One or Two Things I Know for Sure
A/N: Sorry it took a while, work has been crazy. There should be a new chapter soon.
Chapter 12 Past
She walks with an air of a woman who should all the confidence in the world. But her hands are sweating and she is doing her best to control her breathing, trying to be the one who has the upper hand this time (it will never work).
She stops in front of the ever familiar door. His name printed clearly on the glass, everything he always wanted but is forever running away from. This is it, there isn't turning back now.
The door pushes easily and it's strange to see that the back blinds are actually open for a change. She sees picture frames on his wall and wonders how much his life has changed these last few years.
She is half glad he isn't behind his desk, legs up and throwing the damn tennis ball around, but she needs to see him. Talk to him, put everything right between them. She needs to-
"You are steeping on my drawing" the voice is so tiny and soft she barely catches it. She looks at the little body on the carpet floor, white cotton dress and black rain boots that proudly proclaim that the little girl dressed herself in the morning. The red curls being held back by a black hair ribbon and the girl arches a brow at the older woman as to remind her about the drawing still captured by the woman's new stilettos.
"Oh. I'm sorry"
Blue, just blue. It's all she sees, because there is no way to say she isn't his daughter now.
"Is your.. .Your umm… Dad around?" she asks, the words almost not coming out. Because it's the one thing that she never thought she would be calling him.
"He's in the cafeteria. It takes a while cause he has a bad leg and all" the girl answers, she sits up and looks up at the strange lady in her father's office, she sharpens her gaze. "Cuddy didn't send you right?"
Stacy almost forgets to hold back the laugh. Yup, definitely House's kid.
"Delightful isn't she?" House asks from the doorway, plastic bag at hand.
"Just like her father" Stacy answers, smiling. It's so strange to see him now, more so than she thought it would be. They were two different people now, with two different lives.
House hands the little girl the bag and she starts looking through it, her drawings forgotten.
"She's beautiful Greg" Stacy admits, because that little girl on the floor is just about the prettiest little thing she has seen.
House smiles, looking at his baby girl, every inch the proud father she never knew he could be.
"You ate my fries!" the girl suddenly proclaims. Glaring at her father before standing up, arms crossed and sharp eyes. She is tiny, but even Stacy wouldn't want to mess with her.
"You have no proof of that"
"I'm telling Mommy"
"Well then I guess you'll also have to explain why you little miss are in my office when you are suppose to be in daycare"
"Low blow old man"
It's here that Stacy really can't hold her laugh, because this little girl is possibly the only person who can stand up to the great Greg House.
House looks at her, the one woman he use to think he could have a future with. The one person who would have given everything for. And…. Nothing.
She is just someone from his past now, because though it took time and patience and tears, he had moved on. Moved on to someone who loved him, to four smiles when he came home.
"Why are you here?" he asks, trying to remember that he shouldn't be having this conversation in front of his five-year-old daughter.
Stacy looks at him, wondering for a brief foolish second that she wants him back, but then he looks down at his daughter. His daughter, not hers. He's moved on.
"I… Nothing" she whispers, one last look at this perfect child on the floor. The one who has a ketchup stain on her pretty white dress and grease on her lips and cheeks, the one who House is smiling at, who has his eyes. The one whose mother would be devastated if she even though that he would leave them.
"Good-bye" Stacy says, hand extended and looking up at him.
He shakes her hand, and steps back so she can walk out (of his office, his life, his thoughts). This is closure, they think.
"Who is that lady?" Leah asks, as her father takes a seat on the yellow couch.
"Someone from Daddy's past"
"Before Mommy?" she asks, looking at him like she is much older than her five years, like she understands exactly what happened between them.
"Yes"
"Okay then" she goes back to her burger, like she never asked the question.
"I love you Daddy" she says after a few minutes, and he is so glad he chose this.
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I think House needed the closure. Please review.
GabbyAbby