21
(Christmas day)
Wilson woke early in anticipation of the big day ahead. He called the hospital around 9 to find out how everyone was and when he could go and pick them up. He picked up his cell phone and called Amber.
"Hello?"
Wilson was stunned, he hadn't expected her to answer his call. "Hi." He thought of what to say. "Merry Christmas."
"For some, yeah." She sighed, "What do you want?"
"I- I don't know. I wanted to know how you were."
"Well, I've just had my heart broken, so I've been better. How are the twins?"
"Coming home today. Jamie had surgery for a hernia, but they're fine." Wilson explained.
"So, you're back at your hotel? House's?"
"Maddy's actually, sleeping on her sofa."
"I see." Amber didn't sound convinced.
"No, you don't. She needs help with the babies, and I need a place to stay, nothing more. I miss you. I want you, but I have to be a father to them."
"I can't deal with this right now. Goodbye." She hung up the phone.
Wilson glanced at his watch, he still had three hours before he had to go to the hospital. He decided to prepare things for dinner, reasoning that maybe he'd be too busy later. Time seemed to fly by and in no time it was time to leave for the hospital. He packed the new stroller into the trunk of his car, grabbing a bag with Christmas outfits for the twins. He arrived at the hospital and pushed the stroller into Maddy's room where she was sitting on the bed, dressed and ready to go.
"Hey," she smiled at him, "Ready for this?"
"As I'm ever gonna be," He picked up Hannah and started to put her dress on her, while Maddy dressed Jamie in his shirt and jeans. "Oh, I've invited Stacy for dinner tonight as well as House, hope that's ok?"
"Yeah, it's fine. Let's go." She fastened the twins into their stroller and wheeled them out. "So, are you as scared as me?" She asked Wilson.
"We'll be fine." He assured her, as he unlocked the car and started to strap the twins in. They started the short drive back to the apartment.
"So, have you heard from Amber?"
"Called her this morning." Wilson answered, not taking his eyes off the road.
"And?"
"And nothing's changed." He parked and got out of the car, picking up Hannah, while Maddy took Jamie. "Let's get these two into their cribs." He unlocked the front door, "This is your new home guys."
"Nothings changed and?" Maddy tried to continue the conversation, once they were back in the lounge, watching TV.
"She's not changed her mind. We're still over. End of."
"You still love her?"
He sighed, "Let's not talk about this." He kept his eyes on the TV.
"Do you blame me?" She asked, looking at him.
"No." He stood up and went to the kitchen, and poured some coffee. "I don't. The break up was my own fault."
"If it wasn't for me, you guys would still be happy and together." She noted, Wilson walked back to the lounge. "I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. You have given me so much. OK, it's not the way I planned fatherhood, but I'm happy. It's a shame that I can't have the twins and Amber, but I'm not giving them up." He smiled at her as she sat down beside her. "Don't worry about it, it's my problem, ok?" She nodded. "OK, well, I'm going to start dinner, House and Stacy will probably be here soon."
Wilson busied himself in the kitchen, while Maddy relaxed watching TV, waiting for the inevitable cries from the nursery. She was just changing the second diaper when the doorbell rung. "Hi!" Stacy greeted her with a hug. "Merry Christmas. How are you?" Maddy smiled and nodded that she was fine. House appeared at the door behind Stacy.
"Can smell dinner halfway down the street." He said, walking in. "Glad to be home?" He asked Maddy, she nodded. He frowned at her, putting his hand to her forehead, "You're a bit hot."
"I'm fine House, honestly." She answered, "Just tired." She smiled weakly, "Come on in guys, make yourselves comfortable." House and Stacy said their hellos to Wilson, while Maddy disappeared to feed Hannah. She turned around when she heard the nursery door open, Stacy stood there.
"So, how are you really?"
She sighed, putting Hannah in her crib. "I don't know, I should be happy, but I'm just so, I don't know what's wrong." She sat down on the floor, Stacy sat beside her, putting her arm around her. "It's Christmas day, and Jamie's fine, and Hannah's fine, but I don't know how to feel." She sniffed as tears spilled over. "It's stupid it's probably hormonal, just ignore me."
"It's understandable. It's your first Christmas without your mom. Your first Christmas knowing Greg is your father. It's been a hell of a tough year for you. You're entitled to feel less than totally happy." Maddy looked up at her, "Look at the past year, honestly. You lost your mom, found your dad, had trust issues with your mom because she hid the truth, got pregnant to your dad's best friend. Dealt with that largely on your own. Had a traumatic birth, surgery, sick child. Plus a new career." Stacy hugged her tighter. "You are coping amazingly well."
"Am I coping? I'm sitting on the floor in tears on Christmas day."
"You need rest. I'll tell Wilson to leave your dinner for you to have later, ok? Have you spoken to him?"
Maddy shook her head. "He's got enough to worry about with Amber. You should add breaking them up to your list."
"That was not you." Stacy assured her, she stood up and gently pulled Maddy to her feet, and guided her to the bedroom, getting concerned glances from House and Wilson. She handed Maddy pajamas that were lying on the bed, and pulled back the duvet, "Now you get in there and sleep. Don't worry about the babies, or dinner, or us." Stacy turned to leave, "You'll be fine." She smiled.
"Stacy?" She turned around, "Thanks."
Stacy walked back into the lounge, "She's not ok, is she?" House observed, Stacy shook her head.
"She's exhausted emotionally and physically." She accepted a glass of wine from Wilson, who looked worried. He glanced towards Maddy's bedroom, "She's had a tough time the past year, I think she finds everything a bit overwhelming now it's calming down. "
"I should go and see if she's ok." Wilson sighed.
"She's sleeping, I'd leave her for now." Stacy recommended, "She blames herself for you and Amber breaking up. Plus she's missing her mom."
"Oh God, I wasn't even thinking about Jane. How could I be so stupid?" He went to the nursery, hearing his son waking, hoping it hadn't disturbed Maddy, he came back out with Jamie, putting a bottle on to heat. "We spoke about the whole Amber thing today and I told her not to worry."
"She'll be ok, just needs time to process everything." Stacy walked over to Wilson, taking Jamie from him.
House stood up from his place on the sofa and walked towards the bedroom, "Greg, don't!"
He opened the door and walked in. Maddy was sleeping, he sat on the edge of the bed beside her, and sighed. He brushed her fringe from her forehead, she still felt warm, he thought it was an infection brewing. "I want you to know how proud your mom would be of you.How proud I am of you. I think you're going to make a great mother." He sat and just stared at her, wishing he could do more. She stirred and opened her eyes.
"House?"
"I'm here, Mads."
"I'm sorry if I've ruined dinner. I don't know what's wrong." She sighed, trying to sit up.
"Don't get up, I'm going to get paracetamol for you, bring your temperature down, ok?" House stood up, turning round when Maddy spoke to him.
"Am I sick?" She asked, weakly.
"Nothing serious, post op infection, I'll write a script for antibiotics, you'll be fine. Probably explains why you're not feeling yourself." He explained, opening the door.
"Do you really think she'd be proud?" All House could do was nod, as emotions stuck in his throat.
"Well?" Wilson asked House as he walked out, a worried look on his face. "Is she ok? Is it depression?"
"Where's your prescription pad?"
"Why?" Wilson was unsure, "I wrote you one for vicodin last week, you've not run out-"
"It's not for me. I think Maddy has a post op infection, needs antibiotics." He explained, grabbing two paracetamol and a glass of water, and walking back into the bedroom. He gave her the tablets and held the water while she sipped it. "You'll feel better soon, ok?" She nodded, turning round to sleep.
"I should have realised." Wilson was saying to Stacy, "I'm a doctor for God's sakes."
"You've had a lot to do, I just thought she was a bit pale, and Greg thought that she had a temperature when he came in. It may be nothing but a cold. Don't beat yourself up ok?" She took the bottle that Wilson handed her, and started to feed Jamie. House walked back into the lounge and sat beside Stacy on the sofa. "How is she?"
"Sleeping, hopefully the paracetamol will bring the temperature down." He turned around to look at Wilson, "Dinner?"
"I'm on it."
Stacy stared at House, "Hey, I still gotta eat." He smiled at Jamie, "When you see dinner, you'll wish you were on solids."
(A few hours later)
Gifts had been exchanged, babies fussed over and dinner enjoyed. Maddy remained sleeping, Wilson, House and Stacy sat watching tv.
"Greg, we should go." Stacy suggested, "It's getting late." She yawned, picking up her bag.
"OK." House agreed, "You wanna share a cab?" Stacy nodded and called for a cab. "Can you call me if Maddy gets any worse? She should be fine tonight." House had looked in on her a couple of times.
"Sure. Thanks House." Wilson answered.
Soon House and Stacy left, leaving Wilson alone with his new family. He walked into Maddy's room, where she was sleeping peacefully, he felt her forehead, her temperature had come down since he'd last checked. He set up the sofa bed and switched on the TV set, watching an old Christmas special. He turned around when he heard Maddy's bedroom door open.
"Hey." He got up and walked over to her, giving her a hug. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah." She yawned, "Sorry if I worried you. House and Stacy gone?" She asked, glancing around the apartment.
"Yeah, it's gone midnight. You hungry?" She nodded. "Leftovers or toast?"
"I'd kill for toast." She headed over towards the kitchen.
"Sit. I'll bring it over." She headed back to the sofa, settling in front of the TV, Wilson joined her a few minutes later with the food. "Thanks." They ate in silence. "So, how's everyone?"
"Fed, changed, sleeping." Wilson answered, pointing towards the nursery.
"You've been coping very well." Maddy smiled at him, "Thank you."
"For looking after my own children?" He laughed, "It's what I'm here for. I'll get your antibiotics tomorrow. Get you all fixed up."
"I feel fine."
"You had a fever. You were exhausted."
"Isn't that what happens when you have a baby?" She raised her eyebrows at him.
"Tired yes. Exhausted no. Fever no. You're sick. You might have come home too soon." Wilson was concerned.
"I am not going back there. I'm sure the antibiotics will be fine. Quite useful having a father and room mate who are doctors." She noted, laughing. "So, what are we watching on tv or do you want your bed back?"
"You're fine here. And I think that 'Planes, trains and Automobiles' is just starting." Wilson answered, flicking through the tv guide.
"Sounds good." Maddy leaned in against his shoulder, he rested his head against hers, she fell asleep within a few minutes. Wilson moved her into a sleeping position on the bed, switched the tv off and went to sleep too, shaking his head and smiling at the sleeping arrangements. What would House say if he seen this?