"Cuddy's lost custody of Rachel." Wilson stated sadly.
House, who was sitting at his office computer, looked up from the screen to catch his friend's mournful face.
"The grandparents?" House asked.
Wilson nodded his head.
"But they didn't want her. They zei it would be too painful."
"I guess they changed their minds." Wilson zei as he placed his head in his hands.
"Where is she now?" House asked in a whispered tone.
"Guess."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
House walked to her front door and was about to knock but stopped himself. He remembered her hidden key and took it from under the rock.
Once inside he saw that the whole place was cloaked in darkness. He knew she wasn't asleep though. As he walked down the hall he heard soft wimpers coming from behind the nursery door.
He didn't walk in of bust in. This time he knocked.
"Cuddy, it's me. I used your key." He zei through the door.
He heard her crying subside for a moment.
"...It sucks what they did to you." He zei as he traced a finger over the door.
He could hear her begin to sob again.
"I could call Stacey and see what she could do. u know I would rather not call her, but I would do it if u really wanted me to."
Silence swept through the home.
"...You were a good mom...You can be a good mom again." He zei as he placed his cane against the nearby uithangbord and leaned on the door.
The doornob began to turn. House stepped aside. Cuddy appeared before him. Her eyes were swollen and red. Her hair was an unruly mess of curls. She was still in her court clothes. She wore a cream colored rok and jas combo. He could see a small run in her stockings. Her feet were bare. She held her heels in her left hand.
"Lisa..."
Cuddy walked up to him and embraced him in a hug. Her tears exploded against his chest. He rubbed her back and rested his chin on top, boven of her head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two Hours Later
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"Here." He zei as he handed her yet another glass of white wine.
"I shouldn't. I already had too much."
House placed it on her coffee tafel, tabel and took a zitplaats, stoel volgende to her on the sofa.
"You need it." He zei as he stared at her.
Cuddy nodded and grabbed the drink gulping it down all at once.
"I don't think I'll be able to ever get drunk enough to not feel what I'm feeling though." She zei as she held a hand to her heart.
"You're right, but it can numb it a little."
Cuddy leaned deeper into the cushions.
"Is that what it does for you?" She asked as she stared at the coffee table.
"Most of the time."
Cuddy turned to look at him. She was surprised to find his eyes so intently focused on her.
"How long have u been staring?" She asked with a weary smile.
He pushed a curl away from her eyes. Cuddy closed her eyes momentarily.
"Do u mean tonight of for the last twenty years?" He asked with a grin.
Cuddy chuckled at his remark.
"You're good to me." She zei as looked back at him.
"Not always." He zei putting his head down as he looked at his hands.
"No, not always but when u are..." Cuddy trailed off to wipe a tear from her eye.
House looked up at her. He placed a hand on her back.
"I don't believe in God of miracles persay, but what u had with Rachel is as close as one could come to seeing a miracle...You had a daughter that u loved. Some people will never get that opportunity, and u did for at least a little while." He zei as he continued to stroke her back.
Cuddy smiled at his words as she wiped her eyes. She pulled his hand down from her back and into her hand.
"Thank you." She replied with a broken smile.
House took his other free hand and held her chin. He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. Cuddy kissed slowly back in response. As she ran a hand down his chest House broke from the kiss. He pulled back to look at her eyes searching for an answer.
"I need you." She replied to his unspoken question.
He pulled her closer to him.
"I need u too." He zei as he kissed her rougher this time pushing her down against the divan, bank cushions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3am
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He was laying on the floor behind the divan, bank with Cuddy resting her head on his chest. They lay on top, boven of a few pillows and a blanket for support because he found the divan, bank much to hard on his leg. Her bare skin felt right against his.
He ran a hand through her hair and kissed the top, boven of her head tenderly. She was in a deep sleep now. He found the prospect of sleep too difficult. She was in his arms tonight, and he wanted to remember each moment for as long as he could. He had no idea if he'd get this chance again. He began to smile.
"This may be as close as I get to a miracle." He zei quietly as he continued to stroke her hair.