A/N: We're back! Muahahaha! I was inspired for this story when I heard the song "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri and I knew I had to write it with none other than Hughville. So here it is. The first few lines that begin the chapter are from that song. Enjoy!

Chapter One

How can I love when I'm afraid to fall

But watching you stand alone

All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer...

Chase leaned against the doorjamb watching Cameron pack. He folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. Yesterday she told him she couldn't do this any longer; "this" being their relationship. They argued for hours until he finally gave in. Since they started dating, he always knew in the back of his mind she would leave him. The fact she was going back to Princeton didn't surprise him. Cuddy called them both and offered them jobs; him one in surgery and Cameron one as head of the ER. He declined Cuddy's offer because he liked living in Phoenix. It never snowed. The hospital he worked at was one of the best in the country. Best of all, he didn't have to live and work in House's shadow. Cameron accepted the offer. Chase knew she was unhappy with her job at a private clinic. He knew she missed the excitement of solving medical puzzles. Time and time again, he encouraged her to apply to other hospitals in the city. She did but never got hired which just made things worse. He knew she missed the change of seasons, living closer to her family, and the friends she made in New Jersey. He tried to be enough for her but he wasn't. Only one man was enough for her and it pissed him off she was going back to House.

"He isn't going to care that you're back," he said sullenly as she closed her last suitcase.

"Who?" she asked as she lifted the case from the bed. Her long blonde hair swung forward covering her face.

"Don't."

She carried her case past him into the living room and he followed her. Placing it beside the other two by the front door, she turned to look at him.

"Don't what?" she asked as she tilted her head.

"Act like you don't know who I'm talking about," he told her as he put his hands on his hips. "House isn't going to care that you're back. He told you he didn't like you. He didn't try to stop you when you left. Foreman says he's interested in Cuddy." His gaze raked over her slender body. "We both know you can't compete with Cuddy."

It was cruel and he knew it but he didn't care. He wanted to hurt her the way she was hurting him.

A honk sounded and she shook her head. "Are you going to help me take my suitcases out to the cab?"

"No."

She shrugged, grabbed her purse and opened the front door. Picking up two of the cases, she walked out into the dry, intense heat. With a sigh of defeat, Chase picked up the third case and followed her. The driver opened the trunk and she carefully placed her cases in while Chase slung the third one in with a thud. He slammed the trunk shut and squinted at her. The sunlight was bright and she pulled a pair of sunglasses out of her bag. Putting them on, she looked at him.

"Don't be like this," she sighed. "I'll miss you."

He turned and walked back to the house. As he opened the door, he heard the cab drive away.

Cameron smoothed her khaki skirt and entered the lobby of PPTH. Since arriving at the hospital three weeks earlier, she saw House but he didn't see her. She even sent a patient to him but he didn't try to find her. She tried to convince herself she didn't care but it bothered her. Of course, she spent most of her time in the emergency room or in Cuddy's office working to make it more efficient. She was due for another meeting with Cuddy in five minutes. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she entered the clinic.

House watched the three minions vying for a spot on his team. They were attempting to get his patient out of the chapel where she'd locked herself in. House was annoyed and turned away from them. Looking down into the lobby, he saw Cameron. At least he thought it was Cameron. The woman dressed like her and looked like her except for the long blonde hair. He knew it couldn't be Cameron because she left to live with Chase. He watched as the woman tucked a strand of hair behind her ear the way Cameron did. Then she disappeared into the clinic.

If Cameron was back, he'd know about it. He knew about everything going on at the hospital. Well, everything that interested him anyway. His patient burst through the doors at that point and he turned his attention back to his wannabe team members who finally managed to sedate her. The blonde Cameron clone puzzle would have to wait.

A week later House stood in the doorway of the emergency room. It was not the chaotic mess he was used to. A sense of calm pervaded the room and he saw her. She wore a white lab coat over pink scrubs and had her back to him. As if she could sense him, she turned and walked toward him. It was Cameron. Her long blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders. She smiled at him.

"Three weeks," she said as she held up three fingers. "Took you long enough," she teased as she stopped in front of him. "For someone who notices everything, you missed something big."

"Patient finally told me who sent her to me," he said as she scrutinized her. "You're an idiot."

"Where I'm working, my hair or the fact I left Chase?" she asked with a cheeky grin.

"The hair makes you look like a hooker. I like it," he said with a look of pure excitement. It disappeared quickly as he looked around. "You're wasted down here, pulling glass out of idiots who can't drive or sewing up morons who lost their fingertips."

"I can do good here. Get it out of my system."

"Poor Chase," he said with a click of his tongue and a shake of his head. "What happened there? I thought you two were going to set the world on fire, and all that crap."

She shrugged. "I didn't like Phoenix. Too hot, too far away from everything and everyone." Especially you, she thought to herself.

"Who doesn't like Phoenix? Where else can you wear shorts twenty-four hours a day?"

"You can do that here in summer," she laughed. "But yeah, I missed the seasons. In Arizona, there's just spring and summer. I like fall and winter."

"Uh-huh. I'm sure Cuddy really had to twist your arm to get you to come back."

"Nope. She offered Chase a job in surgery as well but he turned it down. He likes the Mayo Clinic and the people. He makes a lot of money so he feels at home there."

"Of course." Just then, his pager went off and he checked it. "My ducklings beckon." Without another word, he turned and quickly limped away while she watched him. Her heart, beating loudly in her ears since he showed up, slowly returned to normal and she took a deep breath to steady herself. Jesus, Allison, get a grip, she muttered under her breath as she returned to the patients of the ER.