Hi :)

This is a short story a friend of mine proposed me to write as I did find nothing to kill the time while waiting for the Golden globes (ohmygod that was so far ago!) , so here you are. I hope you enjoy it, babe. And y'all.

It's set a year after season 7, but Bombshells never existed.

Enjoy!

Grasping his scarf and coat at the handstand, Wilson announced his presence as his friend didn't bother to go open the door for him. He paused a second, waiting for a response that didn't come. He didn't expect it to come, anyway. Hiding carefully the packet behind him, Wilson started looking around him as he walked through the corridor.

"Where is Rachel?" he asked once he stepped in Cuddy's living room.

"I sequestered her in the cellar, that kid is too noisy," House said, looking quickly at him before the TV cached his attention again.

"You have no cellar," Wilson pointed out with a sigh.

The use of 'you' to define him and Cuddy always made an awkward feeling wake up in him, but he immediately pushed it away, as always. It was agreeable, though. "Did you kill the kid?" he skeptically asked as House only absently shrugged.

"Are you here to kidnap the kid?" House retorted, grinning mockingly at Wilson's face.

"Save her would be more adequate," he said, sitting next to his friend.

"Don't be so rude, Cuddy isn't that terrible," House replied, feigning annoyance but unable to restrain an amused half a smile.

Wilson shot him a blaming look before he followed his gaze to the television. "She's not in the garage, is she?" he asked after only seconds, only half-joking, he knew him too well.

House took a sip of his beer and sighed deeply, before taking the tone of an annoyed teacher giving the answer to his pupil, "She's in the park with Cuddy."

The oncologist nodded, seeming satisfied with the answer and focused on the show on the TV while waiting for the girl. "My turn to ask. What are you doing here?" House asked as his friend didn't say a thing after several minutes.

"I didn't come yesterday, so I'm passing by," Wilson explained, putting the packet onto the coffee table and settling comfortably in the couch afterward. "They'll be late?"

"Yep, two or three days, don't wai –

"Howse!" a childish voice happily filled the air and the sound of a door being closed arrived to their ears, followed by a distinguish sound of heels beating the wooden floor. "Take," Rachel said once in the living room, handing him a candy cane.

"I prefer lollipops," he countered, indifferent.

"Fine." She sat down between the two men. "I'll eat it,' Rachel said, pouting.

"Can I have it?" Wilson asked, smiling at the girl.

"No, you didn't come at my party." With those words, the little girl crossed her arms over her little chest, pouting for good.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry. Happy belated birthday, sweetheart!" he said, putting an arm on her back and gently rubbing it.

"Bated?" Rachel asked, forgetting that she was supposed to be mad at him.

"Belated," Wilson corrected her. ''It's when someone wishes you a happy birthday, but lately.''

''Duh. And why are you late?" Rachel accused him, frowning and putting her little hands on her waist. House thought that she looked like Cuddy when she had that attitude.

''I wasn't at home, Honey,'' Wilson apologized. He offered her a smile and hoped it'd be enough. Rachel was as stubborn as House at times.

''I think we should kill him for this betrayal,'' House interfered, making his friend roll his eyes in desperation.

''Or forgive him,'' Cuddy's voice came. She approached the three of them with a smile and a tray of pancakes and juice.

''Or sequester him in the cellar!"

''House!'' Cuddy said, putting the snack onto the coffee table while Rachel witnessed the scene with clear amusement, waiting to see the fate of Wilson. ''He came, that's the important.''

''Plus, I brought you three gifts to apology!'' Wilson added, leaning over to take the packet onto the coffee table as House feigned disgust before he pouted. Cuddy took place on the couch with them, between House and Rachel as the little girl busied herself by excitedly opening the packet Wilson had handed her.

''Whoa!" Rachel exclaimed, discovering the blue and grey scarf accompanied by a pair of gloves and a bonnet. ''Look, it's like yours!" she said, this time turning to House with a large smile.

''Yeah.''

''It's beautiful, honey,'' Cuddy commented, glancing at House who didn't add a word. ''What should you say?''

''Thank you, uncle Wilson!" Rachel said, getting up to put a kiss on his cheek.

''You're welcome, baby,'' he said, responding to her embrace.

''I'm not a baby. I am five now!'' Rachel protested, showing him six fingers.

House delicately inclined her sixth finger and shrugged as Wilson cast him an annoyed look. But Rachel put it up again, looking at him defiantly as he inclined it once again. ''That's a six, silly.''

''I'm not silly!'' Rachel protested, frowning before she sticked her tongue out at House as he did the same.

''Rachel,'' Cuddy reprimanded her gently.

''He started!'' she accused House.

''Not my fault she doesn't know how to count at her age. I should've bought you an abacus instead of that music box,'' he argued, wincing slightly in Rachel's direction.

''An ab...'' Rachel tried to repeat.

''And a dictionary,'' he sighed, looking at the girl.

''You bought her something?'' Wilson cut them off, smiling from ear to ear.

House sighed, and focused on the TV instead of answering his friend.

''C'mon, I'll show you!" Rachel said, instead, urging him to get up and follow her.

Wilson obeyed and followed the little girl to her room, grinning at House in his way.

''Be quick or there will be no pancakes left!'' Cuddy warned them as they made their way to the room.

''Yes mom,'' Rachel and Wilson shouted at unison.

''That's my line!" House protested, making the three of them laugh.

''So, I'm forgiven?'' they could hear him saying as they went trough the corridor.

''Yup! The scarf is so cool!'' Rachel said joyfully. ''Howse has the same!''

''So... I can have the candy cane?" was the last thing they heard clearly, before their voices became muffled. It made Cuddy smile.

''He's amazing,'' she commented after a moment. ''I'm happy she likes him.''

''Who doesn't?'' House said, a not so hidden indifference in his voice.

She bent over him and gently put her lips on his, prolonging the moment before leaning backward to meet his eyes. Cuddy gently put an arm on his chest, giving him the slightest hug.

''Hey,'' she called him as he didn't fully respond to her caress.

''Hum?" he hummed, looking absently at the corridor Rachel and Wilson had taken a minute before.

''You don't have to worry, you'll always be her 'Howse' '' Cuddy said as she understood what bothered him, she tightened her grip around him a bit. He only shrugged, but she knew it'd touched him by the way his gaze softened.

The End.

I hope you enjoyed it!