then placed a gentle kiss next to her lips.
Tightening his grip on his cane, House turned away from her and turned off her lamp. He began toward the door, but stopped. He suddenly felt as if he shouldn't leave her, which was strange to him. Usually he decided to do something and then did it despite any repercussions. But now, he felt completely unsure.
Cuddy stirred and let out a quiet sigh, which brought House's attention back to her.
"Cuddy?" House asked.
"Hm?" Cuddy didn't open her eyes.
House softened his tone. "Do you mind if I stay?"
Cuddy shook her head, her eyes still closed. "No."
House watched her a moment before leaving her bedroom and deciding to sleep on her couch.
Cuddy drew in a deep breath and opened her eyes. She immediately became aware of the painful signals telling her to get to the bathroom. Cuddy sat up and climbed out of bed.
"Better stop making me pee so much, baby boy." Cuddy gave a gentle poke to her stomach as she maneuvered around her bed in the dark. "Your mom's tired."
After Cuddy finished in the bathroom and felt much relief, she made her way back around her bed and into the hall. She began down the hallway, but stopped in her tracks when she heard deep breathing. Peeking carefully into the living room, Cuddy spotted a cane leaning against the couch, where a dark lump was stretched out.
Cuddy frowned as she stared in confusion. She wasn't sure why House was sleeping on her couch, but she concluded that she must have told him he could.
Shrugging to herself, Cuddy turned and crossed through the dining room and into the kitchen. She made her way over to the refrigerator and opened the door. She smiled at the sight of the raspberries. She popped open the plastic carton and pulled a handful out.
Cuddy closed the refrigerator door and washed the handful of raspberries before beginning to eat them. She left the kitchen as she chewed on the fruit. Cuddy made her way back to living room and looked at House again.
As she ate the last of her handful of raspberries, Cuddy walked to the hall closet and opened the door. She pulled a blanket down from the shelf and shut the closet door. Cuddy headed back to the living room. She spread the blanket over House before leaving him and going back to her bedroom.
Letting out a yawn, Cuddy climbed back into bed and settled down. She closed her eyes and tried to fall back to sleep.
The next time Cuddy awoke, the morning sun had brightened her bedroom. Cuddy climbed out of bed, feeling the urge to pee again. After she had finished and brushed her teeth, Cuddy made her way back into her bedroom.
Cuddy pulled her pajama top off and set it on her bed. She crossed to her dresser and extracted a light purple bra. She slipped it on and clasped it in the back before picking up a bottle of cocoa butter from on top of the dresser.
After popping open the cap, Cuddy squirted some of the lotion into her palm, the smell already reaching her nose. She set the bottle on the dresser and began to rub the lotion onto her growing belly.
"Hey," House's rough voice spoke from the doorway. "Oh, sorry."
Cuddy faced the doorway. "No, it's fine."
House's eyebrows drew together as he entered into her room. "What are you doing?"
"Uh." Cuddy looked down at her now shiny tummy before bringing her gaze back up to House. "It's for the stretch marks."
"You think it helps?" House asked her.
Cuddy gave a small shrug, still rubbing in the lotion. "It's suppose to."
House crossed over to her. "But, do you think it does?"
Cuddy shook her head. "Not really, but I thought I'd try anyway."
"They're really that bad?" House looked down at her stomach.
"They're ugly," Cuddy said, looking down as well.
"They are not," House replied.
"Look." Cuddy pointed to a few purplish red marks on her skin.
House frowned, thinking she was being ridiculous. "There isn't that many."
"Yet." Cuddy brought her eyes up to him. "I'm going to get bigger."
"So what?" House asked.
"How would you like it if you had these... scars all over your body?" she asked.
"They're not all over and they're not that bad," he told her.
"You only say that because it isn't your body," she said.
"Cuddy, these marks, scars, whatever, aren't ugly," House responded. "My leg? That's ugly scarring that didn't come from growing another life in my body. These are little honors showing what you've done." House let his cane fall as he placed both hands on her lotion covered stomach and locked his eyes with hers. "Nothing about this is ugly."
Cuddy gave House a small smile. "Thank you."
House removed his hands from her and swiped his cane from the floor. "Now, I'm going to wash this gunk from my hands and make coffee." He began toward the door and then called over his shoulder. "Hot chocolate for you."
Cuddy watched him leave her bedroom and drew in a breath. She looked down at her belly and placed her hand there. Her thoughts were still on House. He made her uncertain and unsure, and she wondered if, and for how long, this behavior would last. She also wondered if it was something she could trust.