House returned to Marius' house on Friday evening, after remaining true to his promise to call them several times a day. He was feeling better after analyzing things with Nolan. It was still impossible to wrap his mind around but at the same time it was impossible to ignore. After dinner, he sat down with Marius and Lucius in the den with a game on the TV.

"I want to talk to you both about what happened between me and Lucius," House finally said at halftime.

"I had hoped that you would," Marius answered as he turned the volume down very low on the TV, thinking that House would be more comfortable with the low drone of the commentators in the background than silence if he had muted the volume.

"First of all, I think it worked," he admitted. "I kind of expected that there would be some backlash, considering how long I haven't felt worthy. Longer than just the infarction. But what you did made such a mental program in my head that when I find myself kind of slipping back that way, I hear my own voice repeating 'I'm worthy' over and over again. It's all kind of overwhelming, even if it is good."

"Yes, I can understand that. That's a radical shift in mindset," Marius nodded.

"I told Nolan all the details. He wasn't sure about the method but I made sure he knew that it was all done by my consent. And he surprised me a lot by listening to the whole story without judgement. And he accepted that it had been a good outcome. So I told him about these questions that I've been thinking about in relation to this. How it's changed me, what does it mean to be worthy? I've decided to focus on just one question right now which is how do I treat myself? Both of you know, especially Marius, that I haven't been kind to myself since the infarction."

"That's a bit of an understatement," Lucius said with a smirk.

House chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, it is. So, I want to try to change that. Some has already changed, thanks to you, Marius, first and foremost, and now with you, Lucius. But I think it would be good if not all of the changes came from you, like I should initiate some changes too."

"And have you thought about what kind of changes you'd like to make?" Marius asked.

"Yeah. That's what I wanted to tell you. I want to go back to the way we were in the beginning."

"So… staying at your apartment and coming here only a couple of days a week? And a couple of weekends?"

"I was thinking a couple of evenings a week and every weekend for now. If that's something that would work with you guys as well."

"It's fine with me," Marius agreed. "Lucius?"

"Yes, that's quite acceptable."

"I'll pick the days, just like I did in the beginning then," Marius said.

"Yeah. And I'll come here from work on Friday, whenever we don't have a patient."

"Will you spend the night here those two evenings?"

"One night. The other I'll go home."

"Good. I enjoy when you spend the night rather than trying to get back home that night. What will you do when you are at home to make changes?"

"Just continuing the things you've gotten me doing here really, but trying to keep them going on my own. You know, little things like sleeping, eating, not getting drunk, staying on the pain management regimen. Going to work on time," he added with a shrug. "Or at least much closer than I've been going in the last few years."

"What can we do to support you in this?"

"As much as I hate to say it, I need you to check up on me every day. And it'll probably drive me crazy and I'll probably snap at you about it. Please… do it anyway. I'm … I'm afraid I'm not strong enough to hold it on my own."

"There's no need to hold it on your own," Marius assured him. "You're not alone, you have the clan to support you."

House nodded gratefully. "And if I start getting really off then you two can lay out consequences or restrictions to get me back on track."

Both Marius and Lucius agreed and House relaxed, very relieved to have their full support. They turned on the game back on and kibitzed with each other until finally going to bed around midnight.

Saturday afternoon, Lucius took a call out in the garden for nearly an hour then came to find Marius and House. They were doing some PT exercises in the master bedroom and Marius was more than pleased for the interruption.

"Oh, no, don't think that I am going to give you an excuse to stop early, Marius," Lucius said, waggling his finger at him to chide him. "You can listen and finish your PT at the same time. I have the utmost confidence in your multitasking ability."

Marius made a face at Lucius and returned his attention to the exercises that House was coaching him through.

"I've just had a long conversation with an old friend of mine, who is now a senior master like myself. He will be coming to dinner this evening with three of his subs and two of his younger masters," Lucius informed them.

"Who is he?" Marius asked.

"Gaius."

"Gaius? I remember meeting him when I was still just a sub," Marius said, thinking back over the memory with obvious pleasure. "How long has it been since you've seen him?"

"Three years. We met for a weekend in New York before he left for Europe. He's been back now for about six months. When I explained to him what we were trying to secure for our clan, he was quite intrigued and insisted on coming over to discuss it tonight."

"So what time will they be here?" House asked nervously.

"They'll be arriving at 6pm and if all goes well, they will be spending the night. I'll go and speak to Sidney and Timmy to get things set up for them."

Marius waited until Lucius was gone to ask House what he thought about meeting another potential master.

"I'm a little surprised to find it happening so quickly."

"I think he was surprised by it as well," Marius answered. "Else he would have told us much sooner to prepare."

"What's Gaius like?"

"He's a bit older than Lucius by about five years. An astute mind, very political and very military minded. He does very much enjoy hedonistic pleasures just as Lucius and I do but you will find that he is even sterner and more demanding than Lucius can be, but don't hold that against him. He can be inexorable in his demands but he cares very for his clan very deeply."

House nodded and sat down on the bed next to Marius. "Okay. Open mind then."

"Yes. Open mind. Help me to sit up," Marius said. House helped him move his casted leg and steadied his ribs as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Thank you. Come closer," he urged. Marius reached up and began to slowly unbutton House's shirt. "Keep your hands at your side unless I tell you otherwise," he warned when House fidgeted and made to interfere.

Once House settled down, Marius returned to the shirt buttons and once he had them open, he pushed the shirt off his shoulders capturing his arms in his sleeves. He smiled and ran his hands over his chest, tweaking his nipples and gently tracing the edges of the tattoo.

"This is healing well," he said then reached his fingers up to trace the line of his jaw. "Close your eyes," he ordered.

House obeyed, his breathing a bit shortened.

Marius hooked a finger through the belt loop of his jeans and tugged him a bit closer then reached up and opened the button of his jeans, slowly lowering the zipper. He reached in and took hold of his rapidly stiffening cock pulling it out of and giving him a couple of long strokes. Then he lowered his jeans just a bit, enough to reach deeper and pull his balls up and out of his jeans, resting the delicate flesh on the metal teeth of the zipper and tugging his jeans up slightly to trap them there as House hissed in discomfort. Marius chuckled and leaned forward to take his cock in his mouth and suck him leisurely, enjoying having House under his control again. He took his time, varying his pace and his method, keeping House gasping for relief as long as possible before finally taking him deep and swallowing him to completion.

Marius sat back and smiled as his gaze roved over House appreciatively. He was standing still caught in his clothing, a fine sheen of sweat on his skin, eyes closed and gasping for air. He had missed having House under his hand and control; the man was so responsive to touch and sensation it was a pleasure just to watch him come undone.

He reached out and tugged the shirt off of his arms then slid the jeans down and had him step out of them. Marius ran his hands all over him, having him turn around so that he could reach everywhere.

"We'll need to shower before Gaius and his people arrive," he said quietly.

House chuckled nervously.

"Yes, we do. I'll call Sidney to bathe you."

"No. Ask Lucius to do it. Then go shower."

By five-thirty, everyone was ready and waiting in the living room. House was nervous and fidgeting with a pen he'd picked up off Marius' desk, clicking the pen over and over. Lucius grimaced at the annoying sound but did nothing to stop him. Finally, the doorbell rang and Lucius went to answer it.

"Gaius. Welcome," Lucius greeted him, clasping forearms with him before stepping back to let them in.

"Lucius. It's good to see you again," Gaius answered, stepping into the foyer and waiting while the rest of his group came in. "This is William and this is Ekaterina, two of my newest masters. And these are my subs, Sam, Alex, and Thorn. This is Lucius Rushcroft, senior master of his clan."

"Welcome," he said warmly as Timmy appeared with Sidney to take jackets and offer robes to everyone, starting with Gaius and working their way through the ranks. He introduced Timmy and Sidney then led the way to the living room where Marius and House waited.

Gaius came over to Marius and clasped his hand. "Marius, it is so good to see you again. You know, if you wanted to be waited on, you only needed to ask," he said giving the cast a teasing glance. "You are a master, now, after all."

"I'll keep that in mind," Marius answered with a smile, darting a quick glance to judge House's reaction to the comment and pleased to see that he had taken it as the joke it was meant to be.

"This is House. He's my new sub," Marius said, gesturing for House to come closer.

He did so cautiously, and shook Gaius' hand when it was offered.

"You have joined a good clan, House," Gaius commented, taking the measure of the man in a glance. "I have known Lucius for many years; he takes very good care of his own."

"Yes, he does," House agreed.

Gaius introduced his group to Marius and House and they all sat down to get acquainted before dinner was ready to be served. Gaius spoke with Lucius and Marius, leaving the rest of them to chat together freely.

"So you two are new masters, Lucius said. How new is new?" House asked William and Ekaterina.

"I was made a master four months ago," Ekaterina answered. "William just two weeks ago."

"Is there some kind of graduation test involved? Oral exams?" he said with mocking innocence.

"Oh, the oral exams are just to get accepted into the program," she teased back. "Graduation requires proving that you have stamina, fortitude, and the proper understanding."

House grinned appreciatively at her. "So what took you so long?" he teased William.

"Hard headed I guess," William quipped back and they all laughed at that.

House felt relieved at how easy William and Ekaterina were to talk to and felt a bit of the nervousness he felt at meeting Gaius ease off. The three subs, Sam, Alex, and Thorn, were so completely different from each other that he found himself staring in 'differential' mode, trying to figure them out. Sam was the eldest of the three, in his late thirties but surprisingly the newest sub to the group, under Ekaterina's mastery. Alex, a young 22 year old, was under William, though William was only three years older than him. Thorn was Gaius' sub and had been with him for over ten years now, much to House's surprise since he wouldn't have guessed Thorn to be that old.

Thorn smiled mysteriously at House's reaction. "Did you think me that young? I am flattered," he said.

House smirked and held up his hands in surrender. "Guilty as charged. But better than guessing the other way isn't it?"

Thorn agreed and rose gracefully to his feet, coming over to sit down right next to House, displacing William, who moved with a smirk of anticipation to see how House would react.

House looked puzzled when Thorn sat down beside him and Thorn merely smiled, cocking his head to the side to let his eyes wander over House's form which prompted House to do the same. Thorn was very regal looking and very androgynous. He had long hair, held in a silver clasp on the crown of his head and flowing loosely over his shoulders. He had eyeliner on and House suspected some mascara on his lashes, and a light gloss on his lips. The clothes he wore were deliberately cut to to confuse his gender, flowing wide leg pants and a long tunic over top. His nails were slightly long and manicured like a woman in a french manicure, and his fingers bore several rings.

One of those hands lifted up caressed House's face, following the line of his jaw and stroking his trimmed stubble. House caught his breath and sat completely still. Thorn's hand continued to explore, down his throat, over his shoulder and down his arm to contemplate House's hand.

"A musician. Someday I hope we will hear you play for us."

"Someday," House answered noncommittally.

"What do you play?"

"Guitar and piano."

"I very much enjoy piano music," Thorn said with a smile.

"Dinner is ready," Lucius called out, breaking the spell as they all stood up to go into the dining room.

Lucius and Gaius took the end seats at the table. Gaius' group sat at Lucius' end and vice versa so that each senior master could get a chance to speak with the others. House found himself seated on Gaius' left hand, in what should have been a junior master's position. He attempted to shift one seat down, leaving the junior master seat empty but Gaius stopped him with a gesture.

"Please, sit here next to me, House. I wish to speak with you and even that small distance will not do."

House hesitated for a brief moment then acquiesced and sat down next to Gaius. Sidney took the next seat while Timmy sat across from them, next to Marius, once the platters of food had been brought out and set on a serving cart. Gaius turned in his chair to pick up a plate from the stack and one by one, he served each of Lucius' group before filling his own plate. Lucius had done the same and when all had been served, everyone began to eat.

"Lucius told me that you are quite new to his clan," Gaius began. "Had you ever been in a dom/sub relationship before? Were you part of another clan?"

"No, neither," House answered cautiously. "I had done a couple scenes at a BDSM club when i was younger but nothing like this."

"What do you think of this?"

"It's… radically different from anything I've ever thought about before. If someone had told me I'd be part of a group like this, especially as the submissive, I'd have put them in for a psych eval."

Gaius grinned and chuckled. "Not many people easily envision themselves in the role of the submissive, especially those that are fiercely independent personalities. How did you reconcile yourself to the role?"

"Before I ever consented… before I even knew what he was a part of… Marius reached out to me, just as a friend. I rejected him out of hand. I've had complicated and exhausting relationships and friendships. I didn't think I could handle another one. Or that anyone could handle one with me. And a couple of weeks later… I… was about to put an end to living. I remembered his offer and called him. He saved my life that night. Being with him was the first time I felt cared about in a way that didn't come with judgement and a lecture attached to it. That intrigued me. He insisted I give in on some things and gave me room to run on others."

House frowned, thinking further about the decision to join, to become a submissive, first to Marius, then to Lucius.

"At first it was hard. It took a lot of effort to do what he said. I have an kneejerk response to defy authority," he gave Marius a grin and Marius grinned right back. "But feeling really cared about was… addictive. I wanted to feel more and being a submissive was the price. Funny thing was, the more it happened, the more cared about I felt, and the more I wanted it. It still scares the shit out of me sometimes," he said, looking up at Gaius openly. "In the back of my mind, I sometimes wonder, what if they do hurt me? What if they don't stop? What if they tell me to do something that I just won't do?"

"Valid concerns, especially as you get in deeper with your clan. Have you come up with any answers to them?"

"I've come to know, over time, that they won't hurt me, well, they won't do harm," he amended. "Hurt is part and parcel with some of the activities. There's only been one time that they didn't stop when I wanted them to."

Gaius frowned and glanced at Marius before returning his attention to House. "When was that?"

"The night I got the clan tattoo. I didn't want a tattoo, or a piercing for that matter. I panicked and Lucius, he forced me to make a choice, ink or piercing." House noticed the disapproval in Gaius' expression. "No, don't… I was panicked. I'd already joined, was wearing the collar. I was still afraid of Lucius. I joined with Marius without knowing about Lucius and I was terrified that he would make me leave. I didn't stop to think about what the tattoo meant. And I never said my safeword either," he suddenly recalled. "Afterward, I got my first real punishment. I'd do a lot to avoid that again."

"What did the punishment entail?"

"Four point restraints on a bed in a completely dark room for three hours. At first it wasn't so bad, I was pissed off and trying to get free. I waited for a while, trying to count the time. Thought I'd reached it twice and was convinced they were going to leave me there and panicked. Really freaked me out. So, yeah, maybe I shouldn't have told you the secret, but I'd do a lot to avoid that again."

"He was monitored?" Gaius asked Marius.

"Yes, the entire time," Marius confirmed.

"Did you consider leaving the clan after this punishment?"

"No," House answered, with a puzzled frown as he realized that was true. "I went back to my home and spent a couple days thinking about it but I didn't want to leave Marius. And now that I've gotten to know Lucius, I don't want to leave him either."

"How has this lifestyle negatively impacted your life?"

"Negatively? Well, it's sometimes hard to explain at work without them knowing all the gritty details. My colleagues are used to me acting a certain way and I don't with them. So they're all trying to figure out why. It has affected my relationship with my best friend. He is sometimes understanding and sometimes calls it deviant and sick. It's driving a wedge between us. I'm trying to get him to see that this has been good for me but… I don't know if he'll ever understand. Or even get to the point where he can just accept that that's me."

"And what benefit have you gained from it?"

"Four new friends, my liver thanks them for getting me off so many drugs and drinking, feeling cared about. Feeling worthy of being cared about," he added quietly.

Gaius nodded and smiled. "That is something that so many must struggle with. I'm glad you have overcome it with them."

"Well, overcome may be too strong yet, but I'm definitely halfway there."

"House has taken on the responsible to learn to treat himself as well as we treat him," Marius commented, giving House a smile filled with pride and approval.

"Excellent," Gaius responded. "A most important step toward one day becoming a master yourself. I wish you all success."

After a moment, House turned to Gaius. "How long have you been part of this?"

"I joined a clan when I was 19 years old, so nearly 30 years ago. I started out as a dominant in training actually. I had decided the submissive role wasn't for me. Well, my master, though he recognized that I was a dominant, promptly informed me that I couldn't master someone until I had experienced what I was asking of them and learned to master myself. I had a rather rude awakening and hurt pride to deal with before I finally settled into learning," Gaius chuckled ruefully.

"It took four years before he allowed me to master someone without his direct supervision. I thought I must have known everything the day I soloed. And of course, promptly found out I was wrong. But I persevered, observed him, submitted to him time and again, and gradually I came to understand how to adjust for the differing needs of submissives."

Conversation continued all throughout dinner and dessert, with Marius, Sidney and Timmy offering their own perspectives and learning. House also eavesdropped on Lucius' conversation with Gaius' group and he had to admit that he was intrigued by them, that he liked them. Maybe this master would be an effective back up. Maybe the two clans would merge somewhat and they'd see much more of each other. He was startled to realize that he wasn't jealous of these new people but looking forward to spending time with them.