"Did you ask her to move in with you?" Blythe asked her son when they were alone – but for Aiko – in his office after returning from the house.

"No mother," House answered gently. "Our relationship is complicated at best; so far we have managed to find a way to work together, but being parents together ... that scares the living daylights out of me. Whatever happens, however our relationship develops, we need to put the children first. So we have to go extremely carefully. But on the other hand, we do need to form some kind of a family unit for the children to feel safe in. So, I suggested to Cuddy that she moves into the main house with the kids and I will live in the granny flat. If you end up divorcing Dad, I would appreciate it if you could come and live in the housekeeper's flat and as long as Kasumii is Aiko's nanny she will live with Cuddy and the kids."

"I do admit that I was hoping you had found love, but on the other hand, your plan may well be better given that marriages seem to be disintegrating left and right," Blythe smiled ruefully. "I guess I should be used to it by now that you just do things differently from other people. You are gathering a very unconventional family for your children, but as far as I can see, there is no reason why it shouldn't work; possibly even better than most conventional arrangements. Especially if everybody does remember that the children come first. Do you think Lisa will agree to it?"

"I don't see why not," House mused. "Though we do need to talk about it more and figure out the rules and boundaries. But once we have come to an agreement that she thinks she can live with, it will be ok. After all, she does want what is best for the children, too."

"Are you going to tell James about this?" Blythe wondered. "I mean now. Obviously you cannot keep it a secret once you purchase the house and you and Cuddy move in."

"I think I better tell him now," House shrugged. "Otherwise he just might die of curiosity."

------------------------------

"Are you out of your mind?" Wilson stared at House eyes wide open. "You and Cuddy in the same house? It will never work. You will kill each other within a month! Besides, what do you think the board will say? I know they accepted my explanation about the conception of the triplets, and they can hardly have anything to say about you and Cuddy sharing custody of your children, but if you are living together some might think Cuddy cannot remain unbiased about you."

"Cuddy has never been unbiased about me," House exclaimed. "She has always had it in for me. Besides, we are not officially living together since we both have different addresses."

"Huh?" Wilson was lost. "How can you live in the same house and have different addresses? Or are you keeping your old flat and live there officially while in fact you are spending most of your time in your new house?"

"No," House smirked. "I will share the house with Cuddy but Cuddy will live in 186 A while I will live in 221 B. The house has two front doors giving to different streets! Brilliant don't you think?"

"So you are going to lie to the board?" Wilson was still a little uncertain about what House was talking about.

"No," House decided to be serious. "There is no hiding it really. But the board can hardly accuse us of flaunting our living arrangements when we have different addresses. Also they can hardly fault us for wanting to give our children a stable home with two parents especially as this arrangement makes sure that Cuddy does not need to sacrifice either her children or her job. At least no more than any parent has to these days."

"Yeah, that does sound sensible," Wilson had to admit. "I'm not so sure that it actually is sensible, but it is difficult to find fault with it."

"That is one of the reasons I proposed this to Cuddy," House said. "The kids come first, of course, but if we can keep the board off her back as well, more power to us!"

"I'm not sure you can keep the board completely off her back, but you are certainly making it difficult for anyone to go after her without seeming petty and mean," Wilson nodded. "Most of the board is currently on Cuddy's side anyway, but even if the couple of idiots who find her pregnancy difficult to accept manage to turn the others to their way of thinking Cuddy will still have a heck of a case to take to court if need be. But even so I still find it hard to believe she agreed."

"I said that I have proposed this to her," House pointed out. "I didn't say she has agreed, yet. But if we can agree on necessary rules and such I don't see why she should refuse."

"One reason does come to mind," Wilson suggested.

"You mean me?" House understood. "That is what the rules are for!"

"You don't exactly have a reputation of following rules, you know," Wilson reminded him.

"True, but in this case I would be able to know the rules and even influence them before I agree to them," House stated. "Sure it's not going to be all fun and games, but given the reason for this all, I'm sure we will find a way to deal with each other."

"I sure hope so," Wilson declared. "Let me know what Lisa decides and if she says yes, I'll try and sell this arrangement to the board again. Now get out of my office, I have patients to see."

"Fine, be that way," House huffed. "If patients are more important to you than friends sure I can leave. Are you coming over tonight? Mom said she will cook."

"Sure, what time?"

"Sevenish, patients and such permitting," House left Wilson's office through the balcony door.

----------------------------------

Blythe and Kasumii had just taken Aiko for a stroll and House was in his office with Grey who had been spending his break with Kasumii and the ducklings – though House had made some noises about this being the Department of Diagnostics not a coffee house nor a social club. Grey has stayed behind for a moment after Kasumii left as he wanted a word with House.

"Am I correct in assuming that once you buy this mansion we saw, you plan to live in the smaller flat and leave the house to Dr. Cuddy, the kids and Kasumii?" Grey ventured.

"That is the basic plan, yes," House admitted. "Cuddy and I still need to work out the details, so the deal is not yet certain. We are, neither one of us, exactly easy to live with."

"That may be a bit of an understatement," Grey muttered dryly. "Ok, I just wanted to be sure I was on the right page."

"So you approve?" House mocked him mildly.

"She does," Grey shrugged. "I'll just live with it."

"You seem awfully accommodating," House mused. "Usually young men are a little more impatient and demanding when it comes to their women."

"Possibly," Grey agreed. "I certainly have seen it often enough. I never quite approved of it. It's one thing to state your case and something else to demand someone else just fall into your plans no discussion needed."

"So you want to discuss things before you demand anything?" House was a little sceptical.

"As things stand now there is very little to discuss," Grey pointed out. "Kasumii had already made her commitment to Aiko before we met, so that's that for now. Later we need to see where things go, but I know what I want and I'm fairly sure she knows what she wants, too, so I'm sure we can figure things out."

"And what is it you want?" House asked curiously.

"I want to be around her for the rest of my life," Grey stated simply making House blink in surprise.

"Wow," House said after a moment. "That does simplify things. Yeah, I think you can indeed work things out if you know your mind that clearly."

That was pretty much the end of that conversation which was fortunate as right then Cuddy walked in wanting a word with House.

"I did my clinic duty!" House declared defensively the moment he saw Cuddy. Grey smiled and took his leave.

"This is not about clinic duty as you well know," Cuddy stated briskly. "You know perfectly well that I have not been able to think about anything but the house since you dropped that bomb on me."

"And now you have come to tell me it's an absolute fool idea and you will rather die than live under those conditions?" House gave Cuddy a very earnest look.

"I wish!" Cuddy sat down opposite to House. "I really wish I could say it's a foolish idea, but unfortunately for the kids it's pretty much ideal. Or as much as possible without us getting married and being conventional. Only I pretty much decided against conventional when I decided to have a child alone."

"Yeah, conventional would be really great for the kiddies," House scoffed. "Most conventional families – at least those who strive for it – are family hells with nice fronts. You know perfectly well what would happen if you and I got married. NOT an ideal situation for the kiddies. We both need our space and I don't mean just physically."

"I agree," Cuddy nodded. "We really need to sit down and work out the rules but I think, as long as we keep in mind why we are doing this, we can get to a working arrangement so I agree. Buy the house and I'll move in."

"Ok, thank you," House said.

"I'm assuming you are using the money you got from Landis to buy the house, and that is more than enough, but do you have enough cash for down payment now, before the money comes through?" Cuddy asked.

"Once the lawyers told us that Landis is not appealing and that his father is paying all the expenses and damages the bank was more than happy to extend any help I needed," House explained. "I'm fine. You can use the money you get from your house to set up college funds for the trips or whatever you want."

"Ok," Cuddy was happy to hear that. "Just one thing..."

Cuddy hesitated she was biting he lip and acting a little nervous. House got curious.

"And what might that be?"

"Sex," Cuddy just blurted the word out.

"But Cuddy!" House acted all shocked. "I know pregnant ladies can sometimes get really horny and all, but in my office? Right in the middle of a work day? Besides just remember what happened the last time. I don't think you can afford to get any more pregnant than you already are."

"Very funny, ha, ha," Cuddy huffed. "I meant when in the house. We are both healthy adults, we have needs. How ... What ... We need to have some plan for that, too."

"No sex on the premises unless it's with someone who lives there permanently," House stated simply.

"Meaning you?" Cuddy sniped.

"No," House shook his head deciding to be serious about this. "What I meant was that we are not, neither one of us, bringing dates home. If you want to go out and have sex with someone, fine, just don't bring him home until you are sure he is a keeper – and that he is ok with our arrangement. We are not subjecting the kids to a string of uncles who come and go."

"Just uncles?" Cuddy was a little grumpy at House's assumption.

"I would never introduce any of the hookers to the kids anyway," House exaggerated his indignation.

"What about those of your dates that are not hookers?" Cuddy asked dryly.

"Unmarried man with four children lives with the mother of three of them wants company with serious intentions," House summed in a monotone voice. He seemed to test the words and then he lifted an eyebrow at Cuddy. "Yeah, I can just see how that ad would cause a stampede at my door."

"You could be surprised," Cuddy muttered quietly. "Yeah, I see what you mean, though. Ok, I think that rule works once we refine it a little. Just... what if I, too cannot find a date?"

"Then hell hath frozen over," House observed. "There is no change you couldn't find someone who wants to do you, unless you get totally unreasonably picky. There are plenty of divorced guys around who never want to get serious again. It's only when you want to find a permanent guy that you will run into difficulties."

"What if," Cuddy wasn't sure asking this was a good idea, but the thought had not left her alone, "what if I want to have sex with you? I mean we will be in close proximity a lot and that could lead to ... something."

"Well, how likely, do you think, am I to turn you down if you show up in my bedroom wearing a smile and Chanel Number 5?" House responded smiling wickedly.

"So I can feel free?" Cuddy observed ironically.

"As far as I'm concerned no need to hesitate," House turned serious, though. "However, that is not the case where the kids are concerned. In fact we really need to think that possible scenario through as well because sex can really complicate things and though we will definitely argue and fight and even sulk and slam doors and all that even without having sex with each other, we need to make absolutely sure that whatever we do the kids don't suffer and that we can both go on living with them till they at least go to college or something. You need to know that once we start this, once the kids are one family, living together doing things together, sharing parents there is no way in Hell I will let you separate Aiko from her siblings. So if this falls apart and we get a divorce or whatever we should call it, it will get ugly."

"Is that a warning?" Cuddy wasn't quite sure how to take this unexpected turn. It was difficult to believe House could be this serious about anything, well anything other than a patient.

"No, it's a promise," House shrugged.

"What if it is your fault?" Cuddy queried.

"If it happens you will definitely think it's all my fault and I will think it's yours, no matter what the objective truth may be," House pointed out. "And even if we could come to an amicable arrangement it will still be painful for the kids. So it will be ugly. Therefore, whatever we do, we need to try and think how it might affect the children especially in the long run."

"So if I'm feeling impulsive, I need to curb myself," Cuddy tried to lighten the atmosphere.

"Or treat yourself to a new vibrator," House suggested.

"Oh, shut up House!"