Epilogue

Eight months later

Stephen took her hands in his as she reached the front of the aisle and turned to face him. She gave a teary smile and glanced at his trembling hands. "So cliche," she whispered, voice quavering, as the minister began to speak. Stephen nearly wept with relief when he felt her hands steady and strong, not shaking as they occasionally were these days.

"I love you." He mouthed the words, and saw her eyes well up.

"I love you too." The minister, the crowd, the wind rustling through the trees all faded from his thoughts. Here, the sunlight sparkling in her blue-gray eyes, was the woman he'd dreamed of since he met her. Who would have guessed?

Then a pause in the hum of the minister's voice, and she was speaking. "I, Remington Hadley, take you, Stephen Henderson, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward for ever and ever."

A single tear rolled down her face, and the lump in his throat threatened to choke him. His voice was shaking as he gripped her hands and spoke the words he'd memorized. "I, Stephen Henderson, take you, Remington Hadley, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward for ever and ever." For better or for worse. In sickness and in health. I love you.

"Remington and Stephen, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." And he did.

**********

Like the ceremony itself, the reception was a small outdoor affair, just a time for guests to socialize with each other and the newly married couple. In attendance were Remy's father and Stephen's entire family - mother, father, brother, and two sisters. His sisters both brought their husbands and children, and Remy's new nieces and nephew took an instant liking to her. Also present were several acquaintances from Faulkner and a few non-work-related mutual friends.

But the guests that most interested Stephen were what Remy referred to as the "Princeton-Plainsboro crew." The couple had been chatting with others coming through the impromptu greeting line for nearly twenty minutes before the first of Remy's old colleagues approached.

A tall blond man accompanied by an even blonder woman waved from across the lawn. "Chase and Cameron," Remy whispered to Stephen as she waved back and the couple headed their way.

"Congratulations!" squealed the woman, hugging Remy. Stephen was slightly taken aback at the enthusiasm.

"Thank you; you too!" She hugged the man as well, then turned to Stephen. "Stephen, this is Allison Cameron and Robert Chase. They were married last month."

"Congratulations," he repeated, shaking both their hands. "So you're from Princeton?"

"Yes, we met working for House - whom I recall you're familiar with - years ago." Stephen smiled at Chase's accent, and the two couples made small talk for a few minutes before Chase and Cameron said they had better head out toward Princeton.

"Wow, that's a lot of happiness in one place," Stephen laughed as they walked away.

"Talking to Cameron always wore me out," Remy agreed. "And Chase has been head-over-heels for her for years. Oh, look! Here come the boys."

He knew who she was referring to - she always called her former colleagues "the boys." But when he followed her gaze, he saw a third trailing behind the other two approaching. Before he could ask, the first, who appeared to be of Middle-Eastern descent, had reached them. "Thirteen! Congratulations!"

He hugged her, and she smiled affectionately. "Hey, Kutner. Heard you weren't at Princeton-Plainsboro anymore?"

"Started my own outpatient clinic," he said proudly. "Working with mainly injured athletes."

"He listens to jocks complain for a living," interjected an older, shorter man walking up behind Kutner.

"Taub!" Remy greeted, hugging him. "Stephen, this is Lawrence Kutner and Chris Taub, fellow House ducklings from way back then. But what are you doing now, Taub?"

"Reconstructive surgery on Chase's team," he said. "And I recently decided to take an EMT training course, so I'll see if there's an opening there anytime soon. "

"Good choice," Stephen commented. "I'm an EMT at Faulkner."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the man who had been trailing behind the other two finally reach the group. Looking slightly uncomfortable, he said, "Congratulations, Remy. Stephen."

"Eric!" she said, embracing him. When they pulled apart, he gave her a long look that Stephen could easily decipher. The same appraising glance I give her every day. Searching for twitches, trembles, anything indicating she's not okay. Remy had given him a few more details regarding her previous relationship with this man, and he could tell Eric still cared for her. "Stephen, this is Eric Foreman." And when the two shook hands, Stephen felt no hostile vibes.

The next moment, Remy was distracted by Mollie, her newly acquired niece, and the other man looked straight at Stephen. Under his breath, he said sincerely, "Congratulations. Take care of her." Then he touched Remy's arm to get her attention, nodded a goodbye, and was gone with the first two.

The couple was mobbed by Stephen's family - loud, laughing, and hugging. He hoped Remy wouldn't be overwhelmed, but she seemed to be enjoying it. When she met his mother two months ago, just before he proposed, the two had instantly clicked. Now they giggled together - as much as Remy ever giggled, anyway - and he made a mental note to beware of being ganged up against by the women. Eight-year-old cousins Mollie and Jamie vied for Remy's attention as she held Jamie's two-year-old brother Drew.

"Congratulations, Stephen," his new father-in-law said quietly as he joined the gathering.

"Thank you, sir." Stephen shook the man's hand firmly. "Your daughter is quite a woman.

"Yes, she is." He gazed contemplatively at Remy as she interacted with the Henderson brood. "And you're good for her."

"I'll try my best to be," he said seriously.

Ten minutes later when the group dissipated, Stephen reached over and squeezed her hand. "Sorry, my family's a little much sometimes."

"No," she said, "they're wonderful. You are so lucky to have them."

"Believe me," he chuckled, "you have them now too. They're in love with you."

"The feeling's mutual." She was distracted by something in the reception area. "Look," she said, and he followed her gaze.

The crowd had thinned, and Stephen's family made up most of the remaining group. But at a table across the lawn sat two men, each with a barely touched drink, not eating, seemingly in a heated discussion. As he watched, one got up, turned back for a parting comment, and walked toward them. Stephen didn't recognize him as he got closer, but the one still seated at the table...he slumped and rubbed his forehead with one hand, then stood and grabbed an object from behind his chair in one motion. A cane. Stephen drew in a breath at the familiar gait, improved from what he remembered but still painful to watch. He knew they sent an invitation to him, along with the rest of the "Princeton Crew," but Remy wasn't certain House would come, and Stephen hadn't seen him during the ceremony.

"Congratulations." Stephen hadn't even noticed the first man approach them.

Remy hugged him for a long moment, then turned to Stephen. "Stephen, this is Doctor James Wilson."

The men shook hands. "Stephen, Thirteen..." Wilson said quietly, "I just want to say thank you to both of you. For everything earlier this year. Taking care of him."

"Not a problem," Stephen assured him.

"It was a learning experience for all three of us." Remy agreed, and Stephen squeezed her hand.

House finally reached the small group. "Thirteen. I'm not going to say 'I told you so...'"

Remy smiled. "Glad you're the type to just let it go." He stood awkwardly as she embraced him, then wrapped one arm lightly around her back. "Thanks for coming," she said.

"Had to come admire my handiwork." He gestured to the two of them.

"Yeah, yeah," she laughed, smacking his arm lightly. "We miss you too."

The four chatted about nothing in particular for a surprisingly enjoyable few minutes, then Wilson pointed out that he and House had better get going if they were driving back to Princeton that night. "Nice to meet you," he said to Stephen. "And thanks again."

As Remy hugged him goodbye, Stephen stepped over to shake House's hand. "Good to see you again. And House? All joking aside...thank you."

Stephen thought he caught a slight self-satisfied smile on the other man's face as Remy wrapped him in another hug. "Goodbye, House," she said. "Next time you're in Boston, look us up."

"Right. Later, Thirteen. KSA." He nodded to both of them and walked away.

"KSA?" Stephen turned to Remy, confused.

"I guess I never told you his name for you last time he was here. My Knight in Shining Armor." She bit her lip and gave him that adorable smile, and he couldn't help but lean down and kiss her.

"That meddling ass," he murmured when they separated, and she laughed. As she turned to see them go, he pulled her in close so her back pressed into his chest, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

Together they watched House limp away, one hand gripping his cane, the other clasped with Wilson's. "I guess he was right," Remy mused. "About us, I mean. House's matchmaking skills - who would have guessed?"

Author's Note: I skipped straight to the wedding because I thought it was a good way to tie everything up without dragging it on and making it too cheesy =). And I decided to end it here because Thirteen and Stephen dealing with her disease would be a whole other story...one I might or might not write eventually. Anyway, sorry if you disagree with the ending, but either way please review one last time!