7

(2 months later)

The funeral had come and gone, Maddy coping extremely well with the situation. She had successfully interviewed for the position with Stacy and had moved back home after two weeks with House. Today was her first day as a member of staff at PPTH.

She arrived at the main office outside Stacy's where she would be working.

"Hi Maddy." Stacy greeted her, "looking forward to starting?" Maddy nodded enthusiastically. "OK, basics. Here is your desk, I've left a few files for you to look over, to ease you in. I have a conference call in five minutes so I'll leave you to get settled. I'm just next door if you need anything."

"Thanks Ms-"

"It's Stacy." She smiled at the nervous newbie, the phone in Stacy's office rang, "That'll be that call." And she disappeared.

Maddy settled at her desk and started to read through the file and was interrupted by a quiet knock on the door. She looked up and seen Wilson pop his head round the door.

"Hi!" She smiled at him, "Come in."

"Just thought I'd pop by and see how you were settling in and wish you good luck."

"Going well so far. She stood up and twirled, "So does lawyer-chic suit me?" She laughed.

"You look very smart." He agreed, "Didn't realise you wore glasses."

"Only for reading, which I think I'll be doing a lot of." She smiled holding up the file she was reading before Wilson came in.

"Ok, well I've got an appointment in 10 minutes, so I'll see you later."

"Yeah, thanks for looking in." Wilson smiled and left.

About half hour later Stacy came out of her office. "Some lawyers can be complete asses." She muttered. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder if all guys are put on the planet just to annoy us." She laughed.

"Big case?"

"Malpractice. Some guy whose wife and baby died during delivery is blaming the doctor involved saying that he got second class treatment because he and his wife weren't rich."

"That's ridiculous," Maddy commented, "Isn't it?"

Stacy nodded, "yeah, he neglected to mention that his wife had been advised against pregnancy and warned of consequences, and had received extra ante natal care to try and ensure she was ok, to his lawyers." Stacy rubbed her eyes, "I need to go and speak to the OB GYN involved. This is going to be a long one. Why don't you go for lunch?" She suggested, just as there was a knock on the office door. She looked up, "Greg?"



"Stacy." He answered, awkwardly. Maddy watched the interaction, sensing the awkwardness, wondering what had happened between House and Stacy in the past. "I was just going to take your latest prodigy for lunch." He smiled over at Maddy.

"OK, well I'm going to see Dr Watt." Stacy explained and quickly left the office.

"Stacy has an OB GYN appointment?" House enquired.

"It's to do with a law suit." Maddy answered. "So where are you taking me for lunch?"

"Local pizza place?" he asked, "they have an all you can eat special, I'm working on a new record."

Stacy, meanwhile, instead of going to see the OB GYN, went straight to see Dr Cuddy.

"Stacy! How are things? Settled in?" Cuddy smiled at her.

"Why didn't you tell me that I'd just hired Greg's latest conquest?"



"Because you didn't-"Cuddy was puzzled.

"Well Ok technically you did but you know what I mean." Stacy was frustrated.

"No, I mean, she's not his latest conquest." Cuddy started to explain, "It wasn't my place to say-"

"He's just taken her out for lunch; Greg does not take anyone for lunch unless there's something in it for him. God, Welcome back Stacy!" She vented, pacing the small office.

"No, she's his daughter." Stacy looked at her in shock, and stopped pacing, sitting down opposite Cuddy.

"But we were together for seven years; he would've mentioned a daughter."

"He only found out." She sighed, "I think you guys need to talk."

"Talk?"



"Well, why did you have a fit when you thought he was seeing someone? Am I going to lose a great lawyer because of some unfinished business? Again? And I think House could use some support, he won't admit it, but you know him."

"Yeah, wow." Stacy sighed, taking in all the information and trying to process it. "I better go. People to see." And she turned to leave.

"Stacy, I didn't tell you because she doesn't know about you guys. Clean slate and all that." Cuddy smiled by way of an apology. Stacy nodded and walked out.

House and Maddy arrived back at the hospital, meeting Wilson in the hallway who was chatting to Amber. "Maddy, meet cut throat bitch." Wilson glared at House, "Oh, sorry, more commonly known as Amber."

"Amber as in your Dr Idol contest?" Maddy observed. "Sorry," she said, realising her comment may have sounded a bit nasty, reminding Amber that she hadn't made the grade. "Nice to meet you." She held out her hand, Amber shook it, smiling at her.

"So, your House's little girl?" Amber asked, "well not so little, obviously." She laughed a little, Wilson sighed, these two weren't going to be best buddies.

"You know, I think I prefer the name cut throat bitch. Thanks for lunch, dad." she emphasized, knowing how much Amber envied her closeness with House. "Excuse me."

"Well that could've went better." Wilson commented. "You could've been nicer." He addressed Amber who merely shrugged her shoulders. She had heard Wilson talk so much about Maddy and how bad he felt for her before she knew House was her father. In all honesty, Amber felt threatened by Maddy.

"Sorry, don't know what got into me."

"Well, kids, I have a patient." House interjected and hobbled away, smiling to himself at the exchange he had just witnessed.

Maddy was sitting typing up one of the finished cases when House popped his head around the door. "Hey, have a conference over the weekend, so can't do our Friday night thing." Maddy had taken to staying with House each Friday and enjoying an evening of take-out, drinks and monster trucks. "But, take my spare keys, someone should at least get use of my cable while I'm away."

"Sure thing. Interesting conference?" He shook his head, muttering something about sharing a long flight with Cuddy and some other doctor with severe flatulence issues. "Stacy wanted to see you. Should be ok to go in."

"I dunno, she's probably busy. Probably thinks we're sleeping together and wants to warn me off." He commented, looking at Stacy's office door. Maddy looked at House puzzled. "You know that whole stepmom thing you asked me? Well Stacy came pretty close."

"And you didn't think I might've liked to know?" Maddy was incredulous. "Stacy hasn't mentioned anything to me."

"Well, um," House started, "She kinda didn't know our-umm-connection." He visibly squirmed.

Stacy appeared at her door. "Greg. A word?"

"If I'm not out in 15, call the police." And he disappeared into the office. Maddy sat at her desk, imagining the conversation in the office. The odd raised comment reached her ears every few minutes.

Stacy: daughter?! Didn't tell me when I was hiring her.

House: not relevant to her job, her own merit.

Stacy: right to know.

House: right to know you were back, after what happened last time.

Maddy sighed, and got up to leave the office. The private conversation wouldn't stay private for long judging by the rising volume. She headed for the nearest vending machine, grabbed a coffee and sat down. She looked up when she heard the distinctive noise of House striding down the corridor.

"Why are you sitting out here?"

"Figured you needed privacy." She explained, House sat down beside her. "Everything ok with you and Stacy?"

He was silent for a moment. "Yeah. She can't resist my charms." He answered with an air of sarcasm. "We're cool."

"So I still have a job then? I heard part of the conversation."

"Your job was never an issue. Stacy was just annoyed at not being kept in the loop about my life, when she can just show up here with no warning, using her maiden name and then be mad at me." Maddy began to wonder if House was talking to her or just voicing his frustrations.

"O…K. So what's going on with you two? Should I be worried that my father and my boss can't be in the same room without raised voices?"

"Like I said, we're cool." House stood up, "Well, I should go and see if my patient is alive, or else I may be back to stop myself getting sued. Stacy would love that." And he hobbled off, "I'll bring keys for you tomorrow!" He shouted back at her. Maddy decided to head back to the office. She walked in and knocked on Stacy's door. There was no answer so she opened the door. Stacy sat at her desk, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue, she looked up.

"Do I look like a panda?" she asked, referring to her makeup.

"No, you're fine. I'm sorry if House upset you. I never realised-" Maddy started, sitting down opposite her.

"You weren't to know, and you don't control him. Believe me, he does and says exactly what he wants." Stacy answered. "I should know him by now."

"Still, if it wasn't for me working for you then he's would've had no reason to come up here and upset you. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I will be. Always am. Your father can be incredibly frustrating." Maddy smiled at her in agreement. "Don't you worry about us." Maddy nodded and rose to leave. "Ok, well, why don't you head off, same time tomorrow?"

"If you're sure. I'll see you tomorrow."