A/N: I really appreciate everyone's response to this story. My readers are the best! And I'm glad that you like Karen and House together. Thank you all so much.

Chapter 7

For the next two months, she came to him every other week and they talked to each other often in between.

House found himself in the strange position of missing a woman when she wasn't there. Seeing her every other weekend and phone calls just weren't enough for him anymore. He wanted to see her more, he wanted…oh, God, he wanted her around all the time.

He was so screwed.

The next time she came to see him, they ended up in bed quickly as usual. As they lay together afterward, he said, "Maybe next week, I'll come to your place."

"Why?" she asked.

"I'm a little worried about you driving all this way by yourself all the time. And if I come next week, we don't have to wait two weeks."

She didn't say anything.

"What?" he asked. "You don't want me to come there?"

"It's not that. It's just…"

"What?"

"I haven't told my kids about you."

"Why not?"

"They are still adjusting to the divorce. They need to believe that I am there for them."

"Sounds like you are there for them."

"I am of course."

"So what's the problem?"

"This whole thing hasn't been easy for them. I don't want them to think that this whole thing was because I met someone else."

"Was it?"

"Of course not! I would never have disrupted my entire life and my children's lives for a man I knew for a few days. That would be idiotic."

"So tell them that and stop worrying about it."

"I have to worry, they're my children!"

"Yeah, and I'm just the guy you're fucking."

Tears appeared in her eyes. "That's not fair! This is difficult for me."

"Sorry, I didn't realize sleeping with me was so tough."

She got up and started straightening her clothes. She looked frantically for her keys and House knew he'd screwed up.

"Karen, stop." He implored. "I didn't mean that."

She turned to him, fire in her eyes. "Do you have any idea what this is for me? I met Frank in college. I had one boyfriend before him. And then no one else after I met him. Until you. Do you know what breaking my marriage vow and sleeping with you meant for me? Do you know what coming here means? I know I need to tell my kids, but can you at least understand how much I've changed, how far I've come and how hard it is?"

He closed his eyes briefly. "Okay, I can understand that and I appreciate it. But guess what? This isn't easy for me either. I've had one serious relationship in my life, until she screwed me and it only lasted five years. I've had a love/hate relationship with another woman for a long time, but I've come to realize that would be bad news for both of us.

"Anyway, until I met you, I didn't think I could feel anything for a woman again. It meant something to me when you called me. It still does. I guess I need to know if this means something to you too."

"Oh, Greg, of course it does! Why do you think I make the two hour drive here?"

"Yeah, but does it mean enough to tell your family about me?"

She sighed. "You're right. And I have been thinking about it. But I'm not good at upsetting the status quo."

He was silent. This was a decision she had to make herself.

"Can you give me some time, Greg?"

"Yes. But it's a decision you're going to have to make soon."

"I know."

He gave her some space and she continued to travel to Princeton for a few more weeks.