Part 7
A very happy Lisa Cuddy held Rachel's hand as they exited the elevator on the floor that held the Diagnostics Unit at Johns Hopkins University Hospital — House's domain.
They had a surprise for their little girl, one they'd been keeping for the better part of a week as they set up to officially foster Sarah while the adoption process got underway. Her lawyer was a good one who'd called the right people to make it happen quickly. They still had to go through some hoops but essentially, beyond those, Sarah was theirs and it was time for her to meet her big sister.
"Daddy!" Rachel called when she saw House down the hall. He had just stepped out of his office with several members of his team in tow. He glanced toward Cuddy and Rachel then sent his minions off to do his bidding, or so he'd said when they reached him.
"I like Minions," Rachel said. Now six, Minions were one of her favorite things in the world. "They're funny."
"You know what else is funny—" House began but Cuddy shot him a long-suffering look. She had no idea where that conversation was going and she was very ready to see her new little girl and introduce her to Rachel and—
"Let's step into my office," he said instead, ending her internal litany of things she was ready to do. He followed them, limping his way over to his desk. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. "All systems go," he said into the receiver then hung up just as quickly
"Why don't you have a seat in House's chair?" Cuddy told Rachel.
"You have my surprise?" the little girl asked as she climbed into the Eames.
"It's coming, kid," House said as Cuddy went and stood by the door and waited for the nurse.
She was so ready for this moment. She'd meant it when she'd told House that the moment she held Sarah there would be no turning back for her. This last week had been both exciting and intolerable. She'd gone shopping but had had to put things in storage for fear of Rachel finding them. Almost every night, she'd woken and gone to watch Rachel sleep, remembering the pure joy of how she became her daughter.
House, bless him, had come for her every time and taken her back to bed and held her until she fell asleep. They'd talked in the dark about what it was going to mean in terms of changes for their lives logistically and on every other fronts. He had been undaunted by any of it, although he'd playfully squawked about the prospect of putting "the third Cuddy" in their room.
"I really don't think sex education should start that early," he'd teased and she'd laughed.
"We will not be having sex with the baby in the room, House."
"Thank God. The bilge rat called me weird for shaving, I can only imagine what the second mini-you would call me."
"I suspect once she learns to speak, she will call you 'daddy'," Cuddy said and he'd gone silent at that. That moniker and what it meant affected him greatly, and she suspected it always would.
"Two," he said after a few minutes.
"Two," Cuddy had said softly and held his hand.
He wasn't holding her hand now, but Rachel's, sort of. He was sitting on the stool in front of Rachel and they were practicing high-fives. Only he would insist on perfect technique. And she loved it.
Hearing footsteps in the hall, Cuddy turned her attention back to things outside the office, eyes alert. Her heart leapt when she caught sight of the nurse with the baby. She took a step back into the room when the woman reached them and held out her arms to accept her new daughter.
My daughter.
Cuddy smiled down at the gurgling infant. Her little arms were moving about, a little fist bumping against Cuddy's chest. The warmth and weight and…
Tears welling, Cuddy turned and took the baby into the room. Without a word, House moved from the stool so she could sit.
Rachel immediately smiled at seeing the baby. She scooted right to the edge of House's chair and peered into the pink blanket. Before she could speak, House asked the question. He had wanted Cuddy to do it, but she'd insisted that he have the privilege of that. Sarah was theirs because of his heart's desire. Of course, he asked in a completely House way.
"Like her?"
Rachel nodded.
"Want her?"
Rachel looked up at him, a question swimming in her blue eyes banked against a kindling of understanding that translated into hope. She looked at Cuddy for clarification but it was House who gave it.
"She needs a big sister," he said and Cuddy watch delight blossom across Rachel's face.
"Me!"
Cuddy's heart skipped a beat at the joy she heard in her little girl's voice.
"No, me," House said.
Rachel made a perturbed sound but looked to Cuddy. She had House's number already.
"Can I hold her?" Rachel asked, eyes big and brimming with barely contained excitement.
"Of course," Cuddy said and the nurse stepped up to coach Rachel on how to make a cradle with her arms. When she was done, she stepped back and Cuddy carefully placed Sarah into her big sister's arms. She kept a steadying hand on the baby and her insides filled with a fluttering, maternal joy when Rachel let out a little sound of delight.
Glancing up, she saw House watching the girls … his girls … and felt a wash of deja vu, remembering the day she'd handed Rachel to House as he'd sat in a similar chair in his Princeton office. His gaze met hers and it was so knowing.
He remembers, too.
"Can I name her?"
"She already has a name, sweetheart. It's Sarah," Cuddy said, her attention returning to Rachel and the baby.
"I like her name," Rachel said then looked down at the gurgling and smiling Sarah. "You can sleep in my room if you want. It has purple curtains."
"House has to put her bed together first," Cuddy told her daughter. He would have put it together before but it was damned near impossible to hide anything from a five-year-old unless it was their toothbrush. It was in storage with all the other things.
Seeing Rachel panic at her answer, Cuddy found herself infinitely glad that they'd waited to tell her until they were sure. She let House comfort Rachel, though, when she looked up at him confused and distressed.
"She can't come?" she asked.
"She's coming kid," House told her, his voice soft and reassuring.
"Now?" Rachel asked tentatively.
Cuddy touched Rachel's cheek and drew her attention. "Yes," she said, offering further consolation. "But she will sleep with us tonight. We'll put her bed in your room when it's ready, if you want."
"I want her," Rachel nodded again.
Cuddy smiled.
"Then what do you say we go home?"
Rachel grinned impishly. "Okay."
