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Chapter 38

"Greg, stop that, you're making ME nervous…"

"Why should you be nervous, it's my dad" he gave a nearly
imperceptible shudder at the word "dad".

"I still think we should have picked them up" she said as she paced the floor.

"They said they would meet us here, and personally I don't really feel like being introduced to my… the sperm donor in front of two-thousand plus tourists at the airport."

"No of course not, I didn't mean it like that…"

"I know…" he was tense. He sat on the arm of the couch holding his cane in front of him with both hands, his shoulders squared, and his head hanging down. Occasionally he would bounce his cane on the floor rhythmically, that was what was driving Cuddy crazy, that and the fact that he had been unusually quiet all day. His team had even noticed it and had voted Chase to go find out what was wrong with him. House simply glared at him and barked that it was none of his business and that he should keep his Australian ass out of it. So naturally he went to Cuddy, who of course lied, telling him that House was probably just tired in such a tone that not even Chase dared to dispute.

The door bell rang and House shot up his head giving Cuddy the second most frightened look she had ever seen, the first being when House realized he had hallucinated. She went over to him cupped his chin in her hand and gave him a kiss to ease some of the tension he had built up. "If you're a good boy, you'll get more later on."

"If you can keep your eyes open that is" he mumbled.

Cuddy glared at him and turned to open the door. Blythe stood in front of her, her face breaking into a wide grin when she saw Cuddy, "Oh Lisa, you just get more beautiful every time I see you!" she said clasping her hands then dropping them to give her a hug.

"It's good to see you too Blythe, please come in"

"Lisa, I would like you to meet Rick" she gestured to the very tall man behind
her. He took an uncertain step forward into the light and Cuddy's first impression was that he could have been Clint Eastwood's twin; except that he had the same strikingly blue eyes as House. That answered one question.

Rick extended his hand "Lisa, Blythe has told me a lot about you, and I must say you're just as pretty as she said you were" He even sounded a little like Clint… scary.

Cuddy pushed her thought aside and took his hand giving him a smile, "It's nice to meet you, please come in, Greg's in the living room"

House watched as Cuddy walked back into the room with his parents in tow. This was it, he thought, shit why the hell did he agree to this? But it was too late now seeing as the man he knew, since the tender age of twelve, to be his father was standing right in front of him. What the hell does one say in a situation like this? House stood up, coming eye to eye with his father hoping that someone else would speak first so he wouldn't have to.

"Hello Greg" it was Rick who broke the ice.

"Rick"

"Got a beer?"

"Thought you'd never ask" House said relieved as he led the way to the kitchen leaving Cuddy and Blythe to stare at each other baffled.

Cuddy was the first to come out of her stupor, "What was that?" Both women stood there staring in the direction of the kitchen not daring
to venture in.

"Male bonding?"

"Let's hope so"

***

Rick pulled up a seat at the kitchen island, he bent over with his
forearms resting on the polished surface, he looked down at his hands.
"Your mom told me what John did to you" House gruffly set down a
bottle of beer in front of him and cracked one for himself.

"So what? Is this the part of this after school special where you tell me how sorry you are for my shitty childhood and how you wish you could have been there for me?"

"That would be too condescending, what's done is done, I can't help what that asshole did." he took a long swig of his beer.

House looked at him steadily for several seconds. "So what?"

"What do you mean "so what?". Look, if I would have known or if I had
been in the same state, hell the same country, sure I would have
wanted to know you. I probably would have sent you more gifts than I
did too, but that just wasn't how it all went down."

"You sent gifts?"

"Yeah… should have known Blythe never told you they were from me
though. That would have really set John off. But yeah, we had always
been close…"

"That's an understatement"

Rick shot him an icy blue glare and continued "She would write me
every once in a blue moon telling me about where you were, what you
were up to, we had always been friends so it wasn't that strange.
Sometimes I would send a letter back, sometimes with a gift of some
kind. She told me you really liked puzzles once so I got you a wooden
3D puzzle of the great pyramids, another time she said you were
interested in medicine so I got you this… I guess it was suppose to be
a chemistry kit"

"She said she had ordered that stuff…"

Rick scoffed; "Her way of protecting you both I presume" he took a swig of his beer.

"Some job" they both drank to that.

"So Blythe tells me your one of the top doctors in your field."

"Yup" he sipped his beer.

"She's very proud of you, you know."

"Yeah, she's told me."

"Good, she should."

"I never did know what you did for the Marines."

"Marines" Rick cracked a smile, "Civilian, a thoracic surgeon at the
base hospital."

"At least that's a profession I can respect"

"So, my son is the head of Diagnostics… wow, never thought I'd be able
to say that"

"Mom says you've got other kids"

"A boy and a girl. Lynda is a surgical nurse and Tom is in advertizing."

"Grandkids?"

"Lynda has three; Kim, Rebecca, and Andrew. Tom has two boys Alan and Scott."

"So where do I fit in to that happy little picture?"

"Anywhere you want it's your call. I didn't even know their mother when you were born, it's not like they can hold that against me now is it?" He downed the rest of his beer and motioned for another, which House promptly retrieved, getting one for him as well.

"Right, just my mom"

"Look, they can think what they like; your mother is a good woman… that night…"

"Oh please spare me the story of my conception."

But he pressed on "John's transport had run into some sort of delay. He was supposed to be home on a Saturday and they didn't make it, a week and a half went by, still nothing, she came over, I was her only friend there, I comforted her…"

"Right in to pregnancy"

"John got home three days later; I just figured you were his…"

"You hoped"

"For the sake of their marriage… yes."

Both men just sat there for several minutes drinking their beers. "You haven't asked about my girls"

"I figured we would get through all the psycho bull we needed to cover and you would let me know when you wanted me to see them"

"Alright, I can take that"

"Blythe says that Lisa adopted both girls and you just moved in a few months ago"

"So, they aren't mine therefore they aren't yours, got it…"

Rick slammed down his beer, "How the hell did you get that? You have accepted them as your own and that is good enough for me. Blythe told me how you were with them, they way you treat them, the way you spend time with them. That is what a father is, that is what he is suppose to do, that's what I should have done for you but couldn't!" he didn't mean to go that far, he had lost his cool, He had yelled and he never yelled, he took a swig of his beer. "At least you turned out alright, even if I can't clam any credit for it."

"What exactly is your definition of "alright"? Ask any one, I'm a screwed up mess and a belligerent ass. I only have one friend and even he acknowledges me as the asshole I am and Lisa is the only one crazy enough to give me a job."

"So what if you're an asshole, you've got an extremely successful practice, the love of a gorgeous successful woman who knows your worth and from what I hear two beautiful little girls calling you daddy; that is what I would call "Alright". It's more than I could have hoped for with you being raised the way you were."

"Remind me to have you write my biography"

"Too much?"

"Just a little"

"Ehh, well as ridiculous as it sounds I still think it's true for the most part"

"Obviously you don't know me"

"I hope to rectify that"

"So what do you want me to call you?"

"Seriously?"

"Yes seriously, my girls are going to be coming out here in a little while and I've got to tell them something. So tell me, are you Rick, my dad, grandpa, grandma's squeeze, what?"

"Grandpa Rick is fine for the kid's, as for you… I didn't really expect "daddy" or even "dad" for that matter, if you prefer "Rick" that's just fine."

"Right"

***

Cuddy and Blythe sat on the couch trying to listen for any signs of trouble coming from the kitchen. It had been relatively quiet for several minuets now. "What do you think?" Cuddy asked.

"Well, I'm not expecting them to come out here and announce their going to buy a Model-T to restore together, but I also don't think they're going to kill each other either"

"Do you think it's safe for me to go get the girls now?"

"We can bring them out here anyway, and then when the boys are ready they can come in"

"I'll go get them"

Moments later Cuddy came back into the living room with Rachel and
Lily. It was already fairly late so Cuddy already had them dressed in their pajamas. "Grandma!" Lily yelled when she saw Blythe sitting on the couch. Lily ran over to her and jumped up on the couch, "When did you get here grandma?"

"Oh not long ago sweetie, I've just been talking to mommy"

Back in the kitchen House heard Lily's shriek of joy, he turned to his father "Well, Lisa's released the girls, should we get this over with?"

"Sure, what the hell" Rick said as he finished his beer.

***

House and Rick made their way out into the living room. Lily was chatting emphatically with Blythe but stopped abruptly when she saw Rick. House sat down on the armrest next to Cuddy and Rick moved over to sit in the chair by Blythe. Lily quickly scrambled off her grandmother's lap and climbed up on Houses good leg then she cupped her little hands around his ear whispering "Daddy, who is that guy?"

House looked at her, and then looked at Rick, and back to Lily, "That's my daddy"

Lily's eyes got big "So... he's my grandpa too?"

"Yup"

"So I have a grandpa House?"

"No, you have a Grandpa Rick"

"Oh" She said as she looked over at Rick. Then she turned back to House and whispered in his ear again "Is he nice?"

"I don't know, why don't you go and find out?"

"Ok daddy I will, I'll let you know if he is or not." She hopped down from House's lap and went over to Rick holding out her little hand professionally, "Hi Grandpa Rick, I'm Lily" Rick took her hand gently "It's very nice to meet you Lily"

"Would you play a game with me?"

"What kind of game?"

Lily thought for a minute "How about Go-Fish?"

"That sounds like a good game." The words were scarcely out of his
mouth and Lily was already off looking for her deck of Go-Fish cards.

Then it was Rachel's turn. She had crawled off the couch and used the
coffee table to edge over to Rick. Once she got there she put both of
her hands on his knee and started playfully pounding on his leg. "Can
I help you?"

She looked at him and then pushed back letting herself bounce back on her bottom laughing. Rick bent over and picked her up setting her on
his knee, "You're a happy one aren't you?"

"Muumm mummumum… dade!" she babbled joyfully as Rick bounced her.

"So, how are the wedding plans coming" Blythe piped up turning to Cuddy.

"Oh great, we really got a lot done already and we meet with the planer again next Saturday" Cuddy replied.

"Did you get the list I sent you?"

"Yes, it was actually bigger than I had expected"

"Oh well, you don't have to invite everyone on there if you don't want
to" Blythe turned to House, "Greg, did you want Amanda, Evan, Mike and
Steven invited?"

"Oh Blythe, don't, I didn't mean it like that, its just that I didn't
think Greg had that much family"

"They're a bunch of morons" House answered.

"I know they are but they're still your cousins"

"Ahh no, no, no, technically they are not even related to me."

"You grew up with them and share a last name, they're your cousins,
deal with it."

"But still, that only makes the four idiots, Aunt Sara, and the two of you? Who else did you invite mom?"

"Well, Rick's kids, the Wilson's, and my friend Peggy"

"Rick's kid's, and Wilson's parents? How do you even know Wilson's parents?"

"Well, I don't, not personally, but I figured it might be nice."

House turned to Cuddy "Lisa please tell me you haven't sent out the
invitations yet"

"No, I just got the list to Richelle, she's ordered them but they're
not in yet."

"Good" then he turned to Rick "So what happened to it being my call?"

"Don't look at me I didn't do it, and as far as I'm concerned it's
still your call."

"I'm not ready for that, this thing is going to be bad enough with all
these other yahoos around let alone them."

"Fine, you can be my dirty little secret for as long as you want"

"You're not close to them"

"They are adults; they can handle hearing the news in a few months

just as well as they could in a few minutes."

Just then Lily came back from her room holding the deck of cards in
her hand "I found them!"

"Oh good, I was starting to wonder where you had gotten too" he looked at his watch "I think we have time for one game and then grandma and I have to get going"

"Already?"

"I'm afraid so sweetie, but we'll be back tomorrow"

"Oh, ok then" she smiled and handed him the deck of cards.

After beating her grandfather in a game of Go-Fish it was time for Lily, and Rachel, to say good night. Cuddy took the girls upstairs to tuck them in leaving House alone with his parents. Blythe cleared her throat, "So.."

"Yes mother"

"Did you boys have a good bonding session?" House and Rick exchanged identical ice blue looks.

"I think the boy and I got on ok. Greg?"

House leaned back against the couch; "Sure Pops" Rick raised an eyebrow and gave him a small smile.

"That's my boy"

The three of them sat in a semi-comfortable silence for several minuets, what was there left to be said? This is the state Cuddy found them in when she came back. They talked for a little while longer mostly making plans for the next day and then Rick and Blythe got ready to leave.

House gave his mother a hug at the door and then Rick took him by the arm.

"Greg, I don't care how it sounded, I'm sticking by to what I said earlier, you've done ok for yourself kid"

House looked into Rick's eyes, there was no sarcasm, no disapproval, no hate… only honesty, pure honesty. House brought his hand to Ricks elbow and gave it a small squeeze. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what, all he could manage was a small nod. The two men parted with a hand shake and Rick followed Blythe out the door.