Cameron awoke first a bit disoriented. Then she realized that she and House had slept on his boat. After the fireworks and a few more beers, she'd fallen asleep against him on his boat sofa. At some point she remembered him waking her up and leading her into the tiny cabin but nothing after that. He was still asleep on his uninjured side.

Not wanting to disturb the peaceful slumber he rarely got these days, she eased off the small bed and walked out on the deck. She expected to see trees, the dock, and the remainder of the celebration in the park, but all she could see was water. The nearest land was at least a mile out if not more. Cameron was nothing if not a city girl. She knew they'd drifted but before she could alert House, a man emerged from the side of the cabin.

"Hold it right there." Cameron stared into the barrel of a gun.

"Who are you?"

"Oh that isn't important. Back up real slow."

Cameron's eyes flashed looking for signs that House was awake but his gentle snores alluded to the fact that he wasn't. Another man emerged from the other side of the cabin. This guy had rope.

"Tie her to the deck facing the shore." The gunman told the rope man.

He motioned for Cameron to turn around and she was quickly tied to the railing.

"Now get up there and get it down easy. Don't wake that SOB up. And you little lady, you be a good girl and I won't shoot at you."

There was quiet for a few minutes and then she heard the rope man curse. A minute later she watched as House and the gunman fell over the railing of the boat and into the water. Cameron watched in horror as they disappeared beneath the dark ripples. She looked back and saw the other man laying on his back out cold.

"House!" She shouted fighting desperately to loosen the ropes. The gunman resurfaced and then an arm pulled him back down. House came up and went back down. Then the gunman came back up.

"All right I give! Let go I tell ya! Damnit Cowboy. Turn me loose!"

House came back up facing away from Cameron but when he turned to the gun man, the biggest smile was on his face.

"The Pirate Maiden? Come on Dakota that's the oldest damn gig. Chuck Frances used the Pirate Maiden on me in Seaver's Cove." House said in his usual know-it-all attitude.

"Well Hell. Dan said you were out here. I thought I'd try it anyway."

"Did Dan also tell you that he warned me you'd try it and that you used Freddy's boat to tow mine?"

"What the hell is going on House?"

Until that moment, House hadn't seen the fear on Cameron's face. He'd scared her unintentionally. House and the other man swam back to the deck and boarded. Quickly they untied Cameron.

"Allison Cameron this is Johnny Dakota and that sorry piece of tuna over there is his younger brother Taddy. This is my fiancée."

"Now that introductions have been made, what was all that?"

"Dakota and I have been friends since 2nd grade. His parents are Bruno and Rosa Dakota. You met them at the picnic yesterday."

"Friends hell! Cowboy here's the closest damn thing I have to a brother!"

"So this was a practical joke then?"

"A game really." House corrected. Cameron waited for an explanation.

"When Dakota and I were twelve, Uncle Cappy took us to Block Island. It's a small island off of Rhode Island. We got to sail on a ship because at the time he had two months left in the Navy and had his last two weeks of shore leave. Dakota and I hung out on the docks fishing, swimming, figuring out the logistics of bikinis, you know, the finer things in life. It was there we met Captain McCaw. He was a good friend of Uncle Cappy's. He took us out on a boat that looked a lot like a pirate ship. We even caught a shark."

"That damn Captain. He had it all buddy!" Dakota chimed in.

"Anyway on the front of his ship he had a mermaid just like in the stories. Our job was to polish her up."

"Ah yes, the beautiful Esmerelda. She was the most beautiful woman on the ocean."

"The Captain said that we did such a great job that he'd reward us. We came back here two days later. A month later Tommy Hager who runs the post office in town- hey Dakota is he still there?"

"Seventy four and still saves the stamps for my boys like he did us."

"I gotta stop by and see him. Anyway Tommy sends a message to Cappy and Bruno down at the new restaurant and says there's a package waiting for us. We open it up and there she stands."

House pointed to the top of the cabin where a beautiful mermaid standing three feet tall was perched. She was made of silver and bronze with a beautiful metallic finish. Cameron had seen it yesterday but she was so natural to the ship she never realized that it had a story.

"We named her Lady of the Lake of Blocks." House said proudly.

"Yeah but four years later she got a first name. We named her Margarite."

"Like Margarita?" Cameron said with a smile

"There's no A at the end of that name. We named her after Dakota's sister Margarite. She died at seventeen."

Both men looked stricken at the memory and Cameron decided not to probe. Dakota went on.

"There was also a letter from Captain McCaw and a book of pirate stories in the box. We'd stay out in Seaver's Cove and read the book. One night we read about two pirates name Diamond Dakota and The Cowboy Corporal. They were friends until a woman named Esmerelda came between them and upon a sword fight in a rough sea, she was struck down trying to stop them. It was said that the lightening struck the top of her head as she died turning her hair silver and it preserved her like a mermaid angel. Dakota sealed her in a diamond coffin that cost as much as the ocean and then he made the Cowboy walk the plank. But legend has it…"

"Legend has it? What are you telling here, a ghost story? Cowboy was picked up by his crew and in the unsuspecting night stole Esmerelda back, burned down Dakota's ship and headed off into the blue. But Dakota found him again and took her back. The pirates spent the better part of the rest of their lives fighting and stealing their maiden away from the other. Finally the crews got together and formed a mutiny against both pirates. They made them throw Esmerelda into the deepest part of the ocean. Both men called a truce to their fighting. They were seen smiling as the crew threw them overboard where they'd share eternity at the bottom of the ocean with their pirate maiden." House finished.

"So that's where a child's imagination kicks in." Cameron said amused.

"Yup. House became the Cowboy and I was already a Dakota so we started stealing Margarite back and forth and it's gone on ever since. Cowboy used to team up with my sister Margarite and I had Chuck Frances till he moved to Boston."

"I have to say that today was a poor attempt though."

"Ah hell I wasn't trying to steal her today. I just wanted to meet your soon-to-be wife and I had to do it in true pirate style. I'm sorry if I scared you honey."

"I'm all right but I will have my revenge too." She said winking at him. It made the guy blush something fierce which was funny as he was 6'2" at least.

"Man you knocked Taddy into next Tuesday." Dakota said kneeling by his brother.

"Guess again. He fell off the roof and clocked himself on the anchor rod. I checked him he's not bleeding but he's gonna have a helluva headache when he comes to."

They sailed back to shore regaling stories of their childhood and teenage lives. It was good to hear about the personal human parts of House. She found it strange that even though Dakota said House and Margarite were close, House wouldn't talk about her. He got quiet everytime her name was mentioned.

When they got close to the dock, Charlie was out jumping up and down like a madman.

"Come quick! Dan got bit by a wolf this morning out behind his cabin! They think it had rabies. He's really sick! I brought your uncle's truck."

"Calm down Charlie. Listen to me I need you to go down to Capo's Pharmacy and get some things for me and I need them fast. Call Vivian and tell her to bring my bag from-"

"Your medical bag's in the truck. I knew you'd need it."

Cameron saw a tender affection in House's eyes and he followed it with a comforting pat on Charlie's shoulder.

"Take my scooter it's down by the baithouse." House gave him a quick list of what he needed and Charlie rattled it back to him.

"Ok. Please don't let him die. My mama needs him around."

The comment didn't go unnoticed but he let Charlie run off. Cameron and House got in the pickup. Dakota and a woozy Taddy got in the back.

"House, rabies doesn't cause you to get sick the minute you're bitten."

"It does if you're allergic to canines. A few years ago he brought home a blue heeler named Buddy. He was just a pup so when Dan was trying to train him, the dog bit him playfully but a little too hard. He got so sick he wound up in the hospital for a week. Thought he had a bad case of the flu. I went down to the hospital and got him on antibiotics after he'd gotten an infection. He nearly died. Charlie's mom Ruth took him in and nursed him back to health. They've been friends ever since, at least in Charlie's mind."

They arrived at Dan's house and saw a few cars there. Vivian ran out to grab them both by the arm. She looked petrified. House walked in followed by Cameron.

"SURPRISE!"

House just stood there half in shock and half in confusion. Cameron felt as if she might burst into tears with joy. There was a big banner over the fireplace that said "Congratulations Greg and Allison!"

"Dan better be laying in the back with foam coming out of his mouth." House said with another one of those foreign smiles on his face.

"Right here!" Dan called out and his mouth was foaming.

"Alka Seltzer to the rescue." He laughed. "Aunt Virginia you're in big trouble. You told me that lying was bad."

"I also told you sex in the back of Farmer Green's hay wagon was bad. It doesn't mean I haven't done it!"

Uncle Cappy turned twelve shades of red and retreated to the kitchen.

"We just wanted to throw you a party for your engagement sweetheart. We thought Wednesday might be good but Ethel and Freddie have a recital to go to and Thursday night is CSI night and I never miss my Grissom. And tonight we have bingo at the Elk's Lodge which means you'll lose Allison for tonight. She's gonna bring me luck. So that left brunch today."

"I'm glad you fit us in. What happened to Dr. Phil?"

Vivian whispered to House. "My nephew Graham got us Tivo. We'll sneak in after bingo and watch it." She said like they were going to enjoy a porno movie.

"Look out here comes the lamb and the pig!" Someone shouted.

"I should've seen this coming. All the parties are either at the park or at Dan's. He's got like 45 acres of land." He whispered to Cameron.

"They love you."

"It's because I love you that they love me. That's what they think."

He walked off before Cameron could say a word. She'd wrap that around her mind for the rest of the day.

They ate, laughed, kissed for their adoring crowd, danced, and played live music. Cameron thought the 4th of July BBQ was the best; it was nothing in comparison. Everyone was interested in her and the stories that made up her life. House stayed close so he could rescue her when questions got too embarrassing. But then the question came that had her biting her nails. It came from none other than Vivian.

"So Allison, how did Greg propose?"

She looked at House but he had an amused smile. She was on her own.

"He took me to the top of the Empire State Building at night. We had been at a conference there. I was cold and he put his jacket on me and made me put my hands in the pockets. There was a box in the pocket. It was a ring and I looked at him. He asked me to marry him and I said of course."

All the women in the room became puddles of tears. Vivian looked over at Virginia.

"Oh Ginia it's just like Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in An Affair to Remember. Remember she never made it up there cause she got hurt. Greg you're so romantic. Excuse me." She broke down and left the kitchen. Ruth and Ethel ran after her."

"The ring! Oh yes the ring! Where is it my dear?"

Cameron felt a twinge in her stomach.

"It's right here. I had to have the engraving added to it."

She looked at him questioningly. He handed her the ring so she could read it.

"And for you the lions roar." –House

Cameron swallowed the lump in her throat. The stone was a sapphire delicately inlaid in white gold.

"It's real this time isn't it, my love?" Virginia said taking his hand. "All this time I thought you and Cameron were just acting so I'd be happy, but the ring Greg. It's the one." She cried in his arms and he avoided Cameron's eyes.

Her mental checklist was full and now she needed answers. She'd always known him to hide things; it was in his nature. And she might be exiled from the town but the lie was becoming like a deadly bacteria. But just then he stood up.

"Everyone can I have your attention please. I have a confession to make. I've lied to you all and I need you to know the truth."