The Ghosts of the Past

by purpleu

That which haunts us doesn't exist only in our minds. As an image on a screen preys on House's psyche, he learns that some who have touched upon his life are in pain, too. When they come knocking, seeking his help, will he slam the door on them, or will he relent and let in "The Ghosts of the Past."

3. Chapter 3

"Ghosts of the Past"

Chapter Three – "Faces at the Window"

By: purple

(Author's note: I'm sorry for the long delay in posting this chapter, but I'm afraid my health issues have interfered with things once again. I was hospitalized for two weeks at the beginning of April with severe multiple infections. I still have a long way to go toward recovery, and face more time in the hospital, at least for overnight stays. However, I use my writing at therapy, so be assured that no matter what, I will still be writing and posting my work. I hope you enjoy chapter three of "Ghosts of the Past." I'm already at work on chapter four. Thanks for your loyalty!)

"Hey, Doogie…what does the x-ray show?"

"I don't want to say until I consult with an expert; his name's Dr. Gregory House. But I can tell you one thing…it's not Lupus." Looking down at Ben, House had to shake his head. At Ben's request, they had managed to get permission for House to accompany the Halloween parade that made its way around the grassy playground area at Ben and Elise's school; after all, he was playing the part of Ben's patient. Between House and Lydia they had decked him out well; Ben wore jeans, sneakers, one of House's t-shirts that was tied off in the back and a white lab coat Lydia found at a second-hand clothing store and shortened. House let the boy borrow his stethoscope and a blurry x-ray image that was headed for the hospital trash bin. While the lab coat wasn't part of House's usual attire at work, it helped give the idea that Ben was a doctor. House looked appropriate for his part; his cane and sneakers, a pair of scrub pants over his jeans, and an exam gown over his long-sleeved t-shirt. He completed the outfit with his left arm in a make-shift sling, and a "bloodied" bandage around his head. House was going to go for a more graphic presentation, but Lydia pointed out the he would scare the kids in the school half to death and be banned from the parade. So going with what he called a "decidedly wimpy approach," House walked alongside Ben, occasionally making comments and asking questions as the kid held up the x-ray for inspection. The boy also wanted to make proper use of the stethoscope, but their height difference prevented him from doing so.

House looked to his right, and saw that they were coming up on their "fan club"; Lydia was videotaping things as Annie was taking still pictures. Wilson was there, too, along with Tom and Marianne watching their "zombie kids" in the parade. Marianne didn't go overboard so that the other kids in school wouldn't be frightened, but House thought the make-up she did for Tommy and Shelly was still quite well done and effective; it didn't surprise him to learn she had a dual major of music and theater in college. As they got closer, House gestured to Ben to get off the line and approach their cheering section.

"You two look great!" Annie said as she quickly snapped a couple of pics. "Get in there with them," she said to Lydia. Her friend stopped filming and stood next to House.

"Having fun?" she asked her boyfriend.

"Time of my life," he said with a hint of sarcasm. Lydia looked over at him; she had questioned if he'd be able to handle the parade when she saw how much his leg bothered him after the ultrasound, but he assured her he could handle it. House said he didn't want to disappoint her son; he remembered all too well the feelings of hurt from his youth.

"You two make an excellent doctor and patient," Wilson said to Ben "I'm speaking from experience on this," he said giving House a look. He was trying gauge how his friend was feeling while doing this extra walking.

"Wait till you see what your niece-to-be is up to," House said shaking his head. "She's as much of a piece of work as her aunt is." Annie heard the comment and stuck out her tongue. "Sorry, only your best buddy's allowed to do that."

"You two better go catch up with Ben's class," Lydia said with a laugh. "Meet you back at the car." House nodded.

"Ready, kid?" he asked the boy.

"Make sure he follows your orders, Doogie," Tom shouted out as they walked away. "He's notorious for being a bad patient!" House looked over his shoulder and gave Tom a dirty look. They were all grateful House controlled himself and didn't respond the way he really wanted to.

"Hey," Marianne said as the line of the other classes approached. "Listen…" Sure enough, off in the distance, they heard the distinctive sound of a kazoo; but it wasn't just the kazoo they heard…there was humming, too. Sure enough, as her class came closer, Elise was leading the way, conducting her fellow students. They didn't have kazoos like she did, but they were all humming Bobby 'Boris' Pickett's "Monster Mash."

"OMG!" Annie squealed. "I…I just taught her that song last weekend! She kept asking me what she had to do to teach it to others…I didn't know what she was getting at."

"Now you know," Wilson said smiling as he put his arm around his fiancée. Lydia, Tom and Marianne were just as surprised and just as pleased as they watched the group of children approach. Ms. Lewis, Elise's teacher, spotted them and came trotting over.

"Ms. Strohman, there is no doubt in my mind that your daughter is going to be a teacher when she grows up; she got those children to settle down and listen to her easier than I can," she said laughing. Ms. Lewis looked at Annie. "She is certainly going to take after her aunt when it comes to music!" She saw her class getting closer. "Sorry, I have to go…have a good day!" The teacher ran back to her class just as they were coming up to Lydia and the others. Elise never missed a hum, but waved furiously at the adults as the parade continued on by.

"You taught her well," Tom observed giving Annie a wink.

"I keep wondering if I have what it takes to be a good mother like Lydia is," Annie said. "And then a little thing like this happens, and I know it will all be OK."

"You're going to be a fantastic mother," Wilson said bringing his other arm up and around her and giving her a hug. "And…I'll…be adequate as a dad."

"James, you'll be wonderful," Lydia reassured him. Wilson nodded.

"I guess if House can learn how to…step into a parental role reasonably well, I can do the same." Lydia looked off across the field; Ben and House were almost directly opposite her. House's tall figure was easy to spot, especially when various parents came up to them and asked them to stop for a picture. The "men" in her life made a good team which thrilled her to no end. Lydia smiled; here was a man who thought he'd never even be seriously involved with someone again, and yet not only was he willing to let her into his life, but her children as well. She knew her kids' natural intelligence and fun personalities had a lot to do with it, but House had to give a lot of leeway, too, and he did so willingly…most of the time. Tommy and Shelly soon passed by looking awesome and playing the part of the undead to the hilt. Even though they were in separate grades, Tommy ran ahead and posed with his sister for pictures in front of their parents. Not long after they ran back to re-join their respective classes, the last of the children passed by and the parade came to an end.

"So, what's the game plan?" Wilson asked as they started to walk to the parking lot.

"You, Annie and Tom are going back to the hospital," Lydia began. "And Marianne, Greg and I are going to take the kids out trick or treating. I should go back to PPTH, too, but Greg helped me so much with the work I brought home, that I'm all caught up with what I needed to do. I resubmitted those claims this morning after I took out all the smart-assed comments he added in."

"I can only imagine," Wilson said cringing.

"Oh, most of them were quite warranted; you'd be thinking the same thing," Lydia replied.

"Yeah, but the difference is, Wilson would edit himself," Tom said. "House couldn't be bothered."

"Ummm…I assume you two had a chance to discuss things a little bit after you got home yesterday," said Wilson. "Or did he avoid the subject like the plague?"

"No, we talked about a lot of things," Lydia said looking at the ground as she walked. "It was very…surprising, emotional, and intense. But when all was said and done, it was a very good talk; things are in a good place…with him and us."

"He did fill you in on what's going to have to happen with his leg, didn't he?" Tom asked. "Because, sweetheart, you are both going to be in for one tough, long haul. Not that I think you can't handle it, but…"

"I dealt with things concerning my parents, both of them at the same time. I know it will be tough," Lydia said as she turned to her friends. "But if there's a chance that he can get some kind of relief…from the pain, from the physical weakness he's beginning to have, from the mental stress of what happened to him…then I'll do it." Pulling out her keys as they approached their cars, she pointed the clicker and pressed the button to open the doors on the van.

"Wait…are you telling me that House is willing to…" Wilson said looking back and forth between Tom and Lydia. "Have the operation?"

"He's willing to have both, in fact," Lydia noted.

He's going for the muscle transplant?" Tom asked. "Whoa…"

"You're kidding," Marianne said. "It took how many years just to get him to do the test?"

"Two ex-wives worth," said Wilson half muttering under his breath. Annie shot him a look and ignored her fiancé.

"Lydia…are you sure you're OK with this? Greg will be lashing out at everything and everyone; you and James included," Annie said taking her friend's hand in hers.

"I know. I told Greg that…he and I would handle it together; you and I will have to do the same," Lydia said looking at Wilson. "Although with a new baby in your life, you'll have your hands full enough already."

"Hey," Wilson said giving Lydia a hug. "He's my best friend; you may have figured out how to better control him than I have over the years, but…I'll do what I can."

"Greg and I were just talking about this last night; how we'd have, as he put it, a pissing contest over who knew him better."

"And you'd lose by virtue of differences in anatomy." House appeared as he rounded the back of the van with Ben, Elise, Tommy and Shelly all following behind; the kids were humming "Monster Mash."

"Did you hear us? Did you hear my class?" Elise asked after she signaled the kids to stop humming. "Did we sound good?"

"They sounded wonderful, honey," Annie said as she crouched down to hug her niece.

"You know, Ms. Lewis came over and told me that she thought you'd make an excellent teacher when you grow up," said Lydia stroking her daughter's hair.

"Really? Really?" Elise began to jump up and down and let out a high-pitched squeal.

"HEY!" House shouted out after a few seconds. "Quit the opera diva imitation or there'll be no Slurpees for a month; and you know what I'm like if I don't have my Slurpees."

"Yeah…a crankypuss," Shelly said giggling. House shot her a look as she tried to hide behind her father. He had spent enough time over at Tom and Marianne's that he had established a decent relationship with their children as well as well as Lydia's; the two sets of kids were very much alike.

"And look at you," Annie said to Ben as she hugged him. "Why can't all of my doctors look as handsome as you?"

"Because not all of your doctors are me," House noted.

"Annie already has a handsome doctor in her life," Lydia said.

"The handsome part is open for debate," quipped House as he and Wilson exchanged looks.

"I'm…going to ignore that remark, and instead enjoy the zombies," Wilson said looking at Tommy and Shelly. "Not only did your mom do a great job on the make-up, you guys have the walk and the…uh…talk down right, too." Tom and Marianne's kids began to move around, letting out low moans and bumping into people; Tommy repeatedly got House a few too many times.

"One more collision and the no Slurpee rule goes into effect," he said holding his cane parallel to the ground and using it as a shield so no one else could make contact with him.

"Hey," Ben said to his friend. "Don't be a moron, you doofus!"

"Ben…enough!" his mother warned the child.

"Yeah…don't you know two insults equal a compliment?" asked House. The four kids stopped and looked at each other in confusion. "See, make them stop and think, and you'll shut them up every time," he noted to the adults.

"Alright, let's get this going," Tom said. "You guys have fun trick-or-treating; we'll see you over at the hospital a little later." He gave each of the kids a quick hug and opened the doors on his SUV.

"Annie, are you sure you don't want to come home with us?" Lydia asked. "You can lay down for a little while and then I can wake you up when we head back over to work."

"No, thank you. I want to get some lessons prepared for next week so they're not hanging over my head this weekend. I have one student who's really struggling with his bowing technique and I have some pieces to look over to help him," Annie said. "I can put my feet up on the couch in James' oncology office while I do that, and if I get tired, I can doze off right there."

"We just discharged a patient today, so my team should be in there playing pencil-pushers since some people around here insist on correctly filled out paperwork," House said shaking his head. "What nudges they can be." He saw his girlfriend giving him a look. "What? I'm talking about Wilson and Foreman."

"Somehow I knew that," Wilson said as he helped his pregnant girlfriend into the front seat of Tom's car.

"Have fun collecting candy!" Annie called out.

"Don't let House scam it all from you!" Wilson added on as he joined Annie.

"He really does know you, doesn't he?" Tom asked House, who smirked.

"More than I'd like him to, sometimes," he replied.

"Catch you later; don't let the gremlins drive you crazy," said Tom as he started the car. House nodded and moved back so Tom could pull out of his spot and head over to PPTH. He turned his attention to the interior of the van where the kids were getting into their car seats. Tommy was complaining that he was getting too big to ride in a booster seat anymore, which was quite true, and Elise and Shelly were pleading to sit next to each other. House observed the whole scene with a scowl; he could deal with the kids on most occasions, even when they got a bit cranky. But not right now. Maybe it was because the events of yesterday were still on his mind that he had little tolerance for the usual kid clamoring that went on. A few Snickers bars and a Kit Kat candy or two would put him on enough of a chocolate high to handle it all. After getting everyone settled it, he drove back home for potty breaks and costume touch-ups. House played photographer, taking pictures of all four kids with and without their moms. One of their neighbors, an older woman, came out and offered to take a group shot of everyone even though House was no longer wearing his costume; he had enough of posing for unknown parents during the parade, but it was easier to join in the shot than argue. Of course he stuck his tongue out and crossed his eyes as the picture was taken, but for that matter, so did the kids. So as to avoid the slow crawl from dwelling to dwelling, House stayed in the car and followed along at the curb. The tactic worked to his advantage; every few houses, at least one of the kids would run back over to the car and give House a Snickers or some other form of chocolate. This happened repeatedly until House finally had to ask about it.

"Hey," he called out after Ben and Tommy had given him some M&M's packs. "What's the deal with playing Willie Wonka? I'm not complaining, but…."

"We never eat all the candy we get," Tommy said with a shrug.

"Yeah, and we heard my mom say that some chocolate would make you feel better," Ben said. "So, it's cool." The two boys ran from the car to catch-up with their sisters and their moms; House followed them with his eyes. I guess I can cut them some slack, he thought. They're just kids…and I'm just in a bad mood…. When they completed their rounds in the neighborhood, House drove Marianne, Lydia and the kids over to the hospital for the party human resources had organized for the children of employees. House was hoping to grab a little rest on the lounger in his office or any place he could find to hide. Pulling into his spot by the hospital entrance, he opened the doors and let the kids out followed quickly by their moms; House remained inside the car.

"Hon, aren't you coming in?" Lydia asked.

"I'm going through the list of excuses I have not to, so I can pick the most plausible one," House said leaning his head against the seat rest.

"Your leg? Do you want to come in and put it up? I know Annie said something about using James' office, but there are two couches there," his girlfriend offered.

"Yeah, but it's everyone I'd have to walk past to get to Wilson's office that creates the problem. No one harassed me with questions of my intentions this morning, but I know I'm only delaying the inevitable."

"Well, then…just tell them you don't want to talk about anything right now. Maybe you'll be more comfortable doing it when everyone is at our place tonight," said Lydia.

"I already figured I'd be trapped into discussing it tonight…which is why I don't want to go over it piecemeal now." House took off his sun glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I'd rather they know what's going on so they have an idea of the kind of help you're going to need in all of this."

"It seems none of them ran away when you asked them to help surprise me this past weekend, or with the trip in February. I'll have plenty of help," Lydia replied. House nodded as he looked over at his girlfriend.

"Boy, I wish we weren't parked by the front of the hospital right now," he said giving his lips a quick lick.

"Control yourself," she said with a laugh. "Go lay down and I'll wake you up properly later. Just let me know where you're hiding." House smiled as Lydia walked away. A woman that beautiful, passionate and smart who loved him for the person he was, with all of his flaws. Damn, what did I step in? House wondered as he got out of the car, locked it and headed into PPTH. He was grateful as he made his way through the halls of the hospital that he encountered no one he knew. He knocked on the door of Wilson's office in case Annie was still inside. She wasn't there, but he could see her jacket and some of her music papers by Wilson's desk. House settled down on the nearest couch, and sent a quick text to Lydia to let her know where he was. He put his phone back in his jacket, swung his feet up and fluffed a pillow behind his head. Taking his costume off when they stopped home was the best thing he could have done; he was less obvious as he made his way up to Wilson's office and it was a hell of a lot more comfortable grabbing a snooze without it. Only a few minutes went by before House drifted off into a blissful sleep….

"I'm so glad Lydia said no one had to do costumes tonight at the party," Annie said.

"Yeah, just wearing something black, orange, neon green or purple is unique enough for some of us," Wilson agreed as he opened his office door. He quickly turned to Annie and put a finger up to his lips. She peeked around the corner of the doorway and smiled when she saw House's prone form on the couch. They moved down to the far end of Wilson's office before continuing their conversation in low voices.

"Lydia said he might use the couch in here to get some rest; he hasn't slept well the past couple of nights," noted Annie. "Did you…have any clue that his leg was mangled and butchered as badly as it had been? That he was in such horrible pain?" Wilson gestured for Annie to sit in a leather chair; he sat in one perpendicular to it.

"I had…more than a bit of an idea after Tom explained the extent House's injuries just based on the info in the file; but…" Wilson dropped his head down as he shook it. "As soon as I saw the swabs, saw the nerves had been just…hacked…" Wilson picked his head up and looked away from Annie. "I began to understand what he had been living with…what he had been hiding from me." Wilson looked back at his fiancée. "There were plenty of things we never said to each other…but this was a biggie." Annie reached out for Wilson's hand.

"Do you think you could have ever convinced him to move on and get the operation?" Wilson looked at Annie and laughed.

"I'm not…built the right way," he said continuing to laugh. "After House succeeded in pushing Stacy away, I think he felt that the only way things were going to get better, is if some woman was willing to put up with him…to love him again, warts and all. Of course he kept everyone at arm's length, so that wasn't likely to happen." Wilson looked at Annie; he could see she was tearing up. "Hey, hey…what…"

"I'm so…happy…that we worked through what happened after the mugging. It wasn't just a physical issue…it was emotional, too." Wilson smiled.

"I know that…there was no way in hell I would have wanted to survive that whole mess without you in my life; you gave me a reason to fight every painful step, every moment of doubt. And now I get to marry my beautiful fiancée. Did you get a chance to talk to the facilities department at the university? What did they say about using the hilltop chapel and the lodge?"

"We have the chapel from 11am to 6pm on December 6th; they left it open to a broad range of time since we haven't settled on when we wanted to hold the ceremony yet. The lodge hall is ours from 2pm until midnight on the same day, so the caterer and the DJ have time to set up." Annie reached over and stroked Wilson's cheek. "I was thinking of having the ceremony start at 4, and the reception at 6. That way there'll be time to take pictures outside the chapel before we start the party." Wilson shook his head.

"I told you…it's not that I don't care about what things look like or how they're done…I just want you, and me and our friends there to celebrate me…finally getting it right." Annie leaned into Wilson and gave him a big hug. "So," Wilson said. "Have you thought about the last two big questions hanging over your head?"

"Yes…and if it's OK with you, I'd like Reverend Bell to perform the ceremony. Are you sure your parents will be OK with that?

"Look, I…made my Bar Mitzvah, I join them for a Seder at Passover. They might raise a stink at first…but I know how to quiet them down. It will sound cruel, but I will point out that since I am the only son they are in contact with…this is the last chance they will have to see any of their sons get married. Also, there's the grandchild carrot to dangle in front of them," Wilson said smiling at Anne and placing his hand on her stomach. "You have no idea how happy you've made me. Even if this," he said looking down at his right hip. "Had never happened…I don't think it would have been too much longer before I proposed to you. You've brought…a whole new feeling of…peace into my life. I'm not questioning everything I say and do any more. I'm…happy." Wilson shrugged and gave Annie a kiss. "When do you want to ask Reverend Bell?"

"I know he's coming to Greg and Lydia's tonight, and I thought we'd ask him there. I just love his approach to the ideas of love and commitment, not just to his ministry or anything; like Greg said, he probably used a cheat sheet to get himself through his Divinity studies. It's his thought that when you love someone, you stand by them and do whatever you have to so you can be with them. Those aren't just words to him," Annie said with a big smile. "He lived that philosophy. Lydia and I love listening as he tells stories of him and Blythe over the years."

"I've got news for you," Wilson said. "House may not want to admit it, but he enjoys listening to the stories, too. On the one hand it makes him feel guilty about misjudging things; but I think deep down…it proves he came from the very strong love that Blythe and Thomas had for each other. It's far better than what he thought growing up."

"Which brings me to my other question," said Annie. "Who should walk me down the aisle? I have no living relatives… well not that I would want near me," she said rolling her eyes as she referred to her nasty, brutal brother. "I feel it should be either Greg or Lydia. If Greg didn't take the time to try help me when he got to Mayfield, all of this wouldn't be happening right now. He introduced us by having you come with him when Lydia and I looked at the house. But by the same token, Lydia stayed by me for ten years, coming nearly every day out to Mayfield; taking are care of me physically, letting me know she was still there for me…" Annie began crying. "She used hundreds of thousands of her own money to keep me close so she could better help me."

"I've never been accused of having a bone of sentimentality in my body; and with good reason." House swung his feet off the couch, sat up, and looked at Wilson and Annie. "But my understanding of the role of the person who gives the bride away, is to seal the deal on the dowery that was being exchanged. Since that's not the case anymore, rules go right out the window; not that they shouldn't anyway." House looked down at the floor. "I've known you only a few years; Lydia was the one who first encouraged you, gave you your 'voice' when you were teen-agers. The honor should go to Fraulein." Annie rose up and hurried over to House; she sat down next to him and gave him a hug. "After all, if she hadn't given you that blue music box, Freedom Master and I wouldn't have been able to unlock the cage your mind was held in." Annie laughed.

"You know, I really wanted to find a way to have both of you do it, but I didn't know how it would look."

"Last I checked…which I didn't check at all…there are no firm rules with these ceremonies anymore; however, I think the aisle would have gotten a little crowded if we tried to go three across. It's not a jumbo jet."

"Hello?" Lydia poked her head into Wilson's office; she saw Wilson sitting by himself across the room, and House and Annie sitting together on the couch. Annie was still dabbing at her eyes; as much as Lydia was tempted to ask what House did or said, she took a more neutral route to her inquiry.

"What's going on?" Lydia asked with a light tone to her voice. Annie stood and came over to her as she put her things down on the table by the couch.

"When James and I came in here a little while ago, Greg was sleeping on the couch; but I think despite our better efforts, we woke him up."

"I've only been awake a few minutes," House said. "I think I got the most consecutive minutes of sleep that I've had in a while."

"You've been up here about an hour and a half," noted Lydia. House looked surprised.

"And I fell asleep pretty quickly. It's amazing what sheer exhaustion can sometimes do." Lydia sat down next to her boyfriend.

"Do you want your other dose of Celebrex now or do you want to wait until closer to the party?" she asked taking his hand.

"Let me have it now. Give it time to work before I have to deal with the home invasion that's coming our way." House held out his hand as Lydia reached into her bag; she pulled out his pill case and a bottle of water.

"I snagged it from the kids' party before I came up here," she said in reply to his questioning look.

"Umm…Lydia, I have some wedding news," Annie said. "We have use of the chapel and the hilltop lodge. We also have decided to ask Reverend Bell perform the ceremony."

"News flash to me," House said looking at the three of them. "When did you decide to employ the services of the old guy?"

"Just a little while ago…here in my office," Wilson said sounding surprised. "You really were sleeping, weren't you?" House made a face.

"I do it on rare occasions. My doctors tell me it's good for my physical and mental health." Lydia reached over and rubbed his back.

"We thought we'd ask him tonight at the party," Annie said. "And I've also made another decision. I've been trying to figure out who to ask to walk me down the aisle; I had had considered various options, but…Lydia, would you give me away? I know it's not traditional, but…" Annie didn't get the chance to finish; Lydia jumped off the couch, ran over to her friend and threw her arms around her.

"Annie…sweetie…oh my… of course I will!" Lydia squealed with delight.

"At least she doesn't sound like a cat having its tail run through a meat grinder like her daughter does," noted House.

"Hey," Wilson said pointing his finger at his friend. "No picking on our niece-to-be, Uncle House."

"This," House said indicating Wilson and Annie. "Does not make us related. Do you have any processed wood pulp over there? Or do I have to get some out of the never-ending supply in Fraulein's bag?" Naturally, the two women had begun to cry, just as both House and Wilson expected they would.

"Got plenty right here," Wilson said as he came over to the ladies. House also stood up, but hung back a little from the emotional scene. When Lydia realized Wilson was standing behind her holding out the tissues from his pocket, she laughed, took some, and then gave him a big hug.

"It will make me so happy to give Annie away to you; I can't think of anyone more perfect for her," Lydia said as she wiped her tears. Wilson smiled.

"Yeah…I guess I owe House one on this bit of…matchmaking. I'll get to return the favor when he gets past a few of the mental blocks he has on the subject."

"I will never get over them as easily as you have in the past," noted House. "The only reason I'm agreeing to be part of this spectacular, is so that your kid isn't born a bastard."

"Greg!" Lydia exclaimed. She looked at Wilson. "Anyone who says I've changed him, is out of their minds." House shot her a look. "It's a good thing I love you the way you are," she said leaning over to give him a kiss.

"On to more important things; when do we eat?" House asked.

"Annie and I will get the chips and cheese out when we get home, along with the couple of hot appetizers. Once everyone gets to the house, we'll let Gino's know we're ready, and they'll deliver the pizzas and hero we ordered," Lydia said. "And at some point after that, the haunted house cake and cookies will be served."

"I'm getting hungry just talking about it," Annie said as she gathered up her papers and put her jacket on.

"You did remember the calamari rings and the garlic knots?" House asked as they headed to the door of Wilson's office. Lydia rolled her eyes.

"I'd never hear the end of it if I didn't," she replied with a smile. "The kids are waiting with Marianne down in the lobby." As they walked to the elevators, House noticed that Lydia and Annie had their arms around each other, practically skipping down the hall; they looked like two little girls, sharing the joy of something good that happened to them. He would never admit it, but House actually got a little emotional when Annie indicated she wanted him to walk her down the aisle with Lydia. He held the importance of the traditions normally associated with the event in low regard; to him you do it the way you want to…if you want to. Yes, he was somewhat responsible for the good things that had happened for Annie in recent times, but…it still amazed him that someone who didn't know him for very long felt that strongly about him as a person…as a friend. House shook off the "gooshy" thoughts, as he would call them, and geared himself up for the party tonight….

"OK little gremlins; come on into my bedroom," Lydia called out as House spread a table cloth over a blanket that his girlfriend had placed on the bed. Tommy, Shelly, Ben and Elise all entered the room carrying cups with lids on them. They had taken off their costumes and make-up so Lydia wouldn't wind-up with a mess on her furniture. "So, you guys have a bowl of chips, one of pretzels, and some cheese and crackers," Lydia said moving the items over from her dresser. "You also have a plate of hot appetizers and a plate of pizza slices."

"And lots and lots of napkins," House said wryly. "You also have the two movies you picked out; 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' and 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.'" House popped the Tim Burton classic into the dvd player they had in their bedroom.

"Remember…if anyone gets scared, or uncomfortable, you stop the movie, and come on out to the adults," Lydia reminded them.

"We will, Aunt Lydia," Tommy said.

"And be extra careful with the crumbs and stuff on this side of the bed," House said pointing to where he slept and giving Ben and Elise a look.

"We'll be extra, extra careful," promised Elise.

"Yeah…we want our Slurpees," Ben said folding his arms and pretending to pout.

"As long as I don't lay my head in a puddle of Marinara sauce, everyone will be happy," House replied as he headed out of the room.

"Enjoy the movie," Lydia said as she followed her boyfriend out and went into the living room where the other adults were gathered.

"You know, Greg," Reverend Bell said. "I don't know why you've always said you're not good with children; you handled it quite nicely getting the kids to settle down just now." House shook his head.

"I threatened to take their artificially flavored chipped ice away; I don't see any great behavioral techniques in that method."

"Nobody ever said threats were a bad thing if they achieve your goal," Bell noted as House walked past him. "Besides…I don't think those children need to be threatened too often."

"No…no, they don't," Annie said firmly. "They are wonderful children; I hope James and I are as lucky. She quickly glanced to her left at Wilson, who gave a nod of his head. "Reverend Bell…could James and I talk to you for a moment?" Bell was puzzled as he looked around the living room at the others who were there; House's team, Slick, his nephew Scotty and Scotty girlfriend Misty, as well as Tom and Marianne.

"Of course," the Reverend said. "Did you want to step into privacy?"

"No, here is fine," Wilson said. House, Lydia, Annie and Wilson discussed things before the company arrived; they were very sure Bell was going to be pleased.

"Well…James and I were wondering if you would perform our marriage ceremony." You could hear the hushed "Awwww" as Thomas looked wide-eyed at Wilson and Annie.

"I would be honored," he said putting down his plate with pizza on it and coming over to them. "It would bring me great joy to join you in marriage." The emotion in his voice was clear as he hugged the both of them. "When is the happy event?"

"Afternoon into evening on Saturday, December 6th," Annie said. "We just got the OK to use the hilltop chapel and lodge at the university."

"Saturday, you said? Damn…that's my Bingo night," teased Bell.

"Don't do that!" Annie exclaimed. "It's way too soon for me to go into early labor!" Bell laughed as he shook Wilson's hand.

"Now…you know what's next, don't you Thomas?" Wilson asked nodding his head toward House and Lydia.

"Keep reminding yourself you're lucky I'm gracing this thing with my presence," House said taking a swig of his beer. "The filmmaker who did a documentary on the mating habits of the panda wasp is presenting a lecture down in Cherry Hill. It's a toss-up as to which event would prove to be more interesting. Right now, I think the wasp has a better chance at a good love life than you do."

"You are so fresh," Lydia said with a laugh as she went over to her entertainment center. One of the local radio stations was playing Orson Welles' original version of H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds;" she thought it would make for a good background theme tonight.

"You know, it's hard to believe that people bought into Welles' prank so easily back then," Scotty said shaking his head.

"I think that's because we've all become so jaded over modern technology," Thirteen said. "We're all so young, that none of us remember when we didn't have the ability to find out everything with a few clicks of a button."

"And Orson Welles didn't mean it as a prank," Marianne said. "It was simply a dramatic production of his Mercury Theater Company. People assumed it was real."

"And speaking of those who assume things…" Thirteen said looking at House. "Slick and I talked things over and we are tired of certain people making assumptions about us."

"I make comments based on observations, not assumptions," House corrected her as reloaded his plate with various munchies and chips. "If the behavior I observe is misleading, then someone's trying to pull a fast one."

"No one's trying to pull a fast one," Slick said laughing as he shook his head. "I have two half-brothers; Pete, who is Scotty's dad…"

"Unfortunately," said Misty reaching up to rub Scotty's back.

"…and Joe, owner of the famous Joe's Bar and Grill. I also had a younger sister."

"Had?" questioned House. Slick nodded.

"She was a bit younger than me; she was graduating high school as I finished my first year of medical school. Despite the age difference, we were…really close," Slick said looking downward, trying not to get choked up. "I managed to make the time to get back up to New Jersey in time for her ceremony. I walked in the door and got about five minutes to say hello before she had to run off for her last day of classes." Slick paused for a moment; Thirteen reached over and took his hand. "A group of kids, Caroline included were standing on the sidewalk leading up to the school…when an out of control car smacked into the kids." Lydia went over to the stereo and turned off the radio broadcast; it didn't seem appropriate at the moment. "One kid was killed instantly; Caroline lingered overnight then died the next day."

"Let me guess," House said. "The driver of the car was a diabetic who had a hypoglycemic attack behind the wheel; hence the reason for your specialty being endocrinology." Slick smiled.

"You would figure that out. OK, so now fast forward a bunch of years and I'm walking into your office to give you Scotty's medical file, since Pete and my dear sister-in-law were too dense to do so. I take one look at her…." Slick said pointing to Thirteen, "…and I almost keeled over. She looks like Caroline, she sounds like her, moves like her, has her mannerisms…everything. Here, take a look." Slick reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He fished around, and at last pulled out a picture which he handed to Lydia. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at the photo.

"Oh my..." She looked over at Thirteen. "You two could be twins!" She handed the picture to House; even he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"They say everyone has their doppelganger," he noted. "It looks like you found yours." He gave the picture back to Lydia, who passed it to Wilson. "So now I'm going to have to work twice as hard to find things to bust your chops about?"

"House, busting people's chops is never work for you," Thirteen said. "But, yeah…this is just a legit friendship," she said looking at Slick. "We've even set each other up on a couple of double dates."

"Details, I want details!" House said insistently. "It's got to be more horrific than anything Welles could come up with." Thirteen ignored House and looked at the others in the room.

"The whole thing is very nice and we're both happy to have found a good friend," Thirteen said. "It's sort of like having a big brother."

"Although some people assumed you actually did have one before this," Foreman said nodding toward House.

"Medically induced comas are a joyride into both the sublime and the ridiculous," said House. "I thought the hallucinations I had before my temporary stay at Mayfield were off the wall; the ones induced by chemicals belong in a class all their own."

"I afraid I'm a bit confused. What coma and what hallucinations?" asked Bell. House quickly filled Thomas in on the sequence of events leading up to his going to Mayfield and meeting Lydia, and then the crane collapse that necessitated his being placed in a medical coma. "Yes, I remember your mother had heard about the incident and tried to call the hospital, but they told her you couldn't receive any calls. She was going to call you, James, but that's when she had one of her chest pain incidents. By the time all that died down, there were news reports that you had been released from the hospital; she was still very upset, but she was afraid to call." House was going to respond, but he didn't want the difficulties of his past broadcast any more than they probably already had been.

"Well, I have some other news I think you'll all find interesting," Slick said sensing House's uneasiness. "Joe's Bar and Grill…is going to close."

"What? No! We never got the chance to go back there and have the homemade potato chips!" Annie complained.

"That was the only place in town that had decent blues and jazz music," Lydia said. "What a shame; why is your brother closing it down?"

"He's met a pretty young thing who has convinced him he should move out west and become one with nature," said Slick as he clasped his hands together and looked skyward.

"He could go down to the Jersey shore, bury himself in the sand and achieve the same thing without giving up the watering hole. This bimbo really worth it?" House asked.

"Not sure; I haven't heard her string a complete sentence together. I'm guessing her true talents lie somewhere other than her brain." Slick responded. "But don't worry guys; a really good blues club is going to open in its place."

"Would that have anything to do with your numerous trips to New York City recently?" Slick shot House a look.

"Boy, you don't miss a trick, do you?"

"Nope," almost everyone in the room responded.

"It has everything to do with the Big Apple trips," Slick said laughing. "My best friend Mike and I met in college at Tulane. We used to go to New Orleans almost every week-end to catch the music playing in those clubs. We swore one day we would open our own version of the clubs we used to hang out in. Well, the two of us have managed to put aside a nice chunk of change…on my part, it was money I was able to keep out of my ex-wife's hands. It was enough seed money and we had a good business plan, that we have convinced a bank to back us. Where Joe's is right now has those few stores around it that are either closed up or getting ready to close. We've bought that whole area, going to knock down the eyesores, and keep what we can. We're going to keep the horseshoe-shaped bar that everyone loves, keep the pool tables…but build a real stage with a better sound system for the musicians. And there will be music seven days a week. In fact, I wanted to ask you ladies for some help," he said to Annie and Marianne. "I've heard you have a jazz ensemble over at the college. Do you think some of the students would want to play a gig one night a week in a spot like we're putting together? We couldn't offer much to the kids, maybe fifty or seventy-five bucks for a four hour set, but we'd pass the hat and encourage people to show their appreciation."

"I think the kids would love it," Marianne said. "Neither Annie or I teach any of the jazz students, but we certainly have contact with them."

"It might also give the students some extra credit for their courses," Annie said. "It's a great idea!"

"We'll make use of the kids as soloists or duets Monday through Thursday and bring in jazz and blues combos Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoons. Oh, House; this where I'm going to need your help."

"You're assuming I'm willing to give it," replied House as he popped a calamari ring into his mouth.

"Well, I'd love to have you play on one of the solo days. The first time I heard you play and sing both with and without Annie, you gave me goose bumps. Not only are you a damn good piano player, you have the perfect voice for blues. But I kind of know better than to ask. What we want to do is get a piano in-house; don't want any electric keyboards coming in. I noticed that most of the clubs down in New Orleans had upright pianos."

"Saves on space, cheaper in price, and cheaper to ship. Doesn't have the same refined sound as say, a baby grand," House said gesturing to Lydia's. "But none of the early pianos that played the blues were meant to be in Carnegie Hall."

"So obviously I'm asking the right person to help me pick out the proper piano for my new establishment," Slick said. "Mind giving me a hand?"

"When's the opening date of the place and what's the name?"

"Well, we were trying for this coming February so as to catch Mardi Gras, but that's not going to work out. It'll probably February of next year, so we have plenty of time. Oh, and the name of the place? Crawdaddy's Blues."

"I like that name," Lydia said. "It has a real New Orleans feel to it." House nodded.

"I approve; so I'll give you a hand with the piano. Let's just make it sooner rather than later. I may not be available to help out after a certain point." The room got quiet as everyone looked at House.

"So you've decided to do the operation," Foreman said. "When?"

"In May…after Fraulein graduates. There are a bunch of things happening between now and then that I don't want to be out of commission for."

"House, are you sure you want to have it on your mind for seven months?" Chase asked.

"I've had it on my mind for years; another few months won't make a difference." House looked at no one as he spoke; he just took another drink of his beer and stared ahead at the floor. "He finally is going to prove that the fourth time is the charm," he said gesturing to Wilson and Annie. "Then there's our trip to Deutschland, the arrival of the next generation of Wilsons and finally Lydia's graduation. She gets her sheepskin on a Friday, a little celebrating over the weekend…I'll do it on that Monday." The room remained quiet as all absorbed what House was saying; he actually was going to do something about his leg.

"Well, lad, excuse me for butting in," Thomas said. "But I think you're very smart to wait until you are ready to do it. I know as a man of science and medicine you don't believe in the power of a person's mindset on such things, but in my years of ministering to the ill and dying, I've seen many a person's attitude make a difference in their medical outcomes. Don't ask me how," he said holding up his hands. "I know there's no rational explanation. But you will never convince me that your mother didn't will herself to hold on until you could get down to her and you two could talk. I believe that with all my heart. So…if after Lydia has a chance to celebrate her achievement is when you want to do this, I think it will put you in the best possible frame of mind. And that can be a very powerful thing." Thomas knew House was probably silently dismissing him, but it was something he felt he had to say.

"That kind of thinking goes along with stepping on a crack breaks your mother's back and not walking under ladders, but I know you're trying to play cheerleader. Thanks."

"House, have you considered who you want to do the surgery?" Wilson asked. He had the feeling he knew, but he wanted to hear House say it out loud.

"Yeah. Taub…I'd like you to do the reconstructive surgery with a transplant. I'm not taking the chance there will be enough muscle left in there after what I saw yesterday." Taub looked startled and pleased at the same time. "Don't look so shocked. You were the best plastic surgeon in the region before you joined my team. You wouldn't still be working for me if I didn't think you were a good doctor…despite some stupid decisions you've all made in the past when it comes to patients…I trust you to do this before anyone else. Chase, I want you in there to assist and Foreman, I want you to oversee the neurological issues. Then there's this new guy Halpern; if he's as good as the talk I've heard about him, I want him to do the vascular work." He turned to Thirteen. "It'll be crowded in the OR, but if they can make room, I'd like you in there, too."

"I guess that means Lydia, Tom and I will be watching from the observation theater," Wilson said.

"And me, too," Slick chimed in. House didn't respond; he just played with the label on his beer bottle, slowly peeling it off.

"Well, there's one thing I want," Lydia said looking around the room. "I want Greg's wishes…on every possible scenario that could occur…written down and all of us to read it over together. I don't want there to be any second guessing or making assumptions of how Greg would feel about something. We can write them down and all read them over together to make sure there are no misunderstandings." Lydia dropped her head down. "I'm sorry if that sounds a bit paranoid," she said as she looked at House. "But I want to make sure there are no mistakes this time." House lifted his head up to look at his girlfriend; there was the barest hint of a smile as he turned to her.

"Throw Halpern into that pow-wow…" House let out a sigh. "And I'll be ready to rock and roll." Lydia nodded and returned his slight smile.

"I…don't want to sound like a downer, and I know that you have an exact idea of what the process is going to be, but think of me more as a devil's advocate here," Tom said. "Are you two sure you're ready to take this on? Because to put it bluntly…it will be absolutely hellacious. Nothing against you, House, but anyone would lash out from the pain and frustration. It's not gonna be pretty." There was a brief silence before Foreman spoke.

"We've had more than our share of differences over the years to say the least; both personal and professional. I know what this process, with two separate operations at the very least, will entail. If there's anyone who can manage to get through it…it's House. And I mean that sincerely." House was shocked by Foreman's words; he looked at him for a moment, then averted his eyes. "Of course having that lovely lady next to you for a nursemaid is going to go a long way toward healing." Without looking at anyone, House nodded in agreement.

"I don't know too much about the procedure, because no one's filled me in yet," Slick said. "But this sounds pretty heavy duty. I mean, you know you'll have all of us to give you a hand whenever you need it, but this could wind up being very taxing on your relationship. Not that it's really any of my business, but…are you two going to be OK with this?" Lydia smiled and looked over at Annie for a second; she too was smiling. She knew what her friend was going to say.

"I took care of both my parents after their car accident. The accident changed them; they went from simply being overprotective to accusing me of doing and wanting to do horrible things. If I went to the stores and was gone for fifteen minutes, I was a whore sneaking away to meet men. If it unfortunately hurt when I changed their bandages, I was a greedy little bitch who was trying to kill them so I could get my hands on their money. I never slept for more than two hours at a shot, and most of the time it was measured more in minutes. I did it because they were my parents; I was supposed to love and take care of them. If I could do that…then I can do it for a man I very happily choose to love." Lydia reached over and took House's hand. She would normally never come out and speak that strongly about her feelings for House; she knew it would make him uncomfortable in front of everyone. Only Annie and Wilson got to hear and see them be overtly loving toward each other. But right now, Lydia didn't care; she was getting tired of everyone questioning whether she was willing to do this. It felt to her like they were questioning whether she loved House enough to take on the task; she needed to answer with a resounding "YES!"

"I think it's fair to say if anyone could handle the situation, you can," Marianne said.

"Of course I can," Lydia said looking at House. "And if he starts in with me, I'll tell him to cut the crap, you know I'm trying to help you."

"Oh, and that is a weapon you did NOT have in your arsenal with your parents," Annie noted as she and the others in the room laughed.

"Hell, no," Lydia confirmed. "If I had ever said that, they would have called the police on me more often than they did."

"They called the police on you?" Taub asked.

"Remember; I was trying to kill them," explained Lydia.

"You…really are amazing," Chase said. "Are you sure you don't have a sister or even a cousin hidden somewhere?"

"She's already spoken for," Wilson said holding up Annie's left hand. Lydia laughed as she turned to her right toward House. He was looking at her with a blank expression.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"So you think you can handle me?" House asked with a smirk. Lydia sat up straight on the love seat next to him.

"Yes…yes I think I can," she said defiantly tossing her head. House snuck his hand behind her back and tickled Lydia; she melted into laughter as she fell in a heap on the floor.

"You forget; I know where you're ticklish," noted House.

"No, you forget," Lydia said as she climbed back on the seat next to him. "I know where you're ticklish. And if I'm playing nursemaid, I'll have no trouble reaching the right spots." Lydia brought her head closer to House's until their faces almost touched.

"Oooh…someone's in trouble!" Annie said.

"I…I don't want to know," Wilson added in. House and Lydia were nose to nose still, when House did something very uncharacteristic; he put his arms around Lydia and in front of all present, gave her a long and loving kiss. Everyone knew how reluctant House was to show affection, even toward Lydia, in front of them; they knew it was his way of saying if he had Lydia, he was going to get through the troubles with his leg.

"You two are going to be just fine," Thomas said. "I have no doubt of that." He had that look in his eyes that he got when House and Lydia reminded him of himself and Blythe.

"I have seven months to get ready for the event; I'll be fine," Lydia said.

"I have a little less than seven months," Annie said putting her hand on her stomach. "Hopefully I'll be fine, too." Lydia laughed as she stood up

"OK…who wants some cookies and the haunted house cake?" A chorus of "I dos" followed the question. Suddenly, a cell phone began to ring. Wilson looked puzzled as he realized it was his. He stood up, and took his phone out of his pocket.

"The only people calling me at this hour would be my parents," he said sounding concerned. He looked at the phone; his expression changed to wide-eyed shock.

"Who is it?" House asked. "Keeping with the theme of the day, you look like you've seen a ghost."

"I think I have," Wilson replied in a weak voice. He turned the screen of his cell around to face House.

The name on the caller ID was Lisa Cuddy.