Okay, folks, this is the last actual chapter. There is a 2 part Epilogue that will be posted soon, but the essential story is completed here.

Chapter 50: Time Flies

THREE YEARS LATER

House tried to make himself comfortable in the hard auditorium seat.

"Will you stop fidgeting?" Kate told him. "You're worse than Emily."

"Mommy, why is Daddy worse than me?"

"Because he can't sit still and he acts younger than a five-year old."

Emily giggled. "That's funny, Mommy. Daddy isn't five. I'm the only one in our family who's five. And in S'tember, I'll be six!"

"And you'll be more mature than Daddy."

"Hey," House said, winking at Emily. "I resemble that remark."

She giggled again. It was one of her favorite 'Daddy' lines. But Daddy was always so funny. She climbed up onto his lap.

"I'll sit with you, Daddy, so you'll sit still."

"That's my girl." He said, hoisting her up and cuddling her. Then he turned back to Kate. "Why did we have to get here so early? When is it starting? And where the hell is Wilson?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "For the umpteenth time, Greg, we had to get here early to get good seats and parking. It will start soon enough. And James said that they were running late, plus he's picking up your mother. She had a hair appointment."

"Mommy, how many is umpteen? Is it more than fourteen?" Emily inquired seriously.

"Yeah, Mommy," House quipped. "Count to umpteen for us."

Kate rolled her eyes again "Greg…"

"Why are they running late?"

"Not sure, but I think it has to do with the wedding next week."

"Explain to me again why a Jewish man wants to marry an Irish Catholic woman?"

"Maybe because he loves her."

"I get to be flower girl!" Emily chimed in.

They both smiled at the child with the wavy auburn hair, remembering how adorable she looked when she tried on her dress for Wilson's wedding.

But soon enough, House was back to grumbling. "How many of these damn things do I have to go to anyway?"

"This is the last graduation. And Emily was so cute at hers, you can't complain about that."

"Why do you need to graduate from kindergarten? I mean, how would you not pass it? Color outside the lines? Eat paste? I think they do that anyway and they still graduated."

"But, Daddy, I was indorable. Everybody said so."

House chuckled. "Yes, you were sweetheart, very indorable."

Kate continued. "And you didn't have to come to mine if you didn't want to."

House thought about how proud he was of his wife getting her B.S, a few weeks earlier.

"Yeah, I had to. And I wanted to."

"So, is it just Monica's that you don't want to be at?"

"I didn't say I didn't want to be here. I'm just bored. I need Wilson so that I can torture him and have some fun."

"Bridget won't let you. She's very protective."

"I know, and it annoys the hell out of me."

"I know, and so does she."

Two years earlier, Wilson had started dating a nurse by the name of Bridget O'Halloran. They had fallen in love very quickly, but both had hesitated to make it permanent. After three marriages, he was gun shy and she was wary of a man thrice divorced.

But finally their feelings for each other had won out and they were getting married.

House had been against the relationship almost from the beginning. Bridget was fiercely protective of Wilson and was not afraid to tell House where to get off. She would not allow House to bully or take advantage of his friend.

"And that's another thing I'm going to have to suffer through – their wedding!"

"Well, you can't not go to that. You are the best man. Besides, it should be …interesting."

"Weird is more like it. Who has a rabbi and a Catholic priest at their wedding? It sounds like a bad joke."

"Couples of mixed religion who want to honor both." Wilson said as he made his way into the row and the seats Kate had saved for them.

"Stop your griping, Greg, No one wants to hear it now. Actually, no one ever does." Bridget observed as she greeted Kate and Emily. She placed a kiss on House's check as well, even though he glowered at her.

Blythe was already taking her seat next to Kate. "This is so wonderful. All of these happy events, one right after the other. And James was so kind to bring me with him and his bride to be."

Suddenly, they heard the high school orchestra start playing 'Pomp and Circumstance' and the about-to-be graduates solemnly marched into the auditorium.

Everyone in the House party craned their necks to look for Monica. They soon saw her, slim and confident marching down the center aisle of the auditorium. She was facing the front, along with her classmates, but her eyes were moving as she scanned for her family. House raised his cane into the air and she smiled.

Most of the ceremony bored House. The principal made a speech, the vice-principal made a speech, the valedictorian and salutatorian made speeches. Hell, he thought, why not get the janitor up here? He probably knows more about these kids than the teachers do.

Finally, the time came to hand out the diplomas. As their names were called, each student walked up to the podium to receive a handshake and a diploma. When they heard the principal announce: "Monica House," they exploded with cheers.

While he waited through the remaining students, House looked at the people that surrounded him. His angel, Emily. Who could have thought he would love a child so much? And who could have thought he'd ever be a good father? But he was. Despite all his worries, he knew that he was a good dad. His gaze went to the stage, where a young woman sat. He was a good dad to her as well. He thought about a month ago when she had received her acceptance to Princeton.

"This is great." He'd told her. "I'm really proud of you."

"I've decided what I'm going to major in, Dad."

"Really? What?"

"Pre-med."

He'd looked at her solemnly. "Don't feel that you have to do that."

"I want to do it. I want to be like you."

Thinking back on that day now, he realized that no one had ever told him that before. As he saw her smiling at them from the stage, he was more proud of her than ever.

His mother sat there, smiling as she watched the new graduates. She was still healthy and although she missed his father, she was doing well.

He looked at Wilson sitting next to his lovely fiancé. As much as House grumbled and complained about Bridget, he realized that she was exactly the woman that his friend needed. She was strong and she was loyal. She wouldn't cheat on him and she wouldn't put up with him neglecting her. He'd have to fight to keep this marriage, but she'd give him the ride of his life while he did. And she'd be beside him all the way.

Finally, his gaze rested on Kate. His wonderful Kate. They'd been married over five years and he loved her more each and every day. But she had changed from the cop with the unhappy childhood and tragic past.

She had not only regained her health, she had learned about nutrition and now could cook simple, but healthy meals for her family. She had even forced him to do the same.

While she would never be a housekeeper, she had learned how to keep clutter to a minimum and get everyone involved in picking up. Between that, and a house cleaner once a week to do the heavy stuff, their home was usually presentable.

She had completed college and now had her B.S. in technology and criminal science. She was applying for positions in corporate security.

She had totally remade herself, yet she was still the smart, funny, sexy woman he'd fallen in love with.

In that hot and crowded auditorium, surrounded by people he, yes, he could admit it, people he cared about, he realized something that had never occurred to him before.

He was happy.

Warning: The Epilogue will take us 25 years into the future and House is old. If you don't want to see that, don't read the Epilogue. But it does tie up all the loose ends and let you knoowhat happened to all the characters.