I know this seems a little short but I promise, the updates are going to be getting faster and I believe, longer. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I know I did! Disclaimer: Like I said nine times before, I don't own anything from House M.D. And the word "bestest" is in here, even though it is not a real word!

Chapter Ten: Shopping

Kara looked up at the ceiling, puffing out her cheeks with air and then pushing her hands against her cheeks to let the air rush out. That was one of the many things Kara did when she was bored. It had been four days since House had pulled the tick off of her. Since then, everything had been comparatively quiet. Skyler was away with her new family so she couldn't have visited Kara, even though Skyler said they lived not too far from the orphanage and the hospital. Ms. Charles visited her once but that was just to finish the adoption papers and discuss certain details.

The door slid open and Foreman entered the room to do the routine check up. "How're you feeling?" He asked, smiling.

"I'm so bored!" She whined, looking up at him despondently.

"Well, the hospital isn't the most exciting place in the world." Foreman told her, taking her temperature. "A normal ninety-eight point six." He showed her. She stared at him. "Don't worry, just a few more days and you'll be out of here with your parents." He frowned. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing."

Kara couldn't help but laugh. House's ducklings had expressed their concerns for Kara earlier on, telling her not to grow up like her father while House one time told her not to grow up like her mother. She had told them that she would grow up like Kara was supposed to grow up, which didn't seem to alleviate anyone's concerns. Slowly the laughter ended and she frowned, wondering why her parents weren't doing those underhanded visits anymore. She knew that they didn't have to do that anymore since they were now her parents and she confirmed it, but they could at least visit. "So, when exactly is a few more days?"

"Probably whenever your parents think it's a good time to discharge you. I think Cuddy has yet to go shopping for you." Foreman said, writing the concluding details on the clipboard. "Do you need anything?"

"Skyler." Kara answered automatically, letting another sigh out.

Foreman opened his mouth to say something but stopped when the door opened. "Granted." He finally told her, beaming contentedly at her.

Kara lifted her head and grinned. Skyler stood in the doorway, dressed in brand new clothing; smiling back at Kara and behind her stood her new parents. Her new mother had long blonde hair pulled in a tight bun, an austere looking face, hard steely gray eyes, and a dignified aura around her. Her clothes were neatly pressed, as well were her husband's and Skyler's, and she wore no excessive jewelry. Her new father had combed black hair, bright emerald eyes, a relaxed looking face, and a somewhat casual appearance to him. "You brought the adopted people along as well. Skyler, couldn't you have just left them at home." She told Skyler unenthusiastically. Both of Skyler's parents glanced at each other.

"Kara, stop being mean." Skyler reprimanded, crossing her arms and going to her best friend's bedside. "I can leave."

"No you can't. I'm sick, remember?" Kara told her, coughing pathetically. Foreman laughed heartily at that one and shook his head to Skyler before leaving. "What does he know?" She snapped.

Skyler rolled her eyes at Kara before turning to her parents. "Mom, Dad, this is my bestest friend in the whole wide world, Kara!" Skyler told them cheerfully, smiling up at them.

"Correction! Only friend in the whole wide world." Kara pointed out.

"That's only because you chased everyone else away." Skyler said exasperated.

"Correction again. I only did that because you made me your personal bodyguard." Kara replied smartly. Skyler was quiet for a moment, watching Kara with aversion. "You've rubbed off on me!" Skyler laughed and turned to her parents.

"Well, we'll leave you two alone then. We'll be back here at noon. Alright?" Her mother said, checking her watch. Kara frowned. That only left Skyler and Kara just an hour to visit. She hoped that her parents weren't excessively strict. Skyler nodded and they left.

"I can't believe you picked Mr. and Mrs. Well-behaved." Kara scolded Skyler as soon as her parents vanished from Kara's sight. She knew Skyler had always been one for obeying the rules and keeping things neat like Ms. Charles but she would have never guessed that Skyler would pick parents like that.

"They're not bad! They're really nice if you give them a chance. And it's Mr. Randal and Mrs. Kiki Rivers." Skyler defended, furrowing her brows. "Keep your attitude up and my parents will forbid me to be friends with you."

Kara looked dismayed. "They can't do that! You have a right to befriend anybody." Kara sputtered wrathfully.

"Parents are allowed to do that kind of stuff. I'm not saying that they will but you never know." Skyler told her, sitting down. Both of them were quiet for a moment, very jealous of the god-like power parents seem to hold in their dirty little hands. "So, what's been going on with you lately?"

"Absolutely nothing." Kara answered, yawning with tediousness. "You think with a TV that has about fifty million channels would have something good to watch. But oh we are so very wrong. Anything that even sounds mildly entertaining is either blocked or stupid."

"Blocked?" Skyler asked, looking anxiously over at her friend. Why would Kara want to watch something she's not allowed too?

"You know, when they don't have the channel." Kara explained.

"Oh, that kind of blocked. You had me going there for a moment." Skyler said relieved.

Kara looked at her friend with a confused expression. "You should have learned that I'm not interested in shows that are all about fake people and their sex lives." She reminded Skyler, looking at the door which had opened again. Kara should have figured something like this would happen. Once someone visited, everyone else in the entire world did too. Cuddy stepped into Kara's room timidly, almost as if she didn't want someone else noticing.

"Morning, Kara. Morning, Skyler." Cuddy said courteously. Kara and Skyler both gave her nods. "I just came to measure you and ask you a few questions, so I'll be out of your hair in a few minutes." Kara could definitely tell that Cuddy was nervous. Was she afraid that Kara wouldn't like her and demand to be an orphan again? Kara could almost picture Cuddy thinking that. Cuddy pulled out a measuring tape from her sweater pocket and began to measure Kara. As Cuddy was measuring Kara's chest, Kara immediately became aware of her lack of bust. She knew her mother would definitely have that but heaven forbid that Skyler have more bust size than her!

"Will they grow?" She suddenly asked shamefacedly, making Cuddy look up.

"Excuse me?" Cuddy asked, frowning.

"My anthills. Will they be like yours one day?" Kara asked again, her cheeks becoming red. It took all of Skyler's willpower not to smile at Kara's question.

Cuddy couldn't help but smile. "Most likely yes." She answered, reaching out to touch Kara's cheek affectionately before starting up with the measurements. Skyler and Kara looked up inquisitively as the door opened again to House. He held his pointer finger to his lips. "Is there anything you really hate to wear?" Cuddy asked, slipping the measurement tape back into her pocket.

Kara shrugged. "Not really."

"Alright then. I'm going to buy you a few welcoming home gifts as well for your room. Do you like anything in particular? I mean like a Disney character, the ocean, or something." Cuddy asked her. It wasn't really welcoming home gifts. It should have been more like 'I'm-giving-you-gifts-so-your-room-can-be-called-a-room' gifts.

Kara looked at Skyler before back at Cuddy. "I like rainbows." She said, wondering if that would help.

"And she likes flowers, puffy clouds, cute dogs, the color purple, and swirls." Skyler added in.

"Don't forget bubbles, stars, and green." Kara finished, looking up at Cuddy. Cuddy was smiling. "I think that's all." Skyler nodded in approval.

"Great, now when do we go shopping?" House finally said, smirking. Cuddy turned around, startled at his unexpected appearance. He was leaning against the wall, toying with his cane. Cuddy's hands rested on her hips and Kara could hear her sigh exhaustingly.

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Cuddy grabbed the nearest cart and placed her purse in it, sending a disdainful glare at House. He had followed her all the way to the store on his motorcycle despite her telling him that he was not going shopping with her. His only answer had been 'That's what you think.' She slowly pushed it down the walkway in search of the girls' department with Kara's measurements in hand. "Why are you suddenly so interested in what Kara will wear?" She asked suspiciously. She had a feeling that House wasn't here just to make sure that Cuddy got her daughter nice clothes.

"I didn't come here for that. I came here for my own personal enjoyment." House said apathetically, his blue eyes lighting up as he looked at something off to his left. Cuddy followed his gaze and groaned inwardly, seeing the lingerie section.

"House," She began but House was already doing a beeline for one of the most revealing piece of clothing, if one could call it that. She quickly picked up her pace for the girls' department. Maybe she could lose him in the store hopefully.

"Cuddles!" House's shout could be heard from clear across the store. "Where did you go?" Cuddy peeked over a rack, seeing House stand in the aisle, frowning indecisively as he gazed around for her. Cuddy turned around to the rack behind her and began to sort through them. For a few minutes, Cuddy was alone, gathering quite a hefty pile of potential clothing. But her peaceful minutes alone didn't last long as she felt a cane tap her on the shoulder.

Cuddy miserably turned around, a pretty dress in her hands. House stood in front of her, brandishing out a lingerie outfit which barely covered anything. Crimson immediately began to creep into her cheeks. Why did House have to humiliate her with all these people around? "House, put that back!" She snarled, fingers digging in to the cotton fabric of the dress.

House frowned at her. "If you wear this to work, I'll do clinic duty for a week." He said, offering it to her.

"I'm not wearing it, House. Not now, not at work, not ever!" She hissed, jabbing her finger into his chest. She quickly straightened herself and gazed down at the dress.

House looked down desperately at the clothing in his hands before tossing it on to the floor. "I don't think Kara wants to dress up like those people on Little House on the Prairie." He objected, wrinkling his nose in repugnance at the dress.

"People on that show don't dress like this." Cuddy told him, placing the dress in the cart. She looked up at House. "Why did you come here, House? Please, enlighten me on the real answer."

House stared at her for a few moments, his eyes searching hers. "Because, I can." He answered nonchalantly, gazing over at the rack beside him. "Let's shop till you drop."

"Fine, but no nit-picking." She agreed, rolling her eyes at House's last statement. She wasn't a shopping addict. She could completely control herself.

"What about these? These are so adorable." Cuddy squealed over more clothes just a half an hour later. House had made himself comfortable on the floor. Resignedly, he opened his eyes looking at Cuddy. "Which one do you think she'll like? The orange or the blue?" She asked him, holding it out to him. House groaned. Cuddy's cart was already half full of clothes for Kara. The child didn't need anymore!

"Don't you think it's time to shop for something else? We've got the jeans; we got the shirts, the dresses, the skirts, and the unmentionables." He said prudently, turning himself slightly to help him get up. He dusted off his pants and grabbed his cane. "I mean, she still needs bedding and things." He added, uncertain of what else Kara needed.

Cuddy looked over at him before glancing at the clothes in her hands dejectedly. "I guess so." She told him, putting the clothes back on the rack. She began to push the cart into the aisle towards their next destination. House let out a sigh of relief. He didn't realize that when he had said 'Shop till you drop' that she would have taken it literally. "Let's go to bedding." She told him. House followed her inaudibly until they passed the beds, where he inconspicuously went to the nearest bed. Collapsing on it, he closed his eyes.

Cuddy was too busy looking at the bedding to realize that House wasn't with her. She had found a white bedding with rainbows all over it. It took her about fifteen minutes to spot this perfect one. Glancing at her watch, she sighed. Shopping was always a thing that took a lot of time and consideration. "Alright then. We should get her some..." She trailed off, looking for House. Did she actually lose him this time? Cuddy wasn't sure whether to feel happy or somewhat sad. Did he ditch her? "House?" She asked vociferously, going into the aisle. She started on her way back to the clothes but stopped shortly, rolling her eyes at the sight to her left.

An employee was looking agitatedly over at House, who was passed out on the mattress, snoring. "Sir, you have to wake up, sir." The employee was saying, tapping House lightly on the shoulder. He snorted slightly, turning in his sleep. The girl sighed irritably at the man and looked around helplessly. Cuddy walked over there.

"I'm so sorry." Cuddy apologized, sending an icy glare back at House's sleeping form. "I usually don't take him shopping for obvious reasons." She added as she picked up House's cane that he had left on the floor. She hit him harshly on the shoulder, causing him to jump a little. Blearily, he turned over, looking up at Cuddy crossly. "Get off of the mattress, House."

"I'm just testing it out. Aren't I allowed to do that to something before we buy it?" He protested, stealing his cane back. He glanced at the employee. "It works but it's a little bumpy."

"We don't need to buy a bed. Just covers." Cuddy told him impatiently, looking at the dirt that had gotten on to the mattress from House's shoes. "Look, you've made a mess." She went to wipe off the dirt but House grabbed her hand.

"That's not dirt." He assured her quietly, beaming brightly at the employee. She gave him a weird look. He got up, stretching and then looked at Cuddy expectantly. "Lead the way."

Finally, Cuddy was checking out about two hours later. House was watching the bagger with little interest as he placed bag after bag in the cart. "Do you need help?" The bagger asked, grinning toothily at Cuddy. House looked up seeing Cuddy mask her horror and put on a hesitant smile.

"No thank you. I've got help." She said, stressing the world help as she looked over at House. House refused to meet her gaze. Cuddy finished paying for Kara's things before heading out of the store with House in tow. She headed to the back of her car, opening the trunk as House took his helmet out of Cuddy's car. "Help." Cuddy said peering at him from around the car, watching him put his helmet on.

With a loud sigh, he trudged over to her and helped her place the clothes and other junk that Kara needed into Cuddy's trunk and car. Cuddy pushed the cart back to the store's entrance before she slid inside her car, ready to go home. Her eyes drifted to her left, watching House sit on his motorcycle and the confused look on a passerby as he noticed that House was in a handicapped parking spot. She rolled down her window. "House!" She yelled at him over the motorcycle's loud engine. House didn't hear her for he turned around just then, over the sidewalk then back on to the road. She leaned back in her car, watching him zoom off. "Thanks." She whispered before rolling her window back up and putting her car in reverse.

Now that's the shopping's done, that only leaves one thing left! Kara goes home! Yay! Please review! The three C's are loved!