A/N – I forgot to mention this on the last chapter…but I changed a pretty important part in the second chapter, and recommend that you read it again (at least the Cuddy part) if you have not done so yet :)
Another A/N – Just so you know, I am going to be referring to Gwen as Kelsey from now on, because that is what she wants everyone to call her since she is not with her foster parents anymore. Sorry if this causes any confusion…
Disclaimer – I do not own House M.D. It all belongs to David Shore and Fox.
~Chapter 4~
"I am almost done here, and then we can go," Cuddy told the young girl as she looked up from her computer. Unfortunately, they were not able to find any information about Kelsey's past, and they agreed on trying again the next day.
"Ok, that's fine," Kelsey answered as she looked up from the second medical diagnosis book she was reading that afternoon. She was wearing a plain white triangular bandage as a sling until she received her cast.
"Dr. Cuddy, we need your signature to perform a liver biopsy on our patient," Dr. Cameron walked into the quiet office with papers in hand.
"Wait a minute, why do you have a patient? And who is 'we'?" Cuddy asked curiously, as she took the papers that Cameron had extended out in front of her.
"House sent Foreman and Taub home because they got the diagnosis wrong, and he claimed they needed more sleep. Since he was left with Kutner and Hadley, he called Chase and me to help," She explained.
"And you agreed to help him?" Cuddy asked with raised eyebrows.
"Well, he threatened us…" Cameron defended herself as Cuddy handed her the signed forms back.
"Where are you going?" Cameron asked as she watched the Dean of Medicine stand up from her desk, put on her coat, and pick up her purse. Kelsey followed suit, putting on her jacket and then crossing the strap of her messenger bag over to the left shoulder.
"Home," Cuddy answered with a smile as she walked out of her office, with Kelsey following like a shadow behind her.
"See you on Monday," Cameron called out before she sighed and reluctantly made her way over to the elevators.
"Thanks for helping me get rid of the evil witch in the clinic," Kelsey thanked as she twirled a light brown curl between her delicate thumb and forefinger.
"No problem," Cuddy told her as she looked at the rear-view mirror, seeing the young girl stare in a trance out the back window. A few silent minutes later, Cuddy drove into her driveway.
"Well, we're here!" Cuddy told Kelsey enthusiastically as she opened her door, awakening Kelsey from her daze.
"Nice house," the young girl commented as she stepped out of the car, staring at the house in front of her.
"Thanks, I like it," Cuddy laughed as she opened the front door, and held it open as Kelsey walked inside, absorbing every detail. She took of her jacket, hung it up, and looked at Cuddy expectantly.
"Oh, you will be sleeping in the guest bedroom. If you want, you can have a look. Go straight down the hall, and it is the second door on the right," Cuddy told Kelsey the directions as she took of her jacket and wandered into the kitchen to prepare dinner for the two of them.
Cuddy stood leaning against the kitchen counter, and had just finished drinking her glass of water. Turning around, she was shocked to hear a high-pitched scream. Dropping the glass to the floor in shock, she quickly ran down the hall, planning to clean up the mess after she investigated.
As Cuddy ran towards the guest bedroom, Kelsey ran away from it, and they nearly knocked each other over in the process. Cuddy stopped in her tracks, but Kelsey continued running – towards the kitchen.
"No, Kelsey, don't go into the kitchen! I dropped my -" Cuddy called out, but realized she was too late when she heard a soft whimper coming from the kitchen.
Running back to the kitchen, she saw the eight year old lying on the floor, looking down at her hands and feet, which were bleeding. As the doctor rushed over, she noticed the various sizes of glass stuck into the hands and feet of the child.
"Hold on, I will be right back," Cuddy reassured as she quickly ran upstairs to get some first aid supplies from the master bedroom. As soon as she was up the stairs, a man walked into the kitchen to help the young girl.
"Shh, it's fine. Just stay still and I will be able to get the glass out," he told her with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
Cuddy came down a few minutes later with a first aid kit in her hands. When she walked into the kitchen, what she saw shocked her.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked House as she angrily threw the kit at him, hitting him in the left shoulder.
"Ouch, Cuddles. Why are you mean to me? I am just trying to help the little injured girl. I am a doctor after all," House replied with a smirk.
"You lied," Kelsey told her quietly, looking hurt.
Cuddy looked at her shocked, "What do you mean? I would never lie to you."
"You said no stranger would be at your house when I arrived. I believed you! Guess who was sitting in the chair in the guest bedroom, huh?" She practically shouted as she pointed to House, who was sitting on the floor with his cane by his side and taking the glass out of her right foot, as she too, was sitting down on the kitchen floor.
"I'm sorry; I didn't know he was going to be here!" Cuddy told her desperately, but continued when the girl rolled her eyes, "I live alone. Dr. House just likes to break in."
"Hey, I did not break in! I used the key," House informed as he opened the red first aid kit, and dumped out its contents.
"Oh, ok," Kelsey mumbled unsure of what was going on between the two doctors, "Ouch," She winced as House pulled a chunk of glass out of the sole of her right foot.
"Come on, don't be a wuss," House teased as he wiped her foot with an antibacterial cloth, which caused the many small cuts to sting, and Kelsey to wince in pain once again.
Cuddy watched as House finished cleaning up the wounds, and then pack away the first aid supplies. No one felt like cooking after the incident, so House decided to order Chinese food instead. They all sat in the living room watching TV shows, and before they knew it, it was 10:00pm.
"Ok, Kelsey…it's getting late. I think it is time you went to bed," Cuddy told the young girl softly as she stood up from the couch.
"Ok," She replied as she stood up and started following Cuddy down the hall, but quickly turned around, "Thanks for your help Dr. House; See you in the morning!" She called as she ran to Cuddy into the guest bedroom. House smirked and continued watching the TV show.
"I have some new pairs of pyjamas that I bought for my niece, but they are too small for her. You are welcome to wear them if you want, seeing as you don't have a change of clothes with you," Cuddy told the eight year old as she fiddled in a drawer and pulled out a couple pairs of red, blue, and green pyjamas. Kelsey chose the blue ones with penguins all over them, thanked Cuddy and went to bed.
Once Cuddy was back in the living room House looked at her with his blue eyes full of concern.
"You know, it isn't a very good idea bringing that girl home with you for a couple of days," He told her as he fiddled with his cane.
"Why not, House? She has no where else to go!" Cuddy replied desperately.
"I meant it isn't a good idea legally. Just wait until her foster parents – her legal guardians – find out that you have taken her home. They can accuse you of kidnapping her, they can sue; you will be in so much trouble!" House explained as he looked up into Cuddy's frightened eyes.
"But, they don't want her – they abuse her, she doesn't want to be with them!" Cuddy fought back, not wanting to admit that House was right, once again.
"Do you have proof? No. Who do you think the judge will believe more, the legal guardians, or a Dean of Medicine?" He asked her with his voice laced with sarcasm.
"What should I do?" Cuddy asked nervously.
"I don't know," House told her sadly, as he stood up and made his way over to the fireplace. Lifting a picture off the mantle, he showed it to her. It was a larger copy of the young girl lying down with the golden retriever by the Christmas tree.
"She reminds me of her," He said softly, "They have the same name too."
"That doesn't prove a thing; we looked for a long time. You know that we concluded that she was dead," Cuddy told him as tears built up behind her light blue eyes, "You know our baby is gone."
House put the photo back in its place, and walked over to Cuddy, pulling her into an embrace.
"I know, Cuddy; but you have to admit, they have a lot in common. Age, name, eyes, hair -"
"Don't. Just, don't," Cuddy told him as the tears began falling, causing House to pull her closer.
"It's ok," House comforted as they stayed like that for a long time, before Cuddy said she was tired, giving House access to the second guest bedroom upstairs across the hall from her master bedroom.
They both said goodnight, and went to bed thinking of what might just be a clue to the mystery that had been haunting them for years.
A/N - Hope you liked it!
