A/N: Thanks for the reviews...you guys are rock stars! Here is the next bit...

Remember December

Chapter 6

Cuddy closed her eyes once the plane was finally in the air and on its way to Vermont. She took a deep breath when her mind tracked back to the previous night and she felt an instant flush in her cheeks. She never considered herself to be naïve, nor did she ever allow herself to fall too fast or too hard. The result of which was that she cast suspicion on nearly everyone around her. Everyone has an agenda; everyone lies. And now as she played with the idea that House, of all unlikely people, could actually be different, the familiar voice of reason smacked her down. Don't be stupid, it told her. House is the poster boy for narcissism and insincerity. Still, nights like that and men like him…she would say they were rare but that would be an understatement.

Cuddy smoothed her fingers over the ring he had given her. The trick, she decided, was not to become too invested. Don't push him away but don't start swooning in love for someone you hardly know just because he's exciting. And handsome, and sweet, and brilliant. She shook her head. Have fun, but don't expect too much. When it's over, it's over. No big deal, no broken hearts. And wait at least a week before you call him.


She made it five days. Her mother and sister had left to make an emergency run to the grocery before they closed for Christmas and her father was at work. Again. Cuddy had noticed an odd chill between her parents, though she didn't ask. They were not really the sharing type. Cuddy dragged the phone down the hall to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She twirled the cord around her fingers as she dialed his number. She prayed for the answering machine.

House picked up on the third ring and grunted into the receiver. Cuddy looked at the clock on the wall. 10:00 AM. Crap, he had been sleeping.

"Hi," she said. She heard some shuffling and a bang then more shuffling.

"Cuddles?" He said, his voice slightly more alert.

She laughed. "Merry Christmas."

"Not until tomorrow. I wrote to Santa and asked him to deliver you to my door wearing nothing but a big red bow."

"Hmm, well maybe if had been a good boy this year…" She smiled. She imagined him lounging in his bed, his hair would be mussed from sleep and the sheet barely covering his bare waist.

"That's not nice," he said. "I thought you liked me, but then you drag me to bed, use my body for filthy dirty acts and then don't call me for days. Then when you do call you're mean. God, I feel so used."

She couldn't contain her laugh, and he smiled into the phone, loving that sound. "You are so full of it," she told him. She was glad that he wasn't full of sappy sentiment; he was playing right along with the plan.

"Full of hot studliness you mean. When are you coming back?"

"New Year's Eve. My plane is supposed to get in around one in the afternoon."

He groaned. "You know this is the longest I have ever waited for any woman. My penis is going to hate me for it."

"Tell your penis, I'm sorry and I promise I'll make it up to him when I get back."

House laughed. "That is a promise worth waiting for." A strange silence hung between them for a few seconds, one that was not quite awkward but certainly wasn't comfortable. This silence would come to be well known to the two of them over the years. "Merry Christmas Cuddy," he finally said, his voice softened, and reeking of his longing for her. Though he didn't tell her, House realized he really did miss her.

"Merry Christmas House," she whispered before putting the phone back on the cradle and smiling to herself.

Two days after Christmas, the tension Cuddy had felt in her parent's home finally came to a head. Mrs. Cuddy had announced very casually that evening at dinner that she spoken to a divorce lawyer and was ready to start the separation proceedings. Mr. Cuddy tossed down his napkin and stormed out of the house. Cuddy's sister, three years older, shook her head spouting that she didn't need this shit right now, gathered up her husband and nine month old son, and followed their father out the door, slamming it behind them.

Cuddy's mother quietly stood up and started washing dishes at the sink, her back to Cuddy, who uncomfortably shifted in her chair, searching for an appropriate response.

"Mom…" She started hesitantly.

"Lisa, this isn't a big deal. Your father and I have been talking about separating for some time now." She didn't turn around and Cuddy got up and went to her mother's side.

"How can you say it's no big deal? Don't you love him anymore?"

Cuddy's mother sat down her sponge and stared into the soapy water.

"Of course I do. He's your father."

"So then why—"

"Lisa someday when you get married you'll understand. After almost thirty years with the same person, you find that the two of you have very little to talk about. Most people ignore it and spend the winter of their lives in misery. I don't want that for us."

Cuddy's heart caught in her throat. House's words from their last night together came into her mind. I can absolutely see myself in your life twenty or thirty years from now, and that scares me a little bit. Cuddy closed her eyes and felt a sense of loss. For her parents, for herself. Her eyes welled and she felt like a little child. Cuddy's mom saw how upset she had become and dried her hands on a towel before wrapping her arms around her daughter.

"Shhh, Sweetheart it's okay. We'll be alright."

"It just seems like a lot of history together to be thrown out like the garbage," Cuddy said pushing back tears.

"That's not what we're doing. Sometimes people just can't be together. Sometimes the history is just too much. And it's okay to take a step back. It doesn't mean that the love was never there or even that it goes away. It's just not our time anymore."

House shoveled a forkful of pasta into his mouth. This was his sixth lonely meal at the student commons in the past week. The only people left on the campus now were orphans and foreign exchange students who had nowhere else to go. On Christmas day he had called his parent's house and his mother answered.

"Merry Christmas mom," he had said into the phone.

"Oh, honey. We really missed you being here this year."

"Yeah, well…you know papers and stuff," he mumbled into the phone.

"You shouldn't lie to your mother Greg." She scorned him but in the pleasant cheerful way she spoke to everyone in every instance.

"I just wanted to tell you that I miss you and I hope you're having a good Christmas." His voice was always soft and formal when he spoke to her. As if he was apologizing for something. As if he were atoning for not being the man his father wanted him to be, which was somehow a reflection on her.

She smiled into the phone. "Merry Christmas honey."

The dull throbbing of loneliness, he rationalized was normal. He felt the disconnect from his family more during the holidays, as anyone would, and in a couple of weeks when his life was back to normal and he had school to focus on he wouldn't feel the loss quite so much. And Cuddy. He would have her to focus on as well. His smile widened. See, he thought. She's already distracting you.

"Why are you grinning like an idiot?"

House snapped his head up to find Jack standing in front of him. "What the hell do you want?"

"Nothing buddy," Jack slapped a hand down on House's shoulder. "Just wanted to see what you were up to."

House grunted a laugh. "You're awful chipper for a guy who just got dumped."

Jack smirked. "I guess I have you to thank for that, don't I?"

Jack's greasy smile made House uncomfortable. He shrugged. "I wouldn't know actually. I haven't seen her since the party. Since you blackened my eye."

"I'm sorry about that Greg. Really." Jack sank into a chair next to House. "Sometimes I forget what these chicks are like, you know?"

"No," House said. "How are they?"

"Scandalous."

House raised his eyebrows. "Well you seemed to have recovered alright."

Jack nodded. "I have. But I'm not sure about you."

"How's that?"

"She's a manipulator man. She uses people, and ruins reputations." Jack ripped open a pack of sugar and poured it into his coffee. "That could cause a real problem for you since you're a TA in the class she's taking this semester. Am I right?"

House shook his head. "What's your point?"

"Well, you've already got something of a reputation around here, but going into your residency known for your propensity for seducing undergrad students of yours, more so than your medical prowess…well it can't be good for your career." House narrowed his eyes at Jack, but said nothing. "And, not that I care, but think of what getting caught would do to her. No one would ever take her seriously as a doctor if they learned that she was sleeping with her TA's, and God knows who else. She's be a joke, maybe even get her acceptance to med school revoked."

House swallowed, and took a second before speaking so he wouldn't throttle him. "I can understand why you'd think I was screwing around with Cuddy, I am usually irresistible to these girls, but apparently you were right about this one. She wants nothing to do with me. I kissed her that night; she didn't kiss me, and then she told me to go to hell. You were standing right there."

Jack nodded; he didn't buy it for a second. "Maybe. But just in case I talked to Dr. Somers this morning. As you know he's very strict about his TA's not mixing with his students. If he catches you he'll throw her out of the class, or fire you. Or both."

"You're an asshole," House shook his head in disgust. "Just because some girl dumped you—"

"I did this as a friend Greg. We have to watch out for each other around girls like her."

"I told you I'm not seeing her." House was almost shouting and the few other students in the commons turned their attention to his table.

Jack shrugged. "Then you shouldn't have anything to worry about." He stood up and smiled down at House once more. "You should have known better, Greg." He turned on his heel and walked out. House threw the rest of his lunch in the garbage, and cursed as he stormed out of the commons.

After talking with Jack, House went to Dr. Somers' office. The older man wasn't ignorant that Jack had been dating Cuddy and now no longer was. He was also particularly annoyed that this melodrama had made its way into his office. House told him that there was nothing going on between himself and the undergrad, but Somers didn't want to hear it. He told House that whatever happened or was happening better resolve itself before classes started or he would be forced to remove one of them from the class. Even more angered after leaving Somers' office, House was considering going back to Jacks and beating the crap out of him for starting this shit, when he heard his name being called out behind him. Cuddy…

He turned around and saw her trekking through the snow trying to catch up with him. He jogged across the street to meet her. "Hey, I thought you weren't coming back till New Years Eve."

Cuddy caught her breath. "I decided to come back early."

"Damn. I was gonna try for a romantic surprise airport pickup," House said, taking her heavy backpack from her shoulder and slinging it over his own.

She gave him a surprised look. "Aw, well maybe next time. Things are kind of tense at my parent's house right now," her voice dropped and her eyes were suddenly saddened. "I had to get out of there."

"I'm sorry."

Cuddy shrugged before House could ask her anything and thoughts of her parents spilt upset her yet again. "Anyways, I was coming to find you. I thought you might like to have dinner or something tomorrow night."

"Yeah," There was a twinge of disappointment that he wouldn't get to see her tonight, but decided almost instantly that it was for the best. At the moment he was just happy to see her, but House knew that sooner than later he would have to figure out what to do about their new little problem. "Hey you want a ride home?"

"On that?" She pointed to his bike parked on the other side of the street.

"Of course."

"Um, no."

"Oh come on, don't knock it, until you've been taken for a ride on it." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and then handed over his helmet.

Cuddy started at him and then over at the bike. "Okay fine."

On the short ride to her dorms, House enjoyed the feel of her arms clenching his waist tighter and tighter every time he gunned the engine. And the way she seemed to relax a little toward the end even loosening her death grip as they idled at a stoplight and rested her hands on his thighs. When he pulled up in front of her building she hesitated before getting off, and handing him back his helmet.

She smoothed out her hair. "See now I have helmet head."

House laughed and tugged at her windblown mess. "I dig it," he said. "You've got this whole sexy biker chic look working."

Cuddy laughed and pulled her bag off the back. There was that strange silence as she tried to decide whether or not to kiss him goodbye. But before she could do anything, House leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'll pick you up about seven tomorrow, okay."

Cuddy nodded. "Thanks House. For the ride."

House didn't sleep much that night. Jack's smug taunts stayed with him, as did the feel of Cuddy's small hands stroking his leg on the bike and her cheek pressed against the back of his leather jacket as she tried to shield herself from the wind. He had never been a very noble character; why would he start now? Why would he let the hollow threats of that stupid twerp get to him like this? Because they're not idle threats, he rationalized.

The next evening House picked up some Chinese takeout on his way to Cuddy's place. When she opened the door, House noticed that Cuddy had dressed up and put on make-up. He held up the Chinese food.

"I thought we'd stay in," House said. He couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she looked standing in front of him, dolled up just for him. A real date. A pang of guilt hit him all at once, but he didn't let her see it.

"Oh," she looked slightly disappointed. "Alright." She moved aside and motioned for him to come in.

"I just…I need to talk to you about something and I thought it would be better to talk in private." He looked at the floor uncomfortably but then quickly glanced up and gave her a reassuring smile. "I promise I'll take you out somewhere soon."

Cuddy tossed her purse back down on the table and went into her tiny kitchen to get some plates. "What did you need to talk about?" She called to him from the other room.

House didn't answer, He started to pull white containers from the brown paper bag and set them on her table. He dropped some duck sauce onto his t-shirt and cursed.

"What?" Cuddy asked when she walked back into the room. She had changed out to the dress she was wearing and into some jeans and a loose sweater. She had let her hair down and House noted that she was still wearing the ring he had given her. He stared again lost for words. If it was possible he thought she looked even more beautiful now. She smiled at the stain on his shirt and handed him a napkin.

"Did you really need to talk to me, or did you just want to stay in because it means we'll get into bed faster?' She asked him, dropping down into one of the chairs in front of the table.

House nodded. "Busted." Cuddy raised her eyebrows, and House again seemed uncomfortable. "Remember that really great judgment call you made when you decided to start boning Jack the Slug?" He asked her, taking a seat next to her.

Cuddy laughed. "I don't—"

"Well," House continues interrupting her, "turns out that you are such a good lay that the loss of you is too much for any man to bear. I can certainly attest to that…" He was rambling.

"House? Did something happen while I was gone?"

House nodded slowly. "Jack went to Somers and told him about us." He scooped some Lo mien on her plate and handed her a fork.

"What?" Her voice softened.

"I denied that anything was happening, but now Somers is going to be watching us. It could be really bad if we were to get caught, Cuddy."

She shook her head slowly. "Why would he…"

"Because. He got hurt and now he wants to hurt you."

"What does this mean?" She nervously bit her lower lip. "For us, I mean."

House put down his fork and turned to face her. "Having a relationship with me right now could reflect badly on you. It wouldn't look that great for me either, but I'm not really worried about that. But you…I don't want people to not take you seriously because of me."

Cuddy closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't want that either."

"We need to be careful. And I think, while you are in this class with me, we should cool things off between us." Cuddy opened her eyes and her mouth gaped a little. House realized he had hurt her. This sounded like a break-up, like a brush-off. It sounded like he was trying to be a nice guy about having slept with her, and now walking away from her. "Cuddy, I told you how I feel. I know that maybe you don't believe me and I know that this will do little to make you trust me, but eventually you'll see I'm doing this to protect you."

"I don't need you to protect me, House." Cuddy folded her hands across her chest. "We don't have to stop seeing each other, we just don't have to let our personal life get mixed up in—"

"I didn't say we had to stop seeing each other. But if we aren't sleeping together, then there is nothing for anyone to accuse us of."

She shook her head again, confused. "You want us to keep seeing each other but you don't want us to have sex?"

House put a hand over hers. "I don't want anyone else but you. But there will be time for all of that later."

Cuddy pulled away. "I understand." Her retort was distant. She was pushing him away.

"Cuddy—"

"It makes sense. Logically you're right. But if we aren't going to see each other behind closed doors, it would make more sense for us not to see each other socially at all. That would just invite more false speculation."

"You're mad."

"No. I'm just…I should have known better."

"Don't start that shit." He was becoming angry now too. Irrationally he admitted to himself. He was the one who started this.

"It's like you said; there is time for all that later. If it is meant to be, I'm sure we'll get back there." Cuddy thought about her parents. "It's just not our time anymore." The words came out almost in a whisper and Cuddy looked away from him.

"This isn't what I want," he said.

"No. I know that. But we have to do what we have to do, right?" She closed her eyes again and then reopened them and stared at the plate of greasy noodles in front of her. "I think you should go."

"Don't be like that. We don't have to stop yet. We could—"

"What? We could have one or two more romps before school starts. Sort of like a goodbye fuck?" House was caught off guard by her slander. She stood up and walked over to the door, opening it and waiting for him to leave. House stood up and walked over to her, but didn't walk out the door. Instead he backed her up against the door and placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on the door frame blocking her in.

"You're trying to hurt me now," he told her.

"I'm trying to protect myself."

House leaned in to kiss her full on the lips, but Cuddy turned away and his kiss landed on her cheek. He didn't pull back; however, and pressed his nose into her hair, and his heavy breath fell on her ear and neck. "You're not going to be able to stay away from me anymore than I'm going to be able to stay away from you," House whispered.