Thanks for all the comments, everyone! Here's the next chappie and of course, I keep building the suspense. Haha. There's nine chapters total, so two more after this one, just to let you all know. Enjoy :o)
February 5, 2008 7:03 p.m.
"What are you doing here?" House stepped into Cuddy's office and she froze as if she was caught doing something she wasn't suppose to.
Cuddy set a folder on her desk. "Just dropping off some paperwork I signed. What are you still doing here?"
"Putting in the extra hours because I'm so dedicated to my profession," House answered and shut the door to Cuddy's office.
"Uh-huh," Cuddy agreed and rolled her eyes. "How are you doing with Dr. Kepler?"
"Fantastic!" House's mocked enthusiasm made Cuddy smile. "She's just a peach!"
Cuddy raised an eyebrow. "That's not what I heard."
House held back his smirk. "What have you heard?"
"You're arrogant," Cuddy started, going over the list in her head, "self incriminating, disobedient-"
"Is any of this going to be new information?" House cut her off and stepped toward the middle of the room. His eyes fell to her very large belly. "I see Mick's still rockin' out."
House didn't raise his eyes immediately. He wasn't sure if she would indulge into the baby world with him after their last encounter.
"Yeah, but I'm only a week overdue." Cuddy's eyes were on him. "I'm not worried."
House raised his head. "I can help with that."
"What?" Cuddy's eyebrows drew together.
"Help induce labor." House's face displayed his mischievous thought. "I heard sex is very handy when-"
"Don't even go there." Cuddy raised a pointed finger.
House frowned. "Not your cup of tea?"
"No." Cuddy began toward her office door. "Besides, I want to get home."
"You can still drive with that thing?" House poked at her stomach.
Cuddy stopped and glared. "Even if you don't believe it, I can take care of myself, House."
"I know you can take of yourself." House rolled his eyes. "I was trying to get a rise out of you before, Cuddy. I only wanted you to give me permission for-"
"Stop talking," she cut him off.
"What?"
"Stop. Talking." Cuddy's eyes were locked with his.
"Why?" House asked, slightly confused.
Cuddy let out a short sigh. "You're making Mick punch my bladder."
"I can't help it if he feels it's necessary to show mommy who's boss." House gave her a shrug.
"Goodnight, House." Cuddy continued on to the door.
House stepped alongside of her. "I'll walk you to your car."
Cuddy stopped. "I don't want-"
"The one time I try to be a gentleman, you refuse," House said. "Guess chivalry is dead."
"You still need to get your coat and bag, and I'm too tired to wait," Cuddy told him.
"Fine," House replied. "Will you let me open your office door for you at least?"
Cuddy waited and House reached out and opened the door for her. She passed through and he followed after her. Once in the lobby, House gave Cuddy one last look before heading toward the elevators while she left the building.
February 5, 2008 7:16 p.m.
House stepped into the cold air. It wasn't too bad except for the wind. The light from Cuddy's car caught his attention. The driver's side door was open and Cuddy was sitting in the car, unmoving. House hurried to Cuddy's car as fast as his thigh would allow him.
Upon reaching the car, House peered into the diver's side. Cuddy was sitting there, facing forward, and staring straight ahead. She looked to House.
"Cuddy?" House asked, giving her a cautious once over.
Cuddy swallowed hard. "My pants are wet."
"Your water broke?" House asked and looked to her pants, but they were blocked from his view by her stomach.
"Pretty sure it did," Cuddy replied. "I'm afraid if I try to get out, it'll go all over the upholstery."
"You're about to pop out a kid and you're worried about your car's upholstery?" House asked her, unsure if he was still talking to Cuddy.
Cuddy stared forward again and clutched onto the steering wheel. "I'm not having this baby."
"Cuddy-" House softened into a slightly annoyed stance.
"No," Cuddy cut him off.
"What?" House asked. "You like being pregnant so much, you wanna keep that baby in you forever? That's completely insane. Come on."
"No," Cuddy refused.
House lightly touched her arm. "I'll help you into the hospital."
"No, House." Cuddy shrugged him off.
"You're not having this baby in your car," House told her.
"I'm not going." She shook her head.
"Cuddy, this is ridiculous." House leaned closer to her since she still refused to look at him. "You have to-"
"I don't have to do anything." Cuddy's words were quick and sharp.
"Fine." House pulled back and turned away from her.
Cuddy finally looked back to him. "Don't leave."
"Cuddy-" House began from a few feet away.
"Please," Cuddy begged. "Just... wait with me. Until I can... just wait."
House paused and then nodded, walking back to her car. "Okay."
February 5, 2008 7:34 p.m.
"You ready yet?"
House had seated himself on the ground, legs extended out in front of him. He looked up at Cuddy, who was in the same position and staring straight ahead again.
"What if I can't do this?" She asked quietly, deep in her own thoughts.
"You couldn't have thought about that nine months ago?" House asked, looking up at her.
"I always thought about this... moment." Cuddy suddenly snapped to attention and looked down at the man seated next to her car. "House, what if I can't do it? What if raising a baby alone is a bad idea? And I'll have to cut back my hours at the hospital if I'm going to be raising a child. What if I can't do both? Work and parent?"
House stared at her. "Seriously, Cuddy, nine months ago would have been a great time-"
"House, please!" Cuddy's eyebrows drew together in her nervousness. "You don't understand. What if I fail this baby?"
House let a sigh escape from his lips. "Why did you do it?"
"What?" Cuddy asked him, a painful tightening causing her to scrunch her face.
"Why did you want it?" House studied her, knowing she was beginning her contractions. "Why did you want to get pregnant?"
"I... wanted a baby," she told him.
"Okay..." That wasn't the particular answer he was looking for.
Cuddy sensed this and continued on. "I wanted something more. I wanted to be a part of something more. To love and care about someone else more than I care about myself. The bond between a mother and child." She paused and dropped her tone. "I didn't want to be alone either. Does that make me selfish? To have a baby in order to not be alone? I'm selfish. I'm a horrible-"
"Cuddy, stop," House cut her off. He couldn't let her do this to herself anymore. "I'm selfish. You're not selfish. Sure, you want a kid to keep you company, but doing this to your body in order to get that kid makes it seem pretty unselfish to me."
"I don't know." Cuddy looked back out her windshield.
House still kept his eyes on her. "Has anything changed? Do you still want those things? To be... part of some metaphysical something else or whatever bullshit you were trying to pull?"
It became very quiet as Cuddy thought it over. She nodded. "Yes. I do."
House painfully forced himself his feet. He extended a hand to her. "Then, let's go."
Cuddy stared at House's outstretched hand before reaching over and slipping her hand within his. She slid across the seat and he helped her to stand. Cuddy placed her free hand to her lower back and she felt the tightening again. House watched her and waited until the feeling passed. After it had, Cuddy shut her car door and walked with House into the hospital.
