Pact For Love

House and Cuddy are married and have 2 children. Shocking news leaves them to debate their futures, and their children's. They are elderly now, and their children are grown up, but does it mean that they feel better about leaving them behind?

This is not for everyone, but this is an issue that comes up frequently in my Ethics class. So I'm warning you now, you might find this fic very sad and/or quite disturbing. And I apologise for that, but it's an issue that needs to be addressed.

Chapter 7

House and Cuddy laid in bed together, cuddled together under the covers, trying to make the most of their limited precious time left.

'Greg, I've been thinking about something, and I'm not sure that you will like it.'

'Honey, if there's anything you need to say, get it off your chest,' he replied softly, caressing my face.

'I don't want to die like that Greg. I don't wanna be in pain all the time, be reduced to a weak mess who just lays there, relying on morphine and barely conscious. When the time comes, when it's too much, I'm going to finish this myself.'

Greg couldn't believe what he was hearing.

'Lisa, please don't talk like that. You have to hold on for as long as you can, I'm not ready to lose you yet,' he stated, kissing her softly on the cheek. 'I know I don't tell you often enough, but I love you Lisa.'

Lisa hugged him close to her, and inhaled his scent; Greg's scent. He always smelled of lemony shower gel, deodorant and a musky smell that was just Greg.

She couldn't believe that one day, in the not so distant future, she wouldn't be able to do this.

'I love you too, but please understand. I don't wanna be in pain, I don't wanna watch you and the children suffer, for you to watch me die, for you to watch me suffer.'

'It sounds really selfish of me, making your illness about me, but I don't wanna be left behind. I want to be with you for as long as I can,' he replied in desperation to her plea.

'Please,' she whimpered. 'I can't do it on my own.'

And then she started to sing.

There'll come a time when all of us must leave here
Then nothing sister Mary can do
Will keep me here with you
As nothing in this life that I've been trying
Could equal or surpass the art of dying
Do you believe me?

There'll come a time when all your hopes are fading
When things that seemed so very plain
Become an awful pain
Searching for the truth among the lying
And answered when you've learned the art of dying

But you're still with me
But if you want it
Then you must find it
But when you have it
There'll be no need for it

There'll come a time when most of us return here
Brought back by our desire to be
A perfect entity
Living through a million years of crying
Until you've realized the Art of Dying
Do you believe me?

As he listened to the lyrics, Greg understood, or was beginning to understand.

She didn't want to die in pain, or to have her family watch her suffer.

She wanted to slip away, once she'd organised everything.

And he was going to be there for her, and support her decision.

Once she had finished singing, he took her into his arms once more, clutching her close for comfort.

'When the time comes,' he whispered. 'Just hold on, I'm not ready to say goodbye yet.'

'Neither am I' replied Lisa, snuggling into his shirt.