Family

AN: I love free periods. It means i can write loads! This one is a long'n people so enjoy!

They had finally found House hiding in the Nurse's staff room in the maternity ward. He was happily sitting in a chair and watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy he'd missed. He was accompanied by a father-to-be and they were both munching on some Doritos.

"Aren't you supposed to be with your wife?" House asked with his eyes still glued to Meredith Grey on the TV.

"They'll call me if they need me." The husband replied dipping his hand into the packet for another Dorito, House slapped the man's wrist in possession.

"That's if they can find you." House said looking over to him. "The whole reason I chose this place was because it had a TV, food and it's a great place to hide."

"Who you hiding from?"

"My friend and my sister."

"Who's your friend? Is he a doctor here?"

"Yeah, he's head of the Oncology department."

"What about your sister? Does she work here?"

"Nah, she's here on vacation." House said.

The thought of her leaving to go back to London had struck a cord. He was going to miss Erica; it was just like old times. It had been a long time since he could be himself with someone he felt comfortable with. He was comfortable with Wilson, but Erica always brought him out of his shell.

Chase entered the Nurse's room; the husband stood up thinking Chase was there to inform him that he was needed.

"House. What are you doing in here?" Chase asked.

"Me and John…"

"The name's Gary" the husband interrupted.

"Me and John here" House continued. "Were watching some Grey's Anatomy…until you came in."

"Well Cuddy has demoted Alice. We can get on with the case."

"No we can't. Not until Wilson has found me." House said defiantly and crossing his arms.

"Wilson was looking for you?" Chase asked confused.

"Well he should've been. Why what was he doing?"

"Working out Cameron says."

"Working out? Are you being serious?" House laughed "Wilson hasn't worked out… come to think about it…" he paused in thought "He's never worked out."

"So come and finish this case. It's been going on for two days now."

"Okay, okay. Let me just go and see Wilson first." House said getting up from the chair. "Catch ya later John"

"It's Gary."

"Whatever."

------------------

"Jim…stop it." Erica giggled breathlessly, they had been making out so much that her lips we slightly swollen and numb.

"I can't help it. Those lips are just so…"

"Red?" House interrupted as he entered the room.

Erica had resorted to hiding her lips behind her clenched fist. Even though Greg was cool with them being together she couldn't help feeling like a naughty school kid when he caught them.

"Did you forget something?" he questioned the pair.

"Not that I know of." Erica said feigning innocence. "Jim, did we forget anything?"

"There was something…although I can't seem to remember what it was." Wilson replied playing along.

"Is that a stain on your carpet?" House asked looking at a stain that was just in front of Wilson's shoe.

Erica walked over, knelt down and looked.

"Great deduction Sherlock." She answered sarcastically.

"It's a stain House, what has that got to do with anything?"

"I don't remember it being here this morning."

"I must've spilt some coffee."

"It's not dark enough to be coffee, and your tie is lying there on the floor."

"What are you getting at House?"

"You always wear a tie and suddenly today you're not wearing it. Another thing is that my sister is in the room with you and your shirt is untucked. Also the fact your hair is slightly messy. You take more time on your hair than a girl. You've had sex haven't you?"

"What?" Wilson spluttered.

"You want more proof?" House asked them. "Erica is glowing like a light on LSD and the fact that when I came in she looked as guilty as hell."

"Greg we didn't have sex in here."

"I didn't say you had sex in here…"

They were busted.

House left with a smug face and he had blackmail over Wilson.

----------------

"Right then my little Ducklings." House boomed as he entered the room.

"What's made you so happy?" Foreman asked.

"I have no Clinic duty as my sister has to do it and I can finally run this show."

"Is he feeling ok?" Chase whispered to Cameron.

She just shrugged and was now feeling much more comfortable now House was back in charge.

"So Cameron. When you were talking to Joanna Doe find anything out?"

"Who's Joanna Doe?" Chase asked confused.

"To me she's a John Doe. But she's a girl so I call her Joanna."

All three of them started blankly at him.

"Did no one watch the film Seven?" he asked desperately.

The silence confirmed the answer.

"Jenny told me that about four weeks ago she had a cold and she got rid of it except her cough and fever."

"Hmmm…"

House hobbled over to the white board and stood in front of it taking all the information in.

She had back pain, chest pain, coughing, heart attacks and had been experiencing flu-like symptoms for weeks.

It was slowly forming, each piece of the jigsaw was being put together piece by piece to produce the whole picture.

He had it.

--------------------

Erica entered the reception and found Alice rooting through her bag for her car keys.

She was just about to ignore her when Alice broke down into tears, in sisterly instinct Erica rushed over and put her arms around her sister's shaking shoulders.

"Shh. It's ok. I'm here." Erica whispered rubbing her sisters back. "Come on lets go to the car."

Wilson saw them walk out the hospital and Erica turned to show an apologetic face.

"Wait for me." She mouthed; Wilson nodded and returned to his office.

As they reached the car Erica handed her sister a tissue.

"What's up?" Erica asked.

"Oh it's nothing." Alice replied wiping her nose with the tissue.

"Nothing always means something with you Al."

"I'm fine. It's just hormones."

"Al, have you not realised all these years that I am a woman too. The excuse hormones is too broad."

"I'm just being stupid."

"Don't give me the excuse of periods either. I know that they never used to faze you, it was me who was always cried whenever I got a hint of a cramp."

Alice gave a watery smile; Erica could always cheer her up in times of need. There had been a lot of times in the past when Alice could've done with Erica's comforting nature. Especially the times she was pregnant.

"It's just…" Alice began but she couldn't tell her sister. To Alice, her reason was stupid.

"Come on. I pinky swear I won't laugh." Erica urged.

"I just can't seem to get on with Amy. I mean she's all grown up and independent and I was there for none of it. My little girl grew up without me."

"That never used to get you into tears before." Erica pointed out. "I mean you accepted the fact that when you became a working mother that you wouldn't have so much time with Amy. I don't see why that fact is kicking in now."

Alice looked at the floor, what she was telling her sister was only half the truth.

"I just think getting demoted has made me a tad emotional, I'm fine now." Alice said trying to end the conversation.

"You sure?" Erica asked wearily.

"Thanks for this."

Alice then entered her car and drove away leaving Erica concerned.

She knew her sister wasn't telling the truth and she went to notify Greg.

------------------

"I'm back." Alice called upon entering the hotel room.

"Why are we even sharing the same room?" Robert asked from the sofa, he was flicking between programmes to find the sports channels.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked placing her coat upon the bed.

"We don't even live together anymore and we still have to keep this happy families charade for your brother."

"Robert, I don't want him to get involved. If I told him you'd cheated on me he'd fly off the handle. And I don't want another reason for him hating your guts."

"I don't really care. Emily is coming over tonight so make yourself scarce." Robert informed Alice.

"So where am I supposed to sleep?" Alice asked hysterically.

"Bunk in with Amy."

"You know I can't do that."

"Well that teaches you for being a non existent mother." Robert spat.

"It wasn't my fault."

"Of course it was your fault Alice! You chose your career over your family. That's the whole reason I cheated on you."

"I don't need to hear this." Alice said placing her palm over her forehead.

"But you do Alice. I let you do what you wanted to do. Be what you wanted to be. You didn't even need to work because my job paid well, but being the independent woman you are, you worked while I became the stay at home dad."

"You didn't become a stay at home dad!" Alice shouted. "You worked as well. Don't you dare make it sound like I made you give up your job, because we knew full well how much you loved your job."

"I am good at my job. I don't see why I needed to give it up. Anyway, where were you when Amy was Mary in the school play? Oh yeah I remember, you were working the late shift."

"I would've made it if I could." Alice sobbed.

"Don't use those waterworks on me." Robert said. "Do you know how much I wept for that baby?"

"Why are you stooping this low? Bringing up the baby of all things!"

"We had enough money, we could've provided for it but no! You got rid of it!"

Amy walked through the door and stopped the argument.

"I had enough of your arguing when you were together. I don't want to go through it all over again."

"Sorry hunny." Alice apologised.

"Don't worry. I was going to pick up Emily from the airport anyway." Robert said storming out of the room.

"What did you do this time mom?" Amy asked.

"I didn't do anything." Alice retaliated.

"Mom, you aggravate him." Amy accused her mother "Just leave him and Emily alone this evening."

Then Amy walked out of the room leaving Alice alone to cry.

------------------

"It's pericarditis." House concluded to his team.

"So what do we do?" Chase asked.

"You're the doctors. Tell me."

"We should drain the fluid from around the heart." Cameron suggested

"And we should give her anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent the fluid being produced again."

"Also give her antibiotics to fight the infection." Cameron added.

"There you go Chase. You know what to do now." House said. "Go and drain the fluid."

As the three Ducklings left the room Wilson entered.

"Hard day?" Wilson asked

"Not too much. I bet yours was pretty tiring."

"House, stop it."

"No this is too much fun. You broke hospital policy."

"No I didn't."

"I'm still refusing to let you do that in that apartment. That's just icky."

"Just because you're not getting any."

"How do you know?"

"You are? Who is it?"

"It's Cuddy." House lied. At that point Wilson's jaw dropped to the ground.

"Are you being serious?"

"Totally."

"I don't believe you." Wilson stated.

Erica walked into the conference room and asked if they could go home. House agreed and the three of them took the elevator. Just before they left House spotted Cuddy.

"Goodbye my lover!" House sang out to her.

Cuddy glanced round to see if House was saying it to anyone else, but she couldn't see anyone behind her.

"Bye hotrod." She joked.

Wilson however being fairly gullible took this act in and believed it all.

"When?" he asked as they got to the car.

"Jim. He's having you on." Erica said patting him on the shoulder.

"You idiot." House replied laughing.

AN: So do you feel sorry for Alice? Or do you think that she got everything she deserved?

Review Please :)