That should sum up my emotions right now. Taking a sick day from school, feeling awful. Tried to upload the last chapter 49 TIMES and it still didn't work. Band banquet yesterday and basketball game I'm SUPPOSED to be attending.
If one good thing has come out of it all though I won an award at the band banquet yesterday: most likely to become famous! Not that anyone truly cares about my life... Pretty sure everyone skips author's notes...*
Like Her
House sat in his office, twirling his cane like a baton, being careful not to knock any of his "playthings" off his desk. Obscene little toys, they were, sitting in a line like when a child lines up their stuffed animals.
Wilson walked into his close companion's office, holding a file of his own patient. He didn't need House's help with the now-completed case, just someone to talk to and absentmindedly ruin his day. His tie was tied tighter than a nuese, that's always was House thought of his comrads in ties. Wilson's shirt was a pale pink color, his tie was pink and green and white striped. "You know I can't take you seriously in a nuese." House muttered sarcastically.
"I thought you would say something about the color." Wilson replied.
"No no, pink definitely isn't the thing at joke here. It's that silk rope around your neck. You're preparing for your hanging." House smiled superficially. "I don't know whether to be happy for you of concerned..."
"It's a tie, not a nuese. You wear one too, you know." Wilson's rebuttal was defensive but weak. "You know, when you're going to something with that wife of yours?"
House pretended to be absolutely stupid. "Wife?" Wilson rolled his eyes. "OH, you mean the woman I'm married to, share a house with, and the two of us have four children."
"That's usually how to define it." Wilson did not look pleased with House's sarcasm at the very moment.
"What do you want?" House asked.
"To just talk."
"About...?"
"Life." House rolled his eyes. "Dealing with Emma, and Avery and the twins, how they're dealing with her being back home."
"Avery doesn't care, the twins are happy."
"And you...?"
"I just want to kill that boy for ever TOUCHING her. Thinking about her, for that matter." House's fists were clenched, his cane on the floor beneath them.
"Research says kids are more drawn to men like their parents: boys look for girls like their mother, girls to their father."
"Should I be concerned if Avery starts fanning all over his mom then?" House was bitterly sarcastic to make up for the rage he felt inside.
"You know that isn't how I meant it. I meant that..."
"YOU meant that Joseph and I have a lot in common, which we don't. He's insane!"
"A lot of people would say the same about you." Wilson finished his thought.
"But not belong-in-jail insane. I'm an insane GENIUS!" Followed by a maniacal laugh and greedy rubbing of his hands together. "You can't actually believe that Emma loved him because he was like me."
"It may have something to do with it though."
"She wanted to go against my will. We were happy for her until he did bad things."
"Bad things don't always have to be done by bad people, House. You should know better than anyone." Wilson's sage advice was unwanted.
"Should I now?"
"You're a Vicodin-addicted doctor with cockamamie theories that usually are right, who got his boss pregnant and in turn married her, and will do anything to prove someone else WRONG!"
"I prove myself right, I am not ADDICTED per say, at least I married my boss when she told me she was pregnant, and my lackeys can come up with right ideas sometimes." House defended. "Well, it's late. I'm pretty sure Dr. Mrs. House will want to get back to the kids soon."
"Goodnight, House." Wilson started walking out.
"Bye, Wilson." He picked up his cane and headed to the office of Cuddy.
Cuddy sat at her desk, waiting for her husband. "Are you ready to go?" He asked as he walked in, grabbing her coat off the coatrack and helping her into it. She looked exhausted, which he would boldly comment on. "Someone looks like they had a long day at work... and it ISN'T me."
"Guessing it's me." She said, hugging herself around his waist.
"Good guess." House said as the elevator started down. "Tell me what's wrong, Cuddles."
"I suppose work is getting tiring, to be here all day having Emma do my work. People sure as hell like her better." Cuddy looked glassed-over on her way to the passenger seat of the minivan. "I guess that's what retirement looks like."
"Lisa, you cant retire until I retire." He said, joining her in the van. "We may both die before we retire."
"You're such an ass sometimes!" She jabbed her finger in his side, making him flinch the slightest bit.
"But I'm your ass." He smiled coyly. "Not really, cuz that would be really awkward." His breath reeked of his sarcasm. Seeing her smile fall, he turned more serious. "Do you really want to retire?"
"I've been administrator there since I was in my late twenties. Had Emma when I was 38, it's been twenty years since then. I'm creeping up there in age, it's high time someone new becomes the big boss." She said with deep thought. "Besides, I don't want my grandson or granddaughter in some daycare system forever."
"Understood. But... are you sure you want to drop it?"
"I'm fifty eight. I think I deserve some time with my kids while they're still here with us." Cuddy smiled at him as they pulled down the driveway. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about retiring soon."
"I have... I wasn't going to mention anything though, not until I found someone to take over. And you were ready to go..."
"When do we tell the kids?" Cuddy asked eagerly.
"After we tell the staff." House's facial expression was stern. Suddenly Cuddy's jaw dropped. "Cuddles? What's wrong?"
"The kids... They aren't here!"
They sat on the floor playing Apples To Apples JR. and were having a blast. Cameron and Emma sat in the kitchen chairs, watching the five play. Cameron was holding Allan firmly in her grip. "Allan's grown so much since I saw him last." Emma cooed over the baby.
"Eight months old now." Cameron smiled with genuine glee.
"I only hope my baby can be as adorable as your two kids."
"Is it a boy or a girl?" Cameron asked.
"I'm keeping it a secret." Emma whispered. "I want my siblings surprised."
"Okay..." Cameron looked over at Emma with a sudden seriousness. "Joseph hasn't been..."
"Not a word. And I'd like to keep it that way."
"I'm sorry, honey." Cameron was the only one who could be sympathetic and not make Emma feel worse about it. "Maybe this is a chance for your kid to spend time with your parents."
"As if. Momma and daddy don't have time for much of anything. Nor do I. This baby, it'll be brought up in a hospital just like I was. If it ever wants to know it's grandma and grandpa that is." Emma grumbled.
"Maybe so... who will take care of the baby while you're working?" Cameron asked.
"I will. I don't do much work anyways, we almost never have an epidemic."
"A mom, a young lady, single and a doctor?" Cameron tried to say without judging, to no avail. "Juggling a lot of roles aren't you?"
"It'll have to do." There was a knock at the door. "I'll get it, Cameron."
Cuddy and House stood on the doorstep. "Figured you'd be here." House stated.
Flynn, Merry, and Avery all stood up and ran over to hug their parents. When they were all done, they went back to the game, and Ben ran to hug House. "Uncle House! Uncle House!" He smiled a toothy grin and ran back to his dad quickly.
"Nice to see you both, Greg and Lisa." Henry said.
"Always a pleasure, Henry." Cuddy smiled at him. "And Cameron, I haven't seen the baby in so long!"
"Eight months now." Cameron stated. "Sorry about the kids, they came back with us from the movie theater for a game night."
"Movie theater?" House asked, almost furious: half for not telling him, half for not inviting him.
"Emmy took us to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D!" The twins chirped.
Those kids and their Disney, he thought. "Thank you Cameron, we'll take them home now. See you tomorrow."
"Goodnight Houses, and have a safe trip home."
And that they did.
*I know something they don't know! Their parents' retirement sound like a big enough secret? I believe it does! Read, review, enjoy a good slice of pi cake and watch Glee. Tah tah for now!