Up the Garden Path

House followed Nyx into a corridor. Only once he was inside the corridor did he realise that it wasn't actually a corridor, more like an overgrown garden path. Or maybe a maze? Anyway, he figured he better stay close to Nyx because he had no way of finding his way out of this. At least not before morning when the orderly came to wake him up and give him his meds. He really didn't fancy the idea of being lost in a mystical maze until then.

"Don't worry," Nyx's voice said to him. "I'm not going to lose you. Just walk straight on and we'll get there in no time."

"Get where?" House muttered.

"My daughter's garden," Nyx replied. "It's a very private and quiet place."

"So is a grave," House sighed to himself – but of course there was no "to himself" in a dream.

Nyx laughed. "Just because my daughter is Death, does not mean I'm taking you to your grave. I just happen to like her garden, especially at night when I can have it to myself. Most of the time at least."

"But Thanatos is male, surely?" House frowned. He was sure that Greek Mythology saw death as male.

"Just because people 'see' something, does not always make it so," Nyx shrugged. "Besides, spirits can take any appearance they prefer. Gender is not a fixed, nor important concept for us. But I definitely gave birth to a daughter when I had Death. However, the ancient Greeks could not accept the idea that such a powerful force as death could possibly be female. And that is rather surprising considering that they did see women as bringers of death."

"How so?" This dream was surely taking a bizarre turn. House was shaking his head in confusion.

"Women are the ones who bring forth life by giving birth," Nyx explained as she walked towards what looked like the end of the path – or a tunnel - they had been travelling. "Everything living will die one day, thus life carries death within itself. So those who bring forth life also bring forth death. Same coin, different sides. Ah, here we are!"

House followed Nyx out of the tunnel. He assumed that his eyes had got used to the darkness as he could see a lot more now than he had originally been able to. The night was overcast so he should not have been able to make out much of the garden, but he did. Somehow it reminded him of English gardens. There was a wall surrounding the place, but it didn't feel enclosed. Neat paths meandered between the flowerbeds and the night was full of all kinds of fragrances both from herbs and flowers. It was warm, soothing and felt alive.

"This is Death's Garden?" House asked.

"Yes," Nyx smiled. "This is the Garden of Death. Surprised?"

"I didn't expect it to be so… alive I suppose," House shrugged. "I guess I expected something a bit more barren."

"As I just said, everything alive carries death in it," Nyx reminded him. "Follow me; there is a gazebo in the rose garden. I like to sit there at night when the scent of the roses is strongest."

"O great," House sighed. "You have any puppies there, too?"

"Now, now," Nyx mildly admonished him. "I'm not trying to cure you with puppies and walks in the rain. I just want to have this conversation somewhere distinctly not Mayfield. Do you really have a problem with that?"

"No, sorry," House admitted grudgingly. "This is your show, so lead on."

Without further words Nyx did lead the way to a gazebo that was surrounded by all kinds of roses. The scent was indeed strong but mellow in the night air. It felt surprisingly relaxing and House was quite content to deposit his body on one of the lounging chairs inside. Out of habit he used his hands to lift his leg to the chair though he felt no pain. Of course, he never felt pain in his dreams. As usual he also walked without his cane.

"This place seems oddly familiar," House mused.

"You may have been here before," Nyx suggested. "Or it's just your familiarity with my daughter. She did once complain that she is hanging so much around you that she is starting to feel like your guardian angel!"

"I don't think I have ever met your daughter," House insisted.

"Oh really!" Nyx laughed. "You may be her most constant courtier. I'm not saying you want to die but there have been several times when you haven't cared if you live."

"But I haven't killed myself," House stated almost with some aggression.

"Not for lack of trying," Nyx retorted blandly.

"Ok, never mind, so what is this conversation supposed to be about?" House decided to change the subject.

"Your sanity," Nyx responded.

"That should be a short conversation now that I have detoxed and got rid of the hallucinations," House evaded.

"House," Nyx looked at him gravely. "I was not born yesterday. You know as well as I do that Vicodin was not the main reason for the hallucinations and delusions."

"I have detoxed, the hallucinations have ended, what more do you want?" House insisted.

"I want you to face the real reasons for your hallucinations," Nyx sighed. "It's not just that you hallucinated – or had delusions – it's also what you hallucinated."

"Is this where you introduce me to your other children?" House demanded. "Are Momus and Nemesis waiting in the wings?"

"No. I'm not here to distribute Blame or Retribution," Nyx denied. "I don't need to bring my children into this. You blame yourself quite enough for a number of things without any help from anyone. I really am here just to help you."

"Well, I suppose I have to believe you for now," House accepted. "I'm reserving the right to change my mind though."

"So you should," Nyx accepted. "This is your mind we are talking about. Others can help illuminate your problems, but only you can actually see them."

"If you are a figment of my mind," House pondered. "Then you really ought to be able to see, too, what is going on in my mind."

"True," Nyx nodded. "If I am a figment of your mind."

"There you go again," House accused. "Trying to make me think you're an independent identity. Next you will be telling me there is a God!"

"One God?" Nyx tilted her head like she was weighing something. "I know there are gods. For some it is Money, for some it is Fame, for some it is Reason. For some I am a Goddess, though one of many not just The One. But if you are asking me is there a God or Gods, as understood in most religions, then I cannot answer you. This is your dream. I can only tell you what you already know – even if you don't know you know it – and what you already believe."

"Why do I feel like there is an evasion in there somewhere?" House queried.

"Maybe because in someone else's dream I would be different," Nyx shrugged nonchalantly. "I know it is frustrating, but I'm not here to mess with your mind."

"Well for someone who isn't trying, you are doing one heck of a job!" House pointed out.

"Maybe," Nyx acknowledged. "But at least you are lucid enough to get it. In fact, you're pretty much like your normal self."

"Yeah," House scoffed. "In my dreams!"

"Don't scoff it," Nyx advised. "It is a start. And you do need to start somewhere."