new chapter, where you'll finally meet the parents. I know some of you were eager to find out what happens "the morning after" well, there it is, because sex time is over... at least for now...

** CHAPTER 58 **

"Oh God, I love being woken up like that," Cuddy said, sighing lasciviously.

"I aim to please," House answered unable to hide the hint of pride in his voice.

She leaned down to his face and laid a soft kiss on his lips. He gave in at first but drew apart after a few seconds.

"Now give me the sheets," he exclaimed. "I need to tie them together to build a rope and escape through the window!"

"What are you talking about?" she said amused.

"In case you didn't notice, you minx, we're at your parents'! So, as much as it saddens me to say it: I have to go now."

"Yes. We both have to go…downstairs. I'm sure my mother made us breakfast."

"Nuh-uh! No way I'm gonna have breakfast with the whole Cuddy family."

She narrowed her eyes at him, suspicious.

"I'm serious!" he said. "You've gotta find a way to sneak me out of here."

"House!" she scolded. "You're not a teenager anymore! Are you saying you're afraid to meet my parents?"

She chuckled, studying his reaction.

"Hey, I'm not asking your dad to marry you!" he warned theatrically.

"Oh, my God! You are afraid."

"Noooo," he objected. "Plus, I've already met your parents. And, FYI, your mom is totally crazy about me. I barely had to ask her to let me in and, next thing you know, she was pushing me into your bedroom already."

Cuddy smiled fondly at him and squeezed his cheeks, then kissed him on the lips with a loud, smacking sound.

"Aww, you're so sexy right now, do you know that?" she purred, rubbing her upper body against his chest suggestively.

She was still enfolded in his arms, and he was caressing her tenderly, drawing the line of her spine up and down with his fingertips, but he straightened up to put some distance between them and took in a sharp breath.

"Tut-tut," he said pushing her aside. "Sex time is over. You've exhausted Little Greg, here."

She repressed a laugh but complied, breaking away from their embrace and sliding to the edge of the bed, where she sat, her back turned to him. She glanced at him over her shoulder and flashed a mischievous smile at him.

"I guess we really have to get dressed and go downstairs to eat something, then. You need to recharge your batteries. I don't want you to be all washed out…who knows what's going to happen tonight?"

He extended his arms to touch her and put his hand on the round shape of her shoulder, enveloping it almost entirely with his large hand.

"So that was your plan all along?" he asked out of the blue, his voice low and oddly hesitant.

"What plan?"

"You know, if you wanted me to meet your parents, asking me first instead of running away would have worked just as fine…"

A dark shadow swiftly passed through his gaze, and she slightly shivered at the sight of it, the memory of the pain they had inflicted to each other resurfacing suddenly. She moved on the mattress to face him and cradled his jaw in her hand.

"House," she said, bowing her head to hide her unease as she felt her throat tighten.

He put his finger under her chin and lifted her face up again so that she could meet his eyes. He didn't say anything, but with an intense gaze he conveyed everything he had to tell her, and what it said was contained in one word only: Forgiveness. She sighed voluptuously.

"I'm going to take a shower," she announced, getting up.

He promptly sent the sheet flying away, uncovering his body and sat bolt upright.

"Me, too."

She smiled and waited for him to stand up as well. He did and came close to her, positioning himself behind her, and winding his arms around her naked body. She covered his hands with hers and stretched her neck to the side, offering her skin to his kisses. He immediately nuzzled her nape and greedily nibbled at the tender flesh. She shivered at the sensation and promptly whirled around, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Are you sure Little Greg is absolutely and hopelessly exhausted?" she asked naughtily.

House removed her arms from his neck and, keeping her wrists inside his hands, made her take a step back. She complied docilely and he studied her in silence, almost intrigued. Finally, he let go of her and bent over to pick up his boxers.

"Lisa Cuddy," he said solemnly, as he picked up the rest of his clothes that were randomly scattered on the floor, "although you know how much I'd love to be your insatiable lover all day, the answer to that question is still, yes, I'm sure!"

He straightened up, holding his stuff rolled into a ball of cloth against his chest and peered at her with an exaggeratedly patronizing look.

"Damn, you really can't get enough of me, can you?" he carried on brashly, repressing a laugh. "But may I remind you that we're not horny teenagers anymore, and as your mother probably made breakfast for us it'd be impolite to make her wait any longer now, wouldn't it?"

Having said that, he walked past her, humming playfully and headed toward the en-suite bathroom. He stopped at the threshold and turned around to look at her.

"Are you coming or what? My back isn't going to wash itself you know!" he teased, beaming.

Cuddy rolled her eyes and shook her head, but swiftly joined him, pushing him inside the room and laughing like a carefree college girl.

"I said no," he warned unconvincingly, while she closed the door behind them, giggling.

# # # # #

Half an hour later, House and Cuddy came out of the bathroom, casually dressed and ready to go downstairs to meet her parents for breakfast. Cuddy headed toward the door to exit her bedroom, but House caught up with her and seized her by the upper arm before she got the chance to open the door. She stopped and turned around to face him, interrogating him with a quizzical look. He relaxed his grasp and stared back at her in silence.

"What?" she asked, acknowledging that something was off as House was visibly struggling to find his words.

He looked down at his feet and took a deep breath.

"Cuddy," he said, gulping. "I agree to go down and have breakfast with your parents. I'm even ok with engaging in whichever family chit chat you'd want me to indulge and play nice with your mom and dad but—" He stopped and locked eyes with her.

"But what?" she prompted, a feeling of anxiety suddenly pervading her.

"As soon as we're done, I want you to pack your stuff and come back home with me."

Relief washed over her features and a delicious shiver ran down her spine as she heard him say the word "home". She knew they didn't share an actual "home" together, but even if they didn't, she loved how, coming from him, the sound of that simple word felt like there was a place where they both belonged. Perhaps he just meant the hospital, or simply Princeton, but she didn't care because it was still here, in the way he said he wanted to be with her, and just the idea completely overwhelmed her with pure bliss.

She however pursed her lips, feeling embarrassed, and looked at him with sorry eyes.

"I can't go back," she said sheepishly.

Panic instantly registered in his eyes, and he grabbed her arm, unconsciously clutching his knuckles around her flesh as if he wanted to hold her back in case she'd have disappeared right there and then.

"What do you mean you can't go back?" he said with a shaky voice.

"No, no, that's not what you think," she instantly clarified reassuringly, stunned by his reaction as much as it touched her. "What I mean is: We can't leave right after breakfast because…I have an appointment with Bill Russell at MGH today. He's supposed to give me my latest tests results. "

"Oh." He puffed, looking away to hide his shame for having overreacted like he just had. "Ok."

She took advantage of that fleeting moment to come near him and wrapped her arms around his waist, nestling her face in his chest and pressing her forehead against his torso until he felt compelled to enclose her against him. When his arms were finally around her, she inhaled deeply through her nose in absolute contentment.

"But I will go home with you as soon as we get confirmation that I'm fine," she promised, relishing the feeling of safety that his manly figure gave to her.

"When's your appointment scheduled?" he asked sounding preoccupied.

"Two this afternoon," she whispered not daring to look up at him, perfectly knowing that the mere idea of waiting that long would upset him.

She'd guessed right as his heavy and grumpy sigh almost simultaneously followed her statement.

"But you can-" she started to suggest.

"I'm going with you." he cut her off with a 'this is not negotiable' tone.

"Of course," she said gently. "I mean, until then, you don't have to stay here, you know."

He chuckled and squeezed her tighter.

"Don't worry for me. I can perfectly keep me occupied for a few hours."

"Really?" she teased.

He looked down at her and grinned.

"Don't try and outsmart me, woman, you know you'll lose anyway!" he exclaimed, moving his hands to her butt and giving it a firm squeeze.

She jumped in his arms and frowned in faked disapprobation.

"Let's go downstairs now," she said, moving away from him. "My parents are going to start wondering what we're doing."

"I'm pretty sure they haven't started wondering about that just now!" he joked.

She opened the door of her room and was about to step outside but turned around to face him instead.

"I'm warning you, House, you better behave yourself with my parent," she said pointing a finger in his direction.

"Maybe, if you say 'please'…"

"House…"

"Hmm, I love it when you say my name with that sexy, bossy voice of yours."

She shook her head and walked out. He followed after her, grabbing his cane on his way out, and together, they headed toward the stairs.

# # # # #

"Here you are!" Dana Cuddy exclaimed when she saw her daughter standing at the kitchen's door, shuffling about hesitantly.

Immediately perceiving the uneasiness in her attitude, Cuddy's mother smiled broadly.

"Oh please, darling, you don't need to hide awkwardly in a corner like that! It's not like you're fifteen and you've stayed out all night without telling us," she teased with playful mockery.

Cuddy puffed, faking dismay, but promptly regained composure and entered the room.

"And you can tell your friend he can come in, too."

"Don't worry. I had no intention of staying outside," House's voice resonated from the hallway. "Just give the cripple enough time to make it to the door!"

He walked inside the kitchen shortly after Cuddy and stopped at the threshold, trying hard to hide his nervousness behind a broad, self-confident smile.

He shot a quick scanning glance at the room to take in the settings: Dana was standing in front of the stove, baking what looked like pancakes while her husband, Benjamin Cuddy, was seated at the table with a cup of coffee in his hand, absent-mindedly reading the morning paper. At the sound of House's voice, he raised his face and looked up at him. Their eyes met and Benjamin gave House a discreet nod, a slightly amused grin drawing on the corners of his mouth.

Cuddy walked toward the table and took a seat next to her father. She turned her head to House and smiled reassuringly at him.

"Come on!" she mouthed to him, gesturing to the chair beside her.

House clutched his cane's handle tighter but didn't move a bit. Cuddy rolled her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Mom, dad," she announced solemnly, "this is Gregory House, he's—"

"We know who he is, sweetie," Dana cut her short, smiling mischievously as if to say that she knew her daughter wasn't solely talking about her professional bonds with him. "Dr. House!" she said, turning around and putting a dish full of pancakes on the table before sitting next to her husband. "You're not going to stand there while we eat, are you?"

House jutted his chin up and conspicuously breathed in the air that smelled of freshly baked pancakes.

"Why, you're right! I happen to have burnt an awful lot of calories lately, and to be honest I'm starving," he replied boldly, finally stepping inside.

He limped toward the table and sat down in the chair next to Cuddy. She shot him a glare and, in their trademark, twisted way it gave him just the extra energy he needed to allow himself to unwind completely.

"What?" he exclaimed, flashing an ingenuous smile at her. "I'm sure your mom hasn't cooked nearly a hundred pancakes just for herself."

"House," Cuddy hissed through clenched teeth, stiffening in her chair.

"Well, he's right," Benjamin said supportively. "Your mom never cooks that much for breakfast. Usually, I'm happy if I have a coffee and a slice of toasted bread."

"Maybe it's because you don't burn as many calories as Dr. House does," Dana answered without missing a beat.

"Mom!" Cuddy exclaimed in shock, as House simultaneously burst into laughter.

"Don't give me that look Lisa," Dana said, echoing House's laugh with a giggle of her own. "You better eat instead. I'm sure you need some extra calories, too."

Cuddy felt her face turning crimson red and she hunched up in her chair to hide her discomfort. House leaned down to her and rested his hand on her thigh, giving it a tender stroke.

"Relax Sunshine," he said in a low voice. "I'm sure your mom knew about fun ways to burn her calories, too, long before you were born. I'm even pretty sure that's how you-"

Cuddy swiftly grabbed his hand under the table and gave it a hard pinch.

"Ouch!" House exclaimed.

"Darling, please, pour Dr. House a cup of coffee," Dana said, to ease the tension.

Cuddy shot House a glare but still seized the coffee pot to serve him while her mother took hold of the dish and handed it over to her guest.

"Please, help yourself to pancakes," she offered.

House didn't need to be asked twice. He filled his plate generously and started to eat greedily. A quiet silence pervaded the room for a while.

"So now that there's apparently no reason for you to stay here any longer, I assume you're going to leave us, right sweetie?" Benjamin said out of the blue, looking at his daughter with a fatherly fond smile.

"Ben!" Dana protested. "Do you really need to talk about that now? Can't you just let us enjoy our breakfast instead of throwing our daughter out like she wasn't welcome in this house anymore?"

"No, mom, that's ok," Cuddy said softly, smiling back fondly at her father. "Dad's right."

She reached for House's hand under the table, but this time gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Greg and I are probably going back to Princeton today, actually."

"Oh, but Lisa, are you absolutely sure?" Dana pleaded with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Dana, please," Benjamin said to his wife. "Lisa's not a little girl anymore. She needs to go back to her life, run a hospital and make every doctor in the place stand to attention."

"Dad!" Cuddy exclaimed, giggling like a little girl. "I'm not making—"

"Oh yes, you are!" House interrupted her.

Cuddy turned to face him and narrowed her eyes at him warningly.

"Don't worry," he added, winking playfully at her. "I love it when you do that."

He turned to face Cuddy's parents and grinned widely.

"Seriously, I love it when she does that!"

"Tell me you're at least staying with us for lunch," Dana said, still distressed by her daughter's imminent departure.

"Mom, I'm afraid we can't. I have an important appointment early this afternoon, so we'll surely eat downtown before going there. I don't want to risk being late," Cuddy answered with a sorry voice, as she registered the disappointment on her mother's face.

"But we could stay for dinner. If you're still ok to invite us, that is," House most unexpectedly suggested, causing Cuddy to gawk in bewilderment.

She turned to face him and studied his face, trying to decipher whether he was joking or not.

"What?" he said, widening his eyes theatrically. "Your mom's a good cook. I could enjoy another one of her home-made meals before I go back to killing my stomach slowly with the awful food you approve for the hospital's cafeteria."

Despite the provoking banter, Cuddy didn't fail to recognize House's unique way of offering her the perfect pretext to stay with her parents a little while longer and it touched her more than she'd have admitted.

"You sure? You said you wanted to go back as soon as possible-"

"Yes, but it can wait until tomorrow," he said conciliatory. "This way you'll have plenty of time to pack your stuff after this afternoon's appointment, instead of rushing to the airport to catch the evening flight. I bet you brought half of your wardrobe here."

"Oh yes, she did!" Dana exclaimed, sounding all cheerful again. "Does that mean you're staying with us another night, then?"

House cleared his throat and glanced at Cuddy to seek for her silent approval before turning to Dana again.

"Actually, if you don't mind, I think we're going to book a hotel room, instead. I don't want to risk ruining your sleep two nights in a row," he said in his best smartass fashion.

"Fortunately, Benjamin and I wear earplugs," Dana answered, unimpressed.

"Do we?" Benjamin asked, raising his face from his morning paper to meet his wife's gaze and widening his eyes in surprise.

"Stop it, please!" Cuddy beseeched, hiding her face in her hands for a second.

She looked up at House who was smiling at her, already knowing what she was about to say.

"I approve of your suggestion two hundred per cent! You can go downtown now if you want and take care of the reservations. Meanwhile, I'll pack my stuff and we'll meet for lunch at MGH around noon. What do you think?"

"I think I only half agree with you: I'm going downtown, yes, to do what I have to do, but I'll be back here to pick you up before lunch."

Cuddy nodded and smiled fondly at him as she read his offer as an unsaid proof that he was scared of losing her again if he ever stayed away from her for too long. She couldn't tell him that in front of her parents, but she stared at him lovingly hoping it would convey all the reassuring words he needed to hear from her with the intensity of her gaze.

A/N

thank you for your kind reviews. I hope you're still enjoying the ride.

oh, and happy thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates the day, and... happy thursday to everyone who doesn't!

Have fun! ~ maya

ps (to Kaddison): if you hadn't said you weren't a native speaker, I'd have never guessed... just sayin'! and what seduces me in English is the metaphorical visuals it creates with some extremely efficient and accurate association of words. English got me with words such as: heartbreaking, breathtaking, gut-wrenching, brainstorming, mind-blowing and so on… I also love that English possesses the great linguistic power of making the words "sound" what they mean, like "crash", "bang" "shush" "bump" "burp"… but sometimes I just love words only because they are pure musical delights to my ears such as "doodle" "bamboozled" "lullabies"

(to Huddles777): I'm deeply touched that you took the time to go to Fox and read what I posted there... and thank you for the compliment about that different writing thing I do.

(to shion81): I hope this chapter answered your question about what the parents did or didn't hear…