Madness, Anger, and Insanity

"I can't believe you already told him," Lucas said, annoyed. He and Cuddy had had dinner after putting Rachel in bed. Cuddy worked late and so he had done most of Rachel's caretaking after five. She was tired of the entire pregnancy charade and had simply told him that House knew, much to her surprise, he wasn't at all sad, he was pissed.

"Well the test is tomorrow, it's not like he wouldn't find out soon enough," she pointed out. "He wasn't just going to give up his DNA without a few questions."

"Couldn't you have somehow stolen it?" Lucas asked.

"No. I have some morals, Lucas. I don't just go around taking DNA without consent."

"Well the father of your baby would…whichever one of us it is…"

Cuddy sighed. "I don't really want to talk about this right now, Lucas…I've worked all day and I just want to go to bed." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Working is the only thing you did, right?"

"What are you asking?" she demanded, fully awake once more.

"Well you cheated on me once with that loser…"

"Thanks," she said tearfully. "I mess up once and you keep reminding me…do you think I want to be in this situation?"

"I think you don't mind being here. This way you get both of our attention until you can find out which of us is going to be bound to you for life."

"For hating House so much, you're a hundred times worse," she told him as the first tear escaped down her cheek. "Get out of my house. I'll call you with the results and if the baby is yours, you can start paying child support."

Lucas said nothing else as he collected his things. He closed the door behind him just as she broke down. Cuddy let the flood gates open and tears poured down her face. She was tired of being confused, tired of being tired. After almost an hour she pulled herself together enough to put the empty plates in the dishwasher and turn it on. She turned out the lights in her living room and made her way toward the bedroom in the dark. She didn't even bother undressing before she collapsed into bed.

Cuddy didn't go into work until half an hour before her paternity test was scheduled. She made sure Rachel's sitter could stay until five and took a quick shower before reluctantly going to PPTH. All through the procedure she wondered how things would turn out. She didn't exactly know what to hope for; House was a kid himself, and Lucas had shown his true colors of the previous evening's dinner. She went back to her office to wait on the results, which she was assured would be disclosed to her as soon as they were confirmed. She locked herself up and tried to concentrate on work, but found it hard to keep on the task. Just as she was about to give up and take a nap on her couch, the phone rang.

The Dean of Medicine was afraid for the first time about what the phone call was going to be about. It was possible that the results of her paternity test were back, but she dared not get her hopes up. As the phone rang again, she steeled herself for bad news. "Dr. Cuddy?" the voice on the other end asked.

"Yes. Can I help you?"

"I've got the results of your paternity test here with me, would you like me to tell you now, or do you want to come see for yourself?" the lab technician asked.

Cuddy shivered, wondering what was going to happen when she finally knew the truth. "I'll come get the results," she said, her voice wavering slightly. She hung up the phone and slipped back into her stilettos. Thoughts raced around her head frantically and she couldn't seem to make any sense of them…she wanted everything to go back to the way it had been. She didn't want to have to deal with the reality of possibly being the mother of an unwanted child. "No," she said aloud to herself. "I want this baby. It's not unwanted."

With a few deep breaths, she steeled herself once more and walked out into the busy world of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. She ignored the buzz of movement around her as she made her way toward the elevator. The doors opened and she found herself stepping inside. It was the closest thing to an outer body experience that she imagined she was ever likely to have.

The blonde girl who had phoned Cuddy with the news of her ready results smiled in greeting. "Here you are, Dr. Cuddy. And congratulations!" Cuddy smiled weakly as she accepted the file from the pixie-like girl in front of her. She walked swiftly back to the elevator to find Wilson holding the door for her. She swallowed hard as she took in his welcoming smile.

"Hey. How are you?"

"Not great."

"The results?" he asked, nodding his head toward the file in her hands.

"Yes. The truth is in my hands."

"Have you opened it yet?"

"No."

"Would you like to open it in my office?" he asked kindly. Cuddy looked him over. He was her friend, of course. They had worked together for years and had been fairly close for as long, but he was also House's friend. House who was quite possibly the father of her unborn child. House who probably didn't want anything to do with the child even if it was his. But Wilson was the best option she had so she nodded silently. She only prayed that he would understand her predicament and give her the understanding shoulder she would need, whatever the outcome.

The elevator seemed exceptionally slow as it made its way up to Wilson's floor. He took her elbow and gently led her outside and down the hall once the machine came to a stop. She couldn't exactly look at him, but knew that he must be smiling, trying to comfort her. For half a moment she wondered why the baby couldn't be Wilson's, but then she realized that that outcome would be even more problematic and more encompassing for everyone who knew the situation.

Wilson led her to the couch and sat down with her. "Are you ready?" he asked. She looked into his eyes and found the support she needed. Once again she nodded wordlessly and looked down at the file in her hands. She slowly opened the folder and looked at the report contained within. She exhaled sharply as she took in the results and looked up at Wilson with tears in her eyes. She handed him the file and watched as he read over the result.

98% DNA match with Gregory House. She was carrying House's baby. At least it was over; she rationalized as she let herself fall apart in Wilson's arms. He ran a hand over her back and whispered sweet nothings until she was once again calm. "House is going to be happy, you know," he said soothingly. She looking into Wilsons' dark eyes and hoped he was right.