Amazing Grace- A House/NCIS story

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything House related except DVDs. Ryan is mine, though.

AN. I am a massive M*A*S*H fan... that's all.

Chapter ten:

Abby dove enthusiastically into Cameron's closet, emerging with an armful of dresses, which she plopped down on to the bed. Ziva and Cameron shared an amused smile. The night before, they had watched endless movies, eaten all of Cameron's ice cream and junk food and talked for hours. Now, while Cameron began to prepare for her date with Tony, Abby had taken it upon herself to help out.

"Are you nervous?" Ziva asked her new friend.

Cameron smiled and shook her head. "Not as nervous as I am about going to work on Monday. Or rather, if I'll have a job on Monday."

Abby grinned. "I wish I'd been there when you slapped House."

"I wish Gibbs had taken a picture," Cameron laughed.

Ziva sat on the corner of her bed and smiled. "Gibbs likes you, you know."

Abby gave her a weird glance and she hastily amended her statement. "Not romantically, Abby! God no, Gibbs prefers red heads. But he does like you."

Cameron smiled. "I like him too. He reminds me a lot of my dad. It's awful about his wife and daughter though."

"I still can't believe he told you about them so quickly. We didn't know for ages," Abby grumbled good-naturedly, frowning at her friend's wardrobe.

She shrugged. "We compared war wounds."

Ziva reached forward and pulled a simple strapless purple cocktail dress out of Abby's hands and handed it to Cameron. "I like this one. Try it on."

Cameron did as requested, and the girls decided that was the one. She then straightened her long hair, and left it hanging down her back, keeping her makeup and jewellery simple. It was Abby who answered the door just after seven to find Tony outside in a suit.

"You're late, DiNozzo," she scolded him, letting him in.

"Sorry, Mom. What time do you want her home?" he teased.

"Eleven, no later," Ziva replied, entering the room.

"You guys are no fun," Tony grumbled, but then he paused as Cameron casually entered the room, picking up a wrap from the closet.

"Wow, you look great," Tony smiled, and she blushed slightly.

"Thanks. Okay, girls. See you later!"

"Have fun," called Abby after her, as they left.

Tony drove on Cameron's directions to Midwestern Steak house and they were given one of the best tables.

"So, the steaks here are good, but are they as good as the ones back home?" Tony asked her as they waited for their food.

Cameron laughed. "Not on your life. Nothing beats my mom's steaks. I have no idea what she does to them, but... yummy."

Tony smiled. "You know yesterday, after you girls left, Cuddy came in looking for you. Between the nurses noticing the bruise on House's cheek and Wilson storming around, she found out what happened."

Cameron winced. "There's a bruise? Oh god. Should I ask if I still have a job?"

He grinned. "You do, relax. She was just as angry as the others, and said she wished she could bruise the other cheek. She was gonna go around and check on you, but Foreman said you had plenty of wallowing company."

She toyed with her napkin. "It's pretty stupid, huh? After seven years?"

"No, it's not. You lost someone you love and that hurts," he said gently.

Tony sighed and stared at the table. "A few months ago, I was working undercover in this operation; and I did something pretty stupid. I fell in love with one of the people involved. My most serious relationship ever therefore, involves dating someone under a false name. It ended coming out, and I chose my job over her."

Cameron was stunned. "I'm sorry. What was she like?"

"Jeanne? Gorgeous, funny, smart... she was a doctor too. And when I left her, I did it because it was right. It had to be her choice."

She nodded in understanding. "I got my first boyfriend when I was sixteen. We dated for four years, and it was just a matter of time before we got married. We had our entire lives planned together, and then his mother in Ireland was diagnosed with breast cancer. And pretty soon, I knew we had to end it. She needed him, and he needed to be over there, and I couldn't just pick up and move to Ireland."

"You could have tried long distance," Tony protested, but she shook her head.

"That almost never works out. We decided we'd rather end on good terms, than spent months wondering what was going to happen." She smiled fondly.

"He's my best friend now. We talk on the phone at least once a week, e mail sometimes twice a day, and he was my man of honour when Dan and I got married."

"He's still in Ireland?"

"Yeah, well sort of. His mom's been in remission for six years now, and he was a high school science teacher, but is currently in Iraq for another year."

"Oh yeah? What rank?"

"Captain. He managed to work it so a whole bunch of our friends from high school are in the same unit as him. I have no idea how he did that either, but Ryan can do anything."

Their conversation became less intense as they ate, and over dessert, Tony suddenly asked her, "So, why did you become a doctor?"

To his amazement, Cameron blushed. "It's really stupid."

"Come on, Ally!" he begged. "Just tell me!"

She moaned reluctantly and buried her face in her hands sheepishly. "Hawkeye."

Tony frowned, confused. "Huh?"

Sighing, she began to explain. "My favourite show when I was growing up was M*A*S*H. And Hawkeye was my favourite character. I loved that he saved lives in the middle of a war, and always stood up for what he thought was right. So, I decided I was going to become a doctor and then go help in a war zone, like Hawkeye."

Tony chuckled. "That's such a cute story!"

She threw a napkin at him, mock scowling. "Thanks, DiNozzo. Thanks a lot."

"No worries. You ready to go?"

She nodded and he called for the check. As they walked slowly down the street to the car, Tony seemed thoughtful.

"You know, you're right. Long distance relationships hardly ever work out. I'm only here for a few more days. And while I'd be thrilled to be able to introduce you to everyone I meet as my hot girlfriend, I'd still enjoy introducing you as my hot friend who's a girl."

Cameron laughed. "I think I could handle that," she smiled.

He held out a hand and she shook it. "Friends?"

"Friends," he agreed.

As they drove the short distance back to Cameron's, he hesitated slightly.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, friend. Do you think you'll ever get married again?"

Cameron sighed thoughtfully. "Honestly, I don't know. I thought I was going to marry Ryan, but didn't; then I thought I'd never fall in love again, but I did; then I was sure I'd never get over losing my husband, but somehow I did. I've only ever been in love three times. Ryan, and Dan both made me grow up a lot. Then when I stopped looking, somehow I found House. And typical me, I fall for a guy who doesn't love me back. Or if he does, like people keep telling me he does, he's too scared to show it."

She swallowed hard. "I always thought by this age, I'd be happily married, working three days a week and raising my children. Being twenty eight and single was never part of the plan."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, I know. Thirty five over here. I always liked the idea of kids, it's just the process of getting to that place that terrifies me."

"Because you're putting your trust in another person," Cameron said quietly.

"Maybe," Tony agreed.

"I'm just tired of waiting for my life to start," Cameron told him.

The two parted at Cameron's door with a warm hug and a smile, and when she went inside, Cameron found Abby and Ziva waiting eagerly for gossip.

"How did it go?" Ziva asked her, and Cameron laughed.