-- Walk Five Seasons --
(With My Cane)

Social Skills

Everyone around the hospital was used to seeing House with his cane, so it seemed very odd for him to show up without it. Especially since most of the staff never knew the real reason he had the cane in the first place.

It was even stranger for them to see him walk into the hospital with his one-year-old son in his arms.

"Hi!" the little boy called out, waving enthusiastically at random people walking past while House scowled.

"House!"

Oh, great. Here comes my least-favorite employee.

"Daniel, say hi to Dr. Chase," House instructed with fake cheerfulness as Chase approached.

"Hi, Face."

"Danny, when are you going to learn to say my name right?" Chase asked, reaching out to tickle the little boy. "Well, at least he has his mother's social skills, and not yours," he said to House.

"Haha," House replied sarcastically.

Daniel giggled and turned his face against House's shoulder.

"We have a case?" House asked.

"No."

"Cuddy in her office?"

"I think so, why?"

But Chase never got an answer to that question.

House barged into Cuddy's office without knocking, as usual.

"What, House?" she asked without looking up from her paperwork.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought him with me today," House said.

"Hi!" Daniel interrupted.

Cuddy did look up then, and saw House's son waving at her shyly.

"Stacy had to go to court today, and she doesn't believe in hiring a nanny," House finished his explanantion. "On the other hand, please mind. Then I can go home," he added.

"I don't mind, House," Cuddy replied with a half-smile. "Just have Cameron watch him, like I'm sure you were planning to do anyway, and go do your clinic hours."

"Okay," House said.

Giving in a little too easily, Cuddy thought, knowing he was going to follow up with something she probably didn't want to hear.

"While we're on the subject, that thing with Cameron and Wilson must have come as a real shock, right?"

Cuddy rolled her eyes. "I saw it coming a mile away," she answered bluntly. "If you're done, get out."

"Wait, wait, don't kick me out yet," House said. "Let me tell you something about Daniel..."

Cuddy sighed. This was another annoying thing about House. Ever since Daniel was born, House had developed a tendency to randomly tell amusing stories about his child. She honestly hadn't expected him to be that kind of parent...

"Danny's a real man," House went on, not taking note of the pained expression on Cuddy's face. She really didn't to hear any more baby stories. "Well, you know he had his first birthday not too long ago, and we took him to the toy store. We went over the stuffed animals, and Stacy told him he could pick out any one he wanted. And do you know what he picked?"

He paused as if waiting for her to answer, but Cuddy just waited for him to continue speaking.

"A skunk," House announced gleefully, the very picture of a doting father. "And he said, 'I want this one. It's stinky.' "

"Okay, House, go do your job, please?" Cuddy said in a strained voice.

Really, if she had to listen to one more story about House and Stacy's happy family, she was going to go insane...

Oh, well... at least I don't have to deal with him trying to set me up with Wilson anymore.

-end of chapter 3-

A/N: Yes, Wilson and Cameron. Because I have plans for Chase in the 4th and 5th season chapters.

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