The next morning she sent John with Wilson after getting House in a wheelchair and got to work. She helped him go to the restroom, feed him, and sat down to play a video game with him. She put a controller in his hand and made him face the TV when that didn't work she turned on Medical Mysteries, then played the DVD she'd given him title Greg's Greatest Hits.

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"You're my Godfather," John said from the back seat.

Wilson shook his head from concern about House and looked in the rear view mirror to see John's bright blue eyes on him. "That's right, my name is James," he said in a warm friendly way that he always spoke to children in.

John's eyes narrowed in thought, "You never come to my birthdays. I've never even met you until yesterday," he said with a frown.

Wilson looked back at the road, "I live far away and I work a lot as a doctor," he said trying to explain his absence.

"What's wrong with your friend?" John asked with curiosity.

Wilson glanced back at the boy through the mirror, "He's sick and we're trying to get him better," he said in simple terms so the boy could understand.

John rolled his eyes, "Duh," he said at the obvious statement, "what happened to him?" he asked watching the man through the mirror with and intense stare.

Wilson blinked looking back at the road again, it was unsettling how much this kid was like House. "He is dealing with a lot right now... actually more like not dealing," he said with a heavy sigh. "When people are extremely overwhelmed sometimes they... have breakdowns, that's kind of what's happening to him," he said as his thoughts wandered back to House.

John though about that, "Where are you taking me?" he asked looking out the windows.

"I'm not sure I thought we could watch a movie or we could go to the park," Wilson said glad the kid changed the topic.

John bit his lip with concern as he looked in the mirror at James, "I probably shouldn't go to the park sometimes my allergies can get real bad and I don't have my medicine," he said looking down with a slight pout. "Are there any movies with Dinosaurs in them, I love Dinosaurs!" he said with a sweet smile.

"No," Wilson said looking at the boy to see disappointment and concern on his features. The kid had to be scared, his mother had just sent him off with a total stranger and he wanted to comfort the kid as much as possible. "There is a museum with Dinosaurs in downtown Trenton though. I don't know if a kid your age likes..."

"YAY! We get to go to the New Jersey State Museum!" John exclaimed with a smile.

Wilson smiled at John's enthusiasm and in wasn't until a couple of minutes later that he realized he'd never mentioned the name of the museum. He glanced back to see the kid smiling as he looked out the window and he realized he'd been manipulate by the two year old. He suddenly had a deep empathy for Stacy and her husband trying to raise a kid who was that bright.

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Stacy frowned as she looked over to House who had twisted his arms and legs in odd ways. Wilson had told her he did that from time to time and that it was 'normal' for his condition but it still was very unsettling to see it. She searched his desk and found a number of massage therapist cards in which he'd put his own notes on and called the one with the best rating.

"Soothing Massages by Susan, this is Susan speaking. How may I make your day easier?" Susan said in a cheery voice as she flipped off a rude driver.

"Um, yes, I needed to book a massage today for a Dr. Gregory House," Stacy said with confidence even though the situation was a little awkard.

Susan's eyebrow arched, "My what sweet voice you have, Greg," she said with curiosity.

Stacy sighed, "I'm a friend of Greg's and I'll pay you for the massage," she said looking at Greg holding the uncomfortable position.

"What all are you wanting done?" Susan asked glaring at a red light that had caught her.

"Everything, head to toe, deep tissue," Stacy said hopefully.

"Everything?" Susan said thinking about Greg, "Look I know you are just trying to plan a nice surprise for him but..." she sighed, "Greg isn't even comfortable taking his shirt off and it would take at least two hours to do a complete deep tissue massage on a man Greg's size."

"I'll pay for it and I promise he wont give you any problems about it," Stacy said looking away from Greg's blank eyes.

"Okay, I can fit him tomorrow at eleven in the morning," Susan said.

Stacy shook her head, "No, he needs it today," she said with authority.

"Sorry, I don't have that big of a time slot today. Greg is a sweet guy, if I could I would," Susan said starting on her way to her next clients house.

Stacy glanced at Greg and frowned, "Look, this is important. I know I'm calling at the last moment and Greg can be an ass, but I'll do whatever it takes. He needs this."

Susan frowned at the desperation in the woman's voice, "Greg saved my mother's life, he isn't an ass." She chewed her lip as she thought about it, "Okay, I'm on my way, I'll call my next two clients and move their appointments into some different slots."

"Thank you so much!" Stacy said with relief as she ended the call.

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Susan knocked on the familiar door and smiled at the woman who answered. "I'm Susan of Soothing Massages."

"I'm Stacy," Stacy said opening the door so Susan could walk in. She couldn't help noticing that Susan had a supermodel body, long lustrous blonde hair and couldn't be older than her late twenties.

Susan stared with wide eyes at Greg, the man was in a wheelchair and looked as alive as a statue. "Greg?" she said softly to see no change and swallowed. "What happened to him?" she asked as she stepped closer to him.

Stacy looked at the young beautiful blonde woman and how she looked at Greg, it was too easy to see the woman cared for Greg beyond that of a client. "He has been going though a lot lately and had a breakdown," she explained as simply as she could. "Were you and he... Did you two... date?" Stacy asked feeling a slight prickle of jealousy at the thought.

Susan shook her head, "No, I suggested it once but..." she let the sentence fade shaking her head softly. "I got the impression he was really lonely but that he'd given up on dating, like he'd been hurt to much to try again," she said tenderly touching him.

Susan massaged the stiff thigh as he sat on the couch with his pants pulled down and swallowed as she saw the erection through his boxer briefs. She looked up at the handsome older man as he rested his head against the back of couch with his eyes closed in pain facing the ceiling. The leg was in worse shape than usual and her heart ached for the tender and shy man. Over the past two years she'd grown to care for him in more ways than was professional. She looked back down and let a hand move to his covered erection.

He gasped at the touch and looked at her through lidded eyes, "What are you doing?" he asked breathlessly as she touched him in a way he hadn't been touch in years.

"Does it feel good?" She asked moving her hand slowly up and down his underwear covered erection.

He licked his lips as a desperate moan escaped him while looking down at the gorgeous woman touching him, with her low cut shirt. "Yes, but..." his mind stopped as he felt her other hand slide under the material.

"Relax, just breath," she said aroused by touching him.

He licked his lips as his hips bucked on their own accord, "Don't, please... Stop!" he said in panic and she did. He's face was flushed and he hated how much he'd wanted to let her continue, another reminder of how long it had been since he'd had sex. "You don't have to... I'm not paying you for that," he said staring at the floor in shame.

She felt rejected and confused, "I know. I was doing it because I like you and I wanted to make you feel something besides pain," she said as she started working on his thigh again. "I'm sorry, it was unprofessional and your a doctor, you could get anyone you wanted and I'm just a stupid masseuse," she said embarrassed.

His eyes darted to her with confusion, "Look at me," he said gently and as she did he felt himself harden more which made him flush. "You are a beautiful woman, too beautiful to be having anything to do with an old cripple like me."

She flushed as his sweet words and the honesty in his eyes, "You don't have any idea of how desirable you are, do you?"

He blinked at her in shock at her words and looked down at the carpet, "You don't know me. People who know me hate me. I'm not a lovable person, you're just too nice to see that."

Stacy felt a sting of pain at the woman's words, "He has always had problems with relationships." She stated as she started taking off his clothes.

Susan's eyes darted to the woman and how comfortable she seemed to be undressing the modest man and realized she had to be 'the woman' that had been in Greg's life before. She looked back to Greg and her eyes widened at the number of scars. "I...I should get my table from the car," Susan said as she stared unblinking at the abuse on the mans torso.

Stacy looked back at the woman and could see herself in her. She remembered what it was like to see the scars for the first time.

It had a month after she'd moved in and she'd noticed their sex life was already predictable. It was in a dark room under the covers and she had never even seen him naked. It was time to spice things up and she'd planned it all out. She'd convinced him to play strip poker with her and even had some cards hidden to insure she would get to see him in the buff.

Stacy smiled at her cards; he'd already taken off his shoes, socks, and overshirt. "I win," she said putting her cards down, "which means it's time for you to take something off."

House had never had someone beat him this bad and stood up shaking his head as he thought about his options, "Look, I'm tired. I'm going to bed," he said starting down the hall.

Stacy ran after him catching up quickly. She grabbed his arm and pulled him to come back, "No, you can't leave without fullfilling your duties. Now take it off," she said with a seductive smile.

House frowned, "Stacy, you don't understand," he said in a deep voice.

"What don't I understand? I've been living with you for a month, but you can't take off your shirt unless your in a dark room under covers? Come on, I have hands and you don't have anything to be ashamed of." She said with a wicked smile as her hands rested at the bottom of his shirt. "I want to see you and I want to have sex with you in every position imaginable in every room I go in."

He pulled away from her, "I'm afraid that I'll scare you or you'll want to talk and I... I don't want to talk about it."

"I don't want to talk about your body. I want to kiss it and lick it and then..." Stacy's mouth stopped moving and became dry as he took off his shirt to reveal scars all over his body.

House threw the shirt on the table with the cards, "Now you can see just how ugly I am," he said taking off his pants and underwear as well waiting for her to say something or just leave.

She looked at the beautiful body that had such scars on them and stepped closer to him. She put a hand on his chest as she looked in his eyes to see moisture in them with fear and vulnerability. She felt a couple of tears leave her own eyes as she started kissing his broad chest and held him to her.

Stacy stopped undressing Greg, "Most of it was done by his father when he was just a child. That's the reason he has trust issues," she said trying to help Susan understand.

"His father," Susan whispered in disbelieve at the idea of someone doing that to their child. She swallowed hard, "I thought... that he didn't like me or wasn't attracted to me," she said in a soft voice.

Stacy empathized with Susan, she'd felt the same way at first. "He just didn't want you to see him like this. He was ashamed of his body and thought anyone that saw it would see him as ugly and weak.

"He's the strongest man I know," Susan said as her eyes locked on Stacy's with un-shead tears. "I'll go get the table." She said and left.

There was no doubt in Stacy's mind that Susan wanted a moment to compose herself. She was lost in her thought when she heard a groan from Greg and whipped her head to him. There was a grimace on his face and her heart pounded. "Greg," she said with hope as she touched his cheek. "Greg, please say something," she begged, but instead his eyes closed. "You can yell at me or hate me, just say something." She waited but he did nothing and though she felt sick with disappointment she knew she'd reached him for a moment. She continued taking off all his clothes except his underwear.

Susan came in to see Stacy running her fingers through Greg's hair in a motherly way, "I got the table," she said walking in and setting it up. She wondered how hard it was going to be to move Greg to it but was shocked by how light he was. "That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," she said with a frown as they laid the lifeless body on the massage table.

"He hasn't been eating well," Stacy said somberly.

Susan got out all the supplies she would need and turned on two lamps before turning off the main light. The room was transformed into shadows and warm dim yellow light that coated some of the furniture. Then the smell of wood, lavender and coconut took over the room as she started rubbing the warm oil over the tight muscles of Greg's back.

Stacy sat on the couch and felt slightly jealous of Greg as she watched the woman massage his back and yawned.

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Wilson read out loud another description of a dinosaur and couldn't help smile as John's eyes lit up as he looked at the massive skeleton structure of the animal that once lived. "So, which one is your favorite?" Wilson asked when he was done reading the description.

"That's easy, Troodon," John said with a smile but it faded some. "They don't have one here."

Wilson blinked a couple of times as he had never heard of the dinosaur, "Yeah, I like the Tyrannosaurus Rex," he said with a bashful smile that the child new more about dinosaurs than he did.

John rolled his eyes, "No imagination," he said looking at the Tyrannosaurus Rex bones. "He's huge but if you take away his teeth he's nothing."

"That's not true," Wilson said looking up at the huge skeleton and suddenly noticing the boy had a point. "He's still big and... teeth mattered back then."

"Troodon had serrated teeth and was the smartest dinosaur," John said with sparkling eyes. "He wasn't that big but he was fast and hunted at night. He was sneeky," the boy said with an evil smile.

Wilson was amused yet also took the last part as a warning about the boy himself. "Do like to be sneaky?"

John looked down at his feet still smiling, "I can hide good."

"I bet you can," Wilson said and started walking to the next dinosaur skeleton.

"I hear things," John said with curiosity as he watched James. Wilson turned to look at the boy with concern. "My dad says he sees someone else when he looks at me, but it's only me."

Wilson felt his mouth go dry, "He means the man you will grow up to be."

John kept his eyes on James, "I grow up to be a bass turd?" he asked.

"No," Wilson said as he felt his concern grow for the boy. "John, does your daddy get mad at you?"

John shrugged, "Only when I'm bad," he said in a soft embarrassed voice.

"What does he do when he's mad?" Wilson asked trying to sound casual.

"He yells and then... he is mean to Mommy," John said with a pout. "It's my fault he is mean to her."

Wilson held back the tears, "No it isn't, John," he said putting a hand on the boys shoulder.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," John said walking over to stare at the next Dinosaur skeleton but the sparkle was gone from his eyes.

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Stacy woke up to Susan softly whispering her name.

"Looks like you needed a nap," Susan said sitting beside her.

Stacy sat up looking at her phone for the time and was surprised to see she'd been a sleep for 3 hours. "Oh, I'm so sorry I dozed off. You should have woken me when you got done," she said softly stretching.

Susan looked over at Greg, "I just got done. His muscles were so tight that it took a lot of work to get them to start to relax, but I didn't give up. I'm pretty sure he fell asleep by his breathing."

Stacy gave the woman an appreciative smile, "Good, how much do I owe you?" she asked grabbing her purse.

"Let's call it one-hundred fifty," Susan said. "Is he going to be alright?" she asked suddenly unable to stop herself.

Stacy nodded, "I think so. That's why I'm down here is to try and help," she said gently. "What you did today could help too. Now, please, let me pay you a fair wage," she said handing the girl four hundred dollars.

Susan shook her head, "No, I wanted to help and I wouldn't even be asking for one-hundred fifty if it wasn't for rent being due."

"Please, take it. You changed your schedule for him and … you care about him," Stacy said with emotion. "You have no idea what that means to me."

Susan looked down at the money, knowing that it was only fifty dollars more than she would have charged any other customer for three hours of deep tissue massage. "Thank you," she said taking the money. "We should probably get him dressed and moved," she said looking over at the man's body.

"Right," Stacy said standing up with his clothes in hand to see the obvious erection that his underwear was covering. She blushed as she quickly started working to getting him dressed. Susan helped out some. "I think he should go back in the wheelchair for the moment," Stacy said and they moved him with ease.

Susan looked to Stacy when they were done, "I want you to know that if you need any more help with him to please give me a call. I want to help if I can," she said looking back at House.

Stacy wished House could realize how much he meant to the people who got to know him. He lived under the assumption that the only thing anyone valued him for was his ability as a doctor and even though he was valued for that it wasn't the only thing. He was amazing in ways he never seemed to notice like how brilliant and talented he was and yet modest and shy. One of the qualities that she loved most was how he put all of himself in everything he did, especially his work. "I appreciate it and believe me if I need any help I'll call you. Thanks so much for everything, Susan," Stacy said giving the woman and half hug. Susan returned the hug and packed up her gear before leaving.

She looked down at House his eyes gently closed and brushed her fingers over the new scars under his left eye to see his eyes open slowly. Her breath caught, "Greg," she whispered but noticed the empty stare and pushed the wheelchair to the piano and placed his fingers on the keys. She sat down beside him on the bench, "It's been a couple of years," she admitted glancing at him, "but I think I remember how to play Heart and Soul. She started off bad, "Just give me a minute," she said with frustration as in her mind she could hear him criticizing her for forgetting the easy song. She kept trying and after twenty minutes she slammed her hands down on the keys in frustration. Tears whelled up in her eyes as she realized she'd forgotten what he'd taught her and that he may never be able to teach her again. She stood up as a few tears fell and then froze as she heard a single key ring out in the apartment. Her mind wanted to believe but there had been so many times that she'd thought he was coming around and been wrong. Then the next note of Heart and Soul played and her head snapped over to look at him.

House's fingers slowly moved from one key to the next gaining a little speed with each new tone as his eyes were closed. When the song finished he started to play another song. Stacy sat down beside him again watching as her tears dried. He finished the second song and his eyes opened with confusion and he looked down at his hands on the piano.

"Hi," Stacy said gently as she now felt completely lost as to what she should say.

House turned his head and looked at her with questioning eyes, "Stacy?" he asked with uncertainty and some fear in his voice.

"Greg, it's okay," she said softly as tears fell once again and her hand cupped his face.

"I... I don't know how I got here," he admitted sounding frightened.

She could see her son in his eyes and it broke her heart, "You've been in a catatonic state for a week now. Wilson called me to come down and help." She said not sure if it would be wise to explain what had made him slip into the state.

House tried to remember and quickly pulled back from her touch, "I'm HIV positive," he said as his eyes became more confused, "but I had dealt with it." He shook his head as he thought more then met hers in shame. "Cuddy," he said with disappointment, "she told the board and took away my job."

"She can't do that! Greg, I won't let her take your career from you." Stacy said adamantly, "I'm going to get your job back and make her pay for what she did. When I'm through with her she'll be lucky if a nursing home lets her clean bed pans!"

House frowned watching Stacy, "Cuddy is a bitch of a friend but... she's a good boss." Stacy looked stunned and bewildered by the comment. "I don't work well with most people, but she and I have a good working relationship. She can pull me back when I'm going too far and she knows when to let me go. I'm... a better doctor with her," he explained with some resentment for needing Cuddy.

Stacy's eyes searched his disbelief, "Greg," she said softly as she reached to touch him but he pulled back and it killed her. "You don't need her. She tried to ruin you because of an illness. Please, don't let her get away with what she did to you. You deserve better," she begged.

He closed his eyes, "I just want things to go back to how they were," he said in a tired voice.

She wanted to fight him on this but she didn't have the heart too. He'd been through so much, "Are you sure? Because I will get you whatever you want, all you have to do is let me know what that is," she said tenderly.

House opened his eyes to see hers' searching his, "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me?" he asked in a small voice.

Stacy blinked to keep the tears out of her eyes, "Because I care about, you, you idiot," she whispered without any real bite. "You maybe an asshole with no social skills but you're my asshole."

He raised an eyebrow as he thought about it and the corner of his lip rose even though he managed to keep the full smile at bay, "I'm your asshole," he said trying to sound serious.

She couldn't help laughing, "Shut up!" she said blushing pink and started to slap his arm but he pulled back and her smile faded. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said with a hurt expression.

"It's not because of you, it's because of... the HIV," House explained, hoping she'd understand.

Stacy was confused, "I thought HIV could only be spread through blood or sex," she said with concern.

"I'm not taking any chances with anyone," he said looking away.

Her eyes watered, "So, you finally have a reason to cut yourself off from everyone that cares about you. I guess you got one good thing out of all of this," she said softly with some disappointment.

House crossed his arms over his stomach as he felt vulnerable and shamed by her reaction. "Did he tell you I was dating her?" he asked looking to her and away again as he saw the tears.

"James mentioned it," Stacy said so soft it was barely heard. "He... he said you loved her," she said looking down at the keys of the piano.

He glanced back over surprised by the hurt he heard in her voice, "You moved on, you got married," he reminded her with a touch of bitterness.

"I know," she said with a sniffle frustrated at herself for being hurt and letting go of a man ten times better than her husband.

The place in his heart that she had once occupied warmed at the sight of her in distress and his voice softened, "You have it all, a career, a... husband that is twice the man I ever was, a son and a beautiful home." He said and scoffed, "You should be thanking your lucky starts you got away from me. All I had to offer was a broken man and unfulfilled dreams," he said gently looking down at the sad truth.

She looked at him with drying eyes, "You'll never know what all you gave me," she said with a sad smile. "You really want her to keep her job?"

He nodded, "I'm ran through a hospital every 6 months before I came to work for Cuddy. I'm not saying she's a good person, hell maybe that's why it works, but we can work together."

Stacy chewed her bottom lip some and slowly nodded, "If that's what YOU want," she said.

"Unless you just happen to have to cure to HIV tucked away in your purse," House said with a slightly hopeful smile as he met her eyes.

"Damn, I had that in my other purse!" She said with fake frustration though her eyes were full of warmth and concern. He used the piano to stand up and grimaced. She got up silently and brought him the pills.

"Thanks," he said in an7 awkward whisper of gratitude that came from old familiar routines with an ex.

"I... I should tell James that you're alright. He's been worried to death and I need to work on your case and getting a board meeting set up." Stacy said with a half-smile.

House met her eyes, "You getting sick of me already?" he said with a smirk.

She leaned in and kissed him tenderly before pulling back, "You know I've always had a problem keeping my hands off of you, Greg," she said with a broken smile before walking in the bathroom as she put the phone to her ear.

He leaned back on the piano with a sad smile and chewed on two pills.

"James," Stacy said from the bathroom, "he's back," she said with a smile.

Wilson couldn't believe it and let out a sigh of relief, "How's he doing?"

She shrugged, "He's House," she said with a grin, "complex, sweet in his own way and completely insecure," she said sitting on the side of tub.

He nodded, "Okay, I'm on my way. How do you want to handle this with John?"

"I'll meet you at the car, just give me a text when you get here," she said before hanging up.