Disclaimer: I don't own House, Wilson or any of the other canon characters in this story. Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing this for free. Ah, capitalism and copyright.

The small brown box had been sitting on the countertop in the kitchen near the cell phone charger for a week now.

Cuddy had wanted to open it and look at the DVD inside, but she couldn't. Even if she waited until Rachel was in bed, there was a chance Rachel would get up and see it, and Cuddy couldn't risk that.

Rachel had noticed the box and its shape and guessed it was a DVD. She, like most girls her age, loved the Disney Princesses, which Cuddy really didn't mind, especially some of the newer incarnations, who were less passive than the traditional princesses like Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella.

Of course, of all the characters and stories, Rachel had decided to become obsessed with Beauty and the Beast. A story about a terribly wounded, isolated man trapped in his body, and saved by loving and being loved by a beautiful woman. Great. Just great.

Well, it was Christmas break now and Cuddy had brought Rachel to New Jersey to stay with her sister and her Mom because Rachel was off from school, Cuddy had to work and the babysitter wanted to go home to San Salvador for the holidays.

Cuddy had resisted buying the Beauty and the Beast DVD, but she was sure Arlene would get it for Rachel as a belated Hanukkah gift. It was just too much of an opportunity for Arlene to spoil her granddaughter and get under her daughter's skin at the same time – a combination that Arlene would no doubt be unable to resist.

Right now, though, Cuddy was more focused on the other DVD. The one in the plain brown box sitting on her counter. And even with Rachel gone for a week, she still struggled with whether she should look at it or not.

It had all started with Cuddy attending a conference for deans of medicine in Boston at the end of October. Technically, Cuddy was the assistant dean at the hospital she worked at in Virginia, but the dean himself was about five years away from retirement, and he avoided conferences like the plague. He hated to travel, especially to places that were colder than where he was already.

So, he sent Cuddy, who had to pay her babysitter overtime, but, given the fact that she was re-building her career after the fiasco at Princeton Plainsboro, she didn't think she had much choice.

Even though they usually didn't promote from within for dean, she still hoped that if she played the game to the best of her ability, did whatever the current dean wanted and brought in a lot of donations, she'd at least have a good chance of succeeding him.

If it were five years down the road, she really didn't want to have to uproot Rachel in Middle School to find another place, since she knew a new dean would want his or her own assistant dean.

So, there she was being a good soldier, settling in on Sunday for a conference that started early Monday morning at the Boston Bar Harbor Hotel. It was mid-afternoon and she'd unpacked. She was looking through the conference materials and was trying to figure out where the meeting room for the conference would be.

They must have put the packet together a while ago, because it didn't say anything about the specific meeting rooms, either.

Well, maybe they had a listing of events and locations on the hotel channel. Cuddy turned on the TV.

She was trying to scroll through the events for Sunday to get to Monday when she stopped cold. There was this listing: House-Wilson Wedding, John Foster Room, 1:00 p.m.

It couldn't be, could it? Absolutely no eff-ing way. It had to be another House and another Wilson – they were both fairly common names, right?

Even as Cuddy had the thought, she knew it wasn't right. She'd always been well-connected in the medical profession and she knew that House had been to prison, been rehired at Princeton Plainsboro by Foreman, and that both House and Wilson had gone on medical leave when Wilson was being treated for his cancer. She'd heard House was no longer practicing medicine, Wilson had left oncology for pediatric pulmonology and that they'd both moved to Boston.

Cuddy had wanted to contact Wilson when he was sick, but she didn't want to have to deal with House, not to mention the fact that her friendship with Wilson had been strained before she left the hospital.

Cuddy understood now what had happened. Because of the trauma associated with House's actions, she'd gone off the rails for a little while. Well, maybe for more than a little while. In any case, she hadn't been able to deal with the situation, and had been too stubborn to get the help she needed.

And, as much as she had wanted to blame House entirely for destroying her life, she had, through therapy, come to realize her part in the mess, and also that in order for her to move on, she had to let go of her anger. Not for House's sake, the bastard, but for her own.

She also realized she put a lot of people on the spot. Wilson being the prime candidate. He had felt like the brother she never had for many years, and it was difficult for her to give that up. Well, she chuckled to herself, he was her gay brother now.

It was still strange. She'd always known the two men had had, well, beyond a strong bond. She'd been privy to bits and pieces of its intensity when she'd dated Lucas. She'd have never met Lucas if House hadn't been obsessed with Wilson.

Maybe "obsessed" wasn't the right way to refer to it. Had House been in love?

Cuddy didn't want to think about that. It would have meant that all House's declarations of love for her were either false or a misplacement of affection based upon House believing he couldn't have Wilson, so he'd have her as a substitute.

Well, she couldn't change any of that now, nor did she want to, so she decided not to dwell on it. She was still intensely curious, and she flirted briefly with crashing the wedding. Not trying to make a big splash, but just going to the room and observing the wedding ceremony and the reception.

Of course, given that House had no friends besides Wilson, and based upon the description of the room they had chosen, the wedding would be small and intimate. And if House or Wilson had invited anyone from Princeton Plainsboro, which seemed very likely, she knew a lot of these people herself. There was no way for her to blend into a crowd, and no way for her to be inconspicuous.

So, there was no way she could actually witness everything as it was happening. But that didn't make her desire to know any less. Having been an administrator for years, Cuddy knew there were very few obstacles that could not be overcome. She thought for a while, and she finally came up with something.

She went down to the lobby to see the concierge.

"May I help you, ma'am?"

Cuddy had finally gotten used to being called "ma'am" after a mutli-year journey including therapy. She set that aside in pursuit of her plan.

"Yes. I'm staying here at the hotel and I saw the weddings listed for today and I was wondering if any of them are gay weddings?"

"I'm not sure I can disclose that," the concierge said.

Cuddy scrambled to find a reasonable explanation. "I know this is an unusual request, but my brother and his fiancé live here in Boston and are planning to get married a year and a half from now. I'm trying to help get him organized, and it would be really great if you could give me the names of the caterers, videographers and other people who are working on any gay weddings, so we know who would be willing to provide services to him and his fiancé."

"I think it's against the law in Massachusetts to refuse to provide services based upon sexual orientation," the concierge noted.

"That's good," Cuddy agreed, "But I'm sure he'd like to have people who are enthusiastic about providing the services, not just doing it out of legal obligation."

"Understood," the concierge acknowledged. "Let me just check something. Please wait here."

Of course. Cuddy didn't actually give a damn about the caterers, cake bakers, or who provided the tuxedos or the flowers – she wanted the name of the videographer, but she couldn't be that specific without raising questions.

She waited in front of the counter and hoped everyone who was at the wedding and knew her stayed out of the lobby for a while.

An anxiety-filled ten minutes later, the concierge returned. He was carrying a stack of business cards.

"The wedding vendors often put out their cards at the reception as a way to obtain future business. I got as many as were available," the concierge informed her.

He put the cards in an envelope with the hotel's letterhead on it and handed it to her. Her first impulse was to take the cards out right there. But, between not wanting to look too eager and not wanting to be seen by any of the wedding guests, she decided it would be a safer bet to take the envelope up to her room and look there. She thanked the concierge and headed toward the elevators.

She made it back to her room, opened the envelope and started going through the cards. It was the third one she saw – Pink Triangle Productions. Cuddy almost laughed. Well, you had to give gay people credit for rising above bad circumstances with flair and an ability to be ironic – even with the Jews' well-known sense of dark humor, she doubted any Jewish business would ever call itself "Yellow Star of David" anything.

So, now that she had the information she wanted about the business, she needed to further plan how she was going to get the specific thing she wanted.

She thought about it during the conference, and it seemed like the original idea she had with the concierge would give her the greatest odds for success. So, after she was home for about a week, she went on her laptop and set up a dummy e-mail address with her current provider. Using the information on the business card, she went to the website and sent an email.

She told the videographer that her brother and his boyfriend were getting married in Boston and she was helping them plan the wedding. She mentioned that she'd been at the Boston Bar Harbor Hotel on the date of the wedding and had picked up one of his cards.

Since she lived in another part of the country, it wasn't convenient for her to travel to see him or any of the other videographers she was considering. She wondered if it would be possible for him to send her a DVD for one of the gay weddings he had done, so that she could compare his work to the others she was considering. Perhaps the one he had been filming that day would be a good choice?

Cuddy had no idea if the videographer needed permission from the participants in the video, but she seemed to remember that videographers and photographers maintained the copyright for whatever work they produced, and usually had displays of photographs or sample videos available. She had to hope that that was the case, and also that he would take the hint and send that particular DVD.

He returned her e-mail, said he was delighted she was considering recommending his services to her brother, etc. And he asked where to send the DVD.

Cuddy had set up a post office box to receive her mail when she moved to Virginia, based upon advice given her by the police in New Jersey not to have her address linked to her name. At that point, House was still at large, and while she had no inkling he would try to find her, she was also still very upset and angry and wanted to protect herself and Rachel.

Anyway, she gave the videographer a phony name with the post office box. She was pretty sure it would go through, simply because occasionally she'd received mail for other people when it had been incorrectly addressed with her box number. She kept her fingers crossed and waited.

Cuddy thought that November was not a busy season for weddings, so the DVD would arrive quickly. Either than wasn't the case, or the videographer had other work that kept him busy, because the DVD didn't arrive until mid-December. Even though waiting drove her crazy, Cuddy realized it was probably better this way, since it meant it was sitting on the countertop for only a week before Rachel left.

As it was, she was only able to get Rachel to stop bugging her about opening the box by letting her believe it had something to do with the medical conference. Technically, it did, Cuddy told herself, at least in the sense it occurred at the same time and at the same place.

She knew she was not being completely honest with her daughter, but this was one of those fibs that parents told their children to protect them, she reasoned. She wasn't even sure if Rachel would remember House or Wilson, but there was no point in taking the chance.

So, Rachel had been left in New Jersey for the week, and Cuddy had managed to get home on time that day. She prepared dinner, ate and cleaned up. She debated opening a bottle of wine as an accompaniment to her viewing the DVD, but decided against it. She wanted to keep her wits about her while she was watching it.

Of course. If it turned out to be too painful or infuriating or whatever negative emotion it evoked, she could always get some wine later.

There was still a small voice in the back of her head, sounding a lot like her therapist, telling her not to do it. She explained to the voice that she had gone to all this trouble, and how bad could this be, and that this would help her with closure, and a whole bunch of other arguments she realized were just rationalizations.

These two men had been a part of her life for a long time, and she had always known, at least somewhere in the back of her mind, that their relationship was too intense for a mere friendship. Because she thought she wanted a relationship with House, she had allowed herself to think of it as fraternal, but, obviously, she'd been deluding herself about that.

So, why even look at the thing, then? It was curiosity, plain and simple. She wanted to see how James Wilson, and even more so, how Gregory House, behaved when they were in a relationship with each other. She knew she'd be making comparisons with how Wilson behaved in his marriages and with Amber, and, there was no way for her not to compare how House behaved around Wilson to how he behaved around her. It was something she just had to see.

Well, the emotional fallout would no doubt help put her therapist's daughter through college, so at least something positive would come out of it, she thought ruefully.

She put the DVD in the player, and settled on the couch with the remote in hand.

It began with a title, James and Greg, and the date of the wedding. It then switched to what appeared to be a room in the Bar Harbor Hotel. Actually, it was a suite.

House and Wilson stood facing each other, wearing their pants and shoes, but naked from the waist up.

Wow, they both look pretty buff, Cuddy thought. She'd guessed Wilson would have lost weight from a round of chemo, but he must have been working out to both maintain it and to look muscular. House had had tiny love handles when he and Cuddy were together because he couldn't work out with his leg. But, here he was, looking almost as good as he had in Michigan.

So, how was he able to exercise now? Cuddy looked around what she could see of the room and saw no cane.

Wilson was putting on his shirt and House started walking towards him.

Cuddy saw his gait. It was a little jerky and uneven, but nothing like the limp she had seen when he had ditched his cane and walked around without it. As she watched, she thought she saw a flash of metal. She paused the DVD and reran that portion of it. When she the flash, she paused it there.

With her medical training, it only took a couple of seconds for her to realize that the gait and the metal showing at the ankle of House's pants meant House had a prosthesis. Which meant he'd had his leg amputated. Son of a bitch!

After all this time, what possibly could have made him do that? She saw him declare the leg useless when he was trying to help that girl under the collapsed building, but he'd never even brought up the idea of amputation when they were together. And after they broke up, he even tried that crazy experimental drug to create muscle that only wound up giving him tumors that he surgically removed in his own bathtub. Cuddy still shuddered at the memory of all that blood.

Cuddy would have loved to ask him why, but that wasn't going to happen. Maybe something would be said in the DVD? Well, time to take it off pause.

House reached Wilson and he grabbed Wilson's hands, stopping Wilson from buttoning his shirt. Wilson looked at House; it was obvious he was puzzled.

One of House's hands let go of Wilson's. He reached up and began moving his index finger up and down the center of Wilson's chest. From what Cuddy could see, House was tracing a scar. Cuddy didn't know what form of cancer Wilson had, but it certainly could have involved some part of his upper body, so Cuddy assumed this scar was from his cancer surgery.

Wilson shuddered slightly. House's head bent down and he began kissing the place where he had been running his finger. Wilson shuddered harder.

"Don't," he said. His eyes were filling up.

House paused for a moment. "I love you," he stated softly and resumed kissing the scar.

By the time he finished, Wilson's breath was hitching and he was crying.

House's eyes were filled as well. He kissed Wilson's lips, and, as he stepped back, there were tear tracks on his face, too.

"You better cut that crying out. You don't want your eyes all puffy in your wedding photos, Wilson." House snarked.

"Shut up, House," Wilson replied, but he was grinning.

They embraced and held each other. Both of their faces held a range of emotions all at once – pain, joy, longing, need, gratitude.

They separated, gave each other a quick peck on the lips, and continued dressing. The scene faded.

Cuddy paused the DVD. It was obvious to even a casual observer that House and Wilson were deeply in love. And Cuddy was no casual observer. Had they always been and denied it? Another question Cuddy would love to have an answer to, but was unlikely to get, at least by asking it herself. Again, maybe this would be revealed in the rest of the DVD. She waited a moment to collect herself and then took the player off pause.

Next was the hotel meeting room, set up for the ceremony. The camera must have been at the front of the room as it panned the seated guests. Cuddy slowed the DVD at this point. She saw some familiar faces. Foreman was there, with a woman she didn't know. Foreman was always in shape and time hadn't changed that. The woman he was with was wearing a sleeveless dress, which was an odd choice for an October wedding in Boston, but she no doubt wanted to show off her arms – they were more muscular than Michelle Obama's. They probably met at the gym, Cuddy thought.

Then there was Taub. He had a little less hair, but what was more interesting was that he was sitting between two little girls. They were both about the same age. Twins? They each had some of Taub's features, but they really didn't look like each other, oddly enough. Cuddy tried to remember what Taub's wife looked like. She'd only met her at a couple of hospital functions. One of the girls did look like a combination of Taub and his wife, and the other looked like Taub and, well, someone else. Another mystery for Cuddy to ponder.

The camera then found Hadley. She looks reasonably well, Cuddy thought. Although she did seem to have random uncontrolled movements. Cuddy knew she'd given up practicing medicine, which was a shame, but she'd obviously felt it was too much for her. Give her credit for knowing when to quit, Cuddy thought. There was a quite attractive woman sitting next to her, with one arm around her waist, reaching to hold her left hand and the other hand holding Hadley's right. Cuddy wondered if Hadley would have moved even more if her partner had not been there to help her.

Chase appeared next. He'd cut his hair and seemed to have shaved. No more beach bum look for him. Not that it mattered, Cuddy thought. He could be in the throes of an intense stomach virus with incessant projectile vomiting, and he'd still probably manage to look good. He had his arm around the woman sitting next to him, and as they engaged other people in conversation, they would pause to kiss each other.

Cuddy saw a flash and paused the DVD again. Was that really an engagement ring? It sure looked like it. That wasn't as surprising to Cuddy as the woman wearing it. Cuddy remembered what a screwed up couple Chase and Cameron were, but, at least they looked like they belonged together – both blond-haired, blue-eyed and pretty. But this woman, well . . .

First of all, she was dark-haired, which was hardly a shock, given that she was Asian. Cuddy had no issue with that, of course, but what puzzled her was how, well, mousy this woman looked. Giant, thick glasses, and a haircut that looked like someone had put a bowl on her head and cut around it. She wasn't standing, but, judging from the length of her legs and the length of her torso, she was short. She may have had a half-way decent figure, but Cuddy couldn't tell because the dress she was wearing was shapeless.

And this was the person Chase was going to marry? Seriously? Who was she, how had they met? Well, that was another mystery she hoped the video would solve. She resumed play.

Next to the Asian women sat another woman, with dark hair and a pretty face. She was talking to both Chase and the Asian woman, with the man who was obviously her date, mostly quiet but interjecting now and then.

The camera continued to fan out over the audience. Oh my God, was that Cameron? And she had a toddler who was more or less staying on her lap.

Cuddy remembered those days with Rachel. She had limitless energy and a curiosity about everything. It was both amazing and exhausting.

Cameron handed the little girl to a man seated next to her. Most likely her husband or at least the child's father.

Most of the rest of the group was unfamiliar to Cuddy – perhaps House's or Wilson's new co-workers? Cuddy did recognize Amanda Nielsen, and she knew Amanda was Wilson's department head. How weird was that? Wilson not running his own department. Well, the cancer could have weakened him, of course. Although he hadn't looked particularly weak in the first part of the video.

Maybe he'd just decided he didn't want the hassles anymore. Despite what House said, being an administrator was real work, especially if any of your employees were anything like House. How had she put up with him all those years?

Cuddy didn't recognize anyone else until the camera found Wilson's mother, brother and niece and nephew. Cuddy remembered them from Amber's funeral. She wondered if Wilson's father were dead and his brother and sister-in-law were divorced, since neither of them appeared to be in attendance.

Cuddy saw House's mother and another man, who was obviously a boyfriend or a husband. Wow, it hadn't taken her long to get in a new relationship after House's father died. Well, she and House had broken up only two and a half years ago, and here he was marrying Wilson. That ability to move on quickly must run in the family, Cuddy thought ruefully.

Music began playing. It had a slow, stately rhythm. A singer began as the camera moved to show House at the beginning of one aisle between the chairs and Wilson at the beginning of another aisle.

What have you done to me
I can't eat, I cannot sleep
And I'm not the same anymore, no, no
I don't know what to do
'Cause all of me wants all of you
Do I stand alone at the shore

Now once I could turn away
From everything I feel today
But now I wanna walk through your door

But I've got to know, oh, body and soul
That you've got no doubt, inside and out
We are whole, oh, body and soul
Don't leave me out in the cold
Just love me body and soul

(Body and soul)
Do you hear me, baby

I've wasted too much time
Livin' for what wasn't mine
And then came the day I found you
And now I want nothing less
I've found a love that Is truly blessed
And I wanna make dreams come true

But I've got to know, oh, body and soul
That you've got no doubt, inside and out
We are whole, oh, body and soul
Don't leave me out in the cold
Just love me body and soul

Every day is getting better
The more I trust I feel stronger, stronger
Every kiss brings me closer
It feels good to let you inside

I've got to know, oh
Is there any doubt in your mind,
Oh, baby, oh, oh, body and soul
Don't leave me out in this cold
Just love me body, hey, love

I've got to know, oh
It's your body baby, yeah
Is there any doubt in your mind
Tell me, baby, tell me, darlin', body and soul
Just let me love me
Just love me body and soul*

While the music was playing, House and Wilson were walking slowly down their respective aisles. As they got to the end, Wilson's mother rose to hug and kiss him. Likewise, so did House's mother and her significant other. House's awkwardness around him was obvious – he did return the kiss on the cheek and his arms moved awkwardly and very briefly around him.

House never could do PDAs. Cuddy thought, unless it was crude, like grabbing my ass.

After all the parental figures were seated, House and Wilson took each other's hands, stepped up on a small platform, and under what looked surprisingly like a chuppah. And, from this angle, it was noticeable that the back of Wilson's head had a yarmulke on it.

Was that woman who was the officiant a rabbi, Cuddy pondered? She must be, judging by the Tallit she wore.

Was House having the Jewish wedding of his dreams, Cuddy wondered derisively. Or, had he simply agreed to whatever his fiancé wanted because he loved him and wanted to respect his religion and traditions? Cuddy didn't want to believe that, but the evidence was right in front of her.

She returned her attention back to the DVD as the ceremony started.

"Welcome and please be seated," the rabbi requested as all those assembled sat down.

"We are gathered today in the presence of and family and friends to witness the joining of James and Gregory in the bond of matrimony.

The covenant of marriage is one not to be entered into lightly, but thoughtfully and with a deep realization of the obligations and responsibilities it entails. Love, loyalty, and understanding are the foundation of a happy home. No human ties are more important.

"The couple we are celebrating with today have a long and fascinating history. They have been friends for almost twenty years. The friendship never stopped growing stronger and deeper. It got them through failed relationships with others, injury, pain, substance abuse and serious illness.

"And through all of that, they loved each other - more than friends do, more than even the deepest friendships can attain, and, yet, they could never admit it. Then, one day, James, faced with his immediate mortality, and Greg, faced with being left behind by the person who meant the most to him in the world, not only confronted James' cancer, but also the fact that they were in love, and had been since they first met.

"Personally, I find myself thinking this is one of the most moving love stories I have ever encountered, full of both proximity and longing, familiarity and distance, need and a denial of that need, and love - an abiding love that is almost unfathomable in its depth, endurance and tenderness. Both the pain and the beauty of this love make me weep.

"So, please bear witness to the loving, beautiful couple before you as they pledge their unwavering commitment to one another, before both civil and divine authority.

"Please face one another."

"Do you James, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," Wilson shuddered out a breath

"And do you promise to keep him, and love and comfort him, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse and to be faithful until death do you part?"

"I do ," Wilson's voice was much stronger and more certain then.

"And now, James would like to read a passage."

Wilson pulled out a folded paper and began to read:

"To love is not to possess,
To own or imprison,
Nor to lose one's self in another.
Love is to join and separate,
To walk alone and together,
To find a laughing freedom
That lonely isolation does not permit.
It is finally to be able
To be who we really are
No longer clinging in childish dependency
Nor docilely living separate lives in silence,
It is to be perfectly one's self
And perfectly joined in permanent commitment
To another–and to one's inner self.
Love only endures when it moves like waves,
Receding and returning gently or passionately,
Or moving lovingly like the tide
In the moon's own predictable harmony,
Because finally, despite a child's scars
Or an adult's deepest wounds,
They are openly free to be
Who they really are–and always secretly were,
In the very core of their being
Where true and lasting love can alone abide."**

House was looking down as Wilson read, but he looked up as Wilson finished. He smiled at Wilson. A real smile that went all the way to his eyes.

Cuddy tried to remember how many of those genuine smiles she'd ever received from House. She couldn't remember any.

The rabbi turned to face House.

"Do you Gregory, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," House spoke softly.

"And do you promise to keep him, and love and comfort him, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse and to be faithful until death do you part?"

"I do ," House's voice remained quiet, and it conveyed a sense of reverence.

"And now, Greg will read something."

The paper House retrieved from his jacket pocket was wrinkled and stained. He unfolded it and held it up as best he could.

"When I am with you, we stay up all night.
When you're not here, I can't go to sleep.
Praise your Yahweh for these two insomnias!
And the difference between them.
The minute I heard my first love story
I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was.
Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They're in each other all along.
We are the mirror as well as the face in it.
We are tasting the taste this minute
of eternity. We are pain
and what cures pain, both. We are
the sweet cold water and the jar that pours.
I want to hold you close like a lute, so we can cry out with loving.
You would rather throw stones at a mirror?
I am your mirror, and here are the stones."***

House stuffed the paper in his pocket and looked at Wilson. Wilson was smiling, but there was a tear sliding down his cheek. House reached up and his thumb gently wiped the tear away.

Suddenly, Cuddy felt something on her cheek. It felt like House's thumb ghosting over it. A muscle or sensory memory. It was sweet and brutal at the same time. Dammit, House, she thought. She turned her focus back to the DVD.

"And now, for the rings," the rabbi stated.

"Greg, I give you this ring, in token of my commitment and love."

Wilson slid a ring on House's finger – adding a second triangle to form a diamond.

"Jimmy, I give you this ring, in token of my commitment and love."

House slid the same ring on Wilson's finger, forming the same diamond.

The rabbi continued, "Now that you have joined yourselves formally in matrimony, may you strive all of your lives to meet this contract with the same sense of love and commitment."

"This is a brief prayer said in Hebrew and English at many Jewish weddings," the rabbi noted. "James and Greg requested it be recited in English."

"May all loving couples be remembered and inscribed in the Book of Marriage. Bride and groom, or bride and bride, or groom and groom, they shall ever praise Your name. May the Eternal bless their love, and may human rulers honor their covenants: and every court shall be called a house of marriage for all couples. May the One who blessed our ancestors – Abraham and Sarah, Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan – bless all our families, and grant us health and happiness, prosperity and peace. Blessed are You, Eternal, Creator of all families."

"It is now with great pleasure that I pronounce you spouses for life."

"You may kiss your husband."

They pulled themselves towards each other and opened their mouths. Tongues battled as groans were heard. They kept it up a good three minutes, until they softened against each other. They broke with a sigh.

They turned and headed up the center aisle together, holding hands as the music played.

All of our dreams are laid out and measured
Arrows and pins and a rainbow of threads
Like hope on a string, sewn into the linings
For the courage to face the unknown ahead

My soul companion
Out in the world somewhere
My soul companion
I'll meet you there

I'm packing my compass, trusted and tested
My dog-eared maps to study and fold
Into a pocket, I'm traveling light now
All that we have is all that we hold

My soul companion
In my heart you are
My soul companion
Just like a star

There are no borders, there are no boundaries
There are no fences up around me
But I get quiet and I get lonely
Just like everyone

These are the old roads, these are the stations
I look for my ride, you wait for your train

These are the chances, a life's incantations
These are the places that don't know our names

My soul companion
Love finds its own way in
My soul companion
Now let us begin
My soul companion
Out in the world somewhere
My soul companion
I'll meet you there****

House and Wilson stopped a few feet from the doors of the meeting room, turned around and waited as everyone emptied their seats and came toward them. A receiving line formed.

First came Blythe and the man she was with.

"James," she greeted Wilson. "Welcome to our, um, screwed-up family."

"It's nothing I can't handle, Mom," Wilson put some emphasis on the last word.

"Oh, sweetie," she said, her eyes welling up, "I don't have to ask you to take care of him, because I know you will. Thank you."

"I should be thanking you," Wilson responded, "I'd never have found love without him."

"My God, stop this or I'm going to ralph right here," House interjected.

"Shut up, Greg," Blythe responded. She was beaming. She walked over to House and enveloped him in a hug. "Be happy, my beautiful boy."

"I think this is my best shot," he responded.

"Cherish it," Blythe said as she stepped away.

"James,'" Blythe's companion exclaimed as he enveloped him in a hug. Wilson looked hesitant at first, but he seemed to accept the affection.

"Take proper care of my boy," the man commanded in a Scottish burr.

"I always have taken care of Greg," Wilson acknowledged.

"I know, James. It's something fathers say to the spouses of their children." Thomas replied.

Is this man House's biological father, Cuddy questioned. House had told her when they were together that John wasn't. But, Cuddy had known Wilson for years, and there was something about the way he reacted that caused her some doubt. She waited to see what House would say.

"Son," the man said as he enveloped House in a bear hug.

Again, House looked awkward returning the hug, in a way he hadn't with his mom. Then again, he looked awkward hugging most people.

The man released House and stepped back slightly. He took both of House's hands.

"Now that you're with the genuine love of your life, let yourself be happy for once, eh?" he asserted, the burr even more in evidence.

"That's the plan," House answered.

"Good," the man said emphatically. He took Blythe by arm and moved off.

Cuddy wasn't sure what happened there, but she was pretty sure that man wasn't House's biological father. He'd probably done a DNA test. It was a mystery House would be incapable of letting go.

If that wasn't House's biological father, Cuddy briefly wondered who was. Well, if House hadn't figured it out, there was no way Cuddy ever would. She refocused on the DVD.

Wilson's mother was hugging him.

"I'm sorry Dad isn't here. " Wilson's voice held deep regret.

"He felt he couldn't come here because he didn't approve," replied Wilson's mother.

"And you do?"

"Well, let's just say I'm happy that you're finally happy, and I wanted to celebrate that with you."

"I'm surprised, since Dad is so disapproving, that he let you."

"Let me? I'm a grown woman capable of making my own choices, James."

"I didn't mean that. I meant, how come he wasn't able to use all his vast powers of persuasion to stop you?"

"He tried, believe me. It was the full-court press, which actually had the opposite effect."

"He was pretty overbearing, huh?"

"That, and he pulled the 'loyalty' card."

"What?"

"He said my going to your wedding was an act of disloyalty to him and to our marriage. At that point, I lost it and told him he was in no position to lecture me about loyalty in our relationship."

Wilson looked genuinely surprised. "Mom, you mean you knew about – "

"No need to get into that here, James. Anyway, of course I did."

"And you stayed with him?"

"He's my husband. Besides, he really couldn't help it. And it would have destroyed him if I left. Everything he invested, all he gave up to be respectable . . . "

"That was his choice, not yours."

"I enabled it."

"Mom, I – "

"James, this day is about you and Greg, not your father and me. Please enjoy it."

Wilson's Mom moved toward House.

"Greg," she said as she embraced House. There was no hesitation in her voice, only happiness. "I don't have to remind you to love James with everything in you. You'd do it anyway."

"There have been times . . ." House's voice trailed off.

"You haven't been perfect. But you've never stopped loving him."

"No, no I haven't. I . . . I couldn't."

"I know that." Wilson's mother smiled.

Next came Wilson's brother and his niece and nephew.

"Deborah let you attend my 'sinful' wedding?" Wilson asked his brother. He had a smirk on his face.

"The logistics argument won," he replied.

"Logistics?"

"She decided it wasn't a good idea to put two teenagers on a plane all by themselves, not to mention let them stay unattended in a hotel room."

"Makes sense. And you were elected chaperone."

"Would you honestly have wanted her to bring them?"

"Well, no. But, I bet she'll be okay with this . . . someday."

"If she lives that long. Anyway, Congrats, bro. And try not to screw this one up, okay?"

Wilson grinned. "Not a chance."

Wilson's brother approached House and they shook hands. "Welcome to our seriously fucked-up family."

"You know, I used to think my family was worse, but you certainly give us a run for our money."

"Then the marriage can't fail to work, can it?"

House smirked at David.

Both Wilson and House had the stuffing hugged out of them by Wilson's niece, and Wilson's nephew gave them both awkward hugs, both of which were returned, albeit awkwardly in House's case.

Next came Chase and his fiancée.

Chase and Wilson shook hands.

"So, your job is now to keep the idiot from killing himself," Chase noted. "I don't envy you."

"Actually, it turns out, it was the other way around," Wilson noted with an ironic smile.

"What?" Chase asked.

"I was considering not having treatment, just letting the cancer, you know, because of what was my life at that point, until . . . " Wilson paused, his matter-of-fact demeanor giving way to some obvious emotion, "House told me he was in love with me."

"But, you'd always known that, hadn't you?" Chase asked, puzzled. "I mean, everyone else who knew House certainly did."

Except me, Cuddy thought. I'm the idiot.

"I suspected, but, I hesitated. I waited for him, and he waited for me, and it was almost too late," Wilson responded softly.

"But you got your heads out of your respective asses," Chase noted.

"And replaced them with something a lot more fun," House added lecherously.

"TMI," Chase groaned, even as he gave House a hug. House didn't exactly hug him back, but he didn't push him away, either.

The woman with Chase approached Wilson a little reluctantly. They'd appeared to know each other, but they didn't seem close.

"Congratulations," she told Wilson.

"Same to you, Park," Wilson said.

"W-w-what?" she stammered.

"On your engagement," Wilson replied, pointing to the ring on her finger.

"Oh, um, thanks." The woman, whose name Cuddy had just heard was Park (no doubt her last name, since she was Asian and mostly likely Korean, Cuddy assumed since "Park" was a common Korean name), was blushing.

"So, you do have a bun in the oven," House stated as Park approached.

"I know I shouldn't even bother to ask, but how - ?"

"Shagging Chase, engagement ring, balloon dress, confusion and excessive embarrassment at being congratulated. It fits."

"We could just be getting married and I have poor taste in clothes," Park added as an alternative.

"Explain the over-the-top embarrassment then."

"Fair enough."

"A little Chase running around. I doubt if the world is ready."

"Being half me should have a sufficient dampening effect," Park noted dryly.

"Yeah, well, good luck. You're going to need it."

"So is Wilson."

Next in line were Foreman and his significant other. He shook Wilson's hand and agreed with what Park had just said to House. He introduced the woman by his side and she congratulated Wilson.

"I never thought I'd see the day that you would agree to participate in a religious ceremony of any kind," Foreman told House.

"Wilson wanted it," House shrugged.

"And you always do whatever someone else wants." Foreman's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Not 'someone,' or, for that matter, anyone. For Wilson." House put a strong emphasis on the last word.

"Wow, you really do love the guy," Foreman admitted. "Poor bastard."

House snorted in recognition of the truth of what Foreman had just said.

Foreman introduced the woman he was with.

"Hey, aren't you the one he was dating who was married and who he dumped as soon as you left your husband?"

"You mean the time you couldn't tail me to find out because you were wearing the prison ankle monitor?" Foreman stated with more sarcasm. He and his significant other moved on.

Next up was Taub and the two little girls who accompanied him.

Wilson shook Taub's hand and then he squatted down to be more on eye-level with the children. "I hope you have fun."

"Not fun now," one of the girls proclaimed. They both wrinkled their noses;

"There's food coming up," Wilson promised. "And music after that."

"Dancing?" asked the other girl.

"I think it's required," Wilson stated.

"Re . . . ?" she hesitated.

"That means you have to," Taub added helpfully.

"Yeah!" both girls said in unison.

"Lucky for these kids, their genetics came out in favor of their mothers," House opined.

"Thanks," Taub deadpanned.

So, Taub had two daughters of about the same age by two different mothers? Cuddy had known he was a womanizer, but hadn't he heard of birth control, for crying out loud? Still, he must be a devoted father, traveling a several-hour distance with two little girls to an event they would no doubt find boring. Cuddy realized she was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by the unselfishness that demonstrated.

And then Cuddy went from surprise to astonishment as House reached into his pocket and pulled out two lollipops and gave one to each child.

"What do you say?" Taub intoned automatically.

"Thank you," both girls said in unison.

House bent down so his face was closer to theirs. "You can eat those right now."

"House . . ." Taub warned.

"What good is it to be Crazy Uncle Greg if you can't spoil the kids?" House questioned.

"Who said you were Uncle Greg?" Taub asked back with a smirk.

"Oh, well-played, sir."

Next, the pretty woman with the long dark hair and her handsome boyfriend approached.

"Adams," Wilson acknowledged.

"Wilson, this is my boyfriend, Michael Rockefeller."

"Rockefeller, huh?" Wilson inquired. "Any relation?"

"Distant," he replied, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"No wonder they're together," House interjected. "They probably have who-can-feel-the-most-guilty-about-being-rich contests."

"Nice to see you again, too, House," Adams replied with a smirk. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. She leaned into his ear, "Remember, I was one of the prison doctors when you were in there, so I know all your escapades and I've got a few hours to regale Wilson."

"An actual threat," House replied. "Impressive."

Adams and her boyfriend moved on.

Cameron was embracing Wilson.

"I'm just so glad you chose to live," her voiced cracked slightly as she said it.

"It's all because of House," Wilson responded.

"He nagged or stalked you into it?"

Wilson smiled. "He admitted he loved me."

Cameron smiled ruefully but said nothing. She introduced her husband. Wilson reached out and took the toddler from his arms.

Cuddy watched as the child put her head on Wilson's shoulder and snuggled against him. She remembered how much trouble she had had bonding with Rachael at first, and felt a little resentment at how easily it seemed to work for Wilson. Most kids seemed to take to him right away.

Suddenly something occurred to Cuddy. Wilson was a three-time loser and House had never had anything but disdain for marriage, as his own farce of a marriage to that Russian hooker had amply demonstrated. So, why would either of them bother to get married at all? Could they be planning to raise a family?

It would certainly explain why House was bribing all these kids with lollipops, Cuddy noted, as he produced another one from his pocket for Cameron's child. He must be trying to figure out how to get kids to like him. He'd had such a hard time with Rachel at first. It was funny, but once he'd stopped trying, he'd actually bonded with her, at least somewhat. After they'd broken up, Rachel certainly missed him and asked often if he was going to come back. After they'd moved, she stopped doing it, mainly because Cuddy told her they had moved too far away for House to visit any more.

"Back to see Toxic Man in action, eh?" House questioned Cameron.

"I never should have said that," Cameron stated.

"My subsequent actions would prove otherwise."

"That wasn't Toxic Man, that was Crazy Man."

"Gee, that's so much better."

"I was in a terrible place and I lashed out at you. I'm sorry."

"If that makes you feel better, by all means say it."

"But it does nothing for you."

"Ah, you remember me so well."

"Yes, you're still an ass," Cameron was smiling.

"And Wilson loves me for it."

"TMI," Cameron commented, still grinning.

Next was Hadley and her significant other.

"Truth or dare, Wilson," she challenged with a smile.

"Truth," Wilson replied.

"You're finally with the person you should be with," Hadley responded.

"Absolutely true," Wilson noted, "But it's supposed to be a truth about you."

"Me, too," she answered and looked at the woman at her side.

Wilson smiled and bent down to kiss her on the cheek.

"God, that was sickening," House commented as she approached.

"Speaking of sick," Hadley said. She also reached up and leaned to speak into House's ear. "I release you from your promise."

House looked at her intently. "Are you sure?"

"Of course," Hadley replied. "You've already got a record, so a second offense would likely lock you away for a long time."

"I would think that wouldn't bother you."

"Honestly, not that much. But, I couldn't do that to Wilson."

"Well, gee, thanks."

"You're welcome."

"So, what are you going to do, when you know, the time comes."

"We live in Vermont now, and I have a doctor lined up for when it's necessary. It's better if it's a doctor-patient relationship, anyway. It will be easier for her," Hadley noted, indicating her significant other.

"Not easy," House reminded her.

"I know, but you do what you have to do, don't you?"

"Yes," House admitted. He glanced down at where his right leg used to be.

"I'm proud of you for that," Hadley said quietly.

"And I'm proud of you for dealing with things."

"It's amazing what having no choice will do for you."

House's mouth quirked up in a tiny smile.

Cuddy didn't know exactly what they were talking about, but her powers of deduction, honed by years of watching House, and her knowledge of assisted suicide laws led her to believe that Hadley and House were talking about when Hadley's illness got bad enough for her to consider ending it.

And the "I release from your promise," must mean that House had offered to assist her at some point. It made Cuddy remember House's odd sense of thoughtfulness and caring. Not necessarily what you thought you wanted, but what you really needed, whether you wanted to face it or not.

To someone not in the medical profession, it might be difficult to understand how offering to help someone else die was considered "caring." Cuddy, like most doctors, understood, having witnessed the needless suffering of so many patients. Another thing it was better leaving to the medical profession rather than grandstanding legislators or intrusive employers, like abortion and birth control. Cuddy knew medical care should be between a patient and his or her doctor.

The receiving line wound on. Cuddy didn't know the people involved, but she wanted to see if any of the questions she had about House and Wilson's relationship, House's amputation, and Wilson's cancer were answered or if there would at least be clues. Nothing really.

After the line was finished, House, Wilson and their immediate families were pulled away for pictures. At this point, the DVD switched back and forth between what the photographer was doing and the guests at the cocktail hour.

Again, nothing revelatory here. There was a one moment, though.

The photographer had done all the obligatory combinations of the couple with their families, House and Wilson with Wilson's mom, brother and his children, House and Wilson with House's mom and her significant other, all of them together in various combinations of poses, etc.

After that was accomplished, with House grumbling the whole time, the families went back to the reception and the pictures of the couple commenced. Cuddy had expected further grumbling from House, and he didn't disappoint during the more formal poses, and typical of Wilson when it came to House's antics, he appeared to be both exasperated and amused at the same time.

It was when the more informal poses were taken that she was surprised. They did a couple of shots with either House rolling his eyes at Wilson, or vice versa, again nothing unexpected there. When the photographer asked if they wanted any particular shots, surprisingly, House was the one who said yes.

He moved to stand to the left side of Wilson and put those long arms of his around him, in what could best be described as an enveloping embrace. He pulled Wilson to him as close as possible, and he proceeded to kiss the side of Wilson's temple and the side of his face, as the photographer took pictures. House rested his right cheek against Wilson's left and they both closed their eyes.

God, their faces. It was a look of sheer bliss. It was so beautiful, the photographer, who no doubt had seen everything when it came to weddings, showed them the picture on his camera and quietly told them so. Cuddy felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck.

Both Wilson and House smiled. And then they gave each other a passionate kiss, which was also photographed.

They returned to snag what looked to be the last of the hors d'oeuvres and then the band leader announced it was time for the meal. There was no table for the wedding party and everyone seemed to sit with whomever they chose. Informal, but it worked.

The camera moved around the room, filming people at the various tables. More innocuous conversation ensued.

After the meal was finished, the after-dinner toasts were made. Since they didn't have best men (and who would they have picked, anyway, since they were each other's best friend, Cuddy reasoned), they had apparently decided to toast each other.

Wilson stood up first. "I just wanted to say a few words."

House groaned in the background.

"Like you're not going to do the same damn thing," Wilson groused back.

This was so typical of them, Cuddy thought. In some ways, they'd always sounded like a bickering, old married couple.

"Anyway, I just wanted to say that it's really good to be here today and to see family and friends, old and new. What strikes me most as I look out over the room is the ambition and determination of most of the people here. And that's great. It's what makes us good at what we do, at least in our professions. Everyone wants a doctor who puts their patients ahead of themselves and researchers who will dedicate their lives to getting answers.

"But there is more to us than our jobs. There is who we are as people – who we love and the children we raise and the family members we take care of when they need it.

"And, if there's one thing I've learned in the past couple of years, it's this. That side of us, the personal side, can't be ignored and it can't be put off until later, because sometimes . . . " Wilson's voiced caught and his eyes became watery, "There isn't a 'later.' "

Cuddy felt a wave of pain and fear wash over her. She was remembering the time she thought she had cancer. She was worried for herself and for Rachel. Hell, she was terrified. If only House had been better able to cope. If only she'd been less judgmental and accepted he was an addict who relapsed and she'd gotten him into rehab.

But no, they both were who they were then, and if that hadn't been the catalyst that broke them apart, something else would have been. She was convinced of that now, especially after seeing how much House and Wilson loved each other. If nothing else, watching this DVD of their wedding convinced her that she always would have been second best compared to Wilson.

Wilson took a breath to compose himself. "So, seek the love of your life, and, when you find that person, never hesitate to love them as completely as you can.

"Here's to the love of my life, Gregory House, and to second chances."

Everyone raised their glasses and sipped some champagne.

House stood next. "Wow, thanks for raising the bar so damned high, Wilson, what with the deep 'life lessons' and the emotion."

Wilson couldn't help but smile.

"Anyway, I pissed away a good chunk of my life being afraid – of boredom, of pain, of human connection, of letting the person I love know how I felt about him. I continue to be amazed that he is the only one who could ever deal with my bullshit – and as most of the people here know, there is a veritable mountain of that. That he actually loves me for who I am – no small feat in and of itself. That he is the only person who can keep me interested – and, for once, I'm not just talking about sex. And that I am actually capable of loving someone more than I love my own life – something I never knew I could do. And, miracle of miracles, the bastard who can do this loves me back just as much as I love him.

"So, to the only person who ever had a chance to make me happy - I love you, Jimmy. And," House hesitated for a moment and his voice was shaky when he spoke again, "Stay with me."

Again, glasses were raised and champagne was downed.

Wilson's eyes were watery, but he was grinning from ear to ear. House sat down and they kissed deeply.

The first dance was "We've Only Just Begun", because, as House explained it to everyone assembled, the song was "so gay."

Everyone got a good laugh out of the pairing of that song about very young, very heterosexual love with the well-into-middle-age gay couple actually dancing to it.

After some more songs were played, Cuddy realized the real first dance was when Wilson and House later got up and swayed very closely together to the song "Time After Time." Their faces looked exactly the same as they had when the photographer had taken the shot of House embracing Wilson – like they were the only two people in the entire world.

Nothing much else of note happened, except when they cut the cake and fed it to each other. Wilson went first, and dangled the piece in front of House, who took it greedily into his mouth along with a decent amount of Wilson's fingers. House, of course, smashed the cake into Wilson's face and licked it off around his mouth and they kissed. Wilson couldn't keep from having a smile a mile wide.

When Wilson seem to notice the puzzled faces of the guests, he noted that, yes, he used to be a neat freak, but, having survived both chemo and coming out to his family, what was some cake smeared on his face?

The video ended with House and Wilson kissing, and the caption "Congratulations, James and Greg. Here's to many wonderful years!"

Cuddy almost snorted aloud at that caption. The two men would no doubt mock that every time they looked at this through the years. Some things didn't change.

It was after ten when Cuddy finished. She sat there, feeling nostalgic for the years she spent at Princeton Plainsboro, but certainly not as devastated as she thought she might feel. House was meant to be with Wilson, not with her. That was why it would never have worked.

Cuddy also thought about something Wilson had said - when you find the love of your life, never hesitate to love them as completely as you can.

At certain points, Cuddy had thought of House that way – at Michigan, and when they finally got together at Princeton Plainsboro. She could see now that that wasn't true because House loved Wilson. But, it was least as much because she loved someone else, too.

They met when they were both in their third year of medical school. They were friends at first, finding so much in common. They both knew there was something more, but were reluctant to admit it for a bunch of reasons, one being that medical school, let alone the internship and residency that would follow, were hardly conducive to having the time one needed to have a serious relationship.

One night, they'd had something, well, a lot of something, to drink , and they wound up both admitting their feelings and acting upon them. For Cuddy, it was a revelation. As amazing a lover as House had been, she'd never had anyone else make her body and her soul feel that loved.

After that night, their affair quietly raged through the rest of their third year and through their fourth year, with their emotional and physical connection becoming both more comfortable and more intense at the same time. They moved in together. And the sex was frequent and devastatingly good. Cuddy finally understood what people were talking about when they said they had found their soulmate.

Sadly, the affair broke up badly. They were both ambitious and they were offered internships at hospitals on opposite sides of the country. Neither was willing to put their career on hold for the other, and the logistics of a long distance relationship were too much.

The last straw was when Cuddy found out there was another woman. Her heart was shattered and she walked away from the relationship and moved on as best she could. She put everything into her career and succeeded beyond her wildest expectations, but the personal side of her life suffered. She struggled with relationships, surrogacy and adoption, all trying to fill the void that had been left. And as much as she loved Rachel, it just wasn't enough.

Then the strangest thing happened. On her new job, one of her duties as assistant dean at the hospital was to help doctors who had just been hired get acclimated. One of the new doctors turned out to be her lover from medical school. They were hesitant at first to even renew a friendship, but they found themselves working together on a project.

So, they spent a lot of time catching up and finding out both of them had had brief, disastrous marriages and several failed relationships. Cuddy's former lover had no children.

Just like the last time, things began to heat up between them, and they succumbed to their intense physical desire for one another - a desire, at least for Cuddy, that had never been fulfilled by anyone else in such a complete way, including House.

Cuddy had insisted they be circumspect. After the disaster of House and Rachel becoming close, she didn't want her daughter to become attached to another of her lovers only to have things not work out.

Her lover grumbled, but Cuddy insisted. And, if Cuddy were at all honest, it kept her lover somewhat at arm's length and Cuddy in control.

So, as she went over the DVD contents in her mind, she remembered what Wilson said about being with the one you truly love. Cuddy could relate – she had had that scare that she thought was cancer, and, if she took after her father, her genetics weren't good for a life much past her middle sixties. Arlene was still going strong, of course, but Cuddy, despite all her efforts to stay healthy, couldn't be sure that she might not take after her dad instead.

It was all this, plus seeing the loving, physical relationship House and Wilson finally allowed themselves, and the public declaration thereof, that made Cuddy get her cell.

Her lover was puzzled by the call late at on a weeknight, and when her lover found out Rachel was away, suspicious of being used by Cuddy merely to scratch an itch.

Cuddy admitted she did want sex very badly, but there was more.

They hadn't been together for over a week, so Cuddy's lover came over and they took care of the physical first.

They were lying in bed, holding each other and enjoying the afterglow when Cuddy's lover spoke.

"That was great, Lisa, but you said there was going to be more to this than some nookie."

Cuddy smiled as she drew circles on her lover's arm. "You know that I love you, right?"

"Yes. And I love you, too."

"Well, I just wanted to tell you that I'm in love with you. I have been for over twenty years."

"Yeah, me, too."

"And . . . and . . . " Cuddy hesitated, "I want more from this relationship. I want us to stop treating this thing between us as though it were just an affair. I want us together, living together, like a couple, like a family."

"Lisa, are you proposing marriage?"

"I'm not sure we're quite ready for that just yet, but I can imagine it. I want it.

"You know I've wanted that for a while."

There was a pause as they looked into each other's eyes. Then they kissed passionately.

"I suppose it would be dumb to question things now that I'm finally getting what I want, but why the sudden change of heart?" Cuddy's lover asked.

"House and Wilson got married."

"And you think we should because they did?"

"No, nothing like that. I, um, managed to get a copy of their wedding DVD. Don't look at me like that. I was just curious."

"Sure, it was just idle curiosity," Cuddy's lover snarked. "Continue."

"Well, as you know, Wilson had a bout of cancer that he survived and it was something he said when he made a toast."

"Which was?"

"If you were in love with someone, you shouldn't wait to tell them or to be with them."

"And you think we've waited long enough?"

"I think twenty years qualifies, don't you?"

"This won't be easy, you know. It's not just us. There's Rachel, and your family."

"They'll get to know you and learn to love you, just like I do."

"I hope it's not just like you do."

"Smartass."

"Wanna celebrate?"

"Of course."

With that they made love once again, more slowly and tenderly than the first time, just enjoying being with each other.

As they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, Cuddy sighed. This was what she'd needed all along.

"I love you," Cuddy whispered to her lover.

"I love you, too," she replied.

*"Body and Soul" Ellen Shipley, Rick Nowels

**To Love is Not to Possess by James Kavanaugh

***When I Am With You by Rumi

****"Soul Companion" Mary Chapin Carpenter