Soft melodies fed through his head, the headphones fitting over his head perfectly and he sighed, feeling alright for the time being. He'd needed to relax, his old iPod still his closest friend who knew everything about him and told him everything he needed to know. His sleek, black cane rested over his lap and his hands clasped the top, reclining in his old leather chair and his black Chuck Taylors showing out the end of his worn jeans. He swayed a little to the side, another high note blowing into his ears made him feel better. Music had always been his therapy, from when he was thirteen and first tinkering on the piano to when his heart was broken and the whiskey ran dry.

She froze up, there he was. Peaceful, lying awake in the cool breeze running in from the window. She stood in front of the glass office that seemed to have not changed since she left, the tall lamp still holding strong and the music poster to the side. The desk was still cluttered, she'd always been the one to clean it a little in the morning with her hot mug of coffee and a million emails to answer. She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding and grasped the handle. She knew that the door creaked when it opened so as soon as she went in, she was almost sure he would look up and then she wouldn't be able to go back.

The point of no return. She laughed internally. It had a ring to it.

She slid open the door, making the tell-tale scratch on the carpet she'd grown on but contrary to her theory, he simply swayed another note and stayed blissfully unaware. Her brain screamed to go back, leave now before you get hurt. The problem was, she was already hurt. Somewhere in the back was whispering to walk on strong and wake him up without a second thought but this voice was getting to her. Drawing in a long, drawling breath, she took a step forward, trying to keep some sort of balance in her step. Reaching out, she sofly tapped the glass table in front of them and she silently hoped for the best.

His eyes folded open to the monotonous offending noise and as his mouth opened to a slit to retaliate, he caught her blazing green eyes and a lump caught in his throat, stopping him from speaking. She froze again, his blue eyes stung through her as he watched and inside, she was screaming for him to say something, break the constricting silence. Gregory House hadn't laid eyes on this woman for a long time and his breath caught, only mutterings were allowed from his mouth.

"Allison." He said simply, pulling his headphones from his crown and setting them down on the table, the soft opera still wafting from the small speakers.

"Greg." She whispered back, running her fingers along the edge of the glass table.

"Where have you been?" He looked over her, the years had taken away at her but he still found her stunning in her early forties.

"Nowhere, really." She couldn't say much more, looking over him, she realised that he hadn't been in the best of sorts. His skin was paler still, his hair a dark grey and he somehow looked more gaunt than he did when she'd left. She expected him to age gracefully and that's exactly what he'd done.

"It's nice to see you again." He said, pulling his legs off the table and walking out from behind his desk. Scared that he was going to leave her, she hastily grabbed hold of his arm as he started to walk.

"Please, don't leave." She whispered meekly, hanging her head and he turned around, walking back to the couch. As she watched his gait, she noticed that his limp was more pronounced than it had ever been. She followed his lead, sitting on the other side of the couch with her back straight and her head held high when really, she was scared.

"How are you? How's Elliot?" He sighed, blinking with his eyes closed and her mouth clogged with a cocktail of words. He opened his eyes to see her discomfort and shook his head.

"Went looking for Wilson once and had his emails open. I never mentioned it to him after I read it. Didn't really want to talk about it to him," he let out a small laugh, putting his cane to his head and rubbing his forehead with it.

"So what else do you know?" She asked, she knew she sounded frustrated but he let out a breath of air.

"That's it. All I knew is that you had a baby girl called Elliot. Nothing more, nothing less."

"I...guess that's good."

"Why?" His eyes stung blue and she drew in air, half happy that he had already covered the hardest part but dreading the fact that he didn't know all that he needed to.

"I asked Wilson never to discuss it with you. If you didn't want to, that's even better."

"I guess that maybe the only person to talk to about your one night stand to forget about a one night stand is your bestest buddy whose agreed to not let other bestest buddy know. Fair enough."

"It wasn't a one night stand to forget about a one night stand," she looked away from him, slumping her strong sitting stance, "it was a one night stand."

"So what are you saying?" For once, Greg was confused with what she was trying to get at and she sunk further, realising that being blunt would be the best and worst move for both of them. So she tried to be forward with soft words.

"I didn't have a one night stand after I left to forget about you, House. I barely even left the apartment after I left work. That said, she's still the product of a one night stand."

"So she's..." The realisation hit him like a tonne of bricks and he let out a long sigh as she nodded.

"And so here I am." She said softly and she could tell that he would be upset. Ready to flinch, she left space for him to say something, anything.

"Is she here with you?" He said, crestfallen that his daughter had lived a life without him for a decade.

"Yes."

"Where is she?"

"With Chase."

"You'd leave her with Chase and not me?"

"I needed to talk to you alone first."

"I see it. It wouldn't matter if she's away for another ten minutes just to sort out what's been going on for ten years, sure. Whatever, Cameron."

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? That can't even begin to sum it up," he felt like he had fifteen years ago, yelling at the woman who'd crippled him but this woman had kept a secret from him for ten years.

"No, it can't. What else could I have done?" Her voice started to raise like his, tears started to brim in her eyes.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe told me and not told my best friend to keep it from me?"

"I didn't think you'd take it well. I didn't know what you'd think so I figured it was just easier to wonder and not know."

"What did you think?"

"I thought..." she didn't want to tell him what she thought, but she almost thought it was best for him to know.

"I thought you wouldn't want her."

He stood up abruptly, he felt like he was shrinking like he had so many years ago when he stood and he started to pace. Something many people assumed was that he wanted to die a bachelor without any attachments because that was easier on the world around him. Truly, he'd always wanted a wife and if he was lucky, maybe a little one to tottle around his toes. He wasn't always such a bastard and a kid of his own would grow up different, like he had. He'd always wanted someone to pass himself onto and now he'd been given the chance, but she'd been taken away from him. Away from his memories and away from what's real. The silence around the small office stayed for a while as he simply paced from one side to the other and she sat still on the couch, sitting in her misery. Half an hour, an hour passed in soft silence. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was allowing them to collect thoughts. Suddenly, he stopped pacing, he'd made up his mind.

"A common misconception about me is that I'm all about the now. The past hurts and the future is grim, so the present is the focus of me. Not true. That I don't want to grow old with someone at my side and maybe another trailing at my feet. A myth."

"I'm sorry. I made mistakes. Big ones. And for them, I am sorry." She said again, she looked ghostly in the fading light of the new evening and she fiddled with her fingers, not wanting to look up.

"I know." He forgave her, something he couldn't do normally. It took him five years to forgive Stacy and ten to come to terms with Allison. She stood up, her long hair was tied into a ponytail swung behind her back as she approached him carefully. He took hold of her shoulders, just taking the time to look at her. Her eyes looked up at him, filled with hope, fear and regret. Her small frame stood strong close to his and he couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. She looked up at him, his bright blue eyes piercing holes in hers and she felt his cane brush up again her back as he pulled her tightly into his arms. She let her arms extend up to his neck and he discarded his cane onto the couch. Suddenly, a small knock on the door stopped the moment. Allison threw her head over his arm, resting her cheek on his chest and there stood her confused looking daughter.

"Elliot, meet Dr. House." She smiled, her cheeks going a little red when she looked back up at the bewildered Greg. His eyes shone and even though he looked indifferent, a million thoughts blew through his mind as his daughter approached the embracing pair.

"Hi." Ellie smiled, extending her hand and Allison pulled back hesitantly from Greg, whom took his daughter's hand.

"Hey there, kiddo." He smiled, pulling her a little closer and scruffed up her hair a little. Her cheeks flushed, just as her mothers did, when her father brought her in for a hug as it should have been. Allison didn't think she'd seen him ever happier after such a grueling time sorting it all out. Everything just seemed right, things seemed all right just for that little time when the family was together even for a little bit. The details would be left for later but right now, she just tucked her arm under the other and watched them both smile in each others company.

A lot can change in ten years. Plans can be finished, cities can be built, bridges can be broken. But everything can be fixed in time.

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Thanks for reading and thanks to my reviewers. You've been lovely. I hope you liked the story and thanks for clicking in the first place. : )