ticcyyy | Lead You Into The Night (House/Cuddy, House/Wilson friendship; PG-13)

Title: Lead You Into The Night
Pairing: House/Cuddy, House/Wilson friendship
Rating: PG-13
Words: 35,000
Author's Notes & Credits: A big, HUGE thank you to my wonderful betas,

ducks_in_a_row and

topaz_eyes! Without the both of you, this story would not have come together anywhere near as smoothly as it has. The title of the fic is derived from the song Lead Me Into The Night by The Cardigans. It was a song I listened to a lot while hammering this story out; it, in some ways, set the tone of the story. The chapter titles are also derived from the song's lyrics. The banner was made by me.

Summary: What's the differential for a woman who says she hates her baby?

Excerpt:

Cuddy shrugged. "I'm doing okay."

"Just 'okay'?"

She faced the crib, where the baby was wrapped up tight in a blanket and fast asleep. Maybe she was just fatigued, but she didn't seem herself. He frowned.

"Can't believe I'm heading home tomorrow," she finally said. "It's going to be weird having a baby in the house."

"You've had plenty of time to get used to the idea."

"Preparing for a baby, House, and having one..."

"Thought you'd be jumping for joy."

"I thought so, too."

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think the most incredible facet of your writing, Ticcy, is how honest and real each character is. You take any and every situation and unravel it, layer by layer so that all the characters that you work with have a reaction. It’s never one-sided, it’s a multitude of raw, heartbreaking, and funny sides that you never lose sight of. I admire that so much about your work.

That being said, I think that you’ve written Cuddy as I have her in my head, as I’d love the show to take the time and develop. You craft her so well, allow her to be Cuddy as we, the audience, know her, and then add all those complicated, gorgeous sides that are often lost to a lot of things. She’s stunning in this, from her interactions with House and the weight of the change of having this baby. Not only is it believable, but you never lose sight of her character in the situation.

House! Your House, for me, has always been the closest, if not the same as canon!House on the show. It’s just so fantastic, the back and forth that he goes through, the way that he loathes change, but still follows through, with that self-hatred and fascination. I love how you play with his relationship with Wilson in this, and go back to his relationship with Cuddy – it becomes this fantastic study on how the relationships both drive him and steady him.

And House/Cuddy! It really was such a pleasure to read. I mean, again, you never steer away from the weight of their relationship or let the situation carry it. What is there, is there, and the two of them come together in such a gorgeous way around the baby, trying to figure themselves out and subsequently find each other this way. I think this story could easily stand in canon. Without a doubt.

Plus, there are so many lines and parts that I just want to draw hearts and stars all over. From House walking into Cuddy’s hospital room and her family’s there to Cuddy and Eva and the elephant. Really, Ticcy, this is such an incredible story. Well done, m’dear. ♥

Lead You Into The Night (House/Cuddy, House/Wilson friendship; PG-13)

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