A/N: Ok I'll just warn you right now (so you don't go poking bears or throwing pudding about the place, Sammie!) the next few updates will be delayed because I'm babysitting for a few days. Thank you all for continuing to read and sending the nice reviews! The story will definitely be back soon! Luv, Lola

Chapter: 6. Meaningful Conversation

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse
-Fix You, Coldplay

She was sitting lengthwise on their couch with her legs outstretched before her and her knees rested in his lap. He had recently taken another two Vicodin and had finally agreed to discuss their upcoming nuptials.

"We could just run off to Vegas, get a quickie marriage, have Elvis perform the ceremony, that's classy right?"

"I don't understand why you're so keen on eloping, what's wrong with a traditional wedding, with family and bridesmaids and vows and a cake and a nice dress and…"

"And how do you expect to pay for a crib and diapers and clothes and bottles when we've spent all our savings on a wedding gown and catering?"

"Fine, we'll have a small wedding, but we're staying within the city limits." She said with a stern tone, she may not be having a fantasy wedding, but she most certainly will not have an Elvis wedding either.

"No Vegas? I don't want it in a church though, they're so old… it might collapse on us or something."

"That's not likely. I think an outdoor wedding would be nice, we could have it in a park at sunset. With only very close relatives and friends." Her voice sort of drifted off as she thought of what the wedding she described would be like.

"Uh huh, and to cut costs, instead of inviting Foreman and Chase we could just not." He said with a happy smile, only to get a pillow thrown at his head.

"Nice try! They get to come!"

"But…oh…you should get that." The phone began ringing, he would normally just ignore it, but if it was something important they would just keep calling and the phone would keep ringing and he didn't want this conversation interrupted, interruptions only prolonged the discussion.

"Hello…Oh…Oh no…what happened?…ok, we'll be right there." Cameron clicked the phone off and turned to House with a worried expression.

"What?" Her worried look made him worry.

"That was your mom, she said Angela was brought to the hospital earlier." Cameron had quickly gotten up and was now grabbing for her shoes.

"Why? What happened? Why is she in the hospital?" He demanded, he was clearly upset and there was a hint of desperation in his voice.

"She didn't know, she said Roger just called her and told her that he had called an ambulance and was on his way to the hospital himself." Her shoes were on and House was seated putting on his own shoes.

"But why did he call the ambulance? Wait- Roger called her? Why didn't he call me himself?"

"He hates you! He probably doesn't want you there." She grabbed her car keys and headed out, followed by House.

"Stupid selfish prick…" House muttered to himself, he and Roger had had a mutual hatred.

House would have preferred to drive there himself since he would have gone much quicker, but as Cameron told him he would have been speeding and would wind up crashing themselves into a tree. The last thing anyone needed at the moment was another car crash. Mrs. House had informed Cameron that Angela was taken to the Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital since it was the closest to her home. After parking they rushed into the hospital and straight to the front desk.

"Angela House, what room is she in? She was brought in earlier today."

"I'm sorry sir, no one named 'Angela House' has been admitted here today." The receptionist held a straight face and her tone was flat and dull.

"What do you-"

"Greg!" His mother was at the other end of the lobby, in the middle of the hallway. He hurried over, at least she'd tell him what room Angela was in.

"Where is she? What happened?" Apparently he was pretty quick for a cripple, because Cameron was a few paces behind him now.

"Calm down dear, I'm not sure what happened, but the doctor just left and he said it would be best if there was only one visitor at a time, two at the most, Roger's in there now."

"Have you seen her?" He asked his mother; his voice was not soft and steadied, but still sounded slightly desperate.

"I saw her when I came in, she doesn't look good, Greg." Angela's Grandmother sighed and cast another weary glance and the closed blinds of the hospital room.

Without another word he pushed open the door and entered his niece's room, leaving his mother and fiancée standing in the hall. He drew in a small gasp seeing Angela, she looked just like her mother had and it was heartbreaking. She was pale and had dark circles around her eyes, her head bandaged and her arms laid out hooked up to the machines. She was the spitting image of her mother when she was Angela's age, although she had inherited her father, Roger's, eyes. House hadn't seen her like this in years and the only time he had ever seen his sister like this was at her funeral.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Roger spat furiously; tightening his grasp of his daughter's hand, like an animal protecting it's young, as if he was afraid that House would steal her away from him.

"Just here to keep you company, we both know how pleasant you are to be around. Tell me what happened." House pulled up a chair, sitting at the foot of her bed.

"I have no idea, I came home and found her in the kitchen…she was lying unconscious, blood around her head…I'm not sure just what happened. How'd you find out about this?"

"My mommy called me. What did the doctor tell you?" House questioned, needing to know her condition, he resorted to talking to Roger since he saw no chart.

"Uhh…something about head trauma. He said she should be fine, but they want to keep her for a few nights for observation." Roger muttered, his attention suddenly drawn to his beeping pager, he used his free hand to see who had paged him. "Oh...I've got to take this." He mumbled to himself, dropping his daughter's hand and leaving to use his cell phone.

"So that's it? You're just going to leave her?" House snapped annoyed at Roger's exit attempt.

"This is important, I-"

"And she's not? She's your daughter for Christ's sake!"

"Angela is very important to me, I love her. If I don't make this call and make this meeting I will be fired. Without a job whose to pay for medical bills, food, huh? I realize you'd like to think I don't care for her, but I do." He snapped back, angered that House would question his priorities as a parent.

"So all those years when she lived with her mother and rarely saw her father, that was you caring for her?" House said infuriated with the man.

"Oh will you two kindly just shut up!" Angie groaned from her bed, holding her temples.

"Oh god, Angela, how are you? How do you feel?" Her father pleaded, once again clasping her hand.

"I'm just fabulous, although my head does hurt." She glared at her father, one eye open, both hands at the sides of her head.

"Yeah, right, stupid question…look Angela, I need to go into work for a while, but I'll be back as soon as I can, ok?"

"Uh huh ok, go away then, leave me." Angie managed a smile and waved her father away. Roger left, only to be replaced by Cameron and Grandma House.

"Well, hi granny…oh jeez." Angie was tackled into a great hug by her grandma, who was softly sobbing into her shoulder. "Ok Grandma hug me any tighter and I'll suffocate."

"Oh hunny, that isn't funny" Her grandmother sighed, dabbing a tissue at her eyes.

"I know, suffocation's no joke and for future reference I really don't think head trauma's a hoot either." She said smiling, slightly wincing at her words.

No one spoke for a short while, they all stared at Angela, making her feel more uncomfortable.

"Hey Angela, what would you think of an outdoor wedding, at sunset, that'd be beautiful, right?" Cameron asked sounding quite cheerful.

She raised her eyebrows slightly, "You are such a dork." Angie leaned forward and cupped her mouth and coughed sharply; her head ached. "Yes that sounds beautiful and it'll be even more beautiful if I don't have to be in the wedding, I just want to be there... I'm sleepy."

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
-Fix You, Coldplay