Disclaimer…Make love, not lawsuits! Disclaimers are hot.

Author's Note…Ok, that last chapter was incredibly sad. Sorry I took a while posting this chapter…I had a good 1000 or so words written before I deleted it all because I just didn't like it. I was about 750 words into Chapter 15: Plan B until I decided I didn't like that either. Third time's a charm! Thank you so much for all your fabbity-fab-fab reviews…they made me so happy! Oh, and by the way, if you read the last chapter out loud, or at least the second part when they're at the dance and listening to the song, it's a lot better. Unfortunately, it's also much sadder. But better. And another BTW…last one I promise…obviously, this story is taking place in the future, but everything (the music, the fashion, the politics and most importantly, medical advances) are in funk with this year. I wish I could predict what it would be like but I don't.

COffeAddict86…I'm hugging you back because of all your beautiful, long reviews that you leave me! I love reading them, and doggone it; they always motivate me to write a new chapter. Hugs, not drugs! Except Vicoden! Haha, again, thank you so much!

Prinnie...Oh my gosh, I know, House and Cuddy are so sweet together! And yes, of course I read "The Enigma." (BTW, whoever sees this and hasn't read that, it's very good! Different, but good!) I left a review, maybe you haven't gotten it yet, but it's posted.

Flamesofthemo0nOk, time for a confession…I cried too. Yes, I know I wrote it, but it was so sad and I hated that I had to do it but it came together so nicely and wah! I was like a little baby.

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Two Weeks Later

Once again, House was in an orange plastic chair. He took out a Crayola marker he had stolen from Wilson back in the time of who knows when and began to doodle onto the armrest of Libby's bed.

"That's hospital property, you know." House turned to see Cuddy leaning against the doorframe, smiling sadly. "Oh, darn. I was doing such a good job of giving the hospital a good name and now I've gone and ruined it. I don't know how I'll be able to live with myself." He kept doodling.

"I never said I had a problem with it."

"True that."

Cuddy pulled up a chair and took a seat next to House. "You know, she was happy. It wasn't long, but she was happy."

House stared straight ahead of him. "She's not ready yet."

Cuddy looked down at the comatose girl that lay before them. "You've got to let go. And I wasn't talking about Libby." And on that note, she stood up and left, leaving House all by himself. He looked down at his creation.

Libby House was here. 10/12/05-12/10.

Angrily, House licked his fingers and smudged it away.

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Two days later

The ringing cell-phone jerked House from his nightmarish sleep. He stared down the clock's angry red numbers: 10:39. He groggily hobbled towards his jacket pocket.

"Hello?"

"Dr. House, this is Ms. Kay, Libby's teacher. Do you remember me?"

"How could I forget? We got steamy."

"Dr. House, I really have no time…"

"We really rumbled a few desk drawers, didn't we?"

"Dr. House! This is not why I called you! I wanted to know when the funeral was!"

House was dead silent on the other end. He didn't come up with a reply until four minutes later. "Well, when you call this late, one must assume that it's for a booty call."

"GOOD-BYE!" With a heated click, Ms. Kay hung up. House put down the phone next to Libby's bed. Mission accomplished.

He looked down at the bed, only to see a pair of blue eyes identical to his own under a pair of strawberry-blonde raised eyebrows.

House (stunned) and his cane (also stunned) fell to the ground with a crash. Libby rushed out of bed to help him up, (which was in her nature…her mother's nature, really) but was jerked back onto the bed by the respirator to which she was hooked up to. Her head banged down on the arm of the bed, causing a loud knocking sound.

Cuddy, who just happened to be walking down to Libby's room while this little scene was taking place, heard the sound effects. Assuming the worst, she sprinted down to Room 218 to find Libby nearly suffocating (laughing hysterically with a respirator in your mouth can apparently do that to you) and House's hands reaching up from behind the bed, trying to grab onto a sheet to help him up.

And Cuddy, for the first time she could remember in a very long time, threw back her head and laughed, because that's what these people did to her.

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The day Libby went home from the hospital was the day House approximated would be her funeral. It had been such a long haul for everyone, and it seemed as though it was finally ending.

It did seem that way, didn't it?

House and Libby stood on the threshold of the hospital entrance. All Libby had done since her grand re-entrance to the world was talk about how much she wanted to go home. Now, about to face the outside world, she hesitated.

House knew why: change was scary.

But in his mind, it was also brought about the best things in his life.

He nudged her softly. "You ready?"

She looked up at him and wiped her hair out of her eyes. "Yup. Let's go."

And the two strode out in the sun, limp and all.

Author's Note…I know, I know, that was a small chapter. Sorry. I was thinking about ending it right then and there, but I think I will continue it. I already know what I'm doing for the next chapter (no re-writes…yes!) and I think it will be pretty darn long. So, in the meantime, please review…very much appreciated.