A/N: A big thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing, it really makes me day to see your comments. This is a little shorter than usual, I think, and it kind of jumps around a bit, but I wanted to touch on all the characters. I will be wrapping this up in another few chapters and sort of needed to get past the holiday season (since I'm behind real time now) and set up for the ending. I hope its not too choppy! Thanks!:)

A/N 2: Replaced this chapter to correct a few typos that were pointed out to me. Thank you, I hate that!

Chapter 36

It was obvious to any and all who saw Cameron in the next weeks at the hospital that whatever had transpired after the separation surgery, it had been good. Cameron, sweet almost to the point of nauseating in some circumstances, virtually floated through the halls of PPTH.

To a casual observer, House seemed unchanged. He was still arrogant and obnoxious, belligerent, rude and unfeeling. Wilson was not a casual observer. Through years of experience reading House's moods, Wilson felt like House was waiting for something. Getting that something out of him was completely impossible.

It was just days before Christmas, and House was in his office alone. Wilson was walking down the hall and noticed him staring at the ceiling. Deciding to give it one more try, he walked in and sat down. After a minute or so unacknowledged, he looked up at the ceiling too.

"What are we looking at?"

"The ceiling."

"It's tall."

"Yup."

"Think we could throw some pencils up there and get them to stick?"

House dropped his gaze and looked at Wilson. The weeks of pestering him with questions about how he was feeling must finally have gotten to him, House thought. He's completely lost his mind. It wasn't a bad suggestion though. He opened one of his drawers and fished out four pencils. He tossed Wilson two.

While House and Wilson began attempting to get their pencils to stick into the ceiling, Cuddy walked past. She had been looking for Wilson, but when she found him in House's office she was momentarily taken aback by how young they both looked. The high school prank may have had something to do with that, but she was more inclined to think that it was just the effect they had on each other. Cuddy stopped to watch them, not even concerned that once again House was deliberately attempting to deface hospital property.

As Cuddy stood outside the glass, Cameron rounded the corner of the hallway. She'd been looking for Wilson also. She had noticed the last few days that House seemed even quieter than usual, and she wanted to know if he had mentioned anything to Wilson. She walked up beside Cuddy and turned, chuckling when she saw what the two of them were doing.

"They'll never get them to stick like that," Cameron commented. "You have to throw them like darts." Cuddy glanced sideways at Cameron. "I'm not quite the goody-two shoes everyone thinks I am."

"Let's not interrupt them," Cuddy said. "Jimmy could use a little relaxation."

"House too. Something is bugging him, I just don't know what," Cameron replied.

"His leg?" Cuddy asked. Cameron shrugged. "How are things with you two, by the way?"

"Better, except for whatever is bothering him. It's like he's, I don't know, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Does that make sense?" Cameron asked.

"It's House. Who knows?" Cuddy replied. The pair stood silently and watched their men for another minute. "Why don't we leave them be? If something is bothering House, Jimmy can probably get it out of him."

"It's never going to work," House said suddenly as Wilson's pencil dropped to the floor.

"Sure it will, it'll just take time and a little practice," Wilson replied, stepping the pencil and rolling it closer before bending over to pick it up.

"Maybe for a little while," House admitted, "but it will only fall down again."

"Maybe," Wilson agreed. "So then you throw it back up there. I never said this would be easy."

"It's work," House said.

"Yeah." Wilson flung his pencil up once more and it ricocheted off the ceiling and struck him on the arm before rolling across the floor.

House stared thoughtfully at the pencil twirling between his fingers. He leaned back as far as the chair would allow, and aimed the pencil at the ceiling. Throwing it like you would throw a dart, he watched as the pencil flew and buried itself in the acoustical tile above. He turned to Wilson and smirked, he'd gotten his pencil in first.

"Sometimes the fun stuff is work," Wilson commented, dropping his pencil on House's desk. House looked at him and nodded, Wilson nodded back, both men acknowledging they weren't just talking about pencils.

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House and Cameron decided their relationship was a little too new to delve into the holidays full force. Cameron had no real interest in visiting her family, and House understood completely. Although his mother called, as she did every year, and invited him to spend Christmas with them at his Aunt Sara's, House declined. He didn't tell his mother he was seeing someone, but hinted to her that he wouldn't be spending his holiday alone and that she shouldn't worry about him.

House was afraid Cameron would insist on decorating a tree, complete with tacky lights and ornaments. He wasn't sure he could stomach that. Fortunately for him, Cameron's only request was they buy a couple of real wreaths, just to get that wonderful pine scent into the apartment. House readily agreed, a few wreaths he could deal with.

It occurred to House on the 23rd that he should probably buy her something for Christmas. He wondered how he could possibly top those black pearl earrings, which she'd worn every day since he'd given them to her. Playing up the ache in his leg, he asked Cameron to spend the night at her place and use the Jacuzzi, just to get the opportunity to poke through her stuff and get some ideas.

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While House was ransacking Cameron's apartment for a gift inspiration, Wilson was spending a very nervous holiday dinner meeting Cuddy's parents. He had agreed without argument, but he wasn't really sure that Hanukah was the time to announce to your parents that you and your brand new boyfriend, veteran of three divorces, were having a child out of wedlock.

Cuddy was anxious to have her family meet Wilson. She was counting on the fact that she was finally giving them a grandchild to take some of the shock out of her being unmarried. She needn't have worried. After dinner, as they sat nervously sipping coffee, Cuddy blurted the news to her parents. Her mother smiled knowingly. Cuddy had known, of course, that her parents were very young when they got married. What she hadn't known before was that they'd married while expecting Cuddy's older brother.

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Foreman took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It opened and his father ushered him into the house. It had been some time since Eric had been home for a holiday, and his father was glad to see him. His mother chatted pleasantly and recounted endless stories about Eric and Marcus as youngsters and how they'd always enjoyed their holidays.

When Foreman was finally ready to go back to Princeton, his mother told him she was really sorry he hadn't gotten to meet her sons. Eric's heart broke a little as he realized she hadn't been reliving those memories with him. She'd been telling him stories about her family because she didn't recognize he was her family. He smiled, and told her he'd love to come back and hear stories about her boys another time.

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Chase picked Jasper up at her apartment in the late afternoon. He hadn't told her where they were going; only that he was sure she would like it. She agreed, and was actually quite excited to see what he had in mind. The only information he would give her was to dress warmly. When she got into the passenger side of Chase's car he handed her a blindfold. She looked at him uncertainly, and he told her just to trust him.

A short drive later, Chase parked the car and opened her door. Taking her by the hand, Chase led a still-blindfolded Jasper along a gravelly path. They stopped and she tried to take off the blindfold. He held her hand back, checking his watch, it wasn't quite time yet. After another minute or two he removed the blindfold and Jasper looked around. They were in the middle of a park, but not any park that Jasper recognized. Trees and shrubs lined the path, which wound and stretched for what looked like miles.

Suddenly, the trees and shrubs began to sparkle. Dazed by this glorious surprise, Jasper felt tears threaten as she looked all around. She realized now that he'd brought her to see the Christmas lights, just like her parents used to do when she was little. They'd talked about many things over the past few weeks, and she remembered discussing their favorite childhood traditions.

Touched that he had remembered and gone out of his way to do this for her, she took him by the hand. Their eyes locked and both felt a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold. Chase took her other hand in his and stepped closer. As they leaned in and shared their first kiss, snowflakes gently began falling around them.

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Cameron was feeling a little flat this Christmas. Normally she loved the holidays, but this year she felt like she was living on a rollercoaster. Every day with House brought a new mood. Some days they were so comfortable, Cameron could scarcely believe they hadn't always been together. Other days he was so withdrawn he didn't speak. Cameron thought perhaps this was just a normal House reaction to the holidays. It was, after all, a time when one normally spent time celebrating life and family, which wasn't exactly a Housian thing to do.

On Christmas morning, Cameron woke early and made French toast, her traditional holiday breakfast. House, who woke early only to the smell of food or the promise of sex, wandered into the kitchen just as Cameron was pouring syrup on a large plate of French toast for herself. House dropped a kiss on the top of her head to distract her as he stole the plate in front of her. Smirking at his childishness, Cameron made herself a second plate and they ate in a comfortable silence.

The dishes done, Cameron went to the closet and took out a gift. House seemed surprised as she sat beside him on the couch, how could she have hidden his gift in his own apartment and he didn't notice?

"Judging by the state of that closet, you'd never find it. It was the safest place," Cameron said, answering his question before he asked it. "I certainly couldn't hide it at my place, with all the snooping you do."

House stuck his tongue out at her and ripped the paper off his gift. He looked at closely and then looked up at Cameron. "Is this for real"
Cameron nodded. She'd found an autographed photo of Steve McQueen from Bullitt, which she knew to be one of House's favorite movies, while searching for a gift online. It had cost her twice what she'd wanted to spend, and one completely sleepless night making sure she wasn't out bid for it, but the look on his face was worth it all.

House smiled, probably the most genuine smile Cameron had seen from him in weeks. It was a great gift, perfect for him. It wasn't so personal that it was embarrassing, but only someone who knew him well would know he'd love it. House reached under the couch and pulled out a gift for Cameron.

Smiling, Cameron removed the wrapping and opened the box. She gasped when she realized what it was. It was a first edition of Anne of Green Gables. Cameron looked at him in surprise. There were dozens upon dozens of books at her apartment, how could he possibly know this was her favorite?

"You have three copies of that book. Two of them are so worn out you can barely even pick them up. It's obviously your favorite. Just don't read that one to pieces, okay?"

"I love it," Cameron said, placing it carefully on the coffee table. She moved over on the couch and snuggled up with House. Life with him might be a rollercoaster, but the highs were definitely worth the lows.