House lay on his bed with his arms folded over head staring up at the ceiling. Seeing Samantha was the last thing in the world House would have expected when he moved into the loft. What was she doing here? The last time they had seen each other was right before House was accepted to Michigan. Now, over twenty years later a lot of things had changed in both their lives and House wasn't sure he could handle having her in his life again.

Then again, there was nothing keeping the diagnostician from completely ignoring her at all costs especially after she slapped him. Rubbing the spot where Sam had hit him square in the mouth, House smirked at the irony of it all. He certainly was meeting his quota for most women who couldn't stand him at the moment and the diagnostician certainly was impressed with him.

First, Cuddy drops the ball on him by announcing she's moving in with Lucas who at one time would have been the one person besides Wilson House could trust in the world and now Samantha, the girl he had worshiped from a far since grammar school and had slowly become best friends with was suddenly back in his life. House just couldn't catch a break.

Ironic isn't it? Here he was, a fifty year old diagnostician who had just been released from the psychiatric hospital after three months of slowly regaining his sanity driving himself crazy yet again.

"I'm pathetic."

Before this conversation with his thoughts could continue someone knocked on the door distracting House for the time being.

"Go away Jimmy."

"Yo, G-man open up its me."

Thankful not to have to deal with Wilson's enabling for the time being House opened the door and let Alvie inside. Once inside, Alvie made himself comfortable on a chair next to the closet and sent House a wicked grin.

"That was quite a show."

"Glad you enjoyed it."

"So, whose the girl?."

"She's…an old friend."

This explanation surprised Alvie. He was sure House would have gone into more detail then that but then again why would he? It wasn't like it was any of Alvie's business, he was just curious that's all.

"Fair enough."

"That's it?."

"Yeah."

"Wow."

This comment caused Alvie to arch an eye brow and shoot House a questioning look. Juan had known this man long enough to know when not to say anything and this was the time. House was a proud and stubborn man and there was nothing anyone could do to change his mind when his mind was made up.

"What?."

"That explanation worked for you."

"Yeah."

"Why?."

Alvie got up from the chair and walked over to the foot of the bed so that he could meet House square in the eye.

"That's all you gave me to work with."

House was speechless. The difference between Juan's way of dealing with this and how a certain oncologist or dean of medicine would have handled were completely different and House preferred Alvie's method much better.

"You know something Alvie?."

"What's that?."

"Your not as dumb as I thought you were."

Thanks. You know something House?."

"What?."

"Your disgusting when you try to be nice."

The two exchange a look. Both of them clearly enjoying the inside joke they had just shared. Alvie hated to break this bonding session up but he had things to do.

"I should go."

"Already?."

"You know me. I go where the rhythm takes me."

"And that would be where?."

Don't know."

House smirked at this comment and stood up while making sure he had both feet firmly planted on the ground.

"Thanks for stopping by."

"No problem."

"Feel free to drop by anytime."

"Will do. See ya around House."

Once Alvie was gone House closed his bedroom door and returned to his comfortable position on the bed fully enjoying the silence of the room, if only temporarily.

Meanwhile, Samantha paced back and forth across the kitchen floor of her apartment trying to calm herself down. What the hell had she been thinking slapping Greg like that? She hadn't meant anything by it, it was just that she hadn't expected to see him again and obviously he hadn't expected to see her.

They had been friends all their lives. Both of their fathers had been in the marines so they could relate to one another in that regard and they were both stationed on the same naval base ever since little Greg and Sam were kids making them neighbors and best friends from the start.

They would have stayed close if it hadn't been for one thing. Ever since they had started being friends Sam hated how John House treated his son and so did the rest of her family. They confronted John about this on several occasions but every time they did John would deny it and say it was all in their heads.

Sam couldn't take it anymore so one day she decided to talk to Greg about it. Surely, he had enough sense to see what was going on and put an end to it. However, it appeared Greg was just as stubborn and wrecked with denial as John was.

"You've got to talk to him."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Greg, he's hurting you."

"Let it go Sam."

"Greg-."

"I said. Let it go."

Sam tried to reason with Greg, trying to convince him that what John was doing was wrong but it was no use. Greg wouldn't hear any of it and Sam knew that if she pushed to hard it would ruin their friendship forever.

"Fine."

"Good."

Sam decided to try one more time to get Greg to see it her way. It would take every once of strength she had left in her being but it had to be done.

"I'll let it go, but if you ever need anything from me I'm right next door."

"I know Sam."

"Seriously Greg."

"I know Sam."

That was about three weeks before Greg moved away. Apparently John had been shipped out to a Marine Corp base located over a thousand miles away which meant Sam and Greg would no longer be neighbors and their friendship would come to an end, that is until now. Sam was thrilled to have Greg back in her life again but she was worried things would be awkward between them.

Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and Samantha went to answer it while the question of what was to come hung in the air.

As she opened the door, Samantha was stunned to see Greg standing there looking as though he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Uh…hi."

"Hi."

"Mind if I come in?."

Samantha was hesitant at first but then a smile washed over her face as she nodded and ushered Greg inside. House looked around the room and whistled at his surroundings.

"Nice place you got here."

"Thanks. Care to sit down?."

House complied while limping over to the couch and raised his right leg so that it was resting on the coffee table. Sam noticed this action and looked on concerned.

"What happened to your leg?."

"A few years back I had an aneurysm that clotted leading to an infarction."

"Ouch."

"Yeah."

Sam could tell Greg didn't want to talk about it so she let it drop for the time being while having a seat beside her friend on the couch. House arched an eye brow at this motion but chose to ignore it.

"What brings you to New Jersey?."

"Mainly Work. I got a job at the Museum of Fine Arts giving tours to tourists."

"You always were a sucker for an audience."

"I know right?."

Samantha stole a glance at House's face which still held the mark from where she slapped him earlier and sighed.

"I'm sorry about your face."

"Oh don't worry about it. Genetic defect nothing to be done about it. Besides, after fifty years with this mug I've kind of grown attached to it."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, and you have nothing to be sorry about."

Samantha couldn't believe it. After nearly two decades away from each other, Greg was the same stubborn adolescent boy he had always been before. To proud to accept anyone's help let alone an apology from his best friend.

"Your unbelievable."

"You lost me."

"Didn't your mother ever teach you that its okay to accept someone's apology?."

"And didn't your mother ever teach you its okay to let it go?."

At this Sam shrugged her shoulders and sat back in her chair growing more frustrated with every minute they sat their staring each other down.

"As much as I love a good starring contest why'd you drop by?."

House smirked at this question while sitting up reaching his full height.

"We haven't seen each other in over twenty years Sam."

"I know."

"And the last time we saw each other didn't exactly go well."

"I know."

At this point, House took Sam's hand in his and gave it a squeeze while shooting Sam a meaningful look.

"I'd like to make things right between us."

"How do we do that?."

At this House smiled warmly at Sam while still holding her hand in his.

"We start over."

"I'd like that."