Inner Child 7/?

It was a despondent group that trouped into Cuddy's office. She looked up sharply and stood, flustered, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her skirt—as if embarrassed about being seen softer. "What happened?" She asked in a low voice as she glanced at Robbie to make sure he was still asleep.

House looked the grimmest of all. "I found the right guy, but he doesn't know how to change Chase-light back." House flopped, in as much as he was able to, into Cuddy's desk chair. A stack of weighty papers landed on her desk in a similar manner. "He gave up every iota of his research." House sported a brief vulture like smile before it smoothed down into a scowl, "but from first glance there isn't a way to change Robbie back. At least not without frying him into the extra crispy category."

"Well if there really isn't a way, we need to report this to the police, we can't just let this go unreported."

"Actually, that's the last thing we need to do. Even if we can't change the Pipsqueak the government can still do testing and dissection to their hearts content. He has to stay off the radar." Cuddy was starting to get a bad feeling about this. House had stopped calling Robbie by nick names after the first four days or so, why he was starting again was worrying. "It'll be hard to find a permanent placement for him without the government involved but I'm sure you can find a way."

"No!" Robbie sprung up from his place on the couch.

"Faker!' House exclaimed at him.

"You can't get rid of me! Haven't I done everything you never even asked of me?" The anger was quickly dissipating and House squirmed uncomfortably under the watery gaze of the 12 year. "Haven't I taken good care of you?" Robbie looked around frightened at being sent away, "I can do better! I'll – I'll find new recipes! And I'll get a job! Earn my keep, please, please you can't send me away!" The sight of Robbie begging would warm any heart, and contrary to popular belief house did have one, though from the stares he was getting everyone seemed quite intent on forcing him to admit it. Problem was that what Robbie wanted and what he needed were two different things.

"Robbie, it's not what you've been doing. You're a great little boy, smart and hard working, and you deserve someone better than me. You deserve to be a little boy, not tied at home taking care of a curmudgeony old man."

"Those people are berks! They don't understand at all! They think sugar cookies fix emotional pain and that white lies will unbreak a heart. You've always told me the truth and shown me the real world. You need to learn how to be an adult and I need to learn how to be a child! Why can't we learn together?"

"Robbie—It's just that the world doesn't work that way-"

Robbie cut in eyes flashing with anger, "I hear what they say about you, breaking rules and not caring about what happens, or what people think! Why does it now suddenly matter? Why does now have to be conventional and average when everything in your life that you've fought for has been to be different and unique?"

"You're afraid to care because you might get hurt, that the pain in your leg will become less than the pain in your heart." Robbie walked around the desk, "don't you see? I need you to fix me, but you need me to fix you." Then Robbie climbed up and held on to House dearly, as if to transfer his surety into House via osmosis.

Looking around it was clear that he would have to agree to let Robbie stay with him, at least if he didn't want to be hung. Cameron looked about ready to search out some pitchforks and Cuddy seemed to be searching her pockets for a lighter. "Okay Robbie. Okay. Tell ya what we'll give it a go. Probation if you will. See what happens."

"Deal!"

"There are some provisos."

Robbie nodded eagerly. "School a must. Church you can go if you want, but you will not drag me with you. There shall be no after school jobs until you are at least 15." Robbie was nodding so violently that House worried about whip lash, this was also the perfect time to sneak in a few extras, "and I will control my own medication."

Robbie started to nod, but stopped frowning, "I don't know. How bout we put you on a three month probation and re-evaluate you then?" Robbie's eyes were twinkling merrily though and eagerly started to tickle him deciding that squealing little boys weren't nearly so annoying when they were your own.