It was a pleasant summer evening on the large lawn next to the rented community center. Things would have been perfectly peaceful were it not for the frenetic activity. Cuddy whirled around the site like a personal reverse tornado, leaving a path of organization instead of destruction. She was making verbal notes to herself. "Okay, the flowers will be set up first thing tomorrow. Got to check the weather forecast again tonight, although probably outside is good."

"Relax," Wilson advised, coming up behind her. The oncologist had just arrived. "The forecast for tomorrow is sunny and clear, and I'm sure you've checked the forecast 50 times this week. It hasn't changed in the last hour." He sidled a bit closer to her. "How did the meeting of the in-laws go?" Cuddy abruptly started to laugh softly, tension falling off her like water. "That good, huh?" Wilson asked.

"He was trying. He really was trying. But then he had an epiphany right in the middle of the introductory conversation."

Wilson chuckled. "Well, I have bad news. I don't think you're ever going to be able to pass him off to anybody as just normal. The sooner your parents realize it, the better."

"I wouldn't want him normal." She looked around, already retreating mentally to the ceremony tomorrow. "There will be a lot more chairs, of course; we only brought out a few tonight. Sound system tomorrow. The flowers are being set up first thing in the morning. Can't leave them out tonight; somebody would steal them. I've got an appointment at the hairdresser, but I need to be sure to get back here in time to make a final inspection of things and take emergency measures as needed." The wedding itself was at 1:00.

"Why don't you call them tonight and ask them to be sure to be here as soon as it's daylight? That way, you'll have time to inspect it before going to get your hair done, and more time for emergency repairs if needed. That will be better than trying to inspect things closer to the time for the wedding. You'll be busy getting dressed, anyway; there's enough to worry about at the last minute. Approve the setup earlier, and then you'll have that out of the way."

"Good idea. You're good at this, Wilson."

"Unfortunately, I've had a lot of practice." Wilson looked up as Susan approached them.

"Mom, this is Dr. James Wilson, Greg's best man. My mother, Susan Cuddy."

They made polite noises and shook hands, and then Susan said, "You know, Lisa, I must admit, I'm surprised to see how well Greg interacts with Rachel." They all looked across to where House, holding Rachel, was in deep conversation with the rabbi.

Wilson and Cuddy were both startled into silence. Wilson was the first one to recover. Of all the things to criticize about House, his interaction with Rachel wasn't one of them. "House is fantastic with kids. He's going to be a great dad."

"Lyla said . . . well, never mind."

"No, Mom, please go on." Cuddy's hackles were raising. "What did Lyla say?"

"That he never did anything with her, wouldn't even get up to get her when she was crying. That you had to be the one to do absolutely everything."

Cuddy ground her teeth together. "Mom, the afternoon that gave her that impression was one day after Greg had severely sprained his ankle and torn a ligament. He wasn't supposed to be up and on it." That extremely compressed version was her report of the afternoon she threw Lyla out, and thank goodness that even Lyla had not known everything that was actually going on with House at that confrontation. Cuddy's fists clenched at her sides, and she mentally punched her sister.

"He really did hurt himself," Wilson put in. "He was on crutches for weeks, and he's still doing PT. He wouldn't have been steady enough on his feet to take care of Rachel right then."

Susan frowned in thought, still watching House. Actually, Lyla's report of him had included faking and exaggerating injuries just to milk attention from Cuddy. To hear her, Lisa was settling down with a lazy, unreliable eccentric who was one step from a hobo. Susan had already seen eccentricity herself, watching her future son-in-law blank out and then dash off right in the middle of a conversation, but he certainly did seem attentive to Rachel.

"And he is a world-renowned doctor," Cuddy continued. "Look him up on the internet. His reputation professionally is unparalleled."

Susan still looked assessing. "I must admit, wanting your old desk was a delightfully romantic touch. Your father and I just want what's best for you, Lisa. You know that."

As long as it also looks right, Cuddy added mentally. "This is what's best for me. I have no doubts about Greg, and whatever Lyla told you was exaggerations if not outright lies."

Wilson decided it was time to step in and change the subject. "So, what about Rachel tomorrow? Is the nanny dealing with her?"

"Most of the time, yes. Greg and I will both have too much else to do. I wish she were walking and a little older, so she could walk down the aisle as a flower girl."

"Maybe a wagon?" Susan suggested.

"Actually, Greg said he wanted her up front. The nanny will be right on the first row, though, so she can be passed off when we need to, when we'll need to be free for the exchanging of rings and the glass and such."

Across the lawn, House was talking to the rabbi. "You understand what's actually going to happen tomorrow at the ceremony?"

"Yes, and I think it's a wonderful idea."

"I just hope she does." House looked back across at Cuddy, his stomach knotting up again. "We'd better get this show on the road."

The rabbi stepped out to the front, where the main ceremony would be tomorrow, and raised his voice. "Okay, everybody. Get in place, please. All the bridesmaids, anybody with a part, come up here, and we'll talk through it."

House backed away a little, and Wilson came up beside him. "Holding up okay?" Wilson asked, sotto voce.

"Do I really want to do this?" House was too worked up to pretend in front of his best friend right now.

"Marry Cuddy? Bit late to question that."

House smacked him lightly, and Rachel took the example and did so herself vigorously with both hands. "No, you moron, that's not what I was talking about." The snark let off a small bit of the tension, though.

Wilson gently pushed Rachel's hands away. "Relax," he advised. "It's going to be great. Did you tell the rabbi?"

"Yes. He liked the idea."

"She was talking about a last-minute inspection of setup after her hair appointment, but I think I convinced her to check things earlier."

House let out a deep breath. "Thanks. Remember, tomorrow, she doesn't see the site - the completed site - until right before she enters and comes down the aisle."

"I'll do my best. Might be a good idea to enlist Cameron or somebody to stall her in the dressing room, though."

House hated sharing his secret, wanting to spring it as a surprise, and had only told the bare minimum required logistically. Still, Wilson had a point. He might act like part woman, but he wouldn't be in the dressing room with Cuddy. "Might be a good idea," he admitted reluctantly. "You tell her, though. I don't want to see her expression. In fact, tell her tomorrow. I don't want to see her myself after she knows." Cameron, of course, would love it and would get that starry-eyed, mushy look in her eyes that women specialized in.

"Hello? Are you two joining us?" Cuddy was calling them, and House jumped. They moved up to join the rest of the group.

The complete group went through a discussion of the order and events tomorrow, then walked through it. House felt a tightness in his chest watching Cuddy and her father come down the aisle. Even in everyday clothes, she was a vision of beauty. Not that he would ever say that to anyone, of course. He suddenly noticed that Susan, sitting near the front, was watching him watch her daughter, her head tilted. He thought he was doing okay with Susan, at least. Damn Lyla. His thoughts immediately returned to Cuddy as she finished her walk, and Robert gave her hand to House with a firm look as if he wanted to make sure House truly appreciated the weight of this gift.

Cuddy nudged him. He had been watching her father and lost track, and he realized that they were now pretending to exchange rings. Quickly he caught up and kept his firm attention on things from that point.

Cuddy insisted on a complete second walk-through, but everything went smoothly. Finally, the crowd began to disperse and head for the restaurant where the banquet room was reserved for the rehearsal dinner. Blythe came up to House and Cuddy as they headed for the car. "This is going to be SO perfect, dears. It's beautiful. I can just imagine it all tomorrow."

Cuddy smiled at her. "I just hope it goes exactly like that tomorrow, everything like it should be."

House froze, doubts kicking up again. His stomach clenched. How disappointed would she be if she knew that it was not going to go like that tomorrow?

"Greg?" Cuddy and Blythe had reached the car and abruptly realized he had stopped. "Going to join us?"

He jolted himself out of his thoughts and limped on to join them, suddenly very aware of his lopsided stride. "Just thinking. Okay, let's go eat." He climbed in after them, and they joined the convoy of vehicles heading for the restaurant.