"Who was it?"
"That was, Princeton General."
"What do they want?"

He looked up at her. His face, slightly angry and sad.

"My mom, had a heart attack."

><><><


"You're staying here."

House was slipping on his jacket and shoes as Cuddy begged to come along with him. She knew his mother Blythe well, so she wanted to be a comfort; to both of them.

"I can bring Rachel with us. She's fast asleep--"
"Yes, she is. And she doesn't need that sleep interrupted. It'll, take you forever just to, get her to sleep again."
"I want to come."
"I've wasted too much time arguing about this."

He grabbed his cane and opened the door, but she slammed it shut and kept her hand tight on the door.

"And you're going to waste more time."

Her face was sincere and innocent. He licked his lips and turned his head saying,

"I'll be in the car."

She released the door, and he opened it again to walk out to his car. Inside, Cuddy had put Rachel in her car seat and put on their shoes and their jackets. It was slightly chilly out tonight. Soon enough, they joined him in the car and they drove off to Princeton General.

"You are really milking this relationship thing aren't you?"

House was completely focused on the road; one hand on the twelve o'clock position as the other rested on the door. But he could still juggle a conversation with Cuddy.

"I'm taking everything out of it I can."
"I'm not entirely sure if I should take that as a good thing."
"Me either."

Out of all the sudden, he felt a rush of adrenaline. It made him feel angry, but he could not outburst now. Especially at Cuddy, and with the little one around. So he tightened his grip on the wheel, discreetly. But she knew.

:::

At the hospital: 10:00 p.m.

House and Cuddy slowly walked into Blythe's room. She was carrying Rachel in her car seat as they made their way into the room. She was now in a stable condition, but she was resting. They both walked to her side as they watched her peacefully sleep. House pulled up a chair and sat close to his mom. Cuddy just stood along his side, bringing him comfort.

"This is what happens when no one's looking after her."
"Don't start blaming yourself for this."

He reached for his mothers hand. Something he hadn't done in years. At his touch, she gave a slight twitch. Neither of them noticed, but she cracked open her eyes to see who was before her. She wanted to smile, but she couldn't, for now. So she just listened to them talk to each other.

"You uh--you need to go home."
"We've only been here for less than five minutes."
"That one, needs proper sleep. When I mean proper, I mean in a crib, with a blanket, and with silence."
"Since when are you concerned about her?"
"Because I--"

He stopped himself. He inhaled and turned his head toward her.

"I don't need her waking up the whole damn hospital if she doesn't get her own rest."
"How will you get home if I take the car."
"I'll find other means of transportation."
"Stop pretending like you're okay. For once, let someone stay by your side to help you."
"It's not your job to attend to her."
"But it is my job to attend to you."

Suddenly, Rachel began to cry from her car seat. Not a loud cry, but a soft and faint cry. So she put the car seat down and picked her up, trying to calm her down.

"Shush. Shush, shush."
"Mommy's here. Even though she shouldn't be."

Cuddy threw a stern look at him. He just stared at her and realized the fight had ended. And she had won. So to compensate, he asked for Rachel.

"Give her."
"It's fine House."
"You've been trying to put her to bed all night."
"That's what I'm here for."
"Just give me the damn kid."

She gave him another stern look and handed Rachel over. He limped around the room calming her down. Cuddy had remained standing, which annoyed him.

"Sit," he said sternly.
"I'm fine standing. You are the one who really should be sitting."
"Sit."
"I'm fine."
"Do you really want to start another argument?"

She sighed and sat down in the chair he had resided in before. Then he turned and limped back and forth, pacing around the room, attempting to put the child to sleep. He did this for several minutes before she finally knocked out. Then suddenly, Blythe began to wake up, or pretended like she was just waking up. She opened her eyes and smiled at the sight before her. She turned to smile at House, and then Cuddy.

"When did you guys get here?"
"About fifteen minutes ago," he called from the corner.
"How are you Blythe? What happened?"
"Ah, Lisa. Always a delight to see you."
"Likewise."
"How've you been?"
"I've been well. Here and there, jumping from thing to thing. Most of my focus has been on work, and the little one over there."

She turned and saw him holding Rachel. She smiled and kept herself in this gaze, as she watched her son attending to this little child. Like a father.

"This one isn't mine by the way, not to be a killjoy," he uttered with annoyance.
"I adopted her several months ago."
"She's beautiful."
"Thank you."
"What's her name?"
"Rachel."

Their heads turned towards House. He had beaten Cuddy to it. Blythe smiled again at the sight of her son and Cuddy, had a curious, and very slightly shocked face. She tried to drop it by talking to Blythe again.

"So what happened?"
"Ugh, heart attacks are not something you ever want to encounter. I was just in town, going to visit Greg over there. I had stopped by at a gas station to fill my tank up. After I had everything taken care of, I was going for my car. When I opened the door, I had tremendous amount of pressure in my chest. Shooting pains up and down my left arm. I knew I was having a heart attack. So I dug into my pocket and grabbed my phone, calling 9-1-1. Within minutes, they were there. Then they rushed me over here, stabilized me just in time."
"Wow."
"Why didn't you call?"
"I wanted to make a surprise visit to my son, is that so wrong?"
"Yes."

Blythe rolled her eyes at her son and brought her attention back to Cuddy.

"I don't see how you can stand to be around him majority of the day for seven days a week."
"It's cause she really really loves me mommy."
"I don't get how you did it either Blythe. Nearly over twenty years knowing this guy, and he's been the same ass every time."
"Tell me about it."
"Okay, I am going to leave you two girlies' to talk about me while I go talk to the nice doctor who admitted you.
"Leave her--"
"Shush, you'll wake the baby."

Cuddy threw him a glare as he walked out of the room. He shut it slowly and left the two to converse with each other.

"He really likes you doesn't he?"
"How did--?"
"Oh, I didn't know you two were dating. I just, figured he liked you. I've spent majority of my life with Greg, I know when he takes a liking towards a woman."
"I've spent half my life with him, and I still don't understand everything that goes on in his mind."
"Mm. That's my Greg for you. It's a shame you two hadn't gotten together sooner. John, Greg's father, he would've liked you."

Cuddy bowed her head and smiled.

"Thank you."
"No need. You deserve this kind of praise. I can tell what you've made of Greg. How you talk to him, how he looks at you. How he so desperately needs to fill your needs. When you fight, its almost--I don't know. When you two came into my room, I could hear you two. How you bicker at each other. The way how one of you always has to dominate the situation. It's genuinely sweet. He has this sense of unrelenting care towards you. Something I haven't seen from him in a while."

Cuddy had this sincere face. A smile, but it also seemed like she was thinking. Her head was still bowed as she sat in the chair next to Blythe.

"We should talk more. I've forgotten how much I liked you."
"Hah. Same."
"Frankly, I like you better than that Stacy of his he had a few years ago."
"Oh, really?"
"Oh yes. Honestly? That relationship was--what really brought Greg to his misery. After everything that had happened, he changed. But you, you've brought back the life in him. You've given him--purpose. And I offer you my greatest gratitude for that."
"Well I--Huh. You're welcome, Blythe."

The door had opened. They both turned their heads and saw House slowly walking in with Rachel.

"I don't care I'm taking you two home now."

He went in carefully to go put her in her car seat. After, he put a blanket over her.

"I'll be back to pick you up around one tomorrow. Doc said you're going to be fine, keeping you for observation, you know the deal. It's getting late though so I should be taking these two home."

Blythe nodded, and he came over to give her a hug and a kiss on the forehead. Cuddy smiled as she picked up the car seat and waited for him by the door.

"One o'clock."
"See you then."

He limped to the door and took the seat from Cuddy. Gently enough, so that he wouldn't wake the sleeping child. Blythe threw a smile and a nod at Cuddy.

"Bye, Blythe."
"Bye, Lisa."

She shut the door, and they began to make their way through the hospital corridors and down the elevator, and through the lobby, exiting to the parking lot.

"I forgot how much my mom likes you."
"I forgot how much I like her."

They finally reached the car. House had placed Rachel in the back and they had both gotten in the front. House started the car and revved up the engine.

"She's, something alright. She was the woman of my life."
"Was?"
"Evidently, now I have three."

Cuddy turned her head. He grabbed her hand as they pulled out of the parking lot, making their way back home.