The Prodigal Doctor by William Keck

When the much-loved Dr. Allison Cameron abruptly left her husband and Princeton-Plainsboro last November, many House fans were left wondering: What just happened?

At the time, Jennifer Morrison handled her dismissal with grace and professionalism. So it's not surprising that the producers have already asked her back for a return appearance. During rehearsals for her current gig as Helen Keller's mother on Broadway in "The Miracle Worker," House producers invited her to take part in Hugh Laurie's directorial debut episode, airing April 12th (which also happens to be her 31st birthday). According to costar Olivia Wilde, Laurie directed Morrison to perfection: "The work Jennifer did is absolutely stunning."

She's coy about details, but Morrison hints that her multiple scenes – all with Jesse Spencer's Dr. Chase – provide some clarity, if not closure, for both the characters and the actors, who called off their real-life engagement in 2007. "So often when you go through a difficult breakup, you don't have an environment where you are forced to find that friendship again," says the actress of working with Spencer. For the past two years, she's been involved with Amaury Nolasco (Prison Break). "But we do have a lovely friendship now that I wouldn't trade for the world. There's a reason we liked each other in the first place; we just weren't meant to be."

Neither are Cam and Chase, it seems. In the new episode, "Cameron pops back in thinking she can very easily settle some things, but quickly realizes that nothing can be that easy," says Morrison, who has a deal to return for a handful of episodes next season. "A roller coaster of emotions" should shed light on Cameron's abrupt departure. "It probably would have helped to know some of this information back then."

But better late than never. Morrison now admits that, like House viewers, she too was left questioning the motives of both her character and the show's writers at the time. "Obviously I have mixed feelings as I didn't see it coming," says the actress, calling from New York. "I would never choose to leave a show that I love. Typically, when you have a character that is very popular with fans, you write for that character."

Her confusion made it challenging to shoot her final scenes – when Cameron realized she couldn't accept Chase's part in the death of a potentially genocidal African dictator. "I had a hard time leaving Chase so abruptly, because Cameron has always been so determined to stick things out," she says. "What I ultimately came to is that it was what she had to do, and if she didn't do it quickly, she wouldn't."

Morrison similarly wasted no time getting on with her life. After Broadway, in September she'll be seen as Nick Nolte's daughter-in-law in the movie, "Warrior," a family drama set in the world of mixed-martial arts tournaments.

Until then, she's satisfied with her return to House –and being directed by Laurie. "Hugh is so well-suited to be a director," she says. "He has an incredible insight into how to encourage actors to be their best, and I felt very proud of the work I was able to do for him."