Chapter 4

The weeks past with Wilson calling in on a daily basis, he was very taken with the twins and was so relieved and happy to have his old friend back. One night they were sitting having a beer, Dominika was still down stairs, the twins were in bed and Wilson asked House if he missed medicine.

"Of course, it was my 'life' for most of my life. I still read and keep in touch with everything but it's not the same. They have some exciting new stuff that might help my leg in a year or two."

"Why don't you look at doing some hours, even as a consultant, I'm sure you could slot back in if you wanted to?"

"Not so easy, I haven't kept up my registration and there is the whole, having gone to prison thing, they'd probably want their pound of flesh to let me back in."

"You are actually still registered, but you'd have to do three months rounds like last time. Didn't you do those in a week?"

"Yip, they couldn't bear me so Cuddy decided she would make me go with her, she folded in a week. She hated me knowing what a second rate doctor she is. You're wrong about the registration, I haven't paid up for the last four years; they'd want me to do more than a refresher because that's lapsed.

Wilson looked a little embarrassed; House looked at him closely then rolled his eyes and said quietly "Jimmy, Jimmy Jimmy! You are one hopeless case, just how long would you have gone on paying it!"

"I just wanted you to be able to practice, if you were somewhere and had no funds."

"I wondered how you'd manage without my sorry arse to look after but you never stopped did you?"

"Did you think I would?"

"I expected you to have married at least twice, and I was pretty sure you'd hook up with Cuddy as I'm sure she was all needy after I crashed and left."

"She took six months leave and her and Rachael travelled, I didn't see her and I wouldn't. I felt she was as much to blame as I was for what happened."

"Yeah, except it was me who drove into her house."

"What if you'd have killed someone?"

"They had left the room, Cuddy never let the kids play in there and I was certain Rachael was in bed, I never wanted to hurt anyone, I just was just really really pissed and wanted to break something."

"I never knew you went to prison, I suppose they would have contacted Cuddy if she was in the country."

"It was the police that laid charges, Cuddy never did, just restraining orders, for her and the hospital. It was pretty awful, jail that is, luckily I spread a rumor that I had a flesh eating disease in my leg, and that if anyone tried to rape me their dick would fall off!"

Wilson looked at House in horror. "You mean that actually went on!"

"It was a real prison with guards and all Wilson, Not a pretend one!"

"I just never thought you'd go somewhere, like that, rehab maybe!"

"Rehab would have been a picnic compared to jail, luckily I only did six weeks there, thanks to Dom, she came to visit after a month and two weeks later I was shifted to a rehabilitation facility, that's where I met the boys, and Billy."

"How did Dom know you were there?"

"She was my wife, they sent a letter to our address for her outlining visiting hours and such, unfortunately she did receive it until I was in there three weeks so it was four week before she was allowed to see me. I did nine months altogether, Dom kept fighting and had my sentenced reduced, don't know how or why she did it."

"You're a lucky bastard, you marry a green card wife, half your age and you end up happily married with twins. I marry several times supposedly for love and all I end up with is no house and half my income!"

"You always had terrible taste in woman, except for maybe Sam and at a stretch Amber."

"Do you think Amber and I would have lasted?" Wilson asked, they had avoided talking about Amber for years, as it had been a very taboo subject between them.

"I do actually, I shouldn't tell you this cause you'll probably hate me, but when I found out you were dating, I offered her the fellowship with me if she stopped seeing you, because I knew how desperately she wanted it. She turned me down flat, she said that all her life she had thought she could have love or respect not both, but with you she had both. Lets face it she was a female version of me, she would have driven you insane, and you'd have loved it! The up side is you'd have been getting laid! That was never goanna happen with me!"

"Because you have this flesh eating disease."

"Exactly!"

A few nights later the club was closed and Dom and House were locked in each other's arms enjoying the closeness of their naked bodies, House was nibbling her ears and whispering sweet nothings in it, making Dom squirm with delight, the man could play her like a fine instrument, and right now the tune was certainly sweet.

"Greg, Greg, stop there's someone at the door." Dom murmured

"Probably just some drunk forgot something and knows about the side entrance, forgot about it." He moved his head lower. "Have I told you just how much I love your….."

"Greg the phone, it will wake the twins." He rolled away and Dom answered it. "Of course he's right here."

"House" he said huskily still looking at the beautiful body of his wife. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm not sure that's a good idea, OK" he sighed; "I'll let him in." he hung up and gave Dom a sweet farewell kiss between her breasts. "Foreman's at the door he wants me to look at a chart, Rachael Cuddy is critically ill, her mother wants me to help."

"Then you must! That poor wee girl."

"I'd rather be here with the twins." He said "and not the two next door."

"I thought you weren't coming, it's freezing out here."

"Stop your moaning," said House unsympathetically. He was still bemoaning leaving his warm and sexy wife all alone. He led Foreman into the lift and took him up to the House apartment.

"I'll put some coffee on, grab a seat." House said as he went into the kitchen.

Foreman had his doubts on involving House in this case, the man hadn't practiced medicine in four years surely he was off the pace. Cuddy had insisted that Wilson call House to say Eric was on his way with Rachael's chart.

"Don't look so worried, I'm about as keen as you are on this idea. It's the only way I could stop Wilson nagging me to death."

Foreman filled House in on what was happening with the case. At the end of an hour, House had dispelled any doubts Foreman had had about his competence; in fact he was delighted just how sharp his old boss still was. He watched in amusement as House swung his cane and paced up and down flinging out ideas and theories.

Dominika put on her robe and went out to see what was happening, she watched in amusement as House paced up and down, neither him or Eric had heard her enter the room, House was talking and challenging Eric, he turned, still not seeing her leaning on the door frame, Dom's heart leapt in her chest as she saw the man she loved, his eyes were alive and the energy in his step was something she had never seen. He had been happy but she knew there was something missing in his life, now she knew what it was.

"Hey I thought you'd be asleep."

"I thought you might need some coffee."

"First thing I took care of, go back to bed, you have to be up early." He said Foreman's phone rang.

"OK we are on our way." He answered he looked at House "Rachael just had a seizure, we need to get to the hospital."

"I never agreed to that, but by all means keep in touch, I'll keep looking, thinking."

"Come on House you need a team, you work best when you have people to bounce your ideas off, please this is Cuddy's daughter."

"That's kind of the point, I'm sure my wife really wants me in there with my ex lover trying to save her daughter!"

"Greg I'm OK with it, do what you need to do, we both know one day you'll want this again, medicine, I mean."

"I'm not sure I'm OK with it, I never want to go back to what I was."

"So you won't." Dom walked over and put her hand on his arm "I have faith in you, go save that wee girl."

"OK, I'll keep in touch, I'd better grab my coat and a change of clothes, this might not be over quickly."

"I'll look after him." Eric said gently looking at the worry lines on Dominika's beautiful face "If he doesn't help I think he'll regret it, especially if we can't save her."

"I know, he has missed you all, I know he would only be anxious and frustrated here, trying to help."

"Right" House said coming back in carrying a familiar backpack "I'll call you in the morning, you get some sleep." He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and then they were gone.

Dominika went back to bed, her head hurt and she had a feeling of dread that she just couldn't explain, she thought it was probably hearing how sick Rachael Cuddy was.

House took about two minutes to kick Cuddy out of the room when the arrived at the diagnostic's department.

"Go hold her hand, we will do all we can here." He said insistently when she thanked him for coming in to help.

Foreman threw House a white board marker "You sure you want me to do this?" House asked

"Be my guest" Foreman grinned

It was like the years rolled away, House was at his witty sarcastic best, and although they rolled their eyes his old team was thrilled to see him so sharp and animated.

Wilson and Gabe Munroe came in and asked if they could be of help.

"Anyone with a brain can join in, and of course Taub we'll let you help too." House said, "We have to rule out environmental causes, so who is going to break into Cuddy's house?" No one volunteered so House looked at Taub "I'm sure you'd relish going through Cuddy's thongs, take Skippy with you," he said looking at Chase. "Brown and Bi can check out the posh school she attends in the morning. "If you had half a brain" he called to Taub and Chase as they headed for the door "You'd ask Munroe for his key, Cuddy's probably a little more security conscious since I crashed through her dining room".

"Make sure she thinks you broke in" Monroe northern Irish accent rang out "Security code is 57942, you have sixty seconds, its by the front door." He handed Chase his key.

House was in his old office, Foreman had changed it quite a bit but his chair and the oversized tennis ball remained. He sat twirling the ball watching the TV, which was wall mounted, a great improvement in his opinion.

"So he's thinking?" Munroe asked Foreman Hadley and Wilson as he watched House throw the ball against the wall and catch it, all the while never taking his eyes off the screen.

"No one every accused House of being normal" Wilson said, "At least he's not stoned, those days were pretty interesting!"

"I can't believe Lisa put up with the drugs."

"She was there when his leg happened, they misdiagnosed him, I think she has always felt guilty especially about the amount of pain he has been in all these years." Said Wilson.

"Is he really as good as they say or has that been inflated because of his personality?"

"He' is probably even better than his reputation, well in my opinion anyway, he just has a different thought process than the rest of us. I'm amazed how he stayed so good, with four years off."

"I bet he had read every medical journal and research paper published in the last four years, he just has that kind of mind it needs to process stuff." Said Hadley

"It amazes me, how well liked he is, I mean even Lisa she still cares about him even after what he did to her, he gives all of you a hard time but even if you deny it, you are all pleased to have him back."

Monroe looked over at House, he was sound asleep in the chair, and he looked questioningly at Wilson.

"Yip he thinks in his sleep too!

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