Chapter 16
It was dawn. Blinking to clear the dim blue light that echoed into the empty loft, the man in the bed shifted and he moved his body towards the edge of the bed, swinging his legs outward to greet the drop in temperature.
"This loft seemed like a great idea at the time, but now it's just depressing." Wilson said, rubbing his face roughly to shake away the tiredness that still clung to his body. Reaching over to the night stand, he grabbed his watch, wrapping it around his arm, he got up and headed towards the en suite. He turned on the sink, ducked down and splash water across his features which sent a chill throughout his body and he bristled at the contact. Looking up into the mirror, his reflection staring back at him, he was starting to regret agreeing to give Cuddy a ride to the conference. He was aware she was having problems with Lucas the past few months, House being a major factor in their arguments which surprised him since he thought Lucas was the only guy who could handle the baggage Cuddy brought with her that was House, but he thought wrong.
She hadn't openly admitted to him about her problems with Lucas or House being involved, but he'd gone to her office one afternoon to drop off his department's budget report and he caught them arguing rather loudly. He'd heard House's name drop from Lucas several times and Cuddy dismissed his accusations. As far as Wilson knew, House was no longer pursuing Cuddy or even liked her, it had gone back to the beginning where he would just sexually harass her or torment her to be an ass. If anything they were back on friendly terms which Wilson was relieved to see and experience, but also it seemed to transition after she met Ulysses.
House was so adamant about her not meeting the boy, but he'd eventually ended up bringing Ulysses to the hospital a few times and took him down to her office so he could see her again. Wilson wasn't sure why House was so against them meeting in the first place, but he didn't exactly let them have too much contact before he would cut it short and leave.
'They do look…no…that's ridiculous,' Wilson thought, shaking his head at the thought, he finished tying his tie and went to grab his suitcase which he'd packed the previous night. He had a bagel with cream cheese and a cup of coffee before he headed out the door. He placed his suitcase inside the trunk of his car, scooching it towards the side to make room for Cuddy's belongings which would include her suitcase, diaper bag, and the stroller.
Wilson hadn't seen Rachel since the incident with Sam all those nights ago, but he still avoided her like the plague and only made friendly conversation when Cuddy mentioned her before trying to change the subject quickly. He wanted to say no when she asked him for a ride because he knew she would also ask for him to watch Rachel again since she thinks he's trustworthy. It wasn't his fault with what happened to Rachel, but he still couldn't set aside his guilt and blamed himself for it happening regardless.
House was supposed to ride with him, but decided at the last minute he would drive himself since Ulysses was experiencing accidents and he didn't need Wilson yelling in his ear about car upholstery.
He wouldn't have given a damn if Ulysses peed in his backseat as long as he could have both of them there with him to give him support in handling Cuddy and Rachel. He'd done what House told him and said nothing. He'd gone several months with never saying anything and avoiding Rachel like the plague when she graced the hospital with her presence which included Lucas which was a bonus because then House wanted to avoid him as well and it gave Wilson the excuse to skip out on work.
Cuddy was in the living room pacing back and forth across the house to ensure everything was accounted for before she left. Rachel was in a walker, stationary by the couch where she played with the numerous toys strewn about the contraption and babbled to herself quietly. Cuddy was already stressed, Lucas had swung by alright and made a mess, he didn't place anything back where it was supposed to go and now she was struggling trying to find the stroller and Rachel's favorite bunny rabbit. Her suitcase was sitting in the foyer along with Rachel's diaper bag which included spare clothes for the weekend.
"Hello?" Cuddy answered her phone while searching the hallway closet for the stroller to magically appear inside, but to her dismay it did not and she groaned in frustration.
"Are you alright?" Wilson was on the other end and she put a hand to her forehead, biting her lip in apology.
"Sorry, I'm just stressed because–are you here already?" She cut herself off and walked towards the windows to see Wilson sitting in her driveway patiently waiting for her and she cursed under her breath.
"Do you need some help?" Wilson asked, not really wanting to help, but if Rachel were asleep it would make things easier and so he got out of the car still holding the phone to his ear.
"Yeah, I'm looking for her stroller which has magically disappeared." Cuddy replied in annoyance throwing her arms up in the air in expression while leaning the phone against her shoulder.
"You mean the one outside?" Wilson pointed out, standing in front of her door and looking down at the perfectly clean black stroller sitting there. She swung open the door harshly and looked at Wilson before averting her eyes to where he was pointing and lo and behold there it was.
"I'm gonna kill him." Cuddy threatened, hanging up the phone and putting it in her pocket before kicking in the stroller to collapse. He watched her do it angrily and wondered who pissed her off this time, the lines between House and Lucas becoming blurred. He scratched his cheek.
"Who, House?" Wilson asked stupidly. She picked up the stroller off of the floor once it was collapsed and flat ready to be transported in a larger vehicle, she handed it off to him with a huff.
"No, surprisingly, not this time. Lucas." She replied and he took it clumsily before turning around, popping the trunk of his car. He placed the stroller beside the car but not in it. Waiting for her luggage. He wasn't sure just what the extent of Cuddy's and Lucas's relationship struggles were, but he always knew their relationship would never last because her heart wasn't in it and he was the wrong guy.
"Has he called?" Wilson asked, turning from the car and following after her into the house, noting her luggage sitting in the foyer beside the diaper bag which was Rachel's predisposed luggage.
"No, I've been trying to get a hold of him all night and this morning. Can you help me look for her pink bunny rabbit? I can't find it anywhere and she'll be fussy the whole ride through if she doesn't have it." Cuddy pleaded to Wilson who shifted nervously, slapping his hands to his sides softly and peered around the corner nervously before making his way further into the house.
He saw Rachel out of the corner of his eye, she was playing in the walker babbling away and slapping at a raddle while her mother was pulling her hair out. Furrowing his brows, he swallowed and made his way over to her. She stopped playing and looked up at him with bright green eyes, her mouth was neutral before it spread into a cheeky grin and he found the corners of his lips upturning. He pulled her up from the walker and underneath where she had been sitting was the pink bunny rabbit, he picked it up and handed it to her which she took with delight, nuzzling it.
"I don't know what I'm gonna do." Cuddy made her way back into the living area with tears in her eyes and a hand to her forehead to keep her steady.
"Relax, Cuddy. I found it." Wilson called out to her, balancing Rachel on his hip who was holding the pink bunny rabbit in her hands and Cuddy broke down. He was in such an awkward position, holding the baby and watching his friend crumble onto the floor because she couldn't find her daughter's stuffed animal. He wondered how he always found himself in these situations, he always warranted himself as approachable and trustworthy, but as of recently he was far from that.
He set Rachel back into the walker and made his way over to Cuddy, kneeling beside her and rubbing her upper back softly.
"Hey, hey." He called out to her softly. "It's okay."
"No, it's not okay. What kind of mother am I if I can't even find a stupid stuffed animal?" She ridiculed herself through a deep sob, her chest caved in before her tears poured out smearing her mascara and that probably even made the situation worse because she would need to redo her makeup on time she did not have. He could tell she was clearly not having a good day and he thought he wasn't having a good day because he'd have to face his demons by looking after Rachel again.
"It's just a doll, Cuddy. She's fine, why don't we get you a glass of water. Breathe a bit before we head out. We still have plenty of time." He coaxed her and after a few stressed sobs, she nodded and arose from the floor going to the kitchen. Wilson stayed with Rachel who was curiously watching them, not knowing what had just transpired but happy to have her doll. Wilson went to grab the carseat in the foyer to lessen Cuddy's stress load, he brought Rachel over to the carseat and placed her inside gently.
"Lucas has just been so infuriating lately. He just comes and goes and makes a mess. Doesn't tell me where he puts things and never answers his damn phone!" Cuddy was venting now and she slammed the cabinet door shut harshly which scared Rachel. She flinched hard, Wilson was strapping her in when her face began to scrunch up in a frown and she blew out of her nose a few times before breaking out into a cry.
"Oh dear." Wilson said frowning, the last thing he wanted to hear was Rachel crying, it brought back memories he'd like to remain buried. He rocked her gently to soothe her and Cuddy went around the kitchen island, she quickly kneeled down beside him in the foyer.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Cuddy apologized to the baby and soon Wilson had two women crying in front of him. He wished House wouldn't have flaked on him and would have joined him on the drive over, but no he was worried about Ulysses peeing in the backseat.
After several minutes, Wilson had the trunk packed and secured, Rachel was placed in the backseat holding a bottle with Cuddy sitting beside her on the passenger side while she sat in the middle beside the booster seat. Wilson hadn't answered her when she questioned why he had a booster seat because he was battling traffic he had been trying to avoid by picking her up early.
"Sometimes House needs me to watch Ulysses when he's busy with a case. He got annoyed with switching the booster seat from my car to his, so he told me to buy my own." Wilson answered her once they were safely onto the highway and Cuddy snorted at his reply.
"Wow, some friend? You're doing him a favor and he still has the audacity to boss you around." Cuddy shook her head watching Rachel's eyes begin to flutter close as the bottle was nearing its end, she smiled softly down at her.
"It's not often he asks. If anything he tries to avoid leaving Ulysses with anyone, so much so he called his mom to come and stay with him during the winter break when Ulysses didn't have school." Wilson explained, he agreed that House could be a jerk even when needing something, but of course Wilson knew it came with the territory and he liked Ulysses.
"His mother?" Cuddy asked with surprise.
"Yeah, she came down to meet him for the first time on Thanksgiving. I told House it was important for Ulysses to celebrate the holidays like any normal child and not to rob him of family cheer just cause he hates it." Wilson explained, catching a glimpse of Cuddy in the rearview mirror before casting his attention back onto the road.
"What happened?" Cuddy asked, curious now. She recalled the last Thanksgiving House wanted to spend with her and she'd tricked him because of Lucas. She'd felt really bad about the entire thing, but then she found out he'd been plotting to break them up which eventually she no longer felt guilty over.
"Well, she was surprised like all of us were, but one look at him and she knew it was his son. I tell you, I don't know if you've ever seen a photo of him as a child, but they are identical. Like all new grandma's, she welcomed him with open arms and of course, he lacks a maternal figure in his life, and ended up getting really emotional and cried." Wilson explained, recalling the Thanksgiving dinner where Ulysses was so overwhelmed with the revelation, it was as if he'd seen the Virgin Mary herself and he'd hugged her as if she'd break.
"How did House react to all of this? The dinner, his mom, and his son crying all in one sitting?" Cuddy asked, House wasn't the type of person who liked to associate with people and avoided conflict, but sure loved to cause it.
"He was crying." Wilson replied bluntly. The car was silent save for the soft drum of the vehicle strumming across the highway and the soft jazz music playing on a low volume from the car stereo.
"What?" Cuddy asked in disbelief.
"Don't tell him I told you this, but he was. He was standing there watching the two meet and he began to cry. Of course, he turned away so none of us could see and excused himself. After dinner, House excused himself to talk with his mother outside alone. I don't know what they talked about, but she came in and looked at Ulysses differently." Wilson explained, he recalled House giving Wilson a pointed stare telling him to look after Ulysses and not to eavesdrop on their conversation. They had walked out into the apartment hallway and stood out there for a good ten minutes or so before re-emerging and she looked at Ulysses with sadness.
"Different how?" Cuddy asked, pursing her lips and furrowing her brow. She removed the bottle from Rachel who was fast asleep now.
"When House first brought Ulysses to the hospital, he told his team and me to treat him like we would any other child. To not feel sorry for him. He emphasized this greatly." Wilson began.
"So, when she came back inside, she looked like she was sorry about something else, something that didn't have to do with him being deaf. That something being I have no idea, but ever since then she's been looking after him whenever she can." Wilson expressed and Cuddy was silent, unsure of how to process this news.
"Well, he doesn't have a maternal figure because he's surrounded by men." Cuddy made light of the situation and Wilson chuckled at the comment.
"I did try to get House to date. We all did, to go and meet other single mothers." Wilson huffed at the memory of arranging several blind dates that the fellows and himself went to, again. He recalled House saying that he didn't want women to be coming in and out of his life because it would send the wrong message to Ulysses, he didn't want to be like Cuddy.
"And what happened?" Cuddy felt a bit irked by the idea they tried to get House to date other single mothers when he had all but tormented her and ridiculed her for being a single mother.
'Well, none of them were you…' Wilson thought. He knew House definitely had a type, preferably brunettes that could boss him around and weren't afraid to bite back.
"Well, let's just say it didn't work out." Wilson replied.
"Wilson." Cuddy called out to him knowing that wasn't the whole story and Wilson hummed in protest before giving in.
"House being House said he didn't want to date because it wouldn't be appropriate for his son. He doesn't want women to be coming in and out of their lives, it'll send the wrong message." Wilson explained, leaving out the part where House insulted Cuddy with her choice in letting a stranger like Lucas look after and raise her baby when she didn't even love the idiot.
"That's hard to believe with his history of hiring hookers to come in and out of his life before." Cuddy snorted.
"This is kind of personal, but I'm sure it's been awhile if you know what I mean." Wilson commented suggestively and Cuddy smiled in disbelief.
"Wilson!" She laughed and he chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.
"I tried asking him, but he gave me this look. I'm sure he's been busy hanging out with his son, he just doesn't have time for–love?" Wilson tried to find an appropriate word in the same sentence as his son, but settled on love instead knowing House didn't believe in it.
"I'm sure he finds time for love in the shower." Cuddy commented, looking over at Rachel who was still peacefully asleep. Wilson chuckled in response, sure that that statement was indeed true.
"I'm sure the principal at the school has a crush on him, you should have seen her at the Christmas performance." Wilson expressed, feeling himself relax and let loose his tongue he wasn't able to confide in with anyone else.
"What performance?" Cuddy asked furrowing her brows, not really liking another woman finding House attractive enough to pursue considering his emotional baggage.
"Well, back in December, Ulysses class had a Winter Performance which House invited me to since his mother couldn't make it due to harsh weather conditions. It was so cute, his class were dressed up as Christmas elves and did a little dance with Christmas carols playing in the background." Wilson expressed recalling the Christmas decorations on the stage, the preschoolers dressed up in their little elf outfits, fake ears, and little hats while they did a little unchoreographed dance. Of course, House said his kid was the only one who knew the entire thing since they spent weeks getting it right while the idiot kids on stage fumbled and one even fell while another cried.
"Well, after the performance, the administrator, Deborah. She came over to congratulate each of the parents and sort of invited House to spend New Years with her. She's really pretty so I'd figure he'd say yes." Wilson said recalling how attractive the administrator of the school was, she was tall with green eyes and sandy brown hair, but not a dark brunette that House preferred.
"What did he do? Insult her?" Cuddy snorted, but House was never one to shrink away from an open invitation especially with attractive women.
"No, he just said he was spending New Years with his hospital administrator and walked away with Ulysses." Wilson replied, recalling Deborah clapping her hands together awkwardly before walking away and talking with another family.
"He didn't come to the New Years party?" Cuddy questioned, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion and Wilson shrugged.
"Well, he sort of did. He was in his office. His team brought him some food from downstairs and he watched the fireworks from the balcony with his son." Wilson expressed and Cuddy leaned over, slapping his shoulder softly which he flinched towards, but still kept his hands on the wheel.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Cuddy asked, wishing she had known, she always treasured every moment she got to spend with Ulysses and it was always incredibly rare or incredibly short. He kept her at a distance when it came to his son, but his son was alway very eager to see her and 'talk' with her.
"He told me not to. You were downstairs with Lucas and he had Ulysses. That combination, in the same building let alone the same room, would not fly well." Wilson expressed, he'd recalled the threatening aura that came from House that day and he knew that if Lucas even so much as breathed near the kid, House would end up in jail, again.
"You're right. It's a good thing you two didn't say anything, but did Ulysses at least have fun?" Cuddy asked, she had been protective of Ulysses as well. She hadn't even mentioned him whatsoever to Lucas, something was keeping her from telling him and it didn't have to do with House's trust but something else internal that she couldn't put a finger on.
"Yeah, he had a lot of fun going into a sugar coma and passing out for the first two hours before we woke him up to see the fireworks." Wilson chuckled recalling how quickly Ulysses had eaten up the plates of sweets Chase had brought up for him and House had allowed it since it was a special night. He was bouncing off the walls before eventually crashing in the middle of House's office floor where Wilson picked him up and placed him in the lounge chair, covering him with his lab coat.
"He was bummed out about not seeing you. I think he likes you." Wilson said, recalling the fact that Ulysses asked for Cuddy all the time or about her, but House always informed him she was busy running a hospital and living a double life with a man she didn't love. Of course, Wilson would step in and try to answer any of his questions, but sometimes they were too personal with regards to her relationship with House and Wilson didn't feel it was in his place to tell him the truth.
"I would have liked to see him too. He's adorable, the complete opposite of House." Cuddy cooed before chuckling and Wilson nodded in agreement before pulling off of the highway and going down a forested road.
"It is hard to believe they're related considering how different their personalities are which his mom also mentioned. She said he must be like his mother." Wilson said before quickly realizing he shouldn't have said that and hoped Cuddy wouldn't press into it.
"Oh look, we're here!" Wilson sent a silent prayer and pulled into the hotel they would be staying at for the weekend.