Chapter 3 is up for you guys! Enjoy! :)
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Cuddy nestled deeper under the blanket when all of a sudden she felt her pillow move. Starting as harsh memories of cold hands and mind-numbing fear entered her head, she shot straight up, clutching the blanket to herself. She looked around wildly, not hearing the curse that House tried and failed to contain as her trashing movements caused pain to shoot up his leg.
“Cuddy, calm down,” he said, reaching out towards her, placing a hand softly on her arm. “You’re with me.”
Cuddy stilled, looking around, taking in her bearings and when her eyes fell on House’s hand on her arm she felt the sudden inexplicable urge to cry. Breathing deeply, she held back her tears, bottling her emotions. “Sorry…I – I forgot where I was and –”
“Don’t worry,” House kept his voice soft, her hand brushing lightly over her arm.
Cuddy looked out of the window. Daylight was streaming in and she felt slightly comforted at that thought. “What time is it?” she asked.
House removed his hand from her arm. “Cuddy, you aren’t actually thinking of going to work are you?”
“I have to,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “I have meetings, I have important paperwork to look over, I –“
House interrupted her again, this time none too gently. “I think, considering what has happened – you do remember you were robbed and assaulted don’t you?”
Cuddy flinched visibly.
“House, I need to be at the hospital! I rested!” she said, her voice rising slightly in desperation.
“No.”
“House, I need something to be normal. I need to go to work. Please…” her voice trailed off.
House regarded her. She was staring at him, eyes wide and pleading, willing him to see her point of view. She never begged. Never. Until now. He nodded imperceptibly and she stood up, heading for the bathroom very aware of the fact that he had stayed with her the whole night. He hadn’t left her alone.
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“What happened to Cuddy’s arm?” Cameron asked.
“She summoned me for a booty call. Things got out of hand. She likes it rough.” House replied, staring at his computer screen.
Cameron made an irritated sound in her throat. “Can’t you ever take anything seriously?”
“Don’t you have a job to do? I’m your boss not her, so you don’t have to kiss her ass.”
“I was just concerned –”
“Go help Chase and Foreman with the tests,” he cut her off and House watched her as she left his office.
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Wilson had knocked softly on her office door but she jumped nonetheless, glancing up quickly from her paperwork. She gave him a weak smile as he sat down in a chair facing her.
“You shouldn’t be here today,” he said, watching her carefully.
“House told me the same thing,” she said quietly, going back to signing the documents in front of her.
“I think this may be the only time that I say you should have taken his advice,”
Cuddy stiffened, keeping her head bent down.
“How’s your arm?”
She finally looked up at him, catching the worry in his eyes. “The brace itches sometimes but otherwise, it’s fine.”
Wilson hesitated.
“What is it?” she asked, dreading the question of whether she wanted to talk about what happened. So far, she had kept everything to herself and the strain of not talking to anyone about it was being to take its toll on her.
“How was House to you last night?”
Cuddy blinked. That was the last thing she had been expecting. “He was…fine…” Cuddy trailed off. She didn’t know how to answer his question.
Wilson raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth when all of a sudden his pager beeped. Looking down at it, he sighed. “Got a patient,”
Cuddy nodded, slightly relieved that he wasn’t going to ask her anymore questions about House.
“If you want to talk…” his voice drifted as he saw her nod, before her eyes lowered to the words she could hardly make sense of anymore.
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House frowned at her office door. It was locked and the blinds were drawn. It was nearing ten o’ clock and he had just ordered his team to do a new set of tests on his patient. He pulled out a key from his pocket that he had been keeping for at least a year and slid it into the door.
He entered the room and looked around. It was dark, all but for the lamp light that was shining brightly next to her couch. Cuddy herself was curled on the sofa, her eyes wide and staring as she turned abruptly to him. House felt a strange sensation in his chest as she stared at him, her eyes guarded. He closed her office door and walked over to sit by her.
“You weren’t thinking of sleeping here, were you?” he asked.
Cuddy sat up and placed her feet back on the floor. Tiredness was overwhelming her and she had the sudden urge to lean against him but she held herself back. She didn’t answer his question, but House saw the answer in her eyes.
“Come on,” he said, standing up and offering her his hand.
She shook her head. “I want to stay here,”
“Cuddy…” her name rolled of his lips and stretched out forever but not long enough.
She looked up at him and immediately caught onto his gaze. The blue of his eyes was fathomless and clear and seemed to see right through her. “You won’t get a good night’s sleep here. Come on.” He repeated.
She shook her head and looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. House tapped her on the shoulder and offered his hand again.
“I’m not moving until you come with me,”
Cuddy sighed. She knew he really wasn’t going to move until she gave in. She put her hand in his and let him half pull her up of the sofa. He squeezed her hand lightly before letting go. She silently curled her hand into a fist, trying to retain his warmth.
“Good. So, your place or mine?” he waggled his eyebrows.
Cuddy’s mouth tugged into a small smile as she moved to get her bag and coat. “Oh God, do you have to say it like that?”
“Like what?” House said, an innocent look spreading rapidly across his face as he held her office door open for her.
But Cuddy’s smile disappeared when they stepped outside into the dark of the car park. House didn’t comment when he felt her move closer to him, one hand reaching for the sleeve of his coat.
When they reached his car, he heard her sigh almost as in relief as she slid into the passenger seat. He started the car and turned his head towards her, the question still in his eyes.
“Yours.” she whispered.
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Cuddy woke shaking, cold sweat trickling down her back. She sat up bolt straight in the bed and looked around. House was still sleeping in the chair next to the bed. She had offered to sleep there but he had told her to shut up and get into the bed. So she had.
But now, the fear of the night was gripping her again and tried to control her shaking as she clutched the blanket around her. She felt as though the hands were still on her body, gripping and twisting her arms. She glanced towards the windows, but it was too dark to see outside.
Shivering, she slid out of the bed and walked quietly over to the bathroom. She switched on the light, squinting in the sudden brightness and walked over to the sink. She splashed water onto her face with her right hand and looked in the mirror. She looked awful. There were deep, dark circles under her eyes and her skin was pale. She watched the water trickle down her face, joining the tears that had started to leak silently from her eyes.
“Cuddy?”
She jumped violently. Wiping her face quickly with her hand, she turned to see House standing in the bathroom doorway. Trying to keep the tears from spilling again, she started moving across the bathroom, back towards him.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” she tried to keep her voice light but winced at the crack in it. It was obvious she was holding back tears.
House watched her face carefully as she pushed past him and walked back to the bed, sitting on top of the covers. He followed her, but instead of sitting down on his chair he walked to the other side of the bed and sat down, pulling his legs up onto it.
Cuddy stiffened. It was one thing to have slept next to him on the couch the previous night, but this was completely different. Slowly, House sidled closer to her, his eyes never leaving her. She had drawn her legs up to her chest and was staring straight ahead. He could see that she wanted to cry but for some reason she was holding it in.
“It’s alright to cry, you know,” he whispered, leaning his head down so it was level with hers.
Cuddy turned to face him, the tears already starting to pour from her eyes, trailing a worn path down her cheeks. House closed the little distance there was between them and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. She fell easily against him, her hands grabbing blindly at the front of his shirt as the tears now flowed freely down her face.
House rubbed his hands up and down her back in soothing motions as her body shook against his. Her face was pressed into his chest and her right hand had moved to wrap around his waist, gripping his t-shirt tightly at the back. She was pushing herself impossibly closer, as though she wished to never let him go. She felt safe and she didn’t want to let that feeling go.
House held her against him, waiting until she calmed down. He ran one of his hands through her hair a few times, before letting it rest on her waist, hoping it provided her with a comforting pressure. Her sobs gradually lessened and her breathing became less laboured. He looked down at her. Her arm was still wrapped around him and her face was still pressed into his now wet t-shirt. Slowly, he inched his body downwards, pulling her gently with him until they were both lying down.
Her head lay on his chest and his hand brushed lightly over her hair again before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rested his hand on her good arm, drawing circles on her skin. She moved her right hand so it rested on his stomach and nestled closer to him, sniffing slightly as she closed her eyes. She wanted to thank him, but the words died on the tip of her tongue as tiredness overcame her.
He waited, listening until he heard her breathing regulate, before he turned his head towards her. She was sleeping, her cheeks still wet and glistening from earlier. In a way, he was glad that she had cried. He knew she had bottled her emotions. It would have helped to let them out. But, as he turned his head towards the ceiling, very aware of the soft pressure of her hand on his stomach, he knew that sleep wouldn’t come back to him tonight.
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Cuddy nestled deeper under the blanket when all of a sudden she felt her pillow move. Starting as harsh memories of cold hands and mind-numbing fear entered her head, she shot straight up, clutching the blanket to herself. She looked around wildly, not hearing the curse that House tried and failed to contain as her trashing movements caused pain to shoot up his leg.
“Cuddy, calm down,” he said, reaching out towards her, placing a hand softly on her arm. “You’re with me.”
Cuddy stilled, looking around, taking in her bearings and when her eyes fell on House’s hand on her arm she felt the sudden inexplicable urge to cry. Breathing deeply, she held back her tears, bottling her emotions. “Sorry…I – I forgot where I was and –”
“Don’t worry,” House kept his voice soft, her hand brushing lightly over her arm.
Cuddy looked out of the window. Daylight was streaming in and she felt slightly comforted at that thought. “What time is it?” she asked.
House removed his hand from her arm. “Cuddy, you aren’t actually thinking of going to work are you?”
“I have to,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “I have meetings, I have important paperwork to look over, I –“
House interrupted her again, this time none too gently. “I think, considering what has happened – you do remember you were robbed and assaulted don’t you?”
Cuddy flinched visibly.
“House, I need to be at the hospital! I rested!” she said, her voice rising slightly in desperation.
“No.”
“House, I need something to be normal. I need to go to work. Please…” her voice trailed off.
House regarded her. She was staring at him, eyes wide and pleading, willing him to see her point of view. She never begged. Never. Until now. He nodded imperceptibly and she stood up, heading for the bathroom very aware of the fact that he had stayed with her the whole night. He hadn’t left her alone.
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“What happened to Cuddy’s arm?” Cameron asked.
“She summoned me for a booty call. Things got out of hand. She likes it rough.” House replied, staring at his computer screen.
Cameron made an irritated sound in her throat. “Can’t you ever take anything seriously?”
“Don’t you have a job to do? I’m your boss not her, so you don’t have to kiss her ass.”
“I was just concerned –”
“Go help Chase and Foreman with the tests,” he cut her off and House watched her as she left his office.
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Wilson had knocked softly on her office door but she jumped nonetheless, glancing up quickly from her paperwork. She gave him a weak smile as he sat down in a chair facing her.
“You shouldn’t be here today,” he said, watching her carefully.
“House told me the same thing,” she said quietly, going back to signing the documents in front of her.
“I think this may be the only time that I say you should have taken his advice,”
Cuddy stiffened, keeping her head bent down.
“How’s your arm?”
She finally looked up at him, catching the worry in his eyes. “The brace itches sometimes but otherwise, it’s fine.”
Wilson hesitated.
“What is it?” she asked, dreading the question of whether she wanted to talk about what happened. So far, she had kept everything to herself and the strain of not talking to anyone about it was being to take its toll on her.
“How was House to you last night?”
Cuddy blinked. That was the last thing she had been expecting. “He was…fine…” Cuddy trailed off. She didn’t know how to answer his question.
Wilson raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth when all of a sudden his pager beeped. Looking down at it, he sighed. “Got a patient,”
Cuddy nodded, slightly relieved that he wasn’t going to ask her anymore questions about House.
“If you want to talk…” his voice drifted as he saw her nod, before her eyes lowered to the words she could hardly make sense of anymore.
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House frowned at her office door. It was locked and the blinds were drawn. It was nearing ten o’ clock and he had just ordered his team to do a new set of tests on his patient. He pulled out a key from his pocket that he had been keeping for at least a year and slid it into the door.
He entered the room and looked around. It was dark, all but for the lamp light that was shining brightly next to her couch. Cuddy herself was curled on the sofa, her eyes wide and staring as she turned abruptly to him. House felt a strange sensation in his chest as she stared at him, her eyes guarded. He closed her office door and walked over to sit by her.
“You weren’t thinking of sleeping here, were you?” he asked.
Cuddy sat up and placed her feet back on the floor. Tiredness was overwhelming her and she had the sudden urge to lean against him but she held herself back. She didn’t answer his question, but House saw the answer in her eyes.
“Come on,” he said, standing up and offering her his hand.
She shook her head. “I want to stay here,”
“Cuddy…” her name rolled of his lips and stretched out forever but not long enough.
She looked up at him and immediately caught onto his gaze. The blue of his eyes was fathomless and clear and seemed to see right through her. “You won’t get a good night’s sleep here. Come on.” He repeated.
She shook her head and looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. House tapped her on the shoulder and offered his hand again.
“I’m not moving until you come with me,”
Cuddy sighed. She knew he really wasn’t going to move until she gave in. She put her hand in his and let him half pull her up of the sofa. He squeezed her hand lightly before letting go. She silently curled her hand into a fist, trying to retain his warmth.
“Good. So, your place or mine?” he waggled his eyebrows.
Cuddy’s mouth tugged into a small smile as she moved to get her bag and coat. “Oh God, do you have to say it like that?”
“Like what?” House said, an innocent look spreading rapidly across his face as he held her office door open for her.
But Cuddy’s smile disappeared when they stepped outside into the dark of the car park. House didn’t comment when he felt her move closer to him, one hand reaching for the sleeve of his coat.
When they reached his car, he heard her sigh almost as in relief as she slid into the passenger seat. He started the car and turned his head towards her, the question still in his eyes.
“Yours.” she whispered.
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Cuddy woke shaking, cold sweat trickling down her back. She sat up bolt straight in the bed and looked around. House was still sleeping in the chair next to the bed. She had offered to sleep there but he had told her to shut up and get into the bed. So she had.
But now, the fear of the night was gripping her again and tried to control her shaking as she clutched the blanket around her. She felt as though the hands were still on her body, gripping and twisting her arms. She glanced towards the windows, but it was too dark to see outside.
Shivering, she slid out of the bed and walked quietly over to the bathroom. She switched on the light, squinting in the sudden brightness and walked over to the sink. She splashed water onto her face with her right hand and looked in the mirror. She looked awful. There were deep, dark circles under her eyes and her skin was pale. She watched the water trickle down her face, joining the tears that had started to leak silently from her eyes.
“Cuddy?”
She jumped violently. Wiping her face quickly with her hand, she turned to see House standing in the bathroom doorway. Trying to keep the tears from spilling again, she started moving across the bathroom, back towards him.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” she tried to keep her voice light but winced at the crack in it. It was obvious she was holding back tears.
House watched her face carefully as she pushed past him and walked back to the bed, sitting on top of the covers. He followed her, but instead of sitting down on his chair he walked to the other side of the bed and sat down, pulling his legs up onto it.
Cuddy stiffened. It was one thing to have slept next to him on the couch the previous night, but this was completely different. Slowly, House sidled closer to her, his eyes never leaving her. She had drawn her legs up to her chest and was staring straight ahead. He could see that she wanted to cry but for some reason she was holding it in.
“It’s alright to cry, you know,” he whispered, leaning his head down so it was level with hers.
Cuddy turned to face him, the tears already starting to pour from her eyes, trailing a worn path down her cheeks. House closed the little distance there was between them and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. She fell easily against him, her hands grabbing blindly at the front of his shirt as the tears now flowed freely down her face.
House rubbed his hands up and down her back in soothing motions as her body shook against his. Her face was pressed into his chest and her right hand had moved to wrap around his waist, gripping his t-shirt tightly at the back. She was pushing herself impossibly closer, as though she wished to never let him go. She felt safe and she didn’t want to let that feeling go.
House held her against him, waiting until she calmed down. He ran one of his hands through her hair a few times, before letting it rest on her waist, hoping it provided her with a comforting pressure. Her sobs gradually lessened and her breathing became less laboured. He looked down at her. Her arm was still wrapped around him and her face was still pressed into his now wet t-shirt. Slowly, he inched his body downwards, pulling her gently with him until they were both lying down.
Her head lay on his chest and his hand brushed lightly over her hair again before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rested his hand on her good arm, drawing circles on her skin. She moved her right hand so it rested on his stomach and nestled closer to him, sniffing slightly as she closed her eyes. She wanted to thank him, but the words died on the tip of her tongue as tiredness overcame her.
He waited, listening until he heard her breathing regulate, before he turned his head towards her. She was sleeping, her cheeks still wet and glistening from earlier. In a way, he was glad that she had cried. He knew she had bottled her emotions. It would have helped to let them out. But, as he turned his head towards the ceiling, very aware of the soft pressure of her hand on his stomach, he knew that sleep wouldn’t come back to him tonight.