Yay, new update! This one's all about the test result...and all you who guessed in the reviews will enjoy this one...maybe.....lol

Chapter 5

The test had been ordered and now there was nothing for House to do except wait. What Foreman found odd about House's waiting was that it was done standing outside Rayne's room, watching the toddler laugh and talk with her mother.

"What's up with House?" Cameron asked, coming to stand next to Foreman at the nurses' station and watching the older doctor.

"No idea. He ordered a paternity test for the kid. Said the mom, who happens to be his ex girlfriend, admitted to cheating on her husband, who House treated three years ago…" Foreman shook his head, not sure he wanted to waste time trying to figure out why House was suddenly so interested in Stacy's daughter. "He hasn't left that spot since the sample was sent to the lab."

"That's really odd… considering he usually tries to avoid patients." Cameron sighed. "What's the kid got?" If it was interesting enough, it would explain House's unusual level of interest in the patient.

"According to House? 'Over active imagination and headaches'. I think there's something actually wrong with her."

"You get an MRI? Find out whether the headaches mean anything?"

"Clean. No lesions, no tumors, nothing even remotely suspicious." They were quiet for a few moments, watching as Thirteen walked up to stand at House's side and hand him a folded piece of paper. "Looks like the results are in," Foreman muttered. They watched House unfold the paper, then crush it in his hand and storm off, leaving Thirteen standing outside the patient room with a confused look on her face.

"Wonder where he's going?" Cameron asked, looking after him.

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Cuddy was with a patient when House found her in the clinic.

"Need to talk. Now," he demanded, scowling deeply as he led the to her office, yanking the door open and making sure she actually went in before following and closing the doors.

"What is it now?!" Cuddy asked, turning to face him and crossing her arms over her chest, staring at him.

"I…I can't work this case…" he muttered, tearing his eyes from her searching gaze. "I'm putting Foreman in charge. I'm taking myself off the case…"

"Not without a reason," Cuddy interrupted.

"Let's just leave at 'conflict of interest', shall we?" He knew she wouldn't, but it was always worth a shot.

"House…" Cuddy rolled her eyes. "You'll just have to get along with Stacy and live with it. I can't --"

"It's not Stacy I have a conflict with," he shouted, cutting her off. At her surprised look, he continued. "It's her kid…"

Cuddy sighed heavily and uncrossed her arms. "Did she insult you? Why would you possibly have a conflict with a three year old? Did we finally find a kid who hates you?"

"…" House stared at her for a moment before holding out the crumpled test results. She took it with a confused look and scanned the page.

"So? Who's… George Hansen…? And why does it upset you? House, what's going on?" Cuddy raised an eyebrow at him and sat down in her chair by the door.

House rolled his eyes. Had she suddenly become naïve to his methods? "It's a false name. Look at the initials. 'G. H.'…my initials. My blood sample. I couldn't let my team know about mine and Stacy's affair three years ago…" Cuddy stared at him for a moment, blinking, before looking back at the rumpled paper in her hands, scanning it again with this new information in mind. She paled and raised concerned and compassionate eyes to House when she re-read the actual result.

Positive.

"Oh, House…" Cuddy sighed, slightly frustrated. She honestly couldn't see why he was upset about it under the current circumstances. She stood up and held the paper out for him to take back. Which he didn't. "You don't know this kid. You weren't there when she was born, you didn't watch her grow up, teach her to walk or talk or drink out of a cup…. You're only her father in the sense that she has your DNA. There's no conflict."

"Lisa…" he whispered, taking a step toward her, ignoring the test result sheet. "Take me off the case." He gazed down into her eyes, desperate. "Please…"

"Greg, I can't." She sighed. She'd warned him about displaying the familiarity at work…but she supposed that she could make the exception, seeing that he was under no little duress. "You haven't put the patient in jeopardy, you haven't done anything risky without approval, you're following proper procedure for once…" She pushed the paper into his hands. "And don't try to do anything to force me to take you off."

Sighing, he nodded and pushed the paper into his pocket, never wanting to look at it again. He leaned in a little. "…Am…am I a bad person for wanting nothing to do with this kid?" he whispered.

"I don't know…" she whispered back. "If Stacy asks you to be there for them…"

"I can't… I don't…I don't love her anymore… Please don't ask me to choose between her and you…" His eyes pleaded with her. "Don't make me tell her she was right…" House leaned in closer, his lips barely an inch from Cuddy's.

The doors opened before Cuddy could answer, and she jumped away from him. Both turned their heads to see who had interrupted them.

"Are the results back?" Stacy asked, looking suspiciously between the two doctors.

"Yeah," House answered, giving Cuddy one last look of desperation before pushing his way past Stacy and out of the office without another word.

R&R as usual....next chapter will be entirely about little Rayne.... but I'm not gonna say much more than that. ya'll will have to wait and see what happens XP