084. Celebrate

Surprise!

Foreman walked into the expensive restaurant and stood at the door, looking around uncertainly and feeling like a bit of an idiot. The restaurant's maitre d' came hurrying over and gave him a tiny bow.

"Do you have a reservation, sir?"

"Uh, I'm…meeting someone. I think the reservation is under the name James Wilson."

The maitre d's face brightened. "Ah, you're a member of Dr Wilson's party. Come with me, sir."

Foreman followed the man through the half-full restaurant and into a large private room in the back.

"Andre will take your drink order, sir," the maitre d' said with another bow then he left.

Foreman looked around the room and relaxed a little when he saw Cameron and Chase were already there, wearing expression that were as baffled as his own.

"Sir? What can I get you to drink?"

The question came from an impeccably dressed young man who waited with just the right amount of obsequiousness for Foreman's order. Foreman blinked then ordered a glass of red wine and the young man, presumably the Andre the maitre d' had mentioned, bowed and hurried out of the room.

After Andre had returned with his drink, Foreman wandered over and joined Chase and Cameron.

"Does anyone know what this is about?" he asked.

Chase shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"I have no idea but isn't this place terribly expensive?" Cameron said.

"You know what they say," Foreman said after taking a sip of his wine. "If you have to ask about the price, it's too expensive for you."

Cameron didn't get a chance to reply as Cuddy walked into the room. She joined them after getting her drink from Andre and Foreman was surprised to see that she looked as baffled at he did.

"I take it you don't know what this is about either," he said.

"No idea," Cuddy replied blithely. "But since I'm not paying, I'm going to enjoy myself no matter what it is."

Foreman snorted with amusement then his eyes widened when he saw who had just walked into the room. He heard Cuddy choking quietly beside him and Chase and Cameron's noises of surprise. Shortly they were joined by Stacy and Mark and there was a moment of awkward silence.

"I don't suppose any of you know what this is about?" Stacy asked.

"No idea," Cuddy replied with a small smile. "But James seemed adamant that I should be here. He left a message for me from wherever he and House have been on holiday to make sure I'd be able to make it."

She came to a sudden halt and her eyes widened as she saw who was walking into the room. A horrible suspicion started to flood into her mind as she started to put one and one together. She smiled into her wine glass as both House and Wilson's parents joined them.

The group made slightly baffled conversation for about half an hour before the sound of a snarking voice followed by a warm, laughing reply alerted them and they turned to face the door and House limped in followed by Wilson. House raised an eyebrow as he saw them all then he turned to Wilson.

"You did this, didn't you?"

Wilson's face was full of wicked amusement. "It's more fun this way. You get to see the looks on everyone's faces all at once. And we get it over and done with in one go."

House snorted and raked the group with a sardonic look. "At least you got a private room. This could get ugly."

"Greg, what's going on?" Blythe House asked, a look of slowly fading confusion and dawning comprehension on her face.

House shifted his sardonic look to Wilson. "You're the one with all the experience. You tell 'em."

Wilson rolled his eyes and stepped up next to House, deliberately taking his hand. He took a deep breath and House was the only one who knew he was trembling slightly.

"House and I have just got back from Canada. We got married."

There was a moment of utter silence as everyone took that in, more than one person glancing down at the identical gold rings on the left ring fingers of House and Wilson.

"Greg?" Blythe said tentatively.

House gave his mother a slightly exasperated look. "Yes, we got married. It's legal in Canada."

Underneath all of this, Foreman and Chase had exchanged glances that started off as incredulous then ended up as amused. Finally the two of them broke out into snickers.

"Er, congratulations," Chase said in a voice full of laughter.

"Yes…congratulations," Cuddy said, not far from being in the same state as Chase and Foreman.

"Thank you," Wilson said with poorly disguised relief.

"I take it this one's going to last?" Wilson's father said dryly, ignoring his wife's scandalised whisper of, "David!"

James smiled wryly. "Yes, Dad, I think it is."

"Good," David Wilson said with bemused satisfaction. "Does explain a lot."

Stacy suddenly giggled into the still slightly stunned atmosphere of the room and when every one looked at her she had one hand pressed over her mouth while slightly hysterical merriment danced in her eyes. When she realised everyone was staring at her, she lowered her hand and looked directly at House.

"You did say it," she said, her voice brimming with the same slightly hysterical laughter that was in her eyes. "I thought you were joking."

House blinked and looked slightly blank then he grinned at her as he recalled the conversation she was talking about. Everyone else looked at the two of them with confusion while Wilson chuckled softly. He then stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"Look, I've arranged for dinner," he said quietly but firmly. "You are welcome to stay or go as you please."

He and House immediately headed over to the long table set up on the side of the room, turning their backs to the group and talking quietly together.

Cuddy watched them for a moment then turned to the others, a small smile on her face.

"I don't know about the rest of you but I'm not turning down a chance of an excellent meal I don't have to pay for and an opportunity to mock the two of them."

She turned on her heel and headed for the table. Foreman and Chase immediately followed her along with Cameron after a moment's hesitation. Stacy looked at her husband and when he shrugged and smiled wryly they headed for the table as well.

The two sets of parents looked at each other. David and Rachel Wilson seemed surprised but accepting of their son's latest marriage and they nodded to the Houses before walking over towards the table Blythe looked surprised and amused while John House's expression was unreadable. Blythe looked up at her husband and raised an eyebrow.

"I am joining my son and son-in-law for dinner," she said firmly, giving him a challenging look.

John sighed and offered his arm to his wife. "He always has to be different."

Blythe laughed lightly. "Look at him, John. As much as he's trying to hide it, he's happy. Now smile. This is a celebration."

John snorted but did as his wife asked as they walked over to join the others.