Prologue

Ally stepped up to the podium, her eyes red, tears running freely down her cheeks. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Looking out over a gathering of their friends and co-workers, she started to speak. "There are so many wonderful things I could say about Remy, it's difficult to know where to begin." She smiled. "It is said that thirteen is an unlucky number, but when it comes to Remy, I think all of us here know they were wrong." There were a few chuckles at that. "I feel blessed to have kept my wonderful girlfriend as long as I did." Ally's voice broke, new tears falling down her cheeks. "Remy was one of the strongest people I ever knew, or ever will know. She fought this disease with everything she had, and because of that, we all had eight more years to spend in her company." Ally smiled again. "I'm going to read an excerpt from her journal, which when she could no longer write, she dictated to me so that she would never forget the life she got to live." Ally opened the little book to the last page and began to read in a quavering voice.

Flashback

They sat in the sunshine in the park they had ridden to one afternoon many years before, laughing as they talked over memories from the past. Remy's head lay in Ally's lap as Ally propped herself up against the hill they were relaxing on. Remy slept intermittently, wrapped in a warm blanket to guard against chills as her body weight disappeared along with her mind. "Ally?" she questioned.

"Mmm?" Ally ran a hand through Remy's brown locks.

"Will you write something down for me?"

"Of course." Ally took Remy's journal out of her purse and turned to the next blank page.

Back to the Present

"I know my time is coming to an end. I'll be sad to leave you, but feel infinitely grateful for the time I've had with you all. I'm not ready to die. I never wanted to die." Tears dripped onto the page. "I've had plenty of time to plan for this moment, morbid as it may be. I promised Ally once that I would never take my own life, no matter how bad things got, and I am still happy for that decision. To all of you, be happy. Live your lives and enjoy every moment. To Ally, thank you so much for everything you've given me, for always treating me with respect, for your infinite patience. I'll miss you, my darling."

Ally closed the book, unable to stop the sobs that escaped her, and returned to her seat. Foreman wrapped his arms around her and she sank into them gratefully. Cuddy clasped House's hand in silence, tears running down her face too. Rachel leaned against House. The others took comfort in each other. They had all had time to say their good-byes.