Hello peeps, here we are with chapter 2. Enjoy and let me know what te think about it. We have 3 chapters left.

“Learning how to say Goodbye” Part 2
Wilson’s POV

"She's getting married and te knew it!"
"Hello House, I had a lovely giorno today thanks for asking. And you?"

House entered, slamming the door and throwing his backpack against the wall.

"Why didn’t te tell me?"
"Cuddy detto she wanted to do this herself..."
"And you, for once in your life, te kept a secret?"
"House ..."

At that moment the door of the guest room slammed even harder. I could hear the cabinet doors open, the hurried footsteps of House and finally the sound of something being dragged.

"House what the hell are te doing?"
"I thought it would have been clear. I'm going back to my apartment. I no longer need to live here with my guardian Angel hovering over me!"
"House, te can’t always react like this!"
"Like what?"
"Running. Whenever you’re confronted with a problem that concerns te closely, te run away"
"Right now I'm running away from your inability to cook and the fact that te blow-dry your hair in the morning ... but your conclusion is acceptable to me ..."

That said, he picked up his small suitcase and started toward the door.

"House, how are te going to manage to get to your apartment?"
"You know, Wilson, there are these hireable cars called taxi!"
"Wait, I'll give te a lift."

I grab my coat, close the door and head downstairs to the car. The car trip was a silent journey. Finally his apartment block came into sight. We’d been back once since House had gotten out of Mayfield. Everything was in the same place we’d left it. A heavy layer of dust covered everything, including his beloved piano.

I decide to simply stay in the car, while House stepped up to the green door. I stayed there until the door closed behind him. I restarted the engine and headed home. For the first time in months I was going home to an empty house. The disorder of House was something I was going to miss.

House’s POV

Is this really what I need, coming back to live alone in a house with too many memories? I need to clarify all my thoughts, all the feelings and all the memories of the last year. I throw the suitcase against the bacheca and the memories become più vivid. When I approach the Pianoforte I have a perfect image in my mind of every single secondo of that dream, faded to disappointment and resentment. I can see Cuddy approaching me. I can smell her perfume. I don’t want to relive this nightmare, but something leads me to watch the scene again. I can smell her perfume even stronger, a feeling of warmth in my chest, and my mind wanders in cerca of meaning. I can see a light. But what the heck is going on?

Someone knocks on the door and wakes me from this nightmare. I realize that I wasn’t sleeping. I was awake and, as so often before, I was sitting at my Pianoforte playing.

I get up and open the door to find Cuddy standing in front of me.

"May I come in?"

I hesitantly let her in. I'm still shaken from the flashback I just had. Cuddy comes in and sits on the couch, as I slowly walk back toward my piano.

"Why are te here?"
"Wilson told me that te discussed..."
"The fact that he kept your secret till the end?"
"Yes..."

The only thing I can do right now is to continue to play the melody that has haunted me for so long - a serenade fast and slow, bittersweet. A serenade written just for her, that I have kept hidden for months. And now, without her knowledge, she is listening with her eyes closed, capturing every note. And when it ends, she looks a bit puzzled.

"Too bad it's over. It's beautiful. Did te digita it?"
"Yes ..."

I take the score and gave it to her.

"You can keep it. Even Lucas can play the Pianoforte ..."
"Thanks ..."

She walks towards the door without looking at the pieces of paper in her hands. She opens the door and steps out of the room into the hall, stopping before closing the door. She turns back and looks at me.

"You need to clean this place..."
"Yeah ..."
"Goodnight, House.”
"Goodnight, Cuddy."

Cuddy’s POV

It's been less than a mese since that night at House’s place and we still haven’t exchanged a single word. We avoid each other every day. I hide in my personal fortress, my office, completing documents and pretending to be surprised when someone from his team comes down to ask me about their boss’ behaviour. He solves his cases in the longest amount of time possible in order to avoid having to see me. He doesn’t speak with me, he’s not asking permission for bizarre procedures o dangerous treatments like he used to. Even this task he has assigned to his team.

Lost in my thoughts I suddenly realize that Wilson is in my office.

"Hey, Lisa, are te okay?"
"Oh! Hello! Sorry, I was Lost in my thoughts. Is there a problem?"
"Medical problem? No. Personal problems? I think there are way too many."
"Yeah ...”
“Have te spoken with House?"
"We do not need to have another discussion. I think we’ve already detto everything ..."
"I don’t think you..."
"Can we change the subject?"
"Sure. How are the wedding preparations going?"
"Well, I’m running a little behind with everything. Lately I’ve had più work to do than time to do it in. Thankfully my sister is giving me a hand."
"And the dress, have te already chosen?"
"Yes, I have. Yesterday I took the afternoon off and I picked one out. It's..."
"No, don’t. I want this to be a surprise."
"Ok ... but is ..."
"No Lisa! Please..."

Wilson can always make me smile again. Sometimes it feels like he is the only true friend I have here.

"I think I should go back to my job. Cancer won’t find a cure da itself."
"Yeah..."

Wilson is about to leave my office, but I stop him before he can reach the door.

"James, te ... would te walk me down the aisle?"

The look of shock on Wilson’s face almost makes me laugh, but I manage to restrain myself.

"Wow, Lisa. That’s a pretty big thing you’re asking me! Are te sure?"
"Yes, but only if you’re sure te want me to. If te are too busy te can always say no ..."
"Sure, yes ..."
"So that’s a yes, you'll walk me down the aisle?"
"Yes. Can I hug te now?"

Wilson is so sensible at times.

Wilson’s POV

I’m in my office and House is sitting in front of my scrivania, reception fiddling with his game-boy.

"Hey Cancer-Fighter. What did Cuddy ask you?"
"She asked me to walk her down the aisle ..."
"Oh. Ok."
"Ok? Your best friend will walk the woman te Amore down the aisle. She’s about to marry another man, and all te can say is ok?"
“Wilson, why do te always make everything so complicated? For the first time in my life I act like a mature person. I'm leaving the last twenty years behind me. I'm trying to accept that she is with Lucas and not with me. I’ve been an idiot for twenty years and I have to pay the consequences."
"Wow! That’s a great step forward. You’ve always detto that people can’t change, but ..."
"No. I used to say that people will never change, only the situation changes. People simply need to accept the situation and try to live with it."

House never ceases to amaze me. When all his plans go downhill, he still manages to find a new solution. One thing surprises me the most: all this time he never let go his grip on Cuddy. He had always behaved like a child who wants to hold on to his preferito toy. But now he has dato up. For the first time in his life he has surrendered to a situation which he can’t escape from.

"I hope te don’t mind me walking her down the aisle."
"No. She wants te to do it and you're her best friend. I can’t lay sole claim to you. te can’t always take my side. Cuddy wants the perfect wedding and that involves te ..."
"Thanks ..."
"You’re welcome. I'm going to go now..."
"Ok"

As House is leaving Cuddy's words come to mind. "House, wait. Did Cuddy talk to te at your place some time recently?"
"Yes, when I returned to my apartment. Why?"
"I know that te haven’t spoken since then. te need to talk to her."
"We haven’t talked for a good reason. What can I possibly say?"
"Tell her the truth. Tell her everything!"
"Everything? The last time I told her what I felt we were at that medical conference and she ran away from me, and it turned out she was shacking up with Lucas. The first time I told her how I felt it turned out to be a hallucination. Need I say more?"
"Sorry ..."
"I'm sorry Wilson. I'm trying ..."
"I know. te should probably go back to work."
"Yeah. Hey, Wilson, try not to stumble while walking arm in arm with Cuddy, ok?"
"I’d only stumble if someone places a stick between my feet."
"Don’t worry, I won’t. Not on Cuddy’s wedding day."

He turns to leave, closing the door behind him. I try to put some order to the paperwork on my desk, thinking about what we’d just discussed.