2010
House was leaning against the post at the nurses station watching Reilly and Kutner work on their patient, a sixteen year old experiencing hallucinations and suffering with liver failure. Cameron sat on one of the couches outside the room with the girl's parents getting as detailed a history as possible. House looked up at all the Christmas decorations and then back at Cameron. She was well into her sixth month of pregnancy and her belly jutted out. Her face was rounder and there was something softer about her. House refused to let her go anywhere near the patients and refused to let her work in the clinic. He made a deal with Cuddy to take over her clinic hours himself. Reilly commented once about his selfless behavior but he denied it telling her he didn't want to be responsible for Cameron giving birth to a two headed baby.
Cuddy walked up to him and leaned back on the counter. "I need a favor," she told him.
"And what do I get?" he asked.
"I'm overhauling the way we handle the clinic," she began.
"Don't you mean the way you handle the Eighth Circle of Hell?" he interrupted.
"And I'm assigning two doctors to work there full-time and have the residents treat the patients. They'll be supervised and the rest of the staff can tend to their own patients. So, no more clinic duty for you. Now-"
"That's not really giving me anything," he asserted. "That's just something you should have done years ago. What do I get for doing this favor of which you speak?"
She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"
"A forty inch flat screen plasma television mounted on the wall in my office. And I want cable. The good kind."
Cuddy folded her arms and tapped one foot.
"You're going to fold since all the other departments have their own lounges with those TVs. So, what do you want and how soon will I get my TV?" he asked.
"Next week," she responded through clenched teeth. "And I want you to ask Reilly to write a letter for me. I'm trying to adopt a baby and I need character references. My lawyer said getting one from someone like Reilly will boost my chances."
"Why Reilly?" he asked. "Why not Cameron or Wilson? Or me?"
"They've already written them for me and there's no way I'm letting you write one."
"Did you ask Reilly?"
Cuddy bit her bottom lip. "She doesn't like me. However, she'll do whatever you ask her to do."
"Actually, she does what she wants," he told her. "But I'll ask. I should warn you, though, that she may want something, too."
"I can't give her anything."
House laughed. "She may ask you to say thank you."
She straightened up and turned on him. "Why do you have to do that?"
He shrugged. "Because it's fun?"
"You're an ass," she ground out and started to walk away.
"Tell me something I don't know," he called out after her.
That night House went over to Reilly's home. He used his key and made his way back to the kitchen. Reilly and Jenny sat at the island in the middle of the kitchen with college letters spread in front of them. The smell of tacos filled the air. The kitchen table was set for three. Reilly glanced up at House as he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beer.
"What's up?" she asked him.
He jerked his chin in the direction of the letters. "Acceptance letters?" he asked.
"Yep," she responded with a smile. "She got accepted to nearly every college she applied to. She's just trying to decide where she wants to go."
House hung his cane on the edge of the island and limped around to sit on a stool next to Jenny. She pushed the letters over to him. He looked at each one.
"Impressive," he commented. He held out one letter. "Your mom and I went to Harvard. Sarah says she loves it there."
"I know," Jenny sighed tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The lights from the kitchen brought out the gold highlights in her long, wavy hair. "But, I kind of want to join the Peace Corps for a year. I'm also thinking about going to MIT. I can get a double degree in physics and math there and also get my masters. Then I could go basically anywhere to get my PhD." She looked at Greg with her clear green eyes. "What do you think?"
"I think you've already made up your mind," he told her.
She smiled. "Yeah, I have. I'm going to join the Peace Corps and then go to MIT."
Reilly kissed her cheek. "Good choice. Now, let's eat."
After dinner, Jenny went upstairs to her bedroom and Reilly joined House on the couch.
"Cuddy wants me to write her a letter so she can adopt a baby," she said as she sat down.
"Who mentioned it?" he asked. "Wilson or Cameron?"
"Oh, they told me they were writing letters for her. Why can't she just ask me?"
House smirked. "You don't like her and she knows it."
"Well, if she wants me to write a letter," Reilly said. "She needs to ask me. Nicely. And thank me."
"I will pass that along," he told her as he leaned forward and picked up the remote.
"No sports," she told him. "There's a show on TNT I started watching. It's called Leverage."
"Does it have lesbians or car chases?" he asked.
"No lesbians but it lots of fight scenes."
"Fine," House acquiesced and found the station.
The next morning, Cuddy walked into House's office where he and Reilly stood looking at an MRI on the lightboard.
"May I have a moment of your time, Doctor McGrath?" she asked.
"Of course, Doctor Cuddy," Reilly replied in a neutral voice. She followed Cuddy out into the hallway. Cuddy folded her hands and looked directly at Reilly.
"I'm trying to adopt a baby," she began. "I need letters of reference. Character reference. I would be honored if you would write one for me."
Reilly inclined her head. "I'd be happy to do that for you."
Cuddy nodded. "Thank you."
Reilly reached into the pocket of her lab coat and pulled out an envelope. She handed it to Cuddy.
"Already done," she smiled.
Cuddy looked down at the cream colored envelope. "House told you."
"Last night. Why didn't you just ask me in the first place?" Reilly asked.
Cuddy looked up at her. "You don't like me."
"I don't like some of the things you do. I respect you, though. So, next time you need me to do something, just ask me."
Cuddy nodded and smiled. "I will," she assured her. She held up the letter. "Thank you for this."
Reilly nodded. "Good luck."
"Your patient. Natalie?" Cuddy asked. "I went to talk to her. There's something going on with her that she isn't telling. I'd like to help out with this case."
"That would be great," Reilly responded. "Did she ask you if you have kids?"
"Yeah, she did," Cuddy replied. "And she asked about Allison's pregnancy."
"Would you be willing to do a vaginal exam on her?"
"What are you thinking?" Cuddy asked.
"Well, I'm not entirely certain," Reilly told her. "But, I think she may have been pregnant. Probably had the baby and she might have eclampsia. She's just too fixated on kids and pregnancy." She shook her head. "I really hope I'm wrong, though."
"I'll exam her," Cuddy told her and walked away.
Cuddy entered Natalie's room to find her doing homework. She smiled at Cuddy who smiled back.
"Doing homework?" Cuddy asked as she approached her and pulled a pair of latex gloves out of the container by the bed.
"Yeah, Simon brought it," Natalie told her. "I don't want to fall behind." Suddenly she dropped her pencil and began to seize. Cuddy rolled her on her side and called a code.
"Lorazepam!" Cuddy ordered the nurses who rushed in. One grabbed a syringe from the crash cart they brought in and injected the contents into Natalie's IV. As the drug worked its way through her system she stilled. The heart monitor began to beep frantically.
"Jesus Christ!" Cuddy yelled. "She's bradycardic! Push an amp of atropine!"
Two days later, Reilly met Cuddy outside Natalie's room. Natalie's parents were in the room with her.
"Natalie definitely has eclampsia," Cuddy told her. "I told the parents a couple days ago. They aren't handling it too well. What did you find out?"
"I sent the police to the building she told you about," Reilly told Cuddy. "The baby is alive. A homeless couple was caring for her. She's upstairs in the NICU. I talked to the social worker. She said you can be approved for emergency foster care if her parents agree. We found out that her friend Simon is the father. His parents don't want anything to do with the baby." Reilly shook her head in disgust. "I can talk to Natalie's parents if you want to go upstairs and talk to the social worker."
"You did that for me?"
Reilly smiled sadly. "You want a baby and I have a feeling that baby is going to need a good mother. That would be you."
"Thank you," Cuddy said and walked toward the elevators.
Reilly entered Natalie's room.
"Did they find her body?" Natalie asked.
"They found her and she's alive," Reilly told her. "She's upstairs in the NICU." She looked at Natalie's parents. "The social worker is with the baby now. The father's parents-"
"It was Simon," Natalie whispered. Her mother stood and put her arms around Natalie.
"His parents can't take on the responsibility of a baby," Reilly told them. "So, do you want to take custody of your granddaughter?"
"We talked about it," Natalie's father said. "It's all just too painful. We want to put her up for adoption."
"Could I see her?" Natalie asked. "Maybe hold her?"
"Absolutely," Reilly told her. "I'll go get her."
Reilly went up to the NICU. Cuddy stood over the baby's crib. She looked up at Reilly.
"Get approved," Reilly told her. "Natalie's parents are putting the little one up for adoption. I'm going to take her down so Natalie can see her."
"Rachel," Cuddy told her. "Her name is Rachel."
Reilly carefully picked Rachel up and took her downstairs to Natalie. She gently placed the baby in the girl's arms.
"She's so beautiful," Natalie breathed as she held Rachel close. "Will she have to go to an orphanage?"
"No," Reilly told her. "Doctor Cuddy is going to adopt her."
Natalie smiled weakly. She began to sag against the pillows. Reilly took Rachel from her.
"I'm glad," Natalie said softly. "I like Doctor Cuddy." She closed her eyes and the heart monitor emitted a long, steady tone. Her parents began to cry and a nurse came in and turned off the monitor. Reilly gave the baby to the nurse and told her to take her back upstairs. Then she moved to Natalie's side and smoothed back her hair. Softly she began to recite The Prayer For The Dead. When she finished, Natalie's father looked at her.
"Thank you for that," he whispered. His wife nodded and then reached out to stroke her daughter's hair. Reilly stepped back and left the room. House stood just outside. He looked at her silently. Slowly she walked up to him and rested her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his free arm around her and she sighed as she leaned into him, her hands gripping his waist. They stood like that for a long time.