36

Wilson reappeared in the bedroom a few minutes later with a T shirt for Maddy to wear, thanking him, she yawned and changed into it, then climbed into the bed beside Wilson.

"How did we get here?" She asked, him, then laughed.

"We just did things in a strange order, kids then relationship."

"You think we can pull this off?"

"We've lived together for a few weeks before and not killed each other, plus we do well with Hannah and Jamie, why not give them the family life they deserve?" He switched the beside lamp off, Maddy could feel him changing position to lie down. "We'll be fine." He assured her, "Now, stop worrying about it and sleep."

"OK, night Wilson."

"You know, calling me Wilson will get confusing, what with Hannah and Jamie being Wilsons too. Can't you call me James or Jimmy, or something?"

"Night Jimmy." She yawned, lying down herself.

(Next morning)

"Good morning." Wilson smiled at Maddy.

"Hey." She answered, turning to face him, "What time is it?"

"A little after 6am." He answered, glancing at the digital alarm clock on his bedside table.

"You always wake up this early?" She frowned at him.

"No. I thought I heard the twins but they're both asleep. I put your clothes in the dryer." He explained.

"They won't be asleep for long." Maddy sighed, "We should try and snatch what little sleep we have left." Yawning, she lay back down.

"You just want to sleep?" He smiled, suggestively.

"Have you forgotten what happened last time we did more than sleep? I'm just getting my figure back!" She laughed.

"Last time,..." he started, "well, look at Hannah and Jamie. Amazing."

"Yeah, they are." Maddy could hear chattering coming from Wilson's spare room. "And awake."

"I'll go and start breakfast." Wilson got up, and padded out of the bedroom, Maddy following after him.

"Good morning sunshines." She greeted Hannah and Jamie, who were sitting up, oohing and aahing to each other. "Did you both sleep well, huh?" She lifted Hannah out and placed her on the floor, then picked up Jamie. "Hannah!" She exclaimed quietly, laughing at her daughter who had started to crawl towards the kitchen. "Incoming!" She called to Wilson.

"What?" He called back, turning to look at the bedroom door where Hannah was making her grand entrance to the lounge area. "Hey Missy. Where do you think you're going?" Hannah looked up at him, giggled, then continued on her way towards him. Wilson scooped her up and took her back into the kitchen with him. "What do you say to oatmeal and a nice bottle of formula for breakfast huh?"

"Well, I'd prefer orange juice and cereal myself." Maddy had joined him in the kitchen, "but oatmeal's good for the mobile monsters."

"Why don't you guys go sit in the lounge, and I'll bring this out to the table when it's ready." Maddy disappeared and settled Jamie into his highchair and did the same with Hannah. Wilson reappeared a few minutes later with food for them all. "This is nice." He commented, smiling at Maddy.

"Yeah, it is." She agreed. "Let's not keep it quiet. It's no ones business but ours."

"You're sure?" Wilson asked, smiling. She nodded in response. "Ok then."

(At PPTH, later that morning)

Wilson and Maddy arrived at the hospital, and dropped Hannah and Jamie at daycare. "Are you ready for gossip?" Wilson asked Maddy as they walked back towards his office. Taub was just entering his shared office, he waved at both Maddy and Wilson.

"Uh-huh." She nodded, "I'll get it over with." She leaned in and kissed him, "Lunch?"

"Yeah, let's go out." He suggested, "Just us two."

"Ok, come find me." And with that, she headed into the office to speak to Taub.

"Yeah, I'm telling you, definitely didn't go home." He was chatting to Kutner, who sat across from him.

"Who didn't go home?" She asked, sitting down beside Kutner. Kutner laughed, as Taub's face reddened.

"Oh, hey, umm, Jen's fine with the uh babysitting that night. The-uh-fundraiser." He was flustered.

"I know you were talking about Wilson and I." She cleared her throat. "Before you go jumping to conclusions-"

"Look, Maddy, it's nothing to do with us." Kutner interrupted.

"You're right, but since when did that stop people talking. But what I was saying is that yeah, we're together."

"Told you it was more than dinner." Taub commented, standing up to pour himself a coffee.

"It wasn't like that Taub. Not planned."

"Not by you." Kutner added.

"Or him."

"So, you gonna need me to run another test in a couple of weeks?"

Maddy rolled her eyes, "No, Kutner, nothing like that." She stood up to leave, "Anyway, Wilson can run them." She left before either of them could comment further and headed towards her own office.

"Morning." She cheerfully greeted Stacy, "Coffee?" She handed her the cup that she had gotten on her way up.

"Thank you." Stacy replied, smiling. "You're in a good mood this morning." She commented.

"Yeah, things are good."

Stacy thought for a moment, "Dinner went well?"

"Yeah, it did." Maddy sat down at her desk, "We've decided to try being a couple."

"Oh, I didn't realise that you guys were considering it."

"We weren't. It just happened. The twins deserve a chance at normal family life."

"So you'll be living together?"

"If it works out, yeah I guess so. I stayed at Wilson's last night. I'm meeting him for lunch, so I'm guessing we'll figure that out."

"Well, I hope it works." Stacy was genuinely happy for the new couple, "It'll be great to see him happy again, after, well, you know. You guys'll be good together, well, from what I've seen so far."

"Thank you." Maddy smiled, and started to check through her work emails.

The clock in the office was showing noon when Wilson appeared at Maddy's office door. "Free for lunch?"

"Five minutes? I'm almost finished with this transcript, then I'm all yours. Take a seat." Wilson walked in and sat on the sofa just as Stacy came out of her own office.

"Hi James." She greeted him, "How are things? Should I just assume you've been in a very good mood today too?" She asked, nodding at Maddy, who was engrossed in her typing, and listening to her ipod at the same time.

"You know?" He smiled at her.

She nodded, "I'm happy for you guys. Hope I get an invite to this wedding."

"Wedding?" He laughed, "Slow down, Stacy. It's early days."

"It's fate. Notice how you guys always end up together?" She remarked, then stood up, and walked back into her own office, leaving Wilson smiling lightly at the comment.

"Ready?" Maddy asked Wilson, as she switched off her computer. Wilson nodded, and followed her out of the door.

"So, daycare are giving Hannah and Jamie lunch, any problems they're going to page House, so we can have lunch in peace. New Italian ok?"

"Sounds nice. Nice meal and alone time. Thank you for this."

They drove to the restaurant, and sat in the corner seat. "I was thinking," Wilson started, "Say no, if-if it's too soon, but how would you feel about staying, permanently?"

"I, I think that would be nice, but wouldn't it be easier for you to move in with me. I mean, the twins have their nursery and are settled there and-"

"I mean, not in our apartments,but a proper house, with a garden, garage, a family home." He looked down at the table, hoping he hadn't suggested something totally crazy.

"I'd like that very much." Wilson looked up, a look of surprise on his face, but he was smiling too. "But, how about we take turns at each others apartments until we can find a place?"

"I think, that is a great idea, we can look in the property paper at the weekend."

"So, when do we tell House?" Maddy asked Wilson, looking up from her menu. He sighed, he had almost forgotten that he was her father at times. "Or more to the point, who's telling him?"

"If he doesn't already know, we should tell him after lunch I guess."He gave his order to the waiter who had arrived. "He'll be OK with it."

"His best friend sleeping with his daughter on a permanent basis, he'll love it. If we ever got married, he'd be your father-in-law, you do realise that?"

"You'd be surprised what you can live with." He smiled, not relishing the thought of telling House.

They drove back to PPTH, and paused for a moment outside House's office.

"Greg, they're happy." They could hear Stacy tell him, "Maddy is 25, she doesn't have to run her boyfriends by you."

"Pointless when he's impregnated her before."

"You're annoyed that she didn't come and tell you before everyone else."

Maddy walked into the office, House turned and stared, Wilson loitered in the doorway. "Come to ask for her hand in marriage? This is what, Wife Number 4.5?"

Wilson just sighed, Maddy spoke up. "You've heard then."

"Kutner would make a poor secret agent."

"If you had been in on time this morning you would've found out first." Maddy remarked, "It's not a secret, I, we would've liked to tell you ourselves but it didn't happen that way." She glanced back at Wilson, looking for his support, he smiled at her. "I'm happy, we both are." Wilson was nodding in agreement at House.

House sighed, "Fine, but if you hurt her, and any other things fathers tell boyfriends." He addressed Wilson, "I'll stick this cane so far-"

"I get the idea, House." Wilson interrupted him, "Anyway, did daycare page at all?"

"I was on lunch duty?" He asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"I'll take that as a no then. I need to head back, I'll check daycare on the way." Maddy walked over to Wilson and kissed him on the cheek, "My place tonight?"

"Yeah, I'll call you later." He answered, and went to walk out after her.

"Bad taste to arrange a booty call in front of the girl's father!" House called after him.

"Yeah, I'll save that advice for Hannah's future boyfriends. Bye House." Wilson walked out, before he could see House break into a satisfied grin that he and Maddy had finally got together.