Chapter 17

Cuddy was seated in House's car in total silence. In her hands was the little velvet box carrying the little ring. She couldn't help but look at it every two seconds. Finally House became annoyed as she opened it for the umpteenth time without saying a word and he spat;

"Jeez Cuddy you can keep looking at that ring and it isn't going to change you know!"

Cuddy looked up appalled at his outburst and answered angrily;

"What is your problem? I love the ring and I will look at the ring as much as I want! This was a wonderful gift given by someone incredibly thoughtful you arrogant jerk!!" Cuddy was shouting by the last part. House began to chuckle. He laughed and laughed as Cuddy's face turned bright red. It was hilarious. She had called him thoughtful and then called him and arrogant jerk. Oh, the irony. He smiled as he answered maliciously;

"You're right Cuddy, that person was most considerate, who was it by the way? Who was so thoughtful?" House asked gleefully.

"They didn't send a card! He or she obviously doesn't have a big ego like you! You didn't even get your baby anything!" Cuddy was furious and she shouted all this until she was out of breath. House looked suddenly very livid as she watched his face contort with rage. She didn't understand what made him so angry until she suddenly understood it all.

"This was from you, wasn't it?" She asked suddenly. House continued to eye the road not willing to answer.

"It was" she whispered as she looked at House at a loss for what to say. It hadn't really crossed her mind that the gift could be from House. She was a little ashamed and embarrassed as she sat there. Of course, after thinking about it for a while she probably would have figured it out. But up until now she hadn't. He continued to look at the road and all she could say was;

"Thank you, so much" tears began falling down her face as she looked at him. She was pleased when he grabbed her hand and answered;

"You're welcome Cuddy."

…

House and Wilson showed up at Cuddy's at eleven am the next morning. Wilson was wearing a green tee with faded jeans, and House was wearing pretty much the same thing, except he was sporting a white tee. Wilson smiled at Cuddy and walked in carrying a toolbox, and House walked in carrying his Vicodin. He popped a couple while following Wilson and then put his little bottle away. Cuddy led them to the nursery where several containers of yellow paint lay, along with a ladder, another toolbox; several paint brushes, and a stool. The men didn't hesitate as they opened the paint and started to paint without further ado. Soon several coats and snide remarks later, the room looked comfortable in a light shade of yellow. House smiled at Wilson to whom he had just painted his hair in the back without the other realizing it and Wilson smiled at House for he had hit House on the back with the paint brush claiming to have tripped.

Cuddy sat in the living room sipping iced tea and looking at all the stuff she had gotten the day before. She was waiting for the room to be ready since most of the stuff was going in there anyways. The ring was in her pocket where she could access it whenever she wanted. She listened as the men laughed in the other room and smiled.

House sighed as he looked around at the finished paint job. It looked pretty good, and he was glad it had turned out so well. Of course, he had done one wall and Wilson had done like three, but it was a big wall! And he was crippled after all. Cuddy came in with their lunch checking out the paint job and smiling.

"It looks nice, you guys ready for a lunch break now?" She asked.

"Lunch was two hours ago Cuddy" House remarked as he grabbed the plate of pizza and sat down on the one stool.

"Thank you" Wilson replied more politely as he began to eat standing up not even needing to turn around to confirm that House had taken the only stool for himself.

"No problem, when do you guys figure the paint will be dry? Because all the stuff is in the living room to be moved in here and you still got to put the crib together" Cuddy said.

"I'd give it about an hour, an hour and a half" Wilson answered. "Just to be sure." When the guys had finished eating they went and watched some TV while Cuddy put the dishes in the dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen a bit. It was late afternoon by the time the men decided the room should be ready to start moving things in after they had watched two episodes of general hospital (House announced there was a marathon). It didn't take long for them to move the dresser into the room (House didn't really put much effort in it and Wilson was pretty red in the face) and then they started on the crib. The instructions were simple enough though putting it together was another story and after a half hour (in which House had gotten quite annoyed and ripped the instructions out of Wilson's hands tearing it in two) the crib was finally all set up. Another twenty minutes later and everything was in the room, the new curtains set up, the lamp plugged in, and the shelves filled. As the three of them looked at the room in satisfaction no one said a word. It was a fine nursery indeed.