*A/N

I know I do this every chapter, and to someone who reads all the chapters in one day, it looks like a lot of precursors. If you are following this story and waiting for new uploads, you may understand that it takes me a while to update. I am still working on this, I'm just busy. Right now, I am preparing for graduate school (for those outside the US, graduate school is continuing college after the first four years). I'm studying to become a psychiatrist, so graduate and PhD is a must for my future career to thrive. I have not updated in a while but now I'm sick so I'm feeling write-y. Hope everyone had a happy holiday season!

I chose the name Ruth for Allison's mother because I believe I read it in another fanfiction. If you are reading this and are the author of that story, I took your name and am giving you full credit. I am not sure if it is ever mentioned what Cameron's mom's name is. Ruth seems to fit.

ANYWAY, enjoy the story. Can you believe it has almost been one year since I started House?

"You knew for how long?" House grabbed his girlfriend's shoulders.

"Five minutes," she tried. "She just called and-"

"Then why do you have plans already? You set up a guest bedroom in five minutes?"

Allison sighed and picked at a piece of loose skin that hung from her bottom lip. "Okay so I've known for two weeks."

"TWO WEEKS?" House turned around, making a half circle of stride before returning to face Cameron. "Why didn't you tell me? Now she's going to come in and think I wasn't prepared. I mean I wasn't because of somebody but it's still gonna look bad."

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to stress you out. I know you've been busy and-"

The older doctor cut her off again, "This stresses me out way more."

"I know and I-"

"I gotta go do stuff." House briskly walked toward the door, nearly tripping over his oversized shoes. Not looking back, he made strides down the hospital hallway.

"Damn it," Cameron murmured.

She wasn't one to hide the truth but she had honestly been busy. Just not busy enough to leave out something as big as this. Truth was, Cameron had long, twisted troubles with her family and didn't want them getting out. Her relationship with her mother was not exactly picture-perfect. Greg had his own drama to handle without being bombarded with an extra load.

Allison would be lying if she said she was hiding the truth from Greg simply for his protection. She was scared.

It was common style for either House or Cameron to walk out and avoid a problem and Cameron was going to break the habit.

"Greg, wait," she followed him, much to his surprise.

House decided he would face the problem now, "You shouldn't hide things from me."

The only problem about dealing with problems immediately is the lack of a cooling-off period.

Allison wasn't quite ready to apologize. She defended herself, "You would have done the same thing."

Bad. She knew it was bad to say. A turn-around on House when she was the one in the wrong.

"I'm going to try and ignore that comment because we both know it came from your angry little heart and not your smart little brain."

The way he said this rubbed the immunologist the wrong way. She was gonna pounce. "Are you always this much of an asshole?"

"Hey, you started this."

True.

Allison remembered their last fight. How awful she had felt; how awful she had made her boyfriend feel. This fight was immature and completely her fault. She knew it but it was hard to admit. She contemplated her next words before undoubtedly saying, "I'm sorry." Allison walked over to House who now had a confused look on his face and hugged him. This only made Greg more confused.

He hugged back because no matter what, he couldn't stay mad at her. Not when she had her hair up in a half-up-half-down ponytail with a single strand curled. Not when her eyes did that- thing. They would go glassy with unshed tears that conveniently did not fall. Allison was being completely vulnerable and Greg appreciated it. But not without a little pushback.

"Next time, just tell me, kay?" He cupped her cheek.

"So you're not mad?"

He had to stop being so damn soft, "Nah, baby." Those fucking eyes melted him every time.

Allison's mouth upturned into a smile and she kissed her lover on the cheek before planting a second on his lips.

"How long do we have?" Greg fluffed the pillows on his couch. He never fluffed the pillows on his couch.

"30 minutes. She got a taxi and should be here by 7:30."

Cameron helped House fluff the pillows. They were two nervous forces rushing around the apartment. House realized that his other half was twice the amount of uncomfortable as he was. It saddened him that she was this uneasy about her own mother mom present. He grabbed her hand.

"It's going to be okay."

She smiled, "I know. It's always the first part about getting back into things that stresses me out."

"Have a cup of coffee."

"Oh, no thank you, makes me more nervous. I"ll just-" she was interrupted by a knock at the door.

House's eyes widened, "Thirty minutes my ass!"

"She must've come early!" Allison's heart raced. She raced to the door.

Despite her racing heart, sweaty palms, and the overall anxious feeling in her stomach, Cameron answered the door with docile elegance. "Mom, come in, come in!"

An upper-middle-aged woman stepped across the foyer. "Hello, honey!" the elder Cameron woman stepped in for a hug. She then scanned the room: up, down, and all around. Her eyes found their way to Allison's naked ring finger. Allison noticed.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Cameron" House intruded.

"Please, call me Ruth." She extended herself for a hug once again, patting the doctor on the back. "So, you're the man my Ally is absolutely crazy about?"

"I hope so. Because this would be really awkward if I wasn't."

The nervous use of humor did not go undetected. "A funny one, too. I like him."

"Mom, let me show you your room."

"I'll take your bags," House grabbed a light suitcase as well as a duffel bag. "You packed light."

"This is only my first round of luggage. The other two cases should be arriving shortly. No way this would last me three months."

House lost all censorship abilities, "Th-three months?"

Ruth chuckled, looking pleased with herself for scaring the poor man, "I'm only kidding, Greg."

He made his overwhelming relief too obvious.

After settling her mother in, Allison stepped aside with House.

"She's really sweet, Allison. I don't know what you were so nervous about."

This is good, Allison thought. Maybe her mom would be normal this trip and she could stuff down the problems for the entirety of the visit. "Off to a great start, yeah." Allison remarked and rejoined her mother in the bedroom.

The three of them sat down at the dinner table. House had made Tikka Masala, something he knew how to make and make well.

Allison picked at her food.

"You should eat more, honey. You're so skinny." Ruth took a bite of the Indian cuisine. The woman herself was thin and toned; the Camerons obviously blessed with good genetics. That, and the value they placed on staying active.

"I eat enough, mom." As if to prove herself, she took two forkfuls of the sauced chicken.

"Keep it up or Greg here is gonna think you don't like his cooking." Ruth motioned her fork at House, "No way to treat your future husband, right?"

Ruth had said this with such ease that made it seem less like a slap in the face than it really was. Allison choked on her bite, needing to stand up and gulp what water she could get down.

"My what now?"