CHAPTER TWENTY ONE - Life Is Full Of Surprises Right Up To The End

Blythe announced her intention to sell the home she had shared with John House and move to Princeton to be near her grandchildren. Lucy insisted she stay with them until she found a place to live, and Greg was not happy. He had expected her to stay in Princeton for a while, which was why he was nice to her when he brought his family home, thinking she would stay in a hotel, which she did when she first got there. Unfortunately, Lucy had other ideas and she stayed with them.

Greg still hadn't come to grips with his mother's past and tried to avoid her at home, keeping conversation with her to a bare minimum. Lucy put her foot down, Greg and Blythe had a very loud argument and it was over. Blythe had actually put her house on the market when she found out Lucy was pregnant, and she got lucky and sold her home for the asking price within a month of her being in Princeton. She moved into a small condo in a senior's complex ten minutes away from Greg and Lucy and was in her new home before the twins were six weeks old. All the years spend being a serviceman's wife paid off in the utmost efficiency.

True to Lucy's prediction, after about two weeks, she had to start supplementing her breast milk with formula. Fortunately, the twins took the formula with as much gusto as they took breast milk because Lucy couldn't produce enough to feed both babies, then her milk dried up completely. Other than to say "sometimes it happens", Burke couldn't say why it happened so quickly. Lucy knew that as well, but was annoyed anyway. Like Greg, she always wanted answers and couldn't accept that there wasn't one to this.

Once she was cleared to drive, Lucy began taking the twins to church. Greg grumbled about it because Saturday and Sunday mornings were quiet times for them once they fed the babies and put them back in their cribs. It was their time to reconnect as a couple.

"Greg, if you don't have any objections to having them baptized in the Catholic church, what is the big deal if I get them used to being there? When they're old enough, they can decide whether they believe, are agnostic or atheist." Lucy said in a querulous tone as she got dressed.

"Lucy, they're not even three months old. They don't even know where they are." Greg pouted as he tried to pull Lucy back in bed with him.

Lucy headed across the hall to get the twins and went downstairs and put them in their car seats.

When she got to church, she got the double stroller out, put the babies in and headed for the Crying Room in the church. The babies were fussing a little, so she rocked the stroller a little to calm them. The door opened. It was Greg and a big smile spread across Lucy's face.

"What made you change your mind?" Lucy asked as Greg took a seat next to her.

"I decided you were right, and I won't turn into a pillar of salt if I'm here, regardless of what I believe." Greg smirked as the Mass began.

He had been planning a surprise for Lucy since he found out she was pregnant. They were going to baptize the twins on Mother's Day, and that would be the day Greg would become Catholic himself. Lucy's parish priest, Father Dan Halloran, was a close friend of her cousin Tony and a pretty mean poker player. He was also open minded about most things and Greg had many a spirited argument with him. During one of these arguments, Greg decided that it wouldn't hurt him to convert to Catholicism for his baby's sake and questioned Dan endlessly about it. Just because he still considered himself an atheist didn't mean he wanted to set a bad example for his baby. Now that he was the father of twins, he was more determined than ever to set a good example for them.

Father Dan agreed to give Greg private instruction under the guise of poker night. Greg's Presbyterian baptism was acceptable for the Church, so he just needed to make his First Communion and Confirmation. It was more than enough that Wilson was his brother-in-law, so Greg couldn't stand the thought of him being his godfather and "spiritual guide". He chose Tony and Liza to be his godparents, and in a situation that had never occurred before, at least in Father Dan's memory, the twins would have eight, count 'em, eight godparents.

All four of Tony's boys had asked to be godfather and Lucy just couldn't choose. She wanted all of them. Both sides of the family would be represented. The Mazzelli side provided the godfathers and the Russo's would provide the godmothers.

On Mother's Day, the babies were baptized and before everyone could leave the church, Father Dan stopped them.

"Friends, please wait a few more minutes. Today I had the pleasure of welcoming two more souls into our flock. Their parents and family have been blessed on this day, but I have one more thing to do before the Mass is over. Today, in addition to welcoming Lina and Frank into the Church, I have the distinct pleasure of welcoming their father as well."

Father Dan smiled as Greg stepped to the altar with Liza and Tony following him. Lucy was speechless. Jim was grinning from ear to ear.

When it was all over and the family had retreated to the church hall for a party, Lucy cornered Greg.

"Why did you do that? I never asked you to!" Lucy was afraid that somehow she had pressured him into this decision, even though he had agreed that the twins should have a religious background.

"Lucy, I know you never asked. When I found out you were pregnant, I thought about it and went to Dan on my own. All those nights you thought I was playing poker at Tony's, I was actually at the Rectory. I'm sorry for going behind your back. I thought you would be happy."

Greg was confused. He thought Lucy was mad and he couldn't understand why. He thought she would be happy. She was. She went up on tiptoe and gave him a kiss that damn near curled his toes!

"I am happy, ciuccio." she whispered. "I never expected this. I was afraid you did it because I wanted you to.

Lucy had a surprise planned for Greg as well. Greg's birthday and Father's Day were a week apart. They had never taken a real honeymoon, so Lucy went to the hospital's Chief Administrator and scheduled Greg's vacation time with the guarantee he would not know about it until Lucy sprung her surprise.

She booked reservations at the Greenbrier where they got married the first time. They would leave the Friday before Greg's birthday and come back the following Saturday.

But that wasn't Lucy's only surprise. Greg had never stopped grousing about her selling her 'Vette, and she really didn't get why he just wouldn't let go. His reasons for not letting go of the Dodge were sentimental. That she understood, but her 'Vette? He only drove the damn thing once. She went to her brother for answers.

Jim told her all about the debacle with Edward Vogler and how he and Greg had nearly lost their jobs. During Vogler's short tenure at the hospital, Greg was forced to treat Joey Arnello. Joey's big brother Bill had given Greg a red 1965 Corvette convertible in gratitude for diagnosing Joey. Vogler had made Greg return the car, infuriating Bill Arnello to no end. Wasn't it bad enough his only brother was cured in time to testify in court in spite of Greg's delaying tactics and disappear into Witness Protection? Couldn't he show his thanks to Doctor House? (Bill had always had a crush on Lucy, but he didn't know Greg was Lucy's ex at the time. He knew Lucy had an older brother, but that didn't register at the time either. He was too worried about his own brother.)

Lucy knew both Arnello boys from high school. Joey had been in her class and Bill was two years ahead of them. One of Bill's legitimate business ventures was one of the largest car dealerships in Princeton. Lucy gave him a call to see if he could find another car like the one had give Greg.

Bill Arnello was stunned to hear from Lucy. After all these years, he still had a crush on her even though he was married himself and had five children. He never knew Lucy had married and divorced House of all people, left town, only to come back and remarry House and had twins.

At first he wanted to refuse because he thought House was a jerk for letting Lucy go, but he remembered what his partners in an Atlantic City casino had told him about House whenever he visited. House was a high stakes poker player, but he was rarely sober when he visited the casino. His behavior led Bill's partners to believe he was punishing himself for something, even though he either won big or broke even. He never lost, but he was never satisfied.

Arnello figured the guy had been punished enough and he did save Joey's life. It was an unpaid debt, and the Arnello's always paid their debts. He found the exact car and agreed to keep it at his dealership until Lucy was ready to spring her surprise. The only ones who knew were her brother, the team, Aunt Loretta & Blythe. Loretta & Blythe were going to watch the twins while Lucy and Greg were at the Greenbrier.

The Friday before Greg's birthday was the same as any other had been since the twins were born. They had quickly settled into a comfortable routine with the babies. They would both get up in the night to feed them and in the morning, they both went into the nursery to change their diapers and take them downstairs to feed them. Greg would play with the babies afterward while Lucy made their breakfast. Around eight thirty or so, Greg would reluctantly leave for work, sometimes passing his mother or whoever was coming to help Lucy with the twins on his way out.

Once he was gone, Lucy moved fast. Aunt Loretta and Blythe arrived at the same time. While they fussed over the babies and tried to clean an already spotless kitchen, Lucy ran upstairs to pack, making sure she had enough memory cards for her camera. She had become as much of a shutterbug as her father and cousin Tony since she came home.

When Lucy came downstairs, Jim was already there waiting to take her over to Bill Arnello's dealership and follow her to the hospital. He wanted to see the expression on House's face when he saw the car, and of course Lucy was going to make him take pictures.

Lucy pulled up in front of the hospital and waited for her brother to catch up to her. The hospital had angle parking in the front and as soon as her brother pulled in next to her, Lucy got out and looked around for someone to deliver the birthday/Father's day card to Greg. She spotted an orderly having a smoke and ran over to him and gave him fifty dollars to deliver the envelope to Greg. She went back to the car and sat cross-legged on the hood, waiting impatiently. Jim stood by ready with Lucy's camera.

Up in his office, Greg looked at the orderly who just handed him the envelope with Lucy's spikey purple scrawl on it.

"I don't know what's going on, Doc." the orderly replied to Greg's question of "What the hell is this?"

"Your wife just gave me fifty dollars to deliver it. Don't shoot the messenger!" The orderly left, smothering the smile on his face. He decided to go back outside to see Greg's reaction to the car his wife bought for him.

Greg slowly opened the card, expecting it to explode in a puff of smoke. Foreman, Taub and Chase were watching from the conference room. Once Greg left the office, it was their responsibility to pack his things up and bring them out to the car.

Greg opened the card and a leather key fob with "Vette" imprinted in gold fell on the desk. He read the card.

Dear Daddy,

Happy Father's Birthday!

We think you're the bestest Daddy in the whole world and we love you very much. We hope this surprise is what you want.

Now Mommy says get your sorry ass downstairs now or she'll take your present back.

XX OO

Frankie & Lina

Greg shook his head, puzzled. The key fob didn't give him a clue. He stuck it in his pocket and went downstairs.

When he got outside, he saw a crowd of people around a car. At first, he thought possibly someone was hurt, but he caught sight of his brother-in-law. Then as more people moved away, he saw a sight that would stay with him forever. Lucy, sitting cross-legged on the hood of the very same 'Vette that he had to give up. His mouth dropped open. He couldn't believe it.

Greg walked around the car touching it to make sure it was real.

"Stop putting your greasy paw prints on this car, Greg! I just had it detailed!" Lucy said with a giggle as she watched her husband's face as Jim snapped away with Lucy's camera.

Greg finally stopped in front of the car where Lucy was still perched.

"Like it?" Lucy asked with an impish grin.

"Lucy, how . . .?" Greg stuttered. How could Lucy have possibly known about this car or who had given it to him?

"Greg, Jim told me all about it. I never told you I went to high school with the Arnello boys, did I?" Lucy answered. "I just got in touch with Bill and he did the rest. The only "difference" between this car and the one he gave you before is Sirius radio." Lucy said as she happily watched the myriad of expressions pass across her husband's face. This was one time he couldn't keep his poker face on!

"Why did you bring this here?" Greg wondered.

"Do you remember how to get to the Greenbrier, Greg?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, why?" Greg still didn't get what she was up to.

"Well, you still owe me a honeymoon, ciuccio, so we're taking one!" Lucy was grinning from ear to ear.

"Lucy, I didn't schedule any time off!" Greg exclaimed.

"Yes, you did, Stretch, or rather I did!" Lucy had a mischievous smile on her face. "Let's get a move on!"

Before Greg could say he needed his backpack, Chase handed it to him. Still speechless, he tossed the backpack into the car and got in.

Lucy slid off the hood and tossed the keys to Greg. "Hurry up!" she said as Greg slid behind the wheel, started the car and they took off for their long delayed honeymoon.

They made it to the Greenbrier in a little less than six hours. Lucy never once offered to take a turn driving, wanting Greg to enjoy the car. She would drive on the way home, no matter what he said. Why should he have all the fun?

They checked into their room around five thirty and took a long, lazy shower before they ordered room service. Lucy had given Greg an unbelievable massage in the shower that practically turned him to Jell-O, even massaging the kinks out of his bad leg.

In the past, anyone seeing or touching his bad leg had always bothered Greg, and for the most part, he had taken almost extreme measures to hide it from everyone, but Lucy didn't give him an option when he was in the hospital.

Once she got over her shock of seeing how much damage had been done, she dismissed it, focusing on helping Greg find ways to relieve his pain. The massages were either part of foreplay or just a massage if Lucy knew he was in a little more pain than usual or just tired. Regardless of the reason, Greg looked forward to these massages almost as much as he looked forward to making love to his wife.

Once they were finished drying each other off, they donned the big fluffy hotel robes and ordered room service. Their dinner arrived in less than ten minutes, along with a complimentary bottle of champagne. Lucy got giggly drunk on the champagne and Greg enjoyed it.

Before Greg had a chance to kiss her and do the horizontal mambo, Lucy jumped up off the couch.

"Where the hell are you going, Lucy?" Greg was annoyed.

"I have one more surprise, shut up!" Lucy ran over to her suitcase, pulled out a plastic bag and ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

"Damn it!" Greg said as he polished off his champagne.

The bathroom door opened.

Lucy was standing there with her hands innocently held behind her back, but what she was wearing made Greg draw a sharp breath. She was wearing the negligee she had worn the first time they came here. He walked over to her.

"You kept this all this time?" he whispered as he kissed her.

"Look what else I kept!" Lucy giggled as she held out the pair of purple satin boxers Greg had worn, albeit temporarily, that night. Greg threw his head back and laughed.

"You have to put them on." Lucy said with a giggle.

"Aw, Lucy! You've got to be kidding! I'm already naked and you want me to get dressed?" Now Greg was frustrated.

Lucy had enough champagne in her not only to make her giggly, but to flip her ornery switch on as well.

"Greg, if you don't put those shorts on, I'm going to find a room for myself tonight, rent a car and go home tomorrow! By myself!"

Greg stared at her. "You're serious, aren't you?" he said in amazement.

"Damn right I'm serious!" Lucy said.

Greg knew his ornery wife and went into the bathroom and came out wearing the boxers.

"That's much better." Lucy giggled as she pulled him down on the bed.

Their hands roamed all over and very soon, negligee & boxers had been tossed across the room.

Greg drew the lovemaking out for as long as Lucy could stand it. When she started begging, he slowly slid inside her as she drew her legs up around his hips as they found their rhythm once again. Greg moved faster as Lucy moaned, finally falling over the edge. Greg couldn't hold back and finally let go, spilling himself into Lucy and burying his face in her neck. Lucy felt a teat roll down his cheek.

"Greg, sweetheart, what's wrong?" she said as they both slowly returned to earth.

"Lucy, I, I." Greg couldn't put his emotions into words.

"Oh, my beautiful husband. You're happy. It's all right. You're learning to go with the ups and downs of life and realizing that even if you get bit in the ass, it's not the end of the world. This is what you were looking for when you came to Princeton. You can be yourself, caro, and still be happy.

All Greg could do was nod his head in agreement and wrap his arms tightly around Lucy as they fell asleep.

And Lucy was right. As time went on, he became even more content, taking an early retirement from medicine. He didn't need the puzzle anymore. He had his family, something he had always craved.

A year later, Loretta had her way and Greg and Lucy had the church wedding Frank and Lina would have given them had they lived. Once again, Lucy surprised Greg by wearing the dress she had worn the first time they got married.

Lucy and Greg raised their children together. There were dance lessons and baseball and other sports practices and events to shuttle Frankie & Lina to. Frankie was as tall as his father and became a standout basketball player in highschool, drawing the attention of many college scouts. Frankie listened to them and turned them all down, always knowing he was going to be a doctor.

Greg taught both children the piano and guitar. He was there for Lina's first crush and first break up which wasn't as angsty as he thought it would be, but after thinking about it, he decided Lina's reaction was normal for her. She was her mother from head to toe as Frankie was like him.

When Lina got married, it broke his heart to lose his little girl, but he walked her down the aisle with a smile. He and Lucy eventually became grandparents to five, three boys and two girls.

One day, Greg was laying down in the family room watching TV. Lucy and Lina came in to wake him. They were all supposed to go out to dinner.

Lucy entered the room first and she heard Greg draw a deep breath, then nothing. She ran over and began doing CPR as Lina called 911, but it was too late. Greg House, loving husband, father and grandfather, was gone. He was ninety years old. Lucy was inconsolable. They had been married nearly forty years.

Five years later, Lucy herself passed quietly in her sleep.

In death, Lucy's still lovely face had settled into almost a satisfied smile, which everyone remarked on.

Frankie, atheist like his father, gave everyone the same answer, drawing a smile from his sister every time he said it.

"She found Dad again."

This story is dedicated to

Gregory House, M.D.

Department of Diagnostic Medicine

November 16, 2004 - May 21, 2012

And to Hugh Laurie, the marvelous actor who brought this character to life for the past eight seasons. I can't thank you enough for your portrayal of Gregory House. I don't recall any character in any show I've ever been a fan of that held my attention so much as he did If any other actor had been cast in this role, I don't think the show would have been nearly as good and I wouldn't have paid much attention to it.

Mondays will be truly boring after May 21st without the presence of House on my TV! I would have like the show to continue on a few seasons longer, but Hugh Laurie has other destinies to fulfill! I'll be on the lookout for reviews of his concert tour and hope I get the privilege of seeing him perform in person. And of course another Blues CD!

I hope that the idea of House fan fiction lives on in this little corner of the Internet even though the show has ended. To that end, I would like to recommend the following writers on this site who have allowed me to call them "friend" and are excellent writers. Their stories are well-written, and researched. They've kept to the basic premise that House is looking for happiness but convinced he doesn't deserve it. They've kept House's snark alive but show him that in the end, happiness it not as elusive as he thinks he is or David Shore wanted it to be for the character. My portrayal of Greg House may be considered out of character by some, but I don't think so. This is what I think House could be if it hadn't already been determined that House would never have happiness for long. I only hope I've learned something from these girls as I continue to try and write House fan fiction.

Brigid45

Glenlivet19

gorblimey2

highlandmum

laniki

Pyewacket75 (a.k.a. the Queen of Smex!)

Snarkland78

SpidEMcD