DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters of the show House MD, they belong to David Shore and Fox, and I'm just borrowing them for a while. I'll give them back…eventually, well everyone but Cuddy she's hot :P

Chapter two: You're Lost Little Girl

Wilson wasn't a man who was shocked easily. His first wife was now his fourth wife as well, people with good chances to survive often died in his line of work and his best friend left him to live on the open sea. No, Wilson could definitely say he was an …open man but Cuddy fathering House's child that was one leap to far.

"You seriously expect me to believe that Felix is House's child, you're out of your mind…I shouldn't have told you." Wilson turned from Cuddy and began walking to his car, "I'm wasting time here."

"What?"

Wilson didn't turn, "Go back in there, you've done your duty to House now. I actually thought that somewhere in they're the woman I called a friend once cared about the man she loves."

Cuddy was talking but Wilson was just not listening and talking over her voice. He turned back and saw Cuddy had walked over to him, "No wonder he left! Look at you! You're lying to yourself, to Lucas and to everyone around you. How do you even get up in the morning, knowing you drove him away?"

Cuddy stopped. The words summed up what she'd done and it was overwhelming, it was easy to admit to it but Cuddy had never stopped to think because she rarely had time. Being a mother, the Dean, the fiancé Cuddy never had time to herself, there was always someone waiting, some thing she hadn't done. She retreated to the step on the porch.

"You know when you're chasing something you've always wanted…I was so focused on building the perfect life that I forgot all about everything else." Angry tears formed in her tired bloodshot eyes, "You just keep running, even though you know what your doing is wrong but if you stop…if I stop to see everything I've done…I'd never get up again."

Wilson gritted his teeth, "If you had stopped you'd have seen a man who was willing to do anything for you."

He could feel himself getting angry at her, "Do you know what I would have done to say House would do anything for me? After everything, I mean everything you've done to him, his leg, everything with Lucas and he'd still come back if you called. If you'd told him you needed him, House wouldn't have been on that boat in the first place! He would have been here "

Cuddy stood up, "Why did it always have to be me! I had to be the bigger person, the one who got hurt or humiliated. Loving him was hard," Cuddy started to shout, "I loved him so much and he never ever made me think he could ever love me."

"Then why, when he was changing for you, did you choose to give up on him?"

Cuddy stood up and picked up her things, "We're wasting time when he needs us."

Trying to avoid the confrontation Cuddy placed the trainers on and moved towards the car but Wilson grabbed her shoulders, "If you can't tell me this, what are you going to tell him? What if you can't tell him...I was listening to the radio, the storm in Boston is the worst they've ever had. You need to tell me why, before I take you anywhere near him."

Cuddy sighed deeply, she wasn't proud of her thoughts that lead to the situation they were now in, "I didn't think it would work. I thought he'd come back having cheated his way through just like he always did. I wanted to try and have a normal life while he was gone."

"So, why do you want him now?"

Cuddy was finding herself becoming increasingly annoyed and Wilson recognised the reaction to his questions, "I'm not letting you anywhere near him if you're going to hurt him again. House might not admit it but he's much more fragile that he thinks he is. So, answer the question, why now?"

She smiled weakly, "I wasn't lying ten months ago I slept with House. I think it was our way of ending things between us but some how I got pregnant."

"How can you be sure it's his?"

"I tested him a few days ago, I was thinking about House and I knew as soon as I saw Felix's eyes that he was not Lucas's child."

They stood for a second and Cuddy took her chance to make for the car. She reached the passengers seat and got in throwing her bags in the car. Wilson watched her for a second slightly in awe of the woman.

"Bring her back to me, Wilson."

He spun round to see Lucas, who had snuck outside unnoticed by he or Cuddy, he was holding Felix wrapped up warm, "I have no control over what she does Lucas, neither do you."

He nodded nervously, "But you do over him…"

Wilson turned away from him, "Only one person has control over him."

With that he walked over to the car and entered the drivers side. Once Wilson had settled down he glanced over at Cuddy then to Lucas stood in the doorway with House's son, "I take it he doesn't know."

Cuddy nodded waving goodbye to them as the engine started, "He really loves you and that baby."

"I know."

"Are you doing this for Felix or are you doing this for yourself?"

Cuddy stared out of the passenger's side window at the deserted roads away from Wilson's prying eyes, "Felix deserves to know who his father is and if he's alive or not."

"What about you? Lucas loves you, you're marrying him, is that going to be enough for you?"

"I love him."

Wilson paused at the red light and turned to his troubled passenger, "Lucas or House? You're going to have to choose sooner or later."

As the drive passed countless homes, people, places and hours Wilson halted suddenly at a roadblock. They hadn't spoken after Wilson had asked her to choose between House and Lucas. The effects of the storm were beginning to become more obvious the closer they got to Boston. Winds were strong and the rain was heavy. A man separated from a crowd of rescue workers by the barricade and made his way to Wilson's window.

"I'm sorry sir nothing is allowed to pass beyond this point, the storm is getting worse we've evacuated the whole coast and surrounding area's."

"My friend was in a boat few hours ago…"

"Has he checked in with you?"

Wilson shook his head, "No."

"There's not much anyone can do. I suggest you take up in a motel about five miles north of here until the storm dies down, until then no ones getting any further."

"Thank you."

"Sorry, but just in case I do hear anything what's your friends name?"

"Gregory House, he was in a cruiser off the coast."

"Well, I'll look out for him."

"Thanks I appreciate it."

Wilson turned the car around but paused in frustration slamming the wheel hard with his fist before resting his forehead lightly on the wheel, "Damn it!"

Cuddy placed a hand on his back trying to sooth his rage, "There's nothing we can do here, the best thing we can do for House is be well rested and alert for when he needs us."

"What if it's already to late?"

Silence settled in between them simply because it's what both of them had been thinking the whole ride down. If House were truly gone, dead and buried how their lives would change. Sure he wasn't in their lives now but there was the hope for Cuddy, something to focus on when the distance between them became too much. Wilson knew there would be no more video calls or meeting up if he happened to pass New Jersey. He'd known House had secretly come to his wedding and gone unnoticed by everyone because Wilson knew he'd changed. The sun had softened him, his skin had been tanned and his dark hair slightly lightened by the golden rays of the Atlantic oceans. He'd wanted everyone to see how happy House was, the freedom he had on the boat was unlike anyone experienced in his or her lifetimes. The ropes were no obstacles to him it was as if he were a completely new man but no one was here to see it. Wilson left the question unanswered and started to drive, of course House was still himself. It wouldn't have been the same without his satire occasionally but he couldn't help but blame Cuddy. Wilson missed House. He depended on him more than he would have liked to admit but now he would shout it out to the world, House was his best and only true friend an he missed him terribly.

"You blame me don't you?"

Wilson turned from her view, "I don't know what you're talking about Cuddy, just get some sleep."

They'd reached the motel a few minutes later and saw only one room available. Neither really wanted to spend the night with the other, it was only going to lead to an argument as they could feel the tension between them. A silent agreement on who was sleeping where, luckily there was two bed and plenty of space to sleep, a comfortable distance between each other.

Now, as they tried to sleep but it would not come Cuddy felt the hate bubbling off of Wilson's attitude towards her.

"James, don't lie to me. You've made your feelings pretty clear earlier what's stopping you now."

Cuddy could only have slept if someone had brought tranquilizers into the room; it was the worry for House and her children that kept her up. I didn't even kiss Felix or Rachel, goodbye…

"Look we're both frustrated and tired…I don't mean to be curt with you ok? I'm just…"

Cuddy sat up in her single bed and crossed her legs facing Wilson, "Just looking for someone to blame?"

Wilson mirrored her by sitting up on the bed. Though part of him hated Cuddy for the way she just dropped him, a part of him liked the fact that even when he was mad with her they talked. Wilson liked talking to someone who knew House as well if not better than he did. They had a common goal, making sure House was alive and well.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't blame you. It's just if I don't blame you the only person I have left to blame is myself."

"Wilson it's not your fault."

He ran his fingers through his soft hazel hair, "I should have told him it was a bad idea him being alone out there but I didn't. House seemed to have a new lease of life and I didn't want to be the one who took that away from him."

Cuddy smiled sweetly, "Did he really like being on his boat?"

The smile brought on imagining House lying on the deck of a beautiful boat somewhere in the Pacific having an adventure out in the world, though she was now thinking more of a seaborne Indiana Jones.

"Yes, his dad was a Marine. They used to sail together, that's why he loves it so much. House would never admit to it but I think he's doing it in a way to remember the good times with his dad."

The quiet crept in between them again secretly, each of them were to busy thinking of times House had made them laugh or cry and even scream. There was never a dull moment with him, life with him was like living in a maze but without him everything seemed monotonous no one had his spark. Without a word Cuddy raised and made her way over to the window, the shutters rattled despite having been nailed shut. She opened the blinds over slightly so she could see the storm raging outside.

"How could anyone survive sea's like that? The dry land was bad enough to travel on…imagine being on the open sea."

Wilson stood beside her, "He's a fighter and anyway he was out there hours ago, maybe it wasn't that bad."

Though he'd said the words Wilson himself had no belief in them looking out at the wrath of the storm in front of him.

They'd made a plan of action in the sleepless night and once the morning came, even though the storm made it hard to tell what was day or night, they sprang into battle. After a small breakfast Cuddy and Wilson headed to every rescue centre, every place where evacuated and people who had survived but nothing. The storm was dying down but every time Cuddy spoke to another person who had no idea where House was another part of her hope fade away. Presently, they both sat in the corner of a school hall that was being used as a temporary home for evacuated citizens.

"Where else can we check?"

Cuddy was clutching straws, she couldn't stay there in the school hall as the people were also desperate to discover information on their lost family members, "We can see if the road is still blocked or…"

Wilson didn't really want to think of it as an option but realistically it was probably the most likely outcome, "I was talking to a volunteer earlier, and they are taking the injured and the dead to a hospital not far from here."

"I know what you're thinking but he's not dead, Wilson."

"And I know you don't want to think about that possibility but look around you. This is the worst storm they've ever seen here he was in a boat, people are dead on land and missing presumed dead. I don't want you to get your hopes up."

Cuddy stood up and looked back at Wilson in shock, "Why are you giving up so easily? I have been questioned and tried by you as to why I am here and now you're telling me I came to bring a corpse home to my son?"

"I'm not forcing you to be here, Cuddy. There's no point in arguing with me it's not going to help us find him."

"Excuse me?"

A man walked up to them not really wishing to interrupt them but had overheard them talking, "I couldn't help but overhearing your conversation…I don't know whether it will help but the coast guard and some volunteers were able to get a search party together for a party of boats lost at sea. They took the survivors and the dead to the hospital down the road."

Wilson stood and thanked the man, taking him slightly away from Cuddy to ask the question he really wanted to know, "How many survived?"

The man's face fell, "Three."

"Out of…"

"Twenty."

Wilson brought himself to politely but absentmindedly thank the man once again. He collapsed back onto the chair beside Cuddy. If House wasn't one of those three what were the odds that he was alive. They would make the trip to the hospital and have to look over seventeen dead bodies, Wilson couldn't decide whether he wanted one of them to be House or not. The longer he went missing the less hope he had, House's own reasoning stuck in his mind the reality of the situation making him aware that House maybe lost at sea.

"Wilson…what is it, what did he say to you?"

Lie, James, she doesn't need to know right now, Wilson thought to himself as yet another realisation hit him. If House was dead Cuddy wouldn't be able to carry on as normal, he doubted he could, at present she had hope and that was more valuable than anything at that time, in their situation.

"There are rushed off their feet at the moment. We've been looking for House all day; we'll sleep here for tonight and tomorrow, " Wilson subconsciously shivered at the thought of what the next day would bring them, "We'll check the hospital. Get some rest."

Wilson escaped to a quieter area of the school, away from the noise of people that made it impossible for him to sleep. It wasn't the only reason, the day seemed to have gone so fast and it was approaching 48 hours since his last contact with House. So, feeling completely lost Wilson called his only lifeline.

"Sam?"

"How are you, James?"

Wilson smiled to himself weakly, "I'm fine."

"James I'm you're wife I know when you're lying."

He laughed but the happiness faded quickly, "Come on, tell me Jimmy."

Jimmy… Wilson shook himself out of his morbid thoughts, "I don't think House is alive. A guy came and told us the coast guard found some people they were looking for."

"That's a good thing isn't it?"

"Seventeen people are dead…out of twenty." Wilson sighed defeated; "Tomorrow I have to take Cuddy to see if any of them are House…part of me thinks it would be easier for her if one of them was. Isn't that horrible?"

At that moment Wilson leaned against a wall for support but fell to the floor, he needed Sam to comfort him to hold him so close there was no room to think about any, "You need to stay strong, James."

"I know but it's easier said than done."

Cuddy knew it was a dream from the moment it started because her life could never be that perfect. Her eyes opened and they saw the beautiful sunlight creeping through her window but there was something even more breathtaking beside her. Cuddy's head was rested on a man's chest; his arm was protectively wrapped around her bare waist and the sense of security and satisfaction was something she'd never felt before. Before Cuddy saw the man's face she knew who it was, the many years of silent admiration meant things such as his scent were like a second nature to her.

"House…"

He stirred underneath her; House's hand tamed the wild locks of raven hair on his chest so he could see her face, "Fancy seeing you here."

Cuddy laughed and it felt different, carefree and content, "This isn't real is it?"

She asked placing her chin on his chest looking sadly up at his brilliant cerulean eyes. House smirked and let his fingers dance over the skin on her cheeks caressing them softly, "Do you want to spend the entire dream questioning my existence?"

Cuddy laughed, "You're still an ass in my dreams."

"Shut up…" His voice became unlike Cuddy had ever heard before, "You need to stop thinking about the consequences of everything and just take the leap…"

House gently but also forcefully turned Cuddy so she was underneath him. Her hands reached up to his short hair, she had no clue if he still had the same hair but she didn't care as House's lips came closer to hers, "I'd never give up on you."

"What?"

House's soft lips continued and touched Cuddy's as light as a feather so he could still talk, "You have to keep the faith because Wilson can't…He'll tell you to give up but…"

"I never gave up on you."

House's hand cupped the side of her face, "I know…"

Their lips touched so softly Cuddy wasn't sure the kiss had even happened but the feeling of the warmth that suddenly swallowed her whole was evidence. Cuddy lost all thought of the present events or the past and her hands made quick work of pulling the incredible lips harder against her own. It was the way Cuddy had always wanted to live, feeling such satisfaction and happiness but even then in the most perfect of moment the fact that House was only a dream replayed like a broken record making her pull abruptly away from his inviting lips. Cuddy saw his look of confusion and held his forehead to hers, "I can't House...it feels so right…"

"Then don't think about it."

She placed a finger on his soft lips, "But this is only a dream…you're somewhere out there, Greg. I have to find you."

House sighed, "Can't you just enjoy the moment?"

"No, you told me not to give up…I can't be happy until I find you House. I can't be happy unless I'm with you, until then enjoyment isn't an option."

House smirked, "Well, you're enjoyment-less fantasy has been nice but as you say you have an ass to find though if I might add yours is plenty for everyone."

Cuddy laughed and slapped him on the chest to which House feigned hurt. She pulled him for a chaste kiss, "I love you, Gregory House."

"Cuddy…"

Wilson shook her shoulder gently, "It's time we get going."

She nodded rising slowly out of the bed. Once Cuddy was upright a smile crept onto her face and Wilson noted it, "What's with you?"

"I had a good dream, it gave me hope."

Wilson had been preparing himself all night, he thought telling her was the right thing to do to allow her to get ready for what was to come. It was the bright smile Cuddy had permanently set into her graceful features which Wilson hadn't seen in a long time. He didn't have the strength to tell her now and he doubted that her hope could be killed that easily after her dream.

"Do you want to share it with the rest of the class?"

Cuddy stood up with a new burst of energy, "It was nothing that special," She smiled secretly to herself, "We're going to find him today Wilson. I can feel it."

A/N: What you guys thinking out there? I am really happy with the response to the first chapter so I gave you an extra long chapter because you guys deserve it. Do you want me to give you the title of the next chapter?

Chapter 3: Everything's Not Lost

:D I love you reviews, the more you give the faster I upload simple as, bribery nice :D

Gabe xx