A/N: So sorry for the long delay in getting this final chapter to you. Dad hasn't made it home yet from his surgery at the beginning of October. He's had a very complicated course and was in ICU for several weeks. Finally out of there, at least, but still has ground to make up before he can be discharged home. I've also very unexpectedly had something major come up in the last two weeks which is good, extremely good, but will demand a lot of time for a month or so in getting details worked out. So life has been even more hectic than usual and will be for a bit longer.

This is the last chapter of Retribution. I hope you've enjoyed this little feline tale of plotting for House and Thomas. There are more Pranks universe stories out there, but first, I think I'm going to go to a story that has been on the back burner simmering away for a while now. Still House but very different from this series. It will start probably within the next month, but I have to get my big project squared away first, really need to finish that before full winter sets in if possible, and Dad's situation still isn't totally stable, either.

Thanks for the reviews and for still being on this journey with me. I never imagined starting that first story where it was going to go, much less Jensen, Abby, Thomas, et al.

Enjoy the end of Retribution! The story about the paper towel rolls is true; it happened in the home of a friend of mine.

(H/C)

Saturday morning, House pushed himself through breakfast, then stood up and grabbed his coat. "I'll meet you all out at the stable," he said. "I've got the answer on my case, so I'm going to go by the hospital first."

"Did you fix the patient, Daddy?" Rachel asked.

"Yes. I think he'll be good and cured in no time," he said to her. "Bye, girls. See you soon."

Both girls were looking after their father as he headed for the door, and Thomas, who had come over for breakfast, changed the subject. "Guess what, girls?"

The question was irresistible, and attention focused on him at once. "What?" Abby asked.

"I've got a surprise for you back at my place."

"What surprise?" Rachel demanded.

"A secret surprise. But not for long. You'll know pretty soon."

Cuddy looked a bit suspicious herself. "What kind of surprise, Thomas?"

"A very unexpected one. I was going around minding my own business this week, and I tripped straight over this surprise. So I knew I had to have it." Having thoroughly captured their attention, he turned his to the last few bites of breakfast. "We can go to my place for lunch after the stable, and I'll show you."

House was smiling privately as he went out into the garage. He backed Victory out onto the road and turned for PPTH. He and Thomas had agreed that Cuddy didn't need all details of yesterday, and certainly the girls didn't, but there was nothing unbelievable about finding a kitten. Curtis unfortunately had a lot of company in the world when it came to dumping them.

He stopped at the nurses' station to give new med orders for Curtis, ones that would treat what he actually did have, then went on to the room. The door was shut, but when House tapped politely and then opened it, he knew that his efforts from yesterday had been discovered. Curtis looked worried, visions of the IRS dancing in his head, no doubt. Celia looked furious. Smoke was practically coming out of her ears.

"Good morning!" House said brightly. "I have some good news."

"We could use some," Curtis grumbled.

"I've solved your case. You should be feeling better in a day or two, and you can get back home probably Monday or so."

"Great." The tone was flat, and House feigned disappointment.

"You know, most patients are glad to hear that they're going to be cured."

Celia was still fuming, but Curtis at least focused a little more. "I'm sorry, Dr. House. We do appreciate everything you've done."

"Remember, though, that even though this wasn't a long-term effect of the kitten scratches this time, you need to pay attention to any changes. Inspect yourself regularly. Watch out for any difference in color or, shall we say, energy. Fournier's gangrene is nothing to play around with, and it can be a late effect of an injury. So don't ever let your guard down."

Curtis looked suitably frightened. Celia came to life, smacking one hand down hard against the arm of the visitor's chair. "Damned kittens."

"They're more trouble than they're worth," Curtis agreed. "Does yours ever tear stuff up, Dr. House?"

"Other than my arm, you mean?" House slid his sleeve up enough to display the healing scratch. "Oh, sure, all the time. Toilet paper, paperwork. All kittens enjoy that. I think the cuteness is just a disguise to keep us from wanting to kill them. You know what ours got into the other day? A jumbo pack of paper towels. Fresh from the store, hadn't even been opened. Shredded twelve rolls while we were at work, every last roll in the bag, then sat there looking proud of himself. It was just a kitten party, as far as he was concerned. Like I said the other day, I only keep the little demon around because my girls think he's cute."

"They're not that cute," Celia put in. "We're never getting another one. If you ever bring one home again, Curtis, I'll break up with you."

"So is your current one going off to find a country home?" House asked, adopting a conspiratorial and far-from-disapproving tone. "I've been tempted to do the same thing to ours a few times, I must admit."

"No," Curtis answered. "She's already gone. She managed somehow to get the vent cover up off the heating vent yesterday while she was playing with things, and she escaped into the building ductwork."

"I hope she fries in there," Celia snapped. "Or starves or something. We sure aren't taking her back out. I put that duct cover back on and screwed it down this time, so she can't get back in even if she wanted to."

House shrugged. "No great loss. Well, Curtis, I hope you get to feeling better very soon. The meds should start kicking in today. But if you ever want a followup appointment, just to make sure that things are staying healthy, I'd be glad to see you again for a reconsult."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you again, Dr. House."

House gave them a smile and turned to leave. "My pleasure."

(H/C)

The cars turned into Thomas' driveway, and Rachel started undoing her own car seat straps as soon as they stopped. "I wanna see the surprise."

House, having parked Victory, had opened the car door on her side. "Well, we're here, so it won't be long now."

Abby perked up, pointing as Cuddy lifted her out of her seat. "Look. There's two!"

They all turned. Sure enough, a calico face was right next to the black one as the kittens peered around the curtain in the front window, inspecting the new arrivals.

"It's a kitten!" Rachel wiggled her way down from her father's arms and galloped toward the door. "It's two kittens! Grandpa Thomas, you have two kittens!"

Thomas was smiling ear to ear. "I found this poor little thing yesterday and decided Jet wouldn't mind some company. Now be gentle, Rachel. She's still a little uncertain; don't scare her." He opened the door, and Rachel tiptoed in.

The rest of them followed. Jet and Karma were side by side in the middle of the floor, the bond between them already visible. "She's got pots!" Abby said, delighted.

Rachel nodded. "Different-colored pots. And white. But she's not old."

"Cats aren't like people," Abby agreed.

Cuddy still wasn't quite sure what the two men in her life had been doing this week, but a kitten seemed so incongruous as a result of Housian scheming that she couldn't see how there might be any connection at all. There were stray kittens all around. "She's cute," she said.

"All kittens are cute," House corrected. "Self-defense mechanism. It keeps us liking them even when they rip things up."

"You're a bear, Daddy," Abby scolded. Rachel was already scratching Karma's ears - and Jet's - and Abby went forward to join her.

"Has Jet cast his vote yet?" House asked.

"They love each other. They were romping all around last night, and then they slept curled up together."

"What's her name?" Rachel asked.

"Karma," Thomas told her.

"Karma?" Abby, intrigued by an unfamiliar word, cocked her head, looking for a moment remarkably like her father.

"That means when someone gets what they deserve," Thomas said.

Rachel accepted this. "Like you," she said.

"Like me?" Thomas didn't follow her for one.

She nodded vigorously, leaving the kitten to come across for a hug. "You came to live here. You deserve us."

Cuddy smiled at her daughter, forgetting lingering curiosity in the moment. "She's right, Thomas. Everybody here finally has what they deserve." She hooked her husband with her right hand and her father-in-law with her left and hugged them both, and the girls joined in.

In the floor beyond the family, Karma abruptly pounced on the tip of Jet's tail, and the kittens fell into a ferocious battle for a few seconds, then broke apart as if at a silent referee's whistle and started washing each other.