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James Wilson sat down for lunch in the hospital cafeteria and smiled as he spotted the little melodrama playing itself out at a table across the room. Dr.'s Cameron, Forman and Chase were treating the two new members of House's staff to lunch, and if the looks of panic on the two rookie's faces were any clue they were getting an earful of the antics of one Dr. Gregory House.

One thing he was sure they were not hearing was any mention of the fact that the woman seated across from them encouraging and abetting the storytelling was carrying the mad doctor's baby. Everyone had been sworn to secrecy on spilling a word about their relationship as Allison and Greg had a rather hefty wager placed on which of the two young men would figure it out first. Allison had her money on Cooper, House had Shulman.

In reality there was no money involved in the bet as that would have been pretty pointless. They no longer even had separate checking accounts. Instead, the outcome of the bet would determine where they spent the long weekend they were planning to celebrate being together for a year. The anniversary date had actually already passed, but with their schedules they had decided on a weekend they could both easily get away. Allison had planned a quiet weekend in Vermont at a posh resort where they could enjoy the fall colors. House had made plans to spend the weekend in Atlantic City.

Wilson glanced behind him when he saw Dr. Shulman look that way nervously and saw the man in question approaching, tray in hand. He waved him on over and waited for him to get settled.

"You're wife is having way too much fun over there," he informed his friend.

House paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. "Now that's going to take some getting used to."

"Hey when I suggested putting a ring on her finger I didn't mean you had to do it within the next forty-eight hours!" Wilson teased.

"What was I supposed to do? I was suddenly confronted with a hormonal woman who had just realized that her baby was going to have a different last name than she was. I saw a problem, I fixed the problem," House explained.

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In retrospect he probably should have realized she'd been abnormally subdued over the past two days. Ever since they had signed the paperwork for the new house. He didn't really notice her silence until they were driving home Friday night and then he looked over to see if she was all right only to find her staring at him with a pensive look on her face.

He waited until they got inside the townhouse then turned to her with a sigh. "Out with it," he demanded.

"What?" she replied looking a bit nervous.

"Whatever it is you want to tell me or ask me that has your shorts in a bunch," he replied.

She took a deep breath. "House, will you marry me?"

Several thoughts ran through his head. Was she psychic or had overheard his conversation with Wilson at lunch? Why was she asking him? Of all the thoughts the only one that mattered was what finally came out of his mouth when he replied.

"Sure."

Allison looked at him as if he'd grown a second head. "Did you say 'sure'?" she asked.

"Yes, ok, I do, sure." House confirmed. "Can I know what brought this on now though?"

"It's stupid really," she told him blushing.

"Not if it's made you decide you want to do something as serious as getting married to a grumpy old coot like me," he told her.

Allison looked at him in disbelief. Didn't he know? "I've always wanted to marry you, you idiot. It just wasn't something I needed to push. I figured when the time was right it would happen," she said shrug. Then she sighed. "But signing the contract for the new house made me realize something. When the baby is born, he or she will be a 'House' and I won't be. So I don't want to wait any longer. I want to be Allison House on that birth certificate."

"Ok," House told her again. "Just how big of a circus event are we talking about?" he asked cautiously.

"I don't care if we go to Vegas," she told him, still a bit off balance at how well he was taking her request.

"Sounds good to me. Why don't you start dinner and I will make some phone calls," he told her.

"House! Wait!" Allison put out her hand to grab him. "You're sure?"

House pulled her into a hug so that the baby was positioned between them and could kick them both. "No, I want to buy a house together, raise a family together and spend the rest of my life with you, but I'm not sure I want to marry you," he teased.

"Just checking," Allison said with a grin.

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"Well, Julie thought it was very romantic. The whole whirlwind trip to Vegas was a real boost to our marriage," Wilson reported with a satisfied grin.

"Slept in your own bed again last night did you?" House inquired without thinking as he was absorbed with watching the show across the room.

"Well sleeping wasn't the primary activity, but yeah," his friend confessed.

House looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "James you dog!"

"Look who's talking! You and your lovely bride were almost late for your own wedding because you were otherwise occupied," James reminded him.

"Gotta love those pregnancy hormones," House acknowledged. "Better be careful Jimmy, or before you know it you'll be happily married and putting together nursery furniture, too.

James just smiled. "Just like you?"

House realizing what he'd just admitted gave his friend a glare. "Got a problem with that?"

"Not at all my friend, not at all."

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Although House and Cameron were discrete, the clues were everywhere if the new doctors cared to look for them. However the first day they were too busy trying to impress House (or at least not embarrass themselves). As it turned out, one of the tests House ordered threw up a huge red flag with Dr. Cooper and by the next day they had a diagnosis and treatment well under way. That meant that the young men could relax a bit and learn the routine of the office and the clinic.

They already had been witness to Chase and Foreman making a fuss over Cameron's ring. Besides shaking their heads in dismay that she had actually gotten married, her friends had both raised an eyebrow at the ring itself.

"Just how much does he make?" Chase inquired.

When Allison looked confused Foreman clarified. "That is some serious money on your finger Cam," he said.

Dr. Cooper was the first to notice the ultrasound printout on House's desk as he gave him the update on their patient.

"Is that Dr. Cameron's baby?" He asked.

"Yep," House replied giving nothing away.

And it was Cooper who noticed House was now sporting a wedding ring. He double-checked with Shulman, and neither could recall seeing it when they were interviewed.

"You don't think…" Cooper speculated.

"No way. I can't see anyone putting up with House, let alone Cameron," Shulman scoffed.

Still Cooper's curiosity was peaked and he quietly observed. They paired up for the clinic duty that afternoon and he was glad to be put with Dr. Cameron. From what he could see House had the bedside manner of a bull in a china shop. Dr. Cameron however was the polar opposite. She offered a quick smile and gentle manner and a keen eye for those cases that needed more that a quick fix. After they'd been at it for two hours they had admitted three patients and sent another six on their way home. When they exited the exam room they were met by House and Shulman at the nurse's station.

"Break time, boys and girls," he announced. "Fifteen minutes, and I want you off your feet for all of those Cameron," he ordered.

Cooper turned as he was leaving. "Can I get you anything from the cafeteria, Dr. Cameron?" he asked politely.

"A Diet Coke please. I haven't had my one dose of caffeine yet today," she requested with a smile.

After the two young doctors left House escorted Allison into one of the exam rooms and made her sit on the bed with her feet up.

"So I see you've made another fan," he teased.

"He's genuinely nice, House. I can't believe you hired him," she shot back with a grin. "How is Shulman holding up?"

"That one is going to drive me crazy. I swear if I say up he says down just to see what I'll do," House complained.

"We can switch for the rest of the day," she offered.

"I was hoping you would say that," he confessed.

As they had been talking he'd sat down on the bed and slid in a bit behind her a bit so that he could massage her shoulders. Soon Allison gave a little moan of delight as her tense muscles started to loosen up. Just then there was a tentative knock on the door.

"Come in," House said with a sigh.

Cooper nervously poked his head in. "Am I interrupting?"

"Of course not," Allison smiled.

"What exactly did you think was going on in here?" House asked with a chuckle.

At that Allison rolled her eyes. "Don't mind House. If he doesn't behave I'll let it out just how good his backrubs are and his reputation will be shot overnight," Cameron threatened. "Thanks for getting my drink."

With that Cooper left the room and Allison turned to give House a swat.

"That was mean," she told him. "But I think I'm about to win the bet."

"Great," House grimaced standing and turned to help her off the bed. "Let's go face the music."

Sure enough there was a small crowd waiting for them including Dr. Cuddy who stepped forward to speak for them all. "We hear congratulations are in order," she smiled. "Or condolences as the case may be, Allison."

Allison was now totally confused.

One of the nurses smiled at her and explained. "Dr. Wilson told us we could answer if one of House's new doctors asked if you two were involved. Except Dr. Cooper asked if you were married. So we told him no, that neither of you were married."

"I pointed out you were both sporting brand new wedding rings," Cooper said with a shy smile.

"Which I want to see immediately," Cuddy demanded. "House you constantly surprise me," she said shaking her head after seeing the beautiful diamond wedding band.

"It's what I live for," House replied. "Now as you are so often reminding me, there are patients to see," he gripped.

Cuddy sighed. "Back to work everyone."

As Allison picked up a chart and signaled Dr. Shulman that he should follow her she turned on last time to House.

"Hey House, don't forget to cancel the Atlantic City reservations," she reminded him.

"Are you sure? Because I hear that the honeymoon suite has a heart shaped Jacuzzi," he commented.

Allison chuckled. "As tempting as that sounds I think I'll pass. The room I've booked has a Jacuzzi, fireplace, and a full kitchen. If we plan it right we'll never have to leave the room," she promised with a wink.

House stopped as he was about to enter the exam room where his next patient was waiting and turned to Cooper with a delighted grin.

"That woman is going to be the death of me," he predicted. "And I'm going to go with a huge smile on my face."

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TBC