When House got back to his office after his clinic duty, Stacy was waiting for him.

"Did someone declare this Visit Greg Day and forgot to tell me about it," House wondered.

"Why?" Stacy asked. "Have you had such a stream of visitors then?"

"Chase was waiting for me when I got to work, Mother dropped by, Soo brought her Father to see me, now you are here," House catalogued. "I'm just wondering if I should prepare myself for a parade or something next."

"You do know that it is Christmas time?" Stacy funned him. "Time of good will and visiting friends bringing comfort and joy?"

"You mean the bah, humbug thing?" House clarified.

"I knew you would get it," Stacy smiled.

"So is that why you came by?" House inquired.

"I came to say goodbye," Stacy informed him. "I have done what I can for Mrs. Simon and I'm driving home this afternoon."

"Mark must be happy to have you home," House nodded.

"He won't be home himself till tomorrow morning," Stacy told him.

"Doesn't change the fact that he must be happier with you home than here," House shrugged.

"I spoke with him on the phone each evening," Stacy said. "He had no problem with me being here."

"I'm sure he didn't," House laughed with some irony.

"He is no longer paranoid," Stacy informed House. "Our marriage is fine, he is healthy again, and he is no longer subject to irrational fits of jealousy."

"How about rational ones?" House asked. "After all if he suspects that something has happened between us, it's not irrational, because something did."

"He doesn't know about it," Stacy said. "I saw no reason to tell him as it would just have hurt him for no good reason."

"Yes, I remember you said something like that," House pondered. "That if he never knew it would never hurt. I'm just not totally convinced it works that way."

"Look, do we have to go over all the old ground," Stacy decided to change the subject. "I just came to say goodbye and Merry Christmas."

"And Merry Christmas to you, too, then," House responded.

"By the way, I'm glad you and Wilson made up," Stacy said as she stood up and took her bag and coat. House turned to give her a searching look.

"You came to see me last night," He suddenly claimed. "Only you changed your mind when you saw Wilson."

"Don't be silly," Stacy denied. "Why would I have tried to visit you last night when I knew I would be able to see you just as well here, today?"

"Good question," House acknowledged. "Why did you?"

"I didn't," Stacy insisted. "You are just jumping to conclusions. It's not like it is a secret that you and James are talking to each other again!"

"But it is," House pointed out. "Nobody saw us make up last night, and this morning Wilson has been closeted with his patient all day and I have not seen him, which also means that nobody has seen him with me, either. As far as the hospital gossips know, Wilson and I are still mortal enemies."

"Obviously James has said something to someone," Stacy tried to prevaricate. "How else would I know about it?"

"By having seen us kiss and make up and the only way you could have seen it, was by having been outside my flat when Wilson came with the take-away." House concluded.

"Oh, come on," Stacy decided to try a diversion. "You say that like you and Wilson were having sex while I was gnashing my teeth outside."

"For all you know that is what we did. I mean, aren't we the classic case: both unable to sustain long-term relationships, both happy to spend time together without any female company, Wilson runs to me between marriages. I could go on with the list," House suggested.

"Give it up, Greg. I know you are straight," Stacy laughed.

"I can't see how you could know," House shrugged. "You have no evidence."

"Oh, I think I do," Stacy leered.

"That is not conclusive," House pointed out. "There are plenty of wives in this country who are absolutely convinced that their husbands are straight, until they find him in bed with the son's football coach. But you are right, I'm straight. And as far as I know, so is Wilson."

"Told you so," Stacy quipped.

"So we have established that Wilson came over for take-away and TV," House mused. "But we are still in the dark on the reasons why you were there."

"I wasn't," Stacy insisted. "I have no reason what so ever why I would need to come and see you at your flat."

"Maybe," House didn't sound convinced. "Unless you thought you could get the same service that someone else had received, too. Did you plan on tipping me more than 20 bucks for it?"

"I did not come to see you last night," Stacy was gnashing her teeth. "And most certainly I did not come to see you in order to have sex with you!"

"I think you did," House taunted.

"You are just letting your imagination run wild," Stacy insisted. "Are these disgusting accusations your way of punishing me for what I did to your leg?"

"Why would I punish you for that now?" House asked. "It was a long time ago."

"But now we know that I might have been wrong," Stacy pointed out. "That had I not given permission for the surgery you really might have got your leg back. That you were right."

"Nothing has changed as far as I'm concerned," House denied.

"Nothing? How can you say that, when you have just shown, conclusively, that you were right?"

"I've know all along that I was right," House shrugged. "The only change is that now you know it, too. For me there is no change. So there is no new reason for me to punish you."

"I was not at your flat last night," Stacy enunciated just before she stalked out of the room.

"Yes, you were," House stated to her departing back.

-------------------

Later that night House sat by his piano letting his fingers find their own way on the keys. He had a glass of whiskey waiting for him on the top of the piano and he was thinking back to the day he had had. Or actually he was thinking back to Cameron. She had been quiet all day, and he had been unsure if he should approach her. He knew he had been wrong to kiss her, and he actually considered apologizing for it. He just didn't know how. He was not very good at apologies. Before he could even decide that he was going to apologize, let alone come up with any kind of plan for it, there was a knock on the door. He hoped it was not Cameron, but he decided to open the door anyway.

"Wow, it really is Visit House Day," House concluded as he found Mark Warner at his doorstep.

"House," Mark greeted. "Can I come in?"

"Stacy is not here," House said without moving.

"I know," Mark nodded. "She already called me that she had made it home safely."

"And you hot-footed it right to my door?" House queried. "Should I be flattered?"

"I want to talk with you," Mark didn't take the bait. "About Stacy."

"Your wife, your problem," House stated. "I think I told you that once already."

"Look, I don't want to discuss this on your doorstep, please let me come in," Mark asked. House relented and let him in. "Thank you."

"So have your say, then," House invited.

"Look, I know that Stacy has feelings for you still," Mark explained. "I called her hotel last night and she wasn't there. I need to know if she was here."

"Why did you call her hotel and not her mobile if you wanted to talk to her? Or did you just want to check up on her movements and not talk to her?" House asked.

"Never mind why, I sure wasn't happy with the results," Mark shrugged. "Just tell me if she was here."

"No, she wasn't," House stated.

"I don't believe you," Mark insisted. "If she wasn't here, where could she have been?"

"In a singles bar getting drunk and having sex with total strangers! How would I know? She was not here," House repeated.

"So nothing has happened between you two?" Mark sounded unsure.

"Nothing like that, you can ask Wilson if you don't believe me, he was here last night," House said.

"You are sure you were with Wilson last night?" Mark wanted to make sure.

"Yes!" House rolled his eyes. "I may be a pathetic addict but I'm not yet suffering from memory loss. Wilson was here last night, we had had a lover's quarrel and he came over with food and some TLC."

"Don't try to make it sound like you two are lovers," Mark groused. "You are straight."

"Everybody tells me that," House shook his head. "Do I have it tattooed on my forehead or something?"

"Pretty much," Mark replied with a slightly lighter voice.

"Fine! But that still does not mean that I'm hustling your wife," House insisted.

"I suppose," Mark sighed. "But you are a bit of a sore point in our marriage."

"Hey! Not our marriage, yours! Your marriage, your problem. Don't go putting me in the middle of anything," House instructed him.

"You are right," Mark agreed. "I'm sorry, I should not have come. Thanks for letting me in and ... just thanks." Mark turned and left the flat.

Well, apparently the marriage wasn't quite as solid as Stacy had wanted him to believe. House sat back down at his piano and took his whiskey. He sipped it slowly trying to gauge the feelings he had about the state of Stacy's marriage. Was he happy that there was trouble? Did he want to call Stacy and try and see if he could get her back? Did he still have feelings for her? House downed his drink and sighed. Yes, there were still some feelings, but mostly just nostalgia. He was not the same man who had once lived with Stacy and he was fairly sure she had changed, too. No, there was nothing in him left that really wanted to go back to Stacy, anymore. May her marriage live long and prosper!