No I am not so cruel to keep you waiting for this chapter. I write when I get time typically but I knew I owed it to all of you and the characters to not keep you hanging for long. The end is just around the corner, time to start putting all the pieces together. -Onyx

Cameron didn't remember getting in the car nor did she remember getting out of it all she could remember was the height of the flames and the look of fear on House's usually confident face.

She could hear fire engines, people crying, dogs barking, old ladies crying every sound was heightened. The fire was in the upper areas of the restaurant and was beginning to burn its way into Mae's Bookstore adjoining it. And then all at once House was pulling her through the crowd where she thankfully saw Uncle Cappy but her relief was short-lived.

"Greg, Virginia's still in there. Joey went in after her! Oh God! You gotta get her out son. Please!" He was crying like a man who was already certain of that end result.

Cameron knew it wasn't time to rationalize. She knew House was going in. An explosion from the top floor had everyone screaming and gasping. The fire trucks were already there an unloading. Police were there along with fire trucks from the neighboring towns. Before House could run in, Joey ran out and immediately fell to the ground.

"I can't get to her! She's pinned. And she ain't movin! Somebody else is in there with her!" His face was black with smoke.

Instinct took over and Cameron grabbed Joey and led him to an ambulance to get oxygen. House broke free of the crowd and ran head first into the building. The fire chief was mere inches from stopping him. House had given up on God when he'd lost his child but regardless he started to pray. His advantage was knowing the store as well as he did. He found where part of the roof had collapsed and then with horror he saw her lying there face down, her arms dead weight at her side, but she wasn't alone. He recognized the scar on the man's arm.

"Charlie!" No answer. "Charlie!"

The heat was unbearable and a large beam prevented House from getting to them. The fire hadn't reached the restaurant as of yet but by the look of the smoke filtering from the floor above and the fact that two beams had collapsed, it was only a matter of time. He could hear Eddie, Pete's son shouting for him.

"In here! The office! There's two of them!"

He heard Eddie shout the information back to the others.

"House don't be a hero! Get out of there!"

He ignored him.

"Charlie! Aunt Virginia!"

He saw fingers move and he knew Charlie was still alive.

"Charlie! Hold on!"

The fingers stopped and House could feel his reserve start to fade. Crashing began upstairs and then more of the floor caved in missing House by inches. He realized that the door was blocked where he came in. He had to buy time he didn't have. Quickly he grabbed two large tablecloths and tied them together. He ran to the kitchen where Joey keep the sanitation buckets filled to clean tables. He doused the tablecloths and carefully climbed part way up the beam. This gave him just enough space to throw the wet cloth over Charlie and Aunt Virginia. He prayed that it would keep cinder from burning their skin. Then he ran back to the door and began moving stuff to clear an exit. Just as House made a breakthrough in the doorway a mighty crack sounded right above him. He turned back to see what was happening and a mighty set of arms pulled him from the room. The last thing he saw was the entire roof cave in on the spot where Charlie and Aunt Virginia lay helpless. And with anguish House screamed as he never had before.

The man carrying him out was built like a mountain. He was at least 6'6" and a solid 300 of all muscle. House fought ever inch and every pound of the man that saved his life. He had to go back in but as the door opened and he breathed fresh air, a cheer resounded from the crowd. He couldn't understand anything in that moment but one thought was crystal clear. He needed to find Cameron. But he didn't have to wait long; she was at his side. Mountain man released him and he clung to Cameron like a man drowning.

"The roof collapsed! I couldn't get them out!" He choked over and over.

The medics were trying to give him oxygen but he refused to let go of Cameron.

"House, listen to me. They got Charlie and Aunt Virginia out before they got you out."

It was the only time in his life that his body fought against him. He released Cameron and immediately threw up all over the ground at her feet. The medic who was also a large man, took his opportunity to pull House to the ambulance. As soon as he finished vomiting, he was given oxygen. The haunted look on his face still remained.

"Their both in bad shape but they're on their way to the hospital. Uncle Cappy, Joey and Vivian went with them."

This sparked a different look in his eyes.

"She's alive?"

"Yes but they aren't sure how badly she's been hurt."

"Dr. House, if you promise to keep that mask on your face; I will drive and your wife to the hospital to see your family."

The comment didn't escape Cameron but she didn't care to correct the man. House moved into the back of the ambulance along with Cameron. As they started down the road and he could see the flames rearing their head like a monster, he grabbed Cameron's hand. Whatever Greg House was when he showed up drunk at her place a week before, he wasn't that now. The cynical diagnostician took his leave and in his place was a battered, broken little boy.

When they arrived at the hospital the friendly medic told House he could go in as long as they wheeled him upstairs. House didn't make any attempt to fight. They found Joey and Vivian in the waiting room. Joey, unaware of any movement, sat staring at the designs in the floor as if looking for the hidden answers of life.

"Any news?" Cameron asked realizing the women were the strong ones now.

"I haven't heard anything about Charlie yet but well-" She began to cry. "They aren't sure Virginia's going to make it. She lost a lot of blood when the beam fell and hit her on the head. I'm so scared. She's like my own flesh and blood. We're closer than sisters."

Cameron embraced the woman tightly. A moment later a doctor came out of the emergency room.

"Richard?" House said. His first words since he'd gotten to the ambulance. "I thought you were working at the Heart Hospital down in New Mexico?"

"I got sick of eating green chile and paying for speeding tickets. That city puts cameras on their light poles. Crazy city that Albuquerque."

"What's the news? Are they all right?"

"Charlie has a slight concussion but he's awake and talking. He's asked for you several times. He also suffered some smoke inhalation so he'll be on oxygen for about a week or so. As far as your aunt, well time will tell. The beam fractured her skull but it was minor and we repaired it. She lost a lot of blood but thanks to Charlie she suffered no smoke inhalation. He cut a hole through the floorboards and angled her so she breathed the air in the cellar and not in the restaurant. She's in a coma right now; the rest might help her however."

House didn't know whether to cry or shout with joy.

"She's very lucky Greg. If Charlie hadn't been there she would've died for sure. You need to go talk to him."

Uncle Cappy came out with tears in his eyes. But when he saw his nephew he broke down completely. House wrapped his arms around the man and stood there expressionless.

"It's all my fault Greg. She's been after me for months to get the coils in the stove replaced. But you know cause it's upstairs we rarely use it anymore. She put me on this diet and I'm goin nuts. So while she was downstairs cutting up the baklava I snuck upstairs to warm up some lasagna. I put the oven on low and went out to the car to get the new tablecloths from the trunk. I'm tellin' ya Greg I was only outside for two minutes when the upstairs exploded. I tried to lift that beam but it was at a bad angle. Joey came out of nowhere and pulled me out but I couldn't get over to get her! I swear if God gets her thru' dis' I'll become a vegetarian." He began to sob again. This time Cameron took over holding him.

House made his way to Charlie's room. He scratched and cut and his eye was swollen but the grin on his face was longer then a Texan's drawl.

"How is Aunt Virginia? Please tell me." He said quickly.

"She's alive Charlie. She has a fractured skull and she's in a coma but she's alive. Charlie do you understand that you saved her?"

"I had to cause last summer she saved my mama. I tried to push her out of the way though. I didn't push her far enough though I guess."

House had always liked Charlie. He was two years younger than House but in mentality Charlie wasn't any older then ten. He'd had to stick up for him in school because the kids bullied Charlie. Even at fifteen House was showing signs of the arrogant, crude doctor he'd become but he still watched out for Charlie and found him to be obsessed with learning. But looking at the man in front of him and knowing that he'd risked his life to save Aunt Virginia made him not only like Charlie but made him indispensable to him. Never could he convey the appropriate gratitude necessary. So he did like he'd always done with him.

"When you get out of here, Joey could use some help cleaning up the mess."

"Oh yes sir but I gotta tell you something. She made me promise to tell you in case she didn't wake up. She said she knows the truth about everything but if you don't marry Allison and have babies with her then Serifina died in vain. It's the only way she'll stop haunting your thoughts."

House could feel the same ache in his heart that had been there from the moment he'd had to relive all those old memories again. He sat down on the chair in the hallway not turning to look at Charlie.

He couldn't have a wedding without Aunt Virginia there and yet danger was approaching anyway. All he knew was that another roof was about to cave in on him and if he didn't act fast this cave-in would kill him for sure. Like it or not there was only one thing he could do and that required something that House didn't have. The ability to swallow his California sized pride. The fires weren't going out, they were about to be fed. And what soul he had left might just as well be damned for it.