"So, Allison," Cameron's mother takes a seat across from her daughter and next to her husband at a table outside of the hospital. "What's this big news that you said you had? Did you get a promotion?"
"Yes, I actually did. I've been offered Assistant Head of Immunology. But that's not what I had to share."
"Why are you being offered that position? Are you leaving your fellowship?" Cameron's father questions her once her mother has professed her congratulations.
"My fellowship ends in three months. Before I could look at putting out my resume, Dr. Cuddy offered me the job here. The Immunology Head is retiring in two years, having this job puts me on the fast track for his job when he leaves."
"That's good news, but if it's not the news that you called us out here to tell us, then what is?" Cameron's father asks.
"Well, I've been seeing someone for the past five months - though I've known him for three years - and he's proposed." Cameron falls silent as she waits for her parent's reactions. She doesn't have to wait long.
"It's not that Ken doll you told us about, is it?" Her father's anger seems barely contained, and Cameron is thankful that the answer is 'no'.
"No, it's not. And the 'Ken doll's' name is Chase."
"Has he met your siblings?" Alice asks.
"Yes. He actually proposed the day after he met Adam, Ashley and Maggie."
"So he's met Maggie? Did she-?"
"Welcomed him with open arms." Cameron answers her mother's question quickly. "And he met Alex and Angela three months ago when the two of them were here in Princeton for a case of Angie's. Though he hasn't met Derek and Melissa yet."
"And 'his' name is…?" William asks.
"Greg." Cameron doesn't have to wait long for their reactions, though her mother is the one who voices their question.
"As in 'House', or a different Greg?"
"Greg House, my boss."
"He makes you happy?"
"Immensely, Dad. More than I ever thought I could be again."
"Please don't tell me that I have to fork over another five figures for your wedding."
Cameron laughs at her dad's teasing. "We were actually discussing that when you two showed up. We just want a simple ceremony with immediate family and closest friends only. We'll do the big party at another time. He undoubtedly suggested that because he knows that if the person really matters we can give them less than one week's notice and they'd still find a way to show up."
"And you're happy with that?"
"I had the big wedding once before Mom, neither of us want that this time around. Honestly, I'd be happy with a Justice of Peace, so long as he's the one standing next to me saying 'I do'."
"Good to know."
"So, shall I go introduce you to your future son-in-law?" The trio gets up and head toward the hospital once William tucks his wife and daughter under each arm.
Just before entering the hospital, they stop when they bump into a couple just inside the door. The apology that is on Cameron's lips doesn't get past her vocal cords when she sees who it is that they've collided with.
"Dr. Cameron, isn't it? You work with Greg."
"Yes. It's good to see you again Mrs. House. Your son didn't mention that you and your husband were going to be visiting."
"Well, we heard about how hard he tried to get out of dinner with us last time we were passing through, so we thought we'd surprise him this time. Is it a bad time?"
"No, actually. We're patient-less at the moment. Come on, I'll show you up." Cameron extends her hand to allow them ahead of her and Blythe House takes note of her ring.
"You're engaged, Dr. Cameron? Congratulations. When's the big day?" They've stopped at the bank of elevators and Cameron turns to answer the question while her father summons an elevator.
"We haven't set a date yet. He actually just proposed Saturday night."
"Have you made any plans yet?"
"We're leaning towards a family only ceremony with a big party later."
"And will you continue working?" This comes from House's father.
"Yes, I will. I'm transferring to another department in three months. It means more work, but I'll have more regular hours." The door opens at their floor and they all get off and head toward Diagnostics. House's office is still empty, but Chase, Foreman and Reed are all in the Conference room. They all look up as the group enters.
"Grams, Grandpa!" Elliot gets to her feet and embraces her grandparents. "What are you two doing here?"
"We thought we'd stop by and surprise Greg. Where is he?"
"I think he's having lunch with Wilson at the moment. He should be back soon though, we just paged him with a new case." Elliot looks to the two people standing behind Cameron and silently questions her.
"Everyone, these are my parents, William and Alice Cameron. Mom, Dad, these are my other fellows: Dr. Eric Foreman, Dr. Robert Chase, and Dr. Elliot Reed. What's the new case?" Cameron takes the file from Elliot's hand and opens it. Only Elliot can tell that this is done to hide her nervousness at the fact that in just a few moments, her parents are about to meet House as her fiance - not her boss - and his parents are about to meet hers - not knowing that their son proposed to her, who's practically young enough to be their granddaughter.
"Alright duckies, what's the latest - oh crap!" House draws up short when he sees his parents standing in the room. "Mom, Dad. What are you doing here?"
"We decided not to give you the opportunity to cancel on us this time. Don't worry, sweetie, it's just a drive by, we're due in Jacksonville tomorrow afternoon. One of your father's buddies is retiring, we're going down for his Hail and Farewell."
"Really? Well, that's good news." House moves in to give his mother a hug, seeking out Cameron's gaze. She meets his gaze slightly, eyes widening in worry before returning her gaze to the folder in her hands.
"But you have a case at the moment. How about we leave you alone and perhaps we can bring you and your team dinner this evening before we get back on the road."
"That would be good." Just before the two sets of parents leave, Blythe turns back around and addresses Cameron.
"Oh, and Dr. Cameron? Perhaps then you can tell us about this fiance of yours."
Cameron smiles tightly at her future mother-in-law in response and keeps it until they leave. Alice turns to glance back at her daughter, whose eyes widen as she shakes her head slightly in a silent warning not to say anything to House's parents just yet. Once the parents are out of sight, she collapses into one of the chairs burying her face in her crossed arms on the table. The room is silent while they listen to Cameron's deep, calming breaths. After a moment, she lifts her head and seeks out House.
"You will tell them about us tonight when they come with dinner." She orders, "No beating around the proverbial bush. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am." House turns to the white board and starts writing the symptoms down as Cameron reads them off the history. Behind them, Foreman leans toward his two colleagues and murmurs out the corner of his mouth.
"I guess we now know who's going to be wearing the pants in this marriage." The two others snort slightly in laughter before taking their own seats and turning their attention to the differential.
Alright, so I had planned on making this one a bit longer and ending the series here, but I've gotten more than a few requests to continue it, and thus it will be. But this is the end of this story. What I'm going to do is start another story that will have several one-shots depicting events in their married life and life after. If anyone has any ideas of what they'd like to see, let me know, but I'll warn you, the first story will be their wedding, so please, no requests for the wedding day.
And I'll be doing these snapshots along with the next story: Black Sheep
Summary: Allison Cameron seems like a parents' pride...What if she's actually the black sheep of her family? Post S3, starts out CamChase, but will become HouseCameron.
Oh yeah, a Hail and Farewell is a party for members of the military that are retiring or transferring to another base. Though it's only done for the transfer if the officer in question has been on base for an extended period of time (I don't know what the time frame is, but I'd imagine that it's more than 10 years).