Oh hi guys! Here's a lengthy chapter. :P Leave a review, because you guys are slacking with them! ;D OH, and don't forget to read "After the Bombs"! I updated it and I think you'll love the author's note for chapter two, because well, it'll explain where that story is going. So yeah! Read this, and then go read that, and make sure to review both! :D

"Wilson will you shut up already. You're driving me nuts with your incessant babbling." House said as he pulled up to the house that Taub had chosen for them. It had been a half hour drive, and Wilson fussed over Rachel the entire time.

"Oh leave him alone." Cuddy said smacking his arm. "You'll be the one fussing over a kid soon enough." She continued getting out of the car.

House followed after her as Wilson took Rachel. He was glad that he'd invited Wilson along because that meant there was someone to chase after Rachel when she got rowdy. Obviously, he couldn't chase a toddler around because of his leg, and Cuddy had reached the point in her pregnancy where her feet were almost always swollen when she got home from work. It wasn't that Rachel was always rowdy, but she was two, and House was beginning to wonder when the so called "terrible twos" were going to set in, seeing as she was two and a half and had yet to throw a temper tantrum.

"It's... nice." Cuddy said as they approached the front of the house, where Taub and the real estate agent, a woman in her late thirties stood waiting.

"This is a four bedroom center hall colonial with a Tudor facade. The rooms are very large. As you can see this is the living room, with a joint dining room. Other features include the den, eat-in kitchen, which has granite counter tops,and family room with brick corner gas fireplace in the corner." She said as she led them through the main floor of the house.

He studied Cuddy's face closely as she examined the dwelling. He could tell that she was scrutinizing every inch of the place in case she found something she disapproved of. Next, they made their way up to the second floor. The master bedroom had a sitting area and recently updated bathroom, which included a sunken tub, and the other three bedrooms were generous in size.

"The basement is great for entertaining. It's got a large built in brick bar, a full kitchen, newer full bathroom, and plenty of space for guests as well as a hot tub!" The agent said as she lead them down into the basement.

"A hot tub would be good for your leg." Cuddy said as she circled the room.

"It'd be good for other things too." House responded raising his eyebrows suggestively. He watched as both Cuddy and Wilson rolled their eyes.

"Is sex the only thing you think about?" Wilson asked setting Rachel down.

"Jimmy, watch yourself in front of the little one...and I don't mean Rachel.." House teased as he turned to Taub, who ignored him as usual.

"You'll have to excuse them.." Cuddy apologized to the agent as they made their way back outside.

"Oh no, it's fine. I'm used to it. They remind me of my brothers." She laughed showing them the backyard. House noted the pool, and Koi pod and scoffed. The house was okay, but it was too over the top for either him or Cuddy to live in.

"What's the price?" He asked as they reached the front of the house again.

"Seven hundred and thirty thousand."

"Cuddles, what's our budget?"

"Seven fifty." Cuddy replied over her shoulder as she and Wilson stood by the pond, pointing out the different types of fish to Rachel.

"So?" Taub asked coming up behind them.

"So what? There's still another three houses to see, plus this one's funky looking." House quipped as he made his way back to the car. Getting in, he honked the horn, signaling that it was time to head to the next one.

It was half past noon when they reached the house that Foreman had found. It was a Brick Front Colonial with hardwood flooring throughout the first level, full finished Basement, three-car side Entry Garage, and circular driveway. They examined the foyer as the real estate agent, a man not much older than House explained the features of the house and it's history.

The library on the first floor caught House's attention. He and Cuddy both owned an extreme amount of medical textbooks, not to mention the books they read for recreation. The family room had bar nook and fireplace. The Master Suite featured a sitting room, his/hers closets and a large whirlpool tub, along with a stall shower and his/her sinks. The backyard was enormous, but it lacked fencing, and although the house was a hundred grand under their budget, neither House nor Cuddy wanted to have to deal with that.

Cuddy turned the air conditioner up as House drove down I – 95 to Princeton Junction, where they were set to meet Chase and look at the house he had found.

"Can we stop somewhere and grab a bite to eat?" She asked turning to House. It was almost two, and they'd been at this for the past four hours. She could feel a headache setting in from the lack of food and the fact that Shay kept pounding at her insides wasn't helping.

"Uh yeah sure... You okay? You look a little pale..."

"I'm fine, nothing a little food won't fix." She responded placing a reassuring kiss on his cheek. She couldn't help but melt when he worried about her well being.

They pulled into a McDonald's and Cuddy took Rachel's hand as House and Wilson argued over something.

"Jimmy's paying." House said coming up behind her as she studied the menu.

"Please, YOU'RE paying for once. He's been watching Rachel this entire time." She responded resting her head back against his shoulder. "I'm going to go find us a table. You can have the honor of ordering for us."

"But mom!" House protested as she turned around to face him. She smiled as he whined once more, and headed off to find a table.

"Momma, can I play?" Rachel asked pointing to the giant indoor playground as they sat at one of the tables nearest to the door.
"Go ahead sweetie."

She watched Rachel run off, making sure she was still in sight as she reached the playground. After several minutes, she saw House & Wilson make their way towards her, each laden with a tray of food.

"Where's the twerp?" House asked as he set a tray down in front of her.

"Play area. Go get her."

"Oh Jimmy, go get your favorite niece from the play area."

Cuddy rolled her eyes at his indolence.

"Wilson, would you please mind getting Rachel for me? Seeing as House has decided to be an ass and not get her himself..." She said flatly, giving him the evil eye.

"Whoa. Harsh toke dude.." House retorted, taking the seat across from her as Wilson went off to get Rachel.

"Harsh toke my ass." Cuddy replied dryly, taking her salad and drink off of the tray and setting it in front of her, before taking Rachel's meal and setting it in the area next to her, readying it. "You've got to stop being so lazy when it comes Rachel.. I've told you a million times House.."

"Drop it Cuddles. We'll discuss this later."

Cuddy was taken aback by his sudden change of tone, but shook it off as Wilson returned with a very giggly Rachel squirming in his arms. She laughed at his appearance, his hair was messed up, and his tie was askew.

"What took you so long?" She asked as he handed Rachel over to her and sat her down in the chair at her side.

"I had to climb in there and get her." He mumbled as House let out a laugh.

"Got beat up by a group of two year olds huh Wilson? You wimp."

Cuddy laughed. The mental image of Wilson being attacked by a group of kids was pretty amusing.

Half an hour later, they were back on the road and headed towards house number three. It was located the Griggstown section of Franklin Township, directly across from Bunker Hill golf course, which she realized would not strike well with House, noting that the moment he spotted it, a scowl overtook his face. Golf had been one of his favorite things to do before the infarction, and being as she was his attending during the time, she also knew that the pain in his leg had come to light while he was out golfing.

Getting out of the car, she spotted Chase, who was talking to a woman around his age, who she was going to assume was the realtor.

"Hey guys." Chase greeted them as they approached. "How's it going cutie?" He said squatting down to give Rachel a high five.

Cuddy watched, almost mystified as to how Chase could even charm her two year old. They entered the house, and she noted that it was very much like the others they had seen so far. Gourmet kitchen, joint living room and dining room, patio, and enormous bedrooms, nothing new.. As they looked through the second floor, the study caught Cuddy's attention. Located in a cozy corner of the hallway, it was exactly the size of her office at PPTH, and it was perfect for her to work from home once Shay was born.

"The previous owner was a writer, she liked her privacy." the realtor explained.

"What's the price?"

"Six hundred and eighty five thousand."

Cuddy nodded her acknowledgment before heading off to find House and Wilson, who had wandered off sometime between when they were looking at the basement, and when they were on the first floor.

"Hey." She said as she found them in the kitchen, trying to see if the stove worked by bringing a lighter to the burner. She rolled her eyes at their immaturity. "Where's Rachel...?" She asked noting that her daughter was no where in sight.

"Steve Irwin's got her." House responded, gesturing outside to where Chase was showing Rachel the different type of flowers in the garden.

"I see.. Well, I like this one, but you know, we've still got one more to see."

"Alright then. I guess we can go the last one. Finally get this crap over with." She rolled her eyes as they made their way back outside towards Chase and Rachel.

"So?" He asked, as he handed her over to Wilson.

"This might be your lucky day Chase." Cuddy said patting him on the shoulder. "But like I said, might. It's all up to whatever Thirteen has in store."

It was four thirty when they pulled up to the final house.

"Hey guys!" Thirteen said perkily as she came up to the car to greet them. Cuddy smirked as House raised an eyebrow at his fellow's attitude outside of work. It was nice to see how everyone acted outside of the hospital. Guards were let down, and everyone was a little less straitlaced.

"Ready to see this place?" She asked as she pointed behind her to a gorgeous modernized colonial.

"No realtor?" Cuddy asked as they stepped inside.

"Nah, she's a friend of mine. I told her I'd call her if you guys wanted it."

The house was gorgeous. It had skylights and cathedral ceilings. It's sunken living room had wall to wall Anderson windows, with window seats. It had a library much like the second house they had seen, enormous in size which was perfect. It had five bedrooms, and Cuddy was already planning to turn one into a study. The master suite was gorgeous, it had a walk in closet, a sunken bath, a shower, his and hers sinks. This house was perfect. It was as though the three previous houses they had seen were all thrown together to create this one. It even had a bedroom that was painted purple, which Thirteen pointed out was perfect for Rachel, who nodded her approval of the room the minute she saw the color.

"What's the price?" She asked as they examined the fenced backyard which had a pool and a hot tub. She could already picture what their summers would be like in a house like this and she was loving it.

"Seven hundred thousand." Thirteen replied as Rachel handed her a flower. "Thanks cutie." She replied ruffling the little girl's hair.
Cuddy smiled at how friendly her daughter was towards everyone before responding.

"Call your friend. We'll take it."