Summary:A doctor, imported from Germany, comes to join the House gang and changes dynamic with a bang. Love and jealousy arise, betrayal and anger as well.

A/N: I'm hoping to end this soon, but tell me if y'all are getting bored of it. I want to finish it before 15 chaps have been written. I didn't originally expect it to be this lengthy. Sorry.

TO JOSH!! If you're reading this, thank you a lot for your comment. That's really interesting. I didn't know some of that stuff. :) Yeah, about the coffin, I don't think that where I live they give you money for that, pretty sure you're on your own, oh well. I really appreciated that review. You rock!

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XI
The Night In the Park
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Harry went to the desk and after having introduced Mari, told the guy that he was going out. "Think you can close tonight bro?" The guy told his boss absolutely and watched Harry leave with his beautiful sister whom he had said was his girlfriend.

"Why did you introduce me as your girlfriend to that boy?" Asked Mari curiously.

"Because your friends were behind us. He knows that you're my sister, I have a picture of us in the backroom. I have pictures of everyone in the family. So what's new with everyone? How is everyone doing?"

Mari looked at him, wondering if he knew about their father. If he didn't she didn't specifically want to tell him at the beginning of their night, but there was no way of knowing if he knew. Taking a deep breath she went for it. "Did you hear about pa?" He nodded telling her that their mother had called him. "Yeah, well everything other than that is good. The kids are happy as ever, they miss me though. I'm sure they miss you too. Ma is doing pretty good, I believe Uncle Grover has moved in to help support the family."

"And you? How are you doing?"

Mari smiled looking down at the pavement as they walked, arms linked. Harry and Mari had always been very close growing up. They were best friends. When children would tease Mari, calling her goldilocks, Harry stood up for her. Although, as they got older, Mari excelled in school and buzzed through it faster than a cheetah through the African plains and they began to get separated at that point. Harry was then alone in school.

"I'm doing well."

"You're happy with Greg?"

Mari smiled with a twinkle in her green eyes as she looked deeply into her brother while they walked leisurely through the park. "I am."

Through pure instinct, Harry knew that Mari was leaving something out. "You're not telling me something. What's wrong? It's not Greg, I know you love him but there's something else."

"You speak seeming prophetically Harry." She said and they laughed. "You're right there is more to it. Before being with Greg I was with the blonde that we saw at the video store. His name is Robert and I loved him deeply with all my heart." She paused and looked away from her brother.

"Ah, look at me… He hurt you and you can't forgive him."

"Uh, I can't keep anything from you can I?" Harry shook his head and told her to go on. "He cheated on me once, and I forgave him. Then he did it again. And I left him, though I still loved him. I think I still love him a little bit. But I also really love Greg, you know?"

"Yeah, I understand."

"Off topic but, you speak like an American. Why?"

As they sat down on a bench beneath a streetlight in the park, Harry laughed full heartedly. "In Hollywood, they didn't want actors with incomprehensible accents so I trained myself to speak with an American accent. I had a bit of a, oh what's the word, zip in my voice and they loved it. Said it was 'foreign'. It was so difficult in the beginning but it caught on and four years later, no one believes that I was originally German. It happens."

Mari nodded. "We should get something to eat then come back here and eat."

"Or better yet, go over to the playgrounds. Come on." Said Harry taking his sister's hand and running. "There's a burger joint over here and a convenience store that way. What do you say? I myself haven't eaten dinner yet. Have you?"

Mari nodded. "I could eat again though." She said, laughing. "We get you some real dinner Harry." She said and he led them to the burger joint. "Ah verflucht."

"Well I see you still curse in German." She said with a laugh.

Harry pulled his phone out of his pocket. "I told Karen I would call her about 20 minutes ago to say goodnight to the kids." He explained before dialing his phone. "Hey Karen. Sorry, I forgot to call. I'm with Mari. Yeah, I'm very excited about it! Yes it has been a while. So, may I speak to Esmeralda? Thanks." Harry said goodnight to Esmeralda, his 3-year-old daughter before hanging up.

"Burgers?" Harry asked with a smile.

"Burgers." Mari agreed.

After having gotten their meal, they skipped down the path through the park. It was like old times when they would hang out together. And when Mari and Harry were together, nothing else in the world existed. Armageddon could be happening and they'd still be smiling and laughing. They were just like that, close as a turtle and its shell. When Harry suggested that they go and play on the play equipment, Mari was already a step ahead of him. She was skipping towards the sandpit that contained the monkey bars and the slides which were all joined by a giant metal structure. Amusement for a child of any age.

Settling themselves under a cone near a spinning tic-tac-to game, they ate their food, Harry telling Mari about his daughter Esmeralda and his son Austin. They were precious children, Austin with sandy blonde hair and bright green eyes, like his father. Austin had a bit of a raspy voice which Harry knew prophesied a remarkable singing voice. Esmeralda at age three had thick black hair and emerald green eyes, like her mother. Harry explained that originally they had planned to name their daughter Madeline but when she was born they both felt the name Esmeralda in their spirits. And Austin of course was in honor of their pa.

"So are you teaching them German?" Mari asked.

Harry laughed pretending to be shocked. "Why Mari, I am appalled. How could you possibly doubt I would teach them German?" Harry shook his head as Mari gave him a punch in the shoulder. "That hurt." He whined, getting up and tagging her on the head. "You're it!"

Mari looked at her brother shocked before getting up and chasing after him. "I'll get you Harry Haus!" She said following him through the winding metal sides and down the slide. They both laughed as Harry climbed up onto the monkey bars walking across them. Mari followed him after quickly pulling her high heeled shoes off. "Get back here Harry!" Mari cried with amusement in her voice. "Ha! I got you! You're it!" She yelled and turned around to jump down the red tube slide. When she jumped in she hit her cheek on the metal bar. It was longer than she thought and was pitch-black. When it shot her out on the sand, it took her a moment to adjust to the faint light and when she did it was too late.

When Mari tried to yell, she had a leather gloved hand holding her mouth tightly while the other hand held her body and her arms tightly against him.

"Mari?" Harry asked looking around. He couldn't hear her giggling and was filled with a sudden fear. "Mari, where are? Answer me!" Harry yelled, jumping into the slide. When he popped out of the dark spiral, his eyes were turning and he couldn't focus on what was in front of him. Stumbling up to his feet, his eyes focused on a tall man dressed darkly.

He stood silently. "What do you want? I'll give you anything. Let go of her and I'll give you whatever you want." Harry watched the guy who didn't even move. "Please sir just let her go." He begged before yelling at the top of his lungs for help. Quickly he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed 911. Just as they picked up, the dark man shot the phone out of his hand.

"What do you want?! Here take my wallet! Take my watch, its worth something big. Seriously man, what do you want?!" He cried, tears brimming on his eyelids as he dropped to his knees. Harry yelled for help again before going to the man and ripping his hands off of Mari. When he got her free, he pushed her behind him and pulled out a knife that Mari recognized as their pa's. Momentarily, Harry stood there staring at the man who stared back at him. In his right hand, Harry held his wallet and his watch.

Swiftly, Harry spun around and grabbing Mari's hand they ran away as fast as they could. "Ah!" Harry cried as a bullet first penetrated his left calf, then another two shot through his chest. The dark man ran by them grabbed Harry's belongings and in the blink of an eye got Mari over his shoulder. With the knife in one hand, Harry threw it like a dart at the dark man who went down. "Mari! Call the cops! Fast!" He yelled and watched the dark park get even darker as his eyelids drooped close.

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At the hospital, Mari waited anxiously with her sister-in-law, Karen, whom she had called when she reached the hospital. Karen had left her children at home with her mother who lived near them. Mari and Karen held each other as they both wept. All that they knew was that Harry was in critical condition. They had no idea how long he would be in surgery or what they were operating. Mari knew though that he had taken shots in the chest somewhere.

As they waited, Mari hadn't even thought of calling House. Mari and Karen spoke for a long time, exchanging stories as well as crying off and on for the entire time he was in the OR. Finally, when the two women were beside themselves in worry and unable to think straight, Harry's doctor came to fill them in on his condition. The surgery had gone well, no interruptions, but Harry was in a very bad condition. The doctors had done all that they could and now they had to wait for Harry to pull through.

"Can we see him?" Mari asked holding Karen's cold, trembling hand. The doctor led them to Harry room and held open the door for them. The minute she saw him, Mari fell to her knees. In her times of weakness, Harry had been her strength. In her mind, he was invincible, unbeatable. But there he was, broken and vulnerable, dying. He had tubes and machines helping his blood flow, his lungs breathe. Harry pull through, pull through brother. Mari crawled over to her brother and stretched up but still stood on her knees.

Taking his large hand in hers, she moved his gown to see the marks on his chest. She needed to see them, to prove to herself that this was real. On top of where the cuts would be there were patches covering them. Of course of there were, how could she forget that?

On the other side of Harry, Karen sat on his bed near his hip. Laying her hand on his cheek she spoke gently to him. "We'll pray for you Herzchen." That was all she said. She didn't need any other words, her next action spoke everything. Softly, she reached down and kissed his scruffy cheek.

Mari watched her with a smile. She must have learned some German from Harry. She had called him Herzchen, which meant 'sweet heart'. It warmed her heart seeing that.

"Ladies," spoke the shy voice of a nurse. "I'm sorry but, you have to go." She said with a pained look in her soft blue eyes. She was just a little woman with short blonde hair held away from her face by a thin studded hair band. "I'm sorry." She added in a whisper.

Without a word, Mari and Karen left the hospital. Karen drove Mari home and gave her a hug before she exited her silvery blue car. "He'll be alright Mari. Sleep well." She said with a loving look on her face. They hadn't really spent much time together but the past few hours had drawn them together tightly, even though it was through unfortunate circumstances.

Mari was still in tears as she came into the house. As she kicked off her shoes, she looked around the room through teary eyes. When she spotted House stretched out on the couch watching the movie, she wandered over to him. She was displeased to see not only a bottle of beer in his hand but three others on the ground. Why was he drinking so much? He shouldn't be depressed after the decision they'd made; he should be happy, ecstatic even.

"Greg?" She asked in a small voice.

"How was your night?" He asked dully without even looking at her. He didn't sound at all like himself. Usually, his voice would have more life in it and he would be looking at her with a smile.

Mari didn't answer, she couldn't form words through the lump in her throat. With crying eyes, Mari went over and sat down beside House. "Oh Greg," She managed to say as she leaned against him. "We were in the park—and there was a man." Mari stopped speaking while she sobbed uncontrollably. She had her hands against his chest and her face resting in the crevasse between his neck and shoulder. Mari looked up at House who pushed her away. His face looked indifferent, like he couldn't care less about her at that moment.

"Greg, the man shot Harry. They don't know if he's going to live!" She cried and followed him as he got up and walked into the kitchen.

House stopped briskly and Mari walked right into him. "Why are you following me?" He asked rudely.

Mari just stared at him, she was still crying. Blankly she stared down at her brown and pink checkered socks that matched the brown tiled floor. Looking back up at him, she put her hands on his chest. "Why don't you care what I am saying?" She asked, truly hurt.

"Because I don't care."

Mari didn't realize but it was the alcohol speaking not House, he'd never have been so harsh to her. Being in such a vulnerable state, Mari was unable to be strong in her refuting. "But I thought that you loved me. My brother might not live, and you don't care?"

The two held each other's gaze for a long time. Mari, through sobbing eyes, watched everything about him. Nothing was right; not even the way that he stood with his arms crossed over his chest was right. The demeaning annoyed look in his eyes was one that she'd never seen given to her. He had always had a happy loving gaze when he looked at her. Even when they argued, he still had a twinkle of love in his blue eyes. Above a frowning mouth his eyes had never looked so cold and icy.

"Oh would you stop crying!" He yelled. And when she reached for his hand, he swiped it away and struck her across the face. Dumbstruck, she sat on the kitchen floor, staring up at him. Her shoulders dropped as she watched his heart break over what he'd done. Suddenly, the angry, cold look in his eyes changed. He knelt down slowly and took her chin in his left hand, running his right along her cheek where he'd hit her.

"I'm sorry. Oh Mari, I'm so sorry." He said, begging forgiveness as tears filled his remorseful eyes.

Mari held his hand in hers. "I forgive you." She said and he helped her up. Together they went to bed and slept soundly until morning.

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I hope that you liked it!
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Only when the power of love overcomes the love of power will the world know peace.

- Jimi Hendrix