A/N: Thank you for the reviews, keep 'em coming!

3 days later House returned home after another boring day at work. He had diagnosed his last patient two days ago and hadn't had a new patient since then.

Annette had planned on staying at home for the rest of the week. And it looked like she was sticking to her plan, which was surprising. He had expected her to go back to work as soon as possible.

House used the key she had given him 3 days ago, after he had returned with her car keys. He had expected her to be very angry at him then, but instead she had given him a key.

As he entered he saw her talking on the phone. When she noticed him she smiled and waved. Normally she gave him a kiss, but that smile was okay too. She turned back to her conversation and he could hear that it wasn't in English, she was probably talking to family.

He went to the bathroom to shower off the hospital smell. When he entered the living room again she was still on the phone. All House could do was shake his head, he never understood how women could talk about everything and nothing on the phone.

House took a seat next to her and immediately she snuggled into his site, resting her hand his thigh rubbing it gently. It had taken him a while to get used to letting her do that without tensing. But now it was a daily routine he enjoyed very much. It made him realize that not all change is bad.

Finally she hung up the phone "Who was that?" His curiosity getting the better of him.

"Oh that was my brother. It's Sophie's birthday today, so I did my auntie duties and wished her a happy birthday."

House nodded wrapping his arms around her, it often amazed him how much he seemed to crave the contact and very often it was him who initiated the contact first.

"I told Thomas about you." She said.

"You did? What did he say?"

"I think he was surprised, he sounded happy though. But I'm sure he has a lot of questions when you meet him."

"What do you mean, when I meet him?"

She tensed and stopped rubbing his thigh "They are visiting for Christmas."

"What! But that's two weeks away."

"I know I'm sorry. But what was I suppose to say?"

"How about: No?" He knew he had done a big mistake saying that.

She looked up at him and he could see that he had hurt her deeply "I know that you don't talk to your family, but my brother is very important to me. How could you even say such a thing?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"But you did!" She yelled and went to the bedroom slamming the door shut.

Why had he just said that? He knew Thomas was important to her. How could he fix it? The logical move would be to apologize, which he probably would end up doing anyway. But if he could find another way to fix this would be even better, plus he wasn't good at apologizing. Firstly though he should let her cool off, maybe she would come out of the bedroom on her own, but that was highly unlikely.

House needed a distraction, so he dug out his PSP. He noticed right away that something wasn't right, his favorite car and character had been swapped by a barely dressed female character driving a pink car. He smiled Annette had played his game the day he took her car keys.

As he finished the next level he took a look at the high scores, she had beaten nearly all of his. Incredible, it had only taken her a couple of hours, that's a year of hard work down the drain. Again she had surprised the hell out of him.

Two hours later House was still trying to beat her high scores, when he heard the bedroom door open. Annette stepped out, she looked terrible. The tear marks were still there, which tore him apart, because he was the one that had put them there.

"Are you coming to bed?"

He looked at her confused "I didn't think you'd want me to."

"I'm not saying that were okay. I've just been trying to get to sleep the last couple of hours and that doesn't happen unless you're next to me."

He looked even more confused "So now you just want me as your blanket?"

"Please?" Her eyes shining and lips pouting.

"Stop looking at me like that." She smiled knowing that he would cave. Annette turned and walked to the bedroom again.

When House entered the bedroom she was already lying under the covers "I'm gonna go get ready."

"Okay"

This was weird, he couldn't get in the bed lie next her and not say something, which probably would upset her even more. So when he crawled under the covers he stayed on his side, not quite knowing what to do.

"Did you buy me another pink toothbrush, because I could've sworn my toothbrush was orange last night?" He said hoping that he could break the ice, starting with a joke and hopefully end it with a kiss or another joke.

"I changed it. I'm still plotting against you for stealing my car keys." She mumbled her back still turned towards him. But he felt her foot gently sliding it up against his calf. He wanted to turn and hold her, but he wasn't sure she would let him. She had to set the tone.

"And thanks for beating all of my high scores. We should buy an Xbox, together we could beat those teenage couch potatoes in not time." Slowly she turned towards him, he guessed now was the time to apologize.

"I'm sorry about what I said. I know your family, especially your brother, is very important to you." He turned to his side and placed his hand on her waist.

She smiled and her hand wandered under his t-shirt gently scraping her nails against his back. "I know that you were just nervous to meet him, so you lashed out in panic."

"So why are you mad at me?" She kept smiling.

It didn't take long for him to find out what her plan was all along. "You just wanted me to apologize." Annette nodded and buried her head deeper against his chest, rubbing her nose against his t-shirt. "You evil bitch." He whispered and slapped her ass.

"Yep, still plotting against you." She smacked his ass in return.

"You know this means war right?"

"So you're okay with meeting my brother and his family?" She asked instead getting their talk back on track.

House sighed "Yes, I guess. I'm in this for the long haul and meeting the family is part of a committed relationship."

"Great we can go Christmas shopping tomorrow."

"Oh come on!" He groaned. House felt her chest shaking in laughter.