Cuddy was about to drift off to sleep when her phone began to ring.
"Hello?"
"Don't hang up...My patient is back to keeping his thoughts to himself."
"I'm surprised Chase agreed to such a risky procedure."
"I can be quite convincing, Cuddy."
"Manipulative is what 당신 mean, House." Cuddy said as she leaned into her pillow.
"So, 당신 really didn't like what the patient had to say about your 'pistons'?"
Cuddy chuckled.
"Okay. I'll admit that I was a bit flattered."
"I knew it." House said triumphantly.
"But 당신 know 당신 don't have to go to such a great length to tell me I'm pretty."
A heavy silence settled over the phone line.
"You're 더 많이 than pretty." He finally said.
Cuddy smiled at his comment.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Cuddy sat up in her 침대 and glanced at the clock.
"Are 당신 still at the hospital?" She asked.
"Uhh, yeah. I was just heading home."
"...Well come here instead."
Another heavy silence settled over the line.
"I'll be there in ten." He said before hanging up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...A few days later

"Hey, I know 당신 want the death cat lady out of here, but if 당신 watch this tape 당신 might think otherwise." House said as he sat down on her office couch.
Cuddy rolled her eyes and went to sit 다음 to him.
"I can't believe you're even humoring this woman. She obviously is suffering from a loss and has decided to use this cat as a distraction..."
House kissed Cuddy before she could finish her sentence.
"Did 당신 just 키스 me to shut me up?" She asked with a hand on her hip.
"Yes. I also just wanted to 키스 you." He said as he pulled out his lollipop. Cuddy shook her head and leaned into the cushions.
"Do 당신 want one?" House asked her as he pulled out an extra lollipop from his pocket.
Cuddy couldn't help but to grin from his little gesture.
"For me? Thinking of me?" She teased as she took the 캔디 from him.
"I just know a sugar charged Cuddy is a happy Cuddy, and a happy Cuddy is willing to watch a death cat newscast with me." He said as he propped his feet on the coffee table.
"Whatever 당신 say." She said with a knowing smirk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Okay Kutner I'll be there in twenty. Don't tell cat lady about the coma patient's death." House said as he hung up the phone.
He turned on his side to face Cuddy.
"I know you're not a heavy sleeper." He said as he pulled a stray hair from her face.
Cuddy opened her eyes.
"You're going back to the hospital." She said with a yawn.
"Yeah. Coma patient died and the damn cat was there. I got to figure out what is going on here."
Cuddy moved closer to him and placed a hand on his chest.
"Just make sure 당신 do get some sleep in the on-call room. 당신 didn't sleep much last night either. You'll crash." She said softly.
"I know...I'll try to be back in a few hours, otherwise I'll see 당신 in the morning." He said as he leaned down to 키스 her mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Knock. Knock.
House got up and walked to his front door.
"Who's there?" He asked in his standard grumpy tone.
"It's me." Cuddy said slightly annoyed.
House undid the lock and opened the door.
"You don't sound too happy, Cuddles."
Cuddy walked into the apartment in a huff.
"I'm not very happy, House." She stated as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.
House closed the door and walked to stand in front of her.
"It was just a bad scrape. Don't get so dramatic."
"I'm dramatic because 당신 won't tell me why 당신 were even in New York 또는 what exactly happened to cause an accident...It could have been worse." She finished in a whisper.
House moved into her 우주 and placed a hand on her chin.
"Haven't 당신 heard? I've accumulated nine lives for every patient I save." He said with a smile.
Cuddy couldn't help but to smile back at his joke. House brought his hand down to her waist and pulled her into him. Cudddy lay her head against his chest.
"I'm sorry I scared 당신 again."
Cuddy nodded into his chest.
"Why were 당신 in New York anyway?" She asked.
"I was checking out a vintage guitar...like I told you."
Cuddy moved her head to look up at him. Her eyes searched his for what felt like an eternity. He wanted to look away but knew that it would tip her off.
"...You'll tell me when you're ready." She finally said as she kissed him softly on the cheek.