Authors Notes: I might have played fast and loose with the timeline just a bit here. To make it work, assume Season 1 covered a seven to eight month time span, then it took House another six to come to his senses, and he and Allison have been together for almost ten months. That means the ducklings two-year fellowship should be just about drawing to a close.

And to all of you who have taken the time to review, thanks so much. It keeps my Muse fed and watered.

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"Please tell me this all some horrible practical joke," Cuddy begged as she entered the exam room where Allison was just getting started with a patient.

"Ok, it's all a joke," Allison complied.

Cuddy sighed. House could corrupt a nun, she decided. "Come see me in my office as soon as you are done with this patient," she ordered, and retreated.

Allison turned to her elderly patient and tried to gauge his sense of humor. There was a twinkle in his eye so she decided to take a risk. "I don't suppose you would let me run a whole series of totally unnecessary tests on you, would you?"

"Young lady, it would be my pleasure," he grinned.

As it was she was done with Mr. Stevens within 15 minutes. He'd just had a flair-up of his arthritis and simply needed a refill of his prescription. With a sigh she knocked on Cuddy's door and entered when beckoned.

Seeing Allison standing there in front of her it was glaringly obvious something was different. Besides the woman was positively glowing. "My god, look at you. How did I not see it before now," Cuddy wondered. "More importantly how long has House known?"

"I told him as soon as I found out two months ago," Allison told her confused by the question.

"He's known for two months?" Cuddy asked in amazement. "We are talking about the same Gregory House, right? And it is his baby?"

"Yes, and yes. Why are you so surprised?" Allison asked.

Cuddy paused. Maybe it really wasn't her place to say anything, but she'd already aroused Allison's curiosity. "He just has always been pretty outspoken about not having children," she finally admitted.

"Yeah, well you could say this was bit of a shock to both of us," Allison admitted.

"I'll bet. And the timing really sucks Allison. I was going to recommend you for the assistant head of Immunology when your fellowship is up in a month," Cuddy confided.

"And now you won't?" Allison asked.

"No I still will, I just think your chances might be hurt by the fact that you will be taking maternity leave within your first six months on the job. Have you thought about what you want to do?"

"Well, I know House is offering all three of us an additional one year fellowship. I'm seriously thinking about taking it as the timing would be good for me to then move on in a year. Besides if Greg has to deal with three newbies and a baby at the same time you might just get your meltdown," Allison told her.

Cuddy shuddered at the thought. She knew House was making the offer, and that Foreman and Chase were likely to turn it down for other opportunities. She couldn't help but selfishly hope that Allison did decide to stick it out another year in Diagnostics.

"Well, let me know what you decide. If you stay with House I need to find another candidate for Immunology," Cuddy told her. "And if I forgot to say it, congratulations on the baby. Tell House I will stop by to give him grief as soon as I get a chance," she said with a smile.

Allison left feeling relieved. That had gone better than she thought. Unfortunately her good mood was doomed to be short-lived as the first person she ran into on her return to the clinic was Stacy Warner.

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Meanwhile, up in House's office, James Wilson was about to breach the lion's den. He entered without knocking and instantly started in on his friend. "You could have at least warned me when you two were ready to drop that little bomb. I haven't been able to get anything done in the last hour," he complained.

"How bad is it?" House cringed.

"You know, it's really strange. The question everyone keeps asking me is how you are taking the news, as if you just found out today too. When I tell people you've known for months they look confused. It would make for a very interesting study to do a survey of how they thought you would react," James mused. "So what made you decide to come out today?"

"Have you seen Allison?" House asked.

"No, is she showing?" James asked. It had only been two days since they'd had dinner on Friday. He found it hard to believe she could be that much bigger already.

"Not exactly. Let's just say Mother Nature decided to get her ready for breast feeding over the weekend," he told his friend cupping his hands out to mimic Allison's new size.

"So that explains the comments," James said, finally understanding.

"What comments would those be?" House frowned. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like this.

"I overheard two of the lab techs this morning comparing Allison to a Barbie doll. Now it makes sense," James chuckled.

"Which lab techs?" House growled.

"Get used to it my friend. Allison has always been gorgeous. Allison with a few curves in going to be knocking them dead. It's a good thing that she's letting people know she's pregnant. It will be a huge hand's off sign," James told him. "Of course a wedding ring would be good too," he pointed out.

"Et tu, Brute?" House sighed. "Besides, since when did a wedding ring stop you?"

"Touché," James said dropping the subject. "So are you hiding in here for the rest of the day?"

"That's the plan," House confirmed.

"Well maybe I'll go check on your significant other and see how she is holding up alone out there in the war zone," James said. As he closed the door behind him he smiled. He gave House ten minutes and he would be down in the clinic ready to back up Allison and glare at any man that dared to look twice.

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Allison almost turned on her heel to go hide out with House when she saw who was laying in wait for her. Stacy looked like she was positively spitting fire. Allison knew that Stacy had made a couple of plays to get House back, once even after she knew he was see Allison. This confrontation could get ugly fast. Something made her move forward though. Maybe just a desire to get it out and over with.

"Stacy, it's been a long time since we've seen you down here. Can I help you with something?" she greeted the woman politely.

"A little birdie passed along a rumor that I just had to verify for myself. Are you and Greg really having a baby?" Stacy demanded.

"Yes we are," Allison confirmed.

"Well I have to admit you are one gutsy broad. Even I was never brave enough to try that tactic. Did it work? Are you two getting married?" Stacy inquired.

Several of the doctors and nurses in the area had paused now to listen in. Most of them liked Allison and they were all dismayed at what Stacy was accusing her of.

"If you are implying that I got pregnant on purpose, nothing could be further from the truth," Allison replied calmly, although she seemed a bit paler that she had a moment ago.

"Oh maybe not consciously," Stacy continued. "But you can't tell me that a smart doctor like you messed up her birth control accidentally. Maybe subconsciously you wanted a baby."

Wilson, who had been watching from the sidelines was debating whether to step in or not when he saw House suddenly appear.

"That's an interesting theory, Stacy. But since I'm the smart doctor that messed up the birth control, I guess I must be the one that subconsciously wanted a baby," House admitted. Then he turned to Allison. "That sure gives us a topic for dinner conversation tonight, doesn't it?"

"You messed up the birth control?" Stacy asked in confusion.

Allison looked at House in amazement. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. They had never talked about it after discovering she was pregnant, but they both knew exactly what night conception had occurred. She had gone on a standard dose of antibiotics after treating what turned out to be a case of Bacterial meningitis in the clinic. She'd warned House that unless he wanted to go ten days with no sex he'd better pick up some condoms. A warning he had promptly ignored until later that night when things had gotten heated. Unwilling to admit defeat he'd reached into his nightstand and lucked onto a foil packet. It wasn't until the morning that Allison had noticed the wrapper on the floor and realized that that brand hadn't been sold in five years. House had gotten a real earful, and had dutifully gone out to purchase a new supply. Unfortunately the damage had been done.

Or fortunately depending on how you looked at it.

Now she tuned back in to see just what he was admitting to. "Well you know how it goes. I am a male, and like most males a total pig where sex is involved. I wasn't about to let a little thing like forgetting to buy condoms stand in my way. Especially when there were a few stashed in the nightstand. And if you ask me those things shouldn't go bad. They're sealed for heaven's sake."

Wilson, who had stepped forward to listen despite himself during the explanation couldn't help but roll his eyes and offer Allison some support. "And you are going to let him reproduce?"

This had the rest of staff chuckling and broke the tension that been building since Stacy first opened her mouth. Allison threw him a grateful smile.

"Maybe more than once if he's really good," Allison confided, causing House's eyes to widen.

Allison patted him sympathetically on the shoulder. "Now there's a topic for conversation for after dinner tonight."

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TBC