Disclaimer: I do not own House M.D., nor the characters. I make no money from this.
Author's Note:
This is completely indulgent. And I really love writing it.


Rockabye baby on the treetop.
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall.
And down will come baby, cradle and all.

"Turn left, Lise! Left!"

She screamed and they both hit the tree. The side of her face hit the solid bark and she flopped back onto her younger sister. Dory began wailing and Lisa stared up at the cloudy winter sky, completely dazed.

The snow crunched as someone hurriedly approached. A shadow was cast over both girls as they stared up at their father. Dory squirmed out from underneath her sister and reached for Michael as he knelt down next to his girls.

"Lisa, you all right?"

Michael held onto Dory, who was crying against his shoulder, more out of fear than pain. Lisa sat up and shook her head, her eyes clouding. Her forehead hurt and her eye was throbbing.

"Let me look at ya."

He reached out a wet gloved hand and lifted her chin. Her face was already red from the cold and wind, but Michael could make out where the lump on her forehead would be and where the skin around her eye would bruise.

"Put some snow on that face of yours to keep the swelling down," he told her. "You'll be all right. Why don't we call it a day?"

Dory nodded against her father's thick coat. He picked up the girl and held her close. Lisa forced herself to stand. She swiped some snow from the ground as she tried not to cry. She placed the coldness against the throbbing areas of her face.

Michael reached down, careful not to drop his younger daughter, and took hold of the rope tied at the front of the sled. He began up the hill, dragging the sled behind him. Lisa kept up at his pace, walking alongside of him.


"What happened?" Anne exclaimed as she hurried over to Lisa.

Michael set Dory to the kitchen floor and unzipped his coat. Lisa tugged off her hat and stepped further into the kitchen to let her mother see the damage to her face. Michael frowned.

"It's just a little bruise," Michael told her. "She's fine."

"I told you not to take them out there," Anne scolded her husband. "I told you they'd get hurt."

"Aw, come on, Annie," Michael replied. "They're both fine. It's nothing."

"Nothing," Anne scoffed. "It doesn't look like nothing, Michael."

Anne knelt down in front of Lisa and helped her to get her winter clothes off. Michael stepped out of his boots and headed from the kitchen. Dory whined alongside of her mother, struggling with her boots.

"Just a minute, Dory, sweetheart," Anne told the youngest before locking her blue eyes with Lisa. "How did this happen?"

"We hit a tree," Lisa answered.

"Oy vey." Anne shook her head. "Your father will be the death of me. He just had to buy you that sled. Take a seat at the table. I'll get you something to keep the swelling down."

Lisa walked with wet socks over to the kitchen table. She sat down and waited as her mother helped her younger sister get her boots off. Once she had finished, Anne went to the freezer and took out a frozen steak wrapped in paper.

"Here." Anne handed off the frozen meat and Lisa placed it against her swelling face.


"Mommy?" Dory looked up from her coloring book. "Why did you name me Dorothy?"

Anne smiled as she took a pan of freshly baked cookies from the oven. She set it on top of the stove.

"You know The Wizard of Oz?" Anne gave a glance toward the kitchen table where both her daughters sat.

"You named me after Dorothy in the movie?" Dory asked excitedly.

"Yes," Anne told her. "It's my favorite film."

"You should have named her Toto," Lisa commented as she shaded the sunset she had drawn.

"Lisa," her mother warned her as she began to slid the cookies onto a rack to cool.

"Why did you name me Lisa, Mom?" Lisa said, wanting to know about her own name.

"I named you after my great great grandmother," Anne answered.

"Oh." Lisa frowned. "That's boring."

"Ha ha," Dory teased.

"You must not remember, Lisa." Anne approached the kitchen table and sat down in the chair between her two children. "I told you once before. You were born on the same day your great great grandmother was ninety nine years later."

"Almost a hundred," Lisa commented.

"Almost," Anne agreed.

"That's weird," Lisa replied.

"Yep." Anne gave a nod and placed her hand on top of her daughter. "That's why I named you after her."


Michael looked up from his newspaper as Lisa entered into the den. She bit her bottom lip, a test paper in her hand.

"Lemme guess," Michael said. "A."

Her smile gave her away and Michael's smile grew.

"Come here."

Lisa went to her father and hugged him. He placed a kiss on her forehead, still beaming.

"With grades like that, you could be a surgeon or a CEO or something," Michael told her. "Now, where's your sister?"

"She's coming," Lisa told him.

"Daddy!" Dory's voice called out as she ran into the den.

Michael stood from his chair, setting his newspaper down in the seat. He held out his arms as Dory gave him a hug.

"Hey, Dory Bug," Michael held onto his youngest tighter. "How was school?"

"Good." Dory pulled out of the hug. "I got my math test back."

"How'd you do?" Michael asked.

"Okay."

Dory reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She handed it over to her father. Michael unfolded the test and looked it over. Lisa looked on as well, interested.

"An eighty three!" Michael exclaimed happily. "Good job, Dory Bug. That's better than last week's test, right?"

"Yeah," Dory agreed, brightening a touch.

"You improved ten whole points," Michael said. "We'll put this on the fridge."

"Okay!"

Dory ran out of the room and her father followed her. He gave a smile to Lisa as he passed her and then left the room. Lisa looked down at her own test paper and frowned.

"What's wrong, Lisa?"

Lisa looked up to see her mother in the doorway. She immediately placed a smile on her face.

"Nothing," she told her as she went for the doorway. She gave her mother her test and squeezed passed her into the hallway, heading for the staircase.

Anne looked over the test paper, seeing the one hundred written at the top of the front page.

"Good job, Lise!" her mother called out to her as Lisa pounded up the staircase.


"Mmmm..." Sam kissed her shoulder. "You are so good."

Lisa laughed quietly and kissed his forehead. She was still a bit drunk and she could feel his fingertips running up the inside of her naked thigh. She squirmed at his touch, still feeling a bit sensitive.

"Easy," Sam whispered near her ear before his mouth sucked on the soft skin just below her earlobe.

He slipped a finger into her. She sucked in a breath and then shook her head, causing him to remove his mouth from her.

"I really have to go," she told him.

"Just a little longer," he coaxed.

He curled his finger and pressed it against the rough spot inside her that felt so good. She let out a short moan and he took that as his cue to insert another finger inside of her. His thumb brushed over her clit.

"I'm—" Her body gave an involuntary shudder. "—going to be late."

"So be late," he replied, smirking.

"I can't be late." Lisa shook her head. "My mom'll kill me if I'm late again."

"You're such—" Sam pressed his fingers deeper into her. "A goody—" His fingers curled and she gasped. "Two shoes."

"I am n—" Her second gasp cut off her words and she clutched onto his shoulder. "God, that feels good."

He was getting hard now, just seeing the pleasure on her face. Sam licked his lips before smirking again and removed his hand from inside of her. He scooted away from her and she frowned.

"You're going to be late," Sam reminded her.

Lisa glared at him. "You jerk."

She moved to the edge of his bed, taking the bed sheets with her. Sam grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He pushed her down on the bed and climbed on top of her. He began kissing her neck.

"I'm going to be late," Lisa said.

"Don't go," Sam whispered near her ear.

"I have to," she whined.

Lisa pushed him off of her and climbed out of his bed. She quickly pulled on her underwear and skirt. She zipped it as he sat up in his bed.

"Aw, come on," Sam pleaded. "Who cares about your mom? She thinks you're at the library."

"And she's getting very damn suspicious about that." Lisa clasped her bra closed in the back.

"Maybe you should tell her the truth," Sam suggested.

Lisa glanced over her shoulder at him. "Ha."

She pulled her shirt on and smoothed her clothes. Sam slid on his boxers and stood from his bed.

"You're too drunk to drive home," he told her.

Lisa faced him, offended. "I am not."

"Are, too," Sam insisted.

She frowned at him and then walked over to the mirror connected to his dresser. She winced at her reflection.

"Oh, God." Lisa began to comb her fingers through her frizzy, tangled hair. "Look at my hair."

"Call your mom and tell her you're going to a friend's," Sam suggested.

"I used that line last week," Lisa told him.

"Come on, Lissycat," Sam pleaded for a second time. "You know how good I make you feel."

She turned to him and shook her head slightly. "I have to go."

Sam flopped onto his back. "Fine. Go. Leave me here all alone."

Lisa shrugged. "I told you to get a cat."

"I don't want a cat," Sam said. "I want you to stay here with me."

"I can't." She walked over to him and planted a kiss to his lips. "Thanks for the alcohol." She kissed him again. "Thanks for the sex." She kissed him for a third time. "I'll see you later."


"Lisa, you're late," Anne called out from inside the den.

Lisa took in a breath, preparing herself. She headed toward the den and stopped in the doorway. Anne was sitting on the couch, the television illuminating her.

"Sorry, Mom," Lisa apologized.

"Where have you been?" Anne asked.

"The library," Lisa immediately answered.

"Your father went to find you and you weren't there." Anne called her on it.

"I went to get a soda to take a break from studying," Lisa quickly lied.

Her mother eyed her up, not believing her story. But, she didn't have proof and she was tired of this same old back and forth that occurred nearly every night. Anne let out a sigh.

"I left a plate for you in the oven."

"Thanks."

Lisa headed for the kitchen, realizing she was starving, and wondered if her mother could tell she was still slightly intoxicated.


"Hey," Sam greeted Lisa and gave her a smile. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"I know," she replied. "Let me in?"

Sam took a step back, allowing her room to enter. Lisa stepped into Sam's apartment and he closed the door behind her.

"Why didn't you call?" Sam asked.

"Couldn't," Lisa answered. "My mom found the condoms."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Lisa faced him. "I, uh... I think this would be a good time to end this whole thing."

Sam took a step closer to her. "Aw, Lissycat."

"It's better this way." Lisa lifted her chin. "There's no point in trying to continue this. Besides, I'm going away to school next year."

He nodded, knowing she was right, but he didn't want to admit it.

"I wish you'd stay."

"Staying isn't on the route to med school," she told him.

Sam nodded again. "Well, we had fun while it lasted."

"We did," Lisa agreed.

He bent toward her and she readily accepted his kiss. His tongue slid into her mouth and moved with hers for a moment before he pulled back just enough to speak, his breath hot against hers.

"One last time?" Sam asked.

Lisa smiled slightly, but shook her head.

"I really don't have the time."

Sam kissed her again and then stepped back.

"I guess we knew this wasn't going to turn out all right anyway," he said.

"Yeah." Lisa drew in a breath. "My mom was angry thinking I was having sex with boys in my own class. She'd flip knowing I was with someone five years older than me."

Sam lightly touched her hair. "It's too bad we aren't the same age."

"Yeah," Lisa agreed, her hand going to his arm. She gave it a gentle squeeze. "I really gotta go."

"Bye, Lissycat."

Sam planted a kiss to her forehead before releasing her. She gave him a tight smile.

"Goodbye, Sam."


"Kent's easy. It's Jacobs you've gotta look out for."

She looked up at him, her blue eyes meeting his. She cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

He took a seat opposite her at the large, dark wooden table.

"You're in the top of your class, aren't you?" he asked her cooly.

"How'd you know?" she replied.

"No one, but losers study on Saturday nights," he replied smugly and leaned his chair onto the back two legs.

"So, being at the top of my class means I'm a loser?" Lisa raised her eyebrows at him.

"Yep," he answered.

"Who are you, anyway?"

"Greg," he said.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"House," he clarified.

"Oh."

She diverted her eyes to her textbook. He smirked.

"I love that reaction," House told her. "Live for it, actually."

Lisa lifted her eyes back up to him. She leaned forward in her chair, her arms folding over the books on the table.

"So, what are you doing here on Saturday, then? Loser?"

"Not me." He let his chair fall back down to its rightful position. "I scope out the losers, look for the vulnerable ones."

"I am anything, but vulnerable," Lisa said, keeping her ground.

"Uh-huh." House nodded, humoring her. "Sure. Although, I doubt anyone will ever take you seriously, so..."

"What do you mean?" Lisa was suspicious.

"Well, look at you," he replied. "The breasts, the womanly figure, the long legs."

"Yeah, that happens when you're female," she responded.

"And no one takes women seriously," House added. "Not in the medical world."

"People are going to take me seriously," She told him, sitting up straight. "They're going to have to."

He eyed her up, keeping his smirk at bay. "Why's that?"

"Because I'm smart, ambitious, and in the top of my class," Lisa answered.

"Uh-huh." House gave a nod, humoring her once again.

Lisa raised her eyebrows. "You don't believe me?"

House stood from the table, his head shaking slightly. "Nope."

"You'll see," she replied. "I don't have to prove anything to you, but you'll see."

"Right. Sounds good."

He left her there to brood. Lisa frowned and looked over her work. She was planning on calling it quits in ten minutes, but after the conversation with Greg House, she decided to stay out for another hour.


"Yeah," she muttered to herself as she stared down at the incriminating blue line that matched the other. "Yeah, that's definitely positive."

There was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Babe, you all right in there?"

"We have a problem," Lisa called out to the closed bathroom door.

Shawn opened the door and stepped inside, concern clear on his face. Lisa looked to him from her place on the toilet seat lid. She held up the pregnancy test.

"It's positive," she told him.

"What?" Shawn's green eyes widened as he stared at her.

"Yeah." Lisa swallowed hard. "Kill me now."

"We can't, uh..."

Shawn ran his hand over his dark hair as he let out a breath. Lisa set the pregnancy test on the ledge of the sink and stood to her feet.

"I know." She looked to the floor, giving herself time to collect her thoughts. Her mind was racing and her stomach was doing flip flops. Lisa brought her eyes back to Shawn. "We... what should we do?"

"What do you want to do?" Shawn asked.

"I'm in school," she said, her tone rising in her anxiety over this. "Med school. I can't do the baby thing. I can't even do the pregnancy thing. I should—" She cut herself off and drew in a deep breath. "I should get it taken care of."

Shawn took a step closer to her and placed his hand lightly at her elbow. "If that's what you want to do."

"Yeah, I just..." She shook her head. "Is that selfish? I mean, this is our fault."

"But, is it right to bring a baby into the world when neither of us can afford it?" Shawn raised his eyebrows.

"I could give it away," she suggested.

"Yeah, while you fail school," he added. "I mean, you know, it is your choice. It's your body, Lise."

She nodded. "I know. I just... you're right. I really can't deal with what this pregnancy will do to my body. I mean, I hardly get any sleep as it is and I miss meals all the time. And I can't afford a kid. I'd hate to give the kid a fucked up life. And I'd hate to resent it because I fucked up, you know?"

Lisa felt like trying to justify it wasn't enough and it certainly didn't make her feel any better, but she also felt like she had no other choice. She locked eyes with Shawn.

"Will you come with me?" Her eyes clouded with tears.

Shawn embraced her. "Of course."

"I'll make the appointment." Lisa detached herself from him and headed from the bathroom.

For three months after the operation, she had nightmares. It wasn't until Lisa broke up with Shawn that the nightmares finally began to stop.


"Mom."

She held her breath as more tears fell from her eyes. The other end of the line was silent for a moment before a familiar voice spoke.

"Lisa? It's the middle of the night."

"I know," she said. "I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I haven't called in a while..."

"That's all right, honey." Anne sat up straighter in bed. "What's the matter? Are you crying?"

Lisa sniffed and wiped her running nose on the end of her sweatshirt. "I've been having an awful couple of months."

"What's going on?" Anne's tone held nothing, but concern. "You hardly tell me anything anymore."

"I... I know." She sniffed. "I've been... for a while now... trying to get pregnant and it's just not working and, Mom, I just..." She let out a heavy, wet breath. "I feel awful."

"Oh, honey."

"And Dory has those two beautiful boys and I'm ready for a child now and—" Lisa's tears fell harder as she thought about her past regrets. "Mom... do you believe in Karma?"

"No," Anne answered. "I believe that everything happens for a reason. Anything that happens is that way because it's suppose to be that way. The world plays out to a story we don't know."

Anne waited for a reaction from Lisa, but she only produced a sniff in return.

"I mean, imagine if you were born after Dory?" Anne went on. "Imagine how that would change the course of history? Of your history and Dory's history. What happens happens because it is meant to. Whatever you've done is a part of that. Our actions only affect what's already set out for us."

"So, if this baby doesn't happen..."

"Then it's not meant to be, Lisa," Anne told her gently. "There's a reason for that. Maybe you'll decide to adopt and you'll receive a baby who needs you, and only you."

Lisa took that in, but she still felt a pain inside her that wouldn't lessen. "But, I want my own baby, Mom. I want to be pregnant."

"I know the feeling, sweetheart," Anne replied. "I know how that must feel, but you'll live the life you're given. It's the only thing that's yours."

She sniffed back her tears as she swiped at her eyes again.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, honey," her mother replied.

"Well..." Lisa cleared her throat. "I guess I'm going to attempt to go to bed. I have to get up early tomorrow."

"Sweet dreams," Anne said. "And try to call more when you get the chance to. I know you're busy, but your father and I would love to talk to you more."

"I'll try." Lisa nodded. "Goodnight, Mom."

"Night, Lise."


"His name is Caleb."

Lisa tried to keep up with her guide as they walked over the dusty ground. Her hair was was in a frizzy ponytail and the heat caused her forehead to glisten with sweat.

"His father and mother both died from AIDS related complications," Miranda continued. "Caleb was lucky because he had one of the few mothers who received care and baby formula. She didn't pass HIV onto him."

"That's good," Lisa commented and stepped up alongside of Miranda.

"We're going to let you see him, interact with him," Miranda explained. "For the next five days you can spend time with him and we'll make sure this is a good match. You're a single mom?"

"Yes," Lisa answered, but quickly added, "but, I have a lot to give."

"All right."

Miranda stopped in front of a brick building. Outside there were a few children playing while an adult was supervising. A woman walked out of the building, carrying an African American boy in her arms.

"Here's Caleb." Miranda gave a nod toward the woman with the child.

The woman set the boy down in front of Miranda and Lisa. The boy stared up at both of them.

"Caleb, this is Lisa," Miranda introduced her.

Lisa knelt down in front of the boy. She gave him a smile.

"Hi, Caleb," Lisa greeted him. "I brought this for you."

She reached for her backpack and pulled out a blue stuffed teddy bear. Lisa offered it out to the boy. He immediately took it and began to examine every inch of it. She stood upright and looked to Miranda.

"He seems to like it," she said.

"And he's not hiding behind Moni." Miranda indicated the other woman. "He's usually very shy. I think he likes you."


House limped after her, his hand clutching onto his thigh.

"No one's going to think he's yours."

Lisa stopped at the doorway to her living room and faced him.

"Shut up."

"They'll think you kidnapped him," House said.

Lisa frowned, her eyebrows drawing together. "Would you shut up?"

"You didn't have to let me in, you know," House pointed out and stopped in front of her.

"And you didn't have to drive your ass out to my house either," Lisa replied.

"Why are you so cranky?" House asked. "Kid keeping you up? Does he miss his native land? Just put on some jungle animal noises."

Lisa glared at him. "Would you stop? I don't appreciate—"

She cut herself off as she felt a wave of nausea pass over her. Lisa turned from House and hurried down the hallway. He followed after her, slightly unsure. He didn't know what just happened, but he was interested in finding out.

Lisa entered into her bathroom and left the door open in her rush to the toilet. She bent down in front of it and began throwing up into the toilet bowl. House remained in the doorway, frowning at her.

"What?" He gave a nod toward her. "You catch some sort of South African bug over there?"

"No," she croaked out before throwing up again.

"Pregnant?" He raised his eyebrows.

"No," she exclaimed and then froze. "Oh no."

House's face fell, catching the look on her face. "Oh no is right. You aren't pregnant."

"I can't be."

Lisa flushed the toilet and stood to her face. She ignored the bitter taste in her mouth as she hurried to the cabinet below the sink. She rummaged through it, House looking on with concern.

"When was your last period?" he said.

She shot a look to him. "As if that's your business."

"Well?" House prompted.

Lisa continued to dig in the cabinet. "I've been so stressed with this adoption thing, I just thought—"

"Oh, God," he cut her off, a frown crossing over his face. "You better return that other one back to Africa."

"House," she warned. "I'm not doing that."

"Well, you're obviously going to have a favorite now," he told her.

"Shut up." Lisa stood, her found item in hand. "Get out and close the door."

House's eyes fell to the box in her hand. "You just keep those lying around?"

"Out!" She commanded.

Once the door was closed, Lisa quickly tore open the package. She pulled out the plastic stick and peed on the end she was suppose to. When she had finished, she set it on the counter of the sink and flushed the toilet. After washing her hands, she waited.

House knocked on the door.

"Done yet?"

"No," she answered as she began to pace. "Got about another minute."

"Can I come in?"

"No."

House opened the door anyway and stepped inside. Lisa stopped pacing and faced him.

"What're you going to do if that thing's positive?" House asked.

"It won't be," Lisa replied with a slight shake of her head.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "You gonna deny that baby exists until it pops out of your uterus?"

"I can't be pregnant," she insisted.

"So, you haven't had sex in the last two to three months then?"

She frowned. "I just... I can't. I was trying to get pregnant and I couldn't. And now I wasn't even trying..."

"Murphy's Law." He gave a shrug.

Lisa picked up the pregnancy test. She felt her stomach sink and her hands were numb. She brought her eyes to House and held out the test towards him, her hand shaking.

"It's positive," he said.

"It—yeah." She placed the test back down on the sink, giving herself a moment. "But, I have a baby."

"Now, you'll have two," House told her.

"But, I don't even know how to deal with one!" She exclaimed. "I've only had him here for three days."

"Who's the father?" House asked, trying to be casual about it.

Lisa lowered her eyes from him. "No one that wants any part in this."

"One night stand?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"No," she was offended. "He just... it was a no strings attached kind of thing. It only lasted a month or so and... And I shouldn't be telling you any of this."

"Too late." House smirked.

Lisa pointed a finger at him, giving him a warning. "If you tell anyone, I swear to God—"

She cut herself off as House enclosed her pointed fingered hand within his.

"I won't," he assured her. "That's my baby shower gift."

House released her hand and then headed from her home.