DISCLAIMER: House belongs to Fox, not me.

AN. Hope you enjoy this, feel free to read and review, but praise and constructive criticism only please! House may be OOC, but the story needs it otherwise it's not any good.

Chapter 3: Teenage Valentine Baby

The next four weeks flew by. House and Stacy had all sorts of arrangements to make before they left, and although Cuddy was restricting the department's patients, to adjust to the three-month hiatus, House and the others were therefore kept busy in the clinic, much to House's chagrin.

"Hey!" Chase said suddenly one morning in early February. "We should do something before you leave!"

"Oh, yeah!" Cameron added eagerly. "A farewell thing.."

House groaned. "Do we have to?"

"We can just go to a bar, it doesn't have to be anything fancy," Foreman assured him. "God knows many people here won't want to go," he added in an undertone to Chase, who snickered.

House considered the matter. "Hmmm, a farewell night getting drunk in a bar... I can manage that," he agreed.

"Cool. How about the night before you leave? The fourteenth?" Chase suggested.

House looked at him in distaste. "Valentine's Day? You want to spend Valentine's Day with us?"

He shrugged. "Why not? Unless you and Stacy have plans?"

"No, we don't do Valentine's Day," House said firmly.

"Then what's stopping you? We can get drunk and laugh at all the saps that do celebrate it," Foreman grinned.

House nodded. "I can do that."

"Cameron? You in?" Foreman asked her.

Cameron grimaced. "Uh, that's not really a good night for me... I have plans. What about the night before?"

However, the three men's attention was now fixed firmly on her. "Ooh, does Cameron have a Valentine's date?" House asked interestedly.

She blushed. "No, I don't. I just have plans. Ones I'd prefer to keep to myself."

"Oh, come on Cameron. Tell us!" Foreman grinned.

"Yeah, who's the guy?" Chase teased.

House smirked. "Either you have a date, or your spending the evening doing love spells so you have a date for next Valentine's Day. Which is it?"

"Neither!" Cameron replied, glaring at him. "My family's in town that weekend. Ok? Can we drop it now?"

House was even more interested now. "Oh, let's crash Cameron's family instead. We can get drunk with them!"

She gritted her teeth. "No, you can't. You're not coming."

"Why not? Who are you ashamed of? Them or us?"

"You," she replied, glaring specifically at House.

"Why are they coming?" Chase asked.

"Family reasons. None of your business," she answered dignified, as she rose. "I'm due in the clinic."

"I'm going to figure it out!" House called after her.

"Whatever," she called in return, without turning.

House finished his coffee and headed as usual, over to Wilson's office. His friend, in the midst of filling out prescriptions for his patients, paused in his work.

"I'm going to miss this. What will I do without you interrupting my work all the time? I might actually get things done!"

"Would you want me to meet your family?" House asked him, ignoring his comment.

Wilson frowned. "You have met my family."

House sighed impatiently. "I mean, if you weren't you."

He paused. "I'm still confused. Who am I?"

"My dear ducklings have decided to throw me a farewell- get-drunk night on Valentine's Day. Or rather, the boys did. Cameron lost interest when we decided on Valentine's Day."

Wilson shrugged. "Maybe she has a date?"

"No, her family's in town. I suggested we crash that shindig, and she refused."

Wilson nodded in understanding. "Oh, and you need to know why."

"She said she's ashamed of me."

"Well, you are an ass. It's a logical reaction, especially given your history."

House was startled. "My history? With Cameron? There is no history!"

"Right... so who was that person who had feelings for you, and then blackmailed you into going on a date, where you crushed her? Dameron... Pameron..."

"Yeah, yeah," House interrupted impatiently. "You think that's why she doesn't want me to meet them?"

Wilson was staring at him strangely. "Why does it bug you so much?"

House tried to shrug off his gaze. "Well, she's met my parents. I've met Chase's dad, Foreman's dad... isn't natural to be curious about the family of people you know?"

"Yes, to a degree. House, look maybe she's just trying to keep her work life separate from her family life. For all we know, there's stuff in her life she doesn't want you knowing. Respect her as your employee. It's not as though she's expected to tell you her family tree or anything."

Wilson lowered his head to write another prescription, but looked up as his office door slammed shut.

Three hours later, Cameron wearily entered the conference room. She hung up her lab coat on the coat rack by the door, and poured herself a cup of coffee before collapsing into the nearest available chair. She jumped almost out of her skin, as a loud noise sounded near her ear. Chase and Foreman looked up from their work to see House standing behind Cameron, a party blower in his lips.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cameron demanded.

House looked particularly smug as he sat down. "Cameron was right, boys. The fourteenth is out for my big farewell. Because I wouldn't want to steal Cameron's thunder."

"What do you mean?" Chase asked, as Cameron's face turned ashen.

"Cameron's having a birthday!" House announced gleefully. "The big 3-0, if I'm right."

Chase and Foreman turned to their co-worker in shock. "It's your birthday?" Foreman asked in disbelief.

"You're a Valentine's baby," House snickered.

Cameron sighed and glared at him. "Yes. Ok, yeah it's my birthday, that's why my family's in town."

"So, why did we not score invites to the birthday party?" House demanded.

She rolled her eyes. "It's not a party. It's just a night out with my family and some friends."

"We're not friends?" Foreman asked, sounding hurt.

"Isn't that what you said?" House asked him, and Cameron shot daggers at him.

"Guys, it's not a big deal. Ok? Please, just leave it. We can do dinner or drinks the night before, and... Whatever. Please?" Cameron begged.

"Oh, come on Cameron. You're a friend, and we should celebrate your birthday, especially your thirtieth. How bad could it be?" Chase said reasonably.

Cameron looked at the three innocent faces, and sighed wearily. "Fine. If you really want to come, you can come."

House grinned. "Awesome. Where is it?"

"Um, my stepbrother and his partner own this karaoke club down by the water. La Vie Boheme? At seven-thirty."

"La Vie Boheme? Like the song in Rent?" House repeated.

Cameron nodded. "Yeah. It's popular in our family. My stepbrother has been in two productions, I've been in three, and my little sister is going to be in her first production this spring."

"What roles?" Foreman asked, grinning at this surprising news.

Cameron sighed, knowing it was better just to answer than avoid the question. "Jake played Mark senior year, and Roger his freshman year. I played Mimi my junior year and freshman year, and Maureen my senior year. Erin's playing Joanne."

Trying to avoid more questions, she picked up the phone. "I'll call Jake. Let him know there'll be extra guests."

It was Chase, Foreman, Wilson, Cuddy and of course, House and Stacy that were added to the guest list of the party Jake was planning, and he was thrilled at the prospect of finally meeting his stepsister's colleagues. The group arranged to meet at La Vie Boheme at seven-fifteen on Valentine's night, a day which had been bitterly cold for February. Cameron had taken the day off to greet her family upon their arrival, so the team had not seen her so far.

"Hey, Happy Birthday!" Foreman greeted her as she approached them, the last to arrive.

Cameron sighed slightly, then laughed and accepted the hug he offered her. "Thanks. Come on, let's go inside. It's freezing!"

She led the way to the entrance, her stilettos clicking on the cold pavement, and only her bare calves visible under her coat. "My mom and step-mom have been here all afternoon helping Jake decorate," she laughed.

"He closed the club for tonight?" Wilson asked her.

"Yeah. He figured, who'd come to karaoke on Valentine's Day, whether it's a Friday night or not?" she grinned. "Knowing Jake, he's probably gone excessive on the decor!"

"Allie!" As soon as the group entered the club, a woman who didn't look that much older than House dashed across the room to embrace Cameron.

House expected this to be her stepbrother's partner, or stepmother, so was shocked as Cameron laughed and pulled away. "Mom, you saw me all morning!"

"It's your birthday, I think I'm allowed to spoil my only daughter," the woman answered, framing Cameron's face in her hands.

Cameron rolled her eyes obligingly and turned to face the others. "Guys, this is my mom Amanda Hunter. Mom, this is Chase, Foreman, Wilson, Cuddy, House and Stacy."

Amanda smiled at them all welcomingly. "It's so nice to finally meet you all. The guests won't be arriving for another twenty minutes, so it's just the family for now. Just hang up your coats and we'll go through."

Stacy shrugged off her jacket and handed it to House, who promptly handed both their coats to Wilson to hang up. Her stomach tightened as Cameron took off her coat, and her boyfriend's eyes widened appreciatively seeming to drink in her appearance. Cameron wore a deep aquamarine dress that ended just above the knee, and her long hair was in loose, flowing curls. It was simple, yet flattering, and she noticed that Chase, Foreman and Wilson also admired her openly.

"This way," Cameron gestured, leading the way and she linked arms with her mother as they entered the club, which as Cameron had predicted, was excessively decorated in various shades of blue, green and silver.

"Hey, the birthday girl's here!" one of the men cried, and Cameron laughed as she embraced him.

"Everyone, this is Eric Foreman, Robert Chase, James Wilson, Lisa Cuddy, Stacy Warner and Greg House. People, you know my mom; this is my Dad Christopher Cameron, his wife Kym, my stepdad Marcus Hunter, and my stepsister Hayley," she introduced them all.

They barely had time to acknowledge the greetings before more people arrived from the back of the stage and Cameron had to greet them too.

"Hey Bryan. You too old to hug your big sister yet?" she asked a teenage boy, smiling.

"Yes," he replied, but hugged her anyway. "Happy Birthday Allie."

"I'm not too old," a younger boy added, embracing Cameron and she laughed. "Good to know, Ben. I give you another year or two."

"Happy birthday, Allie," a girl said, hugging her tightly.

"Thanks, Erin."

She turned to her colleagues. "This is Hayley's husband Tyson, my stepbrother Jake, my Dad and Kim's children Bryan, Erin and Ben, my best friend Jason, his wife Jasmin and Jake's partner Daniel," she pointed them out after she had hugged everyone and accepted their birthday wishes.

"You guys own this place? It's great," Cuddy complimented Jake and Dan.

Dan grinned. "Thanks. It does pretty well, and it doubles as a dance studio during the day. I'm a dance teacher," he explained.

"What sort of dance?" Stacy asked conversationally.

"Ballet, jazz and ballroom. I'm trying to get Allie back on the floor, but she's pretty stubborn," he replied.

Cameron glared at her friend as her co-workers turned to her with stunned gazes. "You dance?" Wilson asked incredulously.

"Ballroom since I was six," Cameron sighed. "Dan was my partner."

Jake grabbed her hand. "Allie, come help me finish picking music for tonight."

She willingly went with him, as her colleagues found seats with her family. House could bear the suspense no longer.

"Sorry," he said to Chris. "How old are you?"

Surprisingly, Chris laughed. "Don't be sorry. We're used to it by now. Allison normally warns people before they meet us, but I guess she didn't get a chance to debrief you on the family history."

Kym jumped in, with a smile at her husband. "You'll probably hear it again during the speeches later tonight, but we never miss a chance to tell it ourselves."

They waited expectantly as Amanda began the story. "Chris and I were high school sweethearts. We were together for a year, and then... at my Sweet Sixteenth,"

"Allison happened," Chris finished.

"So, she was a teenage pregnancy Valentine's baby?" House summarised gleefully.

Amanda laughed. "Yes. Chris and I married, of course, if only to keep his mother from having a stroke, but we split up when Allie was three."

"I'm guessing it was a friendly divorce?" Wilson contributed.

"We grew up together. What else could it be?" laughed Chris.

"Five years later," Hayley continued. "He met mom and married her when Jake and I were sixteen and they proceeded to spit out Bryan, Erin and Ben."

"Who are how old?" Foreman inquired.

"Eighteen, sixteen and thirteen respectively," Kym answered.

"And sometime between Erin and Ben, Amanda met Marcus, who happens to be my godfather," Jason carried the story on. "And they married a year later. And that is the extremely abnormal, yet totally normal family of Allison Elizabeth Cameron-Mackenzie."

He winced as Cameron approached from behind and slapped the back of his head, mock scowling at him. "What have I told you about using my whole name?"

"I forget. Amnesia caused by years of frequent head abuse," Jason replied teasingly and the two laughed.

"And you're how old?" House asked bluntly, returning his attention to Chris.

"Forty- six," Amanda replied calmly.

"Fifty-five!" Kym raised her hand.

"Fifty!" Marcus added.

House turned to Cameron, stunned. "Ok, your parents are only two years older than me!"

"Yes, what's your point?" she asked him.

"It's a little creepy to think about," he responded.

"So don't think about it," Stacy told her boyfriend, exasperated.

"So, which of you lot is going to get up on stage first?" Marcus asked them.

Chase laughed nervously. "Oh, no. I- I... it's not really my thing."

Jake grinned. "Sorry, guys. Didn't Allie tell you? If you come, you have to get up on stage."

They all turned accusing gazes on Cameron, who innocently sipped the drink Hayley handed her. "Ooops, did I not mention that?"

"Allison Elizabeth Cameron-Mackenzie-" House began threateningly, and she glared at Jason.

"Ok, now look what you've started!"

"You could've mentioned the mandatory karaoke condition of entry!" Chase told her.

She shrugged. "Hey, you guys wanted to come. Remember? You begged me to let you come."

"You suck," Foreman told her and she giggled.

Over the next twenty minutes, another thirty people entered the room, all friends of Cameron's from high school, college and med-school. Finally, as the guests mingled and helped themselves to the food and the open bar, Jake hopped up on stage to begin the night.

"Ok, party people! Welcome to La Vie Boheme as we gather here tonight to celebrate the thirtieth birthday, of Allison Cameron!"

Jason led a group of their high school friends in cat calls and ear-piercing whistles that made Cameron blush furiously. House grinned to himself as he watched her delicate skin flush a rosy pink, and Stacy pointedly focused her attention on the stage as Jake prepared to call the first singer to the stage. All the guests' names had been placed in a barrel, and Jake drew the first slip out, grinning.

"Ok, please welcome the first person to kick off the night... Mrs. Amanda Hunter!"

Cameron laughed, and cheered as her mother rose from her seat. "Yay! Go Mom!"

Amanda graciously stepped onto the stage, and waited for the music to start, with a rousing chorus of ABBA's 'Souper Trouper.'

And so the night began. Many of the night's highlights included Jason singing Jimmy Barnes' 'Working Class Man'; Cuddy performing the Spice Girls' 'Wannabe'; and a classmates of Cameron's from college throwing her heart and soul in to a crowd-pleasing rendition of 'Girl's just Want to have fun.' House's personal favourites though, were quite different. He was literally rendered speechless when Cameron took to the stage to thundering applause and not only sang, but sang amazingly well, a rendition of Stevie Nicks' 'Edge of Seventeen' that by far outshone the original recording. It was saucy, sexy and playful and a far different side of Allison Cameron he, or any of the other PPTH staff had expected. Cameron and Jason performed 'Another Day' from Rent after numerous audience requests, and House almost choked laughing at Wilson's version of 'Hound Dog'.

"Elvis Presley reincarnated, you are not," he told his friend once he'd resumed his seat, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. The tears threatened to return however, when for the last number of the night, Cameron returned and sang a haunting performance of Trisha Yearwood's 'How do I live'. Luckily, the tears remained unshed and he was able to laugh at Cuddy, Stacy and Wilson, who's tears did fall.

"Where on earth did you learn to sing like that?" Chase asked her in amazement after she had sat back down.

Cameron blushed. "School choir. There's always been plenty of music in our house, all the time. I just grew up with it."

Jake turned on the music as the guests ate, drank and talked, until Chris rose from his chair, and called for everyone's attention.

"Ok, everyone! I'm going to get the ball rolling with the speeches for tonight. First of all, I'd like to welcome Allison's colleagues and friends from Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Sorry, to disappoint you all, but there won't be many embarrassing stories tonight- those were all told at her twenty-first!" he laughed, his eyes twinkling at Allison, who reddened.

"Thirty years ago today, I got the best Valentine's Day present I've ever received, my daughter. As parents, you form expectations about who you want your child to be, what you want her to stand for, and what qualities you want her to possess. And my princess turned out absolutely perfect."

Cameron blushed as House let out a sarcastic "Awww!", and Cuddy elbowed him in the ribs.

Chris merely chuckled as he continued. "Allie, I know I speak for our entire collected family, when I say we are so proud of you. You have good morals, the biggest heart of anyone I know, and an amazing judge of character. And no matter what life throws at you, you keep your head high, and keep your faith in love and humanity. Your mother and I couldn't be prouder. Happy Birthday, Princess."

Cameron laughed though unshed tears and got up to hug her father, then her mother and stepparents fiercely before sitting down. Then Amanda stepped up, drink in hand. "I just want to explain why I chose 'Super Trouper' to perform tonight. As some of you know, I had Allie at sixteen. And she's always been mature beyond her years. Even as a baby, the only songs to get her to calm down at three in the morning were ABBA songs, especially 'Souper Trouper'. They were the only songs I could recall all the words of at three in the morning, and it stuck. So now, 'Souper Trouper' is my baby's song. Allie, happy birthday, kiddo."

Jake and Hayley made the next speech together with Bryan, Erin and Ben; then Marcus and Kym said a few words each. Jason added a few favourite childhood memories to his speech for the benefit of House and the others, to their delight, and then Allison's college roommate, Sarah and her husband Joe, who had been best friends with her husband Alex made a toast.

"We all know Alex should be here with you tonight, Allie," Joe said seriously, smiling down at her. "But he was my best friend for ten years, and I know he'd be incredibly proud of you if he was here. To Allison!" he called, raising his glass and Cameron fought back tears as she hugged the couple.

Jason claimed the first dance with the birthday girl once the band began to play, and whisked her onto the floor. Finally, Amanda and Kym brought out a massive cake, and a laughing Cameron blew out the thirty candles on top and then she began opening all her gifts.

"This isn't much of a farewell for you guys, is it?" she said apologetically, when she found herself sitting with House and Stacy in a spare moment between dances. "Sorry about that."

"I'm having a great time," House said enthusiastically.

Cameron and Stacy rolled their eyes at him. "Yeah, of course you are. You get the all the answers without having to ask any questions, " Cameron teased him.

"Exactly. Why did you think I wanted to come? Sure as hell not to celebrate your birthday. I don't even celebrate my birthday!"

"Do you even know when your birthday is?" she laughed.

"Listen Princess Allison Elizabeth Cameron-Mackenzie," House began mockingly, and she groaned.

"I'm going to kill Jason!" she muttered.

"Why didn't you two ever date?" House asked her curiously.

Cameron laughed. "Because I'd kill him within a week! He's my best friend, we grew up next door to each other. We went out a few times in high school, but we're too comfortable as friends to make it work. Besides, I call him my step-god brother. Because his godfather, is my stepfather," she grinned.

"Cute," House replied sarcastically, and she made a face at him before Jake came to grab her for another dance.

The party finally broke up around midnight, and after Cameron had bid goodbye to everyone, and made plans with her family, Jason and Joe and Sarah, she left with the PPTH team.

"So, what time does your plane leave tomorrow?" Cuddy asked House.

"Ten o'clock," Stacy answered for him. "We're leaving at eight in the morning, if I can get Greg up in time."

"I don't see why we have to be there so early," House complained.

Cameron laughed, shifting her huge bags of gifts from one hand to the other. "I feel sorry for you, Stacy. Having to sit next to him all the way to Germany?" she, Chase and Foreman all winced at the thought.

"I'll miss you too, Princess," House said to her sarcastically and she glared at him.

"My dad is the only one who can call me that. While we've established tonight you could be my dad, that doesn't give you permission to use my nicknames. Ok?"

House shuddered. "I was fourteen when you were born, how scary is that?"

"Scary," Cameron and Wilson countered in unison. She grinned at his expression. "Good luck, House. You too, Stacy. I'll see you guys on Monday, right?"

She bid farewell to everyone, and headed to her car; as the others all went their separate ways, bidding farewell to House and Stacy.

House and Stacy headed to her car and hopped inside. "I've got to finish packing tonight," she said quietly as they drove away.

"Yeah, me too." House nodded shortly.

They drove to his townhouse in silence, where House quickly kissed her goodnight, and headed inside. In truth, he was already packed, but he needed peace and quiet to collect his thoughts and prepare himself mentally for the next three months. He poured himself a glass of scotch, and sat down at his piano, softly beginning to play a random tune. He stopped abruptly as he realised the tune was "How do I live?" the song Cameron had sung that night. He froze, his mind's eye fixed on Cameron's appearance that night and then shook the image off; switching tunes to a classic Mozart composition.

Twenty minutes later, there was a tentative knock at the door, making House frown in confusion. The only two people who ever visited him both had keys, so he wasn't sure who it could be, especially at this late hour. He swung open the door, and was startled to see a nervous Cameron on the other side, a small gift bag in her hands.

"Hi," she said, smiling slightly.

"Hey," he replied cautiously, stepping back to let her in. She was still in her dress from the party, and he couldn't help subtly admiring her long bare legs as he shut the door.

"I know it's really late, and I didn't want to bug you and Stacy," she began apologising but he cut her off.

"Stacy's at her place, packing. I couldn't sleep yet," he explained.

Cameron looked surprised at this, but continued. "Right, of course...uh," she gestured to the bag in her hands. "I got you something... for tomorrow. I was going to give it to you before, but I left it in my car and then I was just going to put outside the door, but I saw the light on.... I wanted you to have it before you left, so... here," she was rambling as she handed him the bag, and House could see how nervous she was.

"Geez, Cameron relax. What have I told you about the clenching?" He rolled his eyes at her, as he opened the bag and pulled out a small stuffed pig.

Cameron saw him frown at it in confusion and jumped in to explain. "It probably doesn't make much sense to you... when I was sixteen, I got mono and my mom bought me the pig, because I'd always loved Charlotte's Web and she couldn't find a stuffed spider. She said it was to make me feel better, and then when I met Alex and he told me about the cancer... I gave him Wilbur- the pig- to take to chemo and radiation sessions for the same reason. And he..." Cameron willed herself not to cry as she continued.

"Alex wasn't expected to live as long as he did. And he used to say it was the magic of Charlotte, working through Wilbur. So, I thought I'd give him to you for the operation and rehab."

House was silent, and she interpreted his silence as ridicule of her gesture. Cameron silently kicked herself, but couldn't stop her mouth from rambling, as his increasing silence made her nervous.

"You probably think I'm a total idiot, and that's it's really stupid, but I thought I should get you something but I couldn't think of anything, except those really corny 'good luck' or 'get well' teddy bears. I mean, you don't have to take it, I mean it is just a toy pig and-"

That was all she got out before House took one giant step towards her, put one hand on the back of her neck and drew her lips to his, hard. She couldn't even let out the gasp of surprise she wanted to, as his tongue eased into her mouth, and her arms wound around his shoulders of their own accord. It was only their desperate need for air that eventually separated them, and when they did Cameron took a huge step back, breathing heavily. Her lips were slightly swollen and he hair was mussed, her eyes bright. House swallowed hard and stared awkwardly at Wilbur, lying on the floor.

"I- I- I should go," Cameron said finally, her voice hoarse.

"Yeah, right. Ok," House nodded awkwardly.

Cameron opened the door, and turned back at the last second. "Good luck, House."

"Yeah," he replied, but not until the door was closed behind her.