Cuddy was at home; Rachel was sleeping soundly, and Cuddy was sitting in silence in her living room with a glass of red wine in hand she thought about everything that had happened in the past few weeks.

(Knock on the door.)

Putting the glass down on the meza, jedwali in front of her, she reluctantly made her way to the front door, and opened it.

Cuddy: Hi.

House: Hi.

(House and Cuddy looked at each other awkwardly for a moment.)

Cuddy: What’re wewe doing here?

House: I can’t sleep. Wilson’s sick of me banging on his door, so he suggested I bang on yours instead.

(Cuddy smiled, before letting House in.)

House was surprised when he noticed the half empty bottle of red wine, and a full glass inayofuata to it on the coffee table. Cuddy sat back down, before picking up her glass of wine. House stayed standing before sitting on the sofa.

House: wewe going to share that?

(House gestured to the glass of wine in her hand. Cuddy put it back down on the coffee table, before she folded her arms, afraid she might drink more.)

Cuddy: I’ve kind of gone a little overboard tonight.

House: A little overboard? You’ve almost drunk the whole bottle.

(Cuddy looked ashamed, then House picked up her glass and took some Vicodin before drinking what was left in it.)

Cuddy: What’s your problem? It’s nearly 3 am.

House: I can’t stop thinking about every little thing leading up to Kutner putting a gun to his head.

Cuddy: Why? It wasn’t your fault; it was no-one’s fault.

(House looked annoyed at Cuddy saying this, since Wilson had already aliyopewa him the lecture about it.)

Cuddy: wewe didn’t give him the gun and wewe didn’t pull the trigger.

House: I could’ve seen something, I could’ve done something.

Cuddy: Maybe it was the man who delivered his male, gave him a funny look. au the nurse who didn’t say thank, when he held the door open for her.

House: Your point?

Cuddy: Don’t beat yourself up about it. None of us saw it coming, Taub and Thirteen knew him better than we did, and they didn’t notice anything either.

(House looked aggravated at the idea that Cuddy would consider him on the same level as his team.)

House: Then why are wewe attempting to drown away your sorrows.

(Cuddy looked up at him before relaxing slightly.)

Cuddy: I’m not.

(Cuddy and House gave each other a longing look.)

Cuddy: I tried to remember the last time I had a conversation with Kutner, and I realised that, I can’t. It’s just hard, knowing that we can’t prepare for something like this.

(House looked at Cuddy as she held back her tears.)

House: I know.

(Cuddy looked over at House, before she sat inayofuata to him on the sofa.)

Cuddy: Is that the only reason wewe came here?

(House looked down at Cuddy, before she grasped his hand loosely and curled up inayofuata to him with her head resting on his arm and a tear rolled down her cheek.)

To be continued.