Chapter 3

Dominika sat watching her husband playing with the twins, a smile on her lovely face. Greg had seemed happier since he had reconciled with the people from his former life. Wilson was a regular visitor, he and Sam often called in, they had even taken the twins to the park a couple of times, and on the few nights her and Greg were free from the club, they had stayed to eat together.

When Greg was released from prison, they had settled into a routine, with Greg just enjoying being able to do what he liked after the restrictions' of life in jail, Dom had been attracted to him from very early on and as their friendship grew she began to desire him more and more, but he was very determined to keep her at arms length, the age gap to him was huge barrier and there was little or nothing she could do about it. One night she was having a vivid dream about her father, he was beating her mother and at was very very real, he was choking her and wouldn't stop. Ten-year-old Dominika was pounding him. She had woken with a fright to find it was House she was raining blows upon.

"Wake up Dom, its just a dream"

She awoke frightened and disorientated, Greg was sitting on the bed looking concerned, and he had turned the light on and was looking at her with those beautiful eyes.

"I'm sorry, I was having a nightmare, I'm OK you can go back to bed" she said

"Whom were you dreaming about?" he watched her closely seeing the pain in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter, its cold, go back to bed."

"It might help to talk." He was curious and surprised at just how distressed she had been.

She shook her head; tears were welling up in her eyes. "Please Greg just let it go." The tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. House got up and switched the light off and just when she thought he had gone she felt his weight as he joined her under the covers, he pulled her into her arms, so she was laying with her face on his chest, he stroked her hair and said "Its OK just try and sleep" and to her surprise, she had. It had taken House a lot longer to fall asleep, he had not been with a woman for a long time and the feel and smell of her drove him crazy, it had been bad enough living under the same roof with her walking around looking as sexy as hell, now she was snuggled against him and his senses had gone into overdrive. In the early hours he had slipped out of bed and gone and had a shower.

House could not believe how driven Dom was she had multiple low paying jobs that had her coming and going around the clock, when she worked late he would walk around the corner to the bar and wait to walk her home, as it was only a couple of blocks. House had no job but he had paid for the apartment in advance, it amused him, that Dom would slip money into his jacket pocket on a regular basis, nothing was ever said about it but he was starting to feel like it was time for him to pay his way. One night after he had walked her home they were sitting having a drink when he asked her what she wanted to do with her life.

"One day I will have my own place, a restaurant; it's my dream"

"Why? I thought you'd be sick of running around looking after people and dealing with drunks."

"I'm good at it."

"Yes, but say if you could be anything, astronaut, brain surgeon, what would you be?"

"Greg I'm not smart like you, I leave school at fifteen."

"That doesn't mean you're not smart Dom, you are a very intelligent person, just cause you've had a rough start doesn't mean your limited to doing what your doing now."

"Why you talk like this, don't you like your wife being a barmaid?"

"Dom, I'm not criticizing you, I just want to help you get where you want to be."

"I am where I want to be, I like my life."

"I'm glad." He said with a quiet smile.

One night when he went to meet Dom he found the manager hitting on her in a major way, Dom was trying to get away from him politely, when House walked in and punched him square on the nose.

"Stay away from my wife." He said to the man lying on the floor nursing a bleeding nose.

Dom abhorred any kind of violence and she was furious with House, as she had lost her job, she worked there five nights a week so it was a sizable chunk of her income.

They walked home in silence and when they got there she went to bed without speaking.

The next morning she was still very frosty, and was ignoring House.

"Did you expect me to stand there while that creep put his hands on my wife."

"But I'm not really your wife, am I Greg, you have a wall around you no-one can get close."

"I take it you wanted that sleazy bastards hands all over you."

"At least he find me attractive, you have ice in your veins." She was angry "I leave here" she went to her room and started to throw her things into a box.

"Dom you have no where to go, and your stuck with me, we have to be here at least for a while, I'll stay out of your way, but just don't leave, please."

"I'm looking for another place, when I find one I'm going." She said defiantly

"OK, if that's what you want."

That night Dom was home, as she was no longer required at the bar, House cooked dinner for them both, she ate in silence, House had watched her pouring over situations vacant for most of the day. She went to bed early. House tried to get interested in television but his leg hurt and he was very upset about Dom leaving, he knew that she was serious, and he had come to care for her more than he would admit even to himself. He was pacing the hall it was the most pain he had been in for a long time, he knew that Wilson would say that it was because he couldn't let himself feel emotions. He was sitting on the couch writhing in pain, thinking how alone he really was, when Dom was there, asking what she could do to help.

"Nothing, go to bed, I really mean it." He said with gritted teeth.

"Oh shut up" she said and before he knew what was happening she had rolled the leg of his boxers up and was massaging his damaged thigh with the cream he had tried earlier.

"Please, don't" he said. He was embarrassed he didn't want her to see his ugly scar.

"Tell me if I hurt you", she said as her hands worked their magic on his mangled thigh "Greg you think I care that you have a scar, that you are older than me! I care for you, I like you, why can't we be together, who else do we have, no-one that's who."

"You aren't stuck with me, soon you will be here legally, and you can find someone your own age and build a life."

"What if I want to be with you." She said the muscle under her hands had started to soften.

"You don't want to be with me, I'm poison, anyone near me gets hurt."

"It doesn't have to be like that, Greg, we are both broken people, maybe together, we can be whole."

"You can do better."

"I don't want better, I want you!"

Dom got up and moved so their eyes were level; dark brown met cobalt blue, Dom touched his face, then she moved closer. Their breath mingled. House knew that he had to commit or she would be gone, she was right neither of them had anyone else, and he liked her. He cared for her. It was a hell of a risk but he was beyond fighting the feelings he had for her. His hand stroked her cheek and he drew her closer, they kissed tenderly, she drew back and smiled at him. His heart skipped a beat, she had the most beautiful smile, and he smiled back then drew her in again. They kissed and held each other, the atmosphere was more emotional than sexual, and House noticed a tear making it's way down her cheek.

"Are You OK?" he asked his voice husky. "Do you feel alright?"

"I feel safe" her voice was equally husky "I trust you."

"Lets go to bed, I hope I have a condom that hasn't expired." he joked

She got to her feet and dragged him to his, she stroked his cheek before pulling him down for another kiss then giving him a saucy look she said "Your room or mine!"

They were like a couple of teenagers, Dom's job hunting took a back seat as they hardly left the apartment, she did keep her other jobs, and while she was gone House schemed about their future. One day when she arrived home House excitedly told her not to take her coat off as they were going out. He hailed a cab and took her too a building where they met a man who showed them around. It was a restaurant that had closed and the owner of the building was selling, it was two stories, with 3 apartments up stairs and a series of shops that were leased out down stairs, it was to be auctioned the following week. Dom thought House was crazy.

"How can we afford this?" she asked

"Let me worry about that, what do you think of the restaurant."

House was good with money; he had money invested off shore and in gold, lots of gold. Since the economy was in turmoil gold prices had gone through the roof so House had freed up his assets so Dom could have her dream, One week later they were the proud owners of a large building. So her dream became his, they moved in upstairs in the largest apartment and stared work on the restaurant, two months later they were ready to open, Dom had headhunted the best staff from the jobs she had worked at, and they opened the House of Blues Bar and Restaurant six weeks later. Two days later they found out Dom was pregnant, a month later they found out they were having twins. House was in shock; he figured that condom must have been in his wallet too long, because he estimated she had conceived their first night together. Dom was worried how House would react but he seemed fine, they were so busy and she was tired. Their opening night had gone well and she was elated, when House and her went upstairs tired but happy he handed her an envelope, she looked at it puzzled, when she opened it inside was both copies of the prenuptial agreement she had signed before their wedding.

"What did you give me this for?" she asked

"So you could do this" he said tearing them in half "Now we're really married."