This is a continuation of my previous fan fics titled

"Cameron's Hidden Secret" an "Cameron's Little Package."

It picks up nearly three years after "Cameron's Little Package" and will work as a sort of bridge to the Epilogue.

I hope you enjoy!

Cameron's New Direction

Chapter 1

May 2011

Cameron looked in the mirror, seeing the redness of her eyes and the pink hue the tip of her nose. At thirty-seven years, she still looked young for her age, but today, she was looking a bit weary. She shouldn't be hiding away like this. She should be downstairs right now, preparing dinner for those who would be home this evening. Instead, she was in her bedroom, dabbing at tears that had started earlier this week. Enough of this, she thought as she sniffed and tossed her tissue into the waste can. She could deal with this.

She knew he was going out tonight–had known about it for a long time. She knew he would be spending the evening and perhaps even some of the morning hours with her–the blonde beauty who had entered their lives this past spring. One of many over the past three years. But then, how could she have suspected it would be any other way. It was his charisma, his charm, his undeniable ability to be absolutely handsome in almost anything he wears–and those eyes–those blue–blue eyes. All these characteristics were like magnets to the female sex–and he wasn't turning them away.

She knew it wasn't going to be long now, really only a matter of weeks. They had even talked about it for months. He would be leaving her soon. She wondered how she was going to survive without him. He held her heart, and there wasn't one thing she could do about it. She would be crushed.

Slowly, she made her way down the hall to where she knew she would find him, most probably standing in the bathroom in front of the mirror as he fixed his dark hair to his satisfaction. He looked amazing, and she swallowed hard as she tried to smile at him.

"Do you think you'll be back before midnight?" She asked somewhat hopefully as she stepped inside with him.

"I don't know. Don't wait up for me. I don't know when I'll be back." He looked at himself in the mirror, fixing the formal tie that he wore with his tuxedo.

Cameron glanced at her blouse and blue jeans, suddenly feeling a bit worn around the edges. "You know I can't do that. I won't be able to sleep until you're home."

He looked at her closely, seeing the redness of her eyes. "You're not going to cry again are you?"

"No. I'm not crying. Really, I'm fine."

"Good." He looked back in the mirror as he ran his hand over the stubble on his face. "I don't know. I think I should shave it off."

"Whatever you want. You're incredibly handsome with or without your scruff."

"Thanks," he said absently, then added as an afterthought. "No, I guess I don't have time. I'll just have to go like this."

She watched him walk past her and she followed him down the stairs, then out to the kitchen where he got himself a glass of water and drank some of it before looking at her again.

"Can I get you something to eat? I could fix you a sandwich before you go." She knew she was being clingy, but she just couldn't seem to stop herself.

"No, I'll be stopping to have dinner. You know that."

"Yes," she sighed, then tried to brighten as she looked up at him. "I just thought you might be hungry now."

"I wish you wouldn't look at me like that. It isn't the end of the world, you know."

"I know–I know. I'm fine, I tell you. It's just. . ."

"Damn!" He started looking at the sets of keys on the counter. "Where are my keys?"

"Right here." She picked them up and handed them to him, but when she tried to speak again, her tears came through in her voice. "Right where you left them."

At that moment a little girl ran into the kitchen with them and wrapped her arms around his leg. At three years old, she was a petite thing with dark hair to her shoulders and blue eyes so like the person she was trying to climb up.

"Pick me up! Pick me up!"

"No." He looked down at the child, leaving no room for argument. "Not now. I'll hold you when I come home tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Cameron asked as her single tear spilled down her cheek. "You don't plan to get home until tomorrow?"

"I'll be home soon enough–but I don't think she'll be awake–so I'll hold her tomorrow." He looked at her again and sighed. "You promised me you wouldn't cry!"

She simply looked at him and attempted to smile as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Sorry. Can't seem to help it."

His complete exasperation showed as he looked at the man entering the kitchen with them–blue eyes meeting blue eyes, searching for the back-up he needed.

"Dad! Please! Tell her I'm only going to the prom! I'll be home before–well–I don't know when I'll be home. But, Jeez, it's not like I'm getting married or something!" Tony said as he attempted to pull his baby sister's arms off of his tuxedo trousers and looked at his father who was finding the whole situation amusing.

"Sorry, buddy," House pulled Allison into his arms and let her bury her face against his chest to wipe the tears from her face onto his t-shirt. "You're her firstborn. You've got to put up with it."

"Daddy! Daddy! Pick me up! Pick me up!" Dee hurried to her father, grabbing his cane and yanking it back and forth until he stooped down to lift her in his arms. Once eye level with her mother, she reached out and touched the dampness of her cheeks. "Mommy–why you crying?"

"Mommy's not crying, baby," Allison said as she leaned her head against House's chest and looked over at her son with a smile. "Look at Tony, Dee. Doesn't he look handsome?"

Dee did as her mother requested, then scrunched up her nose in indecision. "Looks like Daddy."

"Oh, God," both men seemed to sigh in unison.

"Yes he does," Allison said, then buried her face against House's chest again. "He looks so grown up! He'll be going off to college in no time! He's not Mommy's little boy anymore."

"Dad!" Tony implored to his father, but House simply smiled at him as he kissed the top of Allison's head.

"Go–go!" House told his son. "I'm sure your mother is going to want to go to the school and take pictures of you and Bridget. . ."

"It's not Bridget, Dad. Bridget was a few months ago." Tony pulled out his wallet and checked his cash.

"Then Kelly. . ."

"Kelly was a few weeks ago," Tony sighed as he replaced the wallet.

"Okay–whoever in the hell you decided to go with tonight. You mother will most likely be dragging me and Dee along so she can take pictures."

Tony looked down at his mother, debating whether he would upset her more by kissing her goodbye, then hesitated a moment before leaning down and kissing her cheek.

She looked up at him, determined this time not to let her emotions get the best of her. Jesus, this is not the sort of thing to be going through when she was pre-menstrual.

"You have a good time, baby." She smiled at him.

"Now go–go!" Dee ordered in her already authoritative voice as she pointed toward the front door as she held her other arm around her father's neck. "Daddy says to go!"

"Okay, shrimp!" Tony reached out and tapped her little nose. "You behave yourself and I'll see you at the school in a little while."

"Am I going to school?" Dee asked her father with excited eyes.

"Just for a visit."

"Kay!" She turned back to Tony. "Go!"