A/N: This chapter has come about thanks to identical suggestions from blucougar57 and BookWorm37, who both wondered how House and company would react to Maggie and Tom's experiences with their parents' world at the hands of Nicole Wallace. Thanks, guys!

House and Cameron stopped in the doorway of Maggie's room late that night. They heard quiet whimpering in the room, followed by a soft, soothing voice, though they couldn't make out what he was saying. Maggie replied quietly, sobbing softly. House nudged Cameron. "Go ahead. You're the sensitive one. I'll wait here."

She frowned at him before going into the room. Maggie was sitting in her father's lap and he was leaning toward her, once again talking softly. He looked up when he realized she was there. She smiled kindly. "Hi."

Maggie turned to look at her. "Hi, D-Doctor Cameron."

"Why are you sad, Maggie?"

"I had-a bad dream, an-an' I miss my..." She sniffed. "I m-miss my baby, an' M-Mommy."

Cameron looked at Goren, but he was focused on his daughter. She drew a slow breath. "I can understand how you miss your mommy and your brother."

Quietly, Goren said, "She's never been apart from Tommy before. He's going through the same thing. My wife told me tonight that he looks for her all the time. This morning, she found him sleeping in her bed, hugging her favorite stuffed animal."

"My bunny Uncle Mike gived me."

Her heart went out to the little girl. "And you had a bad dream, too? I'm sorry, Maggie."

Goren nodded to the other chair in the room. "Sit down, Dr. Cameron."

She pulled up the chair. Maggie turned around in Goren's lap so she was facing her. "I don' like bad dreams."

"No one does, sweetheart."

"The mean lady comed back and hurted Daddy again."

Cameron looked confused. She shifted her eyes to Goren, who looked pained. "I don't understand."

They were interrupted by a cough from the doorway as House came into the room. "Am I interrupting?"

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Ignore him."

House limped over to join them, leaning against the bed. "Hello, Maggie."

"Hi, D-Doctor House."

He was surprised at the emotion that stirred inside him at the sight of this usually happy child looking so upset. "What's wrong, Maggie?"

"I had-a bad dream, an' I want my baby and Mommy."

"Daddy's right here."

She snuggled into his chest and sighed. "I know. I need my daddy. I jus' want Mommy and Tommy."

The doctors looked at one another, surprised by her distinction. Cameron leaned closer to the child and said, "Would you tell Dr. House about your dream?"

Goren tensed visibly and Maggie instinctively rubbed his arm in response. She pressed more firmly into his chest. "The mean lady comed back an' hurt Daddy."

"Who is the mean lady?"

"Daddy knows who she is. You can tell them, Daddy."

He gently smoothed her hair and looked at the two doctors, his face a mixture of pain and anger. "I don't know what brought this nightmare back." He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "She suffered with it for months before we finally chased it away. At least, I thought we did. It's been a couple of months since she's had one."

House frowned. "How about a more complete explanation, detective."

"Has Maggie had a bad experience?" Cameron asked.

"You think that our world has never touched our children's lives?" Goren asked softly, kissing his daughter's head. "I wish like hell that it never had."

Maggie sighed softly and he gently rubbed her back. She pulled his arm close and hugged it. Softly, she explained, "The mean lady taked me and my baby from Grandpa's house. She hurted me, and then she hurted Mommy and Daddy." She looked at her hands, resting on her father's arm. "She made Daddy's brain go to sleep, and he wouldn' wake up for me. Uncle Mike and I waited and waited...and then Daddy waked up because I was his best medicine."

Goren had closed his eyes and rested his chin lightly on Maggie's head. He tightened his arms around her and she sighed, hugging his arm firmly. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at the confused doctors. "The woman Maggie is referring to is a psychopath named Nicole Wallace. She and I have a long history of animosity. She has used my past against me...my mother's illness...my partner...anything she could possibly sink her teeth into to cause me pain. She succeeded, to an extent, but she never managed to hit me harder than when she kidnapped my children." His agitation increased and it was a struggle for him to keep it contained. Again, Maggie sensed his tension and rubbed his arm. He settled some. "She intended to take them...across the border into Canada...and then to murder them. M-Maggie took advantage of an opportunity to call 911...looking for me. She could have gotten away, but she would not leave Tom behind. Wallace found her on the phone. She dislocated Maggie's shoulder dragging her back to the car, and shot a man in cold blood when he tried to stop her. Because of Maggie's phone call, we tracked them down in Massachusetts. Mike and his partner rescued the children while Alex and I drew Nicole's attention...and her fire. Alex was seriously injured, but she was able to stay in the hospital we were first taken to. I was transferred to Boston General. For two weeks, I was in a coma and Mike sat with Maggie, trying to explain to her why I wouldn't wake up for her. Once that was all over, the DA subpoenaed Maggie to testify at the trial. She was only four years old, but she did an amazing job. She talked circles around the defense attorney and Nicole was sent to prison for life. It took months for us to get Maggie over those events, doctors. They shook the security of her world to its foundations...and Nicole's lies made her question me. Maggie's life has not been idyllic. But we do everything we possibly can to make certain she and her brother are happy. I can't explain my son's untarnished happiness, but I can tell you it was because of his sister that he came through the kidnapping unscathed. Maggie's happiness I can only say comes from love; it always has."

House watched closely as Goren continued to settle. "She calms you," he observed quietly.

Goren looked at the doctor. "Yes." He kissed her head. "I...I nearly lost my mind when they were taken."

"Your wife kept you together."

"My wife and Mike, yes, but just barely. I don't do so well anymore without my children around."

"Particularly this one."

"Yes."

"She seems equally attached to you."

"She always has been." He shifted uncomfortably. "When I was having a hard time with her mother, she...she was everything to me."

"So things haven't always been perfect with your wife. What a surprise."

"Don't go there, Dr. House. I won't take it."

"Fair enough. I'm not in the mood to get punched again."

"Never doubt my devotion to my family."

House shook his head. "That would never occur to me. Not any more, anyway."

"Daddy?"

He tipped his head down to look at her. "What's wrong, mouse?"

"Can I call Mommy?"

He pulled his phone out and handed it to her. She flipped it open and found her mother's number, pressing the call button. House and Cameron watched her. "Hi, Mommy."

Maggie? What's wrong?

"I had-a bad dream about the bad lady comin' back to hurt Daddy."

Oh, baby... Where is Daddy?

"He's right here, holdin' me. I miss you and my baby. Where is Tommy?"

He's sleeping.

"I was, too, until the mean lady waked me up. Daddy's been holdin' me, like he al'ays does." She sighed. "Will you come to see me t'morrow?"

Of course, I will.

"An' Tommy, too?"

Yes. I'll bring Tommy. He misses you, too.

"Can Uncle Mike come?"

I'll ask him.

"He'll say yes."

He probably will. Uncle Mike can never tell you no.

Maggie giggled. "Daddy can', too."

I know. Let me talk to Daddy, baby, and we'll see you tomorrow.

"Okay, Mommy." She handed the phone to Goren. "Here, Daddy," she said with a smile. "It's for you."

He took the phone with a small laugh and kissed the side of her head. "Hey, Alex."

Is she all right?

"She's fine."

What triggered the nightmare?

"I have no idea. But I'm going to guess it has something to do with being separated from her brother."

Are you all right?

He paused. "I, uh, I need to go, baby. The doctors are here."

Bobby...

"I'll talk to you tomorrow. I love you."

She sighed. I love you, too. Good night.

He closed the phone. Maggie had settled back against him. He kissed her head. "What don't I do, mouse?"

"You don' tell me no."

He laughed softly. "I guess that's true."

"A-course it is." She yawned. "If my dream comes back..."

She trailed off and he kissed her head. "I'll be here."

"I know," she whispered, yawning again.

She snuggled into his arms and closed her eyes. He looked back at the doctors. "Is there anything else?"

"No. You can call us if you need us," Cameron offered. "Will you be able to sleep now, too?"

He shook his head. "I'll be all right."

"We can give you something..."

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

She stood, hesitating briefly to touch Maggie's cheek. She met Goren's eyes and offered a supportive smile, then left the room. House remained where he was and Goren looked at him. "Is there something else?"

"You tell me."

"What are you talking about?"

Cameron poked her head back in the door. "Dr. House?"

"We're bonding, Dr. Cameron. You go on."

She looked at Goren briefly, then left the room. Goren raised an eyebrow. "Bonding?"

"I exaggerated. Now level with me. Has anything else happened that might have traumatized Maggie?"

Goren was quiet for a long time before he finally answered. "When my wife went on maternity leave just before Tom was born, a...complicated case came up. Mike and I took the case, and it led us out of state. We were involved in a shooting and then a near-fatal car crash in Texas. My family had no idea where we were when we left the area. For three weeks, we were missing. Do I have to tell you what impact that had on my daughter, with the both of us gone from her life?" He looked directly at the doctor. "She stopped laughing, stopped playing. She was...lost. I...I still have trouble with that."

"I can imagine. So you missed your son's birth?"

"What? No, of course not. But it was right after he was born that Mike and I had to leave." He shifted restlessly, but kept Maggie close. "My wife did a wonderful job of keeping Maggie from associating our absence with the baby's arrival. She did...does...a wonderful job with a lot of things."

House nodded his head slowly. "How long after that were they kidnapped?"

"Nine months. Tommy was ten months old."

"That was in...October then?"

"Yes."

House studied Maggie, who slept comfortably against her father's chest. "She is very happy in spite of two very traumatic events in her life, all within one year." He paused. "You said this woman's lies made Maggie question you?"

Goren ran a hand through his hair. He rose and gently laid Maggie in her bed, covering her with a blanket and kissing her temple. "Walk with me, Dr. House." They left the room. Goren spoke quietly. "There were things that Maggie didn't know. Things I never wanted her to know. All I ever wanted for my children was to give them a very different childhood than I had. I just want them to be happy and secure. Nicole Wallace tried to take that from Maggie. She told her we didn't need her and her brother because we had each other and we could always have other babies. She let her believe I could harm her and the baby, and their mother, too. She planted seeds of doubt about me in Maggie's mind."

"What did you do about it?"

"I resisted the temptation to shoot Wallace." House looked at him, unable to tell if he was serious. Goren continued, "I talked to Maggie, reassured her. I let her know that sometimes, adults lie. Sometimes they hurt children and do bad things. When she asked me if my father loved me, I honestly couldn't answer that question because to this day, I really don't know. But Maggie has no reason to doubt that any of us love her."

"You, in particular, I would say. It seems to me she got over it."

"She did. But it's something she should never have had to deal with."

"Children grow up, detective. They learn all kinds of thing we wish they never would. They learn about cruelty and hatred. They learn to lie and they hurt the ones they love. It's part of growing up."

"I know," he said softly. "But she's five. I've done everything I can to protect her from that."

"And you've done an admirable job, from what I can see. She's a loving child. She's going to start school soon, isn't she?"

"Yes. In September. I tried to talk my wife out of sending her, but it didn't work."

House laughed. "Imagine that."

Goren looked sideways at him. "You don't like my wife."

House stopped at the nurses' station. "We're going to the cafeteria for a minute," he told one of the nurses. "Maggie is asleep, but if she wakes up looking for her father, page me right away."

She nodded. "Yes, Doctor House."

House returned his attention to Goren as they headed for the elevators. "Coffee's on me."

"Are you going to answer me?"

"I don't recall you asking a question."

"Do you want me to rephrase it?"

House shook his head. "Not necessary. Your wife is a..." he paused, looking for a term that would not anger the larger man. "...a strong-willed woman."

"You have no idea." He smiled. "She's tough as nails...but she's also very loving. Don't rub her the wrong way, though. She rubs back. Hard."

They had arrived at the cafeteria and House got two cups of coffee. He looked at Goren. "Cream? Sugar?"

"Just cream."

The doctor paid for the coffee and they sat at a table. "How long have you known her?"

"My wife? Eleven years. Is this relevant to anything?"

"No. I'm just nosy."

Goren laughed softly as House looked at his pager when it went off. "That's pediatrics. Let's get back."

They got to their feet and headed for the elevator. It was a struggle for Goren to restrain his speed so House could keep up with him. He paced impatiently as they waited for the elevator, anxiously eyeing the stairwell. The elevator finally arrived and he continued to pace as it ascended to the fifth floor. House watched him with interest. When the doors opened, Goren launched himself from the car, no longer waiting for the doctor. House nodded at the nurses as he hurried past the station toward Maggie's room. By the time he got there, Maggie was in her father's arms, softly sobbing. One hand rubbed his cheek and she said, "I wanna go home, Daddy."

"Soon, mouse." He shushed her softly. "I won't go anywhere. Go back to sleep."

House walked into the room and watched them for a moment before he touched Maggie's arm. "Did you have another bad dream, Maggie?"

She nodded. "I lost my baby," she explained with another sob. "He distappeared with Daddy."

Her arms tightened around her father's neck. House lightly touched her cheek, then patted Goren's shoulder. "We can give her something to help her sleep without dreaming."

"No. I'll just hold her. She'll be alright. She doesn't have nightmares when I hold her."

"That doesn't surprise me." He squeezed Maggie's arm. "I'll see you tomorrow, Maggie. Take care of your daddy."

"I al'ays do," she answered with a brief smile. House turned in the doorway to look back into the room. Goren had taken his seat and settled Maggie in his lap. He propped his legs on the other chair and leaned back, gently rubbing her back. She had closed her eyes and she sighed softly. He looked toward the ceiling as he held his daughter. House left the room.