This is another much anticipated chapter as both House and Cuddy will now talk once and for all. Fingers crossed, this will turn out to be not too OOC for both characters.
** There will be some edited quote references throughout the chapter tweeted by TheNotebook. CREDITS GO TO THEM.
Thank you for the joyous comments/reviews, #Huddies. Special mention to: JessicaLynH who posted this awesome comment/review: "OH MY GOD! MOST THRILLING CLIFFHANGER EVER! Don't make me come to the Philippines and make you write the next chapter ASAP! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!" - THANK YOU. YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO COME HERE.
Furthermore, this one posted by sarahuddy also made me smile big time: "If i was david shore, you were hired to write the story of the season 8.:D continue.. its a great story and good to read :D." – THANK YOU. THAT WAS SWEET OF YOU TO SAY.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING. All belong to David Shore and Company.
CHAPTER 18 – LET'S DO THIS AGAIN
House was still lost with the conflicting thoughts going on in his mind when suddenly the door burst open. There standing in front of him in a casual sleeveless top and yoga pants was the stunned figure of the one and only Lisa Cuddy. She might be on her way to put out the trash as she was holding a black plastic bag at her right hand while her left hand was holding the door knob.
As soon as her eyes registered his figure, she dropped the trash bag to the floor and they both stared at each other's gaze for a few seconds before the Diagnostician came up in a low voice a simple, "Hello."
Cuddy, on auto-pilot also managed to say her simple, "Hi" back after registering what the man in front of her had said.
Now, both doctors were still shocked to see each other this up-close after 24 long painful hours of being on the opposite sides of the globe. Neither one could look away from the intense staring contest they are sharing after missing this simple guilty pleasure they used to do all those months ago back when they were still a couple. No one dared to move from their exact location they are standing right this precise moment for fear of breaking that wonderful spell that now finally binds them back together after months of being not into each other's same orbit.
Gregory House and Lisa Cuddy are lost into their own mutual world without taking notice about their current surroundings until it was broken by an overly-excited angel's voice that instantly came running in between them when a pair of little eager arms went to circle around the man's good leg saying, "Hows, I missed you." Rachel Cuddy who wasn't aware of the tension between the two adults in front of her went to look up at House's still surprised ocean blue orbs with her own pair of adorable brown ones.
The little girl was just so overjoyed seeing her bloody scallywag friend again after not being around him for months now. Even in her young innocent mind, she knew that something might have happened between her mom and this man for her not to have her friend around for a long time. And just seeing him now here once more is making young Rachel jump for joy. She didn't loosen her tight grip on her friend's leg until she heard his baritone voice again addressing her in a bit of a joking tone he always used around her but rarely in the presence of her mother. "Hey, kid. How have you been?"
House regretfully broke his eye contact with his woman to look down and address the other Cuddy in front of him. He did pat the little girl's head like he used to do before in a manner that his best friend, Wilson accused him as if treating Cuddy's child like a dog.
"I… a good girl." Rachel Cuddy's eyes sparkled with a full bloom smile plastered on her cherubic face, answered in still an eager voice accompanied by an action that made her stick out her chest towards House to emphasize how good she had been during the times her friend wasn't with her.
And then, added as an afterthought still embracing House's legs while looking up at the tall figure of the man in front of him, "Where Hows go? Me missed playing with you." The toddler then buried her face on House's leg as if afraid of him to once again disappear from her sight.
The Dean of Medicine was left with nothing to do but to just silently observe the lovely sweet scene playing right before her very eyes. She can now feel her tears beginning to form in her eyes as she heard her daughter's words towards the man she does considered as her "friend."
Right after she and House broke up, a week had not passed by that Rachel won't mention House's name and asked about his whereabouts as the man stopped visiting her at their house to play with her. Her inquiries became more incessant after House's leg fiasco as the little girl seem to engrave in her young memory the bloody scene she had witness and insisted sometimes to go see House to make sure that his leg no longer hurt.
Cuddy was forced to make up some lies to cover up House's absence in both their lives especially after the toddler started to ask questions how come her mommy's tummy seems to be growing day by day. In fact, the Chief Administrator was even mortified on the day when out of nowhere, Rachel asked her an unexpected question concerning about the father of her baby on her womb. Until now, she can still remember the serious but full of innocence question of her older child. Cuddy did have a double take when she first heard Rachel asked while she was tucking her in on her bed one night, "Mommy, Hows put the baby in your tummy?"
She wasn't prepared to hear that question from her toddler child and when she inquired Rachel more as to where she heard that question, Cuddy got an answer that the Mommy of her friend in her school also had a big tummy like her and that she was told by her classmate that it was her daddy who put the baby on her Mom's tummy. It took a few seconds for the Dean of Medicine to come up with a proper answer to that innocent question as she wasn't able to control her tears to stream down her eyes and the only answer she managed to say was a simple "yes".
To Cuddy's surprise, Rachel seem to be satisfied with the one-word answer she got from her Mommy as she then just smiled at her and then said her goodnight to close her eyes right after.
Seeing both her "kids" interact with each other now after many months of not being around in the other's life, just made her realized that not only was she the one who truly missed this grumpy doctor but also her daughter.
Lisa Cuddy was broken out of her trance when she felt Rachel's little hand dragging hers, too while the other one also took that of House's to lead both adults inside the apartment towards the couch in the living room. Both House and Cuddy without a word were left with no choice but to follow the bounceful steps of the little person leading them to the couch with still a full bloom smile on her face. Also, without thoughts, both sat on the couch with Rachel in between them and then, they heard the child's voice rung through their ears, "Mama, Hows stays with us?"
Once again, the two doctor's gaze met when they saw that the girl was eagerly waiting for her mom's answer while giving both adults a back and forth glances. It's obvious from her voice that she was hoping to receive a positive response and so, after a few seconds of gauging House's reaction to that question, Cuddy broke eye contact with the man to turn her gaze down to her child.
Soon, a happy squeal can be heard within the four walls of the apartment as Rachel seem to be in ecstasy after hearing her mom's yes answer. Almost instantly, the little girl once again stood up and let go of Cuddy's hand to take House's one with both her little hands and then said, "Hows, watch cartoons with me in the room." Obviously, she wasn't waiting for a response but just compliance as she forced the cripple man to stand up on his feet by applying more force on their joined hands.
Now a bit reluctant as to whether or not House would want to do that, Cuddy was about to tell her daughter otherwise when she heard the man's voice, "Let's go kid."
Without giving Cuddy a single glance, House was led to his old bedroom's direction with Rachel that is more than eager to show him the way. Cuddy might have moved his TV inside the bedroom as he no longer can see it in the living room. The Diagnostician figured this "bonding" moment with the kid will be better for him as it will buy him more time to think of a more appropriate approach to "deal" with Cuddy later on when they will ultimately have their long-overdued conversation. Afterall, this is going to be their make or break talk that will determine the final course of their so-called complicated yet uncommon relationship. And he'll be damn if he won't make sure that this will lead them to be a "family" with Rachel, and the 2 newly-born babies.
Meanwhile, while House was spending their "pirates" time with her daughter, Lisa Cuddy was left alone in the living room to be with her conflicting thoughts. She and Rachel had already taken their dinner that's why she was on her way out to put the trash out. Then, she remembered she was indeed supposed to put the trash out. She turned her gaze towards the direction of the front door and saw that the trash bag was haphazardly left on the floor. She also forgot to close the door when Rachel just dragged them both to the living room.
Standing up, Cuddy went to pick up the trash bag and put it outside on the designated area where the garbage collector will pick them up tomorrow first thing in the morning. Then, she went back into the kitchen to prepare herself a cup of tea and made a sandwich for House as she's sure that the man hasn't eaten anything for dinner yet.
She was now sipping her tea while sitting on one of the chairs near the counter top on the kitchen as her thoughts once again began to wander. Gregory House is here. Infact, he's now just in the next room with her daughter whom she had never seen this happy after she and the man broke up. She still couldn't believe that he's finally here. He went after her to see their own son and reminiscing the lovely scenario she saw this afternoon in her hospital of House intensely staring at the tiny creature they created together brought tears to her eyes. God, how she wish to see House holding little Aaron in his arms already. Just picturing that scene in her mind is already making her cry more in happiness.
Finally, there is that chance for them to fix things between them and Lisa Cuddy with all of her will pretty damn make it sure that she and House will really fix this so they can be a "family" with Rachel, little Aaron and little Chris.
With a smile on her face, she made a bow to herself in the name of their son that she will be patient enough with House during their conversation later on. Cuddy knew that the man can really be annoying most of the times with his tendency to deflect and hide from his true feelings. One has to be extra patient enough to make him put down his guarded walls so they can finally be able to be honest with each other and if there is that one person that is a match to the stubborn Gregory House, without a doubt, everyone will agree that it's only the ever fearless Lisa Cuddy can do so.
Cuddy who was deeply engrossed with her own thoughts didn't notice that House had now joined her in the kitchen. Then, she heard his calm voice a few feet behind her, "She's now out for the night. We didn't even watch for long before her eyes started to close. But as stubborn as she can be like her mom, she forced herself to be up longer. Eventually, her body surrendered to the call of sleep."
House said all these while looking at the floor in one get-go without meeting Cuddy's gaze as he can feel her back turned to face him. What's wrong with you? You said you're gonna do this. So, stop being a coward and look at her, you idiot. The Diagnostician heard the annoying nagging voice of his mind.
For obvious reason since Wilson, the ever rationalization man isn't with him for months, House realized that since then, that nagging voice of his own mind seem to be present more and more these days.
In turn, when Cuddy turned her back to face the man where she knew the direction of his voice came from saw that he's avoiding her gaze and addressing the floor, instead of her. Trying to remind herself once more to be extra cautious, she took a deep breathe and uttered a simple, "Thanks." She observed as the man just continued looking at the floor and then, she decided to give a break him for a while by adding, "I made you a sandwich. You must be starving."
Upon hearing this, the Diagnostician slowly lift up his eyes to meet the woman's gaze and then, went to approach to sit on the chair opposite to that of Cuddy's. He mumbled a low "Thanks" before grabbing the food to munch since he can really feel his stomach complaining for the lack of food.
Silence followed after on the two occupants of the kitchen. Only their own rapid heart beatings can be heard through their respective ears as House continued to eat his sandwich while Cuddy also sipped her tea.
They do caught each other stealing a few seconds' glances on the other when the other one thought that the other is not looking. When their gazes did meet, both will immediately look down pretending that they weren't caught. Internally, both of them are cursing themselves for acting like idiots. But of course, both also knew that the awkwardness between them is really unavoidable as they still do not know how to act in each other's presence after not being in the same place for months.
What are you doing, idiot? Talk to her, man. You are losing this round. Once again, House heard that voice inside his mind and so, he decided to stop this awkwardness surrounding them by going straight to the point, "Why didn't you tell me about the baby?"
Lisa Cuddy though still not being feeling comfortable didn't fail to notice his use of a third person pronoun regarding their son. She doesn't know what to feel on his choice of words in addressing their own child as the baby. Maybe, he didn't do it on purpose. Then, now beginning to have the courage to look at his direction while she saw House was still busy munching on his sandwich, she responded with an honest answer, "I don't want you to come back home with me just because you only felt obligated to do so after knowing about our son."
Gregory House as intuitive as he can be also didn't fail to notice her choice of word addressing their son as our son. He's starting to feel that Cuddy is beginning to be on the defensive side this early on in their conversation and he needs to remind himself to be careful not to overstep on that area. Answering her but now correcting himself on his mind, he said, "Cuddy, how long have you known me? You know that's not going to be the case." He tried to utter those words in as much calm voice he can muster when he place the now a third portion of the sandwich he was enjoying eating back to the small plate in front of him.
The woman in front of him followed his movements with her eyes as she also registered his words. Then, deciding to delay this talk a bit, she went on to say, "Finish your food first then we can talk."
Cuddy went to stand up from her sitting position to put her now empty cup on the sink. Her back is now facing House and she heard him exhaled a loud sigh before hearing his controlled voice, "No. I'm done eating. We can now start talking."
She still didn't turn her back to face him when he added, "If you have told me about our baby, I would not have easily let you go."
That made the Dean of Medicine turned to meet the Diagnostician's ocean blue gaze. She can feel her heart beat faster now than the previous moments. She saw that House didn't avoid her gaze but just kept observing her every single reaction. She was loss for words as her mind couldn't find the appropriate immediate response to that.
They just kept on staring at each other because Cuddy can't still make her brain work to come up with an answer. But then, both were genuinely surprised when suddenly, the woman's voice with a hint of anger was heard, "And you think that's supposed to make me feel better?"
Lisa Cuddy soon realized that her brain didn't stop working. It just needed a pause to come up with that rebuttal. On the other hand, Gregory House was a bit shocked to see the sudden appearance of that unexpected response as he saw that the woman in front of him is now heaving in anger with what he just said. Then, she added in a now controlled voice but it was still evident to the both of them that she was just trying her hardest not to lash out that much, "God, House. You're the biggest idiot on earth. I don't play second option. You either choose me or you lose me."
Still trying his hardest to maintain their eye contact even if all of him was telling him to avoid her probing gaze, House answered in a low voice, "I know. I'm sorry."
Suddenly, Cuddy lost all her temper. She went to approach the man sitting just a few feet in front of her in a few quick strides and then, grabbed his shirt to make him stand up on his feet and almost shouting bellowed, "Stop apologizing, you infuriating bastard."
Now, Gregory House finds himself face to face with one Lisa Cuddy with her eyes darting angry sparks in his direction. Reminding himself not to meet her frustrations, he slowly took her trembling hands on his shirt resting on top of his chest to envelop them both on his own hands and brought it down to rest their intertwined hands near their lap. Then, he calmly said, "Calm down, Cuddy." He couldn't think of anything else to say aside from another I'm sorry and he's smart enough to know that, that will only make matters worse. Without fully realizing it, he was rubbing soothing circles on her hands with his thumbs.
House saw that after a few seconds, the woman's expression started to soften and so, he added, "I have this crazy plan for us in my mind. It would make it so much easier if you just cooperated with my dreams."
The world-renowned Diagnostician let go a sigh of relief upon seeing the woman in front of him smile after hearing his words. Then, Cuddy said in a now calm voice, "What plan?"
"I can't tell you yet. It might be a taboo if I'll say so." House answered with a bit of a teasing tone now but Lisa Cuddy saw behind that statement. There was an undertone of seriousness behind his voice. But, she chose to let it go for now as they have more things to discuss.
Exhaling a breathe, the Chief Administrator also asked the one question that started this all, "Why did you do it? What did you crash your car at my house?" She was hoping that after her earlier outburst, the man will now take their talk seriously so they can finally move forward seeing as both are really willing to try here.
Now, looking down at their intertwined hands, House answered, "Can can we go sit down on the couch in the living room?" While he was saying this, he was already leading his woman towards that direction but he didn't let go of her hands. Oh, how he missed feeling her smooth hands on his rough ones.
As soon as they arrived on their destination, both sat down but House still didn't let go of her hands. Turning towards her so he can see her every reaction, he answered her earlier question, "Being in love is not a choice, staying with them or not is."
He saw that Cuddy met his gaze but confusion is written on her face on the answer she got and so he went on, "Even if you broke my heart when you ended our relationship that night, I never stopped loving you, Cuddy. And that afternoon in the hospital lobby, I was being honest when I told you that it wasn't your fault. I know that you still love me, too but circumstances around us made it impossible for us to be together. You decided that the pain and misery you can get from being with me isn't worth it in the end."
Gregory House saw that Cuddy is about to interrupt him so he stopped her by saying, "No. Let me finish first. I will only say this once and I'll respect whatever decision you'll make after."
"Okay." Cuddy answered him.
Taking another breathe, House went on, "I honestly believed you when you said that you weren't seeing anyone since us. So, I figured that eventhough we still love each other, we need to let go because the world seems better with the two of us not being together. That's why I went to your house with the intention of giving you back your hairbrush as a final token than it really is the end of our personal relationship. I am willing to go back to the days prior to us dating. You being my annoying boss and I, being your pain in the ass employee."
The famous doctor went to look up to meet the woman's gaze to check if she was still catching up with his flow of words. He saw that Cuddy was intently listening to him.
"But when I saw you give your radiant smile to him, the smile that you only reserved for me, I was blinded with the realization that you of all people had lied to me. I always trusted you, Cuddy and seeing you that moment when my conjured mind won't take any other explanation to that painful scenario except that you still belong to the category that everybody lies, my mind went blank. All I can feel was the stubbing pain deep within my chest. I love you so much that seeing you with someone else even if we both decided that it's time for us to move on, I wasn't ready that time nor will I ever be ready in the future."
Giant tears were now freely flowing down Cuddy's smooth cheeks hearing all these words coming from a man who rarely shows his true feelings. God, why did they ever try to let go of each other when right from the very first moment that their paths had crossed all those years ago, it was already established that they can't escape each other no matter how hard they try? Fate had decided to imprint that invincible thread bond within their souls that there was no escape route in other directions but towards each other.
On the other hand, Gregory House seeing the tears on his woman's face went to let go of his right hand from that of their interlocked hands to brush off the tears on Cuddy's face. Almost instantly, Cuddy leans closer to her man's gentle touch and then, trying to clear her throat, she spoke, "I never lied to you, House. I wasn't dating him. Infact, that was the first time that we did that and I specifically required Julia and Eric's presence there seeing as it was my sister's idea to set me up with that guy." She was looking directly at him with now a smile gracing her face amidst the tears.
She saw House took a deep sigh of relief before almost shyly went to look down at their laps but still brushing soothing movements on her face then he said, "Then, I really am an idiot."
Now smiling big time, Cuddy let go of her left hand from that of their joined ones to bring up to House's chin to force him to meet her gaze and said, "That you are but you're my favorite idiot." She saw that House too had a small smile painted upon hearing what she said. Then, she added, "Can you please give me one more chance to love you? PLEASE..."
The Diagnostician now in a good mood decided to tease his woman more and only answered her with a "Maybe... "
Lisa Cuddy not getting that the man in front of her was just making fun of her asked in a reluctant voice, "Do I like a FOOL?"
It's too much for House to see her looking so unsure of herself when in reality she looked so adorable and so, he also decided to cut the chase by saying, "Nope. You look like a RED SUCKER that I want to taste." Not giving her time to think about what he meant by that, he slowly lean over her to capture her ever luscious cherry lips. The kiss was gentle and so feather-light as they both feel a shiver run down their spine of finally able to taste each other natural flavors after months of longing for it. The kiss was similar to the one they shared two years ago during the collapsed crane incident.
It was Cuddy who broke it after a few seconds to look intensely at his eyes and then asked in a still not sure manner but with a radiant smile painted on her lovely features, "Let's try this again?"
House answered, "No. Let's do this again." With that, he once again captured his woman's lips now in a fiercer manner. They both took their time to quench their thirst of each other's flavor as they seem just content to just enjoy this moment of being back in each other's close proximity.
Then, House heard Cuddy's soft sob so he pulled away from their kiss and then asked her in a worried tone, "What's wrong?"
Choosing to close her eyes before rubbing her nose to his own as if practicing the Eskimo kiss, she answered, "You just don't know…"
She didn't continue with her statement as she buried her face on his neck and House without conscious thoughts wrap his arms around her to draw soothing small circles on her back when he heard her sobs getting louder. Then, he asked in a gentle voice, "Don't know what?"
Wrapping her own feminine arms around him, too, Cuddy answered, "…how much I missed you."
She tightened her hold around him and House though stunned by her raw but honest confession, answered her back with, "Me too."
They stayed like that for a few minutes until Cuddy calmed down and House felt that she was beginning to fall asleep. Nudging her gently on her shoulders to make her lift up her head, he told her in a soft voice, "Let's get you to bed. You need to rest."
Cuddy only nodded and slowly went to stand up. Then, she extended her left hand towards her man who stayed seated on the couch. "Stay with me." Obviously, she was still afraid of him going away again from her. Her grey orbs were pleading with his ocean blues and House reached for her extended hand to stand too and with their intertwined hands, they together moved towards the bedroom.
Upon reaching there, they saw that Rachel was still peacefully sleeping on her nearby crib. Without words, they went to take their own sides of the bed and went to climb in together. As soon as both were settled under the sheets, both went to seek for each other's warmth. It was House who took Cuddy to wrap her tiny frame in his arms. Cuddy used his chest as her pillows and both doctors were just content to be back in each other's arms again, enjoying their own unique scents that they missed much from all those months of being "separated."
Before they finally succumbed to sleep, it was House who softly whispered first after kissing Cuddy's forehead, "I love you."
Feeling her smile on his chest, Cuddy also answered back, "I love you, too."
With that, both doctors with a smile on their faces and the solemn thoughts of being back with each other went to close their eyes, dreaming of their happy days ahead of them with their "family."
The following morning, Dr. Lisa Cuddy was seen entering PPTH entrance doors with a radiant smile plastered on her glowing face. The spark behind her eyes was also back along with her confident stride as she approaches her office. As soon as her office doors closed, the mill buzz surrounding the hospital begun as one Dr. Robert Chase with the full permission of another Dr. James Wilson started collecting money for the bet as to how long will it take for Drs. Gregory House and Lisa Cuddy to tie the knot.
Lisa Cuddy without any little knowledge at all about the on-goings outside her office doors went to take off her coat and was excited to put down the files she brought and her things on her desk so she can right away visit her son, Aaron didn't notice at first the small box meticulously placed in the middle of her desk.
But when she put down her attaché bag on top of the side closet near her desk, she finally noticed that odd thing as she couldn't remember seeing it the day before. As soon as her eyes saw the handwriting written on the small card on top of the box, her heart started beating faster. She knew that handwriting by heart.
Silently inviting her was the unique way the letter "L" was written on her first name, Lisa, with trembling hands, the Dean of Medicine lifts the opened card to read what was written inside. What she read afterwards made tears to instantly fall from her eyes. In a still all too-familiar words, the joyous words that stared back at her were, "I want to be your favorite HELLO and your hardest GOODBYE. Marry me?"
With her blurry vision, she slowly opened the box and what was revealed to her very eyes made her gasped and covered her mouth with her right hand to control the sob she was controlling not to let out. In broad day light, casting the sun's rays coming from her office's window blinds sparkled an antique 3-karat diamond engagement ring. Lifting it out from the box, the Endocrinologist did not dare to hide her tears of happiness as she closely inspected the precious stone in front of her. She saw that there were some words engraved inside and bringing it closer to her field of vision, she read the following words, "Forever, House – 1891".
Yay, there you go. How was it? Too OOC for both House and Cuddy? LOL, I hope not. We'll soon find out the aftermath of this beautiful discovery on the next chapter tomorrow (my time). Share me your thoughts on the reviews?
Thanks for reading,
Helen
** AND LOL, TO THIS PERSON (hannamontana) WHO POSTED THIS - "Good story except Cuddy wouldn't leave her baby. Maybe you shouldn't be your biggest fan so much and be so conceited?" - DUH, THIS IS A FANFIC. YOU CAN EVEN MAKE CUDDY A FAIRY HERE, FOR PETE'S SAKE. ALSO, COME ON, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A FIGHT WITH ME, AT LEAST HAVE THE GUTS TO LOG-IN SO I CAN PROPERLY REPLY TO YOU. I'M PRETTY SURE, YOU ARE STILL ONE OF MY FOLLOWERS ON TWITTER. YOU DON'T LIKE ME, YET YOU STILL CHECK MY ACTIVITIES? WHAT A HYPOCRITE! THIS IS THE SECOND TIME YOU POSTED A NEGATIVE COMMENT ABOUT ME, AND NOT MY STORY AT ALL. IF YOU ARE STILL LURKING AROUND HERE, DO US BOTH A FAVOR! STOP READING MY STORY IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT AND STOP POSTING NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT ME. I DON'T EVEN PERSONALLY KNOW YOU AND VICE VERSA.