After House and Logan had left, Cuddy went upstairs to check on the girls. Madison had her door locked and wouldn't answer her and Hayden was currently yelling at her from the other side of her locked door.
"I don't want him here!" the girl shouted.
"Hayden please," Cuddy replied. "You promised me you would try."
The door suddenly swung open, revealing Hayden with Isabella on her hip.
"And you promised that nothing would change. So much for promises," she said putting the little girl on the floor and closing the door in Cuddy's face.
Cuddy sighed and looked down at the little girl standing next to her. She couldn't get mad at them for getting mad with her because truth be told, she was mad with herself.
"Are you mad at me too?" she asked. The little girl shook her head sending her curls into a flying frenzy.
Cuddy smiled and reached for her hand. "Com'on lets go back down stairs."
The little girl stopped in her tracks jerking Cuddy's arm back towards her. "What?"
"He's down there," she said.
"Izzy, you don't have to be afraid of Brian," she told her. "He's not going to do you anything."
The girl just looked at the floor, but she didn't move.
"You wanna sleep in Logan's room?" she asked the girl. Shel just nodded.
She took the little girls hand and they started to walk back down the hall. "I don't really wanna be around him either."
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"Thanks," Logan said as House pulled up in front of his apartment.
"Your welcome," he said getting out of the car.
"I'm sorry," the boy continued.
"For what?"
"For asking Hayden and Madison to lie for me," he said. "I don't want you to be mad at me too. You're like the only one that's on my side right now."
"First off all," House said unlocking the door to his apartment. "I know for a fact Hayden and Madison are perfectly capable of getting into trouble without your help. Second, I'm not on your side. You are still wrong for not telling Cuddy what was going on."
"I couldn't," he said. "She would've made me quit."
"Well maybe you do need to quit. It's clear you can't handle both school and a job."
"I can't quit," he said. "Then who's going to take care of Izzy."
"The same person who's been taking care of her since the day she was born," House retorted.
The boy sat down on the couch and stared at the floor.
"No," he said. "She's not going to want us around anymore, once she marries him."
"Oh, Cuddy would never choose Angelo over you guys," House said in his sarcastic cheery voice, except he wasn't being sarcastic.
"How do you know?" he asked.
"I've known her since before you were born, she's just torn right now," House told him. "But she'll snap back to her senses. Trust me, she can't resist a kid in need."
The boy laughed a little. "Is that why you always act like a kid?"
"No, it's not that I act like a kid," he started, "it's my hotness she can't resist."
"I wish she could resist Brian's douchiness," the boy said. "I don't know what she sees in him."
"Well you know she's always been a great judge of character," House said sarcastically.
"Can I ask you something?"
House just looked at him and waited for him to continue.
"Why didn't you marry her?" Logan started. "I mean if she was married to you, I don't think I would be having this problem right now."
"You probably wouldn't," House said getting up from the sofa. "And you'd be able to lie to her more effectively too."
He went down the hall and returned with some pillows and a blanket.
"Now go to sleep, you have school in the morning. We wouldn't want you falling asleep in class…oops….too late for that."
House rolled over and saw the lights on his alarm clock, 6:45 am. He groaned and rolled over to face the door. He just stared at the boy, who stood in the doorway.
"Dude, are you gonna take me to school or what?" the boy asked.
"Wake me up in about an hour," he said rolling back over.
"Are you kidding me?" Logan said stepping into the room. "School starts in a half hour, I have to be on time."
"How about you just don't go?"
"Are you trying to get me killed?" Logan said. "You saw what happened last night and that was just for sleeping in class. I was actually in the building, I hate to see what would happened if I didn't go at all."
House just closed his eyes.
"Com'on man," Logan started again. "I have a test today."
"So…It's not like you're going to pass it anyway," he said referring to the boy's report card.
"Oohho," Logan said with a smile on his face. "Good one, low…but still good."
"Give me an hour," House said groggily as he dosed back off to sleep. It didn't last long, soon the boy was shaking him from his sleep.
His eyes shot open and he looked up at the boy, who was holding out a cell phone with an amused grin on his face.
"She wants to talk to you," he said. House glared at him knowing who 'she' was already and took the phone.
"Hello?"
"House what the hell is wrong with you?" Cuddy yelled from the other end of the phone. "You can't let him skip school just because you're too lazy to get up and bring him."
"Why didn't you come and get him?" he asked her annoyed.
"Because, I just thought since you volunteered to take him with you last night, that you were also volunteering to be the responsible one and take him to school."
"Have you ever known me to be the responsible one?" was his reply.
"Don't make me come over there," she threatened.
"Be my guest," he said. "I'll make sure you catch me getting out of the shower."
"Greg, please," she said. "It's enough he's already failing his classes, he can't afford to miss school."
"Well he's not failing because he's dumb," House said. "He's failing because he can't focus because he's tired all the time."
"Did he talk to you?" she asked concerned. "What did he tell you?"
He sighed, as the boy walked back in the room. "I'll talk to you when I get to work," he said getting from under the covers. "But I'll be late. I have to bring a kid to school."
"You're always late," she told him.
"I'm sure I can break my record," he said before flipping the phone closed.
He really did break his record, but surprisingly not totally because he tried to. He had to take Logan to school, go back to his apartment and shower. He even threw in a nap for good measure. By the time he walked through the doors of the hospital, it was eleven o'clock. Of course Cuddy was waiting on him, but she didn't even care that he was late.
"What did he tell you?" she asked after practically dragging him into her office.
"If I tell you what do I get out of it?"
"What do you mean?"
"I've got the goods and you want them," he said walking over to her desk. "Well some other goods, not the ones that you've been wa…"
"Get to the point," she said seeing where the conversation was going. "Do you want me to take away some of your clinic duty?"
He sat down on the desk and began caressing it. "I don't know," he said. "I kinda had something else in mind."
This drew her attention to his hand sliding across her desk and a slight blush came to her face.
"House I'm not having sex with you just for the information you have," she told him walking behind the desk and sitting in her chair. "I'd squeeze it out of one of the kids first."
"Well then I guess clinic duty will have to do," he said.
"How much clinic duty are we talking about?"
"This is valuable to you," he told her. "Two months."
"One."
"Eight weeks," he countered.
"House that's the same as two months," she told him.
"Technically, minus the days that comes after the twenty eighth."
"One month off," she told him. "Now tell me what happened."
She waited for him to start, but noticed he wasn't paying attention to her anymore.
"Could you please stop looking down my blouse and tell me what's going on," she told him.
"I'm sorry you make it hard…," he left the sentence unfinished, well what most would deem unfinished.
She just rolled her eyes at him. "You're supposed to be telling me something I don't know," she told him, momentarily giving into his need to turn the conversation sexual. "House we are supposed to be discussing Logan."
"Right," he said not being able to quickly come back with a sexual remark of his own. She had threw him for a loop with her unexpected comeback, so he decided to talk about the boy. "His grades are falling because he's tired and he's tired because he has a job."
"I didn't know he had a job," she said surprised.
"Well isn't that how we got to this point?" She just glared at him and waited for him to continue. He told her everything that Madison and Logan had told him.
"Why would he think I would do something like that?"
"I don't know probably because you actually made the stupid decision to marry Zach," he told her.
She didn't reply right away. "So you think I'm making a mistake by marrying Brian?"
"Your words, not mine."
She stared at him as if she was hurt by his implications.
"Aww com'on," he said getting up to leave. "It's not like you weren't thinking it yourself. You've been engaged for couple of months now and you haven't even set a date. When I asked you to marry me, I got home the next day and I was briefed on everything from the venue it was going to be at to the type of tux I needed to get."
She didn't say anything. "Oh, and don't worry," he added opening the door. "I'm sure him and the kids will get along just fine once they all move out. I'm not taking more than one at a time though. Call Wilson, I'm sure he could use the company."
'Speaking of Wilson…' he thought closing the door behind him.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"Did you just get here?" Wilson asked as House took his usual seat on the sofa. "I haven't seen you all morning. I'm surprised Cuddy hasn't killed you yet."
"Cuddy's the reason I'm late," he told him. "Her and Maurice with his great parenting skills."
"I'm assuming you're talking about Brian," Wilson tried to correct him.
"What?" House said with a confused look on his face. "Who's Brian?"
"Never mind," Wilson said. "What happened?"
After House had finished giving him the low down on everything that had been going on Wilson just sat with a shocked expression on his face.
"Oh my God," he said.
"I know, the guy's aw…" House started, but was cut off by Wilson.
"It's like you two actually got married," Wilson interrupted. Now it was House's turn to be confused.
"What?"
"Think about it," Wilson told him. "From what I know you're with Cuddy more than Brian is. You're never at your apartment anymore, you practically live at her place, and you suddenly jumped from having two kids to four."
"Whoa… What did you hear? I'm not claiming anyone until I get a DNA te…" House started sarcastically.
"Don't try to avoid the subject," Wilson said a smile coming to his face. "From what you just told me, you and Cuddy are taking care of your two kids, plus the other two, and you two spend most of your free time together. It's like you're a married couple, I mean you've always argued like one, but this is new territory."
House just stared at Wilson in deep thought. He got up to leave without saying a word.
"Where are you going?" Wilson asked.
"To see Cuddy," he told him. "I just realized, she owes me some hot steamy sex."
Wilson just smiled as House closed the door. At least he knew his friend agreed with what he was saying.
House went back to Cuddy's office and of course another argument ensued. It ended in them going to lunch together, since he didn't have a case, and he had taken advantaged of his one month off of clinic duty. This became their routine for the next few weeks, since Brian was so involved in getting the expansions of his company up and running. Logan had moved back in with her after a week, and Cuddy had managed to keep the drama between Brian and the kids to a minimum. There was still constant arguing between Brian and Logan, which Madison and Hayden willingly joined in on. War had been declared in the home and it was three against one with Cuddy stuck in the middle. Her relationship with Brian was becoming even more strained. House had to ease up on his unannounced visits…at least until Brian left town again.
Brian was sleeping at his place since it was closer to his office and he had to work that weekend. House was coming out of the kitchen about to go into the living room when the front door flew open.
"What is your problem?" Hayden yelled.
"It was an accident," Logan yelled back.
"You soaked him," she said.
"Forgive me for getting a little upset when I see the guy I hate the most in the world sucking on your face," he told her.
"Maybe I like him sucking on my face," she snapped back with attitude.
"Well I hope he likes sucking on my fist," he told her."because that's what's going to happen."
"You can't do that," she said.
"Why not?"
She turned to House. "Can you tell him that he can't just go around punching every guy that likes me," she said.
"Why not?" House asked.
"It's not every guy," Logan said, "just the ones I don't like."
"Ugghh," the girl said pushing past him. "Moooom."
"What'd you do?" House asked the boy.
"I accidentally turned the hose on and hosed him down," Logan said with a smirk on his face.
"Nice," he said. "I never did like that kid."
"Neither did I," Logan responded.
A little while later Cuddy came walking into the foyer with Hayden and Madison walking behind her.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Tell him to stay out of my business," Hayden yelled.
"You're fifteen," House said, "you don't have business."
"Tell her she can't see Blake anymore," Logan added.
"Why not?" Cuddy asked.
"Because she kissed him," the boy added.
"So, I've kissed him before," Hayden returned.
"Oh my God," House said with panic in his voice, "Are you having sex?"
This made Madison burst into laughter and Cuddy looked at Hayden.
"Hayden are you having sex?" she asked her just as panicked as House.
"What?" Hayden asked irritated and confused as to how the conversation got turned around on her. Her cheeks also started to redden a little, feeling embarrassed by the question. "No," she yelled, a little offended. "No I'm not having sex. How does one little kiss…you know what forget it. I'm going to bed…This house SUCKS," she added climbing up the stairs.
"Yeah well tough, we know it sucks" Logan said going behind her. "You're just going to have to deal with it like the rest of us."
"This house doesn't suck," Cuddy yelled behind both of the teens.
"Yes it does, and don't worry, she's not having sex," Madison reassured House and Cuddy before going up the stairs also.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm living in a circus," she said walking into the living room.
She laid down on the couch.
"Yeah, well," House said sitting on the end of the couch where her feet were. "We wouldn't have this problem if you just forbade her to see this Blake kid."
He laid down on the sofa behind her and propped himself up on his elbow. She turned on her back so she could look up at him.
"I can't forbid her to see boys," she said. "If that were the case, I might as well just send her to an all girls boarding school in the middle of a secluded forest somewhere."
He looked as if he was contemplating the idea. "That could work."
"Yeah, until she burned the school and the forest down just to get out," she looked up at him and smiled. "That plan might have actually worked if she wasn't your daughter."
"Well at least it'll come in handy when she's dealing with Gavin," he told her making her roll her eyes, sensing the sarcastic remark coming. "He's going to make the best step dad, you sure know how to pick'em."
"Lets not go down that road," she said.
"Oh let's," he said. "I like that road."
"House, seriously," she pleaded.
"I'm just saying," he started again, "they like me better."
"So are you saying I should marry you?" she asked him, with a slightly amused but serious look on her face.
He just stared at her for a minute and without being able to let himself do it, he started talking again. "Wanna watch TV?" he asked.
"No," she said wrinkling her nose, not really expecting him to answer her last question…though she hoped he would have. It would have helped to resolve at least some of the turmoil within her. "All the kids are in bed, this is my only time to relax. Turn on the stereo instead."
He reached for the stereo remote on the end table next to the couch, and clicked the power button. He flipped through the stations until he came to a song she recognized. He tried to change it, but she grabbed his hand.
"No, leave it," she said. "I love this song."
He sat the remote back down as she got up from the sofa.
"Com'on, dance with me," she said holding her hands out to him.
"Uhm, cripple here," he said pointing to his leg.
She sucked her teeth. "I've seen you dance plenty of times after you had your surgery, I'm not asking you to do the Charleston." He just stared at her apprehensively. "Humor me," she added with a smile that melted his heart.
He cursed himself for not being able to break away from the spell that was cast onto him every time he looked into her eyes, and say no as he got up off of the sofa. He wrapped his arms loosely around her waist, a few inches away from her, feeling a little awkward dancing with her again.
"I don't bite you know," she said smiling at him.
"That's too bad," he said.
She just rolled her eyes and stepped closer to him, giving him no other choice but to wrap his arms more tightly around her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his allowing the side of their faces to touch. She closed her eyes as the words started to flow from the speakers.
**I've tried my best, for so long
To break down these walls, but you build them strong
So I stand here waiting, wondering, why? Oh why?
Why you don't give a little bit?
Break down and give a little bit
Show some emotion, open…
Open your heart
Set free an ocean
Only a feeling can save us now**
She raised her head off of his shoulders and looked into his eyes, wanting to face the person responsible for the emotions the song evoked in her. He had no other choice, but to look down into the same beautiful eyes that had gotten him off of the sofa in the first place. They continued to stare into each others eyes as the song continued.
**You say you've been hurt, well you're not alone
As you race through this life, what you keep to yourself
Can turn you to stone
All it would take, is one kind word, to be heard
Come on and give a little bit
Try to forgive a little bit
Show some emotion, open…
Open your heart
Set free an ocean
Only a feeling can save us now**
He took one arm from around her waist and bought his hand to her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb, never breaking eye contact. She put her hand on his wrist and started to caress the hand that was caressing her face as she nuzzled into his touch. He started to lean down, bringing his face closer to hers. Her lips parted slightly as she stood on her toes to meet him half way. Their lips barely brushed up against each others, and they hesitated, looking into each other's eyes once more, as if asking for permission, before he captured her lips with his. She moved her hand from his wrist to the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair as the kiss became more passionate and intense.
**Show some emotion, open
Open your heart
Set free an ocean
Only a feeling can save us now**
The song had gone off, but they were still wrapped in each others arms, only coming up to breathe when needed, before quickly letting their tongues intertwine again.
"Awweessome," they heard an excited voice coming from the entrance of the living room.
Both of their heads quickly snapped towards the archway.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Logan said. "I didn't mean to interrupt; I just came down to get something to eat."
They still just stared at him, both of their mouths still hanging open.
"You know Izzy can sleep in my bed tonight," he said with a huge smile on his face. "You know if you want her…I'll just go get her and put her in my bed."
The boy left the archway and they heard his voice one more time. "Yes!!! He is so outta here," he said obviously referring to Brian.
At that realization Cuddy stepped away from House, making him release his hold on her. He just stared at her as she toyed with the ring on her finger. He took the hint, realizing that the kiss didn't mean one thing or another. Well it did mean something, but it wasn't a final decision.
"I should probably go," he told her. She still didn't look up or answer. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," she said quietly.
A/N: This story has about fourteen more chapters after this one, but I have already started working on a prequel to it.