Chapter 27

And Baby Makes Three

House was sitting waiting for Teagan and Gregory at the airport. Teagan was coming down the aisle to the baggage carousel with Gregory in his stroller. House stood up, went over to her and grabbed her from behind, startling her and making her scream.

"Ahhh. Oh God you scared me." She turned around and was struck by how handsome he looked. Rested and smiling down at her, he was wearing a nice dark gray shirt tucked into his levis. The shirt wasn't ironed but, it wasn't as wrinkled as usual. His beard was cut close and she had never seen him look so sexy in all their time together. She felt herself flush with desire, a desire that she let it out of the gate by mistake.

He pinched her on the butt and whispered, "You want me; you want me bad." He was smiling slyly at her. House bent down and lightly tickled Gregory, "Hey dude, your Mom thinks I'm hot, she wants to get me naked. What do you think of that?"

Gregory was awake and looking around like an eight month old does. Everything in his stroller was going into his mouth as they waited for the luggage. Gregory looked at his Dad and laughed.

"You've got a great sense of humor Gumby." House said. Greg turned and saw that Teagan had gone quiet and was thinking seriously about something. She had been watching Gregory's reaction to his father.

"Another headache?" He asked.

"Huh? Oh, no, not yet, but I'm expecting it. They haven't gotten any better. Now I'm getting them on a daily basis."

"Why the vacant stares into the abyss? You haven't even spent the night with me yet."

"Just a hunch. Let's just get the luggage and go home."

He gave her a look of, "What's gotten into you?"

"It's been a long trip, Frank Sinatra there decided to serenade everyone on the plane. Some appreciated the effort and others thought they'd prefer to get some sleep. He hasn't been asked back for an encore." She turned and smiled at her son who smiled back.

"Then let's get his manager home and see if we can get him some singing lessons."

Teagan was right; by the time they got home her head was exploding. She lumbered inside the new townhouse with some of her luggage and diaper bag, realized quick that House hadn't unpacked anything and that he was living out of a suit case. Only a few household items had been taken out of the boxes, just the bare necessities.

Clenching her teeth, she gave him a look of abject horror and disappointment. "You did nothing?"

"I packed them and I got them here...I did my job."

She sat down on the sofa while House rolled the baby in and took him out of the stroller. He was holding the baby and looking down at her. Her eyes were pools of pain, bloodshot and the right one was tearing. He could tell she was losing weight and had a slight continuous shake in her left arm and hand.

"We need to get married." He announced solemnly.

She went from overwhelming pain to overwhelming shock. "Where did that come from? I don't even know if I want to live with you let alone get married!"

"I can afford an MRI, but you're going to need serious medical attention, which I can't afford and you don't have insurance. If we get married my insurance will cover you."

"Oh whew, and here I thought you were going to say something like, 'I can't live without you' or 'gee, I want to grow old with you' or 'you're the love of my life'. Ha, stupid me!"

"Oh don't go getting all theatrical on me. I'm serious. You're ill. We need to get married soon so you can get help soon. If the condition is diagnosed first and then we get married, it will be considered pre-existing and the insurance won't cover it. We need to get married soon, tomorrow. We'll drive down to Virginia tomorrow. They don't require a waiting period or any health exam."

"I'm ok."

He kicked the sofa, "Jesus H. Christ...will you listen to me?" He was so angry he wanted to shake her, "This is what i do for a living and i tell you that you are seriously ill!" He took a deep breath when he saw the fear in her pain-ridden face. Lowering his voice, he tried to talk calmly to her, "I do want to grow old with you, but that won't happen if you don't get health care and you won't get the care you need unless you have insurance. The quickest way to get you health insurance and get you help is for us to get married. Now, I don't care how you feel about me, well ok, I do care, but if you want to be around for our son, you need to marry me...tomorrow."

When she started sobbing, Gregory started crying too. House wasn't sure who he was supposed to comfort first and since comforting wasn't his best skill, he was feeling totally inadequate. He sat down next to her and bounced the baby. He leaned back and grabbed her head and put it on his shoulder while he continued to pat the baby's back. Both of them cried for several minutes. When Teagan finally stopped, so did Gregory.

House took one look at her and handed her some Vicodin. Teagan told him, "I usually just take Excedrin and after awhile, if I can get to sleep, the pain subsides a little."

"No more Excedrin, the headaches are from high blood pressure and right now the caffeine in the Excedrin will just exacerbate the blood pressure. Take the Vicodin and go to bed. I'll take care of Gumby. You'll be happy to know that I did change the sheets on our bed and I set up the crib in the baby's room."

House woke her the next morning at 7:30 am, "Wakey, wakey, rise and shine, you have yours, I have mine, get up and pee, the world's on fire and we need the water."

She opened one eye and looked at him like she wanted to kill him, "That's the stupidest wake up nonsense I've ever heard. That Vicodin was great, it's the most sleep I've had in a year."

"Hey, there can only be one addict in this family and that's me...I was first."

She got up and took a shower and when she came out in a robe she asked him, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

He took her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "Marrying you will be an adventure. What do you want me to wear for this event?"

"A suit would be nice. What you wore the night your son was conceived would be special."

"Ah, my lucky suit or some might say, 'I got lucky' suit."

"What do you want me to wear?" she asked.

He went over to the closet where he had put her clothes when he moved. This outfit looks great on you. He took out a suit that had a gold brocade jacket and a navy blue satin skirt with a gold band around the hem. She put it on along with the sapphire earrings. Then she unpacked her mother's purse. Putting on navy blue pumps with an open toe, she walked down the stairs to the living room . House thought she looked incredible.

"Make sure you bring the camera." he said.

"Who's going to marry us?"

"The clerk at the courthouse in Manassus."

"How do you know about quickie marriages?" she asked.

"Because my best friend decided he 'couldn't wait another day' when he married wife number two."

She fed Gregory, as she and House found bowls and had some shredded wheat. After they brushed their teeth, he asked Teagan for her birth certificate which she had brought so that they could apply for passports. House wanted to take them both to Europe in the summer.

"Get Gumby and let's go." House looked at his watch and motioned to the door.

xxx

They drove to Manassus in just over four hours, arriving just before 1:00 p.m. The County Registrar was closed for lunch and so they went to get something to eat. Teagan noticed House's fingers drumming on the table and his inability to focus so she opened the gate and felt how nervous House was. Strangely, Gregory was as fidgety as his father. Both of them were nervous and anxious. She wondered if Greg had noticed what his son was doing?

After eating and leaving a rather large tip for the sweet college-age waitress, they walked down the street to the Registrar's office. After providing their birth certificates and driver's licenses, they had the piece of paper that said they could get married. They were directed one door down where they paid $23 and were married unceremoniously by a woman who had memorized the two minute ceremony by heart.

House was holding Gregory as Teagan finished her vows. "By the Authority vested in me by the Great State of Virginia, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss."

House handed Gregory to the surprised clerk just before turning to his bride. He reached around and put both hands on her butt and pulled her into him to give her an open mouth kissed with a little tongue. The clerk was playing with Gregory and not paying attention to the two star-crossed lovers.

When they pulled back, House looked at her with pure joy and she was so moved by it that she started to shed tears. "Hey, save those for the divorce." he teased her.

She hit him in his chest and said, "That's not funny."

They got home just before a light snow storm. Gregory fussed and refused to go to sleep. Teagan noticed that Greg and so Gregory was happy too. House was down on the floor with his son, trying to tire him out so he could get a little action and finally Teagan thought it was time to tell him.

"Greg?"

He looked up at her.

"Have you ever noticed that when I'm happy, Gregory is happy? When I'm sad, he's sad? When you're nervous, he's nervous. When you're mad, he's upset? That his moods tend to mirror ours?"

"I would think that's pretty normal. Don't most kids pick up on their parents' moods?"

Teagan leaned forward in the chair and looked thoughtful, "Maybe, but I think he may be psychic."

"Wait a minute. I don't know of a single witch or psychic in my family and didn't you say you had psychics on both sides?"

"He doesn't need two sets of psychic genes, one will do the trick. It may mean the psi won't be as strong, but I think your son is going to have his mother's talents."

House sat back and looked at his son, "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure. It's going to be hard to raise him once he learns what he can do. He'll be testing it out on both of us all the time. If he tries to manipulate people like you do, he could be the anti-Christ. You'll soon be looking for the 666 branded on him."

House looked at Gregory and then at Teagan. He looked worried, "You're scaring me. I'm trying to imagine me with psychic abilities and it's not pretty."

Gregory started to scrunch his face up to cry. He was picking up his father's uneasiness. Teagan reached down, picked him up and started to sooth him.

She laughed, "I'll be here to make sure his feet are held to the fire and he doesn't get away with anything. Just try to remember that he's a child and needs guidance like any other child. He still needs a father; he still needs to be loved and disciplined."

"Come on Teags, you know how fond I am of that little wad of blubber. I'm not going to run screaming just because he can read his Dad's mind."

"I know, I just want you to remember that he's just a little boy and he'll need his parents. Ah, look at this, he's asleep, you might just get lucky tonight!"

"Houston, we have lift off!" House gave the sign of "goal."

They made love on their wedding night with a lot of laughter and giggling. Both were surprised as to how much they were comfortable with the idea of being married.

Holding her snuggly in his arms he kissed her forehead, "Now that we're married, maybe you can start thinking of it as your money too? You don't have to feel like it's "my" money, now it's ours."

"That's going to take some getting used to...I mean I didn't fly out here with the intent on getting married. I thought this marriage was one of convenience, so I could get health insurance."

"I did it because I can't live without you; you're the love of my life; and, I want to grow old with you. Health insurance is just a bonus." He hugged her.

She thought he was being flippant, "What's next?"

"Tomorrow we get you on my insurance then we buy you a proper wedding ring. That class ring of mine won't do. It looks a little overwhelming on your hand."

"But it's mine! I'm going to be buried in it...married and buried with this ring." She looked up at him and smiled.

"Come on, I think we have time for position 12 in the Kama Sutra before that Furey kid wakes up."

The next morning House took their marriage certificate and Teagan and Gregory's birth certificate to human resources where he filled out the paperwork under the strange looks of the women in the office who wanted to know, who would marry Gregory House? She was immediately added to his insurance and given a temporary medical card. In the meantime, Teagan waited in his office with the baby. When the team saw her walk in with Gregory they all jumped up to come over and see the spawn of the devil.

"There is no mistaking that he's House's kid. Did he get any of your genes Teagan?" Foreman teased her.

"A few." Teagan took Gregory out of the stroller and let him stand up holding onto the ottoman of House's chair. Taub immediately picked him up and held him in the air over his head and began to rough house with him. Taub was happy and so was Gregory. He giggled and squealed much to Taub's delight.

"What's his name?"

"Gregory Furey." Teagan answered.

"Well, your Dad is House, so we'll call you Furey."

Wilson walked by and saw Teagan standing in the office talking to the team. He was surprised by the fact that she looked tired and thin, but very happy. He opened the door to the office, strolled in with arms out wide and gave her a hug and a peck on the cheek. "It's so good to see you and the baby. How is he?"

"He won't crawl, he refuses to do that. But he does stand and walk by balancing himself on the furniture. I suspect he will be walking within the month."

Cameron walked in to see what the commotion was about and saw Gregory, "Is this House's baby?"

Taub nodded, "Furey."

Taub brought Gregory down and handed him to Cameron who had given birth to a little girl three months after Gregory was born. She smiled at Gregory and he smiled back. "He has the biggest bluest eyes and that long horse face of House. I can't believe how much he looks like House!"

Wilson took Gregory from Cameron. He turned to Teagan and asked, "Is he psychic?"

Teagan turned red and they all looked at her strangely as she tried to recover, "Uh, maybe."

"From your reaction, I take it that it is a yes." Kutner laughed at her.

"I'm not sure, but probably. He's showing signs of it already."

"Heaven help us, a psychic House. The world as we know it is doomed." Wilson lamented. Handing Gregory to Teagan, he sighed, "Well, I just got a page from administration, I better go call them."

"I'm keeping Gwenneth away from your son. A psychic House is weird." Cameron said. "Oh, by the way, we have a sitter for you. House asked us who we use. So I asked Tara and she said she'd be happy to watch Gregory."

"Oh thanks, how much do you pay babysitters these days?"

"She charges $6.00 an hour." Cameron wrote down a name and phone number on a slip of paper and gave it to Teagan.

"Fine. Thanks."

Everyone went back to their jobs when House showed up. Cameron, ever nosey when it came to House, asked him, "Where have you been?"

"None of your business but if you must know..."

Wilson burst in, "You're married?"

House ate his words and sat back. "I take it that little Janet in H.R. couldn't keep it to herself. Man, you are so plugged into the grapevine. That was fast."

"Congratulations." Wilson was so overwhelmingly pleased that little Gregory started laughing out loud. "Why wasn't I told or invited?"

"Didn't know I needed you to hold my hand. Next time I get married I'll remember that."

Teagan could feel Wilson feeling slighted, "Greg. Stop it. Let's tell him the truth. We've decided to have a second ceremony here and we'd like you to be best man. I'm going to ask Cuddy to be the Maid of Honor. "

Cameron was still in shock, "This is too much to absorb. You got married yesterday? That was rather hasty."

House stared directly at her, "Well, Cameron, if you find the love of your life, the person you want to grow old with, then you'd want to marry him as soon as you could."

"Hey, that's not fair." Cameron lamented, "He's asked me a dozen times. I keep saying no because I…I don't know why."

Wilson held his hand up, "Ok, ok. Let's table that for now. Congratulations you two. Uh oh, here comes Cuddy."

The door flew open and Cuddy ran straight for Teagan and gave her a hug. She looked at House and said, "Oh my God are you lucky. I can't believe she said yes! Teagan, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. I just threw caution to the wind."

"Boy House, a baby and now a wife. You're frightening me. Is it the End of Days?" Cuddy was smiling at him.

House growled sexily, "Now all I need is a mistress, want to apply?"

Cuddy ignored his comment as usual, "We'll celebrate at the party on Saturday night. Did you two decide whether you're coming?" The question was aimed at Cameron and Chase.

"No, we're flying out tonight for Madison. My uncle is pretty ill; we want to get to the Christmas reunion early so that we can spend time with him." Cameron was obviously sad, indicating that it must be serious.

Teagan didn't know what Cuddy was talking about. Turning, she looked at House with a big question mark on her face.

He stared back, "The hospital Christmas party is Saturday night. Cameron said she had a sitter for us. I thought it would be good for you to meet some of the staff and doctors."

Grabbing Teagan's hand, Cuddy said enthusiastically, "It will be fun, you'll sit at my table."

Teagan tried to share her enthusiasm, but parties always turned into reading sessions, people dying to get her to tell them their future. She didn't mind small parties with people who didn't know her talents or who were kind enough not to expect a reading, but big ones always ended up the same way."

House and Teagan went home where Teagan started getting anxious about the party, as a result of her anxiety, Gregory fussed. House insisted that she would be fine but Teagan still worried.

After House managed to calm her down he walked over to the sofa where she was leaning back, eyes closed, "The MRI is scheduled for Friday."

"So do they just scan my head?"

"No, I want them to scan your head and your kidneys."

"My kidneys? My problem is headaches."

He kissed her on the cheek and said in an exaggerated voice, "Trust me, I'm a doctor."

On Friday, House and Foreman were kept busy with a desperately ill patient that required all of their attention. Teagan asked Cuddy if there was anyone who could watch Gregory for an hour while she had an MRI.

"Why are you getting an MRI? What's wrong?"

"Bad headaches. I also have these tremors in my arm sometimes and my heart races."

"He can go to the daycare on the pediatric ward. Come on sweetie, I'll take you."

This was the first time that Lisa had worn a short sleeve sweater around Teagan, exposing the scars on her arms. Teagan could see that one scar looked better than the other on her forearm. The cuts had been made on the underside of the forearm and so they weren't as pronounced as they could have been. Teagan was surprised at how good the plastic surgeon had been. You could see the white line around the graft on the right side but otherwise, the flesh looked healthy and normal.

The MRI was taken by a serious male technician behind a window. He took small sections because he knew she was Dr. House's wife and would catch hell if he screwed it up. Afterwards, he told her that Drs. Foreman and House would get the results on Monday. She thanked him and went to get Gregory.

Dear Readers, This story will soon be over! Please leave a review! There is a sequel called Betazed that I will start to post within a few days.