Hey Huddies!
I debated about finishing this one. I realize that the season 6 finale just made my story a little "behind the times" but I felt I should finish it anyway. It needed an ending.
Hope you enjoy it.

Pt. 4
The waitress came with their orders leaving House and Cuddy a little time to think of what to say next. They were like kids putting their toes into water whose temperature had yet to be determined. Do you jump and get the pain over with immediately or slowly wade in? Each looked at their food as if it was the first time that had seen anything that delicious.

Cuddy reached for the salt and House reached for the ketchup. Their fingers grazed each other and Cuddy pulled her hand back a little. He couldn’t let this pass with out a comment.

"So you can ride on the back of a motorcycle with your body pressed up against me so close that paper couldn’t pass between us but you accidentally hit knuckles and it freaks you out?”

Cuddy almost spat the French fry out that she had hurriedly shoved in her mouth with a giggle while simultaneously covering her mouth with her hand. She finished chewing most of it.
“I guess when you put it that way…”she laughed again.
Cuddy cut her hamburger in half with a sort of surgical precision. House just picked the whole thing up and took a bite, allowing the juice and a bit of tomato to trickle down the corner of his mouth which he seemed oblivious to until Cuddy motioned to him and reached up with his napkin to wipe his face clean.
The crowd was growing steadily in size and the jukebox was turned on and up. A few lone couples made their way to the dance floor adjacent to their table dancing to “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” by Elvis. Suddenly House looked up at Cuddy and started to laugh.
“What?” she had her mouth half-full.
“Please tell me you remember Wilson’s second wedding reception.” House said hopefully.
Cuddy froze for a moment and then the light of recognition came on and she started to laugh too.
“Oh my god, that’s right! How could I forget it? Wilson singing with that horrid tux with the canary yellow bow tie”
“Don’t forget the matching garter on his head.” House was chuckling as he said it. “And what’s-her-name, mooning after him like a love sick teenager. It ruined the song for me forever.”
Cuddy giggled at the memory as she openly kept her eyes on House the whole time now. There was no need to hide her admiration right now. No one was here but the two of them….well, and a whole bunch of people that neither one of them knew.
“What are you looking at?” he asked her while he studied her eyes.
“You.” She answered with a smile. “You tricked me into getting on your motorcycle, you tricked me into going on a date with you. You got me laughing, and drinking beer. I should be outraged but...I’m not.”
“Bell Bottom Blues” by Eric Clapton started playing and House, who was at a loss for what to say next just went for broke.
“Now I am just merely going to ask you to dance.” The look in his eyes made Cuddy want to do whatever he asked. She just stood up, grabbed his hand and moved the few steps onto the floor. It was his turn to be shocked. He took it pretty well though and slid his hands to the small of her back rather quickly. She looked down to make sure his leg was ok.
“You ok?” she had concern on her face.
“Yes. Actually I am better than ok.” He winked at her.
“The last time we danced… well I really wish things had been different. You told me something I just didn’t, didn’t expect to hear what you told me.” She turned her face into his shoulder so he couldn’t see her expression.
A few beats passed and they swayed to the music steady.
“You mean, the part about how I was going to find you? That part?”
She raised her face up to look him in the eye again. He held her gaze, unafraid.
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s true. True story” He swallowed and she could see in his eyes something she believed to be long ago regret. As if he were playing out all the “what if’s” over and over again.
She laid her head back on the space between his chest and his shoulder and thought about how nicely it fit. She could hear his heart beating too. He was quietly humming along with Eric. Before she realized it she was thinking about all of those “what if’s” too.
“If things hadn’t gone the way they had, maybe we would be very different people than we are now. Maybe it happened that way for a reason.” She was thinking out loud. “No use in looking back I guess.”
He seemed to accept her spoken philosophy with a little sigh of contentment. “True.” Was all he said. The song ended and they headed back to the table.
“I better get you back home. Marina won’t want to accept any more of my offers if I don’t stick with the arrangement.” He reached in his wallet and pulled out the money to pay for the bill. Before she knew it they were back on the bike and on their way home. If it was possible, she was holding him closer this time.
They pulled up in front of her house a little before 10:00pm.
“I’m not trying to barge in and make my self at home, but I really do need to pay Marina.”
“Sure.” She said and she raised an eyebrow.
On the top step she fumbled for her keys like a high school girl coming home from her prom.
“Here, let me help you.” And he grabbed her hand in an attempt to grab her key. But he knocked them out of her hand on accident. They both bent down to grab them at the same time, lightly bumping heads and then laughing simultaneously. House grabbed the keys and opened the door for Cuddy. Marina was waiting for them on the couch.
House introduced himself to Marina, thanked her and paid her for her time. She left quickly leaving House and Cuddy alone.
House headed towards the door to leave with Cuddy following close behind.
“Hey” she put her hand on his back and he turned to meet her eyes.
“Thank you for tonight. It was the most fun I’ve had in…well a long time.” She was smiling as she spoke and flirting with her eyes.
House smiled back, “Thank you. I had fun too.” He looked at her with a look of apprehension. It crossed his mind to try to kiss her right now, but he feared that wouldn’t be enough for him and it might still be too much for her. He made up his mind quickly.
“Friday night? Try it again only, without the bet?” He looked like a puppy waiting for a dog treat only slightly more hopeful.
Cuddy gave him a sly grin, “You’re on, only I am in charge of where we go this time.” And she gave him a look that meant he would be thinking about it the rest of the week.
House smiled back and turned to leave Cuddy’s. She watched him as he got on his bike and headed off. She watched him until she couldn’t see his taillight anymore.