A/N: I really apologize for the very long delay. It has not been the best of years for me and my family, but we keep plunging on. So here is Chapter 25, a little bit of fluffiness, and not at all heavy on the seriousness. Saying that I must confess that the next few chapters may be heavy on the angst. I'm going for maybe five more chapters, and I have a few endings in mind. I warn you now that one of those endings maybe bittersweet, but we'll think about that later.

Also thank you all once again for the many reviews. We are really close to the 300 mark, and that just gives me the warmest fuzzy feeling in the pit of my stomach. So please keep telling me what you think.

Chapter 25: Memories No More

Dr. Gregory House laid in a hospital bed desperately trying to access memories that longer existed in his brain. There was no black void that was sitting just out of his reach, waiting for the right combination of events to take place so that he could remember. He had no past emotions running just under the surface that could begin to help him understand something that happened nine years ago. For him it was gone, no for him it had never existed, he woke up one day and was crippled.

He knew that his family was frustrated with him, thinking him insensitive of how he had lashed out at Lisa, how he tormented everyone and how he drew into himself leaving them all on the outside. Greg hadn't even begun to think about what would need to happen for him to learn to walk again, something else his family had failed to realize. For him there was no memory of how to use a cane, how to distribute his weight so that he didn't fall on his face, or how to manage with just one hand because the other was too busy holding a piece of wood. And damn it, there was no memory of how to deal with a pain that roared through him, causing all coherent thought to be swallowed in the wake of his silent screaming.

He tried to turn his attention to a woman he couldn't even bring to his mind's eye, hoping to spark something, anything. Wilson had described Stacy to him, and filled him in on the role that she had played in his life, but she didn't exist for him, not a face, a smile, nothing. There had never been anyone from the very moment he had met Lisa, no other woman had captured his attention so completely. So for him to not remember any other woman but her seemed appropriate to him, she was all that existed to him.

The drugs the doctors were giving him made him sleepy, and stupid; it was a feeling he abhorred and it was rapidly grating on his already, stretched to the limit nerves. He knew his body needed to heal, and that he was in a lot of pain, but he needed to think, he wasn't even close to happy if he couldn't let his brain go to work. He knew that Wilson had told the doctors that he was using viocdin to control the pain in his leg, but because of the damage to his kidneys, they were loath to give it to him just now. That was just great for them and his kidneys, but it still left Greg feeling stupid.

He was pulled forcibly from his meandering thoughts when the door to his room was violently shoved opened and banged against the wall. Greg's head snapped up as he watched a dark haired woman, dressed in a power suit and killer heels that would rival anything his wife would wear stalk in. He watched as she swept into the room as if she owned it, throwing her coat across the chair and marching to the bed. Greg had no idea who she was, wasn't sure he wanted to know, but had a feeling he was definitely going to find out, and not in a pleasant way..

"You've eviscerated enough people over what happened to your leg, and I won't let you do it to Lisa as well," she all but snarled at him one hand on her hip, the other pointing directly at his chest. "You're a miserable bastard, but for some reason she loves you, and she makes you happy to boot; for that I won't let you stand in your own way."

"Ah, Stacy I presume," he said in a tone that he hoped was snide, but probably came off as sounding drunk, and a little stupid, of course.

He watched with a sleepy detachment as her eyes move over him, almost as if he was some unknown animal, one that was quite dangerous, and one that she had no idea what to do with. He found her aesthetically pleasing, with her long dark hair, a slender yet voluptuous build and dark green eyes that were cooly assessing him. In another time and place, he knew he would have been attracted to her, but that place had gone and the time was no longer relevant.

"You've managed to get that brain to erase memories you couldn't drown with strong alcohol and even stronger drugs," she said. Greg felt at a disadvantage laying down in the bed, while she towered over bristling like a cat who had been rubbed the wrong way.

"Which one of them called you?" He asked. He had thought that maybe seeing Stacy would help bring back some of what he forgot, or at the very least, the feelings that had also been conveniently forgotten. But none of that happened, there was no spark of recognition, no passion when he looked at the woman before him, hell his body didn't even respond as it probably should when faced with a woman he'd had a relationship with for over five years.

"I'm sure that it doesn't matter who called," she tossed out as she sat down. "Damn it House, are you going to blame and condemn Lisa for something I did to you?"

"She let you," he snapped back.

"She didn't let me," Stacy snarled. "How in the hell do you think she could have stopped me. It was no longer about saving your leg, but saving your life. She understood that you'd rather be dead than crippled, and if given the chance she would have stood by and let it play out that way, but I couldn't, I wouldn't"

"I trusted her," Greg replied..

"But it was me you gave the power to decide, not Lisa. Why do you think that is Greg? Why me and not her?"

"God damn it, I don't remember!" He shouted.

"Because you knew she wouldn't cave, you knew that she'd respect your wishes; even if the end result was burying your ass in a pine box," she snapped at him. "She didn't know there was a four year old at home wanting to know when daddy would be back. She didn't know that even though you were with me, you still loved her so deeply that in unguarded moments you called out her name."

"After watching you crash the second time, I made a decision that if they got your heart started again I was going to end it," she explained in a voice filled with emotion. "You were killing yourself, and destroying a woman who absolutely adored you, flaws and all. I wouldn't put her through it, I wouldn't put myself through it. You gave me the power to save your life, and that's what I did. I didn't give a rat's ass if you were left crippled and in pain, you were already both of those before I had Lisa cut into that blasted leg."

"Maybe," he said sullenly.

"There was no maybe about it you idiot," she snarled. "You think I didn't know you were desperately in love with another woman. That when you introduced me to Lisa, that you were introducing me to the mother of your child, a child you moved heaven and earth to keep."

"I'm sorry," he said in a small voice that was so unlike the Greg she knew.

"I'm not asking you to be sorry, nor do I need or want your pity," she began before he interrupted her.

"That's not what I'm sorry about," he said. "I'm sorry that I don't remember, that I don't have the images and emotions to go with it. That I don't have the memories of you, of that time."

"Maybe you'll remember in time Greg, maybe not, either way you have to deal with this," Stacy said standing up and sitting on the edge of his bed. For the first time since she had walked in, Greg got a sense of something more, something heavy and tinged with bitterness. Whatever it was, it was gone as quickly as it had sprang up.

"I took a gamble with the decision that I made. A lot of people thought I lost, but I never saw it that way, I saw it as finally being able to let you go. You may have loved me, may have wanted me, but you never needed me. You've always needed Lisa. If you remember anything, remember this; she got you through this once, let her help you through this again."

Stacy leaned over, lightly kissed him and tenderly cupped his cheek A soft look in her eyes told him that somehow she had forgiven him for forgetting her, and that it was probably for the best.

"I just wish for your happiness," she told him as she stood up and grabbed her coat. "You have that with Lisa, don't forgetit, or squander it away with bitterness and regret."

"Tell me at least that you're happy," he said as she headed for the door. "That you found a measure of something that brings you joy."

"That you didn't kill my capacity to find love in another man?" She asked smiling at him mischievously. "Yes House, I'm happy. I don't regret the time we had together, I may regret some of the things that happened during those times, but not the actual time itself. So do me a favor, take care of you."

He nodded once as she walked out of the room, head high and silent tears she struggled to hide from prying eyes He still didn't remember her, he could see himself with her in another life, one in which he hadn't met Lisa first. He was still angry, still swamped with bitterness, and still felt a betrayal that cut him to the bone; but all those things paled in comparison with what he felt for his wife. Greg leaned back into his pillow, letting his mind drift and allowing the drugs to pull him into the sweet oblivion of sleep. His last thought before tumbling into the blackness, was that he would call his wife when he woke up; it was past time that he told her he loved her, wanted her, needed her.

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Lisa sat in a lounge on the other side of the ICU, far enough from Greg's room so that she could ponder what she had seen in peace. She had been stunned when she heard Stacy's voice, and equally as stunned when she had seen the two of them sitting close, Stacy's lips brushing gently against Greg's. She decided she didn't want to see or hear anymore, and retreated to a safe location to think.

It had been two weeks since Greg had woken from his coma and all hell had broken loose. He had been almost unbearable, lashing out, ignoring them and at times just down right mean. He had made it obvious in the beginning that he didn't want to see her, and at first she stubbornly refused him, visiting everyday. But it hadn't taken long for his insensitive demeanor directed primarily at her to drive her away. She avoided coming to see him when he was awake, slipping into his room once she was assured that he was asleep.

That was going to have to change soon, either they were going to move past this point, or this was where they would end. Neither would be able to survive much more of this. Maybe she should ask Stacy at what point had it been too much, at what point had she known it was time to go.

No, she wasn't a coward and she couldn't say that Stacy had been either all those years ago. She now understood some of what the other woman must have felt, what she must have gone through. Lisa couldn't blame her for trying to preserve a measure of herself by leaving Greg and letting him deal with it all on his own. But she couldn't do it, she wouldn't leave him to deal with this alone. He hadn't made the decision by himself, hell he hadn't made the decision at all, and therefore he shouldn't have to shoulder the weight of it. She took a vow, and damn it she had every intention of honoring that vow, even if she had to beat some sense into her husband first.

Lisa left the lounge making her way back to Greg's room, not caring if he was awake, or if Stacy was still there. She knew one thing for sure, and that was Stacy had better have all of her body parts no where near Lisa Cuddy's husband. Bad things were liable to happen if that was not the case, and it didn't matter that Lisa was almost six months pregnant. She had every intention of doing whatever she needed to do to end this war with him, but the one thing she wasn't going to allow, was Greg pushing her out into the cold. She'd been there for years already, she wasn't going back.

She quietly pushed the door open to his room, stepping into the dimly lit interior to find it empty of Stacy and a slumbering Greg. She set her things down and approached the bed to look at her husband. Even in sleep his brow was furrowed, she could make out the lines of stress and exhaustion etched around his mouth. Not thinking twice, she leaned in a gently caressed his lips with her own, causing a jolt of electricity to sizzle down her spine. There was no way in hell she was ever letting this go again; the blasted man would just have to realize he was stuck with her. As if anyone else would take him.

Lisa went to move back, but a firm hand on the back of her neck stopped her from going anywhere. She looked up into blue eyes that she expected to be condemning, but only found mild amusement and a trace of heat. She watched fascinated as Greg slowly drew her back to him, settling his mouth against her own. He kissed her as if he had all the time in the world to savor her, making promises against her lips and pouring everything he felt about her into this one kiss.

"I'm not apologizing for how I feel or felt about my leg," he said to her in a harsh tone. She watched him swallow, take a deep breath and then plunge ahead. "But I will apologizing for hurting you."

"You didn't hurt me," she rushed to reassure him.

"Lisa, I hurt you. I put a look in your eyes that I never wish to see again," he replied. "I'm sure that I've probably hurt you over this enough in the last nine years, I just don't remember, but it's going to end. What's done is done, and no amount of wishing it otherwise will change it."

"Stacy gave you a piece of her mind, didn't she?" Lisa asked him with a knowing smile.

"Among other things," he said wryly. "I can't remember her, she thinks it better that way and maybe she's right. Either way it's not important; she isn't what was standing between us. Not now, not nine years ago."

"I know that," Lisa said looking into his electric blue eyes. "And if she ever puts her lips on you again, I'll kill you both."

"I'd survive just so I could see you in an orange prison jumpsuit," he said with a chuckle.

"I would have you removed from my visitors list," she responded with a slight toss of her head.

"You're mine," Lisa growled leaning in to lightly nip his bottom lip. "No one else wants your cantankerous ass anyway." Greg growled back at her and leaned up to fully capture her mouth with his. They spent several long minutes tasting each other, closing the wound that had been re-opened in their relationship. Neither noticed when the door opened and two people moved into the room.

"Well I guess if you're up to bedroom acrobatics, we can kick your ass out," they heard Mike say. They broke apart, and Greg watched as Lisa turned a lovely shade of red.

"So, I finally get to use my get out of jail card," Greg responded sitting up a little.

"Yeah, the nursing staff has had about all they can take of you," Burke replied moving closer. "It's either you or them, so you've got to go."

"You'll need physical therapy," Mike said hoping not to burst Greg's some what jovially mood. "The kidneys are healing a little more slowly than Burke here would like, but your well on your way to being back."

"Can we return to Princeton?" Lisa asked. She was ready to be back home, but she wouldn't leave unless they cleared him to go back with her.

"I don't see why not," Burke answered her. "We can spring him in the next couple of days if you want to start making the arrangements to get him back east."

"No rehab center," Greg said to Lisa firmly.

"It would be for the best," she said realizing that he was going to fight her on this.

"Maybe for some one else, but not me," he replied digging in his proverbial heels. "I haven't forgotten everything woman. I have a registered nurse in my employ, who also happens to be a trained physiotherapist."

"Damn it Greg, you don't play fair," Lisa hissed jumping up from his bed.

"Never claimed to," he said with a smug smile. "Now I need some beauty sleep and you have plenty of arrangements to keep you too busy for awhile. And take these two miscreants with you so I can get some quiet time."

All three of them watched as House made a production of fluffing his pillows and sighing heavily as he began to descend into blissful slumber.

"Not quite yet Greg," he heard Mike say from much closer to his bed than he felt comfortable with. He opened his eyes to slits and sure enough, the other doctor was perched on the side of his bed watching him intently.

"If I didn't know you were happily married, I'd be a little worried right now," House said with a smirk.

"You know you really are my type," Mike said leaning a little closer. "Scruffy exterior, warm gooey interior."

"Oh yuck," House replied sticking his tongue out at the other doctor. "So why are you still here?"

"You don't remember the accident," Mike began. "But do you remember what brought you out here?" He watched as Greg scrunched up his face in concentration trying to bring anything to mind.

"No," Greg answered feeling defeated that he couldn't break through to the memories surrounding the accident.

"I'm not surprised since it was concerning your leg," Mike replied shifting over to the chair by the bed.

"Why would I come see you about my leg?" Greg asked a little perplexed.

"You really can be dense sometimes," Mike said with a sigh. After a few moments of pondering, he jumped into the idea that Greg had presented him with, as well as the notes from their five days of brainstorming and testing.

"So, it's possible," Greg asked a little dazed.

"We figured the only real way to find out was to try," Mike affirmed.

"Will the accident hinder us in any way?" Greg asked.

"I don't see why not, the leg is still fucked up," Mike replied cheerfully. Greg didn't take offense; he knew that at his core, Mike was a scientist, and to have the opportunity to do some research was just making him giddy.

"But you might want to come clean with your wife," he said with a knowing smile.

"She has no clue why I'm here," Greg said more to himself than to the man sitting next to his bed.

"Oh she knows why you came out here, she just hasn't heard it from you yet," Mike said standing up to leave. "If I were you I'd rectify that as soon as possible, before you find yourself left here in Chicago with me."

Come one and hit that purple button!! Let me know if you're all still reading.