Sorry for no update yesterday everyone, I had to go up to the SF office today and consequently had to wake up at an ungodly hour this morning. Well, at least 8 am is ungodly to me. And now I'm on the Caltrain back from SF, writing this when all the businesspeople around me are one their own laptops, busy with Excel spreadsheets and other important things. I think I'd like to live in SF after graduation. It's a lovely city.

...

Cuddy was feeling pretty smug. The next day was the last day of House's little game. And if she was correct in her assumptions, she hadn't been mean to House even once. Well, indirectly she had been quite mean, if threatening to saw off the legs of his piano was considered mean. And she had gotten her job back.

Cuddy smiled inwardly. If there was anything good about House, it was the fact that he never ceased to surprise her. Of course it was him who spoke to the Board, she didn't even need to ask. She had sent out another email to everyone in the hospital saying that she simply loved her work at PPTH too much to leave. And it had been true. Because the hospital was what she had instead of a family, instead of a child, instead of a relationship. And House had given it back to her. Of course, he wouldn't have needed to give anything back if he would just learn to follow rules. But still. It was, in a way, the best present House ever gave her. Not that House gave her presents much. Sure she got the annual holiday bunch from colleagues from the hospital, but nothing personal. Funny how the closest thing came from someone she'd least expect it from.

The fact that she was about to win this bet was just the icing on the cake. Again, courtesy of House. She'd have to remember to thank him for all this entertainment someday.

"Cuddy?"

She looked, the silly grin she had pasted on her face sliding off like mud off a slope in rain. She been expecting him to come and wheedle her for all he was worth. She smiled sweetly, blinking her eyes innocently.

"Yes, Dr. House? What can I do for you?"

The truth was, she was slightly worried. He had an expression on his face that reminded her of a pampered fat dog who knew his fat tummy was about to be filled with delicious chunks of meat. The look on a human, on House no less, was extremely discomfiting. And slightly scary.

"Good afternoon, Cuddles. I see that the spider is back in her lair."

Cuddy looked at him with what she hoped was a menacing expression. "House, if you're here to try and win our little game, can I just remind you that any further incidents concerning your usual blatant disregard for rules will just get me fired again? After you worked so hard to get me reinstated, I really just can't let you do something so stupid."

House narrowed his eyes at her, then blinked and beamed widely. "Then I have the perfect solution!"

Cuddy raised her eyebrows at him questioningly. She wasn't going to like this. No, she definitely wasn't going to like this at all.

House spread his arms wide and said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "All you have to do, is call me one bad name, just be as you usually are to, a mean controlling bitch absolutely filled with administrative need. Just call me an idiot, or dense, or a dense idiot. Any of those combinations will work, really. And there we are, problem solved. Impasse passed. We can dust off our jackets and go about our daily lives."

Cuddy regarded him a second, then pushed her chair out and stood up. The ball was in her court now, and she fully intended to dribble it all the way down the stretch and put a move on him. Her lips curved upwards sensuously and she sashayed her way around her desk and towards him.

"But House, if I don't do any of those things, and you know I won't, think of what will happen." She stepped nearer with every word. "You," she was close enough to tap a fingertip on his chest now, "will of course do something to disrupt the hospital, which the Board will of course hear about." She dragged her fingertip slowly across his chest and around his right shoulder. She thought she could feel him trembling a little. "And once the Board finds out that you've," she breathed quietly into his ear, "misbehaved again, they'll have no choice but to fire me. Again. And this time I have a feeling nothing you can do will make them change their minds." She continued circling him slowly, all the time dragging her fingertip across his shoulders, chest and back. "And then I'll be gone. But there's one thing that doesn't make sense." She paused in front of him and arranged her face into a look of fake puzzlement. "Why would you go to such lengths to get the Board to reinstate me? Because I know that couldn't have been easy for you. I don't what you had to give up for it, but I'll find out sooner or later." She tilted her head to one side thoughtfully. "That must mean you really like me. A lot."

And what was House going through during Cuddy's little soliloquy? Well, at first he rolled his eyes a little, but then his skin started involuntarily shivering in response to the sensation of Cuddy's fingernail making contact with his chest. And then the little minx started circling him, forcing him to shut his mind and think about grandmothers in lederhosen or else something very embarrassing would happen. When he realized she'd stopped talking, he let his mind wander back into her office and away from lederhosen. But then of course there was another problem. She was standing inches away from him with a very adorable expression on her face. And so, he did the only thing that could have the slightest chance of preserving his sanity.

He kissed her. Just leaned forward and closed the few short inches between his lips and hers. And kissed her. Just like that. Her lips were petal soft, as he expected, but all too soon, the nice sensation was taken away. She had pulled back.

Cuddy stared at him in shock. House couldn't tell whether she wanted to slap him into the next election, or jump him right then and there. And frankly, she couldn't tell either.

After an agonizing few seconds when House thought his testicles were in serious danger of becoming separated from the rest of his body, Cuddy reached out two hands, forcibly grabbed the front of his sports jacket and crushed her lips to his, this time in a much more passionate kiss than the one they just shared.

No more petal soft lips this time, House decided. This time was ocean waves crashing on volcanic rock. The too-loud crash of a cymbal in a middle of a rock concert. Or perhaps just perfection. He couldn't really decide. But he supposed any of those would do, it was actually probably all of the above. Yes that seemed to describe their relationship perfectly. Tumultuous, but perfect. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

When they finally pulled away for air, he cocked an eyebrow at her, "So I guess I got my way in the end?"

She glared back at him, "I still won." And with a smile, pulled him down for Round 2 of their new little game.

...

Okay, I think I shall end it there. Good stopping point as any.

Well what did everyone think? This was really an attempt to keep them in character, yet still get them together. I think I need to write more House/Cuddy in the future. They're such a fun pairing! Lots of snappy dialog one can make up.

Thanks for reading!

Music – Jason Mraz – Make It Mine