Thank you for your reviews! Ok, I'm starting to get ready for my Harry Potter week-end (eliminating other distractions!) so this is the last instalment till some time next week.

-------------------------

It took House a couple of weeks to completely un-freak about Cuddy's confession. Fortunately the team had three interesting cases in a row, so he didn't have much time to ponder on the mysteries of love and once the last case had been solved, - and during all that time Cuddy hadn't behaved in any way differently from before -, he decided that Miss Hill had been right: better just file away the information and go on as before. Cuddy did notice that House, once in a while, did stare at her somewhat mystified, but even those looks were getting fewer. The nightly conversations went on as before and somehow they got the routines of living in the same house down to a pretty workable pattern. They got accustomed to each other.

Grey moved in officially as Neffie got back from Europe and needed her own flat back. He settled in smoothly, but that was hardly surprising, considering how much time he had spent in the house anyway – as House remembered to remind him at every turn. Aiko stayed home most days with Cuddy and Kasumii, only visiting her Daddy for lunch – even when there was a case, though then the lunch might be shorter. Cuddy spent a few hours in her office at home every day. Mostly she read up on the latest research – both medical and administrational – but she also wrote an article about an old case of hers that she hadn't had time to write at the time. Sometimes Miss Hill worked with her in the late afternoon, helping her stay on top of the things going on in the hospital. Though now that it was clear that Sheridan was just a temporary head of the hospital, the department heads had settled down to business as usual – since Cuddy had taken House's advice and promised them a day of reckoning if things weren't the way she liked them when she returned.

Sheridan was no longer a problem. True, he had been almost totally eliminated during the first two weeks or so, but he was a good administrator – once he got down to it – so there was a possibility that he could have regained the ground he lost and possibly pose a problem still, but he was too busy. He was doing his best trying to save his marriage – and by all signs that was an uphill battle. Of course Cecil – who was their therapist, too – didn't reveal anything that went on during the sessions, but there had been a couple of fights that had taken place in Sheridan's office, or a few remarks actually made in the corridor, which fed the gossip mill. Blythe had seen Ruth once on her way to Cecil's office and they had talked briefly. Apparently Ruth's family was behind her and supporting her all the way, and especially helping with the kids.

Forbes and Taunton were also no longer causing problems for Cuddy, unsurprisingly. Once the Janelle-Sheridan affair became public the alliance between Forbes and Taunton had died a very acrimonious death. Those two were no longer on speaking terms. Nobody really knew what was going on with Janelle's marriage, but her father was, for once in her life, mad at her and showing his disapproval. She was not a happy camper. Nobody felt sorry for her.

Cuddy should have been happy, and in many ways she was. But House could see that she really was more than ready to have the kids. She still had some four weeks to go, but the Trips were getting truly burdensome and though she did do as much work as she could, the enforced inactivity was getting to her. Sure, Grey helped her with an exercise routine, but it was not enough for Cuddy who was used to running regularly. She was chafing at the bit, and getting irritable. Sometimes House initiated a row just to get her to let some of the steam out, but there was very little anyone could really do before the Trips were born.

However, even with the Mother of All Monsters in the residence almost all the time, Blythe noticed that House was willing to spend more time with everyone in the family room in the main house than before. True, he rarely came there unless Aiko was there, too, but since Aiko was there every night until her bedtime, then so was House. He didn't always take part in the conversations, but quite often just played with Aiko on the floor or sometimes they played the piano together. But it seemed to Blythe that his tolerance for people was better than it had been. And sometimes he stayed even after Aiko went to bed.

One such evening, when Kasumii had taken – the already sleeping – Aiko from House to carry her to bed, House stayed at the piano again. Cuddy was curled up (as best she could) on the couch, Blythe was knitting something, both Grey and Higa were reading and Wilson – who was staying the night after having dined with them – was just relaxing in an armchair and listening to House play.

"You know, we really need to decide on the names," Cuddy said suddenly.

"What names?" Wilson was startled from his stupor.

"The children," Cuddy explained. "They'll be here in no time and though I have called them Greer, Trey and Leona, I'm not quite happy with those names. I only came up with them to make sure Greg Junior, Lisa Junior and Jimmy Junior wouldn't stick."

"Jimmy Junior wouldn't have done that anyway," House observed from his seat. "As he turned out to be a she."

"True; and I have to say I kind of like Greer, but Trey and Leona," Cuddy mused. "I'm not quite happy with those."

"So what kind of names have you been thinking of?" Blythe wanted to know.

"Everything and anything," Cuddy sighed. "I mean, I'm going to label my babies for the rest of their lives! And I don't even know them."

"Tough assignment," House agreed. "Mind you, they can change it themselves if they hate it too much. Just look at Neffie."

"True," Cuddy accepted. "And no matter what we come up with, they probably will hate them anyway, at least they will when they reach the teens."

"That is usually the case," Blythe agreed. "So do what you think is best."

"The children will make what they want of their names anyway," Higa pointed out.

"Why don't we just throw a few names in and see if any of them go in the direction you'd like?" Wilson suggested.

"How about Clay?" House sure was game. "Nice, earthy name."

"Clay House?" Cuddy sneered slightly. "I think not."

"House?" House repeated a little uncertainly. "Are you ... Is that what you want?"

"Don't you want it?" Cuddy asked seriously. The rest of the room went quiet; everybody was practically holding their breath.

"I'm ok which ever way you want to go," House shrugged. "I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other. But I just sort of assumed you'd want them to have your name. After all, you're the one who does all the work here – and you were the one who planned for a child, even if things didn't quite go as planned in the end."

"I may be doing the work right now, but if you think you can shift all the work of raising them on me for the next 18 years, forget it!" Cuddy decided not to make a big deal of it – she definitely didn't want to bring up the L-word again, not when House had just un-freaked from his previous encounter with it. Though loving House had made it impossible for her to think of giving the kids her own name.

"You don't want them to..., I don't know, carry your name then?" House wanted to be sure Cuddy wasn't trying to please him or in any way going against her own wishes.

"I wanted a child," Cuddy shrugged. "That was what I wanted, someone to love and care for. It was never about the name – my brothers have that covered anyway, nor was it about having my genes live on or being immortal through my child. I just wanted a child. I mean What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face. O, be some other name Belonging to a man. What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet."

"Lisa is right," Blythe decided to voice her opinion, because she suspected that her son had another reason, too, for not having thought of passing on his name to his kids. "It's just a name. Any traditions that go with it go with it only if you allow them. You've made it your own, regardless of any who have been before you; your children will do the same."

"You know the Japanese saying: breeding rather than birth," Higa pointed out, too. "Just because they have their father's name, does not mean they won't have their mother's breeding."

"House," House musingly. He digested the information for a moment. "I suppose that means that Stone and Charity are out of question too as names?"

"You bet!" Cuddy huffed.

"Brick? Straw? Cat?" Wilson joined in.

"Boys! Settle down," Blythe stopped them before they got to any more outrageous houses. "This is serious business, so stop fooling around and start of names that actually can be used. David? You haven't said anything?" Blythe turned to Grey who had been just watching the proceedings from the sidelines.

"I don't think it really is my place to suggest anything," Grey responded.

"Suggest what?" Kasumii asked as she got back from Aiko's room.

"Names for the Trips," Grey told her.

"Ah, I see." Kasumii nodded as she sat down on the floor and leaned against his legs. "No, I don't think we have anything to say to that. Unless you start suggesting something truly outrageous in which case we might have to step in. Just in the interest of child protection, you understand."

"Like Clay and Charity House?" Cuddy brought up.

Kasumii knew where those had come from and gave House an admonishing look: "You didn't!"

"Hey, those are good, old English names," House defended himself. "Nothing wrong with them. No? Ok, how about Mick?"

"No," Cuddy vetoed immediately.

"See, this is what I hate about women," House turned to Wilson. "They say we have to decide, but in truth it's a Royal We. You're not really supposed to have an opinion yourself. They will do all the deciding and that's that." Wilson refused to respond to House's opinion – he knew when to shut up even if House didn't.

"Well come up with something I can consider, and see what happens," Cuddy invited with exaggerated patience.

"Priya," House threw in as a suggestion.

"Priya?" Cuddy frowned confused.

"Yes," House confirmed. "It's Hindi and means Darling or Loved one."

"Priya," Cuddy repeated. "Aiko, Greer and Priya. I think I like it."

"Wow! The age of miracles is really not over then," House was actually genuinely surprised that Cuddy had accepted his suggestion. "That leaves us with one name for a boy short."

"Well, you could call him James," Wilson offered jokily.

"Thank you, but no," Cuddy smiled. "I said that there are no Juniors in this ship."

"Super tanker," House reminded her sotto voce, which made Cuddy blush a little – others believed it to be in annoyance, but they were used to House's remarks so nobody said anything. "But I agree; if I cannot have a Lisa Junior then I will not have Jimmy junior, either. So any other suggestions?"

"How about Ben," Blythe suddenly said.

"Ben," House tasted the name. "Short form of Benjamin, or Benjiro."

"You'd do that?" Higa asked quietly. "You'd name your son after mine?"

"He is Aiko's father," House pointed out. "He named me her guardian in his will. If not for him, and Noriko and you, there would be no Triplets on the way at all."

"Dr Cuddy?" Higa turned to Cuddy almost timidly. He had been calling her Cuddy or Lisa for some time now, but with such an important issue at stake he fell back to a more formal address.

"Ben is a good name," Cuddy agreed. "And if you have no objection, I would very much like to name my – our son, after yours."

"Thank you," Higa had tears in his eyes, but he kept his composure. "I'm honoured."

-------------------------

Later that night House's walkie-talkie came alive. It happened after Cuddy had already signed off about half an hour before. House was still awake, though, so he answered immediately.

"House," Cuddy's voice came over a little nervously. "I think this might fall under the heading of medical emergency. My water just broke."

------------------------------------------------

I know, I'm evil! Cuddy is going to be in labour for over a week. But I promise, neither she nor the Trips are in any danger. Other than that, you'll have to wait and see.