Well, we've come to the end of this fic, but it's not the end of the story. A week from today, I'll begin to post the sequel: Big Girls Don't Cry. Thanks for all your lovely comments.

Chapter 12.

House had kept himself occupied for the day, but he dreaded going home. If this night was like the previous one, he wouldn't sleep well. On the other hand, he wasn't in the mood for Wilson's brand of psychobabble either. What he needed was a good stiff drink in someplace noisy. Some compulsion led him to Flannagans. He sat at the bar again, as he had the first night he'd been there, the night he'd seen her for the first time. The ginger-haired bartender brought him his Scotch again.

While he drank, a waitress came over to him and said "Hi there, handsome. Did your friend ever find the guy who ripped her off?"

He looked at her. It was the tall redhead, Kitty. "'Fraid not," he said.

"Too bad," she said, and she was gone.

House managed to get through his days all right. It was the nights that were hard. There was no longer anyone to cook him dinner, no one to cuddle with on the couch and watch cheesy old movies with, no one to make passionate love with and then hold through the night.

By Thursday his curiosity finally got the better of him and he pulled out her letter to read.

Dear Greg,

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you did for me. For your hospitality, your loving care, your friendship. For the memories we created together. For the mind-blowing sex.

I will always love you. (OK, I know. Another sappy love song. But that doesn't make it any less true.) Still, I love my children, too, and they need me more than you do.

You're used to being alone, in control of your life. You'll get used to having your space back. You've managed quite well before.

I hope that we can be friends some day, but I'll let you decide about that.

As a more recent song goes 'fairy tales don't always have a happy ending, do they?' I guess ours didn't, but it was wonderful while it lasted.

I'll miss waking up to the sound of you snoring. I'll miss your sense of humor. I'll miss you – always.

Delia

All week, Dee and Jack had squabbles over big and little things, but by Friday they were beginning to come to some compromises. He said she could go back to work, but only part time, and he was beginning to enjoy her new-found cooking skills. She, in turn, agreed to wear her jeans only when she wasn't going out, although she couldn't comprehend his objection to them.

"Why don't we go out for a few drinks tonight?" he suggested.

"What about the kids? We can't get a sitter at such short notice."

He dismissed her objection immediately. "My mother will stay with them."

Regina arrived forty-five minutes after they called her. "Go, go," she said. "You two need a night out together.

Dee smiled at her, then hugged her before grabbing a jacket and following Jack out to the car. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"How 'bout Flannagan's?"

"The place near Plainsboro."

"I don't think there's another one. You seemed to like it the last time."

It had been a week or two before she'd learned of his affair. "I guess so," she said. A part of her wanted to go back there.

They entered the bar and were seated at one of the round tables. Dee looked around. A waitress came to take their orders. It was Kitty and this time she remembered Delia. "Your friend told me you never found the guy who robbed you," she said as she placed coasters in front of each of them. "What can I get you tonight?"

"I'll have a White Russia," Dee said to Jack's surprise. "So you've seen my friend?"

"He's been in a few times this week." Then Kitty turned to Jack "And for you sir?"

He was still trying to understand what the two women had been talking about. "Oh, uh, I'll have a Vodka Collins."

"Sure, I'll be right back."

"Jack, I'd like to pick out a song on the jukebox. Do you have a single?" Dee asked, standing with her hand out.

He handed her a couple of bills. She made her way between the tables to the jukebox. She'd just inserted a dollar and pressed the letter and number for "Round Midnight" when she caught a familiar scent and a ripple of pleasure flooded through her. Delia looked around and right into a pair of blue eyes staring at her as if she were an apparition.

"Taking the hubby on a tour of your old haunts?" House asked sarcastically.

"He insisted on coming here. Kitty says you've been in a few times yourself."

"I don't have kiddies at home who need me." The sarcasm intensified.

"You've read my letter."

"If you didn't expect me to, why'd you write it?"

"Dee, is this guy bothering you?" Jack had come to join them.

"No, it's all right," Delia replied. "Jack, this is Dr. House."

"One of the doctors from the hospital?" Jack asked, extending his hand to House.

House looked at it, but didn't take it. "It's been fascinating," he said, and walked away.

"Strange man," Jack commented, but Delia's heart had constricted and her eyes had filled with hot tears.

"Let's go," Dee said.

"We just got here!" Jack objected. "Dee, did that guy upset you?"

"No, no," she said. She needed to think. But what would that do? She needed to act. But what would she do? She just couldn't go on with this sham. "Jack, I can't do this. Our marriage has been over for a while, I just didn't know it. I think you sensed it. That's why you had the affair with Marcy. But I didn't know until now."

"What are you saying?" Jack asked.

"I guess I just don't love you anymore. I love him, Greg," she said.

"Wait. That disheveled and crippled old man is 'Greg'? Delia, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I love him. I don't know how I'm going to get him back. I love the children too, and I don't want to lose them, but I'll do whatever is best for them. I'm willing to work with you on that." She couldn't go on, as the tears began to flow down her cheeks. She knew the next few days and weeks wouldn't be easy, but she'd made up her mind.

Jack looked at her, and realized she was right. "Come on. I'll take you home," he said gently. "This Greg House must be some fantastic guy. He certainly one lucky one."

They got back in the car and started home. "What do we tell the kids?" Jack asked.

"I don't know."

"Where will you live?"

"I don't know that either. There are only two things I know for sure. I love Greg and I love my kids."

"I love the kids, too," Jack reminded her.

"I guess you do," she admitted. "Jack, you and I had something once. We've drifted apart and we'll never get it back. I have a second chance at happiness, and I'm determined to take it."

"You think he'll..." The words stuck in his throat. "You think he'll take you back?"

Delia thought of the intensity of House's sarcasm earlier, and about the fact that he'd read her letter. She smirked. "He doesn't know it yet, but I know he will. And when he does, he'll never let me go."