AN: Wow, gee, thanks people, I never expected such a response so quickly. Also, I've changed my pen name, from Anurima Katheryn Mae Rose to Katheryn Mae Wilson MD – since that's my name in this story. And, HughLaurieLover, thanks for the idea (and hope you don't mind that you have a boyfriend who can't make the wedding … part of the plot).
Chapter Two
"Hey, Chase," Katheryn dropped into a chair outside of the ER, "You okay with being in the wedding?"
"What wedding? Don't tell me House and Cuddy are getting married. This hospital is going to burn to the ground if they tie the knot."
"Not you, you idiot!" She showed him her ring, a simple gold band with a small diamond in the center, "James and I – we need groomsmen. House and Cuddy are our best man and maid of honor; then we need two more groomsmen and bridesmaids. We're considering asking Thirteen and my friend Britney to be the bridesmaids, but Britney's boyfriend won't be able to make it. So, Foreman is the automatic groomsman to partner with Thirteen, but we need someone for Brit."
"So you want me to be in the wedding…?"
"Well, I know you and Cameron are on the outs right now, but she said that she's not going to be able to be a bridesmaid. We were originally going to have three, but then we didn't want to put Britney with Taub, and Cuddy figured that Cameron's due date was too close to the date of the wedding. I spoke with her, and she said that you could still be in it if you wanted too, though I decided that I'd ask you first."
"I'll do it," Chase twisted his wedding ring, "I don't mind coupling with Britney, she sounds nice."
"She is, she's a lot like me," Katheryn stood, "I'll let James know, and we'll let you know when we're going to start more in-depth planning and stuff." She left Chase outside the oddly quiet ER, still fiddling with his wedding ring.
"House," Cuddy leaned against the headboard of the bed and flipped through a magazine, besides her, he paused in his channel search and looked over at her. "We need to talk about what you were telling Wilson earlier, I couldn't help but overhear a bit of the conversation."
"What did you hear?" House felt his stomach drop, had Cuddy heard about him wanting to propose? Then again, he was all ready, even the ring was in the pocket of the pair of jeans that hung over a chair next to the bed.
"Just that you're not going to do whatever you want to do yet, but he can't stop you from doing it later."
"Oh," he breathed a sigh of relief, "Trust me," he leaned forwards, kissing her gently on the lips, "Wilson can't stop me at anything when it comes to you."
"I'm glad, you're not you when he tries to stop you from doing something." House pulled backwards and looked into her eyes.
"Then can it stop me from this?" He reached over and pulled out the ring box, climbed off the bed and knelt next to it, ""Lisa Cuddy, when we met back at Michigan all those years ago, the first thing I noticed about you were your eyes. Over the past twenty years, before I went to Mayfield, I learned a lot more about you; what makes you laugh, smile, yell or cry. You were the first person to come and visit me, then when you did, I realized just how much I had missed you that month beforehand. When I came back, you were the first person I laid eyes at the hospital, and since then, you have meant the world to me." He shifted his weight slightly, "And it would make me even happier to know that you're happy and there's only one way I can think of knowing that. Lisa Cuddy, will you marry me?"
"Yes," Cuddy half-threw herself into House's arms, her lips meeting his, "Yes, yes, yes." She pulled back slightly, looking at the ring as he slipped it onto her finger.
"I love you Lisa Cuddy," House shifted his weight off his bad leg and slipped her back onto the bed, before joining her, "You make me the happiest man on earth right now."
"I'm glad I can," she whispered, feeling his arms wrap around her waist, "I love you too."
"You idiot!" Wilson was glaring at House, who stood on his front porch at seven-thirty the next morning, "You proposed to Cuddy? Are you kidding me?"
"No, I'm not, I love her Wilson," he shrugged.
"What's going on?" Katheryn slipped under Wilson's shoulder, a bathrobe tied around her waist, "What do you want House?"
"It's always 'What do you want House?' Why can't it ever be 'Good morning House, what do you need to ask me?' Why so rude?" He narrowed his eyes at his best friend, "Your fiancée's an annoying sack of bum fleck."
"That would be Chase, not me." She shrugged, "Congrats on you and Cuddy getting engaged," she paused, "See? I'm not freaking out about it like James is. Though I do warn you, Chase said that the hospital is going to burn to the ground if you and Cuddy got married, so don't worry him too much."
"He's probably right, but what's a marriage without a few fights?"
"Good point," Wilson narrowed his eyes, "Don't screw this up though, she'll never forgive you if you did."
"I won't," he ignored the laugh from both him and Katheryn, "trust me."
"Can we ever?" Katheryn turned, looking over her shoulder, "I'm going to get something to eat, and no House, if you want something, you need to go home and get your own food."
"Fine, I'll see you all later."
"Why do you always need to blame me for everything?" Cameron stood in the kitchen, her hands on her hips.
"I don't blame you for everything!" Chase countered, standing in the doorway, "I just know that you cleaned a bit after I went to bed so I was wondering where you put my shoes."
"Look for them!" She retorted, "I'm making breakfast."
"I already ate, I couldn't sleep so I got up earlier and had some stuff." He pulled on his jacket and opened the door, having found a different pair of shoes, "I'm going in early, see you later." The door slammed and Cameron sank into a chair, tears falling down her cheeks.
AN: So, next chapter is all about the history of Chase and Cameron's marriage in the past four years and how it's fallen apart. Also, Katheryn is close to both Cuddy and Cameron, but the two aren't close at all, Cameron is jealous of Cuddy for being with House and all.