Many of you already know that the long delay is due to the illness and death of my wife in April 2016. I have not abandoned my stories, I am just finding it difficult to pick up the pieces again. Here is a long chapter to reward you all for hanging in there with me. I appreciate all of you who are reading and following.

One by one, the ducklings appeared in the cafeteria and pulled up chairs at House's table to eat their food and discuss the case. Chase came in last and brought another cup of coffee for House.

"The blood panels aren't back yet?" House asked as he flipped through the various test results they'd brought with them.

"No. Lab's backed up; big traffic accident," Foreman answered.

"Keep on them. This guy's just as critical as anything ER's got," House ordered. Foreman nodded as he applied himself to eating his food before it got cold. House added on a couple of tests to what they had already ordered then sat back and sipped his coffee, watching the team surreptitiously. They kept glancing up at him, not quite able to reconcile the boss that reminded them to eat with the one that used to not give them time enough to drink a cup of coffee. It was like they were waiting for him to yell, April Fool's, and go back to normal. House smirked at the thought.

He was finding it easier to deal with the team now. Oh, he still played the role of demigod in diagnostics but he was trying to apply some of what he enjoyed about Marius. Seeing to the team's needs was the first one he was trying. So far it was working. They put pressure on themselves to get the tests done and pushed through as quickly as possible now that he was making an effort to take care of them instead of just push them. It was intriguing; he was eager to see just how far this new attitude would go.

As soon as they each finished eating, they were up and off to do the new tests and get after the lab for results. House glanced at his watch, surprised to find it was only 11:30. What the heck? Did time slow down today? He shook his head and decided to head to the clinic early. A few boring cases would give him time to turn over the oddball clues they had for their current patient and get the diagnosis locked down. First, he decided he'd call and check on Marius.

"Good morning," Lucius answered after two rings.

"Morning. How's Marius today?"

"Resting right now. Sidney worked with him on his exercises this morning which wore him out. He seems much calmer today in familiar surroundings. How has your morning been?"

"Long. I'm convinced time slowed way down. I'm about to do clinic duty while the team runs some more tests."

"It's lunchtime; did you eat?"

"I had a late breakfast at 10:30; I'm good."

"Very good. I have made some calls this morning and made arrangements for another master to come to dinner tomorrow night, provided your patient is on the way to recovery."

"Okay," House answered slowly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just… I hadn't expected you to get in touch with them so quickly. Marius hasn't been home all that long."

"I don't feel it would be good to wait. This is just a meet and greet, nothing more," Lucius reassured him.

"I have another therapy appointment with Nolan on Thursday, so don't schedule a meet and greet that day okay?" House requested anxiously.

"I'll be certain not to," Lucius agreed. "That would be too taxing on you. Try not to fret about Marius, we're taking good care of him. I'll have him call you after he's had lunch."

"Thanks," House said, greatly relieved that Lucius understood his concerns. "Better go before the evil mistress comes to drag me to her clinic dungeon."

"Goodbye, House," Lucius chuckled and hung up.

Marius called House about halfway through his clinic duty and talked with him for about 20 minutes, until House suddenly had an idea about his case and was off to seek his team. They worked through the night trying to narrow down the exact diagnosis and treatment. Lucius called House a couple of times throughout the night to check on him and sent up an order of food for the team from a local pizzeria that night. Around 9am the next morning, they finally had their answer and the proper treatment in place. House was bone weary and closed all the blinds in his office, settling down into his recliner to wait for news whether they had found the answer in time. Another meal had shown up that morning, courtesy of Lucius. He'd grabbed a plateful and a cup of coffee and left the team to the rest of it. He managed to get through most of the food before falling asleep. Chase woke him up an hour and a half later.

"The treatment's working. Patient's stable and getting stronger. Why don't you call for a ride home? Foreman and Thirteen are sleeping in on call," Chase told him.

"Yeah, okay," House answered, pulling out his cell phone to make the call, then gathering his backpack to head down to meet him at the doors. "You get too tired, have Wilson keep watch on the patient."

"Will do. Foreman will be take over at noon; I'll be okay."

House nodded and shuffled off to the main lobby doors, sitting outside on a bench with his eyes closed until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jerked his eyes open and nodded at Lucius, who stood over him with a hand on his shoulder. House got up and settled into the Jaguar, dropping off to sleep almost as soon as the door was closed. Lucius had to wake him and help him into the house and to bed, where he slept the rest of the day. They woke him for dinner then let him sleep for the rest of the night.

House went in to work the next morning, pleased to find the patient well on the way to recovery and the team had rotated sleep times until everyone was well rested. The day was filled with paperwork and clinic duty which House decided was good just this once, since dinner with another master was tonight. He drove home from work slowly, trying to delay the inevitable. He was extremely anxious to meet this person; in part because Lucius approved of him and in part because of the circumstances that brought the idea of the meeting up. Sidney met him at the door and gave him a thorough massage and oiled up his skin.

"You're so tightly knotted," Sidney said as he worked. "I know you're nervous about tonight. It's just a meet and greet."

"Then what's with the oil?"

"Your skin is so dry. I swear, it doesn't matter how much oil and lotion I use, it's always crying out for more. You don't drink enough while you're at work. And no, liquor doesn't count," Sidney chided.

House chuckled as he sat up and was promptly handed a glass of juice. "Damn, and here I thought bourbon was good for me. I forget to eat, I forget to drink when I'm working," he shrugged, chugging half of the juice glass at once.

All too soon as far as House was concerned, the master arrived. He brought two servants with him and warmly greeted Lucius who had opened the door.

"Lucius, it's good to see you again. How is Marius?"

"He is recovering. It is good to see you again as well, William. Come, Marius awaits us in the living room. We will be dining informally tonight."

Lucius led William and his servants into the living room. After greeting Marius, he was introduced to House, Sidney and Timmy. His servants were Lawrence and Andrea. Drinks were served and they all sat down to talk.

"William and I met about eight years ago in Boston," Lucius said as he settled into an armchair. "He's the chief financial officer of an engineering firm there, one that I do business with every now and then. Dr. House is – "

"Oh, I know who Dr. House is, Lucius," William said with a smile. "One of my golf foursome is the administrator of Boston General and I've heard a few tales of the exploits of Dr. House. Tell me, are the tales rumor embellished or more truth than I gave them credit for?" he asked, leaning toward House.

"I cannot deny nor confirm any rumors or tales you may have heard," House responded glibly, although Lucius could tell that he was not pleased that William had heard of him before tonight. That didn't make for an auspicious start.

"Good answer," William chuckled, and thankfully dropped the topic. "Marius, I do hope that your injuries are not permanent."

"No, thankfully not. The bones will heal fine with time and I have excellent caregivers around me. How is your business doing?" Marius asked, noticing House's darkened expression at the thought of permanent injuries and eager to turn the conversation away from those dangerous waters.

William settled into discussing business with Marius and Lucius until dinner was ready to be served. Sidney and Timmy seemed to be having a fairly good conversation with William's servants, Lawrence and Andrea. Small tray tables were brought out for the meal tonight and it didn't escape anyone's notice that House had chosen a seat that placed him on the farthest edge of the room.

Timmy brought over House's meal and set it down for him. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

"Fine," he answered curtly though equally quietly. It was clear that he didn't want to discuss what was bothering him right now.

"Okay," Timmy agreed and returned to his own seat and meal.

During the meal, William made a few attempts to draw House into the conversation but short, terse answers expressed his unwillingness to participate. Before dessert and after dinner drinks were served, Lucius stood and called House to follow him out into the garden.

"Clearly you dislike William," Lucius said as soon as the connecting doors were closed. "I understand that you did not like that he had heard of you before meeting you here tonight. Do you have another reason or is that your primary objection?"

"It's my primary objection," House answered sullenly. "Although I think he's a little too high handed and free with his words. Asking Marius about permanent injuries when I'm walking on a cane was telling."

"Yes, that was tactless," Lucius agreed. "I do find it ironic that someone as blunt as you are would object to another speaking bluntly, but it is clear that William is not a good fit. If you come back in and endure dessert, I will make it worth your while."

House snorted. "Better be a damned good dessert."

"Let's go back then."

House followed Lucius back into the living room, choosing this time to pull a chair close to Marius on the side away from William while Timmy and Sidney served dessert and drinks. Lucius and Marius made light conversation with William and soon enough Lucius was walking them to the door.

"Thank you for the pleasant evening, Lucius," William said as Lawrence held up his coat for him. "I don't think that your clan and mine will do well together, at least not House and because he doesn't, Marius will not either."

"True enough. Thank you for your time and trying it out, William. I appreciate the effort," Lucius responded, promising to meet him for a business lunch soon, then he returned to the living room. House was quietly tinkering on the piano, not really playing anything, and Marius sighed and shook his head when Lucius looked his way.

"It's no matter that William didn't fit with us," Lucius said as he poured another finger of scotch. "It's harder to match personalities; we'll keep trying."

"For how long?" House asked flatly.

"Until we find someone who does fit."

After Marius was settled into bed, Lucius called House into his bedroom and took hold of him by one arm and the back of his neck as soon as he entered.

"You did well tonight. You held your tongue and remained through the meal and dessert with respect for me and my guest," Lucius purred in his ear as he directed House over to the foot of the bed. "Set your cane aside and strip for me."

Lucius sat down on the bed, lounging against the headboard as House began to remove his clothing, slowly as Marius had taught him to do.

"You seem nervous; perhaps you have not been used enough since Marius was injured," Lucius commented. "Or perhaps it is merely your uncertainty over Wilson and finding a secondary master that has you so wound up. Put your hands behind your neck and come beside me."

House looked even more nervous but he moved to the side of the bed as ordered. Lucius sat and eyed his body thoroughly, reading his tension and body language as he gauged what House needed from him tonight. As he looked him over, he adjusted House's stance, making him shift to a more seductive pose and running his hands all over his body. When House responded with arousal he smiled and nodded. Clearly his sub needed some attention for reassurance.

Lucius stood up and led House into the bathroom. "I want you to strip and wash me. When you've done that, I will watch while you wash yourself. Make sure you do so in a pleasing manner," he warned him.

House frowned at the warning but nodded and removed Lucius' clothing, setting it neatly aside to be put into the laundry. He was keenly aware of Lucius watching his every move as he turned on the water and set the temperature. Lucius stepped into the shower and stood centered, giving House just enough room to move around but he would be brushing up against his master's body with his own, adding to the arousal of both men. Once he was done washing Lucius, he then began to wash himself under Lucius' watchful eyes.

"No. More suds, slower and longer movements," Lucius instructed.

"Seriously?" House asked as he stopped what he was doing and looked up at Lucius.

"Do as I tell you," Lucius ordered sharply.

House sighed but reached for the body wash bottle, got a large amount of suds on the cloth and began again, making sure to use long, slow strokes as he washed himself. Of course, this only added to the arousal that being so close to Lucius in the shower had started, which he knew was the whole reason that he'd been ordered to do it.

Lucius smiled as he watched him. House had needed comforting during Marius' hospital stay though it was clear now that he was now feeling out of control and unsure of himself. Well, demonstrating control was something Lucius excelled in. He made House turn around and brace himself against the shower wall then reach behind with one hand, slowly soaping his ass and thighs until Lucius gave him permission to rinse off.

"No. Don't dry off. Follow me," Lucius ordered, leading House back into the bedroom. Settling down against the headboard he looked up at the still dripping House. "Lay over my lap."

"What?"

"Lay over my lap," Lucius repeated. House took a step back, and Lucius quickly reached out and grabbed his wrist, preventing him from going any farther. House froze, looking up at him anxiously for a long moment before taking a shuddering deep breath and stepping up to the bed, cautiously arranging himself across Lucius' lap and holding himself there tensely.

"Good," Lucius said approvingly, stroking his back, ass and thighs soothingly. "It's been very stressful this last couple of weeks. You did not lose your masters, nor your clan. You are still very much a wanted part of our clan. You know this in your mind; time for you to feel it and know it in your body and heart."

Lucius shifted House's position slightly, prodding his legs farther apart, stroking his shaft and rolling his balls around in his hands for a moment. "Extend your arms to steady your balance and keep them out." As soon as House was in place, Lucius began to spank him bare handed. House jerked as soon as the first slap hit and began to rise up but Lucius held him in place with one hand on his shoulders.

"Lie still," he ordered calmly.

"No, I don't want to do this," House objected, holding himself up by his arms.

"Are you using your safe word?" Lucius asked.

"No… I …I just don't want to do this."

"This is a master/sub relationship. Either safe word out or do as I say and lie back down," Lucius explained calmly but firmly, neither allowing House to rise up any farther nor pushing him back down. He waited while House tried to sort through his fear, his need, and his objections to make a decision.

"Tell me why," House demanded hoarsely. "Will you do that much at least? Tell me why you want me to do this."

"Because going through it will help you release the doubt and fear that has gathered in your mind over the last couple of weeks."

"How?"

"Much the same as any rigorous physical exercise reduces stress but with the added benefit of increasing your trust in another person which will help to reduce your fear."

House still didn't look convinced but he was running Lucius' explanation through his mind, turning it over like a puzzle piece, and trying to see how it fit. After giving him a couple of minutes to think it through, Lucius again asked if he wanted to safe word out. House shook his head no and slowly lowered himself back down onto Lucius' lap and extended his arms out again.

"Have you ever read Frank Herbert's book series, Dune?" Lucius asked as he ran his hands over House's ass, cupping and lifting the cheeks and giving them slight pinches.

"Yes, I've read them, seen the movies."

"What was the mantra that Paul spoke when faced with the dangerous unknown?"

"Fear is the mind killer."

"Exactly. 'Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.' Fear can kill a person as surely as any weapon can. I want you to see that you can let your fear pass over and through you. That not only will you still be here but you will be all the stronger for it."

"All right," House agreed. "I do trust you, it's just… I don't like this position, face down. I can't see you, can't see what you're doing. It makes me vulnerable," he pointed out.

"And being vulnerable is something that you fear a great deal, though not without some just cause."

"Yes," House growled. "I am afraid of making myself vulnerable again, all right? Happy now?" he asked with self-loathing in his voice.

"Everyone is afraid at some point in their life and not always over the momentous things that should engender fear. You have been physically and emotionally harmed, severely so, by being vulnerable so you have a very good reason to fear that state," Lucius affirmed as he began to smack House bare handed again, just to begin to warm up his ass and get him used to the idea. "But fear is no reason to think less of yourself. That is what the person who taught it to you wanted you to feel. Defy them and their judgment," Lucius challenged him, nodding when he saw signs of House's innate rebellion seizing onto that idea.

"What is the good side of vulnerability?"

"Who said there was one?" House retorted, getting a chuckle and much harder slap from Lucius.

"Smart aleck. When you called Marius for help that night from your bathroom floor you were extremely vulnerable, were you not?"

"Yes," House agreed quietly.

"Would you then count that as the good side of vulnerability or the bad side?"

"The good side, of course. He helped me without asking for anything in return, even though he wanted something in return. He would have let me walk away even then."

"Yes, he would have," Lucius agreed, covering House's ass now in a series of quick, hard smacks, making his skin redden and the man squirm as it began to truly sting and burn.

"Do you fear being vulnerable in front of Marius now?"

"A little," he answered with a hiss at a particularly sharp smack. "But nowhere near as much as I did when we first met."

"What has caused your fear to lessen?"

"Finding out I can trust him."

"And how did you find that out?"

House was silent for a moment and Lucius showered him with a series of smacks that had him struggling to hold his position and not pull away.

"Ow! Alright, alright, I found that out by risking being vulnerable in front of him and finding out that he wouldn't hurt me or abuse my confidence in him," he finally blurted out.

"Excellent," Lucius said, giving his cock a couple of long strokes. "Then riddle me this; why do you think that you are unworthy of this clan? Despite his acceptance and my own, despite the marking tattoo? What is it that causes you to doubt?"

"I don't know."

"You do know. Deep inside, you know the answer."

"I don't know!" House protested, starting to feel the urge to safe word out just to escape the conversation but he was aroused enough that he wanted to get to the bang at the end. That would only happen by answering Lucius' questions. He could give himself a hand job in his room, but it was nowhere near as satisfying.

"You do know," Lucius insisted. "Perhaps you are afraid to look at the reason, let alone show it to me, so you keep it buried so deeply within that you can't access it when asked like this."

"So… what does that mean?" House asked warily. He didn't know Lucius as well as Marius but he didn't seem like the type to let something like this just drop.

"That means that I'll have to help you find that answer, pull it out and really look at it with you," Lucius explained, reaching over into the nightstand drawer, pulling out a cock ring and a small thin cane.

"This will cause much more pain than my hands alone would cause, but it lets my hands give you pleasure as we come closer to the answer," Lucius explained as he held the cane in front of House and swung it a time or two. It wasn't very long, nor very thick, but it was very flexible. House stared at it for a long moment before reaching up and feeling the cane. "It will cause welts but I promise you, I will not break the skin, and if I should do so accidentally, I will stop immediately."

"You really think this will help find that answer?" House asked, almost whispered.

"I do. I have seen it work before many times, even for Marius. Do you wish to proceed or would you like to use your safe word?" he asked, though he was pretty certain that House would choose to proceed. House didn't like not knowing an answer, not even one that he wouldn't share with anyone.

House closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it as he thought about whether to face his fear and go through this or to safe word and spend a sleepless night brooding over it. Was the potential reward of the answer and a good fucking enough? Was it enough to stop doubting that he could really be a permanent part of this? To have that feeling of being an outsider he'd carried all his life removed at long last? Yes, that was worth it, he decided.

"Let's go ahead then. I'm not using my safe word," House said, twisting his body to meet Lucius' eyes and calming when he saw approval and confidence in them.

"Very well. Stand up. Get the foam wedge and put it on the end of the bed then lay over that. Use a pillow to support your leg if you need to." Lucius put the cock ring on and snapped leather cuffs around his wrists. The cuffs were attached by just a couple of chain links to the base of the foam wedge. His own weight would keep his hands out of the way. Normally, Lucius would have cuffed his sub's legs wide open as well but he did not want to risk any damage to House's leg. Instead, Lucius stood sideways, one of his own feet snugged up against House's, holding his good leg partway out then began to swing the cane, letting it whistle in the air and build up anticipation.

"I'm very proud of you for choosing to face this," Lucius crooned soothingly, using his left hand to stroke House's ass, balls and shaft while he continued to whip the cane in the air. "You are far stronger and braver than you realize you are. I'm very pleased that Marius brought you into our clan."

Anxiety made his skin very sensitive so that the combination of Lucius' verbal praise and his sensual stroking had House fully aroused in short order, though he could still hear the cane moving and wriggled against the touch and the hold of his foot as he wondered when it would begin.

Lucius let him wait just a minute longer, making certain that House's mind as well as his body, registered the gentle touch and arousal first and foremost. Finally, he withdrew his hand and laid the cane against his butt cheeks, tapping it lightly as House flinched, anticipating the harder blow with every tap. He waited until House had stopped flinching with the taps before snapping the cane sharply against his ass.

"Damn!" House groaned out at the first blow, rising up on the balls of his feet for a moment.

"Yes, it does command attention quite well, doesn't it?" Lucius chuckled. "Now tell me. Why do you consider yourself unworthy of the clan?"

"Because I'm an ass," House answered quickly.

Lucius ran his hands over his ass and balls. "Yes, you do have a nice ass," he said then gave him another smack of the cane. "But that was a throwaway answer and you know it," he chided and quickly gave him another.

House hissed at the pain the cane was causing. Nothing like his leg could do when it took a mind to but it stung and burned more than he'd thought it would and the initial shock was so sharp it lifted him right up onto his toes. Lucius waited out his reaction each time, waiting until he settled himself fully onto the foam wedge again before striking another blow. Each time he prompted him to tell him why he didn't feel worthy. House began to give some more serious answers. That he wasn't a nice person. That he didn't play well with others. That he lacked empathy and compassion. Each time he gave a serious answer, Lucius rewarded him with by stroking his cock and balls before prompting him to delve deeper with another stroke of the cane.

The longer it went on, the sharper the cane strokes felt, the stronger the arousal grew when he gave another answer. It was starting to become more difficult to think out his answers and he found himself now blurting out answers instead of choosing his words as he had been in the beginning. That he was ruthless, had no morals, a drunk and drug addict, a cripple, a waste of skin that can't follow the rules. He was appalled to hear himself repeat the words that John House had berated his son with for his entire life.

But each answer received not only the reward of arousal for answering but was also refuted by Lucius. That he found House to be nice enough, that he worked well with the clan and was doing better with his team, that his care and concern for Marius more than demonstrated his ability to empathize and show compassion for another. Ruthlessness was praised by Lucius as a very necessary trait and he completely dismissed the idea the House had no morals. Lucius reminded House that he was no longer an addict, and that with all of his talents – music, languages, medicine, cooking – he was most certainly not a waste of skin.

"As for following the rules, you have done remarkable well following the rules that Marius and I have set in place for you. There have been a few moments of rebellion and those are an expected part of growing and learning."

"I'm still a cripple," House said bitterly, unwelcome tears on his face from the hot stinging welts on his ass.

"Whose fault is that?"

"Mine," he answered morosely. Lucius immediately gave him a sharp crack with the cane.

"Wrong. Whose fault is it?"

"Stacy's. She went against my wishes."

"No." Another sharp blow with the cane. "She betrayed your wishes, yes, that is true, but your leg was already damaged so it is not her fault. Whose fault is it?"

"My plan might have worked!" House protested. "I might have been without pain!"

"If Marius had been lying there in that bed, under that amount of pain, would you have stood by and done nothing?" Lucius demanded.

"That's totally different." Smack! "I'm a doctor, she's a lawyer!" Smack!

"Would you allow him to make the choice you wanted to make?"

"No!" House snapped angrily then fell still and silent as he realized what he'd said. "No. I wouldn't have let him do that. I'd have done whatever I needed to do to treat him."

"And why would you have done that?"

"Because he might die if I didn't. Because I care about him."

"So, whose fault is it?"

"The surgeon that butchered the muscle."

"Yes, it is. You should have sued him. Now, tell me, if it's the surgeon's fault, why should being crippled be held as a mark against you?"

"Because… because…I don't know. It shouldn't be held against me."

"Precisely. And so what makes you unworthy to join the clan?" he asked, giving him another sharp smack.

House rifled through his thoughts, getting another smack that made him actually cry out when it was taking too long. He was stunned to realize that he'd run out of reasons. "Nothing. There's nothing that makes me unworthy to join the clan, he said around a painful grimace.

Lucius tossed the cane down onto the bed beside House and leaned forward, cupping and stroking his burning and welted ass cheeks while House squirmed under his hands, then reached down and lubed up his own cock and pushed into House, slowly filling him to the hilt. "Now I want you to say, I'm worthy to be part of the clan."

House repeated the phrase and every time he did, Lucius thrust deeply, striking his prostate and making any thought difficult but he was immediately prompted to keep repeating that phrase, over and over as Lucius pulled nearly free and plunged deeply again. It didn't take long before he was only able to mumble I'm worthy over and over. Lucius reached around and released the cock ring, riding him to a deep and blinding orgasm.

House lay panting and exhausted, still murmuring that he was worthy when Lucius stood free and released his hands from the cuffs that still bound him. He stepped into the bathroom and cleaned up then brought a soft washcloth and towel back and washed House before rubbing ointment on all of the welts. Quietly, he urged and manhandled House up into the bed properly, laying down with him and holding him in his arms until they both fell asleep.