Everything changed during the days: Locations, directions, intentions, and how they felt about each other.
The days began later and later the longer they traveled, though this was more or less evened out by the time zones they were traveling through. What could have been a tiring journey served to rejuvenate them both as they vowed to stop whenever they felt the need or the want, and to get on the road whenever they saw fit.
The first day they didn't get on the road at all. House was unaccustomed to the sort of lavish surroundings that the resort offered to those who could afford it, and convinced her with little effort that a second night in this location wouldn't be such a bad thing. They went on a whale watching tour for the morning and into the afternoon, and though they saw no whales they enjoyed being on the ocean. They lunched on fresh sea food, and then House opted for a round of golf while Kelly returned to the spa for a manicure and pedicure. House eventually joined her and they both got a long massage. They left the grounds again that evening to take in a popular dinner theatre and by the time they arrived back in their room, House was almost giddy in disbelief that his next TWO WEEKS could be like this.
As they zigzagged their way across the US, they stopped at major attractions and minor diversions. Sometimes they chose fancy dining, and other times they'd brave dingy diners or family restaurants. They explored anything that caught their fancy and were sure to start conversations with the locals to search out anything they might have missed.
The driving had the potential to be dull, but for the most part they managed to make it part of the adventure. House had downloaded random old school radio comedies onto his iPod that kept them in stitches for hours on end. They sang a lot, and discovered shared musical appreciation in unexpected places when they found they both knew the lyrics to certain songs that would never have landed on the top 100 charts. Once they filled themselves full of soda and had a burping contest, which Kelly won when House laughed so hard that Kelly had to pull over so he could be sick on the side of the road.
The thing that really helped them enjoy their days, however, was the mutual understanding that gradually developed between them about how they should interact. It took some trial and error and eventually a hushed conversation during the opening credits of an IMAX matinee for them to decide that it didn't need to be about guarding the lines between friendship and something more. It didn't need to be about convention or expectation. They agreed to let their relationship just be what it was, whatever that looked like.
And so it came to be that they often held hands as they walked together, through the halls of a museum or as they explored small town streets. And it was inconsequential for him to rest a hand on her thigh as he drove and she dozed along an endless highway. And once, though only once, when a simple kiss of elation turned tender and stretched from a moment to a minute, it ended with nothing needing to be said.
House also took it upon himself to practice the skill of not just saying "sorry" but being sorry, finding that though Kelly was quick to forgive his frequent offenses she was delighted when he voiced an apologetic recognition of what he had done wrong. And he liked to delight her.
But he was still House; not everything could change that quickly: He was still a mean bastard.
Just a happy one. And that was change enough.