To all of my fellow, devoted Huddy shippers, I feel your pain. Bombshells hurt so much I feel physically ill every time I think about it. My heart hurts and I feel like I'm mourning the death of a loved one. I've had several people send me messages asking if I intend to continue "Safety." My original reaction was to say no, I could never possibly go back to such a happy, hopeful place. Now...I think I'm starting to move to the anger stage of grief. And, I've realized the characters of House, Cuddy and Rachel and the fans who love them deserve better. So, yes, I plan to continue and finish "Safety." In my own way, I will give them the happy ending they should have. House will still be House; but, it will probably be more fluffy than I had originally intended. Consider this my own personal kiss-my-ass to the writers, producers and directors of the show, not that they care what the fans think.
[H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H]
House firmly closed the front door behind Julia and limped back into the living room. Cuddy was ensconced on the sofa. She was dressed in loose yoga pants and one of House's t-shirts. A glass of 7-Up was in reach on the coffee table.
"Do you need anything?" he asked as he stopped next to the sofa and tucked her in under a crocheted lap throw.
Cuddy smiled up at him. "No, I'm good."
Cuddy moved her feet so House could sit down on the end of the sofa. She watched as he leaned forward with both feet planted on the floor. He was twirling his cane between his palms. The uncharacteristically quiet mood gave her a moment of concern.
"What's wrong?" Cuddy asked. When House remained quiet, she nudged him in the ribs with her foot. "House?"
"We need to talk." House reached into his pocket and then held his hand out to her. When she turned her hand over, Cuddy was horrified to realize she was holding a familiar, orange bottle. The name on the label was his. She actually felt her heart skip a beat and then begin to race.
"You didn't…" Cuddy stopped and stared at him.
House shook his head. "No, but I came close."
Cuddy stared at the side of his head in silence. She had absolutely no idea what to say. Even though she should have expected it, this had hit her out of the blue.
"I wanted to," he quietly admitted. House finally turned and faced the woman whose world he had just shattered. "When Wilson called and told me you were dying, I knew I wouldn't survive. The pain was unbearable. I went to my apartment and dug that out. You and Wilson missed one."
Cuddy still didn't speak. Instead of rubbing his leg, House pressed a hand to his chest. "I sat there and thought about taking all of them. Then I saw one of Rachel's mittens on the piano bench. I called Nolan and then I drove to Mayfield. That's why I went missing. I spent three hours in his office."
"I will always be an addict. Recovering doesn't mean recovered. I can't promise I won't slip up in the future." House nodded to the bottle in her hand. "That's always going to be my first reaction to pain."
"I know." Cuddy used her free hand to wipe away the tears that had started to fall. "I won't minimize the seriousness of this. But, you knew what you had to do and you did it. You willingly got help and then you didn't try to hide it from me. That's a huge accomplishment for you, House."
"Cuddy, I almost relapsed." House wasn't sure she understood the magnitude of this.
"I understand." Cuddy took his hand in hers. "If I thought for a second you were going to start using again, I would kick your ass out so fast it would make your head spin. I won't have that around Rachel. Then, I would drag you to Mayfield myself. I'm not going to give up on you so easily. Whatever happens in the future, we'll face it together."
Cuddy managed to dredge up a smile. "The truth is you handled a stressful, painful situation like a responsible adult. You stayed sober and clean and you were there for my surgery when I needed you. I know you will always be an addict. I accepted that fact before I ever went to your apartment. I love you, Greg House. That means I'll be there for the bad times as well as the good."
"I have to go back to Mayfield once a week for awhile." House looked at their joined hands. "And, I've already made an appointment with a counselor here that Nolan recommended. I also plan to attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings. I can't do this on my own."
Cuddy squeezed his hand. "I think that's a good idea. I'll make sure you have the time off you need for your appointments."
House searched her eyes before he admitted, "And, the alcohol has to go. I've been substituting that for the drugs."
"I'll pour everything down the drain. I promise I won't drink in front of you." Cuddy took a deep breath. "I've already told you that I'll do everything I can to help you. Just promise you'll talk to me or to Wilson if it ever gets to this point again."
"I promise." House raised her hand and kissed the gold band. "I don't want to lose you and Rachel."
"You won't." Cuddy gave him a genuine smile. "I plan to spend the rest of my life with you."
"About the wedding…" House hesitated. He hoped she would understand.
"Have you changed your mind?" Cuddy frowned. She said a prayer that this latest crisis hadn't caused him to rethink marrying her.
"Yes." House saw her look of shock and hurried to reassure her. "I don't want to wait. I almost lost you."
"You didn't almost loose me. It turned out to be nothing." Cuddy had known her genius would see things in black and white. There were no shades of gray in the world of Gregory House.
"But, I didn't know that at the time. Driving back from Mayfield, all I could think was about was trying to live without you and about the years we've wasted." House turned and faced her fully. He wasn't sure he could express what he was feeling. "I don't want to wait for the circus our mothers are planning. I need to know that I'm really yours. Permanently. Cuddy, I know I'm no great catch. But, if you haven't come to your senses yet, marry me."
Cuddy held on to his hand like a life line. "When?"
"This weekend." His electric blue eyes fairly glowed with intensity. "We can do a big reception later when you're feeling better. Right now all I want is to be your husband."
"It's Friday and I still feel like crap." Cuddy's head swam with the impossibility of the idea. "We couldn't possibly plan something that fast."
House knew she was almost ready to agree. It was time to pull out his infuriatingly reasonable logic. "We already have the marriage license. My mother is in town. She doesn't plan to fly home until Monday. We could get married in the chapel at the hospital. We wouldn't need a reservation there. We can get Wilson and my team to help with the arrangements."
"But, I don't have a dress. And, we don't have wedding rings." Cuddy knew her protests were feeble. House would counter any objections she could raise. She admitted to herself that all the trappings of a fancy wedding weren't important. After her brush with death, all she wanted was to be his wife. The logistics weren't so important anymore.
"You said you found a dress you liked at that shop downtown. The rings are at my apartment. I bought them when I picked out your engagement ring." House leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. "In less than forty-eight hours, we could be married. Say yes."
"Yes." Cuddy nodded and wiped her eyes. "I still think this is insane; but, you're right. We've wasted enough time. Let's do it."
Careful not to hurt her incision, House gently hugged her. The kiss this time was deeper, longer, and filled with a fraction of the passion he was forced to keep in check. He finally released her with a kiss to the tip of her nose. He handed her Rachel's drawing pad from the coffee table and a pen from the inside pocket of his jacket.
"You start making a list of the stuff you can't live without. I'll rally the troops." House was surprised to find his hands weren't completely steady.
"You're the only thing I can't live without." Cuddy gave him a soft smile as she watched him try to type a text message. "Are you really going to ask your team for help?"
"Yeah," House paused and looked at her. "This is different. I can't take care of you and make all the arrangements, too. Now, write, woman! We have a wedding to plan."
[H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H] [H]
Wilson turned into the drive and pulled to a stop behind House's car. He waited while Chase parallel parked next to the curb. Wilson was surprised to see all four members of House's team pile from Chase's sports car. Apparently, they had been together, probably at the hospital, when they received House's emergency text.
Wilson led the way up the walk and didn't pause to knock on the door. The somber group filed into the entry. Chase ran into Wilson when he stopped abruptly at the living room door. The others crowded in behind them and took in the scene. House was sitting on the floor typing on his laptop. Cuddy was stretched out on the sofa with her own laptop balanced on her legs. Sheets of paper were scattered across the coffee table and the floor.
"House, what the hell?" Wilson questioned. "You said there was an emergency."
House looked at his best friend over the top of his reading glasses. "It is an emergency. Don't just stand there. Get in here."
The group moved forward to stand in the now crowded living room. From her place on the sofa, Cuddy gave them a distracted wave. House put his hands on the floor and tried unsuccessfully to stand. He held up a hand and waved to the group.
"A little help for the cripple, people," he demanded. It was Wilson and Foreman who hauled him upright. Chase handed him his cane. When his was steady, House faced his colleagues. "You are being drafted for a very important mission. You are now part of Operation Wedding."
The group exchanged looks of surprise and confusion. Chase broke the silence when he said, "I thought your mothers were planning the wedding."
"They were. We've decided to move up the date. We're getting married this Sunday." House bent and picked up a stack of papers.
"Cuddy?" Wilson conveyed his concerns with that one word.
She looked at her second best friend and smiled. "Yes, I'm on pain killers but I'm not that stoned. I agreed to this willingly. We don't want to wait. It's time, Wilson."
Taub silently held out his hand and smirked when his team mates and the oncologist pulled out their wallets. Masters dug in her purse. One by one, they all slapped bills of varying denominations in the waiting hand.
"Do you people have no shame?" Cuddy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Actually, no we don't." Taub shoved the money in his trouser pocket. "Working with House drives it out of you."
"So, what do you want us to do?" Chase looked to his mentor for directions.
House handed a sheet of the paper to Masters. He pulled a wad of cash from the pocket of his jeans and handed that to the young med student. "You are in charge of the dress. All the information is on that page. Get it tomorrow morning and bring it back here."
Taub was the next to receive his assignment. House handed him another sheet of paper and stack of money. "You're responsible for getting Rachel's dress. It has to be that specific one. Take Masters with you if you think you need help."
"Chase," House smirked when the younger man snapped to attention and gave him a salute. "Smart-ass. You're in charge of finding someone to marry us."
"Why me? And, who do you expect me to get?" Chase frowned at his boss.
"Because, you're the only one of us who's remotely acquainted with religion." House gave him a shrewd stare. "Get a minister, a rabbi, a justice of the peace…hell, I don't care if it's a ship captain. Just find someone with the authority to perform a wedding. I'll also need you to collect my mother from her hotel and get her to the hospital."
House took the papers Cuddy waved in his direction. This stack was passed off to Wilson. "You're in charge of the flowers." House retrieved a credit card from his wallet and handed that to his best man.
"How am I supposed to get a florist to fill this order by Sunday?" Wilson thumbed through the pages and scowled.
"I just gave you a platinum Visa. I'm sure you'll figure it out." House tried not to roll his eyes at the clueless man. "Remember, shop keepers are nice to money."
"What do you need me to do?" Foreman asked.
"You take care of our patient and do Wilson's rounds for him. If the others need help, they'll call you." House turned to look at Cuddy. "Anything else, Boss?"
"I think that about covers it." Cuddy hesitated and then looked at Wilson. "Jimmy, if you wouldn't mind, would you spend the night here tomorrow night?"
"What? Why?" House leaned on his cane and frowned down at her.
"Because, you have to stay somewhere else. You can't see me Sunday before the wedding. I'll need Wilson's help with Rachel." Cuddy ignored his annoyed mood. "I can't take care of her while I'm on the pain killers."
"Where am I supposed to stay?" House didn't like this new development on bit.
"If memory serves me correctly, you still have an apartment." Cuddy knew he wouldn't want to spend the night by himself. The ghosts of the recent past would be harder to ignore. "Or, you could stay with Foreman and Taub or with Chase."
"Don't worry, Dr. Cuddy." Chase slapped a hand on his boss's shoulder. "We'll take good care of him on his last night of freedom."
"No! No bachelor party." Cuddy's tone was vehement. "No alcohol or hookers."
House saw the smiles the younger doctors shared. "She's right. No alcohol." When the other doctors stared at him as if he had grown a second head, House explained, "In case you've all forgotten, your boss is an addict. That means no more drinking either."
Wilson narrowed his eyes and plopped his hands on his hips. "House, is there something we should know?"
"No, Wilson. Despite your overwhelming need to analyze every minute detail of my life, this is none of your business." When Wilson continued to stare at him, House sighed. "I nearly screwed up. Happy now?"
Before he could say anything, Cuddy cut him off. "Just drop it, Wilson." She gave the others a menacing stare. "I expect the rest of you to respect his decision, too."
The younger doctors readily agreed. None of them wanted to see their boss loose this chance at happiness. Foreman and Chase had experienced the years of drug abuse first hand. They were proud of how far the older man had come. Neither of them wanted to see their mentor resume the downward spiral.
Chase faced his boss's boss and gave her his most sincere look. "Don't worry, Dr. Cuddy. He can stay with me. I promise nothing stronger than Dr. Pepper and no hookers."
Foreman stepped forward. "Or, he can stay with us. We have a better game system and there would be two of us to keep an eye on him."
"I have an extra bedroom. He would have to sleep on the couch at your place," Chase argued.
"Seriously? Are you two really fighting over who gets custody of me?" House ignored the giggles coming from the sofa. "Besides, what if I want to stay with Masters?"
"Umm…I…that is….well…." The young woman blushed and looked totally horrified.
"Relax. He's just yanking your chain," Taub told the extremely gullible young woman.
House just smirked at her and turned back to the guys. "Compromise. We have a video game tournament at Foreman's. Then I spend the night in Chase's spare room."
"Am I invited?" Masters asked shyly.
"Sure," Foreman told her. "You bring the pizza."
"Me? I'm just a poor medical student. You guys bring down the big bucks," she countered.
House looked down at Cuddy and rolled his eyes. Some days he really did feel like he was supervising a preschool class. On closer inspection, he could see that Cuddy was growing tired. He whistled loudly to stop the good natured bickering.
"Okay, children, you can all go away now." He shooed them towards the door. "Call tomorrow if you have any questions or need more money."
While house was herding the group to the entry hall, Chase hung back. He squatted next to the sofa and gave Cuddy a somber look before he vowed, "I promise, we'll take care of him. Don't worry about tomorrow night."
Cuddy placed a hand on the young doctor's arm. "I know you will, Chase. I know you care about him, too."
Chase ducked his head and tried to hide a small smile. "Just don't tell him. He'd make my life a living Hell."
Cuddy patted his arm. "You underestimate him. He already knows. Why do you think you're the one he's trusting with his mother?"
"Chase!" House called from the door. "Quit flirting with my woman and go away."
House stood to the side and let Chase pass him. He looked back at Cuddy with that little grin she loved so much and then winked. Cuddy shook her head and laughed. They all underestimated the perceptive powers of her eccentric genius.
House shut and locked the front door. He limped back into the living room to find the sofa empty. He detoured through the dining room to the kitchen where a light was now on. Cuddy was standing at the sink, pouring out a bottle of wine. House didn't comment. He opened one of the top cabinets and pulled down a half-full bottle of Scotch. He deposited the bottle on the counter next to the sink.
"I'm gonna go check on Rachel," House told her quietly.
Cuddy tossed the wine bottle in the trash. "We need to call our mothers," she told him.
"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" House preferred to postpone that particular conversation as long as possible.
"No, House, it can't." Cuddy uncapped the Scotch and upended it over the sink. "I want to get some sleep tonight and that won't happen if I'm lying there dreading telling my mother I had surgery without letting her know."
"So, you would rather lie there all night replaying the guilt trip she's going to lay on you?" House leaned on the counter and tried to ignore the alluring smell of the Scotch.
"No. That's why you're calling my mother. I'll call yours." Cuddy smiled up at him. "This is part of taking care of one another."
"And, they call me the devious one." House kissed her and then pulled his cell phone from his pocket. "Her number is in my contact list. Good luck."
"My phone's on the coffee table." Cuddy put the Scotch bottle in the trash and took his cell phone. "Remember, this is Arlene you're dealing with. Take no prisoners, House."
"She won't know what hit her." House promised as he limped back through the dining room. He had permission to screw with his soon-to-be mother-in-law. This would be fun.
The phone rang three times before Arlene answered. "Arlene? This is Greg," he greeted her.
"Greg?" Arlene sounded concerned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," House replied as he tossed his cane on the sofa and leaned against the back of a chair. "Cuddy had a little problem with her kidney. She's fine now."
"How 'little' is little? What aren't you telling me, Greg?" Arlene now sounded on the verge of hysteria.
"It was a small mass. The surgeons took care of it." House knew now was the perfect time for the distraction. "The thing is we started thinking and we've decided we don't want to wait to get married. We've moved the date up a smidge."
"Greg House! Don't tell me you've eloped!" Arlene screeched in his ear.
House hoped she couldn't hear the smile in his voice. "Of course not, Arlene. We wouldn't do that to you and my mother. Cuddy and I know how important this is to the two of you. That's why we decided to wait until this Sunday."
House moved the phone from his ear as the pitch of the voice coming from the other end increased to roughly that of a hyena caught in a wood chipper. House waited patiently until the ranting slowed. The huffs of righteous indignation assured him the older woman hadn't suffered a heart attack or stroke.
"Arlene, this is happening," House informed her in a voice that said resistance was futile. "You already know I'm not about to let you guilt her into changing her mind. If you try to manipulate her, you will lose. You and my mother jumped on the crazy train to wedding town and didn't bother to ask either of us what we wanted. The fact is, all we want is to get married. You can be there and pretend to be happy or you can stay home and sulk. It's your choice."
House listened to several seconds of silence while he imagined Arlene Cuddy seething. The older woman finally asked sullenly, "Where and what time?"
"The chapel at the hospital at two o'clock." House hoped she could detect the false cheerfulness in his voice. "We'll see you then. You have a good night."
House disconnected the call and gave a quick fist pump. He limped back to the kitchen with a smile on his face. He had no intention of allowing Arlene to run his life and control his family. This was one small victory in the greater war. He stopped when he saw Cuddy sitting at the small table. She was staring at his cell phone.
"Did you call?" House asked her.
"No. I'm afraid." Cuddy gave him a pitiful look. "She's going to hate me."
"Oh for…" House snatched up the phone. As he dialed, he asked her, "How can you be such a wuss and run a hospital?"
"Hi, Mom." House pulled out a chair and sat. "I didn't wake you did I?"
Cuddy rested her head on her folded arms. House ran his long fingers through her already disheveled hair. He listened to his mother ramble for a few minutes.
"Mom," he finally interrupted her. "I called to tell you Lisa and I have decided to get married this weekend."
"Greg, isn't this sudden? Why are you changing the date?" Ever polite, Blythe House wouldn't express anger or disappointment.
"Because, I love her and I realized that I don't want to wait. Besides, it'll be easier for me to adopt Rachel if we're already married. I know you and Arlene have put a lot of time into your plans. I'm sorry if you're upset. I just hoped you would be happy for us." House smirked when Cuddy rolled her head to the side and looked up at him.
"Of course I'm happy for you. Greg, if this is really what you want, I'll be there." Blythe was gracious in the face of her son's obvious devotion to his girlfriend and her daughter.
"Thank you. I knew you'd understand." House sat back and Cuddy rolled her eyes. "We're getting married in the chapel at the hospital at two o'clock Sunday. I'm sending one of my employees to pick you up. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Maybe we could go to lunch. Lisa's going to be busy but I want you to meet Rachel."
When his mother had said goodbye, House disconnected. "And, that's how it's done."
"I'm awed by your mastery." Cuddy sat up. "I don't want to know what you said to my mother. Just take me to bed."
"Are you sure you're up for that?" House wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"To sleep, you ass." Cuddy stood and patted him on the shoulder. "I have a hard enough time keeping up with you on a good day. You're latest round of insanity has worn me out."
House rose and pulled her into a loose hug. "Are you really okay with this?"
Cuddy wrapped her arms around his waist. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't have said yes."
He placed a kiss to the top of her head. "Let's get you to bed. And, I don't want you to do anything tomorrow. Let me take care of everything. In fact, it might be a good idea for me to take you to my apartment. You could hide out from Arlene and Julia there. Then you and Rachel can spend the night at Wilson's."
Cuddy tipped her head back and looked up at him. "That's sounds like a wonderful plan. They're bound to descend on us as soon as Julia can drive back. I don't have the energy to referee any fights between the three of you."
House placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I'll protect you from their evil schemes."
Cuddy kept an arm around his waist and accompanied him as House shut off the lights. She noticed he left their cell phones in the kitchen. That was just fine with her. She had no intention of letting her mother or sister interrupt what she hoped would be her first good night's sleep in days.
House stopped at the door to Rachel's room. "Why don't you go get ready for bed? I'll check on Rachel and be right there."
Cuddy had known he wouldn't be able to resist. She smiled and pulled him down for a quick kiss. "Just don't wake her."
House watched until Cuddy disappeared into her bedroom. He opened the door to Rachel's room and walked as quietly as he could to the bed. The little girl was sleeping on her back, spread-eagle, with that ragged, stuffed rabbit clutched in her right hand. House pulled the blanket back up over her. He brushed her bangs out of her face and then bent and brushed a light kiss to her forehead.
"I love you, kid. I promise I'm going to be the best daddy I can be," House whispered. He had no illusions that their life as a family would be all sunshine and roses. There would be arguments and disappointments. But, he was willing to admit that his oft repeated mantra was wrong. The love and unconditional acceptance of this toddler and her mother had changed him. For the first time in his long, miserable life Greg House felt safe enough to be happy.
A/N My husband and I gave our parents two days notice that we were getting married. I don't recommend it, but it can be done.
This is where we will depart from the events in future episodes of the show. I don't care what kind of crap they write. I'm not going there.