Still busy as ever, but I managed to get another chapter done. Hope you all enjoy it:)
Chapter 7
"Holy Shit, Cuddy!" House whispers over to me with awe.
We are standing side by side in front of the place I now call home as House continues to stare over at the single story, four thousand square foot log home, complete with a four stall garage and wrap around porch, seated on top of a hill and surrounded by tall ,snow-covered mountains on all sides.
"It was a buyer's market." I tell him casually.
"Buyer's market my ass. You must have pulled out every negotiation trick in the book in order to score a place like this." House mumbles over to me as his eyes stay glued on my new home.
"I just was lucky enough to come across some very motivated sellers." I tell him matter-of-factly, still playing it cool even though scoring this beautiful house for such a great price is still one of my best achievements to date.
House gives me a doubtful look before gazing over my shoulder.
"Is that yours too?" He asks next, pointing down to the barn which is located at the bottom of the hill a few hundred yards from where house is standing.
The barn is truly a work of art in and of itself, made up of a cobblestone foundation and cedar siding.
"Yep." I respond. "Along with the fifty acres that surround this place as well." I add with pride.
I watch with satisfaction as House's face fills with shock before he quickly regains his composure.
"Cuddy, what on earth do you need a barn for?" He then says with a frown while looking down at the structure once more.
"For my horses."
"You have horses?" He asks with surprise.
"Four of them. Two mares, a stallion and a little colt that was born last spring. " I tell him.
House lets out a sigh, studying me silently for a moment before looking away from me, towards the barn and then back over to the house.
"What?" I ask him as he finally returns his gaze to me.
"You're better off without me." He says in a low voice.
I bite my lip to hold back my smile. "I've always been better off without you." I tease, but I can see by his expression he's in no mood for joking.
"Cuddy, are you sure you really want me to come in?" He then asks me frankly, the apprehension inside of him rising into the lines on his forehead as he looks down at me.
It's the first time since we've run into each other again that House is doing a complete about-face, deliberately giving me an out. Of course we both know that I am much better off without him and all the complications he brings...however, this marks the first time that House hasn't laid a guilt trip on me in order to make me change my mind, or argued with me about my need for him to be a part of my life.
"I promise I won't make you sleep in the barn." I tease back at him with a small smile, finding his vulnerability and new-found concern as endearing as the way his mouth curls up into a smirk at hearing the words I've spoken to him just now.
"Good thinking, Cuddy. Two stallions in the barn could result in a tragedy. Especially when Mister Ed discovers I'm more well endowed then he is." House jokes back at me, and once more we find ourselves dipping our toes into the banter that used to be a daily routine for us.
I roll my eyes at him. "Come on, before I change my mind and turn you into a gelding." I tell him, the smirk on my face not visible to him as I turn towards the front door.
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"Mommy!" Rachel yells, running into the kitchen at full steam with Kelly, our Nanny, trailing quickly behind her. Kelly is twenty-seven years old, standing tall at five foot seven with long blonde hair and the athletic build of a runner, except of course for her now very noticable baby bump.
In an instant Rachel is in my arms, her small legs wrapped around my waist as hoist her up into my embrace.
" I missed you so much, Mommy!" Rachel says before planting a kiss on my cheek.
"I missed you too, honey." I tell her softly, watching her as Rachel moves her gaze over to House, who is standing beside me.
"Who are you?" She then asks him bluntly, her blue eyes studying House intensely as she holds onto me a little tighter.
Rachel's never reacted this way before when meeting new people, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it.
"I'm an old friend of your mom." House responses to her flatly, his face showing the smallest hint of disappointment as she fails to recognize him.
Giving Rachel a reassuring squeeze, I take the opportunity to make House's introduction to both my daughter and my Nanny.
"Rachel and Kelly, this is Greg House, an old college friend of mine. We ran into each other at the hotel I was staying at during the snowstorm, and since he's between jobs right now, I've invited him to stay with us for a few weeks."
"Well it's nice to meet you Greg." Kelly says with a smile, of course having no idea about the lie I'm currently spinning to her.
"Nice to meet you too, Kelly. And if you don't mind me asking, how far along are you?" House questions with a warm smile as his eyes lower to Kelly's very pregnant belly.
"Seven months." Kelly informs him with a smile of her own as her hands move down to her stomach.
"Oh that's great. Is this your first child?" He asks with interest.
"Yes, it is." She replies.
"So do you know the sex, or are you wanting for the birth?" House questions.
"I'm having a little girl, we're going to name her Emily." Kelly tells him happily.
Listening to their exchange I feel as if I've stepped into another dimension. The fact that House is actually asking about Kelly's pregnancy, without a snide comment in sight, as out-of-place as a priest in a strip club.
""So exactly who's going to be watching Rachel once Kelly's little bambino is born?" House suddenly asks while focusing his gaze on me.
"I'm interviewing as we speak." I tell him.
"Well ...you know since I'm going to be here for I few weeks, I could-"
"Like I said, I've got it covered." I tell House in a tone that warns him not to push his luck so early in the game.
I can feel Kelly giving me an odd look because of my stern response to my old college friend.
"I'm sorry Greg, I'm just so exhausted from the past couple of hours. I didn't mean to snap at you." I apologize to House, of course solely for Kelly's benefit and not his.
House gives me a nod of recognition and keeps his mouth shut, which earns him another point in my book for not pushing the issue any further in front of Kelly.
"Fair enough, Lisa. So where exactly am I going to be sleeping?" House asks, following my lead and using my first name as it would seem only right since we are old college pals.
"Do you like pirates?" Rachel suddenly asks from within my arms as I continue to balance her weight on my left hip, her question directed at House as her eyes apparently have never left his face since we've come through the door together.
Looking down at her with surprize, I taken off guard by the fact that from somewhere deep within her young mind, Rachel has found a connection with her former best friend and bloody scallywag, even though some of the pieces of their friendship have been forever lost.
From beside me I watch as an amused grin spreads over House's face. "Aye me little scallywag, I've been known to like a pirate or two in my day." He tells her with a soft growl before giving her a wink, causing Rachel to giggle as she rests her head on my shoulder.
