Pact For Love

House and Cuddy are married and have 2 children. Shocking news leaves them to debate their futures, and their children's. They are elderly now, and their children are grown up, but does it mean that they feel better about leaving them behind?

This is not for everyone, but this is an issue that comes up frequently in my Ethics class. So I'm warning you now, you might find this fic very sad and/or quite disturbing. And I apologise for that, but it's an issue that needs to be addressed.

Chapter 10

Cuddy grew weaker day by day, progressing hour by hour, until minute by minute became a hardship to hold on for.

She knew it was time.

'Greg, I can't hold on much longer. Let's do it,' rasped Cuddy from her bed.

'Okay my love,' whispered House, kissing her cheek.

And so they started to make the arrangements.

House had managed to get hold of some sleeping pills, so that they would not feel their deaths, and some more charcoal for the fire.

They spent a whole day together, listening to music, playing music and talking about their lives together.

The evening brought a stinted silence between them, as they snuggled on the bed.

'Tell me about how you remember our wedding day,' she almost whispered.

'I was literally a wreck, I was shaking like mad. I've never been one for professing my love in public, and now I had to do it in front of all my family and all our friends. It was a pretty scary thought. I got ready with Wilson, he was almost in tears before the actual ceremony started. I could've sworn that he was gay from his over emotional state at that time. I nearly threw up before, and shuffled down the aisle, everyone looking at me. Then you came down the aisle with your dad, in your beautiful white dress and flowers in your hair. And all my nerves disappeared. You became Mrs House, and I was the happiest man alive!' professed House.

'Remember the day Noah was born?' she asked softly.

'Yes I do,' replied House. 'You were at the hospital, bossing everyone around, waddling like a duck and getting grumpy with me. I went to go and get you pizza because you had a craving, and there came the phone call, a frantic Wilson telling me to get my ass over to PPTH because you were having contractions and killing his hand from your death grip. I gathered that the pizza wasn't so important, so I rushed back. But then I got caught in a traffic accident, and I must've been there for a couple of hours at least. Wilson kept calling me, squealing like a girl, and I got to the hospital just in the nick of time. You screamed, I screamed, and there he was. 6lbs 9oz of perfection. Your face lit up, you were so comfortable being a Mom, it just came so naturally to you.'

She smiled softly.

'I love hearing your stories...what about when Gaby was born?' she asked, loving hearing his point of view.

'Ah, Gaby's birth, where I actually delivered her,' he chuckled.

'You were at home this time, you had Phoebe over for chocolate munching and film watching. I was working, Wilson and I were having a ball while you were gone; wheelchair racing and monster truck on coma guy's cable, the best times. Another hysterical phone call, this time from Phoebe, saying that you were in labour, and she could see the head. So Wilson and I broke the speed limit 3 times over to get to you, and as I got there, you reached 10cm and out she came, wailing like you couldn't believe. You had that look on your face again, and it made my head spin and my heart whirl to see it back after so much heartache.'

Another soft smile appeared on Cuddy's face.

'I want you to hear something. I heard it on the radio, nothing better expresses how I feel right now,' murmured Lisa tenderly.

She pushed a button on the CD player, and a solemn song began to play.

Well it finally had to end this better way
We had no more life to give
No matter what we said
Cause I worried every night and slept all day
I was lying to myself
Pretending to be someone else

You love me so
But it's over, Just let me go
We're goin' nowhere
I feel like I'm dead but brething
I know because my heart is beating
Just let me go, Cause it's over

So you tried to work it out and get some help
You'd been foolin' everyone
But I know what's goin' on
I can't hold your hand through this again
We keep lying to ourselves
Pretending to be something else

You love me so
But it's over, Just let me go
We're goin' nowhere
I feel like I'm dead but brething
I know because my heart is beating
Just let me go

I'm sorry that I couldn't stay
To fill your empty space
It's alright
You'll be fine
I know that you'll be better off
In a different place
It's alright
You'll be fine

You love me so
But it's over, Just let me go
I feel like I'm dead but brething
I know because my heart is beating

You love me so
But it's over, Just let me go
We're goin' under
I feel like I'm dead but brething
I know because my heart is beating
Just let me go, Cause it's over

The tears gathered in House's eyes and threatened to fall.

'Don't cry honey,' said Cuddy faintly. 'It kills me to see you upset.'

Fraught with emotion, House started to sing to his beloved.

I'm not scared of dying,
And I don't really care.
If it's peace you find in dying,
Well then let the time be near.
If it's peace you find in dying,
And if dying time is near,
Just bundle up my coffin
'Cause it's cold way down there.
I hear that its cold way down there.
Yeah, crazy cold way down there.

Chorus:

And when I die, and when I'm gone,
There'll be one child born
In this world to carry on,
to carry on.

Now troubles are many, they're as deep as a well.
I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell.
Swear there ain't no heaven and I pray there ain't no hell,
But I'll never know by living, only my dying will tell.
Yes only my dying will tell.
Yeah, only my dying will tell.

(Chorus)

Give me my freedom for as long as I be.
All I ask of living is to have no chains on me.
All I ask of living is to have no chains on me,
And all I ask of dying is to go naturally.
Oh I want to go naturally.

Here I go, hah!
Hey Hey!
Here comes the devil,
Right Behind.
Look out children,
Here he comes!
Here he comes! Hey...

Don't want to go by the devil.
Don't want to go by demon.
Don't want to go by Satan,
Don't want to die uneasy.
Just let me go naturally.

and when I die,
When I'm dead, dead and gone,
There'll be one child born in our world to carry on,
To carry on.
Yeah, yeah...

Cuddy's eyes shut as she felt the music go through her, she absorbed it and let it touch her soul.

Seeing her new found comfort, he began to sing again.

He said to lose my life or lose my love,
That's the nightmare I've been running from.
So let me hold you in my arms a while,
I was always careless as a child.
And there's a part of me that still believes,
My soul will soar above the trees.
But a desperate fear flows through my blood,
That our dead loves buried beneath the mud.

Let's grow old together,
And die at the same time.
Let's grow old together,
And die at the same time.

I said I've got no time I have to go,
And I was more right then now I'll ever know.
He said my heart is faint, will minds regret,
And left him crying next to the chapels steps.

Let's grow old together,
And die at the same time.
Let's grow old together,
And die at the same time.

He said…

Let's grow old together,
And die at the same time.
Let's grow old together,
And die at the same time.

He said…

He said to lose my life or lose my love,
That's the nightmare I've been running from.
So let me hold you in my arms a while,
I was careless as a child.
There's a part of me that still believes,
My soul will soar above the trees.
A desperate fear flows through my blood,
Our dead loves buried beneath the mud.
A desperate fear flows through my blood,
Our dead loves buried beneath the mud

Cuddy's breathing became labored.

'It's time,' she rasped breathlessly.

'I know,' whispered House in reply.

He got some water and the pills, the letters for the kids and the photos to keep beside them, then added a lot of charcoal to the fire.

It hissed as it hit it, and he could feel the gas hit him.

He returned to the bed, and together they took the pills, cuddled together on their marital bed, just waiting for death.

They fell asleep as the Carbon Monoxide filled the room.

They didn't feel a thing.

They simply slipped away.

Gone.

Dead.

But together, as they'd always wanted.