Disclaimer: I do not own House MD or any of the characters, but I sure as hell wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie!

A/N: Hi again! Sorry for the long-ish wait, but in my defence, I've had a 'mild' (and by that I mean huge) virus/spyware infection on my beloved computer and so have been having a lot of problems doing anything on it. Though now it seems to have cleared, so here I am … back posting chapters … and not just any chapters either, if this is anything to go by, nice, sweet, huddyliscious chapters :P

I hope you enjoy this, and keep reviewing as much as you have, because if there's anything that lifts the anger of having a virus infested computers, is an inbox full of lovely reviews :D


Enjoy!

The next morning, Cuddy was the first to wake up. She had, after all, been the first to fall asleep. Besides, there was only so long one could sleep with a baby pressing onto one's bladder.

As she opened her eyes, a male face came into view. House's. And suddenly, the previous night flooded back to her. The fear, the comfort she'd felt in his arms. Their kiss. She smiled.

She was lying partially on top of Dr. Greg House who had an arm wrapped around her waste, the other reaching over to touch her stomach. And that's when she realised that she could feel the baby again. He or she was happily kicking more or less on the spot where House's hand rested. And Cuddy smiled again. Baby liked House …

But before her thoughts could move any further, she was hit with the overwhelming need to pee and so, standing up slowly and reaching for House's cane to help her limp with her cut foot, Cuddy made her way to the bathroom.

It was the sound of the bathroom flush that woke House up. He had been happily sleeping, but now he realised that there was something missing as he realised that he couldn't feel the pressure Cuddy's body exerted on his. He sighed looking around groggily. Where was she? Where was his cane? That's when he saw her walk out of the bathroom leaning on his cane. He smiled.

And as he looked at Cuddy, House realised that something had changed. As soon as that little baby had kicked his hand the previous night, he had decided that he was going to change. And that was something no one would ever have expected from him. He knew he'd hit several walls along the way, he'd probably fall flat on his face more often than not, but eventually, he figured, he'd get there. He'd always avoided change. But it couldn't be that bad, could it? Cuddy had changed. She'd gone from having the most desirable body he knew to being six months pregnant and that change hadn't done anything to how much he wanted her. If anything, it had made him want her more, though, he admitted, that could have something to do with the increased fun-bag size … or with the fact that it was his baby that she was carrying.

If nothing else, House was a rational man, he liked logic. And right then, logic and reason were telling him that change could be good. And if logic and reason said so, then who was he to deny it?

"It suits you" said House looking both at Cuddy's extended abdomen and his cane in her hand. Cuddy looked at him suspiciously, half expecting him to get up and leave at any moment.

"Morning" she said with a smile when he just looked at her, waiting for some response.

"Morning" he nodded to her, extending his hand so she'd give him the cane.

"Oh, sorry" she said placing the handle in his hand.

Nodding in response, House stood and headed to the bathroom.

Sure, he wanted to be a nicer guy and treat Cuddy well. He wanted to be polite and fun. But he wasn't about to do a total 180 on her. Especially not when she was carrying his baby in a high-risk pregnancy. Besides, gradually letting Cuddy know what how he felt would be so much more fun than just doing it quickly.

Now in the bathroom, House started thinking again; he'd been doing an awful lot of that lately. The bathroom was said to be a man's sanctuary, it was where most thinking got done, really, and for Greg House, it was no different.

As he thought about all the potential consequences of his recent decision, he reached a very large brick wall. The baby. Sure, he wanted the baby, and he wanted Cuddy. But while he knew Cuddy accepted him for who he was, he couldn't expect a child to think the same. He didn't want to be the father his child had but hated. He'd rather not be a part of his or her life than have them hate him. And so he made a second decision, this one, he noted, so much more in character and yet, so much harder to make.

He'd be there for Cuddy. For as long as she wanted him there. But as soon as the baby was born, he'd go; he'd bow out gracefully and watch from the sidelines. With the new baby, Cuddy wouldn't miss him and the baby wouldn't ever know him, not as his or her father. Maybe as uncle Greg, maybe as the annoying diagnostician that drove their mommy up the walls, but not as their father. It was the best course of action, he decided. He had always been able to distance himself from people. Now shouldn't be any different. He'd been in love with Cuddy for over 20 years and had lived with it everyday, content with having her around the hospital. He would be able to do the same with the baby, he was sure.

"House?" came a knock on the door "You want breakfast?" asked Cuddy.

After getting a simple 'sure' from House, Cuddy hobbled, gripping the walls as she went, towards the kitchen and started preparing something to eat. Right then she was craving a good, decent breakfast. She looked around in her fridge and found some turkey bacon, sausages, eggs, plenty of fruit, and corn flakes. What more could a very pregnant administrator want?

"I hope you like bacon" said Cuddy as she heard House limp into the kitchen behind her.

Sure, House loved bacon, but what he loved even more was coffee, nice warm, strong coffee. The kind that feels like a kick in the back and propels you out of that mist of sleep that would otherwise surround you all day.

House nodded, knowing that she couldn't see him and pulled the coffee pot out of the machine. Empty. Figures, pregnant women don't drink coffee.

"Oh, coffee" she said turning around and getting ready to open the cupboard where she kept the fine brown powder.

"I got it" said House reaching it before she even had her arm half-way up

"Ok, thanks" she said and kept eying him suspiciously while he searched around the shelves.

Once the coffee was brewed, the bacon crispy and the scrambled eggs and sausages warm, Cuddy took the plates to the small kitchen table and sat down. Following her, House sat down in front of her and they silently commenced eating.

It was quite an odd sight for anyone to see. Total silence. Two people who lived their lives in constant arguments where sitting at a kitchen table, taking turns to serve themselves, occasionally looking up to the other, never meeting each other's eyes; and all this, in total and complete silence.

Cuddy wasn't sure what to make of the situation. House was being civil, he wasn't talking much, but he was being civil. He'd helped her out with breakfast, he hadn't yet made any sarcastic comments, and his mere presence had the baby kicking frantically.

And then they both felt a jolt of electricity as their bare feet brushed together under the table. Both their eyes shot up. He had a forkful of bacon hovering just outside his mouth; she had her napkin a few inches away from her's. But as their eyes met, they froze.

Cuddy thought the best thing to do was to slowly move her foot away from his. There was no point scarring him. He was very obviously not mentioning the kiss. Either of them. And she was enjoying his presence too much to drive him away.

House's thoughts were the exact opposite. He loved the contact. He didn't want her to pull away, and when she slowly did, he moved his foot to counter her. Again, Newton's third law.

Cuddy looked down at her lap and back up to his face. He was absolutely unreadable. His face showed nothing, but she was 110% sure that she had felt his foot, she knew that he had moved closer to her when she'd moved back. It was like House's upper body and lower body had detached. His hands proceeded to cut his food, his face looking absolutely normal. However under the table, he was slowly stroking her foot with his, and she knew that, at some point, those two halves had to connect. He knew what he was doing, and that left her wondering what it could mean.

Not about to break the spell, Cuddy too went back to her breakfast, occasionally looking up at him, a smile growing on her face as his other foot locked her's between itself and it's partner.

TBC

Also, I was just wondering, for those of you who have read the most recent House and Huddy spoilers (like me, and yes, I am ashamed of my lack of control), what are you thinking? I personally can't wait for "Big Baby" … and I ESPECIALLY can't wait for "The Greater Good" (Aka episode 100! :D)

Thank you for reading!

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CJS-DEPPendent