A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for the wait, but here's the final instalment of 5 Vouchers. Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, and followed the story, it means so much to me. Also, please note I wrote and edited this under the influence of a bottle of moscato, so any and all mistakes are completely mine - but please, enjoy!

Cuddy was flustered as she came through the front door, toeing off her shoes in the entryway before heading into the living room to greet Rachel and Marina.

"Sorry I'm late, I had a donor…"

Marina held up her hand. "It's ok, Doctor Cuddy, I have plenty of time still to get to Philly. Doctor House still working?" The attentive nanny had not only noticed that he hadn't been home in days, but she'd had to deal with Rachel's incessant questions as to when her playmate and newly-elected father figure would be back.

"He's had a case...a little girl...it's been tough. He thought he had it last night, but last I heard from him she'd slipped into a near coma after a series of seizures… he's… well…"

Marina nodded. Rachel, now looking at her mother instead of the LeapPad in front of her, had her own questions.

"Mama, where's House?"

Cuddy sank down onto the couch as the nanny collected her things. "He's working sweetheart."

Rachel sighed dramatically. "He's always working."

"I know honey, it's tough. He's trying to help a little girl, she's very sick. Remember what I told you?"

Rachel nodded. "He's a very special doctor and he helps really sick people."

"That's right," Cuddy smiled at her daughter, "You're such a smart girl Rach."

Rachel beamed and went back to her LeapPad, and Cuddy's smile grew as she realised it was on the anatomy program House had bought her, as an apology for a case where he was gone a whole week. That was when they'd laid it all out for Rachel about why their work was so important, and why she wasn't loved any less because she had busy parents. Rachel admired House so much that for the next week at preschool she was spouting to anyone who'd listen about just how important he was.

Cuddy farewelled Marina, and settled in on the couch with a book, Rachel quietly playing on the rug in front of her. It had been a peaceful hour or so when her phone buzzed.

"Hello?"

"Cuddy? It's Wilson."

Cuddy felt her stomach drop. Wilson had no reason to call her at home on a Saturday. Unless…

"House? Is House ok?"

"Yeah...well, kinda. His patient...she died. He...well you saw him this morning, he hasn't slept in days...he's…"

"He needs to come home."

"He is. I mean, I'm bringing him home. He's in no state to drive, I'm just waiting for him to grab his stuff. We should be there in twenty."

"Ok. Thank you, Wilson."

Putting the phone back on the side table, she turned to Rachel.

"Rach honey? Come over here."

Rachel, put her toys down and obediently trotted over to her mother.

"Honey, House is on his way home…"

"Yay!"

"I know, but he's gonna be really tired and sad…"

"Sad? Why is House sad?"

"Oh...the little girl he was trying to help? She didn't make it, House couldn't make her better."

"Oh." Rachel bowed her head.

"And so, he's gonna be tired and sad when he gets home, so he won't want to play, ok? He'll probably want a hug though."

"I'll give him a hug thiiiiiiis big!" Rachel threw her arms out. "I'm sorry House is sad."

"Me too, Munchkin. So you keep playing and I'll let you know if House needs one of your hugs, ok?"

Rachel nodded and went back to quietly playing, now with her stethoscope and a collection of dolls.

Shortly afterwards Cuddy heard a car pull up in her drive and the doors open and close. Looking out the living room window she could see Wilson supporting House as he slowly made his way up the front walk.

Cuddy met them at the open door and gave Wilson a nod as he passed House over to her. He was leaning heavily on his cane, his head bowed and eyes hollow. Cuddy lifted his left arm over her shoulders and supported his weight as they slowly headed for the bedroom. House made the final steps alone and fell onto the bed, already nearly asleep. Cuddy sat beside him, removing his shoes and socks. As she reached for his belt buckle he pulled her down to him, holding her close.

His voice is raspy when he speaks. "She was 6."

Cuddy sighs. She knew how hard he took the death of any patient, but especially children.

"She was 6. A bright and bubbly little girl...dead." He pauses. "She reminded me of Rachel."

"Oh House." Cuddy reached her head back to kiss him and brush a hand through his soft hair. "I'm so sorry. Look, I'll keep Rach occupied, you have some sleep to catch up on."

"Mmmm…" was all she received in reply, he was already falling into sleep. She slid his jeans off and folded them on the chair in the corner of the room. Before heading for the door she once more leant over and kissed him before turning to notice Rachel standing in the doorway.

"What's up Rach?"

"Is House ok?" she craned her neck to see House now sleeping on top of the covers.

"Yeah sweetie he'll be ok. You can give him your hug later, yeah? Let's go watch some cartoons… what about Aladdin?"

Rachel and Cuddy sat curled up on the couch until the movie finished, when Rachel turned to her mother.

"Mama?"

"Mmmm?" Cuddy had been distracted throughout the whole movie, her thoughts with the sleeping diagnostician down the hall.

"Can I bake House some cookies? Chocolate chip? He always says he likes them."

"Of course we can bake some cookies. That's a great idea." Cuddy stood up and stretched before following Rachel into the kitchen.

As the cookies went into the oven Cuddy heard the shower start up, a signal that House was awake… and possibly ready to face the world.

"Now Rach, remember, House has had a tough time at work…"

"I know mama." Sometimes her little girl was too smart for her own good.

Soon after, uneven footsteps came down the hall and House rounded the doorway to see mother and daughter watching tv.

"Hey," is his soft greeting.

"Hey," is her reply. "You feeling a bit better?"

He shrugs and slowly sits beside Cuddy. "Watcha watching?"

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!" Comes Rachel's enthusiastic reply from the floor in front of the tv. She turns to face the adults on the couch. "Are you feeling better House?"

"I always feel better with you and your mom." He put an arm around Cuddy and she smiled at him. Rachel nodded, pleased with his answer.

The three of them sat, quietly, Cuddy only moving to bring the cookies fresh from the oven to House, and the only noise was him softly thanking her.

As evening crept in Rachel turned back to the couch.

"Hey House?"

"Yeah Munchkin?"

"Would… would pizza for dinner fix it? I mean, you told me pizza for dinner fixes everything."

"Well we never know until we try, do we? But I'm not the one to convince- your mom is."

Cuddy was concerned at how softly House was speaking, how every movement seemed the biggest effort. She took barely any convincing from Rachel before she was calling in their order. As she wandered into the kitchen to get money and set out plates, House drifted across the living room to his piano. The sleek black baby grand was the first piece of his furniture that made the move to Cuddy's, replacing her old forever-out-of-tune upright.

He slowly sat, his fingers ghosting above the keys before he finally played some notes. He started with some slow, melancholy blues, then some soft classical pieces.

Cuddy re-entered the living room to find Rachel standing beside the piano bench, one small hand resting on House's good leg as if to assure him she's there for her, and it melts Cuddy's heart to see those two together.

She sits on the couch and watches him play, Rachel standing a silent sentinel beside him.

As he wraps up another piece, she hears Rachel softly call his name.

"House?"

His fingers came to rest on the keys.

"Yeah Rach?"

"Can you…" Her eyes met his. "Can you play our serenade?"

His hands went from the keys to his lap, and he bowed his head.

"I don't know kid, I don't know if I have it in me."

Cuddy decided it was time for action. "Rach honey, can you come help me?"

She snuck down the hallway with Rachel to the master bedroom, where she handed Rachel a piece of paper from her nightstand.

"Go give this to House sweetie."

Rachel took off down the hallway and into the living room. "House! House! I got something for you!"

He took the paper from her hands and groaned when he read it.

"Cashing in time. And this time, we're cashing in." Cuddy leaned on the doorframe and smiled down at him.

The voucher in his hand had his own scrawled handwriting- Play Cuddy's Serenade.

"Using the kid? That's a low blow."

Cuddy walked around behind him and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "We'd both like to hear it. And admit it, you always perk up when you play it."

House sighed and placed his fingers back on the keys. "Fine."

He began to play as Cuddy and Rachel stood and listened, taking in the beautiful music he had written just for them.

Cuddy could see the effect the music had on him, as he got deeper into the piece his shoulders relaxed and his breathing slowed. He was letting go, letting his exhaustion and pain flow out through the music. It was amazing the effect it had on him, and Cuddy was glad he had this outlet.

Finishing up with a flourish, Rachel jumped up and down, clapping. "Again! Again!"