House had cancer. It was a statement of fact, he was dying, nothing would change that, he had cancer.

He knew he won't live that much longer, not without treatment, except there wasn't treatment for his type of cancer.

He had an idea, a very bad idea if he took time to think about it, but that never stops him before.

Cameron walked into House office "take a seat" he said.
It was a little unnerving when House was being this serious. House looked uncomfortable, nervous almost "I need to ask you something" he says twisting his cane between his fingers "a sort of business proposition" he says standing, he'd been still too long, his leg hurt.

House stated to pace "when I'm dead"
Cameron stands "that could be years House, there are treatments…." She trailed off, she knows as well as he does that he doesn't have much hope "… they are researching all the time" she said, trying to sound positive.
"Just listen. When I'm dead there will be my apartment to look after, or sell, and you know all that other stuff" he says waving his hand "I want you to have it"
"you want me to have your apartment?"
"Did I mumble? Yes" this was harder than he though "Keep it, sell it, whatever."
"House?"
"Stop interrupting." He stood closer to her now, looking down into her beautiful eyes "Don't have a will, not much for paperwork" Cameron smiled, that was the understatement of the century "and I want you to be my medical proxy, and there's an easy way to tie it all together" he took a breath "marry me" it wasn't a question, it was a statement.
"What!?" she was stunned. Of all the things he could say, that was not one she was expecting.

Before she could say anything else the rest of the team arrived, their current patient had taken a turn for the worst.
They weren't alone for the rest of the day, but that didn't stop Cameron thinking or House from worrying.

House sat as his piano drinking scotch, when someone knocked at his door "go away" he shouted.
"House, its me"
Crap it was Cameron probably come to yell at him.
He tried to stand but slipped of the stool and fell to the floor.
"House!" she shouted "Are you okay" she tried the door, luckily it was open.
What ever she was going to say left her mind at the sight of House on the floor.
She ran to him, helped him back onto the piano stool, much to his chagrin.

"Stop looking at me like that, I'm fine"
"no, you're not" she looked round and saw his pills on the mantle "here" she said handing them to him
"About earlier" she began.
He looked up at her "it's okay, I get it"
"Listen" she said using his words against him "I get what you're doing, I get why you want to do it, but, I have conditions"
"Conditions?" he said, so she wasn't saying No? This could be an interesting turn of events.
"I want you to ask me properly"
"I'm not getting down on one knee"

She smiled at him "I'm not expecting you to, I just want you to ask a bit nicer, maybe not in the office" she took a deep breath "and I want you, us, to be honest with each other, I want you to know that for me at least, it would be more than a just a business arrange."
He really looked at her this time, she was beautiful, she was nervous and she still liked him, really liked him, for reasons that he was yet to work out.
"okay" he said

"okay?"

"Pass me that" he said pointing to his cane on the sofa. Walking to the mantle above the fire he retrieved a small black box, something he thought he'd never use.
The sooner he did this the better, the scotch he had consumed giving him the courage needed "come here"
They stood before his fire, gently reached for Alison's hand he places the small box in her palm, he didn't let go "This belonged to my grandmother, never thought I'd give it to anyone" he looked into her eyes "Alison Cameron will you marry this grumpy old cripple?" he asked "Marry me for my money" he almost laughed he had to lighten the mood, it was all to serious for him.
She looked at the beautiful but simple ring "Yes" she reached up and placed a soft kiss on his lips, as she pulled away house leaned down and kissed her back, which as a surprise to both of them. 'Yep' House thought to himself 'this was definitely a bad idea'

They planned to have a very quick court house ceremony, nothing fancy, it was an arrangement of convenience more than romance, well, that's what they both told each other. He gave her his grandmothers ring and she gave him her grandfather ring, for a simple business arrangement things were starting to get very sentimental.

The plans were set, they would get married in one month, late afternoon, they would go back to his apartment and she would sign the forms that put everything in to her name. She would be Mrs Alison House, but not at the hospital, she would keep Cameron on her medical licence, no one at the hospital would need to know, well very few people. That was his request, he didn't want this affecting her career, she didn't mind. He might be a sarcastic grump to almost everyone, but she knew him, she knew he was a good man, a kind man.

After the low-key ceremony with the judge they would attend the charity event that Cuddy had demanded they both attend.

They got ready at his apartment, her apartment, their apartment. She had started to think of it as theirs, even though she was hardly there.
"Dam it" he said as he tried to ties his bow tie for the hundredth time.
"Here let me" Cameron said walking up to him in a tight silk blue dress and expertly sorting his tie out, letting her hand linger on his chest, his surprisingly muscular chest.
"you look beautiful" he said, she blushed.
"You don't look so bad yourself" she replied, she wanted to kiss him, there as something in his eyes that just drew her in.

He had booked a car to take them to the ball, they could both drink then, he was certainly going to need it, it had been an emotional day for both of them. More than either of them would admit. They had just got married, had kissed for only the second time, but there had been something in his eyes when he'd said "I do" that she could not ignore.

They sat in silence in the car, each looking out a window "in case I don't say it later, I have a good time tonight"
He laughed "you do know how corny that sounds, right?"
"Yeah" she reached for his hand, he reached for hers.
"What's this?" he said feeling the ring on her right hand.
"You did give it to me". She sounded worried.
"I wasn't expecting you to wear it"
"It's okay if I do, right?"
He held her hand a bit tighter "sure" he said, it surprised him how good it made him feel knowing she was his. Even if no one else knew that.

They arrived at the ball, they found their table with the rest of the department, and Wilson.
The food was good and the bar was free.
After the mandatory speeches and House making fun of everyone at the table the band started to play.
The band weren't terrible and soon people started to dance.
'Serenade in Blue' began, a song House knew and liked.
House stood, left his cane at the table, offered Cameron a hand but didn't say a word.
She just looked at the hand, then his face, he shrugged and she took his hand, He escorted her to the dance floor as the table looked on.

"You'll have to be my cane" he said taking her in his arms.
His hand snaked around her back touching the bare skin left on show by her low cut dress.
House wasn't a bad dancer, "you have rhythm" she said with surprise.
"You have no idea" he said whispering in her ear, causing her to shiver. If he was this good at dancing, what else was he good at?
He was flirting with her, what was he doing, he was flirting with his wife, how dare he and she was flirting back. This had definitely been a bad idea.

"Who knew house could dance" Foreman said as the rest of the table looked on.
"Only ever seen him dance twice" Wilson said as shocked as everyone else was to see his friend looking for comfortable in the arms of the beautiful Alison Cameron. "He's not bad"

There was a photographer doing the rounds taking photos for the Hospital magazine, he took a few snaps of the couples dancing and couldn't help but take several of House and Cameron who just looked right together.

The song finished, House escorted her to the table then went to the bar,

House go another scotch and two glasses of Champaign from the bar.
"Here" he said handing a glass to Cameron.
"thanks"
"Hey where's ours?" Chase asked
"The Mrs is prettier than you" House said with sarcasm and winked at Cameron who almost chocked on her drink.

The thing with House is he made so many jokes and snide comments that no one would think he was telling the truth.

"incoming" House said noting Cuddy making her way to their table.
After the normal small chat Cuddy commented on the ring Cameron was wearing.
Cameron smiled "it belonged to my husband's grandmother" She said it so casually and so matter of factly that no one picked up on it, except House of course. She had referred to him as her Husband, not that anyone know it was him she was talking about, but he liked it.
"Must mean a lot to you" Cuddy said.
"It does, yes" she said wistfully "and it goes with the dress" Cameron could sense House looking at her, his blue eyes darker than normal.

Midnight came and most people had either left or were leaving, House and Cameroon heading out to the waiting car. Both had had a few drinks, not enough to be drunk but enough to lower inhibitions.

Cameron stood by the fire while House made a bee line for the whisky "Fancy another drink?"
"Haven't you had enough?"
"and so the nagging begins" he said with a smirk, handing Cameron a drink anyway "why did you wear the ring?"
"It goes with my dress"
"not the right answer"
"I like it"
House tilted his head to the side "You were the one who wanted us to be honest"
Cameron downed her drink "because you gave it to me"
He looked at her with those beautiful piercing blue eyes, she could lost looking at them. They were kind eyes, but there was something else there now as well.

"I said at the start of this that this was going to mean more to me than you, House. You're just going to have to accept that I like you"
He stepped closer to her "i never said this wouldn't meant nothing to me"
"You said this was business" she said standing even closer.
He held her hand and played with the ring "never said it was just business"
There eyes stayed locked on each other "You like me" she said.
He smiled "No, I don't" he said before kissing her.

He woke in the early hours, it was still dark outside the window, his body hotter than it should be, a weight over his left side and blonde hair on his shoulder.
His leg throbbed, he had to move, but didn't want to move, morale dilemma time.
His Vicodin was still in his jacket, his jacket was still in the living room, maybe. Parts of last night a bit of a blur.

He nudged her "Cameron" he said, she moaned and moved closer, he smiled "Alison, I need to move"
At the sound of her name she moved, she moved and realised she was in bed with House, naked.
"Sorry, got to move, leg, you know"
"yeah, sorry"
He got up to, put on PJ pants and when to get his Vicodin.
She found a t-shirt on the floor, put it on and went to the bathroom.
"What are you doing?" she look in the mirror and scolded herself , she splashed water on her face and exited the bathroom and came face to face with House.
"Morning" he said "That looks good on you" he said pulling at the hem of his shirt
"about last night…"
"Good wasn't it" he said wiggling his eye brows .
She tried not to blush, but she couldn't help it, "yeah"
He went back to bed "you coming or not"
They climbed back in bed, held each other and went to sleep.

Weeks passed, months passed. Houses illness stayed the same, they had no idea how long he had left, so they learned to enjoy what time they did have.
They found a comfortable routine.
They worked together like they always had, when either got stressed, they would have a drink together, when they had a very hard case or one needed comfort, or just because, they would sleep together.
The sex was good, no, the sex was great!
She'd say "I love you" he'd reply with "ditto" And she knew he did, he'd not said the L word to anyone since Stacy, he was a big step for him to take, possibly to big, but Alison got him, she understood him.
They fitted together perfectly, and he would never admit it but when she stayed over he slept better, her warm body kept his leg warm, warm leg meant less pain, less pain meant better sleep and less pills
Cameron didn't date anymore, even if Chase and few other people kept asking, House stopped getting hookers.
They had married for convenience, but it had turned into more, more than either thought they wanted, or needed, but had been missing.

Then it happened, House took a turn for the worst, he had to be admitted to PPTH.

He hated being a patient, hated people watching him through the windows, bloody glass windows!
Wilson was trying to persuade him to have an operation that could extend his live, it was in trial stages but it really could help.

"I'm done" house would say "I'm not having the surgery"
"you have a medical proxy!" Cuddy said looking at his chart, angry that House hadn't told her, angry that he wouldn't even consider the surgery "we could wait until your unconscious and ask them"
"That worked out so well last time" he said rubbing his leg.
Cuddy looked more closely "lets see, next of kin and Medical proxy ... a Mrs A House, don't tell me you're married?"
"ok i wont" House looked around the room "where's Cameron?"
"bathroom, I think, she's not been feeling well today", Foreman said.

Cameron arrived a few minutes later, looking pale and tired.
Cuddy was still looking at house wanting an answer.
House looked at Cameron, head tilted, "how long?" he said looking her in the eye.
"What?" He couldn't know with one look, could he?

"Don't do that, how long?" he asked again "Truth, remember"
She didn't want to answer "have the surgery" she said "please" begged him
"How long?"
Cameron looked at Wilson "The surgery would work, right?"

Wilson started with the explanation for the surgery again, the pros and cons, the recovery time, the risks. The room was divided, some wanted him to have the treatment, he was a pain in the ass when he was ill, others wanted to give House what he wanted, nothing.

"Clear the room" House said
No one moved
"Clear the room" he demanded "mommy and daddy need to talk" he said not taking his eyes of Cameron. Cuddy didnt want to leave Alison alone with him, but she has insisted.

The last person out shut the door, leaving House and Cameron alone, but it felt like they were some kind of exhibit, damn those glass walls.
Cameron took a step closer to his bed, she was nervous.
"How long" he repeated softer
"7 weeks, the charity ball"
"Were you going to tell me?"
She looked at her feet "didn't know how to"
He sat up a little and patted the side of the bed.
"Everyone's looking" she said.
She was right, they may have left the room but they were all stood outside trying not to look
"sit"
She did as he asked, she sat on the side of his bed and held his hand.
"I don't know what to do here" he began, he was being honest with her, it was the least he could do "what are we going to do?" He was genuinely unsure of what to do next and that scared him, he hated not know what to do
"We?" she asked "there won't be a WE if you don't have the surgery"
"guess I better stay around a bit longer then"
"you'll have the treatment?"
"on one condition"
"oh yeah?" she smirked "back to conditions now"
"Put that dam ring on you carry around your neck"
"Really?" she said looking first at House then her colleagues
"Well they are going to figure it out sooner or later, might as well make it easier for them"

She smiled, took the chain from around her neck where she had kept both their rings, House took her ring and slipped it on her left hand, again "better get them back in her before they brake the wall"
Cameron turned to see a wall on people, trying to act casual and failing.
"He wants to see you, all of you, all of you" Alison said opening the door.

Once again, his room was filled with people, he didn't like it. He didn't like people staring at him.

As Alison stood by his bed he grabbed for her hand "the Mrs and I have been talking"
"The Mrs?" Cuddy asked, sounding sceptical, was this another House joke?
"Yeah, you know ball and chain, Wifey, Mrs House"
Alison blushed "You're an ass" she looking down at him
"You married me" he retorted
"When did this happen?" Cuddy barked
"About 6 months ago. I proposed, she said yes, end off" House looked at Wilson "I'll have the treatment"
"You want the treatment now?" Wilson asked
"What's with everyone repeating what I said. I dying man can change his mind cant he"

"Everyone out" It was cuddy that said it this time, "except you" she looked at Cameron, "close the curtains"
"Uh oh, I think we're in trouble honey"
"This is not funny" Cuddy said "If this is true, and not some joke, then you should've told me"
"HR knew"
Cuddy took a deep breath "why?"

House and Cameron looked at each other. There was no simple answer, not anymore.

Cameron opened her mouth to speak, but House spoke first "I'm dying, I figured being married would make the paperwork easier. Cameron's good at my paperwork. Alison gets the apartment and my pension, my name if she wants to use it, I hear it holds a bit of weight around here. It was a win win. Was just a business deal"
Alison looked at House "Always more than that for me"
"oh I know, you remind me often enough" he said smirking
"You're still an ass"
"But you love me"
Cameron signed "yeah, I do"
"Ditto"
Cuddy looked on at the weird display of affection "This was a business deal?" Cuddy sounded shocked
"Was" House said "Turns out there is actually one person around here I do like, apart from myself" he said squeezing her hand "that may be two soon, havnet decided yet"
Alison subconscious moved a hand to her stomach
"You have got to be kidding me"
"Oh yeah we're having a baby, did I not mention that bit?"

Alison took a deep breath, with House holding her hand she somehow had a lot of courage "Yes, we're married, yes we're having a baby, yes, he's having the treatment. Anything else can be sorted out later"
"I love it when your forceful" House said with a twinkle in his eye, causing Cameron to blush, again.

Cuddy walked out the room shaking her head, she needed coffee.
"Well that could've gone worse" Cameron said.
"You know me, never like the easy route" House added "hey" he said pulling on her arm.
She looked down at him kissed him and he kissed her back, just like he did every time, he couldn't help himself.
"eh hum" there was a cough from the door, the rest of his team and Wilson where once again at the door.
"you really married him" Chase said sounding deflated
"Yeah"
House started to cough, he was feeling very tired.

"Wilson get the forms, House is having this treatment, we're not losing him just yet"
Wilson looked at House "well do as the woman says"