Hopefully everyone's seen the season finale by now. If you haven't, all I will say is wow! Not that it really has any bearing on this story, since we're in a different reality here. I will try to get some responses out to those of you who are kind enough to review.

By the end of this chapter, the time line will be in sync. Sorry if it's confusing, it made sense to me as I wrote it.

Chapter 11

Within two weeks, Michael called again. This time it was earlier in the day and Brianna was awake. Alison was on the line as well. The little girl was excited to hear her parents' voices, but also a bit shy. It had been several months and for a child her age, that was a long time. Without the weekly Skypes, she was beginning to forget them.

House could hear the disappointment in Michael and Alison's voices. He motioned for Marianne to take Brianna out.

"Say goodbye to Mommy and Daddy now, Bree."

"Bye." She said. Marianne took her to room and let her play with her dolls before returning to the living room.

When his wife and granddaughter left, he told his son, "She's too little. She hasn't seen you. It's hard for her to put it together. She'll be okay. Your mom talks about you all the time and shows her pictures and videos."

Michael gave a little laugh. "Man, Dad, you're trying to reassure me? Who are you and what have you done with Greg House?"

House smiled. "Just stating the truth."

When Marianne returned, she said, "Michael, how much longer will you be there?"

"I don't know, Mom. We're helping people, so it's hard to say."

"We'll come home as soon as we can, Marianne." Alison told her.

House and Marianne could sense the tension from the couple even over the phone. House was about to say something, but Marianne put her hand on his arm and shook her head.

"Okay, well, you know we'll continue to take good care of Brianna. And we just miss you."

"I know, Mom." Michael said.

They rang off a few minutes later.

Marianne went to House and he held her in his arms. It was wonderful to hear from them, but it was emotionally draining. Knowing that Michael and Alison were alive was a relief, but then there was the worry: would they be alright? When would they come home? Would they come home?

Marianne was always weepy for days afterwards and House was more testy than usual. They eventually settled down just in time for another phone call.

Michael's Journal

We went back to caring for the people. At first I wondered why I was bothering, but the people needed help and that was what we there for. Alison agreed. I thought that was all I would do, but I was wrong.

The day after I made the call to my father, Ramone summoned me to his house. He was sitting with one of his lieutenants, Anton Ruiz. They were drinking and he invited me to join them. I decided it was best to stay on his good side, so I accepted.

Most of Ramone's men were peasants, farmers and workers who banded with him in the hoped of a better life. Some were thugs, like Almosa, used mostly for their brute strength.

Ruiz was different. I could tell that right away. He was silent most of the time and when he did speak, it was quietly and with intelligence. I thought that was probably why Ramone liked and trusted him. And maybe that was why he wanted me to join them that evening.

We drank and we talked. The sort of discussions that intelligent men have. I hadn't had a talk like that since I'd been with my father. By the end of the evening, I was feeling satiated by the drink and the conversation. I went back to the hut where Alison and I were living with a bit of a wobble in my step.

My wife was waiting up for me.

"Where were you?" she asked me.

"With Ramone."

"Why?"

"He offered me a drink and we talked."

"Looks like more than one drink. And what could you have to talk to that man about?"

"He's not a bad guy, Al."

"Michael, he's holding us prisoner! That does not add up to a 'nice' guy."

I knew she was right about that part, but I felt there was more to Ramone than the revolutionary. I could see it in the people that he was taking care of and the way he cared about them.

During the next two weeks, he invited me to his house often to drink with him and Ruiz. I found that Ramone had a wife and children that he never saw.

"It is too dangerous, Miguel." He liked to call me 'Miguel'. "If my enemies knew that I was visiting my family, they would have a weapon to use against me. My wife tells everyone that she will have nothing to do with me. It is only her faith, she says, that stops her from divorcing me.

"This is not true, of course. We send messages back and forth, but no one knows. The people in her village see nothing except that her 'cousin' visits her occasionally to help her with the children." He inclined his head towards Ruiz.

"You're her cousin?" I asked him.

"No." he said. "But it's best if they believe that."

Ruiz confused me more and more the longer I knew him. He was younger than Ramone, closer to my age. He wouldn't speak much of his family, only mentioning his mother occasionally and the Spanish sayings he learned from her. But he said nothing of his father or any siblings. He also wouldn't say if his mother was alive or dead.

He didn't seem to fit in with the other men either, but for some reason he and I got along really well. I didn't understand it, but I accepted it. It was good to find a friend.

Alison wasn't happy about my new friendships, but she didn't complain too much, since she knew she was part of the reason that I needed to seek them.

Ever since her attack, she hadn't been able to make love to me. I understood, of course and I never pressured her or tried to force her. I would never do that. But I missed the closeness we'd shared before.

Oh, I would hold her. I think she felt safer and could sleep better with my arms around her. But she couldn't go further than that.

So I would wait until she was asleep and then I would take things into my own hand. I don't know if it woke her up or not. I tried not to, but there was nothing I could do if it did. If she couldn't understand, well, that was too bad. It was what it was.

I tried to talk to her about it, but she refused. I would never think of cheating on her, even though there were available women. But I needed companionship of some sort. Everyone did.

She found hers with the children. There were a lot of them in the village. Some had parents there, but most were orphans or the whereabouts of their parents was unknown. So she took it upon herself to be their 'mother'. No matter where she went, there were usually three or four children following her.

Perhaps it made her miss Brianna less. Perhaps she felt safe with them. I didn't know. But she was content with the children, so I didn't complain. Still, I missed my wife.

So those evenings with Ramone and Ruiz were good for me. Drinking the best tequila I had ever tasted and having deep discussions about so many things.

I told them about my fathers, how I had been raised by one man before meeting my real father as an adult. They were fascinated by the story. I also told them that Gregory House was the most brilliant doctor, the most brilliant man, I had ever known.

Ramone spoke of his children. "I haven't seen my children in five years. My oldest son, Esteban, is eighteen. A man now. And I can't be there to guide him. My daughter Teresa, she is my angel. She is thirteen now and from what Ruiz tells me, beautiful. I can't be there to keep the boys away from her."

"Why do you do this?" I asked him.

"What?"

"Why do all of this? Why not give it up and be with your family? Is it worth it?"

He sighed. "Some days, I think, no, it is not worth it. But most days, I know it is. To bring this country out of the darkness that was Marino's rule and allow our people the freedom to live as they wish and with dignity. That is worth it."

I nodded. I don't know if I could have made such a sacrifice, but I admired him for his.

At the end of two weeks, he allowed me another phone call. It was early evening and since we were about an hour earlier than New Jersey, I decided to call my father's cell phone again.

This time he answered.

Hearing my parents' voices was wonderful. I could tell they were worried and I tried to reassure them.

After that, we called them about every two weeks. I think it helped us to keep going. Talking to them and Brianna. Even though at first she seemed awkward with us, eventually it got better.

I had a dream one night that I was home in Princeton, at our house. It was a Sunday in early spring and I was outside washing my car.

That's it, that was the entire dream. Me washing my car. No great revelations. Except that I felt happy and at peace. I don't feel a lot of that these days. And I can't help but wonder if I will ever spend an easy Sunday like that again.