A/N: Ok, I'd just like to say great job to everyone out there who has more than one fic up at a time and manages to update all in a timely fashion. I hope I'm not taking too long between updates. It's a bit hard to keep track. Anyways, chapter 10-the big 1-0!! Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Your special day

The next morning Cameron awoke, and rubbed at her neck. This was not going to work anymore. Too cold and too uncomfortable. She wondered how Wilson could stand it. She sat up and stretched, tiptoed silently to the bathroom, grabbed clothes from her newly appointed drawer, and showered as quickly as she could, hoping she hadn't woken up her room-mate.

She had a bit of a surprise planned for that morning. It was, after all, different from all other days, whether House acknowledged it or not. She went back to the living room and rummaged in a suitcase for a couple of things she'd almost forgotten to pack. Upon finding them, she walked to the door, and opened it quietly. She went to his dresser and put one thing in a drawer.

She then walked to the bed and looked at him sleeping until, without opening his eyes, he stated,

"Quit staring at me. It's creepy."

She was tempted to say something about the previous night, but didn't want him to know she'd been awake.

"Open your eyes," she ordered, happiness in her voice.

He did so, yawning, only to see the small box she held out to him in both hands.

"What's that?"

"Your birthday present. I didn't forget."

"It's not your responsibility to remember."

"Just open it, please," she pleaded, and gave him a puppy dog face.

"Give it here then." She put the box in his proffered hand, and he untied the white ribbon and pulled off the green paper.

"A box. How did you know? Thank you, I don't know what to say, really."

"Open the damn box." She bit her lip, waiting for his reaction.

He took off the lid to reveal a golden pocket watch with his initials engraved on it.

"When did you do this?" he asked, taking it out by its chain and holding it up.

"Last month."

He gave her a smile. "It's nice. Thanks." He leaned over and kissed her good morning without being prompted.

"You forgot last night."

"I know."

"Ok, now I'm going to make breakfast while you take a shower."

"What kind of breakfast?"

"A breakfast kind of breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast, hashbrowns."

"You don't have to do all that."

"I know, but I like celebrating birthdays, and I wanted to do this for you since we've just been eating leftovers."

"You didn't get a cake did you?"

"No," she said, but her smile and the playful look in her eyes gave her away.

"Where are you hiding it?"

"It's being delivered to work. Candles and all."

"Oh, my god."

Cameron left him shaking his head and went into the kitchen to start cooking.

"My lunch with Todd is tomorrow, I can't forget.Maybe I should cancel. No, that's awful after I brought it up, I can't do that. Well, I've gone over this a million times, and it's just lunch. Besides, it's not as though I'm actually dating House. Yea, everything will be ok…so, why don't I want to tell him?"

Her last thought left her confused, so she shoved it out of her mind, and concentrated on the eggs.

He came out then, wearing a jacket that he held over his shirt. She grinned. He'd found it then.

"I figured I was supposed to wear this monstrosity."

"You are correct. Thank you for not just pitching it. That's what I figured you'd do."

"I thought I'd humor you."

"Let me see it."

"No, you've seen it already anyway, you bought it."

"I'll rephrase. Let me see it on you."

He sighed loudly and removed his hands from the jacket.

The shirt she'd picked out was black and featured a cake. Words above it read 'It's my birthday!'

"It looks nice."

"It looks ridiculous." His hands returned to his jacket.

"You can't cover it up all day."

"Watch me. Where's breakfast?"

"Table, if you'd take a second to look."

They ate, House one handed, then left for work.

When they arrived at the conference room, House retreated to his office, not glancing at the cake on the table, which, had already been delivered.

As the day passed, Cameron visited the clinic, and chatted with Mary Ann in her office about the upcoming rehearsal dinner. Between them, they managed a suitable seating chart, and Cameron checked to make sure that the catering was still on schedule.

"Can I see your dress?"

"Of course Allie. It's actually here, I had it delivered here, since I'm hardly ever home anymore. Yours and Susan's came too."

"Oh…that's great." She managed a smile, despite memories of the picture of the dress…which were, to put it bluntly, hideous.

"Yours is just beautiful. Wow, I'm jealous!" Cameron ran a hand across the smooth material of the white off-the-shoulder gown.

"Here's yours." Mary Ann brought it out. It was worse up close.

"It's everything I thought it would be, and more." At least it was an honest answer; she just meant it in a negative context.

"Great! I'm so excited. You'll look beautiful!"

"So will you." They shared a hug, and Cameron headed back to her department.

When she came back, she found that Chase had been sneaking bits of frosting throughout the day. She caught him the next time he tried it and smacked his hand away.

"Hands off."

"Well when are we going to have it. It looks good."

"If you all can't wait, I'll get the candles, and we'll eat it, ok?"

The guys nodded. Cameron got the candles out and began postitioning them on the cake.

"Wow, that's a ton of candles!" Chase commented.

"It's not a ton." Cameron said, shooting him a Look.

"But it's a lot," Foreman said with a chuckle.

"Cut it out."

She stuck her head in the office door.

"We're doing the cake now."

"Must I?"

"Yes, you must. And thank you for letting me do all this. I'm enjoying it."

"At least I get free cake." He got up and went to the conference room, still hiding the shirt from view, where Chase was counting the candles out loud.

"Finish counting and I'll kick your ass down to the clinic for the rest of the month."

Chase stopped halfway through the 20's.

"Ooo, wait a minute, I forgot something!" Cameron dashed back into the office and then came back.

Minutes later, Wilson and Mary Ann arrived, and Wilson glanced at his friend.

"Why are you holding your jacket closed?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I would."

House ignored him and Cameron lit the candles.

"Ok, everyone, sing!"

She led a rendition of 'Happy Birthday' with Wilson and Mary Ann backing her up, while Chase and Foreman mumbled along half-heartedly.

"All right, blow em out!" She prompted.

"Come on."

"Please, just do it, before the room catches fire."

"Wouldn't take long with all those," Chase whispered to Foreman and they both snickered.

House sighed again, and blew. All but 6 went out.

"Yay!" Cameron clapped, getting into the spirit. She blew the rest out and began cutting the cake.

"What did you wish for?" She asked.

"That this day were over."

"You told, so now it won't come true."

"Bet it will."

"Eventually, yes, but not yet. Cake?"

"What do you think?"

She passed him a piece. He took a bite, and made a face.

"What's this crap?"

"It's sugar-free. Made with Splenda."

"Yuck."

"Oh, come on, you can't taste the difference."

"I can."

"He's right, you can," Wilson said. "But it doesn't matter, because it's healthier, and that's the important thing. The cake Mary Ann and I chose is sugar-free."

"Thanks for the warning," House said, choking down another bite of cake.

Cameron boxed up the extra cake and put it by her purse to take back…well, home, she guessed, at least for the time being.

"No way is that going in my fridge. It'll infect the junk food I have in there."

"Healthier food isn't a virus."

"All the same."

"I'll take it. I thought it was great," Foreman offered. Cameron handed him the cake, with a silent thank you. Everyone said their good byes and headed out into the evening.

A/N: This got too long for me, so I cut it in half. Second part will be posted soon. I'm actually still working on it. Please R&R and thank you so so much in advance!