He pulled her as close as he could, kissing her over and over, a tear escaping to run down his cheek at the sight of hers. “Don’t cry, love. Please. I’ve been unhappy, too. Why do you think I came straight here from New York. David and Katie are going to have my hide if I don’t get there tomorrow. They agreed to shoot around me so I could handle the problem in England, but I’m back now. Which reminds me. Is your computer up? I need to check my email for a couple of minutes. OK?”

“Of course. But only if you let me sit on your lap and kiss you. I have to make up for lost time.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” And he pulled her into a searing kiss as he began dragging her toward the computer. He opened his email account and looked quickly for a reply from Katie and/or David about the fanfiction he had sent them. “Ah ha! There it is.” He opened it and began to skim it quickly while she kissed her way around his face and started on his neck.

“Mmmmmm. You have the sexiest neck I have ever seen. I could kiss your neck for hours, but the make up people would hate my guts if I gave you a hickey, so I’m being careful.”

“Angel, listen to this, ‘Hugh. We have both read the fanfiction and want you to bring this new talent to see us – how about this week? It is rare to see someone who is this talented and who has this much insight into the characters. Katie is ecstatic that she writes like people talk and not some stilted nonsense, and that her fics are all grammatically correct. Since we are losing Lawrence, we need to fill his spot, and have frankly had a time finding someone. What else has she written? We would like to see some more. Offer her a job as a copy editor to start, and we’ll look at her other stuff and maybe have her write some scripts to see how she does. We’ll get her an apartment temporarily until we see how she works out.’ Well, love, what else have you written. They won’t copy your ideas without your permission.”

“Are you kidding? I’d love to see my stories come to life. I don’t care if they do steal them. I love House and Cameron, and even have soft spots for Foreman and Chase. I think Cuddy and Wilson make such a perfect couple that I can’t believe they have ignored it as a ship for all these years. Pull up word. There must be 40 or 45 stories in there. I don’t care which ones you send. They are all different, but are all House/Cameron. I told you I’m a huge House/Cam shipper.” She went back to nuzzling his neck and nibbling on his ear.

“Ummmm. When did you say Joe was due home? I can send these later, and then we’ll make reservations to go to LA together, tomorrow. OK? And you won’t need an apartment – you’re staying with me. I already asked Joe how he felt about you coming with me, and he said no one tells you what to do.”

“LA, huh. Joe is due in late – about 9 or 10, so we have some time before he gets here,”

she said, looking at him from under her eyelashes. “And, Hugh, I’ll have to call my boss in the morning. Don’t let me forget. I may need this job.”

“Oooof. Get off of me, or I’m going to disgrace myself right here. I’d rather be inside of you when it happens.” And he stood up, picking her up as he headed for the bedroom. He drew in a long breath as he set her on her feet and pulled her against him and said, “God, I love you –have I said that? I want you so much, I’m not sure I can wait any longer.” And with that, he picked her up again and threw her into the middle of the bed, climbing on after her and rolling over on top of her, his mouth nuzzling her neck, his hands unbuttoning her blouse.

She was moaning and sliding her hands over every part of him she could touch, catching his mouth as it moved from one side of her neck to the other. Their lovemaking lasted until Joe got home. They could hear the garage door opening, and then the sound of his truck, so they quickly headed for the bathroom to cleanup and throw on their clothes. Fortunately, Joe came in and went straight through the house to look for something on the porch that he had ordered online. When he walked back into the den, Hugh was coming out of his Mom’s bedroom hallway, and Joe gave him a quick frown and said angrily,. “What are you doing here? Haven’t you hurt her enough. She hasn’t stopped crying for two days. Where is she?”

Hugh held up his hands, palms out toward Joe and said, “I should have known you’d protect her like she protects all of us. It was a gigantic misunderstanding – my ex-wife

had decided Angel must be a gold-digger, so she wrote a note sending her back here and intimating that I still wanted to have an affair with her. She figured if your Mom was a

groupie, she’d be willing and wouldn’t come home. Of course, we both know her, and

it didn’t work. In Jo’s defense, she was trying to protect my kids.”

“Then you didn’t send her back?”

“No, Joe. I’m divorced now, and I’m in love with your Mom. Do I need your permission to take her with me back to LA? My bosses want to see her about a job, editing and writing for the show. Want to come with us for the weekend? I can get you a round-trip, and you can come back next week. Think you can handle the house, bills, cars, etc. while she’s out there for a couple of weeks? We can talk about something more permanent if

she decides to stay. I have plenty of room, and besides the fact that I owe her room and board, I want her to stay with me. I hope she loves me as much as I love her, but this all happened pretty quickly, and I’m willing to wait. What do you think? Should I get three tickets?”

“Nah. Sounds like fun – I love LA, but we’re in the middle of a big new project, and I’m sort of the one who knows how to do it, so I’d better stay. But I’d like to come after things settle down. Deal?”

“Sure. After all, I promised you a bottle of that great Scotch, didn’t I?”

“But if you hurt my Mom, you’ll have all of us to deal with.”

Hugh smiled and just then, she walked out of the bedroom and put her arm around Hugh’s waist. “What are you two talking about?”

“You, of course. Joe just offered to take me apart if I hurt you.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the top of her head.

Joe growled and said to her, “Are you sure you know what you’re doing? How do you know he’s not lying?”

“Good point, Joe. How do we know I’m not lying? I know. Let’s check the entertainment news on the Internet. You’re a computer whiz – why don’t you see what you can find. I have some reservations to make. Go, go, go. I want to be out of here

in a few hours, and your mom has to pack. Don’t worry too much about your clothes,

Angel. The weather is different out there, so we’ll just go shopping when we get there.

If I have to go to the set, my assistant can take you.” He seemed pretty confident, so Joe headed for his office to check the entertainment news, and Hugh used her computer to make the plane reservations.

She stood there for a minute making a list in her head and then ran to her room to start finding something to wear. Clothes were not really a problem. She picked up her own cleaning when she got Joe’s, so she had lots of business casual slacks and tops, and she was a shoe hog so she had plenty of decent shoes. Her main problem was luggage. She wasn’t much of a traveler, but between her luggage and Joe’s, she managed to scrape up two bags big enough to pack for two weeks.

Hugh was still on the computer, mumbling to himself as he looked for seats. He wanted first class – and with his long legs, he needed an aisle seat, and he wanted her sitting beside him. He finally found two on the 9:30 am flight from DFW to LA. He shouted, “Angel! I found them. We have to be at the airport at 8:00 or 8:30 am. Okay?”

“Sure. It only takes about 12 minutes from here – Joe can take us, or Jocee and Richard. I took him when she was working in DC, and he’s picked me up several times when I had to travel for work.”

Joe rounded the corner to her room and almost ran into her coming out. “Okay, Mom. The news had the divorce announcement. Did you know his ex-wife is marrying one of his best friends? And he’s going to be the best man. Doesn’t that seem incestuous somehow? Anyway, he was telling the truth. Are you sure this is what you want? If you change your mind while you’re there, call me and I can get you a reservation to come back. I’ll take care of the bills while you’re gone. And the maid service can come every week instead of every other week. Anything else you can think of?”

“Sounds good, Joe. I never doubted him once he explained. If I hadn’t gotten a note that said where my ticket was in his bag, I might have waited to leave London. His ex was just very clever – but then I wouldn’t expect him to stay married to a dummy for 18 years. I’m glad it put your mind to rest. I need to call Valerie and Jocelyn and let them know what’s going on. Then we’re going to eat a sandwich and go to bed. We have to get up fairly early, and I have to be sure I don’t forget anything. I’ve never packed this quickly.”

Hugh wandered in to her room then and walked over to see what she had packed. “Don’t forget your toothbrush. We can buy anything else you forget. Oh, and your hair dryer – I don’t have one.” He pulled her back against him and nuzzled her hair and neck.

“Yum, you smell wonderful.”

“Yuck, Hugh, that’s my mom you’re snuggling with. Hold off on all that gooey stuff until I’m not here.” Joe said turning around and wandering back to the living room to watch a football game on TV.

She turned in Hugh’s arms and snuggled close to him, her arms holding him close. “I’m scared, Hugh. Are they saying they liked my story because you sent it to them? I know you’re the star, and they might feel obligated to give your girlfriend a job. I really have a good job and all the money I need to live comfortably, at least here in Texas. I could probably even apply for a job out there – they don’t need to hire me because you want them to.”

“Boy, you don’t know the TV industry, do you? If I told them I wanted you to have a job, you’d get a job as a prop girl or a copy girl or maybe serving lunches. You don’t get to worm your way in as a writer unless you are really good. And you are really good. I spent part of the last hour reading some more of your stories. Whew! You have some sexy way of writing House without making him lose his persona. I’m almost glad they don’t have you writing all the eps – I’d have trouble doing some of those scenes unless you were the actress, and even then, I couldn’t do those things with cameras and the crew standing there. But, right now, with your door locked and Joe occupied with a football game and his computer, I’d be willing to try some of those moves. What do you say?” he asked as he pulled her against his body, reaching for her mouth with his.

“Ummmm. Don’t we have to hit the bed if we’re getting up early? And you may have to work all afternoon and evening to make up for your time off.” She nuzzled against his neck as she talked, hoping he would tell her she was wrong.

He started to back away from her, nodding his head and opening his mouth as though he was going to agree with her. Then he pushed her back on her bed and dropped down on top of her saying, “In your dreams. I’ve been waiting for the last hour to try some of those out – you’re not getting away from me now!” And he kicked off his shoes and pulled her against him, starting to kiss her deeply as she moaned and pulled him closer.

“There’s a problem with the divorce and the settlements. I have to fly to England, preferably tomorrow. Damn. David and Katie are going to be upset. I’d better email them and get their OK before I book a flight.” And he typed for a few minutes and then sent the email. “Say, do you have a passport?”

“Yes,” she said slowly.

“Why don’t you come with me. You can see some sights and maybe we’ll have time for you to meet the children and Stephen. What do you say? It will only be for maybe one day on the ground, then back here. Think you can swing it?”

“Well, I have enough clothes, and I can use Joe’s luggage – I don’t think mine is sturdy enough for an overseas trip. Are you sure, Hugh? Won’t your children and Jo, and maybe even Stephen, resent me?”

“No, Angel. Jo and the children will be happy that I have found someone. She and David, my business manager, have grown closer and closer over the past few years. We both knew this divorce was coming.”

The trip was quick and uneventful. Hugh was one of the passengers picked to run the wand over in the security check. Then all the TSA employees got his autograph as he went on through the checkpoints. They did let us on last so everyone boarding after us wouldn’t stop in first class to talk to him.

When we arrived in London, we checked into a beautiful old hotel, had lunch in the hotel, and then Hugh left for the attorney’s office at a dead run. He had called and arranged for the children to meet him at a soccer game, and I rested in the hotel. A nap was definitely called for. The man wears me out!

After resting, I wandered up and down the few blocks around the hotel and managed to do a little shopping, mostly souvenirs for the kids and Julia. When I returned, I estimated that he would be getting back soon, so I showered and changed in case he wanted to go out to dinner. I had hopes that the children would want to meet me, and since we only had that day, I was extra careful with makeup and what I wore.

Then I sat down to try the TV, and someone knocked on the door. When I answered it, the concierge himself was standing there with a note and my passport. I hoped it was a note from Hugh about what we were going to do, so I smiled and thanked him. After I closed the door and sat down, I opened it eagerly and began reading. Oh my God, Hugh said he wanted me to go back to the States, that he was sending a car for me and had changed my flight because he had decided to stay with Jo. He then intimated that we could still have an affair and that he would call me when he got back to the States.

The car was to pick me up in thirty minutes, so I rushed around to get everything packed, tears running down my face. When I left, I looked around the hotel room, the note crumpled in my hand, and I wondered how I could have been so stupid. Fantasies like this one just didn’t happen in real life. And no matter how much I wanted to have a relationship with Hugh, it wasn’t going to happen – I would probably never hear from him again anyway.

I cried quietly in the limousine all the way to the airport, but managed to suck it up after I got there. I bumbled my way through the various security checks and through Customs when I landed, and called a cab to get home. I don’t really remember the next twenty-four hours except the part where I explained it all to Joe.

He was stunned that Hugh would do such a thing, but I reminded him that Jo was his wife, and he probably decided he wanted to have his family back. Joe said that Hugh had followed him to the car the night before and asked if Joe would be all right with Brooke going to California with him. Joe said he told Hugh that his mom did what she wanted.

I slept all night that night and for most of the next morning, and then I decided that I had to get my life back together, so I started emptying my luggage and putting things away. I tried to keep myself busy so I didn’t think too much about Hugh, and I was making a grocery list when the doorbell rang.

Hugh stood there waiting impatiently, scared out of his mind that she wouldn’t answer the door. He was going crazy trying to figure out what happened. It must have been something he did or said, but he had been over and over the weekend, and couldn’t find anything he would change. He suddenly heard her shoes tapping down the hallway to the door, so he straightened up and smoothed his features as he waited for her to open the door.

She though it must be Jocee and Richard, so she just unlocked it and pulled it open, her jaw dropping when she saw it was Hugh. “Hugh,” she said in a failing voice. “What are you doing here? Did you forget something?” She struggled to keep her voice even, though he heard it wobble a little.

“No, I lost something,” he said slowly, motioning that he would like to come in.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I haven’t cleaned since you were here, or I would probably have found it. Come on in, and we’ll look.” As he passed by her, she said, trying to still the quiver in her lips, “What did you lose and where do you think it is?”

“It’s not a what, it’s a who. I lost one of the most sarcastic, most lovable, most beautiful, funniest, and kindest women I have ever met. And she has a generous heart as big as all outdoors. There’s a problem, though. I have no idea why I lost her.” He looked at her, a question in his eyes, watching her look of startled confusion. “My heart has been yours since the day after you rescued me. I took you to England so I could introduce you to my children and to Stephen, and you left me there. What happened? What did I say or do? I can’t sleep. God, I can feel the hurt rolling off of you in waves. I can’t imagine you leaving like you did unless you were very hurt or maybe angry. Please tell me what’s wrong.”

“Hugh, I left because you told me to,” she said, sniffing as tears rolled down her cheeks. “The concierge brought me your note that told me a car would be waiting for me in a half hour and that my flight had been changed to an earlier one.”

“My note. What note? I never wrote a note for you. What did it say?”

“Wait, I still have it.” She walked back to the den to get her bag and she handed him the note, crumpled and smeared with tears.

He read the note out loud, “I’m sorry, Brooke. I’ve decided to stay with my family. I have enjoyed our trip, but I want you to go back to the states. I have arranged for a car to take you to the airport, and I’ve changed the flight to an earlier one. The ticket is in one of the outside pockets of my bag. Don’t forget your passport at the front desk. Thank you for making me see how much I wanted to stay with Jo. You and I can still have some fun. I’ll call you as soon as I’m back in the states.”

He rubbed his face with his hand, and turned to her with his teeth clenching, and said, “I didn’t send this note, I didn’t arrange a car, and I didn’t change your flight. I took the kids to a game and planned afterward to tell them about you and make arrangements to introduce them to you. This must have been Jo. She thinks you must be a gold digger or a groupie who is impressed with the fact that I’m an actor. I couldn’t change her mind, so I quit trying. I figured after the children met you, they’d realize you are no such thing. Please forgive me, Angel. I should have anticipated something like this.” He stood there, his shoulders drooping, his mouth turned down and shook his head.

“Hugh, are you sure you mean this? I want you to be happy. If that means you want to go back to Jo, I’ll understand. But I can’t be your handy lay here in the States while you stay married to Jo. I just can’t, no matter how much I want you,” she managed to get out before her sobs broke out in earnest. She put her hands up to her face and turned away from him.

“God, Angel, my poor sweet Angel. The divorce is final. I checked with my attorney when I was in England. Jo has announced in England that we are divorcing, that she is engaged to David, and that I am to be the best man at their wedding in Rome in January. When I told the children about you, they told me to go for it, as long as they could visit, and we would go visit them, too.” He moved toward her, his arms reaching for her shoulders to pull her to him. When she felt his hands on her, she couldn’t hold back a little sob, and she leaned back against him, melting into his embrace, her tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Oh, Hugh. I’ve been so unhappy. My heart was broken, but I was trying to be happy for you. Please hold me. Don’t let me go for a long time. I’m afraid I’m going to wake up any minute and find out this is just a dream. I love you so much,” she said as she turned around in his arms and wrapped her arms around his waist, reaching up for his kiss.

First I need to thank Stephalew and Teddikayg for encouraging me and Stephalew for patiently reviewing the chapters and making suggestions.  Without her I would never have posted.  Thanks, Steph!

“Whew, Brooke. Where did that story come from? Did you download it from one of the fanfiction websites?”

“Uh, yeah. I downloaded it. It was pretty risqué, so I couldn’t read it at work.”

“Well, I don’t know who the author was, but I’d like to find out. Which site did you get it off of? And can I print a copy so I can send it to David and Katie? It’s really good, and the characterizations are great. Though, of course, they’d never let all the romance creep in. Nevertheless, I’m serious about finding out about the author. Wonder how you contact them off the sites?”

She blushed to the roots of her hair and confessed that she didn’t really download it. “It’s in Word. I can see you never tried any of the fanfiction sites – most are in html. Joe keeps telling me it’s easy, but I can’t get motivated to learn it. I just write them for my own pleasure. I read mine over and over – I can make the characters do whatever I want when I write the story.”

“Are you saying you were the author? Wow. I’m impressed. What do you do for a living? Are you a writer?”

“Lord, no. I work for the government.”

“Well, do you think you could get some vacation time and come to California with me? Joe could come, too, if he can get off for a few days. What do you think? Tell you what, let me email a copy of the story to David and Katie and see what they say first. They may have all the eps written for this year.”

“Jeepers, Hugh. Just knowing you liked it is enough for me. I’d probably die of fright if David Shore or Katie Jacobs liked my story. Sure, send it if you like. Have you gotten to do any sightseeing since you came to Dallas? How long have you been here?”

“Just a day or two. I’ve driven around a little with my assistant, but have done very little actual sightseeing – mostly we were downtown.”

“I’d love to take you around if you want. Just let me know what you want to see. Fort Worth has some fun western stuff. Dallas has Cowboys football – I’m not sure if there’s a game tomorrow – do you know, Joe?”

“Yeah, it’s on at 2:00 tomorrow. Want me to find some tickets? I think Rusty has some box seats he gives away if he’s not going. I could see what he says. Or Richard’s company has a skybox, I think.”

“Sure, I’d love to see a game. I don’t suppose one of the California teams is playing here?”

“Nope. It’s the Washington Redskins tomorrow, so it may be sold out – big rivalry.”

“I could call my assistant and see if she could get us seats. Sometimes the publicity departments will get us seats if they get to take pictures. Would that bother you, Brooke?”

“Ooooh!” she said. “Get my picture taken with Hugh Laurie? Spend 3 hours with him at a football game? Are you kidding? Sign me up. Umm. It’s tomorrow. Do you want to just stay here. I still say you and Joe are about the same size, and I just picked up $100 worth of cleaning for him.”

“Would you mind, Joe? I’d return them as soon as possible.”

“Sure, Hugh. Help yourself. Mom will probably buy me new ones after this anyway so she can frame the ones you wear,” he laughed at her as she swatted him on the arm.

“OK, then. I’d love to stay.”

“I’ll hit the grocery store in a little while for the steaks and salad, and you two can go to the liquor store. I’m not sure we have any decent red wine – do we Joe?”

“Hmmm. Not sure. Betsy and I just about finished off what was out there. Don’t worry,

we’ll get something. What do you say, Hugh? Go to the liquor store with me?”

“Sure. I’ll wear my baseball hat and sun glasses. Maybe I can get away with it again.” He grinned and reached for his hat. Brooke, will you wait for us to get back so I can go to the store with you, too? These are things I don’t get to do very often anymore,” he said a little wistfully.

“Of course I will. I need to make a list anyway. And I need to put this wreck back together, comb my hair, put on something I can wear in public. You two go ahead, and don’t buy everything in the store.”

Hugh looked stunned and said, “Wreck? You? I was afraid you wouldn’t want to be seen in public with a guy who looks like a homeless bum. You not only are a ministering angel, you look like a ministering angel. No more disparaging comments about my angel, please.”

She laughed and said, “If anyone is an angel, it’s you. You’re Joe’s guardian angel. Maybe he learned something last night. Right, Joe?”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go, Hugh. I’ve heard this lecture enough to give it to myself in the car on the way to the liquor store. You might enjoy my version of it.” He walked to the door laughing as Hugh followed him, looking back at her, smiling, and giving her a wink.

“Whew,” she said to herself. “I could sure get used to having him around. Too bad.”

And she sat down to make a grocery list. She thought nice Texas=sized steaks, baked sweet potatoes and a salad would make the guys happy. Then she took off for her bathroom and closet to see if she could patch up the 47 year old ruin that was her body. She dug around in the closet and found some tan slacks and a cranberry colored

silk turtleneck sweater and cranberry colored loafers. She felt every year of 47 years old and finally gave up. Hugh was surrounded by young and beautiful women every day and could probably walk down the street and pick up dozens of young beautiful groupies in five minutes. Ah, well, if she weren’t old enough to have a 20 something lush for a son, she would never have met him, so she guessed she shouldn’t second guess her luck. And he was incredibly nice on top of being absolutely gorgeous. And those eyes! Yum.

By the time she was ready to go and had read a little fanfiction, Joe and Hugh burst through the door. Joe was laughing and said, “Wow, Mom. Hugh didn’t even make it down the first aisle. He was spotted, so we had to make a run for it.” We drove to another store and managed to sneak in and out. He kept his mouth shut that time, so no one recognized his voice. Sheesh. Maybe being a star isn’t so great after all. Although I wouldn’t mind a herd of beautiful women running after me.”

“Want to bet on that, Joe? Try going to the bathroom at someplace like a theater or a restaurant and opening the door to 45 women waiting for you. You have to believe they were listening while you were in there. You just can’t imagine what that feels like.” Hugh wiggled his eyebrows at Brooke and nudged Joe on the arm. Then he groaned a little because he used his bruised arm.

“Hugh. Maybe we should go have that x-rayed. I’d hate to have the whole Fox hierarchy down here suing me for not taking care of their most popular star. Please? There’s a stand-alone emergency room about five minutes from here. It’s very nice and not busy.”

“OK, Angel, if it will make you happy. Let’s go. Then we can go to the store on the way home, right? I’m really looking forward to that steak you promised me.” He took her arm and started for the door to the garage. After she backed the car out, he climbed in and they headed for the emergency room.

After an x-ray and several autographs and a few pictures, Hugh and Brooke left for the store. His arm was bruised, but otherwise, OK. The doctor told him to take a couple of Advil. He thanked them and started to pay the bill when he realized he had no wallet.

“Oops. They took my wallet last night. Um, Angel, can you spot me enough until I can get back to my room? Fortunately, I left all my cards in the room. Do you think we could make a trip down to get them before dinner? I could run up while you wait in the car. That way we won’t have to park.”

“Sure, Hugh. Just point me in the right direction. And maybe we should stop at the police department and file a report about what happened.”

“We’re at the Mansion on Turtle Creek – or I’m at the Mansion. Shannon is in California. And absolutely no police report, please. Can’t you see the headlines now? Hugh Laurie falling down drunk, runs around bar shouting at the top of his lungs. Know where the Mansion is?”

“Doesn’t everyone? I’d never stay anywhere else,” she rolled her eyes, laughing at him. “OK, I can see what you mean about the publicity. But we can send your insurance information to the emergency place and ask them to file it for you.”

Hugh smiled and reached his hand out to grab her shoulder and give it a squeeze. Suddenly he stopped and moved his hand back to his lap. “Pull over for a second, would you?” he asked gently.

“Uh, sure. Just give me a sec.” And she pulled into a space on the side of the street and looked at him to see what was wrong.

When she put the car in park, he leaned over, grabbed her shoulders, and kissed her on the mouth, lingering long enough to taste her mouth with his tongue. Then he leaned back and moaned quietly, closing his eyes for a moment. “I’ve been wanting to do that all morning. You really are an angel, you know that? And you kiss like one, too.”

She put her fingers to her lips and just stared back at him, wishing the kiss could have gone on forever. She felt like she was in a dream and would wake up back in her own bed with her alarm getting her up for work. She reached for her right arm with her left hand and pinched herself. Yup. She was awake. She wondered what benevolent forces were at work today. A gorgeous, sweet, lovable, gentle man thought she was special.

And he kissed her. She leaned back toward him and reached for his face with her hands.

After she had her hands around his face, she kissed him, gently at first, then more passionately, wishing there was more time and they were in a different place. Then she sat back and pulled the car back into traffic and turned down the street to head for the Mansion.

Hugh bolted out of the car and ran in to the hotel and up to his room, grabbed his credit cards and his suitcase and bolted back down to her car. She was sitting quietly, listening to a piano concerto on the local classical music station. Hugh tossed his bag into the back

seat and climbed back in beside her. “OK, let’s go to the store.”

After an uneventful trip to the grocery store, Hugh helped her carry in the bags, and she shouted for Joe to start the fire in the barbecue pit. Hugh wanted to help Joe, so they each got a Diet Coke and headed outside. When she looked at them with an eyebrow raised, Joe said, “Well, we’re not stupid, Mom! Do you think we want to totally destroy our stomachs and our livers?”

She just laughed and began to get the sweet potatoes ready. After making the tossed salad and some homemade salad dressing, she walked over to see what they were doing outside – she had a good view from the den window. They were both sitting in lawn chairs on the patio, smoking, and talking a mile a minute. She had almost forgotten that Hugh was a smoker. She caught something about terrorists and Congress and knew Joe was on his hobby horse. He was one of the few 24 year olds she knew that was obsessed with politics -- local, national and world politics. And it sounded like Hugh had his own opinions. After they finished dinner, everyone helped with the dishes, Joe and Hugh keeping up a constant back and forth banter about politics. She laughed constantly, begging them to stop making her laugh so she could finish and sit down.

Hugh had called his assistant who arranged for them to go to the football game the next day. They could take a cab so they wouldn’t have to park and maybe get mobbed going in, and they would be met at a particular private gate by a hospitality department employee. Their seats would be close to the 50 yard line and were in the box seats, so they would not only have a terrific view of the game, but the cameras would have terrific shots of Hugh. They talked until about midnight, and all of them voted for bed. She tried to get Hugh to switch with Joe or her and have a bigger bed, but he insisted on staying with his extra long twin in the middle of the den. Joe wandered off to bed, and she turned to tell Hugh goodnight. He was right behind her so when she turned around, he was very close. He grinned at her and leaned over to give her a searing kiss, touching her only with his mouth. As he stood back up, he moaned and gave her a little shove toward her room. The temptation of her standing there was almost more than he could handle.

She turned and headed to bed, her fingers touching her lips as she walked down the hall.

Man oh man, was she going to have some fantastic dreams!

The next day, all three slept late, catching up on missed sleep from the two previous nights, and dragged themselves out of bed about 10:00. After breakfast, prepared assembly line, Hugh and Brooke took turns getting ready in her bathroom and Joe took his usual hour.

“I can’t for the life of me figure out why it takes him so long – any guy for that matter. You don’t have but one inch of hair to wash and dry, and you don’t shave half of the time,” she joked with Hugh while they waited for Joe. Hugh had spent the extra time on the computer making arrangements to leave Dallas, and sending other stories to David and Katie.

She watched him making his flight arrangements, and knew her fantasy weekend was about over. She knew she would miss him terribly. He had slipped into a place in her family like he belonged there, alternating between arguing politics with Joe and entertaining them with hilarious routines and faces. She vowed to buy as many of his DVDs as possible – she knew the House DVDs and Girl from Rio wouldn’t be enough. She had known he was a comic actor in England, but was only just waking up to the fact that he had a wicked, clever humor that was only possible in someone who was very intelligent. Oh, well, she supposed she had no choice but to learn to live without him. She was still surprised she had him for as long as she did. Finally, the time arrived to head for the game. Hugh and Joe had a ball betting on the winning team, and she watched indulgently as they argued about football versus soccer. Joe had played soccer as a boy, and contended that it was much easier than football. Hugh, of course, shot back that soccer took brains and not just brawn, so they argued over strategies. As they got out of the taxi at the stadium, they started off together, continuing some argument, and she stood by the taxi waiting. Suddenly, they both stopped, turned around and came back, each taking one of her arms. They were met by a cute little employee who walked them to their box seats and told them to feel free to order anything they wanted to eat or drink, compliments of the Cowboys. Waiters would be wandering through the boxes before the game started. Hugh marveled at the relative comfort of the stadium and said Americans had it too good. Going to a game was just like staying on their own sofas. Watching the game was an experience for Brooke because everytime she looked down on the field, there were cameras trained on them. She smiled and told Joe to behave –no obscenities and no obnoxious gestures. Hugh reached over for her hand and held it for most of the game, even raising both hands up for the cameras when the Cowboys made good plays. He was having a ball, and he hoped that David, a big football fan, was watching. She was on cloud nine, especially when Hugh put his arm around her shoulder to keep her warm. After the game, they filed back down through the maze with the help of the hospitality employee, and were soon led to a room where the players were greeting the news media. Before he knew it, Hugh was being clapped on the back and was shaking hands with all the players in the room. They were more interested in meeting House than they were in being interviewed. Brooke and Joe stood back until Hugh brought some of the players over to meet them, too. Joe tried to act nonchalant, but was secretly delighted to be included.

The reporters were beginning to realize that a celebrity was in their midst, so the hospitality employee rushed them out and back to a taxi. Three very tired and keyed up people filed into the house and collapsed on the sofa and recliners. Joe suddenly bolted up and mumbled something about going to see Chris – she could already picture the stories. He’d be up all night entertaining everyone at his friend’s house.

Hugh got up and followed Joe out to his car and they talked for a few minutes. She saw Joe wave at Hugh and Hugh ambled back inside. “We have the rest of the night without a chaperone. What say we snuggle down and watch a movie together. Tomorrow, it’s California.”

“Sounds perfect,” she said. “I have all kinds of DVDs, but none of them are very new – I have Girl from Rio,” she smiled and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “But I don’t know if I want to watch you kissing that gorgeous 6 foot tall South American.”

“I definitely don’t want to watch that show. I don’t even watch House – can’t stand to see myself acting like a fool. Why don’t we just see what’s on your regular channels?”

“OK. We have an old movie channel – Joe has developed a real interest in old Cary Grant movies because I always watch them during dinner if there’s one on. I told him

Cary Grant was a good role model for attracting girls so he’d stand up straight. And it worked! One of my more successful ploys.” And she turned it to the old movie channel.

Oddly enough, “To Catch a Thief” was on with Cary and Grace Kelly. She leaned into Hugh and he put his arm around her, grabbing one of her hands with his free one. Before she knew it, he was kissing her temple, and she turned her head so she could kiss him on the mouth. So quickly that it belied his innocent good boy persona, Hugh had her lying across his lap, facing him, and kissing him passionately as his hands pulled her close to his chest. She could hear him groan while he was kissing her, and it made her almost delirious with desire. Suddenly, he pushed her off his lap and stood up to move to the recliner.

“Whew!” he said as he blew a breath out. “I wouldn’t have thought an angel could be so sexy. I’ve know you for two days? Is that possible? And I want to take you to bed so much I can taste it. You’d better go to bed before I lose what little self control I have left.” And he grabbed his cigarettes off the table and headed out the door to the patio for a smoke.

She smiled a small, satisfied smile and wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. He had to be the most desirable man she had ever met. But then, her smile slipped as she remembered that he was leaving the next day for California. God, she was going to miss him so much.

When he came back after his cigarette, he went to the computer to check his email. She heard him swear under his breath, and he turned to her to apologize. “Is something wrong?” she asked.

She got a call from him at 2:00 am. “Can you come get me?” he slurs over the phone.

“Where are you?” she moans.

“I’m at The Old Crow. You remember where it is, across from Primo’s,” he mumbles. “I got mugged. There’s this guy -- he tried to help me. He’s not doing so well,” he manages to get out. “Please come.”

“Are you OK? Should you go to the emergency room?”

“No. I’m Ok, just a couple of bruises. I think this guy with me is just passed out. If he hadn’t come up when he did, I’d probably be in a lot worse shape. Hurry.”

“Okay, I’ll be there in about thirty minutes,” she groaned. She dragged herself up, threw on her clothes from the day before, grabbed a plastic trash can, some towels, and a couple of plastic garbage bags. Then she stopped at the refrigerator to get a couple of big bottles of water.

She almost ran to the car and started the drive downtown. She hoped she remembered how to get there. The part of town she had to drive through didn’t lend itself to stopping for directions. Finally, after only one wrong turn, she pulled up in front of The Old Crow, one of the smallest bars in town, and waited for him to stumble out to the car.

When she saw him open the door, she realized he was dragging someone with him. “Oh, no you don’t!” she thought. One drunk puking in her car was enough. She got out to head him off, but he made it to the door before she could stop him.

“Whoa, I’m done,” he slurred. “And he’s barely walking.”

“Joe,” she groaned to her 23 year old son, “you can’t bring some drunk home with you. Where does he live?”

“I have no idea. I was out here smoking when these two guys with knives pushed me into the alley between the bars and took my wallet. Just as they were about to finish me off, this guy stumbled into the alley shouting as loud as he could to distract them. I think he must be a tourist – he’s got a British accent. I bought him a couple of drinks inside. They grabbed him, took his wallet, too, and ran off in that direction. They could have killed me if he hadn’t stopped them, and he got banged into the wall pretty hard. He keeps moaning when I grab his arm. We’ve got to take him with us.”

“OK. I’m too tired to argue. He can sleep on one of the mattresses that’s in the garage – we’ll pull it into the den. But I’m locking my door.”

She pulled and Joe pushed until they got the guy into the back seat of her Highlander. And then she drove quickly back home. She and Joe left the stranger in the back seat sleeping until they wrestled the mattress into the house, and then they pulled and pushed him into the house. It was easier this time because he seemed a little more awake.

They managed to get him into a chair while she put sheets, a blanket and a pillow on the mattress, and then they pulled off his coat and shoes.

“Wow. Italian loafers – Ferragamo’s. This guy must be loaded!” Joe said. He was still in pretty bad shape himself, but knew he had to help or she’d kill him.

They finally got him stretched out on the mattress on his side. She put a big stainless bowl on the floor by his head with a couple of hand towels and the bottle of water beside it, and began to check his arm. It was definitely bruised, but it looked OK. He jerked it away from her, so she figured it wasn’t broken.

“I guess he’s OK, Joe. Go to bed. We’ll sort it out in the morning.”

She moved to her room and slept in her clothes for the rest of the night. When the light began to peek through her shutters, she pulled herself up and wandered out to the den to fool around on the computer and nearly tripped over the mattress. The stranger was gone. She jerked her head up and started looking around the house when she heard the toilet flush and the water run for a few minutes. She stood where she was and waited to see what he’d do. She couldn’t see a tourist trying to murder them in their beds, so she was more curious than anything, and she wanted to thank him for saving her stupid son’s ass.

Suddenly, he appeared from the front hall and walked slowly, his head down as he rubbed the towel over his hair. She sat down on the rocking chair and waited for him to look up. When he did, she nearly fainted. If this wasn’t House personified! Either it was Hugh Laurie, or it was a very shocking look-alike.

She knew she gasped, and he looked over at her. He saw a woman, dark hair with a little gray in it, and wide, gray eyes looking back at him, her mouth hanging open. He couldn’t resist reaching over and pushing her jaw back up, smiling at her while he did it.

“So you’re the angel that took me home last night, are you?”

“My God. You are Hugh Laurie, aren’t you?” she asked breathlessly. “I have to thank you for saving my scapegrace son last night. He said it would have gone much worse for him if you hadn’t happened along. What on earth were you doing there anyway?” She was nearly hyperventilating, her hand at her throat. “Oh. Please sit down. Would you like some coffee or tea?”

“Actually, I’d love a Diet Coke. Is that possible?”

“You must have been peeking and noticed that the only thing to drink in this house is

Diet Coke. Or beer. Or wine. Don’t need a little hair of the dog, do you?” she asked

nastily. Why men seemed to think they had to drink themselves into oblivion was beyond her. She got up to get him a glass of coke.

“I don’t suppose you are up to any breakfast, are you? By the way, is there anyone you should call? Are you in town alone, or do you have an entourage like Yul Brynner did years ago?” she asked as he sat back down on the mattress, facing her.

“Wow. Yul Brynner. I guess I’ll have to get an entourage. Can’t let a bald buy with bad

teeth beat me, can I now? No, there’s no one to call. My assistant left last night to go back to LA and open the house. Could I stay here a little while longer? I’m not feeling exactly up to snuff yet. And definitely, no breakfast – ugh!” He leaned over and put his head in his hands.

She went over to the kitchen and brought back a packet of Alka Seltzer and handed it to him to open, reaching for the water bottle and the glass she had left on the floor beside his makeshift bed. After she handed them to him, she mumbled something about changing her clothes and sleeping in them as she headed for her bedroom.

When she came back out a half hour and a quick shower later, he was asleep again on the mattress with her very stand-offish male cat curled up behind him and her lovable sweet female cat curled up against his stomach. She wrote a note and taped it to his hand, and left to make a quick trip to the grocery store.

Forty five minutes later, he woke up and reached up to his head with his hand. He almost poked his eye out with the paper, just managing to miss it by snapping his eyelid shut. He jerked the note off and read, “Please stay as long as you like. I’m just making a quick trip to the grocery store. There are towels and wash cloths on top of the dryer in the utility room just inside the front hall. You can use Joe’s bathroom or mine (depends on

what your stomach will take – mine might be easier to tolerate if you’re queasy.) Don’t worry about waking him up. A battalion of Marines marching through his bedroom couldn’t wake him up! Drink water. You’re bound to be dehydrated. And feel free to help yourself to any of Joe’s clothes in the utility room – you’re about the same size.”

When she got back home with a couple of bags of groceries, she heard the shower in her bathroom running, so she started some water boiling in the tea kettle – she thought she remembered reading that he loved tea. If not, he could stick with Diet Coke. She had loaded up on cut up fruit, eggs and ham. She figured she could manage an omelet if he wanted.

While she puttered around the kitchen, she hummed to herself, wondering how on earth she had managed to wind up with Hugh Laurie in her shower. What a story this would make on Monday. After she got things organized in the kitchen, she ambled over to the computer to get her daily fix of fox.com – she wanted to see if any of her favorite fics had been updated overnight. When there was nothing new, she pulled up one of her own fics and re-read it. How he would laugh if he knew he was her secret addiction.

Hugh wandered out after his shower and sat down in the rocker again, so she got up and walked to the kitchen, pausing in front of him to say, “I’m Brooke, and I’m a great fan of yours, Mr. Laurie.”

Glad to meet you, Brooke. Call me Hugh. After all, we’ve shared a bathroom. Seems silly to stand on formality.” He grinned as he reached out to take her hand in his. “You really are a ministering angel. Thank God you’re not one of the squealing horde I’m usually confronted with. I don’t think my head could take it this morning.”

“OK, Hugh. I have fruit, toast, eggs and ham for breakfast. What sounds good? I can handle scrambled eggs with ham and cheese mixed in or a ham and cheese omelet, or

just toast and fruit or all of the above. You think it over while I go see if Joe can crawl out of bed yet.”

She walked quickly toward the front hall and her son’s bedroom. “Wake up, Joe. Your

houseguest is awake. Houseguest – pretty good! Do you know who you brought home, who saved your ass last night? Hugh Laurie – Stuart Little’s dad and House MD. I could almost forgive you for getting plastered, mugged, and dragging me out of bed. Wake up you miscreant.”

He groaned and sat up in bed holding his head between his knees. “OK, OK. Get off my back. My head is killing me.”

She pointed at the Alka Seltzer and water on his nightstand and told him to get up. It was the least he could do to make the effort to thank Mr. Laurie before he felt like he had to leave. “I’m making some breakfast – the tea’s almost ready. Move!!”

Joe dragged himself over to the edge of the bed, so she headed back to see what Hugh wanted for breakfast. “Well?” she asked, her head tilted to the side watching him massage his temples.

“Don’t know what I can handle. All of it sounds good. Why don’t you pick?”

“How about a cup of tea to start. What do you take in it? And maybe a little melon.”

He looked at her like she was a savior and told her the tea and fruit sounded wonderful, and could he have a little Splenda or Sweet n Low.

She grabbed a mug and filled it with the tea she had been steeping, adding a couple of packets of Splenda. Then she filled a small bowl with fruit and set the bowl and mug on the breakfast table. She turned back to fill two more mugs and two more bowls, put them down on the table and turned to call Joe again.

Just as she finished calling him, he walked out and sat down across from Mr. Laurie, stuck out his hand and said, “Joe Hunter, Mr. Laurie. I think I owe you a very big thanks for last night. I would have been a distant memory if you hadn’t risked your life and your wallet by scaring them away. Really. Thank you. And my Mom thanks you. She’s probably your biggest fan in the southwest. Right, Mom?”

She sat down and agreed that she was definitely a Hugh Laurie/House MD addict. “But if they hadn’t gotten rid of Tritter when they did, I was going to make a trip to Los Angeles and finish him off myself. What were the writers thinking?” Suddenly she looked self conscious and said, “Sorry, Hugh. I just figured the do-gooders wrote enough letters to get House his punishment so all the impressionable idiots wouldn’t think taking drugs was the way to go. You were the only good thing about the Tritter arc. You and Cameron.”

“Wow. Most female fans hate Cameron, don’t they? Tell me what a fan thinks about the show. All I ever hear is what the writers and producers and critics think – and, of course, the sponsors.”

“Some just love the show. Many, many of us are shippers – some like House/Cameron, some like House/Cuddy. Some like House/Wilson,” she grinned at him, “and some are more rabid than others. Notice that everyone loves House. But most of us hated the Tritter arc because House was too vulnerable. To believe that anyone would be so foolish, especially a genius, that he would jeopardize his life, his love, his whole being, just to continue acting like a jerk, was so far out of character that it was appalling. House is the hero, even if he is a flawed hero. He needs to BE the hero, not a stupid, foolish victim. Now, that’s enough about that. I love your show, I love your character, and even though I am intensely jealous that Jennifer Morrison gets to kiss House, I’m still a House/Cameron shipper deluxe.”

“And I’m one of the most devoted Hugh Laurie fans you will ever meet,” she thought.

“How is your family holding up. I’ll bet they miss you terribly. And I know you miss them. Getting drunk in Uptown has to run a distant second to being with your children and your wife. Would you like to call them? I wouldn’t mind. You could use the phone in Joe’s office for privacy. I still talk to my kids every day. Joe is living with me while he pays off his loans from grad school, one of my daughters lives about one block from here with her husband, and the other one lives thirty minutes away with her husband and my only grandchild.”

Joe stood and excused himself, and they soon heard the shower running.

Hugh looked up at Brooke and said slowly, “I think I’ll hold off on that call home. Thanks for the offer, though. The truth is, and it’s not for publication yet, Jo and I are divorced – it was final last week. You know, I haven’t talked to anyone like this since I left England. I have acquaintances here, but no friends. Everyone wants a piece of me. No one just wants to be around me because they like me – they need my approval, or they want my connections, or they want me to get them in to see someone, or they want to be seen with me. When I was in that bar last night, I wore a baseball cap, and no one recognized me. I had a terrific time. Your son might not remember, but he bought me a scotch that he said was so smooth I’d never forget it, and though I don’t remember much about last night, I do remember how good it was. I’ll have to thank him again.”

Joe wandered back in and sat down at the table. He had heard what Hugh said, and answered, “Sure, Mr. Laurie. You seemed to like scotch, and someone with a lot of money introduced me to that brand, so I thought I’d pass it on. Ironic that you could have bought the whole bar, and I didn’t even know it.”

“Call me Hugh. After all, we got drunk together and nearly got killed together. You’ll have to come to LA sometime, and we’ll get some more of that scotch and make a night of it.”

“Hugh, do you have somewhere you need to be? A plane to catch or something?”

“Ready to get rid of me?” he said deprecatingly.

“Are you kidding? You can stay forever if you want. I’d even bring in the box springs that go with that mattress if you want to stay over again,” she said sarcastically, grinning at him. “I could look at you all day. Tell you what – if you stay, we’ll charcoal some steaks tonight, and we can watch whatever you want on TV or you can go out with Joe if

you want – though I warn you, seedy bars are his favorite haunts. Joe will watch sports all day, and you can join him. My son-in-law will probably come over later so they can drink beer and yell at the coaches and players – his college game is on this afternoon, and they aren’t doing so well this year.”

“Mom. Please. Don’t jinx them. They need all the help they can get. Sure, Hugh. I’d be glad to have you. I get tired of yelling at the coaches alone. Richard’s not much of a screamer.”

“I’d love to. If I go back to the hotel, I’d probably just lay around and read the newpapers. Talking to regular people who don’t have some ax to grind is great. I’d forgotten how relaxing it is to just be me. Thanks. Uh, Brooke, I think I could handle some of those scrambled eggs with ham and cheese now, if it’s not too much trouble. I can help – I can whip eggs really well,” he said with a smile.

“Sure, Hugh, but you just sit and visit with Joe. Raw eggs might not be the most appetizing sight with a hangover.” She grinned to herself and started the eggs. She kept glancing over to see how things were going – both of the guys were leaning their heads back on the recliners, and each of them had a cat on his lap. Oddly enough, the stand-offish male was on Hugh’s lap and his hand was gently scratching Max’s head and ears. Hugh must really have good vibes. Max only sat on her lap about once a month.

After breakfast she refused his help with the dishes, so Hugh wandered over to the computer in the corner of the den. He sat down and maximized the Word document she had left up. It didn’t take him more than a couple of seconds to realize it was a House fic. He looked over at her to be sure she didn’t see him, and he began quickly reading. After about five minutes, he finished the story and reached up to wipe the sweat from his forehead while he squirmed in his chair.

Suddenly she looked over and realized where he was and what he was doing and she ran over to close the window that she had left open in Word. She turned a bright pink and turned her back to Hugh to sit in one of the recliners in front of the TV.