So first I would like to apologize for the ridiculously long wait. Then I would like to thank everyone for reading this and their kind comments. I finally forced myself to sit down and finish it, so sorry if it's not exactly what you thought it would be but my inspiration is gone in a ridiculously long story.
Enjoy,
Jess
Chapter 6: Gregory House and 101 Reasons
One Year Three Months and Two Days Later
They had taken things slow. Or at least, they had intended to take things slow. It maybe hadn't happened that way.
After he had met her friends, everything had sort of spiraled because suddenly he was given permission to marry her if he wanted. Not that they had been ready for that, but when Allison had heard she had explained that it was their way of accepting him into the group.
Jenna looked at her best friend a smile on her face.
"Long time no see Al. Love the ring."
Diamonds sparkled in the sunlight as Allison waved her hand in front of Jenna.
"The nurses are stalking me. Greg paid a ridiculous amount I'm assuming but he won't tell me how much."
"Doesn't want you to keel over and die." Jenna knew for a fact that the ring had been quite and investment because she had been there when he had picked it out.
Allison laughed. "Don't be cruel."
"I'm always cruel. I brought the list." She saw House and waved at him.
"You better leave, girl talk time." House shuddered and pulled Allison into a tight embrace and kissed her deeply. He stopped when the sound of a whistle was heard. He turned to see the other four girls standing there grinning at him.
"Your friends are so weird."
"I know. And there's nothing I can do about it."
"I'll see you later Allie. Love you."
"Love you too Greg." He walked out and her friends laughed. "He's so whipped Al."
"Yeah, I know."
Two hours, dinner and some alcohol later the girls finally settled down.
"You know what time it is Allie." Jenna sang out.
"Hammer time?" was her quick reply, a hopeful look on her face.
"You wish." Alicia took the notebook.
"I'm just going to read down the list unless there's something that you don't agree with, then someone stop me."
"Not bald, no piercings, isn't covered in tattoos, taller then Allie-"
"That's not really ever going to be a problem because Allie's short." Abby sang out cheerfully.
"Thanks Abby."
Abby was the tallest of the group at 6'3, while the others fell behind, until they got to Allie who was 5'6 and the shortest of the group, which always amused everyone to no end.
"We love you anyway Allie, I promise." Julia gave her a one armed hug and laughed.
"Can we continue?" Alicia asked with a sigh. No one answered and she went on to read more.
"Has a sense of humor, is funny-"
"He has Jen's sense of humor, so I guess that's okay." Jackie cut in.
"Are we going to do this all night? You guys interrupting?"
"Um – yeah?" Jenna sighed. "We have met, right?"
Alicia rolled her eyes and rattled off a few things about not being a woman and being hot.
"Can take care of girls crying."
Allison could hear the girls talking, but she was drifting away to another time and place.
"Honey! I'm home!" House called out as he stepped into the house. He was greeted with silence.
"Allie?" She shuffled out of the bedroom, her arms wrapped around her waist in a protective gesture.
"Hi Greg." He took a step towards her.
"You okay?" Her eyes were red and slightly puffy.
"Tomorrow is the anniversary of Ethan's death." Her voice was wobbly and she took a deep breath. "I'll be okay." House held his arms open.
"Come here." She collapsed into them sobbing softly.
"He can work electronics."
"That's a duh." Jenna grinned. Alicia shot her a look telling her to shut up.
"He's able to laugh at himself. Doesn't let people use him – that's for sure, gets together with other couples-"
"Yep. I met him more then all of you."
"But he does spend an odd amount of time with Wilson." Jenna mused.
"Wilson's his girlfriend" Allison explained simply.
"I could actually see that." Jackie threw a pillow at Abby and stuck her tongue out.
"You two would be cute together. He could be husband number six and you could be wife number four."
"Cute Alicia, real cute."
"I know. I'm adorable."
"Is honest."
"I think the exact definition of House would be a brutally honest misanthrope who has to solve puzzles." Julia recited the definition as if she had it written down and the others laughed.
"I like it." Allison decided. "Stitch it on a pillow or something and we'll give it to him."
"Whatever you say Al."
"I say."
"Children, if you don't stop with the bickering I'm going to stop." Alicia admonished them.
"Sorry Mom. We'll be good."
"No you won't."
"Keep reading." Jenna ordered.
"Tries new things."
"He's marrying Al, isn't he?"
Allison swiped her hand half-heartedly towards Jenna. "I'm the alien? Have you looked in the mirror lately?"
"Yep. And I'm not E.T. You on the other hand…" Jenna allowed her voice to trail off and grinned.
"Oh shut up you loser."
"Love you too."
"Protective."
"Are you sure it doesn't say 'over protective'?" Jackie leaned over her shoulder as if checking. "I swear Al. I asked was with Lee and he asked what floor you were on, and the guy asked if he was sure he wanted to see you. Said that House didn't like strange men near his girl. Can I just repeat the fact that he called you 'his girl'?"
"Greg doesn't like when the 'random men' as you so charmingly put it look at me. So we have a deal. As long as they don't ask for my number or touch me he can't terrify them or beat them up."
"Has it worked?" Alicia looked amused by the deal and Allison shrugged.
"Mostly. There was a new guy that no one warned about House and he had the guts to grab my ass. House smacked him with his cane and hit him where it really hurts."
"Poor guy."
"Yeah. I wasn't so happy with Greg."
"But it's classic Al. Classic. Come on."
Abby was right. It wasn't unknown for any of the six of them to get hit on by random men.
"Classic didn't save him from the couch that night."
"Ouch. That's cruel."
"What number are we on?"
"Seventy four. Next one is isn't ET. Seventy five is isn't weirded out by this notebook."
"Even I'm weirded out by this notebook," Jackie pointed out.
"True."
"Isn't a sociopath."
They dissolved into laughter and Allison sighed. "We were such strange children."
"With very interesting requirements." Alicia scanned the remainder of the list. "I mean, why would we ever date Michael Jackson?"
"As I said, odd children."
Two hours later after much laughter and teasing they were on the last question.
"Do you love him Allie?" Jenna looked at her, eyes serious and probing. Allison stared back at her with the same look.
To read anyone of the six of them all you had to do was meet their eyes. To hear their voice when it cracked. To watch their fingers tie themselves into knots. They were so close that their thoughts when together weren't always just their own.
Jenna continued to stare at Allison as the others waited with almost baited breath.
They had done the same thing last time and it had resulted in tears and a called off wedding. Jenna would never let her go on with another wedding if she wasn't one hundred percent sure on Allison's feelings.
Broken hearts in best friends are terrible to go through one time, let alone twice or three times.
"Yes" she said, and she knew it was true.
"Everyone hears what you say. Friends listen to what you say. Best friends listen to what you don't say."