A/N I know everyone hoped I would update sooner. I do apologize for the delay. In RL, I'm an accountant. July 1st is the first day of the new fiscal year. For the next several weeks, I will be working at the paying job twelve to sixteen hours a day. Then there are trivial little things like sleeping, housework, and spending time with Mr. CJ. Writing time will be severely limited. I will not abandon this story. It's already plotted out to the end on paper. But, updates probably won't come as soon as everyone would like. I suppose I could write instead of sleep; however, I tend to turn into Darth Vader when I'm sleep deprived. I will write when I can grab a few minutes and post as often as I can. After Bombshells, I promised I would finish 'Safety' and I intend to keep that promise. Just please be patient with me and say a prayer that I survive June relatively sane.

As always, I refuse to apologize if my House is warm and fuzzy. I have no intentions of keeping him or Cuddy IC as TPTB portrayed them. TPTB suck. I've tried to answer everyone who has reviewed this story. If I missed you, please know that it wasn't intentional. It's hard to keep up with who I haven't responded to and write at the same time. So, please accept this as a universal Thank You to everyone.

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Dr. Lisa Cuddy-House propped her elbows on top of her desk and let her head fall into her hands. The niggling headache that had started while she was in the shower had now exploded into a conflagration of flashing lights and throbbing pain. She had turned off the office lights; but, the weak sunlight that filtered through the blinds sent spikes through her eyeballs. The antiseptic smells of the hospital caused her stomach to roll ominously. The slightest movement swamped her with waves of dizziness. She wanted to call House, but she lacked the strength to pick up the phone and dial. She felt if she expended that much energy, she would throw up or pass out or both.

Cuddy was vaguely aware of the sound when her office door opened. She kept her eyes squeezed shut and tried to ignore the voice that was speaking to her. Maybe the person would take the hint and go away. When a hand landed on her shoulder, the tortured administrator flinched. That was all it took to push her rebellious stomach over the edge. She managed to twist to the side and with a whimper, lost the meager contents of her stomach into her waste basket. When the solicitous hands helped her sit upright, Cuddy made the mistake of opening her eyes. The motion left her gasping for breath and shaking in pain. The spots in front of her eyes didn't disappear when she closed her eyelids. She kept her hands pressed to her temples and tried to burrow into the chest that was next to her.

Dr. Robert Chase wrapped his left arm around his boss's wife and tried to hold her trembling form upright. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed with one hand. He tried to remain calm as he waited for his call to be answered. He knew House would ignore his call. Chase had drawn the short straw and had been sent to ask for permission for a risky procedure. House would assume their request had been turned down by his boss.

"Foreman, get everyone to Cuddy's office, now," Chase ordered as soon as his colleague answered. "Cuddy's sick. She's in severe pain and vomiting."

Chase disconnected and tossed the phone on the desk. He pressed his right hand to her forehead and held her closer. He could feel the tremors that shook her and knew holding back sobs was causing her even more pain.

"Hang on," he whispered. "House is on his way."

Chase tried not to jump when the door flew open. He looked up to see a frantic House rush in followed by the rest of the team. House approached from the right side of the desk. When Chase tried to remove his arms and stand, Cuddy whimpered at the movement.

"Taub, get a gurney," House barked. He pushed the waste can to the side and knelt next to his wife's chair. He finally whispered, "Come on, Cuddy, look at me."

Cuddy opened one eye and peaked at him without moving her head.

"Migraine?" he whispered as he laid his hand on her back. He knew the symptoms from personal experience.

"Yes," she mouthed the word.

House spared a glance at the door as Taub returned with the gurney and Wilson.

"We're going to take you to the ER for some tests," House told his wife.

Chase and Foreman managed the transfer from the chair to the gurney as quickly and painlessly as possible. Despite their best efforts, Cuddy was still curled on her side, moaning in pain by the time they rolled her out of her office. House held her hand and limped beside her on the journey to the emergency room. His analytical mind was already cataloguing her symptoms and trying not to panic. A thousand 'what if' scenarios bombarded him.

When they reached an empty cubicle, Wilson took over. He took her blood pressure and pulse as a nurse drew blood. Cuddy was quickly hooked to a pulse ox monitor and an automatic blood pressure monitor. House sat helplessly by her side and held her hand.

"House, has she had migraines before?" Wilson questioned.

"No," House shook his head and ran an unsteady hand through her disheveled hair.

"What has she had to eat today?" Wilson asked as he checked Cuddy's pupils. Cuddy cried out as the bright light hit her sensitive eyes.

House clasped her hand tighter. "Toast and eggs for breakfast. I was supposed to meet her later for lunch."

"Her blood pressure's slightly elevated. I'll give her acetaminophen for the pain. I want to get the results of the blood tests before we do a PET scan or give her anything stronger," Wilson told his best friend.

House just nodded as he watched Cuddy grimace in pain. At that moment, he wasn't a world famous diagnostician. The suffering of his wife had reduced him mentally and emotionally to the status of worried husband.

The nurse returned with a cold pack and a pill cup. House helped Cuddy take the medication and then placed the cold pack on her forehead. He leaned closer and continued to lightly massage her scalp.

Cuddy kept her eyes tightly closed as she whispered, "House?"

"I'm right here," he whispered back.

"Cold hurts more," she mumbled.

House removed the cold pack and then brushed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I wish I could do something," he whispered.

"Just don't let go," she responded as she squeezed his hand.

They were still in the same position forty-five minutes later when Wilson returned with the test results. Chase and Foreman had personally run the tests. Wilson rolled a stool closer to the bed and surveyed the monitors. Cuddy cracked her eyes open at the sound.

"Are you feeling any better?" Wilson asked his boss.

"A little," Cuddy quietly answered.

"On a scale of one to ten, how's the pain now?" Wilson tried to exude an air of competent authority.

"A four. Earlier it was a fifteen," Cuddy responded. The soothing motion of House's fingers through her hair had actually lulled her to sleep. The pain had been lessened considerably when she woke.

"What about the results of the blood tests?" House questioned his best friend. The shock had worn off and now he was thinking like a diagnostician. "Does she need an MRI or the PET scan? What about something stronger for the pain?"

Wilson looked to the papers in his hand. He was still surprised even though the younger doctors had run the tests three times. This was news he had never expected to deliver to his best friends.

"More tests won't be necessary. And, I can't give her anything stronger for the pain." Dr. James Wilson, Head of Oncology, looked at House and then at Cuddy and delivered the life-altering diagnosis. "Cuddy, you're pregnant."

There was stunned silence in the room. House blinked once and then asked in a hoarse whisper, "She's what?"

"Wilson, are you positive?" Cuddy clutched House's hand in a painful death grip.

"How?" House asked and frowned at the sight of his best friend's wide grin.

"You're a doctor, House. I'm pretty sure they covered the 'how' of conception in medical school," Wilson quipped as he patted Cuddy's leg. "Yes, Lisa, I'm sure. Chase and Foreman ran the tests three times. There's no mistake."

House cut his eyes to the window of the exam room. He received thumbs up and huge smiles from his team. He slowly swiveled his head to meet the stunned gaze of one shell-shocked Lisa Cuddy-House. Her cobalt blue eyes were wide in stunned disbelief.

"How?" House repeated.

Cuddy tried to focus her thoughts and quickly calculated when this could have happened.

"You switched my antibiotics to Rifampin after my surgery. I had to take the new ones for ten more days. The antibiotics must have caused my birth control to not work. " She took a deep breath. "It probably happened on our wedding night. Or, the next day at the latest."

Wilson closed the room's blinds and then slid silently out of the door. Neither House nor Cuddy noticed him leave. House was still silently looking at Cuddy. She was trying to decide whether to laugh or cry. Neither of them had expected this turn of events.

"Say something, House," Cuddy quietly commanded.

"I'm not sure what to say," he answered honestly. He knew that his first impulse to blurt out that he needed a drink wouldn't go over well.

"Say you love me. Say you're happy. Say you want this baby." Cuddy placed her free hand over her stomach in that age-old gesture of protection. "Say you're scared to death. Just tell me you'll be there for us."

House finally focused on her. He winced at the look of uncertainty and fear on in her eyes. When she blinked back tears and her lower lip trembled, House felt like the world's biggest bastard.

"Hey! Don't do that." House stood and leaned over the bed rail. Nothing could freak him out faster than the sight of her tears. "Of course I'll be there. And, yeah, I'm scared to death. But, I am happy. And, I do want this baby. And, I've never loved you more than I do right now."

House leaned further and kissed her. Their lips met in a tender affirmation of his love for her. Cuddy wrapped an arm around his neck and managed an awkward hug. She chose to ignore the wetness she felt against her neck.

"I love you, House," she whispered into his ear.

House wiped his eyes on the sheet before he drew back to look at her. "Are you ready to get out of here?"

"Yeah," Cuddy smiled up at him. "Take me home."

House helped her out of the hospital gown and back into her bra and shirt. He opened the door for her and then followed her out into the busy emergency room. They were met with quiet cheers and applause from what looked to be most of the hospital's staff. Masters handed Cuddy her purse as the male members of House's team congratulated him with handshakes and manly pats on the back.

"Wilson," Cuddy got the oncologist's attention. "We're going home. You're in charge."

House took her hand and started towards the exit. He frowned down at her when Cuddy stopped and turned back to the assembled members of the hospital staff.

"So Chase, who won the bet?" she called out to the younger man.

"Masters," told her with a smile as everyone else cast unhappy looks at the young woman. The med student was sporting a smug grin.

Cuddy just laughed as she allowed House to tow her from the building. "How much did you lose this time, House?" she asked as they crossed the parking lot to her car.

"Nothing," he growled. "They didn't tell me they had a baby pool going."

When he bent to unlock the door, Cuddy met him with a quick kiss. "I lost five hundred dollars. I put my money on a year," she told him with a cheeky grin.

House was stunned. "You actually placed a bet on how soon I would get you pregnant?"

"I had faith in you, House." She patted his cheek. "I just didn't know Mama Bruno's prayers were going to work so fast."

Cuddy was buckled in and putting on her sunglasses when House slid into the driver's seat.

"How's the head?" he asked her as he buckled his own seat belt.

"Not too bad as long as I don't move too fast." Cuddy reclined her seat into a more comfortable position. "I've been tired and having headaches for a few days. I just thought it was from the stress of moving. This is the first headache that's turned into a migraine."

House backed out of her reserved parking space. "Have you had any other symptoms you forgot to mention?"

"My period is late." Cuddy closed her eyes and sighed. "Ever since the IVF, they haven't been regular. I didn't think anything about it. The smell of that left over curry you ate for breakfast yesterday made me queasy. I thought that was a normal reaction to someone eating Vindeloo curry at seven in the morning."

House stopped behind a line of cars at a stop light. "So, four weeks, give or take a few days. You would think two doctors would have enough sense to use a condom."

"I don't think either of us was thinking too clearly on our wedding night." Cuddy snorted in self derision. "I certainly wasn't thinking about the consequences of antibiotics and unprotected sex."

"No," House agreed. "You were just thinking about the sex."

Cuddy rolled her head to the side and peeked up at him. "Like you weren't?"

"I'm a man." House smirked. "It's in our DNA."

"And, now, you've spread your DNA." Cuddy frowned as doubts started to niggle at her mind. "House, what if…"

House clasped her hand in his and squeezed gently. "Hey! None of that. Don't start worrying about what might happen."

"But, I'm over forty and I've already had one miscarriage." Cuddy sniffed and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes and looked around in surprise when House stopped the car and put it in park. They were in the parking lot of a veterinary clinic.

House turned and took both of her hands in his. There was an unusually serious expression on his face as he looked at her. He knew he had to do his best to stop her obsessive need to worry in its tracks or she would drive herself and him crazy. The irony of having to be the voice of reason wasn't lost on him.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference," House quietly quoted the Serenity Prayer from Alcoholics Anonymous. "You're already pregnant. There's nothing we can do to change that unless you decide to terminate it. That isn't an option. Lots of women are having babies in their forties. And, it's not uncommon to have a successful pregnancy after having an earlier miscarriage. There's no reason to think you won't carry this baby to full term. Instead of worrying about the 'what ifs,' focus on what we can do to make sure you and the kid stay healthy."

Cuddy took a deep breath and then exhaled it on a shaky sigh. "You're right. I'm sorry. It's just a little overwhelming. And, everything's been going so perfectly. I guess I just keep expecting a catastrophe to hit."

"Well, stop it." House gave her a lopsided grin. "I'm the pessimist in the family. I'll do enough worrying for both of us."

"House," Cuddy released his hand to cup the side of his face in her palm. "I know this was a huge shock for you. Are you okay?"

"Looks like I'm handling it better than you," he quipped. Then he turned serious again as he searched his feelings. He looked into her eyes and admitted. "I think I'm still in shock, but right now I'm fine. Actually, I'm better than fine. I'm kind of excited."

Cuddy smiled and he was relieved to see the sparkle return to her eyes. "Admit it, House. You're feeling pretty smug right now."

"Hell yeah!" he agreed emphatically. "I knocked you up without even trying. That's pretty impressive for a fifty-two year old, recovering drug addict."

Cuddy rolled her eyes and sighed again. "Your male ego is going to be insufferable for the next eight months, isn't it?"

"Probably," House conceded the inevitable with a grin as he put the car in reverse. "If you think I'm going to be bad, wait until Rachel finds out."

"I suppose since the entire hospital knows, there's no point in trying to keep this a secret." Cuddy relaxed back into the seat. "We should tell our mothers soon before they find out from someone else. But, I would like to wait awhile before we tell Rachel. She wouldn't understand if something did happen."

House turned into traffic and frowned. "The kid's pretty perceptive. She's going to know something is going on. We won't be able to hide it from her for long. And, you're counting on no one saying anything about it in front of her. Do you really think Arlene and Wilson can keep their big traps shut?"

"You're right." Cuddy opened her eyes and fought the waves of nausea caused by riding in a moving car with her eyes closed. "Can we at least wait to tell her until I see an obstetrician?"

"Okay," House agreed. "But, you better make that appointment soon."

Cuddy returned her seat to a more upright position as a new concern hit her. "House, are you going to go to the appointments with me?"

"Of course," House replied without hesitation. "I have to make sure my baby momma is seen by a competent doctor."

Cuddy groaned at the totally ludicrous appellation. "House, you will not refer to me as your 'baby momma.'"

House laughed out loud as he turned into their drive. "If the nursing bra fits…" He yelped when she smacked him on the arm.

"If you ever want to see what's in my bra again, you better be nice to me," she told him as he pulled into the garage.

House shut off the engine and turned to stare at her chest with an unholy gleam in his eyes. "You know, Patty and Selma are going to get bigger."

Cuddy rolled her eyes as she opened her door. "If I make it through the next eight months without beating you to death with your own cane, it will be a miracle."

House tried to look contrite as he followed her into the kitchen. "Why don't you go lay down. I need to call Foreman. I still have a patient on life support."

Cuddy dropped her purse on the dining table and then turned to wrap her arms around House's waist. "Marina was taking Rachel to the zoo. They won't be back until late afternoon. You could come take a nap with me."

House returned the hug and mused, "You know, I've never had sex with a pregnant woman before."

"Apparently you have been for the past four weeks," Cuddy mumbled into his shirt. "And, you're not getting any this afternoon. I have a headache, remember?"

House kissed the top of her head and then turned her towards the elevator. "Go get comfortable. I'll be up in a few minutes."

A few minutes turned into thirty as House placed two calls. First, the team caught him up on the condition of their patient. House gave orders for new tests told them to consult Wilson when they had the results. Next he called his NA sponsor and discussed the newest threat to his sobriety. Despite his confident reassurances for Cuddy, House knew he was on emotionally rocky ground. Becoming a father to a toddler and starting from scratch were two different things. The twenty minute conversation with the father of five went well and House hung up feeling more stable. His stay at Mayfield had taught House to be honest with himself. He knew he would need all the support he could get as he charted the unknown territory of impending fatherhood.

As he quickly undressed and slid into bed next to his already sleeping wife, House was shocked by the intensity of the feelings that rose within him. At the forefront was a fierce, almost primeval need to protect his mate and their unborn offspring. As he placed an unsteady hand on her still-flat abdomen, he knew with absolute certainty that he had the strength to handle this. Greg House silently made a solemn vow to do everything in his power as a husband, a father, and a doctor to keep them and Rachel safe.