Here I Am

A Modern Day House/Cuddy Schoolfic.

Characters include House, Cuddy, Wilson, Chase, Kevin, Ellis, Brittney and Katheryn.

Enjoy! And special thanks to Reena for helping me out on American Schooling details, because, being British is a bit of a hold back for me.

When you need some shelter from the rain
When you need a healer for your pain
I will be there time and time again
When you need someone to love you
Here I am

~Leona Lewis...Here I Am

Squeezing into the back of Wilson's jeep; Ellis, Kevin, House, Chase and Brittney were squished together. To save space, Ellis sat on Kevin's lap and he held her close, Chase and Brittney sat next to each other, slightly nervous at being so close together and House just being House. Katheryn sat with Wilson in the front.

Lisa followed them in her Mini Cooper to Kevin's house, a 5 bedroom mansion type house with a massive garage. She couldn't believe it.

'Wow Kevin, this place is amazing,' she said in awe.

'Thanks,' said Kevin.

They all followed him to the garage, where their equipment was permanently set up. Taking up their place by their instruments and the microphones, a half hour was spent tuning up, House swearing violently in frustration at his guitar.

'Right,' said Chase. 'Let's get started.'

'Ellis honey, are you okay to do this?' said Kevin, his voice caring.

'Yeah Kevin,' said Ellis with a laugh. 'Being pregnant doesn't affect your voice.'

'Ok,' he said. 'What song are we doing first?'

'I think that we should start with the songs that we're doing for the concert,' said Chase.

'Right, what songs are they?' asked House in confusion.

'Uhhh Santa Monica, Battle, Never Let You Go, I'm Gone I'm Going, Be Strong, I Wish I Knew How It Is To Be Free, Over You and Ain't No Mountain High. Ellis and Kath are singing all of them apart from I Wish I Knew How It Is To Be Free, which I think that Kevin's singing, and Ellis and Kevin are duetting on Ain't No Mountain High,' said Wilson.

'Right, from the top then,' said Kevin. 'Santa Monica.'

Taking their place at the microphones, Ellis and Katheryn waited for Wilson's cue on the drums and the introduction.

After performing, half an hour was spent going over and over it until it sounded perfect.

'You guys are amazing,' said Lisa after hearing them perform.

'Yeah, agreed,' said Brittney. 'You know I love your sound, as always.'

The process carried on for another 2 hours, through Battle, Never Let You Go, I'm Gone I'm Going and Be Strong. After hearing the doorbell ring, Chase got up to get the food that they had ordered.

Yawning and downing a bottle of water, Katheryn and Ellis said in unison, 'Break, food, voice, hurts.'

'I can imagine,' said Lisa.

Sitting down and eating their food, everyone was talking about school and the concert that was coming up.

'It's gonna be awesome!' said Katheryn excitedly.

'Yup, but it's in 4 months!' whined Ellis. 'I'll be 6 months gone by then! I'll be huge!'

'Ahh honey, you'll still look great,' said Kevin.

'Right, let's all stand up and get going again,' said Wilson. 'We got another hour and a half, and 3 songs to get through.'

'Ever the leader of the pack and motivator,' mocked House.

Kevin heard footsteps outside, and then his little brother Paul made an entrance.

'Hey losers,' he said breezily.

'Speak for yourself,' growled Kevin. 'Why are you down here? Come to annoy us a bit more than usual?'

'Yep,' he replied, cool as a cucumber. 'So, who've we got here? We've got Ellis, the unwanted roomie you knocked up, Chase the sheep who follows you around, Brittney the cheerleader, need I go on, Wilson the lame guy with weird eyebrows, Katheryn, who you wouldn't even talk to if it wasn't for Wilson, House the pathetic jerk who eats too much and will probably end up like a sumo wrestler, and someone new...You gonna knock her up too?'

'Nope,' said House, glaring at Paul. 'The 'someone new' you referred to is Lisa Cuddy, and your brother will not be going near her in that way, because he loves Ellis, I saw her first and I'll kiss his ass if he does.'

'Not that I should justify myself to an annoying little 12 year old like yourself,' said Kevin to Paul. 'But House is right, I love Ellis. And these people, no matter what a little sucker like you thinks of them, are my friends. I'm not gonna knock up Lisa because she's my friend and House likes her, obviously. And call Ellis an unwanted roomie one more time, I will throw you out of the window. Or maybe I'll just go to Mom and Dad like you usually do, because God knows they love Ellis more than you!'

'Nice one,' said House, high fiving Kevin as Paul left.

'Anyway.....' said Wilson slowly. 'Shall we carry on?'

'Yeah,' said the others, standing up and walking to their instruments.

After 90 minutes of non stop practice, everyone collapsed out on the chairs, exhausted.

'Well...' said Wilson. 'Who needs a lift home?'

'I do,' said Katheryn, looking into Wilson's eyes.

'Ewww,' said House. 'I do too, but can you stop looking at each other like that?'

'I'll walk,' said Brittney. 'It's not far.'

'I'll walk with you,' said Chase, smiling.

'Okay,' replied Brittney.

'Right, we'll leave you to it,' said the others, leaving.

'Lock up when you're done,' said Kevin, winking at Chase.

'Behave, not everyone's like you,' retaliated Chase playfully.

Chase took Brittney's hands and sat her down. Picking up the guitar, he sat opposite her and began to sing softly, keeping his eyes directly on her.

Her dark eyes light up a room,

Her witty charm makes me want to be alone with her.

I'm defenceless to the way she makes me feel,

Like a man in love, I try to conceal.

The girl with the blonde hair,

I'm sure is the one for me.

Does she return it, does she feel it too?

Sing her this song, and wait and see.

The blonde and the blonde,

The blind leading the scared,

Should I run away and abscond,

Or should I sing her my rhymes.

The girl with the blonde hair,

I'm sure is the one for me.

Does she return it, does she feel it too?

Sing her this song, and wait and see.

So young, but yet so wise,

So beautiful, yet denies,

Making eyes was all I had,

But now I'm wanting more.

The girl with the blonde hair,

I'm sure is the one for me.

Does she return it, does she feel it too?

Sing her this song, and wait and see.

Drop down to my knees,

My guitar in my hand,

I'm begging you please,

Love me, Brit from Switzerland.

The girl with the blonde hair,

I'm sure is the one for me.

Does she return it, does she feel it too?

Sing her this song, and wait and see.

I can imagine so much with her in my life,

Having children with her, making her my wife.

'Robert...' said Brittney, raw emotion present in her voice. 'It's beautiful. I love it. You wrote this for me?'

'Brit,' he said softly, using the abbreviated version of her name whilst staring at the ground. 'I always thought you were out of my league. You're a cheerleader for God's sake, and I'm, well me...'

Lifting his chin up so that he was looking up at her, Brittney replied, 'That's what I love. That you're you.'

She captured his lips in a sweet and tender kiss, which eventually turned into more.

'We should probably stop now,' said Chase.

'Yeah, we're getting carried away,' replied Brittney breathlessly.

'I'll walk you home, and maybe I can take you out for dinner some time?' he asked.

'Sure,' she replied, taking his hand and leading him out of the garage.