Chp

Chp. 9

Lisa was in the university common studying, deep in thought, when a whisper caught her attention.

"Room for one more?" Wilson asked.

She looked up and smiled. "Yeah. Tell Stacy thanks again for keeping Max."

"Say no more. She loves him like a son. In fact, she actually started dropping hints about wanting a child of our own." Wilson said.

"Well, that was fast." She said, laughing. "Have you talked to Luke yet?"

"No, we thought we'd wait until after the wedding. Don't want to hit him with too much too fast."

"Sounds smart. So, is he excited about the wedding?"

Wilson smiled. "Yeah, I was more afraid of telling him about it than I was asking Stacy to marry me." He said, laughing.

"How are you two doing?" He asked, referring to her budding relationship with House.

She sighed. "It's weird; it's like he's different some how."

"More human."

"Exactly; and I'm worried he'll change."

"When did this start?"

"Well, he showed up at Max's school when I had to go see his principle because he'd been in a fight, and he sprang for pizza and video games."

"And you think this is just because he feels sorry for you and Max."

"Yeah, I do. But…at the same time, its House, so I'll take what I can get while I can get it." Lisa said.

000

Greg was trying to focus of his notes, but he couldn't. He couldn't because his mind kept finding its way to Lisa. And the kiss. He doubted he'd ever forget that. It had been a spontaneous thing. What he couldn't get over was that he'd actually done it or that she hadn't shoved him off.

"Mr. House." A voice said, sounding rather loud. Suddenly, House noticed the room was empty.

"What up, homie?" House asked. The African American prof looked pissed.

"Class ended ten minutes ago." The man said, now sounding pissed.

"Uh, my bad. Peace out." House said, collecting his stuff and running from the room.

000

Stacy was enjoying a quiet moment after she put the boys down for a nap, despite protest from both. Though she loved both of them, they wore her out. She was glad Luke had accepted her. When she'd started dating James, she hadn't known he was a single father and then to her surprise he brought the boy to meet her one day, and said that it was only because had asked about her. She figured it was a step in the right direction.

"Hey, Aunt Stacy." Luke said, sitting next to here.

"Hey, sweetie, Max still asleep?"

"I think." Luke said.

Stacy checked her watch. "I'll go check on him."

" Ok."

Stacy went to Luke's bedroom, and she heard what sounded like crying. She sat on the bottom bunk where Max was sleeping. She put her hand on Max's shoulder.

"Hey, Max. Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"It…It's…not…important." He whimpered.

"Yeah, right. I want to know what's making one of my nephew's upset." Stacy said.

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Ok, well, can I just sit with you until you feel better?"

"I guess."

Stacy lay down next to the boy and put her arms around the boy, kissing the top of his head. A minute passed in silence.

"Aunt Stacy?"

"Yeah, hun?"

"Lisa thinks I'm crazy." The boy said, sobbing now.

Stacy sat up, pulling the boy into her arms. "Oh, honey, no she doesn't."

"Then why do I have to go see a head doctor?" The boy asked.

Stacy sighed. Lisa had told her about Max's revelation about their father, just incase the boy mentioned it.

"Well, honey, I think Lisa's trying to help you. She loves you, hun, and that's why she's doing it. Now, how about some ice cream?" She asked, smiling now.

The boy's face brightened. "Ok!"

000

"So, what did he say?" Lisa asked, sitting across from Stacy and Wilson. Greg squeezed her hand. It was surprising how supportive he was being, but Lisa liked this side of him.

"He..uh.." Stacy didn't want to hurt her friend, so she tried to find a way to break it to her delicately.

"Stacy, what did he say?" Lisa asked again.

"He thought that you thought he was crazy." She said.

Lisa bit her lip. She was trying to do the right thing, but honestly hadn't seen this coming. She hadn't expected Max to understand. She should have known he would pick up on it.

The meal continued in silence and the group went there separate ways. But Greg decided he couldn't stay quiet while the woman he loved was hurting.

"Oh, hog wash." Greg said.

"What's hog wash, House? My brother thinks that I think he's crazy."

"Did you molest him?" Greg asked.

Lisa looked aghast, and would have slapped him, but he was driving. "What! No!"

"Exactly; all you've done is try to help him. You've replaced his mother and father, and thought of nothing but him." Greg said, stopping in front of her house.

"So what does that have to do with me thinking he's crazy?" she asked.

House sighed. "Have you ever considered talking to him?"

Lisa sighed. "I guess I should." She said. "Thanks, Greg." And she leaned over and kissed him. Before he could say anything, she was out of car and inside her house.

When House recovered, he smiled. Yep, life was good. But what he didn't know, what none of them knew, was that his life and the lives of those close to him, was about to take a disastrous turn.