Cameron was right, House was facing a lot of demons, and it was only day three. "So, you think you could just tie these bundles up for us?" Harold called to House
"Sure, it's the least I could do" House called back, Cameron's family had been accepting of his injury, yet he still felt the need to help around. This was so not like him and he liked it…a little.
Cameron smiled watching him tie up the bundles from the kitchen window, "He is a stunner sweetie" Harriet cooed
"He is also older, smarter and more miserable than me" Cameron sighed going back to the dishes
"He is only as old as you make him, you're both just as smart and as miserable as each other…I may be old and I may be less educated than you sweetheart, but I know something when I see it and I'm telling you now…I see it" she gave her daughter a quick kiss and knowing smile before leaving the kitchen.
"Damn it" Cameron mumbled
MDMDMDMD
House had tied up a majority of the bundles before he noticed the backdoor opening, hoping it was Cameron he was strangely disappointed when it was Caroline.
"Morning House" she smiled
"Morning" he replied lifting another bundle to tie
"Julia is very fond of you already" she continued the conversation
"That she is" he once again went back to his work
"How long you staying here?"
"Two weeks" he sighed, "Is there a point to this?"
"Just a curious person" she smiled her 'cheeky' smile.
Just as she was about to continue Cameron walked out with a tray of drinks, "Ah my saviour!" he called
"Don't be too certain" Caroline smirked before walking away
House stared after her, before looking back at Cameron, "She's a weird one"
"You're telling me" Cameron laughed, he did like hearing her laugh, "Drink?"
"Please" he panted, "It's hot here"
"Yea but a lifetime of it helps, Jerseys a lot cooler" she smiled
"Yes and I get out of work easier" she laughed at this again, unaware that her male relatives, plus father were enjoying the sound of it.
"You do realise no ones making you work right? Everyone is fully aware of your injury"
"Yes, but then I couldn't do this" he pulled her into a hug, his sweaty shirt connecting with her crisp dry one
"Greg!" she shrieked, "Oh let go…this is so disgusting!"
House let go smirking, "You're a doctor and this grosses you out?"
She nodded enthusiastically, "I have to get these to other people" she motioned to the remaining drinks
"Now that would have been funny" she looked at him, and he sighed, "Explaining takes out all the fun…you drinks…spill?" Realisation dawned on her features, "Ah ha! There is someone home upstairs!"
"Go back to work House" she smirked walking away
"UNCLE GREG! UNCLE GREG!" Julia called from the back door
The men turned to face him, "What's wrong Julia?" House called
"Melanie won't let me play the playstation!" she cried
"Come here Julia" House called back
The little girl came running towards him, he bent slightly so he was closer to her level, "Yes?" she asked adorably
"Ok, you have to make a big promise here" He couldn't help but smirk, Julia had picked up the same feature her Aunt possessed, crossing her heart he began again, "Ok I need to to promise that if I lend you my PSP you will take care of it, otherwise no pictures of Steve and no visit from him either" Once again she croseed her heart.
Cameron nearly dropped the glass she was holding when she witnessed House handing over his prized PSP, "You ok sweetie?" her dad John asked
"I…I think so…did I just see him give Julia his PSP?" she asked to no one in particular
"Yea I think that was what is was, why?"
"He never gives out his PSP…not even to Wilson" she explained, "Not unless it was to a patient and he was trying to waste clinic hours"
"Well, I guess you don't know him as well as you thought, take him inside with you, he looks half dead" John gave her a quick kiss taking the glass, "I'll bring these in later"
"Ok" she walked towards House, "Come on you, you've had too much time in the sun, you're doing things that aren't you anymore" she tugged on his arm
MDMDMDMD
Something Caroline mentioned earlier had stuck in House's mind, 'Don't be to certain' Don't be too certain about what? Finding Caroline alone in the lounge he asked her, "What id you mean earlier about Cameron not being a saviour?"
"I knew you'd ask me sooner or later" Caroline smirked sitting up, "She was always the heartbreaker, never could settle, until Brian…then he died and she's been walled up every since. I don't think she remembers how to love anymore"
"I beg to differ"
"Have you seen her with anyone? Heard of anything about her dating anyone? She will only date a guy if she really likes them or loves them…shes done nothing since Brian died…she's dead herself I think" Caroline continued, "That's why I think she lost the baby after Brian died, couldn't live with it any longer"
"She had an abortion? It wasn't in her medical file" House mumbled
"Wouldn't be, she miscarried and didn't report it" Caroline explained, "She's too dead to love anyone, even you"
"I don't…I never…She wouldn't…"
"Love you or you love her? The way she is protective gives that she might care, but love? She can't love"
"More than I can say for you" Cameron's voice entered the conversation, "You can't help but love anyone, you have no idea what the concept of marriage and even actual love is! That's why you're alone with two beautiful girls wasting away here, because you couldn't love their father exclusively…you had to go shag everyone else as well" House had seen Cameron angry, but never spiteful
"How dare you judge me, you haven't had to live here…"
"I would kill to be able to just give everything up and settle down, move back here and start a family, in fact we were going to"
"How could you think that you had a chance? The man was dieing!"
House watched as the tears began, "Hey, stop it both of you"
"Stop what she started it, and by the looks of it, you we're enjoying the information. Just another part to the puzzle right?" her eyes killed him
"You want me to say yes? You want me to say I enjoyed hearing that you lost a child, after I know how much you want one? Well you're wrong, I'm not happy and it's not just another piece, it's you…finally" He rose facing her, Caroline ignored, "I came to find out if what I said that night was founded, and it wasn't"
"Some of it was"
"What night?" Caroline asked
"Oh you didn't tell her? We went on a date" Cameron smiled on the inside as Caroline's jaw dropped
"You went out with Ally?"
"Yes…she's a very good…doctor…too good in my opinion" he smiled at Cameron
"Wait I'm lost" Caroline tried getting back the attention
Unfortunately for Caroline the family had entered the lounge to hear the proceedings, all it seemed to them was that House and Cameron bickered and made up, bickered and made up. "Here's a road map Caroline" Uncle Jim handed her a road map for New Jersey, "Go find your way and leave these two alone"
"But…"
"GO!" everyone except House and Cameron shouted
Caroline left the two in the lounge, who were being watched by everyone else, Julia, being the adorable little girl that she is thought it was high time everyone knew what she wanted. "Are you getting married now? I want Uncle Greg to marry Aunt Allison"
"It's not that simple" Cameron bent down, "See, Uncle Greg is my boss, we barely go a day without fighting…"
"But Nanna and Poppy fight all the time and they're married!"
House touched Cameron's shoulder, "Let me try" he looked at Julia, "Come here" he sat down and she sat next to him, "It's a lot harder than it sounds. First Aunt Allison and I have to have a successful date. Then we need to love each other enough to want to spend the rest of our lives together. I just don't think that either of us are ready for such a big step" the little girls face dropped, "But…I am willing to negotiate the terms of Uncleship, visitation of Steve McQueen and visits"
Julia's face lit up "Really? So you'll still be Uncle Greg?"
"Yep"
"Will you marry Aunt Ally soon though?"
"How about you let me worry about that one?" he asked giving the girl a hug
"Ok" she gave him a hug and a kiss before running out of the room, taking her relatives with her.
"I'm so sorry for that" Cameron sat next to him
"Don't be, I just don't get what kind of pull that little girl has on me…none of this is to be spoken to anyone, I still have a reputation"
She couldn't help but laugh at his face, "I promise, but still, I'm sorry you didn't have to work or put up with Caroline"
"If it weren't for Caroline I wouldn't understand something's about you" he rationalised
"There are something's I didn't want you to know, like loosing my child" she looked down
He grabbed her chin, "Never be sorry for something like that" his eyes were brimming with his own tears of failed relationships, his father. He wanted something like this before the infarction.
A/N: No, this is not dead; no I'm not dead…although I feel like it. I'm sorry it is taking me forever it seems to update, I just don't have net at my place, and I'm only home at the folks every few weeks…
I hope you enjoy this chapter…it's a little airy fairy, mushy/angsty but it seems to work well…Oh and I fixed the name problem in chapter three if you wondering…the husband is now Brian, and her dad John. Sorry for the confusion!
Fyre-Anjel