Disclaimer: All rights belong to Fox and David Shore.
Author's Note: This chapter has been modified since its original publication. Special thanks to my beta TwiSagaAddict.

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2002

As Jake was picking up his luggage from the baggage carousel, his cell phone began to vibrate. The familiar voice began with "Hi Hon, its Mom." Jake smiles, as the voice on the other end continues "I'm on my way; there was an accident at the interstate so I'm running a little late." Jake replies "its okay Mom. My flight was delayed too, so I just got off the plane." Jake said goodbye to his Mom and told her that he would meet her at the express pick-up gate. At quick glance, Jake looks like any typical young man—tall, dark curly hair, piercing blue eyes, and a ready smirk. However, typical is not a word one would use to describe Jake's life. He has spent much of his young life as a first hand witness to two accomplished women of their generation. Emma Cuddy is one of the top female diplomats in the US Foreign Service. Nana, as Jake refers to her, can charm her way through treaties and negotiations and still be home in time to tuck Jake into bed growing up. Jake's Mom, Dr. Lisa Cuddy, is no slouch either. In spite of encountering a minor setback in college, Lisa achieved her goal of becoming the Dean of Medicine at the young age of 32. The "minor setback," as referred to by Nana, was Lisa's unplanned pregnancy during her junior year in pre-med.

Flashback begins
Lisa met the legendary Gregory House when she was a freshman in pre-med. Greg was a tall, sarcastic but brilliant med-student who admired Lisa's intelligence and her zesty body. The two began "hanging-out" together during Lisa's freshman year. By her junior year, Greg had practically moved into Lisa's tiny dorm room. Lisa's roommates often wondered what Lisa found attractive with a sarcastic jerk. Judging from the noise emanating from Lisa's room every night, they seemed to do two things a lot-- argue and have make-up sex.

The day that Lisa discovered that she was pregnant was the same day that Greg received his offer to join SF General Hospital's residency program. They always knew that that "thing" between them would not last forever since both had their medical careers ahead of them. On the eve of Greg's departure, the two spent the whole night in each other's arms. She never told him about her pregnancy and he never asked her to come with him. They said their goodbyes and promised to keep in touch.

With help from large sweatshirts, Lisa completed her junior year without anyone knowing that she was pregnant. Lisa never even told her mom until she went home eight-months pregnant that summer. It takes a lot to rattle Emma Cuddy's cage and the revelation that her nineteen-year-old daughter was with a child just about did it. However, Emma decided that that was simply a "minor setback" in Lisa's life. They agreed that Lisa would continue her studies while Emma took care of the baby. Jacob Gregory Cuddy was born on June 11, 1988. He was named after the two most important men in Lisa's life—Jacob Cuddy, her late father and Gregory House, the love of her life. Three months after giving birth, Lisa went back to Michigan to complete her senior year of pre-med. Lisa had always been a determined woman, but the birth of her son seemed to intensify her drive. She graduated top of her class and was accepted to the best medical schools in the country. She selected Harvard Medical School, so she could be in Boston with her Mom and her son. While other mothers were reading their toddlers nursery rhymes, Lisa was reading medical books to her son. Jake got his intelligence from his parents and in no time was skipping grades. He was enrolled at the local school's Gifted and Talented Program and by the age of ten, was taking high school level classes.

Ten years after the birth of their son, Lisa bumped into Greg at a medical convention in Baltimore. The two decided to meet later that evening at a local bar to catch-up with each other. She found out that he'd been bouncing around from hospital to hospital, while he learned that she had settled down as a young endocrinologist at Princeton. In no time, Lisa and Greg were swapping stories and sharing laughs just like old times. Maybe it was the alcohol or it could've been the loneliness that caused Lisa to later invite Greg back to her hotel room. The two immediately picked-up from where they left off ten years ago. Lisa and Greg made love the rest of the night. Morning came too quickly and soon both had to say goodbye. And like ten years ago, they promised to keep in touch.

Lisa toyed with the idea of telling Greg about Jake, but she just never had the nerve to follow through. Later that year, when she was appointed the youngest Dean of Medicine at PPTH, she decided to hire one of best minds she knew—Dr. Gregory House. Greg was unhappy at his current job and was probably days from being fired yet again so he accepted Lisa's offer. Lisa secretly hoped that maybe Greg's proximity would make it easier to finally reveal the secret that she had kept from him for ten years.

An enthusiastic Greg entered Lisa's office accompanied by a charming young brunette. He introduced her as Stacy Hudson, his girlfriend. Lisa's heart just about sunk as she realized that her hope of a happy reunion evaporated. From that moment on, she vowed to keep an emotional distance between her and Greg. As a result, she began calling him House.

With the same determination that propelled her to the top of her field, Lisa set her sight on three goals: providing her son the very best of everything, ensuring that PPTH was a premier hospital, and keeping her emotions in check when around House.

On Jake's thirteenth birthday, he received his high school diploma, scored a perfect 1600 on his SAT, and declared his intention of following his Mom's footsteps and become a doctor. Lisa couldn't be more proud of her son and declared that he could have whatever he wanted for his Bar Mitzvah. Lisa braced herself for the possibility that Jake might finally ask to meet his father, but instead Jake asked if he could move to Europe with his Nana. As Jake enthusiastically listed the numerous opportunities available for him in Europe, Lisa felt her heart tighten. She wanted to say no, but knowing that Jake's thirst for knowledge was better quenched in the great cities of Europe than in the suburbs of New Jersey, she reluctantly said yes. In the next few months, Lisa poured all her time and effort into her other baby (the Hospital).

End of Flashback
TBC