Author's Note: So, I haven't updated this is in a long time. Work and life have gotten the best of me and I just haven't had the time to write. However, the good news is that I have half of chapter 24 written and the last chapter of this story will be chapter 25. I am hoping to have it all finished by the end of the month. I would love to see some reviews, however, I completely understand if you don't want to review because I have been such a slacker about updating. Thanks to those of you who are still reading. I really appreciate it! S.B.


Chapter 23: The gift

Kate parks the car across the street from his apartment. She sits in the car for a moment, debating whether she should really get out and knock on his door. She watches the cold rain pound away on the windshield as she stares at his apartment door. She finally takes a deep breath and gets out of the car. She shivers as the cold rain envelopes her. She quickly shuts the door and locks the car. As she heads to his front door, she can feel the dull ache in her hip becoming more intense. She winces as she hurries into the alcove by his front door. She sharply raps on the door and then hears his muffled voice shout "I'm coming. Hold yer horses."

He opens the door to find his ex-wife standing there, soaked with rain and shivering in the cold. He shakes his head at her and then ushers her into his apartment. She steps inside and the rain rolls off her coat onto the floor. He closes the door and says "Don't you have enough sense to use an umbrella? Getting soaked and chilled can't be good for your hip."

Greg walks to his bathroom while she pulls off her coat and grumbles sarcastically "No shit! Damp and coldness bad for people who've suffered compound hip fractures? I learn something new every day!" Greg returns to the front door with a bath towel and hands it to her. She grudgingly says "Thanks" as she kicks off her shoes.

Greg gestures towards his furniture and says "I don't want you dripping all over my nice things."

Kate snorts and heads for the couch. She sits down and starts drying her hair. Greg walks over to the piano bench and sits down. He starts to play a gentle Brahms sonata. Kate slightly smiles. "I remember that tune. You used to play that when I was mad at you."

House slightly smiles. "Music to soothe the savage beast, or savage ex-wife, if you will."

Kate has finished drying her hair. She watches House play the piano. She is flooded with memories of when they were married. She finally says "Wilson told me that you had a going away present for me."

House nods. "I do."

"What is it?"

"All in due time, grasshopper." Kate sits in silence and listens to him finish play his sonata. He gets up from the piano and walks over to the couch. He studies her carefully and says "You're still shivering. You need a drink to warm you up."

House ambles into the kitchen. He quickly returns with two glasses of scotch. He hands her a glass and she gladly takes it from. She takes he sip while he sits on the couch. She starts to immediately feel warm the moment the fiery amber liquid hits her stomach. He arches an eyebrow and says "Better?"

She shyly nods. He takes a hearty gulp of his scotch and then swirls it in his glass. He holds it up to the light and closely examines the crystal tumbler and amber liquid. He then lowers the glass and says "You're unusually quiet."

"Am I?"

"You are." He knocks back the rest of his drink and gestures at her to do the same. She quickly gulps down the scotch and feels the warmth radiate through her body. He turns to her and squarely looks her in the eye. "I'm your going away present."

Kate incredulously looks at him. "What?"

"Spend the night with me. One last fling for old time's sake. I know you're interested. I know you're thinking the same thing after our little moment in my office this afternoon." He pierces her with a bright, blue-eyed stare.

Kate shakes her head. "Nothing good will come of it."

"You need to learn to throw caution to the wind. Nothing good may come of it, but nothing bad will come of it either." He leans in close to her and plants a gentle kiss on her lips.

Kate places a firm hand on chest to hold him off. "You need to understand: if I decide to jump in the sack with you, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WILL COME OF IT. I'm still going back to Seattle this weekend to carry on with my life. I assume you will carry on with your life of being mean to James, making crude remarks about Lisa and belittling the ducklings."

House nods. "I can live with that." Kate removes her hand from his chest. He kisses her again, firmly. His arm slides behind her back to pull her closer to him. "It's your damn fault that I want to do this. You smell the same. That good smell. I miss that smell every damn day."

Kate jumps away. She stands up and looks at him with tears in her eyes. She gently caresses his cheek and shakes her head. She whispers "I can't do this." She hurries to the door and slides on her shoes. He jumps up from the couch and follows her. She is pulling her coat of the coat rack when he grabs his arm. "Greg—"

"Did you ever think that maybe we shouldn't have gotten divorced? Maybe we should've tried to work things out? I never did get over you."

Kate wryly laughs. "Sure you did. You met Stacy and fell in love and had a happily ever after with her until the infarction."

Greg shakes his head. "Stacy and I had an entirely different relationship than you and I did. She wanted me only to be myself when it was convenient to her needs. Most of the time, she was trying to get me to change. To be nicer, kinder, less abrasive. You never asked me to change. You accepted me for who I am."

"Oh Greg. Don't you understand? It's not you that needs to change or has changed; it's me. I know you loved me when we were married. Sure, I frustrated you a lot, but you loved me for who I was. After the accident I changed. I changed even more after the divorce. I don't know if I am capable of loving anyone anymore."

Greg rolls his eyes and says "Oh, quit being so emo and tragic. Are you going to wear too much black eyeliner and start listening to AFI and Dashboard Confessional while you write really bad poetry? Of course you're capable of loving people. Don't be ridiculous. If anything, I'd be the one incapable of loving anyone but myself."

Kate shakes her head. She looks up and pierces him with her hard emerald gaze. "Why'd you ask me to come to Princeton?"

"I was scared that I was going to die before I had the chance to tell you I was sorry."

Kate blinks in disbelief. "What?"

Greg looks askance and says "You heard me."

"Apologize then."

"I'm not dying."

Kate bitterly laughs. "I should've known." She pulls her coat on. "Good bye."

Greg blurts out "I'm so sorry, Kate. I am sorry for the pain and unhappiness I caused you."

Kate freezes in place and her face flushes. She opens her mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. She walks over to one of the windows and stares at the rain falling.

Greg follows her and takes her hands in his and says "Kate, say something."

Kate says "I forgave you years ago. I had to. My hate and anger towards you was driving me crazy."

Greg nods humbly. He never expected her to forgive him. "What happens now?"

Kate says "Nothing. I go back to Lisa's for the night. I finish up what files I have left at the hospital tomorrow and then the day after that, I go home to Seattle."

Greg puts on his best winning smile. "So, you don't want your going away present?"

Kate gently cups his face in her hand and whispers "You just gave me the best gift ever."

Greg kisses her on the forehead and then pulls her into his arms. He buries his face in her hair and murmurs "Don't go."