Sorry it took so long to update. Thousands of things got in the way. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 10

House woke up the next morning nervous. Today was the day that the judge would announce who would keep Michelle. He yawned and outstretched his arms. Next, he looked over at the clock. It read 9:00am. The meeting with the judge wasn't until 12:00pm. He smiled and remembered the person he was with the night before. He opened his eyes and turned his head. Surprisingly to him, she wasn't laying beside him.

House sat up in bed. He rubbed his eyes and stepped out of bed. He pulled a t-shirt over his head and walked out into the hallway. The noise coming from the tv blared from the livingroom. He quickly recognized the show as Spongebob Squarepants. Michelle sat directly in front of the tv, eyes seemingly in a trance. House walked up and stood behind her.

"Michelle, where's Auntie Cuddy?"

Michelle briefly looked up from the screen and answered. "Mommy is in the bathroom. She's not feeling so good." House nodded and turned around, freezing in his tracks. He looked back at Michelle.

"What did you just call Cuddy?"

Michelle looked over at him. "Mommy. I like to call her mommy."

House nodded and pulled her away from the tv screen. Next, he walked down the hall to the bathroom. Cuddy stood in front of the mirror. Her face seemed a little bit pale. House walked up and hugged her from behind, gently kissing her on the neck.

"What's wrong," he whispered softly in her ear. Cuddy relaxed into his touch.

"Nothing. Just a little stomach cramping. But I'm okay now." House kissed her earlobe.

"Good. Now, I heard that Michelle calls you mommy now." Cuddy turned and stared at him.

"House, she asked me if she could. I couldn't tell her no. She looked so cute." House smiled and kissed her on the lips.

"It's okay. It's better to call you mommy than Stacy." Cuddy smiled and returned his kiss. Hi hands traveled around her waist and pulled her against him. The kiss lasted for a couple of seconds. It was interrupted by a little giggle a "eww" from behind them.

House released Cuddy's lips and they both smirked. They turned around and saw Michelle standing in the doorway. She had a disgusted look on her face.

"That's nasty," she said. She folded her arms over her chest.

House gave her a mocking face. "How do you think you got here."

Michelle twisted her face up into a thinking position . Finally, she came up with an answer. "The UPS people. Duh."

House smiled and walked over to her. "You think your so smart don't you." Michelle grinned and ran down the hallway. House ran after her. Cuddy walked to the entrance of the doorway. She watched as House and Michelle ran into his room.

She could here Michelle screaming and laughing. "Help mommy help," she said in between giggles. Cuddy smiled and walked to the entrance of House's bedroom. House held Michelle down on the bed. He tickled and kissed her all over. "Help me mommy help." Cuddy couldn't help but smile.

"Come on you guys stop fooling around. We have a long day ahead of us." House stopped tickling Michelle. She laughed while she tried to catch her breath.

"Not so smart now are ya," he teased. Michelle took a few more breaths before sticking her tongue out at him. House mocked her by sticking his tongue out. "Come on. Mommy is right. We have to get ready for our day in court."

Michelle slid off of the bed and walked over to Cuddy. "Mommy, will you give me a bath." Cuddy smiled and bent down to her level.

"Of course I will. Go wait for me in your room. I'll be there in a second." After a kiss on the cheek, Michelle was off down the hallway. Cuddy stood up and walked over to the closet. "What do you think the judge will say?"she asked House.

He shrugged his shoulders. "If the judge isn't an idiot then he will choose me to keep Michelle." Cuddy opened the closet door. Clothes and sneakers fell to her feet. She turned around to stare at House.

"Don't worry. The judge will pick you to be Michelle's legal guardian. I know he will." House nodded and walked over to the closet. He started to pick the clothes up. Cuddy sighed and knelt down beside him. "House, I'm serious. Only an idiot couldn't see that Michelle is better with you." House turned to her and smiled. He kissed her softly on the lips.

"Thanks," he replied. Cuddy nodded and stepped out of the room.

Two hours later, all three of them were ready to go. It was 11:00am. They had to be in the judge's office an hour from now. Michelle sat in front of the tv while House and Cuddy stood in the kitchen. "It's okay House. It's going to be fine," Cuddy whispered to him.

"I know. But not knowing what the judge is going to say is killing me." Cuddy smiled and kissed him for reassurance. House walked out into the livingroom. He turned off the tv and lifted Michelle into his arms. "Let's go." House hurried out of the door. Cuddy was surprised at how fast he moved. She took the liberty of closing and locking the door behind them.

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45 minutes later, they reached the court house. House, Cuddy, and Michelle walked down the hallway to the judges room. They knocked on the door until the judge told them to come in. The judge sat behind his desk. Stacy sat across from hi, but she wasn't alone. Next to her was a man. He was kind of chubby and looked about in his mid thirties.

House, Cuddy, and Michelle sat down next to them. "I thought that you guys were coming by yourself," the judge stated. He looked at Cuddy and then to the mysterious man sitting next to Stacy. Stacy spoke up.

"Sir this is my husband, Mark Warner." Mark turned his attention over to House and gave him a polite nod. House was aware of his nod, but ignored it coldly.

"Right, let's get this started," the judge replied. "I have reviewed your case a lot in the pass few hours. After going over it again and again, I have come to a decision." He looked at House and Stacy intensely. They returned his gaze just intensely. "I have decided that Michelle go with ... Gregory House."

A wide smile appeared on House's face. He hugged Michelle tightly. Cuddy patted him on the back. Stacy slid back in her chair disappointed. Mark put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Stacy turned to stare at House, Cuddy, and Michelle. She caught Michelle staring at her intensely. Her deep blue eyes stared at her curiously.

House didn't seem to notice because he was having a conversation with Cuddy. Stacy gave Michelle a small smile. Michelle stared at her a little longer before she waved at her. The judge waited for House and Cuddy to end their conversation before grabbing their attention.

"I would like to speak to the mother and father alone for minute please." Cuddy and Mark nodded. Cuddy took Michelle's hand and took her out of the room. Mark followed them.

When the door shut, the judge began to talk. "Now I understand that Michelle doesn't know who you are," he said gesturing towards Stacy. House and Stacy gazed at each other before nodding. The judge sighed and leaned forward. "I stand by what I said earlier. I do think Gregory should keep the child." House smirked at his victory. "But, I also think something else should happen."

Stacy and House both sat up in their seats. "I want you two to explain to Michelle that Stacy is her mother."

House looked at the judge and then to Stacy. He swallowed before he continued. "Do you really think that it is a good idea to tell Michelle? I mean , she hasn't seen or heard about Stacy in years."

The judge looked at him sternly. "I think that she deserves to know who her mother is. Every kid should know." House slid back in his chair and sighed. Stacy looked at House and then to the judge.

"I think she should know also." They both turned to House and expected an answer. House finally gave up.

"Fine. We'll tell her. But not now. Maybe some other day."

"The judge nodded. "Good. But I want it to be a day of this week." House nodded and walked out of the room. He found Cuddy and Michelle sitting on a bench across from the judge's room. At th sight of her father, Michelle ran up and jumped into his arms.

"Daddy, mommy said that I can stay with you forever now," she said ethusiasticly. House smiled and walked over to Cuddy.

"What did the judge say," she asked. House looked at Michelle before answering.

"I'll tell you later. It's kind of private." He nodded his head towards Michelle. Cuddy nodded her head in understanding.

"Daddy, can we go to Dave and Busters."

"I don't know. Are you up to it Cuddy." She shook her head and felt a sharp vibrating pain in her stomach.

"Those cramps came back. I'm not really up to going anywhere but home right now."

"Are you okay," House asked concerned.

Cuddy nodded her head. "Yeah I'm fine. You two can go without me." House shook his head and helped her stand up.

"Come on. I'm taking you home."

"House I'm fine." House just ignored her whines and walked towards the exit.

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Please review! To Be Continued...