Disclaimer – I do not own House M.D. It all belongs to David Shore and Fox.

~Chapter 5~

Kelsey stood in front of Cuddy's bedroom. Tears streaked her soft, flushed cheeks, as more continued to fall. The white bedroom door was open a crack, and she could make out the sleeping woman in the queen sized bed. She was debating whether she should enter or not. She took a hesitant step forward, but quickly retraced her step and stood like a statue, crying and looking longingly at Cuddy. A hand rested gently on her right shoulder, causing her to jump and turn around.

"What's wrong?" House whispered as he gripped his right leg, trying to relieve the pain; his left hand returned to its place on Kelsey's small shoulder.

"I had a bad dream," She told him between soft, quiet sobs before she turned around and continued to look at Cuddy.

"Go on, she won't mind," House encouraged as he leaned forward and pushed open the bedroom door with his left hand, and started rubbing his right thigh as he looked down at the eight year old with a reassuring smile.

Kelsey looked up at him with her blue, frightened eyes before nodding and walking hesitantly into the dark, quiet bedroom.

Glancing back into the hallway, she noticed that House had left, and she guessed he went back to bed, wherever he was sleeping.

Once she made it to the left side of the bed, where Cuddy was sleeping peacefully, Kelsey lightly tapped the doctor's soft hand that was resting on the light blue covers. Cuddy's eyelids slowly opened, and their eyes soon met.

"What's wrong? Is everything ok?" She asked Kelsey slightly alarmed as she sat up in bed, looking at the time. Its 2:57 am She thought as she closed her eyes, waiting for the young girls reply.

"I had a bad dream, and Dr. House said it would be ok if I came in here with you. He caught me standing outside your bedroom door," She explained as she looked down at the floor, hoping she did not make Cuddy mad.

"Oh. Of course you can come in here with me!" Cuddy said with a small smile as she moved over and pulled back the sheets to allow Kelsey easy access into the bed.

The young girl looked up at Cuddy with a huge smile plastered on her tear-streaked face.

"Thanks, you're the best!" She exclaimed as she carefully climbed into the bed.


They both lay motionless in the large bed; Cuddy had her right arm around Kelsey; the young girls back almost touching Cuddy's stomach. At first, they lay on opposite sides of the bed, but then Kelsey woke up from another bad dream, and they moved closer. The position they were in felt so normal, and they both fell asleep within minutes.


Cuddy woke up the next morning alone in her bed with the sun shining from the window, lightening up her bedroom. She sat up and looked at the time, 10:30am she read off the clock as she jumped out of bed. Remembering what happened last night, she stared at her bed, where is she… she thought as she put on a white fuzzy gown over her light pink silk pyjamas, and wandered out into the hallway.

"That's them! Mike and Lena McClain." Cuddy heard a young voice coming from the office downstairs. Walking swiftly down the stairs and around the corner, she saw Kelsey and House sitting in front of a computer screen, Kelsey pointing excitedly at a picture on the screen.

"Good morning," Cuddy announced as she appeared in the doorway.

"We found information on the internet! Dr. House is good at that sort of stuff," Kelsey informed Cuddy as she ran over to her and gave her a big hug, "Do you think we will find my real parents?" She asked looking up at Cuddy.

Cuddy looked over to House who nodded as he gave a look that read, "We need to talk."

"Yes, we will find your parents. Why don't you get dressed while Dr. House and I get breakfast ready? There are some clothes in the dresser in the spare bedroom. Help yourself to whatever you like. Most of it should fit you," Cuddy told Kelsey as she led her into the hallway. Turning around, she saw House point at the screen. It was a blog by Lena McClain.

"Our new baby girl; formerly named Kelsey House, now named Gwendolyn McClain," Was the text that read beneath a picture of a little girl sitting with a golden retriever in front of a Christmas tree wearing a red Santa hat.

A/N - Hope you liked it!