Sorry for being slow, I've started university again, and I'm doing a double major so as you can imagine, not a lot of free time!

If there was one thing Dr. Gregory House had never imagined, it was having children. Sure, he had occasionally (okay, frequently) thought about what things would have been like if he had stayed with Stacy forever, but the idea of 'family' didn't come up very often. Or at all. They were getting older, that was for damn sure. Was that why Stacy had kept this baby, instead of trying for one with Mark? Or did she want to keep a piece of Greg with her? He had no idea. She had hated him when he broke up with her, so it was probably likely that she just wanted the child. Stacy was practical, and very pro-choice, but he couldn't imagine her seeing her baby for the first time, and giving it away. He didn't see that at all.

Chloe was his child. His. It had been one thing to see the positive DNA result on that piece of paper, but it had been another actually seeing the baby in question. His head had been in a fog for the rest of the day, thinking about that tiny little girl, with eyes so very, very blue. She had gripped onto his hand- merely an instinct, but- he wasn't sure why, it had felt strange. Was it a positive feeling? Negative? He had no idea. He certainly hadn't felt it before, and in the end, he hadn't been able to make sense of things by himself. He'd cracked.

And by that, he'd gone to talk to Wilson.

"What do you mean, she's really yours?"

"You must have suspected it."

"Well, yeah- but- I didn't think it could really- do you want me to talk to Stacy?"

"Do what you want, I don't care."

"House, this child is yours."

"So? I'll send a cheque."

He was absolutely awful with children, in his opinion. He had had an absolutely awful father, the example he set wasn't exactly something to write in the parenting books. Sure, he wouldn't drag Chloe from military base to military base, and talk to her with notes pushed under the door- but how would he treat her? He was still clinging to the vicodin, a surly, unfriendly doctor, with no patience for people, or anything. He loved Stacy, he always would, but would that extend to that sweet baby? It should. Biology was on that side. But what if?

Picking up a case file from his desk, in an attempt to think about something other than Stacy, and her daughter. Their daughter. Was she feeling better? Still sick? Should he go see them? Call her? He had absolutely no idea.

Stacy was still reeling from the knowledge that Greg knew about the baby, and his role in her existence. What should she say to him? Should she apologise? Not telling him he had a child was a harsh move, but then, he was Greg- she couldn't see him demanding to be a father, wanting to give them a try as a family- yes, she had often thought about it, but that was her being hopeful. Part of her would always love Greg, and yes, she would like Chloe to know her father. Of course she would.

In truth, she had thought about calling him, several months prior to Chloe's birth. At almost forty, her pregnancy had been classed as high risk, and although she had done everything to avoid them, she had had some complications. Around seven or so months, she'd lost some fluid, and Chloe had shown signs of wanting to come out. Mark hadn't come to the hospital with her, and Stacy had never, ever been so terrified. The doctors had been all gentle, and smiley- 'don't worry, your baby is doing just fine'- but she hadn't wanted the fluffy bedside manner. She'd wanted someone to tell it to her straight, so she could just get answers to the questions running around her mind. That was when she'd picked up her phone, and been about to call Greg, but..

She hadn't.

And why?

That was a complicated answer. She would always love him, but she didn't know how he would react if she told him she was pregnant with his child. A harsh reaction would probably hurt her feelings, not for her sake, but for her child's. She didn't want the baby to know that rejection growing up. And if Greg turned the both of them away, at least her baby girl would have her. Stacy loved Chloe fiercely, from the moment she realised she was pregnant. It was probably cowardly of her to not mention anything to Greg, but it had felt like the better option.

She had spent the past two hours recounting all of this to WIlson, who had come over after work to demand more information from her. At least he was alone. She didn't know if she could face Greg again.

"So why come back?"

"I'll admit, it wasn't on my to do list," Stacy admitted, watching him pace around her living room. He was puzzled, conflicted, she could see that. She'd had to ask him to keep his voice down earlier- Chloe was asleep, and it had taken a damn long time to get her to settle. The lawyer drummed her fingers on the sides of her coffee mug, as her friend came to sit down, running a hand over his sandy hair.

"Do you want him to know her?"

"Of course I do. She's his child. He's her father. But I don't want him to reject her. She's my baby, I'd rather not tell him,and not have him turn her away."

That made sense to James, of course. He knew his friend, he was often unpredictable, but- Stacy had always been his soft spot. How had he reacted after sending her away? The drugs to induce migraines, attempting to prove that stupid drug ineffective, and more than a few hookers to try distract himself. James had a feeling that this might be another soft spot, and he was sure that the rare touching upon it had thrown Greg for a loop. That was why he'd decided to stay over at his friend's later- partly to get information, but also to see how he was handling it.

"Is she feeling any better? I heard she wasn't feeling well."

Stacy shrugged her shoulders, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"I don't know. I gave her the medicine to lower her fever, but she was still a little cranky when I put her down."

"Do you want me to take a look at her?"

"No, no, she's sleeping. She shouldn't be up for another half an hour."

Stacy was trying to keep to some kind of routine, but it was all up in the air right now. Chloe was sick, Stacy's head was a mess, she was still moving house, dealing with a divorce- everything felt hectic. But if she could just stick to some routine, so Chloe could feel safe, and looked after. That was a priority to Stacy. She wasn't sure how to be a mum, but she was trying.

James didn't stay for long, and Stacy decided to head back up to Chloe's room once he was gone. She had papers to go over, and she was supposed to call Mark, but her mind was more occupied with her daughter.

The nursery was quiet, dark, with only the night light interrupting the darkness. It threw stars slowly around the room, and Chloe seemed to like it, at least. Gentle fussing from her bed told Stacy that her daughter was awake, and she bent to pick her up.

"Hey, pumpkin." Carefully sitting on the chair in the corner, holding the baby close to her. Her fusses were rather cranky- Chloe hated waking up, almost as much as she apparently hated going to sleep. You could never win with babies.

Would Greg be any good with her?

No, she couldn't afford to think like that. She probably wouldn't see him until she went back to work, and when she did, he wouldn't mention it. If he did he would tease her, probably wish her luck, and ask if she was going to frisk him for child support. Stacy almost rolled her eyes, brushing a hand over Chloe's dark hair.

She was about to take her downstairs for milk, when the doorbell's chimes grabbed her attention. What did James want? Had he forgotten something? Chloe gazed quizzically at her mother, but was easily placated when Stacy dropped the musical rabbit into her tiny hands.

"I hope that continues to work when you're a teenager."

Probably wishful thinking. Picking up a blanket to give Chloe extra warmth, when the doorbell rang again. Huffing a little in frustration, before quickly heading out of the room, and down into the hallway to ask James what he wanted, and had he left something-

"Did you forget something-"

"No, thought I'd give you a house call."

Greg.

Oh, shit. Of all the people she didn't want to see today, he was on top of the damn list. Why hadn't she checked the video camera attached to the doorbell? Oh, right. She hadn't installed it yet. Stacy mentally added it to her to-do list. Shifting the baby in her arms, momentarily lost for words.

Chloe, however, seemed fascinated by the visitor. Stacy doubted she remembered him from her exam at the clinic earlier, but the little baby reached an arm to him, rather intrigued. A cranky, but friendly baby: she definitely didn't inherit that last part from Greg, that was for sure.

"I think she likes me."

"Don't take it personally, her cognitive skills aren't fully developed yet," Stacy grumbled, but stepped aside to allow him in. Chloe making soft whines of complaint as she wasn't handed over to the tall stranger- why wasn't he holding her? She wanted a hug, and attention. It simply wouldn't do.

Stacy ran a hand over her back, eyes following Greg as he went to sit down. Rather comfortable in her house, it seemed. Either that, or his leg was sore. She swallowed the pang of guilt, adjusting Chloe in her arms.

"You don't mind, right? Thought I'd lay off the vicodin today, so we could have a talk." It would probably be easier to have this conversation a little stoned, but were the drugs part of why Stacy wouldn't tell him? He didn't know, but it seemed likely. How many dads popped painkillers in a school playground? Probably a few, but, none that Stacy would trust her child with.

"Even if I did, you wouldn't leave."

"That's true. Gonna hand her over?"

Stacy was hesitating at that. Chloe was squirming a little, the baby unsettled, and starting to get tense. She could always pick up on her mother's emotions, but, Greg was Greg, and what if-

"Just give her here."

"You still have to hold her head, she's a little wobbly-"

"I have some medical training." He took Chloe from her, one hand sliding round to support her little head. She was a cute baby: lots of dark hair, long eyelashes framing crystal blue eyes. He felt her forehead, just for good measure- warm, but not as warm as it had been in the clinic. The fever medicine seemed to be working, at least.

Chloe settled in his arms, looking rather content, and relaxed. At least someone was. Stacy's eyes lingered on the baby as she moved to sit down, hands folding in her lap as she did so.

"Alright. I'll give you ten minutes. Lets talk."

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