Don't Forget To Remember

Cuddy's mom had started out with small talk, but after 15 minutes, her real agenda came through. Cuddy had gotten home and was now sitting in her living room, preparing herself for what she knew was coming.

"So…do you have any Valentine's Day plans?" Laura Cuddy asked her daughter. Cuddy rolled her eyes at how predictable her mother was. The sting lessened each year, though, as she had gotten more and used to it and knew that it was coming.

"I'm not really sure yet," Cuddy told her mother. Cuddy heard her mother sigh.

"Lisa, you really should spend less time at the hospital and more time out meeting people," Laura said.

"I meet people everyday at the hospital mom," Cuddy said. She wondered what her mom thought the Dean of Medicine did all day.

"But you focus more on work than starting a relationship with anyone you meet," Laura said. "When is the last time you went out with someone new?"

"I haven't gone out with someone new in over a month," Cuddy said. She knew that wasn't a lie because she had been going out with the same person for over a month. "But before you make a comment, no I haven't been sitting home watching TV all by myself either." Cuddy heard her mother sigh again.

"I just don't understand how such a beautiful woman isn't married yet," Laura said. "Your sister managed to find a husband and she doesn't even have a job. She set her mind on finding a husband, not working."

Cuddy and her sister had always been different. Cuddy had always been more of a daddy's girl, following her father to the hospital and watched him as he worked. He was, and still is, her hero. Cuddy's sister, Leslie, was a clone of her mother. She loved to follow her mother around and help her with the housework. They usually teamed up together at get-together's to talk about Cuddy's lack of a love life. Leslie annoyed the crap out of her. She liked to rub into Cuddy's face that she had been married for 14 years, even though she is 4 years younger than Cuddy. Leslie always failed to mention, though, that her husband had many affairs during the years.

"We are just different people," Cuddy told her mother about her sister. "I am glad that she is happy, but mom, I am happy, too." Cuddy thought she could actually hear her mother rolling her eyes.

"I don't understand how you can be so happy being alone without a family," Laura told her daughter.

"I am not alone," Cuddy said. "I have friends and a job that I love."

"Oh, Lisa," her mother said in a disapproving voice. At least Cuddy knew that the 'oh, Lisa' comment usually meant it was okay to change the subject.

"So, how is dad?" Cuddy asked. "Is he there?"

"He went to the store to get a part for the sink," Laura said.

"Tell him I said hello," Cuddy said.

"I will dear," Laura said. "The doorbell is ringing, so I need to go and answer it."ouse House

Cuddy and her mom said their 'goodbyes' and 'I love you's' and then hung up their phones.

7:10pm

Cuddy had unlocked her front door so House didn't have to bother to knock and could come right in when he arrived. House opened the front door and smelled the steak Cuddy was cooking for them. He immediately made his way into the kitchen. He walked as quietly as he could so he could scare Cuddy.

"Boo!" House said as he wrapped his arms around her waist as she was washing a dish. The shock gasp from the scare quickly turned into laugher. House started kissing the back of Cuddy's neck and he rubbed his hands on the front of her hips.

"I didn't realize that hanging out with Chase would put you in such a good mood," Cuddy said.

"All the product in his hair made me high," House answered as he made his way over to the mashed potatoes and stuck a finger in it and then put it in his mouth.

"Sexy," Cuddy said sarcastically.

"I'll let you do the sucking later," House said as he wiggled his eyebrows at her. The two of them made their way into the dining room and started eating their dinner.

"Monday is going to be a pretty light day for me," Cuddy said when the topic turned to the hospital, trying to see what he had in mind for Valentine's Day.

"Sex in your office it is then," House said with a smile.

"I meant we can go out to lunch if you want," Cuddy said.

"FX is showing a Prison Break marathon, so we can watch that," House said. "We can also sit outside of Wilson's office and throw things at his door until he finally starts screaming for us to cut it out. Then we start screaming 'Sorry Mr. Wilson' like on Dennis the Menace." Cuddy couldn't tell if he was joking or not about his plans for Monday.

"I meant actually going out to lunch," Cuddy said.

"Chuck E. Cheeses it is then," House said.

"Can we at least go somewhere more grown up?" Cuddy asked. "I don't really feel like spending my lunch period 'where a kid can be a kid,'" Cuddy said. She really wanted to know what he was up, too, if anything. House knew what she was hinting at. He didn't want to ruin the surprise, though.

"You can pick the restaurant as long as I can get back to the hospital in time so I can get myself ready for my trip," House said.

"What trip?" Cuddy asked suspiciously. She knew that House didn't have to go anywhere because of the hospital.

"I saw on EBAY that someone is selling a vintage motorcycle, so I am going to drive on Monday night to go see if I want it," House said. House was very proud of himself for keeping a straight face. Cuddy looked at him in shock. She couldn't believe he had forgotten Valentine's Day.

"Whatever," she said to House. House knew that meant fuck you. House had to fight the smile off of his face.

"This steak is great," House said. "You sure know your way around meat."

"Thanks," Cuddy said. She didn't really know why she was so shocked that he didn't remember because he was House after all.

"My meat cannot wait for that hand introduction you promised," House said. Cuddy gave him a weak smile. House could tell that she was pissed, but not too much. She was mad enough that she would probably give him the silent treatment until he told her the surprise, but not mad enough to break up with him. She had the perfect amount of anger so when he told her what he got her, she would be ecstatic. He wondered if she had gotten him anything yet. If she hadn't, she could always give him something later when she wasn't so mad at him.