Cameron looked at House questioningly. She braced for him to give the bad news and for them to be exiled like a game of Survivor.

"We were going to wait till after the wedding but well Allison's pregnant."

Everyone broke off into their own conversations and then Cameron was inundated with a bunch of happy, emotional females all wanting to know her due date and such. She finally got a look at House but the look on his face was strained and worrisome. Whatever made him take this route; whatever his reasoning; it wasn't for his amusement. Still she had to regroup. Quickly she excused herself to the bathroom. A knock resounded a minute later. She opened the door to find not House but Aunt Virginia.

"Aunt Virginia! She exclaimed moving to the side to give the short woman entry to the bathroom.

"How are you my sweet Allison?"

"I'm fine just didn't expect him to announce that today."

"Look at me sweetheart. You don't have to pretend with me. You're no more pregnant than Dan Brady is. I also know that the stories my bambino are cooking up having nothing to do with you."

She said the word stories and Cameron wondered how much she knew. She didn't have long to wait.

"I've known since you two arrived that he wasn't planning on marrying you. At first I thought that he was doing it for me. He worries so much about me. Ever since he was a little boy; his parents would show up to collect him and he'd worry himself sick with fear that I'd be gone next time he came around. But this is different honey. Whatever he's doing, he's doing for himself. There's something wrong."

Cameron got up to look out the door in case House was listening.

"Not to worry. Dan and the boys took him out to Dan's ranch outside of town. Some sort of bonding ritual I guess. Now tell me."

"I was on vacation and he appeared at my door one night. He'd wrecked his motorcycle after he'd been drinking. I patched him up and he said he wanted to lay low for a few days. I went to go get him clothes and he was different when I came back. Suddenly he wanted out of town. We drove up here and from that first night he's been having these nightmares that wake him up screaming. He won't tell me what happened but I know he won't even talk to his friends at the hospital. When he asked me to act like we were married I agreed but only because I hoped he'd tell me. I never expected to meet such wonderful people or for it to go this far. This pregnancy was a blow."

"The ring to me was a blow. Allison he may be scheming and trying to protect himself right now but he gave you that ring. He may not want to marry you right now but Greg's fallen in love with you. After Margarite died I didn't think I'd ever see that ring again. Not even Stacy meant this much to him."

Cameron formed her own opinion but Virginia saw that too.

"It's not what you think Allison but I can't tell you that part he'd see it as betrayal. He has much explaining to do and I can tell you aren't the submissive type. My only question is are you still playing into the game. Are you still planning on marrying him? Corrado and I love you as do the people of this town. Whether you do or you don't, that love will never change."

Cameron embraced the woman so completely relieved that she wasn't misleading this wonderful woman nor had she betrayed House.

"Now let's find the other ladies. It's bingo night and so help Father Augustine if he doesn't call my lucky numbers!" She kissed Cameron's forehead and they discreetly slipped back into the party.

Cameron had never played bingo before but she was eager to try. She marveled at all the woman that packed the Elk's Lodge. Aunt Virginia explained that the Elk's Lodge in Arkville, the next town over, had burned down in 1987. Ever since then the ladies had driven the few miles up to play in Margaretville. All the women knew each other and it was a happy occasion. But not surprisingly, Aunt Virginia was the leader with all the ladies wanting to talk to her.

"Ladies, I'd like you all to meet Dr. Allison Cameron. She works as a doctor at Princeton-Plainsboro hospital."

"Isn't that where Gregory works?" One woman asked excitedly.

"Yes Ruthie in fact they are in the same department. And Allison is currently Greg's fiancée."

"Oh sorry Bea, looks like your fantasies of wooing Dr. House are over now!" One woman said to another. The woman named Beatrice turned solid red.

"What?" Another lady asked.

"Esther turn up your hearing aid! Oh my goodness!" The same one said to another lady.

"Nice to meet you Allison my name's Benadette." The woman said with a smile.

"Like Bernadette without the R?" Cameron clarified.

"Yes and best you remember that Allison. Benadette nearly mamed Rory Edwards when he called her that at her wedding." Aunt Virginia said.

"Oh? Do you still see him?" She asked.

"Been married to that big knot head for 36 years! And I can assure you he never made that mistake again!" She said triumphantly.

All the woman giggled profusely but it was apparent that they all loved each other immensely.

"Gladys you and Benadette can sit across from me tonight so Allison can sit next to me. We're breaking in a rookie and as Mildred went to see her daughter in Boca, she won't mind if you sit in her chair."

"A rookie huh?" A tall slender man said smiling down at Cameron. His black suit gave away the fact that he was Father Augustine. And there was no denying that he was Caesar Romero's double.

"Hi Father Augustine! This is Allison the one I phoned you about."

"It's a pleasure. I've known Greg since he was an alter boy in the church."

This shocked Cameron. House, an alter boy? This was like finding out Santa Claus was the Easter Bunny. It didn't measure up in her mind. House for all intents and purpose didn't believe in God.

"Well Allison I hope you have beginner's luck but watch out for these ladies. They'll take you out and horsewhip ya if they think they've been cheated."

"You just call our numbers and we'll be fine. Otherwise we might have to take you out back and horsewhip you. Then poor Father O'Leary will be busy for weeks with confessions from us!" Benadette teased. This made the man blush and he nodded to the ladies and walked to the front of the room.

Cameron noticed a woman that sat two down from Gladys was as red as Father Augustine.

"What's that all about?" Cameron asked.

"Oh Cecilia! Father Auggie's been looking a little to slim these days. Are you forgetting to use the heavy whipping cream when you make him dessert these days?" Aunt Virginia teased the woman.

"He likes my baking jut fine thank you." She yelled down the table and blushed again when half the women all stopped to stare.

"He's been eating at Loretta Goodson's house more and more these days. She hasn't gotten to bake for him much lately." The woman sitting next to her said.

"Oh Rose shut up!" She shot back.

The women all laughed.

"Looks like mine and Rosie's turn at the snackbar tonight. What'll you ladies have?" Benadette asked.

"I want the Philly Cheesesteak but tell Tony back there to go easy on the cheese and heavier on the onions." Aunt Virginia demanded.

"Twenty five years we've been coming here. I don't think she knows anything else on the menu but that sandwich and every week she's gotta tell me the same thing. Vivian you gonna have the club? Allison what would you like to eat." She asked Cameron handing her a menu.

"Chicken salad sandwich looks good with cole slaw and an extra pickle. And please let me buy everyone's dinner. I haven't spent so much as a dime since I've been here." Cameron said handing the woman $100.

"You better keep this one around." Rosie said with a big smile. "Thank you that's very generous."

"Ok Allison why don't you come with Gladys and I so we can get our cards. Ladies it's time to anti-up." Gladys went around the table and collected money from the ten ladies at their table.

While they waited in line and chatted about men and bingo in general and Cameron got all the tips on playing, her cell phone rang. It was House. He'd bought a new phone on her insistance

"Excuse me ladies. The doctor's calling." She said making light of it although her stomach suddenly felt like a butterfly convention.

"House." She said simply.

"Hey Al. How's the henhouse of Walnut Street?"

"A lot of fun. Are you gonna tell me what today was all about?"

"Later. First I need a favor."

"A favor? What can you possibly want from me now?"

"I need you to call Cuddy and have her here by the wedding. Make sure you tell her we're getting married."

"What? Wait you won't even talk to Cuddy? And if you want her here why don't you call her?"

"Stop asking questions. Tell her I need her here along with her roommate, Got it?"

"House! Enough with the games already!"

"It's not a game! I have one shot here to get everything off the ground. You're the only one I trust, don't you get that?"

"No frankly I don't. You've told me nothing about what happened and yet you want me to marry you and now supposedly I'm carrying your child. I've let you roll the dice and play dealer here. I could've called Cuddy or Wilson by now and gotten the story but I've waited. You either tell me what's going on or I'm leaving to go back home tomorrow."

He was so silent that Cameron looked at her phone to see if he'd hung up but he hadn't.

"It involves things you won't understand unless I tell you everything. If I tell you now you will go home and I will lose everything. When have you known me to give a damn about anything? I have to do this for her and I can't do this alone. But for once trust me completely. I need you."

It was a startling three words and she could hear the desperation in his tone.

"Ok but I want to ask you three things and I want the truth."

"What?"

"Are you in danger of going to jail or being harmed?"

"Yes."

"Were you in love with Margarite?"

"I can't answer that simply."

"What are your feelings for me?"

And she heard the heartbreaking sound of disconnection. He'd hung up on her. She put the phone back in her pocket and then remembered his request and pulled the phone back out. She dialed Cuddy's home number and waived to the girls to signal she was all right.

"Hello?"

"Cuddy hey it's Cameron."

"Is House still alive?" She asked quickly.

"What?"

"A week together in a small town with House, I don't think I'd last a day much less a week."

She felt some relief over the joke.

"Listen I know this sounds strange but well House and I are getting married on Friday and he wants you here."

"Oh no. I was afraid of this. Marrying you may not make a difference."

"Wait you knew he'd propose?"

"Yes and no. I take it you're still in the dark?"

"You don't know the half of it."

"He's got good reason for what he's doing but that may not be enough to save him. Has he spoken to Wilson?"

"No he won't even let me bring his name up."

"Not surprised there either."

"Geez this is what I get for taking a vacation. He also told me that he wants to bring your roommate."

"I knew you were going to say that and if you only knew who that was you'd really worry about House. Ok listen I need to relay a few things to him. First, I will come up but I won't come without Wilson so either he gets both of us or neither. Secondly, I may not be able to comply with his last request and I'm almost certain that it can't happen. Third and this is extremely important that he knows this. Tell him Sam Stevens is still alive."

Cameron made some mental notes and after she asked about Chase and Foreman she hung up.

Cameron knew she was in trouble when all the women at the table yelled bingo. She sat with a full bingo card in front of her.

"She won it! Oh my gosh!" All the women were clucking like hens. Father Augustine verified the card and she was declared the winner.

"What did I win?"

"Our quarterly jackpot; $2500 in cash. I guess you do have beginner's luck."

Cameron squealed with delight as all the ladies cheered for her.

Three hours later they were standing outside with some of the other ladies waiting for Uncle Cappy to come and get her and Aunt Virginia.

"And we'll see you on Friday then!" Benadette said as she and some of the other ladies piled in to drive back to Arkville. Cappy pulled up a few minutes later. She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"I love this little girl!" He said.

"So what did Gregory have to say?"

"A bunch of mysterious stuff as is custom for him these days. I asked him about Margarite and he wouldn't give me a straight answer. But he said of it was for her."

Uncle Cappy spoke up before Aunt Virginia could. "It's not Margarite he's doing this for."

"Coraddo you stop that. It's up to Greg to tell her."

"Baby he ain't tellin' her nothin'. Greg's a good boy but I'm not gonna let him her my sweet girl here. If you don't tell her about Serafina I will."

Cameron looked curiously at him in the rearview. One thing was certain, Cameron would never need to read a Sherlock Holmes mystery. She had all the mystery she could handle.

"Ok Allison here goes. The story of Serafina."