First Fanfiction ever! This is just an idea I have been toying with since forever. Takes place post Huddy breakup.

I believe House is really someone who underneath his tough exterior, cares very much for the people around him.

Reviews would be greatly appreciated :)

House lay sprawled across his Ottoman, dozing as he waited for his team to complete their tests on their latest patient, when suddenly, he was assailed by someone with a ear-screeching "HOWSSSSSSS!" and a flurry of giggles.

Before he could help it, a slight smile tugged at his lips, but he hid it quickly behind a scowl.

"What are you doing here?"

In response to his cranky question, Rachel simply giggled and clambered onto his lap, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Miss you, Hows. How come you don't come play anymore?" She rubbed her cheek against his scruff, giggling at the ticklish feeling, as she always did.

Like her mother.

A sharp pang went through House's heart. He didn't know how to tell Rachel that he wouldn't be able to sail in through Cuddy's door, sit down with her in her room and start playing with her again. What should he say? Before he could open his mouth to attempt answering her, Wilson burst through the door.

"Rachel! You were supposed to be waiting in my office!"

House immediately drew up his walls, and glared at Wilson.

"Why in the world is the spawn here? And why have you become the henpecked sitter chasing after the evil one?"

"Chickenpox outbreak at school. Marina's ill today, and Cuddy's at a meeting with a donor. I had to pick her up." Wilson sighed, hands on his hips. "She's been pestering me all day to let her come see you. She escaped when I went to the washroom."

"Cos I missed you Hows!" Rachel interrupted, jiggling up and down on House's lap.

Wilson cringed inwardly, not just for House's leg. He didn't let Rachel come visit House as he knew House was still hurting from the break-up. House had grown to care for Rachel, something that was not easy for him, and he had not seen Rachel since Cuddy broke up with him. And he didn't know how House would feel having Rachel around. Or how Cuddy would feel having Rachel around House. Like now.

House grimaced at Rachel's wiggling on his lap. Holding her by the waist, he shifted her weight onto his good leg, and bent his leg slightly to try relieve the sharp stabbings of pain. Thank goodness he had just taken a Vicodin before his nap.

Wilson interrupted, addressing Rachel and giving House a moment to compose himself. "Rachel, House has a patient, we really should let him work alright?"

"But Uncle Jimmy, he was sleeping!"

Ouch. Just like her mother, thought Wilson.

"And you interrupted my beauty sleep. It was helping me to cure my patient you know. Now shoo!" House stared pointedly at Rachel.

Used to his sarcasm and warped humour, (it was one, to a child her age), Rachel only chuckled and hugged him harder.

House groaned. She didn't seem to want to let go anytime soon, and if she was anything like her mother, that stubborn streak meant she was not going to let go anytime soon. And no way he was going to admit this to anyone, but he kind of did not mind having her around.

"Rachel. Let's go. Please?" Wilson was well aware of the stubbornness of the Cuddy women.

Ignoring Wilson completely, Rachel turned her sparkling brown eyes to gaze into House's blue eyes.

"Nope! Hows, let's go play! Uncle Jimmy is boring. I want to go to the park!"

House smirked. Seemed like the precocious one preferred the grouchy old man over Wilson the nice uncle. He lifted Rachel, retrieved his cane from the bookshelf and got up. He pointed his cane at Wilson.

"Go back to your dying patients."

"But…"

"I have a few hours before my team come back."

"House, I…"

"For God's sake, Wilson! Just go, I've got her. She'll come back in one piece. In case you were worried about Cuddy biting your head off. Keys."

Wilson hesitated. Rachel had been a ball of energy the whole day and he couldn't concentrate on his paperwork. And he knew that this was a good opportunity for House to spend some time with Rachel. Get some closure.

He took out his car keys and passed them to House warily. Before he could say anything, House grabbed the keys, limped past him and out the door.

"In one piece, House!" Wilson hollered after the two figures – one tall limping man with a cane and the girl bouncing alongside him chattering excitedly.

Safely buckled into her car seat in the back row of Wilson's car, Rachel bounced up and down excitedly at the prospect of finally getting to play with House for the first time in what seemed like forever. House had given her a red sucker, and she clasped it tight in her hand.

"Hows! :ook at my tongue! Is it red?"

Rachel stuck her tongue out and waggled it at House exaggeratedly. Glancing in his rearview mirror as they waited for the traffic light to turn green, House smiled.

"Yeah."

He genuinely enjoyed himself around Rachel. Maybe it was the childhood he never really had, but Rachel's exuberance and innocence was able to penetrate those concrete walls he built around himself. He was able to let his guard down around her.

The traffic light turned green.

As House moved the car forward, he saw from the corner of his eye an SUV swerving wildly from across the intersection. As it barreled down the road, it was headed straight towards them, towards Rachel's side of the car.

Acting on instinct, he jerked the wheel to the side, hoping desperately to angle the impact of the crash away from Rachel's side and onto his own.

There was a sickening crash and time seemed to slow. The car seemed to fly through the air upon impact. Rachel's scream was lost amongst the sounds of metal crushing metal and glass shattering.

House glanced desperately in the rearview mirror at Rachel before all went black.