What happened after 'Let Them Eat Cake'?
House threw his leather jacket into his closet, walked back to his living room and looked at his watch.
“I still have an hour and a half. What to do…..” House looked at her and smiled.
“I can think of a few things we could do,” she responded as she walked towards him.
“Oh yeah?” House said as he lifted his eyebrow.
“You want me to show you what I had it mind?” she asked as she reached for House’s belt buckle.
“Sure,” House said as he braced himself against the back of his couch. She slowly unzipped his pants and dropped to her knees as she slipped his pants and boxers down.
House tilted his head up to the ceiling and closed his eyes. Suddenly, only one person came to his mind. Cuddy. He opened his eyes. What was he doing? This wasn’t who he wanted to be doing this with. House felt an unfamiliar sense of guilt engulf his body as he looked down at the thespian and grabbed her shoulder.
“Stop,” he said in a rather assertive tone.
She looked up at him. “You want something else? I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve.”
“I’m sure you do,” House said, “I mean that I can’t do this at all. I’m sorry.”
She stood up and said, “Man, I never thought I’d hear that from you. She must be some girl.”
House smiled as he buttoned up his pants again. He then reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Handing her the cash he owed her, he said, “Thanks for all your help. Now I’ve got to go take care of something.”
As she walked out the door, House grabbed his leather jacket and motorcycle helmet and left as well. He had one destination in mind.
----
Cuddy sat in her office on her new sofa staring at the desk that House got for her. She played with the tissue in her hand as she thought of House, wondering if she should just try to get over him once and for all. He was so frustrating. Just when she thought that he was ready to take the next step, he goes home with a hooker. She didn’t want to be hurt like this anymore.
Just then House walked into her office and sat on the coffee table right in front of her. He didn’t make eye contact with her, just sat in silence staring at the wall.
“House, get out of here. I’m tired of your antics,” Cuddy said in a cold, unemotional tone.
House finally looked into her eyes, “I’m not here for that.”
Cuddy snapped back at him, “House, you’re always playing games. I’ve known you for too long. And I’m stupid for thinking that you would change if I opened up to you.”
“I’m sorry,” House said and stopped and bent his head down to the floor. “You know I don’t do personal questions well Cuddy. That’s no excuse I know, but I shouldn’t have grabbed your boob……even though I enjoyed it.”
Cuddy looked at him in disbelief, “You think that I’m upset over that? House, I saw you leave with that hooker.”
House was in shock. “Oh,” was all he managed.
Cuddy, her anger growing, continued, “I was coming up to your office because I saw that you got me my desk from med school,” she pointed at the desk, “and I thought that was your House way of telling me you want more. I know you have problems opening up House. I’ve known you long enough to know that. I also know that you don’t do acts of kindness for no reason. But then I saw you with her. I’m tired of these games House.”
Letting everything seep in House finally asked, “Are you finished?”
Cuddy just glared at him, so House continued, “Can I explain the situation?”
“Whatever,” came the response. Cuddy was tired and hurt, but she was still holding on to a sliver of hope that House wasn’t completely hopeless.
House stood up and walked to the middle of the room. He took a deep breath and began, “Yes, I did go home with a hooker earlier tonight. I had hired her for 3 days to help teach Kutner and Taub a lesson. Totally worth it by the way. And she told me that she was still on the clock for three more hours. And you’re right Cuddy. I do play games and I deflect when I’m uncomfortable. You know this better than anyone. I brought that woman home with me because I was trying to convince myself that I didn’t have feelings for you. But as soon as we got to my house, you were the only thing on my mind. And I sent her away and came here.”
House looked at Cuddy who was staring at him speechless. He walked over to her desk and ran his fingers along the wood. “So you like the desk?” he asked, trying to change the subject.
Cuddy swallowed back tears then finally said, “I do.”
House said, his tone getting a little more playful, “You know…..there’s more to the gift than just the desk.”
Cuddy smiled and said, “There is? You do remember when you first saw this desk don’t you?”
House recalled that night in his mind and a shy smile came to his face. “December 14, 1986.”
Cuddy interrupted him, “You remember the EXACT date?”
House fumbled over his words for a moment then finally found his footing, “You were in the library that Thursday night during finals week. Most everyone had gone home for Christmas break, but you were still there studying for your biology final the next morning.”
“And you came up to me to ask if I needed help studying,” Cuddy added.
“I figured that would be the sure way to get in your pants,” House said jokingly. “I went to the library during the week because that’s the only place I could get some peace and quiet. You had been there all night every night that whole week. I had never seen an undergrad try that hard at school in my life. You were a nerd, a hot nerd, but a nerd nonetheless. And you didn’t care that anyone thought that about you. You intrigued me.”
“You wanted me because you thought I was a nerd? Figures,” Cuddy stated as she rolled her eyes.
“A pretty nerd,” House corrected her. “We stayed at the library for another hour then you asked me to your dorm so that I could quiz you on some of the practice questions the professor gave you. I knew that was my ‘in’.”
“You didn’t seem quite so confident that night I remember,” Cuddy stood up from the sofa and walked over to House who was leaning against the desk.
“That’s because you were so frustrating. You made me stay up until you were able to answer every single one of the professor’s practice questions without hesitation,” House argued.
“But you were persistent. You wouldn’t let me quit. And when I got frustrated, you explained everything to me. You were perfect that night,” Cuddy said as she took another step closer to House.
“I wasn’t perfect. I was just incredibly horny. College girls don’t put out during finals week,” House teased.
Cuddy ignored that comment, “I remember when I answered the last question right. I wrapped my arms around your neck. You didn’t hug me back”
House, now sitting on the edge of the desk, grabbed Cuddy’s waist and pulled her in between his legs, “That’s just because I was too focused on the feel of your boobs up against my chest.”
Cuddy laughed as she lightly slapped him on his leg, “But then you sat down on my desk and pulled me in between your legs and kissed me….” Cuddy stopped and noticed that they were in the exact same position as they had been that night twenty years ago. She looked up at House who was slowly closing the gap between them. He planted a soft kiss on her lips and then pulled away.
“Can I get to the second half of your gift now?” House asked.
Cuddy, thinking she knew what House wanted to give her, responded, “Yes, House, you can have sex with me on the desk…again.”
“Awesome,” House said through a smile, “but that’s not what I was going to give you. Well I was, but that’s not the point.”
“Cuddy,” House began, “This desk wasn’t just to remind you of our past together. It was also to show you what the future could hold for us. Cuddy, I want to see you happy. And I know what you want more than anything in the world. And I’m willing to help you get it if you want.”
Tears began to well up into Cuddy’s eyes, “House…..”
House put a finger to her lips, “Before you say anything else, let me say this. I’m not just doing this for you. I saw you in the ER holding the baby and that’s when I knew. I want to do this with you. One stipulation of course. We have to do it the old fashioned way. And we have to start by doing it on this desk, right now.”
Cuddy managed a laugh through her tears, “House, are you sure?”
For the first time in what seemed like forever, House was being completely honest with himself and with others, “I’m a little scared, but yes, I’m sure. And also any excuse to grab your ass or your boobs without you getting all pissed at me.”
Cuddy grabbed House’s face and crashed her lips onto his. After a few moments, House pulled away and said to her, “I take that as a yes then.”
The end.