Title: Save The Best For Last (Chapter 13)
Pairing: W/C, H/OC
Warnings: Spoilers through the end of Season 1
Summary: "Sometimes the very thing you're looking for is the one thing you can't see."
Disclaimer: Don't own "House, M.D." or any characters, locations or other things related to it. The title and summary are from the Vanessa Williams song "Save the Best for Last" Also, you may recognize bits of the dialogue here because they are a direct quote from the show and therefore not mine. Just borrowing it for a little while.

Notes: Ok people, this is the end, last chapter. I really enjoyed writing this story and want to thank all of the readers and reviewers, especially 'runs with scissors' and 'basketballchick1121' without your reviews and encouragements this story would have stalled in production… :). Please review this chapter and let me know what you thought of the ending. Also, to those who are interested please look for the sequel to The Softer Side, tentatively titled, Looking Back. You all are the best… ;P

Chapter 13 – Love Conquers All

Cameron woke feeling strong, gentle arms wrapped around her. She smiled and snuggled in closer. She had been happily surprised when Wilson had shown up at 12:30, saying House had decided that "half-drunk" was enough. She had grinned and dragged him to the bedroom, vowing to take advantage of him. He had started to protest that he wasn't drunk at all, then realized that was hardly the point.

"Good morning, beautiful." He whispered in her ear, startling her from her reverie.

She turned to him, smiling. "Good morning." She reached forward to kiss him, then pulled away smiling and stretching lazily. "So, what's on your agenda today?"

"Oh…I was thinking I'd call in sick and tie you to the bed and make love to you all day." He leered at her. She giggled at his teasing and he chuckled. "Same old, same old, really. Plus, I thought I'd try to talk to House, see if he's come to his senses about this Elizabeth mess."

She nodded. "Well, I'm going to see if I can get Elizabeth alone to talk, probably do lunch or something."

"Good idea. I'll let House have that tidbit."

"Yeah, let him know I could take a message to her."

"Sounds like a plan."

mdmdmdmdmdmd

Wilson was just about to go into House's office when something came flying out; it narrowly missed Wilson's head as he walked into the office, watching the Gameboy smash onto the hall floor. "Ok, I think it's dead."

House glared at him and picked up his yo-yo.

Wilson watched his friend wind the string around the toy and let it drop. The yo-yo hit the floor before House tugged on the string. "Distracted?"

This earned him another glare. House sighed and put the yo-yo back on his desk. "She's working today. Can you believe it? Her husband was shot yesterday, and today she's back at work."

Wilson had taken his usual seat. "Well, number one, she works at the hospital where she could conceivably look after her husband and work at the same time. Second, and more importantly, I and everyone else I've talked to got the distinct impression that she couldn't care less about even seeing the guy again."

House nodded and laid his head on the back of his chair. "I heard her tell him off yesterday. Apparently, he was abusive, and she's been trying to divorce him for years. I guess he just denied her a divorce to keep control."

"Well, that explains why she left New York and her husband. It even kind of explains why she never told you about him."

House looked at him. "What?"

"Maybe she was too afraid of how you'd react, afraid you wouldn't understand."

"I guess." House closed his eyes. "It doesn't matter, though. She lied to me; it doesn't matter why. I can't trust her now." His whole posture conveyed one thing: defeat.

Wilson couldn't believe it. 'He's just going to let her go!' "Just like that. You're going to give up and let go of the best thing that's happened to you." House's eyes met his. "You fought a pretty damn big war with yourself to let her in in the first place, and now you're going to let her go without a fight?"

"What am I supposed to do? Just forgive her and go on as if nothing had happened?" House shook his head. "That's not me."

Wilson shook his head. "You're wrong. That's not the old you. But then again, the old you wouldn't have fallen for the girl in the first place. If you're too stubborn to see the difference in yourself…" He stood. "Then maybe you don't deserve her anyway."

House looked at Wilson in surprise. "Hey. I thought you were my friend. Shouldn't you be on my side?"

Wilson sighed. "I am on your side, House. You were happy with her, and you know it. This new info shouldn't change that. I'm just trying to make you see that."

"So, this is tough love?"

Wilson gave a small smile. "It's the only thing that works on you." Before he turned to go, he offered one more tidbit for House to think on. "Cameron's having lunch with Elizabeth today; let me know if you need her to pass on any messages."

mdmdmdmdmdmd

"We met in college. He was the TA in my Comp I class the first semester of my freshman year." Elizabeth was telling Cameron about Nate over lunch. "He was handsome, charming, and older. We met in August, he proposed on our six-month anniversary, and we got married in June, the summer before my sophomore year. I was nineteen. Things were great at first, but then he started becoming more possessive and controlling, and then the physical abuse. After about a year of marriage, I told him I wanted a divorce. His response was to hire someone to kill me." Cameron gasped. "I killed the guy in self-defense before he could really hurt me, but he did a good amount of damage." Her hand went to her abdomen. "There was no evidence to link him to the guy, so he got away scot-free, but I know it was him. After that, every time he found out I was trying to file for divorce, he'd refuse and beat the shit out of me. I only stayed in New York because of Jason. When Jason was killed, there was nothing holding me there anymore."

Cameron nodded in understanding. "You never told House about any of this?"

"I told him about being stabbed, obviously, couldn't hide the scars. I told him it had been an ex-boyfriend. And I told him about Jason; I just left out the part about it being an affair. I didn't tell him about Nate being my husband." She sighed. "I know I should have. Part of me knew that Nate would find me, and all hell would break loose, but part of me thought that maybe he'd just let me go, decide it just wasn't worth it. As the months passed, it was easier and easier to believe that, and I just didn't see a reason to upset the delicate balance I had with Greg."

"I understand what you're saying, but House doesn't see it that way. He sees any lie as a betrayal. It doesn't matter what the lie is, or why you did it. It's the unpardonable sin. He doesn't trust many people, and to betray that trust…" She paused. "It'll be hard to get that back." She saw the tears welling up in Elizabeth's eyes. "But…if anyone can do it, you can. I believe that you two will be ok." She offered a comforting smile.

Elizabeth wiped away a stray tear. "I hope so. I can't stand the thought of living without him now."

Cameron's heart ached sympathetically; she couldn't imagine the pain Elizabeth felt, and hoped she'd never know.

mdmdmdmdmdmd

"Well, we did everything we could to steer them; here's hoping they do the rest." Wilson raised his glass in a toast.

Cameron clinked her glass with his and took a sip. "I understand both sides' reactions. I can't imagine having to deal with that situation."

He nodded in agreement, and silence settled over the couple as they finished dinner.

A couple of hours later, they were curled together on the couch when his cell phone rang.

He looked at the number. "It's House." He sounded slightly confused but answered. "Hello?"

"It's me. I just wanted to tell you that Elizabeth and I have had a long talk, and we're going to give it another try. So, you two can stop worrying; we're going to be alright." House spoke quickly, trying to get it all out before Wilson interrupted.

Wilson was grinning. "I told you so." He chuckled. "Seriously though, that's great. Happy for both of you."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow." House hung up.

Wilson put his cell down and looked at Cameron, who was watching him intently. "They're getting back together."

She smiled. "Good. That's…that's great. I knew they would."

Wilson nodded and collapsed against the back of the couch. "Been a long few days." He took a deep breath, releasing it loudly.

She nodded; then turned serious. "James, promise me you won't leave me." Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper.

He looked at her, took hold of her hand and pulled her to him. "Allison, I promise that I will be here no matter what. I can't promise that it will be easy, or that I won't break your heart sometimes. But I can promise to love you forever." He kissed her.

Just like that, all her worries melted, and she fell for him even more. They'd be okay, come what may. No matter what the song says; maybe love is enough.

The End