Hi, people. If it were up to me, all the episodes from Bombshells to the season finale wouldn't exist. That is why in my House universe they don't! As you've read in the synopsis, this is a series of oneshots. It's not gonna be organized chronologically, but who cares? (I'll tell more or less when it's happening at the beginning so you have some insight, so don't worry). Also, they'll be all after Cuddy adopted Rachel (I adore that kid, and not just because she's my namesake) so prepare yourselves to a lot of House bonding with Rachel. And… I think that's it, lets begin!

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Five years later (Rachel is seven) House and Cuddy are having a huge fight. Cuddy says something that has a huge impact on House.

"House?"

Both him and Cuddy paused at the childish voice that speaks his name. He turns slowly and there she is. Rachel, in all her seven years old glory, wearing a pirate's themed pajama and clutching Oggie, a stuffed cat he had bought for her when she was three. He hears Cuddy whisper her daughter's name. Slowly, very slowly –his leg is killing him–, House turns to completely face her and is prepared when Rachel almost slams into him.

"Where're you goin'? You have to read me a bed–" she clings to him with a vice like hold around his waist and smiles at him, only to be replaced with confusion and worry when she sees his eyes. They're misty.

House takes a shaky breath and strokes her hair, he'd been hoping they wouldn't wake her with their fight. He leaves the cane propped up against the wall and puts his arms around her. He hugs her to his side and presses his lips to her forehead before letting go and reclaiming the cane.

"Goodbye, my little scallywag." His whisper carries across the silent room and as he closes the door he can hear Rachel asking his name again, her voice broken.

Cuddy, standing frozen in the middle of the living room, can see her daughter trembling all over and when the little girl turns to her she realizes her eyes are moist too. God, what had she done?

"Mommy? Why's House saying goodbye?" he'd never said 'goodbye'. He'd always said 'see ya' or 'later', never goodbye. 'Goodbye' meant he was leaving for good. He wasn't coming back.

He'd promised to never say goodbye.

It's like someone flips the switch. With a choked sob Rachel casts Oggie to the floor and tackles the door. She throws it open and run down the steps. Her eyes overflow and she rubs them furiously. She looks around and she locates him three houses over, just reaching his motorcycle. She starts running. She can hear her mother crying out to her to come back, but she just ignores her. It's all her fault. It's her fault he's saying goodbye.

He'd promised.

"HOUSE!"

House turns with a start. Rachel's racing towards him, tears streaming down her cheeks and face red. When she reaches him, she tackles him to the ground and they fall in the grass of the yard. House is stretched on his back, trying to regain he lost air. Rachel is sprawled over him, sobbing in his shirt.

"You promised!" she raises herself a little, rearranging her legs so she's straddling him. She fists his shirt in her hands and tears fall down her cheeks to his own. "You promised to never say goodbye! You promised you'd never leave me!" she tugs on the shirt and lets her head fall onto his chest. "You promised…" she whines again, softly now.

House sighs. He didn't know she'd remember that. It had been during a storm when she'd been two weeks from being four years old. Cuddy had been stuck at the hospital and he had offered to babysit Rachel (pretending to just do it for sex, secretly looking forward to have a little while with the kid). Rachel had been in that stage that she asked about everything and one of those questions, had been if he was her daddy. He didn't really know how that little question had led to promising he'd never say goodbye, but Rachel had stopped asking after that and had snuggled in his lap while he played the piano.

Cringing he sits up. They may have landed on the grass but it wasn't exactly a mountain of pillows. Rachel's still sobbing, her arms circling his neck and her face buried there too. They hear Cuddy approaching and she tenses up, tightening her grip. House looks up at her and shakes his head, motioning her to stay back. She's trembling; she hugs herself and takes a step back.

"Rach, you're choking me." She loosens the hold, but doesn't let go. House signs and rubs her back. She's still sobbing, repeating 'please don't go' like a mantra. Or a broken record. "Rachel, relax." She lets out a whine and Cuddy jumps. She puts her hand over her mouth, tears brimming her own eyes.

"You said goodbye. You promised you'd never say goodbye."

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I didn't think you'd remember. You're gonna see me again, don't worry." he keeps stroking her back and repeats this isn't the last time she's going to see him until she finally calms down.

"Can you read me a story?" her voice is so hopeful he almost says yes. What the hell has this kid done to him?

" I can't. I have to go to my house now." Rachel shakes her head, still nestled in the crook of his neck.

"But this is your house. This is your home. With me, and with mommy."

"Not anymore, kid. It's hard to explain, ok? You're too young to understand. C'mon, get up. My ass is freezing." With a little more reluctance than you would expect, Rachel disentangles herself from House and stands next to him while he gets up. When he's done, she latches onto him again. "Rachel…"

"No! you're not leaving!" the child looks at her mother, desperate for backup. "Mommy, tell him he has to stay!"

When Cuddy looks at House, he has his eyes averted. She know that if he looked at her, she'd see the shame that lurked inside like a shark. She'd done this. He'd been working on his addictions since he left rehab and the first thing she does when he apologizes is throw in his face all the things he'd done. He's been slow, making amends for everything little by little, and today when he apologizes for telling her she'd be a bad mother in that little girl's case, she lashes out.

Cuddy breaks out of her stupor at Rachel's cry of distress. House is trying to pry her little arms from his middle.

"Rachel, let go!"

"NO!" she fists his shirt and hold on tight.

"Rachel, let go, now!" he discards the cane again and tries to unwind her little fingers from their iron hold. Rachel buries her face in his stomach and although her voice is muffled, he hears her next words with complete clarity.

"Please don't go… please, daddy, don't."

House freezes, so does Cuddy. Rachel just called him daddy. Swallowing loudly, House encircles he child in his arms again and looks at her. She's still crying, her left cheek pressed against his stomach and her eyes screwed shut. Cuddy approaches and before he can do anything, she's pressed to his side too, her arms around his chest and her forehead against his neck.

"I'm so sorry, House. I don't know why I said that. Today's been a difficult day and when you reminded me of that day I just exploded. I'm sorry. I do accept your apology, ok? Just please don't leave us. I'm so sorry…"

She rubs her face in his neck, sobbing herself. She'd been so caught in her shock at saying something that horrible that she'd failed to react on time. She'd almost lost him. That thought only made her hug him harder. Another minute passes before house relaxes and takes one arm away from Rachel to curl it on Cuddy's waist. And when Cuddy feels him take a breath to speak, she can't help but hold her own.

"You guys soaked my shirt." Both girls look up at him startled only to find him beaming at them with a teasing smirk. The three burst out laughing. She gets on tiptoes and kisses him on the cheek.

"I really am sorry, House." She murmurs again and House gives her a comforting squeeze.

"I deserved it, so don't worry. You just caught me off guard. Lets… lets go home." Cuddy sniffs and kisses him. She then leans down to pick up the cane and they return to the house.

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Megan signs and shakes her head as she watches the family of three walk from her yard to their house. They're so weird. With a last look at them she puts her mug on the kitchen sink and goes back to bed.