Chapter 25

House caught up with Stacey in the hallway. He had limped as fast as he could and he was slightly out of breath.

"Stacey! Stacey wait!" Stacey stopped and turned around as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"What Greg?" she asked sadly.

"Look, we should talk. Let's grab a coffee ok?" House looked Stacey straight in the eyes and she nodded. The two went to the cafeteria and got coffees. As they sat down, House wasn't quite sure what to say.

"Well" Stacey started. She was slightly embarrassed about the way she had behaved in his office but she wasn't about to apologize.

"Why are you here?" House asked her.

"Mark is here for an appointment for his leg, and I thought I'd come see you seeing as when I left last time we weren't really too happy with each other." Stacey started.

"I see" House had a feeling there was much more to the story.

"And, I wanted to apologize and tell you that me and Mark are in couples therapy. I'm going to work on my marriage" Stacey let it out all in one breath and then looked up at House. He was staring at her intently.

"I'm happy for you" he said quietly.

"Your with Cuddy now Greg?" she had been dying to ask since they had sat down.

"No Stacey, it's not what you think. We're not the perfect little family. Cuddy wanted a child, I donated sperm and she got one." House didn't want Stacey to know that he and Cuddy were in fact, secretly seeing each other. It would break her heart, and he couldn't risk anyone else finding out. He felt that she should get an explanation though. She was his first love and, he felt compelled to make things right.

"A child is so huge Greg" was all Stacey could say for, at his statement her mouth had dropped.

"I know, but it's a decision I took and I've never regretted it yet." House felt a bit better now that that was off his chest. Even Wilson didn't know why House had agreed to have Cuddy's child. He knew House had liked Cuddy, but a baby was really a big deal.

"I just never thought…" Stacey didn't know what to say. House got up knowing he had said what needed to be said.

"It was good to see you again Stacey, I hope you and Mark…" But House was interrupted by an angry voice.

"You sonofabitch! Get away from her! We're still married you selfish bastard!" Mark was behind them and hadn't overheard any of the conversation. He had just noticed how close they were sitting and how serious their expressions were. House turned around looking extremely put-out.

"Relax, we were just talking" House answered.

"Oh, like you were just talking in Baltimore right? Or should I say after? Yeah Stacey told me all about that!" Mark's face contorted in rage as he spat at House. House gave Stacey a surprised look and then limped away.

"You asshole I'm not finished with you!" Mark went to follow House but Stacey grabbed his arm clearly afraid. House just continued to limp away, he was going home.