Disclaimer: I do not own House

A/N: I'd like to give a special thanks to my last minute, temporary Beta lenasti16 for editing this last minute and giving me some input. I'd also love to thank all my readers and reviews for revewing this story and giving me so much encouragement. I MIGHT not be posting super soon b/c I just saw the new House promo and suddenly am depressed Well anyways, sorry for any OOC and I hope you all like it! Please review!


Cuddy sat by the computers monitoring the patient. Numbers 11 and 15 stared at her in admiration and amazement. She sighed and attempted to ignore them. They continued to stare at her and after another moment she surrendered. She turned in her chair and faced them with a cocked eyebrow. "Can I help you?"

"Did you know Doctor House?" Fifteen asked her. Cuddy rolled her eyes and gave her the 'are you really asking that' look. She sighed and looked down embarrassed.

"So uh, why'd you fire him?" Eleven asked leaning back in his chair, acting sly and cool. He saw Cuddy looked down in sadness.

Cuddy looked up at her colleague as she sat up straighter, trying not think about what had happened three years ago and before she could answer she saw that the MRI had finished. She sent the other applicants to get the patient out while she read over the MRI. Then something struck her, there was no tumor. Number Fifteen and Eleven saw her stumped looked and walked over looking at her curiously. They looked at the MRI and were both shocked to see it completely clear.

It suddenly hit Cuddy, like a brick to the wall, when she looked at the file again. She groaned as she rolled her eyes in anger. "That son of a bitch," She murmured under her breath. The two other applicants looked at her in inquisitiveness. "He was playing us. Look at the date, this case was solved a week ago. Damn it, we fell for his game." She went on. "He was probably trying to find out who the idiots were and fire them. He's most likely watching us right now. I feel like an idiot!" She held her forehead.

Fifteen stood there embarrassed as eleven threw the MRI on the table in anger. Their attention was diverged when they heard a noise coming from the side of the table. Cuddy looked and found a speaker strapped to it. She ripped it free angrily, tried not slamming it on the table and turning up the volume.

"Good job Detective Cuddles!" They heard House say over the speaker. "You figured out my plot, thought I'm a little disappointed how long it took you to find out. I mean I thought you really knew me, Cuddy-kins." House went on. "It hurts." When he heard no response he turned half serious and said, "Three of you get over to the lecture room so we could play the elimination game."

Cuddy walked in first, pushing the door angrily and sat in her chair crossing her legs waiting for her boss to enter. She sat with her arms crossed across her chest as House and the other employees all filed in. Cuddy sent him a glare. He gave her a smirk.

"So you figured it out, eh Cuddles?" House asked as he dully scanned the file. "I expected you to figure it out sooner." He just got a glare from her and his smirk got bigger. "If you haven't learned yet, your piercing glares of terror don't scare me, nor do they kill me. So I suggest you tuck away the daggers."

Cuddy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Just get the game over with House, its lunch time and we're all hungry." She told him. "It may shock you, but you aren't the only one who gets hungry and some of us have places to be."

House smiled and shook his head as he stepped towards her. "You don't get it do you, Cuddles." House began. "This is where you need to be. No where else. Now unless you want to be a horrible mother that we all know you are and lose the spawn you call your daughter I suggest you pipe down." House gauged her for a reaction.

Cuddy looked at him dully. "Is that all? Hmm, I thought you might have something that might actually hurt. Personally, that one is getting pretty old, House," She stated leaning back in her chair. "I guess the infamous, heartless, cold, bastard, and son of a bitch Dr. House finally lost his edge." She smiled. "Or was that your edge? You thought that just be criticizing my parenting styles I will immediately fall to your whim crying."

House stared at her for a moment. Then when a serious tone he stated, "You don't even care anymore if someone calls you a horrible mother." If she wanted a jackass she was going to get one. "You don't care if someone says that your daughter belongs with another family, hmm, wow Cuddy you have actually turned into the worse kind of mother there is. One that doesn't care and I thought you got over that when Rachel was a baby. Damn, I feel pity for the demon spawn. She has a mother who doesn't care."

That actually got Cuddy. She sent him a scowl and her nostrils flared up in anger. Though it was immediately replaced with a look of hurt and sadness that he haunted him everyday. She bit the bottom of lip, urging herself not to show House weakness. Once she got her emotions in check and sat up straight and continued to glare at House waiting for him to dismiss them.

"Numbers 12, 18, 19, 11, 26, 32, 6, 5 and Cuddles can all go to lunch. The rest of you can leave, thanks for playing the short game." House stated dully not taking his eyes off Cuddy.

House held himself back from looking compassionate as he watched Cuddy stand up weakly and head towards the door. He stared at the floor before following her out and heading towards the cafeteria to watch his employees interact. He walked down the corridors deep in thought as the look on Cuddy's face stayed glued in his mind. He had only seen it once before and it hadn't been erased from his mind from the first time. He was quickly pulled out of his thoughts though from the sound of his name.

"House," She called from the end of the hall. He turned and waited as his boss took quick strides towards him. "What the hell were you thinking," She asked angrily. "You solved this case last week and she was recovering. Do you know how frightened she was when some new doctors asked to give her an MRI?" She scolded.

House rolled his eyes. "She's fine," He stated dully. "They told her that she was clear so she has nothing to worry about and it's not like we tried to perform surgery on her again. She had not—"

House was interrupted by a yell coming down the hall. He and Walters turned to see a seven year old girl with a twinkle in her eye run towards House quickly. He quickly recognized the girl and suppressed a smile as she ran up and held onto his leg possessively.

"Daddy," The girl exclaimed happily as a grin glued to her face. House pretended to be confused and looked at the girl in confusion. The girl continued to smile and snuggle into his leg. "We found you daddy, now mommy can stop crying." House's face suddenly turned serious at the girl's statement.

"Rachel," Their attention was taken once more.

Walters saw Cuddy running towards the girl quickly with an older woman behind. Cuddy stood in front of House and reached down for the girl on his pants, but she refused and hid behind House's leg. Cuddy looked down at the girl irritated and worn-out.

"Rachel Cuddy," She said sternly tired of the drivel. "Come out here this instant!" Cuddy commanded in a no nonsense tone.

The girl shook her head and Cuddy looked at her angrily and almost threateningly. That caused Rachel to hide her face more. Cuddy sighed and reached for the girl, but Rachel ran around avoiding Cuddy trying not to get caught. She was afraid of the consequence her mother had prepared for her.

"Daddy," The girl cried reaching up for House who, without hesitation, picked her up out of habit. Rachel hid her face in his shoulder and let a few frightened tears fall. "Save me from mommy." She begged. "She never gets mad after you talk to her."

Walters looked at them as her mouth hung open putting two and two together. House and Cuddy ignored her as Rachel continued to cause a scene. Cuddy glared at House as she gently took Rachel from him and rubbed her back trying to calm her down.

"Shh, Rachel," Cuddy whispered softly. "Mommy is not going to hurt you. She is just upset that you ran off when she wasn't looking and that you were running away from her." She reassured the frightened girl. She rarely got mad at Rachel and the worse she's done so far was take away her teddy bear for an hour.

"Frightening children, eh Cuddy?" House couldn't control his mouth. "I'm surprise they gave you a chance to keep the spawn." House stated and instantaneously received a glare from Cuddy for saying that in front of Rachel.

Cuddy was about to tell him off when she heard Rachel giggle. Rachel got off her mother's shoulder and began to laugh energetically at House's joke. She always knew when House was joking and sometimes it seemed she got him more than anyone he's ever met.

"You're still funny daddy," The girl giggled as her mother continued to bounce her up and down. "I really missed your jokes, daddy," The girl stated, oblivious to the fact that her mother was shooting House a glare saying 'you got lucky.'

"Rachel, sweetie, let's leave mommy and…" Cuddy's mother stuttered thinking of what to call House. "Daddy," She chose eyeing House closely. "Alone to work and when mommy gets home you can bake cookies for daddy for tomorrow." She immediately got a glare from her daughter.

"Have I ever told you I loved your mother, Cuddy?" House smiled behind her. He didn't get a respond, she kept her back to him and he was okay with that. It gave him a chance to see if she had changed much.

Cuddy's mother smiled at House as Rachel agreed and jumped into her grandmother's arms. "Bye daddy," The girl smiled. Before walking off Rachel looked at House lovingly. "I missed you this much," She stretched out her arms.

Rachel's grandmother smiled at her. "We'll get out of your hair now. Good luck," She told Cuddy, knowing that she would need it. "It was nice seeing you again Greg."

"Bye Lauren," House called down the hall. "I'll tell you if, your evil, cookie greedy daughter doesn't give me my special treats tomorrow." He heard her chuckle as she continued down the hall and disappeared through the door.

House and Cuddy finally turned to Walters who continued to look at them with her mouth hanging open. They both raised their eye brows at her asking what could possibly be wrong. Walters seemed to be frozen in her shocked state as she replayed and registered the scene that unfolded mere moments ago.

Walters got out of her state of shock before she finally asked them in an incredulous tone, "You two used to be married?"


A/N: Heheh were they married? lol most of your probably know the answer. I hope you all liked this chapter! What do u think so far about Walters and Cuddy's mom (though she only had like three lines) lol. Please review, they are all appreciated.

-Jess