I love to hear from you. Hope you enjoy these next two short chapters.

Chapter 17. AND THEY CALL IT PUPPY LOVE

We arrived back in Princeton the following afternoon, stopping at Clair's house on the way home to pick up our daughter and Junior. Allison had insisted on bringing back something for the girls. They loved their snow globes with miniatures of the liberty bell inside. There's no accounting for taste.

"Dad, thanks for all your tips on Surfin' Safari," Gretchen said. "Emily and I both got really high scores."

"We even made it onto the list!" Emily added.

I knew they were fishing for my praise, but all I said was, "Nice."

Clair had taken Allison aside to ask her to take Emily home with us for the night. I wondered what she was up to. Not another date with Dr. Douche, I hoped. Clair must have read my mind.

"I'm having dinner with Arthur Billings." she told us. Why did I think my daughter and her coconspirator had something to do with that?

So, instead of bringing one girl and one dog home with us, we brought two of each. I'd gotten used to having Emily around. She's a bright, self-sufficient child and she has a special bond with my daughter. It's interesting to watch them play off each other, kinda like Wilson and I sometimes do, I guess.

"And how'd you make that happen?" I asked the two girls.

"What are you talking about?" Gretchen countered.

"Oh, don't play innocent with me. Is that what all the Friday night trips to G & G were about?"

Gretchen and Emily looked at each other. They should have known they couldn't pull anything over on the Gregster. Gretchen sighed. "We just thought Aunt Clair and Dr. Billings might like each other," she said. "But we would have wanted to go to Games and Grub anyway."

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Allison had a smile on her lips, but I wasn't sure we should be encouraging this matchmaking penchant. Gretchen had pushed us together and then plotted with Tommy to get Nancy Lloyd and Tommy's Uncle Marty together, too. And now this.

"OK, any dinner suggestions?" Allie changed the subject. I expected them to want pizza, but they'd already had that for lunch, so we settled on Mexican food for a change.

We spent a quiet night watching old movies. The next morning, we took the girls and their dogs to Ttingel's. I had a hankering for pancakes and no one objected.

We were having one of those winter hot spells that tease you with springlike weather before plunging back into brutal cold. In fact, it was sunny and warm enough that the girls insisted on sitting outside, even though we were the only ones who were.

While we were waiting for our pancake order, Gretchen told Emily about her campaign to get through to Tara. Now, who would name their child after a house, I wondered idly.

The two dogs began to yip and when we looked to see why, we saw our old friend Daisy and George, the source of the whole puppy craze. We should have known. The bakery was one of their favorite places too.

"Hi Dr. House, Dr. Cameron. Hi girls," Daisy said.

The puppies had grown but were still a bit smaller than the full-grown George. They ran around the older dog and he poked at them with his nose. We all laughed.

"I love Bassets!" Gretchen exclaimed, and Emily agreed.

"I'm glad I ran into you," Daisy said. "Gwen has another litter of puppies. Do you know anyone who wants any?" Gwen was the breeder who'd sold us Junior and three others from that litter to our friends.

I quickly shook my head. One dog was my limit. And I didn't think Clair, or Wilson and Cuddy, or even Chase and Sully would want another one either.

"I could talk to Foreman," Cameron told me. "I'm sure he and Dana would want one for their kids."

"I wouldn't be so sure," I said.

"Well, I'll give him Gwen's number," she told Daisy.

"That's great!" Daisy said. "Mind if I leave George with you while I go place my order?"

I could hear the parrots as she opened the door, part of the charm of the place. When she returned she had a bag of goodies. "I can't stay to eat, but it was nice seeing you all again." And she continued on her way.

"Dad, why can't we get another puppy?" I knew it was coming. All the usual reasoning wouldn't work. Gretchen had shown that she was willing and able to take care of the dog, and he really wasn't that much trouble. He even came in handy sometimes when I wanted to get out of the house. We certainly had enough room. And Junior seemed to like to have other dogs around.

Allison saved the day. "Let's wait until after the baby is born before we consider it, OK, Sweetie?"

Gretchen agreed but I could see her mind was already working on her next plan.

Chapter 18. IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER

Wilson - 5 PM

My wife sent me to bring House and Gretchen some food. She thinks I might have a better chance of getting them to eat than she did. I've helped House through so much over the years that we've been friends, but this has to be one of the hardest.

As I slide open the door, I can see immediately that the waiting is taking its toll. He knows he has to be strong for his kids, but how can he be? I know that if it was Lisa lying in that hospital bed, I wouldn't have the patience. I'd be demanding that someone do something.

House is showing more restraint than I've ever seen in him.

My eyes are drawn to Allison. She looks almost serene. The marks on her neck from Davidson's hands are already fading. The scratches on her forehead and around her eyes from the broken vial are faint.

Gretchen and House have identical expressions, a mixture of exhaustion, anxiety and sadness.

"I brought you both Reubens," I say quietly, holding them out to my friend and his daughter.

House looks up at me standing there. "I'm not hungry." His voice is flat, no

intonation whatsoever.

"House, you have to eat! You need your strength," I tell him. "It's not helping

Allison if you starve. Or your children."

He seems to consider that but still doesn't take the sandwich. I hand one to Gretchen and she takes it, but doesn't open the wrapping.

"Gretchen, when did you eat last?" I ask. "You have to eat too."

"I don't think it will go down." She looked at me with those sad blue eyes.

How one man could have caused so much distress is beyond me.

Davidson's Review Board hearing was held on a Thursday afternoon in January. Lisa had called Josh Beaumont in to present computer evidence of the man's misuse of hospital equipment and breach of ethics.

It was amazing how some of his attempts left 'fingerprints' that could be

traced back to him.

Then Lisa testified about the warnings she'd given him for previous infractions and she presented copies of all the notes she'd made in his personnel file, including the dates and details.

Of course, Dr. Douche, as House had been calling him, denied all the charges. He

claimed that he was set up and implied that it was my wife, with the aid of her

friends, Drs. House, Cameron and Palmer, who'd trumped up this case to get him fired.

But the evidence was overwhelming, sound and irrefutable. The Review Board easily recommended his immediate dismissal. He was to leave immediately and never return to the hospital.

He vowed to sue the hospital and make everyone pay. He was fuming, practically

foaming at the mouth. It took three guards to escort him to his office to pick up the few personal items he was allowed to take. Then they escorted him to the door. I wish that had been the end of him.

I hadn't been able to wait around to see his actual departure because I had a new patient, one I was especially sad to see. I've spent my professional career giving patients bad news. It never gets particularly easy. But when it's someone you know, even slightly, it's a lot harder. I just hoped that we would be able to do something for this patient, even though she'd waited much to long to come and see me.