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 6: Mother's intuition and Memories

The staff of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital were all in agreement. None of them had ever witnessed a relationship like that of Allison Cameron and Greg House. For one thing, House, never one for public displays of affection, now seemed to spend most of his time with his tongue down Cameron's throat, and his hands firmly on her waist, hips, or if they were sitting, on her upper thigh. The nursing staff were describing their interlude from the night of the benefit as "the most romantic scene in history"; and the staff knew if ever House had to be reached outside the hospital, he was usually at Cameron's. There were very few nights the two didn't spend together, mostly at Cameron's apartment. Chase and Foreman also learnt very quickly within two weeks of their relationship to always knock before entering House's office, after interrupting several make-out sessions between the two, much to Cameron's embarrassment.

For his part, House was surprised by how natural it was for him to display his affection for Cameron in public. He was completely besotted by her and Blythe and John were thrilled for their son. The couple had been together for only three weeks, when Amanda Hunter entered the conference room, looking not for her daughter, but for House.

"Allison's in the clinic," he told her after greeting her and offering her coffee.

Amanda nodded. "That's fine. I'm here to see you actually."

House grimaced. "Oh. Right."

He led her into his office and sat down and Amanda sat opposite him, her expression serious. "I'm only going to say this once, Greg, so pay attention. You hurt my daughter in any way, and I will kill you."

House's eyebrows rose in shock, but he recovered quickly. "Amanda, I have no intention of hurting her," he said reassuringly, but she nodded tightly through thin lips.

"Right. See, my problem is, you've never had the intention of hurting her; no one has ever had the intention of hurting her; yet somehow, she always ends up broken hearted. I remember every time in the last four years I've received a phone call from my daughter crying over you, and it's not a pleasant experience. Allie's never been one to cry over boys. She cried when she realised she'd fallen in love with Alex who was dying, but that was it. Until she met you. If I get one more phone call from my baby girl in tears..."

"Understood," House cut her off before she could finish her threat. "Amanda, I really love her. I'm not saying it'll always be perfect, but I'll never hurt her."

Amanda regarded him for a moment, then nodded. They both looked up when the door opened and Cameron entered, a pile of charts in her hands.

"Mom!" she exclaimed happily. "Oh my god! What are you doing here?"

Amanda beamed as she embraced her daughter. "I had to see some clients and thought I'd drop by. I'm only here for the night, though. Got time for a coffee, sweetie?"

Cameron nodded. "Sure. I just need Greg to sign these, then I'm good. Why don't you wait outside? I'll only be a sec."

Amanda nodded. "Sure, hon. Nice seeing you, Greg."

"Yeah, you too," House replied.

She left and Cameron handed her boyfriend the pile of charts, a smile on her face. "I can't believe my mom's here! Maybe we can all go out for dinner tonight?"

House nodded. "Sure. I'll make reservations while you're out," he said distractedly, mentally reviewing what Amanda had said about her daughter crying over him.

"Thanks," she smiled. Cameron bent down and kissed his cheek before heading for the door.

"Allison?" House called her back, standing up and meeting her halfway.

"Yeah?"

House bent his head and kissed her with a kiss that left her dizzy. "I love you."

She beamed. "I love you too. I'll be back soon," she promised and left the office.

Amanda had left the office and was leaning against the opposite wall to wait for Cameron, when Wilson passed.

"Amanda?"

"Oh, hi Dr. Wilson. How are you?" Amanda smiled.

"Good thanks. You?"

"Fine, fine. I just stopped by to visit Allie. She's been sounding so happy whenever I talk to her lately."

Wilson smiled. "I still can't believe they're finally together. Or how much she's changed House already."

Amanda's curiosity peaked. "Oh? I asked Allison how it happened, and all I got was a 'oh, he came back from Germany and we talked and decided to have a go at it.' Not big on the details."

Wilson laughed. "Are you kidding? That's like summarizing a three-hour movie into one sentence or 25 words or less."

Amanda smiled. "So how did it happen?"

He grinned. "Just keep in mind the nurses tell it much better than I do."

Amanda chuckled. "Duly noted. Should I have popcorn?"

Wilson paused. "I wouldn't recommend it in case you choke. Basically, House turned up at our benefit three weeks ago, two weeks earlier than he was supposed to. He just shows up to a black tie event in jeans and his leather jacket, and announces he broke up with his girlfriend three months prior because he realised he was in love with your daughter. She turns ashen, runs outside, where of course he follows where they proceed to yell at each other for five minutes. Ends up with half the party staring out the windows watching them make out in the rain."

Amanda was stunned. "Wow... Allison's version was not that detailed," she sighed.

Wilson laughed again, and through the door, they saw House kiss Cameron lovingly, and Wilson smiled as the sight. "Amanda, I've known House a long time... and I have never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at your daughter."

Amanda watched her daughter and House with a lump in her throat, any doubts about House's feelings for Cameron long gone.

One day in July, the team was treating a patient and Foreman and Cameron were running an MRI in comfortable silence, when Foreman suddenly remarked,

"I have to say, it's nice to be talking to you without House glued to your side... or his tongue down your throat."

"Foreman!" Cameron protested, blushing and laughing at the same time.

He grinned at his friend. "Sorry, just teasing. Where is House, anyway?"

"Cuddy's locked him in the clinic," she replied, watching the scan and sighing.

Foreman noticed and frowned. "You've been kinda quiet the last few days. Is everything ok with you and House?"

She smiled gratefully at him. "Yeah, everything's great. It's just... next Wednesday... is my wedding anniversary."

Foreman's eyes widened. "Oh. What does House say?"

"I haven't told him," she admitted. "I think he still feels... threatened by Alex? Or his memory, or whatever..."

"So what's the problem?" Foreman asked.

Cameron shrugged. "This is the first year I've ever been in a new relationship. This is the first relationship I've been in since Alex... I just don't know how to handle that."

"Well, how do you usually deal with it?"

She sighed. "I get through my day and spend all night in tears looking at my wedding pictures."

Foreman sighed. "Cameron..."

"It's okay," she cut him off. "Really. It's just my way of grieving. It's the one day I let myself fall apart. Otherwise I'd be a basket case."

"You should tell House," Foreman told her, but Cameron shook her head.

"No. Like I said, he still feels weird about the fact I have a dead husband. And the emotional wreck side of me is something that shouldn't be seen this early in a relationship," she laughed.

Nothing Foreman said could change her mind, and finally she asked him to drop the subject and keep it to himself, to which he reluctantly agreed.

The following Wednesday morning, House awoke suddenly as his arm stretched to the other side of the bed and found it empty. Confused, he got up and found Cameron sitting on the couch in her pyjamas deep in thought.

"Hey," he said softly and she jumped.

"Hi."

"You're up early," he observed.

She nodded. "I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. There's coffee on," she offered.

House frowned. "Are you okay? You're eyes are all red."

Cameron shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm going to go have a shower."

House puzzled over her strange behaviour all the way into the hospital and most of the morning. She seemed to be acting normal with Chase and Foreman, but oddly distant with him. About ten o'clock, she stuck her head in his office.
"Hey, Cuddy just called. The clinic's packed, so I'm going to go down and help. Okay?"

"Sure," he agreed. "I love you," he added but she was already gone and didn't seem to hear.

She was gone all day, finally reappearing when the clinic shut its doors at five.

"Finally!" he exclaimed as she entered. "Grab your stuff, we'll pick up Chinese on the way back to your place."

Cameron hesitated, thankful Chase and Foreman weren't in the room and winced apologetically. "Greg, I've got a really bad headache. Do you mind if we take a raincheck?"

House was stung, but tried to act casual. "Sure, no worries. Wilson mentioned a game on tonight anyway; he'll take me home," he lied.

Cameron nodded, collected her things and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow," she told him and left the office.

House immediately went next door to Wilson's office and sat on his couch in silence, which worried Wilson.

"House? Are you okay?"

"I think Cameron's avoiding me," he said quietly, and Wilson was stunned.

"Why? What did you do?"

"Nothing!" House replied in exasperation, then paused. "At least, I don't think so... god, how did I stuff this up already?"

Wilson paused, seeing his friend was purely in agony and sighed, unsure what to say.

As the clock in the conference room hit five-thirty, Chase and Foreman were on their way out the door when Chase noticed House's bag still on his desk.

"Hey, House is still here! Didn't Cameron go home half an hour ago?"

Foreman sighed slightly. "Yeah. He's probably with Wilson. I'll let him know we're going, and see you tomorrow."

"Sure. See ya," Chase nodded and headed towards the elevator whilst Foreman tapped on Wilson's door.

"Yeah?" came the call and Foreman cautiously entered. He saw Wilson sitting at his desk, and House stretched out on the couch, one hand over his eyes.

"Uh, House? Chase and I are heading off."

"Ok," House replied, no bite in his tone, which was the final push Foreman needed to break his word to Cameron.

"Look," he sighed, entering further into the room. "Cameron didn't want me to say anything, but I know why she was a little off today."

House's eyes flew open. "Why?"

Foreman paused slightly. "Today's her wedding anniversary. This is the first year she's been in a relationship since her husband, and she didn't want to bother you with it."

House gaped at him, Cameron's behaviour suddenly making sense. "Crap," he cried, jumping up and dashing out of Wilson's office, leaving him and Foreman behind.

House grabbed his bag, and then dashed back to the hall to meet Foreman. "I need you to take me to Cameron's-fast," he ordered who nodded wordlessly.

"Sure."

The two men hurried out to Foreman's car, where he drove as fast as he could to Cameron's building. There, House muttered his gratitude as he was halfway out of the car and sprinted inside the building and up the stairs to Cameron's apartment. He hastily used his key to unlock the door and then paused, tossing his bag onto the couch. The living room was dark and lifeless, no sound or movement. On a hunch, House headed down the hall to her bedroom, and slowly opened the door.

Cameron was lying on the bed in the foetal position, her wedding album open on the bed in front of her, and at the sound of the door opening, she jumped slightly and looked up at House.

"Are you okay?" he asked her uncertainly.

Cameron nodded, but even as she did, her shoulders shook and she broke down in fresh sobs shaking her head. In a second, House was next to her, rocking her slowly back and forth in his firm embrace as she sobbed desperately. No words were spoken, but Cameron clung to him with all her strength until all her tears were gone.

"You should have told me," House whispered in her ear when she had stopped crying and she shook her head.

"I know you feel weird about Alex, and this is my problem, not yours."

House gripped her tighter if that was in any way possible. "I love you," he said strongly. "Your problems are my problems, and Alex is not a problem. He was your husband, and you are always allowed to miss him. Got it?"

Cameron nodded wordlessly, finally turning to look at him. "I'm sorry, I was awful today," she said hoarsely and he shook his head in protest.

"No, you weren't. It's okay... everything's okay."

He kissed her forehead softly and then looked her in the eyes. "You can't keep me out of this. Promise me you'll talk to me about this stuff next time."

Cameron nodded silently and pressed her forehead against his. "December eighth. It's the anniversary of his death."

House nodded and kissed her again. "Ok."

She sighed heavily and moved from his embrace, closing her album and placing it carefully on the floor. "Do me a favour?"

"Sure."

Cameron looked up at him, her eyes full of anguish and pain. "Make love to me?" she whispered and House couldn't say no.

"Always," he said hoarsely as he pulled her to him, his mouth moving towards hers.