A/N I want to thank everyone who continues to read this story. I especially want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has left a review. Ya'll make my day every time I read your kind words of support and encouragement. I want to remind everyone that I'm a former English teacher turned accountant. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a doctor. All medical related information is courtesy of WebMD. If anything is inaccurate, I apologize.
Cuddy checked her reflection in the mirror and gave her hair a final fluff. She wore a light gray skirt topped by a low-cut, red blouse. Her makeup was perfect as usual. She gave a silent word of thanks for the cover-up that hid the dark circles under her eyes. Apparently, the combination of pizza, cheese dip, ice cream and twins was a recipe for heart burn of nuclear proportions. She figured the fool who said pregnancy was wonderful must have been a man.
Cuddy looked down and smiled as she ran a hand over the slight bulge under her shirt. She was perpetually exhausted. Her breasts were swollen and sore. She felt like she spent the majority of her days, and nights, going to pee. She was riding a hormonal tilt-a-whirl. And, she wouldn't have traded a minute of it for anything in the world. Lisa Cuddy had always wanted to have a baby. Specifically, she had always wanted to have Greg House's baby. As miserable as she already was, she couldn't be happier.
"Kids," she spoke to her stomach, "you're mommy loves your daddy very much. He's really very amazing in a goofy sort of way."
Cuddy checked her watch. "Okay, babies, it's show time. Let's go spread the word that there are two of you."
When Cuddy stepped into her office, Wilson was waiting on her. He had heard her voice but not the actual words. He half expected House to follow her out of the private bath.
"Ummm…Lisa, who were you talking to?" Wilson asked.
"The babies," she told him with a tone that suggested he might be a little slow.
Wilson dropped his gaze to her stomach and shook his head. "I still can't believe this is happening."
"How do you think I feel?" Cuddy patted her friend on the arm. "Just go easy on House. Don't overdo the hovering. He knows you expect him to relapse. Watching him like a hawk doesn't help. You're starting to get on his nerves. You know if you push him too far, he will retaliate."
Wilson ran a hand over the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, Lisa. I guess old habits die hard. I promise I'll do better."
"Good," Cuddy replied. "He's doing fine, Wilson. I think he actually does better when we don't draw attention to the fact that he's a recovering addict. I'm not saying ignore the reality. Just don't let it define how you see him. House needs a friend, not a babysitter."
"You're right." Wilson followed her to the door.
Wilson plucked her lab coat from the rack and held it for her while Cuddy slid it on. She flipped her hair from under the collar and then adjusted the lapels. Something didn't feel right. She grasped both sides of the front and held the material out. The waist was at least two sizes too large. She turned to Wilson with a questioning look. The oncologist took one look and started to laugh. He pointed to the left side. Cuddy looked down and then turned the material around so she could read it. Above the left pocket, embroidered in blue was 'Dr. Lisa Cuddy-House, MD.'
"Only House would think of a maternity, lab coat," Cuddy said with a sappy smile. "He's so sweet."
"I don't think I've ever heard the words 'House' and 'sweet' used in the same sentence before," Wilson commented as he opened the door of their shared office.
Cuddy preceded him through the door. "You've just never seen what a big marshmallow he can be."
"Are you sure we're talking about the same Greg House?" Wilson teased. They giggled all the way to the conference room.
Cuddy entered the room first and walked to her customary spot at the head of the table. As she sat, she glanced around at the other doctors. All of the department heads were present. She did a double take and her mouth fell open in shock. Not only was the head of Diagnostics present, he was actually wearing a lab coat over a royal blue dress shirt and gray tie.
House tried to maintain an innocent expression. Wilson pulled out a chair and sat next to House. The younger man tuned to speak to his colleague and then just sputtered. House gave him the same innocent look. The sparkle in his vivid blue eyes gave away his enjoyment at their reactions.
"Invasion of the body snatchers," Wilson finally mumbled so that only House could hear.
Cuddy opened the meeting. "I want to thank all of you for coming this morning. I know rearranging your schedules is an inconvenience. I promise I won't take up too much of your time."
Her gaze flickered briefly to House before she continued. "First, I know all of you have heard the news that I'm pregnant. That rumor is obviously true. Yesterday, Dr. House and I received another unexpected bit of news. Dr. Hayes confirmed that I'm expecting twins."
Heads turned and every eye in the room was suddenly focused on the diagnostician. House couldn't stop the smug grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth. Several of the other doctors chuckled when Wilson gave House a quick knuckle bump.
"As I was saying," Cuddy brought the focus back to her, "this will change my role in the day-to-day operations of the hospital. Millard has suggested that I cut my work hours back to half days. I think it was more of an order diplomatically phrased as a suggestion."
Everyone laughed and looked at the elderly obstetrician who just nodded at his boss.
"After considering all the possible medical complications, I have decided to follow the advice of the expert. There is no way I will be able to continue to work the insane hours my job demands. I've also been ordered to lower my stress level." Cuddy again looked at House before she continued. "My family has to come first. The health of our children is my first priority."
Cuddy saw the speculative looks on the faces around the table. "Effective immediately, I will work four hours a day. I will continue to oversee the budget and meet with donors. Dr. Wilson will be the Acting Dean of Medicine. He will perform all of my administrative duties. Dr. Wilson's experience in the position will provide a seamless transition. I hope all of you will give him the same cooperation you have given me."
Cuddy rose as a signal that the meeting was over. This wasn't a democracy and the issue wasn't open for debate. Several of the doctors immediately left the room. Others stayed behind to congratulate Cuddy and chat. House and Wilson remained seated.
Wilson leaned closer to his friend and commented, "The tie was a nice touch."
"Thank you." House smiled. "The coat wasn't too much was it?"
"Not at all," Wilson assured him. "You look very professional. It was a masterful way to draw attention away from the fact that you're Cuddy's boy-toy."
"Considering she only has a part-time job now, that makes me her sugar daddy," House quipped.
House and Wilson were snickering as Cuddy finally made her way to them. She could tell by their expressions that they were up to mischief. They had behaved themselves longer than she had expected. She put a hand on House's shoulder and smiled down at Wilson.
"So, how about you guys taking a starving, pregnant woman to lunch?" she asked.
House and Wilson followed Cuddy from the conference room and to the elevator. House stared at her butt and pretended not to notice the stares and whispers. It seemed that the news had traveled fast. Wilson, as usual, was oblivious.
"Are we going car shopping again Saturday?" the acting dean asked his best friend.
"Haven't you already test-driven every old people car in Princeton?" House asked.
"It's not a crime to want safe, dependable transportation, House," Wilson responded. "There's nothing wrong with the cars I've looked at."
House just rolled his eyes and laid his left hand on the middle of Cuddy's back. "Not if you're collecting your Social Security checks and wearing Depends. You're a young man, Jimmy. You need a hot car for picking up chicks."
Wilson smirked as he followed his friends into the elevator. "What should I expect from the maniac who rides a crotch rocket?"
"How dare you talk about my wife like that?" House exclaimed.
Wilson sputtered as Cuddy laughed. "You walked right in to that one, Wilson," she told him.
The trio was standing in the cafeteria's serving line when the entire Diagnostics Department crowded through the door. Chase was in the lead with the others close behind him. They all wore identical looks of excited disbelief.
"House is it true?" Chase gasped.
House gave the younger doctors a serious look. "What? That Taub really is a Hobbit? Yes, I'm afraid that's true."
Cuddy and Wilson inched farther away from House and his team.
Foreman gave House a stare. "The news is already all over the hospital. Is Cuddy really having twins?"
When House finally smiled and said, "Yep," Masters nearly knocked him off balance with her exuberant hug. House just rolled his eyes when he found himself shaking hands with and being hugged by the rest of his employees.
"You people are causing a scene," he finally complained loudly. They turned him loose and followed him down the line. Chase fell in directly behind the older man. House looked for Cuddy and found that she and Wilson were already at the cashier. House accepted his Rueben and fries. When he reached the cashier, he waited for her to add his meal to the tab.
"The wombat is paying," he told the woman. He took his tray and limped towards the table.
"Me? Why am I paying?" Chase called to his retreating boss.
"Because, you've mooched dinner at our house twice this week," House called back without stopping.
House sat his tray down and took the seat next to Cuddy. She and Wilson had picked one of the long tables in the center of the room. Wilson was sitting across from Cuddy. Chase put down his tray and sat across from House. The younger man was still annoyed.
"Dr. Cuddy invited me to stay for dinner," Chase complained to his boss.
House looked at his wife. "I told you they're like stray cats. You feed them once and they keep showing up."
"Chase, you're welcome to come to dinner anytime you want," Cuddy reassured the younger doctor. She included the rest of the team and Wilson when she said, "In fact, Marina said she's making enchiladas and tamales this afternoon. Why don't all of you come over tonight?"
"When did our house become party central?" House asked her.
It was Taub who answered, "When you bought a house with a play room for us."
Everyone laughed at House's look of disgust. The younger doctors had finally been allowed to see glimpses of the real House that existed behind the gruff, sarcastic exterior. They all still respected the man's legendary temper and the personal boundaries he maintained. But, they were slowly wearing him down and worming their way past his defenses.
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Dinner had been a noisy gathering. Marina had cooked enough food to feed a small army. House had offered to pay the nanny extra to cook a few nights a week. Marina had gladly taken him up on the arrangement. In addition to her enchiladas and tamales, there had been Spanish rice and homemade tortillas and salsa. House had made it home in time to prepare his famous cheese dip. Everyone had lingered around the dining table, talking and laughing. Rachel had, of course, ended up sitting in House's lap sharing his bowl of cheese dip.
After dinner they had all migrated to the basement. Taub and Chase were shooting pool. Masters and Rachel were playing an educational video game. The others, including Cuddy, were playing poker. House was sitting under the framed, vintage movie poster that had been his birthday present from his team. It was from the Dean Martin western 'Five Card Stud.' They had really surprised him with the thought that had gone into selecting the gift.
Wilson tossed a dollar chip onto the pile and announced, "I raise."
Foreman added two chips to the pile. "I'll see your dollar and raise you one."
Cuddy scowled at her cards and finally added her own chips to the pile. House maintained a blank expression as he tossed chips two chips to the center of the table. He looked down as Rachel climbed onto his lap. He watched as Wilson fidgeted with his cards.
"Daddy?" Rachel asked.
House gave her a distracted, "Hmmm?" There was almost thirty dollars on the table and he was ready to move in for the kill.
The toddler studied the cards in her father's hand. "Daddy, why do they all gots hearts on them?"
"I fold," Wilson announced as he tossed his cards face down on the table.
"I'm out," Foreman added as he too laid his cards down.
Cuddy smirked and tossed her cards on the table. "I fold," she told her husband.
House growled as he reached around the toddler to drag the chips to his pile. Rachel looked up at her father and could see how annoyed he was. The little girl was pretty sure it was her fault.
"I not supposed to say that, Daddy?" she asked timidly.
"You told them what I had in my hand. They knew they couldn't beat me," House responded. He looked down at her and was chilled to the bone by the look of uncertainty in the huge, brown eyes that were staring up at him. He gave her a quick hug. "It's okay. You didn't know it was supposed to be a secret."
"I good at keeping secrets. Right, Daddy?" Rachel smiled up at him.
"Absolutely." House gave her another hug and then looked at Foreman. "Deal the cards already."
The game went on with Rachel "helping" House. He lost all but two hands. The toddler's poker face needed a little work. Ordinarily, Cuddy would have forbidden her three year old to sit in on a poker game. This time, she made an exception. She had seen how shaken House had been by Rachel's earlier distress. No doubt a similar event in his own, twisted childhood would have led to a tongue lashing or worse. She figured sending the little girl away from the table would have left a negative impression on both of them.
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Cuddy shut off the bathroom light and padded to the bed. House was propped up reading. Cuddy slid in next to him and snuggled close. She looked up and admired how sexy he looked in his reading glasses.
House looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked.
"Nothing." Cuddy laid an arm across his waist. "I was just thinking how hot you look in those glasses."
"Apparently, you need them more than I do," House scoffed.
Cuddy looked at the title of his book and laughed. "Seriously, House? What to Expect When You're Expecting? Please tell me you're joking."
"It happens to be very informative." House put the book and his glasses on his nightstand.
"The world's leading diagnostician is reading a book he picked up at WalMart?" Cuddy rolled her eyes and ran her fingers over his chest.
"Pregnancy isn't an infectious disease," House pointed out. When she just stared up at him, he relented. "Fine. It was easier than dragging out my old textbooks. I didn't plan to be an obstetrician. I didn't exactly pay attention."
"You have heard of this wonderful thing called the internet haven't you? If you're that curious, you could look it up on-line." Cuddy was secretly pleased that he was making such an effort to understand what was going on with her.
"And, have someone find that on my search history? I'll pass, thanks." House moved his pillow to a more comfortable position.
Cuddy laid her head on his shoulder. "Speaking of keeping things private, what kind of secrets have you and Rachel been keeping from me?"
House sighed. "I knew that one wouldn't get past you."
"House…" Cuddy waited patiently.
"The night we told her about the baby, she was upset when I said it might be a boy." House ran his fingers though her curls. "I told her I thought it would be cool if the baby was a boy. Then she would be my only little girl."
Cuddy blinked away the moisture that suddenly filled her eyes. "But, why have Rachel keep it a secret?"
"It was something between just the two of us." House kissed the side of her head. "I knew it would make her feel special if she thought she knew something you didn't."
Cuddy hugged him. "You really are wonderful. So, do you really hope the babies are boys?"
House just shrugged. "I don't really care. As long as the three of you are healthy, I'll be happy with whatever we have. What about you?"
"Honestly? I hope at least one of them is a boy." Cuddy paused and sniffed. "I have this picture in my head of a little boy with curly, brown hair and big, blue eyes."
House swallowed hard. "Don't you dare start crying."
Cuddy chuckled. She had never seen someone get so freaked by a few tears. She figured he would be a basket case in the delivery room.
"Have you thought any more about names?" Cuddy asked him.
"James," House admitted his first choice quietly.
Cuddy smiled. She had expected that. "I've been thinking that James Gregory would be good," she told him. "Now, we just have to pick out three more. We should let Rachel help."
"She told me she likes the name Penelope," he informed her as he flicked off the light.
Cuddy laughed. "Where did she get that name?"
House was about to respond when the bedroom door opened. With the light from the hall, he saw a tiny figure creep across the floor and stand next to the bed. Huge brown eyes peaked over the edge of the mattress.
"Daddy?" a little voice whispered.
"What's wrong?" House asked as he felt Cuddy rise up and look at their daughter.
"I had a scary dream," Rachel said.
House just sighed and held out his left hand. "Come on," he offered. Mr. Rabbit sailed over the edge of the bed and Rachel quickly followed. She settled down with her head on his left shoulder. Cuddy laid her head back on his right shoulder. He wrapped an arm around each of them. He sighed again and closed his eyes. He loved his daughter, but this sudden clingy phase was getting old. It was about time Uncle Jimmy babysat so Mamma and Daddy could have a little alone time.
As he was contemplating plans for Wilson, House heard a tiny voice whisper, "I love you, Daddy."
House felt like the world's biggest bastard. "I love you, too," he responded.
Beside him, he felt Cuddy shaking in silent laughter. She had been having similar thoughts to those of her husband. It was time to get creative.
Cuddy kissed him on the cheek. "Marina's taking her to the children's museum tomorrow," she whispered in his ear.
House turned his head and whispered back, "I'll pay for the tickets."