I was actually not going to post anything today. But, then I realized I wouldn't smile because of all the reviews I got. So, I'm posting something. And this is a purely selfish action on my part. It has nothing to do with all you adoring people. ;)
Limaccia, whoKMH, mikesh, Mix-Me-A-Martini, Fetzenviech, sabu53, bones4life, Nellas, socrgrl14, KittyX1981, charmedbabywyatt, sweetgreuy, aradiea.
Limaccia: No need to cross the fingers, (Unless you like to do that a lot, then, by all means have fun with that.) It was just House trying to calm her down. Do you really expect him to explain to a four year old why the new baby would share her clothes:)
Mikesfbuddy: I would love to get a job at Fox as a writer. That would be a dream come true.
"Come on Jimmy! We're almost there!" House yelled from the driveway. Wilson was carrying the six foot Christmas tree from the hood of Allison's car.
"We! I'm the one carrying the thing!" Wilson yelled back.
House held up his cane. "Cripple, remember? Besides, I'm giving you directions."
"It's a strait walk from the car to the front door," Wilson said.
"But if a cat so happens to walk in front of your path…." House trailed off. Wilson lost grip of the tree and it dropped to the floor. "Hey! Watch it; I spent a lot of money on that tree. Not only that, but Allison spent forty five minutes picking it out. Never go tree shopping with your pregnant wife."
"Leave him alone, Greg," Allison said, as she walked up behind Wilson. Kate was at her side, eyes wide with excitement. You could hardly see her under all of the clothes she had on to keep her warm.
"He's killing our tree!" House exclaimed.
"If you would just let me get a fake one like I wanted to…," Allison said.
"No, way! If I'm going to have a tree for Christmas it better feel like a real tree, smell like a real tree, and need to be watered like a real tree!" House exclaimed.
"Why is he so hyper?" Wilson asked, as he once again began carrying the tree to the front door.
Allison sighed. "He had Fruit Loops this morning."
The tree was set up, finally. Wilson had left after he had brought in the tree for the growing family; he had a patient to take care of. Allison was carrying the presents out of their bedroom closet, where they hid them on the top shelf away from Kate, and into the living room. Kate stayed in the living room counting the presents she had. House sat and watched her. When Allison brought in the last bunch of presents she found their daughter sitting next to the tree, a frown on her face. House noticed as well, and stood up and walked over to her.
House picked her up, wincing at the pain it brought to his thigh, and held her in his arms. "What's wrong, Princess?"
"There aren't any presents for my brother," She said. House smiled and raised an eyebrow. The ultrasound had shown that the baby was indeed a boy. Everyone was happy. Kate had told everyone that her brother was in her mother's belly, and that she couldn't wait to play with him.
"Your brother isn't going to be here this Christmas," House explained, as he walked over to the couch and sat down. "He'll be here next Christmas though."
Allison sat down next to them on the couch.
"But he is here," She told them. Kate pointed to her mother's swelled belly. "He's right in there. I saw him on that machine."
"Yea, but he won't get to play with any toys until he comes out. That won't be until around Mommy's birthday," House said.
"But he still needs presents," Kate said. House took a good look at his daughter. The fact that there were no presents under the tree for her unborn brother was obviously upsetting her.
"Ok, go get your shoes and winter gear on. We're going shopping," House said. Kate's face lit up. She kissed her father's cheek before bouncing out of the room to get ready.
House looked over at his wife, who looked over at him with a raised eyebrow.
"What? She was so…. How could you not…," House sputtered. He wasn't sure what she was thinking, or what her mood was. And he was afraid. Allison's moods changed as quick as lightning these days, he had a reason to be afraid.
"I'm not going shopping," She told him. He didn't here any trace of angry, so he was safe. He sighed, gratefully.
"You don't have too," He assured her with a smile.
"I want Mc Donald's," She told him.
He kept his face neutral, not showing his disgust. "I'll get it for you on the way home."
She smiled at him and kissed him quickly. "Thanks, Greg."
She got up and went to the bedroom, grabbing the brochures of homes from the coffee table on her way there. The new house hunt was a hard and long one. They still hadn't found the perfect home, and as time went by House could see his wife getting more and more agitated. He sighed, before standing up, and following his wife down the hall to get ready. He hoped he'd find a house on the way to the mall, this way every one was happy.
The next day the family headed to the park. A small snow storm had passed throughout the night leaving the area of Princeton looking like a white wonderland. House hated the snow. It was cold, making his leg hurt much more then usual, and the snow wasn't really cripple friendly. He went along, because Allison had wanted to get out of the house, and he didn't want his pregnant wife out and about alone with their four year old daughter. There were a few families at the park making use of the snow covered hills with their sleds. House sat down on a bench and watched as his daughter frolicked in the snow with her mother who, at five and a half months pregnant, was much slower and much more careful.
House looked up at the street and watched as some idiot sped by in his car. What kind of person sped in their car around a family park? It was then he saw it. The perfect house. Sure, he'd seen the house before; he goes to the park nearly every week with Kate. But he had never seen the house with a 'for sale' sign in front of it.
Turning to see Allison and Kate still happily occupied with the snow. House stood up and made his way across the street. He grabbed a flyer from the 'for sale' sign and looked at it as he limped back across the street.
The house was one story and had four bedrooms. Hardwood floors were placed in every room through out the house and the kitchen had just been remodeled with granite countertops. It had a large backyard, two car garage, and a lot of room. He knew Allison would love the dinning room, and the large kitchen. All House cared about though was the fact that it would be perfect for his growing family. The price was a bit more then what he and Allison had settled on what they wanted to spend but he was sure he could change her mind.
"Daddy!" Kate screamed. Allison and House both immediately woke up when they heard their daughter scream. House got out of bed quickly, and limped as fast as he could down the hallway. Allison stayed in bed, knowing what the problem was. Kate had had another nightmare. She had one the night before as well, and wouldn't tell her parent's what it was about. She claimed it was too scary to talk about.
House rushed in to his daughter's room. Kate had brought the covers up completely over her head. House could hear her crying beneath them.
"Hey, what's the matter, Princess?" House asked.
"Daddy," Kate cried. House turned on the light, and made his way across the room. He pulled the covers down, to reveal his upset daughter. Kate threw her self at House, and House winced as she accidentally jarred his leg. He bit his lip at the pain.
House picked Kate up and limped down the hall, back to the bedroom. He winced at every step he took with his bad leg, and cursed himself for not taking a Vicodin when he got out of bed. His daughter still cried while he carried her down the hall, but she seemed to slowly calm down somewhat. When he entered the bedroom, he set Kate gently on the bed next to her mother. He then left Allison to soothe Kate further while he went to go take some Vicodin. He refused to have his daughter witness him taking the pain meds.
After returning from the bathroom Kate had calmed down. Allison was still rubbing small circles on Kate's back. House returned to the bed and laid down. He scooted closer to his family and wrapped his arm around both of them. Kate rolled over and hugged her father.
"Are you going to tell us what you're dream was about?" House asked.
Silence.
"Was it about Aunt Cuddy? Because she gives me nightmares too," House joked. Kate giggled before becoming somber.
"It was Grave Digger," Kate said. She stared at the bed cover, refusing to meet her father's eyes. House's eyes widened. Cleary unable to speak Allison took over.
"What about Grave Digger?" She asked. Kate's eyes began watering again.
"He was following me, and trying to run me over! He was going to kill me! Just like he killed those cars! And I couldn't find you or Daddy! And he wouldn't leave me alone! I kept running and he kept getting closer!" Kate said, crying. She hugged House tighter and he responded by tightening his hold on her.
He looked over to Allison who was glaring at him. Two days ago his, obviously all knowing wife, had told him she didn't want their daughter watching monster trucks. She told him it would give her nightmares. He hadn't listened, claiming monster trucks were harmless. He had been wrong. Feeling his daughter cry into his chest, House vowed to listen to his wife more.
"Grave Digger isn't going to come get you, Sweetheart," Allison said.
"That's right. He's afraid of me," House said. Kate looked up at House, doubtfully. "I'm serious! Mommy and I went to go see him once, and he kept staring at Mommy and I hit him with my cane! I broke him, and he had to get fixed. Now he's afraid of me," House explained.
"You broke him with your cane?" She asked. She was four, she should believe him right? House thought. House nodded his head.
"He's practically plastic," He lied.
"Now he's scared of you?" She asked. "Like everyone at the hospital?"
Allison snorted back a laugh and House held back a grin. "Yes, just like everyone at the hospital."
Kate sighed in relief.