"Getting a call from the Principal saying that Rachel had to be picked up from school only an hour into it because she was yelling at her teacher for sending her guest out of the room is NOT what I had in mind when I asked you to do this!" Cuddy paced back and forth in front of her desk as House stood near the door, watching, leaning on his cane.

"I don't know why you had to send Wilson to get her. I had my motorcycle. I could have-"

"What? Taken her here on that thing?"

"I would have given her the helmet!"

"Psh," she didn't give him any more on that subject. She just continued to pace. "I can't believe I thought that you could be a mature adult for ONE day! One day is all I asked! If not for me, then I at least thought you'd do it for Rachel. I mean-"

"I DID do it for Rachel! She seemed to be having a good time! Her whole class did as a matter of fact! That reminds me..do you think it would still be considered child labor if I replaced my team with those kids if I paid them good money and kept them until they were adults? They seem to understand me more than my team does."

"What, you're making JOKES now?"

"No, it's not a joke! But, I probably couldn't do it, it's a shame really."

She shook her head in disbelief of what she was hearing but, it only gave her more ammunition to use against him. "House, these are children! You stooped down to their level!"

Wilson stood outside her office with Rachel, waiting for Cuddy to bring her down to the daycare center in the hospital when Rachel heard Cuddy yelling at House. She wiggled her way free from Wilson's hand and went into the office.

"I only did what I did because her teacher is a miserable woman!"

"Well, gee, that sounds like someone I know! She should be your new best friend shouldn't she?"

"It's not House's fault!" Rachel screamed at Cuddy, standing next to House as his protector.

House and Cuddy both looked down at her, then he looked up at Cuddy while pointing to Rachel, "see, not my fault!"

"It's always your fault," Cuddy snapped.

"It wasn't, Mommy! I don't like my teacher. She doesn't like me. She's always mean to me. House was just treating her the way she should be treated."

House looked at Cuddy, waiting for a response as she watched Rachel squeeze between his cane and leg, and wrapped her arm around his right knee, grabbing hold like she never wanted to let go. She looked over at House, even more upset then she was a minute ago. "You see what you did? You spent so much time with her, she thinks it's okay to get even with someone the way you did."

"Well, isn't it? You can't tell me you think it's okay for Rachel's teacher to not like her!"

"I never said that! You could have tried to deal with it in a mature fashion and-"

"Mature fashions never get anyone anywhere!"

"In your warped mind, I can see how you think that would be true. But when you're around my kid-!"

"Stop yelling at him, Mommy!" Rachel screamed, getting a tighter grip on his leg, which almost made him fall, but moved his left leg to steady himself just in time.

"I'm not yelling at-"

"You are! You always are! Why do you hate him? What did he do that made you hate him so much?" House looked up and bit his lip, closing his eyes. Rachel had no idea he was behind why they had to move.

"I don't hate him, Honey," Cuddy said in a soft tone, trying to calm her little girl.

"But you do! He doesn't come over anymore like he used to! I want to show him my new room!"

Cuddy sighed, seeing the hurt and confusion in Rachel's face, then looked at House who had his eyes open again, but was still looking at the ceiling. "House, get to work in the Clinic."

He looked at her angry, "but I went there today to not have to work in the Clinic! And now you're telling me-"

"Work. Clinic. Now!"

He scowled at her and looked back at Rachel. "Hey, kid, I need my leg." Rachel stayed how she was, still holding on. "I know it's my bad one but I still need it." Still no reaction, then he got an idea of what to say next. "Remember what you told me earlier? How can I be a Doctor if I don't see any patients? I need my leg to do that." She didn't say anything, but he slowly felt the release of her grip and put her hand down to her side and looked up at him with sad eyes. "See ya, kid," House turned and limped out of her office, leaving Cuddy alone with Rachel.

Cuddy stayed quiet as she saw her daughter turn toward the door, watching House until she couldn't see him anymore. When she turned Cuddy saw her cheeks were red, and had tears streaming down. "I miss him, Mommy. All he was doing was sticking up for me," she looked down at her feet and Cuddy saw the new tears that were flowing were falling to the floor.

Cuddy took a second to think over what really happened today. He reacted as a Dad would. Only, in his way, he acted immaturely, but that's what he knows. That's his way. He was upset and defended Rachel by acting out toward her teacher. Cuddy sighed, wishing she could take the last few minutes back. But, she knew it was too late.

"Come on, Rachel, I have to take you to the daycare center." She reached for Rachel's left hand as Rachel wiped away her tears with her right hand.

They walked out of her office and went through the lobby and Cuddy's eye caught the elevator that held House. She saw he was going up to his office instead of the Clinic like he was told but, she couldn't deal with him now. She watched him with his head held low, looking at his feet and made his left hand into a fist and banged the wall behind him in anger as the doors closed on him...