A/N: Hello lovelies. I'm so sorry for not being able to update last week. I was trying to concentrate on my other story, but I'm back. Here I give you three stories, and hope you enjoy them just as much as I enjoyed writing them.

I'm so thankful for your lovely reviews since last time. Thanks so much!

*Edit:10.15.12, 4:26 PM. Thanks to OldSFfan for the tip.

XVII

Worthy of your Love

Cuddy was working on her computer when House walked into her office. She barely looked up, and continued her work. She did notice him out of the corner of her eye, and almost stopped her work. His posture was hunched, and his gaze was turned downwards. She didn't quite decipher what was going on before his voice reached her ears.

"Why do you love me?"

His voice was soft, but serious. Cuddy looked from her papers, her eyebrows knitting.

"What?"

"I think you heard me the first time, and I don't really want to repeat my question."

"House." She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. "What kind of question is this?"

"Is it so hard for you to answer me honestly?"

His voice wasn't quite hurt, but his question was blunt and incredibly serious. Cuddy's mouth opened, and closed, she had no answer for that. House stepped closer so he was now by the edge of her desk.

"I honestly don't have an answer to your question. I love you because I…" She hesitated and bit her lip. "I just love you."

"Now that's not an honest answer and you know it."

"What do you want me to say?" Her eyes were bright, and honest.

"I don't want you to say anything that you don't want to say. I want an honest, truthful answer from you."

Her eyes drifted to his body, he was so close, yet so far away.

"Are you questioning my feelings for you?" She said hurtfully.

He sighed, and brushed a hand over his forehead.

"No…maybe I am. I just can't help but feel that we're just getting each other out of our system."

"Is that what I am to you?"

"No!" His voice rose, his eyes blazing in anger at the mere thought.

"No." He said again, more softly. "You mean everything to me."

"So you think that I am just trying to get you out of my system. Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

She backed slightly away. Her grey eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Cuddy." He started, his voice grave. She had never seen him so devastated.

"How can I not think like that? I'm the most screwed up person in the world, and you're." He laughed bitterly. "You're perfect, you're Cuddy, and I'm a drug addict."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am." He shouted; then lowered his head, refusing to look at her.

Cuddy froze, and stared at him dumbfounded. Why was he bringing this up now?

"House, you have been clear for almost two years now. You're not a drug addict."

Her voice shook. He looked up, and she could see the broken man inside.

"The threat is always there. I'm just one pill away from it, and every single day I'm fighting it."

"I know." She whispered, a tear finally escaped the corner of her eye and slid down her cheek.

"That's why I need to know. Why do you love me? Because I sure as hell don't understand why."

She took a step forward, but he stepped back, and refused to look into her eyes.

"House." She murmured. He was starting to scare her, and for a split second it occurred to her that he had taken a Vicodin, but she dismissed those thoughts immediately. She needed to trust him, and show him that she trusted him.

"House." She said again, and walked up to him. She touched his hand and lifted his chin up so their eyes met.

She hated to see him so defeated. Slowly she closed the small gap between them, and leaned her head towards him. Her lips graced his cheek softly. She could feel him stiffen up, but she refused to let him go. She stood on tiptoes and kissed his forehead, his eyes, his neck, and finally she brushed her lips against his. At first his response was timid, until he got lost in their kiss and drew her closer. She tried to show him everything she felt for him in that one kiss.

When she finally let go she opened her eyes and stared into his blue ones. She could see the uncertainty, the pain, and she knew that he needed more.

She lowered her feet back on the ground, and grabbed both of his hands in his.

"I love you because every time I see you I feel like I'm about to explode. I feel butterflies in my stomach every time you look at me, and touch me. Sometimes I feel like I can't breathe because being with you is so overwhelming. I love you so much, and it kills me that you don't see that." Her voice broke at the end of her confession.

At that moment she could see something break in his eyes. He rarely showed the softer side of him, but at that moment she could see his inner soul, his deep pain, and she wanted to take it all away. She wanted to make him see how much she cared for him.

She brought her hands to the collar on his shirt, and forced him to look at her.

"I love you, and don't you ever forget that."

"I promise." He whispered softly, and embraced her tightly against him.

"I promise."

XVIII

Piano Lessons

A storm blew over the state of New Jersey. People were told to keep themselves indoors while it passed over. That turned out to be harder for some people than others.

House looked at the stormy black sky, and watched as a lightening struck. He glanced at his watch, and groaned grumpily. He had a patient, and even though his team was on it he disliked being held captive by the weather, of all things. He would have marched outside, just because he could, if it wasn't for the blocked highway that had been closed for the fear of flooding.

He turned away from the window, and the brooding storm.

Cuddy lay curled on the comfortable armchair by the fireplace sound asleep. Her head lolled on her shoulder, her hand closed around the book she was reading moments before. She looked so peaceful, although slightly uncomfortable in that position. He limped over to her, adjusted the blanket over her shoulders, and turned off the lamp. He didn't have the heart to wake her up from her sleep.

A loud thunder erupted in the distance. The lights flickered for a moment.

Cuddy shifted in her sleep, but didn't wake up.

He kind of envied her for being able to sleep so easily. It was true that his insomnia had ceased after he started dating Cuddy, but from time to time he experienced the familiar depravation of sleep. Usually when he experienced it he sat by his piano and began to play something soothing, and calming.

Slowly he made his way to the piano. Cuddy had moved it as a surprise after their one-year anniversary. He had been complaining about his lack of time spent playing. Needless to say after the piano moved the rest came gradually.

He sat himself down on the bench, and ran his hand over the smooth keys. At first the tones were timid until he settled for a slow rhythm, and soon soft music floated through the air.

"House." A small voice came behind him. The music stopped abruptly, and he turned around.

Rachel stood a few feet away from him, clad in striped pajama set, with her teddy clutched to her chest. It was the same teddy he had given her few months before, she had insisted on calling it Teddy, which he found ridiculously unoriginal, but she was very persistent. So Teddy it was.

"House." She repeated, her voice small.

"What is it? You should be asleep."

"I'm scared." She whispered.

House sighed. How typical of Rachel being scared of thunder. He guessed it wasn't too unusual for kids her age.

He thought whether he should wake Cuddy up, but decided against it. He finally gave in and gestured for her to come.

"Come here."

Rachel padded towards him, and climbed on the piano bench. She leaned her head against his side, and clung to him.

He started to play again; he switched from Chopin's Nocturne to Fur Elise. Rachel looked at the keys with wide eyes. She had seen him play, but she had never been so close to the keys. Curiously she raised one hand and touched one of the keys. House who had been absorbed in the music jumped up in surprise, and chuckled at Rachel's surprised expression.

"You wanna learn how to play?"

At first she shook her head shyly, but when House continued her curiosity won over. She pressed on another key, and giggled in delight. House smirked, and stopped playing.

"Come here kid." He lifted her on his good leg, and pressed on a key, and waited for her to mirror his gesture, but she didn't. Instead she looked at him curiously. He rolled his eyes, and grabbed her hand.

"Repeat after me." He instructed, and pressed on two keys.

Rachel did the same as he did, and clapped her hands joyfully.

They were actually on a good roll. That was until he started to show her how to play a whole song. First he played the tune for her, then started to play the beginning for her to repeat after him.

But Rachel seemed to have a totally different idea. She started to slam on random keys, and started to sing along.

"Hey, stop that, or you'll wake up your mom." Rachel stopped, and looked at her mother's sleeping frame. She looked apologetically at House.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Fine. Why won't you repeat after me, okay? Like you did before."

He played the beginning again, and showed her the right keys. Rachel pressed the right keys at first until she was bored of it, and started to improvise on her own. She smiled at him while she played her own little composition.

House sighed, and put his hand on the top of the piano in defeat.

"You're hopeless." He muttered.

Rachel merely smiled a toothy grin, and continued to play.

"Okay, now stop it. Unless you really want to wake up your mom."

Rachel complied, and watched him take over. His fingers ran smoothly over the surface, and played a slow ballad.

Rachel put her head on his arm, and listened to him play. He could feel her tiny little legs kick back and forth.

He played for several minutes, and lost himself in the tones. After he had finished the song he looked down at Rachel. Her head lolled on his arm, her hand draped over his good leg. She was fast asleep. He sighed, and picked her up into his arms. He stood up off the bench, and limped slowly towards her bedroom.

He laid her on her bed, and covered her with a soft blanket. She turned in her sleep, but didn't wake up.

He walked over to the door, and shut off the light, before closing it softly behind him.

XIX

Sleep

The sun shone through the thin gap of the shut drapes, and squeezed into the dark bedroom illuminating it with a thin ray of light.

Two figures lay in the bedroom, sound asleep in each other's arms. His languid frame lay stretched over a tiny space while she overtook most of the bed, even though she was curled up in a tiny ball. Her head rested on his chest, her arms circled around his waist. Her dark hair cascaded over his chest, and down her shoulders.

His hand dangled over the side of the bed, almost touching the soft carpet of the floor. The other lay protectively over her waist.

Both were completely peaceful. Her eyes were still under her eyelids, her lips slightly parted, a small drool escaped the corner of her mouth.
His face was smooth, his lips slightly turned down in a frown. Even in sleep his mind wouldn't completely shut down. A soft snore left his lips, his nose crinkled, and he mumbled something unintelligible.

He shifted slightly, and wrapped his hand over her bringing her closer to him.

She buried her face deeper into the fabric of his t-shirt, and sighed in content.

Even in sleep they gravitated towards each other, needing to be sure that the other was there.

When they woke up they would get lost in their every day life. Sometimes they would go to bed, and sleep on opposite ends, but as they woke up they would be, yet again, in each other's embrace. Because that's where they wanted to be the most, even though they sometimes hated each other, they still loved each other more.