AN: Another chapter! Almost at 25,000 words now and I haven't even started the trial yet! Wow. Thanks for all the great reviews (keep forgetting to thank you all). Hope everyone from the US had a great Thanksgiving!
Chapter Thirteen
A factory somewhere ...
The room was dimly lit and the four people in it were quiet. A small window was the main source of light, excluding the two flashlights.
"Daddy," Renee huddled herself against Lucas's side, and he frowned slightly. "I'm scared."
"Stop complaining," he looked at her, also pulling John and Rachel towards him, "all three of you. I don't need to hear you whining about the silliest things. You're lucky that I got you out of there when I did. I have no idea what your mother is thinking, but ..."
"I want mommy!" John cut him off, and Lucas glared at him, "Pwease?"
"Shut it, your mother isn't coming for you John, you're mine now." He stood, walking away from them, "Now, if I hear one peep outta any of you, you're all going the same way as your mother." Pulling out his cellphone, he quickly dialed a number, tapping his foot.
"Hello there, didn't think you'd be picking up after the past few days," Lucas spoke into the phone, But good luck on the search to find me and the kids, love muffin. You've got fifty states to search through, and I'm not telling which one I'm in. But, I've got a proposition for you, and then maybe, just maybe, you'll see those three brats of yours again. You've got to forget about House, and I don't mean ignore him Lisa, you need to forget, forget him. Forget everything that you two had, what he means to you, what you mean to him; everything. Just pretend he dropped off the face of the earth, pretend he never existed." He drummed his fingers on the windowsill, "If you can do that, then call me Lisa; trust me, House is fooling you with this whole act. He doesn't mean any of it – what happened between us, that happens all the time between couples, we can do something about it. Bye," he clicked the phone shut, turning to his three frightened children.
"Stay here, and if any of you move while I'm gone, you're all gone." He turned on his heel, storming out of the room, leaving the kids to huddle in the darkness.
"I'm scared Rach," Renee buried her face on her sister's shoulder, and Rachel put an arm around her.
"It's gonna be okay, trust me you two munchkins; mommy's friend is gonna come save us, and Uncle Wilson, he's gonna come too." Rachel kissed her sister's forehead, "We're all gonna be safe." She closed her eyes, now only speaking to herself; I hope.
Back in Princeton ...
"Hey you guys," House pulled open his apartment door, a slight grin on his face, "I'm not too surprised to see you."
"Duh," Katheryn automatically stepped into the room, "Lisa's my best friend, of course I'd come over." She moved towards the couch, where Cuddy was curled up, her nose buried in a book.
"Any leads?" Wilson looked between House and Cuddy, trying to figure out what had changed between them, if anything.
"Not yet, she doesn't want to talk about it much," House replied, keeping his voice down, "I know the past few days have been hard on her; hell, she's still wearing her wedding ring from their wedding. But I think she wants me to help her brainstorm ideas on where he could have taken the kids." He let Wilson in and shut the door, "It's going to take time, but I'll be there for her, and the kids, whenever they need it." Wilson raised his eyebrows at this but sat down on the piano bench, watching Cuddy closely.
"If you want I guess Katheryn and Wilson could help us brainstorm ideas, after all, four heads are better than two." Cuddy looked up, making sure House could tell that she wanted them to stay, "Really."
"You sure Lisa? Maybe you and House should plan a bit on your own then call us if you need help. After all, James and I have our wedding to plan." Katheryn began, hoping to steer Cuddy in that direction, thinking that House and her could bond for a while as well.
"No, no, no!" Cuddy laughed, "You two are like family to us both, and to the kids," her face fell a little bit, "They'd like to know that you both helped in their 'big rescue' as I imagine John saying."
"Wait, Lisa," Wilson froze, getting an idea, "Does Lucas have his phone? If he does, then the police can use the GPS signal to track him. Would make life a lot easier."
"Unless he tossed it somewhere, knowing that we'd try that." Katheryn interrupted, "Then we'll just be back to square one."
"Fine," House dropped onto the couch besides Cuddy, putting up his leg, "What do you think Lise?" Wilson and Katheryn exchanged glances, curious, but they didn't say anything; not really wanting to know what it took to get House or Cuddy angry at the moment.
"Don't care," Cuddy shrugged, snuggling into House's arms, "I'm fine with your judgment on this." Wilson and Katheryn exchanged another round of curious stares, now wanting to know what exactly had and hadn't happened between the two people opposite them in the past few days.
"I say we make a list, then we see about tracking down him via GPS," House began, "That way, if GPS doesn't work, we already have an idea on where to start." He reached for a pad of paper and a pen, which Cuddy stole from him, kissing his cheek playfully.
"Okay, seriously you two," Wilson began, completely confused by their interactions, and though she didn't say it, so was Katheryn. "What happened between you two?"
"Nothing, stop assuming things," Cuddy snapped, looking annoyed.
"Okay, fine," Wilson held up his hands in defeat, "I was just asking, gosh Cuddy, chill out."
"No you weren't," Cuddy's tone rivaled his, "If you want to try and force House and I into some sort of fling while Lucas is gone then have the guts to actually say it." She leaned back into House's arms, "I don't care where Lucas and I stand, but even so, I'm still faithful to him; he's my husband."
"Lisa, it's okay," House kissed her forehead reassuringly, "It's nothing to get worked up about, Wilson was just asking."
"Okay, can we get back to brainstorming? Please?" Katheryn interrupted their moment, resting her hand on Wilson's clenched one.
"Sure," Wilson unclenched his hand and squeezed hers, "Any local places you think Lucas would have gone to?"
"Yeah, sure, loads," Cuddy replied, obviously still pissed off at Wilson, "But that would be just plain stupid. Why stay local? Besides, his car hasn't been found within a thirty-mile radius of Princeton, nor would Lucas be stupid enough to stay in the state. He either went home to Virginia, or to his brother's in New York."
"Where in New York?" Katheryn looks up, interested in this fact, and Cuddy shrugs.
"Never been, he never told me," Cuddy frowned slightly, "I know it's on the western side, maybe Buffalo area?"
"Great, that narrows it down," Katheryn began sarcastically, "Thanks for not telling us where your own brother lives Lucas." Cuddy had to crack a smile, and so did House, but Wilson narrowed his eyes, not finding the bit of humor funny.
"If he's anywhere near the border, he can't hop it though," House began, "Police have his passport, along with the kids, under lock and key at the station."
"What about your sister's?" Wilson suggested, "I know it's closer, and not out of state, but it's possible."
"Nope," Cuddy didn't let him finish, "Called her yesterday and told her the whole thing, she hasn't heard from him at all. Same with my parents."
"His alma mater, from either high school or college?" House laced his fingers with Cuddy's, which didn't go unnoticed by Wilson or Katheryn.
"Possibly," Cuddy sat up, hopping on one foot towards the kitchen, grabbing her phone from her jacket pocket. Surprised to see that she had a missed call, she dialed her voice mail, expecting that it was an old call, but she froze, shocked to hear Lucas's voice come over the speaker. As she listened to the message, she felt the color drain from her face and after sensing something was wrong, House came into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her cheek and eased the phone from her hand, kissing her lips gently, just as Wilson and Katheryn entered the room.
"See! I told you two something was up!" Wilson cried, "Okay, spill." He stopped, seeing Cuddy's expression.
"Lucas called me," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly, "He wants me to come get the kids, but he didn't say where he is. And he wants me to forget everything House and I have, or could have. I can't do that," she rested her chin on House's shoulder, looking towards Wilson and Katheryn, who nodded in agreement.
"Lise," House pulled back, looking her in the eye, ignoring Wilson and Katheryn completely, "This is good, we know Lucas has his cellphone, that's all that's important right now. The police can trace him, and we don't have to get involved; it's all gonna be okay." He kissed Cuddy's forehead, helping her back into the living room, where she curled on the couch.
He went back to the kitchen, dialing the non-emergency number for the police, hoping to pass this information now quickly. While he spoke, Wilson headed out to find food, of course, and some sort of dessert that they were planning to share to celebrate. Katheryn and Cuddy sat together on the couch, both of them talking about what they would do to make it up to the kids, and what would happen with Cuddy and House now that Lucas was going to be caught.
"Yes, thank you," House was finishing up the call as Wilson returned with boxes of Chinese take-out and a small cookie cake, again. "Good-bye." He came into the living room and wrapped his arms around Cuddy, picking her up and spinning her in a circle.
"Whoa, what happened?" Wilson looked up, curious on what had gone on in the call.
"The police are on it, they're going to try and get Lucas back to Princeton today, and drop the kids off here." House set Cuddy back down on the couch, and helped himself to a whole container of rice, "She also mentioned that we should begin collecting various bits of evidence for the trial."
"The trial?" Cuddy repeated, looking up from a container of rice, which she had been picking at.
"Of course Lise," House brushed a strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear, "The one that will hopefully end in the decision that Lucas was abusing you, the kids and ..." he stopped, seeing tears slip down Cuddy's cheeks.
"I don't want a trial," she whispered, so only House could hear her, "I don't want to put the kids through that. Please, don't make them be a part of it."
"They've got to Lise," House squeezed her hand reassuringly, "It's the only way that they can have an unbiased trial. If it's just you and I testifying against him then it won't be a very good trial, especially with our feelings towards each other. If Rachel can even say two things about what she saw, or what went on when I wasn't around, then we'll have a better chance."
"It's all for the better Lisa," Katheryn put in, "You want to prove that Lucas was wrong, or am I wrong?"
"You're right," Cuddy smiled, nibbling on the rice, hearing the phone ring. House nearly jumped up and ran to get it, and he nodded, smiling, before hanging up again.
"They got Lucas," he bent down, kissing Cuddy's forehead, "Ann Arbor, Michigan; what do you think about that?" Cuddy smiled, laughing, thankful to know that her children were safe and on their way home. She leaned back into the couch, closing her eyes; now all she needed was for them to come home safe, for them to win this trial, and for House to propose to her. Well, the last one was a long shot, but she wouldn't stop hoping; her heart lay with him, just like it had for the past thirty some years, and nothing would change that.
"Lisa?" Katheryn snapped her fingers in front of Cuddy's face, "Stop daydreaming," she, House and Wilson all laughed as Cuddy blushed.
"When should the kids be in?" Cuddy looked at House excitedly.
"No clue, they're getting a personal helicopter, along with two officers to the Trenton Airport, where, I assume, they'll be taking a car here." House put an arm around her shoulders, "Thank God, Lucas isn't going on that plane too, I might just have to exchange a few friendly words with those officers if he was."
AN2: Had to end it there, only because it's nearly 2 am here! Though, great news! My parents might be getting me a laptop today (Black Friday is the best day for sales) so I'll be able to write more. If not, then it's gonna be soon.
Next chapter: The kids are home! Reunion time then House and Cuddy discuss their "relationship" ...
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