A/N I know some of you were expecting the birthday party in this chapter. I tried to write it, but House and Cuddy just wouldn't cooperate. Specifically, House refused to show up and participate. This is the chapter they insisted that should be written. It's their story and I'm tired of second guessing them.
Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and prayers. They were much appreciated. I made it through the last few weeks with my sanity intact. Updates should be more regular now.
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House was sprawled on his stomach, drifting in that twilight zone between sleep and waking. He had the feeling that if he only tried hard enough, he could go back to sleep. Anticipation of Cuddy telling him to get his lazy ass out of bed kept him from giving in to the pull of slumber. A sudden weight plopping down on the mattress jostled him closer to consciousness. The quiet sigh caused him to groan and rub his face on his pillow. The not so subtle sniffle was a definite clue that going back to sleep wouldn't be an option. He opened his eyes to the sight of Cuddy sitting on the edge of the bed with her back to him. She was still dressed in her robe.
"What's wrong?" He asked as he squinted at the clock. At seven thirty, his always punctual wife should already be dressed and ready to leave for work.
"Nothing," Cuddy mumbled and then sniffed again.
"Come on, Cuddy," House had no idea what was bothering her and his still sleep-fogged brain wasn't up to solving puzzles. "Talk to me."
"Nothing fits," she almost whined.
House rolled over on his side and ran a hand through his hair. "What doesn't fit?"
"My clothes," Cuddy still didn't turn to look at him. "I can't wear any of them."
House rolled his eyes and made the same mistake men have made since the dawn of time. He ignored the warning signs of a hormonal melt-down and downplayed his pregnant wife's distress. In his defense, he was operating on no coffee and this was his first time at this particular rodeo; but, there was really no excuse for such blatant stupidity from a genius.
"Those skin-tight, street-walker skirts getting a little snug, huh?" he asked. The minute the words left his mouth, his brain registered the fact that he was an idiot. The sudden slump and shaking of Cuddy's shoulders confirmed the diagnosis.
"Ah, shit," he muttered as he sat up and put a hand on her shoulder. "Cuddy, I'm sorry. Come on, don't cry. Tell me I'm an insensitive ass. Hit me. But, don't cry."
Cuddy finally turned and looked at him. House felt his heart break at the sight of the tears on her face.
"You're an insensitive ass, House," she told him just before she lightly smacked him on the shoulder.
"Feel better?" he asked as he rubbed her back.
"No," she responded in a tone of abject misery.
"It can't be that bad," House hoped he was saying the right thing. "I'm sure you have something you can wear."
Cuddy looked at her hands and shook her head. "I wore my last shirt that still buttons yesterday. My boobs are exploding out of my bras. None of my skirts zip. And, I don't even want to talk about my underwear."
House tried to keep his gaze focused on her face. He knew looking at the girls would be a very bad idea. He was already in enough trouble.
Cuddy could read his lecherous mind. "You're a pervert."
"What?" House grinned. "This is me trying not to say anything else stupid."
"Yeah, but I know what you're thinking," Cuddy really tried not to return his smile. She sniffed again. "House, this can't be normal. I'm already huge."
House let his hand drift around to the already noticeable swell of her abdomen. Admittedly, he was no expert, but he had to agree that she was getting pretty big. At ten weeks, she was already showing. He didn't think it was abnormal, but he intended to have a chat with Dr. Hayes.
"You're short," he stated and then defended himself when she raised an eyebrow. "Well, you are. And, you're petite. I'm six two and all arms and legs. I weighed almost ten pounds when I was born. If this kid takes after me, that's going to be a lot of baby for someone your size to carry."
"I guess," Cuddy reluctantly agreed. "That doesn't change the fact that I don't have anything to wear."
"So go shopping," House suggested.
"I was standing in my closet and it just hit me." Cuddy sighed again. "I'm not ready to wear clothes made by Princeton Tent and Awning."
House couldn't stop the laugh that escaped. "Cuddy, I know you. You're going to be the sexiest, most fashionable, pregnant woman in Princeton. Go buy what you need."
"I need to go to work today," she protested.
"No, you don't. That's what you have Wilson for. He can handle things for one day." House smiled at her. "I promise I'll be on my best behavior. I won't give him a hard time."
"I have a meeting scheduled with Mrs. Chidester today." Cuddy didn't really want to see the old crone, but the elderly woman was one of the hospital's biggest donors.
"So, let Wilson handle her." House rubbed her stomach. "He can turn on the boy-next-door charm and sweet talk her out of a couple million."
Cuddy laid her hand over his. "I don't know, House."
"Look at it this way. You have to project a professional image at work. You can't do that wearing a pair of Yoga pants and one of my t-shirts. Consider this a work-related day off." House grinned at her. "You can go spend the day abusing my Visa card as payback for what an insensitive ass I am."
That finally earned him a giggle. "You're really going to turn me loose with your Visa card?"
"Yep," House told her with a wicked grin. "I don't want to sleep in the guest room. I figure I have to do something to get back in your good graces."
Cuddy outright laughed and swiped at her face. "We have an appointment with Dr. Hayes at three thirty."
"Okay." House knew he had worn her down. "You spend the morning shopping. Go have lunch. Come back here for a nap. And, then meet me at Hayes's office."
"When you aren't being an insensitive ass, you really are wonderful," Cuddy told him before she leaned forward and kissed him. House was rapidly getting into the kiss when the bedroom door opened.
"Mommy?" a tiny voice asked.
House dropped onto his back and groaned as he felt the mattress on the other side of him move. He grunted when a small body crawled over his chest. In the end, Rachel sat on his stomach to get a hug and a kiss from her mother.
The toddler leaned over and spoke loudly to her mother's stomach. "Good morning, baby."
Cuddy smiled. House tried to ignore the overdose of cuteness.
"Mommy, you not work today?" Rachel asked.
"No, baby, I'm not going to work today. I have some other things to do." Cuddy tried to tame her daughter's wild hair. The toddler had already dressed herself in light purple shorts and a pink t-shirt with purple smiley faces on the front.
"You stay with me?" Rachel inquired with that oh so adorable smile.
"I have to leave for a little while this morning. I'll be back after lunch." Cuddy gave her another quick hug.
House raised his head and looked at the pair. "Don't mind me. I'm used to being part of the furniture."
Rachel giggled as she flopped side-ways onto his chest. She gave him a smacking kiss on his cheek and then giggled again when his stubble tickled her nose. House dropped a kiss to the top of her head.
"Go rummage in my closet. Find a shirt you can wear. I'll go feed the kid," House told Cuddy. "Do you want me to fix you something?"
Cuddy grimaced. "A cup of tea and some toast. I might keep that down."
"You know Hayes said he could prescribe something for the nausea," House reminded her.
"I know." Cuddy rubbed a hand over her stomach. "I don't want to take anything unless I have to. The morning sickness should go away in a few more weeks. The headaches are already better."
House didn't comment as Cuddy headed for his closet. He had already found that arguing would accomplish nothing. She was determined to do everything she could to make sure this baby was healthy. If that meant not taking medicine that would ease what he saw as needless suffering, then so be it.
When Marina arrived, House and Rachel were sitting at the kitchen table. He was drinking coffee and the toddler was devouring a plate of scrambled eggs. The nanny deposited her bag on the sofa and joined them. At first, she had been uneasy around the sarcastic doctor. Finally, she had learned to give as good as she got. They had developed an easy, if somewhat twisted, friendship.
"It's about time you got here," House told her in greeting. "I had to make my own coffee."
"Imagine that." Marina gave him a dry look. "The big, important doctor had to figure out how to operate a coffee maker."
"I don't pay you to give me sass, woman," House smirked over the top of his mug.
"You don't pay me at all. Dr. Cuddy does." Marina used a napkin to wipe Rachel's mouth. "You just reap the rewards of my labor."
House watched as she dropped a kiss on Rachel's head and greeted the little girl. House got up and limped to the coffee maker. He poured another mug of coffee and sat it down on the table.
"How would you like to earn some extra cash?" he asked.
Marina took a drink of the coffee before she replied. "What would I have to do?"
"Babysit the elder Cuddy, too." House looked at his coffee cup and Marina was shocked to see that for a change, he was serious. "She'll be home this afternoon. Make sure she gets a nap. And, make sure she eats something."
Marina reached over and patted his hand. "You do not need to pay me for that. I will take care of her for you."
House couldn't resist teasing her. "You still don't understand the concept of capitalism, do you?"
"I plan to earn much more for taking care of a newborn," Marina shot back. Then she smiled. "I have been pregnant four times. You may be the doctor, but I am the expert on pregnant women. Do not worry. Dr. Cuddy is in good hands with me."
House was about to reply when Cuddy stepped off of the elevator. She was dressed in a pair of her black Yoga pants and one of House's smaller, white t-shirts. She had topped it with one of his gray dress shirts. She had rolled up the sleeves and added silver jewelry to complete her ensemble. House thought she looked adorable.
"See? I was right," House told her. "You can even make my ratty clothes look good."
Cuddy rolled her eyes as she sat. "Speaking of clothes, shouldn't you be getting dressed for work?"
"I have plenty of time. The boss isn't going to be there. If I go in late enough, I can miss clinic duty," House told her.
"House!" Cuddy exclaimed with a mock glare.
Before House could respond, Rachel gave him a stern look. "Daddy, do not stress Mommy," she ordered primly.
While Cuddy and Marina collapsed in peals of laughter, House just sat there with his mouth hanging open. Rachel continued to stare him down. He didn't know whether to praise her for her audacity or reprimand her for talking to him like that. Finally, he looked at Cuddy who was still giggling.
"You taught her that," House accused.
"Oh, no," Cuddy replied as she picked up her tea cup. "You have no one to blame for that attitude but yourself."
House rose from the table and dropped a kiss on Rachel's head. "Take care of your mom," he told his little girl.
"I will, Daddy," Rachel told him solemnly.
House ignored the giggles behind him as he limped to the elevator. He figured two could play this game. And, Greg House was very fond of games. He would just make sure Rachel understood why her mother needed to eat regular meals and get more rest. The three year-old would be a more effective nag than her grandmother.
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House and Wilson were standing at the main desk when the glass doors opened and the Dean of Medicine strode into the hospital. They had been making plans for a weekend poker game. Wilson saw Cuddy first.
When Wilson exclaimed, "Wow", House turned to see who had drawn his friend's attention.
House drew the attention of everyone present when he wolf whistled very loudly. Cuddy just grinned and sashayed in their direction. She was wearing light tan leggings and a teal green, tunic top. In typical Cuddy style, the top was low cut. It had gold, geometric patterns embroidered along the hem. The empire waist and fitted bodice showed off her rather impressive cleavage. The gold, wedge heeled sandals made her slim legs look a mile long. Her makeup was flawless and her gold jewelry perfectly complemented the outfit. She stopped in front of House and twirled so he could get the full effect.
"So, what do you think?" Cuddy asked her husband.
"I think we have time to find an empty room," House told her.
"I take it you approve?" Cuddy smiled and blatantly flirted with him.
"I can definitely get used to this look." House leaned down and kissed her. Then he whispered into her ear, "You are one hot mamma."
"Thank you, House," Cuddy said as she patted his chest. "It's amazing what a girl can accomplish with a little time and a platinum Visa."
"Do I have anything left on my credit limit?" House asked as he took her hand.
"Not much." Cuddy figured she would tell him later that she had paid for half of what she bought. "I bought you some new jeans, too."
House looked down at the jeans he was wearing and frowned. "What's wrong with my jeans?"
"You've lost so much weight, they're baggy." She squeezed his hand. "I bought you some smaller ones that will show off your cute butt."
"You two are pitiful," Wilson commented.
House smirked at his best friend. "Jealous?"
"Yeah," Wilson admitted. He smiled at Cuddy. "You look great, Lisa."
"Thanks, Wilson," Cuddy told him. She looked back at House. "We need to get to Dr. Hayes office."
House sighed. "I guess if we have to…"
"I'll see you later, Wilson. I want to hear about the meeting with Mrs. Chidester," Cuddy told him as she towed House to the elevator.
House pushed the button and then noticed that they were receiving stares from the other staff. House tapped his cane on the floor and watched the elevator's digital numbers slowly change. He could still feel multiple pairs of eyes boring into his back.
Cuddy felt the subtle tensing of her husband's hand. She asked, "You're trying really hard not to do something embarrassing, aren't you?"
"Yep," House replied as he continued to stare at the digital display. "This is starting to get old fast. You would think they could find something else to gossip about besides us."
Cuddy well knew that behind his usual, audacious persona, House was an intensely private person. Very few people were ever allowed to see the real Greg House. The constant attention and speculation had to be wearing on his nerves. They had become the hospital's version of a tabloid sensation.
Cuddy squeezed his hand. "We need to find something more scintillating than us for them to focus on."
"It's hard to top us," House said as he finally looked down at her. "The hot dean married to and knocked up by the misanthropic cripple is going to be hard to beat."
Cuddy scowled and held out her left hand. House just frowned and asked, "What?"
"You owe me twenty dollars," Cuddy told him with absolute seriousness. "I warned you what would happen if you ran yourself down in front of me."
House raised an eyebrow. "You really intend to enforce that?"
"You bet I do," Cuddy informed him.
"How about I use the twenty to buy dinner?" House decided to concede defeat gracefully instead of drawing more attention to them. He also figured he could kill two birds with one stone. He would pay up and make sure that she ate.
"I expect a Veggie Lover's pizza and a salad." Cuddy smiled up at him. "And, cheese dip."
House drew her into the now opened elevator. "What's up with all the cheese dip? This is the third time this week."
"It's called a craving, House." Cuddy pushed the button for Dr. Hayes's floor. "Your offspring wants cheese dip. It's your job to cheerfully provide it when requested."
House smirked. "I wonder where I can buy it by the gallon."
"Oh, no, mister." Cuddy followed him off the elevator. "I expect your homemade cheese dip and organic, blue corn chips."
"You really are high maintenance," House complained as he limped down the hall. He was already planning a quick stop at the market before he ran by to pick up pizza and salads.
"And, I'm worth the effort," Cuddy primly informed him.
House stopped in front of the obstetrician's office and looked down at her. "Yeah, you are," he quietly told her.
Cuddy was still blinking back tears as the nurse showed them to an exam room. House was pleased when he saw her weight on the scale. She had gained back the five pounds she had lost plus an additional five pounds. Cuddy was thrilled to find that her blood pressure was normal. The nurse left them alone while Cuddy changed into the hideous hospital gown.
House couldn't suppress a whistle of appreciation when Cuddy was stripped to her underwear. Leave it to his wife to find red, lacey maternity panties and a matching bra. He realized he should have trusted that she wouldn't settle for plain or boring.
"This is my favorite of your new clothes," he told her with a wicked grin.
"Somehow, I knew you would like this," Cuddy returned his grin as she finished undressing and slipped into the gown.
When Dr. Hayes entered, House was in his usual chair and Cuddy was seated on the table. They were still flirting with one another. The older doctor had been pleasantly surprised by this couple. So far, they had followed all of his instructions and House had attended each visit.
"Good afternoon, Lisa. House." Hayes sat on his rolling stool. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm actually feeling pretty good," Cuddy told her doctor. "The headaches have almost stopped completely and the nausea is only bad first thing in the morning."
Hayes snapped on a pair of latex gloves and rolled the stool closer. Cuddy assumed the dreaded position and House held her hand as the doctor completed a quick examination. House kept up a constant stream of banter with his wife to help take her mind off of her discomfort.
Finished, Hayes rolled back and stripped off the gloves. He told them, "I want to do an ultrasound today."
"Why?" Cuddy was instantly alarmed. This hadn't been planned. "Is something wrong?"
"No, there's nothing to worry about. You're doing fine," Hayes reassured her with a kindly smile. "I had a cancellation after you, so I thought we would do the ultrasound now instead of waiting two weeks for the next appointment."
After the doctor left to retrieve the ultrasound machine, Cuddy still looked worried. House could see that despite the doctor's reassurances, she was concerned. He knew his earlier conversation with the obstetrician was the cause of her distress. It was confession time.
House leaned over and pushed a brown curl away from her face. "Hey, don't get upset. This is probably my fault. I came up and talked to Hayes earlier. I asked for his opinion about your wardrobe issues. He didn't seem to think it was unusual. I guess he decided to take a look and check things out."
"I can't help but worry." Cuddy had a haunted look in her cobalt blue eyes. "I want this baby so much. I'm still afraid something will go wrong."
"I told you I would do enough worrying for both of us." House gave her a gentle kiss. "I'm sure the kid's fine. Besides, don't tell me you haven't been dying to take a peek at our progeny."
"Like you haven't," she scoffed. Cuddy managed a weak smile. "We really need to start thinking of names."
"I like Jagger for a boy," House told her with a straight face.
Despite her best efforts, Cuddy laughed. "No, House. We aren't naming our son after Mick Jagger."
"Why not? Celebrities name their kids goofy shit like Apple and Moon Unit." House finally grinned. "Jagger sounds tough."
Cuddy was still smiling when she told him, "I was thinking more along the lines of Gregory."
House shook his head. "Nope. We already have one Junior. That would be too confusing."
"We could use your middle name." Cuddy was shocked by the cold look that entered his ice blue eyes.
"That is not an option," House told her with a frigid tone.
"Why not?" Cuddy suddenly had a suspicion she wasn't going to like what she heard. In all the years she had known him, he had only used his middle initial. "What is your middle name?"
House concentrated on a poster hanging behind the bed. "John," he bit out with a sneer.
"Hey," Cuddy squeezed his hand and waited until she had his attention. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't have said anything if I had known."
"It's not your fault." House gripped her hand tighter.
Cuddy reached up with her free hand and ran her fingers lightly down his whiskered cheek. "Maybe while we're thinking of names for the baby, we could pick a new middle name for you, too."
"Nah. Changing all the legal documents would be a pain in the ass." House placed a quick kiss into the palm of her hand. "I've ignored it for fifty-two years. There's no reason to change it now."
"Not even if I let you change it to Jagger," Cuddy asked with a wicked grin.
"Hmmmm…." House pretended to consider the idea. "That is something to think about."
They were still laughing when Dr. Hayes returned with the ultrasound unit. He plugged it into a monitor that was mounted on the wall. He quickly had the machine turned on and ready to go.
"You aren't going to have a technician do this?" House asked.
"No way. If you want something done right, do it yourself," the older doctor told him and then smiled. "Besides, this is one of my favorite parts of this job."
Hayes squirted gel on the wand and then raised the bottom of Cuddy's gown up to just below her breasts. A sheet still covered her lower half and provided an illusion of modesty.
"This will be cold," he warned as he placed the wand against her lower abdomen. Cuddy and House both focused their attention on the screen. She had a death grip on his hand. They both knew what to expect. The black and white picture was fuzzy and slightly grainy. Hayes adjusted the machine with one hand as he continued to move the wand.
And, then it happened. Cuddy gasped as the image of their unborn child filled the screen. The three-D image was surprisingly detailed. They could clearly identify the head, the torso, and the still short arms and legs. As they watched, the baby wiggled and moved its arms. Cuddy had the impression that the baby was waving at them. She choked back a sob. House sat and stared, unblinking, at the screen. Dr. Hayes smiled to himself as he adjusted the machine and moved the wand over a few millimeters.
"House," Cuddy cried out in shock.
"That's what I thought," House whispered without taking his eyes from the screen.
The monitor was now filled with the image of not one but two developing babies. The first one they had seen was on the right. The second was floating peacefully on the left. They were separated by the thin walls of the double placentas.
House looked down when he finally realized he was losing feeling in his fingers. He wiggled his hand. "Cuddy, a little circulation would be good here," he told her.
Cuddy loosened her grip a fraction. "You already knew?" she asked him.
"I suspected." House still looked shocked by the confirmation of his suspicions.
Cuddy turned her gaze back to the screen. Her voice was shaky when she whispered, "We're having twins."
"Fraternal twins," Dr. Hayes confirmed as he printed out photos of the images. He allowed them to watch their children for a few more minutes. He finally shut off the machine and handed Cuddy tissues to wipe the gel from her stomach.
Dr. Hayes sat on the stool and faced the still shell-shocked parents. "Lisa, your age plus twins puts you at higher risk for premature labor. Most women don't carry twins to the full forty weeks. Delivery from thirty-five to thirty-seven weeks is common. We want to do everything we can to make sure you carry these babies as long as possible."
"I'll do whatever you tell me," Cuddy assured him.
"Good," Hayes gave both of them a stern look. "You must get as much rest as possible. There will be no lifting of anything heavier than five pounds. I want you to cut out any strenuous activity. You can keep up your walking but go slowly and don't over-exert yourself. You need to increase your calorie intake to at least three thousand calories a day. I'm going to prescribe a different prenatal vitamin and you need to increase your calcium intake. For now, intercourse is still allowed. Just take it easy. And, I want you to seriously think about cutting your work hours back to half days."
Cuddy felt her head spinning. This was a lot of information to take in at once. House had remained silent throughout the instructions. He was actually having trouble forming a coherent thought. Suspecting and being presented with the reality were two entirely different things.
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James Wilson was reading and signing files when his door suddenly opened. Technically, it was Cuddy's door. He was using her office for the administrative part of his new job duties. His tie was loose and his shirtsleeves were rolled up. His usually perfect hair was mussed from repeatedly running his fingers through it. He tried not to sigh when he heard the unmistakable sound of a cane and those distinctive, limping footsteps.
"House, whatever it is, I'm not in the mood," he said without looking up at the intruder.
The footsteps continued on to the sofa. Wilson's distracted brain registered the sound of quieter footsteps following House. The Assistant Dean looked up to see both of his friends plop down on the sofa. House looked pale and distracted. Cuddy slumped against House's shoulder and held his hand. Wilson tossed his pen on the desk and quickly rose from the chair. He grabbed one of the chairs from in front of the desk and moved it closer to the sofa. He sat facing his obviously upset friends.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Wilson demanded. James Wilson was instantly in mother-hen mode.
House pulled a picture from his coat pocket and offered it to his best friend. Wilson took the photo and looked at it. It took a few seconds for what he was looking at to register. The name and the date at the top of the page confirmed that this was no joke. His bushy eyebrows shot up nearly to his hairline.
"Twins?" Wilson sputtered. "You're having twins?"
House nodded. Cuddy was still clutching House's hand and staring into space.
"Is everything okay?" Wilson cautiously asked.
Again, House just nodded.
Wilson looked back at the ultrasound photo. "They're fraternal. House, you do realize what this means, don't you?"
This time House shook his head.
"It means you managed to knock her up twice," Wilson hoped teasing them would bring them out of their stupor.
House snorted. Cuddy let out a high pitched, slightly hysterical sounding giggle. And, then she promptly burst into tears. House wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave Wilson a desperate look. The diagnostician was way in over his head and sinking fast. There was a very good reason he maintained minimal contact with his patients and their families. With his limited social skills, he never had any idea what to say that wouldn't upset them and leave him sounding like a complete ass.
Wilson leaned forward and patted Cuddy's leg. "Lisa, it's going to be all right. You need to calm down and talk to us."
Cuddy removed her head from where it was buried in House's chest. She looked first at the worried face of her husband and then her equally concerned friend. House looked like he was about to be ill. Wilson looked like he was giving serious thought to fleeing the room.
"You morons can relax," Cuddy swiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand. "These are happy tears."
House sagged back into the sofa cushions and closed his eyes. "Dam it, woman, you scared the hell out of me. Don't do that again."
"I'm sorry," Cuddy apologized and patted House's chest. "But, it just hit me that Wilson's right. Leave it to the great Gregory House to get his supposedly infertile wife pregnant with twins."
Wilson saw the minute twitch of House's lips. The younger man settled back in his chair and grinned at Cuddy.
"God, he's going to be insufferable now," Wilson told her.
"I'm not sure our house will be big enough for him and his ego," Cuddy drolly replied.
"And, you might be about to unleash two clones of him on the world," Wilson observed.
House finally lost the battle and laughed. He looked down at Cuddy with a cocky smirk. "I keep telling you that I am that good."
Cuddy gave him a quick kiss. "Go ahead and gloat. You've earned it. Just remember, you had the easy part. I have to do all the hard work."
"You think living with your mood swings is easy?" House grinned down at her.
"I still can't believe you already knew and didn't say anything," Cuddy told him.
"You knew?" Wilson questioned his friend.
"No, I didn't know. Not for sure," House told Wilson before he looked back at Cuddy. "I suspected. Fraternal twins are common for women over forty. That plus the fact that you're already showing with a first pregnancy equaled the possibility. I didn't want you freaking out until we knew for sure."
"I'm going home. I can't handle anything else today." Cuddy looked at Wilson. "I don't care if the whole building implodes. Don't call me."
"I'll be right behind you," House told her. "I'll tell the ducklings that I'm leaving and pick up dinner."
Cuddy picked up her purse and gave House a quick kiss. When she stood, Wilson rose, too and gave her a quick hug.
"Seriously, Lisa, congratulations," Wilson told her.
"Thanks, James," Cuddy responded. She had her hand on the door knob when she turned back to House. "Don't forget my cheese dip."
"You want Cherries Garcia ice cream, too?" he asked.
Cuddy sighed. "Sure. Why not? I might as well enjoy those extra calories."
After Cuddy left, House leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes again. Wilson watched him fidget with his cane. The younger doctor knew his friend had reason to be concerned. He just hoped this new development didn't push House back to his favorite vices.
"House, are you okay?" Wilson asked quietly.
"Yeah," House finally opened his eyes and looked at the person who knew him almost as well as Cuddy. "I'm fine, Wilson. You don't have to schedule the pee tests just yet."
"House…" Wilson knew he had to proceed with caution.
"Seriously, Wilson, I'm handling this." House tried for a convincing smirk. "You can save the worrying for labor and delivery."
"House, this has to be stressful. I just don't want to see you do something to screw up what you have." Wilson hoped he wasn't over reacting.
"I'm not going to go off the deep end." House was uncharacteristically serious. "Wilson, I promise I'll tell you if need help. Right now, I'm just trying to wrap my brain around the idea of life with two newborns and a bossy toddler."
Wilson laughed. "I'm having a little trouble with that image. Midnight feeding, diapers, colic…"
"You aren't helping," House complained as he levered himself off of the sofa. "I'll remember this when you're babysitting all three of them."
"Oh, no," Wilson gave House a horrified look. "You can't seriously think I'll watch all three of your offspring."
"We wouldn't dream of leaving them with anyone but their Uncle Jimmy," House told him with a wicked grin. He clapped a hand on Wilson's shoulder. "I'm going home early, boss. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Wilson turned and watched House limp to the door. "Call me if you need to talk."
House just waved a hand as he limped through the door. He did need to talk, but not to his best friend. Wilson was a fixer and always assumed the worst. House planned to stop by his office long enough to call his sponsor. He needed to talk to someone who understood what he was going through. Though he meant well, James Wilson didn't have a clue about the demons that plagued his friend.
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House sat on his ratty sofa with his feet propped on his old scarred coffee table. A John Wayne movie was playing on the flat screen tv with the sound turned down low. He was trying to concentrate on the book in his hands. He didn't notice when the elevator opened behind him. Cuddy rounded the end of the sofa and plopped down next to him. House looked at her over the top of his reading glasses. She had a pint of ice cream in one hand and two spoons in the other.
"Can I join you in the man cave if I share?" Cuddy asked as she waved a spoon in his direction.
"You're using the ice cream I bought as a bribe?" House pulled off his glass and put them and the book on the end table. "It would be more effective if you were naked."
"You're such a dirty, old man," Cuddy scoffed as she handed him a spoon.
House grinned as he dug into the carton. He really didn't care for cherries, but figured, 'What the heck?' It was here.
Cuddy ate several bites before she asked, "When do you think we should spread the latest news?"
"That's up to you," House mumbled around a bite of ice cream.
"I want to have a meeting with the department heads first. Millard is right. I won't be able to keep working full days." Cuddy sighed. "I feel guilty about dumping everything on Wilson."
"Wilson is a mother hen. This is his way of being helpful." House dug around a whole cherry and pushed it to her side of the carton. "He knows you wouldn't trust anyone else with your job. And, this way he gets to keep an eye on me."
"He's already starting to get on your nerves, isn't he?" Cuddy looked up at him with concern.
"I'm used to his insatiable compulsion to meddle." House licked his spoon and then admitted. "I am having a strong urge to mess with him though."
Cuddy snickered. "Just don't be too hard on him. So how are you doing with this?"
"I'm fine." House studied the spoon he was twirling between his fingers. He finally admitted, "Honestly? I'm not nearly as freaked out as I would have expected. I'm actually pretty excited. I enjoy being a dad. I may not be very good at it. But, I have a lot of fun spending time with Rachel."
"You're a wonderful dad. Rachel worships the ground you walk on." Cuddy put the ice cream carton on the coffee table and snuggled closer. "I'm a little jealous. Maybe one of these babies will like me best."
House rolled his eyes as he wrapped an arm around her. "There go those hormones rearing their ugly heads again."
"Deflect all you want. Rachel is a daddy's girl." Cuddy patted his chest. It had been a day full of surprises. She had one more for him. "I heard from Sandy today. The adoption hearing is next Tuesday."
Cuddy felt him swallow before he whispered, "Thank you for sharing her with me."
"Thank you for trusting us enough to let us become your family." Cuddy wrapped an arm around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "Thank you for giving me what I've always wanted."
"What's that?" House asked quietly.
"Your heart," she replied just as quietly.
House placed a kiss among her silky curls. "It's belonged to you since Michigan."
"When we finally get around to going on a honeymoon, that's where I want to go," Cuddy told him.
"I wonder if we could rent your old dorm room for a night?" House teased.
"I was thinking about something with a bigger bed and better bathroom facilities," Cuddy said with a giggle.
"Speaking of bathroom facilities," House patted her bottom, "how about we go try out that seat in the shower?"
"Daddy? I not sleepy." Little feet padded around the sofa. Rachel crawled up on the cushion and then sat herself down on House's left leg. She snuggled back into his chest and stared at the television. She pointed and announced, "Horse," to no one in particular.
Cuddy stopped giggling long enough to give him a kiss. "You and your clone have fun. I'm going to bed."
House rolled his head to the side and watched Cuddy sashay provocatively to the elevator. Two minutes quicker and he could have had those long legs wrapped around him. He hugged Rachel and sighed.
"You have lousy timing, Kid," he complained without any real sarcasm.
Rachel tilted her head back and looked at him upside down. "I love horses, Daddy," she told him with a big smile.
"Of course you do." House smiled as Rachel turned her attention back to the cowboys on the screen.
The toddler rubbed a finger over and over across his wedding band as she watched John Wayne and Dean Martin chase after the bad guys. House sank deeper into the worn cushion and closed his eyes. This really had been a long day.
"Wake me up when it's over," House told his little girl and felt her nod.
He was drifting off when he heard, "Daddy?"
"Hmmm?" he answered without opening his eyes.
"I love you," the three year-old whispered.
Rachel smiled when he responded, "I love you, too, Junior." The toddler patted his hand and then tried to be really still. She knew her daddy must be really, really tired if he could sleep through John Wayne. She snuggled closer and sniffed his shirt. She loved the smell of his cologne. She didn't know why, but that smell always made her feel safe.