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Like Father, Like Son
by Taima Hiroshima
They managed to get the Wilson's out of the house before eleven. Madeline had insisted on putting Leenie to bed herself. Of course, the woman wouldn't call the child Leenie. She insisted on calling her Samara.
After the girl was sleeping and the Wilson's tiptoed out of the house, James scooped up Birdie, who had been sulking on top of the piano all afternoon. He stroked her behind her ears, just how she liked it. Soon she was coaxed out of her sulk and began to purr.
"So, one down one to go, right?" James yawned. House looked at him as though he had just announced that banana milkshakes were God.
"What?"
"One set of parents."
"We only have half to go, Wilson. My father isn't coming." House said flatly. Without another word, he turned and went into the bedroom. Wilson stood awkwardly petting the cat for a few minutes more. He put her down on the back of the couch. She glared at him and began to wash her face.
"Guard the house. Make sure no more creepy women with too much lipstick come in." Birdie yawned and curled into a ball. Wilson tiptoed into their bedroom.
House was on his side, his back to James. The younger man sank onto the bed. Cautiously, he put an arm over House's hips.
"Hey," there was no answer. Greg's eyes were closed, but James could tell that he wasn't sleeping. He cleared his throat.
"Look, Greg, I know that you and your dad don't have the best relationship. But that doesn't mean the same thing is going to happen to you and Leenie. In fact, just the opposite is going to happen. You're going to love her even better!"
"You don't know that." Greg's voice was flat. If you knew how to listen, you could hear the tense sense of fear hidden there. He was good at masking his emotions. But James was even better at unmasking them.
"I do know that!" James protested. "Look at me, I'm nothing at all like my mother, am I?"
"Well, you both do have that fabulous rack."
"Be serious," but James laughed even as he said it. He snuggled in closer to House. Pressed his cheek against the side of his lover's head. Greg's hand trembled as it reached up and wrapped around James's wrist.
"Sometimes being serious can be hazardous to your health."
**
They didn't even bother to make the house look as nice as they had for the Wilson's. Blythe never cared about things like that. All she cared about was her son's happiness. And unlike James's parents, she didn't associate happiness with material possessions.
They dressed Leenie in a pink onesie that came with a matching hat. It also had little mittens attached so that she couldn't scratch her face. She was indignant at the fact that this little freedom was being taken from her and howled out against it.
"It's not the end of the world. God, of all the babies we get the drama queen." But House said this without malice. He even tickled his daughter lightly as he did. She was nestled in James's arms. After telling the world how unhappy she was, she settled down with a bottle in her mouth.
"I really wish we could give her breast milk." James sighed. That really is much better for her.
"Well, unless you plan on growing a set of tits, I just don't think that's going to happen." House pinched Wilson's nipple. His lover blushed bright red. The door opened.
"There are my boys," said a cheerful, yet almost tired voice. Greg stood up straight and went to kiss the woman on the cheek. She put her hand on his shoulder and looked him up and down.
"You're much too thin. I do wish you'd eat more." She then went to go and hug and kiss James. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the infant swaddled in a blanket.
"Mom?" Greg cleared his throat.
"She's beautiful, Greg. She's yours, right?" she glanced at James. "Both of yours, really."
"How did you know?" James asked.
"Because I'm a mother. And I know these things." She took the baby from James, cradling her in her arms. She smiled and kissed the tiny forehead.
"Oh, she's perfect."
"We thought so, too." Greg said softly. He and James locked eyes. There was the faintest trace of a smile on the older one's face. Blythe smiled openly at both of them.
"So, now I'm going to sit down and you're both going to tell me how this all came about while I hold my granddaughter."
"Yes ma'am," they both said in unison. There was laughter from all three of them.
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Legal Disclaimer: The authors published here make no claims on the ownership of Dr. Gregory House and the other fictional residents of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Like the television show House (and quite possibly Dr. Wilson's pocket protector), they are the property of NBC/Universal, David Shore and undoubtedly other individuals of whom I am only peripherally aware. The fan fiction authors published here receive no monetary benefit from their work and intend no copyright infringement nor slight to the actual owners. We love the characters and we love the show, otherwise we wouldn't be here.
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