A/N: My first one-shot :) I want to thank Sammi for helping me
She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen: so peaceful, so innocent, so his. It was his. His.
She stirred a little in his lap, he laughed softly – it was almost as if she knew he was lost in his own thoughts and was trying to get his attention. He moved her tiny head to his shoulder and kissed her temple, becoming intoxicated by her scent: baby smell. At first he didn't understand why people loved the smell of babies. For him, they were just annoying little brats who only knew how to eat, poop and cry; so he never really dared to get near them, let alone smell them. Now, holding his daughter, babies didn't seem that bad, perhaps even cute. Cute - that was a word he never used. He was getting soft. Gregory House was getting soft. Hundreds had tried to make that happen for years, failing miserably, and yet the little girl in his arms managed to achieved that just by simply existing.
He couldn't believe how lucky he was - "What a year." he said to his daughter. She just opened her eyes in response before quickly closing them again. "If someone had come to me last year and told me I'd be here now, I would have called him an idiot and laughed in his face," he continued, "I had accepted that I'd spend the rest of my life alone, miserable. I was a jerk," he looked at her sleeping, and smiled, "Don't worry; I'll try not screw you up. Besides…" he chuckled "… your mother would kill me before she let that happen". He diverted his gaze to the sleeping form lying in the hospital bed. She looked, somehow, content, and that made him feel something he had never felt in a long time: he was happy, finally happy.
Looking out the window he noticed the snow covering the hospital grounds, and the kids playing in the snow with their parents. "I'm sorry I won't be able to play with you like that, but I'll gladly teach you how to play the piano or the guitar if you prefer. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to, I don't want to be a bad father…" he sighed, "I'll need help, smurf". To his surprise the new born in his arms opened her arms, seeming to understand him. He knew he wouldn't be Father of the Year, but he wouldn't be all that bad.
He sat on the chair near the hospital bed still holding the baby, "You know I wasn't really happy when your mommy told me you were coming. I know, I know! Don't hate me!" He felt like an idiot talking to a baby, but he didn't care. "I completely freaked out; you should have seen me…"
[Flashback]
She had been avoiding him for days now. He was pretty sure he hadn't done anything bad…he hoped. Their relationship had been great the past few months: they still fought and had arguments, but they were managing. He got up from the chair he had been sitting in for a long time and made his way to his girlfriend's office. He was going to find out what was going on.
He didn't even bother to knock as he pushed through the door. She was sitting at her desk and their eyes met. He immediately felt she was hiding something - her eyes were red and puffy. She had been crying. He approached her carefully thinking about what he should say next.
He kept looking at her, trying to read her mind. She avoided his gaze and tried to focus on the papers on her desk.
"I'm busy, House. Can't this wait?" Cuddy tried to hide the fear in her voice.
"You are mad at me for something, I want to know what it is that I've done" He said, not waiting to waste time with useless talk.
She sighed. She knew he wasn't going to let it go and, truthfully, she was tired of hiding and being afraid. If he ran out the door she'd just have to deal with it and move on, raising the child on her own. "House… I have something to tell you…" she said, still refusing to look at him.
"I've noticed that - you haven't spoken to me in days and you are avoiding me!" He said a bit louder than expected, making the tears she has been holding back to fall down her cheeks. "I'm sorry. Cu…Lisa, look at me." She did as he asked, "You have to stop avoiding me. Just tell me what's wrong".
She took a deep breath without breaking eye contact. "I'm pregnant…"
He just stood there looking at her, dumbfounded, "W-what?" he asked. Maybe he just heard it wrong.
"I'm sorry, House! Don't be mad at me, I just… it happened. I didn't mean to do this to you, I mean… I've wanted a baby for a long time, but not like this!" The tears were running down her face now more than ever. She looked helpless and terrified. He knew she was afraid of his reaction, "Aren't you going to say something…? Please?"
"I… I have to go…" House fled through the door, leaving Cuddy crying in her office.
[End of Flashback]
"I know… Daddy's a moron…" He admitted to the baby, who weirdly seemed to be paying attention to his story, "I hurt her pretty bad, hey kiddo?" He looked at the still-sleeping Lisa Cuddy, "But the story doesn't end there, so please do not shoot me yet…"
[Flashback]
She had been crying since he left her office that afternoon. She didn't even know how she managed to get home. Her eyes were red, her hair was tied in a messy pony tail, and she had a baggy over-sized sweater on. She didn't care. The tears didn't seem to dry. She was lying on the couch hugging her knees close to her chest.
She suddenly heard someone banging at her door. She didn't feel like getting up, but the person at the door didn't quit. She got up, cursing whoever was bothering her. She wiped her tears and opened the door.
"House…" She gasped when she saw him standing in her front step.
He didn't say a word; he simply took her hand and guided her back inside the house. They were both looking at each other, each hoping the other would break the uncomfortable silence between them. Cuddy was trying to read House's mind, trying to understand what was going on in his head.
She was so engaged in trying to work out what he was thinking that she didn't even noticed what he was holding.
"White" he said.
"W-what?" She was confused. After all that happened today, all he could come up with was white?
"White" he repeated.
It took her a few moments to notice the little bag he was handing to her. Se took it, still more then a little confused, but after seeing what was inside a giant smile grew on his face.
"I didn't know if it's a boy or a girl, so I bought it white".
She couldn't help the tears falling down her face, but this time, they were tears of happiness. She kissed him passionately and he willingly kissed back.
[End of Flashback]
"Not bad, eh?" he asked the blue eyed girl. "I realized I was being an asshole… and I'm glad I did…" She was looking at him in awe, listening to her father's voice. He looked down at the baby gown his daughter was wearing, "You look great in white…"
The End.
