Chapter Five

Behind Elevator Doors

Thanks to KarGra, gweaz, mj0621, DrusillaBraun, HouseAddiction, mowrocks, starstacey, Boys Don't Cry, girlwithwingsoffire, gabiroba, RHSecretLove, BlkDiamond, and PaulaAbdulChica2007 for their reviews!

Sergeant, we're both stressed.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Something jolted her awake that night. Well not really jolted her awake. She had been tossing and turning all night, wondering, thinking, crying. Her thin nightgown, usually warm and comfortable on her skin, but not it seemed too thin to keep her from shivering. She wasn't sure if it was physical or psychological.

Her breath caught and her chest tightened. Pain coursed through her body before it faded. Gone without another trace. She pressed her hand against the pulse in her wrist, counting her heart beats, slightly surprised at the rate. She made her way down her stairs and to her medicine cabinet.

As she came upstairs with her aspirin and an apple in her hand, she paused in front of her daughter's bedroom. She was sleeping peacefully, quietly, as if nothing in the world could ever disturbed her, but Cuddy knew better. She knew that the slightest noise will wake the sleeping child and Jesse would shriek her anger out to anyone who would listen.

Stacy always said that Jesse was just like Cuddy, verbal with her wants and needs and won't stand to be turned down. Cuddy reached into her daughter's crib and stroke her face. The child murmured under her breath and snuggled closer to Cuddy's hand. She smiled.

When she laid her head back upon her pillow, she fell asleep instantly.

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Stacy slipped into House's room. He stared when he saw her. His heart beat quickened in spite of his mental self control. Years later, there were still some sparks between him and Stacy Warner. He said nothing about this, however. His feelings for Cuddy were just as strong, though he did not want to admit them attention.

She was the woman he loved and lost and actually cared that he lost. Stacy was a loss, but his pain for losing her was not enough to change him. Losing Cuddy had taught him fear, regret, guilt, and grief.

"You haven't changed." He said.

"You haven't either." She replied. Before he could interject, she continued, "Look House, don't say a word, but hear me out. You screwed up. Probably more than you have ever done in your life. In my opinion, Cuddy should just drop all connection with you, but she won't."

"Well maybe she likes limping jerks."

She put a finger to her lips and handed him a stack of paperwork. "She wants you to forfeit rights to Jesse or promise to take part in her upbringing."

House didn't take the paperwork. "I'm not signing anything."

She dropped it by his bed. "Fine, but I won't hesitate to bring you to court. Not when it comes to Cuddy."

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House was finally able to stand on his own two feet. He would be discharged soon, but part of him did not want to leave. He wanted to keep watching Cuddy rule this hospital as she had with PPTH.

He would never admit it, but he missed her so much. Even when she was angry at him, it was enough just to watch her all fiery. But Jesse was becoming the new break between them.

He was terrified. He was scared out of his mind of the creature. She was tiny and when she had stared at him, all wide-eyed and innocent, it was the equivalent of her pointing a gun in his face.

He wanted to hold her, to raise her, to be the father he never had, but he was scared to. She was so innocent, so unmarred by the word. He was so scarred, both inside and out. He was scared he would damage her, destroy her innocence, ruin that untouched beauty. He had hurt Cuddy so much. He could not and would not do the same to that child.

Let Cuddy think she was heartless. Let her think that he had no conscience. Her hate was worth Jesse's trust. He would not allow his daughter to become as bitter as he was toward the world.

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The elevator doors opened and he found himself staring face to face with Cuddy. She was dressed in a black blazer with black pants that had thin gray stripes that lengthened her already perfectly formed legs. He admired her up and down, surprised that she wore pants.

"Easier to run when you deal with limping idiots." She said, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

He shrugged. "Looks like I'm going home."

"Looks like you are." She replied, moving aside to let him into the elevator.

"I'm on the 5th floor. Check out's on the 1st." she informed him.

The elevator started to move down instead of up, annoying Cuddy only slightly.

"I missed your funbags." He said, resorting to hide behind his sarcastic remarks.

She just smirked as the elevator doors opened again. "That's your floor."

He hesitated. She gently pushed him forward with her hand on the small of his back. He shivered only slightly at the touch, but was forced to step forward and out of the elevator.

So distracted that he didn't notice that she had had a file in her hand until she handed it to him.

"Fill them out." She said. "I don't care which set, but fill them out. Either hands off or hands on. There's no middle ground."

With that the elevator doors shut and she disappeared from his view. But he remained there, staring at the silver doors with a pained look in his eyes.

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As the elevator began to move up, she felt her head begin to spin. She leaned against the wall, trying desperately to steady herself. Her legs were numb as her chest tightened.

She couldn't breathe. She couldn't move. Her legs gave out and she was on the floor.

Her body shook with convulsions as pain shot down her spine.

The doors opened and Stacy saw her best friend lying on the cold floor like a ragged doll.

"HELP!" She screamed.

Cuddy's body jolted up again and then her head struck against the floor. Her world then went black.

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Author's Note:

Sorry that was so short. I'll have more soon. I'm so tired I need some sleep. Enjoy everyone! I'm sorry if this chapter was not as interesting as the others. House's reluctance to accept Jesse is explained in this one though. Again…enjoy!