Hello everyone,

This is the final chapter of this story, what a wonderful journey through the world of House MD this has been. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you to House as well, for inspiring my love for medicine, mystery, and for this life, which is also mine – life through medicine!

I hope you enjoy one this last chapter.

Thank you,

Sofia

--/--

Chapter 32

"Well," the obstetrician said to the doctor couple after examining Cuddy, "Lisa, I'm going to admit you. You're 2 centimeters dilated and progressing well. It seems like the baby might still be born today."

"What?" House said in shock. "2 centimeters?"

"Yes, that's what I said, 2 centimeters dilated," Dr. Evory replied. "It looks like your daughter wants to meet you today."

And with that, she left the room, but not before reminding them of something. "This could either take hours to progress or evolve in less than na hour. I don't advise you to stray too far from here, unless House wants to deliver a baby today."

"If necessary," he said, "it doesn't take a genius to do that, and if it does, that's not a problem."

"We're not going anywhere," Cuddy assured the doctor, cutting off House's voice. "We brought the bags already, anticipating this. House will go get everything from the car."

And the obstetrician left the room.

"We knew this could happen," she said, looking at the panic passing through House's eyes. "House, look at me. Julia already picked up Rachel, and Hope is staying at her friend Luisa's house. It's best to let her sleep there, and tomorrow, depending on how this progresses, we'll see… okay?"

He nodded. "Let your parents know, okay?"

"Okay," he repeated mechanically. "Okay."

"And House…" she called his attention. "Stay with me, okay?"

"Always."

The next few hours passed slowly. Cuddy's pains increased progressively, and it was 7:00 PM when, finally, and after much exhaustion and pain, she agreed to take the epidural.

"You're going to stay with Paige, right?" Cuddy asked, full of pain.

"Trust me," he told her, and she smiled. The anesthetist administered the epidural, and from there everything went more smoothly.

"Let's go, it seems like this baby is ready to come into the world," Dr. Evory said as she positioned herself to start the delivery. "10 centimeters dilated, it's 11 PM, and I want this baby out before midnight, team."

House held her hand. Cuddy was in pain, squeezing his hand so hard it felt like she would break it.

"On the next contraction, Lisa, push," the doctor instructed her, and Cuddy did so.

"Breathe, Lisa, and one more time," the doctor encouraged.

"I can't anymore," Cuddy said, exhausted.

"Let's go," House whispered in her ear.

"I can't anymore," she said.

"Lisa, you're almost there," the doctor said. "One more contraction, and I'll get her out. Come on."

House was by her side. "I love you, one more time."

And so it was, Cuddy gathered all the strength she had left, and in one last effort, she heard the doctor say, "It's out!"

The sound of Paige's cry filled the delivery room, and House could swear that no sound had ever sounded so beautiful to him.

"I love you," he repeated, kissing her lips. Even exhausted, sweaty, and tired, Cuddy had never looked so beautiful to him.

"Mom and Daddy, you just had a little girl, 7 pounds and 4 ounces, 15 inches, and a very healthy baby," the doctor announced.

Still crying and not yet cleaned, the baby was placed on Cuddy's chest. "Do we have a name?"

"Yes," Cuddy smiled at House. "Paige Anne House."

House approached his wife and daughter. "Welcome to the world, Paige."

--/--

It was 2 a.m., the night was dark outside, but House stood in front of the glass protecting the hospital's nursery. "I heard congratulations were in order," Wilson's voice reached his ears, and he turned to see his friend standing beside him. "How's Cuddy?"

"Exhausted, but sleeping now," House explained. "Guess which one?"

He looked ahead to the nursery. "That one, right?" Wilson guessed, pointing to a particular crib.

House nodded, confirming, "She's so beautiful, House."

"I know I congratulated myself, I out did myself making her, but she's perfect. 7 pounds and 4 ounces, 15 inches, blonde hair just like Hope," he repeated.

Wilson gazed at the baby, her pink skin, tiny nose, bundled in a white blanket. "Did you settle on Paige after all?"

House confirmed once again, "Paige Anne House," he said, chuckling.

"Are you happy, House? How does it feel like?"

"Like never before, I never thought I could have this, and yet," he told his friend, who gently patted him on the back.

"Congratulations, you guys deserve all the happiness."

House smiled, reflecting on the incredible turn his life had taken—three daughters, Cuddy, a home, a dream job. He was indeed a lucky bastard, a very lucky bastard.

--/--

"She's beautiful," Cuddy said as she nursed their little daughter. House watched, fascinated by one of the most common processes of motherhood, but this was Cuddy, the love of his life, nursing their daughter.

"She got your eyes," Cuddy commented, gazing at their daughter's face, gently stroking her cheek.

"Babies' eyes can change," he said, but she smiled.

"Hers won't change," Cuddy said firmly. "I think it's fair—Hope got mine, and Paige got yours. Although everyone thinks Rachel has your eyes."

She looked at him, lifting her eyes from their baby daughter to her husband. "She's perfect."

House rose from the armchair and approached Cuddy, sitting on the bed beside her. "I love you, Cuddy, so much."

"And I love you," Cuddy said, looking at him. "Thank you."

"Thank you," House said, wrapping na arm around her and their daughter. "Thank you for the home, the love, and our daughters."

It would have made a beautiful picture—a loving couple, cradling their daughter.

--/--

Hope loved going to her friend Luisa's house. Luisa lived just four houses up from hers, with her grandparents who had been doctors and had immigrated to the United States many years ago because of her grandfather's specialty. They were very kind to Hope, and Luisa's grandfather enjoyed talking to Hope about medicine. He found it amusing that such a young girl was so interested in medicine. He had even taught Luisa and Hope how to suture on na old silicone model of his.

She and Luisa played in the garden all afternoon and watched a movie about Rapunzel in the evening. Luisa was Hope's best friend, and the two even planned to go to medical school together someday. Hope couldn't wait for that day to come.

However, when she was expecting her father to pick her up, Luisa's grandmother told her she would be staying the night and had a bag of clothes for the next day. Hope found it strange, but dinner was chicken fingers and French fries, so she quickly forgot about the situation and smiled when she spoke to her father before bed. He told her that he and her mother had to spend the night at the hospital but would be together the next day.

So, when she saw her father waiting for her at the school gate, she knew something was up, but her father was smiling, Rachel was already in the car smiling, and she had a good feeling.

Hope got into the car and sat in her seat. "Hi Daddy," Hope said happily. "Are we going home?"

"No, Hope," her father said, pulling away from the curb. "We're going to the hospital."

He smiled and looked at his eldest daughter. "Ready to meet your baby sister?"

"The baby sister is already born?" Hope's eyes lit up.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Heyyy," Rachel said, smiling and clapping her hands. "Paige is already born!"

"And Mommy, how is she?" Hope asked.

"They're both doing well," he explained, smiling.

Hope smiled happily. "You know, Daddy, I'm so happy!"

She watched her father park the new car in the garage, as her mother had practically forced him to replace the old one, especially because it was not very safe, and the motorcycle couldn't safely transport them either.

She and Rachel were dressed in their school uniforms, and House was carrying Rachel while holding Hope's hand. The walk to the elevator was quick, and Hope felt her heart beating fast. She wanted to see her mother and meet Paige as soon as possible.

They walked to the last room, and House said, "Ready?" Hope nodded, and Rachel said happily, "Yesss." House put Rachel down and took Hope's other hand.

"Hi, girls," they heard Cuddy's voice. "Mommy," Rachel said happily, and Hope didn't respond, she just smiled.

Her mother was sitting on the bed, with a plastic crib beside her. "Mommy," Hope said, smiling, "are you ready to meet the baby sister?"

Cuddy picked up the baby in her arms while House sat Rachel next to Hope on the couch. "Do you want to hold her, Hope?" her father asked, and Hope nodded. House brought Paige wrapped in a blanket over to Hope on the couch. "Place your hand here, Hope," her father instructed, "and hold her here."

It was the most adorable scene they had ever seen. Hope sitting on the couch with Paige in her arms, next to Rachel, and House thought it was a perfect picture. He took out his phone just in time to snap a photo as Hope looked tenderly at Paige and Rachel kissed the baby's forehead.

"Hello, baby Paige," Rachel said, smiling.

"Hi Paige" Hope told her smilling clearly very emotional as well.

Cuddy let a few tears fall. This was her dream. "I want a copy of that photo on my desk," she said, smiling.

--/--

A month and a half later, Cuddy was feeling good. She had regained her pre-pregnancy weight, and her body was almost back to its usual shape, although it hadn't been a concern.

Paige was a somewhat restless baby, with some nights better than others, but nothing they couldn't handle. It was June 11th, his birthday, a sunny summer day. The girls were in a good mood, and they would have a small party in the garden that day.

"Good morning, baby," Hope said as she entered the kitchen and saw her sister Paige awake in her baby seat. "Good morning, Mommy, is Dad still asleep?"

"Good morning, Hope," she kissed her eldest daughter's forehead. "Yes, he is still asleep. He stayed up with Paige during the night."

What they had forgotten was Rachel, who had been excited about her father's birthday for a week and when she woke up that morning, she went straight to her parents' room.

At five years old, with her stuffed bunny in one hand, she opened the door slowly and saw what she wanted most, her father, sleeping in bed. "Daddy," she said happily and ran to the bed.

House was a doctor, and he had a very light sleep since childhood, and now with little daughters, his sleep was even lighter.

"Happy birthday, Daddy, happy birthday, happy birthday!!!" she exclaimed happily, smiling from ear to ear.

"Thank you, kiddo," her father replied, opening his eyes as he sat up in bed, smiling and hugging Rachel. He got up, still holding the little girl, and went to the kitchen.

"Good morning," he said, walking in and putting Rachel down on the floor. "Happy birthday, Daddy," Hope said, hugging her father as soon as she saw him come in.

"Rachel woke you up, didn't she?" Cuddy said, smiling, and House confirmed, but Rachel said happily, "Yesssss!!"

"Happy birthday, my love," she said, smiling and gently kissing his lips. "Thank you, Cuddles."

"I would say good morning to Paige," House said, looking at the baby daughter, "but we already exchanged greetings at 2 a.m."

He said, but he picked up the baby in his arms, who wriggled happily in her father's arms.

"Your parents will arrive before lunchtime," Cuddy said, smiling, "and so will Wilson."

His Birthday lunch went well, in the garden, the warm and comfortable weather helped, and now with Cuddy on his right side with Paige in her arms, Rachel on his lap, and Hope on his left, he saw the most important people in his world together, singing happy birthday.

"Heyyyy," Rachel said on his lap when he blew out the candles, "now make a wish, Daddy!"

He smiled at his daughter and thought in his head, may the rest of life always be like this, happy.

The End