He's My Howse!
House sat on the couch watching Sunday morning TV, Cuddy had been called in to the hospital for an emergency that nobody else could deal with….why that was he didn't know, somebody else can fix a boiler surely. But it was her baby so she had to go, leaving him with her other 'baby'. He had baby sat a few times at night but Rachel was normally in bed or going to bed, so no real talent was needed for that, but this was different, he could be with her on his own for the whole day. The thought of that made him feel quite anxious.
As he was thinking those thoughts, he heard the pitter patter of little feet moving slowly and sleepily down the hallway. He took a side glance, hair all over the place, pj's half tucked in and out, teddy in one hand and the other rubbing the sleep out her eyes, she did look kinda cute. She looked at him directly as she came into the lounge and sat up next to him. She looked around the room "What you watching?" She enquired, resting her head against his arm. "TV" He stated. She looked at him and rolled her eyes "You silly, you're watching Spongebob" she stated. She looked around the room again "Where's Momma?" She questioned. "Work" He answered looking down at her "Just you and me today kiddo" He said turning his head back to the TV.
A small grin game to her face "Can I have chocolate Ice Cream for breakfast" She said with a cheeky smile.
He couldn't help but smile, she knew exactly what she was doing "Only if you have some pancakes with it" He countered, knowing Cuddy would kill him if he let her just have ice-cream. "Ok" She said quietly. He looked down at her again. Raised himself off of the couch with his cane and held out his hand. "Come on then kiddo lets go make some ice cream and pancakes". They meandered off slowly together to the kitchen to make their breakfast, both knowing that although they would make pancakes, they would probably eat them later, much later.
They took their time getting washed and dressed, there was nothing special they were doing today, he hoped she would be content to sit and color or watch cartoons. She had been coloring for about an hour when she peered up to him "Can you take me to park today, please" She asked sweetly. He looked directly at her with no emotion on his face, but his heart was beating at 100miles an hour. "hmm, I think it's going to rain, we'd better stay in" He answered hoping his answer would suffice. She got up and looked out the window to brilliant blue sky with not a cloud to be seen. She turned back to him "Howse you silly it not raining, come lets go out!" She said smiling from ear to ear.
She came straight over to him and pulled at his hand "Rach, there's a Rug Rats Marathon starting in like 10 minutes, surely you don't want to miss that" He countered, he really didn't feel comfortable taking her to the park on his own. She stood in front of him, eyes cast down, putting her finger to her mouth, the big puppy dog eyes looked like they were about to cascade with tears…"pwease" she stated looking at him under her hair. He looked from her to the TV and back to her, he really couldn't be dealing with a full blown melt down. He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath "fine" he said letting out the breath he had been holding. "Go get your shoes on" He instructed.
It wasn't long before they were at the swing park, having had to walk a fair distance from the car that he had had to park out on the road to the entrance he was already feeling the strain of the outing. But Rachel had held his hand all the way and was now looking at him for permission to go play, so he let go of her hand and gave a slight nod "Stay where I can see you" He said sternly.
She ran off to the climbing frame and he followed not far behind and waited in the background, he could really do with sitting down but that just didn't seem like an option. He saw her run from the climbing frame to the large slide happily chatting to another child so he made his way there too. As he came by them waiting in line on the steps for the slide he heard the other child say "Is that your Grandad?" to Rachel, he was half tempted to get the child by the scruff of the neck and say NO! But when he heard Rachel's response it made him smile "No he's my Howse?" she responded without hesitation. He then made his way to the seat he had spied nearby to let Rachel continue her play.
The girl that Rachel was talking to looked at her with a thoughtful expression "I have a Dad and a Grandad but not a Howse!" "What's a Howse?. She questioned.
Rachel shrugged her shoulders "He's my Howse, he reads me bedtime stories, makes me breakfast, sometimes takes me to school and we watch TV together" She stated.
"Uh! Wish I had a Howse" She said sadly "My Daddy used to do things like that with me but he moved out and has a new family. Maybe a Howse is your Daddy" Then she slid down the slide and ran off to the next piece of equipment.
Rachel took her time going down the slide, she was deep in thought and looked a little troubled. House could see the change in her so called her over. She came over to him straight away and he could see she was deep in thought. "You ok kiddo?" He asked softly. She stood in silent thought for a moment "Are you my Daddy?" She asked innocently. House was more than a little shocked at the question and had no idea what to say. He bounced his cane up and down for a moment trying to find the right words. "What makes you say that?" He countered playing for time.
"That girl said that she wished she had a Howse because her Daddy moved out with a new family and doesn't play with her anymore. She said you might be my Daddy because you do lots of things with me" She answered.
"Right" He said still not really knowing what to say next. "I don't know kiddo, maybe we should ask your Mom when she gets home" He said softly knowing he had just bailed out.
"Ok" She said seemingly satisfied with his answer and walking off in another direction, she then turned around and came back to him "But you will always be my Howse right?"
"Course Rach, I'll always be your House!" he said with a smile.