Hi everyone,

So here's the last chapter!
Sorry for the delay, I've been completely sucked into the mad, mad World Cup spiral… :P
As promised, this chapter is about Cuddy and House finally getting together.
It will therefore surely feel less like a script as I couldn't resist the urge to give more details to describe the scenes! Heh.

But, I still wanted to focus on creating a visual as much as possible, so I tried to write it in dialogues the most and, well, for the things that can't be said out loud ... you'll see! ;)

I hope you'll like it.

NB: I used one of the most famous lines of 'Now What' in this chapter (I'll let you find out which) because it was so beautifully perfect... There was really no point in even trying to compete or find another one.

Diclaimer: Not mine.

** HELP ME NOT **
- chapter 4 -

EXT – NEW JERSEY - RANDOM LOCATIONS – DAY

House is riding his bike in the middle of nowhere.
The landscapes keep changing as he's speeding through forests, in the countryside, by the ocean…
His eyes are focused on the road.
His face is undecipherable.

… … …
INT – HOUSE'S APARTMENT - BATHROOM – DAY

We can see the hole in the wall, as House enters the room, carrying a toolbox.
Leaned against the tub, there's a rectangular object, wrapped in Manila paper.
House looks alternatively at the package, then at the hole in the wall.
He sighs.

[CUT]

House is staring at his reflection in the mirror – a new one - above the washbasin.
He stands there for a long while, with a screwdriver in his hand.
He finally leans down and throws the screwdriver into the toolbox then sits on the edge of the tub, rubbing his thigh for a minute.
From the hallway, we see his silhouette hunched forward as he continues to massage his leg.
He glances in the hallway's direction, and then gets up.

[CUT]

We hear the water flowing.
The curtain is drawn.
The sound of the water stops. House's arm appears from behind the curtain.
He grabs a towel.

[CUT]

Wet from a shower, House is standing in front of the mirror with a towel wrapped around his waist. He leans forward and looks closely at the wound on his collarbone.
By the washbasin, he retrieves a medical kit and proceeds with changing his bandage.
When the protective dressing is applied, he enters his bedroom through the adjoining door.

… … …
INT – HOUSE'S APARTMENT – KITCHEN – DAY

Now dressed, House is lying on his back on the kitchen floor, with his upper body hidden under the sink.
We hear some noises.
Finally, he pushes himself out of the cabinet and reappears, carrying a small, metallic box.
Grabbing the edge of the kitchen counter above his head for leverage, he gets up…

… … …
INT – HOUSE'S APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY

The closet door in the hallway is opened.
Some books have been removed from the shelves and lie randomly on the floor.
House is sitting on his couch.
In front of him, there are different items displayed on the coffee table:
The metallic box, a sock, a biker's glove, and a thick book with a leather cover.
Leaning forward, House reaches for the first object on the table: The metallic box.

He opens it.

Inside, there's a bottle of Oxycodon. The name of the patient written on it is not House's. The bottle of pills is half-empty.
House opens it and empties the content of the orange bottle into a plastic bag.
Meticulously, he repeats the same action again with the other items, in more pills are concealed: Wrapped inside a handkerchief in the sock; in a plastic bottle, inside the book - which pages have been cut in the center; in a small plastic bag inside the glove…

One after the other, he determinedly puts all the pills inside the plastic bag.
Then he intensely stares at his hand, holding the bag for a long while…
Finally, he gets up and limps heavily towards the bathroom, without the help of his cane, carrying the plastic bag in one hand.

… … …
INT – HOUSE'S APARTMENT - BATHROOM – DAY

House opens the plastic bag and takes a pill from it.
He stares at it for a long while, breathing heavily.
We see him glance at his reflection in the newly-installed mirror. He looks tormented.
After a minute, he gulps and throws the pill into the toilet.

We see the bottom of the toilet pan where the pill has dropped, and is now starting to slowly dissolve into water. House looks intensely at it for a while, as if mesmerized by the process.
On impulse, he suddenly empties the rest of the plastic bag into the toilet in one quick move, and flushes it without even looking back.
He quickly exits the bathroom, and limps to the living room.

He sits at the piano, and plays for a while.
House gets up, and rubs his leg.
He starts pacing in his apartment, looking nervous.
Then he sits on the couch and fishes his cellphone out of his jeans' pocket.
He stares at the cell for a while, then dials a number and brings the receiver against his ear, rubbing his forehead wearily.
As the call gets through…

HOUSE:
Mom?

… … …
INT – BLYTHE'S HOUSE – BEDROOM - EVENING

Blythe is standing next to her bed, wearing a bathrobe.
Her hair is wet. She's visibly just taken a shower.

BLYTHE:
(Surprised)
Greg? Is that you?

HOUSE:
Yeah, it's me—

BLYTHE:
(Into phone)
Is everything ok?

[INTERCUT AS NECESSARY.]

HOUSE:
(Embarrassed)
Yes, mom. I was just calling to see how you were.

BLYTHE:
I'm good, honey. I'm—yes, I'm fine. Thank you.
(A beat)
How about you?

A long silence.

BLYTHE:
Greg?

HOUSE:
Mom—was I ever happy when I was a kid?

BLYTHE:
(Confused)
Huh? Where does that come from?

HOUSE:
(Into phone)
Was I?

BLYTHE:
Yes. Of course you were, honey.

HOUSE:
How do you know?

BLYTHE:
Aww Greg, because you were a very joyful little boy.
You laughed and you ran everywhere, always bursting with energy…
I remember your father had given you that toy.
It was a boat, and you'd spend hours in the backyard,
playing with it and that plastic bowl.

HOUSE:
Yeah. Until dad crushed it with his foot...

BLYTHE:
(Into phone)
I'm sure he didn't mean to.

HOUSE:
(Bitterly)
No. Of course, he didn't mean to.

BLYTHE:
Greg, you sure everything's ok?

HOUSE:
Yes, don't worry. I'm fine. Actually, I think I'm— happy.

BLYTHE:
Really? Well, I'm happy to hear that, honey. You solved a difficult case?

HOUSE:
(Uneasy)
Not really… Thing is, I—well, it's-

In Blythe's home, we see Thomas Bell enter the bedroom.
He's wearing a bathrobe, too.
He approaches Blythe with a mischievous smile, until he notices she's on the phone.

THOMAS:
Who's that?

HOUSE:
(Into phone)
You have a visitor?

BLYTHE:
(Shushing Thomas)
No… I mean, yes. It's just that it's my turn to host the traditional bridge night with the neighbors.
(She smiles at Thomas)
They're waiting for me to start playing…

HOUSE:
I see. Well, I'm not gonna hold you back any longer.

BLYTHE:
You should come visit, son. I haven't seen you in ages.

HOUSE:
Mom, you know I'm busy.

BLYTHE:
Yes, I know.
Anything else you wanted to tell me?
Some exciting news?

HOUSE:
(Clears his throat)
No, nothing.
Bye mom.

BLYTHE:
Bye, Greg.

House hangs up and stares at his cell phone for a while.
He glances outside and notices that the streetlamps are on.
Outside, evening has begun falling upon Princeton.
He gets up and goes to the hallway, where he retrieves his leather jacket in the closet.
He puts it on.
On the desk, he grabs his bike's keys, his cane and his helmet and heads towards the door to his apartment.
As he opens it to leave, he comes face to face with...

WILSON:
(His hand froze mid-air, as he was about to knock)
House! God, I left you at least ten mes-

HOUSE:
(quickly walking past him)
Hi, Wilson.
Bye, Wilson.

House starts walking towards the building's exit, completely ignoring Wilson's presence.

WILSON:
(upset)
House?... House! Where the hell have you been?

House stops, and turns around to face Wilson.

HOUSE:
You're mistaking "medical proxy" with "24/7 babysitting service," Wilson!
Not really what I had in mind when I wrote your name down on that form.

WILSON:
(Accusingly)
I'm worried about you!

HOUSE:
(Deadpan)
Well, now you can see for yourself that there's no reason to.

He turns on his heel and starts leaving again.

WILSON:
I saw the hole in the wall.

House sighs heavily and stops, turning around to face Wilson.

HOUSE:
(Mocking)
Wow, that sounds ominous! What does the prophecy have to say about that?

Wilson rolls his eyes, clearly upset with House's antics.
Finally showing some empathy for his friend, House looks at Wilson with gravity.

HOUSE (cont'd):
(Grumbling)
I'm... fine.

He pauses, as he looks Wilson in the eyes and ponders whether or not to show some blunt honesty.
Then...

HOUSE (cont'd):
I lost my patient. Cuddy was getting married.
Vicodin seemed like an acceptable alternative at the time-

Wilson's eyes widen in shock.

WILSON:
Wait! WHAT?

HOUSE:
I didn't take the Vicodin, I flush it down the-

WILSON:
Cuddy's getting married?!

A small smile flickers on the corner of House's lips.

HOUSE:
Was getting married... She finally came back to her senses. Turns out she chose me!

Wilson frowns with obvious concern.

HOUSE (cont'd):
(Waggling his eyebrows knowingly)
Cuddy wants to be my naughty baby...

WILSON:
(Dismayed)
House, how many Vicodin did you have?

House rolls his eyes skyward and puffs.

HOUSE:
Geez, I just told you I did not take the Vicodin!
Can you give me a little credit here, ye of little faith?

House walks back to his apartment, deliberately shoving Wilson aside in the process.
He opens the door and enters.

HOUSE (cont'd):
(Gesturing in the bathroom's direction)
Go, see for yourself.

Still standing on the doorstep, Wilson squints dubiously as he hesitates for a second before entering the apartment as well.
House slams the door shut behind him and takes a step back.
Wilson quickly scans the space around him.
Everything is in place, except for the few objects on the coffee table.
Looking to his right, he acknowledges the presence of the mirror that's been replaced.

HOUSE (cont'd):
See? No hole in the wall. Everything's fine.
I'm fine. I didn't take the Vicodin

WILSON:
(Stubborn)
Technically, no hole in the wall isn't proof that you're still clean.
It's only proof that you fixed it.

House rolls his eyes in obvious exasperation.

HOUSE:
Jesus, Wilson, what do you want? You wanna check my pupils for dilatation?

He takes a step towards Wilson and conspicuously widens his eyes, pushing his lower eyelids down with his fingers.

HOUSE (cont'd:)
Want me to pee in a cup?

House starts undoing his jeans buttons.
A disgusted Wilson instantly waves his hands frantically in front of him to stop him.
House buttons up.

HOUSE (cont'd):
I didn't relapse. I almost did, yes, but key word here is almost, as in:
Eventually, I did not! And I won't.
(He gestures towards the coffee table)
I got rid of the pills. All of them.

WILSON:
(Suspicious)
Where?

HOUSE:
In the toilet! What? You wanna check the pipes now,
to search for remaining traces of Vicodin in the water?!

Wilson, not impressed, keeps looking at House, trying to understand what's amiss.
House holds his gaze defiantly.
Both of them just stare at each other in silence for a while.

WILSON:
What about Cuddy?

HOUSE:
What about her? I told you: Cuddy and I are—

WILSON:
House... I saw her with Lucas today—

HOUSE:
That little piece of shit!

WILSON:
(empathic)
Cuddy is with him….

House clenches his jaw tight and rubs his forehead forcefully, visibly struggling to contain his frustration.

WILSON (cont'd):
Are they… Are they really going to get married?

House sighs heavily and stares at Wilson for a long while without saying a word.

WILSON (cont'd):
You need to let go, House. Cuddy's moving on with her life. I know it's—

HOUSE:
(dismissive)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, right! Everyone's fucking happy and I'm still a miserable, lonely jerk.
I get it. Now, would you please leave me alone? In case you haven't noticed,
I was heading out when you showed up!

WILSON:
Where are you going?

HOUSE:
(sarcastic)
I assume if I said I'm going to make whoopee with Cuddy, you'd definitely not leave, right?

Wilson rolls his eyes at what he genuinely thinks is a deflecting joke.

WILSON:
I can listen to you bitch about her, if that helped you feel better. We can order pizzas—

HOUSE:
Wilson, I really have to go.

He stares challengingly at Wilson, waiting for him to take his cue.
When it's obvious that he is not going to budge...

HOUSE (cont'd):
Fine! You wanna know where I'm going?
I have an appointment with my therapist.
You happy now or you also wanna follow me there, uh?

He starts heading to the door, unceremoniously grabbing Wilson's arm in the process.

HOUSE (cont'd):
Nolan and I still haven't discussed the benefits of couple therapy,
but I'm sure he'd be literally thrilled to have you there—

Wilson shakes himself off of House's grip and rolls his eyes, dismayed.
Finally taking the hint, he opens the door.

WILSON:
(Reluctantly)
Fine. I'm leaving!
(He pauses on the threshold)
When are you coming back to the hospital?

House puffs.

HOUSE:
Geez, I don't know. Soon, I guess.

Wilson, seeing that he won't get anything from House, starts leaving.
House, still holding the doorknob, leans forward in the building's hallway to shout after him as he's speeding up his pace.

HOUSE (cont'd):
(mocking)
I have lots of emotions I need to deal with first!
I may not be ready to treat patients yet!
I need my therapist's advice on that!

The door to the building shuts with a loud bang.
Now that Wilson has finally left, House stands there, looking at the empty hallway for a while and his face suddenly takes on a serious mask of concern.
He turns to glance at his apartment one last time then finally closes the door behind him, leaving as well.

… … …
INT – TRENTON – A BAR – EVENING

It's a quiet bar, without too many patrons.
There's jazz music playing in the background.
We see the barman stand behind the counter as he wipes glasses with a cloth.
He glances in the direction of the end of the counter.

House is sitting there on a bar stool, alone.

On the counter in front of him, there's an empty glass next to another, filled with whiskey.
House takes the full glass, and swallows its content in one go.
He winces and slams the empty glass on the counter.
The barman approaches him casually, still wiping glasses.

BARMAN:
Another one?

HOUSE:
No thanks.

BARMAN:
You sure?

HOUSE:
Yeah, I'm sure.

BARMAN:
Rough day?

HOUSE:
I had better ones.

BARMAN:
At least we're still alive, unlike those poor guys that were trapped under that crane—

HOUSE:
(To himself, grumbling)
Oh great, a philosopher…
(To the barman, sarcastic)
Yeah, we're alive. Isn't that wonderful?

BARMAN:
I mean, have you seen the place?

HOUSE:
No.

BARMAN:
I took a detour there this afternoon before opening the bar.
Man, it feels like a war zone!

House cringes and fishes some money out of his pocket.

BARMAN (cont'd):
There were still medical units on site-

HOUSE:
How much for the whiskeys?

BARMAN:
Two single malts. That's $18.

House glances at the clock on the wall.

BARMAN (cont'd):
(Smiling)
Somewhere you need to be?

House just stares at him in silence, and then puts a 20 on the counter.

BARMAN (cont'd):
(Still smiling)
Ooh, I bet there's a lady waiting, am I right?

House gets up and grabs his cane.

HOUSE:
(Muttering inaudibly)
I sure hope you are…

He limps towards the exit, as the barman returns to his cleaning routine behind the counter.

… … …
EXT – CUDDY'S HOUSE – NIGHT

We see House on his bike across the street from Cuddy's house. He's looking towards Cuddy's porch. Obviously, he's been waiting there for a while…
Suddenly the door opens and Lucas walks out of the house. He's carrying a bag.
Unaware of House's presence, he walks down the steps of the house to his car, gets in, and drives off.
Once he's gone, House gets off of his bike and walks towards Cuddy's house. He knocks with his cane. A few moments after, Cuddy opens the door, looking weary.

CUDDY:
Lucas, I—

She stops, stunned to see House standing on her doorstep.

CUDDY (cont'd)
House, it's you!

She looks thrilled to see him.

HOUSE:
(Looking rather defeated)
It's too late, is it?

CUDDY:
What?

HOUSE:
I saw Lucas leaving just now—

CUDDY:
(Realizing the inevitable misunderstanding)
No. House, that's not what you think. Lucas was just here to get his—

HOUSE:
(Blurts the words out, as if his life depended on it)
I love you.

Cuddy gawks, taken aback by his confession.

HOUSE (cont'd):
I love you, Cuddy.
You told me you loved me and I didn't say it back.
I was stupid. I should have said it.
I should have said the words. I love you. Because that's how I feel, I—

CUDDY:
(Reassuringly)
House, Lucas and I are over. We broke up. It's over.

House seems to finally register what she's saying. A small smile draws on the corner of his lips.

HOUSE:
It is.

She nods.

HOUSE (cont'd):
But he was just there a few—

She grabs his arm and pulls him inside.

CUDDY:
(Simpering a bit)
Can we not talk about him?

He takes a deep breath and seems to finally calm down a bit, reassured by her smile.
He smiles back.

HOUSE:
You're right.

He possessively yanks her in his arms, holding her tight in his embrace, and she instantly wraps her arms around his neck. Rising on her tiptoe, impatient, she looks him in the eyes with that look…

HOUSE (cont'd):
How about we don't talk at all?

She giggles and he leans to her face.
And they kiss.
Finally.
It's soft, delicate, and unhurried. House takes his time to taste her, bite her lips. She kisses back, clinging to him.
Their eyes are closed. She inhales deeply through her nose. He moans and she shivers in his arms.
They break away from their kiss, a bit breathless. His lips glisten with her saliva.

CUDDY:
(Taking a step back)
Let me look at you… You look good.

HOUSE:
I feel good.

CUDDY:
You sure?

He gulps, uneasy.

HOUSE:
I really needed to do this, you know.

CUDDY:
I know.

HOUSE:
I never meant to reject you. I just—

CUDDY:
I know.

HOUSE:
But I hurt you.

CUDDY:
No, House. I understand.

HOUSE:
Do you?

CUDDY:
It's my fault. I came to you in the middle of the night.
I didn't give you time to process anything.
I threw myself at you while you were hurt and—

HOUSE:
You saved me.

CUDDY:
No, you did. You saved yourself.

HOUSE:
I don't know. When you appeared the other day…
it felt like a vision, like none of it was real—

She bites her bottom lip and caresses his cheek.

HOUSE (cont'd):
I was scared.

CUDDY:
I was scared, too.

HOUSE:
Why did you do it? What changed?

CUDDY:
Nothing changed.

HOUSE:
But, you told me you were moving on.
You said you didn't love me.

CUDDY:
I lied.

HOUSE:
Why?

CUDDY:
Because…
(She sighs and averts her eyes)
I tried. I tried to forget you.

HOUSE:
(Intrigued)
Forget me?

CUDDY:
Forget you were the man I wanted.

He smiles, but his face clouds over with pain.

HOUSE:
You had a weird way of showing it.

CUDDY:
I know. It's just…
I love you, House. I'm in love with you.
And I've been in love with you for a long time.
(She takes a deep breath and casts her eyes down)
Last year…

HOUSE:
I behaved like a complete ass.

CUDDY:
You were not ready.

HOUSE:
And you were.

CUDDY:
No. I don't know.
You're so…

She comes closer and wriggles teasingly in front of him until he puts his arms around her waist again.

HOUSE:
I'm so what?

CUDDY:
Exhausting. Unavoidable. Conspicuous.
You—

She smiles fondly at him and tilts her head up, looking him straight in the eyes.

CUDDY (cont'd):
You swept me off my feet, House.
I tried to deny it. I tried to convince myself that the feeling would go away, but it didn't.
You're just-

He arches his eyebrows quizzically, smiling.

CUDDY (cont'd):
You're all I can think of. All of the time.

His smile grows bigger and his chest sticks out with pride a little.
He lays a soft kiss on her lips.

HOUSE:
(Speaking with his mouth against her mouth)
Am I?

CUDDY:
Yes.

Nibbling at her lips as he keeps talking.

HOUSE:
All of the time, uh?

CUDDY:
Yes.

HOUSE:
You mean, even when—

She smacks him on the side of his arms and pulls back to look him in the eyes, half-glaring at him, half-smiling.
He stares back, with his eyes wide open with mischief.
A beat.

HOUSE (cont'd):
Ooh, you bad, bad girl! You did think about me then, didn't you?

She laughs throatily and averts her eyes in embarrassment.

CUDDY:
Shut up!

HOUSE:
Come here.

He pulls her in his embrace again.
They kiss.
The sexual tension unquestionably rises between them as their kiss becomes more demanding.
Suddenly, House breaks away, breathless, and stares at her, looking a bit panicked.

CUDDY:
(Looking instantly worried)
What?

HOUSE:
Your daughter.

Cuddy smiles reassuringly.

CUDDY:
It's ten o' clock in the evening, House. Rachel is sound asleep.

He sighs in obvious relief… then frowns, cautious…

HOUSE:
You sure she's not going to wake up for, like, a bottle or something?

Cuddy laughs, touched by his adorable cluelessness.

CUDDY:
She's two and a half. I've stopped feeding her bottles at night over a year ago.

HOUSE:
Oh.

He gulps, visibly uneasy.
Cuddy registers his discomfort and takes his hand, leading him towards her bedroom.
They stop at the threshold and House looks down at their joined hands, taking a deep breath.

CUDDY:
(Reassuringly)
She's not going to wake up.

House looks up at her.
She smiles enticingly at him and licks her bottom lip.

CUDDY (cont'd):
Unless we really make too much noise—

HOUSE:
(With a roguish smile)
Heh, that's definitely something we have to consider…

She opens the door and steps into the bedroom, still holding his hand.

CUDDY:
(Flirtatious)
Too much talk, too little action...

He lets go of her hand and takes his leather jacket off, devouring her with lustful eyes.

HOUSE:
A challenge, woman?

He enters after her, drops the jacket on the floor, and before she can see it coming, he scoops her in his arms, pressing her tightly against him.
She buries her face in his neck, and he breathes in her hair, as he limps steadily towards the bed.
By the bed, he cautiously bends to lay her on the mattress, adjusting his body to lie on top of her right after.

HOUSE:
Oh, Cuddy… The things I'm gonna do to you…

She laughs throatily and wraps her arms around his neck pulling him down to her.

… … …
INT – CUDDY'S HOUSE – BEDROOM – NIGHT

They both lie on the bed.
House removes her top. When it reveals her naked chest – except for her bra – he sucks in a sharp breath and stares down at her bare skin, in awe.
Cautiously he bends down to kiss the round shape of her shoulder, and rubs his nose against her collarbone. His eyes squeeze shut.

Cuddy takes his tee-shirt off next. She's impatient.
House helps her remove it.
She instantly notices his bandage. Her face clouds over briefly as she brushes the edge of it with her fingers.
House takes her hand and delicately moves it aside.
He closes his eyes, and buries his face in her neck.

HOUSE:
It doesn't hurt…

[CUT]

(Wide-angle shot of the room)

They're naked now.
The sheet only covers them from the waist down.
They kiss.
House traces the side of her body with his palm, from her ribs, down to her kneecap, following the curve of her waist, and her hip, as he caresses her skin slowly, almost reverently.
Cuddy sighs voluptuously, and closes her eyes.

(Close-up)

House kisses his way down her chest, and buries his face between her breasts. He licks her skin, and sucks her nipples in his mouth, before moving down to her midriff, and down…
Cuddy's fingers grip a strand of his hair tightly.
She arches up as he goes down on her.
We see her gasp and throw her head back on the pillow.

(Wide-angle shot)

House's body is aligned with Cuddy's again. She looks beautifully disheveled.
She runs her fingers through his hair, as House caresses the side of her thigh and lifts it up, bending it at the knee.
He leans down to her face and lays a soft kiss on her lips…Under the sheet, his hips start moving.

(Close-up)

House and Cuddy lock eyes. Their gazes are aflame with desire.
Suddenly, House closes his eyes shut and gasps.
He looks overwhelmed.
We see Cuddy dig her nails in his shoulder blades, as House's back arches up and he nose-dives in her neck, brushing the shell of her ear with his lips.

HOUSE:
(Whispering)
I love you.

Cuddy sucks in a shivering breath and squeezes her arms tighter around his shoulders.

(Wide-angle)

House envelops Cuddy's thigh with his large hand and presses it against his hip.
Both their bodies are undulating as they begin to kiss passionately.

(Close-up)

A single tear forms on the corner of House's eyes and slowly rolls along the bridge of his nose.
Cuddy takes his face inside her hands and motions him to lift his head.
When they're face to face, they lock eyes for a long while. Cuddy's eyes glisten and she smiles tenderly at him. He closes his eyes and leans down to kiss her again…

[CUT]

On the nightstand, the digital alarm clock reads 1:10 am.
House lies on his back in the bed, seemingly asleep. One of his arms moves to the side and his hand falls on an empty pillow.
His eyes pop open and he jerks his head to the side.
Following his gaze, we see the back of Cuddy's naked legs as she's walking away from the bed.

HOUSE:
(Mumbling, half-asleep)
Hey, where are you going?

Cuddy stops and looks over her shoulder.

CUDDY:
I'm going to pee.

House groans and rolls to the side.

[CUT]

House is sitting on the bed, his legs dangling along the side of the mattress as Cuddy reinters the room.
We can only see her naked back from the waist up.
Above her shoulders, we see House, who's naked too, the sheet barely covering his thighs.
When Cuddy walks in, his mouth drops open and he very conspicuously eyes her up and down, from head to toe, but mostly from chest to… upper thighs and up again.
Then he shakes his head left and right swiftly, as if to snap out of it and looks her in the eyes.

HOUSE:
(Pouting theatrically)
You left me all alone in here for ages.

Cuddy smiles, amused.

CUDDY:
I was only away for thirty seconds.

HOUSE:
Come back to bed.

She takes a step towards him, but stops by the edge of the bed.

CUDDY:
Do you want something to eat?

HOUSE:
Nope!

CUDDY:
But… aren't you hungry?

In one swift move, he catches her by the wrist, and yanks her forwards.

HOUSE:
Oh yes, I am!

She squeals as she topples in his arms, sitting on his lap.
He instantly wraps his arms around her waist and looks up at her with a wanton gaze.

HOUSE (cont'd):
I've done all the work so far—

CUDDY:
(Laughing)
Oh, you have?

HOUSE:
(With a smartass grin)
Absolutely.

CUDDY:
(Equally mischievous)
So what do you suggest then?

House falls back on his back and spreads his arms to the sides.

HOUSE:
Hmm, I have a few scenarios in mind,
all of which involving you shamelessly taking advantage of me, right now—

Cuddy rolls her eyes skyward but still jumps in bed next to him.

CUDDY:
(Teasing)
Taking advantage of you? Hmm, I have no idea what that means-

She laughs throatily as she straddles him and puts her hands astride his shoulders, bending forward to kiss him.
House cradles her face in his hands, but Cuddy shakes her head 'no' to set herself free.
She has something else in mind…
She looks down at him and shoots him a knowing smile before slowly sliding down along his body, clearly moving south…

(Close-up on House's face)

His eyes are wide open, as he looks up at the ceiling.
Suddenly, he takes a shuddering breath and his hands move from the sides of the bed to his hips.
He lifts his head off of the pillow and glances down, before letting his head fall back on the pillow.

HOUSE:
(A groan)
Oh God…

[CUT]

(Wide-angle shot of the room)

They're making love again, now.
Cuddy is on top of him and House caresses the small of her back in circular motions as she sways her hips above him.

(Close-up)

House looks up at her, completely in awe.
She leans down and her hair falls in cascade around his face. Their lips are swollen.
They kiss.
House caresses her skull and brushes a strand of her hair away from her face.
She looks him in the eyes. Her pupils are dilated. She's panting.

CUDDY:
I love you.

She straightens up.

(Close-up of the small of her back)

House's hands grip her hips tightly, as his nails dig in her flesh.
Cuddy's back arches forwards, and a shudder ripples down her spine.
She lets out a muffled shout, and collapses on top of him…

[CUT]

The alarm clock now indicates 2:05 am
House and Cuddy lie in bed wrapped in each other's embrace.
House's arm envelops her shoulder, pressing her tight against his body.
Her face is nestled in the hollow of his collarbone as she absentmindedly runs her fingers through his chest hair.

CUDDY:
I missed you today. It was the longest day I—

HOUSE:
I'm sorry.

His hand caresses the side of her arm.
She props herself on her elbow and looks up at him.

CUDDY:
What did you do?

He closes his eyes and sighs, then opens them again but avoids her gaze, looking up at the ceiling, instead.

HOUSE:
I—I went to Hannah's funeral.

Cuddy's eyes widen in surprise.
A beat.
She lays her head atop his chest again.

CUDDY:
Oh.

HOUSE:
And… I did some fixing, too.

CUDDY:
Some fixing?

HOUSE:
Yeah. For some reason, my bathroom mirror seemed to have jumped into the bathtub and broken into pieces.

CUDDY:
You fixed your mirror?

HOUSE:
(Self-conscious)
Yeah, among other things…

Cuddy straightens up and looks him in the eyes.

CUDDY:
What does that mean?

House gently pushes her away from him and rolls to the side to face her.

HOUSE:
I got rid of the pills-

She smiles and caresses his cheek without saying a word.

HOUSE (cont'd):
All of them.

She frowns, taken aback, and gulps when she realizes what he means.
House stares at her collarbone, trying to avoid her eyes.

HOUSE (cont'd):
(Self-consciously)
I had a few more secret stashes in my apartment.

Cuddy bites her lower lip and sucks in a sharp breath.

A silence.

CUDDY:
You made the right decision.

He looks up and stares at her with a sorry gaze.

HOUSE:
I should have done that a long time ago.

CUDDY:
You have, now. That's what matters…

HOUSE:
Yeah. Nolan said my sobriety is something I need to fight for myself—

CUDDY:
Nolan?

HOUSE:
My therapist.

CUDDY:
(Impressed)
You went to see your therapist?

House nods, looking uneasy.
Cuddy feels his discomfort and makes her way back into his arms, cuddling up against him, and deliberately placing her head so that he won't have to see her eyes.

HOUSE:
That's who I am, Cuddy…
I'm a screwed-up, recovering addict that needs to be in therapy to deal with his emotional problems.

Cuddy buries her face in his chest to hide her moist eyes, and inhales deeply.

CUDDY:
House—

HOUSE:
If you decided to change your mind, now would be—

She instantly props herself up and looks him straight in the eyes, almost angrily.

CUDDY:
NO!

He locks eyes with her briefly then looks away, shamefaced.

CUDDY (cont'd):
Look at me!

A beat.
Finally, he looks her in the eyes again.

CUDDY (cont'd)
(With gravity)
I know you're screwed-up. I know you are always gonna be screwed-up.
But you're the most incredible man I've ever known.
And you are always gonna be… the most incredible man I have ever known.

House gulps and sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, looking embarrassed, but mostly stunned to silence by the significance of her confession.
She shoots him a pointed, almost warning look then caresses his cheek tenderly.

CUDDY (cont'd):
I love you, House. There is no other man I want to be with.
No one else but you.

He studies her face for a while. Tears have welled up in her eyes and she blinks rapidly to prevent them from falling.

HOUSE:
I'm a moron.

He brings her in his arms, and smiles sheepishly at her.
She tries to frown disapprovingly at him, but the closeness obviously triggers a different feeling inside her.
She smiles, too.
It's a coy smile.

CUDDY:
Yes, you are.

HOUSE:
What can I do to make it up to you?

She cuddles up against him, deliberately close.
There's no doubt she knows exactly what she wants.
And his smile says it's also undeniably what he wants, too…
They make love again.

[CUT]

The alarm clock now displays 4:00 am.
Cuddy is sound asleep, snuggled up in House's arms.
House lies on his back. His eyes are wide open. He stares at the ceiling, as he gently caresses Cuddy's shoulder with his fingertips.
She wiggles next to him and moans in her sleep.
He tilts his head to the side to look at her and smiles, as his eyes focus back to the ceiling…

[CUT]

The alarm clock starts buzzing. It reads 5:00 am.
House, who's (finally) asleep jumps at the sound of it.
Cuddy groans and rolls to the side, disentangling herself from House's embrace as she stretches her arm to the nightstand to turn the alarm off.
She opens her eyes, looks at the time and sighs.
She turns around to face House. He's looking at her with a fond smile and motions her to come closer.
She does, but frowns disapprovingly.

CUDDY:
I need to get up.

He wraps his arms around her and breathes in her hair.

HOUSE:
No, you don't. It's five o'clock in the morning.
Obviously, you've settled your alarm at least three hours earlier by mistake—

CUDDY:
House, Rachel is going to be up soon.
I need to get up before she does, prepare her breakfast, get dressed—

HOUSE:
So that's it?

CUDDY:
What?

He sighs heavily.

HOUSE:
(Reproachfully)
You're going back to your daily routine, just like that?

CUDDY:
(Guilty)
House-

HOUSE:
What about us? We've barely spent a night together.
It's dawn, and your daughter is still very much asleep right now.
There's no need to rush.
Just stay with me in bed a little longer.

She studies his face and he makes an exaggeratedly sad pout to convince her.

CUDDY:
Ok. Just five more minutes…

He smiles, visibly pleased with her answer then swiftly lifts the sheet and gives a conspicuous glance at their naked bodies underneath.

HOUSE:
Hmm, I think we can make it!
One minute and I'll be fully awake…
Thirty seconds if you give me a hand...

He waggles his eyebrows playfully and she rolls her eyes, laughing at his innuendo.
She however still slams the sheet down with her hand to cover them again.

CUDDY:
No. We really don't have time.

Not giving up, he positions himself on top of her and leans down to nibble her lips.

HOUSE:
Come on… I promise you it'll be quick…

CUDDY:
(Turning her head to the side to escape his kisses)
We have to go back to the hospital—

HOUSE:
No, we don't! You gave me a few days off, remember?

She wiggles to set herself free and, as he gets the hint, he finally moves away from her and falls on his back next to her.
A beat.
She stares at him, but he conspicuously avoids looking at her, faking to be upset.

CUDDY:
Alright. Maybe you don't have to come back to the hospital today, but I do.

He jerks his head to the side and looks at her with genuine curiosity.

HOUSE:
Why?

She sighs and rubs her forehead with her hand.

CUDDY:
Because… Because I put Foreman in charge of a new case, but he keeps asking questions about you
and as far as I know, yesterday your team still had no idea what's wrong with the patient.
They're lost, and confused, and I'm sure Foreman suspects something's off;
not to mention Wilson, who's freaking out because Lucas came to my office yesterday
and he dropped that stupid bombshell saying that you'd relapsed
and Wilson got completely crazy and I don't know if I'll be able to lie to him—

HOUSE:
Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, crazy woman! You're gonna have a stroke.

He smiles fondly at her.

HOUSE (cont'd):
Foreman is an annoying jerk, but he knows what he's doing.
Give him a few hours to fully realize that he's in charge
and he'll completely forget to worry about me because he'll be too excited to play the boss
and solve that case without me just to impress you…

Cuddy rolls her eyes, but she still listens to him.

HOUSE (cont'd):
It's in Wilson's genes to freak out and you know that just as much as I do.
What you'll say to him won't change anything;
which is probably why he showed up at my place this afternoon,
convinced already that he'd find me drowned in my own puke after an overdose—

CUDDY:
(surprised)
Wilson came to your place? I'm sorry. I swear, I told him not to—

HOUSE:
It's not your fault. I shouldn't have asked you to handle him. That was useless, anyway.

Cuddy pouts, and House slowly pulls her into his embrace again.
She doesn't resist and lets him wrap his arms around her, finding her way against his chest again.

HOUSE (cont'd):
As for Lucas, if that son of a bitch ever comes near you again, I swear I—

She covers his mouth with her hand to shush him.

CUDDY:
No. House, please, don't.

He removes her hand from his face and stares at her with gravity.

HOUSE:
He messed with you, and let you believe I'd relapsed.

CUDDY:
But I didn't. I didn't, for one second, believe him.

He frowns, dubiously.
She brushes his lips with her lips.

CUDDY:
I believe in you.

HOUSE:
(Sighing heavily)
I'm sorry I wasn't there for you and you had to go through this alone…
(He kisses her hairline)
That won't happen anymore…

CUDDY:
What?

HOUSE:
The crap you had to go through without me…
Because I'm never going to leave you alone again.

CUDDY:
Aww… So you're what, going to be with me all the time?

He squeezes her tighter against him.

HOUSE:
Yep!

CUDDY:
(Mischievous)
All the time, really? For board meetings?
Insurance contract negotiations? … Nurse complaints?

House props himself on an elbow and stares down at her, before rolling his eyes theatrically.

HOUSE:
Pfff. That's not exactly what I had in mind—

She laughs throatily.

CUDDY:
I know.
(Serious again)
But you know what I meant- eventually we will go back to the hospital—
We'll need to go to HR, and-

HOUSE:
Or maybe we don't have to. Maybe we can stay here
and have sex until one of us dies of a heart attack. What do you say?

Walking the talk, he promptly grabs her by the hip, and yanks her under him.

HOUSE (cont'd):
Screw the hospital, the Board meetings, the whiny nurses, and all that administrative crap!
Let's never go back there, ever again. Let's spend our lives in that bed like John and Yoko, instead!

She smacks him on the side of his arm, playfully, smiling as she shakes her head 'no' at the same time.

CUDDY:
(Sarcastic)
Sure! Let's do that.

HOUSE:
See what I told you the other day? This is what my endorphin-driven brain can only focus on right now,
so don't expect me to form any more than one coherent thought every two hours.
Probably to ask for food… or more sex...

She laughs and wraps her arms around his neck.

HOUSE (cont'd):
(Frowning playfully)
Hmm, how come you, on the other hand,
look like you would rock the hell out of a budget presentation right now?

She rubs her hips against his groin, and smiles seductively.

CUDDY:
Because, unlike you, I obviously still have blood oxygenating my brain…

He beams and lets out a series of incoherent groans to illustrate her point.
She laughs.

HOUSE:
I'm sorry... wot?

She glances at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It reads 5:45.

CUDDY:
House, Rachel is going to get up. I need to take care of her.

HOUSE:
My penis is already up. You need to take care of him, first...

Walking the talk, he props himself up on his forearms and looks down at her, as he positions himself between her thighs.
She tries to resist, but it's pointless. The desire is stronger.
She closes her eyes and wraps her arms around his neck as he leans down to kiss her.
House breaks away from their kiss and shoots her a mischievous smile. She arches her eyebrows quizzically and before she has time to get ready for it, he promptly wraps his arm around her waist and flips her over on her belly, covering her with his body, as his hand slides underneath the sheet.

She gasps and lets out a little squeal of surprise.
From behind, House rests his forehead against the nape of her neck and brushes the shell of her ear with his mouth.

HOUSE:
(Whispering teasingly)
See? I promised you I'd be quick...

She jerks her head to the side and looks at him above her shoulder.

CUDDY:
(Coyly)
Not too quick...

HOUSE:
Then you'd better pray your daughter doesn't wake up...

He lifts her up and she stands on all four in front of him.

(Close-up of House's face)
He looks down and his mouth drops open as he sucks in a sharp breath and his entire face changes into one expression of pure, unadulterated rapture...

[CUT]

House collapses on Cuddy, sweaty and panting, a blissful smile drawn on his lips.
She shivers and he pulls her against him spooning her body close to his.
Gently, he pushes her hair to the side and kisses the back of her neck.
Through the baby monitor on the nightstand, we hear Rachel's sleepy voice calling for her mommy.

HOUSE:
Now that's what I call perfect timing.
God, I think I like this kid already!

Cuddy laughs at his boyish reaction and checks the time on the alarm clock.
It says: 6:30 am.
She turns around inside his arms to face him and caresses his cheek.
She opens her mouth to speak, but House is faster...

HOUSE:
(A little sadly)
No need to say it. Baby needs her momma
which means it's my cue to sneak out through the backdoor, right?

Cuddy's eyebrows arch in genuine surprise.

CUDDY:
I was going to suggest you take a shower first while I go take care of her...

HOUSE:
(Sighing)
I don't know. I mean-

He looks away, feeling clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation.

CUDDY:
What?

HOUSE:
You sure about this?

CUDDY:
Huh?

He sighs heavily. The words don't seem to come easily to him.

HOUSE:
I mean... What are you going to tell her?

CUDDY:
About what?

HOUSE:
About me... What am I supposed to do here?

Cuddy bites her bottom lip and her cheeks flush in embarrassment.

CUDDY:
Oh.

HOUSE:
Yeah, 'oh'...

CUDDY:
But...
(She gulps uneasy)
You mean... you don't want to meet her?

He puffs, and rolls his eyes.

HOUSE:
No. I mean: do you want me to meet her?

CUDDY:
(Confused)
You think that's not a good idea?

HOUSE:
How the hell do I know?
I'm just saying, I'd rather avoid the awkwardness
in case you're not ready to introduce me to your daughter...

She takes a deep breath and casts her eyes down for a minute.
When she looks up at him again, she looks sorry, and a little guilty.

CUDDY:
I don't know...

Through the baby monitor, Rachel's voice becomes more insistent.

RACHEL:
(Voice over)
Momma!

HOUSE:
(Bitterly)
Go. I'll be gone in five.

She puts her hand on his arm and stares at him with a fond gaze.

CUDDY:
(With a steady voice)
No. I don't want you to go.

He smiles.

HOUSE:
You sure?

CUDDY:
Yes. Take a shower. You'll find everything you need in the kitchen to make coffee if you want.
The nanny will be here at seven thirty. In the meantime, let me take care of Rachel, and then we'll see...

His smile grows bigger.

HOUSE:
Ok.

She smiles back and lays a soft kiss on his lips.
Rachel calls for her again.
Cuddy gets up and puts on a robe before hastily exiting the room.
House takes a deep breath and rolls on his back, stretching his arms out and looking at the ceiling with a smile on his face.
We hear Cuddy's voice cooing her daughter through the baby monitor.
House glances to the side at the alarm clock. It's 6.40am.
He gets up and crosses the room, naked, entering the en-suite bathroom.

… … …
INT – CUDDY'S HOUSE – KITCHEN – DAY

A clock on the wall indicates 7:25 am.
House, freshly showered and dressed, is standing in front of the stove, cooking.
He's humming an old jazz standard.
We hear the doorbell ring, and then the sound of someone entering the house.
House freezes and pricks up his ears, as he tries to listen to the sounds from the entry.
We hear Cuddy's voice talking to the nanny, but can't make out what they're saying.
House returns to his cooking.

A few minutes after, Cuddy enters the kitchen, dressed and showered, too.
She's wearing a working suit: Tight skirt, black heels, while blouse. Her hair is straightened, and she's wearing make-up.
She walks behind House and wraps her arms around his waist.
He puts the spatula down on the counter next to the stove and turns around to face her, licking his fingers.
Cuddy rises on tiptoe and pecks him on the lips.
She tries to look behind him at what he's cooking.

CUDDY:
What's that?

HOUSE:
French toasts.
I didn't know what your daughter usually eats for breakfast
so I went for something simple.

CUDDY:
(Talking really fast)
It's ok. Marina's here. She'll take care of Rachel's breakfast.

House looks down at her, intrigued, searching for her gaze.
She bites her lip and flashes a sheepish smile at him.

HOUSE:
Ok.
(Falsely cheery)
More for us then!

Cuddy extricates herself from his arms and walks to the opposite counter.
She pours coffee in a mug, standing with her back to him.
House leans back, resting his elbows atop the counter behind him and eyes her up and down, his gaze lingering on her ass, as he smiles fondly.

HOUSE:
Why are you dressed like this?
I have nothing against role playing, but-

She turns to face him, carrying the mug in her hand.

CUDDY:
I'm dressed like this because that's how I usually dress to go to work.

House pushes himself off of the counter and limps towards her.
As he stands in front of her, he cautiously takes the mug from her hand and puts it on the counter behind her before taking her inside his arms.
His hands press against the small of her back to bring her as close to him as possible.
She arches her back and looks up at him with a challenging look.
She already knows what he's going to say...

HOUSE:
I thought we'd agreed that you and I wouldn't go to the hospital today.

She smiles, unimpressed by his sassy bluff.

CUDDY:
No. I have agreed to give you another day off, while I will be at work.

He pouts theatrically.

HOUSE:
Oh come on! Where's the fun in that?

CUDDY:
The fun was an hour ago. Also... three hours ago... And, again, five hours ago-

HOUSE:
See? You agree that this is way more fun.

CUDDY:
I'm not saying it isn't. I'm saying, I need to go to the hospital.

He lets go of her and takes a few steps away from her, pretending to return to the stove to monitor the cooking of the French toasts.
She sighs.

CUDDY:
House, I can't-

He swings round and looks at her with an accusing gaze.

HOUSE:
Can't or don't want to?

She closes her eyes and inhales deeply.
When she opens her eyes again, he's staring at her expectantly.
She walks towards him, and wraps her arms around his waist.
He looks like a grounded child.

HOUSE (cont'd):
I want to be with you.

CUDDY:
I want to be with you, too.

HOUSE:
(Stubborn)
Then where's the problem?
The hospital can do without you for a day. I can't.

She's touched, and her resistance is obviously weakening.
House, of course, instantly notices it.

HOUSE (cont'd):
The nanny is already here, anyway.
You don't have to worry about Rachel or anything.
Just spend the day with me.

He smiles and brings her close to him.
He leans down and rubs his nose against the side of her neck.

HOUSE:
Come on, Cuddy... Just this one day...

She wriggles in his arms and he moves to her mouth to kiss her.
She moans in protest and pushes him back.

CUDDY:
Ok.

He beams.

CUDDY (cont'd):
So what now? I'm sending the nanny home?

HOUSE:
No. The nanny can stay here. With Rachel. We can go to my place.

She smiles.

CUDDY:
Oh really? What are we supposed to do there all day?

He palms her butt-cheeks possessively and squeezes her against him as he leans down to nibble her earlobe playfully.

HOUSE:
Hmm, let's see... I have a king size bed... A bathtub...
Massage oils... Food in the fridge and, oh... Did I mention the kind-size bed?

She laughs.

CUDDY:
Fine. Let me just talk to Marina first, change, and I'll meet you there in...
(She checks the clock)
One hour?

HOUSE:
You can talk to your nanny, but you don't have to change.
I'm pretty sure you won't need to wear clothes at all, anyway...

He kisses her.
It's a greedy kiss.
She rubs herself against him and he squeezes her tighter.
Just then, Rachel barges in the room, running.

RACHEL:
Momma, I'm hungry!

She freezes on the doorstep and Cuddy quickly pulls away from House, taking a step back and tidying her skirt.

CUDDY:
(Breathless)
Rachel, sweetie! You're supposed to stay with Marina in your room.

HOUSE:
(Muttering to himself)
Awk-ward...

Cuddy quickly walks to her daughter and the little girl wraps her arms around her thigh, hiding behind her.
She glances suspiciously at House.
Cuddy caresses her daughter's hair reassuringly.
She glances at House, looking a bit panicked.
He stares back at her with a challenging gaze.

CUDDY:
Rachel...
(She clears her throat)
I want you to meet...uh...

HOUSE:
House.
I'm a doctor. I work with your mom.

RACHEL:
(To House)
You kiss mommy!

Cuddy stares at House.
He stares back at her.
He shrugs, as if to say: "Hey, I didn't do anything!"
Cuddy takes a deep breath and takes her daughter's hand, walking towards House.

CUDDY:
Yes, House is a doctor.
But... he's also mommy's very dear friend.

Rachel frowns, suspicious.

CUDDY:
And that's why, he's going to be visiting us often now.

Rachel looks up and squints at House, studying him closely as she ponders her mother's words.
Marina enters the kitchen and approaches Rachel.

MARINA:
(To Cuddy)
I'm sorry, Ms. Cuddy, I was in the bathroom for barely a minute, I-

CUDDY:
It's ok.

Rachel is still staring intensely at House.
He sustains her inquisitive gaze without budging.

CUDDY (cont'd):
Rachel, say 'hello' to House.

The little girl says nothing and, instead, runs to hide behind her mother.
Cuddy grabs her arms and tries to pull her out from behind her.

HOUSE:
That's ok.

He shoots a pointed look at the little girl.

HOUSE (cont'd):
I don't like to talk to strangers, either.

Rachel smiles, and seems to unwind a little.

MARINA:
I'll bring her back to her bedroom.

CUDDY:
No, it's fine. Rachel needs to take her breakfast.
I was about to leave, anyway.

HOUSE:
(Looking at Rachel)
Yeah, your mommy and I need to go.

Cuddy shoots him a glare.
She takes her daughter in her arms and puts her in her baby chair.

MARINA:
I'm taking care of it.

HOUSE:
(Still looking at Rachel)
I made French toasts. Want some, kiddo?

Cuddy rolls her eyes and grabs a box of cereals in the cabinet.

CUDDY:
(To House)
It's ok. Rachel's gonna eat cereals.
(To Rachel)
Right, Rach?

RACHEL:
Fwench toast!

House shoots Cuddy a smartass grin.

HOUSE:
Heh. That kid's got taste!

Rachel falls into a giggling fit and Cuddy shakes her head.
She turns to Marina.

CUDDY:
Ok, we'd better leave now.

She turns to face her daughter and leans down to give her a hug and a kiss.

CUDDY (cont'd):
Bye, sweetie. Mommy's coming back tonight, ok?

Rachel pouts and Cuddy smiles reassuringly at her, looking at Marina for support.
The nanny approaches the baby chair and Cuddy starts heading to the door.
Before exiting the kitchen, she turns around.

CUDDY:
(To Marina)
I'll be back around six.

House fishes some cash out of his pocket and slides them into the nanny's hand as he walks past her.

HOUSE:
(To Marina)
She meant nine…

Marina nods, and smiles.
Cuddy puffs and rolls her eyes.
As she stands on the threshold, she turns to her daughter.

CUDDY:
Bye, Rachel.

Rachel smiles and plants her eyes in House's gaze.

RACHEL:
Hi, Howse...

.

** THE END **

A/N

That's it! I hope you've enjoyed it.

A very grateful 'thank you' to you, kind people, who left me a few words and share their thoughts in a review on the previous chapter:
IHeartHouseCuddy; Suzieqlondon; JLCH; Robin; Anny Rodrigues; vicpei1; oc7ober, OldSFfan; StillHaddicted; freeasabird14; Abby; lenasti16; Boo's House; vrjk223; newsession; Melanie; Sandy; Drdiagnostic and the guest that didn't leave a name.

And thank you to all of you, anonymous readers, for stopping by and readins this story, or putting it in your list of favs.

Have a great day ~ maya