Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now

10:45pm

House and Cuddy had been sitting at Sonic drinking root beer floats inside his car talking about random things when suddenly there was a pause and Cuddy spoke quietly.

"I had a miscarriage," Cuddy said, looking out the passenger window away from House. "It was the third time I tried In-Vitro. I don't know if I can even have kids."

"Why didn't you tell me?" House asked, watching her as the tears started to form in her eyes. "I could have helped you."

"I didn't want anyone to know," Cuddy said as she tried to fight the tears.

"Then why are you telling me now?" House asked. "You didn't have to. You don't have to tell me everything."

"I like you, House, and I want us to be able to speak about things that are affecting us," Cuddy said looking over at him. "We have to be able to trust each other."

"I do trust you," House said giving her a smile. "I probably trust you more than Wilson because he is a big blabbermouth and runs around like a schoolgirl to gossip about me." Cuddy laughed.

"I want you to feel free to tell me things," Cuddy said to House.

"I'll try to tell you stuff, but I can't guarantee I will run and tell you everything," House said. He was used to hiding his feelings and problems from everybody. Cuddy was well aware of that.

"I understand House," she said. "I just want you to know that you can and I won't blab it all over the hospital like Wilson." House let out a small snort. His thoughts then quickly turned to something else.

"I'm sorry," House said to Cuddy as the smile left his face. A bad memory had come back into his mind.

"Miscarriages happen," Cuddy said, thinking he was sorry she had gone through that.

"That's not what I meant," House said. "I am sorry for the comment I made to your about being a bad mother."

"I know you didn't mean it," Cuddy said looking away from him. She really did know that he didn't mean it. It had still hurt her, though.

"I know I didn't really mean it, but I still hurt you," House said.

"It's okay, House," Cuddy said as she looked back at him. "You didn't know that I just had a miscarriage. I forgive you."

"I just wanted to make sure you knew that I hated myself for saying it," House said looking into her eyes. "I never meant to hurt you. I was in pain and angry." In all the years that Cuddy had known House, this was the first time he had ever said that he was sorry for something. This was also one of the first times in their relationship that she knew that he was telling the truth.

"I hope that means that you will be more careful of what you say now," Cuddy said giving him a smile.

"That might be a little hard because I kind of have a problem with not thinking before I speak," House said smiling back at her. Cuddy let out a little laugh.

"Just know that now I will kill you if you make another comment like that," Cuddy said raising an eyebrow.

"Noted," House answered.

"I'm ready to go home, House," Cuddy said. This had been an emotional night. "I am tired." House put the car in reverse.

"I'm that boring, huh?" House said. "Next time I'll take you to a shooting range."

"I don't think I will have to worry about this relationship being boring," Cuddy said, smiling that the word relationship was now more than just a professional one.

xx

11:15pm

House pulled into Cuddy's driveway. Small snowflakes had started to fall.

"I have always loved the snow," Cuddy said looking into the sky.

"The only bad thing about snow is that it makes it seem colder outside," House said.

"And the deadly ice that forms on the road," Cuddy said looking towards him.

"That can suck, too," House said.

"Yes, it can," Cuddy said as she opened her car door to get out.

"Stop right there," House said as he got out of the car. He walked to her side of the door and opened it further for her to get out. Cuddy gave him a big smile. House stuck out his left arm and she wrapped her right arm in it. "I don't want you to slip and die. Everyone would say I pushed you."

"That's very kind of you," Cuddy said as they started walking towards her front door.

"Would you like to go to lunch with me tomorrow?" House asked.

"Yes," Cuddy answered. "Of course, since you wake up at about noon, it will still be breakfast for you." Cuddy unlocked the front door and turned on the hallway light. House could feel his heart starting to beat out of his chest.

"I'll make sure I eat something before I come to work so that it will be considered lunch," House said.

"Is Wilson coming, too?" Cuddy asked remembering that Wilson had said they should all go to lunch together sometime. "I don't want him to feel left out."

"We can go out with him another time," House said.

"What has he said about us going out?" Cuddy asked House.

"I think part of him thinks it's funny and the girlie part of him in loving it that his two best friends are dating," House said. "He is happy either way."

"You think we are dating after two dates?" Cuddy asked smiling at him.

"You already agreed to a third," House pointed out.

"Is three times the charm?" Cuddy asked. "You seem pretty confident that it's not three strikes and you're out."

"You tell me which one it is," House said as he put his right hand on her left hip and pulled her into a kiss. She put her hands on his chest and then moved them up to his neck to deepen the kiss. "So what do you think?" House asked her when he pulled back from the kiss.

"Well for one thing, I don't think that you are gay with Wilson anymore," Cuddy said, trying to catch her breath from the kiss. "I also think that if you keep kissing me like that, a lot more than three will be the charm."

"Your right about the second one, but wrong on the first one because I also kiss Wilson like that," House said.

"Now I see why he is your friend," Cuddy said. House reached down and put his hands around her waist and gave her a firm hug. She smelled really good, but he knew that he wanted to wait a little longer before he tried even more with her.

"I better head home before the roads get bad," House said as he pulled out of the hug, looking into Cuddy's eyes. "I may have liked music on the ice okay, but I don't like driving on the ice." House gave her a kiss on her right cheek. She watched him as he pulled out of her driveway, putting her right hand over her lips as she still felt his kiss that had been so much more passionate than the one on New Year's Eve.