Hi guys!

I am back with a new Chapter!

Thanks Jane for finding and correcting my mistakes and thanks to you guys for your amazing reviews. They make me happy :-)

Enjoy reading!

7. Chapter

House was still in his pj's when he opened up the door and found Cuddy standing in front of it.

"You do know that it is 7am, right?"

"Yes… But I also know that you won't start packing your bag until 5 minutes before we have to leave. And to avoid any time delays I decided to come here early to kick your ass out of bed and make you search for the things you wanna take with you."

"You are annoying."

"I don't care… Just get dressed and start packing your bag!"

"Yes, boss." House said sleepily and disappeared into his bedroom to carry out Cuddy's instructions. Something he usually would never do. At least not if it was work related. But right now he was still too tired to defy himself.

Cuddy had decided that it was safer when she drove. She knew House well enough to know that they probably would end up in Las Vegas instead of Lancaster if he were the one behind the wheel.

He still wasn't enthusiastic about going to the funeral of a man he hardly knew. He didn't give a damn about the genes they shared. His biological father was as much an idiot as John was. He may not have abused him but not being here and letting some other man abuse his own flesh and blood was pretty much equally cruel.

They just had past the freeway exit ramp to Ephrata. They were coming nearer and nearer to Lancaster each passing second.

"Can we stop at a gas station? I won't be able to survive this without alcohol."

"I don't think that your mum will be very happy if you show up at her door smelling of booze".

"She would be happy to see me even if I was lying on the floor in a pool of my own vomit… Mothers are always happy to see their kids… Even if they are the most screwed up people ever."

He seemed so crushed, so miserable. Cuddy wanted to hug him. She didn't do it. Of course not! She was driving! But she probably wouldn't have done it either if they weren't in the car. She just would have been too chicken for that.

"And mothers also always worry about their kids. So don't give her another reason to fret even more about you. Right now she has other things to deal with."

"Yeah, right. She has to cope with the death of her secret ex lover who also happens to be the father of her misanthropic, miserable, crippled son."

"You forgot nosey…"

"Gee… thanks."

But Cuddy wasn't done yet: "… And you also forgot to add intelligent, interesting, observant and brilliant in the field of medicine and you also forgot to mention that you are musically very talented and that you can cook the most delicious meals I've ever eaten in my entire life." Cuddy glanced at him tenderly. "… You are not as bad as you think you are, House." Her voice was so soft that her words were hardly louder than a whisper.

House was surprised. More than just surprised, he actually was shocked… He may have even been touched… Just a bit. A tiny little bit. Did she really see him in this way?

He didn't know how to react, or what to say. Actually he just wanted her to stop the car so he could kiss her. He wanted to sleep with her. Right then and there. In the car. He didn't care if someone would see them. He just wanted to show her how much it meant to him what she just said. He wanted to show her how special she was.

But he was as chicken as she was. Instead of doing any of these things he just said: "And you forgot to add that I am a very skilled man in bed."

Cuddy started laughing. "Oh, sorry. How could I possibly forget that?"

She knew he appreciated her little speech. She knew that he was touched by it. But she knew as well that he would never admit that he was. She didn't really care. She was just glad that she had told him this. She actually should have told him this a long time ago.

They were standing in front of a small white house with a big wooden balcony and a garden that was rich in flowers and trees.

It looked very appealing to Cuddy. She liked nature. Unfortunately she was usually too busy to spend time out in her garden or anywhere else outside the hospital for that matter.

"This place is nice." Cuddy said and looked over to House who was still making no move to leave the car.

It seemed like he hadn't even heard what she had said, he was just staring at the house. Cuddy could practically see the wheels in his head turning.

"House?" Cuddy's hand went to his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Her soft touch brought him back from his thoughts to reality. He nodded, reached for the door handle and got out of the car.

Cuddy took her handbag and got out as well.

"We have to share a room by the way."

"I could just go to a hotel." Cuddy followed him to the front door.

"That would be ridiculous… We have seen each other naked. I think we'll manage to sleep in the same room."

That wasn't her point. Not at all. She just had thought that he might need some space, some time alone. She had no problem with the fact that she had to share a room with him.

House rang the bell.

It didn't take Blythe long to open it up. She was obviously already waiting for him.

"Greg!" A smile formed on her pale face. "I am so happy you came." She said and pulled him into a hug that House did not really return.

"Hi, Mum…"

When Blythe saw Cuddy standing behind her son her smile grew even bigger. She let go of House and looked at the beautiful women on whom her son had a crush on since med school.

"Dr. Cuddy… It is so good to see you again!" Blythe didn't hesitate long before she decided to hug Cuddy as well.

Cuddy was surprised about this gesture but hugged her back anyway. "Hello, Mrs House", she said. "It is very nice to see you again."

When the two women parted again, they all entered the house. Blythe asked them to take a seat and left for the kitchen to make them coffee.

House was unusually silent. Him being back in the house he had had a horrible time in obviously made him feel intimidated all over again.

Blythe came back with a tray full of coffee and pies. She put it down on the table and sat down. "I am so thankful that you are here, Greg. You maybe can't remember but Pastor Kramer had always been very kind to you. He bought you this little red car you used to play with."

"I remember mum, I remember very well."

"He had been a very good man." Blythe smiled sadly. She did not cry. She was well capable of holding back her tears. That is one thing she had learned while living with John.

"Why aren't you just telling me why you wanted me so desperately to come to his funeral?"

"He was a good friend of ours".

"Of you… Not of me. I hardly knew this man." His voice wasn't loud but firm.

"I just thought it would be nice that you were here."

"You mean it would be nice if I were at the funeral to say good bye to a man who happens to be my biological father but didn't give a damn about me?"

Blythe was stunned. He knew… Greg knew... Of course he knew… How could she have been so naive? She never had been able to keep any secrets from him. He was so observant and intelligent that he discovered them in almost no time.

"I'll leave you two to some time alone." Cuddy started to get up from her chair when House caught her arm. He didn't want her to leave him alone… He felt… better when she was near him. But he was not able to tell her that. He just couldn't. So he let go of her arm again.

Cuddy gave him a look that told him "Everything is gonna be okay again" and then left the room.

"I should have talked with you about it much earlier." Blythe said.

"You should have…" House agreed. "But it wouldn't have changed anything. He still would have been a priest who cares about nothing but himself and God and John still wouldn't have been a good father. My life wouldn't have sucked any less."

"Greg…" Blythe reached out for his hand, gripped it and caressed it tenderly. "George did care about you… He just couldn't be here. He had been a priest… If he weren't one I probably would have been brave enough to leave John and start a new life with you and George but this hadn't been possible… I am sorry Greg."

"Oh come on mum… If he really wanted he would have lived with you and raised me but he clearly didn't. He had even known about what John did to us… What he had done to me... but he never cared. Just accept it mum… He was as big an ass as John had been."

House stripped his hand free from her grip, stood up and left Blythe alone in the kitchen.

Now that she was alone Blythe let a tear fall… Maybe House was right. Maybe George hadn't been any better than John.

She was so sorry for her son… She would have liked him to have a great, carefree childhood but instead his childhood had probably been the worst time of his life.

She sighed and wiped her tears away. It was all her fault… She should have left. She should have taken Greg and left John as well as George behind her. But she did not and for that she felt guilty. Guilty like hell.

TBC…

So what do you think? You like where I am going? Or do you don't like it? Please tell me :)