A/N: I don't know how to thank you all for your wonderful reviews since the last time. I'm so glad that you enjoyed my last chapter, and I do hope that you like this one. This time I decided to keep things simple, and fluffy.
The first one is for those that like my House/Rachel stories. It's slightly AU. Rachel is five, so let's just pretend that House and Cuddy never broke up, just this once.
The second one is just pure fluff. Fall arrives early on this part of the planet. It's about 10°C, 50°F , so it's getting colder here. Therefore I had to write a little fluffy snippet. I couldn't resist.
The third one is kind of interesting for me. I rarely write smut, but I thought this idea was too fun to pass. If you're not into it then you might want to skip it. This story is still rated T so I tried to keep it that way. This might be on a very grey area, but I think it's safe for a T rating. Let's hope so.
Thank you all for your kind words, and to those who favorite, and alert this story. And of course to you who are alerting me. It makes me so happy.
Have a happy Sunday.
XII
Riding a Bike
Dedicated to my little sister who turned ten last Sunday.
"Happy birthday to you."
The birthday song ended slightly off tune by the chorus of the attended guests. House cringed inwardly but clapped with the other guests as Rachel blew on the five candles.
He didn't know how Cuddy had managed to trick him into this, but somehow she had and now he was stuck in between Julia Cuddy's disapproving glares, and aunt Susie's bad perfume. There was a reason he disliked birthdays.
Much to his relief the guests left at a reasonable time, leaving him, Cuddy, and Rachel alone.
House walked over to Cuddy and helped her clean up the dishes, and food that had somehow managed to fall on the floor.
Rachel sat on the floor. Her cheeks flushed with glee over the day, her eyes slightly glazed with sugar rush.
Cuddy glanced at House and smiled slyly in his direction. She grasped his hand and together they walked over to Rachel.
"Hey Rachel."
The birthday girl looked up.
"Did you like your birthday?"
The girl nodded her head enthusiastically.
"We still haven't given you your birthday present because we wanted to save it for last."
The girl almost shot up by the mentioning of another birthday present.
"Do you want to see it?"
"Yes, yes, yes."
She jumped up and grabbed each of their hands so she was in the middle. They walked her to sliding door that led to the patio. They stepped into the cold winter air.
Rachel gasped when she saw what waited for her outside. It was a shiny new bike. The bike was white with small flowers in pastel colors. On the steering wheel was a tiny basket where balloons with the number five were strung. A red bow was skillfully wrapped around the bike.
Rachel shrieked and ran over to the bike. She jumped up and down with glee.
"A bike. It's a bike."
House couldn't help but smile at the little girl's happiness. It was perhaps slightly unconventional to give her a bike at this time of the year, but she had been begging for months, and they had caved in on her wishes.
"Can I ride it?" She piped up, and ran to her mother. She put up a puppy dog face, and clasped her hands in a prayer sign.
"Please, mom, can I?"
"I don't know. It's awfully cold outside, and you've never cycled before." She said reluctantly, and glanced at House.
"Cuddy she'll be fine. The streets are basically empty, and the ground is barely frozen."
"But…."
"Cuddy. She'll be fine. I'll teach her."
Cuddy raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yeah. It'll be fun."
Rachel jumped up happily, and grabbed House's arm, dragging him to her bike.
"Okay kiddo. Slow down." He chuckled.
"First you'll need to put on a helmet."
He picked up a brand new helmet and placed it on her head. He made sure it was securely clasped. They steered the bike out of the garden and on the street.
It was already dark outside so he made sure that they were by a lamppost.
"Okay Rach, jump on."
She climbed on the bike, slightly clumsily, while House secured it.
"The key is to hold your balance. I'll give you a small push, and you have to be careful to paddle so you can move forwards." He explained. Rachel nodded her head, and stepped on the paddles with her tiny feet.
"Count to three. One, two, three." He pushed her onwards, and she paddled on. She managed to hold her balance for about five seconds until she leaned dangerously to the right, and lost her balance. She and the bike fell on the ground with a loud clatter. House cringed, and hobbled towards her.
"Are you okay kid?"
Rachel had a look of utter shock on her face. She stared at him, and nodded her head, although her lips quivered slightly.
"Hey. It's okay. It took me a while to master it too." He said reassuringly. He picked her up, and straightened her bike up.
"Want to try again?"
"Okay." Rachel muttered and climbed on the bike.
It took several turns but soon she managed to hold her balance. House watched her, slightly envious, as she paddled away on her shiny new bike.
Cuddy walked over to him, clad in a woolen coat. Her hands covered with furry mittens.
"How's she doing?"
"Great." He said a bit proudly. "Look at her."
"Amazing." She breathed. "She's really doing great."
"Yeah she is."
They beamed at each other and watched Rachel cycle past them.
"Hi mommy." She yelled. "Look at me."
They looked at her just in time to see her approach the neighbor's garage door.
"Rachel. Look out."
The girl turned her head forwards and shrieked.
"Hit the breaks." House yelled.
But the girl was freaked out, her control over the situation long gone. Her legs moved off the petals and hovered over the ground. Rachel screamed, and crashed on the garage door making her fall off the bike.
Both House and Cuddy stood frozen for a second until they went over to her. Rachel sat on the street, her hands on her knees. House and Cuddy crouched on the ground, and checked whether she was okay.
"Where does it hurt?" Cuddy asked.
She pointed to her knee. The fabric of her leggings was ripped revealing a scrape on her knee.
"Oh sweetie. Are you okay?"
Rachel's lip quivered, and her eyes filled with tears.
"No." She whispered.
"Oh honey." Cuddy cradled her in her arms and smoothed her hair.
House looked at Rachel, and patted her head awkwardly.
"You did great kid."
"I fell off my bike." She reminded him sourly.
"Pfft, that happens to everyone. I fell off my bike when I was learning."
"You did?" Rachel's eyes widened with disbelief.
"Yeah, and do you know what I did?"
She shook her head.
"I didn't stop until I learned. Practice makes perfect."
Rachel conjured up a small smile.
"Let's go inside, it's getting dark." Cuddy said. She stood up and helped Rachel up before taking House's hand.
"My bike." Rachel cried out and ran to check on it. Thankfully the bike survived the crash.
Thankfully the Kensington's, their neighbors, were gone for the holidays so they didn't have to explain the incident.
House took the handle on the bike, and grasped Rachel's hand in his while they walked up to their home.
XIII
Warm Comfort
The wind blew through the trees. Red and golden leaves flew off with the swirling breeze that carried the scent of pine through the open window of the Cuddy residence.
Cuddy shivered and closed the window. She looked at the falling leaves as she took a sip of her tea. Another shiver ran through her. She was the first to admit that she had no tolerance for the cold. She sat on the comfortable armchair by the fire and blew on her tea. Even though the cup was steaming hot, her hands refused to rid of the biting cold.
The front door opened, and House entered clad in a woolen coat, with a moss green scarf around his neck.
"Hi." He greeted her and placed his backpack on the floor.
"Is everything okay?" He asked as he removed his coat and scarf.
"Yeah, why?" She asked and watched him approach her. He leaned down for a kiss, and straightened up.
"You're freezing." He murmured.
She shrugged, and brought the cup to her lips. She glanced at him over the rim of her cup, and frowned when she saw his expression. She almost laughed when she recognized it as concern.
"Scootch." He ordered, and she complied.
"What are you doing?" She asked when he sat beside her and draped his arms around her.
"I'm getting you warm. We don't want you to get sick do we?"
"I guess not." She said hesitatingly.
She leaned into his warm embrace, and allowed him to rub heat into her shoulders. She sighed and buried her head against his chest. She closed her eyes, and felt immediately warmer.
"Better?" He asked. She nodded her head.
"Thanks." She murmured.
"Anytime." He murmured into her hair. She smiled, and leaned into his soft embrace. She could definitely get used to that.
XIV
Office Romance
"Oh House." Cuddy breathed.
She was practically sprawled over her desk with House half on top of her, supporting her with his strong hands. House's hot mouth roamed over her mouth and neck, her breathing becoming heavier with each kiss.
"We shouldn't be doing this." She breathed, and tried in vain to remove herself out of his grasp.
House grinned wickedly, and moved his hand up her thigh, right by the hem of her skirt. She moaned, and completely forgot that they weren't exactly in the most appropriate place.
"No. We have to stop."
House groaned when she sat up and tried to adjust her clothes. His mouth turned into a devilish grin when she gasped.
"How the hell do you do this?" She said in exasperation, her hand holding her bra out.
"A magician never reveals his secrets." He said smugly.
Cuddy rolled her eyes, but was caught off guard when House's lips claimed hers in a hot kiss. She felt herself melt against him, and soon found herself in the previous position. She grasped the base of his neck possessively, and drew him closer to deepen the kiss.
"We. Really. Shouldn't. Be. Doing. This." She muttered between kisses.
"Shut up." He said, and removed her shirt. She didn't bother to protest, her need for him overpowering her rationalization.
His mouth removed from her lips, and down her neck until she felt his breath on her left breast. She thought that she couldn't take it anymore, her breathing turning heavier with each kiss.
His hands roamed up her thighs, and were now dangerously close to the place she needed him the most.
He zipped down the zipper on her skirt, and slid it slowly down her legs before it dropped on the floor. Her hands attacked his shirt, her hands quick and desperate.
But House had other plans. He was determined to take it slow, to torment her endlessly until she would beg him to give her what she asked for.
It was unbelievably frustrating, and so hot.
They were both practically naked; both sprawled on top of her desk. Neither of them was thinking about the fact that they were in her office, on a Friday morning, when it was a great chance that someone could walk in on them at any moment.
She wasn't use to cave in like that. It was crazy, and yet, she simply just didn't care.
His pants dropped, and she could feel him against her. She moaned in anticipation for what was about to happen.
"Oh Cuddy." He breathed into her mouth, and she felt like she was about to explode when his…
"Dr. Cuddy."
Cuddy blinked, and shook her head shaking her thoughts away. She stared at the people surrounding her. She could feel their pointed gaze on her.
"Hmm?"
"Dr. Cuddy. Do we bore you?" One of the board members asked tauntingly.
"Absolutely not." She said flustered. "I think we should take Coleman's deal." She made sure to keep her tone sure, and confident, and just like she'd anticipated the members started to talk amongst each other about the newest deal.
This was so close. She hadn't realized that she was daydreaming.
Cuddy sighed. She was hot, bothered, and horny.
She tried to concentrate on the important matters, but House's lips, and touch were roaming in her mind.
"Let's take a twenty minute break." The Head of the Board said, and Cuddy almost shot out of her seat.
In record time she had reached the fourth floor. She marched down the hall, and tore open the glass doors into House's office. House looked up from his computer curiously. His blue eyes peeked over the brim of his glasses, which sat on the bridge of his nose. He was wearing one of his blue shirts, the one that made his eye color pop. It made him look so handsome. She didn't know why but there was something about his clueless expression that gave him a boyish quality.
He was always so unbelievably curious. She was careful to keep her expression unreadable. She closed the shades into his office, and locked the door.
She could almost hear his mouth drop.
She turned around, and walked briskly over to him. She didn't wait for him to speak, and placed her hands on his chair, spinning him towards her. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him towards her. Their lips met in a fiery kiss.
She lowered herself on top of him and began to unbutton his shirt. She smirked when she saw his flustered expression. She had clearly taken him off guard. It didn't take him a long time to recover. He didn't dare question her, and attacked her mouth with his. They were panting, their cheeks flustered with want. She didn't wait for any foreplay. She needed him right now, plus she didn't have much time.
"Are you sure about this?" He panted in her ear. "Someone might walk in…"
"House." She breathed. "Shut up."
He didn't let her say it twice.
House didn't dare to speak until afterwards. Cuddy was piling on her clothes, careful to smooth every wrinkle on her skirt.
"You never want to have sex in the hospital. Why now?"
She turned around and looked at him. She could see the light in his eyes, the same light that came when he was solving one of his puzzles. She didn't answer him immediately. She fixed her hair, and applied a coat of lipstick over her lips. Then she walked over to him and leaned against him so her lips were by his ear.
"I always want to have sex with you." She whispered huskily.
With that she turned around, and walked out of the room. She glanced over her shoulder and smirked at his expression. It was a rare sight to see him so utterly speechless. She loved it.