Chapter 4

House waited all day for a call that never came.
He looked at his watch, just as had every five minutes for the last three hours.
It's four o'clock. It has to be over by now. Maybe I should call Wilson …
I have to know what happened.

House was nothing if not a realist.
Even if Cameron had called off the wedding, it was only the first step.
Would there be a place for him in her life, or would he be rejected, like Chase?
Would she remember the way he'd cruelly rejected her love over the past three years?

House hung his head in shame.
He knew he deserved no better.

What the hell, I might as well get this over with.
Just as he picked up the phone, there was a quiet knock at his door.

"Speak of the devil ..."

He limped down the hall as fast as he could and flung open the door.
"Did you come to break the bad news in person?" he snarked.

But it wasn't Wilson standing in the hallway.

It was Cameron.

He couldn't move.
He couldn't speak.
He was mesmerized by how beautiful she looked, standing there in her wedding gown.

Her eyes met his.
There was no hint of emotion. No clue to his fate.
"I just thought we needed to talk. May I come in, House?"

House shook his head hard to snap himself back to reality. "Yes, of course, come in, please.
I'm sorry I sounded so … so … well, you know … like a jerk. I thought you were Wilson."

The skirt of her gown rustled softly against his leg as she walked past.
He inhaled the delicate scent of her perfume.
Everything about her was sheer perfection.

He noticed a garment bag draped over her arm. "May I take your coat, or your bag?"

"I'm still a bit cold. I'll just keep it on for now, thanks. But you could hang this up, if you wouldn't mind?" she said, offering the bag to House. "I didn't feel like lingering at the church to change. I've been driving around for the past hour trying to sort out my thoughts."

"Please, Cameron, sit down." He was unsure what to do.
Part of him wanted to sweep her into the safety of his arms and the other part was afraid of what was yet to come.
"Would you like a drink?"

"Some scotch would be nice …"

House grinned at her request, impressed by her choice. "Coming right up."

He returned to the living room, balancing two glasses in one hand, and joined her on the sofa.
"Here, try this. Lagavulin. Distiller's Edition. 20 years old. It's my favourite."

"Thank you." House took a sip and watched as Cameron, with a slight tilt of her lovely neck, proceeded to empty the glass in seconds.
She closed her eyes, relishing the burning warmth of the golden elixir. "Mmm … I needed that …"

"Bad day, huh? Would you like a refill?" he asked.
"No, thank you. One's enough."

House stroked her empty ring finger. "The wedding …?"
" …never happened." Cameron finished his sentence.

He sensed she needed to talk, so he sat there in silence.

"I can't believe what I just did. How I wish I could turn back time …" Cameron said sadly, shaking her head in dismay.
"I should have called this wedding off weeks ago. I've embarrassed my mother, wasted my parents' money, humiliated Chase and disappointed our friends. All in all, it was not my finest hour."

"You did the right thing," House said, taking her hand in his. "I hope you believe that."

Cameron gave House a soft smile.
"I do. You know, its funny how you can get so caught up in things … like this wedding … this marriage.
I knew from the start it was not what I wanted, and yet do you think I could find the courage to get off the merry-go-round?
It scares me how close I came to marrying Chase. If it hadn't been for my father, I'd be posing for wedding photographs right now.

"Your father?"
"He knew how unhappy I was. He did most of the dirty work."

"How so?"

"When the minister asked, 'Allison, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband?' I froze.
I couldn't speak. But then suddenly, I felt my father's arm wrap around my shoulder as he stepped to my side.
He said, 'Reverend, I believe my daughter is having second thoughts about this marriage.'"

"Holy shit …" muttered House, "excuse my language."

Cameron understood House's reaction. "My father gave me the strength I needed to say what was in my heart.
The minister asked me if it was true … and I said yes."

"What happened then? What did Chase say?"
"In the church, he just whispered, 'Let me guess…'"
Cameron tilted her head to look up at House."I'm sure he was referring to us."

"What did you say?"
"That he didn't have to guess … that he knew the answer." House swallowed hard.

"We went to the vestry afterwards and talked. Chase was very angry with me. He was hurt and upset, and justifiably so.
But I told him the truth. I told him that I couldn't marry a man I didn't love."

"Where is he now?"
"Back at his place, with his family, I think. He's still going to Australia. He wants me out of the apartment by the time he gets back to Princeton."

House sat in silence, trying to digest everything that Cameron said.

"If you're feeling guilty about last night House, don't. You might have been the catalyst for the break-up, but I didn't love Chase.
I'm happy I called off the wedding. I'm content."

"I'm glad." House studied her face. He knew she was telling him the truth.
Cameron bore an air of peaceful confidence that he had not seen in her in a very long time.

But he still did not have his answer.
"So what happens now?" House asked.

"I go on with my life …"

House tenderly cupped her face in his hands, lifting her chin slowly, until their eyes met.
"You mean our life, don't you?"

Her eyes welled with tears.
She too, had been afraid of his rejection.
"You were serious. You do love me," she whispered.

"Let me show you how much." House undid the bow on Cameron's woolen cape and laid it over a nearby chair.
He brushed her cheek gently with his knuckles, then ran his fingers over her bare shoulders noticing the light dusting of glitter on her clavicle.

"You look so beautiful … like a princess. I'm almost afraid to touch you …" he said shyly.
"I won't break," Cameron said softly, as she slipped her hands behind his neck,

House slid his long, powerful arms around her tiny waist, swiftly pulling her to him as his lips crushed madly to hers. They groped each other hungrily; stroking, grasping, kneading, hands splayed frantically capturing each other's flesh. His hands moved quickly over the back of her gown, riding the curve of her spine down below her waist.

"Oh Greg …" she gasped, as his fingers grazed over her breasts, tracing the delicate beadwork on the bodice of her gown.

"How should I …. What do I do? I don't want to ruin your dress," he said awkwardly, with a boyish charm that melted her heart.

Her eyes shone brightly with desire.
"You might like to start here," she said coyly, lifting the skirt of her gown.
His eyes focused on the band of blue satin above her right knee.
"You're wearing the garter I gave you …"

"You asked me to make a choice last night.
I chose you," she said simply.

House closed his eyes, overcome with emotion.
He had his answer.
She chose me …

Why he'd been blessed with her love was beyond him, but right then and there, he vowed that for once in his life, he would accept what he didn't understand, and treasure the gift he'd been given.

He gently unwrapped her arms from around his waist, then stood, looking down at her.

"Greg? Are you all right?" Cameron asked, confused by his actions.
"Last night … I thought … I thought you wanted to take off my garter?"

"I can't, Allison … I'm sorry."

tbc ...