Chuckling to himself, House hung up the phone. Picking up his oversized tennis ball, he began to absently throw it from hand to hand, deep in contemplation. Had he meant what he'd said to Wilson? Did he really want to willingly subject himself to the horrors of a wedding, a wedding in which the bride was a cow and the groom was probably a spineless ass?

He was still thinking when he heard a phone ringing in the empty conference room. When it showed no signs of stopping, House sighed, heaved himself out of his chair and hobbled through the connecting door.

Cameron's phone was ringing inside her purse, and she was nowhere to be seen. House pulled it out; and he would have let it ring out, had it not been for the name he saw upon the screen.

Amy calling....

House smirked. He could not pass this opportunity up. He pressed the answer button, and slowly held the phone up to his ear.

"Allison? Sweetie-pie, it's Amy. Hello, can you hear me? Hellooo??"

The voice coming out of the phone was shrill and piercing.

Wincing, House replied, "Yes, I can hear you. I believe the dog from down the street is also aware of your dulcet tones."

After a short pause, Amy stated, "You're not Allison."

"Correct. Nothing gets past you, does it?" God, how can Cameron have come from the same gene pool as this bozo? wondered House.

"Well, who the hell are you then? Don't tell me my workaholic big sister's gone and got herself a boyfriend?" Amy's mocking tone suggested that this would be impossible.

"Is that so hard to believe?" House enquired, his hackles rising on Cameron's behalf.

Amy giggled.

"Well, Allie's never been much fun. Far too into her studies, y'know? The one serious guy she went out with died, and now all she does is play about in chem. labs 'n' stuff, looks at bugs or something."

"I think the term you're looking for is 'immunologist'," said House coolly, "a hugely complicated job which your sister happens to be rather brilliant at."

Unbeknownst to House, Cameron had entered his office and was currently standing in the doorway to the conference room, listening to the conversation. When she heard his last comment, she felt a slight blush upon her cheeks and her stomach flipped over. His praise was something she rarely heard, and she treasured the few compliments he had given her. This was one of the best yet.

On the other end of the line, Amy repeated her earlier question.

"So who are you? Are you her boyfriend?"

House made his decision then and there.

"Yes. Yes, I am her boyfriend. My name is Greg House and I work in the same department as her, I'm a diagnostician. I happen to be rather brilliant myself. Allison's told me all about you - can't wait to meet you at the wedding."

At this statement, Cameron's jaw dropped.

Amy sounded amused.

"Right! Well, I guess we'll see you there, then. If you are who you say you are, that is."

How the hell does Cameron put up with this? House wondered. I've only been talking to her for two minutes and I already want to strangle her.

"Oh, you'll definitely see me there," he stated smoothly. "Bye, Amy."

And with that, House hung up the phone. He stood up and turned around, triumphant, only to come face-to-face with a furious subordinate.

"How long have you been standing there?" he enquired, slightly sheepishly.

Cameron frowned.

"Oh, long enough to discover I've acquired a new boyfriend, and that he's planning to come with me to Amy's wedding. Jesus, House! What were you thinking?! Do you know how humiliating it's going to be for me to show up without a date now? I mean, it would've been bad enough before, but after that -"

"What if you didn't show up alone?" House interrupted.

"What are you on about?" she asked, exasperated.

House shifted from leg to leg, clearly uncomfortable.

"I mean, what if I did... You know... Go with you?"