I don't really like this chapter as much as I did when I started writing it. Oh well. This fic is starting to end. There will probably be three or four more chapters, unless my muse decides otherwise.

Chapter 17: Visitors

Two Months Later

October 23 2011

It's almost Halloween. We're in school now, and it's pretty boring. Mom and Dad are dating. It's kinda weird, because either your parents are divorced or married in most places but ours are dating. When they told us, Dani was okay with it right away, but it took a little bit of getting used to. Whatever. It's Sunday, so were off to the park. I'll write more later.

Dani and Bella sat on the swings, seeing who could go higher. Allison was watching them as she talked to Greg. She always hated them swinging as high as they could and then jumping off, but Greg would just laugh.

They're kids, what'd you expect? He'd ask her.

Both girls were Daddy's Girls.

Dani was the one who would climb onto his lap and peppered him with hugs and kisses. She loved to spend time with him anywhere, but was shy when she went to the hospital and met his ducklings. Her tiny hands would clench his and she would hide in his office playing his PSP until they could go to lunch or go to see her or Jimmy.

But, when it was necessary she could be House-like. When one of his ducklings had snidely questioned when everyday had become bring your daughter to work day she had let loose on him, body clenched, before calling him an idiot and diagnosing the disease on the white board correctly.

Bella was more mouthy and brassy then Dani with him. She was the one who would sit in on differentials and mock his ducklings which House enjoyed immensely. She had no problem wandering around the hospital. Her attitude was 'yes, I'm his daughter. If you have a problem with it tell me so I can yell at you'. If Dani was Cameron in her clenching and shyness, then Bella was House in her sarcasm and attitude.

She was a mini-House as James, Lisa, Foreman and Chase had told her. Sometimes hearing that hurt. Because, she wasn't really a House. She had Cameron's last name. Something that Allison was working on changing for both girls unbeknownst to House.

She had no idea that the man next to her was thinking of changing all three of their last names to House in the near future. The ring had been in his pocket since the day that they decided to give it a try. He just hadn't found the right moment yet.

Dani went flying through the air and landed on her feet with a smile. House laughed and applauded his youngest daughter and her graceful landing.

"That was the best one yet Kiddo." She grinned at her father and his nickname for her before shaking her head.

"You said that about the last one."

"Well, this one was better then the last one." She accepted that and gestured to the tire swing.

"Will one of you push me?" Greg pushed himself to his feet, when he saw Bella freeze in her pumping.

"Uncle Seb!" She flew off the swing and landed on her feet running to the man that she had seen walking over towards the park.

Dani, and House turned while Allison stood up to face the man. Sebastian Charles stood there in all of his glory as he caught the young girl running at him.

"Hey IBC."

Dani sprinted over towards him, but she passed him and lunged into someone else, someone House hadn't noticed earlier. Because, standing behind Sebastian are a woman and three children.

Allison tugged on Greg's hand and he found himself following her to see the five people standing there. Dani was talking animatedly to the girl she had half-tackled earlier in an interesting mix of English and something else – probably Swahili.

"Seb."

"Allie." The man's eyes were dancing and Bella had gone to talk to the other two children so that the five of them form an odd circle.

What happened next House never would have suspected to happen. Allison reached out and slugged Sebastian on the arm. "You got married and we weren't invited?"

"Sorry Allie." She turned to the woman who was standing next to him and the two embraced.

"Good to see you Meg."

"Good to see you too Allie."

"Wait? She gets a hug and I get an angry glare and a punch on the arm?" Allison stuck her tongue out at him and turned to Greg.

"Greg this is Megan Douglas-Charles. Meg, Greg House." She inclined her head towards Sebastian. Megan shook House's had with a polite smile.

"You two know each other and he doesn't get an introduction because I'm irritated with him."

House laughed. He felt Dani pulling on his hand and turned to face her. "Can we go back and play?"

His daughter was clutching the hand of the girl who was about her age.

"Chiku this is my dad Greg House, Dad this is my best friend Chiku."

The girl was a little taller then Dani, and had wide eyes that were bright and dancing. House knew all about the three children standing there. Chiku was Dani's age and she was a little chatter box true to her name.

Aliya and Baakir were twins, Baakir the eldest by minutes. Both were eleven. Chiku was their half-sister. Their mother had died giving birth to them, and Chiku was their father's daughter. All of their parents were dead now though, he knew.

"It's nice to meet you Chiku." She grinned at him and nodded her head.

"It's nice to meet you too." She spoke in English, but House could hear the accent.

"What DJ? No Hug?" Dani grinned at Sebastian and hugged him before dashing off after the other four to get to the park.

"As much as I love these strange reunions we seem to have ever time we see each other," Allison gestured towards the children "we should probably be watching them. And-" she turned to Sebastian. "If you tell me the whole story I might forgive you."

He nodded as if expecting this. "And-"

"And you're taking all of us to lunch at a place of the kid's choice."

"But-"

"Shut up Seb." Meg smacked him on the arm. "Just nod and say yes."

Allison laughed and began to walk back to where they were sitting earlier.

"I knew that I liked you for a reason." Allison teased.

"Thank Allie. How're the girls?"

"They're great. Dani had to have an emergency appendectomy about two months ago, but I'll let her tell you about that."

House squeezed her hand. The emergency appendectomy had been terrifying in so many ways, but it had brought the two of them together.

"So let's hear this." Allison requested.

"We were dating, we got married, we adopted the three stooges and decided to come visit you. We've been here for about two days, sleeping off jet lag and letting the kids get used to America."

"The girls never said anything."

"We didn't want to set them up for disappointment if the adoption failed to go through."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"It's more fun to surprise you." Allison shook her head. House felt her lean her head on his shoulcer.

"What about you Allie? You're not the only one not telling things."

Allison grinned. "That's okay though, I like keeping secrets."

"Dad!" Bella was balanced precariously on top of the monkey bars as the five played woodchips.

"Yeah?"

"Can we go eat?"

"I'm hungry." House looked at the other three adults who shrugged and nodded.

Bella swung her body off the monkey bars and landed easily on her feet. House felt Allison stiffen slightly as she always did when one of the girls did something like that and kissed her.

"They're fine."

"Yeah." She clutched his hand tighter and House realized that she wasn't just talking about their daughters.

"Yeah. We're doing fine."

Tomorrow he decided. He would ask her tomorrow.

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