Chapter Six :

House woke with a start, breathing fast as his heart hammered in his chest. He knew it was just a stupid dream but he couldn't help sitting up to stare at the man sleeping beside him, just to make sure he was still there. It actually frightened him sometimes, how much strength and comfort he drew from Wilson. Neither of them had dared to utter the all powerful 'L' word yet but in the delicate hours of pre-morning Greg knew it was true, for him at least. The need, the strength of the love he felt for the younger man terrified him in the most life affirming way.

He had cared about Stacy and yes, he had loved her but it was nothing like this. Stacy challenged him, dared him to hope and to feel and he had been happy for a while. But with Wilson it was all consuming, as if there was not a single part of House that could resist, untimely there was nothing he would deny Jimmy if he asked. They matched each other, balanced each other out, it was infuriating, freeing, maddening and beautiful all at once. What frightened House most was that it was so much more than he deserved.

As Wilson began to stir and then snuggled closer it took all of House's self control not to wake him just to look into his deep, chocolate brown pools of reassuring warmth and hear him say something comforting.

In his dream they had been having dinner with his parents and his father was, as always, poking at the vulnerable places of Greg's protective armour. His father's greatest talent apparently lied not in his command or military skill but in his uncanny ability to somehow knowing what words and insinuations would hurt his son most. What made this different to any other dinner was the fact that this time it was not covertly covered in reasonable enquiry or passed off as fatherly teasing. This time he pointed out every failing and character flaw and he mocked his son's inability to face life and 'take it like a man'. Worst of all was that Wilson watched it all unfold and then agreed with John House. Wilson had pushed House away from him calling him weak and useless, said he was a pathetic, unlovable disappointment. That was the point at which House woke up.

Greg knew it had been nothing more than a stupid dream, knew that Wilson already knew he had flaws and failings, but it hurt to even imagine the man he loved siding with the person he hated most. Feeling raw and vulnerable, not caring that it was weak and pathetic, Greg House lay back down and entwined his fingers with the sleeping form beside him. It helped to calm him more than just about anything else. Just holding hands with Wilson made him feel more, feel deeper, than anything he ever shared with anyone, even Stacy.

He chastised himself for truly being as pathetic as his father accused him of being but he didn't let go as he drifted into a pleasantly dreamless sleep.

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Wilson's day had passed in a blur of appointments, clinic patients and hastily exchanged seasonal greetings among hospital staff. House had been surprisingly well behaved, had worked his necessary clinic hours and even left Christmas cookies for Forman and the ducklings, though he flatly denied it when Wilson had figured it out. Now Cuddy and the rest of PPTH were awaiting the start of the Christmas Party while Wilson watched House try on his third shirt in five minuets.

"It's nice to see a grown man still afraid of his mama"

The very unfriendly glare he received stated that now was NOT the time for teasing.

As Wilson tried to convince the fidgety diagnostician to agree to ware a tie to dinner he was reminded that few things unnerved House but his parents were at the top of the list. Truthfully Wilson was a little nervous himself. Her had met Mr and Mrs House on a few previous visits over the years. Mrs. House would even ring him form time to time to check up on how Greg was really doing and Wilson genuinely like her. John House was hard to get a read on. He always seemed to be a nice, normal guy but ever now and again Greg would flinch at something that his dad said and Wilson would wonder what he had missed.

Wilson decided that now he had a vested interest he would watch a little more carefully and see what turned up. He just wondered if Greg's parents would notice the change now that they were romantically involved.

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"Will you stop pulling at your collar! You look fine. Now come on, we'll be late if we don't go on inside in the next five minuets"

"They are in there already. I can feel his disapproval from here."

"Stop being such a baby. If you're nice to him tonight maybe you will be presently surprised"

"Not unless he drops dead from shock!"

The slightly evil smirk that crossed the older mans face caused Wilson to roll his eyes.

As they approached the fancy restraint that John House had apparently chosen Greg ghosted his hand past Wilson's, their palms almost touching and warmth passed between them.

"Thanks for, you know"

Greg avoided eye contact and gestured inside then all of a sudden the moment passed and Wilson saw the slight change in his friends posture. Greg stood a little straighter and squared his shoulders and as they passed through the door the cool steel mask House wore so well slipped into place and for a moment Wilson was physically chilled at the disappearance of his best friend.

t.b.c