"So, Rachel. What do you think of the hospital?" Madelyn asked. Rachel sat in the chair beside her watching the computer screen light up in various colors. 

"Rainbow!" Rachel exclaimed, pointing to the colored wavelengths vibrate on the audiology program. 

Madelyn giggled with her, 

"Does your mommy bring you here often?" she restated her question. 

"Sometimes. She says it's funner with me." Rachel answered with a half toothless smile. She'd lost a lot of teeth in the last month or two, Cuddy had said. 

Madelyn chuckled, "I bet that's true! Do you like music?"

Rachel nodded her head, and clapped her hands together. Madelyn reached into her bag and pulled out her phone to put some soft music on. 

"Fraggle Rock! Fraggle Rock!" Rachel chanted, her hands in fists and her cheeks blushed from smiling. 

"Fraggle Rock?" Madelyn asked confounded. "That show's from my childhood in the 90s! I didn't know you could still watch it." 

"Yeah, it's an Apple TV original." she responded, very astute. Madelyn was easily entertained by her, 

"Huh. They must've made a reboot." Madelyn concluded, "let me find some of the songs, give me just a second." 

Madelyn was able to find some of the music on YouTube, and to Rachel's bliss, she handed over her phone to the gleeful little girl. She began humming along, and wiggling in her chair. 

"You know, I like to sing too?" 

"You do?" Rachel asked, bright-eyed like her mother. Madelyn nodded, 

"Absolutely." Madelyn affirmed kindly. 

Even though she'd never had that many experiences with children, she loved them; she just didn't know if she was ready to have her own. 

With a few more clicks, and data entries, Madelyn reached a stopping point. She paused the audiology program, and cast her full attention to little Rachel. Scooting her chair over, the two girls sat side by side, enjoying the time they were spending with one another. 

"Can you sing for me?" Rachel asked. 

"Did your mommy tell you about the hospital charity gala?" 

"I think so..."

"I'll be singing at it, you can hear me then!" 

"But I want to hear now!"

Rachel had huge green eyes like Cuddy, and Madelyn was falling for their spell. 

"Okay." she happily agreed. 

Just as Madelyn was trying to figure out what kind of song would make sense to sing, she noticed the adorable graphic shirt Rachel was wearing. 

"You like Nightmare Before Christmas?" Madelyn asked. 

"Mmmm-hmmm!" 

"Me too." 

An energy sparked between the two, and Madelyn instantly felt a sense of peace after a long three ish weeks of anxiety:

🎶I sense there's something in the wind, that feels like tragedies at hand🎶

🎶And though I'd like to stand by him, can't shake this feeling that I have...🎶

🎶The worst is just around the bend. And does he notice? My feelings for him?🎶

🎶And will he see? How much he means to me? I think it's not to be...🎶

Madelyn noticed Rachel was laying far back in her chair, her eyes watching as the notes filled the room. But, before she could continue the song, House walked into the lab. 

"Do, I hear singing?" House questioned, his eyebrows furrowed with curiosity. 

"Uncle House!" Rachel squealed, jumping off the chair and towards House. He lowered his arms to hug her. 

"Hey squirt," House greeted her back, "what are you doing?" House was looking at Madelyn, wondering what he had just walked in on.

"I've been watching her for Cuddy while she's in a meeting." Madelyn informed. 

"I see." House stated, patting Rachel's head lovingly. 

"I missed you." Rachel whined, pulling a chord in Madelyn's heart who was in awe of her adorableness. 

"I miss you too, kiddo." House told to her. 

And just when Madelyn was about to excuse herself, she heard House say to her:

"And I missed you as well." 

Without much other thought, she stood up out of the chair, and walked over to House. Rachel was now standing between the two of them. Her eyes like pots of sun-melted honey, with a gaze reserved for House, Madelyn felt herself wanting to kiss him. Before she did, however, House's lips found hers first. It wasn't logic. It was love. 

"Gross!" Rachel gagged, stomping her feet. Madelyn burst out laughing.

"So, I take it you missed me back?" 

"I love you so much." Madelyn's voice broke. House kissed her again, tangling his lips in hers, and attempting to savor their taste after what felt like lightyears. 

"Sorry, Rachel." House apologized. 

"Can I go back to mommy now?" 

"Sure, I'll take you." Madelyn answered. 

"It's okay, I'll take her." House offered generously. Madelyn didn't refuse. 

As House grabbed Rachel's hand to depart, Rachel quickly ran back towards Madelyn and outstretched her small arms in the hopes of a hug. Madelyn felt her eyes well up and hugged the little girl back, tightly as if she were her own. She softly rubbed her back and lightly kissed her hair. 

"Bye Dr. Gilmore!" Rachel waved goodbye as she ran back to hold onto House's hand. 

"Bye, sweetheart. Tell your mommy thank you from me." Rachel blinked as a way of saying yes. 

"You forgot my hug..." House pouted playfully, bringing Madelyn into his arms and held her against his chest. For that whole moment, nothing felt wrong anymore to either of them. "I love you too." House whispered in her ear. 

"Come on! Mommy's waiting..." Rachel pouted, cutely. 

"You got that right." House responded before leading the two of them out of the lab. 

While unsure about everything in her life right now, there was only one thing that Madelyn was absolutely confident on. She was madly, completely, and inexorably in love with Greg House. 

short but sweet chapter hopefully! Comment what you guys think :)