Flashback On
There are things you'll never forget. And that smile was one of them. He came closer and he took a lock of hair off her face, Cuddy laughed in response, he came even closer, pulling her into a deep kiss.
"You always wanted this, didn't you?" He whispered in her ear
"Everyone knew this was going somewhere."
"It's not the first time I hear this." He smiled and released her to go to the kitchen.
She laughed and threw herself on the couch. He'd never get tired of hearing the sound of her laughter. House returned with two glasses of wine.
"You are with that look." House said handing a glass of wine to her.
"What look?"
"The look that says 'My body is here, but my mind is somewhere else'..."
She didn't answer immediately. It was funny how he understood her. House knew her better than anyone.
"I was thinking about Lucas..." She answered honestly, knowing that he wouldn't like the answer but he also wouldn't give up until he knows the truth.
He sat by her side, without showing any emotion. Then he looked at her.
"Well..." He was being cautious. And House wasn't cautious. "It's already been a week since you two broke up..."
"Do you think this is too much time?"
"A week? No." He said sincerely "But twenty years… Yes."
Cuddy looked at him surprised. Looking away he took a sip of wine and left the wineglass on the table beside the couch. Twenty years...
"Twenty years, House?"
I loved you for twenty years... That's what 'twenty years' means...
This was the right answer. But he didn't say it. He could have said it, actually, He should have said it. But he didn't.
"Well... The Berlin wall came down twenty years ago, for example"
Cuddy laughed, it was evident that he was lying.
"A lot of things happened twenty years ago..." He was thoughtful. "It's nothing."
"I like you too, House." She smiled and kissed his cheek.
House looked at her seriously as if he was waiting for something. She laced her fingers through his. She always loved his hands.
"I thought that... After all, we could try." He said with his eyes never leaving hers.
"We already tried..."
"That was twenty years ago..."
She opened her mouth but didn't say anything. She loved him but... Only one week had passed since she and Lucas decided to break up.
"Lisa, I..."
Hearing him say her first name... Maybe she wasn't been fair with him. But, seriously... Who was she trying to fool? She lived her entire life looking for someone who was always by her side. It was weird, maybe funny, but at the end it was simple: She loved him.
"I'm sorry, Greg." Her hand was on his cheek. "I'm just afraid to be wrong. I'm just afraid of getting hurt."
House waited for her to continue and when she didn't he came closer slowly. He gently pulled her face to his, so close that their lips meet.
"I'll never be the man you dreamed." He whispered breathlessly when the kiss ended. "And I'm not saying that will be easy, but... I need you."
"House..." She took his hand from her face. "It's only been one week since..."
He put a finger on her lips to shut her up.
"Lisa... If this is the only night we have, please... Stay."