Awe, you Huddies are the sweetest bunch ever. Here, I am doubting that previous chapter and you tell me that you loved it. Thank you, guys.

** Special mention to these fellows who always post such inspiring comments; IHeartHouseCuddy, JannaHuddy, TetraFish06,BJAllen815, and smackedfan454. ENGLISH is not my first language. So, it's a great a feeling knowing that my story is being read and liked by ENGLISH NATIVE SPEAKERS (Americans).

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING. ALL belongs to David Shore and Company.

CHAPTER 10 – "SEEING" YOU

The day after when Lisa Cuddy went back to the ground floor after her usual morning visit to her son, Nurse Brenda told her while she was about to enter her office that someone was waiting for her inside. Confusion was clearly evident within the Dean's face because the Head Nurse never allowed any visitor to wait inside her office before. So, what was different now?

Taking a deep breath, she opened her office door and was surprised to see herself in the presence of one Blythe House.

Managing a smile albeit her initial surprise, PPTH's Chief Administrator greeted her unexpected guest with a cheerful voice, "Mrs. House..It's nice to see you."

The older woman in front of her who was currently sitting on one of the visitor's chairs in front of Cuddy's desk and was obviously staring at the picture frame of Rachel placed on top of the Dean's desk, turned her back towards the younger woman. With a smile too, she answered and "corrected" her in a playful voice, "Dr. Cuddy, please. I told you, you can call me Blythe."

And to Cuddy's ultimate surprise, Blythe House stood up and within seconds approached her and enveloped the stunned Dean into a warm embrace. Lisa Cuddy was left with no choice but to return back the said hug and just smiled at the mother of the man she was constantly thinking off when she parted from her. Then, she heard her herself say, "Right, Blythe."

Cuddy still doesn't know how to properly address the woman in front of her. She has no single idea if House did inform his own mother about their relationship before when they were still together. And if he did, is Blythe also aware that she did broke up with her son months ago and now, she has no news about his whereabouts? Is this why she's here at Princeton now? To blame her for chasing her son away?

She was brought out of her conflicting thoughts when she heard the older woman calling her first name this time, "Lisa, are you okay?" Worry is clearly evident on her face seeing that Cuddy's mind somehow wander to some place else.

Cuddy had to shook her head to clear her mind and then, answered her, "Yes, I'm fine, Blythe. Pardon me. Just thought of something. Why don't we take a sit here?" She slowly led the older woman towards her couch in the corner.

Then, the Dean of Medicine stopped on her way to the couch when she heard the older woman's knowing voice, "It's about Greg, right?" Cuddy immediately turned to stare directly at her visitor's ocean blue eyes that painfully reminded her of her son.

"Sorry?" That's the only thing that her stunned brain was able to come up with that precise moment. She saw how Blythe smiled back at her and then, went to sit down on the couch on her own. Cuddy, on auto-pilot also went to sit down opposite the older woman.

"Oh, honey. Don't worry. I know." Truly, Blythe House is enjoying the surprised look she can see on the younger woman's expression in front of her. Of course, her son, Greg didn't tell her about his intimate relationship with his boss. He doesn't need to. A mother always knows.

Cuddy still in a daze about this unexpected turn of the conversation begun to stutter, "Ahmm.. I'm not sure what you mean here, Blythe. But…" She started to say but she was cut off by her visitor with still a knowing voice.

"Lisa, I know about you and Greg." Lisa Cuddy just kept looking at the woman in front of her feeling a sense of uneasiness now. It's quite a bit unnerving to see the similar smirk she always sees on House's face staring right back at her now. And then, she heard the older woman continued with her own brand of deductive observation. "Almost two years ago, on my birthday when Greg called me, I knew that you two were together. Oh, well, I always know that there's something between the two of you but that night, I knew something has changed. He sounded happy when he called to greet me. And then, out of nowhere he mentioned your name. Of course, as elusive as Greg can be, he didn't directly tell me."

Blythe went to pause to smile back at the younger woman and to see if she is still listening to her, "I just knew because your name just came out of his lips without any reason to when I was telling him about the dinner I had with my friends. His tone also changes when he mentioned your name. Before, during his rare calls, he will complain about you and the clinic hours you're always forcing him to do, but that night, he said it with a tinge of tenderness. Obviously, he was still telling me about his boring day at the clinic of which you forced him to do. It's as if, he was bragging about his day to me and during our course of conversation, he can't keep himself from bringing in your name. My son was clearly fascinated by you."

Cuddy without realizing it was already in tears as she continuously listened to this sweet tale from the mother of her beloved man. When Blythe saw her tears, the older woman handed her a piece of tissue paper. It was only then that Cuddy realizes that she was getting emotional and silently took them to wipe away her tears. Then, she said while looking down at her hands on her lap, "Pardon me, Blythe. But, why are you telling me all these?"

"I also know that you broke up with him a year ago." Cuddy was about to say something but kept her mouth shut when she saw Blythe motioned through her eyes for her not to interrupt. "I'm not blaming you, Lisa. I know what it was like to love someone who is always misunderstood. Greg has his own faults, I know. He became bitter and more reserved after the infarction. Believe me, my heart aches too seeing him suffer from his pain and his need to hide from those he really cared about. I don't exactly know what happened between the two of you but when my son called me again a year ago on my birthday, I knew that he was hurting. That time, it was me who brought up your name. I asked how you were doing and he only said one word, that you're FINE. Even before you were together, he never did stop at one word to describe you." Blythe took a deep breath and also wipe away her tears as she too felt them on her cheeks.

"It's been 9 months since I last heard from Greg. I tried calling him twice but both times I wasn't able to reach him on his cellular phone. Then, I called James."

Upon hearing the Oncologist's name, Cuddy looked up to her to really interject her and say something but once again, she was preceded by the older woman with still a knowing smile, "I know, dear. That man can't lie especially not to me. Imagine my surprise when James told me that I now have a grandson." Blythe House was appraising the young woman in front of her with a sparkle of mischief behind her eyes just like what her son used to give her in all those working years they had together.

Lisa Cuddy could do nothing for a minute but to just stare back dumbfoundedly at her "ex-not-so-mother-in-law". Remembering the word House used to address her own mother brought a little smile on the Dean's face. And then she finally managed to find her voice, "I don't know what to say, Blythe. I didn't mean to hide our baby to you but with all these conflicting issues going on, I don't know how to approach you about this subject. But, for sure, Wilson is gonna hear from me about this." She tried to add a little joke on her last statement because she still can't believe that she's having this conversation with House's mother.

Blythe House let a small laugh out upon hearing what Lisa said. And with a serious voice, she took this amazing woman's hands and enveloped them with her own and told her, "No wonder my son loves you."

Cuddy just stared back at this older woman as she felt her tears on her cheeks. "But, it's my fault why he's gone now." Then, she went to look away. She couldn't bear to look longer at the ocean blue eyes in front of her. It brought more longing deep within her heart. "He must even hate me now. Or worse, forgot all about me already." She said all of these in a very low voice because even just saying them felt like a knife is being stubbed through her wounded heart.

She felt Blythe's right hand on her chin to make her look directly at her and then, heard her confident tone. "Now, that's just you being silly, dear. Greg will never hate you. Lisa, they say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them. I have enough faith that you two will eventually cross each other's path soon."

"What if it's not enough?" Cuddy couldn't help but to question her reassuring statement.

"Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding onto." The older woman told her back with a smile and in the same confident tone. And then, to lighten up the room's atmosphere stood up and tried to make a joke, too. "Now, come on. I believe it's time for me to meet my grandson while you do your own brand of castrating to a certain Dr. James Wilson." While saying this, Blythe House was already on her way out through the door while the Dean of Medicine tried to compose herself first for a few seconds before she followed the mother of her man outside.

While Lisa Cuddy was having her own unique conversation with Blythe House, the main topic of their talk Gregory House was also dealing with a dilemma of his own. He knew that he gave Jacque his word about not telling his Nana Sela but that was really easier said than done. He's living under the same roof with the older woman for Pete's sake. And to make matters worse, his Nana Sela knows him well enough to be able to tell that something is once again bothering the elusive doctor.

House, upon arriving home from the hospital after his conversation with Jacque immediately locked himself up on his room. He didn't take his dinner that night because he doesn't want to see the worry expression of his Nana Sela towards her daughter, Jacque but knows that he can't tell the older woman.

In the morning, to avoid both women again especially his Nana Sela, he went to work way too early than his regular log in time at 8am. Everyone was surprise as to what prompted the grumpy doctor to be there in the hospital that early. He ignored their curious stares and immediately went up to his office.

And so, the Diagnostician finds himself in the middle of the day, 24 hours after his talk with his boss alone in his office holding his new giant tennis ball while silently contemplating if it was really the right choice to put his Nana Sela behind all these painful secrets. The older woman certainly has the right to know and House knows that. The question is, can she handle the truth? Will it be cruel of him if he will his turn back to Jacque and break her trust? How is one supposed to react on this complicated situation?

This is so new to this famous doctor because this is exactly what he is avoiding throughout his career. This is exactly the reason why he avoids seeing patients because they only make things complicated and worse. If there is no attachment towards them, then it's easier to deal with their symptoms and to cure them.

Now, he finds himself caught in the middle of these two women whom he truly cared about. He doesn't want to bring pain to either one of them but he knows that can't be avoided. Somehow, someone is really gonna be hurt whatever he decides now.

Dr. Gregory House was still left alone with his various conflicting thoughts when he heard his phone ring. He took it out of his jean's pocket and saw an unregistered number. Confused as to who might be calling him, he flipped it open and said his greeting, "House."

"Dr. House?" An unfamiliar voice of a man can be heard on the other line followed by some noises on the background.

"Yes. Who is this?" House, never known for longer talks answered the person on the other line.

"This is Atty. Luis Mariano. I'm the legal counsel of Dr. Jacqueline House. I'm afraid I have bad news." A sigh can be heard on the other line before the man continued, "Dr. Jacque was brought in early this morning at Makati Medical Center because of internal bleeding. An emergency C-Section had to be done to save the baby. She's now in comatose."

There was silence on the side of House's line until he heard the lawyer speak again, "Are you there, Dr. House?"

Still shocked about the news he got, it took the Diagnostician a few seconds to find his voice again and heard himself say, "Yes. I'm on my way over there now."

Twenty minutes after, House enters the front doors of Makati Medical Center where he immediately spotted the tiny silhouette of his Nana Sela sitting in a corner with a man he believes was the lawyer he spoke to over the phone.

He approached them and the man stood up to introduce himself while House saw that his Nana Sela didn't register yet his presence there. The older woman just kept on staring on a blank space in front of her. After shaking the lawyer's hands, he went to touch the older woman's shoulders to get her attention.

"Nana, hey. I'm here." In a low voice, he said to get her attention. It broke his heart when he saw the broken expression on the woman's face. Amidst the noises surrounding the hospital, it took a few seconds for the woman to register his voice and touch.

And then, she stood up and embraced him while in a shaky voice said, "Oh, Gregory, my poor Jacque…." And then, she broke into more sobs while she buried her face at House's neck. The Diagnostician stayed rooted at his spot and eventually, he lifted his right arms around her back and tried to soothe her.

"I know. I'm sorry, Nana. I'm sorry." He told her while rubbing small circles on her shoulders. He's not used to these types of things but he really did care about these two women.

Then, they heard some footsteps coming behind them. House let go of his Nana Sela and then, turned around when they heard the lawyer addressing the male doctor in the labcoat.

"Dr. House, I'm Dr. Reyes." He extended his hand towards House and he accepted it on auto-pilot. "I'm sorry but Dr. Jacqueline House passed away five minutes ago."

Upon hearing this, his Nana Sela broke into more sobs behind him. Then, the doctor continued, "The baby is perfectly healthy though." He then went to address the crying older woman and said in a sincere voice, "I'm sorry for your loss." With one pat on her shoulders and nod with the two men, he turned his back to them.

Meanwhile, that night after her conversation with Blythe House and their visit at the NICU ward to see her son, Lisa Cuddy went back to House's apartment with Rachel. She tried to invite House's mother to stay at his old apartment but the older woman refused saying that she will just stay at a relative's house.

After putting Rachel to sleep at House's bed, she went out into the living room to work on the Budget Reports she brought home from the hospital. The TV was left open on a local news channel while she engrossed herself with the various figures in front of her.

After an hour, she stood up to go the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. On her way back, she heard an all too familiar name from the reporter's lips coming from the TV, "This afternoon, Manila, Philippines time at exactly 3pm, the whole Medical Board and staff of St. Luke's Medical Center mourned for the death of their Chief Administrator, Dr. Jacqueline House. The 35-year old Endocrinologist suffered from a respiratory arrest due a complication of her late stage of Colon Cancer. Dr. Jacqueline House who was one of the first and youngest female Chief Administrators in South-East Asia left a healthy new born baby boy into the care of World-Renown Diagnostician, Dr. Gregory House."

There was no mistake as to the vanishing figure being shown on the TV screen. Even with his back on the cameras, Lisa Cuddy knew that figure by heart. She didn't notice that she was staring blankly on the TV screen as it now switch to commercial break until she heard the smashing sound of her glass as it landed on the floor.

OMG. There you go. Finally, Cuddy knew where House is. What is she gonna do? Is she gonna fly to the Philippines to meet the man of her dreams?

Also, I know I promised SissiCuddles and maddietexan33that House and Cuddy will meet by Chapter 10. Hehe, sorry girls. I lost count of my chapters. Promise, it will be on the next chapter.

Now, I wanna know your thoughts about this chapter on the reviews?

Thank you for reading,

Helen