6

1989

"Hey squirt." House greeted his daughter at the school gates. "How was school?"

She shrugged, he decided not to pursue the matter. "Are we going home daddy?"

"No, I have patients to see, so you get to come and draw pictures in my office." House was working as a nephrologist at the local general hospital.

"But-"

"But what?"

"Nothing." House frowned at his daughter, as he turned into the car park at the hospital. They walked towards his office. "Can I have a candy bar?" She asked, passing a vending machine.

House pretended to think for a moment, "Well, maybe just a half a candy bar."

"Half?" She whined.

"You don't want to share the candy with me?" He pretended to look hurt. He handed her some coins, "Go get a candy bar."

"Can't you come too?"

"It's just at the end of the corridor. Go." He instructed her, and she walked to get it, House watching from his office. She returned a few minutes later with the promised bar, which House halved for her. "Now, I have to see a patient. So, you sit over there, and draw me a pretty picture, ok? Now, what music do you want in your headphones? Stones?"

She nodded, and House put the headphones over her ears. He had spent the past 6 years moulding Maddy's taste in music to match his own. He sat and waited for his patient. There was a knock on the door.

His head of department, Collins was stood there. "Dr House, this office is not your own personal daycare centre. I've had complaints from patients concerned about you treating them while your child is here."

"She's not doing any harm, I don't have a sitter. I'm hardly dragging her to an OR and letting her watch gory surgery." He glanced over at Maddy who was contentedly drawing a picture with her crayons. "She's listening to music so she isn't even listening to them." He could feel himself getting frustrated.

"It's unprofessional, Dr House."

"Unprofessional?!" He scoffed, "My daughter being here doesn't stop me doing my job."

"Either call a sitter or take her home."

"You're suggesting that I leave my 6 year old at home alone?"

"I'm suggesting no such thing as you well know." Collins sighed, "You cannot have a 6 year old child sit in on all your consultations." House scowled at his boss, "Sort something out." House turned to look at Maddy, unaware of the trouble her presence was causing, "Dr Stein can look after today's appointments. Maybe one of the other parents at school could take her for the hour or so that you need a sitter?" He suggested, "Or daycare here?"

"I guess." House submitted, feeling guilty that Maddy would be shipped off to yet another daycare, he felt he was letting her down. He turned around and took her headphones off, "Let's go home."

"Don't you have sick people to see?" House shot an angry glance at his boss and shook his head.

"Bye Maddy." Collins offered, Maddy smiled and waved at him.

House and Maddy were walking down the corridor, "Daddy?" He looked down at her, "Why don't I have a mommy?"

House sighed, he had been expecting this at some point. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, Katie says that everyone has a mommy, why don't I?"

"Because she's not around anymore." House answered, "Why was Katie asking?"

"She says I can't go to ballet class because I don't have a mommy to take me."

"Katie's stupid." House sighed, "Is this your way of asking if you can go to ballet class?"

Maddy screwed her face up, "Ballet? Uh-uh. I want to play softball."

House laughed, "Softball huh?" He silently thanked God that she wasn't a girly girl.

"Yep, Caleb says that his dad could take me with them if you say yes."

"Got it all figured out haven't you?" He smiled down at her, she grinned and nodded. "Ok, then, I'll call Caleb's dad when we get home and you can play softball."

"You still didn't tell me why I don't have a mommy." She reminded him, as fixed her safety belt in the car.

"Don't you like it just being us?"

"Yeah, but, I just wanted to know."

"Well, she left when you were a baby, and she never came back."

"She ran away from home?" Maddy asked, wide-eyed. House nodded. "Was it because of me, was I a bad baby?"

"No, you were perfect." He could feel anger swelling, "It was nothing you did. Now, you want a McDonalds for dinner?"

"Really?" House nodded. "Thank you daddy."

He smiled down at her, thinking that maybe he should be thanking her.

(The next day)

House sighed as he left his office, thanks to his complaining patients, he now had to drive to his parents to pick Maddy up, instead of going straight home. He knocked the door, his father answered.

"Hi dad, is Maddy ready to go?" He walked inside, "Where's mom?"

"With your Aunt Sarah. Maddy's in her room." He answered, "Sulking."

"Sulking?" House echoed, Maddy was generally good natured, sulking rarely. "I'll go and see her." He walked up the stairs to the spare room, generally saved for Maddy these days. "Maddy?" She was lying on her bed. "What happened, Grandpa said you were sulking."

"I'm not sulking, he told me to come up here!" She sniffed, it was obvious she'd been crying.

"Why?" House was interested, wondered if his father had changed since he was a boy.

"I didn't like what he made for dinner." She explained, "I tried to tell him I didn't like it, and he said I was being fussy."

"So what did you eat?" She remained silent. "Maddy?" He sighed, "You've not eaten." She sat up, House could see she was pale. "You feel ok?" She shook her head. "Wait here." Maddy lay back down as House walked downstairs.

"Is she still sulking?" His father asked, turning as he walked into the lounge.

"She's not eaten."

"She was being fussy, wouldn't eat what I made." His father stood up and walked into the kitchen. "You're too soft on her. That girl needs discipline"

"Like I needed discipline?" He walked away from his father, grabbing a can of soda from the refrigerator and an apple and going back to her. "Here, drink some of this."

She sipped at the soda, "Are you and Grandpa mad at each other?" House just sighed and gave her a weak smile.

She shook her head, "I still feel sick, can we please go home?"

"Sure squirt. Daycare after school as of Monday." He picked her up off of the bed and carried her downstairs, leaving without another word to his father.