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.

This was meant to be just a short filler chapter before the drama starts again, but ended up being a bit longer than I'd planned.

Chapter 8: The Holidays

"Ooh, yum! Snickers!"

Cameron reclaimed the packet of snickers out of her boyfriend's grasp and stowed it safely in the pantry before returning to her task of unpacking her groceries. House pouted, and gazed longingly at the pantry.

"Why can't I have the candy?" he demanded.

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Honestly... they're for the trick-or-treaters, Greg. You want to dress up in a costume and go doorknocking for candy, then you can have a snickers."

House grabbed a can of soda from her fridge and drank half its contents in one swallow before replying.

"First of all, I can make various comments here about my costume ideas, but I won't. Secondly, Halloween isn't for another week. Why are you buying candy now when you should know after five months that I'm probably going to eat it between now and then anyway?"

Cameron smiled. "I'm trusting you to stay away from the candy if you know what's good for you. By the way, my dad called today."

"Yeah, so?" House asked.

She scowled at him. "So, Thanksgiving is at his and Kym's house this year, and he wants us to come... and your parents."

House moaned. "No! Why?"

She laughed. "Because I'm dating you and they would like to meet your family. Come on, Greg! It won't be that bad."

"Doubtful. Who else will be there?" House asked unenthusiastically.

"Dad and Kym, Bryan, Erin and Ben, Mom and Marcus, Jake and Dan and Hayley, Tyson and the kids. You said yourself, my family is fun. And if we don't go there, our alternatives are to spend it with your family, or to work and eat with Chase and Foreman... and probably Wilson" she smiled smugly at him.

House grimaced. "Damn you, Allison Elizabeth Cameron-Mackenzie... Ow!" he yelped and rubbed the spot where she pinched him.

"You've got to stop doing that," he said to her and she glared at him.

"You've got to stop using my full name. Then I won't have any reason to pinch you."

"I'm sure you'd find one," House muttered as he left the kitchen to watch television.

On Halloween, House and Cameron rented some movies (his pick, Die another Day, hers P.S. I love you, much to House's dismay) and ordered in Chinese food. They decided to watch Die another Day first, although Cameron didn't see much of it as she was constantly handing out candy to the Trick-or-Treaters.

"Do I have to watch your soppy chick flick with you?" House moaned to her as the credits of the James Bond movie rolled.

Cameron smiled smugly. "No, actually it's probably better if you don't. You might get jealous of Gerald Butler."

House's eyes narrowed. "Why should I be jealous of Gerald Butler?"

She shrugged innocently. "No reason. I've always loved the Irish accent."

"Gerald Butler is Irish?" House tried to follow.

She grinned nodding. "Oh yeah. He's really, really cute too."

House squirmed and she had to stop herself from laughing. She knew he hated it when she admired... well, 'crushed on' as Erin called it...any male actors, although he denied it. Cameron had to admit it though, she loved it when he got jealous.

"Put the damn movie in," he ordered brusquely and she knew he'd be watching it with her. Cameron loved this movie, although she wasn't a huge fan of Hilary Swank, it always hit home with her and made her all the more grateful for her time with Alex. House knew this, and couldn't help but question her on it when the movie had finished.

"I'm guessing you can relate to Holly."

She smiled up at him, wiping her eyes. "A little. I feel sorry for her most of the time."

House raised an eyebrow at her in confusion and she tried to explain. "With Alex... I knew from the beginning that we only had so much time, so we never took anything for granted. Holly and Gerry... it came out of nowhere. So much time gets wasted if you don't realise how quickly you can lose it all."

House listened to her speech, and suddenly realised she was right. When he had suffered the infarction, for a time he had thought... hoped.... that he was dying, to end all the pain. In those final days before Stacy had intervened and changed his life forever, he had suddenly mentally listed all his regrets. Even five months ago, at the benefit, hadn't he said the same thing to Cameron? "If there was even a chance of a life with you, I'd take it. Even if the idea scares me to death. I don't want to have any more regrets. And I already have enough about you."

Cameron was watching him carefully, puzzled by the strange expression on his face. "Uh, Greg?"

"Move in with me," he said abruptly and she was shocked.

"What?" she gasped.

"Move in with me," he repeated, and turned to face her, taking both her hands in his.

"Is this a trick? Because I did save you some candy-" she began nervously, but he leaned forward and kissed her.

"What did I say to you five months ago?"

Cameron sighed, rolling her eyes. "Greg, you said a lot that night. You have to be more specific."

"I said if there was any chance with you, I'd take it. Because-"

"Because you didn't want to have any regrets," she finished softly.

He nodded. "Yeah. So, move in with me. Or I'll move in here, whatever. What do you say?"

Cameron was still deciding if he was serious, but decided to take the chance while it was available. "Ok," she said breathlessly and House grinned.

"Really?"

"Yeah," she replied, smiling broadly and he kissed her again.

"So... where did you say my candy was?" he asked her and she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Two weeks later, House made the move into Cameron's apartment. Although she had been quite happy to move into his townhouse, House reasoned they spent most nights at her place anyway, so it was logical to make the move completely.

Wilson, Chase and Foreman had been recruited to assist with the move and had been stunned by the news, but adjusted quickly to the news. Cameron had informed her family, and made House call his parents to tell them about the move and also to invite them to Thanksgiving, and all parties involved were thrilled with the news. Since meeting them, Cameron had stayed in touch with Taylor, Riley and Charlie and they had become firm friends.

Three days before Thanksgiving, Cameron and House flew out to Chicago, where Marcus met them, Jake and Dan at the airport.

"Thanksgiving always makes me glad you're our only kid, Allie," he chuckled as they drove away.

Cameron laughed. "Dad and Kym's a bit noisy?"

"With their three and then Hayley's lot? Definitely," he replied.

"That's why we stay with you," she smiled.

"Us too," Jake added, grinning.

They arrived at the Hunter's suburban home, where Amanda met them warmly before Cameron led House to her childhood bedroom. House's gaze was captivated when he entered the room. Three walls were painted in a pale mint green, and the fourth was a dazzling mural of a city at night.

"That's incredible!" he said in awe of the mural. "Who did that?"

"Me," Cameron admitted sheepishly. "I copied it from a poster of London at night when I was seventeen."

"Damn!" House tore his gaze away to stare at his girlfriend.

"You never mentioned you're an artist."

"I was an artist," she corrected. "I don't have time anymore to do anything but sketch on scrap paper."

"You're good, you should keep it up," House admonished her. "What else have you done?"

She shrugged, blushing slightly from his praise. "Not much. Erin has a mural of a catwalk I did for her when she turned thirteen... so that was almost four years ago now. Ben wants me to do one for his room. I said I might do it while we're here if I have time."

"We'll make time," House said firmly.

Cameron smiled and led him out of the room. The next day, the household went to spend the day at Chris and Kym's home, where Cameron and Jake were overwhelmed by Hayley's four children, all under ten who were thrilled to hang out with their aunts and uncles. In the afternoon, Jake, Dan and Tyson went with Ben and Bryan to take Hayley's youngest and only son, Max to the park to play football. Meanwhile, Cameron and Erin enlisted the girls, Hope, Jamie and Chelsea to help them make chocolate chip cookies. House watched slightly in awe as he observed how natural and relaxed Cameron was as she helped her nieces and sister with the cooking and at the same time, had a long conversation with Erin about school and her senior year.

As everyone enjoyed the cookies the girls had made, Cameron and Ben began to discuss the mural he wanted for his room. House already knew that Kym had been very sick after his birth, so Cameron had stepped in to raise her half-siblings at seventeen for a few months and was very close to them as a result.

"What was I supposed to do?" she had shrugged casually when House had been surprised at her revelation. "Jake and Hayley were twenty-five! Hayley was married, Jake was in California for work... my mom and Marcus helped out, but my Dad was taking care of Kym. I didn't mind, they're my siblings. We just have different mothers. Dad and Kym have always lived a block away, so it wasn't exactly a stretch to move in for a few months."

Eventually, Ben decided on a space mural and Chris and Marcus offered to go get the necessary materials the next morning. Cameron was reluctant to get to work, as Blythe and John were arriving the next day, but House insisted until she gave in. It was the day before Thanksgiving, and House borrowed Amanda's car to go to the airport and pick up his parents.

"Where's Allison?" Blythe asked as he drove back.

"She's at her dad's place. She's painting a mural in her brother's bedroom," House explained.

He let them settle into the final spare room at the Hunter's, before he and Amanda escorted them over to the Cameron's residence where he introduced them to Chris, Kym and their children. It wasn't long before Cameron became aware of new voices downstairs and left her work to come down for a coffee break, her sweats already paint-splattered. House and Blythe were keen to stick around to see the finished product, but Cameron insisted it wouldn't be ready until the next day.

"I'll finish it while dinner's cooked, and you can see after," she promised when House complained.

Chris couldn't help nudging his youngest son. "Ben, I hoped you thanked your sister."

Ben looked insulted. "Of course I did!" He grinned. "I snuck a peek too. It looks awesome, Allie. Totally real!"

Cameron laughed. "Thanks, Ben. Glad to know when I say 'no looking until it's finished' that you listen to me."

True to her word, Cameron spent Thanksgiving morning putting the finishing touches on the mural before changing into clothes that weren't covered in paint for lunch that Blythe, Kym and Amanda had prepared.

"Ok, let's see the painting!" House announced impatiently when the last empty dessert dishes were cleared from the table two hours later.

Cameron rolled her eyes, but House, Ben and Jake had already left the table and were heading upstairs. The others hastened after them, and Cameron took a deep breath before opening the door to Ben's bedroom, and letting everyone else in.

"Whoa!" Ben exclaimed in delight, his eyes wide as he took it in.

House was speechless. The wall was painted a deep blue, almost black with miniscule white stars covering most of the space. There was a bright orange-colored planet in the centre of the wall, with swirls of light and even a rocket in the corner, with a small planet Earth visible in the distance.

"This is great, sweetie!" Amanda told her daughter, and the others added their praise.

"Thanks. You like it, Ben?" she asked her brother.

He nodded, beaming. "It's wicked cool, Al. Thanks, heaps."

Cameron exchanged a grin with Dan. "There you go. It's 'wicked cool', apparently."

House raved about the mural for days, and didn't stop when they returned to Princeton. He even asked Cuddy to get her to paint a mural for the children's ward, which after much convincing she agreed to, and painted a magical fairyland that had the whole staff talking. The whole incident had given House the perfect gift for Christmas for Cameron and he enlisted Wilson's help to pull it off in the weeks before Christmas.

The couple had plans to go to North Carolina for the holiday to spend it with Blythe and John, but unfortunately, the day before Christmas Eve, they were handed a new patient and the team promptly put their holidays on hold.

"Doesn't it seem this happens every year?" Chase sighed to Cameron as they were conducting tests in the lab on Christmas Eve.

"Yeah..." Cameron agreed grimly. It was the first Christmas for her and House as a couple, and here they were working, as usual.

"Too bad we can't still have Christmas," Chase was saying and Cameron was suddenly struck with an idea.

"Maybe we can."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "I mean, I could cook, bring in my small Christmas tree... we can have Christmas here! I mean, I've got your gifts at home, but it won't be hard to move them."

Chase seemed to be getting into the idea now. "Yeah, well I know Foreman and I all have gifts for everyone. Why not?"

Cameron was excited now. "Can you finish the tests while I convince House?"

"Sure, go for it," he nodded and she dashed out of the office.

When she suggested it to him, House looked at her as though she was crazy. "Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Greg. We all had plans, and now we're stuck working... again. Christmas is all about being together, and I really want to make the holiday fun for everyone."

"With Chase and Foreman?" he asked sceptically.

"You can invite Wilson, it's not like he's going anywhere," she wheedled him. "Please, Greg? It's our first Christmas together..."

She turned her gaze to him pleadingly and House sighed heavily. "Fine. Whatever."

Cameron beamed and kissed him lightly before skipping happily out of the office. Throughout the night, the team made separate trips out to bring their gifts back to the office to the small tree Cameron had brought from her apartment. Even Wilson and Cuddy, whom Cameron had invited, joined in the act and filled in for Cameron on Christmas morning, so she could go home and cook lunch.

Just before one, Cameron called and asked House to help her bring the food up, who instantaneously sent Chase down instead. They ate a cheery lunch, enjoying each other's company as they took a reprieve from diagnosing their patient and then Foreman proposed they exchange gifts. House, for one, was enthusiastic about that idea, especially since Cameron had added his name to the gifts she bought, so House hadn't had to do anything.

Cameron examined the gift House had just handed her curiously. She had given him a rare first edition of Great Expectations, which she knew he loved, but didn't really expect anything in return. So she was both touched and stunned when she opened the box to reveal a large sketch pad and an expensive set of paints and pencils.

"I told you, you should start painting again," he shrugged simply and Cameron smiled softly at him.

Afterwards, Chase and Foreman disappeared to do more tests, and Wilson and Cuddy left the office, leaving Cameron and House alone. Cameron stepped up to House and kissed him lovingly, smiling up at him.

"Thank you," she said to him softly and he smiled slightly.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," she replied and sighed contentedly.

A week later, Taylor and Pete came down from Virginia after leaving their two kids with her parents and joined House and Cameron on New Year's Eve at La Vie Boheme. The club was packed, and the four joined by Jake and Dan, had a night filled with dancing, karaoke, drinking and laughter to ring in 2009 together. House only danced one dance the entire night, when he wrapped Cameron in his arms for Aerosmith's I don't want to miss a thing.

"Kind of ironic," he murmured.

"What is?" she asked in confusion.

"They play the song from Armageddon on New Year's Eve, which is a movie about the apocalypse. It's ironic, isn't it?"

Cameron rolled her eyes. "I doubt that's why it made Jake's playlist."

As the crowd counted down the seconds to the New Year, House wrapped his arms around Cameron and kissed her just before midnight.

"Happy New Year," she whispered to him as the partygoers cheered.

House smiled down at her, holding her close. "I love you."

"I love you too." Then she sighed. "Are we done with the holidays for now?"

House laughed. "Almost. You're forgetting one."

She frowned. "Am I? What?"

"Valentine's Day," he answered simply and she laughed.
"You don't do Valentine's Day!" she reminded him.

"Well, I never used to. But it's also your birthday, so I figure I'll have to do something."

She shook her head. "Just spend it with me. That's all."

House went one step further though, and on Valentine's morning, surprised her with a dozen red roses and a simple silver music box, which she loved. Then he, Chase, Foreman, Wilson and Cuddy took her out for lunch with Jake and Dan, before the couple spent a quiet night at home.

"Have a good birthday?" he asked her as they were falling asleep.

Cameron smiled softly. "Perfect. Everything is perfect."

House entwined his fingers in hers and pulled her closer as sleep claimed them.