Chapter 24

As the plane taxied down the runway, Hope and Cuddy settled into their seats, the hum of the engines providing a soothing backdrop to their journey. Hope had her nose buried in a thick textbook on anatomical pathology, her brow furrowed in concentration as she flipped through the pages.

Cuddy observed her daughter with pride, a fond smile gracing her lips. "You're really into that book, aren't you, Hope?" she remarked, her voice filled with admiration.

Hope glanced up from her book, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Yeah, Mom. I find it so fascinating," she replied eagerly. "I really like this book, it's a shame I almost read it all."

Cuddy's heart swelled with pride at her daughter's ambition. "I've been wondering Hope, do you have any ideia what you want to be when you grow up" Hope look at her mother and exclaimed, her voice tinged with joy. "I wanf to be a doctor mom, just like you and dad!!" she declared with conviction. "I want to help people who are really sick, and I want to find out what's wrong with them."

Cuddy couldn't contain her smile at Hope's choice. "I'm sure you will be na amazing doctor baby" she praised, her eyes shining with pride.

A few hours later and as the plane touched down and they made their way through the airport, Cuddy's heart fluttered with anticipation at the thought of reuniting with House and Rachel.

Finally, they emerged from the terminal, and there they were – House and Rachel, waiting patiently for them. The sight of their familiar faces brought a rush of warmth to Cuddy's heart, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Hey, you two," House greeted them, his voice filled with affection. "Welcome home."

Cuddy felt a surge of emotion as she enveloped House in a tight embrace, the warmth of his arms wrapping around her. "It's good to be home," she whispered, her voice filled with love.

Rachel joined in the embrace, her laughter ringing out joyfully. "We missed you, Mom," she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

"Miss you Daddy" Hope told House "I already finished my new book, can we talk about it please?!"

"Of course little munchkin" House kissed her head "I miss you too"

A few weeks later

In the quiet intimacy of their bedroom, Cuddy finished getting ready for bed, slipping into one of House's old Michigan t-shirts that she cherished so dearly. Meanwhile, House lay on the bed, engrossed in na article, his attention momentarily diverted as he noticed the subtle curve of Cuddy's growing baby bump.

"Cuddles," he called out softly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You're starting to show that little bump," he remarked, rising from the bed to wrap his arms around her from behind.

Standing in front of the mirror, Cuddy couldn't help but smile as she felt his embrace. "It's true," she replied, her smile reflecting in their mirrored image. She leaned into his touch as he placed his hands gently on her belly, a sense of connection sparking between them at the realization of their growing family.

"We'll keep this news just between us for one more day," House suggested, still smiling as he looked at her bump. "Tomorrow, we'll have the ultrasound, see our baby, and talk to Hope and Rachel," he continued, and she nodded in agreement. "And then, we'll let the hospital know."

Cuddy met his gaze in the mirror, their eyes locking in a moment of shared understanding and love. "I love you," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion.

House pressed a tender kiss to her lips, his love for her evident in the gentle gesture. "I love you, Cuddles," he murmured against her lips, their embrace a silent promise of the journey they were about to embark on together.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, the anticipation of the days ahead filled their hearts with excitement and joy, reminding them of the love that bound them together, now and always.

In the examination room, House busied himself with setting up the ultrasound machine while Cuddy settled onto the examination table, a mix of anticipation and excitement bubbling within her. As House worked, they engaged in light-hearted banter, the tension of the moment eased by their familiar rapport.

"So, do you want to know?" Cuddy asked, a playful glint in her eyes as she looked at House.

House, ever the master of sarcasm, couldn't resist a quip. "At this point, I think we've both figured out you're pregnant. Not much left to discover," he joked, his lips quirking into a smirk.

Cuddy persisted, her voice gentle yet insistent. "I mean, do you want to know the sex of the baby?"

House feigned surprise, his eyebrows shooting up in mock incredulity. "You mean, we're not waiting until the birth to find out? What is this, the 1900s?" he teased, though there was a glimmer of genuine curiosity in his eyes.

Cuddy chuckled at his antics but stood her ground. "I've been thinking about it, and I kind of like the idea of it being a surprise," she admitted, a smile playing at her lips.

House shook his head, his expression exaggeratedly dramatic. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but we're not living in a Jane Austen novel. I want to know," he declared, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Besides, how else will I know what color to paint the nursery?"

Cuddy rolled her eyes playfully. "If you paint it some non-traditional color, I still won't know," she retorted, earning a chuckle from House.

With their banter easing the tension, Cuddy lay back on the examination table, lifting her shirt as House positioned the ultrasound probe on her abdomen. Their eyes met in a silent exchange of anticipation as House directed his gaze to the screen, the image of their unborn child coming into view.

"Cuddles, listen," House said softly, adjusting the volume dial as the rhythmic sound of the baby's heartbeat filled the room. Cuddy's eyes filled with tears at the sound, her heart overflowing with emotion as she reached out to grasp House's hand.

As House turned the monitor toward her, Cuddy's breath caught in her throat at the sight of their baby, her fingers tracing the contours of the screen as she took in every detail.

"Ten fingers, ten toes, a strong heartbeat," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "And it's perfect."

With a sense of relief washing over them, House turned his attention back to Cuddy, his gaze filled with tenderness. "Before we continue the search for answers, Cuddles, tell me, do you want a boy or a girl?"

Cuddy met his gaze, her answer firm and unwavering. "A boy," she replied, her eyes shining with excitement. "And you?"

House's smile softened, his love for her shining through. "You already know," he said, his voice filled with warmth. "A girl."

Together, they shared a moment of quiet understanding, the truth evident on the screen before them.

"She's perfect," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

House nodded, his own eyes shimmering with unshed tears as he gazed at the image before them. "She's beautiful," he agreed, his voice barely above a whisper."just like her mother"

And in that moment, as they gazed at the tiny life flickering on the screen before them, all their fears and doubts melted away, replaced by na overwhelming sense of love and gratitude. For in that moment, they were no longer just Cuddy and House – they were parents, bound together by the miracle of life and the promise of a future filled with endless possibilities.

It was a girl. Their baby girl.

At night, at Cuddy-House residence

In the cozy confines of their kitchen, Cuddy leaned against the counter, her hands resting lightly on her baby bump as she watched House move about with practiced ease. The soft glow of overhead lights illuminated the room, casting warm shadows across the tiled floor.

House, clad in his usual attire of jeans and a faded t-shirt, stood at the cutting board, deftly chopping vegetables with the precision of a seasoned chef. The rhythmic thud of the knife against the wooden surface filled the air, a soothing backdrop to their evening routine.

"I think it's time for some maternity clothes," House remarked casually, his gaze flicking up to Cuddy's bump with a playful smirk.

Cuddy chuckled softly, adjusting the hem of the oversized Michigan t-shirt she wore. "I'll keep that in mind," she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice. "But just so you know, this shirt is mine now. And the sweatshirt too."

House raised na eyebrow, feigning offense. "I've had that sweatshirt for 20 years," he protested in mock indignation, though a twinkle of amusement danced in his eyes.

Cuddy laughed, shaking her head fondly at his theatrics. "Exactly. It was meant to be mine."

Their banter was interrupted by the sound of Hope's voice drifting in from the living room. "Hope, have you finished your homework?" Cuddy called out, turning her attention to their eldest daughter.

Hope appeared in the doorway, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Yep, Dad already checked it," she confirmed, a grin spreading across her face. "I've done it under two minutes"

House, now focused on sautéing vegetables on the stove, chimed in from across the room. "There was nothing to correct. She's a genius, just like her old man."

Hope beamed proudly at the praise, though Cuddy couldn't help but feel a pang of concern at the speed with which her daughter had completed her assignments. "Two minutes?" she echoed, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "I don't know if I should feel pround or you are just alarmingly intelligent"

"I prefer 'alarmingly intelligent'," Hope quipped, a hint of mischief in her tone but House got the lead. "And I think she takes after you, Cuddles, but with my sense of humor."

Cuddy chuckled softly, shooting House a knowing look. "Is that a good thing?" she teased, earning a shrug and a grin from him in response.

Their banter was interrupted by Rachel's enthusiastic voice from the dining area. "I'm hungry!" she declared, her excitement palpable.

"Time to eat," House declared, turning his attention back to the stove. "Before our little dinosaur here starves to death," he added with a grin, earning giggles from the girls.

"And she was getting too big for the highchair anyway," Cuddy added with a smile, watching as her family gathered around the table.

The aroma of lasagna lingered in the air as Cuddy sat in the living room with Hope and Rachel. The dinner had been a hit, with cheesy beef lasagna for the three of them and a vegetarian option for Cuddy. Rachel, at five years old, was diligently practicing her handwriting, while Hope, at nine, was engrossed in reading the latest article from *The New England Journal of Medicine* about House's recent case, which he had published.

"Very well done, Rach," Cuddy praised, smiling as she watched her daughter carefully trace the letter 'A'. "You're doing great, Rachel," she encouraged.

"Hope," House called out, catching his daughter's attention. She looked up at him with a smile. "We'll have to find another topic for you to read about, something other than medical procedures for infectious diseases."

"But I like it," Hope defended herself.

"But you'll get tired of it before you even get to college," he explained with a smile, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Any notes to add?" House asked, his tone laced with sarcastic humor.

"It's perfect," Hope replied with a smile. "It's one of the best I've read," she added, her eyes shining with pride. House felt a surge of pride hearing his daughter's words, but he responded with ironic relief at meeting the criteria of the scientific journal.

"Now that we're all here together," Cuddy said as the four of them settled in the living room, she glanced at House, who sat in the armchair, observing their little family. "Mom and Dad have some news to share with you," Cuddy announced, turning her attention to Hope, who listened attentively. "Mom is going to have another baby, in five months," she said with a smile, watching Hope's eyes fill with emotion. "Hope…" Before Cuddy could say anything else, Hope threw herself into her mother's arms. "Are you happy, Hope?" Cuddy asked, holding her close. Hope simply nodded, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. "I'm so happy."

Cuddy kissed her daughter's cheek, and Hope moved into House's embrace. "Looks like you'll have a reading buddy," Cuddy teased. "I already have one," Hope replied, glancing at Rachel, who was still trying to grasp the situation. "I read to her," she explained, referring to Rachel. "She likes it."

House kissed his older daughter's forehead as she snuggled into his lap. "It's a girl," he told her, and she smiled. "God help me, four against one is almost unfair," they all laughed, including Rachel, who was in Cuddy's arms.

"It's a baby, Rach," Cuddy said to her youngest daughter. "It's a baby sister growing in Mommy's belly."

"Mama," Rachel began, looking up at Cuddy with a furrowed brow, "how did the baby sister get in your belly?"

"Rachel, it's a process called fertilization, it happened when…" Hope started to explain the biological process.

"No, no," Cuddy interrupted, looking at Hope. "None of that," she covered Rachel's ears. "You shouldn't even know about biological processes, Rachel doesn't need to know that," she uncovered Rachel's ears, while House started to laugh.

Cuddy had already tucked Hope into bed, still glowing with happiness from the news they had shared. She felt a twinge of concern about the changes in their lives, especially for Hope. Sometimes, they tended to forget the trauma Hope had endured before coming to them. Despite still attending appointments with the child psychologist at the hospital, she seemed to have regained the innocence and happiness she should have always had. The nightmares had disappeared for now, and she was thrilled with the news of a new sibling on the way.

House entered the room, his shirt sleeves rolled up, a somewhat weary look on his face. "I can't lie to Rachel," he confessed. "So, I told her that we shared a very special hug and, since we liked each other a lot, we made a baby," he explained, running a hand through his hair. Cuddy couldn't help but chuckle at his guilty expression. "Special hug is quite the euphemism," she laughed again. "You could have been the one putting her to bed tonight."

"She wanted her Daddy. Who am I to contradict Rachel?" House replied, heading towards their bathroom.

"You're her mother!" House said, grabbing his pajamas and heading to the bathroom. "Can I tell Wilson tomorrow?"

"Everyone will know tomorrow," Cuddy said, smiling. "You can talk to Wilson first, you should tell Wilson first."

Cuddy tidied up the bed, fluffing the pillows and opening up the covers, then settled onto the left side of the bed. House finished brushing his teeth and turned off the water tap, re-entering the bedroom. "We need a bigger house," he told her, and she remained silent. He got into his side of the bed. "We don't have any more rooms, and I don't know if putting Rachel and Hope in the same room will be good for Hope's sanity," House said, and she nodded. Hope was tidy and methodical, while Rachel was the exact opposite, messy and loving everything colorful. While Hope enjoyed silence for reading and thinking. "I agree," Cuddy said. "I had already thought about that."

"I have na acquaintance," he told her, "a real estate consultant." He showed her na address. "It's 10 minutes from the hospital, has a garden, and it's in na upscale neighborhood, close to Hope and Rachel's school," he said. "It has 5 bedrooms," he explained. "Can I schedule a visit? This week?"

She nodded and snuggled up to him. "And you'll finally be able to sell your apartment."

He chuckled and hugged her. "Our apartment?"

She laughed, remembering their wedding vows. "What's mine is yours, and what's yours is mine," she said.

They kissed and drifted off to sleep in each other's arms. Cuddy smiled, remembering her dream. He was her dream, House, Hope, and Rachel… and the baby she carried in her womb. It was everything she had dreamed of.

She drifted off to sleep, but before closing her eyes, she felt his hand on her baby bump. Love! That's what she felt.