Chapter 30

House and Wilson entered the auditorium, where na urgent meeting had been called for all department heads—na unprecedented event. They found seats near the front and settled in together.

"Seems serious," Wilson remarked, glancing ahead. "Is Cuddy okay?"

"She was this morning," House replied, eyeing his wife, who was engaged in conversation with the chairman of the board. "Can't believe dinosaur cookies were enough to warrant a general meeting…"

"Dinosaur cookies?" Wilson questioned, puzzled.

"I was having dinosaur cookies with Rachel this morning, and she refused to eat the strawberries… then Hope had a hair crisis, and we barely made it to the hospital by 8:55. You know how she likes to be early, but the traffic around the girls' school was insane," House explained, watching Cuddy and trying to decipher what was happening, with little success.

They waited for a few minutes until Cuddy approached the microphone on the stage.

"Good afternoon, everyone," she began. "I apologize for the last-minute summons. I know many of you had to reschedule surgeries, consultations, and appointments, just like I did," she started, taking a deep breath. "But this meeting is of utmost importance and will alter the course of our hospital."

"This hospital is a pillar of our community, providing vital medical care to the residents of Princeton-Plainsboro. The clinic serves as a lifeline for uninsured patients, offering essential healthcare services. Our clinic's operations are subsidized by generous donations and a state fund that historically covered the majority of our expenses. However, that fund was revoked this year."

A murmur of concern rippled through the room as the gravity of the situation sank in.

"State regulations stipulate that free clinics must operate 24/7, with emergency services available around the clock, mirroring the schedule of larger institutions like Princeton General. Yet, our clinic currently closes its doors at 8 p.m. That's why we're gathered here today—to find a solution. While I cannot mandate 24-hour shifts for any of you, as your contracts do not include such provisions, I urge you to consider this option. If department heads are willing to lead by example and take on overnight shifts, it will instill confidence in our staff to do the same," she declared, her voice unwavering. "And because I firmly believe in leading from the example, I am personally committing to working emergency shifts by renewing my contract with this additional clause."

With that, Cuddy retrieved a pen from her lab coat pocket and signed the document, her resolve palpable.

"I understand that this decision is not to be taken lightly. Each of you has families, obligations, and responsibilities outside of this hospital. But let us not forget the oath we took—to uphold the principles of our profession and to serve our patients and community with integrity and dedication."

"Will there be compensation for the additional hours?" one of the department heads inquired from the back row.

"Absolutely," Cuddy assured them. "We will ensure fair compensation for all staff members working overnight shifts, with adjustments made to your salaries accordingly."

"Do you have copies of our contracts?" House interjected, and Cuddy nodded in response.

"Excellent," he said, rising from his seat and making his way to the stage. As an assistant handed him the contract, House swiftly appended his signature.

Cuddy watched with pride as her husband returned to his seat. The moment had galvanized them, rallying the entire hospital staff to face the challenge ahead with unity and determination.

She felt a swell of emotion, overwhelmed by the realization that their collective efforts would ensure the continued provision of essential healthcare to their community. Being a doctor was not merely a profession—it was a calling, and moments like these reaffirmed her commitment to that calling.

--/--

House entered the room adjacent to his office, where Chase, Foreman, and Cameron awaited him, eager to learn the reason for the emergency meeting.

"Well, ducklings," he began as he stepped into the room, "I bring good news. You're all going to fulfill the oath you took and start being on-call 24/7."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Cameron asked, puzzled.

"It's simple. Either we all start covering general emergencies 24/7, or the clinic's funds get cut. So, we're all going to do 24/7 shifts," House explained matter-of-factly.

"That's not in our contracts!" Foreman objected immediately.

"It will be," House replied, placing three folders on the diagnostic table. "All doctors working under me will do the same work I do. If I do nights and I'm the department head, then naturally, you will too. That's how it works under me," he clarified. "The hospital will compensate you monetarily."

Chase and Cameron signed their contract documents. "Thank you. These will be delivered to Cuddy today," House informed them.

"Foreman," House addressed him again, "you have until the end of the day to make this decision."

"What's the financial compensation?" Foreman inquired.

"Everything is detailed in the contracts," House replied simply.

"Now, ducklings," he continued, picking up another file, "let's get to our case. Five-year-old girl, stopped talking, vomiting, and fever. You may begin."

--/--

"Shall we head home?" Cuddy entered his office and found him staring at the whiteboard. "Any breakthrough?"

"Nothing yet," he replied without shifting his gaze from the symptom list. "I'm still waiting for the test results."

She nodded and kissed his cheek. "Don't wait up," he said. "Give the girls a kiss from me."

"Make sure to eat something, okay?" she told him, and he looked at her, nodding.

"How did the meeting with the nursing teams go?" he inquired.

"They agreed to the rotation through the ER," she said.

"So, everything went smoothly…"

"Yes," she replied. "Foreman dropped by my office earlier, left the newly signed contract."

House nodded, knowing Foreman would eventually give in. "So, it's all settled?"

"A few hiccups and some extra negotiations, but yes, the main issue is resolved."

"Great," he said, smiling. "I'll pick up Hope from the gym, and Marina probably has Rachel at the park. I think I'll take Hope there to play for a bit."

"She could use some playtime," House remarked.

She kissed him once more and whispered a "With a brain as big as yours, you'll figure it out quickly."

And at that moment, a eureka moment struck in his brain; he knew exactly what that girl had: Chiari malformation.

"Wait for me Cuddy, this won't take long"

--/--

House was cooking that evening, while Cuddy was reviewing some documents, and the two girls were still playing in the small garden at home. The sun was setting, but they were still playing with the lacrosse stick and the improvised goal.

Everything was so quiet except for Rachel's laughter and Hope's encouragement for Rachel to hit the ball.

"We should really consider putting her in lacrosse," Cuddy commented to House, sitting at the kitchen table with several documents open. "She really enjoys it."

"There's a youth club downtown that accepts kids from 5 years old. We could go check it out," she added.

"I think she would enjoy it," House said, looking outside and watching the girls play. "They've got talent."

"They take after their father," Cuddy commented casually, not attaching much importance to what she had said.

But for House, that sentence had a huge impact. It was like a testimony he never thought he'd carry—fatherhood. If he ever thought about it, it seemed surreal to have two daughters, two miniature human beings who were his world.

"House," Cuddy called.

"Oh crap!" House exclaimed when he saw the pot smoking. "Great!" he said ironically.

"Is it burnt?" she asked.

"I don't think so, not entirely at least," he replied, immediately removing the pot from the heat.

"I'll call them," Cuddy said, looking at him.

And before she could tell them to come in, the doorbell rang again.

"Julia?" Cuddy said, surprised to see her sister at her doorstep, unannounced, in the middle of the week. "Is everything okay?"

"Can I come in?" Cuddy immediately sensed that something was wrong. She stepped aside to let her sister in and noticed the tears welling up in Julia's eyes. "Has something happened?"

"Yes," Julia said. "Simon is waiting for me in the car. I couldn't drive here." She explained, and House approached just in time to hear what Julia said next.

"Lisa, Mom passed away."

"How?" Cuddy looked at her younger sister, her eyes filling with tears once again.

"I know what she did was unforgivable, but she's still our mother, and I thought you needed to hear it from me," Julia said. "She passed away during the night. I don't know the details, but when the hospital contacted me, they said Natalia found her in the morning, already gone." Julia explained, referring to the old family housekeeper. "She was horrible to you, to Hope, but she's still our mother, and I wanted to be the one to tell you. I'll arrange the funeral services. If you want to come or help me, let me know, okay?"

Julia hugged her sister tightly as Cuddy remained in profound silence. "I have to go. Give a kiss for me to the girls and to House."

"Cuddy," House touched her arm, "look at me," he pleaded.

And at that moment, tears marked Cuddy's delicate face—pain from loss, anger from betrayal, everything. Cuddy allowed herself to be embraced by him as the tears flowed.

"Mama," Hope approached her parents, unaware of what was happening, "why are you crying, Mama?"

Cuddy didn't say anything but separated herself from House enough to be able to hug her daughter. She wasn't sure what she was feeling or why she was experiencing this confusion of emotions, but feeling her daughter's embrace, her little heart beating against her chest, was enough for Cuddy to know that everything would be okay.

--/--

"Daddy," Hope said as her father entered her room alone to wish her goodnight.

"What happened to mommy?" Hope asked, concerned.

"Arlene passed away, Hope," House didn't quite know what to say, "she died during last night, in her sleep."

"Mommy is sad, isn't she?"

"Very," House said, "Mom was raised by Arlene, she was a present mother and was always by her side, through all stages of Mom's life. Mom was very upset about what she did to you, Hope. Mom would never forgive her, but she was her mother. It's complicated feelings," he tried to explain the best way he knew how, "Mom is sad, but she will get better."

"I would be very sad if you or mommy died," Hope declared with a worried look, "I would never be happy again without you guys."

That statement touched House deeply. "None of us are going to die anytime soon, Hope," he reassured his older daughter, "you need to sleep, Hope, goodnight," he wished her, "sleep well, kiddo," and kissed her forehead.

"Daddy," Hope called out, "I love you."

"I love you too, Hope."

"They're already asleep? Hope too?" Cuddy asked, looking at her husband who had just enter their bedroom.

"Yes, Hope asked me to say she loves you," House replied.

Cuddy smiled, her face marked by tears, sadness evident in her expression. "I shouldn't feel any of this," Cuddy confessed. "I should be relieved. I shouldn't feel sadness."

"Cuddy, you're human, and you feel," House said. "She's your mother, and we're programmed to love our parents."

"It's not the same, she separated me from Hope, she died and never justified it, I should hate her."

"You shouldn't hate anyone," he said. "You're incapable of that, Cuddy, because you're love. You love those close to you, and of course, she's your mother." House began and thought now was a good time to confess something. "Sit down, I want to tell you something."

He took a deep breath. "Do you know why I said I hated my father?" She shook her head negatively. "It's not because he may or may not be my biological father, but because of the punishments, sleeping in the cold garden, cold water baths, I wanted to hate him for a long time, detest him, everything!" House said as Cuddy looked at him shocked by the revelation. "He always knew how to criticize, point fingers, nothing I did was ever good enough. The path I took with my father was and is complicated. It will never be easy, but I don't hate him. I now see the war trauma, the abandonment, the military education he received and gave me. It wasn't right, but despite everything, he didn't deny me anything. I could study, have all the privileges I wanted. And I hope that one day, he will have a better relationship with the his granddaughters that he had with me," he concluded, looking ahead, not meeting his wife's gaze.

"That's my perspective. We're programmed not to hate our parents," he said. "I understand if you don't want to help Julia, and she should understand too, but we should go to the funeral so you can say goodbye and make peace with this."

She intertwined her hand with his. "You'll be by my side?"

"Always," House replied, kissing her gently. "Always by your side."

--/--

The day of Arlene's funeral arrived, and Cuddy and House arrived together at her childhood home, where the service would take place. The atmosphere was heavy with grief as they entered, greeted by somber faces and whispered condolences.

Cuddy and House stood side by side, offering each other silent support as they observed the mourning rituals. The period of Shiva would be held at Julia's house, but for now, they remained at the solemn gathering.

As the service progressed, memories of Cuddy's childhood flooded back, the echoes of happier times mingling with the sorrow of the present. House remained steadfast beside her, a pillar of strength in her moment of need.

When the time came for the K'riah, Cuddy chose not to participate. Instead, she stood by House's side, her hand tightly clasped in his as they watched the proceedings unfold.

As the ceremony drew to a close, Cuddy approached the casket alone. She gazed down at her mother's peaceful face, a mix of emotions churning within her. With a deep breath, she spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I forgive you, but I will never forget," Cuddy murmured, her words a solemn vow to herself and her mother. With a final glance, she turned away, her heart heavy but her spirit unburdened.

Exiting the house, Cuddy felt House's comforting presence beside her, his silent support a source of solace amidst the grief. As they walked away together, hand in hand, Cuddy couldn't help but feel a sense of closure, knowing that she had said her piece and made peace with the past.

And as they left the somber scene behind, Cuddy couldn't ignore the bittersweet reminder that life continued to move forward. Today marked her completion of 30 weeks of pregnancy, a milestone that carried both joy and sadness in its wake. Yet, with House by her side, she felt ready to face whatever lay ahead, drawing strength from their shared journey and the love that bound them together.