Chapter 42

The Fundraiser

"Stop that, you're going to wrinkle," Wilson warned as he watched House tugging at his necktie.

"It's friggin' hot," House complained. He reluctantly let go of the tie and settled for craning his neck instead.

"It's summer," Wilson said patiently. House reached up and tugged at his tie again. "Stop that."

"James, leave him alone," Cuddy's voice interrupted as she walked toward where the two men were standing, House's parents in tow. "It's a no-iron shirt, he'll be fine."

"I hope you're getting a refund," House said to Cuddy, ignoring his parents for the moment.

"For what?"

"Obviously the costume shop gave you the wrong outfit," House said, indicating Cuddy's dress. "Maybe they thought the Elphaba black would be bad luck today?"

"Greg," Blythe said reproachfully. "I think Lisa looks lovely." Cuddy smiled her thanks. "Now stop fussing. You look very handsome, but I do wish you'd shaved." House rolled his eyes as his mother began straightening his tie and checking over his jacket for lint.

"Dr. Cuddy?" One of the wait staff approached the group from the other side of a large shrub. "The harpist is here, we're all ready whenever you are."

"Think I can still make a run for it?" House quipped.

"I'd like to see you try," Wilson remarked dryly, earning a smirk from the others.

"You know, I've never done this before," Quig remarked to Cameron as he stepped inside the gazebo where she was waiting, her back to him as she stared out over the gardens. "The wife and I had two boys."

"It's just one foot in front of the other," Cameron said a little shakily.

"Good advice," Quig replied. "You sound like you could use it."

Cameron shook her head and turned to face him. She saw the bouquet of flowers he was holding and couldn't help but smile.

"I was told that I was to supply daisies," Quig said. He handed her the bouquet and she leaned down to inhale the fragrance. "Dr. Wilson thought you might need a laugh."

"Dr. Wilson is a very smart man," Cameron said quietly. Too quietly for Quig to be comfortable.

"Second thoughts?" Quig asked with concern.

"Me? No." Cameron paused. "Just worrying about his second thoughts." Quig motioned for her to go on. "I guess there's still some part of me that doesn't believe this is real. I wanted it so much and for so long it just seems like it's too good to be true."

"And you're afraid he'll change his mind?" Quig asked.

Cameron chuckled and shook her head. "I'm afraid I'll wake up. Or the thorazine will wear off."

"Dr. Cameron, we would never let the thorazine wear off," Quig said in a mock offended tone. Cameron smiled. Comments like that were exactly why House liked this guy.

"Dr. Cameron?" A member of the wait staff stood at the gazebo entrance. "We're ready."

House glared menacingly at the harpist as she strummed her instrument. She caught his eye and her fingers faltered on the pleasant, if somewhat banal, melody she was playing. Wilson jabbed House in the ribs sharply. House looked away from the frightened musician and she was able to resume the dance her nimble fingers played across the strings. Wilson frowned at House, who clenched his teeth and bit back a sarcastic remark.

House looked out over the few rows of seats in front of him. In the first row on his left were his parents. His mother was smiling at him with tears in her eyes; his father was smiling too, something House couldn't recall seeing in some time. Well, at least not pointed in his direction. Maybe Wilson and his mother had been right all those times they told him that his father only wanted what he thought was best for him. Did that mean his father thought Allison was what was best for him? House supposed his dad could be smarter than he'd thought.

Behind his parents were Chase and Jasper, leaning into each other so that their bodies touched everywhere that was proper in public. House smirked a little. He was going to keep a careful eye on the two of them. If anything less than appropriate for public was going on, his cell phone was handy for snapping embarrassing and potentially useful photos.

House let his eyes travel over to the few rows of seats on his right. Mrs. Quigley was seated there, alone. House frowned at this. He hadn't invited Quig; Wilson or Cuddy must have done it. He didn't see Quig around.

In the row behind Mrs. Quigley was Price. House squinted a bit against the late morning sun. It was Price and … that lab tech! I am definitely getting my money back from him, House thought to himself. Then he smirked. The guy had kind of taken advantage of a uniquely weird situation. House could respect that. Maybe he'd let the guy keep the money.

Before House could become overly curious, the harp fell momentarily silent. The few guests in attendance stood and faced the stone-laid path behind them. The path led to a gazebo that was set behind several rows of tall shrubs. The top of it was visible from their vantage point, but its occupants remained hidden.

The harpist began to play again and House was just calling up his most menacing glare ever when he realized the song was Billy Idol's 'White Wedding'. He smirked, that was all Cameron. As Cuddy began making her way up the aisle, he wondered briefly how on earth she could have gotten Cameron talking about that without raising suspicion.

And then Cameron rounded the corner on Quig's arm. Suddenly his earlier joke about making a run for it wasn't so funny. She was radiant. House heard Wilson let out a soft 'wow' beside him and hadn't even the presence of mind to cast him a jealous glare.

Quig and Cameron walked up the aisle and stopped in front of House. Wilson poked him in the back and House stepped forward to take her arm.

"How did you know you needed to ask Quig for that favor?" House leaned in and whispered in Cameron's ear.

"Why did you put on the suit without an argument?" Cameron whispered back.

House smirked again. That Cuddy was one evil, cunning woman.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the Justice of the Peace began speaking. "We are gathered together today to join these two people in the bonds of matrimony…"

"You lied," House insisted.

"Everybody does," Cuddy replied smartly. House scowled at her. Wilson and Cameron just laughed. "I didn't lie. When I told you about it, Cameron didn't know. I never promised to keep it a secret. You ASSUMED that I would. Now, we all know what happens when you assume, don't we?"

Wilson and Cameron laughed louder. Cameron was just too happy to care that Cuddy had tricked them both. House, however, seemed genuinely upset. Whether it was because Cuddy had lied or because he hadn't known wasn't entirely clear.

"House, you've been had. Live with it," Wilson finally managed to choke out. "I've been telling you for years that Lisa is smarter than you give her credit for."

"Hmm," House said non-commitally. Cameron looped her arm through his and smiled up at him.

"Lisa," she said, turning to Cuddy, "everything is beautiful and I couldn't be happier. Thank you."

"See how it's done?" Cuddy asked House snippily as she leaned forward to kiss Cameron's cheek. "I couldn't be happier for you."

"Fine," House whined. "Thank you Lisa," he sing-songed.

Cuddy began to smirk at him but cringed instead. Wilson came forward and placed a concerned arm around her waist.

"Is your back still bothering you?" he asked her quietly.

"It's just sore, I'm fine," Cuddy said.

"Lisa, are you sure?" Cameron asked. House eyed her warily.

"These are new shoes, they're not Scotch-guarded for amniotic fluid," he warned her.

"It's just a back ache, I'm fine," Cuddy insisted. "Why don't we just sit down for a few minutes?"

The foursome joined the rest of their guests in a shaded spot where they could enjoy the lush gardens surrounding them. They chatted easily as attendees of the fundraiser began arriving around them.

A few hours later, House's parents were saying their goodbyes to him and his bride. The party was winding down; a few small groups of people remained.

"Greg," John said, as he watched Blythe and Allison exchanged a watery-eyed hug, "When you told your mother you were marrying a younger woman, I thought you were just making another mistake. I was wrong. She's good for you. No matter what you think, that's all I ever wanted for you." John extended his hand and after a moment's hesitation, House took it. "This time, you did the right thing."

House nodded, either unwilling or unable to speak. He and his father had spent their entire lives arguing, fighting and just generally believing they knew better than the other. He couldn't remember a time when they'd ever agreed on something. He immediately began reevaluating everything he'd thought about his father for so long. Damn Cameron.

His introspection was halted when his mother placed her hands on his arms. She looked up at him and the unreserved love that shone on her face brought a smile to his.

"Greg, I'm so happy for you," Blythe whispered. "I was afraid you'd never find love."

"She found me," House said quietly.

"Lucky you then," Blythe replied. She pulled him down for a hug and kiss. She linked her arm with John's and the two walked off together.

"You okay?" Cameron asked, stepping up beside him to watch his parents' exit. She couldn't hear what House and his father had been discussing, but it looked serious.

"Can I change my answer?" House asked her.

"You didn't give me an answer yet," Cameron said, confused.

"Not that one," House said. He turned and faced her, winding his arms around while hers encircled his waist. "Right now, today … I'm happy." Cameron placed her head on his chest and heaved a sigh.

"He's not telling you," House said grumpily. He and Cameron were seated at one of the last remaining tables in the garden. Wilson and Cuddy were seated opposite them. All the guests had left, and the wait staff was cleaning all around them.

"Hey I'm the bride," Cameron protested. "Today is supposed to be all about me."

"You obviously didn't read your owner's manual closely enough," Wilson said. "It's never all about you."

"Shut up, traitor," House shot in Wilson's direction.

"Come on, House, it's not that bad," Cuddy cajoled him.

House rounded on Wilson. "You told her!"

"I … she … yeah, I told her," Wilson admitted. "It's a funny story!"

"Maybe to you," House muttered darkly.

"Oh come on, I can't be the only one who doesn't know the story," Cameron cried.

"Alright, fine!" House conceded. "But I'm going to be paying close attention to make sure you tell it right."

"I'll keep that in mind," Wilson said. He turned to Cameron with a definite gleam in his eyes and began telling her the infamous Mardi Gras story.

When he'd reached the end, even House was laughing. Cuddy and Cameron had collapsed against each other in a state of oxygen deprived giggling that neither had achieved since college. House had leaned his head back on his chair and was staring at the slowly darkening sky, but he punctuated the story with an occasional chuckle.

Wilson's cell phone began ringing. He withdrew it from his jacket pocket and answered it, still laughing.

"Dr. Wilson."

"I'm sorry, who?" Wilson frowned and placed a hand to his other ear, trying to hear the caller over the sounds of Cameron and Cuddy's laughter.

"You're breaking up," Wilson said. He stood up from his chair and walked a few paces away.

Cameron and Cuddy finally managed to contain themselves. Mostly. They were still giggling softly and in little bursts. House straightened himself in his chair and looked at Cameron sternly.

"I don't ever want to hear about this again," he said.

"Of course," Cameron said with the straightest face she could muster. "Sailor." She winked at him and Cuddy burst forth in a fresh stream of giggles. House tried to glare at her, but their laughter was infectious. Damn Cameron.

"What happened to James?" Cuddy asked when she finally noticed he was gone.

"Phone call," House nodded his head in Wilson's direction.

"No, don't put that there!" Cuddy shouted at a few of the wait staff suddenly. She rolled her eyes at the newlyweds. "Honestly," she huffed. "Excuse me."

"He looks serious," Cameron commented. She was watching Wilson talk on the phone. "Patient?"

House turned in his chair to stare at Wilson. He was pale and his face was drawn. He was barely speaking at all, just nodding his head.

"Don't think so," House said thoughtfully.

Wilson closed his cell phone and placed it back in his jacket pocket. He ran both his hands through his hair. He extended his arms stiffly at his sides and flexed his fingers. When he seemed as though he'd gotten his composure, he smoothed down his tie.

Suddenly Wilson bolted toward the row of hedges behind him and was sick as quietly as he could manage. Cameron was out of her chair and to him swiftly, rubbing his back until he was done.

"Jimmy, what is it?" she asked, just as House joined them.

"That was the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Department," Wilson said. House closed his eyes. That could only mean one thing. "They need me to come and identify my brother's body."

"Go find Lisa," Cameron told House. As he limped off, Cameron slid her arms around Wilson and held him tightly as he sagged against her and cried.