A/N: Originally this was just going to be a little one-shot. However I had a very good idea what happens next, and I decided to keep that option open if anyone was interested. I have received several requests to continue with this, and I decided since I already had material to continue that I could just as easily share it with you guys.

Big thanks to those who reviewed the last time. You are so amazing, and so supportive.

Two weeks later

House woke up when a little devil opened the bedroom door, and jumped on the bed before squeezing through the tiny space that was between himself and Cuddy. He felt a tiny hand touch his upper arm, shaking it slightly. He didn't response and kept his eyes shut.

"Howse."

Came the quiet whisper. He soon felt the hand move from his arm and to his cheek. The touch was slightly clumsy and uncomfortable, but he didn't move a muscle.

"Howse." She whispered again the whiny tone not unnoticeable to his ears.

He knew that he couldn't deny it anymore and moved his arm swiftly to his side, which provoked a small squee.

"Howse." She said throatily. "You're crushing me." Her pretentious choking sound almost made him chuckle but he kept up his act. He felt her tiny hands shake his arm a little bit more forcefully, or as forcefully as her tiny arms could muster.

"Howse!" She whined. He opened his eyes and began to tickle her sides.

"Ah ha ha. Stop it!" She laughed and tried to move away from his grasp.

He stopped and looked at the two year old who looked up at him with big eyes.

"You was teasing me." She scowled.

"Were, not was." House corrected her. She looked up at him quizzically then stood up on the bed. That was when he noticed that the spot where Cuddy usually lay was completely empty. He touched the soft sheets only to find them cold. He sighed and lay back down on the bed with closed eyes.

This is how it had been since they got the negative test results. She would go to bed before ten and wake up way before he cared to. Her working hours had stretched dramatically and she wouldn't come home till dinner. When she finally came home she would stay distant and barely uttered a word to him. He thought that she would at least act differently at work but it turned out that she didn't. When he came with a request to do an autopsy, tests, and so forth she kept her distance. At first he had actually tried to speak with her, and get some response, which involved rather drastic acts. One time he asked her to do the most outrageous and expensive surgery he could think of and she didn't register at all. In the end he decided to let her be; she would have to talk to him, eventually.

But he was getting more and more frustrated with her. He felt like every time they had a conversation that he could just as easily talk to the next wall.

He knew that she was a little bit disappointed, even though she hadn't uttered a word about it to him, but so was he, even though he didn't care to admit it.

Who would have guessed that the cold-hearted bastard Greg House wanted a child?

Well he hadn't realized it himself, not until he knew that it was even a possibility. They had never really talked about kids. She had Rachel, and he was just getting used to her, so he gathered that maybe one kid was enough for Cuddy. But he should have known that it might have crossed her mind. After all she had craved for a child for such a long time, and it shouldn't have come as a surprise that she would want one. But the surprise had been that she wanted a child with him, of all people, she wanted to have a child with him.

He didn't know whether he should feel sad or glad by that fact. He knew that in so many ways she was just as screwed up as he was, just in an entirely different way. Only a screwed up person would want to have a child with him.

"Howse."

He looked down at a very impatient looking Rachel and decided to get up.

"Let's go little squirt."

He stood up carefully and grabbed her tiny foot, dragging her down the bed then lifted her easily over one shoulder. He might have a bad leg but his upper body was strong, and he carried her effortlessly into the kitchen under the noise of Rachel's squeals and laughter.

He placed her securely in her highchair then began to rummage in the cupboards to find something edible. He managed to find a box of cereal and a couple of bowls. He poured the cereal into the bowls and poured some milk then put one of the bowls in front of Rachel. She looked down at the floating rings then up at House. He could see her expression change within seconds, he could see the frown set on her face and she crossed her arms stubbornly.

"No cereal."

"Common Rachel just eat it."

"No!" She wailed.

On a second thought, kids could definitely wait.

He sighed and picked up the spoon.

"Here comes the airplane." He said and made an engine sound with his mouth while moving the spoon through the air towards her mouth. Rachel pursed her lips tightly and shook her head.

House paused then smirked.

"Hey Rachel. What's your favorite cartoon?"

"SpongeBooo-"

He used the opportunity and put the spoon into her mouth swiftly. She looked at him completely shocked; tiny drops of milk fell from her full mouth. Then she seemed to realize what he had done and sputtered the cereal out. House, being in direct line of her mouth got most of the contents on his shirt.

"Rachel! What the he-" He managed to stop himself and looked at Rachel whose face had turned red.

"I want my moooommy." She cried.

He forgot the stain on his shirt and started to shush Rachel who was trying to lift herself out of the chair without progress. When he came closer she started to kick and scream more loudly.

He looked at her hopelessly, and wished that Cuddy were there. Then he realized that he had no idea where she was. He had the vague memory of her saying that she was going to take that weekend off.

He managed, with much effort, to pick up Rachel and started to walk around the house, while trying to shush the screaming kid in his arms.

There was no sign of Cuddy and her car was gone. He called her work phone and when no one answered he started to get a little bit anxious.

He was alone with a screaming toddler in his arms, stained in milk and cereal while looking for said toddlers mother.

He tried her cell phone and when he went straight to voicemail he started to panic.

"Cuddy, if you get this message please come home as soon as you can. You have a screaming, confused kid who wants her mommy, so come home."

He spat out and closed his phone.

Rachel kept screaming and kicking like a mad person. He was getting more anxious, and he had no idea how to calm the kid down. He wished that he could just slip a few sleeping pills in her meal so he could think just for a second. He really couldn't think with this constant noise in his ear. He was about to snap and just go look for Cuddy, wherever she was, when he decided against it and picked up his phone again. He waited for several rings, and began to panic when he got to the fourth ring.

"Common pick up."

"James Wilson."

"Wilson we have a problem."

"House? Is everything all right?"

"Does it sound like it's all right?" He snapped into the phone.

"No…" Came his quiet reply.

"I need your help. The kid is out of control. She wont shut up, and I've tried everything."

"Have you tried to give her some candy?" He suggested.

"Hold on." House muttered and limped into the kitchen to get Cuddy's secret chocolate stash. He took a candy bar and rushed into the living room where Rachel sat screaming on the floor. He opened the bar and waved it in front of her.

"Rachel. Here's candy, if you stop crying you can have a bite."

Miraculously the kid stopped screaming and stared at the chocolate bar in wonder. She hiccupped and grabbed the bar with one chubby hand. She shoved it into her mouth greedily and looked at House with big tearful eyes.

"Wilson. You're a miracle worker." He said in awe.

"Well, after being married three times I know how to handle angry women."

"Yeah right. You have three failed marriages on your back. Don't think you can pull that one on me."

"Fine, but you can get far with chocolate. Just remember that."

"Sure, at least she has stopped screaming."

"Where's Cuddy?"

"No idea."

"She's still acting strange huh?"

"Yes, and I have no idea where she is. She just disappeared this morning."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Can you come over? I'm kind of worried about her."

"Huh, Gregory House worried. Now that's something you don't hear very often."

"Just get your ass over here."

"Fine. I'll be there in ten."

House shut his phone and turned around to look at the now chocolate covered Rachel who gave him a happy smile. At least she was not screaming.

He turned on the TV, and tried to focus on the bad cartoon instead of thinking about Cuddy. Needless to say his thoughts kept going back to Cuddy. He couldn't keep his worry at bay, and the knot in his stomach seemed to tighten up with every thought.

After what felt like hours he finally heard the doorbell ring. He shot up and limped as quickly as he could to open up for Wilson.

"Hey." Wilson greeted him, and stepped inside.

"So what do you want me to do?"

Wilson had been a little bit too much supportive but he was grateful at that moment that he was willing to come to his aid on a Saturday morning.

"You'll watch Rachel and I'm going to search for Cuddy."

Wilson nodded his head and looked at Rachel who was singing merrily with the animated figures on the screen.

"Call me when you find her. I'm really worried about her. Do you think…?" He paused then waved his hand dismissively.

"What?"

"No…it's nothing."

"Wilson." He said warningly, the worry evident in his tone. Wilson hesitated; he ran a hand through his hair and looked at House wearily.

"Cuddy came to me last week…I could tell that she wasn't her usual self, she was pale and clearly alarmed by something. I asked her what was wrong and she…well her answers were vague but she told me that she couldn't take this anymore, and that she felt like this wasn't worth it anymore."

House felt the knot tighten and he held his breath when Wilson continued.

"I told her to talk to you, but she started to dismiss it and practically fled out of the office. I really wanted to tell you but…"

"She told you that she was practically suicidal and you didn't tell me?" House snapped and took a menacing step closer. Wilson backed and looked at his friend apologetically.

"I'm sorry House. I really thought that you would have noticed it. I mean you practically live together."

"I have barely seen her for the past two weeks. How the hell should I have known that she is fucking suicidal?" He bellowed.

"House…please. I really didn't know." Wilson stuttered frantically.

House stopped and closed his eyes briefly.

"Neither did I." He muttered. He felt exhausted, he wasn't used to deal with emotions and the last three weeks had been like an atom bomb of emotions, and he couldn't stand it. He slumped down on the couch. Wilson followed suit.

"I should have known." He muttered. He clenched his fists angrily and brought them over his face.

"You couldn't have known." Wilson assured him.

"Yes I should. I see everything. I should have seen this." He snarled.

"Go find her."

House looked up at his friend who nodded his head encouragingly.

"She could be anywhere." He muttered lamely.

"Are you so sure? You know her better than anyone else. Where would she go?"

"I have no idea, she never…." He paused then looked at Wilson before shooting u up from the couch. He picked his jacket and grabbed the keys to his bike.

"Good luck." Wilson yelled after him before he shut the front door.

He limped to his bike and before he knew it he had reached Lincoln Highway.

He weaved by the cars and drove down the highway. After several minutes he was by his destination.

Townsbridge Park was a well-kept secret in Princeton. The park was in the heart of a well-manicured neighborhood in the outskirts of Princeton and mostly the residents by that part of town knew of the place. The park was fairly small but beautiful. A grey stonewall embraced the thick patch of trees that loomed over a paved path. In the middle of the park was a small lake, which was surrounded by willow trees.

He and Cuddy had discovered the place in the blooming beginning of their relationship. One Saturday afternoon they had found the entrance by accident and decided to take a look. They had stayed there for hours, discussing various things without worrying about anyone or anything. Here they had had their most heartfelt conversations. It was a place of complete peace.

He walked swiftly, ignoring the searing pain in his leg and continued down the lane until he reached the lake. There he saw her, sitting on one of the benches overlooking the lake. The bench was straight beneath a willow tree and the golden flowers framed it beautifully like a cradle. She didn't notice him and he slowed down when he saw that she was safe.

He limped quietly up to her. She didn't move or look into his direction but he was sure that she had noticed him. He sat down on the bench beside her and watched the still life before him.

He could hear the subtle chirp of the birds in the trees, and the soft bristle of the wind blowing through the leaves. He would have felt more at ease if he weren't so worried about the woman sitting beside him.

"Cuddy." He said carefully. She didn't answer him and stared at the lake ahead.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I haven't been there for you."

A small tear traced down her cheek, and he stifled the urge to wipe it away. He wasn't sure how she would react in the unbalanced shape she was in.

"No." She whispered suddenly.

"What?"

"No, don't say you're sorry." She looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"I should be sorry." Her voice was thick with tears.

"No, Cuddy…" He began but she shushed him.

"I'm a complete failure…why does everything have to be so fucking unreasonable?" She said through gritted teeth.

He really wasn't sure how to reply to this. He wasn't the best person to talk to about succeeding failure. He had failed in too many things in life to count, but he touched her shoulder awkwardly and tried in a lame attempt to comfort her.

"Cuddy. You're not a failure."

"Yes House I am. I am a woman; this is what I'm supposed to do. Screw work, screw all my other accomplishments; I am a failure as a woman. I feel like a broken toy, like something you toss away because it has no function."

"Cuddy." He said firmly. When she refused to look at him he touched her cheek and gently turned her face towards him.

"Don't ever think like that. You have a child who loves you, and believe it or not a boyfriend who loves you. Don't you dare think of yourself like that."

She shook her head and turned her face away from him.

"I hadn't thought about having children with you, but when I was forced to think about it the idea didn't seem so far fetched, and I felt it more and more in my heart that it was right, that it was something I really wanted."

He watched her closely and slowly brought her small frame to him and embraced her as close as he could without hurting her.

"You'll always be more of a woman to me than any other woman in the world." He whispered in her hair. She gripped him tighter like he was her personal lifeline and held him like this for a while. They didn't say anything. No words were required; every unsaid word went into their hold on each other.

He was the first one to let go. Oh so slowly he loosened his grip on her and looked at her soulfully.

"I love you."

Usually she would be the one with the I- love- you's and he would reply dutifully to her declarations of devotion and love. It wasn't because he didn't love her; it was just because he didn't feel the need to say it five times a day.
But for that moment he felt the need to tell her that he loved her. That she knew that someone loved her, and that she was worth loving. If there was anyone not worth loving then it was he, and he considered himself a one lucky bastard when she had appeared in his apartment and told him that she loved him.

It had felt so surreal, and at that moment she saved him. Now it was his time to save her, and so he told her with those three words.

She looked at him brokenly; her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"I love you too."

She whispered, then moved to him and brushed her lips against his. The kiss began softly, then he brought his hand towards her neck and drew her deeper into their kiss that soon became more needy and desperate.

They separated for air, and she exhaled a small sob. Tears ran freely down her cheeks, but the pained expression on her face had disappeared, instead she seemed relieved.

"You don't know how much I love you." She whispered.

"Maybe I don't. I'll never understand how you could fall in love with a jerk like me."

"Me neither." She half laughed half sobbed.

He chuckled and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Let's get out of here." He muttered and stood up from the bench, her hand still in his, and together they walked out of their own secret garden.

He decided to drive back home, and reluctantly left his bike by the entrance. She looked awfully frail and he wasn't going to let her drive alone to her house, so he offered to drive home.

The car ride was silent, but not awkwardly so. He felt so relieved that she was okay that he couldn't space any other worry or thought.

When they parked the car the door burst open and Wilson barged out of the house.

He had completely forgotten to call Wilson. His worried expression turned to relief when he saw Cuddy beside him.

"Thank god. I was starting to worry."

Cuddy looked completely alarmed when she saw Wilson.

"You called Wilson?" She whispered to House.

"I needed a babysitter." He whispered back.

She looked shamefully down, and he had to practically drag her to the house.

He guided her into the house, and Wilson followed them inside. She ran straight to Rachel who sat on the floor watching the television.

Wilson and House stood few feet away and watched mother and daughter.

"How is she?" Wilson asked.

"I think she'll be fine. She's just a little bit down. I might get prescribe her some antidepressants for a while."

"Is it that serious?"

"I think…I mean she'll be fine. She's just a little bit confused."

"You'll just call me if you need any help."

He nodded his head and looked at his friend gratefully.

"Goodbye Rachel." Wilson called in. Cuddy stood up and hugged him.

"Thank you for staying with her. I'm sorry if I-" She started but Wilson caught her off.

"No worries." He assured her and opened the front door.

"Call me if you need me." He said and stepped outside.

They thanked him and closed the door.

"I feel horrible." She whispered.

"Don't." He said firmly and grabbed her hand. "Just, don't think about this now."

She nodded her head and allowed him to lead her to the living room.

"Mommy I'm hungry." Rachel piped up from the floor, and looked at them with a chocolate covered face.

"Whose idea was it to give her chocolate?" Cuddy asked.

"Wilson's." He said quickly.

"Uh huh."

"Honestly. It was his idea, I just gave her the candy."

"I see." She said evenly but couldn't quite hide her smirk.

"We'll have to do something about that." She said to Rachel and picked her up from the floor.

"How about we go out?"

He had no idea where that had come from, but the question was out and Cuddy seemed to like that idea very much.

They freshened themselves up and went to the usual Chinese restaurant.

They kept the conversation light, and they actually had a pretty good time.

When they arrived home they didn't talk about the events of the past weeks and spent most of the evening watching some tacky television.

That night they went together to bed.

House woke up at two o'clock. He wasn't sure what had woken him up; he looked at Cuddy's side and noticed that she was gone. Fear gripped him for a split second until he heard noise from the bathroom. He stood up and limped towards the half closed bathroom doors.

"Cuddy?" He said sleepily. "What's going on?"

"Ugh, House?" She said weakly.

He pushed the door open and saw her crouched down by the toilet, her head rested on the tiled wall. He limped towards her, and crouched down beside her, even though it was painful, but he could manage it.

"I don't feel too good." She said weakly.

She surely didn't look good. Her raven hair was damp with sweat; few locks clung to her pale forehead. Beads of sweat formed on her ashen face, and her colorless lips were dry and cracked.

He placed his hand on her damp forehead, and couldn't detect any fever. He checked for her pulse, and noted with relief that it was normal.

"It must be the sushi I had." She muttered.

It was the most plausible explanation but he didn't want to rule out any other possible causes.

"Do you feel any stomach pain?"

She shook her head 'no'. Then her face suddenly paled, if that was even possible, and she barely managed to bend her head over the toilet bowl before she threw up again.

Instinctively he rubbed her back and kept her hair back. When he was sure that she was done he wet a washcloth and patted it over her forehead.

"Ugh this sucks." She moaned and lay against him.

They sat there for a while. Then his leg began to cramp and they decided that it was best to get back to bed. He got her a glass of water to keep her hydrated and crawled in beside her.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thanks."

"It will be better tomorrow." He assured her.

It turned out that it did not become better. Actually she was worse. He had woken up again by the sound of her throwing up, and the majority of the day was spent on the toilet floor. Thankfully Rachel didn't utter a word and stayed most of the day in front of the television, even though Cuddy would never have agreed such extensive amount of time in front of the TV, but she wasn't really in shape to notice such things.

Then Monday morning arrived and she seemed determined to go to work. Even though he strongly suggested her to stay in bed she stubbornly got dressed and did her normal morning routine like normally. Although she seemed awfully pale and frail to him she would undoubtedly seem perfectly normal to any other employee. He decided for once to go to work on time.

They stepped outside the fine summer morning, and were about to drive off when Cuddy suddenly exclaimed.

"Oh I forgot to take out the trash."

"You just did." He reminded her.

"No, the trash in the bathroom. I always forgot to take it out, and I haven't done it since…" She stopped and watched her hands.

"You haven't taken out the trash in two weeks? That is so not you."

He bit his cheek when he realized what he had just said.

"I mean…" He muttered but she looked at him surely.

"I know." She murmured and put her hand lovingly on his cheek.

"I'll do it later okay?" He said and started the car.

"Sure you will." She laughed, and together they drove to work.