new chapter, where you find out that when you keep taking steps, even small ones, then at some point you start to move, which definitely is a good thing if, on top of that, you're also going in the right direction...

** CHAPTER 25 **

They needed that. Again. They seemed to never get enough of each other. House made love to her like a soldier coming back from the war makes love to the woman whose only thought kept him out of his nightmare. There was impatience and passion in it but there was also relief and gratitude. Each time they locked eyes, House stared at her with an intense look in which his present joy was mingled with all the fears of losing her he'd gone through in the past. When Cuddy caught that look, she felt a wave of emotions coursing through her body and reaching her core until the languorous sound of her moans was no longer triggered by lust only.

What they needed to express was powerful and overwhelming and strong. What they had to show to each other was coming from very deep inside of them. And what they were telling each other with their body language was as explicit as words.

And it frightened them.

Not that they didn't want it to be that way. But they weren't prepared for this. For a very long time, they'd tried to fight against evidence. They'd tried to deny the undeniable, wanting to convince themselves that it was just a game. But truth is, they'd been chasing each other, teasing each other, and pushing each other's buttons for years. They'd been mad at each other a million times and a million times, they'd come back to each other. And with that subtle mix of innuendos, banter, and anger, they'd somehow always implied that this was exactly what they wanted to happen.

And now that it had, it felt amazing. They'd been craving it for so long and it could have been a disaster, but it wasn't. Of course, it was exciting and new, so it created a feeling of elation that, as they were both fully aware, might only be short-lived. And they'd worked hard to give each other the impression that their sudden passionate surge toward each other was only an out the blue impulse, when they both knew that it wasn't.

At some point in time, they'd both thought about the consequences of what would follow if they ever dared to take that step and it was, in fact, a terrifying unknown.

They made love and right after that second round of uncontrolled bursting desire, they laid next to each other in silence again. It was not an awkward silence, though, just a silence that said they were now aware of how much things had changed: They were no longer just bonded by an employer/employee relationship, not even a friendly one while, at the same time, they didn't seem ready to allow themselves to call them lovers yet.

Cuddy's head was resting on House's chest, and he was listlessly fondling her back while she was tickling his navel with her fingertips. It was obvious that they both wanted to say something but just couldn't find the strength to break the silence.

"What?" House asked all of a sudden, as if he were asking her to repeat something she hadn't said.

Her fingers stilled on his belly, and she tilted her head upward, nuzzling his neck. She took a deep breath and cowardly tried to buy herself some time.

"What what?"

"What is it that you want to say?" He gently seized her by the shoulders and made her scoot over so he could see her.

She cast her eyes down to avoid his gaze and, in a very low voice, she whispered, "I guess I should probably go."

House put his forefinger under her chin and made her raise her face up to him.

"Look at me," he said with a shaky voice that slightly betrayed his angst.

He met her gaze and in her beautiful light blue eyes, he read confusion and hesitation.

"Do you want to go?"

She struggled to answer, and he tried to hide the distressing feeling that it left him with, swallowing back the lump that had formed in his throat. He studied her closely, but he couldn't tell if she was hesitating because she didn't know whether she should tell him a painful truth or not, or if she was just trying to find a way of saying it. House was expecting everything, except what obviously turned out to be the most rational reason there could be.

"I have to go back to my place," she explained in a voice that suggested she was genuinely disappointed she had to.

"Why?" he asked, feeling inwardly stupid for having thought it might be something else.

"House, I have to go to work in different, clean clothes tomorrow."

"No, you don't! Who cares? I don't care. You could go naked if you like. I really couldn't care less. Or maybe, I could care more!"

He flashed a raunchy smile at her, and it made her laugh, but she soon fell silent and pouted, shaking her head.

"You know I can't go to work wearing the same clothes I was wearing today. And I probably shouldn't tell you that because you'll use it as a pretext to mock me but, I need my make-up. I don't wake up in the morning with the same face I have now."

"You look awful now," House stated, repressing a chuckle.

She widened her eyes in astonishment and he grinned mischievously, taking time to study her face. Her curls were all entangled. There was not a single remaining trace of lipstick on her lips. She looked a bit tired, and it accentuated the dark rings under her eyes. She was a mess. But she was the most beautiful and sexiest mess he'd ever held in his arms. He pulled her closer and squeezed her tight against his chest.

"But you definitely don't need make-up to look that incredibly awful to me," He whispered in her ears, rubbing his nose against her skin to fill his nostrils with her tantalizing scent.

Cuddy heard the sound of his deep breathes and, unaware of the pleasure House was taking in this, she started to fidget a little and pushed him away.

"I need to take a shower," she said a little embarrassed.

A mischievous sparkle twinkled in his eyes. He made his way back against her and kissed her from her earlobe to the hollow of her collarbone.

"Hmm, yes," he groaned hoarsely against her skin. "Shower's a good idea."

She smacked him on the side of his arm and pushed him away, again. He started to laugh but when he caught her gaze, he saw how serious she was. She was staring at him, stubbornly silent, waiting for him to say something that would finally ease the situation and make it less painful for her to go. House released her from his embrace and, all traces of banter suddenly gone, he looked her straight in the eyes.

"I don't want you to go," he said in a low, gravelly voice, surprising even him when he heard the words coming out of his mouth so easily.

"Aww, House," she said with a sorry, disappointed pout, "but I have to."

"No, you don't."

He held her gaze with intent, making sure she understood that he was serious.

"Stay the night," he said.

Cuddy opened her mouth to say something, but he didn't let her.

"Stop thinking about tomorrow. What matters is here and now. You'll have plenty of time to freak out about what kind of totally inappropriate, sexy low-cut top you should wear tomorrow for work."

She sent him a faked glare of shock but, deep inside, she already knew she was going to give up and cave to his request. Maybe House felt it in her gaze, too, and in the way she seemed to relax next to him.

"You could leave early in the morning and drive to your place," he added, feeling her defense weaken, "and still get to the hospital on time. And even if you don't, geez, the world won't come to an end just because you're not there to control everything."

"I know the world won't come to an end," she repeated, pursing her lips.

"Then, get out of my bed and go take your shower!" House exclaimed with a broad smile, knowing he'd won.

Cuddy looked at him hesitantly, trying to resist the irresistible. House got out of bed and stood naked in front of her for a few seconds, before bending down to seize her by the arm, shaking her gently.

"Come on, Cuddy! Out!"

She scooted over to the edge of the bed and got up, naked too, on the other side of the bed. He peered at her with unapologetic lasciviousness and leaned down to pick up his clothes. He grabbed his boxers and his jeans and put them on.

"What are you doing?" she asked perplexed.

"Scram!" he ordered pointing at the bathroom with his finger.

"I need my clothes," she said, indicating with her chin that they were lying on the floor on his side of the bed.

House looked down and smiled before bending down to the floor again. When he straightened up, he threw her a ball of clothes over the bed that she caught in her arms. She gave a quick glance at it then looked at him with a tender smile.

"You don't need to get dressed," he muttered before she had the chance to speak.

"I'm not going anywhere," she told him. "I'm just going to take a shower."

With that simple sentence, she was clearly referring to the night at his place when she'd left. She knew that he hadn't forgotten about that moment and that he'd most probably remembered of it, right at this moment, even unconsciously, when he'd chosen to throw his shirt to her instead of her clothes so she could cover herself after her shower.

"I know," he said a bit self-consciously.

She gave him one last glance and started to walk toward his bathroom. When he heard the water flowing, House grabbed a tee shirt on a chair next to his bed and slipped it on.

# # # # #

Cuddy let herself go under the flow of warm water. The sensation felt good on her skin. She felt good. She took some of his shower gel and washed herself with it. The foam had that particular musky odor, and she closed her eyes, relishing the sensation when his masculine scent filled her nostrils. After a long while during which she just relaxed leisurely under the water, she stepped out of the tub and dried herself. She put on the clothes House had given her: her panties and his shirt. She took a look at her reflection in the mirror and smiled.

But just before walking out of his bathroom, she suddenly felt a little puzzled because she didn't know what to do next. It was an awkward sensation: She was here in his apartment, half naked in his bathroom, wearing his shirt, and now what? What was she supposed to do? It wasn't as if she hadn't enjoyed having that moment under the shower alone, but she suddenly thought it would be easier for her if House hadn't left his bedroom because then she'd just join him, and it'd be much simpler.

She started walking out of the bathroom cautiously, wondering where she should go next and what he expected her to do. He'd gotten dressed just before she'd left for her shower, and she wondered when he'd gone. Was she supposed to just slip under his sheets? Should she try to find him? She was starting to feel a little uncomfortable as she stepped out of the bathroom and entered his bedroom again. But just as she stepped into the room, she saw he was there, sitting on his bed, waiting for her and she sighed in relief. He was bare-chested and wearing a pajamas bottom. When he saw her, he shot her a bright smile and she waddled toward the him, walking on her tiptoes, and feeling a little shy. As she approached, he followed her with his eyes, conspicuously ogling her from head to toes ravenously.

"I'm used to see you walk with those arousing working lady's suits on, but I must say, men's clothes don't look bad on you either," he said roguishly, as she arrived at the bedside. "Or maybe it's just because you don't wear the bottom part,"

She was about to sit next to him when he flung his hand up in a typical, warning gesture.

"Watch out!" he exclaimed. "You don't want to sit on this."

He pointed at a tray that lay on the mattress beside him.

"What's this?" Cuddy asked, a wave of emotions filling her.

On the tray, there was a glass of wine, an apple and some cookies, and a plate filled with a big tomato and cheese omelet.

"I think they call it food," House answered casually, trying hard not to make a big deal out of it.

She bit her bottom lip and looked at him with a fond gaze.

"You said you were hungry but actually, instead of giving you something to eat, I made you burn out the few calories you had left. Twice."

"You cooked this for me?" she asked, pointing at the omelet.

"Yeah. I figured an apple, and some cookies wouldn't be enough. I don't want the Dean of Medicine to faint in my bedroom due to hypoglycemia. What would I say to the paramedics if they came to pick you up here?"

"House," she whispered, melting with affection.

He took the tray and lifted it up then gestured her to come sit down next to him with his head. When she did, he put the tray on her lap.

"Stop talking and eat before it gets cold."

Without being asked twice, Cuddy grabbed the fork and cut a big bite out of the omelet. She put it in her mouth and sighed in delight as soon as she tasted the food on her tongue. She swallowed the first bite practically without chewing it. She plunged the fork back in the plate and cut another bite. House studied her as she ate heartily, unaware of his eyes on her. He visibly took pleasure in every second of it and when she finished her food, leaving only few crumbles of cookies on the tray, he tilted his head to the side, silently staring at her, a fond smile etching over his features. He took the empty tray off of her lap and leaned down to put it on the floor. When he sat back up, he looked at her and couldn't repress a laugh, when he heard her sigh in plain contentment.

"You were starving, weren't you?" he asked her, amused.

"I was a little hungry," she answered in an innocent voice.

"You were totally starving!" he repeated, chuckling.

"It's almost eleven!" she protested, trying to justify herself.

"Seriously?" he said raising his eyebrows. "Time to go to sleep!"

He got up and gently motioned her to do the same, while he spread the sheets out. He climbed onto the bed and looked at her standing at the bedside. She seemed suddenly hesitant and uneasy, as if she were only then realizing what she was really doing. Reading her embarrassment, House patted the mattress next to him to encourage her to join him in the bed.

"I have nothing to sleep in," she said sheepishly. "I can't sleep in your shirt."

"Who said you needed to wear anything?" House answered leaning forward and seizing her by the wrist to pull her into him.

Cuddy toppled on the bed next to him and he slowly started to unbutton the shirt she had on, but she instinctively clung to it. House furrowed his brow suspiciously.

"What's wrong?" he asked puzzled.

"I'm tired. I just… I don't think I can… I mean-" she faltered.

He burst out laughing.

"Wow! You really do think everything's about sex, don't you?" he teased, faking to be shocked. "I just want to feel your naked skin against mine while we sleep, that's all. And FYI, I can totally spend an entire night without touching you if I want," he added with a flourish.

Cuddy looked at him and smiled. She sat up straight in the bed and finished unbuttoning the shirt herself, revealing her beautiful round breasts. House glanced at her and gasped. He squeezed his eyes shut and theatrically shook his head. Cuddy observed his antics from the side and let out a throaty laugh. She slid under the sheets and came close to him to snuggle up his body.

He turned the light off and pulled her into him. Her skin was soft and warm against his. He nuzzled her neck and inhaled deeply. She smelled like his shower gel, but it was different from the scent he was used to smelling on his skin. She smelled like her: Femininity, delicacy, softness, with "a blush of citrusy on the nose"…

"Good night," he whispered in her ear.

Cuddy moaned and wriggled against him, rubbing her skin against his chest.

"'Night!" she answered already half-asleep.

House sighed, making the most of that feeling of absolute fulfillment. Carefully making sure not to wake her, he gently pulled her into him and held her tighter.

Then, closing his eyes and finally relaxing, he soon allowed him to fall asleep as well.

A/N

I hope you're all doing ok!

what awaits you in the next chapter? Well, um, let's see: You sleep, the night passes by, sun rises and then what? ... you wake up! Doh. :-) so, how do you think their first "morning after" will be?

have a great day! ~ maya