Sorry guys meant to post this last night but got home from work but just crashed! so here we go :). Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter, I would normally write responses but i have to get ready for work and was determined to post this before i went because i promised it last night.

Gods I wish I didn't feel so rough! i'm exhausted and feel sick...but i need the money sigh :(.

Hope its written ok, i've read over it in a rush. Hope its in character too, this bit was quite complicated to write. House normally doesn't miss a thing so I tried to make it belivable that he would in this instance n like other little bits too.

be nice i need some love today. I should have the next chap up tonight!

Hugs

Scarlett xx

p.s I will update walk on the wild side next...but i am also planning the rest of my other fics i think it will be flight of fantasy n then destination of dreams in that order.

--SS--

An Unexpected Surprise

'You're kidding me?' Those were the first few words she'd spoken since being told half an hour ago, whispered on a single breath, voice long died within her throat. She'd come to her appointment a week ago, the doctor running routine tests, just to ensure everything was ok, taking blood samples and sending them off to the lab. Cuddy had been in no hurry, willingly waiting a week for her results, knowing they'd find nothing.

She'd been wrong.

She sat there, stunned, mouth working, not quite comprehending what she was hearing and how she should feel. She stumbled off the bed, gathering her bag up in her fingers, feeling numb. It was like walking through water, the haze of shock descending over her, body going through the motions as she made her way out into the foyer. She signed all the relevant documentation, turning to say goodbye to her friend, the woman's words washing over her, nothing but a hum in her ears.

With a small smile she wandered out into the car park, trying to absorb the news. Settling into the driver's seat her mind snapped into overdrive, stomach twisting, she didn't know how to feel, worried, nervous, joyful.

It was a mess, not knowing how to react, so much confusion.

But the biggest problem was how was she going to tell House, and worse…how was he going to react? Putting the car into gear, she drove back to PPTH thankful for the time to think.

………………..

The ball rolled between his fingers, eyes gazing into space. His mind was burning, thinking the same thought over and over. She hadn't told him. She'd visited them over a week ago and hadn't mentioned it to him at all. Did she want to keep it a secret, not let him know her plans? He was angry, stewing in his office, no patient to distract his mind. Fury was better than the hurt. He didn't understand; why would she go through it all again? It didn't make sense. Something must be going on, but he had no idea what. She'd seemed normal, nothing triggering his suspicion. Cuddy wasn't good at hiding things. Her body language always gave her away, and with the increased intimacy between them she would have found it impossible to lie to him. So what was going on, or had he completely miss read her. Maybe she could lie to him when the time required it, or maybe he was just blind to the signs now, his emotions baffling his mind. He didn't do feelings, fearful of getting attached to people, and Cuddy had consumed him before he'd had time to build a suitable defence.

He was confused, and it was this that angered him more than anything, he hated not knowing. There was something going on in her life, something that he wasn't aware of and had no way of finding out. He couldn't trick the answer out of her; it wasn't something underhand tactics could reveal. He knew all he could from watching and spying, his ability to be observant had failed to provide him with the answer.

He hated failure.

……………

She was smiling, the elation having set in, tainted with nerves. She'd sat down within her office a few moments ago, mulling it over, calming her nerves. The last time this had happened, her emotions had been trampled, but then her baby had been ripped from her by anothers hands. Her hand had reflexivly fell over her stomach at this thought, protective. This time was different she'd decided. So she'd wandered from her office, making her way up to his floor, a bubble of joy growing inside her. She couldn't be happier but she hoped House would feel the same. She had to tell him, needed to face up to facts as soon as possible. Her heels clicked against the tiles, heart hammering in time as she approached his office. She saw him, eyes out of focus, thinking, frown lines emanating over his forehead.

With a sigh she pushed the door open, snapping him out of his thoughts, head wrenching round to her, ice blue eyes piercing into her, as thought trying to burn into her soul. The look un-nerved her, his eyes seeming so harsh, tinted with anger and confusion. The aftermath of his pondering, but it still make her shiver. She didn't like being on the end of that look, the one that wanted to see all her secrets, it was something she could never hide from, he'd already know she was nervous. Her news had to come out and fast.

She swallowed; mouth moving trying to form the words, stalling twice before breathing in a brave breath steeling herself.

'I'm pregnant.'

……………….

House heart hurt, the pain of the words sinking in. She'd gone through with it, hadn't told him until she'd succeeded. He couldn't think straight the words washing over him, his thoughts so focused on the clinic appointment, her being pregnant by someone else seemed to be the obvious assumption.

He kept his expression blank, uninterested.

'Congratulations.'

Her face flinched, brow marred in confusion.

'You succeeded in fulfilling your dream.'

Her lip trembled, all previous joy draining from her expression. 'Is that all you have to say?'

'Well you'll have to excuse me if I don't jump for joy. Bum leg remember.' It was scathing, as cutting as he could make it, inflicting the pain he felt back onto her. Why couldn't she have come to him, he finally would have given something she'd asked for, and yet she had chosen to turn to a complete stranger. It wasn't his and he knew it, they'd used protection every time. His heart wrenched in regret. He wanted this, craved it, something he'd avoided for so long he suddenly wanted and was being denied. Sods law and it always applied to him.

'House?'

He glared up at her. He couldn't stay, mind going crazy, emotions bubbling over at once. He'd never lost control, always remaining cool in the face of most things, his emotions under his thumb. Not this time, she could always push him over the edge, rip his feelings from him. He always desired her, wanted her, she made him feel joy, anger, passion and now here she was making him feel pain. He couldn't look at this woman without his heart twisting, unaccustomed to this level of agony. It was harsher than anything his leg could ever inflict upon him, seeping deep within his chest like poison. Lurching forward he stormed by her, out the door, not a single word falling from his lips as he barrelled down the hallway.

…………

The wind whipped at his hair, whirling around him as he stared over the grounds trying to clear his head, accept what had happened and trying to structure where to go from here.

The creek of the door snapped him out of his thoughts. Head turning, eyeing Wilson as the doctor walked up to him.

'What are you doing up here, your team have been looking everywhere for you.'

House shrugged turning his attention back to the sky; ignoring Wilson as the doctor settled beside him, elbows resting against the wall, silent. House held his breath waiting for the inevitable interrogation.

'What's going on?'

House knew he probably shouldn't say anything, but he couldn't help it, needing to get it out in the open, have someone to put his thoughts through unable to keep them contained in his head. He didn't usually want to talk but Wilson's words for once would be welcome, a background noise distracting him from everything.

'Cuddy's pregnant.'

Wilson's shock was obvious, face tightening as his eyebrows shot up in surprise. 'Really? How?

House didn't dignify that with an answer, glaring at him, sneering, threatening to give him a sarcastic answer but not really willing to put in the effort knowing his expression was obvious enough.

Wilson rolled his eyes, 'By Who?'

'Don't know who, unknown donor.'

Wilson's head tilted, curious. 'She started IVF again? When?'

'Don't know, noticed the appointment in her diary a week ago.'

'Was that her first?'

'Don't know, didn't check, didn't want to nose you know.'

'You, not nosing? That's a first.'

The truth was House had wanted Cuddy to tell him herself, beside's she'd walked in only minutes later, tired from a meeting and he hadn't had a chance, the diary being tossed from his fingers mere seconds before being caught.

'It must have been her first appointment thinking on it.'

House turned his head, frowning, 'What makes you say that?'

'She hasn't had the opportunity; all the board meetings wouldn't have given her any available time. If you were ever present at any of them you'd know.'

'It can't have been her first, it wouldn't have happened so fast.'

'Exactly, but it had to have been, she wouldn't have had time otherwise. Which means the baby isn't through IVF. Enough time has passed for her to fall pregnant again naturally but by who?'

Wilson's words fell on empty air, the door slamming shut on them as House hurried down. His mind was whirling, going over, any possible opportunity where it could have been his. He thought back through everyone, heart hammering when it clicked.

The first time.

The first time they'd gotten together, almost a month after the whole thing had happened, they hadn't used anything. Neither had thought about it, so wrapped up in everything else in the moment, not wishing to frighten her or to bring anything up. He'd thought it would be ok, for once his heart ruling his head.

His leg ached as he barrelled forward, the limb almost buckling from every step. Finally he reached the bottom, fumbling with his vicodin, a momentary breather before rushing forward once more, nurses parting as he rushed by. The words of refusal from Cuddy's secretary fell on deaf ears, the young man claiming Dr Cuddy didn't wished to be disturbed but was unwilling to stand in House's way. He flew through the doors, locking them behind him, heart aching as he stared down at the small figure curled up on the sofa, hair falling around her face, tear stained, watery eyes staring up at him screaming with pain.

He dived down, cane flung to the side gathering her up in his arms, pulling her to him relieved when she wrapped her arms round his frame, head buried into his chest. She'd changed him, his emotions bubbling on the surface freely, a chemical reaction every time she was involved and for once he was brimming with happiness, the pain long gone covered with warmth, the woman in his arms carrying his child.

……………..

She gasped for breath, shuddering as the final few tears leaked from her eyes. She'd been so confused, wounded from his reaction, not expecting it to be so cold. His eyes had been dead, she hadn't seen any love in them as he'd glared at her, stony faced at the news. She didn't understand it, hoping for something, but the dead reaction she'd received was the worst she could have experienced. She'd wondered back, empty, feet following a path she knew so well, emotionally dead. She'd mumbled to her secretary that she didn't wish to be disturbed, had gone into her office, eyes trailing round the room before sliding down the door, bursting into tears. Waves of grief washing over her, her happiness always short lived.

She'd ended up on the couch when House had stormed in, her body flinching preparing to be verbally assaulted, his words able to do extreme damage on her vulnerable heart, exposed to his hands. But he hadn't said anything, relief flooding through her body when he'd thrown himself to her, arms wrapping round her welcoming, safe. Everything was ok. She'd cried for ages, tears soaking into his shirt; all emotions leaking out, draining. Finally the tears subsided, questions forming on her tongue.

She pulled back, turning her head up to face him.

'Why?'

He looked down, eyes flicking to the side, guilty, before falling on her again. 'I saw the IVF clinic appointment.'

She tugged away, sitting up, trying to understand.

'And you didn't mention it to me.'

'So you became suspicious, you and your mind. So whose did you think it was?'

'I didn't think it was mine, I thought…I thought you'd…I thought it was a donor's.' He looked away, he didn't stammer, his loss of control was embarrassing. But for once he knew things had to be said.

'Why, how could you possibly thing I'd turn to a stranger other than you?'

House looked away, blue eyes open and brimming with sadness, she'd never seen him so exposed and her heart melted, she couldn't be angry with him, he was here with her by her side, but she had to understand.

'House'…her hand slipped beneath his chin pulling his eyes up to meet her, lips brushing over his, a chaste kiss. 'Why?'

'I didn't want to hope.'

'What do you mean?'

'Things never go right for me, it seemed silly for me to hope that this would, so I just assumed the worst.'

'Didn't the possibility even cross your mind?'

He shook his head, words abandoning him, clearly cursing himself for being so stupid. She could see the conversation was hard for him. But she understood what he was trying to say. After everything that had happened to the both of them, it was hard to believe a happy ending existed. But she was determined to fight for hers and it lied in House, all she had to do was make him realise he could have one too.

'I went back to the clinic because my friend there wanted to check me over because I'd been feeling funny. I didn't mention it because I didn't want to worry you. And a baby had never even entered my mind. I'm a month gone, it must have happened our first time.'

'No protection.'

'Didn't even think about it, some doctors we are.'

'Speak for yourself, I blame you.' His eyes sparkled, the teasing tone returning to his voice. He always played with her winding her up enjoying watching her fuse blow, it was fun for him to find methods to make it up to her.

She opened her mouth to argue, but was silenced as his lips fell over hers. Happiness blossomed in her heart, back hitting the sofa as he pressed down over her. She returned the kiss, passionate, full of joy.

There lips parted, the admission she'd been holding in slipping from her lips.

'I love you.'

She froze, realising she'd said the words out loud. Not ready for another House reaction, knowing how he could take the words. She stared up at him, eyes wide, frightened, daring to hope. He hovered over her, gazing down. Suddenly he shifted, body curling around behind hers. His hands curled over her hips, falling over her lower stomach. His lips brushed against her ears, whispering the words she'd so desperately wanted to hear.

'I love you too.'

--SS--

What do you think?? was that ok?? and its building up to happy ending :D. SS xxx