Author's Note: A very big thank you to my beta Ceciilee, who again patiently went through drafts of this chapter and allow me to bounce ideas with as well.
I do appreciate all types of feedback, it's the only way I know if you love, hate, or even reading this story :)
***
Cuddy takes out her datebook from her purse and notes Jake's graduation date. She explains "I'll need to book hotel rooms ahead of time. All the area hotels gets book quickly during graduation week. Unless of course, you prefer to have your entire family bunking in your apartment."
Jake shakes his head and replies "I don't mind the mayhem but I don't think Dad will enjoy sleeping in a sofa bed."
Cuddy nods and immediately get stuck by a thought "I can't believe that you'll have your PhD at nineteen and your MD when you're twenty."
"Yup! Remember Dad used to say that I'll be legally allowed to prescribe drugs but not purchase a beer?"
"By the way, what's your dissertation about?"
"It's on using open source software for building Bioinformatics foundation. Actually, it was a concept that I initially wrote back in Cambridge but I could never prove it since I don't have access to High-Performance Computing (HPC) resources."
"They gave you access at MIT?"
"Yes, my computer engineering advisor pulled some strings that gave me access to prototype technologies that are not yet available to the public. Using HPC resources and open source software, I was able to perform the 2-year work I did for Dr. Coulier's project in 2 months."
"That's wonderful Jake. So, what's the delay with your dissertation?"
"I want to make sure that my mathematical algorithms are correct so I'm running second sets of data and see if the computational model is identical to the actual results."
"Is that why your Dad and I are getting phone calls from the Army?"
Jake laughs and replies "sorry about that. I had a follow-up presentation of my dissertation to my thesis advisory panel a few months ago where I gave a prototype demonstration of my hypothesis. Somehow the Army Medical Research Institute got hold of the information; they've been deluging me with e-mails and phone calls wanting to know more about it. So, I played the 'I'm a minor, you'll need to contact my parents' card.'"
"Well, the good news is your Dad is allergic to the word military so he pretty much hangs-up on them."
Jake laughs and replies "only after he called and confirmed that I'm not considering joining the army. You should have heard Dad on the phone." Jake doing his best voice impression of his father "Son, you know what's worst than joining the military? Joining the army!"
Cuddy shakes her head and says "just wondering, did you use that same excuse with the medical residency programs as well?"
"I might have. Why?"
"A hospital on the west coast just sent a case of Napa Valley wine to our house yesterday with an invitation to visit their hospital facilities. I was on the phone with your Dad for two hours last night telling him that I don't know anyone from that hospital."
"So, Dad thinks you have an admirer on the west coast?"
"You know, how your Dad gets when he's jealous."
***
May 2007
It's nice spring weather, sunny and the temperature is in the mid-sixties. Wilson joins House and the twins as they take their daily stroll on the Princeton campus.
"Hey."
House nods at his friend.
"I just heard that Foreman is resigning. What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything."
"Ok, then why is he leaving?"
"He said he didn't want to end up like me."
"You don't want to end up like you."
"Good point. Can I resign too?"
"Nope, you have too many mouths to feed."
"Lise can support me and the kids. I can be her trophy husband."
Wilson rolls his eyes and replies "seriously House, have you tried bargaining with Foreman? Maybe give him a raise or something?"
"How much do you think it would cost to make him want to be like me?"
Before Wilson could respond, Ethan comes over and asks "Daddy, can we have some ice cream pwease?"
House replies "I don't have my wallet. You'll have to ask your Uncle Wilson."
"Uncwe Wiwson, can you buy us some ice cream pwease?"
"Uhhh…" Wilson checks his watch and asks House "when do they normally eat their dinner?"
"Around six. Why, do you want to buy us dinner too?"
"No! Because I don't want to get yelled at by your very pregnant wife for spoiling their appetites."
Ethan calls Charlie over and the two gives Wilson their best puppy-eye looks and begs "pwease Uncwe Wiwson. We won't get appwe pie."
House corrected his kids "its appetite not apple pie."
Charlie furrows his brows and asks "what's an appetite Daddy?"
House replies "it's what makes you hungry or what makes you want to eat ice cream."
Charlie looks over to Wilson asks "we have an appetite for ice cream. Can you buy us some please?"
Wilson smiles and says "ok, let's go to the cafeteria."
Wilson looks over at the twins who are happily eating their ice creams and asks House "are the boys ready for their baby sister yet?"
House nods and replies "I think so; they've been sleeping on their big-boy bed without a problem for a couple of weeks now. And Ethan has one of his dinosaurs watching over his sister's crib just to make sure that the monster doesn't get any bad ideas."
Wilson laughs and says "I would have killed to have their awesome beds when I was growing up."
"Ain't it something? We thought we'll have a hard time getting them off their cribs but after they saw their beds, they couldn't wait to sleep on them."
"How about you? Are you ready for a little girl?"
"Heh, it's just another pooping machine."
"Right! I know Lisa is very excited."
House smiles and says "yes, she is. I don't know how long the twins will stay in the nursery if she keeps adding more pink stuff on it."
"So, Lisa still doesn't want the boys to sleep in their new rooms upstairs."
"Nope. She's not ready for the boys to be by themselves yet. Instead, she wants the baby to stay in our bedroom."
"And?"
"Absolutely not! Now that the boys can get out of their bed on their own, they've been knocking on our bedroom for all kinds of reasons. Next thing you know, they'll be taking over our bed." House shares a few stories about the boys' antics so they'll be allowed to sleep on their parent's bed.
Wilson laughs at House's stories. He can't help but be a little envious of what his best friend has. He thinks to himself "maybe, the reason none of my marriages work was because we're so caught-up with each other rather than someone else like a child." For one, every time House screw up something the boys' antic will always bail him out. Lisa will be laughing so hard that she'll forget what House has done.
***
Two weeks after
Cuddy is sitting in her office couch while House is massaging her feet. She asks her husband "will you be okay with Foreman leaving?"
"Sure, I couldn't care less when he leaves."
"Right! And the guy I saw spying through a newspaper during Foreman's farewell party with a green gravedigger cap and sunglasses wasn't you."
"Nope. How would you know that their Gravedigger cap? There are lots or people who have green caps."
"Because you bought the twins little version of those green gravedigger caps. Believe me, every mother will remember when their children comes home wearing those hideous green caps."
"They're not hideous. They're cool and the boys love the Gravedigger!"
"Seriously Greg. If you want Foreman to stay, talk to him."
"It's his last day and it wouldn't make any difference. Name one person who would want to be like me, anyway?"
"Your sons do."
House smiles and replies "Aside from them."
"Chase idolizes you."
"No, wombat is an ass kisser."
"Cameron thinks you're a god."
"She has a crush on me."
Cuddy stands up, kisses her husband and says "talk to Foreman."
***
Later that afternoon
A very fuming Cuddy walks-in at House's office and yells "I told you to talk to Foreman to convince him to stay. Not fire your remaining team members."
"I only fired Chase. Cameron resigned."
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Nothing. They've been with me for three years, they've learned all they can, or they haven't learned anything at all... either way, it's time for a change."
"You can't dump your entire department just because you don't know how to deal with an issue. They're good doctors Greg, un-fire Chase and woo Cameron back."
"Sorry, you're in the wrong room. My name is on the door, my team, my decisions."
"My building, my floor, my people."
The phone rings and it's the daycare center calling to remind House that they're about to close. "If you're finish boss, I gotta go pick up my kids before my wife yells at me."
***
House gets up really early, turn off Cuddy's alarm clock and made breakfast. He went to the nursery turns off the baby monitor and wake the boys up.
"You guys are ready to greet mommy happy birthday?"
The two groggy twins nod their heads. Charlie jumps off his bed, grab his backpack and takes out the birthday card he'd made for his mom. Ethan goes over to his closet and pulls out a gift bag. The twins quietly follow their Dad to their parent's bedroom. House signals for them to wake their mom and the twins yells "Happy Birthday Mommy!" Cuddy wakes up to an attack of slobbery kisses from the twins. She kisses her boys back and says "thank you boys."
Ethan gives his mom the card while Charlie hands her the gift bag.
Cuddy asks "what do you have for me?"
The boys simply giggles and replies "open it, Mommy."
"Okay." She opens the bag and sees a sweatshirt that says "World's Greatest Super-Mom" in front and decorated with the twins' handprints and name at the back.
Charlie asks "do you like it Mommy?"
"I love it. Thank you very much," and Cuddy kisses her boys again.
Ethan asks "are you going to wear it today?"
"Sure…I'll wear it tonight."
"Ok, can we go watch TV now?"
Greg replies "yes, only for a few minutes. You both need to eat breakfast and get ready for daycare."
The twins hurriedly jump off the bed and run to the family room.
Greg follows them out and comes back with a breakfast tray. The tray has a plate of pancakes and scrambled eggs; a glass of milkshake, cut grapefruits and a single red rose.
House approaches Cuddy and says "Happy Birthday my Queen!"
Cuddy smiles at her husband and says "thank you my King."
And after House set the tray in bed, both husband and wife start laughing. Cuddy's tummy is protruding so much that it's really not comfortable for her to eat breakfast in bed.
Cuddy kisses House forehead and says "why don't I join everyone for breakfast in the kitchen, instead?"
House nods and kisses his wife.
***
House and Wilson are playing foosballs at the doctor's lounge, when House asks "so, I heard you're taking over my wife's job while she's on maternity leave."
"Yeah, after the fiasco of her last maternity leave, the Board simply refuses to hire another outsider. And of course nobody in their right mind wants the job of babysitting you, so I'm it!"
"Oh come on, It'll be fun!"
"As long as you don't come up with insane and dangerous procedures for me to approve, we should be fine."
"Who says anything about actually doing work? Did you forget that I don't have a team?"
"Well, good time to hire a team then."
"Why will I do that when I can work on mastering Eddie Van Halen's two-handed arpeggio technique in the next 12 weeks?"
"Oh, I forgot. Your wife just hired someone for your team."
"It's my department; I get to choose who I want to hire. She better not rehire my old team behind my back."
Wilson shakes his head and replies "She did better. She hired the same guy who helped you select your old team."
House's face light-up and asks "she hired Jake for the summer?"
Wilson smiles and nods at House.
"I'm very surprised. I thought he'd be staying in Boston this summer."
"Why?"
"He's scheduled to do his clinical rotation at Mass General next semester and I was certain that he'll jump at the chance to go on board a few months earlier. And of course, having that gorgeous girlfriend of his nearby would have been another good reason to stay."
"Working with his old man for the whole summer is also a great reason."
House smiled and before he can reply, his cell phone rings. He looks at the caller id, identified that it's Cuddy and answers it with "hey."
Cuddy only said three words that sent House scurrying out of the lounge in no time.
Wilson asks "what's wrong?"
"It's Lise. Her water broke and she's now being wheeled to the maternity ward."
"Ok, is there anything I can do?"
"Yeah, depending on when she actually gives birth. I might need you to take the twins home."
"Do you want me to stay at your place to keep an eye on the boys."
"Lina and her daughter will be staying with the boys." After noticing that his best friend is a little disappointed by not being needed, House adds "but if you don't mind staying for a few hours and playing with the boys, I think they will like that."
"I can definitely do that."
"Thanks Wilson."
TBC