Amazing Grace- A House/NCIS story

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything House related except DVDs. Ryan is mine, though.

AN. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, especially sabu53, you made my morning. I like that everyone is so pleased I update so much so quick. My secret is, the story has actually been finished for months. Ha ha. Sometimes, I'll pause for drama though.

Chapter sixteen:

Cameron and House had finally settled into a steady relationship, and while this was big news for the hospital staff, the couple themselves were simply enjoying their new found happiness. House was surprised by how well it seemed to be going, and although for the first month, Cameron had remained shy and awkward around him both outside and inside work, he persisted until she became as comfortable with him as she had been in Wisconsin. House, whether consciously or not, was steering clear of any major 'relationship' moments, and he caught himself wondering, as their three month anniversary approached, if she was expecting him to face them.

"It's Cameron," Wilson told his friend when House finally confided these fears in him, in a tone that suggested the answer was obvious.

"She's known you for three years, and she's been in love with you for most of that time. She knows who you are and how you do things."

House wasn't convinced. "Yeah, ok. But she's also a woman. And she's not just any woman, she's an emotional one. She likes these things... expressed. Feelings and stuff. I don't know..."

As House sighed, Wilson couldn't help but smile slightly knowing this meant House was serious. "House, do you love her?"

House looked outraged at the implication that he felt otherwise. "Of course! I'm not sleeping with her just because she's gorgeous! And I wasn't ready to kill DiNozzo for looking at her because she was in the room!"

Wilson grinned, holding up his arms in defeat. "Ok. But have you actually told Cameron that?"

"Only with chocolate," House quipped. "No, I haven't. That's why I'm talking to you! Well, that and the fact that you're buying lunch."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "Like that's anything new. Is there any particular reason why you haven't told her how you feel? I mean, she's over at your place all the time; she practically lives there!"

"I know. I'm not sure how you know that, unless you're stalking me again... or her." House sighed, and rubbed his temples. "I'm not so good with the words. Or the actions, for that matter."

"When you got together, didn't you tell her that you'll be fine, as long as you agreed to talk about things?"

"Yes," House admitted.

Wilson gestured to the door. "So, why the hell are you still talking to me?"

House actually smiled, and nodded, standing but taking Wilson's crisps with him.

"Hey, House?"

House turned at his friend's door, to find him grinning broadly. "What?"

"You are so whipped!" Wilson laughed, and House glared at him, before leaving. House made his way to the lab, where he had sent Cameron half an hour earlier to run tests on their latest patient, still musing over what to say when he got her. As he approached, he became distracted by a sound coming from within the lab. Stopping outside the glass doors, he looked inside and smiled softly; Cameron was in the lab, the radio was on, and she was singing softly and sweetly to herself.

"House?" Cuddy approached him. House raised a hand as a signal for her to be silent, and she turned to see what he was looking at. Cameron continued humming as the song changed, oblivious to her audience behind the glass and she went about her work. House finally tore his gaze away to find Cuddy grinning smugly at him.

"What?" he asked innocently.

Cuddy laughed at her employee, grinning. "You are pathetic!" she exclaimed.

"I didn't do anything!" House protested.

Cuddy shook her head in disagreement. "Yeah, you did. House, I swear, if you stuff this up, you'd better run… or limp very fast, because everyone in this hospital will make you pay."

"Yeah, I get it. Everyone loves Cameron," he rolled his eyes.

"Not only that, everyone is grateful to her for putting up with you for so long," Cuddy grinned, giving House a pointed look before walking away.

House sighed and opened the door, entering the lab. Cameron stopped her singing as she looked around to see who it was and flashed him a brilliant smile.

"Hey! The tests aren't done yet."

House nodded and sat down on a stool. "That's okay."

Cameron was puzzled by his quiet behaviour and she put down the microscope slide she had just picked up. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, fine," he assured her.

Cameron nodded briefly after regarding him momentarily, and decided he would tell her when she was ready. "So, what do you want to do for dinner tonight? I left some chicken out to thaw this morning, but if you'd rather order in.."

"No, chicken's fine," he assured her quickly.

"Ok, then. I'll whip up some rice and vegies to go with it," she suggested brightly.

House nodded and watched her work for a moment. She headed across the room to start another test, and as she returned, passing him, he suddenly reached out and trailed a hand along her waist. Although Cameron turned and smiled at him, she knew whatever was on his mind was big. House was comfortable with their relationship, but wasn't one to display it physically outside of home.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" she asked him cautiously, faintly worried.

"I just need to say something," he began nervously.

"Ok," she replied simply.

"I love you," he told her, thinking it best to just say it. He had expected her to get all teary and emotional, and fling herself into his arms, declaring her equally sentimental feelings. However, she just smiled at him, beaming. "I love you too," she answered, and returned to her microscope.

House was stunned. "Did I miss something? I thought that was supposed to be some big Hollywood chick flick moment."

Cameron laughed and turned to face him. She moved closer to him, and took her hands in his. "It is, normally. But this isn't a normal relationship. I love that you've said it aloud, really I do, and I do love you too."

"But?" House pressed, still confused.

Cameron shrugged. "I already knew. I've known for about two years now, I've always been able to see it in your eyes."

House was stunned and he encircled Cameron's waist, stopping her from moving away. "Really?"

She nodded, her expression serious. "Yeah. Your eyes tell what your mouth won't."

He fingered her jaw gently, placing a stray lock of hair that had escaped from her ponytail behind her ear. "Well, my mouth is saying it now, and as my brain's just realised this, I'd appreciate it if you gushed about it."

Cameron giggled and nodded. "I can do that."

"Good. I love you," he said sincerely, pulling her even closer.

She chuckled and smiled, allowing a few happy tears to well up in her eyes. "I love you too," she whispered and he kissed her. They separated when a loud 'Ahem!' came from the doorway, and they both turned to see Chase in the doorway, blushing awkwardly.

"What?" House demanded, frustrated he had interrupted.

"Uh, I just came to check if the tests are done," Chase explained, embarrassed.

The machine beeped, and Cameron reluctantly pulled out of her boyfriend's arms to go check the results.

"Her tox screen is positive for speed and cannabis!" she read in amazement.

"That explains the hallucinations," House said thoughtfully.

"All her other symptoms can be explained by an allergic reaction to the medicine the ER gave her for the abdomen pain," Chase added.

"Which turned out to be the ectopic pregnancy," Cameron finished.

"That was boring," House sighed in disappointment. "Chase, change pain meds, tell her to get off the drugs and send her home tomorrow," he ordered, and Chase disappeared.

House checked his watch. "I've got to get down to the clinic. I'll meet you at your place?"

She nodded, smiling and he kissed her before leaving. As he headed reluctantly down to the lobby, he met Wilson by the nurses' station, who automatically followed his friend to the lobby.

"How'd it go?" he asked immediately, and House stared at him.

"Were you a high school cheerleader in your past life? All you do is gossip like a teenage girl."

Wilson sighed. "Did you even do it?"

"Yes, I did. To which she promptly replied 'thanks'. It was a very OC-Ryan-and-Marissa moment."

Wilson frowned in confusion and House shrugged. "Apparently, she's already known for about two years. Me saying it out loud is just a tickle for her."

Wilson was stunned. "Wait, she knew?"

"According to her, my eyes are smarter than my brain, and display information and emotions I'm not aware of."

When he finally got the story out of him, Wilson was amazed. "What the hell have you done to deserve her?"

"Well, in my past life, I was Hitler, that's why I bummed my leg. But in my life before that, I was Jesus Christ."

Wilson rolled his eyes as they emerged into the lobby. "Of course."

Clinic duty dragged by for House that afternoon, and he made his way eagerly to Cameron's just after six. When he let himself in, he found the chicken cooking on the stove, and Cameron, who had changed into denim shorts and a t-shirt reading Save the Earth, it's the only planet that has chocolate written across it, reading the paper at the counter.

"What are you doing?" he asked in bewilderment, after kissing the top of her head and getting a beer from her fridge.

She held up a letter that was also on the bench. "Notice from my landlord. My lease is up in ninety days, and I'm not sure I want to renew."

"I like your place," House pouted.

"I do too, but in the three years I've lived here, I've acquired a lot more crap, as Matt would say," she laughed. "I'd be nice to get a place that's a bit bigger. Maybe a spare room for when people come to visit now that I have so many family and friends interstate."

"Any luck?" House asked her, now interested.

She shook her head in frustration as she went to check the rice. "Everything's too expensive. Feel free to give me a pay rise," she teased.

House pulled the paper over the table and looked at the classifieds pensively.

"Earth to Greg! Come in Greg!" Cameron laughed and he looked up at her shortly after.

"Sorry, what?"

"I asked you if you wanted to eat at the table or in front of the TV," she repeated.

"Uh, the table's good," he replied and Cameron nodded. He watched as she set the table and finished cooking and serving their meals, and brought the paper with him to the table as they sat down.

"What if we got a place together?" he asked abruptly and Cameron nearly choked on a mouthful of chicken.

"What?" she gasped, stunned at his request.

"Well, I was going to ask you to move in with me, but my place isn't that big either. Besides, we're practically living together anyway, we may as well do it officially."

Cameron could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Wow, your brain is catching up really fast, isn't it?" she teased, but House didn't smile.

Instead, he got up and came around to sit next to her, taking her hand. "Ally, this isn't some spur of the moment impulse thing," he assured her.

"I love you, and I think we're ready for this. We can afford a place together, especially once we sell the townhouse, and as long as there's plenty of room for my piano, we can get any place you want. What do you think?"

Cameron could barely form words, she was so shocked. Finally, she blurted out, "Do you really mean it?"

House nodded, holding her gaze. "Yeah, I do. I've never been more serious, except for today when I told you I love you."

Cameron took a deep breath and nodded earnestly. "Ok then."

"Yes?" he double checked.

"Yes," she chuckled, kissing him passionately.

House sighed in relief, holding her tightly as she buried her face in his shoulder. The moment when she had stared at him blankly, not moving had been the longest moment of his life, and he finally registered how much he would suffer if she was not with him.