(Christmas) Day in the life of Rachel Cuddy

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Everything belongs to the creative mind of David Shore, FOX, and so on.

A/N: Hi there, and welcome to my (late) Christmas story. This little fic has been in my mind for quite some time. This story will go through one day in the life of Rachel Cuddy, Christmas Eve to be specific.

Firstly this story was going to be just one chapter, but I decided to switch it into a multiple chapter story, just because then it would be extremely long, and I didn't want to tire you.

Secondly, this is a Huddy fic, so maybe you non-Huddy's might not like it, but mostly this is a story about family, and I didn't want to involve too much Huddy drama. I wanted to write this story from Rachel's perspective, and the relationship between the characters we all know and love from her eyes.

Of course every mistake is my own, so forgive me if there are any.


24th December

6:30 a.m.

Beep; beep; beep.

The sound of the alarm rang loudly in the dead silence of the house, waking up its sleepy residence.

"Holy crap."

Rachel's hazel eyes shot open by the loud bellowing coming from the room next to hers. She groaned and looked at her alarm, cursing her mother's inability to sleep in; it was Christmas Eve for Christ's sake. She bundled herself into a ball under her covers and tried to sleep, but being the light sleeper she was, she couldn't so she decided to get up. She didn't even bother to get dressed, and headed straight downstairs to the kitchen where her mother was already seated, fully dressed, with a cup of coffee in one hand, and a newspaper in the other.

Her mother smiled guiltily when she approached her.

"Oh, did the alarm wake you?"

"Yeah, but it's fine." Rachel said while sitting down beside her.

"Anyway aren't you supposed to be on a holiday, or does that not count for the Dean of Medicine?" Rachel questioned somewhat accusingly. Her mother's face seemed even guiltier

"I thought we had talked about this. I know it sucks, but the hospital needs me, even though it's Christmas. I will make it up to you, I promise." Her mother placed her hand on her arm in reassurance but Rachel brushed it off annoyed.

"You always say that, but what about me? Christmas is only once a year, can't you spare one day?"

"I am Rachel, I am taking tomorrow off, and I would have loved to stay here with you today, but I have to go to work even though it pains me to do so."

Rachel knew she was trying to reassure her, but she hated when her mother tried to be reasonable. She knew that her mother had a responsibility, but that didn't take the fact that she would rather stay at work then be with her.

"Fine" she muttered, she really didn't want to argue with her. Her mother's pained expression did not fade off her face.

They sat there in silence; the only sound came from the occasional turn of the paper.

She was finishing her bowl of cereal when she heard a loud thump coming down the stairs; the sound broke the silence between mother and daughter.

Rachel looked up just in time to see a hunched figure coming through the door.

It seemed that House had finally managed to climb out of bed, his greying hair was tousled, and his unshaved, tired face was stretched in a long yawn. He halted towards them in painful steps, only to stop by her mother's side. He stood there for several moments as if he was expecting some kind of response from her, but she just sat there, calmly reading through her newspaper. House turned his head in Rachel's direction and gave her a wink before he snatched the paper from her mother's hands with a quick sweep.

Rachel couldn't help but laugh at the gesture, typical of House to light up her mood with one single prank.

Her mother looked up, not satisfied with his behavior. "What are you five?" She eyed him warily. House just shrugged bent down for a kiss. Rachel, however, knew that her mother was never going to indulge him just like that. As if on cue she placed her marmalade covered toast right in front of her face just in time for House to crash his face into it.

"What the hell?" he bellowed, revealing his now marmalade covered face. There was a few second silence then she burst into a fit of giggles.

"Not funny" he muttered under his breath before cleaning his now sticky face with a napkin. Rachel had tried in vain to cover her laughter but the muffled laughter coming from her mother was just too much, and she too burst out laughing. Before they knew they were all in a fit of giggles.

"You should have seen your face" Rachel gasped between breaths.

"You shouldn't have done that Cuddles." House muttered angrily. Rachel rolled her eyes when she heard his nickname for her mother; they both knew very well how much she hated it.

"All right" her mother muttered, when they had finally stopped laughing. "I need to get ready"

She was about to stand up when a firm hand was placed on her hand; she looked at House questioningly but was answered by the mere look on his face. She gave him a slight smile and leaned towards him for a kiss. Just when she was mere inches from his lips he brought a spoon full of marmalade towards her face, smearing it with the sticky substance. She squealed, and jumped up. Now it was House's turn to laugh. He gave Rachel a high five before nearly collapsing out of laughter.

"Oh, you think this is funny?" She retorted in her I´m-the-dean-of-medicine-don't-mess-with-me tone.

"Yeeess" House hiccupped drying his crystal blue eyes. She was about to reach for the marmalade jar when she was suddenly dragged into House's lap.

His lips were on her cheek before she could remark on how silly he was being, and showered her with sticky kisses.

"Ew you are so gross" Rachel yelled before making fake vomiting noises.

House looked at her quizzically.

"What? Do you mean this?" He asked before crashing his lips to her mother's. "Ugh, exactly this! Nobody acts like this. Common you are nearly sixty" she pointed at House who had turned his attention from her mom, "and you are fi-"

"Ah, don't you say it out loud" her mother raised her palm up in sign for her to stop. Rachel rolled her eyes "fine, okay, you are twenty-nine, happy?" her mother nodded her head happily.

"You do know that you may be able to lie to other people about your age, but that doesn't take the fact that you are FIFTY-THREE!" House yelled in her ear, which was returned with a light smack on the arm.

"See, you don't act your own age. Actually you act more like my age." Rachel retorted while looking at their sticky faces. They just laughed it off and cleaned their faces with napkins before getting themselves ready for work.

Rachel was left alone in the kitchen, staring miserably at the mess her parents had left on the table; their half eaten toasts, coffee mugs and scattered morning papers. A heavy sigh escaped her; this was not how Christmas Eve was supposed to be, yet this was the way it hade been for years; her mom went to work and House stayed in and out of the hospital most of the day, while she was left alone in the house waiting for them to come home.

"What's the matter poopy face?"

Rachel had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed House creep back into the kitchen, now he looked at her with a pout on his face.

"Nothing" she mumbled under her breath. House's face turned serious, and he sat down opposite her.

"I know this sucks, but think of the bright side"

"How on earth can you see anything positive about this?" Rachel looked at him earnestly. House just looked at her with his trademark smirk spread across his face.

"Your mother just said that she would make it up to you, now if I have taught you anything you would know that-"

"I should turn it into my own favor." Rachel finished, rubbing her hands conspiringly. House placed his arm on her shoulder and faked brushed a tear away.

"I am so proud. I thought this day would never come. Now go forth my son, you are ready to teach the world the ways of our people."

"Son?" Rachel looked up at him, her eyebrows raised questioningly. House rolled his eyes; "you know fully well what I mean," he muttered before he pushed her gently towards the kitchen door. She turned around and saw him nod his head reassuringly; Rachel shrugged her shoulders and decided that he was right before exiting the kitchen.

Rachel made her way again upstairs where she found her mother rushing from her and House's bedroom to the bathroom with her arms full.

"Oh! Hey Rachel, is everything all right?" She asked while she zipped up her skirt and ran her hands through her hair quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just wanted to know what's up" Rachel tried to sound casual. Her mother's hands stopped fiddling with her hair, and she turned towards her with a frown on her face.

"What are you up to?" She asked warily. Oh no, busted. Rachel tried to feign surprise. "What do you mean? I was just checking up on you."

"Really? Then why did you sound suspiciously much like House right now?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rachel retorted. Her mom just smirked and nodded her head, "right, then how come he stands outside the door, listening to everything we're saying?"

Rachel's mouth fell open; she really didn't know how to answer that. Damn, she thought she would get her there. Her mom just looked at her with an I-know-everything-cause-I'm-your-mother-look.

"Fine, you caught me. I was about to bribe the knew iPhone out of you because you love your job more than me, but hey, one can try." Rachel said sourly.

"You know that that's not true." She replied hurt.

"Well you really don't show it. I know your busy, and you have a responsibility, but I thought that Christmas was a day where every family member comes together and does something fun, but you just keep ruining it." Rachel could feel hot tears in her eyes. "Why can't we just be a normal family?"

Her mom walked towards her and tried to give her a hug but Rachel backed away from her. It did hurt her to see her mom's hurt gaze but she didn't want her to know that.

"Rachel, I do love you, more than anything else in the world. But I have an important job, I would love to stay her with you, and Greg would also. But we do have a responsibility; we are doctors, we save lives, we do our jobs, but sometimes we have no choice but to leave the ones we love behind so we can do our job, no matter how much it pains us."

Rachel shook her head, "no, your job is your life, and you would rather go to work then spend one day with me." With that she left her mom alone, and stormed out of the bathroom. She ran into her room and shut the door behind her, before throwing herself onto her bed. She cried into her pillow while her shoulders heaved up in down in uncontrollable sobs. She hated her mom, she hated House, and she hated the fact that they didn't love her. Her biological parents hadn't wanted her, and now her adoptive parents didn't want her either.

After several minutes she heard her door open and close. She didn't move, although her sobs had ceased slightly. She felt weight on her mattress, and a soothing hand on her back. For several moments there was silence, until he finally decided to break it.

"I know that your angry, and you have every right to be. I know how you feel, my father was never at home, and my mother tried so hard to be the perfect housewife that she forgot to be a mother. I never wanted that for you. I never wanted you to feel unloved like I did." He stopped his speech and sighed.

"Hell, I never thought we would turn out to be as screwed up as our parents. When your mom and me started to date we swore that we would do everything for you. I guess we screwed up big time."

Rachel couldn't believe her ears; House had never talked about his parents, at least not to her. She had only seen her grandmother few times, and that had been an awkward encounter that she never wanted to repeat ever again. She turned her face, and met House's somber one. She dried the tears from her face, and propped herself up in a seating position.

"You didn't. I just-" Rachel stopped and tried to find the right words. "I just sometimes wish we could be a perfect family, you know? Like, Lizzie's family, her mom and dad work five days a week and spend Christmas together, and do normal family stuff. We don't do that, and I just, wish we could."

"I know we aren't a perfect family, but the thing is that we are perfectly imperfect. Your mom and I were both kind of screwed up when we got together, and we keep screwing each other up, but we never wanted our faults to affect you." House's voice was almost a whisper.

"You haven't done such a bad job." Rachel muttered. House gave her one of his rare smiles that seemed to light up the entire room.

"You mean that?"

"Yes."

House hugged her to him, and sighed into her hair. "You know we love you, right?" Rachel nodded her head and buried her tear-streaked face into his sweater. He released her from his embrace carefully, and looked at her seriously.

"You know that your mother hates to fight with you. She's waiting outside if you want to talk."

Rachel looked at him with a puzzled expression. "She hasn't left for work? I thought she was late?"

"She was, and is, but she didn't want to leave without talking to you. She really is sorry you know. "

Rachel felt shameful, she didn't mean to explode at her mother, and now she was late for work. She stood up and headed towards the door, she could feel House's presence behind her. She opened her bedroom door carefully and peaked outside. Her mother sat on the first stair in the staircase, her back against the cream colored wall, her knees drawn to her chest. Her hand lay against her forehead, which turned towards the nearest window. Rachel couldn't see her mother's face, but she didn't have to, she knew that she had hurt her mother.

"At least she loves you enough to arrive late to work, that says a lot." House whispered in her ear. Rachel looked back and gave him a warning look, she was not in the mood for this, but he just smiled and mouthed to her that she should go to her mom. Rachel walked in careful steps, and didn't stop until she was just a few feet away from her. Her mom turned her head, tears glistened in her grey blue eyes. Rachel kneeled down, but kept her head down, she didn't want to look at her mother's hurt expression.

"Oh Rachel, I am so sorry." She whispered. Rachel could feel the tears start to threaten to fall.

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say those awful things." Rachel sobbed and she could feel her mother's hand cradle around her.

"Shh, it's all right. You were just angry, and I understand." They stayed like this for several minutes until they heard someone clear his throat. They both looked up and saw the rather annoyed face of House above them.

"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere, boss?"

"Yes, but I'm comforting my daughter, I think my employees will understand." Her mother retorted without a hitch.

"Oh you think so? Don't you think they might punish you?"

"Ewww. Okay leave before he will gross me to death." Rachel muttered and untangled herself from her mothers embrace.

"I knew it would work" House said while twirling his cane in his left hand.

Her mother stood up, gave House one of her death glares before she turned her attention to Rachel.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just go. I'll see you later." Rachel murmured.

Her mom nodded and turned towards House. "Behave, I need you at work by 11:00, and you better arrive in time mister." She warned him before she gave him a chaste peck on the lips.

"I will be home by 5:00, I´ll see you then." She embraced Rachel, and kissed her gently on the cheek; then she hurried downstairs and with one final goodbye she disappeared from their sight. Rachel stood up; House was still twirling his cane casually. "Now what?" He questioned.

"Now what, what?" Rachel replied, placing herself beside him, leaning her body against the railing, mirroring House.

"Well, I was just thinking, because your mom isn't here, that we should unwrap all the presents and see what's inside." He said enthusiastically. Rachel raised her eyebrows mockingly.

"And then what? Mom will figure it out, be mad, and we will have her sulking at us all Christmas. Sounds like fun." She replied ironically. House rolled his eyes.

"No, we'll wrap them again, and then she'll never know."

"Sounds fun, but I think I'll pass." Rachel prepared to leave when House stopped her with his cane.

"Why? Aren't you curious to know what's inside?" House replied dramatically.

"No, not really. Remember Christmas three years ago when you tried to X-ray all the packages, and mom found out and made you do extra clinic for the entire next year?"

House frowned at the memory, "that wasn't a huge hit, I'll admit that."

"I think we should just leave it, and wait until tomorrow morning."

"Fine" House sulked.

Rachel was about to walk towards her room when a thought suddenly came to her mind. She halted, and turned towards House.

"What are you going to give mom? We never went to find a present."

"It's already taken care off."

Rachel noticed that his expression had changed when she mentioned the gift. His whole demeanor stiffened, it was almost if he looked nervous.

"When did you have time to buy her something?" Rachel pressed.

"I took a long launch break." House replied dismissively, clearly he didn't want this conversation to continue.

"So, what are you giving her?"

House looked up and gave her a secretive smile. "It's a surprise."

Rachel decided to leave it at that, she walked towards her room deep in thought.

What was House trying to hide from her? Usually he asked her to go with him to shop for her mom's Christmas present. She thought about his expression, and the way he had completely stiffened up by the mention of the gift. What could he be hiding from her, moreover, what was he hiding from her mom?


A/N: Thank you for reading, hope you liked it. There's more to come...