Disclaimer…I don't own anything.

Author's Note…Got no reviews for the last chapter…hmmm. Oh well; it was a filler/transition chapter anyway…please leave reviews for this one.

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There is an old saying that if you wait and watch for a pot of water to boil, then it will never happen. You've got to look away, move on, focus on other things. Come back to it later and it will be all ready for you.

There is also another saying that goes good things happen to those who wait. Stick around, and you'll get what you want. Hang in there just a little while longer.

Libby sighed. Which was it then? Should she stick it out at home and wait for her second-to-last college letter? Or give up on the idea and set the trip her dad had been planning her whole life in action?

She ran her fingers through her hair as she slowly dialed. After about a minute of ringing, someone finally picked up. "Heeeeeeey."

Libby rolled her eyes. Frat-boys. "Hi, Andrew? This is Libby. Is Josh around?"

"Yesh he is, girlie!"

"Could you put him on for me please?"

"Oh yeah! Sure! Uhh, hold on just a sec." Libby waited as she a lot of banging that she only hoped came from dropping the phone. Finally, a familiar and thankfully sober voice came on. "Hello?"

"Josh? It's me, Libby."

"Oh hey. How are you?"

"Umm, I'm good. You?"

"Fine, fine. What's up…get into any colleges?"
"Yeah, that's what I'm calling about. I got into a few…"

"Which ones" Josh interrupted.

"Penn, Princeton, Michigan, maybe Georgetown but I don't think I'll go there, Colgate, and that's it so far. The only ones I'm waiting to hear from are Columbia and Pratt, but I haven't even sent in my application to the second one so I'm not complaining."

"Damn right you aren't when you're getting into Princeton."

Libby giggled. "Yeah, I know but I am just so ready to be done with this already."

"I remember the feeling. So are you just calling to get another round of congratulations or is it something else?"

"Oh come on! Fine, fine…so anyway, my Dad wants me to take a trip with him and maybe Uncle Jimmy-you remember him right?-up to Michigan with him and we've got to do it soon because soon I'll be too busy with midterms then finals then all this other junk and he'll have work. But I really want to hang around until I find out from Columbia."

"Your dream school."

"Yeah. How funny is it that you're the only person who knows that? So anyway, what do you think I should do?"

"I'm only saying this because I'm selfish like that but I think you should come."

"Doesn't sound very selfish."

"It is. I only said it cause it'd be nice to see you."

Libby blushed. "Well, I think you can get away with that."

"And besides, you should see the campus. Plus, you've got an on-call tour-guide waiting for you."

Libby's brow furrowed. "Not Andrew, right?"

"Me!"

"You're a tour guide!'

"No. But I know my way around the campus so…I could just as good a job. And it'll have more benefits."

"I'm not going to sleep with you. Even if my dad wasn't going to be there. Which he is."

"It's always about the sex with you, isn't it?"

"Always."

"Well, if that's how it's going to be, then I'll just keep on hanging around up here thinking that good things come to those who wait."

That had to be a sign to stay. But Libby knew herself pretty well, and she knew that interpreting signs from the heavens weren't exactly her strong point. She was almost always wrong. Libby winced as she remembered the time she had thought it was a good idea to keep up running during the winter months because a news reporter had mentioned something about how people gain much more weight in the winter than the summer. Three patches of black-ice later and she had herself a broken leg. In the freezing cold. She prayed her disability proved true as she told Josh that she would see him next weekend.

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The corvette had somehow turned into a clown-car. Stuffed to the brim with four bags, three doctors, two bags full of textbooks, and one teenager, the car was practically overflowing. Cuddy had offered her Lexus but House had firmly declined, saying that when he arrived at his old school, he had to look cool. Much grimacing from Libby ensued.

Four and a half hours after leaving Princeton, Cuddy was fast asleep and Wilson was almost there, despite the noise of the radio. Libby was the only passenger that was wide-awake. She leaned forward in her seat a little bit. "So, do you think I'll like it?"

"Like it? That was one of your reasons for applying."

"I guess." Libby sounded unsure.

"It's great. The professors are pretty good. The parties are excellent…not that you'll be allowed to go to any of them…"

"Whatever you say…not."

"That's what you think now."

Libby fumbled around for something in her bag. "And that's what I'm going to keep thinking. Hey Uncle Jimmy?"

Wilson lifted his head slightly. "Yeah?"

"Take this." Libby handed him a pill and a bottle of water.

Wilson dry-swallowed them and instantly fell back asleep, completely there now. He did look quite green; House couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it. He raised his eyebrows at Libby. "Dramamine?"

"Medicinal marijuana."

"Of course. Much better. You know, they have a great medical school here too."

Libby rolled her eyes. "You wish. I already picked my majors out."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I've got a whole plan. I even wrote it up and signed it."

"You John Hancocked your own plan?"

"I wanted to be sure I stuck to it."

House shook his head. "What is this plan of yours?"

"I'm going to do a major of Journalism with a minor of Culinary Arts. But if I decide to go to an art school…"

"Pratt."

"Yeah. If I do that then I will probably switch it around, or drop Journalism altogether."

"Sounds like a plan. Not a very good plan, but a plan."

"You don't like it?"

"Definitely don't drop Journalism. I think you should keep it as your major but that's your choice. Speaking of Pratt…when do I get to see that application?"

"When I finish it."

"Which will be…?"
"Probably a week after we get home."

"Finally!"

Libby was quiet for a couple minutes. "Hey Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"What if I'm not good at it?"

"Don't even think about that. You'll be fine. The way you face challenges…it's a non-issue."

Libby looked skeptical but she dropped the subject. She stretched in her seat and looked out the window to see a big building up ahead. "Is that it?"

House drove up a little more so Libby could view the whole campus. "That's it."

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While House and Cuddy ogled at how much hadn't changed over the years, Wilson and Libby got their first good look at the school. It was very intimidating. Libby scanned the crowd of students, looking for Josh. She sighed. No way would she be able to find him. Suddenly, a team…Wilson guessed basketball, since they were all taller than him except for a couple…rushed by them, and made a few whistles in Libby's direction, all the while chanting out "Spartans! Spartans! Spartans!" Wilson looked at her; she looked a little startled, to say the least. "No matter what school you go to, they'll be there."

Libby smiled and looked around. "What happened to Dad and Aunt Lisa?"

Wilson scanned the crowds. "Oh, crud." He turned back to Libby, but she was gone too. An incredible surge of panic swept through him as he ran about the masses of students. Oh man, what have I done? Libby's not ready to be alone here! This is what House was the product of! Man oh man oh man.

Suddenly, he saw Libby running in the other direction towards a…man he didn't recognize. He knew she was still with that Josh kid, and that they were pretty serious (better not be too serious), but he couldn't identify this man for the life of him. Wilson watched as Libby jumped into his arms and he caught her and they kissed and who the hell does he think he is?

Wilson ran over to the duo and was about to tear them apart until he realized that the man was Josh. Even though he knew who he was, he still wasn't happy with the situation. "Put. Her. Down."

Josh complied. He was always intimidated by Libby's family, and with good reason. "So, how are you Dr. Wilson?"

Wilson tried to narrow his eyes. He didn't know whether the fact he trusted him was a good thing or a bad thing. "I'm fine. You got big."

"Oh, yeah." It was true. Next to Libby's 5:1 foot form, the guy's 6:3 build looked almost like a giant. He turned back to her. "Libby, I have the funniest story to tell you. I've told it a million times, but you're the only girl that'll appreciate it."

Libby tipped her head back and laughed heartily. Wilson realized that she hadn't done that since Josh left to attend college. He missed it and he knew he would probably regret what he was about to do next. "Hey, you kids can go off and be by yourselves for a little bit. I'll meet you in the…cafeteria, I guess…at 6:15."

Libby walked over towards Wilson. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah just…don't do anything stupid. And make sure you're there. You're dad will cane me if anything happens to you. Actually, be there at 6:00. Make that 5:45. You know what-why not…?"

"Uncle Jimmy, thank you, I'll see you at a quarter to 6. Bye!" And with that, the two walked off somewhere, obviously enjoying the story.

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Two days later, on the drive back home, for four hours; all Libby could talk about was how much she loved it. From the football game she had gone to, to the track meet she saw, from the anecdotes Josh and his friend had told her, to the college rock station she had found on the radio. And House loved every minute of it.

When the three (House, Cuddy, and Libby) finally got at 10:00 at night after dropping off Wilson, out of habit House and Cuddy collapsed on the couch while Libby went about organizing things. She wiped the dust off the counter, put the newspapers in the recyclable bin, and went to old Mrs. Markins house to get the mail. As she was sorting through it, a particular address caught her eye.

"I got in." She said it simply, clearly, and calmly, which was the total opposite of how she felt.

House and Cuddy turned around without getting up. "In where?"

"Columbia."

"Congrats."

Libby sat down on the counter which she just cleaned and reread the letter. House finally summoned up enough energy to walk over to her. "I guess you've got a decision to make."

Libby looked him right in the eye. "Nope. Not really. I'm going to Michigan."

Cuddy silently pumped her fist in the air, but House remained silent. "Josh told me that's where you want to go."

Libby shrugged. "Well, I guess I thought wrong because I was at least ten times happier when I found out I got into Michigan than Columbia."

"Are you sure?"

She grinned. "Positive." She moved to go to her room, presumably to call Josh.

"Wait a minute." Cuddy was up too now.

"Yeah?"

"So you're definitely going to Michigan, right?"

"Right."
"So there's no reason to apply to Pratt."

Libby could see where this was going. She might as well follow it through; they were bound to found to find out somehow. "I guess not."

"I see. So about that application…"

"I finished it the morning we left. You can see it if you want to…"

Cuddy ran into the room and House hobbled off as quickly as he could. Libby smiled to herself as she heard their gasps coming from her room. After about a minute, she finally had enough momentum to go into her room herself and see their reactions.

Cuddy's eyes were filling up with tears as she stared at the canvas. It was about as wide as a double-bed and four feet tall. It was a painting of an incredibly beautiful blue eye. But it wasn't just that; there were small but very realistic and detailed images painted a shade lighter than the rest of the eye that adorned the iris. She recognized them; one was a stethoscope. Another was a bouquet of roses; a wedding bouquet. It was Cameron's. And another one was one she knew very well: It was a photograph Wilson had taken of the four of them at the beach one day when Libby was seven. It was a pretty candid shot; Wilson had just randomly outstretched his arm away from his body and took a snap. It had come out beautifully, everyone in it was laughing. And here was a perfect recreation of it. But it wasn't just the images that made the painting so exquisite. It seemed to be…shining. Finally, she realized why: instead of having the thin lines that striated the iris, Libby had used gleaming safety-pins. And under each one, there was a tiny red line. Cuddy knew it stood for hurt and it made the whole thing amazingly dimensional. She didn't know a simple painting could move her so much.

House nudged Libby softly, his voice all choked up with emotion. "That's…that's…"

Libby was crying too, although she didn't know why. She guessed it had been a very poignant night. "It's you, Dad. It's you. You're my inspiration."

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June…Libby's High School Graduation…

House, Wilson, Cuddy, Chase, Chase's girlfriend Nora, Foreman, Foreman's wife Jamie, Harrison, House's dad, and Josh all sat in a row on the soggy lawn of Libby's High School. They watched with pride as their little girl (and Josh's just plain "girl") walked down the aisle. House's eyes were wet, and he leaned over to Wilson. "I never thought she'd live to this point."

"I know. And she's Valedictorian."

The man sitting in front of them turned around for the fifth time that morning and shushed them. House stuck out his tongue and Wilson shook his head. At least you will never see him again. Unfortunately, you are stuck with House for forever-ish.

But half an hour later, when Libby took the shaky steps up to present her Valedictorian Speech (which, in typical tradition, no one had heard) the whole area was completely silent. This only made Libby more nervous.

"Good morning. Thank you all for being here to cele…to celebrate the graduation of my peers and myself." She looked up and surveyed the crowd. Everyone's eyes were on her. "You know, it says in the description in your pamphlets that part of my speech includes welcoming you here today. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized; this isn't a welcome. It's a good-bye. It's really time to say good-bye to this wonderful group of people that I have grown to know and love over the years. I know that even when we go our different ways this fall; we will always be somehow united. But before I really begin talking about them…because there is just so much to say…I want to thank a few people, the first being the entire staff at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Not a lot of people can say they wouldn't be alive without such and such, but I can and I am so grateful. Next, I want to thank Dr. Robert Chase, Dr. Carl Harrison, and Dr. Eric Foreman for always being there to teach me everything from tying my shoes to adding and subtracting to teaching me how to throw a good punch to telling one hundred and one stories about my mom. And finally, I want to thank Dr. James Wilson and Dr. Lisa Cuddy for never ceasing to amaze and inspire me. They are a two-person triumvirate that has never really let my dad be a single parent.

And there's one more person I want to thank. You know, I got into some good colleges and today, I'm going to graduate with honors, and there are a million different aspects to my crazy personality but I can only see myself striving to fit into one pair of shoes. The owner of these shoes would maybe tease me about it, probably discourage it, but the truth is when I grow up, I want to be just like him. This person is my dad, Dr. Gregory House. Because no matter who I see or what I do in life, and no matter how others see me, I will always first and foremost define myself as my father's daughter."

…

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Author's Note…Aww. Ok, just for the record, she says stuff after that, we just don't hear it. I thought it was a good place to stop. Anyhoo, aww. Ok, there are about two chapters left, plus an Epilogue. I get the sense that people are ready for this to end, and it's time. Ok, please review…I got none for the last chapter! Thanks!