The sun finally broke out from the dark night that crept through the night of New Jersey. The rain was over but droplets were still hanging from a leaf to another.
People from each halaman awal were starting to wake up as House found himself seated on the bed, with his back against the headboard while membaca the daily newspaper and a cup of coffee was waiting to be emptied on the nightstand. His legs were still under the messy sheets but one could tell he had them piled on puncak, atas of the other. He took his cup before taking a quick sip and Cuddy came out of the bathroom that caught his attention. They both exchanged few menit of silent stares but House could tell she’s down judging oleh the weary eyes she has. He placed the cup on the nightstand again before taking his membaca glasses off and setting the newspaper aside as Cuddy laid the pregnancy test selanjutnya to the lamp and took the luar angkasa just beside his knees. She was looking at the floor when he took the item she laid on and he gave a sighed as he looked back at her.
House: anda okay?
Cuddy’s face was filled with uncertain emotions but one stand out, she failed and he then moved closer.
House: We could… try again…
Cuddy: This is the fourth time, Greg…
House: Yah, but we still have numbers five, six, seven and so on…
Cuddy drew nothing but a forced smile. The moment he took her hand for comfort, their bedroom door opened and Ian, now 9, entered. He came running to his parents, jumping with his sepakbola ball, on tempat tidur that caught their attention.
House: hey buddy!
Ian stopped and sat between House and Cuddy. Whenever he do this, he could change their bad hari at work to the one of the best days of their lives, like the one today. His mother was starting to tampil a genuine smile as she rubbed his matted brown hair just like his father’s.
Cuddy: Breakfast?
Ian: Done…
Cuddy: Lying… I haven’t prepared any…
Ian: I took some cereals…
He looked up to his dad who was just right behind him.
Ian: Where’s my lacrosse game?
House: Lacrosse game? Hmmm…
The scene before her made Cuddy smile; she couldn’t believe that the pain in the pantat, keledai she considered ten years yang lalu is the same person playing pranks with her son right now.
Ian: Papa…
House: <smiled> Relax… Daddy’s off from work. Mom’s order.
Ian smiled and House did the same. The kid looked back at his mother.
Ian: Thanks mom…
Cuddy: Can anda give mommy some sweet morning hug?
Ian did what his mother had asked for. She shut her eyes the moment Ian’s arms were wrapped around her neck. She wanted to feel assured that at least, even for once, she has a child to cherish. The moment was jantung melting that she didn’t came to notice she was starting to made some sniffles that made House realized how desperate she wanted to have another one.
Ian: Mommy, are anda crying?
Ian pulled back and studied his mom’s eyes but Cuddy was taking the tears away so House took the answer time.
House: No… Mommy’s just… trying to be a Hollywood actress…
Ian smiled and Cuddy chuckled.
House: Now, get your best clothes on, we’re going to a game!
Ian squealed in excitement before giving his parents some ciuman and finally heading out to his bedroom again. The moment their door was shut, House and Cuddy looked at each other that seemed to be forever.
House: IVF, artificial insemination atau natural way. Pick one.
Cuddy: <scoffed> We have Ian…
House: A few menit ago, anda were down like hell…
Cuddy: I know but maybe it’s God’s way of saying having another child is not for us. ---- Get up and get dress yourself, Ian will be out in a minute.

That afternoon, House and Wilson met up after the lacrosse game Ian was dreaming about. As their kids play along, they were seated across the other while enjoying some cans of beer. Wilson already emptied half their orders but House hasn’t even started drinking his and he was rubbing his throbbing leg again.
House: She’s lying…
Wilson looked at him with his “please-continue” stares.
House: berkata she’s fine with Ian… but I know she wanted another one…
Wilson: Well ---
Wilson stopped the moment he noticed how hard House was rubbing his right leg.
Wilson: anda okay?
House: Yah…
Wilson: I mean, your leg? You’ve been rubbing it so hard for two weeks…
House: I’m fine… It’s just that ---
Wilson looked at him closely knowing he’s hiding something. Being caught off guard makes House uneasy, especially if it’s Wilson who caught him since he knew there’s nothing Wilson won’t find out.
Wilson: anda haven’t been taking vicodin for the past… two weeks…
House sighed and looked around if his son is around near them before looking back at his friend.
House: I’m lowering down my intake of narcotics…. Two weeks now…
Wilson: What? --- Why? --- How?
House: Got my sperm tested last month. See if the problem’s with me ---
Wilson: What’d anda find out?
House: My lousy sperm might be the reason why I can’t get Cuddy knock up… They’re stupid…
Wilson: Huh?
House: Drug dependent’s sperm are sluggish, idiots and some terms useless…
Wilson: And… anda think… anda do count in?
House made a slight nod that made Wilson chuckled.
House: Would anda mind? Tone it down. Ian might hear anda and I am so dead to Cuddy…
Wilson: <with laugh slowing down> She doesn’t know anda had your sperm checked?
House: It’s my sperm, not hers.
Wilson: Technically and biologically, yah, not hers.
House: She’s not mad about my sperm getting check, she’ll be mad if she finds out ---
Wilson: Because without drugs you’ll be getting crankier and your crankiness makes her cranky too because every night anda fight with each other? --- And that sperm check you’ll have is the reason why you’re not drinking this time. It’ll mess up with the result…
House: Knew anda understand.
Wilson: Idiot. --- This is a lost-lost game, House. lost 1, she’ll be mad because yes, you’re getting crankier, conflict burst out again. lost 2, you’re hurting yourself. anda think Cuddy’s up for that?
House: But win 1, and the greatest oleh the way, if we succeed having another child, how much happiness can we get? Plus, she’ll be fulfilled ---
Wilson shook his head and sighed before giving a quite sudden pause.
Wilson: anda do realize that it took anda years before anda two conceived Ian, right?
House got up and took one chip.
House: Then I’ll sacrifice a tahun without drugs for it…
House limped out of Wilson’s sight and called Ian to get in the car before getting in as well and driving home.

It’s already three in the morning but the lamp in their bedroom was still on. House was giving Cuddy some back massage when the idea of telling Cuddy about his final sperm check came into his mind.
House: Lise…
Cuddy grunted while her eyes were shut in pleasure.
House: <sighed> Nothing…
He lost his nerve. He got up and Cuddy looked at him as he sat down on their dipan, sofa where he began rubbing his leg.
Cuddy: I haven’t seen anda popping pills lately…
House: I’m not popping pills lately and you’re not happy about it?
Cuddy: You’re hiding something from me…
House: What? No… Not a chance…
Cuddy: Take some, would you? I can’t beruang looking at anda in pain like that…
Cuddy got up and went in front of her dresser where she combed her curly hair as silence ate the room.
House: What if… what if I get out of drugs for us to have another kid… --- Sperms are proven to be affected if a man’s on drugs atau alcohol…
Cuddy: I don’t think that’s a good idea…
House: Can’t anda see the better idea behind? We’ll be able to give ---
Cuddy turned and looked at him sternly.
Cuddy: Greg, shut up. I won’t risk this marriage and family again just because you’ve gone cranky and crazy like before… --- So please, get the hell idea out of your brain. We have Ian, I can live with that than see anda suffer in pain.
Cuddy got up, looking pissed before locking herself in the bathroom.

oleh selanjutnya morning, before Cuddy woke up, House had slipped out their halaman awal to be in the sperm clinic where he had his first sperm check. This is his last sperm check and like his doctor, he’s hoping to see a better improvement than the sebelumnya one. As he walked through the empty pathway to a masturbation room, Cuddy’s words were playing in repeat in his mind. Her words mean business and he knows she really does mean so. He’s torn between the idea of turning back and the idea of going inside and have his little worms squeezed out of him again. His leg was hurting every other hari and today is not spared and he knows, Cuddy was right, getting him out of narcotics will put everything at risk but he’s certain to make the woman he loves happy and fulfilled.
Nurse: Mr. House…
He looked at the nurse behind him. She was holding a bunch of magazine and a plastic cup and she was handling them to him. He took a breath before taking the stuffs from her hand. He opened the door himself and subjectively entered before locking himself in.