Shame, Pt. 4
Thanks for reading and commenting on this story, Huddy Nation. Sometimes, after 170 fics, I feel like I’m running on fumes, but your enthusiasm always keeps me going. A tiny bit of this story was previously used in my own The Devil Wears Housecoats. (It’s not plagiarism if you steal from yourself, right?). Anyway, hope you all enjoy the ending.-
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There are so many small but significant moments in this story. When House first turns up at Cuddy's home, the way that he notices the details of her reno, and how you describe Cuddy giving up on her shred of hope; but the first killer is when he is at the hospital with Arlene and, remembering the details of his earlier conversation with Cuddy, tells her that she looks like Rita Hayworth - if that does't make Cuddy feel grateful to him, she's more coldhearted that I can possibly imagine!
I love the image of House turning up to play cards with Arlene (and the gift is *perfect*); and instead of thinking of this as plagiarism, why not consider it a leitmotiv? Arlene knew that he is good for her before the accident; and I think that she has the life-experience to forgive someone for a violent act that was committed when they were clearly sick, and for which they subsequently paid their dues.
And one can tell from the interaction between House and Rachel at the hospital, where he also steps up to the plate as a father figure, that this relationship has also been deepening over this period. He is there, making it easier.
But the scene at the funeral, and when they are sitting shiva: it's great to have Cliff calling it for what it is - he is acting like her significant other, and she simply hadn't been able to recognize that this is where there relationship had moved.
It's a lovely story; and it just goes to show that 170 tics in, you STILL know how to hit it out of the ballpark!
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