I'm really late here commenting on this one, aren't I? Actually, I was just rereading it because it's such a beautiful written story. There's not a misplaced word or action in it...and when I read it, I almost feel as if I saw it on an episode (if only they wrote storylines like this!). There are dozens of bits that I love--that are so amazingly spot-on House and Wilson--but I think my favorite line has to be:

Then the younger man laughed. It was one of House’s favourite sounds. Better even than the wailing of Pete Townsend‘s guitar.

Wonderful story!