Chapter Text
Triiiinnggg!
House’s eyes opened with a snap. He reached and stabbed the alarm button, shutting it off. His right hand crept to his leg, massaging the thigh to get it moving, as he thought about the day ahead. He was alone in the big, cold bed. No Lisa to kiss him good morning and lovingly massage his leg. She was in Chicago for a conference, which meant he needed to get Rachel up and ready for the day. Rachel had grown a lot in the past six months. She was crawling now, and had even started to pull herself up. House had become dada and Lisa was mama now. She would be getting up soon and House had a lot of things to get done before she did.
He sat up and gently swung his leg down, continuing to massage his leg. He stood up and tested his balance. Lisa had managed to find a satisfactory pain management specialist – a Dr. Claire Davis. House had a new regimen of pain meds now, one that didn’t involve Vicodin. His new meds included not just a painkiller but also anti-inflammatory meds to manage the gastrointestinal issue, and also meds to manage neuropathic pain. He also had to maintain a pain diary. He hated it but did it anyway. Davis wasn’t like the usual doctors he had met. She had listened to him, asked him what worked and what didn’t, and hadn’t forced anything on him.
House limped the attached bathroom for his morning routine. They had moved into the new home about four months ago, after selling their separate places. Living with Lisa was…interesting. He got to wake up next to her every morning. He got to pull her in his arms. He had Lisa, Rachel and his piano under the same roof. He played to them every night. Rachel was very enthusiastic about it. She would crawl to the piano bench and pat it till House played something.
House had adopted the kid about a month ago, after rigorous background checks and home evaluations. Since the biological parents or grandparents weren’t in the picture, the process was easier. Lisa had, of course, consented to it. House and Lisa were also listed as foster parents looking to expand their family. They had considered biological children but Lisa was not ready to go through that pain again. House couldn’t blame her. He couldn’t even imagine how painful it must have been for her. She really was the strongest person he knew. God, he missed her.
House limped out of his room, taking his cane with him. Rachel’s room was right across the main bedroom. House entered it and looked at the baby. She was awake and looking around. He wasn’t surprised. Rachel wasn’t a crier. She was quiet and liked to take in everything around her. She absorbed everything, reminding House of himself. His dad had hated it while his mother had just tried to push him to play or something. He and Lisa did neither with Rachel, letting her interact with the world in her own ways.
“Hey kiddo,” House said, bending over the crib.
She cooed at him. “Dadadadadada.”
“Yup, that’s me. How are we this morning?” he asked as he begin to change her diaper, clean her up and put on some fresh clothes. She squirmed. “I know this isn’t fun but you know the rules, kiddo. I call the shots when you are in here and outside you are the boss.”
“Mamamamama,” she called.
“Do you miss her?” House asked, focused on cleaning her up. “I do too. She will be back later today. And guess what? You’ll get to see her before I do.” House finished changing her and picked her up. She smacked a kiss on his cheek, causing him to smile. He kissed her hairs. “Do you want me to carry you? Or do you want to crawl?” he asked, pointing towards the floor. She looked to where he was pointing and then fisted his t-shirt.
House carried all the way from her room to the kitchen, dragging her highchair from the dining table. He put the chair near the kitchen counter and put her in it.
“Breakfast time,” House said. He made a bottle for her and then carried her back to the living area. Sitting on the couch and adjusting her in his laps, he gave her the milk, while checking the morning news on the TV. He kept a firm hold on her legs, making sure she didn’t kick him in the damaged thigh.
“You know what day it is today, Rach?” House talked to her. “It’s Thursday. So today, I have to teach. Imagine that?” She expertly ignored him and grabbed the bottle herself. House kept a guiding hand but let her hold it.
He had been taking diagnostic classes every Thursday. And every Thursday, the class was packed. Med students, residents, fellows, attendings, they were all there. They were all listening to him as if he was giving a sermon. There had been a lot of changes in the hospital. The snide comments about his and Lisa’s relationship had stopped since Lisa’s encounter with the madman. House was sure some people still talked behind his back but he didn’t care about them. Stacy had left. She had talked to him, apologized for his pain and for trying to create chaos in his relationship, and then she had left. Wilson had told him that she was now a partner in some law firm.
Wilson had dived back into the dating pool. He was currently with an interior designer. Audrey Harper. She was an up from his wives – not needy. They had met in the shopping mall and had caught each other’s attention. She wasn’t a pushover, House could tell, but she also didn’t go looking for fights like Amber had. And she had already threatened Wilson about cheating. House liked her.
Chase and Cameron were married. It had been a small ceremony in June which House had attended with Lisa. Foreman had left. He had taken up on House’s offer and House had connected him to Harrisburg General in Pennsylvania. He was heading the diagnostic department there and given that he hadn’t been fired in the four months he had been there, House figured that he was doing a decent job. It also meant House needed to hire a new team member.
Rachel finished her bottle and House burped her. He stood up with her still in his arms. “Now, time for some real breakfast,” he told her, limping to the kitchen. He put her in the high chair and started the coffee. Breakfast without Lisa standing on his would have to be cereals for him and baby food for Rachel. Lisa insisted on having something healthier but House usually relied on cereals or pancakes – there was no in between.
House’s mind went back to his staffing problem. Foreman had left and Thirteen was leaving too. In fact, she had already given her two weeks’ notice. Kutner and Taub didn’t know it yet. This also meant that he needed to hurry up with the hiring thing.
The doorbell rang, interrupting his thoughts. House checked the time. It was almost eight. Marina was here. “Back in a minute, kiddo,” he told Rachel as he limped off to the front door, and opened it.
“Good morning, Dr. House,” Marina greeted him. House nodded at her and limped back to the kitchen, while she shut the door. “Hi Rachel!” Marina greeted Rachel. Rachel cooed, banging her hands at her table.
“Here is the baby food,” House said to Marina, handing her a bowl. “You take this to dining table. I got her.” Marina took the bowl and waited for House to lift Rachel up. House glared her but she was unaffected. Grudgingly, House lifted Rachel up and Marina dragged the high chair too. House followed her and put Rachel back in the chair. He joined her and Marina with his own bowl of cereals and two cups of coffee, for him and Marina.
“Dr. Cuddy comes back today?” Marina asked as House took his morning dose of pills with a mouthful of coffee.
“Yeah,” House said. “She should be here by late afternoon.” As if hearing her name, Lisa called him. “What woman? I am eating,” House said, answering the phone.
“And here I thought you were missing me,” Lisa teased him.
“Why would I miss you? Rach and I are having so much fun. Right kiddo?” Marina glared at him mockingly. House glared back. They had a push and pull relationship.
“I don’t believe you,” Lisa said, “I want to talk to my baby.”
House put the phone on speaker. “Go,” he said.
“Hi baby!” Lisa said over the phone.
Rachel looked around, searching for her mama. “Mama!” she called.
“In the phone, Rach. Mama has called us,” House told her, waving the phone at her. Rachel reached for the phone and House pulled it away, afraid that she’d cut the call. “No,” he gently told her.
“Hi baby!” Lisa said again. Rachel babbled to her, talking in her own language. Lisa listened and reacted appropriately. “I will be home around three,” she told.
“I’ll be in class,” House pointed out.
“I know. I’ll see you in the evening.”
He could hear the regret in her tone about not being able to see him sooner. House still couldn’t believe he mattered that much to her.
“See you then,” House reassured her. “Love you.”
“Love you too. Love you both. Bye!”
“Bye. Say bye to mama, Rach.”
“Buh!”
“Bye baby!”
House disconnected the call and pocketed his phone. He finished his cereals and carried his bowl and mug to the kitchen, rinsing it and putting it in the dishwasher. “You got her?” he asked Marina.
“Yes, Dr. House. Rachel and I will be fine.”
House nodded and with a gentle pat to Rachel, he limped away for the shower.
House limped out of the elevator and entered the conference room. Thirteen, Kutner and Taub were sitting around the desk. “No case?” House asked. He went into his office.
“No. Nothing that would interest you,” Thirteen replied.
House deposited his bag onto the chair and carried a stack of files back to the conference room. On the drive to the hospital, he had decided how he was about to hire the new members of his team. He dropped the files on the desk.
“Sixty applicants for the job. And I don’t have permission to run a reality show this time,” he said.
“Since when do you ask for permission?” Kutner teased.
“Since Cuddy can make him sleep on the couch,” Taub answered.
House smirked at him and pushed the stack towards them. “Shortlist them to below ten. I want them here Monday morning.” He gave Thirteen a look. He wanted her input on these candidates. Hers more than the other two. “Get started. I am gonna go bother Wilson.”
House barged into Wilson’s office in his usual fashion. He shut the door behind him and sat across Wilson, who was looking at him with a resigned expression. House plucked out a red sucker from the lot Wilson kept on his desk and unwrapped it. He put it in his mouth and then threw the wrapper at Wilson. Wilson glared at him, throwing the wrapper away. House took out a jewellery box from his pocket and put it on the desk.
“What’s this?” Wilson asked. House gestured him to open it, sucking on the candy. Wilson picked up the box and opened it. “You bought a ring?”
“Thank you for stating the obvious, genius,” House teased. He took the box back. It was vintage style ring with a sapphire stone in the centre, surrounded by diamonds. House had had it for over a week now. He hadn’t wanted to do it right before she went to the conference. He would ask her this week.
“When?” Wilson asked. “When did you get it?”
“Last Friday.”
“And when are going to ask?”
“Saturday is date night.” It had been for a while, though they usually stayed home after putting Rachel to bed.
“In the restaurant?”
“No.” That was too cheesy. “After dinner.” He was planning to take her stargazing, like their first date.
“What happened to marriage is for suckers?” Wilson asked, leaning back in his chair. “You gave me the lecture two times. Is it my turn now?”
“Oh please. Have you seen Lisa? No. You haven’t. There are no other women like Lisa. And you have never seen her. All your wives together wouldn’t stand a chance against Lisa.”
“You are probably right. But still? You have been against marriages for as long as I have known you.”
That was the truth. His examples of marriage had been his own parents (his mom had cheated), and Wilson and his three ex-wives (Wilson had cheated). But this was Lisa. The woman who loved him with all her heart. The woman who had been his rock since he had started therapy. She held him in her arms as he told her every horrific detail of his childhood. She didn’t mock him for crying. She trusted him – with herself and her daughter.
“I love her,” House told Wilson. Wilson gave him the dopiest smile ever. “Not a word to her,” House warned him.
“I won’t,” Wilson assured. “She’ll say yes.”
“Why wouldn’t she? I am a catch.” Wilson rolled his eyes. House wasn’t really worried. Lisa had hinted that she was willing to marry him more than once. They hadn’t had the conversation but House knew she wanted this. He reached for the paperweight on Wilson’s desk and gave it a twirl. “Thirteen’s quitting.”
“What?”
“Philadelphia Medical has offered her a position. Director of Research Program for Rare or Complex Diseases. Limited patient interaction.”
“She is starting to show symptoms,” Wilson guessed.
House nodded. “It’s a pity. She would have been the best of them all.”
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for few minutes, before Wilson spoke, “You need to hire two doctors. How many applications did you get?”
“Sixty,” House said. “Team’s shortlisting them.”
“What’s the plan? Another show?”
“Hypothetical cases,” House answered.
“You want them to solve the cases you solved?”
“I want them to ask the right questions.”
“You should go help the team,” Wilson said. “I’ve got a consult and then patient rounds.” House nodded and stood up. “House,” Wilson called, “I am happy for you.”
House smirked at him. “Sap.”
Cuddy pulled up her car in the garage and took a deep breath. She was finally home. It had been a dull three days at the conference, and she had missed her family terribly. She stepped out of her car and took out her bag, before locking it. She stepped into the house and walked inside.
Rachel was on the living room floor, playing with a ball. She was pushing it and crawling after it. Marina was nearby, encouraging Rachel. Cuddy sighed happily. It was what she had ever wanted. She looked at the photographs on the walls – photographs of their family, of her and Greg and Rachel. She looked at the piano – the soul of their home. She loved listening to Greg play. He would play his own compositions or recreations of any song that Rachel had enjoyed. This was home.
Marina noticed Cuddy first. “Dr. Cuddy, you are back.”
“Hello Marina,” Cuddy greeted. She dropped her bag near the dining table and joined Rachel on the floor. “Hi baby!”
“Mamamama,” Rachel squealed. She left the ball alone and crawled to her. Cuddy took the baby in her arms and cuddled her.
“I missed you so much,” Cuddy told her, showering her with kisses.
“She missed you too,” Marina answered. Rachel smacked kisses across Cuddy’s face. “As did Dr. House. Don’t let him fool you.”
Cuddy laughed. “Don’t worry. I have become very fluent in the Housian language. Marina laughed. “Think you can hold her for a few minutes while I freshen up?” Cuddy asked.
“Of course,” Marina said. “Come here, Rachel. Let mama go freshen up.”
Rachel decided that this was a good moment to remind everyone that she was Greg House’s daughter, and stubbornness was something that could be learned. She grasped Cuddy’s blouse between her tiny fingers and screeched, “NO.”
“That’s a new word,” Cuddy said, kissing Rachel’s temple. “Just five minutes, baby. Mama will be back soon.” Rachel pouted but cooperated this time. Marina took her, and Cuddy stood up. She took her back and went to the bedroom.
It took her three minutes to freshen up and change and another two to hide the watch she had brought for Greg. It was a minimalist watch with a simple leather strap, and had an inscription on the back – Mi Casa (My House). Cuddy gently caressed the inscription. They had not really discussed this, and she knew that Greg had issues with marriage. But she was sure what they had was stronger than what bothered him. Saturday was date night. Mostly, they did dinner and movie (not that Greg let her watch it). This week, she was going to change the plan. She would take him stargazing and there under the stars, she would ask him to marry her.