A/N: Thank you all for your reviews. This story is coming to an end soon, but don't be sad. There are more to come :D

Chapter Ten

A few days went by without incident but Cameron constantly looked over her shoulder, which bothered House. No amount of reassurance could make her relax. It wasn't just her, either. Everyone at the hospital was on edge, especially Rowland. She started carrying, and kept a clutch piece on her at all times as well. The three of them made a habit of going together every night to their cars.

When Cameron's birthday rolled around, House threw a small get-together for her, hoping it would serve as a distraction. He even invited her parents. She said no at first, but he managed to convince her that having friends and family around would be good for her so she relented.

When her parents arrived, Cameron introduced them to House, hoping they'd like him. She had reservations about their reaction to the age difference, but if House didn't care, neither did she. If there was one thing House taught her, it was that it didn't matter what anyone else thought. As a grown woman she didn't need their approval. That was a hard lesson to learn but she was getting better at it.

"Mom, Dad, this is Doctor Gregory House. He heads the Diagnostic Medicine department. House, these are my parents, Nora and Edmund."

They shook hands and her father glanced around. "You're living here?" he asked her, eyebrow raised.

"Yes, I told you that. House believes it's safer."

"I'll just bet."

"Edmund," Nora said harshly, and smiled at House. "It's nice to meet you…Gregory."

"You can just call me Greg, or House. Everyone does."

"Including my daughter?"

House smirked. "All the time."

Cameron groaned and rolled her eyes. "Can I get you two a drink?"

"I'd love a gin and tonic," Edmund said as he glared at House and then left his wife's side.

"I want to apologize for my husband. Allison is our baby, you understand."

"It's fine. Drink?"

"I'd love one," she said as she followed him to the table which held all the liquor. "And I want you to know how grateful I am to you for keeping her safe. Daniel is...difficult and I don't put anything past that boy."

"Me neither. What's your poison?"

"Scotch, neat."

He grinned as he reached for the Macallan's. "Like mother, like daughter."

Nora grinned. "I have a feeling there's a story behind that."

House laughed. "It's not for me to tell. I'll let Cameron do the honors."

"You call her Cameron, and not Allison?"

He shrugged. "Everyone at the hospital is on a last name basis. It just stuck."

"I see."

The party was about as mellow as any party could be and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. That all changed when gunfire and a commotion were heard outside. Rowland was the first to respond. "House!"

He nodded and ushered Cameron and her parents down the hall and out of sight just as Daniel burst in, gun in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other.

"I'm here! It's time to start the party!"

"You're not welcome here," House said as he approached with caution. "The police are on their way. I don't want any trouble from you."

"It's a bit late for that." He whirled around and shot Rowland square in the chest. It knocked her on her back and she lay motionless on the floor. Everyone screamed and ducked. Wilson bent down to help but Daniel pressed the gun against his head. "Don't touch her! Get away from her. I want my sister, and I'm not leaving until she gives me money."

House kept his voice level and calm, even though he felt anything but. "She's not giving you any money. She doesn't owe you anything. Now get the hell out of here."

House saw Rowland move out of the corner of his eye as she reached down into her boot.

"She has everything! A nice house, a cushy job. She's not gonna miss a measly two thousand a month."

"You're sick. You need professional help. I can get that for you."

Daniel laughed. "Thanks but no thanks. You don't think I've spent time in those places? I'm...what's the word I'm looking for.."

"A verified sociopath?"

"Yeah. Has a nice ring to it. I'm not going back to prison. Allison's gonna get me a job and help me turn my life around."

"The hell I will!" she shouted as she approached.

"Cameron…"

"No! I'm done with him. Get the hell out of here! You're no longer my brother! Do you hear me! Now get out! The cops are on their way and they said if you violate your probation one more time, you're going back to prison."

Daniel seemed to contemplate that and the sirens in the background only sped up his decision. As he took a step back, Rowland tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and his look of surprise gave her all the time she needed to deliver a powerful right hook to his jaw. He dropped like a sack of potatoes. She put a knee against his back and grabbed his arm with the gun. He screamed as she twisted it to get the cuffs on and a loud snap was heard when the bone broke. She hauled him to his feet as the police stormed in.

"We've got two men down out front," the first officer told him. "Who lives here?"

"It's my apartment," House told him.

"This bitch broke my arm!" Daniel shouted. "I wanna press charges."

"You shot at me!" Rowland shouted back as she ripped her blouse open to reveal a bullet proof vest with a slug in it. Then she turned to the officer. "Are the guys outside okay?"

"They'll be fine. You know them?"

"They're old friends from the Corps."

"Once a Marine, always a Marine," House said with a grin. "And with her own cuffs. I don't know whether to be horny or afraid."

Cameron shot a stern look at House and smacked him in the chest. "Shhh!"

"I'm going to go out and make sure they're okay."

The party broke up soon after and House and Cameron saw Rowland to her car. "I'm gonna have one hell of a bruise," she said as she rubbed her chest. "Good thing it's not bikini season."

"Very," House leered, and earned another playful smack to the chest. "Hey! I was just agreeing with her."

"You're incorrigible," Cameron laughed.

"And you like it," he whispered in her ear as he pulled her close and nibbled it.

"Geesh...at least wait for me to leave before you start pawing at each other," Rowland groaned as she opened the car door and got in. House and Cameron turned to head back inside, but he noticed red pieces of plastic on the ground. "Hold on...your tail light is broken…"

"Really? Oh lovely. Looks like a trip to the dealership tomorrow. Damnit! I just got this car, too."

House walked around the car and what he saw next made him sick. "Stop!" he called to her. "Do not step on the brake!"

"House? What's wrong?"

He opened the door to the gas tank and pulled out the cords and the bulb from the busted tail light. "If you'd hit the brake, one word. Ka-boom."

"Oh my God," Rowland said as she climbed out of the car and inspected it herself. "Son of a bitch! Well, I guess we can add a second charge of attempted murder and vandalism to the charges."

"That's assuming it was Daniel," House pointed out.

"Who else would do this? I humiliated him today. And he didn't even blink before shooting me. I could see someone doing this to House's car, cause God knows he's made some enemies, but mine? No, he did this." She leaned up and kissed House's cheek. "Anyway, I owe you one. Thank you."

He merely nodded as she got back into her car and drove away. Once she was safely away, he and Cameron went inside.

"I never did get to thank you for tonight. Despite everything that happened, it's just what I needed. So thank-you," she told him.

He cocked his head to one side. "I hear a 'but' coming."

She flopped down on the couch and buried her face in her hands. "I don't know what to do. I can't keep looking over my shoulder all the time…"

"He's in jail now, Cameron. He can't come after you or anyone else."

"That's what they said before and look what happened."

Daniel whistled as he poured gasoline all over Cameron's house. Once he emptied the last can, he set it on the ground next to the chairs he tied his parents to earlier. He leaned in and smiled at his father.

"Thanks so much for bailing me out, Dad, and vouching for me," he said in a pleasant voice.

Edmund struggled against the ropes binding him to the chair. He looked over at Nora who was still unconscious.

Daniel pulled out a silver lighter and flipped it open. He snapped his thumb against it and stared at the small flame that appeared.

"You really should have stopped with me," he said watching the flickering flame. "But, no, you had to have those two useless bitches. First Allison and then Rebecca. They were both supposed to die in the fire that night. Then we could go back to being the perfect family. Now, I have to get rid of all of you so I can collect the insurance money. See, good old Al has this place insured and you and dear old Mom have insurance policies. Hell, even Al has her own life insurance policy. Too bad I can't collect on that old cripple she's fucking. But, damn, I will enjoy watching them burn."

He tossed the lighter over his shoulder and walked out as flames erupted. Edmund struggled harder and felt the ropes loosen. Using all his strength, he pulled against them and the knot came free. Luckily Daniel couldn't tie them better with one arm in a cast. As the smoke and flames surrounded them, he untied his feet then untied Nora. He hoisted her over his shoulder and staggered through the flames and out the door. He stumbled out into the street and laid Nora out. On his hands and knees, he began to cough. Behind him, Cameron's house went up in flames, collapsing in on itself. Edmund checked to make sure Nora was breathing and then pushed himself up. Several of the neighbors ran toward them.

"I called 911," a man in his bathrobe told him.

"Call the police!" Edmund shouted. "My son did this! He's on his way to kill my daughter!"

Nora moaned and Edmund knelt beside her. She opened her eyes and began to cough. He helped her sit up.

"I'm so sorry," he said tears running through the soot on his face. "I was so wrong about him. Please forgive me!"

"I told you he's crazy," she croaked out before pulling him into a tight embrace. She released him. "We have to get to Allison and Greg."

He helped her up and she turned to a police officer who ran up to them. "We need to get to 221B Baker Street. My son set this fire and he's on his way there to burn Greg House's apartment. Our daughter is in there with him."

"My partner and I will go," the officer responded. "You two need to get checked out."

"You listen to me, young man!" Nora roared. "My crazy ass son intends to kill my baby. I'm going!"

"Yes, ma'am," the officer said meekly and led them to his cruiser.

They arrived to find Daniel laid out face down with Rowland's knee in his back and her gun pointed at his head. Gas cans lay scattered around them.

Nora jumped out of the police car. "Where's Allison?" she asked Rowland.

"Inside," Rowland told her as she stepped back and let the police cuff Daniel and put him in the back of their car. "I thought he might show up so I came back. Did he get out on a technicality?"

"No," Nora sighed. "My idiot husband bailed him out. He brought him to our house and Daniel knocked us out. He burned Allison's house down."

Edmund sat down on the step leading up to House's apartment. "I really wanted to believe he changed. What did I do wrong?"

Nora sat down beside him. "Nothing. It's him. We did everything we could for him. Allison and Rebecca turned out fine. Or Rebecca was on her way before Daniel killed her. I think we should ask Allison for a recommendation for a therapist."

He nodded and put his head in his hands.