A/N -

Sorry for the delay. I've had a pretty bad sinus infection (aka, head cold) and I could barely make it in to work, let alone, write.

Anyway, getting back on track, now, so here's the next chapter :-)

~ Chapter Eight ~

Rachel was crawling around on the floor, chasing after her blocks, when a knock sounded at the door. Cuddy got up from the chair she was sitting in, and she hurried to the door to open it. Her face fell when she saw who was standing on the other side.

"Dammit, House," she groaned. "What are you doing here?"

"Jesus, Cuddy, you give me such warm welcomes. I'm starting to think you have a thing for me." He smirked, relishing her flustered reaction.

"Sorry," she said quickly, motioning him in, impatiently. "I thought you were someone else." She sat back in the chair "What are you doing her?"

"Wanna go to lunch?" he blurt out. At her stunned look, he grinned. "I miss Wilson," he pouted. "I need someone to buy me lunch." He gave her a defeated look. "Will you be Wilson for me today?"

She blinked, trying not to laugh. "You're inviting me to buy lunch for you?" She shook her head. "I'm waiting for a phone call."

"And you've never heard of a mobile phone?" He saw her bite her lip, and he knew he had her. He shot a look to Rachel, and he fought to keep his face expressionless. "You can even bring the leech."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay..." she drew out. "You carry the diaper bag." He groaned, but watched as she put Rachel's boots and winter coat on. She picked the little girl up, and she handed him the bag.

He reluctantly took the bag, and he shouldered it. As they were walking down the hall, he noticed something. "No stroller?"

She laughed. I'm not going to pack something like that when I'm here for a week. It's too large and clumsy," she explained, giving him a tired smile. "I was thinking about just buying a cheap one, but haven't decided yet."

He watched as she shifted Rachel's weight to her other hip. "So, you're just going to tote her around London?"

"Probably," she rolled her eyes. "It's not like we're going to do a lot of walking around in this weather, anyway." She frowned at the leaden skies as they walked out the door. She shivered at the brisk wind. "Besides, it's not like I'm used to carrying around the weight of your ego, so I've got lots of training." She gave him a little smirk.

"My ego!" he exclaimed, pretending to be shocked.

"Yes, your ego. It's too big for just one of us. It takes all three of us to carry it around." She shifted Rachel again while they walked. The little girl kept trying to twist around to watch House with great interest.

"Don'cha think the little one is too young for that kind of burden?" He made a face at her, causing the toddler to giggle.

Cuddy gave him a dry look. "I was talking about Wilson."

They entered the small cafe. They ordered their lunch. "You're still buying, right?" He looked at her hopefully.

She rolled her eyes, and she waved her hand. "Yeah, sure." She gave him a pointed look. "Are you missing Wilson that much? By making me buy your lunch for you? That's a little pathetic, you know."

He smirked across the table at her. "Speaking of relationships," he deftly deflected, causing her to lift a questioning eyebrow at him. She feared the worst, and he felt the tension increase substantially between them. He knew that she knew what he was going to ask, and he blundered on, anyway. "You never told me what happened between you and Lucas."

She bit her lip, and she felt her spine stiffen. She gave him a long look before answering. "I'm afraid that's none of your business," she informed him, abruptly standing up. "I'll be back," she told him, and before he could ask where she was going, she left him alone at the table with Rachel.

He tilted his head to one side. "Interesting," he mused. He noticed Rachel had twisted around in her high chair, her dark brown eyes were wide and full of worry. "Don't worry kid," he told her. "Mommy's just in the bathroom," he reassured her. "She won't let you be alone with me for too long. She'll be afraid that I'll convince you to join the dark side. Which, by the way, is the right side. Full of reason and logic."

Rachel looked up at him with wide, trusting brown eyes. He peered at her, wondering if he had ever been as innocent and trusting. Her lower lip began to quiver, and his eyes grew wide. "Oh, no kid!" He tried to stave off the inevitable. "Look, you're mommy's gonna be back soon, I know it." He glanced around the restaurant, making sure that they hadn't drawn anyone's attention yet. "Please, god, don't go nuclear. Not yet." He cringed, waiting for the worst to happen.

"Scared of a little baby?" a familiar teasing voice asked. Cuddy had come back, and he held back a sigh of relief. She picked up Rachel, and his relief turned to concern. "Sorry," she told him. "My nanny just called. She finally reached the hotel, and I need to meet her. Prepare for the week." She gave him an indecipherable look. "See you tomorrow, House."

He watched her leave, and he frowned.

It was another near miss, and there had been way too many of those over the years.

** ** **

(Back in Princeton, Monday Evening)

Wilson and Chase were walking out of the hospital, making their way to their cars. "So, he doesn't know," Wilson asked.

Chase shook his head. "No, not yet, and don't tell him."

Wilson made a gesture of surrender with his hands. "I've been around House enough to know when to keep my mouth shut." He paused for a second. "Do the other fellows know."

Chase nodded. "They're in on it. They had to be."

"Will it work?" Wilson was genuinely interested.

Chase grinned. "It has so far."

Wilson chuckled. "Wanna get a beer, so you can tell me the rest of your devious plan?"

"Only if you're buying."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "No. You may be House's replacement, but you're not him. I'm not funding any of your habits."

They laughed, then headed to their respective vehicles.

*********

(About the same time, but in London)

Cuddy sat at the desk in her room, video conferencing with her temporary replacement at the hospital. Dr. Warner was the head of cardiology, but he knew the hospital better than just about everyone else on the staff, except her. He'd make a great administrator some day, as long as it was another hospital.

She wasn't quite ready to relinquish the iron grip she had on PPTH.

"Hang on a moment, Don, the specs are in my bag," she apologized, embarrassed by her lack of organization.

The middle aged man laughed, a deep, rich thrum. "It's fine, Lisa. Traveling can disorientate the best of us, of which you are," he reassured. She blushed at his compliment.

She left her seat, and she dug the stack of papers out of her bag. She frowned, finding the pile thicker than she remembered. She flipped through them, and she realized that half of them were hand outs from the opening lectures at the conference she'd missed earlier in the day, thanks to not having a sitter. As she flipped through them, she noticed that all of them had written notes scrawled through them in a familiar script.