To make this house a home. (vampire AU House, fanfic)

Chapter six.

"So somewhere locked away, House has a heart?" 

Dr. Chase asked as he sifted through the papers on his clipboard. House himself rolled his eyes as he hobbled into the room amidst the gossip of the doctors. "Why yes I do have a heart, I have it in a jar somewhere." 

He sat down while lifting his feet on the table, instantly relieving his sore leg. The others took a seat, ready to discuss their latest patient. "We currently have a case in which a forty-two year old man came back from a hunting trip and had a heart attack with no medical backgrounds stating-" 

Thirteen was trying to say before House held his hand up to silence her. "Random heart attack, exertion with a heart problem, check for any holes." 

The others insighted their cases while House listened, choosing one to take on. Meanwhile, Rachael was sitting in House's office as she was doing her assigned homework, a mug of steaming blood by her side. "Oh shit-" she mumbled as red ink dripped onto her paper. But the words were black. She held up her hand as blood seeped around her nails. 

There were sharp pains as she gritted her teeth, feeling something push up from her nail bed. Suddenly there was a soft pop as her nails clattered against the desk and were replaced by black pointed claws. Rachael immediately shoved them below as the door opened and House hobbled in. 

"Hey kiddo, today is your lucky day." 

He grinned while looking down at her, before it suddenly faded as he spotted the bloody mess. "Give me your hands, now." 

She lifted them slowly, shivering from the dull throb that came and went. To her surprise House was gentle, carefully examining them before smiling softly. "Your claws have finally decided to come in, the regiments I have you on appears to be working."

He then stared at the mess once more as he sighed in annoyance. "Help me clean this up and we'll go to Starbucks and wherever else you wanna go as a daddy, daughter date." 

Rachael was surprised, but helped to clean up as her former nails and the bloody mess went into the trash. Before they left, House made her drink the rest of what was within the mug.

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House found himself in a science museum, sitting on a bench as he rested his sore leg. There was a warm coffee in his hands that was rather too sweet for his liking, not that Rachael minded hers. He was surprised that she wanted to stop here, but found himself smiling that she was interested in science, especially space.

She was gazing at a satellite when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Rachael looked up to see House towering over her, leaning against his cane as he stared at the exhibit. 

"So when were you going to tell me that you never attended any schools." 

He suddenly spoke as she looked up at him confused. He looked down. "Rachael, I know more than you think I do. The only way I can help you more is if you tell me instead of holding it in and expecting us all to know."

House had caught her off guard as she stuttered. "I-I…" she swallowed before speaking. "I don't think I've been to school before, I gathered what I could while we went from place to place." 

He nodded, connecting the dots now. "And that's why you're almost a genius but also an idiot when it comes to the basics, like writing, spelling, basic math." 

Rachael would have taken his words as an insult, if it was not for the fact that he was right. She looked down in shame before suddenly his arms wrapped around her and held her close to himself. 

"I'm going to make sure that you're educated, get the help you need and a stable home."

House's voice was soft this time, his eyes still staring ahead but his mind on Rachael. He made sure that Cuddy knew that he was the young vampire's last and hopefully permanent caregiver. 

She turned around to hug him around the waist tightly as her face buried into his stomach. He couldn't help but hug her back with his cane still in hand. 

Meanwhile, Wilson got the papers back he was waiting for in his office. He didn't have the heart to tell House that was denied by the adoption agency.