Chapter 13

"So how was your first day?" House signed and mouthed to Ulysses once they were in the apartment, he'd managed to make it to the pick up a little after five and left Foreman in charge of the patient who'd gone into cardiac arrest and would be sleeping it off for the next few hours.

He watched Ulysses process the sentence, he was taking off his coat and handed it to House to hang up in the closet beside the foyer.

"It was fun! I learned a lot. Let me show you." Ulysses expressed happily, grabbing House's free hand excitedly and gently pulling him to the living area, seating him on the couch before setting his backpack on the coffee table and pulling out several items. House listened intently while Ulysses explained his day from start to finish, the kids he met, their names, their quirks, his teacher, her quirks, recess, and also how he picked up playing soccer in the after-school program. House nodded his head every now and then to show Ulysses he was listening, throwing a few comments here and there.

"Did you miss me?" House asked as Ulysses took a breath from all the flailing he was doing with his hands and arms. Ulysses looked at him, blankly before his lips spread into a grin and he took a few steps around the coffee table to stand in front of his father.

"I think you missed me." Ulysses replied pointing at himself and House huffed with a grin, shaking his head, he reached out a large hand and ruffled Ulysses curly locks which were choosing to stay it seemed.

"In your dreams, I had other little boys and girls who needed my attention today." House deflected recalling the clinic hours he completed today not wanting to stay over if he didn't complete them before the end of his shift.

"How was work?" Ulysses asked, his eyes bright with intrigue and he sat on the coffee table behind him to watch his father.

"Well, it was boring in the beginning, a lot of paperwork, then the clinic, and then towards the end of the day I got a patient. Went into cardiac arrest before I left, but I think I know what might be the cause." House summarized his day leaving out the details of his fellows, Wilson visit and pressuring him to pay for his meal, and then there was Cuddy.

'Yup, she was asking all about you…' House thought when Ulysses stared at him somberly recalling something the kids had told him earlier.

"Dad." Ulysses called to him and House snapped from his thoughts.

"What's up, buddy? You hungry?" House asked, checking his watch, it was nearing time for dinner and he wanted to avoid ordering take-out if possible. There should be left-over pasta the neighbor down the hall gifted him yesterday when they arrived home from pizza.

"No it's just…" Ulysses twisted his lips side to side not knowing how to express the feeling he was feeling.

"My mom…she didn't want me…"

House nodded, not knowing where the kid was going with this since they'd spoken about this subject before and he seemed to understand it.

"That's not normal. Mom's should want their kids." Ulysses expressed and House bit down on his jaw, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him and the casual expression he had fell.

"The kids at school, they said they couldn't imagine…their moms not wanting them. I never thought about it because I never had one. She didn't want me because I was deaf. Is she a bad person?" Ulysses asked, his eyes curious and showing no signs of being sad.

"Listen, I never met your mom. I told you that. I told you about how you came to be. Some people aren't satisfied when their kids aren't perfect, doesn't matter if she raised you or not. It doesn't make her a bad person for not wanting you, she gave you away so someone who did want you would know how to take care of you. If anything she did good by doing that." House lectured Ulysses who listened attentively, biting his lip and when he felt his father reach out and grab his shoulders softly he parted his lips.

"I told the kids, even if I don't have a mommy. At least I have you." Ulysses expressed with a small smile that reached his eyes, it pained House to see Cuddy in his face and he smiled softly, holding back tears that stung his eyes and he pulled the boy's small frame to his and hugged him.

"Now, let's eat."

—-

Over the next few months House had managed to acquire a new vehicle at the expense of selling his motorcycle which Wilson was all too happy to see go. He'd informed House it was only a matter of when that motorcycle would cost him his other leg and severely cripple him to a paraplegic. Wilson had even gone by the apartment a few times to hang-out after work, bonding with Ulysses who was teaching him ASL, and shouting at the TV with House when their team scored. Thankfully, the boy being deaf did come in handy when they were being very loud and he didn't even flinch when he'd stay with them in the living room.

Not just that, but for the past few months his fellows had joined him on a number of excursions after work hours such as bowling, karaoke, theme-parks, aquariums, laser-tag, and other festivities that a 4 year old could attend. The team had a blast with the kid and with this new fatherhood House was presenting, sharing drinks and laughs while taking photos with the kid who was quite the charmer. He was the complete opposite of House, he was goofy and very charismatic even if he couldn't hear or communicate normally he'd find a way to express himself. House had several binders full of photos with all the festivities Ulysses attended with the fellows and it was full of smiles and laughter. Several photos were of course, peer-pressuring Wilson to drinking contests or eating contests which resulted in blackmail material.

House was on his way into work, swinging his new set of keys in his finger with pride and a smug smile. This car had a button to unlock the doors, his last one he had to physically unlock it and lock it, not to mention physically rolling down the windows. Also, Ulysses seemed to be happy with the new car, dancing around when House pulled up in it and Wilson was watching Ulysses so that they could surprise him.

"You're awfully happy. Should I be worried?" Cuddy asked when House strolled into the Diagnostic room to greet his fellows with a triumphant smirk splayed across his face.

"Why are you here?" House furrowed his brows before moving to his office, setting down his blue backpack and unloading it before removing his winter coat.

"I'm here to inform you and your team of your new patient." Cuddy replied, holding a blue folder in her hand and House bit his lip, reaching for it with an interested squint.

"He's happy because Ulysses won the bowling match last night." Chase grumbled, putting a hand to his forehead solemnly.

"Who would think a 4 year old would be so good at bowling?" Foreman commented incredulously, shaking his head before setting his pen down on the table before him.

"He learned from the best. You should see him skateboard." House replied, taking the patient file from Cuddy before she took it back with her mouth agape and brows drawn in scolding.

"You let a 4 year old skateboard? That's extremely dangerous." She scolded him.

"Oh please, he has a helmet and padding. Plus his last fall helped him knock out the loose tooth he refused to let me tie to a door." House replied nonchalant, rolling his eyes and trying to reach for the file once more.

"You are unbelieva–." Cuddy was cut off when Taub spoke up.

"He only won because his ball is smaller and lighter."

"Ah, ah, ah, don't be a sore loser. It's all in the technique. The flick of the wrist." House flicked his wrist in expression and Taub clicked his tongue looking away in annoyance.

"Did you put money under his pillow, like a good tooth fairy?" Thirteen questioned him with a huff and a dimpled smile.

"Yes, I got dressed up and everything. Snuck into his room and guess what? He didn't hear a thing." House huffed from his own joke and the team shook their head at his lack of tact towards his son's deficit.

"It's like a child raising a child." Cuddy mumbled before finally giving up the file to House which he took with a satisfied smile, opening it to gaze at the contents.

"Alright, fellows, look alive. This is one of the bosses' donor friends so we need to be extra careful on how we handle," House hung his head low into the file and squinted at the woman's name comedically.

"Ms. Crawfords means of care. And by care, I mean the strange warts in her vagina." House announced before stepping away from Cuddy, going to the board and uncapping a marker when Cuddy realized something.

"Wait a minute, you all went bowling, willingly, with House?" Cuddy announced with disbelief.

"Wilson was there too. And the kid." Foreman replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"We went to Karaoke last week, kid was there too. Great singer!" Chase replied thinking for a moment on the festivities that they had all gotten into the past few months with this new House.

"There was also the theme park, we got Ulysses to stage dive." Thirteen informed her with a huff recalling the little boy jumping off the stage of the children's show.

"There was also the aquarium where House lowered Ulysses into one of the open tanks." Taub replied, recalling House's team building excursions which involved going on various adult adventures with a 4 year old in the mix while his team consulted with him. Cuddy was in shock as to what House was exposing a child so young to and her expression was that of complete horror.

"Oh please, the sharks weren't going to eat him. Those ones don't eat small children, the attendant told me." House replied from the board, not turning around while he kept writing down the symptoms.

"House can I speak to you outside?" Cuddy swallowed, straightening her jaw and folding her arms over her chest.

"We just started-."

"Now." She said pointedly, looking to his team before looking back at him and he threw the marker towards Foreman who caught it. Following Cuddy out of the diagnostic room, he put a hand on his hip and stared at her mockingly.

"What?" He questioned, cluelessly.

"House, I cannot believe you've been dragging your young son along with your fellows to god knows where and exposing him to god knows what. That is completely irresponsible." She scolded him with a look of serious concern and also upset with his behavior.

"Look, I know you're jealous because you haven't been invited to any of these festivities and your little flea is too young for said activities, but there really isn't anything to worry about." House replied coolly with a laugh in his voice and his expression nonchalant about all the adventures that had taken place over the last few months.

"Nothing to worry about, really? Cause it sounds like he's around people far too old for him, hearing and seeing things he's far too young to see." Cuddy scolded once more, imagining the team drinking around the kid, cursing being said in the places they went, or fights going on in the background.

"Why don't you worry about your own baby and who you trust watching her because clearly you don't!" House raised his voice angrily, poking her where it hurt, but she had no right to assume he was being irresponsible with Ulysses. The team overhead his outburst, they turned away from the sight slowly and hunched themselves over their work awkwardly. A few employees in the hallway had heard him as well, lowered their heads and went out of sight while Cuddy stared up at him.

'Crap…' House thought, her eyes were glistening with tears and he hadn't meant for that to come out so harshly, but she had no right to assume anything. He was always attentive of Ulysses, he'd informed his team over and over again to treat him like any other kid, not to see his deficit and they had listened. They played with him, bonded with him, taught him, and even learned from him.

Cuddy said nothing, she merely stomped away from him but she held her head up high and made her way back down to her office holding back the ache in her throat that threatened to come out. She sat at her desk and screamed into her hands, she was so upset with his insult, but he was right. She never had time to watch Rachel during the day, having babysitters look after her or Lucas if he came home early from work or didn't have work and so far it worked with her hectic schedule.

'Why would he say that?' She thought. It's not like Lucas would ever harm Rachel, she trusted him and never even thought of something like that happening. But now the fact he mentioned it to her in a moment of rage when he was being brutally honest, worry began to plague her and she looked at the phone on her desk.

—-

"I heard you told Cuddy off." Wilson announced during lunch with House in the cafeteria, they were seated at a booth and House was lounging dipping his fries in ketchup.

"Oh please, she deserved it." House clicked his tongue, popping the fry into his mouth and chewing on it with delight when Wilson shot him a look.

"You almost told her about what happened with…Rachel." Wilson whispered the last part, looking around to see if anyone was listening to their conversation.

"But I didn't. And she started it. Calling me irresponsible." House grumbled at the thought, pulling away from his lounging position to a sitting one, facing Wilson now, he reached down to pick up his egg salad sandwich.

"Well, if you would invite her on one of these playdates maybe she wouldn't quickly assume you're putting him in harm's way." Wilson lectured while House inhaled before exhaling, taking a large bite of his sandwich while Wilson furrowed his brows coming to a realization.

"Wait a minute. You haven't let her see him at all, have you? Are you hiding him from her?" Wilson asked and House mentally checked out, this was something he didn't want Wilson to go poking around for the truth.

"No. She has her own kid. I don't see a point in inviting her when she has her own and that would mean that idiot would have to tag along with her and ruin all our nights with his stupid jokes." House replied smoothly, looking around the cafeteria before looking back at Wilson who held an accusatory finger.

"No, there's a reason you're hiding him. She doesn't know a thing about him, besides his name and his age." Wilson said with a matter of fact.

"It's none of her business. I don't need her to tell me how to parent him or try to turn him against me." House grumbled at the thought of Ulysses taking a liking to Cuddy which he could guarantee the little guy would immediately since they shared so much in common already.

"Why would she turn him against you? That kid worships the ground you walk on. I doubt meeting Cuddy would change that." Wilson laughed at House's sudden possessiveness.

"I just…a few months ago Ulysses mentioned his mother and…" Wilson suddenly straightened up, it had been months and House had not shared any information about Ulysses mother or where he came from.

"Look, his mother gave him up when she found out he was born deaf. I don't want Cuddy to meet him because I already know the first thing she's going to do is feel sorry for him and I don't want that. He doesn't need that. He's going to want it from her and I don't want that." House explained seriously, Wilson nodded his head in reply before looking down at his food to resume eating.

"She's become very motherly since Rachel." Wilson spoke up after a long pause and it earned a snort from House.

"Too much so that it attracted a mommy issue lunatic." House quipped.

"You're one to talk." Wilson huffed and House stepped on his foot.

"Ow!"