Hello Everyone ... sorry that this took so long! I don't really have an excuse I can only say that life is in a constant flux and more than willing to throw things in my way. Lol

Anyway ... this is the next chaper in the story ... Lol don't forget to tell me what you think ...

(House Text)

(Allison Text)

(Alison's POV)

Cuddy texted me just as we got back to my apartment, reassuring me at least that we did have the rest of the day off. She also let me know that I could take the weekend if I needed to, but that House had better have his ass in the clinic come noon Friday. I couldn't help but smirk at his horrified face, or my jaw dropping at his afterthought comment. "How am I supposed to be interested in anything there? When you're going to be at home nursing your hand from punching the Aussie dick?"

I still couldn't help but smile at the thought, even if it was just something he was saying for the S&G's of it. I took a quick shower, somehow feeling dirty after my earlier run in with Chase. After getting dressed in a pair of worn but presentable and slightly flattering jeans and a comfortably fitting T, I walked out into the living room. As I pulled my hair into a messy bun I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I saw him rifling through my things.

I stood leaning against the bookcase behind him my arms crossed as I studied him. For a moment I wondered why he didn't realize that I'd come out of the shower, only to remember that I was still barefoot. So I stood silently watching as my ex-boss, the man that I was head over heels for, the man that could never love me, was looking through my personal affects.

He looked through my more personal books and pictures, taking a photo album off the shelf to finger through my earlier years. I arched a brow as I snuck up behind him, looking around him to see what page he'd suddenly stopped on. I bit my lip when I saw the picture. "We'd just gotten the news that she wasn't going to reject the kidneys." I said, he jumped a bit and though he tried to cover it, we both knew that I'd caught him off guard.

"Who was she?"

I took the album from him, looking at the picture of my family. My triplet older brothers were at the foot of the bed on the floor, the three of them each making their own unique goofy face as the nurse snapped the picture. Anna sat on the end of the bed, smiling at the camera lovingly. My dad had his arm wrapped around her shoulders, while I sat in the bed next to her. "My mother."

"Your mother had a kidney condition?"

"My mother had Glomerulonephritis …"

"Which was caused by a case of Lupus that was diagnosed almost too late … right?" I smiled at him.

"It was Lupus at least once." I answered.

"How old were you?"

"I was just about to graduate high school. I had, had it in my head to become a professional artist. Play my guitar, write and sing my own music. Then my mom got sick and I realized that I didn't want anyone else to go through that kind of pain and heartache." I shook my head and closed the album. "Looks like you at least had it partly right, something did happen to make me want to be a doctor." He nodded and grunted before tilting his head towards the album that I had placed back on the shelf.

"Is she … did she ..." He tripped over himself.

"Is she still alive?" I asked with a smile. "My mother is alive and well living in Wisconsin with my father." I answered back proudly.

"How does your family feel about you becoming a doctor?" He asked, surprising me not with his curiosity into my past, but his bluntness at going about it.

I frowned as I tried to think of how to answer that question. My parents had always been supportive of my dream to make it with my music. They'd always made sure that I realized that I was loved, no matter what I chose to do with my life. "They were excited but a little … they wanted to be sure that it was what I wanted."

"They didn't jump on the thought of having a doctor in the family?" He asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"We already had a doctor in the family. My grandmother was one of the first female doctors in Wisconsin. No, they just wanted to be sure that it was what I wanted. I hadn't been like other kids, changing my mind every time I turned around about what I wanted to be when I'd grown up. I'd always been set on being a professional song writer." I smiled. "Then when my mom got sick, I started looking through medical books and I fell in love. So it wasn't only the need to make people feel better, but it was how while a few things were absolute about the body there were things that no one could be sure of. I liked the mystery of it all." I paused and looked at him. "Why'd you become a doctor?"

(Greg's POV)

I stood for a moment trying to figure out if there was a right way to say this. "The simplest answer is that after spending so much of my time running around the world as an army brat, I wanted to be stationary and away from my father." She frowned and for a moment I thought I'd said the wrong thing.

"When you said your father was a lot like me …" she bit her lip and I realized that once again, though this time without meaning too, I'd hurt her.

"I don't think that you'd ever hurt your children the way he did me, Cameron." I answered, feeling both proud and disgusted when I answered her unspoken question correctly.

"Well this is getting … heavy." She said with a laugh that we could both tell was a bit forced. "I was thinking of making some pasta for lunch …" I smirked at her, feigning shock.

"You can cook!" There wasn't a person in the hospital that didn't know the only homemade baskets of goodies you could eat were the ones made by Allison and Wilson. She simply shook her head and went into the kitchen leaving me once again with her personal items.

It had taken just about everything in me not to go peak on her in the bathroom, during her shower. The idea of her naked and wet … Oh I really didn't need to think about that again. I followed her into the kitchen, watching her silently as she started bustling around getting what she needed for her planned lunch.

I'm not sure why I found it so amazing that she worked with such ease and efficiency. Her every step was graceful and purposeful. I have to admit, even if it made me seem like a prick, this is where she belonged. Did he mother teach how to cook? And no I didn't mean that she belonged in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant, but with me.

Yup I thought it, and I admit it. She belonged … belongs with me … did that make me a prick?

"Uh huh." My jaw dropped.

"What?" I asked, shocked at her answer. Why wasn't she throwing things at me? Why wasn't she cursing me out? Why hadn't I realized that I'd ….

"Yeah … my mother was the one to teach me to cook." … asked her if her mother had taught her how to cook. I shook my head to clear it.

"Is she a professional?" I asked, trying to get my mind off of thoughts better left for a time when a French knife wasn't within reach.

"She and my father own a very successful restaurant. Dad's the dessert chef while mom is the one ya go to for main courses." She started chopping up some onions and tomatoes as she waited for the water to boil.

We stood in the kitchen in comfortable silence. It amazed me that the two of us could be so comfortable. Even with my fucking things up. I wanted to do something. I hated not doing anything. Deciding that she could be trusted with another one of my secrets, I went through her fridge and found the makings for a salad.

Quickly I chopped the veggies and cleaned and dried the lettuce. Taking a quick, well somewhat quick, look through her cupboards I found what I needed to make my own special dressing. It wasn't until I saw the steam rising up from the sink that I realized that she was staring at me. "What?" I asked as I put everything in the pot and stirred.

"Since when can you cook?" She asked as she dipped a finger into the dressing, a purr/moan escaping her as the tangy sweet flavor burst on her tongue. "God that's good."

"Not God … Greg, but close … I can understand the confusion. And I've always been able to cook, I just don't like to." She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

"House, if you've always been able to cook, then why does James always get stuck doing the cooking and the washing when he ends up having to stay with you." She asked almost accusingly. I didn't really care about her tone of voice, I was stuck on the fact that I was House while the boy wonder was James.

"Greg …" I said a bit forcefully, turning away I smirked as I realized that she'd caught my subtle hint at wanting her to use my first name. "As for cooking … Wilson knows that I can cook. I just don't see the point in cooking when he'll do it when he gets hungry enough."

She shook her head and went back to her pasta, putting the finishing touches on it before grabbing plates and silverware. I brought my salad and dressing over to the table along with her pasta and doctored sauce. "What do you want to drink?" She asked, as she turned and opened the fridge.

"Depends … what ya got?" I asked, sitting down at the table to rub my aching thigh.

"I've got water, apple and orange juice, soda, and beer." She answered, as she pulled out a soda for herself.

"I think I'll take one of those." I said nodding towards the sweating can in her hand.

Grabbing another can she moved to the table and sat down, filling my plate before putting any food on her own. I sat back and smirked at her. "Do you want to cut my food for me too?" Taking a forkful of pasta she smirked.

"It's ziti House. If you can't manage to eat it on your own, we may have a problem." She said placing her fork in her mouth and pulling it out clean. Grabbing my own fork I filled it with pasta, pausing before I opened my mouth to place the steaming food inside.

"Greg. Not House … Greg."

(Allison's POV)

I stared at him. Was he serious? Was this a trick? He smirked at me and I frowned. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with calling you …."

"Greg." He offered as I trailed off. I nodded and it was his turn to frown. "Why? You call Wilson by his first name, why can't you call me by my first name?"

I put my fork down, openly staring at him for a minute. My first response was because I never screamed out his name into a dark room, listening as it echoed off the walls. I quickly realized that perhaps that wasn't a very good reason to him. "Because you're an ex-employer, I don't think it would be …" he interrupted me.

"Ah, but the key word there is EX-EMPLOYER. As in I no longer have the power to send you home with your tail between your legs …" he said slipping his fork into his mouth again.

I blushed. "What if I just don't feel comfortable referring to you by your first name, it's different with James." He leaned back and crossed his arm, dropping his fork on his plate. Well there went the pleasant lunch I was looking forward too.

"How is it different with Jimmy?" He asked, his eyes flashing dangerously.

I decided that I wasn't going to waste my own lunch. I could eat and talk at the same time. "Well for one he never took me out on a date and publically humiliated me." I said simply, little to no feeling in my voice. He shook his head and growled.

"Oh that's nice, but that's bullshit and you know it. You may not feel comfortable looking me in the eye after that, but referring to me as Greg has nothing to do with it." He said his voice a quiet hiss that sent a chill up my spine.

I shook my head and put my fork down, maybe lunch really was ruined. Suddenly my stomach was turning and my gut was twisting with unease. "What do you want me to say Greg?" I asked, hissing his name. "I didn't have my heart broken by him. Calling you by your first name is something to personal, something that I refuse to do if I'm to keep it in my head that while you'll put up with me …" My voice broke. "You still don't actually like me. That at the end of the day you think I'm an oversized stuffed animal that doesn't love anyone or anything, but simply needs them. That wants everyone and everything around her to be broken and dying or I can't be happy."

I don't remember leaving the table. I don't remember closing my bedroom door, or even making my way across my apartment to my bedroom. I remember the feeling that I had to get out, get away, as understanding dawned in his blue, blue gaze.

I bit my lip and covered my face as everything I had just said settled into my still enraged mind. What the hell had I been thinking? How the hell would I explain that little outburst later? Dear God above, how would he use it against me later?

I moaned as I flopped myself down on my bed, inhaling the scent of freshly washed bed clothes. I couldn't bring myself to cry, to many tears had been wasted on this topic. I bit my lip and cursed as I realized that someone was staring at me. Flipping over I glared at him. "What do you …."

(Greg's POV)

I didn't give her any chance to finish what she was about to say, before my lips were on hers. I'd never been very good with feeling words, unless they had something to do with misery and betrayal. But I wanted to be … for her.

I pulled away, leaning my forehead against hers as I tried to find the right words. "I fucked this up. I told you … that's what I do. I fuck things up." I whispered. "I figured that if I trashed it before it was really anything that … neither of us would get hurt." I pulled away and looked her in the eye, feeling my throat swell to the point of suffocating me as I saw tears slip down her cheek.

"What I didn't realize was that … it was something the moment that you stepped into my office for your first interview." I stopped and ran a hand down my face. God I was messing this up worse wasn't I? "Everybody lies, including me. Everybody gets scared, especially me. I saw you, this beautiful, young, intelligent woman filled with love and life. I knew that I would destroy that. I didn't want to be the reason that you started to wither and die, I didn't want to watch that happen to you." I groaned. "So I told you that you didn't love and I saw … I have never wished more to redo a moment in my life. I'm not going to say I'm sorry, I'm not going to get down on my knees and beg you to forgive me. That's just not who I am, besides it's too much of a pain in the ass to get down on my knees and back up." A small smile curved her lips and I felt hope burn inside me.

"It would be funny to watch though." She whispered, almost so softly that I couldn't hear it.

"What I will say is, that if you're willing to give this a try … a real try … so am I. I can't promise that I won't fuck up eventually, like I said fucking up is what I do, but I can promise that I'm gonna try not to."

"Alright." I let go of the breath I'd been holding in. "But I have a few rules." Instantly I was tense again.

"Rules?" She nodded, her eyes looking a bit worried. "Let's hear them before I agree or disagree to anything." Again she nodded her head.

"Well first. I want to keep this just between the two of us. Go ahead and tell Wilson if you want, but I don't want the drama of the hospital starting to pressure either of us." I grunted my agreement.

"That sounds like a good idea to me. Don't need anyone else telling you what a bastard I am." I said with a smirk, which she answered with a small smile.

"Alright, second if you're with me. You're just with me." She bit her lip and I knew that she wasn't sure if I'd agree to that. But Allison Cameron wasn't the type of woman that you two timed on.

"That would go for both of us right?" She laughed and nodded her head. "Well seeing as I'm one of the most jealous men on the planet, I can't agree more." It was a warning and hopefully proof of how serious I was.

"Third. We always tell each other the truth, no matter how ugly or uncomfortable." She bit her lip and looked away, sure that that would be the breaking point. I smirked and nodded.

"Those are all your rules?" She nodded her head silently. "Well good, for a second you were going to say something about no public displays of a affection." She frowned and bit her lip.

"I didn't really think you were that kind of guy." She said almost as white as a sheet.

I laughed and kissed her, simply because I wanted to, simply because I could. "I'm not … not really at least. When we decide that we want everyone to know, they'll know. Until then, I'll make sure to behave myself." I smirked and looked her up and down. "Though it will be real hard for me to."

(Allison's POV)

I walked into the hospital the next morning, unsure if I was blushing from all the stares or what had transpired at my home the night before. Gregory House and I were really dating. It was something that caused my heart to pound and my mind to fog. One of those things that you sit back and look at wondering if it's really real or if you were finally lonely and sad enough that your mind made up this great illusion.

As I stepped off the elevator onto the Diagnostics floor my phone rang in a text message. I pulled out my phone and smiled at the name on the screen of my blackberry. Looking up and around, somewhat paranoid that someone might see I opened the message.

Mornin

Yes it is! What are you doing up?

im up in the am i just dont come 2 work ;)

Ahh well that makes perfect sense =)

lol lunch 2day?

Sure at the hospital or out?

U'll C =)

I went about my new routine. Cuddy had made me the head of the Immunology department not soon after I'd quit as her double. I still helped her out with some of the paper work and such, but when it came to who could tell Gregory House no … that was all her.

I'd been moved to the office directly besides House's as it had been hope that I would be able to keep an eye on him and even assist with cases at times. We shared the conference room, though my team and I rarely needed it for anything other than coffee and refrigerator use. Though there were a few times where one of my team members or myself had been able to assist on a case.

My morning routine consisted of making coffee, which now was two rather than one pot, and sifting through not only my own mail but House's as well. After going through that, I'd check his email and clear out or answer anything that I didn't think he should really look at, before disappearing into my own office to take care of my mail.

I'd rarely finish with House's paper work and find myself alone in my office. There was always at least one member of my team sitting in my office waiting to find out if the Diagnostic department had a case that they could help with. Today it was more than a little surprised to find that it was Cuddy who was waiting for me in my office.

"Good morning Dr. Cuddy. Is there something I can do for you?" I asked, sure that my confusion was evident on my face.

"Dr. Cameron … I wasn't sure if you were going to be coming in today. I thought that I could get an explanation of yesterday's event from you rather than the gossiping ninny's of the hospital." She said looking a bit concerned.

I bit my lip and frowned with everything that had happened after Chase's little tantrum I had completely forgot about the bruises on my arm and hand. I made my way to my seat, somehow knowing that my legs weren't going to hold me. "I know that it may not be comfortable for you to talk about it, but I have to know what happened." She said gently. I nodded.

I took a deep breath and told her everything that had happened, from the locker room to the hall in front of the nurse's station. It surprised me that all that drama had been laid out on the table in less than 10 minutes. What didn't surprise me was the furious look that Cuddy had on her face when I was finished. "He grabbed you?" She hissed. I nodded and looked anywhere but her eyes. "Is this the first time that he's done anything like that? Has he ever used violence against you before?"

I swallowed and nodded again. "It's why I called off the engagement. He'd been getting more and more unreasonable. Yelling and starting fights about the most ridiculous things, then the night before I called it off he smacked me across the face. It wasn't anything too horrible, but it was enough to wake me up and realize that I couldn't do it."

Cuddy nodded and frowned as she stood and closed my office door. "This is something that should have been brought to my attention awhile ago Allison, not because I'm your boss … but because I'm your friend." She said, her voice holding a kind of concern that caused tears to come to my eyes.

"I'm sorry … I didn't tell anyone. But it's nothing too bad." I added quickly. "He grabbed me, lots of men have grabbed me."

"Ah … but none of them had hit you." Cuddy added, with a stern look. "I'm going to put Dr. Chase on suspended leave, until the board has had time to review everything. But I wouldn't be surprised to find that he is let go on something like this …" I gasped horrified. "Don't even try to come to his defense, from what I've heard he deserves his broken nose and more. He's lucky that House didn't know that he hit you before or he'd be dead!"

"You don't really think that …" I said, though I wasn't so sure I didn't believe it myself.

"I don't think …" She came over and I stood to receive her hug, which surprisingly I was quite grateful for. We both jumped however, when the door to my office swung open and House came barreling.

"GOOD MORNING LADIES!" I jumped and squeaked as Cuddy's hand flew to her chest.

"Dr. House, you are lucky that you are such a damned good doctor. Or I'd have you hanging out the top floor windows by your toes for that." I plopped down in my chair laughing quietly at both Cuddy's livid face and House's gaping one. There was no comeback for something like that and a pleased expression lit Cuddy's face as she left my office.

As her heels clicked farther down the hall, I found myself fighting to breathe. House's face had gone from shocked, to surprised, to slightly annoyed as he began to stare at me. "It's really not that funny." He said crossing his arms and leaning against one of the far walls.

(Greg's POV)

It may not have been that funny, but damn it if she wasn't gorgeous right now. She was one of those strange morning people that I often mocked, but not her. She was a flower that was made to thrive in light, thought I had no doubt in my mind that she wasn't equally gorgeous by moonlight. I smirked to myself that would be something that I'd have to remember to find out.

As she caught her breath I looked around her office. It was like her apartment, warm and comforting but efficient and neat. I had no doubt in my mind that she would look just as perfect in this setting as she had at home in her kitchen. I wondered for a moment what she would look like with a baby, whether she would fit some seamlessly into that role as well as the others.

I paused as I realized what I was thinking about, baby? Was I thinking about Allison having one with another man? No. The feeling of being ready to commit murder was strong enough to tell me that. Then was I planning on starting a family with this woman? We'd just started dating and I was already thinking about kids? I shook my head and concentrated on her once again.

"Really Allison calm down." I said as she finally started to catch her breath.

"Oh bite me. That was hilarious. I don't think I'll ever see you so shocked or Cuddy so thrilled again." She hiccupped as she calmed down.

"I'm going to let that 'bite me' slip, but be fair warned that I will not be so nice in the future." Instantly she sat straighter, her breath catching. "As for what just transpired, I'll get even later. Revenge is a dish best served cold." I answered with a devilish smirk that caused her to shudder.

"Goodness, remind me not to get on your bad side."

"Oh I have better things planned for you when you piss me off." I said with a dark chuckle watching as she paled I shook my head and smiled. "I doubt that you'll manage to piss me off that much Allison."

"Whatever you say Greg, now what are you doing in my office … and in the hospital before noon?" She asked.

"I came to check out the new digs. I realized that I never came over here to stake out my newest hiding place." I answered with a grin, deciding secretly gloat about our first name basis.

"Uh huh … that's all?" She asked turning her attention to the paper work in front of her. I moved farther into the room, not sure if I should be pleased or disappointed with the fact that I could have stripped down to my birthday suit at the moment and she wouldn't have noticed.

As I slipped up beside her, carefully keeping an eye on the hall to be sure that no one was watching I kissed her cheek. Then her lips, softly almost as if we hadn't touched at all. "No … I wanted to say good morning."

"You already said good morning in your text and made plans for lunch."

"Ahh … but I didn't get to give you your good morning kiss." She smiled and nodded.

"True, you can't really do that over text."

"Well I could … but I doubt I'd get the same effect." I said as I stood and began walking out of her office. "You're blushing Dr. Cameron … perhaps you should turn the AC on." I said as she gasped and moved to cover her face. Smiling I turned into my office, growling at the person sitting in my chair.

"Dr. House."

"Chase."

Cliff hanger! Lol Don't forget to let me know what you think ...

Catch ya later

Darklady26