Cuddy stripped down the blue bed spread and added it to her growing pile of dirty laundry. She sat down on the bare matress and traced a hand over the sunken left side.
"Lisa?"
Cuddy looked up at the doorway to see Wilson staring at her.
"What are you doing here?" He asked as he walked closer.
"I thought I'd clean his place up...for when he comes back." She said as as she stood up and picked up the hamper.
"We don't know when that will be...if that will..."
"He's coming back." She said loudly before heading out of the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I really like these soft periwinkle drapes for the living room. What do you think, Cameron?" Cuddy asked the younger woman as they perused the local Home Depot.
"It looks more like your style than his." She said with a grin.
"Well, he could use some help in decorating. I think I have pretty good taste..."
"You have impeccable taste. But if he does come back do you want him to not recognize his own apartment?" Cameron asked as she placed a hand on Cuddy's shoulder.
"I'm just putting in some new curtains I'm not getting rid of his lumpy couch or his beloved arm chair."
"Okay. But you know this might be premature he's only been gone for a few weeks..."
"I need to do something, Allison." Cuddy said with heavy sigh.
"Okay.But if you're getting curtains what's the harm in a new rug?" Cameron said with a smile.
Cuddy smiled back and shook her head in agreement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The place smells better than I can ever remember it smelling." Wilson said as he closed the door behind him and set down his grocery bags.
Cuddy walked out from the kitchen to meet him.
"Well, it should smell good I disinfected the place from top to bottom and put flowers in a few of the rooms." She said as she picked up the bag and headed to the kitchen. Wilson followed.
"Are you staying the night again?" He as asked as he sat on the stool.
"Well, Rachel is staying with my parents for two more days so I can stay here a little longer. It worked out really well actually because I have to get these windows cleaned and have the piano tuned..."
"Lisa, they're saying he needs to stay longer than we anticipated. So, all this preparation has been in vain." Wilson said sadly as his gaze went to his hands.
"How much longer?" She asked with a strain to her voice.
"Another month."
She blinked back the tears and started putting the food in the refrigerator.
"Well, another month to get this place in shape. You should see how I organized his dresser drawer. I even got a bar installed in the shower to help him in and out easier. I know he had problems with the pipe so..."
"Stop!" Wilson suddenly yelled as he stood up and walked to stand beside her.
"James?"
"He may never come back. You have to face that Lise. I can't be going through this alone." He said breaking into tears.
Cuddy pulled him into her arms.
"Keeping this place in order is my only connection to him right now...This is the only thing keeping me together...Believe me, James you're not alone in this." She said as she patted his back gently. Wilson nodded against her shoulder but continued to hold on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Miss, where do you want this tv?" The installation man asked.
"The bedroom. There is a clear shelf in front of the bed where it would be perfect."
The man went into the bedroom with the tv. Cuddy went into the kitchen and began stirring her pasta sauce when her cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"We just stopped for gas. He's in getting some junk food."
"How long until you get here?"
"Another forty-five minutes."
"That's great the sauce is just about done and the tv guy is here."
"I'll make sure he doesn't get too filled up on twinkies before we get there."
Cuddy laughed.
"See you soon." She said before hanging up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What the hell happened to my place?" House said as he walked inside his apartment.
"It's only cleaner, House." Wilson said with a smile.
House walked over to his couch and noticed a vase of yellow roses on his coffee table along with an In Style magazine.
"This place has been chickified." He said with a dramatic huff as he sat down.
"It's just got a little bit of a feminine treatment but it's still all man." Wilson said as he walked to the bathroom.
"It's totally different. Even my curtains have flowers on them." He said as he stood up to walk to the window.
"So, you hate everything then?" Cuddy said as she suddenly stood behind him.
House jumped in surprise.
"Cuddy. Where did you come from?" He asked as he looked her over carefully.
She rolled her eyes.
"I'm real House. I was in the bedroom putting some final touches on your surprise." She said as she grabbed his hand and started to drag him with her to the bedroom.
"Is this a surprise that involves whips and chains because I don't think I have the strength quite yet, Mistress Cuddy."
Cuddy snickered.
"And I was afraid you wouldn't be your regular smart ass self anymore." She said as she finally opened his bedroom door and ushered for him to go in.
"A tv?! A plasma flatscreen?!"
"We thought you'd like it." Wilson said as he joined them in the room.
"Gosh, I need to go crazy more often." House said as he ran a hand over the television.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"More garlic bread?" Cuddy asked House.
"No. Believe it or not I am stuffed. That was a pretty non-sucky meal you made there, Cuddy." He said leaning against his couch cushion.
"Yeah, that was really delicious, Lise." Wilson said as he too leaned back. Cuddy smirked victoriously.
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I think I'll get another glass of wine." She said as she stood up to go the kitchen. Wilson shared a glance with House.
"So, I think I'm gonna head home...I'll come by tomorrow to pick you up for bowling."
"Alright. I look forward to beating you." House said as he stood up and walked Wilson to the door.
"It's good to have you back." Wilson said as they stood at the door.
"It's good to be back...Goodnight, Wilson."
"Goodnight, House."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Don't do the dishes. I'll get to them in the morning." He said as he stood behind her at the sink.
"Yeah, right." She said as she continued to scrub a pot.
"Maybe cleanliness is my new addiction. Ever think of that?" He asked as he leaned closer to her ear.
Cuddy turned around to meet him face to face.
"You are still the lazy and messy diagnostician you've always been." She said with a playful smile.
"Yeah, I am." He said before splashing her with some of the soapy water.
"House!" She yelled as she picked up a paper towel and wiped her shirt.
"It's too wet to wear now. I'll get you something." He said as he limped into his room. Cuddy followed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cuddy sat on the bed as House went through his newly organized closet for a shirt.
"Woman, did you have to reorganize everything I own."
"Yes. You were living in a rat maze. Tee-shorts are on the top, blazers on the side, and jeans are in the side drawers."
Following her new system, House pulled out his well-worn but favorite Led Zeppelin tee-shirt.
"This is my pride and joy. Wear it with care. I know the twins are used to stretching out shirts but..."
"Just give it to me." She said with a hand on her hip. He smirked at her and handed the shirt over. She walked into the bathroom to change. House laid down on the bed.
"The place screams Lisa Cuddy, interior designer, now." He yelled at her through the door.
"It's better than misanthrope with no sense of style." She yelled back.
"Oh, you couldn't wait to come in here and remodel. There are Cuddy cooties everywhere."
Cuddy walked out of the bathroon wearing only his oversized shirt. House sat up instantly. His eyes went wide.
"You forgot your pants." He said in a flustered voice. Cuddy walked slowly toward him and sat down.
"I've missed you...I cleaned and remodeled thinking it would keep me with you somehow...I thought about the delusion you had of us..."
House placed a finger to her lip.
"It wasn't real. I wanted it to be...I need time." He said as he slowly trailed his finger away from her lips. Cuddy smiled softly at him.
"I guess I thought you would want to make it real tonight." She said as she began to stand up feeling embarassed. House gently grabbed her hand.
"I just want to hold you tonight...The rest I'm still a little shaky on."
"I would like to be held by you." She said with a shy smile.
House pulled the blankets back and scooted to the left side of the bed. Cuddy laid on the right side with her back to him. He pulled her to him and spooned her from behind.
"I like the new sheets." He whispered into her ear.
"I thought you would."
House kissed her head softly before turning off the light.
"Goodnight, Greg."
House couldn't help but smile at the usage of his first name.
"Goodnight, Lisa."