Cover of a Book

by gorblimey2

A female Navy doctor gets assigned to study under House. He thinks he knows a secret about her, but the truth is much more interesting. Can House fall for someone in the military or doe she remind him too much of his Dad? Love, humor, romance, action.

3. Chapter 3

She went to Wanamaker's in Philadelphia and bought a dress off the rack. It was a beautiful long dress designed by Vera Wang. It was a "Lavender label" off the shoulder dress which was gathered right under the bustline and then was fitted all the way down until it flared out at the bottom. It was in royal blue. She wore the sapphire necklace and earrings she had bought in the Mideast. Her hair was styled into a loose knot in the back with tendrils coming down the back. Her shoes were 2 ½ inch heels that were comfortable but pretty. She took her black velour stole to keep warm outside. The ticket tent was heated so she didn't need to wear it to take tickets.

The rest of the campus was set up with tents all over and in-between, in the halls were tables set up with goodies donated from various vendors in Princeton. The goodies rotated on the hour. One minute it would be Dom Perignon and strawberries, the next hours it would decadent chocolate truffles or cheeses. Each of the forty tables offered something different and even that rotated on an hourly basis. The twelve tents offered different forms of entertainment. There was the country western tent with a band, dance floor and broncing mechanical bull. Then there were several band tents with dance floors. One of the tents had comedians rotate on a fifteen minute basis. Another had a karaoke machine set up. There were even boat rides on Carnegie Lake complete with singing gondoliers. It was an incredible setup and well worth the $250 per ticket.

As the members of the team showed up with their dates they all came over for Murphy to put the band around their wrist signifying that they were authorized to be at the ball and receive the goodies. They all introduced their dates and the men complimented Murphy on how nice she looked. Even Foreman, who was going to go stag, had ended up with a gorgeous girl on his arm at the last moment.

The truth was that Murphy did look gorgeous. The tops of her breasts rode high over the top of her dress, the dress had a black ribbon just below the breasts and a second one down a few inches at the empire line. She looked incredibly beautiful with her strawberry blonde hair cascading in tendrils down the back. Even Cuddy came over and told her that no one would believe she was a sailor.

Wilson and House arrived with their dates. Wilson was with Sarah and House had brought Sarah's friend, Kathy. Both of the dates were young and very pretty. But when House and Wilson saw Murphy they both stopped in their tracks. She looked like a sexy version of a Victorian lady, very romantic. House hadn't told Wilson of the tryst in the office. In some ways he was embarrassed by the fact that she had made mince meat out of him. When they went over to Murphy to have her put the bands on them they both smiled at her.

"Murphy, you look beautiful tonight. Really stunning."

"Thank you Jim."

House came over and even Murphy thought he looked handsome in his tuxedo. "Good evening."

"Good evening Dr. House. Here are the programs for you and your date and I need your arms so I can band your wrists."

They held out their wrists and she put the bands on. She could feel House's eyes on her. She was sure that if she looked up those blue eyes would be focused on her breasts but they weren't. They were looking her straight in the eye. This made her more nervous than if he had been ogling her breasts. She smiled and then backed off to band the next couple. With her body turned, he could see the deep cut back and the hair tumbling down over the nape of her neck and between her shoulder blades. He quickly looked away so that she didn't catch him watching her.

After her hour was up, Murphy decided to go into each tent to see what was in them. She stayed the longest in the comedy tent and then went back to the tent where there was a variety show, including a magician and tango presentation.

In the meantime, House and Wilson's dates were excited about the champagne and the various expensive spirits being served. They were knocking each drink back quickly so that they could taste the next one at another table. House was nursing his first Grey Goose and looking around for Murphy. He tried to be engaging but he just wasn't interested in his date.

House's date wanted to dance and so he found a table near the dance floor, parked her at it with Sarah and Wilson and then excused himself to search for the bathroom. If he stayed, no one would have asked her to dance. Within minutes he watched as a young man, close to her age, came up and asked her to dance. She was happy, drunk and could care less where House had gone.

House saw Murphy getting into one of the horse and buggies that were taking couples down to Carnegie Lake for the boat ride. He tried to get to her before she left but he and his cane weren't fast enough. He had to wait for the next carriage. When he got down to the boat launch he saw she was next in line to get into a boat. He was suppose to wait in line, but he played the handicap card and was moved up to the front of the line just as she was getting into her boat.

"How many in your party?" The boatman asked.

"One." She said.

A voice behind her said, "Two."

She turned and saw House. He put his hand on her back and escorted her to the boat. She got in, tucked her wrap around her and sat a little in shock as House got into the boat and sat next to her with his arm around her.

She whispered so that the boatman wouldn't hear, "What do you think you're doing?"

He looked down at her face and kissed her. She pulled back as much as she could without giving the boatman the impression she was being touched against her will. He didn't stop. He put his hand on her chin and kissed her again.

She whispered loudly, "S.T.O.P. stop. Stop or I'll have this young man beat the crap out of you with his oar."

"You kissed me back that time."

"It was a mistake, a reflex."

He came in for another kiss and she let him explore her with his tongue. She shivered and he quickly took off his tuxedo jacket and put it on her and then kissed her again. The boatman was amused. These two were acting like teenagers. Those kisses were pretty deep and with a lot of tongue. He was pretty sure that he saw the guy reach into the tuxedo coat, now on the woman, and grab her breast although he wasn't sure since his hand was under the coat and the man had shifted, blocking his view of what was going on. He didn't blame the guy. When she had said that she was the only one going for a boat ride, he got his hopes up. She was fifteen years older than him but she was incredibly hot.

House gave him a $20 tip and asked that they be let out at a different spot about 100 yards from where they were suppose to be let out. The guy knew what was going on. Every boatman knew that behind the boathouse was a large boat shed where many a woman had been relieved of her knickers. He let them out and House headed straight for the shed with Murphy in tow.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Someplace where we can get in out of the cool air and talk."

"About what?"

"Anything you want to talk about."

She laughed, "Why do I get the feeling that you don't really plan on doing a lot of talking?"

"Perceptive." He said as he opened the door. There was a pile of canvas covers on the floor and he took the tuxedo jacket off of her and laid it down on the covers. She smiled knowingly and sat down on the edge of the tuxedo jacket. He sat down next to her and kissed her shoulder and then neck. They were so pale and soft. He kissed her ear and then moved across her cheek he connected with her lips. The feel of his warm breath coming up her neck and across her face and the feel of his beard sent shivers down her. The kiss started with him gently sucking her lower lip and then engulfing her mouth and then their tongues met. He reached around and unzipped her dress and pulled it down to the waist, He kissed her exposed breasts and then disappeared down to the hem of her skirt. He pulled the full length skirt up past the thigh high nylons and the silk and lace panties. He pulled the panties down, off her legs and then he tantalized her with his tongue, driving her just to the point of orgasm but not letting her quite ride the peak sensation. Finally he didn't hold back and she reached out to the sides as she screamed out in pleasure going up and up until finally the sensations became too much and she grabbed his head and stopped him. He looked up and she pulled him up to her and kissed him. He unbuttoned and unzipped his pants and entered her, taking his time and watching her watch him. They started smiling at each other until House could feel the pleasure escalating as he picked up the pace. He buried his face in the crook of her neck as he came. He collapsed onto her and then rolled off.

She started giggling, "Ok...now that was hot. I take it all back. I guess I do find you more attractive than Bin Laden...but just by a little."

He started chuckling. House put everything back in place and zipped up his pants. She sat up on her elbows and looked at him. He turned over and put a hand out to touch her breast. "These are perfect. Too bad you keep them covered so much."

"Please zip me up and find my panties."

"I'll zip you up but your panties are going in my pocket. I want the pleasure of knowing that you have no panties on as I escort you around the tents."

"You're a pervert."

"No, I'd call it romantic."

They got up and straightened themselves up but her hair looked wild with hair flying out all over her head so she took it down and let it just flow down her back. House looked at it. The strawberry blonde hair was wavy and curly. It looked soft and shiny flowing down her back.

They walked back to the boat dock and took a carriage back to the tents. When they got out Wilson saw them, excused himself and walked over. Murphy was standing there with her hair down and wrapped in House's tuxedo jacket. She looked disheveled and the two of them were holding hands.

"Did you forget you have a date?" He said, confused as to House's actions.

"Do I?" He said in shock. "She's probably having a lot more fun without me."

"I have to admit that's probably true. She's still inside dancing. I'm confused...in less than an hour you two have hooked up?" They shrugged their shoulders and looked at Wilson innocently. "Actually, something tells me you two have been doing more than just hooking up."

"I'll go in and tell my date that I have another date." House told both of them.

"I think maybe I better go home and let you finish out your date." She said.

He pulled her to him and put his arm around her. "No,no,no,no.no...you aren't going anywhere. Wilson, sit on her if you have to. I'll be back."

"Hey don't ruin it for me with Sarah." Wilson yelled at him.

House went off and Wilson turned to Murphy, "Are you nuts?"

She started laughing, "If you were to tell me just a week ago that this would be happening I would have told you to go see a shrink. I feel like a giddy teenager right now."

"It's because you're at the ball Cinderella. At midnight he turns into the mean ogre. You need to think this through before you let it go any further. I can't think of two people more likely to start World War III by hooking up than you two."

"Jim, I do nothing but think. I'm tired of thinking. He just gave me the best present I've had since Tony was here and I'd like to have some more."

"Too much information."

House walked back up. "Your reputation with Sarah is in tact. When I walked in my date was dry humping a guy on the dance floor. I asked if she could get a ride home and she nodded yes. That was it."

"Ok, well I'm going to go get Sarah and see some of the shows. Try that table over there, they have Baileys and coffee and Bailey's truffle."

The night was so much fun that it went very quickly. At five in the morning House and Murphy joined all those who had made it to the end of the ball for the "Survivor's Photo" which was taken on the front lawn. Chase and his date joined House and Murphy. Chase was confused, he had met House's date earlier and here he was lip locked with Murphy. Lucky guy. They each ordered a photo and then went home.

"My house?" Murphy suggested.

"I think your house is a great idea."

They walked into her house and into her bedroom. "I am exhausted." She started taking her clothes off and saw him doing the same. He was taking the bow tie off and the cummerbund next. He undid the cuffs on his sleeves and then took the shirt off. He threw it on the floor and then sat on the edge of the bed and took off his shoes and socks. She grabbed a t-shirt that was on the floor and put it on.

She was sure that couples all over the world did these mundane activities on a regular basis but to her it was strange to see House doing something as normal as get ready for bed. He was in his own world, thinking about something and so he didn't see that she had stopped to watch him. He took off his pants and folded them. Finally the silence from her side of the bed made him look up.

She was standing there in a t-shirt and thigh high nylons watching him. He gave her an elfin look, one that was mischievous,"Did I do something naughty?" he asked.

"No, just the opposite. You were just being human, something you aren't well known for being." She smiled at him. He started to get up and come over to her. She could tell from the look in his eye that he was getting a second wind. "Now I told you I was tired."

"Don't worry, you can lay back and think of God and Country, I'll do all the work."

She let him take her nylons off her thighs and down her legs. He ran his hand up her leg and thigh. He took her over to the bed, pulled the covers back and she climbed in. He climbed in behind her and they snuggled up inside the cold sheets. He realized then just how tired he was and how he would just like to hold her until he got to sleep. That's what he did. He spooned her with his hands up her t-shirt on her breasts until they were both deep asleep. The next morning she got up and made him some coffee and breakfast.

He went into the guest bathroom, found his toothbrush and brushed his teeth. He looked around and found a large t-shirt from Yosemite in her dirty clothes basket. He put that on and walked out to the kitchen in the t-shirt and boxers.

"Hey Dude, that's my shirt." She feigned indignation.

"Yeah I could tell, there were mountain peaks where there shouldn't be. Come here and let me see you. He grabbed her and put his hands up the back of her t-shirt. Her skin was warm and smooth. He lifted the front of her shirt and kissed her breasts and then pulled the t-shirt down again. He kissed her cheek and then just held her. She didn't move and neither did he. They were both enjoying just feeling the other breath.

"Before I kick you out, I thought you'd like to take a look at my sheets again, they're a lovely color."

"The color seems to have eluded me, could we go back in and see these sheets again? I may need to buy myself some."

"Problem with my sheets is that once you get in them, it's hard to get out..."

"I'll have to take my chances."

She grabbed their plates, some fruit and juice and they went back to bed. They didn't get out of bed until Sunday night, except to get more food and drink. "You have to go home, we have work tomorrow."

"I don't want to go home."

"I wish you didn't have to go either, but you do."

He turned over and faced her in the bed. He kissed her lightly on the lips and looked in her eyes. "Why don't you grab some clothes and come spend the night at my apartment?"

She thought about it, "Ok, but don't get used to this. "

She grabbed her stuff and was going to take her car but he told her,"I can bring you home tomorrow."

When they got home to his house he tucked her into bed and grabbed the mail and a glass of water. After brushing his teeth and clipping his beard, he crawled in next to her."

She was asleep so he just kissed her hair lightly and turned off the light. Around six in the morning he woke up ready to go. She was sliding up next to him and then felt something pushing against her leg, it was his wake up call.

"I can't think of a nicer way to wake up than you and I making love." She told House.

"I can. It would be nicer if I woke up, made love to you, got to go back to sleep and someone paid my bills for me."

She began stroking him and his testicles. She put a firm hand on him and french kissed him until he begged her to let him have her. He climbed on top of her. He was moving slowly in and out and she was enjoying it. He was looking down at her deep pink colored nipples. He reached up and fondled the left one. Then he kissed it as she continued the rhythm between them. She couldn't resist torturing him a little and she would occasionally stop the rhythm or pick the pace up a little. When he finally came he grabbed under her shoulders and went as deep as he could. With her muscles she pulled him in deeper until he finally yelled into her ear. He rolled over and made sure she came. They waited a few minutes and then got up to get ready for work.

They went into work together, talking and teasing each other. Cuddy caught them as they waited for the elevator. "I need to see the two of you in my office."

They looked at each other and followed her into her office. When they arrived she told them to sit down.

"You two seem almost nice to each other this morning."

"We both got laid. What's up?" House asked.

"Your request came through." she said to House.

"What request?" He asked.

"That Murphy be transferred." Cuddy announced. Murphy's mouth dropped open and she looked at House like he had betrayed her.

"Oh crap, I didn't expect them to believe me!" He looked anxiously at Murphy, "I'll just call them and explain it was a mistake."

"I'm not tracking, what's going on?" Murphy asked House and then looked at Cuddy.

"When you didn't show up to work the other day I made a call to your CO and told him you had a little drinking problem and he should transfer you out of my department." House was looking at the floor.

"Why, what did I do to you? I thought we had agreed to give me some time." She asked.

"Yes, I, YOUR BOSS, would like to know why you did it?" Cuddy chimed in.

"I was angry and thought you had a drinking problem. I told you I didn't want a lush on my team...but I probably acted too quickly. I'll tell him it was a mistake."

"You know the military Greg. The horses are out of the barn, you're not going to be able to undo this. I'm sure they'll want to punish me for screwing up the civilian work program."

"You didn't screw up the program, they're not going to punish you. You'll probably get oncology or orthopedics. Don't worry, I'll talk to your CO."

Cuddy handed her an envelope, "Your CO said that he was sending over your orders, I received this envelope this morning." She handed the envelope addressed to Murphy.

House was visibly worried. Murphy looked at him and then tore open the envelope. She read the orders and started shaking her head at him and tearing up.

"Camp Baharia, Iraq. Great...I hope you're happy now. I'm going back to that hell-hole and not just any hell-hole, the hell-hole of ALL hell-holes, Fallujah."

Murphy turned around and ran out of the office. House gave Cuddy a look that said how sorry he was. Cuddy could feel House's pain and knew he really was sorry.

House tried to find her but she wasn't in the office. He was panicking, he thought that if she was transferred it would be to another department or at most, another hospital. He never thought they would transfer her back to Iraq, especially since she had just been there. House was going through the hospital trying to find her. She was in the lab sitting in a corner drinking a coke while Cameron ran a lab test. He was puzzled, he never figured he'd find her like this?

"Murphy, I need to see you in my office."

"Fuck you..."

House looked over sheepishly at Cameron who had turned around in shock when she heard Murphy's answer. Cameron was waiting for a witty retort from House but none came. House just stood there shifting his weight back and forth.

"Murphy, I'll call your CO and we'll get this straightened out."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure that you'll straighten out the Navy...better hurry, once they hear that the great Greg House made a mistake I'm sure they'll pull my orders and probably bring home the troops from Iraq too." She paused, "I have one week to report to North Carolina and then I ship out...You better hurry, make that little phone call that's going to set this all straight." She sat in the corner and glared at him. He finally left and went to his office. He found her file and called her CO.

"I made a mistake, she's not a drunk and I want her to stay. So pull her orders, she's staying here." House was adamant.

"I'm afraid the military doesn't work that way Dr. House...you were unhappy with her performance and we can use her in Iraq...it's a perfect fit."

"IT'S NOT A FIT...SHE ISN'T GIVING ME ANY PROBLEMS, SHE HAS AN EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE HERE. Look, I called you on a bad day when I was having a problem. You can't send her to Iraq because I was having a bad day. Besides, she just got back from Iraq."

"Look, I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll correct her file and enter that she performed well. But I'm afraid I can't do anything about her billet now. She's on her way. The military needs doctors who already know the score over there. Sorry Doctor House."

The phone clicked before House could get another word out. He went back to the lab but she wasn't there. He finally found her in Wilson's office laying down on his love seat and talking to him.

Wilson gave him a look of disgust, "House, you could screw up a wet dream. Did you talk to the CO?"

House said nothing. Murphy started laughing at him, "Did you really think you could get them to pull the orders? Hell. they're dying to find reasons to send doctors back to Iraq." She paused, "Well at least you can say that you scored more than Tony, you got a whole weekend of sex out of me before screwing me over. I loved the look on your face in Cuddy's office. You should have seen it Jim, I bought it at first. I really thought he didn't know what he had done or about the orders. I tell you Jim, I'm a sucker." Murphy sat up on the couch, looked into eyes blue eyes and said. "You really had me there, Greg. I was actually starting to feel good about my life again. You have accomplished what you set out to do, get rid of me. And to make me care about you just before screwing me over, that was the icing wasn't it? You win...you are the king of inflicting pain." She stood up and went back to the lab.

House looked at Wilson and said nothing. He left and went back to his office. He didn't know what to do about the situation. He called as many places as he thought to call but he had "no joy" as the British say. That afternoon he found her again running lab tests with Cameron. Apparently when Cameron discovered what House had done and that Murphy would soon be back in Iraq, she felt guilty for complaining so much to House and now she was Murphy's new best friend.

"Murphy, let's go, I'll give you a ride home." House nodded towards the door.

"Go? Go? You think I'm going to go with you? You just got me shipped out to Iraq and you think I'm going to go with you?" Tears started to well up and they poured down her cheek. "Don't you have any decency? You can't really expect me to go with you." With that she jumped up and made her way down to the shower room and removed all of her belongings from the locker, packed them up and started to walk home like a homeless person with all her possessions in plastic bags. House drove past her and then pulled over.

"Let me give you a ride home. Please? Please?"

"I don't think so. By the way, I'm not going to be in for the rest of the week. I have a lot to do before I ship out. Ok? You won't be calling my CO and telling him I didn't show will you?"

House looked away and then pulled back out into traffic. He pulled into his garage behind the apartment and got out. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, He just wanted to make it right and he couldn't.

Murphy packed what she needed in her duffle bag and then hired a property manager to rent out her house, furnished. She was told it would be easy because it was a college town. She packed most of her belongings in boxes, some with moth balls and then hired a truck. She hauled them to a storage facility by herself, unloaded them and packed them away. For the next few nights she slept on the bed with no sheets or pillows, just the throw her sister had sent her. She cried herself to sleep each night wondering how she had managed to screw up her life so quickly.

It was sticky and hot when Murphy arrived at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Camp Lejeune is the home of "Expeditionary Forces in Readiness" and the home base for the II Marine Expeditionary Force, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Logistics Group and other combat units as well as the Naval Hospital. Murphy was assigned to the naval hospital's combat field unit. She renewed her vaccines, updated her will and emergency contacts and then went down to the Officer's Club for some R&R before she went. She was happy to find that Lieutenant Theresa Moldanado was in the club having her usual gin and tonic.

"Pipsqueek!"Murphy yelled with arms outstretched.

"Angel!" Theresa threw up her arms to hug Murphy.

"What are you doing here?" Murphy asked.

"My shore duty is up. I'm shipping out Thursday for Fallujah, back with the Marines."

"Camp Baharia?" Murphy asked excitedly. Murphy loved Theresa's no nonsense attitude, she wasn't beautiful but she was pretty and she turned heads on base because of her attitude. She walked like a woman who was not just pretty, but beautiful and the men responded.

"You too?"

"Yeah...oh, thank God, I've got a nurse who knows what she's doing. I am so happy to hear that you are joining me. Where did you do your shore duty?"

"Long Beach Naval Hospital, sunny California. It was the bomb..." She smiled and raised her glass.

"Yeah, California. I think I'll ask for California next time."

"I thought you'd have more shore duty? Last time you sent me an email from Iraq was back in the summer." Theresa was curious, it was obvious that something had happened for Murphy to get sent back to Iraq so soon. Theresa could also tell that Murphy had been crying...a lot. Her eyes were swollen and her face was haggard.

"It was a Clusterfuck. I got this plumb position but under a dirtbag. He complained about me to the CO and here I am!"

"Wait, someone complained about your work? You're the best, I don't believe it."

"It's a long convoluted story of sex, alcohol and betrayal."

"Ah, I knew you would liven up my night as soon as I saw you...let me buy you a drink and you can begin your tale of woe."

They talked all night and by the time Murphy got to her sad ending, she was tipsy and tearful. Theresa patted her hand, "You really cared about him, didn't you?" With her lip quivering Murphy shook her head yes. "Well, you picked a real winner. You should never trust a civilian." she took a drink and looked at Murphy, "Boy he played you, didn't he? You got fucked coming and going."

"Yeah, I did. At least my CO apologized...he said he should have contacted the Dean Of Medicine before taking any action based on just one doctor's word. But he did say that he will work with my detailer to get me a billet wherever I want in two years and I'll get at least eighteen months shore duty. I'm thinking Tripler or Balboa again. Somewhere as far as I can get from Greg House and still be in the good ol' USA."

"There's always Guam." She laughed because no one wanted to be stationed on Guam. It was an island, 36 miles long and 8 miles wide at it's widest point. It was isolated and the native Cameroons weren't exactly happy to have the military there.

"I lived on Guam when my parent's were stationed there...Hafai Dai! "Agana, Guam-where America's Day Begins!" I was 16 and totaled my Mom's car. Did you know their asphalt is made with crushed coral and it gets slippier than snot when it rains...and it rains a lot in Guam. The car and I lost a fight with a Dempsey Dumpster sitting next to the road on the base where we lived."

"Your parents must have been proud..."

"So proud I didn't get to go anywhere for a month."

The ladies frequented the bar for the next two nights knowing that for the next year they wouldn't have any alcohol while they were in Iraq. Because it was a Muslim country the troops were not allowed to have alcohol or pork products. Families were warned not to send their loved ones booze, pork or pornography.

Theresa and Murphy traveled together the whole way. The two had already been friends but by the time they got to Camp Baharia they were inseparable. FOB (Forward Operating Base) Volturno was renamed Camp Baharia when the Marine Corps took over the facility. The facility, specifically named after the Marine Corps, uses an Arabic word for the Marine Corps, 'mushaat al-baharia,' which translates into 'walkers of the navy' or naval infantry. When written in Arabic, it reportedly looks almost like the phrase "with freedom."

The facility is the closest U.S. base to Fallujah and located about 2 miles southeast of the city of Fallujah. Sitting near a palm-tree-lined, artificial lake, the location was once a Ba'ath Party retreat called Dreamland frequented by Saddam Hussein's sons. The lake also sports a waterside amphitheater from where Saadam's sons could reportedly watch boat races. An island connected to the shore by a stone bridge with white lamp-posts sits in the middle of the lake.

Most of the Marine and Naval personnel stationed at Camp Baharia are lodged in cement bungalows fitted with plywood windows; the rest are housed in tents. The facility has 134 portable toilets. Apache Company, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion is stationed at Camp Baharia. The unit informally renamed its portion of Camp Baharia, Camp Geronimo.

Camp Baharia's Internet café provided Marines and sailors with access to several telephones and computers with Internet, web camera and instant messaging capabilities. On their off time, troops could also attend religious services at the camp chapel, work out in the camp's gym tent, or purchase hygiene and entertainment supplies at the Baharia exchange.

Murphy and Theresa requested and were assigned a tent together. Once a vacancy came up in one of the cement bungalows they would move inside. They weren't exactly ecstatic about being in a tent because of the vulnerability of a tent and the searing heat, but they sucked it up and made the tent home for the next few weeks.

It was hot...really hot. The temperatures were reaching 108 F. Murphy had forgotten just how hot it got in Iraq and they still had the really hot months in front of them. Their second day in camp, Murphy and Theresa dressed in their uniforms, the new Naval Work Uniform (NWUs). The new NWU uniform is a combat utility-style uniform that uses a predominately blue digital pattern with gray and black serving as the supplementing colors. A replica of the U.S.S. Constitution is embroidered on the left breast pocket on all NWU uniforms. The camouflage pattern was designed not to provide tactical properties, instead, it was designed to hide stains that would otherwise show up on previous uniforms. The digital pattern also has the same infrared readback patterns like that of the MARPAT (Marine disruptive pattern-uniform camouflage) pattern that is used on the Marine uniform, thus allowing U.S. Marines to easily identify Naval personnel using IR (infra-red) equipment.

"Well, what do you think of the new uniform?" Theresa asked.

"I like it, I like it a lot. It doesn't have to be ironed and that in itself would make me love it."

They showed up for duty in the concrete bunker that was used as a sick bay complete with a dozen beds. It was connected by a series of tarps to another bunker which served as a triage unit. They had two doctors (including Murphy), one physician's assistant, three nurses, one medic and one corpsman. Murphy had never met Lt. Commander Edward Cramer despite the fact that there weren't many U.S. Navy doctors and they typically rotated through the same Naval or military hospitals.

"Dr. Cramer?" Murphy stuck out her hand. Here was a rather attractive man, maybe a few years younger than Murphy. She was impressed, he looked like a young Colin Firth.

"Dr. Morrigan I presume?" He saluted her and then smiled. "I'm glad to see that they sent someone with experience. It's hard handling all the problems here and training someone."

"Been there, done that." Murphy smiled.

"We've been getting in more and more casualties, they're thinking about adding another doctor. We have sickbay hours most of the day and we get in a lot of guys from the Forward Operating Bases. We have..."

They were interrupted by a nurse, "Doctor Cramer, we're getting in casualties, two soldiers from a roadside bomb. One's not looking good, the other has been stabilized."

Cramer and Murphy ran to the triage bunker and found their patients. Murphy automatically went to the more injured soldier, as did Dr. Cramer. "Dr. Cramer, I have this one, you work on the other soldier. "

Cramer was a little leery, he had heard that she had been in Iraq before and so she probably had some triage experience, but he was unaware of Murphy's reputation. He looked hesitant but she did outrank him. Theresa saw his confusion and said, "Dr. Cramer, you're looking at the best triage doctor in Iraq, don't worry this guy is in great hands."

Murphy did her best to save the soldier and even Cramer was impressed with her efforts but he died. "Great..." She threw her gloves down on the ground, "Damn it. My first casualty and I lose him, crap."

Murphy was unlike most doctors. When one of her soldiers died, after all the triage patients were dealt with, she would stay behind and clean the dead up. She did what she could to make the soldier look good and respectable. She knew that the military had morticians who did this, but it was important for her to honor the kid in front of her. Theresa was used to this and assisted but Dr. Cramer, who was finishing up on the other patient, was again confused. He wondered if they had done this in Iraq when she was here before.

"Dr. Morrigan, you don't have to do that." Cramer said kindly.

Murphy smiled at Theresa and then they turned to smile at Cramer, "We don't have to do anything in this life but pay taxes and die." She turned and continued. When they were done they motioned for the medics to take the body. They would take him to Baghdad and then fly him home.

"Dr. Cramer, does this sick bay have a diet coke anywhere?"

House was enjoying his air conditioned office with his IPOD and Bose sound system playing in the background. It was the Labor Day weekend and even though it was early September, New Jersey was still hot and muggy. He and Wilson had rented a place on the shore for the holiday and so he was just getting ready to pack up and leave for the day. It was noon.

Foreman walked in with a large box of Godiva chocolates.

"I like how you think. You're bearing chocolates, very expensive chocolates, what do you want from me?" House asked.

"You know that patient that you and Murphy saved...the one with Glanders? She just showed up at the clinic and dropped this off for you and Murphy." There was a silence as Foreman let the word 'Murphy' hang in the air. House's face dropped and he grimaced to himself. "Do you know where she is?"

"Some Camp in Iraq...Baharia. It's near Fallujah."

"Do you talk to her or write?" he asked.

House shook his head no. Foreman shrugged his shoulders and left the office. House threw the chocolates in the trash and left.

The Labor Day weekend found most of the troops out enjoying some tag football and a picnic under the shade of numerous tarps. Since they couldn't have alcohol, Murphy was drinking a Virgin Mary. It was 110 F and Murphy decided she had better get inside and cool off. She had told Cramer and the Physician's Assistant, Betty, that she would take the duty watch at the clinic. She walked in and sighed with relief as the air around her cooled her skin. Theresa came into the clinic.

"You took duty?" Murphy asked.

Theresa shook her head and said, "No, but I thought I'd just come in and get cool. I'm gonna buy one of those misters that some of the guys have, you know, the ones that you can spray yourself and get cool."

"I didn't see Cramer out there, where is he?" Murphy asked.

"He's gone to Baghdad for the weekend...young nurse...you know."

"Oh, good for him. She's not a civilian is she?" Murphy asked.

"No, Navy."

They were talking as Murphy gave a Marine a tetanus shot for stepping on a nail while he was playing tag football. A young Marine ran into the clinic.

He snapped to attention and Murphy returned the salute, "At ease, what is it soldier?"

"Commander, we have several injured and pinned down at FOB Laurie. We can't get them out. We can get you in...we have a tunnel that was built by Hussein's troops that we can sneak you through."

"How bad are these guys and how many?"

"One has been shot and one has a shrapnel wound. They're bad."

"Christ. Theresa, call this in. Get Betty to take over the clinic." She started packing up supplies and instruments. Get me some plasma..."

In less than ten minutes Murphy grabbed her flak jacket and helmet and found herself on the way to FOB Laurie, a small forward base that frequently came under attack. It was in a hot zone and that meant that Murphy could be shot, bombed, or kidnaped if she was caught or seen rushing to the area. When she left the clinic, Murphy was really shocked to see that the Lance Corporal had traveled to Baharia by open jeep.

"Jesus H. Christ...you didn't even come in a Humvee? You really like to cheat death don't you? Come one, let's go."

"Sorry, Commander, but when we found the tunnel we never thought we would really need it so we just put this jeep at the other end."

They started driving down the road, "Aw Crap, it's hot. Murphy pulled out some sunscreen from her pocket and lathered up. She also took out a bottle of water for herself and opened one up for the Lance Corporal. "You need to keep hydrated, drink some."

He gratefully took the bottle and drank half of it down. He kept driving as fast as he could for the roads. Murphy kept playing the day she won the Navy Cross over and over in her head...the humvee getting hit by the RPG. She started to get nervous. She wondered if there were any roadside bombs or snipers. She was starting to feel the signs of a panic attack. She started to breath slowly to calm herself down. She thought about having sex with Gregory House and a smile came over her face. She could feel his beard on her neck and breasts and his tongue in her mouth. She imagined him inside of her and she realized they were close to FOB Laurie. She had managed to avoid the panic attack by screwing House in her head. Well, he was good for something.

As they got closer to FOB Laurie she could see and smell the smoke rising up from the town. The Lance Corporal drove the jeep down a dirt road and through a series of deserted buildings. He stopped, open the door to an abandoned warehouse and drove the jeep into it. They got out and there was a hatch he grabbed her bags to help her and some flashlights.

When she saw how small the hatch and tunnel were she started to panic. She had a touch of claustrophobia and she doubted she would be able to climb through it. She turned to the Lance Corporal and said, "I'm not good in tight places...I can't take any of the equipment because it will make me even more claustrophobic. You need to take the supplies and go through first and go through all the way. If I see you while I'm in there, it's going to make me feel like my exits are plugged and it might spook me, ok? How long does it take to get through?"

"About 8 minutes. Ok, you're going to have to haul all of the supplies so I will give you fifteen minutes to get it all through, starting NOW."

He grabbed the duffle bags and pushed them into the tunnel. He pulled the rest behind him. Push...pull. Push...pull. He was in the tunnel fifteen minutes and had about a third of the way to go. She had planned to travel fast...the longer she stayed in the small place, the more small places closed in on her. She pushed through as fast as she could, faster and faster. The Lance Corporal had managed to get most of the way through but he could hear her coming up behind him.

"Commander?" He called out.

She stopped and immediately broke out into sweat when she realized that he was still in the tunnel and her "out" would be blocked by him and the supplies. She started to black out from the panic swelling up in her. "Damn! You're not out yet? How far do you have to go?" she yelled ahead to him.

"Maybe a 100 feet."

"Ok, I'm moving up to you but you keep going. The only way I'll be able to do this is if I realize it will be quicker to go forward than to go back."

She caught up to him just as he was about twenty-five feet from the hatch door. She was trying to keep herself from running back in the opposite direction to the hatch that she knew wasn't blocked and that she could escape. He looked into her eyes with the flash light and could see she was about to bolt.

"Commander. My friend is up there dying. We need you to focus here. I'm moving forward and you are too. We're going forward...see how we're moving here...we are going forward and out..."

He was perfect. He could see that if she was moving towards an exit then she would be fine. So the best thing he could do was to keep reminding her of the fact that they were moving forward. It helped, his words coupled with the fact that they were actually moving forward was doing the trick. Within a few minutes he was banging on the hatch and the door was opened. He jumped out, grabbed the supplies and helped pull Murphy up to the surface. She rolled around on the floor gasping for a minute and then sat up. The troops were looking at her like she was an alien.

The Lance Corporal said, "Claustrophobia...but she made it. Take her to Jeffries and Gunney."

Two soldiers grabbed the supplies and took her inside a quonset hut where a corpsman and another soldier were huddled over a solider. "Hey soldier what's his stats?"

He snapped a salute to her. She responded and then gave a nod at the Gunney Sergeant laying on the table. "Yes, ma'am, he has sustained a single gunshot wound to the left chest. The entrance wound is 3 cm inferior to the nipple and the exit wound is just below the scapula. He needs a chest tube but I've got the bleeding slowed."

"What about the young Private over there?"

"He's got a shrapnel wound in his left thigh but he's stable."

"Ok, then let's work on Gunney here. Alright, Gunney, soldier...where are you from?"

She was trying to determine his reaction to stimuli.

He tried to focus on her, "New Orleans, Ma'am...before the Hurricane."

She first administered pain killers. She started inserting a chest tube which drained 400 mL of blood. "Give him 2 L crystalloid, his bp is low, it's 70/40." The corpsman administered the crystalloid and the blood pressure rose to 100/70. She found that the abdominal examination was unremarkable. There appeared to be no free air under the diaphragm.

She started talking to the corpsman who seemed interested in what she was doing. "We're going to have to give him an exploratory celiotomy. Gunshot wounds to the lower chest are often associated with intra-abdominal injuries. The diaphragm can rise to the level of T4 during maximal expiration. So when any patient with a gunshot wound below the level of T4 should be subjected to abdominal exploration. As many as 25 of patients with negative physical findings and negative peritoneal lavage will have significant intra-abdominal injuries with a gunshot wound like this. We're looking for injuries to the colon, kidney, pancreas, aorta, and diaphragm."

She began the celiotomy and discovered a nick on the colon. She was going to have to clean and drain the area, sew up the nick and then buttoned him up. As she was sewing up the colon she said, "Hey soldier, do you know this one?" She began singing to him softly as she continued her work:

"There's a storm across the valley, clouds are rollin' in

the afternoon is heavy on your shoulders.

There's a truck out on the four lane, a mile or more away

the whinin' of his wheels just makes it colder.

He's an hour away from ridin' on your prayers up in the sky

and ten days on the road are barely gone.

There's a fire softly burning; supper's on the stove

but it's the light in your eyes that makes him warm."

The Gunnery Sergeantgent smiled at her to indicate he knew the song. The corpsman knew it too. "Come on, if you know it, you have to help me..."

"Hey, it's good to be back home again

Sometimes this old farm feels like a long lost friend

Yes, 'n, hey it's good to be back home again

There's all the news to tell him: how's you spend your time?

And what's the latest thing the neighbors say

and your mother called last Friday; "Sunshine" made her cry

and you felt the baby move just yesterday.

And oh, the time that I can lay this tired old body down

and feel your fingers feather soft upon me

the kisses that I live for, the love that lights my way

the happiness that livin' with you brings me."

She was done sewing him up, her eyes met his. She stood over him and finished the song,

"It's the sweetest thing I know of, just spending time with you

it's the little things that make a house a home.

Like a fire softly burning and supper on the stove.

And the light in your eyes that makes me warm."

"Well, Gunney, you're goin' home." She smiled at him and then turned to check on the kid with the shrapnel wound.

While she was giving aid to the shrapnel wound a gray haired Marine walked in and snapped a salute. She took one look at him and blurted out, "Master Sergeant Pickford, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Commander. I just had to see if it was you. When they told me a blond female doctor had arrived, I thought it might be you. What are you doing back in country?"

"Trying to find me a rich husband to take care of me." They both smiled. "And you? Last time I saw you, you were on a table like this fellow with holes all over you. I thought you had your ticket home. What are you doing here?"

"Volunteered."

"Jesus H. Christ...you are a masochist. I can never figure out why you Marines feel a need to get back in the fight."

Pickford turned to the guys in the room and the ones that had just joined him. "Fellows, this here is the Angel I told you about. Commander Morrigan has saved more jarheads than any other doctor I know of...even though she is a squid!"

"Well Pick, we all have our Achilles Heel. " Murphy joked. "What's the story, why aren't we moving these guys out of here?" Murphy had always thought that Pick looked a little like Sam Elliot, only younger.

"We woke up to a barrage of 155 mm shells and RPGs and heavy machine guns.We heard that they had anti-aircraft weapons but we haven't seen any. I've called in some air delivered precision-guided munitions to see if we can get these fuckers blown to kingdom come but they're too close to civilians. They managed to target a few places, which is why you see the smoke, but we're still surrounded. They got Gunney and the kid this morning because they were up standing duty on the roof. Right now we're pinned down so I won't be able to get you out of here for awhile."

"I trust you Pick. Just let me know what you need from me. Everyone knows Laurie is a hotbed. You guys are always hoppin' up here. Do we have a plan?"

"Gee Commander, I was going to ask you?" he chuckled. "You're the senior officer here."

"FUBAR." Murphy yelled, her eyes wide. She was frequently the senior officer in these FBOs but she had little combat strategy training. She just knew to keep her head down and move quick.

The whole room laughed. "Yeah, FUBAR. Don't worry, we'll get through this. How long do we have before we have to get these two to Baghdad?" Pick asked.

"Gunney needs to go soon. He's going to get infected if we don't move him. The kid isn't that bad but he's probably going to get an infection unless we can get him to a hospital."

She helped clean up the makeshift sickbay. It was 5:00 p.m., she had been there for two hours and was worried about Gunney. Pick sent a Private over to her with some MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) for dinner. She sat down with beef stroganoff, green beans and another warm diet coke. She went outside to find Pick and eat with him. It was a cool 102 F out. She realized that back in the States people were having picnics and barbeques to celebrate the last weekend of the summer.

She found Pick, "Well?"

"They said they're sending in troops soon from Camp Baharia. That was an hour ago. How's Gunney?"

"He's still stable but I don't like his fever. We need to move him."

It was so fast it didn't register at first but the explosion knocked her back against the wall where she banged her helmet pretty hard. She was down on the ground when the second one came through. She realized these were two of the anti-aircraft missiles they suspected the insurgents had. She didn't dare stand so she crawled part of the way to the sickbay to grab her medical kit and supplies. The corpsman and Murphy went out and started doing assessments. They had three patients and two dead. One patient was mobile and was taken back to the sickbay for attention. The other two needed to be attended to on the spot.

She could hear voices yelling, including Pick's, but she was only concentrating on her patients and trying to stop the bleeding in one of them while the corpsman attended the other. The wound was pretty deep and she used her fingers to explore it. It had entered under his right armpit and under his flak jacket. She found a piece of shrapnel the size of a book of matches inside. She could feel the ragged edges and was afraid that if she pulled it out it would cut other organs and blood vessels. But if she didn't get it out then she wasn't going to be able to sew up the bleeders and see what else was damaged. The great thing about having small fingers was that she could dig easily without doing damage.

She wrapped the shrapnel with her two fingers, cutting herself in the process. She brought it out slowly. She was pretty sure moving it didn't do added damage. When she opened her hand, there was the piece of metal with rough edges. It was ragged and bloody. She wrapped the shrapnel in gauze and put it in the soldier's pocket as a souvenir (they always asked for it when they woke up.) She started checking out the bleeders inside of him and found that there were plenty of them. She was sewing, draining and feeling, sewing and feeling. She had stopped the major bleeders. Someone called her, it was Pick.

"Commander Angel, we have a problem over here, he was breathing and now he's not."

"Crap." She turned around, crawled over, looked down at the soldier, the corpsman shook his head. She dropped her ear to the soldier's chest and she listened. The pupils were fixed and dilated. She looked at Pike and shook her head indicating that he was dead. She looked at her watch and said, "Time of death, 6:23 p.m. I'm sorry Pike." Pike nodded at her and then signaled for two guys to remove the body. She went back to the first Marine.

Pike came over and crouched next to her, "Can we move this guy now...the wall has been breached and I'm worried about you being out in the open like this."

"Can't move him just yet. Give me a few more minutes."

Pike looked at her and then said, "Hurry up. I'll be back."

She worked on the soldier for several minutes and then signaled that they could get him inside. She stood up and looked around to see if there were any other injured. She could see the breach in the wall and was startled to see that there were two insurgents with a large machine gun headed towards the breach in the wall and none of our guys were there to stop them. They were looking straight at her. She screamed at Pick who started pointing wildly to some of the soldiers. She could see that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She tried to dive but the gun got her in her right arm, the right side of her chest under the vest and right thigh. She fell into the dirt and rolled onto her back.

She could feel the blood this time, it was rising in her mouth and out the side of her chest. She was looking straight into the sky when she saw the helicopter guns firing towards the breach in the wall. She could see out of the corner of her eyes that soldiers were running around responding to orders. The wind and dust was whipped up by the blades of the copter but she couldn't hear anything. At the same time that she watched the soldiers respond, she saw her sister and her playing in the snow in Yosemite. The scene was like an overlay of the current combat scene, she could see both at the same time. They were throwing snowballs and sledding, she could hear laughter and see her parents waving at them. Pick was looking down at her yelling at her but she couldn't hear, she saw her sister and her in Oahu drinking Chi Chi's and flirting with men at the Daiichi bar. They were out on the dance floor with two good looking guys dancing and singing to, "Smooth" by Santana. Scenes of the things she had done, moments of happiness and sadness passed through her head at the same time that she could see two soldiers pick her up and load her into a helicopter. The corpsman was obviously yelling at her, screaming his head off, but she couldn't hear him. She saw her friends and her rafting the Upper Klamath River in Southern Oregon. They pulled over just after one of the rapids and ate blackberries that clung to a rock in the river. They stuffed their mouths full of the berries and laughed at each other as the rim of their lips were stained with the juice. She saw House place the pizza box on her stomach as she lay nude in bed. He was propped up against the bed watching The Daily Show. He grabbed a slice out of the box and after taking a big bite, looked over at her and grinned. She raised herself on her elbows and he fed her the pizza chased with a swig of coke.

The corpsman was giving her chest compressions but she couldn't feel them or hear him. He stopped after a minute and put on his stethoscope to listen to her heart. She could see his hands were covered with blood and he was hooking her up to plasma and saline. She could hear Greg House snoring in her ear as they lay on their sides, him behind her with his arm around her. It felt so warm and safe. The corpsman was talking to someone else in the helicopter but she couldn't tell who until a face appeared over her. It was Pick. He was talking but she couldn't hear him. She wanted to go back to bed with House so she closed her eyes.

She could see an old movie she had watched on television and hear a cowboy singing:

As I walked out in the streets of Laredo

As I walked out in Laredo one day

I spied a poor cowboy wrapped up in white linen

All wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay

"I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy"

These words he did say as I proudly stepped by

"Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story

I'm shot in the breast and I know I must die

"'Twas once in the saddle I used to go ridin'

Once in the saddle I used to go gay

First lead to drinkin', and then to card-playing

I'm shot in the breast and I'm dying today

"Let six jolly cowboys come carry my coffin

Let six pretty gals come to carry my pall

Throw bunches of roses all over my coffin

Throw roses to deaden the clods as they fall

"Oh, beat the drum slowly, and play the fife lowly

And play the death march as you carry me along

Take me to the green valley and lay the earth o'er me

For I'm a poor cowboy and I know I've done wrong"

We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly

And bitterly wept as we carried him along

For we all loved our comrade, so brave, young and handsome

We all loved our comrade although he done wrong

House and Wilson began the drive to the shore but first stopped for beer and ice for the cooler. Wilson stood in line to buy some twizzlers and House handed him some Ding Dongs for Wilson to buy for him. They got back into the car and played, "Top Ten." They had to decide the top ten heavy metal songs, top ten guitarists, jazz players, classical composers, movies, songs to have sex to, actors, actresses, tv shows. The game lasted all the way to the shore. They arrived at the bungalow they had rented not too far from Wildwood's boardwalk. They unloaded the car and enjoyed the evening drinking beer on the porch overlooking the beach.

"Have you heard from Murphy?" Wilson ventured.

House shook his head no, "You're more likely to hear from her than I am."

"How are you doing, I mean about the whole Murphy deal?"

"Fine, we were only together one weekend, it wasn't like we picked out wedding invitations." House tried to pass it off as nothing.

"No, I was thinking more like, how are you handling the fact that you got her sent off to war?" Wilson asked.

House looked seriously at him and then took a drink of beer before answering. "I feel like crap about that. I try NOT to think about it. It makes me nauseated to know she's over there again. But I'm sure she'll be ok. Lightening doesn't strike twice."

"Well, sometimes it does. Did you read about that guy who has been struck by lightening seven times?"

"Thanks MORON, it was a metaphor! I didn't really needed to hear that." House moaned.

"Nah, I'm sure she's ok and is doing fine. No new is good news."

"I wouldn't get any news anyway. I don't really know any of her friends over there and I don't know her Command. I just know the Camp. But it's unlikely if she was hurt I would find out...I just don't have a connection. I asked her old CO to keep me informed and he said that she would be under someone else's command and so he couldn't help me."

"Mmm, well there's probably nothing to report." Wilson tried to assure a rather pained looking House.

Wilson changed subjects and House gratefully let him. The next day they spent on the beach talking to two brunettes, House talked one of them into letting him spread sunscreen on her, medicinally. They all went out to dinner and then back to the cottage. House had forgotten condoms and had to interrupt Wilson and his "date" to grab one from him. Wilson shook his head in disbelief when House simply walked into his bedroom.

"Hey, you don't want any little Houses around do you?" He said as he took the condom of the night stand. He smiled at the naked Wilson laying in bed with a naked brunette. House thought he had gotten the better deal, his "date" had bigger breasts.

The next day Wilson asked House how it went. "Amazing, but the little fella still works after all these years of abuse."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "By abuse do you mean the hookers or your friend, Rosy Palm? We need to buy more condoms today or we're both going to have to use plastic wrap."

"This time we buy French ticklers...they're better than the English wits."

Again Wilson made a face.

By the time they got back to Princeton, they were exhausted and hung over, meaning they had a blast. Both had the phone numbers of their "guests" who lived in Camden, not too far away. House's brunette, Vicki, was a purchaser for Campbell Soup and he had to admit, she had a great sense of humor. He was pretty sure he'd give her a call this coming weekend.

At the end of September, House called Vicki to see what they were going to do that weekend. Vicki couldn't make it up to Princeton. Vicki told him, "I have these third quarter budgets to put together and on the desk of my boss by Monday. You'll just have to go it alone this weekend."

"What if I come down there?" He asked.

"I'm not going to be home so don't bother. Call me Monday night, ok?"

"Yeah, Monday night." He hung up the phone. He was disappointed. Vicki had been a lot of fun and they had enjoyed seeing each other on the weekends. She usually came up and stayed at Princeton. He went down to Camden once but he wasn't fond of the city. House enjoyed her, she was a distraction and the anticipation of sex on the weekend had been nice.

Thursday afternoon House was sitting at his desk in his office when the door opened. He looked up and to his amazement his Mom and Dad walked into the room. He jumped up. "Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?"

"We're on the east coast to conduct some business. Greg, can we go somewhere and have a bite to eat?"

"The cafeteria?" House suggested.

"No son, we need to go somewhere else, we need to talk to you about something."

House was going to just tell them to say it right then and there but he knew better. His parents had a sense of the dramatic when they wanted to make a point. "Let's go to Palmer's" He grabbed his wallet, jacket and keys and they left in the House's rental car.

"Why didn't you call to let me know you were coming?"

Just as House pulled up to the curb to let his parents out his Dad said, "We got the first flight out after we got the news, we went standby on a flight into McGuire Air Force Base. It was last minute."

House let his parents out and then parked the car. After he caught up with them at the reception desk, Greg asked, "Why? What news? What's wrong?"

When they were seated and had ordered drinks John looked at his son and said, "We got a phone call last night at midnight from Baghdad."

Greg House felt his stomach churn and his muscles tightened. He was even more alarmed because his father was choking up and trying hard not to cry. House had never seen his father cry except after his grandmother's funeral.

"I don't know why, but Murphy put me down as next of kin and gave me her power of attorney. Apparently, four weeks ago Murphy was administering aid to a soldier in a FOB when it was overran by some insurgents. There had been a standoff for hours and Murphy had gone to the base to take care of two soldiers. While she was there they launched anti-aircraft missiles, several of them, at the FOB. The wall was completely demolished in one area by one of the blasts. Murphy was giving aid to a soldier on the ground when several insurgents started to come through the wall with heavy weaponry, including a machine gun. She took three bullets."

He stopped talking while the waitress sat their drinks down and then took their orders. Greg couldn't think about food. He couldn't let himself feel anything or he would feel guilty. He allowed himself to go numb. His Dad was choked up again and having a hard time saying anything. House's mom reached over and patted her husband's hand.

"Is she dead?" There was no response, "IS SHE DEAD?"

His Dad, still choked up, shook his head no. "She...she was taken to Baghdad and then to Germany. She went to Bethesda yesterday. She's been in a coma for almost three weeks. The bastards got her in the arm, chest and thigh. The doctors want me to pull her off of everything and take out the feeding tube and..." He had trouble saying it, "...and let her go. But I wanted you to go with me to Bethesda. Before I make that decision I want another doctor to check her out. I trust you Greg, I'll do whatever you say."

Greg House wanted to go back to bed and find himself in another dimension...one in which this scenario wasn't playing out. He looked at his Dad and then closed his eyes to take it in. He wondered what his Dad would say if he found out that this was all his fault?

He went to Cuddy and asked for a few days off.

"You have the time but what's up? You look awful?" He wasn't his usual obnoxious self.

"It's Murphy."

"Oh, have you heard from her?" Lisa perked up.

"My Dad did. She gave him her power of attorney. Lisa, Murphy's at Bethesda. She was in an ambush and they're asking my dad to take her off of life support."

Lisa put her hand up to her mouth in horror and felt a little weak. "Oh, House...Oh, God, you can't think this is your fault." She looked into his eyes and could see he did blame himself, "You don't think this is your fault do you?"

"I've got to go. I'm going with my parents down to Bethesda to examine her and help them out."

Lisa simply nodded yes and watched as Greg House walked out. She was worried. As much as people thought Greg House was heartless, she knew better. House cared, in his on way, House cared. And she knew he cared a lot about Murphy.

House packed an overnight bag and threw it in the back of the rental and got in to drive his parents to Bethesda. His Dad was riding shotgun and his mother was in back. His Dad asked him, "Why did she go back over? Didn't she have another six months on her shore duty?"

House wanted to be punished, he wanted the pain he knew his father would inflict, "She was depressed and had started drinking. It was affecting her work and when she failed to show up for work one day I called her Commanding Officer and asked him to transfer her. They sent her to Iraq."

It wasn't his father who reacted, it was his mother, "Oh no Greg, you had her sent back to Iraq? Why didn't you just get her help? She was all alone, no family, no friends, just you to protect and help her. I thought she was your friend?"

He couldn't respond to his mother or the disappointment he heard in her voice. He wished it had been his father who had responded. He hadn't expected his mother to weigh in like this and it hurt. Hearing her pain was like a knife in his gut.

His Dad spoke up, "That's the past, we can't change it. I just want to know if there is anything we can do for her now. Greg, if we pull her off of the feeding tube and oxygen, what happens?

House took a breath and turned to look at his Dad. "It depends on how reliant she is on the support system. If she can live without the oxygen then it could take a week or weeks before she dies of starvation. If we take her off of the saline and liquids, she'll probably die of dehydration in 4-6 days."

His Dad took it all in and was quiet. House thought about seeing her in a coma and then thought about the last time they made love. He wanted so much for this trip to be over. He wanted to forget all of it. Forget he met her, he cared about her, he hurt her and forget that she was going to probably die because they had met.

"What was your relationship with Murphy? You told me when you called me after her sister died that she was your friend." John asked.

"We had a strange relationship. I was her boss and for several months we didn't exactly get along that well...but towards the end of her time at the hospital we were dating." he was trying to be as honest as possible.

"You were dating her and you asked her CO to transfer her?" His mother was still trying to figure it out.

"We started dating after I had called the CO. Mom, it was a big mistake...I jumped the gun and I'm sorry."

To anyone else his voice sounded devoid of emotion but Blythe knew her son and when he spent that much effort trying to control his voice it meant inside he was having trouble controlling his emotions. She could tell that he was having a hard time dealing with this.

They arrived at Bethesda and were instructed to go to the fourth floor, west wing. Greg, John and Blythe checked with the Nurses at the nursing station. They paged Murphy's doctor Dr Kolluro, but were told he was finishing up duty at sickbay and would join them later. They were then instructed to go down the hall to the third door on the right.

They walked down the hall and turned into the door. There were four beds in the room and hers was nearest to the door. Blythe drew in her breath sharply when she saw her. John took his wife's hand. Greg went up to look at her. Her appearance was devastating but what was even more haunting is that her eyes were open and staring into space, as if she would start to talk to them any minute. However, the pupils were apparently fixed and dilated. Murphy's tendons were starting to contract and pull into the fetal position which meant she wasn't getting exercised. She had several intravenous drugs including ampicillin. She was so tiny in the bed, her body wasting away. He could tell that she had lost at least twenty pounds since he last saw her which meant she was probably under 100 lbs.

House pulled the blankets back and saw that she had a Foley tube and that the urine was clear. He could see the entrance and exit wound on her arm. He pulled up her gown and checked the chest wound. The bullet hole and surgical scar was in the side, just under her arm pit. It was seeping and looked inflamed. He looked at her thigh wound and it was a clean entrance and exit wound. He finally looked up at his parents who were staring at her with a look of horror and worry.

"I'm going to go get her chart. I may need your help to get it released to me Dad."

"Sure son." They went out to the nurse's station. It took twenty minutes but they verified that John House had Murphy's power of attorney and so they released the records to him and he handed them over to his son.

Greg went back into the hospital room and sat down in a chair while his parents went down to the cafeteria for a light dinner. He turned on the light and noticed that her pupils reacted to the light. It took him an hour but he read the chart from start to finish, from the corpsman's notes of his triage of her wounds, the administration of heart compressions, her surgery to control the bleeding, the pneumonia, the infection and coma. Apparently she did not suffer the coma from bleeding out or apoxia. She entered a coma a week later when she developed septicemia. The surgery was performed to stop the bleeding and re-inflate her right lung but the subsequent infection had caused most of the damage and the coma.

His parents came back into the room with a sandwich for Greg and a coke.

Dr. Kolluro entered the room soon after and asked, "General House?"

John put his hand out to shake the doctor's. "Yes, this is my wife, Blythe and my son, Gregory. My son is..."

"Gregory House? Dr. Gregory House?" Kolluro acted as if he was meeting a rock star. "Dr. House, I was an intern at Johns Hopkins and you were a legend there."

Greg ignored his hand and admiration. He immediately asked, "You want to remove her from life support? She's only been in a PVS for just under three weeks ? She hasn't received any manual stimulation and yet I just noticed pupil reaction to light. We're not going to pull the plug on her yet. I want her transferred up to Princeton Plainsboro."

"Dr. House, I never suggested taking her off of life support, that was the recommendation of the doctors at Landstuhl before she arrived. She may never come out of this but I think she needs a concentrated program of stimulation before any decisions are made about her long term care. With stimulation she may come out of it but we don't have the staff or time to conduct the stimulation."

House had been ready to do battle and was taken off guard by the doctor's agreement with him. He told his Dad that they needed to talk to her CO and get her moved to PPTH. He asked her doctor, "I take it that you will recommend she be transferred? I'll make sure that she'll get the necessary stimulation."

"Yes, not a problem."

When they were done in the hospital, House and his parents went to a hotel and booked two rooms for two nights. Greg and his parents were going to go down to the bar for a drink and snacks. Greg knocked on his parent's hotel room door. His Dad opened it and Greg walked in. His Mom was in the bathroom getting cleaned up. Greg's Dad laid back down on the bed to watch television. Greg did the same on the opposite side of the bed.

"What's this?" Greg asked his Dad.

"24."

"The new series?"

"Nah, a repeat. Greg, before your Mom gets out of the shower, what's Murphy's chances of actually coming out of this?"

Greg looked down at his hands and then back up at his Dad. He shook his head and said, "Not Good. When they go into a coma and don't come out in a few days it's best to induce intensive stimulation right away. The brain takes a long time to heal but without stimulation and the longer the coma, the worse the outcome."

"What do you mean by stimulation?"

"Bright lights, music, noise, activity, different environmental factors like smells, warmth, cold. Anything that makes the brain react."

"So all those television programs where the loved ones are talking to the coma victim and playing music is right."

"Yes...stimulation is key to a coma patient. We're not sure but it appears that they are more likely to come out of a coma, even a long term one, if they are stimulated. But she's been out of it a long time Dad. Her odds go down each day. And I don't know if we can wean her off the ventilator. I want to see if she can be weaned off tomorrow. I'm going to transfer her care to Foreman, one of my Fellows. He's a neurologist and he's good."

"I'd prefer if you were her doctor. I trust you son."

House smiled slightly to acknowledge his father's compliment. "I can't, we were intimate and you shouldn't treat patients that you are..."

"I understand. Have you talked to Foreman?"

"Yes, I talked to him and Lisa Cuddy and they have agreed to let me bring her to Princeton."

"Well, all we can do is try our best for her before we remove the feeding tube."

His Mom stepped out of the bathroom. "Greg, don't you ever iron anything? That shirt looks horrible. If you're not going to iron then at least get some perma-press shirts."

House became a little boy again, "But I like cotton. It feeeeels better."

"You look like you just woke up. With that beard you look homeless. Come on you two, let's get some snacks."

They spent the next day wrapped up in paperwork. Luckily General House still had some pull in Washington and was able to lean on a friend who pushed the paperwork to release Commander Morrigan to General House and PPTH. Greg and his dad spent a lot of time just sitting and waiting for someone to push a paper around and get signatures. There were numerous young men and women with obvious war injuries waiting with them. John House struck up conversations with several of them. Towards the end of the day one of the kids, without a leg, was wheeled in by an orderly. John and the kid talked about how he got his injury. Greg had listened but didn't join in the conversation. When the kid left John turned to his son.

"What a clusterfuck. Afghanistan I understood. This war in Iraq was screwed up from the beginning. We keep pouring our troops into Iraq and now the Taliban are making their way back into Afghanistan. What the hell were they thinking? I support the Commander in Chief, but Bush's planning was flawed and the execution was poor. Our troops are going to be there forever unless someone bites the bullet and does what's necessary and calls it what it is, a civil war. They need to divide that country up just like they did in Yugoslavia. Give the Kurds the north, the Sunnis the middle and the Shiites the south... and get the hell out of there."

House was blown away. He had never heard his father say a bad word against any Commander in Chief, let alone a military action. He smiled to himself as his Dad continued to lambast Rumsfield. John House looked at his son who was grinning.

"What are you grinning about?"

"I've just never heard you disagree with a President of the United States, it's oddly out of character and very endearing."

"Well there's a lot of things you don't know about me Greg. Sometimes I feel like you just want to see one side of me, you never wanted to know anything else about me because then I couldn't be the cause of all your problems or your whipping boy."

House started getting annoyed, "Yeah, you were so respectful of me. The truth is that you never tried to understand me Dad,"

"Oh, I tried, but Greg, you're a difficult person to understand and you're intellect is so far above me that I don't know how to relate to you or talk to you so that I don't sound dumb. I see now that I shouldn't have done what I did to you, but I didn't know how to handle you. You were so difficult to discipline. When I was away your Mom was always frustrated and tired from trying to deal with you. You ran rings around her and she couldn't control you. That's why we never had a second child. Your Mom said she couldn't take two of you no matter how much she loved you. When I got home she expected me to deal with you. Deal with YOU!!! It was like dealing with a hurricane. A SMART hurricane. I don't know where you get your smarts but they certainly are in a league above me and I'm no dummy. "

"Well, 24 genes came from you...you had to have something to do with it."

"I guess. I think the thing I'm sorriest for is that you don't think I love you or that I don't respect you. It couldn't be further from the truth. Yeah, there's parts of you that I wish I could change, but you are who you are and if it means taking you with those parts or not taking you at all, I'll take those parts. I've always respected you for saying what you believe, even if it isn't popular. And I respect you for the decisions you made, even if it wasn't the life I wanted for you. The only thing that gets to me is that you aren't happy. I'd like for you to be happy."

"General House?" a man in his forties, short, compact and smiling entered the waiting room.

John got up and stuck out his hand to the Naval Captain. "Yes, I'm John House and this is my son..."

"Yes, Gregory House, I heard you were in the building. From the scuttlebutt, you're quite infamous. The brilliant doctor who was wounded in action by friendly fire...his own patient. I'm Captain Heap and I'm in charge of transfers. Here's the Commander's orders allowing her to be transferred to PPTH for now. If she doesn't come out of the coma in 90 days she'll be discharged from the Navy and be turned over to the VA's office. By the way General, she's been awarded the Silver Star. Of course her Navy Cross trumps the Silver Star but between the two she's one of the most highly decorated sailors or soldiers in the war. We would probably make a big deal out of it if she weren't in a coma. She's one hell of a woman from what we've heard. Very well liked. Well, all you need is to see disbursements and they'll give you her paycheck stubs and arrange for you to have an allotment for her personal needs. Take care and I hope she does come out of it."

"Thank you Captain."

The mechanics of getting Murphy transferred to PPTH took another day but eventually they got back up to Princeton. She had been weaned off the respirator but House thought that she may need it again because the lung wound wasn't healing as well as he would have liked. The next day the Houses flew back to San Diego. House met the team and Wilson down in the PSV ward. They were all silent when they saw the shell of a person Murphy had become. Her eyes didn't follow them but they were open and reactive to light.

"Let's figure out why her wound isn't healing and I want her out of this ward, it's too quiet down here. I want each of you to take an hour a day and give her stimulation. I also want PT down with her at least twice a day."

"I thought Foreman was the doctor in charge?" Cameron asked.

Foreman looked at them and said, "I have nothing to add except let's get an MRI to see if we have anything else going on."

House took the first shift and grabbed his knapsack and filled it with things he would need. He made his way into the ward and began by banging a stainless steel table with a bedpan. It was a startling sound and one that even made him jump. He then went over and grabbed a spot lamp and aimed it directly into her eyes, which again reacted. He talked to her about anything that came into his head, the fate of the Yankees, the height of various mountains, the look on her face when she kicked him. He went over and reached down and kissed her on her cheek. He whispered into her ear everything that he wanted to do to and with her in a sexual way. He talked about the shape of her breasts compared to Cuddy, Cameron and Stacy. His hour was almost up and so he took out an old IPOD and plugged it into her ears. He played hip hop and rap...the two types of music she liked the least in the world. The idea was not to make her comfortable but to make her so miserable she would want to come out of the coma and turn it off. He put the IPOD with a note not to turn it off next to her. He kissed her on the cheek and forehead and told her that Cameron was coming in to talk to her next.

Cameron came in and read to her, she took her covers off so that Murphy would get cold. Murphy was skin and bones, the image of a holocaust survivor. Her beautiful hair had been cut and shaved off so that she looked like Sinead O'Connor. In reality, Cameron thought that if she had a little more meat on her, she would be really lovely with short hair. Yet still, when she remembered how enchanting her long strawberry blonde hair had been, it made her sad.

Murphy received four hours of stimulation each day for the next week. Nothing happened. One day House was bored himself and grabbed her, got her into a wheelchair and took off with her saline drip and Foley Tube. He took her downstairs to the outdoor hospital café with no robe or blanket and stuck her in the cool October air facing the campus where people were coming and going. The fall light was directly in her eyes and he started talking to her.

"Look, if you don't come out of this coma, I'm going to marry this other chick. Her name is Vicki and we've been seeing each other on a regular basis. She's funny, good in bed and she seems to like me. More importantly, she hasn't kicked me in the balls yet. I'm not going to wait forever. I don't even know if you'd give me the time of day if you were healthy. I do know that if you stay like this the Navy is going to boot you out and we're going to pull your feeding tube. You'll die within a week. So if you're in there, you need to wake up and wake up fast." He paused, took a drink and looked at her, "Ok, let's get you back inside before someone calls Adult Protective Services on me."

The team was starting to get bored with the stimulation duty and tried to figure out ways to stimulate her without being around. They would take her to lunch in the cafeteria and park her next to the dishwashing door where she would be exposed to all the banging pans and dishes not to mention the yelling from the workers. They would roll her into a cubicle in the ER for an hour...lots of action down there. They even put her in the nursery with all the crying babies. It wasn't working. She had officially been in the PVC for six weeks and there was no sign of her coming out of it.

John House was keeping tabs on Murphy by making daily calls to Greg. He called one day and told Greg he had just received Murphy's personal goods.

"Greg, there's a letter in here to you. I haven't opened it, I'll send it to you tomorrow. How is she doing?"

"No change Dad." They talked for a few more minutes and then said good bye.

"What's wrong, you look a little upset?" Wilson asked.

"My Dad just got Murphy's things from Iraq. There's a letter for me."

"Oh, great, she's probably telling you where to go. I wouldn't read it if I were you."

"There's nothing she can say that I haven't said to myself."

Two days later the letter arrived by Priority Mail. It was just a regular envelope with his address and up in the right corner was simply written, "Free Mail." All military personnel in a combat zone got their mail, at least their first class letters, sent home free. House took the letter down to Murphy's room and sat in the chair next to her. In his mind he could hear her speaking the words:

Dear Greg,

I want you to know that I forgive you. Whether this was what you intended or not, it no longer matters. For the last couple of months I have come to realize that I am where I should be. I am back with my family. Do I wish I could have finished my time at PPTH? Yes, if the rest of the time could have been like our last weekend together. Otherwise, no. I was miserable and despite the fact that I was learning things from you, my talents lie in putting people back together when they get blown apart.

I marked this to be mailed only if I died so I guess I was on the wrong side of the "getting blown apart." I suppose it's better me than some guy or gal with kids waiting for them at home. It's not like I'll be missed much. I know you don't believe it, but I think I'll see my parents and sister again and so I'm not afraid to die. My only regret is that to this day I don't know if you were for real or just playing me because you knew I'd be transferred soon. On days that I feel good about myself and the world, I try to convince myself that it was real. On days when I lose a patient or I have cramps, then you were just a shit playing me.

Thank you for everything you taught me and thank you for a wonderful weekend. I want you to know, I was always honest with you. I think we would have been good for each other. Go find someone else to be good with. You deserve to be happy.

Murphy

House was rubbing his lips with his thumb and trying to not cry. He just kept reading the last sentence, "You deserve to be happy." He thought to himself that maybe his last chance to be happy was laying wasting away in a bed next to him. He got up and went over to her leaned down and yelled in her ear, "I wasn't playing, do you hear me? I wasn't playing." He turned and left the room.

The next afternoon Wilson wandered quietly into House's office. He wasn't surprised to see Murphy sitting in her wheelchair by the door staring out into space. He took a look at her and said to House, "When are you going to let her go?"

"You mean kill her?" He said emphatically.

"Would you want to be like that?" Wilson pointed to her as she sat staring into space with drool coming out of her mouth.

"If it meant I might come out of it, yeah."

"House, come on. Two months in a coma is bad news. Look at her. She's a skeleton and even if she comes out of it, who knows what damage there will be and if she'll be able to function." He paused. "If she comes out of it, who's going to take care of her while she recuperates? She has no family and the Navy is going to kick her out in a few months. What are you going to do? Your team is getting tired of this duty and you'd need a whole battalion to take care of her."

House looked at him and smiled slowly, "You just gave me an idea."

Two days later there was an article in USA Today about the Navy Cross/ Silver Star recipient who had no family and was left to rot. It talked about how she was receiving stimulation therapy at Princeton but that they needed volunteers to help take care of her. The story was heart wrenching and got the attention of the evening news. House watched as they showed a video tape of Murphy that had been taken by the implanted journalist two weeks before she was shot. She was thinner than she had been at PPTH but at least she was laughing and joking about the heat. She answered several serious questions about being in Iraq. When the journalist found out she was there for the second time in less than a year she was asked how that happened. And she told them, "I guess God wanted me here more than at home." They ended the segment with that quote.

Within hours PPTH was bombarded with veteran groups, soldiers and individuals all wanting to help Murphy. In fact, several of the soldiers she had saved were at PPTH within days trying to make a difference. House had Cameron coordinating all of it. The hospital was getting positive press for having taken Murphy in and working with her. Of course Bethesda wasn't happy because it sounded like they were letting the sailors and soldiers languish, but it turned out well for Murphy.

One late afternoon at the beginning of December, House and Wilson were in his office talking when House saw a grey haired man with grey eyes and a large moustache wandering in the hall looking for something. He came to House's office and knocked on the door. House signaled through the glass for him to come in. He did.

"You'll have to be quick, I have somewhere to go." House said.

"You're Dr. House?"

"Yes."

"I'm Master Sergeant Stone Piciform, but you can call me Pick. I was with Commander Angel when she was shot. I was hoping I could see her."

"Commander Angel?"

"In Iraq, that's what we called her. She was certainly our angel that day and every day I served with her. She was the one who warned us that they were coming through the wall with a machine gun, she also refused to leave a soldier who was injured, that soldier was a good friend of mine and he's alive today because of her. I've come to do whatever I can for her. I took leave so I could help with her recovery."

"I don't think she's going to recover Sergeant. The statistics aren't good." House said quietly.

"I don't believe in statistics. Can I see her?"

House nodded yes and grabbed his cane. He led Pick to her room and explained what stimulation did for coma victims. When they went in Pick tried not to flinch but he did. Pick went over to her bedside and started to yell in a drill sergeant tone of voice, "Alright Sailor, it's time to get your sorry butt back to duty. You've had enough of a vacation. I expect you to start making your way back now. DO YOU HEAR ME?"

House looked at Wilson and gave him a look of "Yahweh." House and Wilson slinked out of the room while Pick kept it up. Over the next few days Pick screamed and badgered and coaxed. He sat her up, pulled her up and pushed her around. There was a stream of people who came and went but Pick stayed almost 24/7. It was mid December, House had gone down to Murphy's room one Friday night around midnight and sat with them both. Pick began to tell him stories about her.

"The first time I was in Iraq we were stationed at the same base. I watched her work non-stop on guys who were torn apart. The other doctors were great but she was relentless. I think she just couldn't give up on anyone. Sometimes the staff would have to pull her off of someone when it was clear they were dead. The day my Humvee got hit they were dragging my bleeding butt back to the base and all I said was, "Make sure Commander Angel works on me." And the guys did. I was awake most of the time, but I could feel her working and prodding with her fingers, sewing me up and the whole time she was doing it she was singing to me. She always sang when she patched people up. The last thing she said to me as she finished working on me was, "Soldier, you're going home." Pick looked down at his shoes, "Pipsqueak said that the Commander had a thing for you and you hurt her. Why would you want to hurt someone as sweet and beautiful as her?"

He was going to make a flippant remark but saw that this was a man who really wanted to know. He wasn't going to take a flippant remark lightly.

"I didn't intend to hurt her. When she lost her sister she went off the deep end for awhile, she was messing up at work. I told her CO that I wanted her transferred. I thought she'd be transferred to another department. She cleaned up her act, we had a few days together and in the meantime her CO was working on her transfer. I had completely forgotten about asking for her transfer. I didn't want her to go away. Look, I care, why do you think I'm here? And who's Pipsqueak?"

Pick looked at him and said nothing but gave him a look that said he believed him. House didn't know why but he felt that if Pick believed him then Murphy did too. They looked at Murphy and she blinked. She blinked twice in a row and moved her head slightly towards them. House jumped up and without his cane hobbled to her side. He took out his penlight and moved it over her eyes. The pupils reacted and she blinked. He laughed gently to himself and almost cried.

"Doc?"

"I can't say for sure but this is a good sign."

House and Pick didn't leave. They talked to Murphy, yelled at her, sat her up. She continued to blink and then around dawn she started to track them with her eyes. House and Pick looked at each other and grinned.

Over the next few days Murphy came out of her coma but she was by no means herself. Each day she improved a little to the point that by the end of the week she could be fed and no longer needed the tube. She was also making noises, trying to talk.

House's parents flew out to see her a week later. She was eating with the help of Pick and all the others who had shown up to help. The news media made a big deal over her and the fact that so many had come forward to help. She was the darling of the media. There were interviews splashed all over with soldiers she had saved in the field. Talking heads explained the Navy Cross and Silver Star over and over. The hero was sitting in her room blinking, tracking, drooling and trying to talk.

Foreman was optimistic, he explained it to the Houses. "Her progress has been exponential. She is getting better at a faster rate each day. I can't say she'll be able to practice medicine but if she continues to improve like this, then there's hope that she will."

John and Blythe walked in with Greg and watched as Murphy looked up from the chair she was sitting in and grinned at them. John grinned and Blythe started to cry while they both hugged Murphy who tried to hold up her arm to hug them back but couldn't. She made plaintive sounds as they hugged her and when they pulled back she looked up at Greg. She tried to lift her arm and hand to him but it flopped back down. She tried again.

"What? What do you want? Water?" He asked.

She shook her head no and tried hard to say something but the sounds that came out were guttural and incomprehensible.

"She wants you to hug her." Blythe said.

Murphy smiled and calmly nodded her head up and down. House snickered and went over to hug her, "I'm not sure I want to do this, I'm afraid you're going to drool all over me." He reached down and gave her a hug. He whispered in her ear as he hugged her, "You really want me to feel you up don't you?" she smiled and nodded yes. He stood up and said, "I'll have my way with you later."

They spent an hour with her and she started to get tired. Foreman suggested they let her sleep for a few hours.

John asked, "I thought we were suppose to keep her stimulated?"

"No Dad, now that she's out of the coma she needs sleep when she gets tired so that she can recharge her batteries. We'll come back later and see her after she has her nap."

Blythe and John went over and kissed her goodbye. They left to go to their hotel room and told Greg they would return around 6:00 p.m. After they were gone, House snuck back in to see Murphy. She was tired and smiled weakly when he walked in. She was back in bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed her hand. It was the first time that they had been alone since she woke up. He kissed her hand and she weakly pulled him towards her.

"Not very subtle...this dragging me across the bed for a kiss. What makes you think I want to kiss you? You aren't all that appealing, you have no hair, you've got bullet holes, you drool, you sound like a drunk and you're in a diaper. And now you expect me to kiss you?"

She shook her head yes.

He reached over and kissed her on the lips. "No frenching until you learn how to control that drooling. And absolutely no screwing until you can talk dirty to me." She actually giggled. He petted her head and kissed her lips again. "I'm glad you're back." She squeezed his hand as hard as she could.

House's parents left a few days later and he could tell from Murphy's reaction that she was sad about it. "Hey, I know they'll be back in a flash if you need anything. When you are a little more mobile I'll take you out to see them, ok?"

She gave him a slight smile. She was gaining a little weight although she still had a long way to go. Her hair was now about an inch long on her head and it was still strawberry blonde, more strawberry than before. She was still unable to lift her arms or control the drooling, but with Pick exercising her as much as possible, she was gaining strength every day. Her tendons were lengthening again as she exercised so she was no longer scrunching down when she sat up.

It was Friday and Vicki arrived around 8:00 p.m. House had been distant the last few weekends and had to spend a lot more time at the hospital. When he opened the door he gave her a hug, a kiss and asked her if she wanted a beer.

"I just had a horrible week, let's just forget the formalities, I want to screw."

He smiled, "No argument from me." He put his beer down and they went into his bedroom. Vicki felt great to House, she had a lot more meat on her than Murphy and she felt like a pillow when they had sex. She wasn't as inventive as Murphy but she was the kind that let you do anything you wanted and House had enjoyed that. When House was done she rolled off to the side and laughed.

"God I needed that." she said.

House thought the same thing. It had been an emotional week and he just wanted to give in to the needs of his body. "I have to go into the hospital tomorrow for a few hours, but then we can go do something."

She was disappointed but didn't want to complain. She liked Greg and had hoped he would be the one. He was funny, sexy and a doctor. Not a bad combination.

The next morning she insisted on going with him to see where he worked. When he resisted she sensed there was more to it than just work. "Come on Greg, I won't be in the way. I'll take a book and I'll be quiet."

House could tell that he had no choice, Vicki either came with him or she would make his life miserable. "Ok, but I won't be able to stay with you. You'll just be sitting in my office."

"That's fine."

It was a Saturday at PPTH and when they got to his office it was dark. He turned on the lights and showed her around the office and presentation room next door. She saw some things written on a white board and a little kitchenette with a coffee pot, refrigerator and microwave.

He told her where the bathrooms were and the cafeteria and then left. A few minutes later a grey haired man pushing a woman in a wheelchair showed up at House's office. He looked in and asked her, "Is Doctor House here?"

"Yes, he's here. He'll be back in awhile. Can I take a message or help you?"

"Nah, I was taking Murphy for a spin and she pointed to the office. She wanted to come in when she saw you sitting here."

Vicki looked at the woman in th wheel chair and introduced herself, "I'm Vicki, Dr. House's girlfriend." She reached down, grabbed Murphy's hand and lightly shook it.

She looked back up at the grey haired man and he looked nervous and anxious like he had just made a huge mistake. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, we need to go. Bye." Pick started to wheel her to the elevator as the woman said, "Nice to meet you ...uh sir and Murphy!"

When they were in the elevator Murphy bent around to look at her and she had tears streaming down her cheek. Pick told her, "Commander, we don't know what that's about. Don't judge a book by it's cover."

She made noises like she was trying desperately to tell him something. She was very agitated and her arms started flailing around trying to tell him what she needed for him to know. They got back to her room and he put her back in her bed. She started motioning trying to talk. He was able to understand the word House although it sounded like "how" and the word "ass" although it sounded like "asth."

Pick looked up and saw House, with a coke in his hand walking into the room. Pick tried to motion for him to get out but House didn't understand his frantic faces.

"Good morning, how's the Angel of Iraq." He started to walk towards the bed and Pick motioned for him to get back.

Pick warned him, "Dr. House, I wouldn't..." But it was too late. Murphy had knocked the drink up into House's face and it came down, covering him in coke. She was flailing her arms and legs and connecting with House's torso every once in awhile.

House backed away and said, "What the hell is this about?"

"She met Vicki."

House's face fell and he went gray. "Murphy, it's not serious...I was going to tell her this weekend..."

Murphy was at high pitch by now...screaming and yelling, "Maaari...Maaari...how..."

Pick shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know what she is saying."

House said, "I do." He started to walk back over to her but she kept trying to hit him. "STOP IT." He grabbed her arms and held them down. "You remember me telling you about Vicki when you were in the coma, don't you?" She shook her head up and down yes. "I'm not marrying her. I only said that to make you come out of your coma." Murphy relaxed. "I just haven't had the guts to tell her that it is over. I will today, I promise." He let go of her arms and started to stand up when he saw the bare knuckles come flying at his nose. BAMM!!! "Jesus H. Christ. MURPHY, you have got to stop beating me up! I'm going to start fighting back." He wiped the blood from his nose.

"Ooo deshrv I." Murphy said angrily.

House shrugged his shoulders and held his hands out to say, "I don't know what you're saying."

"I got that one." Pick said, "She says that you deserve it. I have to admit she's right. Dr. House, are you paying attention to Murphy so that she'll get better and you won't feel guilty or do you actually care?" Murphy was shaking her head wildly up and down, yes, in support of Pick's question.

"I don't have to answer to you or to YOU if you're going to continue to batter me."

"Ahhnher daa keshin" she said, drool coming down the side of her mouth.

"Answer the question." Pike repeated in English.

"Alright, I'll be back in a minute to answer the question." House turned and left.

Ten minutes later House was in her room with Vicki. Pike and Murphy looked at each other confused.

"Vicki, this is Dr. Murphy Morrigan and her traveling monkey." He took a deep breath, "Dr. Morrigan here was just in Iraq fighting for our oil...or freedom, whichever. She played hero, for the second time in her life, and got three bullets. Before she left, we were screwing each other and now she's back. I'm afraid it's over between you and I." he turned to Murphy and said with deliberation, "You see I have a thing for BALD, DROOLING women who like to hit and kick."

"Uuuu aaashl." She said angrily.

"Yeah, I know." he said.

Vicki looked at him and said, "You're breaking up with me here, in front of everyone. You mean you never really cared?"

"Looks like it. I didn't expect this blob here to come back into my life. But she has and I can't help it, she outranks you. Now I'll take you to your car." He then turned to Murphy, "Satisfied?"

"Uuuu aaashl."

"Come on, let's go." House told Vicki.

She followed like a kicked puppy and when they got into the car she started to sob. "How can you be so callous?"

"If I'm this callous, it will be easier for you to forget me and move on."

Vicki grabbed her things and then was out of House's life for good. House drove back to the hospital.

"Uuuu aaahl, aat ooor oman."

He looked at her quizzically, "I'm betting you said, you asshole, that poor woman. Right?" She nodded yes. "You wouldn't have believed me if I just told you I had let her know it was over. So I thought this was the best way to fix all of it. Vicki gets to think I'm an asshole and get over me quickly and you get the satisfaction of knowing I'm serious. Now figure out how to stop drooling so that I can get a little action." He turned and left.

Pick looked at her, "He's different, but you have to admire his bluntness. Are you sure this is the guy for you?"

"Hooo nose.." she shrugged her little shoulders and chuckled.

The next day Pick came in to say goodbye, he had to get back to the Marines. He was going to be a drill instructor at the Marine Corps Recruit Depo in San Diego and he still had to stop by Des Moines to see his sister.

House and the team were there to say goodbye to Pick, he had endured himself to just about everyone in the hospital."Commander, I consider it an honor to serve with you anytime, anywhere." He gave her a salute. She raised her hand slowly and returned the salute. She reached out for a hug.

"I hope this doesn't constitute fraternizing with an officer." He reached down and hugged her. "Dr. House, take care of her. Oh, and if you ever do to her what you did yesterday to Vicki, I'll hunt you down and kill you." He nodded goodbye and left. House gave a nervous smile.

The next day Murphy was transferred to a convalescent home for rehabilitation and physical therapy. House spent most of the evenings with her except when he had a patient. She was improving rapidly mainly because she was so gung ho about her rehab.

Emma Mason was assigned to Murphy for the purpose of getting her up and moving. She soon discovered that she was more motivated when she used sarcasm and called her names than when he was kind and caring.

"Get that scrawny butt of yours in gear. You think those legs are just going to start walking without work?"

"These legs are going to walk all over you." Murphy managed to get out.

Emma was sure that Murphy would be out of the center in less than a week. She was more determined than any patient she had ever had.

She once asked her why she pushed herself so hard. "I have to get my act together so that I can get back to Iraq." Murphy's words were slow and slurred but they were much better than just two days ago.

"You must be joking!" Emma was shocked.

"Of course I'm kidding you idiot. They wouldn't dare send me back so soon. I'm going to finish out my time at PPTH and keep an eye on Greg."

"I know I shouldn't say this, you being a patient and all, but what do you see in him? He's rude, sarcastic, and downright mean." Her face was scrunched up in distaste.

"You are right, but he's also very gentle, generous and loving. Plus he's damn good in bed."

"Well then, let's get you back in shape so you can have some bedroom acrobatics with the acerbic Dr. House. But I still don't get it."

Every time House came to visit, Emma would try to imagine him being gentle and kind and good in bed. He was attractive in a homeless looking way. When he wasn't watching she did see him do nice things for her. He would bring her things like chocolate suckers, magazines, books, Sudoku puzzles. More interesting was the fact that in the last few days his kisses had gone from a peck on the lips to deep french kissing. Very hot. She even saw him cop a feel. Emma was starting to find Dr. House very interesting.

House started to notice that wherever he was in the convalescence home, Emma was there, nearby. She was making a lot of eye contact with him and it was lingering eye contact. He had a way of smiling that acknowledged a woman's flirting and he couldn't help but give her that smile. He was curious to see what she was up to. In the meantime, he was starting to get frustrated over Murphy. She was getting her figure back and the heavy petting they were doing made it hard to go home alone.

Greg came later than usual and all of the Physical Therapy staff, including Emma, had gone home. The facility was low on staff because of the holidays. Murphy asked Greg if he could take a walk with her. She was in her little pink nightie and matching nylon robe and fluffy slippers. "I have an early Christmas present for you." He walked with her while he held her hand in his free hand. She ducked down a dark corridor and into a room that contained extra furniture and equipment. There were wheelchairs, walkers, chairs and...to his delight...an extra bed that had been made up with clean sheets.

He smiled mischievously at her and she gave him a sly smile back. "Put something up against the door. House went over and grabbed a chair which he propped to prevent anyone from coming in. He noticed that there was a piece of paper taped over the little window. She had been thinking ahead.

"Would you get those clothes off." She demanded.

House turned around and was happy to see that she was standing in just her panties. She looked so beautiful even in the horrible overhead light. He walked over and grabbed her and held her without doing or saying anything. He just wanted to feel her next to him. He leaned in to kiss her. It was Murphy who was impatient.

"Look slowpoke, I haven't been laid since the last time I was with you. If you don't get those clothes off, I'm going to call an orderly to do the job."

He laughed and started stripping while she climbed into bed. He got down to his boxers and then with great fanfare pulled them down and off. Murphy clapped wildly and patted the bed. He did a little hop and jumped in the bed. She actually squealed which made him laugh.

"Oh God you feel good." Murphy was languishing in his smell and his warm body. "Greg, you better get on this train soon or it's leaving the station without you."

House started laughing, "Ok, I'm hopping on but I don't have a ticket." House was more than happy that she started to come almost the minute he was in her because he didn't last long either. They were both moaning, it was getting so loud that Murphy buried her mouth in the crook of House's neck to muffle hers. Her orgasm took him with her and he rode it for what seemed like the longest climax he ever had. When it was over he didn't even have the energy to get off of her.

"Greg, you're going to have to get off of me, I can't take the weight."

"Ahh." He shook his head and rolled to the side and onto his back, "Sorry, I'm a little light headed."

She rolled on her side and snuggled as close to his side as she could get. She lifted her knee and leg up to rest on his abdomen. He turned his head and they kissed. "What happens after this institution? You seem fine to me, why don't you come live with me?"

She chuckled, "So we can do this every night?"

He gave her puppy eyes, "Or day."

"Tempting but it depends on the Navy. I'm getting new orders in two weeks. The only way I can stay here is if you and Cuddy ask that I be given a chance to finish the civilian program."

"Ok, where do we go to sign up?"

"I'll give you the information later."

They snuggled for a few minutes and kissed each other until Murphy could feel that he was ready again. The second round wasn't so frenetic or exciting but it was satisfying in other ways. It was gentle and loving, with a lot of touching and caressing. She wrapped her legs around him and rocked with him until he was satisfied. He then made sure that she was satisfied. An hour later they dressed and Murphy gathered up the sheets.

"Merry Christmas." she said sweetly to him.

"Merry Christmas. Tomorrow's Christmas Eve, I'm going to spring you from this place and you'll stay with me for a few days."

"Do you think they'll let me leave...I thought this was Hotel California?"

"Don't worry, I'll bring a ladder."

The next day he came for her at 1:00 p.m. and while he was waiting for her to come back from speech therapy, Emma cornered him. She smiled sweetly and said, "Dr. House, I was wondering if you would like to get some coffee while Murphy is having her therapy. I could explain to you what exercises she needs to do to keep getting stronger."

"Sure." He went with her to the elevator and they got in. She gave her a sly sensual smile and he returned it. They got their cups of coffee and she went to a booth in the corner away from most people.

"You know, she may never be the woman you knew before the attack." Was the first volley out of her mouth.

He managed to hold in his laughter, "What do you mean?"

"Well, physically she may never be as flexible as she was before the coma with the shortening of her tendons. It may effect her ability to do a lot of things, for example, ski or rock climb or ...have sex."

He was having a hard time keeping it in, "You mean, our sex may not be as satisfying as before?"

"Yes, I'm afraid between the emotional damage and her limited flexibility, it may be very difficult for her to give you the sexual satisfaction that you enjoyed before."

"What do you suggest?"

"Patience and work. Of course, in the meantime you and I have been getting closer and if you wanted, maybe we could start spending a little time together. Murphy may never be the woman you knew. I think I could take help you out."

"Horizontally?"

She put her hand on his, "That might be fun."

He had seen her come through the door a few seconds earlier and look for him. So when Murphy walked up and saw Emma with her hands on House, Murphy gave him a look that begged the question, "What is going on?"

"Murphy," House said as Emma drew her hands away as if House was a hot fire. "It's very sad dear. Emma says that between the emotional trauma and lack of flexibility we may be unable to have sex like before. She has been comforting me."

"Is that true Emma, is it possible that I may not have the hot, passionate sex that I had before?"

"It's possible." She was getting anxious and started to squirm a little.

"Greg, I can't hold you back, maybe Emma ...oh God I hate to ask this but Emma, do you think that maybe you could help Greg out, you know, sexually, until I get better? I can vouch for him, he is hot in bed, you won't be disappointed. I mean just last night when we were Fucking our brains out in the equipment room, I had multiple orgasms."

Emma's face dropped and she turned white.

"If you ever, ever, ever come near my man again I will personally pull out every pubic hair in your body, one by one and feed them to you...and then you know all those big Marines who keep coming here to see me? They'll do whatever I ask, get the picture?"

Emma got up from the booth and almost ran from the cafeteria.

"Am I always going to have to pry you away from women?" she asked.

"God I hope so."

"Just as long as you look at the menu but don't order." she said.

"Let's get you out of here. This place is depressing."

She grabbed some things and checked out. They went to his apartment and he opened the door. Her mouth flew open and she did a little jump up and down. "Oh Greg, how cool...a tree. You know how much I love Christmas and you got me a tree. And you even decorated it." She turned and gave him a hug.

"I have to admit that the pansy formerly known as James Wilson bought the decorations for the tree. I strung the lights." He closed the door behind her and said "Two packages showed up at my door addressed to you. I put them under the tree."

"I know this sounds lame, but I'm a little tired. Can we just sit down on the sofa and watch television for a bit?"

"Sounds good to me. I'm going to get a beer, you want something?"

"Just you for now."

He came back to the couch and turned on the television. They watched Eddie Izzard on

the British television channel. House was laughing more than usual and Murphy was enjoying both the show and House's reaction. They kissed at the commercial and he asked her, "If the Navy lets you stay, will you stay here with me?"

"If I work for you it might present some problems. What if we disagree on something or you call me a moron as usual? Plus, don't you think you'll get sick of me if we live together and work together?"

"God, I'm suppose to be the cynic. This relationship can only have one pessimist and I do a better job at it than you do. Let's try it. If it seems too much then we move you back into your house."

"I don't know. This seems to be inviting trouble. Let's first see if the Navy let's me finish."

After Eddie Izzard they ordered Pizza and then turned on the Sopranos to watch. He went into the kitchen and she heard the refrigerator door open. He brought her a glass of real eggnog, complete with brandy and rum. He had gone all out to make her Christmas special. She was really moved by how sweet he was to her at times. She understood how Stacy could have stayed with him for five years. Every once in awhile he would show you just how romantic and vulnerable he was.

They went to bed and just talked for awhile. "You know yesterday when you were having your casual discussion with Emma? I almost busted out laughing when you told her not to come near your "man." I think that is the first time anyone has referred to me as their "man." I felt like I was a character in some bad blues song."

"I'm sorry...I've been hangin' with the sisters. You're lucky that I didn't just let her have you. Boy, she would have bitten off more than she could chew."

"Talk about sex..."

"Mmm. Can we table that motion until morning. I really am tired. This is a lot of excitement and exertion for me right now, especially after last night's fun."

"Spoil sport. Can I still feel you up?"

"Be my guest." She turned on her side, he turned out the light and his hands came up her pajama top and he got his wish."

Christmas morning, House woke up and still had his hand under her top but she had turned onto her back. Perfect. He pulled up the top and started kissing and fondling her. She woke up and kissed his head. He reached up and kissed her mouth. She reached down and felt him. Then she disappeared under the covers. He loved the feel of her tongue and mouth and it wasn't long before he was handing her a Kleenex.

"That wasn't very bright of me. I was looking forward to a little cowboy action today...me doing a little riding."

"I think if we just give the old stallion a little rest, you might be able to ride him in a few minutes. And he might just be up for a long ride."

"Oh Santa..you brought me a pony." she laughed.

There was no snow on Christmas Day and none on the ground. It was chilly outside but dry. Around ten they finally got up and opened gifts. House gave her a San Diego Chargers Jersey with her all time favorite player, Lance Alworth, aka "Bambi" on it. She had watched old Charger footage and had admired him for his grace and talent. He came down with the ball even when he was triple teamed. The rules protecting receivers changed in the seventies, giving more protection to the receivers. In reality Lance Alworth had played when things were rougher on the field. She thought if he was playing today he would be a real superstar, but then, he was a superstar in the 60s. She was so amazed that House had done this for her. These jerseys were not only difficult to find but extremely expensive. He also bought her some beautiful ruby and diamond earrings, ruby being her birthstone. There were also little gifts like books and chocolate.

Murphy handed him a box, "As you know, I didn't have a chance to go out and shop for you but I got a couple of gifts online." He opened the gifts. One was all the dvds of James Bond, which he had mentioned he wanted to get. "It's as much for me as you...anytime I get to see Sir Connery is a good day."

The other box contained a new leather coat and riding gloves. They were made out of kid leather. He was very pleased with them.

He grabbed her off the floor and up onto the couch where he just held her until she finally said. "I'm hungry.

House had bought a honey ham and some vegetables and potatoes. Murphy prepared a nice dinner for them and Wilson who showed up bearing gifts. House gave him the American first edition of the Sherlock Holmes novel, "The Hounds of the Baskervilles." It wasn't quite as cool as owning the English First Edition, but it certainly wasn't cheap and Wilson was very chuffed over his present. Not only did House remember he loved Sherlock Holmes, but he hunted down a first edition for him. Wilson gave House some new sheet music and an autographed record album signed Muddy Waters. House was also very happy with his gift.

The dinner was fun. Wilson and House did dishes (although not without some moaning by House) and cleaned up the kitchen. They sat on the sofa and talked. House played some music for them, including some Christmas music. At 9:00 Murphy excused herself and went to bed. House and Wilson stayed up until midnight talking and laughing. Upon leaving Wilson gave House a quick Christmas hug which surprisingly House allowed and then disappeared into the Christmas night.

House crawled into bed next to a sleeping Murphy and thought that this had been one of the best Christmases ever. He kissed the crown of her head and then fell asleep.

Murphy never went back to the Convalescent home. She checked herself out permanently and arranged for Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy on an outpatient basis at PPTH. She had moved into House's apartment on a temporary basis, or at least that's what she told him. She wasn't happy with the closet space. It was hard to fit her uniforms in let alone any civilian clothes. They packed up jackets from the front closet and put some of her uniforms in it.

The Navy brought her in at the end of January for blood, psychological and skills testing before letting her ply her trade on others. Although she had some memory loss around the Laurie event itself, her mental faculties were in tact. She left Bethesda with a manila envelope containing orders back to PPTH for one year. Because of the earlier screw up, the Navy was rewarding their highly decorated doctor with some extra shore duty.

She called Cuddy to let her know that she was coming back on Monday. Cuddy said, "If you had told me just one month ago that you would be back working with us, I would have told you that you were crazy. Are you sure you feel up to it?"

"I am going crazy at home...crazy. I can't wait to get back to the hospital. Don't worry, the Navy tested me for six hours to see how fast my reflexes and memory were. I scored very high."

"Well, we're happy to have you. See you on Monday."

He walked through the door and she was jumping up and down waving her orders at him. "I'm back, I'm back, I'm back!!!" I get to join the program. I'm officially released from sick leave and am back on active duty under you!"

"Well let's get you under me to celebrate."

She grabbed him and hugged him tightly. "Murphy, for a scrawny thing, you are very strong...please let go, I would like to breath."

She laughed at him and said, "You want to hear the kicker? They are extending my enlistment four months or the time that I spent on sick leave! Can you believe that? It sucks."

"Excuse me, but could we get back to the "under me" part of the conversation? I wouldn't mind later afternoon delight."

She began taking her t-shirt off, her sweatpants and her socks... "You better catch up, it's a little chilly in here and my nips are sticking straight out."

"I see...how charming." He was taking off his jacket, scarf, gloves, shirt, t-shirt and had started on his belt when the phone rang.

"Oh crap, she was shivering. I'll get the phone, you turn up the heater."

"Hello? What?" There was a long pause. "Yes, of course...I'll be there as soon as possible." She motioned for House to turn on the television. "I'll bring him too. Bye."

House turned on the television and on every station the same scene was being shown. It was the photo of a large building, completely shattered and in pieces surrounded by other buildings, some in tact and some with damage.

"There was an explosion at Fuld Hall at the Institute for Advanced Studies. There are casualties. Lisa asked if I would go to the scene and provide triage. She asked Chase to go too because he's an intensevist. She also thought you should go because you have ...I don't know what you have to offer, but she thought you should go."

House went to the bedroom and started to get dressed. Murphy joined him and they both dressed in very warm clothes, to brace themselves for the January afternoon and evening. Murphy grabbed her triage bag and House his medical bag and they left.

When they arrived at the site, people were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Murphy went straight to the FBI tent. "I'm Commander Murphy Morrigan and this is Dr. Gregory House, we are here to give triage to victims, where should we go?"

"We're only accepting people with actual triage experience, do you have it?"

"Two tours in Iraq. I have it."

"What about you?" He asked House.

"He is my assistant, where I go, he goes." Murphy interrupted.

"Ok...let's get you to the triage tent."

A tent had already been erected to deal immediately with victims who could not wait to be transferred to the nearby hospitals. Murphy looked around and saw several health care workers just standing around waiting for victims. She could see rescue workers out in the rubble searching for what apparently would be approximately 200 people who had poured into the hall to hear a lecture by the one of the foremost mathematicians of the day.

"Screw this." She started walking quickly to the bomb site. House followed as quick as possible behind her. She saw a cop who appeared to be in charge and pulled him aside, "I was told to get my ass out there and give triage to the wounded. It's my specialty. Now Dr. House and I need two of those SAR vests and a couple of flashlights."

She sounded so authoritative, was carrying a medical kit and showed credentials from the Navy that the cop grabbed two vests and two high beam flashlights. He pointed to a guy in the middle of the rubble. "There's several people in that pile over there that are still alive but injured. We're getting the rubble off of them and then we should stabilize them before taking them to the hospital if we can." House and Murphy started to climb over to them and the cop in charge yelled to another cop, "Hey Dom, we have two triage doctors, they're coming through."

As they started towards the cop Murphy turned to House, "Honey, they're going to want us to step back and be careful. If we do that, we won't be able to stabilize those that need us ...I know. I've had plenty of soldiers tell me to get back and it interfered with what I needed to do to save lives. So follow me."

They got to the area with what looked like numerous people under various building materials. She started checking pulses and asking questions of the injured. House followed her lead. In one instance she found a woman about 60 under a heap of plaster and a small framing joist. "Greg, let's see if we can get this off of her ourselves."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I want to get to her leg. If we don't they won't be able to save it."

As he started to lift, it was Murphy who had trouble lifting the obstacle, she still didn't have the strength. But just when she was about to give up a hand came over and helped lift it. She looked up and saw Chase standing by her. "Come on mate, let's move this." The three of them were able to get it off and over to the side. Murphy and Chase started working on the leg and stabilizing the woman for transfer. Chase brought Ringer's lactate and plasma in a large duffel bag from PPTH. The woman had a large gash that was bleeding profusely now that the weight was off of it.

"Chase, can you patch her? I want to move on. House, you stay here, he's going to need an assistant. If I need you I will shake my flashlight at you. Chase, let me have one of those plasmas and ringers." Chase threw them to her and she put them in her bag.

She picked her way through the rubble and found a hand sticking out from under an area that looked like a huge hole. She grabbed the hand and there was a pulse. She took her flash light and looked in and could see the body of a man in his late thirties, with a lot of blood on his shirt which was still seeping through, She looked around and realized the only way she could take care of this guy was to get inside the hole with him. She also realized that she should let someone know she was going in but there was no one nearby.

House followed her with his eyes and his heart went through his shoes when he saw her flashlight disappear into the ruble itself. "What the Fuck is she thinking?"

"What?" Chase looked up and asked.

"Murphy, she's just crawled into the rubble itself...I need to get over there, can you get by without me?"

"Just hold the flashlight for another minute and I'll be done."

House held the flashlight but was anxious to get over to Murphy. When Chase was done, he called a paramedic and the woman was taken by stretcher to Princeton General. Chase started to clean up so he could move to the next person.

"Murphy, Murphy...damn it Murphy answer me now."

Murphy was in the hole and had put on a miner's flashlight that she had in her bag. It wasn't as strong as the one given to her by the cop but it would have to do. She was busy sewing up the man as fast as she could. A piece of glass had gone straight through into his chest, but it was worse than that, the piece of glass had also fallen back out of the chest, causing him to bleed out. She was steadily working on the bleeder but it was making her anxious, she would just get one section sewn and the artery would blow downstream.

House was still yelling for her but she was concentrating so hard she couldn't hear him. Finally, House heard her. Her singing got louder as he got closer.

...Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver bird on high

She's away and westward bound, far above the clouds she'll fly

There the morning rain don't fall and the sun always shines

She'll be flying o' er my home in about three hours time

This old airport's got me down it ain't no earthly good to me

Because I'm stuck here on the ground, cold and drunk as I can be

You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train

So I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain.

He looked inside a hole created by steel framing and saw electrical strands and wiring holding the cement back. It didn't look stable to him and he was pissed. She was sewing, cleaning and singing.

"Murphy!" House yelled at her to get her attention. She stopped singing and looked up through the hole.

"Greg, honey, can you get a paramedic, this guy needs to be transported. I've stabilized him for now."

"Ahhhhhh." He threw his hands up in the air in frustration, "Would you get your frickin ass out of there? It's not stable. Look, I just got you back, I'd like to have time to fully exploit you before you get another award posthumously."

"Gregor...I'm ok, go get the paramedic and probably the SAR team. They're going to have to find a way to get him out of here." She was running plasma and Ringers into the guy's arm.

House started yelling and waving for help. "Hey, we've got a live one over here ready for transport."

Two teams of paramedics and SARs teams looked up but just one responded. They came running over and saw Murphy in the hole. They could see the med kit. "Doctor... what are you doing? Please get out of there. This hole isn't stable, it could collapse at any time. "

"I've got the patient stabilized. Send him to PPTH and tell them he's Gregory House's patient."

"He is?" House asked.

"Well, the staff at PPTH don't know that I work with you yet so if we tell them he's my patient they'll go, huh?"

It made sense so he shut up. He reached in and helped her out of the hole. She looked happy and upbeat. She dusted herself off and started to walk around looking for another

patient. Chase called her over to another man, early twenties, who was injured. No outward bleeding, but in and out of consciousness with a large bruise on his abdomen.

"Whoa..." Murphy cried out.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing." Chase said seriously.

"You better drain him and find what's bleeding, that looks like it's spreading, fast."

"Would you assist?" Chase asked.

"Sure. Greg, take his bp." She barked orders. "We need more saline and plasma over here." She yelled to the paramedics.

"70/40" House said.

"Yikes. Chase we need to do this quick or he's going to bleed completely out. I don't like doing a peritoneal lavage here but if you don't, we're going to lose him. Greg, look in my bag for some epinephrine to reduce the abdominal wall bleeding. Let me get a Foley tube and nasogastric tube in him before you begin. Chase, you give him a local."

Chase was impressed with how fast Murphy performed these procedures and almost asked her to do the lavage herself. But he wanted to show House that this was where he excelled so he proceeded to make the incision just below the belly button. House held the flashlight while Murphy inserted a drain for Chase. She drained blood into a sterile bag for later analysis.

"Crikey, I think we have a retroperitoneal haematoma."

"Yep, you've got trauma to a major vessel, you better find it quick, his bp is dropping like Greg's trousers at the mention of sex." She smiled but Chase looked at her funny, not getting it at first, and then he chuckled.

Chase started to look for the bleeder while Murphy helped with the traction and draining. She didn't realize it, but she started singing. House and Chase looked at each other as if to say,"What is she singing?"

"I'm back in the saddle again

Out where a friend is a friend

Where the longhorn cattle feed

On the lowly gypsum weed

Back in the saddle again

Ridin' the range once more

Totin' my old .44

Where you sleep out every night

And the only law is right

Back in the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh

Rockin' to and fro

Back in the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-yay

I go my way

Back in the saddle again...

there it is! There it is!" Murphy dabbed with gauze to reveal the bleeder.

Chase went into action and did an excellent job sewing it up. The patient's blood pressure responded and Murphy nodded to House to get the paramedics over. They responded and took the guy to PPTH under Chase's name.

"That was great work Robert." Murphy said with great sincerity. "We could have used you in Iraq." House nodded affirmatively at Chase. Chase felt a little high.

They all went on to give first aid and triage to additional patients and by the time the sun came up they were exhausted and ready to collapse. "I guess you can have the day off." House said reluctantly to Chase.

"I'll swing by and check on the patients before I go home to get some sleep." Chase responded.

"I could use some shut-eye too." Murphy said to House.

"Let's go home and get some then."

What the three of them didn't know was that at that very moment several patients at Princeton Plainsboro were being interviewed and each of them were giving accounts of a several doctors, including a female doctor who saved their lives and while working on them the woman sang. She was dubbed the "Canary."

The press wanted to find her and the two doctors that were with her. It would make an uplifting human interest story, something that was needed to balance out all the horror of the bomb. The patients weren't sure who the doctors were but the admitting doctors for the survivors were either Robert Chase or Gregory House, but no woman.

Friday morning when Chase showed up, Cameron was anxiously waiting. Chase was immediately escorted into the doctor's lounge and told not to come out until Cuddy had talked to him. He read magazines, watched television coverage of the events and realized from the reporters that Murphy, House and he were being called the "Three Musketeers." The three doctors who waded into the rubble to conduct triage instead of waiting safely in a tent. The paramedic who made Murphy get out of the hole was going on and on about her.

"She was just a little thing. I had to make her get out of the hole because it was so unstable. She saved that guy's life, that guy from England. No doubt about it. He'd be dead. I don't know who she was but she deserves a medal."

House made his way in and Cuddy was waiting to grab him. "Come with me." She called up to the lounge and told Chase to get into her office. "Look you two, you're the best publicity this hospital has gotten in ages. Murphy too. We need to handle this carefully. The whole world is going to hear about the doctors of Princeton Plainsboro and their fearless triage capabilities. It's going to be big. So, House, PLEASE let me do the talking. I want you to give short, factual answers at the press conference, which , by the way, is set for 11:30 a.m to take advantage of the noon news. House, can Murphy make it down here for the press conference?"

"Gee, just a second, let me check her calendar, I have it right here. How would I know? You'll have to call her. I left her at the apartment trying to find room for her pots and pans."

"Great, our hero is in a pan cupboard. I want you to call her and get her down here."

"And she always does what I tell her." House said with a look of mocked sincerity.

"Ok, I'll call her. And for the record, what is she doing living with you? Don't you think that's a little close for comfort when you'll be her boss.?"

"Boss? Are we talking about Murphy Morrigan. Murphy follows orders...those orders she wants to follow. She reminds me of an old car I had, reliable but hard to steer. I had to get rid of it...got the newer, shinier model."

"Uh, should I tell Murphy that?" Cuddy responded.

"Not unless you want me homeless."

At 11:30 a.m. a very smug, disheveled House, Chase and Murphy sat at a table up on the platform along with Lisa Cuddy, the public relations director and a member of the Board of Directors. Murphy had to clear it with her CO before she could give the interview. It was ok as long as she mentioned her training with the Navy and her tours in Iraq. It had been determined that it was a terrorist attack, a bomb that had been placed in the building although no one knew yet which group or individual was responsible for the attack.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you've all been asking to meet the three doctors who gave care to the injured at the bomb site. I'd like you to meet Drs. Gregory House, head of our Department of Diagnostics, Robert Chase, an Intensivist doing a Fellowship under Dr. House and Dr. Murphy Morrigan, a trauma specialist who is on loan to PPTH from the United States Navy. Many of you are aware that Dr. Morrigan is the Navy Cross and Silver Star decorated doctor who received treatment while she was in a coma after injuries she received while on duty in Iraq. I'm going to turn over the floor to the doctors and they will answer your questions.

"Dr. Chase, we understand that you are from Australia. What does it feel like to be a first responder to a terrorist attack on American Soil?"

"First I would like to offer my condolences to the families of the victims. It's a shame that we even have to hold this conference. I was honored to be able to help these men and women the other night. Many of them had contributed to the advancement of science for the world and to be able to assist them during this time of need was my great privilege. I deplore violence against civilians anywhere in the world."

"Dr. Morrigan, are you the Canary?"

Murphy looked at House and Chase with a puzzled look. "I'm sorry, Canary? What's that?"

Chase interrupted, "Dr. Morrigan has, like the rest of us, been using the last twenty-four hours to catch up on our sleep and I doubt she has heard the news. But I'll just confirm that, yes, she is the Canary."

"Dr. Morrigan, is it true you sing to your patients?"

"Oh..." The Canary reference finally dawned on her, "It's a nervous habit I have. It helps me concentrate and not let my emotions take over. When you are under fire if you have your mind on the patient and you're singing, it helps you forget about the bullets flying or in this case, the instability of the bomb site. Yes, I do sing to my patients."

"We heard that you climbed into the rubble to save Dr. Peter Berkshire from All Souls College Oxford. How does it feel to save the next Fields Medal recipient?"

"I didn't know who he was when I worked on him. He was just someone injured and in need of my training, which I must say I got from my two tours of duty in Iraq with the Navy." Murphy was grateful to be able to get that in so that her CO wouldn't hound her.

"Dr. House, you don't have training in triage do you?"

"No. But I AM a doctor." He said sarcastically.

"Dr. House was brilliant at the scene. He was a great asset to Dr. Chase and I." Murphy interjected before House could get going.

"Dr. House, is it true that you and Dr. Morrigan are living together now?"

"Yes, I have a penchant for women with scars, nice breasts and who can take a lot of abuse."

Murphy turned to Cuddy, "Uh oh. This is going to go downhill fast."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, that's enough for now. We promise to arrange individual interviews for you later. But right now our doctors have patients to attend to so thanks for your time and we'll be talking to you soon." Cuddy was firm with the reporters and Murphy took her cue to exit. She kicked House to make him follow her.

"Ow, why are you kicking a cripple?" He yelled out in phoney protest so that the reporters could hear.

Murphy whispered to him, "If you don't behave, I'll kick something else...with my right foot." House got up and left with her.

Murphy went up to see how Peter Berkshire was doing. He had gone in for some additional surgery, but was recuperating in the Post Surgical ward. She came up to him with his chart.

"Ah, my own personal angel. I just saw your press conference on television. I am glad that I have this chance to thank you in person. Dr. Morrigan, when I am well I would like to take you to dinner to thank you properly." Murphy enjoyed listening to his Oxbridge accent. She had heard the Oxbridge accent from several English officers who served in Iraq.

"Dr. Berkshire, you don't need to thank me for doing my job. It's what I'm trained to do."

"No, giving triage is your job not climbing in to rubble to save someone's life. That goes above and beyond the job. Please do not be modest. I still want to take you out for dinner when I am well."

"Ok, if you insist. So you are the new Fields Medal recipient?"

"Yes. I did on Group Representation Theory."

"Sounds impressive, but math was not my strong suit. Blood and guts were." She smiled.

"Something tells me that you are very modest and are quite intelligent."

"If you want intelligent, you should meet Dr. House. He's got a mind like a steel trap. Grant you, I'm bright, but he's wickedly bright." She smiled.

He smiled back, "Ah, but can he smile like you?"

"Dr. Berkshire, are you flirting with me?"

"Doctor, I am laying here with a gash in my chest and tubes coming out of every direction, I can not be held responsible for anything I say or do. Besides, you are the most beautiful thing I have seen in this hospital, who could blame me if I was flirting?"

"I might." They both turned around to see House standing by the curtain.

"Doctor Berkshire, Doctor House. You two have a lot in common. You both have brains."

"Dr. Morrigan was just telling me that you are a genius Dr. House."

"Can't fault her for that."

"Modest I can see." Berkshire chuckled. "Dr. Morrigan, I had a pet duck named Murphy. In Gaelic it means "Sea Warrior," did your parents know you would go into the Navy?"

"My father was in the Navy and he purposefully named me that because he wanted me to go into the Navy."

"The name suits you." Berkshire said.

House was looking at the chart and keeping an eye on him and Murphy.

"Thank you, we need to be going, but if you need us, have us paged." Murphy told him as she grabbed House by the sports coat and dragged him away.

"Remember, dinner!" He yelled as she walked away. She waved back at him with a smile.

"Dinner?" House gave her a silly inquisitive expression.

"He wants to have dinner with me to thank me. But I'm thinking he just wants to jump me, so who need dinner. Is that ok with you or should I at least wait until he's out of the hospital before I shag him?"

"I don't do threesomes that involve two males. I'm afraid you'll have to pass up the shagging part."

"Too bad, he's hot and he just won the Fields Medal. I bet he's got good genes to pass on ...maybe I could just get a semen sample."

He looked sideways at her, "Do you want children?"

"Yes. And I'm looking for the best sperm donor. Would you like to volunteer? I could take out the ring and we could start tonight?"

House got a little nervous. He knew women were touchy about this. Tell them no, I don't want kids and they start looking for a new sperm donor. Say yes and you've got rugrats. Tread softly... "I hadn't thought about it. It would depend on how well we get along in a year or so."

"Oh...good save sir." she laughed at the very cautious Gregory House. She knew that she was in control of the issue anyway. If she took her ring out, he'd never know anyway. But the truth was that when she decided to have a kid she hoped the father would be on board. She liked the idea of two parents raising the child together. Especially since she could be called to Iraq or Afghanistan or Serbia or Thailand or anywhere at anytime.