House pulled into the driveway and quietly entered the house. He put his jacket on the coat rack, and his helmet on the small bench by the front door. As he was heading to the bedroom he saw Cuddy, asleep on the sofa with a book in her hand. She looks stunning, her long brown hair was pulled back in a messy bun. She was wearing one of his button downs, it covered her short pajama bottoms so he could see her legs. He put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped.
"I didn't mean to scare you"
"mmm. What time is it?" She asked rubbing her eyes.
"About 10:30ish, why aren't you in bed?"
"I wanted to wait up for you"
"You failed"
"Shut up." She said smiling and lightly slapping his arm. Cuddy got up off the chair and turned off the light, leaning on House's arm as they walked to the bedroom. Cuddy was getting situated under the covers while House removed his jeans and put on his pajama pants.
"Come to bed" Cuddy whined missing his warmth already
"I have to pee first."
"Ugh!" Cuddy let out an exaggerated moan, "hurry up" she joked.
"You need to call security about Stephanie." House said, Cuddy sat up in bed feeling concerned.
"Did something happen?"
"Yeah." With that Cuddy got out of bed and joined him in the bathroom to listen to what he had to say. He turned slightly seeing she was by his side, "it wasn't anything bad, just creepy. She was on my bike waiting for me. I had to lie and told her I'd take her to my place if she got off to let me on, she did and I got the hell out of there."
Cuddy put her arms around his torso resting her head on his shoulder, she didn't want to let him go. She hated that woman, but now she felt like a mama bear protecting her cub. She wanted House to be by her side at all times so she can save him from her, even though that wouldn't work out while they're at the hospital.
House placed his hand on her forearm that was wrapped around his waist, "I'm done, if you'd like to get in bed." Cuddy nodded but didn't move, in fact she held him tighter. House began gently rubbing her hair, playing with it just how she liked. "It's okay baby, she won't bother me anymore." House felt Cuddy nod against his shoulder but she still didn't move and held him tight. "Come on," he said shifting his weight forcing Cuddy to release her grip as they made their way back to the bedroom. As soon as House got in bed Cuddy was right there next to him. She needed him, she needed him to be by her right now.
Rachel came bouncing into the room right on cue to wake up House. Cuddy's hand was clenching the neck hole of his T-shirt and her other hand was holding his arm. Her left leg was parallel to his while her right leg rested on his left leg. "Breakfast?" Rachel asked waking both House and Cuddy. "Yeah, what do you want?"
"Waffles!" She said excitedly
"Get out the milk, eggs, and a bowl and I'll be there in a minute."
Rachel nodded and skipped out the door. House turned to Cuddy and kissed her head, "I'm going to get breakfast started before Rach destroys the kitchen trying to get three things." Cuddy chuckled at his comment but still held onto him, "you okay?" He asked, Cuddy nodded, and House got up to join Rachel in the kitchen.
Cuddy really didn't know what to say. Security would be informed before House arrived at work and the situation was under control but she needed him. She needed to be with him, for that bitch to know he was hers and he loved only her. She wanted to be selfish and steal him away so he could shower with her but she knew Rachel needed her time with him. She reluctantly got out of bed and got ready for work alone.
As Cuddy made her way to the kitchen she heard the sounds of House and Rachel talking and laughing fill the room.
"Morning guys"
"Morning mama" Rachel said happy to see her before work
"Waffles are on the counter" House said between bites of waffle
"What were you guys laughing at?"
"House! He is funny!" Rachel said
"He sure is" Cuddy smiled as she sat down at the table. Normally she didn't have time but ever since House told her about Stephanie she had difficulties leaving his side.
"I was teaching her to fart using your armpit" House smiled
"Passing down your valuable knowledge I see." Cuddy smiled as she took a piece of House's waffle off his plate
"I'm getting good!" Rachel said as she began to place her hand under her arm to show her mom her progress
"Ah, ah. Not at the table." Cuddy corrected
"Boo" House said and Rachel laughed, "what about burping the alphabet? Have you learned that yet?"
Rachel shook her head but was excited to learn
"Maybe you teach her that not at the breakfast table." Cuddy said
"BOO!" Rachel yelled laughing hysterically, House smiled, "she is definitely my girl." He said to Cuddy who smiled back, "she sure is."
"I'm going to go to work, House can you please walk me to the door?"
"Yeah, wait here Rach, work on your farting. I'll be back."
Rachel smiled and got to work practicing. As House and Cuddy got to the door Cuddy gave him a hug. House held her wrapping his arms around her waist, "I'm nervous." Cuddy said into his chest.
"I know, but don't be I'm here. This will cheer you up. I called my apartment, I'm not renewing my lease so I'll start packing it up tonight."
"That's wonderful! I'll help you."
"You think a cripple can't pack up an apartment? Besides you need to stay with Rachel for bedtime."
"House, I'm not helping you because of that. With this woman… I don't want you going alone. Please. Don't go alone."
House could tell Cuddy was about to cry and he didn't want that the happen, "okay, okay" he said soothingly and kissed the top of her head. "I promise I won't go alone." Cuddy nodded into his chest.
"HOUSE! I'M DOING IT! I'M FARTING WITH MY ARM!" Rachel yelled from the kitchen. House could feel Cuddy laughing in his chest. Then suddenly Rachel said something that surprised them both, "DAD! DADDY COME QUICK! YOU'RE MISSING THE FARTS!" Cuddy looked up at House who was both shocked and a little scared at his new role. "Whelp. That's my cue. I better go." House said as he gave her a quick kiss and retreated to the kitchen.
"Yeah, love you." Cuddy said quietly as he left and she headed to work.
As Cuddy pulled into the parking garage and saw the handicap space that House normally parked in, she felt sick remembering what happened there last night. She felt like he should park in the outside lot that was reserved for him but then she felt that it would be too obvious. As she entered the hospital she made it her first priority to tell security about Stephanie and to not let her on hospital grounds. She also made sure House would be walked to and from his car. Cuddy was nervous about the day but trusted her security team to keep House safe which kept her at ease.
Stephanie couldn't stop thinking about what House said. She also knew that the hospital was probably on alert for her after what she did in the parking garage. She knew she had to disguise herself to see him again. She was normally a well-dressed woman with long blonde hair so she decided to do the exact opposite of that look. She cut her hair, short, the length of House's, and died her hair brown. She wore a baggy pair of sweatpants, old sneakers, and a hoodie. To further ensure her disguise she put in contacts that changed the color of her eyes from green to bright blue. Honestly, she could hardly recognize herself in the mirror, she smiled to herself. It was perfect, she was going to get away with this.
House entered the hospital not really sure how he felt, he didn't think about his stalker, he was focused on Rachel. She called him dad. He was pleased with her bonding with him so closely and clearly loving him as much as he loved her but he wasn't her dad; not really. He was the boyfriend, he didn't want Rachel to think he was her actual dad unless he was. Then he got to thinking, would it be inappropriate to adopt Rachel? He was only with Cuddy for two months, it was too soon for marriage, he hadn't really thought about marriage. But being Rachel's dad, as much of a parent to her as Cuddy, he thinks he is ready for that.
"I need to talk to you" House said barging into Wilson's office and laying on his couch.
"Did it occur to you I might be busy?"
"Yes, but I decided I was more important. What do you think Cuddy would think if I filed the paper work to adopt Rachel?"
Wilson's mouth dropped open, he looked like a guppy fish that was about to be fed. He was never expecting to have a conversation with House about fatherhood.
"Marriage is too soon for me right now but Rachel called me Dad this morning."
"Well, I can see why she would think that. All of her friends have dads, you're over every night and take care of her every morning."
"So, you're saying I should be her dad?"
"I'm saying it's a big decision. You're not sure about marrying Cuddy but you want joint custody of her child? What if you two split up? Does Rachel lose her father?"
"So, I should only be her dad if I marry Cuddy?"
"It's not my relationship but… yeah that's what I would do"
"How do you think Cuddy would respond? Is it too early to bring it up?"
"I think Cuddy would be really happy you brought it up. But you may want to expect her to ask you questions about marriage."
"Yeah…"
"Wait, so are you going to marry her?" Wilson asked as his friend was leaving, to no response.
"good talk." Wilson said to an empty room as he continued his work.
"Oh, House, I'm glad I found you. We have a case, thirty-three-year-old female presents with delusions and seizures." Masters said handing him the file.
"Sounds like a psych case, not my area." House said handing the file back to Masters as he made his way to his office. Masters was right on his heels, "Head CT ruled out any psych diseases, and she is bleeding… from her eyes." House stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to face her. "Maybe you should start with that. Gimme."
"Save the best for last." Masters said handing House the file. Chase, Foreman and Taub were all at the diagnostic's table waiting for House reading their latest case file.
"Okay, so anyone have any bright ideas why our patient is seeing red?" House said as he threw his backpack onto the chair and made his way to the coffee machine.
"She said she smokes marijuana, if she bought some that was grown in a jimson weed field she could have jimson weed poisoning" Foreman said
"Very rare to present with bloody tear ducts" Chase said
"Whatever she has is rare since it made it to this office."
"good point."
"She could also have poisoning from any pesticides or chemicals that have been sprayed by the marijuana plants." Taub said
"I like Jimson weed and I really like poisoning. Test her for toxins and search the home to see if you can find some Kush to see what it is laced with." House said making his way to his desk as the team left his office.
"Where is doctor House?" The patient asked, "I thought I got assigned to him."
"You did" Masters said as she began to draw blood, "he doesn't see patients, but he has taken your case."
"I see. Well I need to speak to him"
"Trust me, you don't want to speak to him." Chase said as he was collecting the other samples he needed. The patient nodded and turned to face the window.
Wilson caught up with House who was standing by the nurse's station collecting the messages he needed to update his charts.
"Man, Cuddy would have dated you sooner if she had known it would make you chart."
"Ha. Ha." House said exaggeratedly, "how much weed would you have to smoke grown in a jimson weed field to get jimson weed poisoning?"
"You think you have jimson weed poisoning?" Wilson asked jokingly then pretended to understand, "Oh, right you're talking about a patient." He said in air quotes implying that the patient was House.
"You'd have to smoke a lot, I'd say a gram a day for a week."
"Yeah, that was my though too." House said as he finished collecting his things. Suddenly his patient turned around and was able to see doctor House outside her door standing at the nurse's station, she got out of bed, slid the door open and called his name. House turned around to see her, "what do you want?" He asked annoyed she interrupted his conversation with Wilson. "I need to ask you about my case." She said stepping back inside, House rolled his eyes, "Jesus here we go. This is why it sucks to be world famous, people know what you look like." He said limping towards her room, "Yeah, such a burden you carry for being one of the top doctors in the country" Wilson called after him. House entered her room and slid the door closed, the blinds were drawn shut. "What's your question, I'm a busy guy." He said standing by the end of her bed. "I heard you think I'm poisoned." She said. House recognized her voice, but it couldn't be. She had blue eyes and short brown hair… But it was her House was sure of it. Holy shit. She did this to herself to get to him. She faked the delusions and poisoned herself with Propylene glycol to give herself seizures and make her eyes bleed. "Stephanie?" House asked
"Guilty." She said in a sexy tone, "don't worry doctor patient confidentiality, your girlfriend won't find out." House turned to leave to inform Cuddy, hell, anybody about this sociopath but before he could reach the door he felt a large smack against the back of his head sending him to the floor. Stephanie was standing on the side of the bed with the IV pole in her hand. What have I done? She thought, but there was no turning back now.
