A/N: Okay here is the very last chapter. It is a little later then I wanted to put it out but what can you do? I want to give a huge, giant, great big, thank you to everyone who reviewed and read this puppy. Special thanks to those who reviewed every chapter you are the best and really the reason I finished this thing. I have no plans at the moment to write anything new but I am sure inspiration will strike again at some point. Please let me know your thoughts one last time. I would love to hear them. Thanks again, enjoy.

Chapter 15: Pocket

So keep your friends close

And your enemies in your pocket

Yeah, keep your friends close

And your enemies in your pocket

House awoke the next morning naked and alone in Cuddy's bed with the pounding head only a hangover could give you. His eyes slowly opened as he let the sun in. He quickly shut them again as his head throbbed from the light. He shifted his body away from where he knew Cuddy's window was and tried opening his eyes a second time. He now had a view of her nightstand and on it, he saw a bottle of Evian and a couple of aspirin staring back at him.

He smirked slightly knowing that even though he was sure Cuddy was probably a little peeved at him because of last night she had still laid them out for him. He could really get used to this having a girlfriend thing. As soon as the thought entered his mind (even with the hangover haze), he realized the word he had just used to describe Cuddy. His heart palpitated a little faster at the thought. Thank god, the terminology had only been in his head, but still it was a little alarming.

He reached over and grabbed the bottle of water and the pills and his own bottle of Vicodin and swallowed a couple of those as well as what Cuddy had laid out, liver be damned. He then proceeded to down the entire bottle of water. As the water poured down his throat, and his eyes adjusted to the light, he felt the smallest bit more human. The idea that Cuddy was his girlfriend popped back into his mind as the cocktail of pills began to work their magic relieving some of his aches and pains. He looked over the facts as he lay back down in her soft bed and closed his eyes once more.

Cuddy obviously cared about him. He'd known that much long before they had ever taken things to the next level. The sex was great, best he ever had if he was being completely honest. He was here in her home and in her bed almost every night. They ate together, watched the occasional movie, even her little munchkin was not so bad when she was not interrupting their canoodling. He had not even hung out with Wilson much really before last night. The need for his best friend dwindling slightly since him and Cuddy had started humping. Crap. Whether he ever admitted out loud to anyone or not he realized Cuddy was indeed his girlfriend. All further ponderings on the subject stopped as he heard said girlfriend's steps coming toward her room. He kept his eyes closed tight as she entered.

"House, I know you are up. The pills and the water are gone. It's like Santa and leaving out cookies."

House opened his eyes as he felt the bed dip slightly and saw that Cuddy was perched on the edge of the bed next to where his body stretched out. She was already showered, made up, and dressed for the day in one of her more form fitting cleavage showing work outfits. She looked so good that House wanted to rip it all off her and have his wicked way with her. So really it was no different from any other day.

"If you have a Santa fetish, why don't you come and sit on my lap? If you are very good girl or even better a very naughty girl, I will give you a present. I already know my gift fits so well in your box." House lecherously offered his tone still gravely from sleep.

"Well, that answers my next question. You must not be too badly hung over if you can be that crass." Cuddy commented.

"It wasn't my first time at the drinking rodeo."

"Good then you have no excuse not to get your ass up and go to work."

"Someone is grumpy this morning." House said as he reached his hand out and poked Cuddy in the side.

"It is almost as if I had little to no sleep last night because I kept being woken up by a drunken idiot." Cuddy sarcastically responded as she shifted away from his hand.

"I thought that I made that up to you last night." House raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Sex isn't the cure all to everything, House." Cuddy admonished.

"Blasphemy." House quickly returned. "It is not nice to lie to me this early in the morning. Sex is totally the cure all to everything in my life."

Before Cuddy could retort back to House's latest comment her phone rang. She quickly answered it, ignoring as House continued to poke at her side with his index finger. House finally stopped when without missing a beat of her conversation she grabbed House's hand and twisted as hard as she could.

House quickly took his now slightly throbbing hand away and closed his eyes again. He decided to content himself with eavesdropping on Cuddy's side of her phone conversation. The copious amounts of alcohol he had ingested last night made any of the normal forms of torture he would inflict on Cuddy for hurting his hand seem like far too much work.

From what House could gather, the kid's nanny was going to be late, or a no show, and Cuddy was less than happy. She had berating administrator voice on. Great, she was already in a mood and House knew this was not going to help any. So much for his surefire hangover cure, a nice morning romp with Cuddy. It was looking less and less likely by the second. Cuddy hung up the phone with a loud sigh and a deep frown on her face.

"Do you know if Wilson has anything going on this morning? Although, he is more of a lightweight than you are. I wonder if he has even dragged himself off your couch yet. He better be at work on time." Cuddy wondered talking more to herself than House. "Damn it, what kind of nanny calls ten minutes before they are supposed to be at their job to say their car broke down and it won't be fixed till this afternoon."

"Someone who is lying." House piped in. "I am guessing the girl is either as hung over as I am, or too sore to move from a night of hot acrobatic college sex with some beefed up frat boy on roids."

"Or her car really did break down. Maggie is usually so responsible."

"Weren't you just questioning her story?" House asked.

Cuddy ignored his point, "This is my fault anyway. Things happen. I should have been prepared. I have known for a while Rachel needed a back up nanny but no one was good enough. I just let it fall by the wayside and now I am screwed."

"Cuddy, you do realize you are the boss, right? Just stay here until the little liar can make it to your place or bring the rug rat to work with you. She did say her supposed broken down car would be fixed by the afternoon, right?"

"She did and normally I would, but it is the last Friday of the month and I have back to back meetings with our top five donors. Canceling on them all with this short of notice is not an option. Nor is asking them to hold Rachel while I try to worm more money out of them. Shit. Maybe I will call Wilson…."

"I don't have a case. I could watch the poop machine." House offered and as the words left his mouth he wondered what in the hell possessed him to say such a thing.

"Seriously?" Cuddy asked completely shocked at the offer.

House didn't say anything for a minute pondering for himself if he was indeed serious. The more he thought about it, the more he realized it actually wasn't such a bad idea. He wouldn't have to go into work. He wouldn't have to do the clinic hours he was scheduled for this morning. He could stick the kid in that playpen thing of hers. Make sure she didn't die, starve, or start any fires, while he laid on the couch and watched TV and nursed his hangover a bit. In addition, doing Cuddy a favor this big screamed that she would owe him some serious sexual favors.

"Yes, I am serious." House finally confirmed.

"I don't know…" Cuddy warily began.

"I am doctor. I think I am capable of doing the job of flaky college student."

"Are you sure?" Cuddy asked her tone completely apprehensive.

"What are you afraid is going to happen? It is only for a couple of hours." House reminded. Yeah he was generally a pain in the ass but did she really not trust him around her kid? That was not a good sign anyway you looked at it.

"I have seen what you are capable of doing in a couple of hours." Cuddy reminded.

"Fine, fuck it. Call Wilson." House responded a little hurt by Cuddy's obvious lack of trust in him.

Cuddy saw the hurt look that briefly graced his features and immediately realized her mistake in questioning him so much. For whatever reason, he was actually trying to do her a favor and she was being less than receptive. He wanted to spend time with Rachel. This was what she had been hoping for. She should have been encouraging this behavior not making sure he never offered anything like this again. Crap, she had really screwed up. She quickly tried to backtrack.

"I am sorry. I am just not used to you volunteering for something like this. Please watch Rachel for me, House." Cuddy sincerely apologized as she rubbed gently up and down his arm. She leaned in close to him titling her body to give him a lingering kiss on his lips to sweeten the deal.

"Are you sure? I might leave her alone with pack of matches and can of gasoline. Or maybe stick a couple of machetes in her crib with her. Oh, damn it. I left my machete in my other pants. It's okay, I will figure something out. I know where you keep your kitchen knives. I can improvise." House quipped as Cuddy pulled back from his lips and straightened herself out.

"House, you are doing it." Cuddy said smiling down at him as she stood up. It really was her best option and as the idea of him taking care of her daughter sunk in the more she actually wanted House to be the one to watch her. This would be good for him, and for her, and for that ever elusive them they had been slowly creating this last month. He was doing it, hurt feelings or not.

"How quickly you go from asking to ordering." House pointed out as he watched the tantalizing sway of her ass as she walked out of the room.

"I am going to go get her. I will be right back. Put some clothes on." Cuddy added not turning around and knowing House was checking out her ass. Some things never changed.

"Hey Bossy, I didn't agree." House called out after she left her bedroom.

"Yes, you did. You offered in fact. I believe it was you who made up the rule no takesies backsies." Cuddy called out from the hallway.

House did not bother to respond back because he knew by now she was in Rachel's room and out of hearing distance from any witty retort. While she was gone, he used the time to get out of bed and throw on his jeans and shirt from the night before. When Cuddy came back a few minutes later lightly bouncing a smiling Rachel in her arms House was dressed and sitting up against the headboard of Cuddy's bed.

"Okay. Formula is in the fridge. I just fed her, so it should be a few hours before she is hungry again. Maggie said she would try to make it in by one, if everything goes right at the mechanics. If you have fed Rach, burped her, and changed her and she is still fussy try her bouncing chair and the purple bear in her crib that usually works to calm her down. If you need anything House, call me, call Wilson…" Cuddy instructed in a bit of an anxious rush as she affectionately rubbed Rachel's tiny hand.

"Cuddy, I am a doctor. You are asking me to do a job that pimply 12 year old's with braces can handle. I have it under control." House not so happily reminded.

"I know." Cuddy responded but still made no move to give Rachel up holding her tighter in her arms as she sat down next to House.

"Cuddy, if you never leave then all the lectures you are giving me will be for nothing."

"I know." she agreed still cuddling Rachel in her arms.

"Cuddy, give me the damn kid and go use your breasts as a weapon to get some old rich dudes to empty their pockets."

Cuddy shot him a dirty look but his words were enough to get her to hand Rachel over to House. House sat Rachel gently on his lap letting her lean back against his chest and get comfortable. Rachel happily cooed in his lap. She tightly grabbed his finger gnawing on it in utter fascination for a second before letting go and erupting into giggles. House's expression remained utterly neutral. Surprisingly, he made no comment about Rachel chewing on him since it had ended as quickly as it had begun.

Cuddy got off the bed and really absorbed the scene in front of her. There were the two most important people in her life together on her bed. Almost like a family. Her heart swelled at the thought.

"Cuddy. Don't…" House warned as he saw the look of utter sappiness spread across her face and knew it was because he was holding the little rug rat.

"You are so getting lucky tonight. Extra lucky. You know that thing that you like that I do to you. Tonight, I am doing it twice." Cuddy promised her smile widening even more. She knew if she made any comment about how adorable they both looked House would instantly make her regret it, and she did not want to stop the pleasant feeling that was currently swirling through her chest.

"I have always enjoyed a sexual double feature. Now get that rotund ass to work. You have donors to show those funbags off too." House ordered.

Cuddy laughed as she leaned down and gave one last kiss to both Rachel and House. She took one final look at the pair committing the image to memory before she left the room. Maybe Maggie being late was not such a disaster after all, Cuddy thought as she headed out her front door and off to work.

House made it to work around three thirty that day. Cuddy's nanny had gotten to her place at 12:30 extremely apologetic which House quickly pointed out he didn't give a crap about. That it was Cuddy's ultimate wrath that she should be worried about. House handed off the kid without any damage to the tike (or any sappy lessons learned about the joy of babies, as he was sure both Cuddy and Wilson would hope he would learn).

House left for his place taking advantage of the fact that he had just done Cuddy a favor. He went home, slept, and watched his soaps with no intention of going into work at all. It was not until Cuddy called and informed him she knew her nanny had shown up hours ago. That she had a case for him, and that he had better get his ass to work immediately before he was scheduled for double clinic hours for the rest of his life that he ventured over to PPTH.

No one on his team questioned him coming in so late. They just quickly caught him up on their newest patient. House then ordered the gang to go run some tests on Mr. whoever he was. He watched as everyone but Taub left his office. He took a second to observe as Taub loitered around, clearly not planning to leave before he spoke to his fellow.

"I know you have been on thin ice lately, but when I said all you idiots go run a scratch test. You were included as one of those idiots." House sarcastically noted as Taub took a few steps closer to where House was sitting at his desk.

"I will go down in just a second. I wanted to talk to you. I got an interesting email last night." Taub explained, in a tone that was nothing less than giddy.

"Taub, I know money is tight. I hate to break it to you. That prince of Nigeria, he isn't real. Now get the hell out of my office." House quipped so far uninterested in where this was going.

"It was from Lily, actually. It was mostly about some reunion she wants me to go to but that is not the interesting part. The interesting part is she asked me how you were doing. I thought huh, that is weird shouldn't she know how you are. Then I kept reading and was surprised to hear how she had been disappointed that you never called her again after your first date." Taub explained still smugly excited by his discovery.

"What do you want to screw her? Go for it, knowing about another affair of yours would give me a ton of ammo. I say get yours, Taub." House responded not taking the bait.

"You see I assumed you humming old standards around this place, the obvious glow on your face of regular sex, and well you just being a tiny less of a pain in the ass lately was because you were getting some from Lily."

"I have had a few very well priced two for one deals recently, from more worldly women of the night. Get blown from one brunette and the red head is free." House did not like where this conversation was going, and tried to cover it up with an extra dose of vulgarity.

"I am not buying it. No one sings when they are paying for it. Anyway, this email got me thinking. If it wasn't Lily, who in the hell else could stand to be around your particular brand of hot mess." Taub held strong not believing for an instant that hookers had created the new mood his boss had been in lately.

"Okay you're boring me now. Get out and go do your damn job."

"Oh did I not mention in her email Lily also told me something I found quite fascinating. She said that Dr. Cuddy interrupted your date with her that night for a case. So, I took a minute. I thought back. Then it occurred to me how strange that was because we never had a case that night. I remember specifically because we got to leave early that day so you could get all gussied up. It was the first time I had been home before five in many moons."

"Taub." House threateningly growled.

"I have said it once but I feel it bears repeating now. A love like that needs to fly free…" Taub arrogantly smiled loving that he had figured out a secret of House's.

"Whatever it is you think you figured out. You haven't." House calmly warned.

"Don't worry. I have been a victim of your wrath too many times. I am not interested in waging a holy war with you." Taub conceded.

"So what was the point of this?" House wondered clearly irritated with his tiny team member.

"Well one, if I find the chance to let you know you aren't as infallible as you think you are, I am going to take it. Two, next time we need a stool sample from a patient, make Thirteen do it. I am officially resigning as your whipping boy." Taub finally laid his cards on the table.

"Those sound an awful lot like demands."

"Not demands, more like gentle suggestions." Taub corrected.

"May I gently suggest that you get the hell out of my office before I fire you?" House advised.

"Sure thing boss." Taub said his triumphant smile still plastered across his face as he walked out thinking he had finally one-upped his boss.

"Oh and Taub if you think I have dried the well on little known facts about you. You would be wrong. Dead wrong." House finally laid out his counter attack when he knew it would pack the most punch.

"My wife knows I cheated already, House. She knows we are struggling for money. What else could you possibly know?" Taub questioned not thinking his boss had any more dirt on him.

"I don't know does your wife know about you in Vegas in the spring of 2006?" House asked casually.

Taub's face dropped dramatically as the location and date registered in his head. How could have House found out about that?!?

"You are right. Whatever I think I figured out, I didn't." Taub quickly backed down knowing if his wife found out about that weekend there was no question that she would be filing for divorce.

"That's what I thought, nice try though."

Taub turned around and left House's office once again thoroughly defeated. As soon as Taub cleared the room, House picked up the phone and dialed a familiar extension.

"House, this better be good. I am busy." Cuddy answered after the third ring.

"Oh it is something alright. I wouldn't call it good. And since you are being pissy at me before I even tell you, I think I am just going to hang up now." House grumped.

"Don't you dare! What is going on, House?" Cuddy asked now intrigued enough by House's cryptic reply to put down the paperwork she was frantically completing on the new donations she had secured in her morning meetings.

"You know that whole no one at the hospital but Wilson can know that we are doing the wee wacky woo woo thing." House began to explain.

"What did you do?" Cuddy quietly asked as a shiver of pure terror ran through her.

"I didn't do anything, but we are going to have to expand that list to Wilson and Taub."

"You told Taub? Taub knows about us? What in the hell were you thinking? You have made it a month keeping your mouth shut and now all of a sudden you tell Taub of all people. What the hell could you have possibly been thinking, House! I made it perfectly damn clear that…" Cuddy exploded in a blind rage.

"Yeah Cuddy, I told Taub we were boning and then immediately called you to let you know because that sounds like such a smart idea. Your high pitched shrieking is like music to my ears." House sardonically pointed out the flaw in her thinking.

"Fine, then if you didn't tell him, what happened? Was it Wilson, because I will kill him." Cuddy reluctantly conceded knowing that House made a valid point. If he had told Taub, he would have never just offered up the information to her.

"No, it wasn't Wilson but it does make little House jump to attention a bit knowing you would kill him for me." House joked before continuing his explanation. "Apparently, Taub's good friend Dr. Davidson sent him a rather illuminating email. The dumb ass rarely gives me a valid diagnosis but apparently chose now to become good at observation and he figured it out. I denied it of course, but he's not as big of an idiot as I thought he was."

"After all this time? She emailed him with what that would make him think that. God, I hate that bitch." Cuddy grumbled before she could properly edit herself.

"Who is the bitch? Taub or Lily? I love the smell of jealousy in the afternoon." House amusedly responded still loving that someone like Cuddy could actually like him enough to be jealous of another woman. Especially one he hadn't even done anything with.

"This is serious, House. If the wrong people find out…" Cuddy interjected not liking how lightly House seemed to be taking the news.

"Don't worry, I have it under control. He isn't going to tell anyone."

"How can you be so sure? Taub is not exactly your biggest fan, and frankly he is less scared of me than I prefer in an employee." Cuddy asked both hoping and at the same time, being unbelievably wary if House had some kind of plan to make sure Taub did not run his mouth.

"You know what they say keep your friends close…" House started.

House didn't say much but suddenly something clicked for Cuddy. House was acting calm about this because he really did have it under control.

"You have something on him, don't you? I hope it's good, and I never want to know the details."

"Oh it's good. I know you don't want particulars but I just have to say Taub's misdeeds involved two burlesque dancers and a midget, believe me he isn't going to be telling anyone about us. Can I also just say how much it turns me on that you allow me to blackmail him while simultaneously keeping yourself clean from knowing any of the dirty details." House voice dipped down seductively as he spoke his last sentence.

"I am a woman of many talents. I still don't like him knowing." Cuddy returned her tone a little throatier.

"Speaking of you being a woman of many talents are we still on for tonight?" House asked.

"Yep, my mom is picking up Rachel at six for some grandparent bonding time and then I am free for the rest of the night." Cuddy couldn't help but smile into the phone at the thought of just what she and House would be doing with that free time. She did owe him for watching Rachel and she was more than happy to pay up.

"You got Cuddy Sr. to take the kid. Nice touch…"

"I told you, you would be getting extra lucky tonight." Cuddy flirted.

"Good because the clock was running out on my four hours of naked Cuddy time for this week. I am sure squeezing it in has been keeping you up at night." House bantered.

"Of course it has been all I can think about." Cuddy sarcastically replied.

"You know they say most sarcasm is based in truth." House pointed out.

"House, I will see you tonight. Good bye." Cuddy smiled remained as she ended the conversation with her boyfriend.

Boyfriend? Where had that thought come from Cuddy wondered. She continued to ponder the merits of her observation and barely heard House as he told her good bye and hung up the phone. The more Cuddy thought about it. The more the term boyfriend fit. They had been seeing each other for over a month. He was at her House more nights than he wasn't. They ate together. They laughed together. The sex was fantastic. He even seemed to be accepting Rachel in his own House way he had after all baby-sat that very morning. They also still fought constantly, he still drove her crazy, and yet this last month was the happiest she had been in too many years to count. She had a baby. She had her job. She had House. It was almost too much.

With House, Cuddy knew it was crazy to try to predict the future. She knew very well this could all end in heartache and destruction but for now, she was happy, he was there, and just living in the present was better than she could have ever imagined it to be.

House hung up wishing Cuddy's naked time could start right now. He was surprised that he still had so much enthusiasm about being with her even though they had now been together countless times. It wasn't just the sex. He actually enjoyed just being around her. He was finally coming to terms with the fact that he did not want his enthusiasm for her to end. He wanted to be with Cuddy for as long as she could stand him. She had managed to be in his life for twenty plus years already without completely cutting him out. He was finally willing to admit that, that alone was a good sign.

The End.