I'm back. –evil grin-

Erm, anyway. Here's the sequel to The Tendency to Remain the Same. It's not necessary that you've read that to read this one, but everything might make a little more sense if you do. :)

I'm not quite happy with the way this chapter turned out, so any feedback will be greatly appreciated. I want to know what you guys think. Hopefully you'll enjoy it!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own House. I'm asking for my birthday though. ;)

The phone rang at exactly 7:12 on Saturday evening. Precisely eighteen minutes before House would arrive at Cameron's apartment to take her out to dinner.

She picked up the phone with caution, wondering if it was House calling to cancel. It had been two months since she had resumed working at Princeton Plainsboro, and they had been as close to dating as you could be with someone like House.

"Hello?" Cameron asked, speaking into the receiver that was precariously balanced between her ear and shoulder.

"Allison, it's Molly."

Cameron almost let out a sigh of relief. It was only her sister, although the reason as to why she would be calling escaped her.

"Hey, Molls," she said, struggling with the clasp of the necklace she was attempting to put on. "What's up?"

"I have a favor to ask."

Oh no.

Cameron involuntarily remembered the last time she had been asked to do Molly a favor. It had involved bringing her niece, Hannah, to her first day back at the hospital, along with some awkward situations.

Although she was tempted to say she was too busy to help, Cameron simply replied, "Sure, what do you need?"

"Well," her sister began, "this guy, Tim, from work asked me to dinner tonight."

"That's great, Molly!" Cameron interjected, glad that her sister was finally beginning to date again after having a daughter- not to mention an ex-boyfriend who had disappeared at the first sign of pregnancy.

"Yeah, I'm really excited," Molly continued, the happy lilt in her voice evident. "The only thing is…"

Her sister paused for a moment, leaving Cameron to wonder if she was going to ask to borrow a dress or something similar.

"Yes?" Cameron prompted, glancing nervously at the time. The clock's bright red letters read 7:14.

Sixteen minutes.

"I don't have a babysitter," Molly said in a rush. "I'm so sorry to ask, Allison, but Jane has the flu, and it's too last minute to ask anyone else. Do you mind watching Hannah? It'll only be for maybe two hours, I'll cut the date short."

Cameron sighed. Jane's illness had been the reason for the last favor as well. But her sister had sounded so happy when she mentioned Tim's name and it had been so long since her older sister had been out with anyone, that it was the least Cameron could do to watch her niece for the night.

I'll just have to cancel on House.

"That's fine, Molly. I can do it."

"Really? Oh, Ally, thank you so much! You're not busy tonight? I thought you and House might be going somewhere."

"Nope," Cameron lied, "I'm totally free."

"That's wonderful! I'll bring Hannah over in a few."

"Alright, that'd be fine. Bye, Molly."

"Bye!"

The telltale click of the receiver reached Cameron's ears, and she set the phone down sharply on the dresser.

When she glanced around, the time glared at her from her nightstand, the mere fourteen minutes remaining until House arrived seeming to mock her.

I'll just call him and tell him that something came up. An emergency.

Cameron grimaced slightly as she paced back and forth in her bedroom. 'Something came up' sounded lame even in her own mind.

One thing was for sure, she needed to change out of the bottle-green dress she was wearing. If Cameron still had it own when Molly dropped off Hannah, it would be painfully obvious that she had been lying about being free.

She pulled on the first outfit she could find from her closet and quickly unfastened the necklace that had taken forever to clasp.

Ten minutes.

Molly would be here soon, Cameron knew. Her sister lived barely five minutes away.

I need to call House now, or else he'll already have left.

Cameron made to move towards the phone, but changed her mind at the last minute, deciding the impending call could wait a few more moments. Instead, she opted to make her way to her living room so she could wait her Molly.

Unfortunately, there was a clock in that room of her apartment too, one with large black hands that Cameron could easily read.

Nine minutes.

Sighing resignedly, Cameron reached for the phone hanging on the wall. She had dialed the first four digits in House's number when she heard the unmistakable cry of a child.

Hannah.

Cameron set down the phone and stood to answer the door. As she walked towards it, loud pounding – presumably from the chubby fist of a toddler – reached her ears.

"Coming," she called as she turned the doorknob.

"Awwy!" came the delighted shriek, as Cameron's now three-year-old niece rocketed past her into the apartment.

"Hey, Allison," Molly said, appearing in the doorway in Hannah's wake. "I'm sorry for dumping her on you at the last minute."

Cameron smiled. "Don't worry about it. It's not like I had anything better to do tonight."

"Well, in any case, thanks," Molly said, returning the grin.

"You're welcome. Have fun on your date," Cameron replied, attempting to look nonchalantly past her sister for any sign of House.

"Bye, be good, Hannah!" Molly called as she turned and walked back down the stairs.

Cameron waved half-heartedly as she stepped back into her apartment. She closed the door behind her and leaned against the hard wood, gradually sliding down it until she was seated on the floor.

The clock in front of her read 7:28.

Two minutes.

She groaned. Well, no use in calling him now. He'll be here any minute.

"Why're you down here, Awwy?" Hannah's voice jerked Cameron out of her thoughts.

"Just waiting," Cameron answered.

"For what?"

"For my friend."

One minute.

"Are they coming over to play, too?"

Cameron laughed softly. "Sort of."

"Okay," Hannah said with finality, content with the answers she had received. "Let's play a game."

"All right, which one do you want to play?"

"Hide and seek!"

"My favorite," Cameron told Hannah. "You hide first, okay?"

"Don't peek!" Hannah warned sternly, and then rushed off to hide somewhere.

"One. Two. Three." Cameron counted loud enough for Hannah to hear, wherever she was in the small apartment, and then paused to look at the clock for the last time.

It was exactly 7:30.

No minutes, Cameron thought ruefully.

Sure enough, moments later, the familiar sound of a cane beating against wood filled the room.

Of course, he picks tonight to be right on time.

Cameron stood up from her position on the floor, not having moved during her conversation with Hannah. She revolved on the spot to open the door, bracing herself for what was to follow, and all the while silently cursing Jane-the-babysitter's weak immune system.

A/N: So, did you like it? Review and let me know! And while you wait for an update, if you haven't already, go read The Tendency to Remain the Same. :D