House sat, throwing his red ball up into the air, waiting for Cuddy to walk through the metal doors. Everyone else was entering in, welcoming loved ones with hugs and kisses, he watched in grievance. Then, he looked up, there she was. Walking slowly and cautiously into this new and grand environment, scanning the big hall for House, as soon as she noticed him, she smiled. That smile sent a cool shiver down his spine, before he rested the ball on the metal table.

“Hey.” Cuddy stood there, in her black pants and black trench casaco with a black leather handbag in one hand. Standing for a segundo more, before she sat down. House smiled politely at her; he knew he could when it was only her around.

“How are doing?” Cuddy asked with a tone of concern in her voice, although not wanting to sound like he was suffering from a terminal illness.

“Better. There’s nothing I can’t face.” The familiar sarcastic tone reassured Cuddy that he hadn’t changed into this empty box she had come to expect when seeing him again for the first time.

“…I took the job of watering your plants, checking on the team…” Cuddy smiled softly. House looked back at her with a puzzled, yet knowing look.

“I don’t own any plants.” A small smirk appeared on the corner of his mouth, as Cuddy seemed to look away in a coy way.

“Well, I just kept your presence alive; otherwise your team wouldn’t be saving any patients.” Smiling, he rolled the red ball towards her, she moved it back and forth delicately with one finger; perfectly manicured and soft to touch.

“House…” House looked up, expecting something else work related he was taken aback por what she did say.

“They’ve agreed to let you out on dia release; you can go início or come to work, I’ll be your guardian since I’m your doctor on paper.” House didn’t know what to make of it, and sat there, his leg stretched out to the side.

“You don’t need to do that.” Cuddy bowed her head and smiled to herself, telling herself ‘I told you so’

“I know I didn’t, but I wanted to. I want you to be close so I know what’s going on.” House stayed quiet, watching her closely.

“So this is just a professional request? Nothing remotely related to-“

Cuddy interrupted him with haste. “Don’t regret anything you say here House. This is for you and the hospital; partly.” Her smile conveyed a thousand words of meanings. House smiled in acceptance and nodded politely, not taking his eyes off her for a second. This was the first time he had seen her in a month, and his brain began immediately taking down notes on what she was wearing, what lip gloss coated her travesseiro shaped lips and the perfume which radiated off of her creamy skin.

“I’ll come back in a few days. You still have to attend psychiatric sessions and rehab therapy, but other than that, you can stay início and go to walk under supervision of Wilson and me. Your team doesn’t know the full extent of your being here.” House was stunned por Cuddy’s need for this to be kept as private as possible, House had assumed that it would be the gossip going around the hospital wards.

Cuddy stood up to leave, and House stood up with her. They both looked at each other, the mesa, tabela separating them. “Thank you.” Cuddy took this as sincere, and smiled back at him. “Bye.” Cuddy turned gently, and walked away, House watched her as she walked the long gap between tables and out through the door again.

--

Sitting in his cold stone walled room, House awaited the sound of jingling keys that belonged to the nurse warden. When the heavy lock of his door was opened, he looked up when he noticed the familiar shoe of Cuddy.

“Are you ready to go House?” Cuddy stood there, looking at his surroundings, Cuddy let out a gasp; failing to conceal it.

“I kinda expected Wilson to be here, not you.” Cuddy seemed nervous to explain why she was here. “Wilson has work, so are you ready to leave?” House nodded, before picking up his navy blue suitcase. Placing a gentle hand on his back, House looked down at Cuddy who was smiling but with weary eyes. They could reflect so much with a single look.

When they got in the car, there was silence, as Cuddy turned on the heater. The icy cold winter weather had arrived early in New Jersey. “Thank you.” Cuddy turned away from the road for just a segundo to acknowledge this rare sentiment of House’s.

“It’s nothing, really. Anything that can help you get better.” Cuddy drove carefully, her eyes focused on the road ahead, whilst House kept his eyes on her.

When they pulled over at House’s apartment, Cuddy and House stayed sitting in the car for a minute. House seemed apprehensive to get out of the car, and Cuddy felt his unease.

“I’ll take your suitcase inside.” Cuddy waited a moment, before moving to the back of the car and popping the trunk, dragging his suitcase out and walking into his apartment with it; House looked on before following her.

He panned out on his apartment he had been absent from, for a mês and a few weeks. Little things had changed, he had noticed. Cuddy stood to the side of him, and followed wherever his eyes looked.

“I visited a few times to keep it clean, sort some of your things out.” House turned and faced her, as she stood there, braced to be shouted at for doing such a thing.

“What did you do?” Cuddy tensed up slightly, “I got dusted the floor and cleaned the windows, I didn’t want you coming início to a clutter.” House walked towards the piano, and he stroke it lightly. “Don’t worry, I didn’t touch it.” House turned around, and a small smile came across his face. “You didn’t have to do all of this.” Cuddy shied away, her face fell slightly, but House managed to walk over to her and lift her face up. Their stares were both very powerful, and they both became entranced in each other’s atmosphere.

“I really did miss you House.” Cuddy laughed abruptly, before looking to the side before reconnecting her eye contact with him. “I missed the mindless thought process you have, the comments and the things you do…” House noticed a tear was forming in her eye, and he seemed to look away with guilt.

“I should go.” Cuddy wiped away a lone tear, and let out a sigh of regret for losing the control she had built up since he had been away. When she turned to leave, she felt a cold yet welcoming hand grab her arm. Turning round quickly, she spun into House’s close vicinity. A small vacuum separated the two of them, as their shallow breaths filled the awkward silence.

Cuddy bit her lip, as if it was a feeble attempt to stop her from going any further with him. House however, slowly wrapped his long arm around her tiny waist and brought her in closer, she he could look deeper into her eyes; Cuddy didn’t want to be released from them, she felt seguro in an unsafe environment.

“House.” Her words where spoken in the breathy tone of anticipation. They both looked into each other’s eyes, before they leant in, and kissed each other softly. Holding it for longer than a few seconds. When they separated, Cuddy felt House’s grip on her loosed, and she knew it was time to leave. With one last glance, they exchanged something that words could never convey.

“Call me if you need anything.” Her incentives were true, and House knew this. He nodded and was left standing there as she opened and turned round before cling the door, ending their intense gravitational pull they both had on each other…