A/N: Hi everyone. Thank you for sticking with this story, I'm always so shocked to open my mail to see such lovely reviews. They make me so happy.

Now we're going on calmer roads, and from now on this story will be a lot fluffier and actually closer to my original idea, although I liked the U turn I took with it…

Of course we'll deal with some aftermath, but now I'm going to focus more on House and Cuddy's relationship, and of course the baby. I hope you'll like the turn of events.

Thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, favorites, alerts this story, and welcome new readers! Here's chapter 17.

House woke up with the feeling of someone touching his forehead. He sank into the touch; seeking the comfort it gave him. He felt the pain start as he gained more consciousness, and let out a small groan. The warm touch froze, and to his disappointment it disappeared. He heard a small gasp, it was almost inaudible but it was there.

"House."

Her voice was barely above a whisper but he could hear the worry in her tone. He forced his eyes to open. At first everything was blurry but gradually he could see clearer. Cuddy's hand found his and she squeezed it gently.

He looked into her eyes and saw the relief shine in them. He swallowed and opened his mouth to speak but there came no sound but a dry squeak.

"Don't speak. I'll get some water." She murmured.

She disappeared out of his sight for a moment and returned with a glass of water. She brought the glass to his lips, and he slurped down the liquid. He cleared his throat and muttered out a raspy thank you.

"How do you feel?" She asked him, the worry was still edged in her tone.

"Like I've been pounded by 230 pound gangsters."

He immediately regretted his words when he saw her pained expression. He knew that she was in a vulnerable state and he was already acting like a jerk.

"I'm sorry." He sighed.

"It's fine. I was just so scared." She whispered. It made him feel worse.

"Hey, hey." He whispered when he saw a tear slide down her cheek. "I'm fine." He assured her. "I'm here." He muttered almost inaudibly.

Neither of them said anything because no words were required. They drank in the sight of each other, their hands clasped together in a death grip. His eyes scanned her face, and he noticed the subtle changes, the hollowness of her cheeks, and the dark circles under her eyes. His eyes roamed lower, towards her abdomen, and his eyes widened in disbelief. He looked into her eyes to search for the truth. She merely nodded her head, and let out a chocked sob.

"You're….but…"He failed to find any words, and shook his head in disbelief.

"I wanted to tell you when you called."

"But…Wilson…" He cursed when he realized what had happened.

"That son of a bitch. I'm going to kill him." He cried out angrily, and started to remove the IV lines, and monitors that were connected to his body. Cuddy grasped his arm tightly.

"No, House. He only wanted to protect you." She tried in vain to sooth him, but nothing she said could calm him down.

"House please, don't. Just calm down." She begged him, that made him stop and he looked into her tear-stricken face. He had never in his life seen her so vulnerable. He hadn't realized how this must have affected her, and somewhere deep down inside he knew that his actions would hurt her, against his will he relaxed, and sat back on the bed.

"I know how much this hurt you, but he did what he thought was best. I didn't know what he had done until it was too late. I'm so sorry. Will you forgive me?"

His head snapped into her direction to check if she was joking, but there was no humor in her face only sadness.

"Are you serious?"

"I know that you must be furious with me." She started but he shushed her before she could continue.

"Don't you dare apologize. This wasn't your fault. If anyone should apologize it should be me."

Now it was Cuddy's turn to act surprised.

"What…why?"

"I should have been there for you, and I wasn't…"

"Oh god House no! You couldn't have done anything."

Suddenly her lips turned up in a warm smile.

"We're both idiots."

"I guess so."

They grinned, and her hand found his. She placed his hand on her stomach.

"Is it really true?" He asked in disbelief. Of course it was true, but he still felt the need to ask.

"Yes." She laughed. He looked into her eyes and couldn't quite hide the small smile that crept on his lips.

"You know." He mused. "I didn't quite believe that I could do this, not really."

"House." She said in alarm. He looked up and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I thought I had lost you. I have never been so afraid in my entire life. Screw the times I've been shot, or the times I've OD'd. I don't ever want to feel that ever again. I don't want to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me."

"You don't know that."

He had never felt so vulnerable before. He blamed his drug-hazed mind, but he couldn't ignore the tightness in his chest by the thought of losing her, them both.

"I love you." She whispered.

She brought her lips so his, and gave him all her love and devotion into that kiss. It was a promise that she would never leave him. She broke the kiss, and looked at him lovingly. Her hand touched the top of his hand that lay on her stomach.

Suddenly the door burst open, and the moment was broken.

"Mommy!"

Cuddy smiled when House groaned slightly. Rachel ran into the room and jumped onto her mother's bed.

"Hi baby." She cooed, and ran her hand through her hair.

House watched Cuddy dote on her daughter, and felt the overwhelming urge to touch her just to be sure that she was there. He resisted it, and instead watched both mother and daughter.

"Aren't you going to say hi to House?"

Rachel looked at House, and he could see the evident distress on her face.

"Hi." She said shyly.

He realized that his face must have appeared pretty horrifying, especially to a three year old. He hadn't seen his face in the mirror, but compared to the pulsing ache he could only imagine how his appearance was.

To his surprise she climbed out of her mother's embrace and crossed over to his bed. She sat by his side, and watched him with wide eyes.

"What happened?" She asked curiously.

"I was in a pirate fight." He deepened his voice for a dramatic effect.

That made Rachel giggle.

"You're lying." She chastised.

"What makes you say that?"

"Momma says that pirates don't exist."

"Oh you're mother knows nothing of pirates. I fought the most devious, and vicious of them all. Blackbeard himself."

Rachel gasped, and watched him with wonder. She extended her hand out, and gently she touched his cheek.

"Rachel, please be careful."

Rachel froze and gave him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry."

"It's all right kid."

To his surprise she didn't return to her mother. Instead she wove her tiny hands around his shoulders and embraced him tightly. He stared at her in shock, and unconsciously he raised one of his hands to her back, and embraced her to him.

It was slightly awkward, and it lasted longer than he felt comfortable with, but it touched him in an odd way. Rachel had, in her own way, accepted him in her family, and he guessed that his presence had more impact in her life than he had realized before. He wouldn't call himself her father, but he wanted to be something, what that was he didn't know.

Rachel patted him on the head, which provoked a glare from him, and returned to her mother.

"Boo boo." She pointed towards House.

"Yes, he has a boo boo. But he will be fine." She murmured. Rachel buried her head in her mother's lap.

"She's been a little clingy after the accident." She explained in a low voice.

"It's fine."

"Thank you." She smiled, and kissed the top of Rachel's head.

For the second time the door opened and in stepped none other than Arlene Cuddy.

"There you are." She breathed out.

"Lisa, I told the kid that she shouldn't be running around the hospital like that, but she wouldn't listen. Have you checked whether she has ADD? This is not normal."

Cuddy's jaw clenched, and her grip tightened around Rachel.

"Oh. Gregory, I didn't see you there." Arlene didn't seem the least surprised by his appearance. "I can call you Gregory now, since you're the father of my future grandchild." She sat on the chair beside Cuddy, and seemingly didn't notice, or pretended not to notice, Cuddy's aggravated expression.

"Now please tell me that you're at least getting married."

"Mother. I'm not going to discuss this with you now. A lot has been going on in our lives, and I can't deal with that and you right now."

Arlene looked offended, and stared at her daughter unhappily.

"Lisa. Please just consider it." She looked between both of them, and finally she sighed in defeat. "Well, at least you know my opinion. You are already having a child, I don't see what marriage would change."

Then her face softened slightly, making her almost appear human.

"I'm glad that you're safe." She looked at House. "Both of you."

Cuddy stared at her mother in disbelief, and murmured her thanks.

"I'll take Rachel so you can have time for yourselves." She grasped Rachel's hand and walked out of the room.

"Wow." House exclaimed.

"Don't get used to it. She will be back to her former self before you can count to ten." Cuddy muttered tiredly.

"I thought I would never see the day." House said mockingly.

Cuddy laughed and gazed at him from her bed.

Right then the door opened for the second time. He saw a flutter of red hair peek through the door.

"You both awake?"

"Hey Gingerhead."

Emily rolled her eyes, and stepped through the doors. She walked up to their bedside, and placed her hands in the pockets of her lab coat.

"I just wanted to see how you both are." She directed her gaze towards House.

"I'm glad you're safe." She said sincerely.

"Thanks." He muttered, and cleared his throat.

"So what are you doing in New Jersey?"

"James called me immediately after the…"

"James? You call him James?" He interrupted her with disgust in his tone.

"Yes, that's his name, right? And don't you worry, I know all about his record. You don't have to be afraid of me becoming the next Mrs. James Wilson, you moron." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway. I have been going back and forth between New York, and New Jersey, so I could monitor your baby."

"Fetus." He corrected her.

"Oh House, would you stop with that. I know you care, and you're really afraid to ruin your badass reputation, but I know that deep down inside you're just as soft as the rest of us."

House groaned, and dropped his head on the pillow. He hated her sometimes, he really did.

"On another note. I actually came in here for a reason. Lisa, you're about 13 weeks in, which means that we can probably see which gender your baby is. Would you like to know?"

They both answered at the same time.

"Yes."

"No."

Cuddy glared at House, and he looked at her with a similar expression on his face.

"Why don't you want to know the sex of our child? We're not teenagers anymore."

"I don't care. I want to keep it a surprise." House pouted. "We don't want to know." He told Emily firmly. Cuddy crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Well I want to know." She said, and turned to Emily who stared at them hopelessly.

"Well I guess there's only one thing to do." She said. "House turn around."

"Wha…?" He looked between both women, then sighed and turned around.

He felt like the wait lasted forever. He wanted badly to turn around and see, but clenched his teeth stubbornly and waited like a good boy. Women, he thought to himself. It wasn't that he didn't want to know per se, yet, he couldn't help but feel strongly about this. Plus, there was no fun in knowing.

Suddenly he heard Cuddy's voice whisper.

"Oh my god."

House turned around swiftly, and grasped Cuddy's bed.

"What, what, what is it?" He said quickly, the excitement shining in his eyes.

She looked at him with tearful eyes.

"What?" She asked him the surprise evident in her tone.

"If you know then I have to know." He said like it was the most obvious reason in the world.

"You really want to know?" She asked him teasingly.

"Just tell me woman." He growled.

"We're having a boy." She said softly.

"A boy?" He breathed.

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"I know."

He could feel something change. Again, he blamed those stupid painkillers, but he felt moved. It was the feeling that every parent experienced for the first time.

He was about to be a father.

Of course he knew that before, but it was the first time he actually felt it; the odd mixture of wonder and overwhelming pride.

"Congratulations you two." Emily piped up, but neither of them gave her much notice. The news brought them such joy, like a beacon in the darkness. It was hope for better times.

"I'll leave you guys alone."

"Thank you Emily." Cuddy said.

Emily merely smiled and disappeared out of the room. House looked over at Cuddy who looked absolutely glowing.

He glanced around, and slowly he removed the covers on top of him, and carefully he stood up from the bed.

"House what are you…?"

"Shh..I'm coming over. Now scooch over."

Cuddy smiled and moved a bit to make room for him. She beamed at him when he, a little bit awkwardly, lay on the bed beside her and circled his arms around her.

He laid his hand on top of hers, and snuggled up close to her. Their faces were inches from each other, and their eyes searched one another. Her free hand ran through his hair.

"We're having a baby boy. I can't believe it." She whispered.

He nodded his head, and looked down at their joined hands.

"I love you." His voice was barely above a whisper. His words only intended for her ears alone. She smiled, and turned his face upwards so she could look him in the eyes.

"I love you too. So very much."

She pressed her lips lightly against his swollen ones. Then she snuggled against him, and closed her eyes. House rested his head on top of her head, and inhaled the scent of her hair.

He listened to her breathing even, and her body slackened against his body as she fell into a heavy sleep. He ran his hand over the swell of her belly. She was safe. They both were safe.

He had been so afraid, more afraid than he ever cared to admit. He looked at Cuddy's sleeping form and slowly he untangled himself from her embrace. He removed the IV line out of his arm, and unclasped the oximeter off his finger and placed it on Cuddy's. She shifted in her sleep, but didn't wake up. He grabbed his cane, and limped towards the door. He opened the door, and peaked out to see if any nurses were roaming around. When he was sure the coast was clear he slid out, and closed the door quietly behind him. He marched down the hall, not giving a damn about his appearance. He walked into the direction of the elevators, and pushed the button. He whistled while he waited for the elevator to arrive.

A nurse walked past him and gave him an odd look, but didn't dare to remark on it. The elevator opened and he stepped inside. He pressed the button, and watched the numbers move from the second floor to the fourth floor. The door opened and he walked down the familiar hallway.

He stopped in his track when he saw him. He stood by his office, his head bent over a patients file he held in his hands. Wilson clearly hadn't noticed him, his lips were pursed together, and his eyebrows were furrowed in concentration.

House felt the anger boil, allowing it to overtake his instincts. He walked faster, and slammed his cane harder against the floor.

Wilson looked up, and stared at him in bewilderment.

"House, what are you…?" Wilson's eyes widened in shock when he saw House raise his fist in the air. He waved his hands in front of him in defense. "House…I'm sorry…"

House's fist landed on the side of his cheek, and nose with a loud cracking sound. The impact made Wilson stumble, and fall on the floor. Blood sputtered on the tiles, and Wilson grasped his bleeding nose.

"Now we're even." House muttered, and limped away.

Wilson stared after him dumbfounded, and tried to ignore the staring co-workers. He watched the limping form of his best friend, and he knew that maybe he deserved it.

House smirked when he limped away. Things were finally back to normal.

A/N: I have been thinking over and over whether they should have a boy or a girl. But I finally decided that it would be a boy. I hope you're happy with my decision. If you have any ideas or suggestions then feel free to write it in a review or PM me. I'm open for everything you have to say. Have a great week-end.

Until next time...