Work Text:
It was all a lie, anyway, this last marriage. He knew deep down that when he took his vows, there was only one person that it really meant anything to, and it wasn't his wife. It was the man whose clear blue eyes pierced his soul as soon as James said "I do."
When those words slipped off of his tongue and hung heavily in the air, he could see his bride's eyes, shining with tears of happiness, and Greg's eyes, shining with tears of another kind. James was sure that Greg didn't care for his third wife, just as he disliked wives one and two. Through the years, through the good times and bad times, there had been Greg; his shoulder to lean on, his unflinching wisdom and clear, calculating nature to keep James on the straight and narrow. When Greg had his surgery, it all changed. The man who had been so strong was reduced to a sobbing, blubbering man pleading for his lover to stay and for everyone to believe him. James couldn't stand it. He couldn't watch Dr. House become a broken man - so he stayed away. He stayed away when Greg needed him most.
Weak, pale, and deep into drug addiction, Greg called out in his sleep one night. James had been there, watching him breathe, wondering if he would ever be the man he used to be. He could hear Greg moan. His dreams were definately not pleasant ones. "Stacey... please don't. No. Don't leave. You're killing me." When he would awaken, James would ask him about his nightmares.
"Don't be silly, Wilson. I haven't had nightmares. Maybe some slight indigestion from this wretched food. No wonder so many of our patients die."
James smiled in spite of himself. Greg was coming around, but there was an edge. A bitter, even more miserable edge to him that bothered him.
When he asked Greg to be at his third wedding, his old friend replied that third time is the charm, and he wanted to make sure he was there to witness history. He hobbled down the aisle, a new shiny cane in his hand for the occasion, and stood by silently in the front row as James vowed his new love that she would be his forever love. But when he turned to face the crowd, all he saw was a sea of blue eyes. House's eyes.