First In My Heart...
A House/Cuddy/Rachel fic, which is a series of one shots showing Rachel's firsts. Will be slightly AU.
A co-written fic by myself and HughLaurieLover.
This is our second co-written fic, our first one was Is It Just A Dream, which is posted on her profile. Please go check it out
Chapter 1: First Day
He watched her gaze lovingly at that little girl in the crib, that tiny little person from the womb of a stranger, the baby that, in this situation, would become part of his dysfunctional family.
And Lisa looked happy, she really did, her face had a radiant glow of pure happiness. She was finally a mother, after all those years of trying. All of that IVF, the emotional and hormonal rollercoaster, the let downs, the getting the hopes up, all of that money and all of those meds. And the heartbreak with Joy. It had all turned around for Lisa Cuddy.
Not knowing what to say, and slightly miserable that she had got her wish and he hadn't, he simply said, 'Merry Christmas Cuddy.'
Turning around, she said, 'Merry Christmas to you too House. I hope you get your Christmas Wish.'
'You have yours,' he said.
'What about your one?' asked Cuddy. 'What is it?'
'Never mind,' he said, trying to keep his desire to tell her under wraps.
'Come on, please, tell me!' she said, pleading.
'Okay,' he said, composing himself. 'My Christmas wish was, to have you forgive me for everything, and let you know that I care more than you think I do, about you. And I've just stumbled my way through an incoherent sentence that made no rational sense at all, because it's true. I really do care, and I really can feel.'
'I know you can,' said Cuddy quietly. 'I've always known. It's good that you're opening up, it's a very good thing that you're doing that. And I do forgive you, I always forgive you straight away. Because I know you more than you think Gregory House.'
Leaning in, he planted a small kiss on Cuddy's cheek.
'I'm not going to push it,' he said quietly. 'I want this to work. So we'll take it slow. But I want to let you know, I want this to happen. I want to be a responsible adult, your partner and a role model for....the baby?'
She laughed. 'Rachel. Rachel Ellen Cuddy.'
'It's a cute name for a cute baby,' he said, looking down at the squirming newborn.
'She's beautiful,' said Cuddy. 'But she's less than a day old, and she's been through so much. Her Mom is upstairs dying as we speak, I shouldn't be this happy that she's in my life when such a tragedy is going on up there.'
House knew her too well. He could see the tears beginning to escape her eyes.
'Hey, hey, hey,' he said, pulling her into a hug. 'Don't think like that. You're doing a wonderful thing.'
'It feels selfish,' said Cuddy, her eyes fixated on Rachel.
'Well it's not,' stated House, wiping the tears from her eyes. 'There's a lot of selfish acts, but adopting a baby is not one of them. Rachel's lucky to have you.'
'And you,' said Cuddy, looking up at House and smiling.
Looking back down to Rachel, House said, 'What do you reckon kid? Think you could deal with me for the rest of your life?'
Rachel only gurgled in reply.
'I think we can both make room for you,' said Cuddy with another smile.
'Make room for me?' asked House in mock shock. 'I feel so unloved.'
'You're loved,' said Cuddy defiantly. 'Believe me.'