Fic: Rockabye Baby: Chapter Four

[pokeitlikejello]

Title: Rockabye Baby
Rating: R
Chapter: Four
Disclaimer: I do not own House M.D., nor the characters. I make no money from this.
Summary: A complete AU fic that explores Cuddy's life as she takes a different path. Includes some House/Cuddy and Cuddy/OC.

(Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three.)



“Mom?”

Lisa looked up from the paperwork strewn across the dining room table. Caleb stood in the doorway, Rachel just to the side of him.

“Can we get a dog?” he asked.

“A dog?” Lisa repeated and then shook her head. “No.”

“Then, can we get a cat?” Rachel piped up.

“No, Rachel, we want a dog,” Caleb replied to her.

“We’re not getting either,” Lisa told both of them.

Caleb frowned. “Why?”

“Because pets are a lot of work and I don’t have the time to take care them,” Lisa answered.

“But, I want a dog, Mom,” Caleb whined. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Me, too,” Rachel added.

Lisa raised her eyebrows at the both of them. “You’ll feed it, and walk it, and clean up after it, and play with it?”

“Yes,” her children responded in unison.

She shook her head, still unsure. “Dogs are a lot of work.”

“But, I can do it, Mom,” Caleb insisted. “Me and Rachel can do it.”

“I don’t think so,” she said.

“How come you get to decide?” Caleb demanded. “Can’t we vote?”

“I’m your mother, that’s why I get to decide,” Lisa replied. “Because I will be the one paying for it, I will be the one taking care of it-”

“We said we’d feed it, and walk it, and everything,” Caleb cut her off. “Come on, Mom, please.”

“Please, Mommy.” Rachel clasped her hands together as she begged. “We can do it.”

“I’ll walk it everyday after school,” Caleb told her.

“And what about when you play baseball, Cay?” Lisa asked him. “Who will walk the dog when you have practice?”

“I’ll walk him when I get home,” he answered.

“What about your homework?”

Caleb let out a sigh. “Mom, I can do it. Why won’t you give me a chance?”

“Because if you can’t do it, then we’ll have this dog that I will have to take care of,” she responded, being completely honest with him. “I don’t have the time.”

“All you ever do is say no.” Caleb frowned at her.

“Yeah,” Rachel added in, frowning as well.

“Sorry, kiddos.” Lisa shook her head. “No dog.”

Caleb turned and stomped out of the room with Rachel following after him. Lisa drew in a breath and went back to her work.

“Hello.”

Lisa looked up from the chart she was skimming and over to the man standing next to her. He gave her a smile, his brown eyes lit up. His hair, a color mixed of brown and red, was cut short.

“Uh, yes?” Lisa returned the smile. “Can I help you with something?”

“I was waiting for a while now and-”

“I’m really sorry it’s so busy,” Lisa cut him off, apologizing for the lack of staff in the Clinic. “I can assure you that your wait won’t be too much longer.”

“No, that’s not why I came over here,” he said. “I... I couldn’t help but notice you. And notice you don’t have a ring on your hand. That’s why I decided to come over. To see if, you know, you may want to have dinner with me sometime. Or something.”

“Oh.” She was completely caught off guard. “Um...”

“Look, yeah, I understand.” The man shook his head. “I was very forward and you don’t even know my name, which is Robert, by the way. Rob. And yeah... I’m here with my daughter and she’s... she’s over there.” Rob pointed to a girl with red hair sitting in the waiting area, watching them. “She’s got a cold or something, but she’s a little matchmaker and... she said you were pretty.”

Lisa just stared at him, unsure of how to take this all in. She was flattered and a little creeped out, knowing this guy had been watching her. She felt a small blush begin to crawl up into her cheeks.

“You’re probably married and just don’t wear the ring to work because of washing your hands so much,” Rob went on when she didn’t respond. “And I’m just going to go sit back down now. I shouldn’t have even-yeah, I’m sorry.”

“No, wait,” Lisa stopped him. “I think, uh, dinner would be nice. I’m Lisa.”

She offered her hand out to him and he enclasped his around hers. They exchanged a smile before releasing each other’s hand.

“And I have two kids,” Lisa told him. “A girl about your daughter’s age and an older boy. But, this dinner would just be us?”

“Yeah, just us,” Rob replied. “If that’s not a problem.”

“No, I think I would like that,” Lisa said. “You seem very sincere.”

“Okay.” Rob nodded. “Okay, yeah. Here’s my number, just call tonight or tomorrow and we can set up a date and talk a little, you know?”

Rob offered out the slip of paper that he had scrawled his phone number across. Lisa took it and looked it over before putting it in the pocket of her lab coat.

“Yeah, sure.” She looked back up at him. “Uh...”

“Daniels, Cecilia,” a nurse called out.

“Oh, that’s us.” Rob indicated his daughter.

“Right.” Lisa gave a short nod of her head. “It was nice meeting you.”

“You, too,” he replied. “Lisa.”

Rob headed over to his daughter, who was waiting for him. The girl flashed Lisa a smile before taking her father’s hand.

“Come on, chickpea,” he said to his daughter before following the nurse to their designated exam room.

Lisa watched them go, unsure of what just happened. She was lost within her own thoughts until a voice snapped her out of it.

“Who the hell was that?”

“What?” Lisa looked over to see House standing next to her.

“Who was that?” he asked.

“Rob,” she answered.

House leaned his back against the nurses station. “He was practically drooling over you.”

“He was not,” she replied, giving him a look.

“You have a date with him?” House placed a red lollipop into his mouth.

“Yes,” she told him. “For dinner.”

He removed the lollipop from his mouth. “What about...”

“What about what?” she prompted, raising her eyebrows at him.

“That thing you do when the kids aren’t home,” he said. “You know, the one that involves someone else.”

House placed the lollipop back into his mouth. Lisa stared at him, knowing this was going to happen if an actual relationship between herself and someone other than House was taking form.

“Are you asking me out?” she asked and waited, already knowing the answer.

“No,” he spoke with the lollipop in his mouth.

“Then...” She held her breath a moment and slowly let it out. “House, I’m going on this date. It might be nothing, it might be something. If it’s something... then, I’ll let you know.”

House pulled the lollipop from his mouth. “Wow, thanks.”

“Why are you getting upset?” she demanded, planting a hand to her hip.

“No more free sex,” he answered. “How do you think any man would feel about that, Dr. Cuddy?”

“Yeah, must be terrible,” she replied. “I’ve got patients to see.”

“Don’t let me stand in your way.” House backed up and put the lollipop into his mouth.

“I won’t,” she said and picked up a chart for the next waiting patient.

“Hi,” Lisa greeted Rob as she opened her front door.

“Hey,” he replied.

Lisa looked him over, glad she wasn’t over or underdressed. He was wearing a pair of dark pants and a green shirt under a suit jacket. She had on one of her favorite black dresses and a pair of heels.

“You look good,” she told him.

“You look gorgeous,” he said.

Her cheeks grew hot and she diverted her eyes. “Thanks.”

“Ah, who’s this?” Rob asked as he peered past Lisa.

Lisa turned and smiled at the sight of her daughter. She took a step back into her home, allowing Rob to enter. He gave a smile to Rachel.

“Come here, Rachel.” Lisa waved her over. “Where’s Caleb?”

Rachel shrugged as she walked to the front door. Lisa looked towards the second floor.

“Cay!” she called out. “Come here, please!”

Lisa turned back to Rob and gave him a smile.

“This is my daughter, Rachel. Rachel, this is Rob.”

“Hey there,” Rob greeted Rachel.

“Hi,” Rachel responded. “Do you have a daughter?”

“Yes.” Rob gave a slight nod.

“What does she look like?” Rachel asked him.

“She’s a little bit taller than you,” Rob told her. “Her name’s Cecilia. She has red hair and brown eyes.”

Rachel observed him a moment. “Brown eyes like yours?”

“Yep,” Rob answered. “Like mine.”

Lisa placed a gentle hand on her daughter’s hair.

“Rachel, honey, please go find your brother,” she said.

Rachel hurried down the hallway and ran up the stairs. Lisa gave Rob an apologetic smile.

“I don’t know what Caleb is doing. I told him to come say hi when you got here.”

“It’s all right,” Rob replied.

“Dr. Cuddy, did you want me to make sure they both get baths?”

Lisa and Rob both looked down the hall toward the kitchen where a blonde teenager stood. The teen approached them, but kept her distance.

“Yes, Amanda, thanks.” She gave a pat to Rob’s arm. “This is Rob. Rob, this is my babysitter, Amanda.”

“Nice to meet you,” Rob told her.

“Yeah, you, too.” Amanda quickly disappeared back into the kitchen.

Rachel came charging down the stairs. Once she reached the second step from the bottom, she jumped from it, landing with both feet into the hallway.

“Where’s your brother?” Lisa asked.

“He said he doesn’t want to meet your stupid date,” Rachel quoted the words her brother had said to her.

Lisa drew in a breath and gave Rob a tight smile.

“I’ll be right back.”

Lisa headed for the staircase as Rachel made her way back over to Rob and began telling him about her class’ pet turtle. When Lisa reached the top of the stairs, she went down the hallway to Caleb’s closed bedroom door. She knocked.

“Cay?” Lisa said.

“I thought you were going out,” Caleb’s voice spoke from inside the room.

“I am once you come down and meet Rob,” Lisa told him.

“I don’t want to,” he replied.

Lisa opened his bedroom door. Caleb was sitting at his desk, his back towards her, pencil in hand. She stepped into the room.

“Want to tell me what’s going on?” she asked.

“Nothing’s going on,” he answered.

She walked over to his desk and looked at the math homework he was doing. Lisa leaned against his desk and pointed to problem five.

“Check that answer again,” she told him after noticing the answer was off by two.

Caleb set his pencil down and stood from the chair. He made his way over to his bookcase and picked up his baseball from the shelf. He tossed it up in the air and caught it as he made his way over to his bed.

“Caleb, tell me what’s going on.”

“Why do you have to go out with these guys?” He tossed the ball up in the air, refusing to look at her.

“What guys, Cay?” Lisa approached his bed. “I hardly go out on dates.”

“You shouldn’t go out on any,” he bitterly responded.

She raised her eyebrows. “Why?”

“Because I like our family like this,” Caleb said as he looked up at her. “I don’t want a stupid guy to come in here with his stupid kid and mess everything up.”

Lisa sat down on the bed next to him and placed a comforting hand onto his back.

“Caleb, nothing is going to be messed up,” she assured him. “Things might be a little different if I date Rob, but it may not pan out into anything serious.”

“It’s just going to make you more busy.” Caleb frowned at her. “I don’t want you to go out with him.”

“If I spend time with Rob, it won’t mean I’ll spend any less time with you, Caleb.” Lisa rubbed her hand over his back. “He won’t take all my attention.”

Caleb shrugged her off. “You’re already going out when you could be home with me and Rachel.”

“Okay.” She nodded, taking his words in after his snub. “Okay, you’re right. Why don’t we go to the movies on Saturday, then? We’ll get lunch and a movie.”

“What if you have work to do?” Caleb asked.

“No work,” she told him. “Just the three of us. We’ll go out.”

“Yeah, sure,” Caleb agreed, but without much enthusiasm.

She, again, placed her hand on his back. “You know I love you, right, Cay?”

He gave a slight nod. “Yeah.”

“I’ll be home early.”

Lisa leaned over and kissed Caleb on the forehead. She stood from the bed and left his bedroom. She felt terrible for leaving now, but she didn’t want to break her date off with Rob. Her eyes met Rob’s as she headed down the staircase.

“Everything all right?” he asked her.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” she answered before looking to her daughter. “Give me a kiss, Rachel.”

The girl reached for her mother as Lisa bent down towards her. She kissed her daughter and then straightened up.

“Bye, Mommy,” Rachel said.

“Bye, honey,” Lisa replied. “Tell Amanda I’m going.”

“Okay.”

Rachel ran down the hallway to the kitchen. Lisa gave Rob a smile and followed him out of the house.

Lisa headed from the kitchen and entered into the living room. Her eyes went to the couch, where her son was watching television.

“Hey,” she said.

Caleb glanced towards the doorway. “What?”

“Rob’s coming over,” she told him. “He’s bringing Cecilia.”

“Cool,” Caleb replied sarcastically.

Lisa stepped into the room, concerned. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” Caleb answered.

He picked up the remote and began flipping through the channels on the television. Lisa frowned and tried to figure out the best tactic for getting Caleb to talk to her. He had been like this for weeks and no matter how she tried, begged, or pleaded, he wouldn’t open up.

“Mom, is Cecilia bringing her video games?” Rachel asked her mother as she walked into the living room.

Lisa looked down at her. “I don’t know.”

“Well, if she does can we play them?”

“Yes.”

“But, I’m watching TV in here,” Caleb called out.

Lisa’s eyes met his. “You have to share, Cay.”

“Why don’t we just buy another TV?” Caleb suggested.

“Because we don’t need another one,” she told him. “When I was growing up, we only had one television in our house.”

“That was, like, a billion years ago, Mom,” Caleb hotly replied. “All of my friends have TVs in their bedrooms.”

Lisa planted her hands to her hips. “Well, it’s too bad you don’t live with them.”

“Yeah,” Caleb agreed as he looked back at the television. “I got stuck with you.”

“Mom, can I have a popsicle?” Rachel cut in.

“Yeah.” Lisa gave a nod.

Rachel left the living room and Lisa brought her eyes back over to her son.

“Do you want a popsicle, Cay?”

“No.” He didn’t bother to look at her.

“Do you want to talk about anything?” Lisa tried.

“No,” he immediately answered.

“Okay.”

Lisa turned and walked out of the room. She stopped in the hallway, thinking about what he said. He got stuck with her. She knew he was upset, but it still hurt. She wished she knew how to make him less upset. She wished she could fix everything for him.

The doorbell rang and Lisa headed for the door. She opened it as Rachel came down the hallway eating a grape popsicle.

Rob was on the doorstep, Cecilia standing in front of him. The girl’s red hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she had a pink bag slung over her shoulder. Rachel immediately pulled Cecilia into the house.

“Mom, can Cecilia have a popsicle?” Rachel looked up at Lisa.

“If it’s okay with Rob,” Lisa told her.

Rachel directed her gaze to Rob. “Can Cecilia have a popsicle?”

Cecilia turned to her father. “Can I, Dad?”

“Sure.”

The girls took off down the hallway and into the kitchen. Rob stepped into the house and Lisa closed the door behind him. He leaned closer to her and placed a kiss to her lips.

“How are you?” he asked, remaining close to her.

“All right,” she answered with a shrug. “What about you?”

“Great.” Rob kissed her again. He pulled back and his eyes met hers. “You sure you’re all right?”

Lisa shook her head, her eyes watering. A look of concern crossed over Rob’s face.

“What’s the matter?” he said.

“Mom!” Rachel called out from the doorway to the living room. “Caleb won’t get out of the living room!”

Caleb stepped out into the hallway. “Mom, I was here first!”

“Mom, you said we could play video games,” Rachel reminded her.

“I know,” Lisa replied to her daughter as she approached them. She looked to Caleb. “You have to share with your sister.”

“I’m watching a show!” he angrily cried out.

“You’ve been watching television for the past hour and a half,” Lisa told him. “That’s enough TV for today. Why don’t you go read a book?”

“Oh, yeah, side with Rachel,” Caleb bitterly responded. “Must be nice to be your actual kid.”

Lisa’s tone lowered and hardened, a sign she was angry. “You know that doesn’t make any difference, Caleb. I love and treat you the same as Rachel.”

“Okay, Dr. Cuddy,” he spat back.

“Get upstairs,” she commanded. “Go to your room.”

Caleb stomped up the stairs and slammed his door once he reached his bedroom. Both girls were in the doorway to the living room, staring at Lisa with wide eyes and open mouths. Lisa cleared her throat.

“Play your video games, girls,” she told them.

Rachel and Cecilia disappeared into the living room. Lisa headed for the kitchen, not even giving a glance back to Rob. She walked over to the sink and placed her hands down on the edge of it, her eyes focused on the darkness outside the window.

“Lisa.”

She shook her head as tears fell from her eyes. Rob approached her and lightly touched her arm. Lisa looked over at him and he wiped her tears from her face.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him. He just... he doesn’t like this sort of thing. He’s never really liked it when I’ve dated, but I thought... I don’t know.”

“Come here.”

Rob pulled her into him and she clutched onto him around his waist. He pressed his lips into her hair. She drew in a breath and then pulled back.

“I need to go talk to him.”

“Why don’t I try?” Rob suggested. “You’re too upset right now.”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’m fine.”

“Lisa...”

“It’s okay, Rob.” She gave a small pat to his chest. “Go in the living room with the girls. I’ll be back soon.”

Rob nodded and left the kitchen. Lisa drew in a deep breath to prepare herself and then went upstairs. When she reached Caleb’s door, she knocked before opening it. He was sitting on his bed, throwing his baseball up in the air and catching it.

“I miss feeling like you don’t hate me, Cay,” she said.

“I don’t hate you,” the boy replied.

“Good.” Lisa crossed towards the bed. “I’m glad we have that cleared up.”

She sat down next to him and he scooted away from her. He tossed his ball up and caught it.

“You are right,” Lisa told him. “I do treat you differently from Rachel. But, it’s not because I didn’t give birth to you. You’re a boy, Rachel’s a girl. You’re the oldest, she’s the youngest. That’s why I treat you differently. I try not to, but I know I do.

“If you ask Rachel, she’d say the same thing. She thinks it’s unfair that I let you go to sleep-away summer camp while she goes to day camp. She thinks it’s unfair that you stay up a half hour later than she does.”

Lisa paused, observing her son for a moment before adding, “this isn’t just about this, is it? What’s really bothering you?”

“I don’t want a dad,” Caleb’s words were angry. “I don’t want you to marry Rob. I like things how they are. I like just having you.”

She softened slightly. “Sweetheart, I’m nowhere near the point of marriage with Rob.”

“You seem to like him a lot,” Caleb replied.

“You don’t?” she asked.

“No,” he answered.

“Cay, he’s not trying to be a father to you,” Lisa explained. “He only wants to be your friend. No one’s trying to swoop in here and change things. I know you didn’t like me going out, so that’s why he comes over with Cecilia or we go over there. That’s why we do things together. I’m thinking of you, Cay.”

Caleb turned his baseball over in his hands. He didn’t like sharing his mother with Rob. It felt threatening to him that Rob could one day stay and she would be different. But, Caleb decided to trust his mom. If she was insisting that her relationship with Rob wasn’t that serious, he decided to take her word on it.

“I kind of want a popsicle,” he spoke up.

“You what?” That wasn’t the response she was expecting. “You want a popsicle?”

“Yeah.” He looked over at her.

“All right.” Lisa nodded. She paused before asking, “are we okay?”

Caleb reached for his mother and hugged her. She hugged him tightly, rubbing her hand over his back.

“Yeah,” he told her.

Lisa released her son and Caleb stood from the bed and led the way from the room. When they reached the ground floor, Caleb headed for the kitchen. Rob emerged from the living room and looked to Lisa.

“Everything all right?” he asked once Caleb had disappeared into the kitchen.

She nodded, making her way towards him. “Yeah. I think so.”

Caleb walked into the hallway, holding an orange popsicle in his hand. Rob turned to him.

“Hey, Caleb,” he greeted the boy.

“Hey,” Caleb replied.

“So, me and your mom were talking on the phone yesterday and we thought we should all go to the park on Saturday,” Rob said. “What do you say about playing a little catch?”

Caleb shrugged. “Um, yeah, sure.”

“Cool.” Rob gave a nod.

Caleb went into the living room and Rob directed his eyes back over to Lisa. He smiled at her.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Rob nodded again, excited that he finally got Caleb to agree to do something with him.

“No.” Lisa returned the smile. “It wasn’t.”

“So, how often do you fuck him?”

Lisa looked up from her desk, her face showing she was not pleased. House glanced over at her from her bookcase.

“Is that why you came in here?” She raised her eyebrows at him.

House shrugged. “Just a question.”

“One I’m not answering,” she replied and returned to the stack of paperwork on her desk.

“I’m just curious,” House said. “I’ve gone back to hiring out.”

“Have you?” Lisa asked, trying to seem disinterested as her eyes remained on the paperwork.

“Yep,” he answered.

“That’s... nice, House.”

He approached her desk and stopped in front of it. He took a seat and stared at her. House’s eyes examined the breasts hidden beneath her shirt before he raised his gaze to her face.

“Is he better than me?”

“That’s none of your business,” Lisa told him and scribbled her signature at the bottom of a form.

House smirked. “He’s not.”

“We haven’t-” Lisa lifted her head and looked to House. “We haven’t had sex.”

“No?” House frowned. “How strange. Something wrong in his department? Little junior can’t stay up?”

She narrowed her eyes at him, so he moved on.

“When do you plan on consummating the relationship?”

“And how is any of this your business, House?” She demanded to know, tired of this. “Get out of my office.”

“It’s my business because I was the last one fucking you before he stepped in,” House said.

“That doesn’t-” She was flustered by his bluntness. “I knew this was a bad idea. I knew starting something with you was-” She drew in a breath as she locked eyes with him. “House, if you can’t be civil about this, please just go.”

“Civil?” he repeated. “Would you be civil if I was the one that started dating?”

“I wouldn’t care,” Lisa replied. “It was only for the sex. Besides, you’re hiring out again, remember?”

“Yes, that’s right,” he agreed.

“So, then what’s the problem?” she asked him.

“There isn’t one.” House stood to his feet.

“Right.”

He turned from her and limped out of her office. Lisa watched him until he was out of sight, now practically fuming. She shook her head and tried to get back to her paperwork.

“So, a kid free night,” Rob called out to her from his place on her couch.

“That’s right,” Lisa agreed as she entered into the living room.

“Where did Caleb and Rachel go?” Rob asked her.

“Each to a friend’s house for sleep overs,” Lisa answered. “Cecilia’s at her mother’s, right?”

“Yeah.” Rob gave a slight nod.

Lisa folded her arms across her chest as she remained near the doorway. “Do you and your ex-wife get along well?”

“Well enough,” he told her. “I mean, I don’t hate her or anything, but... she’s changed a lot. I don’t even really know her anymore.”

“I’m sorry,” Lisa replied.

“Nah, it’s all right.” He suddenly smirked. “You gonna stand over there all night or are you gonna sit down?”

“Do you want a drink?” she offered.

“Wine?” he suggested.

“Yeah, sure,” Lisa agreed. “I’ll be right back.”

“Let me help.” Rob stood from the couch.

“No.” Lisa shook her head. “I got it.”

“No,” Rob insisted, cutting her off from stepping into the hallway. “I know where the wine glasses are, I’ll find the wine. Why don’t you sit down and I’ll get it for you?”

She smiled. “Okay.”

Lisa headed to the couch and took a seat. She drew in a breath as she closed her eyes, taking in the quiet. After a few minutes had passed, she began to grow concerned. She directed her gaze to the living room doorway.

“Rob, you all right in there?”

“Yeah,” he called back. “I got it.”

Rob appeared a few seconds later carrying two glasses of red wine. He handed one of the glasses off to her and then sat down next to her on the couch. She sipped from her wine glass before setting it on the coffee table.

Lisa curled up on the couch and placed her elbow on the back of the couch as she laced her fingers through her hair. She smiled at him. He smirked.

“Do you have pantyhose on?” Rob asked, observing the legs tucked underneath herself.

“Nope.” She shook her head.

“Hm...” He placed a frown on his face. “I can’t tell.”

She shifted herself and extended her legs out so she could show him her wiggling toes.

“Look at that,” he said. “You’re right.”

Rob reached over and grabbed the leg farther from him. He pulled her leg closer to him so that her calf extended over his lap, her foot hanging off just beyond his thigh. Her other leg was tucked under the one in his lap.

Lightly, Rob ran his fingers over her soft skin. She smiled slightly.

“I can’t reach my wine now,” she told him.

Rob offered his to her. She took it and sipped from it before handing it back to him. He took a sip from it as well.

“So...” He drew in a breath.

Lisa nodded. “So...”

Rob reached over her leg, clutching onto it, as he set his wine glass on the coffee table. He sat back against the couch and then scooted closer to her, bringing her thigh into his lap. She leaned into him and kissed him.

His hand skimmed up her thigh, catching on her skirt. She slid her tongue into his mouth, which encouraged him to shift positions so that she was even more in his lap. His free hand slid down her back before settling just above the waistline of her skirt.

One of her hands was in his hair while the other was clutching onto the front of his shirt. Rob nibbled on her bottom lip as his hand glided to the inside of her thigh. He skimmed it up further, making contact with the front of her panties, where he applied pressure.

She pulled out of the kiss. “Rob.”

He moved his hand back to her thigh and opened his eyes so that his gaze could meet hers.

“Yeah?” He was breathing heavily, his cheeks slightly reddened.

“I, um...” She felt a blush coming to her cheeks, growing embarrassed. “This is... I just don’t know.”

“We’ve been dating almost six months,” Rob reminded her. “Where’re your doubts coming from, Lisa?”

“I don’t know,” she replied quietly.

Lisa moved back off of him and picked up her wine glass. She took a drink from it.

“Is it something I’m doing?” Rob asked and she shook her head in response. He frowned. “Well, is it something I’m not doing?”

“No,” she said. “You’re great.”

“Then, what’s the problem?”

Her heart was pounding in her chest. She felt unraveled and that scared her. With House, she never felt that way. But, she figured, it was because her relationship with House hadn’t meant anything, but this... this meant something to her.

She took another drink from her wine glass.

“Lisa?”

A little reluctantly, she looked over at him as he waited expectantly for a response. Lisa bit her bottom lip before speaking.

“I want to go upstairs.”

“You sure?” Rob raised his eyebrows at her.

“Yeah.” She stood and gave him a smile. “Come on.”

Sipping from her wine glass, Lisa headed out of the room. Rob picked up his wine glass and followed her out. She went up the stairs, knowing he was behind her.

When she reached her bedroom, she entered and set her wine glass on her night stand. She climbed onto her bed and looked toward the doorway where Rob was waiting for direction. Lisa patted the empty space next to her.

Rob crossed to the bed, sliding off his shoes in the process. He set his wine glass down on the night stand on his side and got on the bed beside her. He rested down to be parallel with her.

Lisa made a move first as she leaned over him and began to kiss him. Rob’s hand went to the side of her face. When they broke for air, he spoke up, his tone quiet.

“Hey, hey, hey.” He stopped their actions. “I don’t want you to push yourself into something you don’t want to do.”

“That wasn’t it,” Lisa told him. “I know now. I want to do this. I care a lot about you.”

He smiled. “I care a lot about you, too.”

Lisa brought him into another kiss as his hand slid under her shirt.

Chapter Five.