Chapter 14

After dressing in the pool house, we went into the hotel's restaurant for dinner. As the night went on Dianne began to warm up to House. She saw that he had a caustic exterior but that he had his vulnerable side when he wasn't so busy being an ass. Later she told me that she still wouldn't want to be in my shoes, but she at least could see a glimmer of what I saw in him.

After dinner, Greg excused himself, saying he had a migraine and went in search of an all-night pharmacy in Ensenada. Greg joined us at the house where we were just kicking back and talking. It was almost 9:30 p.m.

"Why don't we run into Ensenada and listen to some music?" Greg suggested.

After such a relaxing day, a little music sounded good, so we all agreed. After freshening up in our respective bathrooms, we were out the door fifteen minutes later arriving in Ensenada around 10:30 p.m., just as the clubs were starting to come alive. I took them to a club known for its good blues and jazz bands.

"What's up with you? You're chewing on your cuticles. Are you worried about something?" Wilson asked House who immediately took his index finger out of his mouth.

"Nothing."

"House, don't play me. I know you. What are you up to?"

He leaned in and whispered something to Wilson who shook his head in disappointment. They had a heated discussion and then I heard Wilson tell him to, "move on."

"Gee, when I want your opinion, I'll give it to you." He took his glass over to our table followed by Wilson who carried three drinks in his hand.

Greg announced, "I'm not risking another day shot to hell; I purchased some hangover stuff at the pharmacy."

Wilson gave Greg a suspicious look and asked, "Hangover medicine?"

"Yeah, you know; the new pill to help with headaches and nausea from drinking. Does anyone else want some?"

Dianne smiled, "Designated driver, I'm not drinking after this one."

"No, thanks." James said as he gave House a dirty look.

"If, hypothetically, I am now pregnant, can I drink today?"

"Technically you're embryo hasn't implanted yet and so you could drink without effect on it. It's only when you establish a connection with your blood that the baby is effected. So you can probably drink for the next coupled days."

I looked at Wilson. "He's right, until the embryo implants you aren't drinking for two." Wilson said reluctantly.

"Alright then, I'll have one of those hangover pills."

House actually flinched and it looked as if he felt guilty about something. I almost asked what, but Diane distracted me with a joke. I saw him almost put the pill back in his pocket but then he looked at Wilson who was watching him intensely. House seemed defiant when he gave me the pill.

I saw Wilson start to say something and then stop. I smiled at him but there was no smile back. I grabbed my drink, popped the pill and swigged down some of my Margarita.

House couldn't look at me. He pretended to watch the band or the crowd or anything but look at me. Wilson was looking around too. I had an odd feeling about it, but it didn't really register. I heard the band start to play, "All of Me", one of my favorite songs. "Hey guys, the band is good." But I got no reply. "Hey, what's going on? You both look like your dog just died."

Finally House responded, "Yeah the band is good." He managed a weak smile and put his arm around me, kissing me. The kiss of Judas. I kissed him back. We had a nice time, House put on a great face and started to tease me and joke with Dianne. Only Wilson remained relatively quiet for the rest of the night.

When we got home I went out on the balcony to look at the moon reflecting off the gray Pacific ocean. The breeze felt delicious on my face and neck. As I stood there, I started to feel strange, not really sick but my stomach wasn't quite right. House joined me on the balcony. First he leaned over it, watching the waves and listening to the rhythmic crash of the water on the rocks and then he looked over at me, sliding down the rail to put his arm around me. I turned to him and we stood locked in each other's embrace, just watching the ocean, the moon and the stars.

"Do you see the Big Dipper? See how, if you follow the last two stars of the bowl of the dipper straight out you hit Polaris, the first star in the Little Dipper?"

"I didn't realize you could find Polaris that way." House said.

"It was the only way as a kid I could find the Little Dipper."

"Morrigan, I really enjoy our time together. I wish the sperm problem hadn't come up."

"Are you really so against having children?"

"I don't know, but if I did, I'd like my child to have two parents."

I said nothing.

"Well, were you ovulating yesterday?"

"I was in the fertile zone. I must admit, I'm rather excited about it and very hopeful. I can't tell you how long I've wanted a child and just never was at a place in my life to be able to have one. I feel really happy for the first time in years...first time in many years. I wish you could be happy for me."

"Well, what are you going to do with the other vials?"

"What other vials?" I smiled.

"Where are they?"

"You're not getting that information out of me sweetie. But I will give you a consolation prize...hopefully, one that you can remember tomorrow morning." I reached up and pulled him closer, kissing him. I opened his shirt and put my lips on his chest, sliding down his chest and abdomen until I came to his belt. I undid his belt and zipper and slipped my hand down his pants. He slipped his hand up my shirt and started playing with my breasts.

"Let's go downstairs." He suggested.

"Okay."

We slipped by Dianne and Wilson who were doing their own personal therapy on the couch and went downstairs. I opened up the sliding door to the balcony so I could hear the ocean. He sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for me to come over. He opened his legs and I stepped between them. Opening the buttons on my shirt one button at a time, Greg started kissing my belly and then moved up to my breasts, his tongue encircling my nipple which hardened immediately. Greg unbuttoned my linen and then let the pants fall to the floor. I stepped out of them. Before taking my panties off, he pulled me close again and kissed my belly and breasts again. His fingers laced through my panties and then he dragged them down, over my knees and to my ankles. Again, I stepped out of them as he gathered me close, burying his face in my stomach. He was sweet and gentle, more of a real lover than any I had had before. He pulled me to the bed and then he stood, removing his pants off and his boxers as well. I backed up on top of the bed, pulling him with me. He stopped, got up again and grabbed his wallet. Out came a condom. I dressed him and chuckled at the irony of it. Turning over on his back, he motioned me to mount him. I straddled him, lowering myself slowly onto his rock hard erection. The lovemaking was slow and easy, almost tortuous in the way we teased each other. Our eyes were focused on each other until the end when he closed his eyes and grimaced a little as he ejaculated. He grabbed my ass to stop me from moving as the pleasure turned uncomfortable. He pulled me to his side and with his magical fingers made sure I came too. Then we lay together, our bodies like two vines growing together.

"It's been a long time since I've felt this feeling. It feels almost like happiness and it makes me uncomfortable. Happiness is not easy for me."

"You don't feel comfortable with happiness unless you feel like you deserve it. Who told you that you didn't deserve happiness? Whoever it was, they were wrong. You deserve it as much as anyone." I paused and looked down, "Wow, did anyone tell you that you have incredibly long toes?"

"I think Angelina told me, or was it Brad? That Brad's always making interesting observations."

I started playing with his toes and then I rubbed his feet for him. "Are you ticklish?" He immediately pulled his feet away from me so that I couldn't tickle them. "Oooo, Dr. House, you're ticklish and I think I need to find out where..." I started trying to tickle him and I finally found the most vulnerable spot, just by his hip bone.

"Stop." He was laughing, "Stop,stop."

I stopped and rubbed up next to him and then I brought my knee up across his belly and I pulled his head down to kiss me. He gave me a deep, long kiss. When he pulled out of the kiss he said, "I'm not sure if I should say this but I'm starting to have feelings for you."

"I know that took a lot for you to say. I feel the same way. It's a little scary isn't it. I've only fallen for one other guy and it didn't end well."

"Oh, how did it end?"

"He died."

"Boy, you do have a way with men."

"We were in law school together, had been living together for a year and then he got sick. I took him to emergency, he died four days later of leukemia."

"That's dramatic. Did it get you out of finals?"

"Funny. It was hard getting through law school after that." I rolled over onto my back. I was falling in love.

We fell asleep. When we woke up we just laid there. He rolled over and put his head on my chest and we stayed that way for an hour or more. He felt warm and I measured his breathing against mine. It felt good. House kissed my belly and then got out of bed. I went up to make coffee and House took a shower. Wilson and Dianne were upstairs talking to me and helping make breakfast. House got dressed and was on his way up when the doorbell rang.

House opened the door. "Hello, I'm the next door neighbor. I'm very sorry but I have an emergency back in Los Angeles and I've got to go home. Here, could you please give this to Morrigan and tell her I'm sorry that I couldn't keep it longer." She handed him the portable cryogenics container and everything he wanted on a plate.

"Who is it?" I yelled.

House sat the container on the side table and opened the lid. Sitting inside were four vials of his little men. He smiled. He took the four vials out and walked upstairs. I was standing at the top of the stairs.

"Who was it?" I asked calmly and then he opened his hand. I saw the vials and my heart sank, my stomach churned. "Greg, please...please give me the vials. If you didn't get me pregnant, then I'm going to need those. Please Greg."

Wilson and Dianne heard me and the pain in my voice.

"House, don't ruin this for Morrigan. Hell, don't ruin it for yourself." Wilson admonished.

House wasn't happy; he looked as upset as I felt when he told me, "Morrigan, I really am sorry but I can't let you do it...I can't. I told you that I would help you find someone else. I promised that I will. Try to see it from my point of view."

He headed for the balcony. I ran out and as he reached the banister he looked at me with sad eyes.

I was breathless, having a hard time getting the words out, "Greg, please, oh God, please don't. Don't do this to us."

He simply said, "I'm sorry." The vials flew through the air to the rocks below, splintering it and all my dreams into little pieces.

I was dizzy, overwhelmed with sorrow. I fell to my knees and bent over sobbing, I wasn't sure whether I was more hurt over losing the sperm or over the fact that Greg could do that to me after telling me he had feelings for me.

Dianne tried to comfort me, "Don't forget, you two have slept together and you're ovulating, you may not need those vials."

Wilson looked at House and then shook his head. House was pretty sure that Wilson was going to tell me about the pill, so House took the initiative, "I gave you the "after morning pill." That hangover pill was really a pill that prevents an embryo from embedding."

I was dizzy, I felt like the carpet had been pulled out from under me. "Get out. Get out."

He held his hands out to me as if to plead but I just kept saying, "Get out...out...out!"

Dianne held me until Wilson came back upstairs to say goodbye. He and Dianne spoke for a few minutes and then he came out on the balcony where I was sitting.

"I'm sorry Morrigan: I tried to talk him out of all this."

"You could have warned me about the pill, you knew what he was doing. I'm not happy with your behavior either. Please James, just go."

I don't know what they did with the rest of their time on the west coast. I returned the next day to San Diego and collapsed at home. I spent the next few weeks trying to come to terms with the fact that I was never going to be a mother. I just didn't have the energy to go through finding the right sperm again.

Dear Readers, Hope you are still enjoying and reading. Thanks for taking the time to review. Kim