Wilson let out a deep breath and prepared to leave the hospital. His place wasn't as attractive anymore now that he was living alone again. He began to pack his bag and locked his office before walking to the elevator. House was in his office with Kutner. It seemed as if they were running a differential. Probably the online clinic. House had already told him that he had plans for today and tomorrow. Wilson tried to think of activities he could engage in over the weekend.
As he entered the PPTH lobby and walked towards the exit, Cuddy caught up with him. He turned to look at her but she gestured him to keep walking. Once they were out in the parking, she put a hand on his elbow to stop him. "I need a favour," she said, her voice considerably low.
"Tell me," he said.
"I was hoping I could drop Rachel at your place. I wanted to plan something with my - boyfriend."
Wilson raised his eyebrows, before grinning at her. "Boyfriend, huh?" She was blushing. "I am happy for you, Cuddy," he told her. "Tell me about him. How did you guys meet? What does he do?"
She smiled softly, obviously thinking about the guy. She was in love with him, he could tell. "He is a musician." She had a small private smile there. Wilson wondered what the joke was. "We met a while ago at a bookstore. It took us some time but here we are."
"What's his name?"
"Oh no, no, no. I know this information is going back to House," she said. Wilson grinned sheepishly. "You'll take Rachel?" she asked.
"Yeah. Of course. Don't worry. Rachel and Uncle Wilson will have lots of fun," he assured her.
"I have no doubts. Thanks, Wilson."
She left after that. Wilson watched her leave and then got into his car. He was happy for her. She deserved this happiness in her life. She deserved someone who would be there for her. Cuddy was a great friend to him - and House. Wilson started his car and began driving to his place. His two friends were happy and in a relationship. He was happy for them but somewhere in his heart, his loneliness pinched him.
He had been happy with Amber before it was snatched away from him. He didn't blame House for it, not anymore. The anger was still there. Not at House but in general. He had been happy and that happiness had ripped from him. He didn't deserve that. Amber had been different from his previous relationships. She pushed him and she enjoyed her interactions - or whatever one would call them - with House too. Why had she taken the damn bus? Why couldn't she have driven to House's place and waited for him there?
The memories of Amber also brought guilt with them. House had driven himself crazy trying to remember what he had noticed on the bus. His subconscious had remembered Amber. He remembered everything he had done. The medical hypnosis; the trying to smell things from the bus; the sensory deprivation tank; Alzheimer's drugs; the deep brain stimulation. Not to mention that he did all of this while having a skull fracture.
Wilson wondered why House had been drinking that night. House did enjoy going to a bar and drinking but to drink so much that he forgot his cane. Wilson wondered if there was something behind it. He wanted to bring that up to House but he wasn't sure about his ability to have a conversation about Amber without reacting to it. He was also not sure if House would answer the question.
The morning came sooner than he had thought. Cuddy dropped Rachel at around ten, along with the baby seat and a bag full of supplies. Wilson put Rachel on his bed. He settled on one side and put pillows on the other. The kid was asleep right now, so Wilson focused on the book he had been reading. He had also brought some patient files but they would come later. He let himself get absorbed in the love story.
Rachel woke up at around noon, instantly demanding attention. Wilson fed and changed her, before sitting down with her in his arms. He loved talking to children.
"Hi, Rachel! Do you remember me? I am your mom's friend. I am your Uncle Wilson. Yes. Yes, I am." She was looking at him with her adorable eyes. Wilson smiled at her. "Your mom's a great friend. And a great person. She has been there for me." She had been. "My other best friend is House. He is a genius. He can solve any puzzle. He can even solve those puzzles that no one notices. But he is kind of a -" Wilson paused there looking for a child-friendly term. "He is a little weird. He is a good person but he has a funny way of doing things." Yeah! Except that most people didn't find it funny. He had Rachel's full attention, he realized. He began telling her some stories about his friends.
As Rachel fell asleep again, Wilson gently laid her on the bed and barricaded it with pillows. He switched on the baby monitor and went to the kitchen to fix himself some lunch. He wondered what plans House had for the weekend. He had been a bit secretive about it. It also made him a little insecure. Had he lost House's trust? House had avoided him for a while so that Wilson wouldn't talk to him about Stacy. He had lied about the therapy too. Wilson didn't want to lose House's friendship. It was the most important thing in his life. And yet, you put his life at risk so easily.
Therapy. Never in his life, Wilson had imagined that Greg House would go talk to a psychiatrist. He had heard House insult shrinks so often. But House was going now. He was actually talking to one. Wilson wondered what had brought the change. His girlfriend, maybe?
He put the chicken in the oven and thought about this mysterious woman. He knew House had liked her. House had mentioned how it had been the first time he had actually considered a long-term relationship. Shame it hadn't worked out. Wilson wondered what would have happened if it had. Would House have listened to her and amputated the leg? Or maybe there would have been no medical mistakes - after all this mysterious woman was a doctor. House hadn't told him that outright but it was heavily implied.
Wilson was happy for House. It was high time he moved on from Stacy. Wilson's thoughts went to Stacy, as the oven beeped. He served himself and went back to his bedroom, sitting down at his desk to eat. House had told him about the confrontation. Not much but enough for Wilson to know that Stacy wasn't really happy with his relationship. Wilson remembered what he had told Cuddy. I still think that she is the perfect woman for him.
Had he been right, Wilson wondered. It was true that Stacy knew House better than the others but Wilson was not sure any more about her being the best choice. He remembered House when he was in a relationship with Stacy; he also noticed this House. House had been happy then, there was no doubt about that. But this House, the one who was dating this mysterious woman, was more at peace. He was not just happy; he was relaxed. He was still a jerk but there was a difference. Wilson couldn't really figure out what was different but something was.
He slept after eating, waking up only when Rachel needed him. The next few hours were spent in reading his patient files and reading to Rachel. She was a neat kid. She was hitting her milestones. Wilson was really happy for Cuddy.
His phone rang at around five. He pulled it out. It was House. "House," Wilson said.
"How's the kid?"
"She is fine. How did you know I have her?" Wilson asked, suspicious all of a sudden.
"Coz I am with her mom."
Wilson closed his eyes as he heard Cuddy chuckle from the other side. How could he have missed it? House met his first girlfriend in a bookstore at Michigan. He met Cuddy again when he was looking for treatment for his leg, almost a decade ago. House was a musician. Neither of them had wanted to share the name of their partners.
"You son of a bitch," Wilson exclaimed.
"Language, Jimmy. There are little ears around you."
Wilson looked apologetically at Rachel, who was watching him with interest now. "You lied to me."
"There were no lies."
"You said you had never been in a relationship with Cuddy."
"I never said that."
Wilson replayed the conversation. Damn. House had never outright said that. "You implied it."
"Nope."
There was a hustle on the other end and the next voice was Cuddy's. "Come over, Wilson," she said.
"You seriously inviting him over on valentines?" House asked from behind her. Of course. He had forgotten the date.
"You didn't even buy me a gift," Cuddy said. She didn't sound upset though. Amused mostly. "Come over, Wilson. Greg's gonna be cooking for us." Greg. That was new and unexpected.
"But mooooooomm."
"Shut up."
Wilson chuckled at his friends and disconnected the call. He looked at Rachel. "Your mom and House are dangerous together," he told her. Rachel gurgled and reached for him. They both were highly competitive and had a weird sense of humour. A realization settled in suddenly along with slight amusement and embarrassment. He had told House's girlfriend that another woman was perfect for him. No wonder Cuddy had been so pissed off. In his defence though, he hadn't really known that Cuddy was an option.
As Wilson drove to Cuddy's place, his mind was filled with numerous thoughts. House and Cuddy were together. That could either be perfect or extremely disastrous. He was hoping for the first one though. House and Cuddy were together and Cuddy had a kid, which meant House was going to be a part of the said kid's life in some way or form. House was good with kids - better than he was with the adults - but Stacy had told Wilson that he had been completely locked up on the topic of having kids. There had been no discussion, just a declaration. It had been a decade since Stacy but Wilson still wondered what had caused the change of heart.
Wilson looked at Rachel through his rearview mirror. She was a neat kid. He wondered what would be the effects of House's presence in her life. What would she call him? He wondered if House interacted with her, if he played with her. Wilson had never actually seen the other man do that with the kids but he also couldn't see Cuddy settling for a man who had no interest in her kid.
He stopped the car in the driveway and stepped out of it. Cuddy was already walking down the steps to greet him. "Musician? Really?" he asked. She grinned at him but moved past him to open the back door.
"Hi baby girl!" Cuddy greeted her daughter. "Did you miss mama? I missed you so much." Cuddy hugged Rachel, who cuddled with her. Wilson smiled looking at the two of them before moving to take the car seat and Rachel's bag. Cuddy smiled her thanks at him and then spoke in a soft voice, "He composed a song for me. Cuddy's serenade."
Wilson looked at her in surprise. She had a soft, fond look on her face. He gave her a grin. "I am happy for you, Cuddy." They walked to the house together. Wilson's mind evaluated what he had just heard. House a romantic? It wasn't unheard of. He had seen House in love before, but this outdid anything he had ever done for Stacy. Wilson finally realized what was different with House. He was with a woman who had his trust. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that I trust Cuddy more than I trust Stacy; more than I trust you for that matter. No matter what they argued on, House and Cuddy always found a way to come back together; to be there for each other in their own ways. He probably still had his doubts - he was House after all - but he also had years of evidence to rule them out.
House was in the living room when they walked in. "Gimme," he said, stretching his hands to take Rachel. Wilson tried to conceal his surprise but he wasn't sure he was succeeding at it. "I am gonna take her to the room," House announced, walking away. Wilson watched him go and then looked at Cuddy, raising his eyebrows. She had been looking at House fondly but her face closed off a little when she noticed Wilson's look. When she spoke, it was the administrator Cuddy.
"I know you two take cheap shots at each other but I swear to God, Wilson, if you make one stupid comment about his relationship with Rachel, I will make your life hell." Wilson gulped. He was quite sure she wouldn't actually hurt him but she did look scary right now. Her eyes softened a second later though. "He is still trying to figure it out and I don't want him having doubts."
Wilson could understand that. Interacting with a few kids at the hospital and helping your girlfriend raise a kid were two different things. He sat down on the couch and Cuddy sat with him. "How did this start?" Wilson asked, curious. "Who asked who out?"
Cuddy grinned bashfully. "He played me the serenade. I kissed him. He asked me out."
"You kissed him?" Wilson asked teasingly. He filed the information about House playing the serenade for later.
"He composed a song for me. What else was I supposed to do?" Cuddy asked, a grin on her face. Wilson laughed. "He had been babysitting Rachel for three Saturdays. He bought a playpen for his own place, before we started dating."
Wilson couldn't help but examine that statement. House was not taking care of Rachel because he was with Cuddy. He was actually interested in forming a relationship with the kid. Wilson smiled at that. "You are happy," he commented.
Cuddy nodded. Wilson noticed a few tears in her eyes. "You know what he told me? That Rachel is a part of me and it isn't possible for him to not love a part of me." Wilson raised his eyebrows at that. That was one hell of a love confession. He reached over and squeezed her hand. They both turned to look at the door as they heard the sound of House's cane.
"Get your hands off my woman, Wilson," House said as he walked into the room. He settled down on the armchair. Wilson could see amusement in his eyes.
"You lied to me," he accused.
"Not a lie," House argued.
"A lie by omission."
"Thirteen questioned you. Not my fault you didn't know."
Wilson paused there, remembering how Hadley had walked into his office and questioned him about House and Cuddy's partnership. Did she know? Had House told her and not Wilson? Had he really lost House's trust? Even Cuddy's?
"They have a bet on whether or not we did the nasty," House spoke. Wilson looked at him. "Don't know who bet on what, though." He almost sounded sorry that he didn't know. Wilson chuckled. Only House.
"So why lie to me?"
"We weren't lying to you," Cuddy said. "Just playing a prank."
"And it was his idea?" Wilson asked, smiling at the we.
"Duh!" House said.
Wilson shook his head. "What's for dinner?" he asked House.
"I am not your personal chef," House grumbled.
"No," Wilson agreed. "But you are hers. And she invited me." That got a laugh out of Cuddy and even House smirked. "So?"
"Chicken," House said. Then as if he remembered something, he pointed his finger at Wilson. "You told her Stacy was the best woman for me."
Wilson cringed. "I didn't know Cuddy was an option," he defended himself.
"Ha!" House smirked at Cuddy.
"If you say I told you so, I am gonna double your clinic hours," Cuddy warned.
Wilson laughed at that. They were still the same. Bantering over clinic hours and stuff. But he could sense a calmness in both of them. He hoped they would make this work.
As they moved to eat, Wilson took his time observing them. He watched them work together seamlessly. It was as if they had been doing this for ages. He saw the small looks Cuddy sent House's ways - looks of pure admiration. He noticed how House put food in her plate without even stopping to think about it. He observed the momentarily touches. House didn't pull her chair. He still mocked her skills as a doctor. She pulled his leg over his video games and medical dramas. But there was a sense of intimacy between them.
Wilson had seen them spar with skills that would rival a swordsman. He had seen them trying to intimidate the other. He had seen them negotiate and bribe and bet. He had seen them argue; he had seen them seek silent comfort in each other's presence. One thing had always been constant in all these years. They interacted as if they were the only two people in the room. Everyone else seized to exist.
It was not much different now. They were aware of his presence. They were talking to him - about Rachel, about the hospital, about new discoveries in medicine - but they were still extremely aware of each other's presence. There was no hand holding - that would be too much for either of them - but their hands would brush against each other. Wilson was sure it was a subconscious but it was an interesting detail. Cuddy touched House's shoulder as she got in and out of the chair. House's eyes followed her movements when she talked. They were so in love.
"So, Jimmy, found anyone?" House asked, all of a sudden.
Wilson spluttered. He hadn't even thought about that. Cuddy glared at House and offered some water to Wilson. He took a sip before answering House's question. "I am not looking for anything right now, House. Just focusing on being a good friend now."
The words hung in the air. House looked away, not wanting to acknowledge the emotions behind the statement. Cuddy however met it with a smile. "You are already a good friend, Wilson." He smiled at her but they both knew what he was talking about. He hadn't really been a good friend to House lately.
"So, when are you gonna tell the HR? Or have you already?" Wilson asked Cuddy, as they moved to clear the table.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Cuddy stiffened up and House groaned. Wilson looked at them and the realization stuck. They hadn't thought about this. A chuckle escaped his lips, causing both of them to give him identical looks of exasperation. "Dr. Lisa Cuddy forgot about bureaucracy. It is funny," he explained.
"Yes," Cuddy said, sarcasm dripping from her tone. "It's hilarious." Behind her back, House was giving him a death glare.
"You'll figure it out," House said. He walked to Cuddy and put a hand on her back.
Wilson forced himself to look away due to the intimacy of the gesture. He started placing the dishes in the dishwasher. "House is right," he said. "And it's not like they can ask someone else to supervise him. He will drive that poor person crazy in a week."
"Week's too long, Jimmy," House said. The three of them shared a laugh at that. Wilson had a feeling that the only reason Cameron worked for as long as she did was because House didn't want to cause trouble for Cuddy. He smiled. House was trying here.
"Some people might have a problem with me still being your boss," Cuddy said, once she had stopped laughing.
"And they will be idiots," House said. "There is a reason you and I work well."
"And what is that?" Cuddy asked, a hint of humour in her tone.
House's voice though was sincere. "You know when to say yes."
It was the truth, Wilson realized. A sane person - not that Cuddy was insane - would say no to House's insane ideas, because they should. Cuddy, however, listened to his reasons and decided after weighing all the aspects. She said no but she also knew when to say yes. Once again, Wilson found himself marvelling at the amount of trust between them.
"I am really happy for you two," Wilson told them. He saw Cuddy smile and House roll his eyes. Wilson chuckled. He really was happy for them.
Hope you are enjoying the story :)