Chapter Ten

House was on his bike, driving a little bit over the speed limit and heading in the direction of Cuddy's place. He had been sitting in his office, completely stunned when he finally came too and made his way out of the hospital with one purpose in mind. And that was to find Cuddy and talk to her.

"There are things she doesn't know"

Arlene had told him. And then she said that one sentence that changed his entire life, more than his leg pain, and more than Cuddy keeping the pregnancy a secret from him.

"Your daughter. She wasn't stillborn. She survived."

He had been so completely floored by those words, that he had zoned out. He wasn't even sure when Arlene had left his office. Or if she had continued talking or not. All he knew was that once his brain started functioning at its normal pace once again, she was no longer sitting in front of him. Which was a good thing because at this time if he did see her again he couldn't know what he would do to her.

He was still mad at Cuddy for what she had done and for lying to him. And right now he was on his way to her. Maybe her mother would be there and he would be able to let them both hear how angry he was. He couldn't really find the right words to describe how angry and betrayed he felt by these two Cuddy women. Both for different reasons.

All he knew was that he was angry and on that thought alone, he continued towards Cuddy's house.

**House MD**

When House finally pulled up in front of Cuddy's place, his mind was still racing. He grabbed his cane and limped as fast as he could towards the front door. His leg was throbbing painfully but he pushed it to the back of his mind.

When he reached the door he raised his hand to start pounding on it loudly, when a noise from inside stopped him. It was the sound of someone sobbing uncontrollably. He moved to the window and through the curtains he could just make out Cuddy's form on the floor against a wall. She was crying uncontrollably and her body was shaking.

And then it hit him. Her mother had told her about the baby. About their baby. Cuddy, who had thought that her baby daughter had died, had just found out that she was alive.

He had done a lot of shitty things in his life. A lot of those things to Cuddy herself. But knowing that she was like this, her heartbreaking, when only a minute ago he was furious at her… It was the worst thing he'd ever done.

He swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat before reaching for the door handle. It was locked. He went to knock but knew that she wouldn't hear him anyway. And if she did he doubted she would answer. Then he remembered her spare key. He quickly looked around. He knew she wouldn't still keep in the same place as before. His eyes settled on the porch light. On a hunch, he reached up and felt his fingers come into contact with something small, hard and bumpy. He curled his fingers around it and pulled it towards him. It was a key.

'Oh, Cuddy,' He thought almost fondly and a bit grateful. 'You predictable girl'

He slowly opened the door and entered her home. He closed the door behind him, pausing for a moment and closing his eyes because the cries coming from Cuddy where piercing his heart.

He slowly limped towards her cautiously. As if he would break her more by getting too close to her.

"Cuddy…" He whispered hoarsely when he was standing right in front of her.

She didn't say anything. Didn't move. She just continued to cry.

House drew in a quick sharp breath before he moved to her side. He slowly and carefully leaned against the wall before painfully lowering himself next to her. A slight hiss escaped his lips as he stretched his legs out.

He turned his attention back to Cuddy. Carefully and almost timidly, he reached out and lightly brushed his fingers against the skin of her wrist.

He didn't want to push her, and he didn't know what reaction to expect from her.

"Cuddy…" he sighed.

She turned quickly and before he could meet her eyes she turned and collapsed against him, crying into the crook of his neck.

On an instinct that he didn't know he had, House wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her tighter against his body. He brought his lips to her temple and pressed them against her skin.

**House MD**

House wasn't sure how long they had been sitting like that. He felt dampness on his skin where her tears had fallen against him. He realised that Cuddy had stopped shaking and noticed that she'd cried herself to sleep. He let out a low deep sigh and leaned his head back against the wall. Cuddy's body fell against him, proving to him that she was in a deep slumber. His eyes moved and he looked at her ceiling for a long moment.

He looked back down at her and knew that he couldn't leave her like this on the floor. He shifted her weight against him so that most of her was against the middle of his chest. Then he wrapped one arm around her and used the other hand to help him shimmy up the wall.

He had to grit his teeth forcefully to stop from groaning in pain. The pressure on his leg was killing him, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. Once he was standing he looked down at Cuddy and in the new position he could see her face more clearly. She was paler than normal and the evidence of her tears clearly on her cheeks.

Still holding her against him with one arm, he bent slightly and slid his other arm under her legs and then pulled her up so that he was cradling her in his arms. Carefully he made his way towards her sofa.

As he moved, he couldn't help but breathe in her scent. There was something familiar and satisfying about having her in his arms but he pushed those thoughts away as quickly as they had come.

Carefully, he lowered her onto the sofa. She didn't make a noise, nor did she move. The slowly rising and falling movement of her chest the only indication that she was alive and breathing. He stood back up and looked around briefly before spotting the wrap that was on the floor. He scooped it up and gently covered her body with it.

Once he was sure that she was fine, he hobbled back towards where they had been and grabbed his cane. Then he made his way to her bedroom. It was late and he knew that they needed to talk. Staying the night in her bed was his only option. If she woke up and decide to move to her bedroom then he would willingly take the sofa instead. But since his leg would not allow him to travel the distance to the bedroom with her in his arms, him taking the bed seemed more logical.

He sat down on the edge of her bed and placed his cane between his legs. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the familiar orange bottle. He tipped out four Vicodin pills and dry swallowed each one. He wasn't sure which pain he wanted to get rid of. The unbearable throbbing pain in his leg…or the pain in his chest…

To Be Continued…