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Chapter Nineteen

House's evasive tactics worked for the next few days but Dominica was determined to corner him and discuss their problems. The main problem she had was that for the first time in their relationship House was able to move considerably quicker that she could. The weakness in her right side affected he balance so she really had to concentrate when walking. House took advantage of this and made it very hard for Dom to catch him alone and try to talk about their relationship, this served to make the tension between them worse. The brief times they saw each other were usually in passing and there was always someone around so House was able to avoid talking with her about anything to do with their problems. He stayed down in the restaurant until late and more often than not Ania would find him asleep in his chair in the lounge when she was on her way to the kitchen to make here early morning cup of tea. The one time they were alone things escalated quickly into an argument.

"Greg we need to talk"

There were a few statements that sent a chill down his spine and this was defiantly one of them "Can't right now"

"You've been avoiding me all week."

"Busy week" House was looking for an escape route; he could not see how the conversation could end well for him. "What do you want to talk about?" he could tell she was not going to let him go without chewing him out about something

"Is our marriage not important to you?"

House was pissed Dom had been super bitchy with him and now she was going to give him a lecture "Our relationship is important to me, the marriage not so much. If you remember you married me to get a green card; the marriage is a fraud, although you've finally got the bitchy nagging wife down pat!"

"We have children to think of! We can't go on like this"

"I agree with you. We have things to sort out and work on, but don't throw the whole marriage thing in my face Dom, some phony piece of paper is not reason we decided to stay together, we didn't mean a thing we said on our wedding day, you went on honeymoon with you illegal immigrant boyfriend! If you want to talk to me about our relationship that's OK, just don't lecture me about our marriage because its bullshit!"

"You want to separate? Just go, don't let me hold you back" Dom was shocked and close to tears, but she was furious and House became worried for her health. He immediately tried to diffuse things he tried to hug her but she was in no mood to have him touch her "Get your hands off me! If you want "out" Greg just go, I'm not begging you to stay with me!"

"No I don't want out, I just want to get you well, and then we will work out what needs to happen, all I want is for you to take things easy and get through this. Dom I know rehab is a bitch, but I don't know how to help you. Getting this upset is not good for you right now. "

Dom was scared and at breaking point "I know. Greg I know I haven't been easy." Dom said collapsing against his chest "I know I'm being horrible to you, but I can't seem to help it!"

"It's OK, Dom. I've been where you are. I understand. Just promise me you won't make any major decisions right now let's get you well, and then we can work out what you want. I'll do whatever you want!"

House was very upset after leaving Dom and he was sitting down in the empty restaurant at the piano his hands glide over the key as he tried to find solace in the music. Pete Tom and Eli were making sure the tables were set for the evening, then they came and each of them grabbed and instrument and just started to play along. The older men had themselves used music to soothe their battle worn souls, for the next couple of hours the four of them played themselves to a standstill, they had run out of music breathe and energy and silence filled the empty room until Elli said in a wise voice,

"Woman huh"

"What do you know about woman you old coot?" House answered amused

"I know one's given you the blues, son!"

"Yeah just as well there's a spare bed in your digs huh!" House replied "if things get really bad at least I've got you old jailbirds to hang with!"

"I don't know! I seem to remember that you snore!" Pete chipped in.

"Snores like a truck!" Joe agreed

"Bullshit, I don't snore, Dom would have told me!"

"If I snored like that and had a woman who could put up with it, well…" Pete added ignoring House.

"Yip takes a special kinda woman!" Eli joined in

"Like a truck" Joe repeated

"You're all senile." House stated

"Yip", Pete agreed

"But at least we don't snore!" Eli added

It was weird but after playing and chatting with the boys House felt better He knew their teasing about his snoring was their way of telling him that he wasn't perfect and he was lucky to have Dom and they were not going to do anything to help him leave. House headed back upstairs he had made a decision, the evasion tactics he was using were only serving to piss Dom off. He went and checked on Dom and the kids, he had just made coffee when Billy came in from school, he sat with House and Dom while they drank their coffee, he was happy to see that although things were still far from normal, at least the tension seem to have eased between the two of them.

"I've been asked to join a band." He told them "Do you think I should?"

"Are they any good?" House asked

"They're not bad for a high school band, their lead guitarist broke his hand, and Mr Green, who is the music teacher suggested me to them."

"It might be fun." Dom said she was thrilled that Billy's confidence was growing enough for him to even consider this.

"What do they play?" House asked

"Bit of everything, there's a school fundraiser at the end of the month and they are supposed to be playing there, they have only got a few weeks to get someone up to speed. I think I could do it if only for the fundraiser."

Billy played both electric and acoustic guitar and he has a great singing voice too. House had taught him to play and he used music much the way House had, to help himself through the tough times.

"That sounds good! If you need any help let me know." House offered

"Well I was going to ask if you would help us, they are all pretty disorganised and Mr Green has kind put me in charge."

The next afternoon House and Billy were down in the empty restaurant they both had an acoustic guitar on their lap and an electric on a stand beside them. House was giving Billy some work on the songs he knew that the band he had joined would be playing.

"Would it be OK if we practiced here on the weekend?"

"I don't see why not, I'd like to hear you play with them."

"Would you mind listening and giving us some advice?"

"If it's OK with them it's OK with me"

House had the feeling that Billy had something on his mind but he didn't want to push him.

"Everything OK with you?"

"No not really"

"Anything I can help with?"

Billy paused and took a breath "Yeah, House you could do a lot to help!"

House looked at the boy his expression now wary "OK shoot!"

"Things aren't too good between you and Dom?"

"It's been a rough month, Billy!"

"Not good enough House!" Brown eyes locked with blue, Billy continued "you told Wilson and I that Dom made it easy, she drew the dots close together so even you couldn't screw your relationship up"

"I did say that! What's your point?"

"It's your turn to make it easy for her, there's something going on with her and if you don't know what it is, you need to find out!"

"Sounds easy, but I can't force her to tell me what's wrong, sometimes "almost dying" changes a person's priorities what they settled for before they won't settle for after. There's not much I can do Bill, you can't make someone love you!"

"How do you know that's what's going on? You think you have it all figured out! How can you be sure?"

"I've been through it before, twice!"

"Care to elaborate?"

"Not really but I guess there'll be no peace until I do."

"Right"

"When my leg happened I was in a five year relationship with a lawyer, her name was Stacey I trusted her to make decisions for me but she went against my wishes, she saved my life, in doing so I was left a cripple. I was in love with her, but I couldn't get past it I blamed her. I drove her away, and then I was devastated that she left. With Cuddy she thought she was going to die, I thought she was going to die; I took a Vicodon because I just couldn't be there for her without it, you see Bill I'm a weak, shallow bastard and I guess that she realised it and needed more."

"And you drove into her house?"

"Not one of my better moves was it?"

"No but if you hadn't done it, you wouldn't have come into my life."

"That really would have been terrible."

Billy smiled "Yeah" there was a comfortable silence between the two for a few minutes then Billy spoke again "Do you love Dom?"

House was surprised at the question "Why would you even ask that?"

"Because you've just given up, seems you are prepared to fight for me, you fought for Eli, Pete and Joe but you are just going roll over and let Dom, Sophie and Will slip away without a fight!"

"I…." House was choked up, he wouldn't usually have let this conversation continue, he would deflect, and insult and he would use the "black belt" he had in sarcasm to avoid any situation like this, but he couldn't bring himself to use those dubious skills on the young man sitting beside him "I don't have a choice"

"That's absolute bullshit House!"

"Hey watch your mouth"

"Do you know what your trouble is?"

Houses defences rose it was a question his father had put to him many a time "I'm sure you are about to enlighten me!"

"You just don't know what a great man you are; you push people away because you don't believe anyone can truly love you. You're sure that one day they'll realise you're not worth it."

House felt uncomfortable he found insults easier to deal with "Just stop!"

"I can't House" the boy was crying now "This is just too important! I'm so scared; you are the puzzle solver House! Solve this please I beg you don't quit on us we need you, Sophie, Will and I are counting on you please House don't let us down."

"I don't want to, but I can't promise you, I'm not good at this Bill I wish I was but I'm not!'

"You'll start telling yourself that we are better off without you." House couldn't meet the boy's eyes he was very close to being right "You are better than you know House, you are my hero no matter what, and I just know that if you set your mind to finding out what's wrong, you'll do it!"

"I'll do my best I promise, Bill" House let his fingers drift over the guitar strings.

Billy looked at the man he had come to love so much "I know we can count on you! Can we go over the rift again?"

"Sure" House was relieved to change the subject!

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