4.

House, though experiencing some trepidation at Arlene's reserved welcome, nevertheless allowed her to lead him through the scores of caterers and guests to Rachel's room. As they entered, she ushered him in first while stepping behind him and closing the door.

She allowed him a moment's pause to take in the fact that they were alone and could talk freely before she began.

"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing here Greg?"

"Here we go," House said more to himself than to Arlene. He knew Cuddy's mother wouldn't pull any punches. And in the darker recesses of his mind, he didn't want her to either.

"Heard there was a shindig going on here today. I just came by to tongue-kiss the bride."

Arlene narrowed her eyes as she glared at him. "I know you've got chutzpah, but you're not that stupid are you? You don't honestly think that's a good idea?"

"Well if I wait until after the wedding, she might not let me get a grope in too. But I have to admit that I was really hoping for one last pre-marital shtup."

"Have you gone completely meshuggina? Haven't you hurt my daughter enough?"

"Me?" House was taken aback. He suddenly realized that Arlene was on a fishing expedition. So Cuddy had never given her mother any details of their breakup. That suggested a certain amount of shame or, he thought more hopefully, regret.

"I know it's only your motherly instinct to side with your daughter against the goy but don't you think you're being a little hasty?" He paused, breathing out. "I didn't dump your daughter."

Arlene wasn't surprised. She had suspected as much to begin with. But she still needed more information and it was quite likely, if she pressed him, House could provide the answers for which she sought.

"No? Well if you didn't then you must have done something completely unforgivable that forced her to break up with you!"

"Yeah, you're right. I committed the unforgivable sin of being myself. Your daughter could never live with that."

Right before he spoke, House's eyes bored into her. In that fraction of an instant she again saw into his badly bruised heart. He was still, weeks after the breakup, deeply hurt. And if that was the case, then he must surely still be in love with her daughter. Arlene smiled again.

"I know it's nearly impossible for you Greg, but try not to be an ass."

"Why? Being a stand-up guy has never gotten me anywhere. I've always made the most progress as an ass."

"Which is obviously why Lisa broke up with you. What did you really come here for?"

"That's between me and your daughter."

"Not if I can help it," Arlene said as her eyes flashed dangerously.

Greg House had always been a loose cannon, as a doctor and even more so, personally. And though he tried to hide or deny it, he was even more unhinged when he was emotionally involved.

It was beginning to dawn on Arlene that House may have only come here seeking to revenge himself on Lisa by ruining her wedding day. And yet, if he was that out-of-control, his behavior was further evidence of the depth of his feelings and stood to mean only one thing.

"Are you still in love with Lisa?" Arlene saw no recourse. She did not want to tip her hand this early yet she saw that House could dance around the subject all day. It was up to her then to cut straight to the heart of the issue.

House had unconsciously taken a step back, as if Arlene had sucker punched him. But true to form, he recovered quickly.

"Who says I was EVER in love with her?"

"Who do you take me for? I'm not just some schlemiel you can lie to and get away with it. Did you forget I saw you two together?" Arlene's smile broadened when she saw House looking uneasy. "Do you still love her?"

"It's none of your business."

"It IS my business if you've come here to try and ruin what's supposed to be the happiest day of her life."

"Oh yeah, that's right. She's SO in love with Lucas that she dumped him a year ago to go out with me."

"Well going out with you must have convinced her that was a mistake because now she's chosen him over you."

House winced slightly as he said, "She didn't choose him. He got the job of Cuddy's whipping boy by default."

"So you DID break up with Lisa?"

"Are you deaf? I never said that."

"Well if you didn't break up with her then that means that she CHOSE Lucas over you. She chose him because he's a better father to Rachel . . ."

"I don't have to stand here and listen to this." House turned toward the door but his crippled leg would not allow him to move quickly enough. Arlene stepped in front of him, barring his exit.

". . . and obviously because she's in love with him; probably never stopped loving him . . ."

"Shut up!"

". . . which can only mean that he's there for her more than you ever were. Lisa's always been physically active, if you know what I mean. No one could ever expect a cripple to keep up with her, in or out of the bedroom."

"I said shut up!" House screamed. He took a step closer, his eyes looking murderous and his fists clenched.

But Arlene didn't back down. She'd purposely jabbed him in his most vulnerable spot. House had been pushed to the breaking point and that was exactly where Arlene wanted him to be. For if Greg found himself teetering on the edge, she knew he would neither concede nor lie.

"Are you still in love with her?"

"I don't have to . . ."

"Just answer the damned question Greg!"

"Yes! Dammit! Satisfied? Yes!"

House's voice broke as he turned away from Arlene's scrupulous gaze. When he turned his head to face her once more, he had composed himself.

He exhaled heavily as if the weight of the world had settled on his shoulders. Then he said more quietly, "Yes, I still love her. Fat lot of good that does me."

Arlene smiled again and nodded slowly. "It does more good to admit how you really feel than if you just came here to get some kind of revenge on Lisa."

House looked her directly in the eye. His façade was gone. All that was left was a shattered man who was heartbroken and without hope.

"But I did come here for that."

"And now?" Arlene asked, raising an eyebrow.

House shook his head. "I don't know anymore. I don't care anymore."

"Nonsense! Don't be a schmuck. If you cared enough to ride over here on that motorcycle of yours today, of all days, then you still care."

House lowered his head but continued to gaze at her from beneath his furrowed brow.

Arlene felt her heart ache from the bleak intensity of his stare. She realized that when her daughter had fallen in love with House, Lisa's choice had been a formidable one. Unlike Lucas, Greg was not as easily controllable. He was opinionated, passionate.

And that's exactly what had frightened her. Arlene finally had her answer, why her daughter had run from House and his volatility. She saw now that by choosing Lucas, Lisa was taking the easy way out, the coward's way out.

And that was not something as a mother she was about to let stand.

Greg's voice intruded on her thoughts.

"I'm done. I shouldn't have come here." He limped around her.

Arlene stepped quickly in front of him again, interposing herself between House and a quick exit.

"But you're here now. Talk to Lisa."

House stepped back, his shock registering on his face.

"Why?"

"Because if you don't . . ." Arlene inhaled sharply. "Because if you don't, you'll BOTH regret it for the rest of your lives. That means that I'LL never hear the end of it either. And I'll be damned if I'm going to listen to Lisa kvetch about you for the rest of what's left of MY life."

She grabbed his arm and led him, without another word, through the door and down the hallway to the master bedroom.

"Never knew you were such a shadkhen," House said as he shuffled along in her wake.

"Just shut up House. For once in your pain-in-the-tuches life, shut up!"

When she got to the door, she knocked loudly.

Julie answered from inside, "Who is it?"

"Oh for God's sake! It's the Pope come to perform the ceremony because the rabbi couldn't make it! Open the door already!"

"But Mom, Lisa's not dressed yet, she's . . ."

"Open the damn door Julie!"

The door opened halfway. Julie's features registered utter shock when she recognized House standing behind her mother.

But she was too slow to react. Arlene reached in and unceremoniously grabbed her daughter by the arm and dragged her out from behind the door. In the same instant, she took her other hand and pushed House inside the room, slamming the door behind him.

"There," she said with more than a little note of satisfaction in her voice. "Let's see what they can make of that."