house M.D.

Baby Daddy

You were in the middle of a consult when your phone started ringing. You ignored it, listening to the questions your four-month pregnant patient was asking you.

Sure, youd heard the same questions or differently worded ones a thousand times, but this was her first kid and she was nervous. The babys father was an idiot, in your opinion, but you remained silent on that topic. That he was present for the visits was enough for you. Shed come in with an A4 page full of questions for you. You heaved in a deep breath and listened as she started talking.

You were fifteen minutes into the consult when the phone on your desk began to ring. You ignored it.

And then your cell phone started, and you got the feeling it wasnt a social call. Still, no one was dying, so you silenced the device, placed it on your desk and continued to listen to your patients questions.

Not three minutes later your pager went off and you cussed in frustration.

You wanna get that? your patient asked you, one eyebrow raised.

You didnt get the chance to answer her because the next second Dr Hadley, better known as Thirteen, barged into your office.

Im with a patient, you said, irritation coloring your tone.

I can see that, but theres an emergency in the clinic, she tells you and you search her face for some clue.

If theres one thing shes picked up from her boss, its her ability to keep a straight face while bullshitting anyone. You dont see anything indicating shes lying.

With a sigh, you stand from your seated position behind your desk and you hear your patient gasp in surprise. You want to roll your eyes and it takes a great deal of restraint not to.

Need a hand, the husband asks you and you see Thirteens eyes bulge a little.

Im pregnant, not disabled, you snipe at him. Theres an emergency in the clinic I have to attend to, if you could reschedule with my assistant thatd be great, you tell them, more irritated with your patients husband than you thought you would be.

It takes all of four minutes for you to make your way to the clinic and the room Gregory House is in. If there was one person who hated clinic duty just as much as you did, it was House. Neither of you, however, had managed to wrangle shorter hours from Dr Cuddy, the hospital administrator and you were beginning to see the appeal of calling her Satan.

You dont bother knocking on the door, though you dont barge into the room either. You step in quietly, only to be met with a disastrous scene.

James Wilson is seated on the examination table, scalpel sticking out of his right upper arm, his white shirt stained red.

You turn to the two occupants of the room. They both start talking at the same time, each trying to rat the other out like a pair of five-year-olds.

Enough, you raise a hand, silencing them both.

He kept asking who your baby-daddy is. There are bets on it, House says before Wilson can even think of something. Normally House would have no issue with the betting ring Chase has come up with, even placing bets himself, so this us unusual, even for him.

And, is that the reason theres a scalpel sticking out of his arm? you question, one eyebrow raised.

No, they both admit.

You wait for one of them to enlighten you as to the reason.

Theres something about Houses expression that prompts you to turn your attention to Wilson.

I may have suggested that if no one claimed to be your baby-daddy, I would, he admits, reluctantly.

And so, you stabbed him? you ask House.

No, he denies. I poked him gently with a knife, he tries to make light of the situation, but you know theres more.

You eyes immediately snap up to meet Houses.

Though neither of you had discussed just how involved House would be in your kids life, seeing as he was your kids dad, you could see how this one statement would affect him.

And just what makes you think he hasnt stepped up already?

Wilson at least has the decency to look away before he answers.

Well, its not like youre seeing anyone at the moment. You spend most of your time with House and I and since Im definitely not your baby-daddy he trails off, mid-sentence.

You see exactly when the penny drops, his eyes widen, his face and cheeks color and he looks from you to his best friend and back to you, though hes speechless.

Now that weve got my babys paternity settled, can we get back to the more important things in life? you ask.

Wilson nods.

If you tell anyone about this, I will castrate you, you tell him, before pulling the scalpel out his arm and asking him to roll up his sleeve so you can stitch his wound.

Ten minutes later you shoo Wilson out the room, leaving you and House alone.

House, you start, but he cuts you off, sliding his mouth over yours, kissing you gently, as he runs his hand over your swollen abdomen. Your kid, kicks or elbows, you in response to the feeling of their dads touch on your abdomen. Sure, its not the first time hes felt it, but every time it happens House looks at you with awe in his eyes. You dont need him to verbally admit hes in it for the long haul.

The fact that he stabbed Wilson was proof enough for you.

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