35

(A week later)

"So, dinner is at 7?" Maddy asked Wilson, who had made arrangements, once House had not managed to come up with a good reason not to see his parents.

"Yeah. So, I see the meds kicked in." He laughed, Chase had taken him aside and thanked him, once Maddy had seemed to feel better.

"You think they'll notice?" She asked, looking down at her expanding waistline. "I'm not sure how they'll react."

"I'm sure they'll be fine."

"You've not met Grandpa House have you?" She asked, "He almost had a fit when he found out my mother was...you get the picture."

"Yeah, Chase is joining us?"

"I think so, depends on the case. Dad will be there if I have to drag him there myself. I know he's been trying to avoid it."

(Later that afternoon)

"I can't make dinner." House told Maddy, "My patient..."

"Robert told me. Have you told-"

"Greg! Madeleine!" Blythe House had appeared at the door to House's office.

"Hi Grandma." Maddy smiled, hugging her grandmother. "Grandpa." He walked into the office, and hugged her.

"You need to lay off the burgers." He told her, laughing. Maddy cleared her throat nervously, about to tell her grandparents.

"Actually-"

"What Maddy was going to tell you is that I can't make dinner. My patient is dying and-"

"So, maybe a cafeteria dinner would be ok?" Maddy finished, noticing the disappointment in her grandmother's eyes. "I just need to speak to someone and I'll meet you down there." She walked through to the adjoining room.

"So, that's House's parents." Chase commented to Maddy, as they watched from the conference room. "They look normal enough."

"As opposed to the monsters you were expecting?"

"Well, given the way House is, I-"

"Careful what you say about my father and grandparents Robert." She reminded him, "Dad is just the way dad is. He has his reasons for not being over joyed at Grandpa visiting."

"Like?"

"Can we not talk about it?" She asked him, pleadingly. "Grandpa just told me I should lay off the burgers." She laughed.

"He doesn't know?" Maddy shook her head, "Your grandmother?" She shook her head again.

"We need to start telling people, before they guess."

"Let's see how they take it first." He nodded to Maddy's family in the next room.

"So, dinner, is in the cafeteria, no Wilson or Cuddy to distract them unfortunately. Maybe you could-"

Chase laughed, "Be the buffer between...? No."

"Well, I was suggesting that you show me a little support..." She clarified, "Please?"

"I'll come to the cafeteria, and sit where I can see you, just wave me over when you need me." Chase suggested, noting House and his parents leaving. "I don't want to intrude."

"Sounds like a fair compromise. See you down there."

Maddy followed her family down to the cafeteria, where they settled with various sandwiches and drinks. "So, what have you been feeding our granddaughter? She's gained-" John House started, while Maddy rolled her eyes.

"I've not been feeding her anything, I assume that the guy she lives with does the feeding."

"You're living with someone?" Blythe asked, obviously shocked.

"Yeah, grandma, his name's Robert, he's a doctor on dad's team." She glanced over at Chase, gave him a small wave, he walked over. "Robert, meet my grandparents."

"Hi, Robert Chase." He shook both House's parents' hands in turn. "Nice to meet you."

"You approve of this?" John asked House, "Wait, why am I asking, you did the same." He answered, disapproval clear.

"Yes, I approve. Maddy's happy with him."

"Was she his Christmas bonus?" John asked, laughing sarcastically. Maddy glanced up at Chase, who was trying his best to stay calm.

"No, she wasn't dad."

"I'm sorry, Robert." John told him, "I was making fun of my son and granddaughter, not you."

"Funny." Chase commented, not laughing.

"Anyway, the reason I asked Robert to join us, was that we have news." Maddy started, looking nervously at her father for reassurance. "I, uh-we..."

"She's pregnant." House finished, noticing a look of gratitude from his daughter.

"History repeating itself. Well done Greg." John answered.

"Excuse me." Maddy stood up, and walked away, Chase following her.

"You couldn't just be happy for her." Blythe told her husband, chiding him.

"She's doing exactly what he did, right down to the time scale, she'll mess that kid up just like he did, he's hardly in a position to bail her out the way we did with him."

"John! Greg did not mess up with Madeleine. She's grown up fine, kids today, it's different from when we were young, this is what happens these days. You need to apologise to her."

"For reminding her of morals, Blythe?"

"For being you." House answered, "All I can say is sorry that we're both such a big disappointment to you." He stood up to walk away. "And Maddy won't need to send me an SOS to make me see my own grandchild, wild horses wouldn't keep me away from them." He reminded his dad of his lack of interest when Maddy was born.

"Greg." His mother addressed him, "He didn't mean it." She nudged her husband, hoping he would accept the prompt and apologise, he just stood up and walked to the men's room. House remained standing at the table. "I'm sorry. Please tell Madeleine and Robert how happy we both are for them."

"I will, mom. I'll get her to call you." He gave his mother a quick hug and left to see exactly what damage his father had done. He reached him office, where he could see Chase sitting on the floor, hugging an upset Maddy. "He's gone."

"He's a piece of work." Chase told House. "I'm being polite you realise."

"Mom's happy for you." House told Maddy. "I told her you'd call her once this had blown over."

"As long as I don't need to speak to him."

"Normally I'd try and make you see that he's not all that bad, but after tonight, I don't care if we never see him." Chase told her, "Your grandmother's nice though."

"Mom was never the problem." House answered, "Just him."

"Can we go home?" Maddy asked Chase, standing up. Chase looked to House, they did still have a case ongoing.

"Foreman and Cameron can handle things here." House told them, "Make sure she's ok." He nodded to Maddy, Chase smiled and nodded back.

"You ok?" He asked House, who was obviously still riled by his father.

"Nothing a good bourbon won't fix. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks." Chase answered, and led Maddy out to go home.