A/N: 6 chapters to go. I'm going to try and post the rest this week.

Chapter Thirteen

Emmett spent the next week making arrangements in Vegas, with House's help. He just hoped Althea would say yes when he got enough courage to actually ask her. He even took his mother's wedding rings out of his safe deposit box at the bank and had them cleaned and polished at the local jeweler.

Althea could sense something was going on with him but he insisted everything was fine. He was spending a lot of time in the lab working on something confidential. And she knew that he had been using the time machine late at night because the sonic booms woke her.

By the end of the week, it had been pouring non-stop for days and the weather matched her mood as she sulked. By the time Emmett returned to the house late one afternoon, she was tossing clothes into her bag.

"Oh, good, you're packing," he said as he stood in the doorway of the bedroom.

She paused and stared at him. "What did you say?"

"You heard me. I was just about to tell you to do just that."

"Oh, well that's just great. I knew it," she said and tossed more clothes in.

Emmett blinked. "You knew what?"

"You've been acting strange all week. Do you think I can't tell when a man has lost interest in me? You've been spending hours locked up in your lab, you changed the access code so I couldn't come in. And now you're telling me you want me to pack my bags?"

"Well, I'm not sure why you're doing it but I'm glad you are because..."

"Fuck off, Emmett."

He blinked again in surprise. "Pardon me?"

"You heard me. I've had it. I thought you loved me but you're as bad as House. All you want is a whore and that's all I'll ever be to you."

"Althea," he said, sternly, "I never thought that of you. Why would you even say such a thing? That's ludicrous."

"Oh bullshit," she said and grabbed the nearest object to her, which happened to be a bud vase, and hurled it at him. He ducked, avoided being struck, and the vase shattered against the door frame.

"Okay, that's about enough!" he shouted and came into the room side-stepping the broken glass. She picked up the duffel bag but he placed his hand over hers. "You're not going anywhere, Althea. Not until we straighten this out."

"There's nothing to straighten out. It's clear you don't love me anymore."

He pried her hand free from the handle of the bag and she raised her hand as if she was about to slap him but his reflexes were much quicker and he grabbed both of her wrists.

"Let go!" she hissed, trying to struggle out of his grasp, but he was much stronger than she was. Emmett was angry, and she'd never seen him like that before.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" he demanded. "Whatever I did to make you feel like this….I'm sorry. I..I don't know what else to say."

She went limp against him and he let go of her, watching as she collapsed on the bed and let out a deep sigh of defeat. "Is…is there someone else?"

"What? No! What made you think that?"

"You locked me out of your lab," she sniffled. "I know you've been talking to House in secret. You've been using the time machine, and you went into town a couple of times this week without me. I thought maybe you were meeting someone."

He sighed and sat down on the bed next to her. "I wasn't meeting with anyone. I just had some business in town to take care of and I didn't see the point in bringing you with me."

"What about locking me out of the lab? And where have you been going in the time machine? I thought you were going to take me to see my father, but you obviously don't have any intention of doing that either."

"Well, I've been working on something for House and forgive me for saying this, but you are very distracting," he said, with a slight grin. "I will take you to see your father when it's safe to do so. I'm working on it, I promise."

Althea sniffled again and Emmett handed her a tissue. "So no, to answer your first question, I'm not seeing anyone else."

"Why did you want me to pack my bags then?"

It's now or never, Emmett thought to himself as he reached into his pocket and closed his hand around the ring box. "Well, I was going to tell you that we're going on a trip..."

"A trip? Really?" she asked as she perked up a bit. "To where?"

His mouth was suddenly dry and he swallowed hard. "Well, I've been thinking about our talk last week. So I went into town and I picked this up." He pulled the blue velvet ring box out of his pocket, hand shaking as he got down on one knee in front of her. When he flipped open the box, Althea gasped covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh, Emmett…"

"It belonged to my Mother. It's been sitting in the safe deposit box for at least thirty years. I never thought I'd have the chance to give it to anyone but here I am, offering it to you, asking you to marry me. Because you are, without a doubt, the only love of my life. Even if I had to travel three hundred years back in time to find you."

Althea stared at the antique silver Edwardian style diamond ring and the tears started again. She couldn't speak at first. Emmett looked scared to death as he knelt before her, ring in hand, waiting for some kind of affirmation. The longer it took, the more nervous he became.

"I hope those are happy tears," he chuckled.

Again, she nodded and he took the ring out of the box. "I think I need a more direct approach here. Will you marry me? Nod once for yes, or shake your head for no."

She let out a small laugh and nodded, holding her left hand out to him. Letting out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, Emmett slipped the ring on her finger and it was a perfect fit. It was almost as if it had been made especially for her.

She then wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close. "I'm so sorry, Emmett," she sniffed. "For yelling at you…breaking the vase…trying to slap you…"

"Oh, Althea," he sighed as he slid his hands up and down her back. He could feel her breath hitching as she sobbed quietly on his shoulder. "Everything is going to be fine now," he whispered as he stroked her hair.

She finally found her voice and placed her hands on his face, gently stroking his cheek. "I love you."

He smiled at her. "I love you too."

"For all time, right?"

He nodded and kissed her. "For all time."

XXX

Althea and Emmett lay together in bed after having made love for the second time that evening, already on the verge of falling asleep.

"When are we going?" she asked as she curled up against him and gently stroked his chest.

He yawned. "Tomorrow. House and Cameron are there for a medical conference and she'll help you shop for a dress. That's assuming you'd want them there, to be our witnesses."

"Oh! Yes, of course. Dr. Cameron is so nice. I always liked her. You will too. She's beautiful."

"I doubt she's nearly as beautiful as you."

"Oh I don't know about that. She's stunning."

"We'll see about that. But then I might be just a little bit biased," he grinned.

"Where are we staying?"

"One of the hotels on the strip. But we'll be getting married at a chapel near the hotel."

"I can't wait."

Emmett smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. "Me neither. Now get some sleep. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow."

XXX

Althea was overwhelmed by the size of the plane and by the whole concept of air travel, but Emmett was proud of her, even though at times he thought she was going to be sick. It was a bit of a rough landing in Vegas, and even Emmett's stomach was slightly queasy from the turbulence once they were over the desert.

When they finally got off the plane, there was a driver standing near the exit holding a large sign which said Dr. Emmett Brown.

"You know, sometimes I forget you're a doctor," Althea giggled as they got into the black Lincoln town car.

"Only of Science. It's not quite as grand as House's title."

"You still earned it. Worked hard to get it."

"I suppose. So what did you think of the flight?"

"It was…interesting. And a little scary."

"It's still the safest method of travel."

"Yes, I can see that."

"It won't be so bad when we go home, now that you know what to expect. And it is quite windy out, that didn't help."

"No, that's for certain."

"It's not always like that, but weather can certainly affect how the plane handles."

It wasn't a long drive to the hotel and when Althea got out, the warm wind both shocked and delighted her.

"It does get rather warm here," Emmett told her.

"How warm?"

"It's only March, Miss, but come back in July, and you'll really see how hot it can be," the driver said as he took their bags out of the trunk.

Althea nodded and she followed Emmett inside the grand entrance of the hotel. Once they were checked in, they went up to their suite near the top floor.

"I hope you're not afraid of heights," Emmett chuckled as Althea peered out the window. They had an amazing view of the Las Vegas strip.

"This is so incredible, Emmett," she whispered. "The way it's all lit up…"

"Yeah it is pretty fascinating," he said as he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck and the one spot that he knew she loved.

She practically purred as she rolled her head back to give him better access and he didn't disappoint. Things were starting to heat up when his cell phone rang.
"It's probably House," Emmett said, slightly out of breath as he reached for his phone and flipped it open.

"Put your clothes back on and meet us down at the Ri Ra Irish Pub for dinner. We got a booth."

Emmett chuckled and hissed as Althea's hand slid down the front of his shirt down to his belt.

"Uhh…yes…okay. We'll be…down shortly."

"Emmett ...you old dog," House laughed before he ended the call.

Emmett closed the phone shut, tossed it on the bed and went back to kissing Althea until they needed to come up for air.

"We've been invited for dinner downstairs," he whispered, trying to control himself.

"Do we have to?" she whined, enjoying the kisses he was placing across her throat.

"I think…we'll never hear the end of it if we don't…"

"As long as you promise me one thing, Emmett."

"What's that?"

"We continue this when we get back."

"Oh, that I can most certainly promise. It will be a quick dinner."

"I hope so. I'll just go change and freshen up a little."

"Good idea."

Fifteen minutes later, Emmett and Althea came down to the pub where a live band played traditional Irish songs. House waved them over to where he and Cameron sat and when Emmett saw Cameron, he was indeed stunned by her beauty. However, in his eyes, she couldn't hold a candle to his Princess, Althea.

"Emmett, this is Dr. Allison Cameron. But everyone calls her Cameron," House said. "Cameron, this is Dr. Emmett Brown, and of course you know his beautiful fiancee, Althea."

Hearing House refer to her as Emmett's fiancee made her quiver with delight and she squeezed Emmett's hand. He squeezed back and smiled at her.

"I suppose we haven't been engaged long enough to get used to hearing that," Emmett chuckled as they sat down. When the server came over, he ordered a bottle of champagne for all of them. "It's a special occasion. This beautiful young lady has agreed to marry me."

"Oh!" The lady's eyes lit up. "Well in that case, it's on us. Thank you for celebrating at Ri Ra. I'll bring it right out. And congratulations."

Five minutes later, the champagne was brought out in a shiny silver ice bucket with four flutes.

"To Emmett and Althea," House grinned and they all clinked their glasses together.

Two hours later, Althea and Emmett were on the dance floor, swaying to the music. "I don't know about you but I'm ready for bed," she whispered.

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm-hmm," she murmured as her fingers played with the hair at the back of his neck. "Do you think they'd mind if we just…disappeared?"

"Oh, I think we should at least tell them goodnight."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. So let's go so we can continue what we started earlier, Dr. Brown."

Emmett smiled down at her and they kissed while House and Cameron looked on.

"Wow, he's gone on her, isn't he?" Cameron said.

"Yep."

"They are cute together, though. And he's a very nice man, as you said."

"I'm pretty sure I didn't word it like that," House snickered as he took out his credit card and handed it to the server. "But yeah, if there was anyone else I'd want her to end up with, it would be Emmett. Even though he's twice her age."

"You and I aren't that far off, House," Cameron chided as she gently stroked his cheek.

"Some ladies like the whole May/December thing."

"Because May is when things start to get hot," she whispered in his ear. "Come on, let's go say goodnight and head up."

"Yes ma'am," House said as he let her lead him through the crowd to say goodnight to Emmett and Althea.

"Wanna meet for breakfast in the morning?" Cameron asked them.

"Yes, that's a good idea," Emmett said with a nod. "Althea and I have to go see a man about a marriage license afterward. Then you ladies can go shopping."

"Sounds good. G'night you two."