Gregory House was swearing violently during wading through the huge amounts of Christmas snow. Janitors didn't bothered themselves cleaning this up – who would be coming back from work at this late time and took a walk on the alley near hospital?
He sat in his car and tried to fire it up. Nothing. He tried few more times, but without any effects. He waited few more minutes and then crawl out and slammed the door with rage.
'What are you doing here?'
He turned towards the female voice, that he knew so well. Of course he knew. This women worked in his team for 3 years.
'And you? Don't you celebrate this wonderful Christmas with your fiancé?'
Cameron walked few more steps closer, stumbling by snow drifts.
'I was going home. Your car… didn't start?'
House didn't answer, just looked at her.
'I understand.' She smiled. Since she didn't worked for him, she didn't cared about his moods. 'I can drop you off… if you want.'
'Since you are imposing oneself so much...'
'Yes, I am.' She said. Cameron turned and started walking to her car. He limped just behind her. This amounts of snow made him a lot of troubles with walking.
Allison came to her car and opened it in few seconds.
'You should change your car, House.' She added when he sat next to her. She didn't have any problems with firing it up.
'I like my car. I don't want to throw it away.'
'Yep' she mumbled 'And I like to give you a lift.'
'I know. That's why I don't want to throw away this beautiful car.'
They drove off the hospital parking lot in remaining silence.
'I don't want to be nosy...' House noticed how stupidly it sounded '…but why you haven't spent Christmas with this blond guy?'
'Oh you aren't nosy… Not at all…' she muttered with irritation.
'So…?'
'He left for… I don't want to talk about that'
'Sure.' He added and started to stare through the window.
Few more minutes passed by in total silence.
'It… isn't going well between us.' Cameron started suddenly
'Between us?'
'Between me and blond guy'
'Maybe it's just few bad days' he said quietly 'It will pass away.'
It sounded stupid.
'But it isn't passing away from weeks. Robert claims that I started being hysterical.'
'Did you?'
She glanced at him for second.
'As his fiancee I deserve for some more attention than his new boss at Surgery Department, don't you think?'
'I think that you are jealous. It's so sweet…'
'No Greg, I'm not jealous. I'm disgusted.'
He looked at her. He was surprised that she said his name.
'Didn't it pissed you off as our boss… how he always made up for you when we worked together?'
'Well… It was… funny.'
She stopped in front of his apartment.
'Merry Christmas House.'
He nodded in this characteristical way.
'Merry Christmas Cameron.'
House got out of the car. He just wanted to slam the door, but he turned and looked at her.
'Maybe you want to come over for glass of wine? I presume you will drink alone and I will drink alone, so we can do it at the same time and in the same room.'
Cameron frowned and then she pulled off the keys.
'Why not' she smiled 'My companionship will stop you from slumbering in front of TV'
He waited for her when she was locking her car.
'You think I won't be able to slumber, in your presence?'
He opened door to his apartment and let her in.
'I guess you haven't been here for long time' she smiled faintly at the sight of clutter at his apartment.
'Yep' he took his coat off 'Wilson's housekeeper had few free days'
Allison also took her coat off, and without any word she started to gather all medical magazines from coffee table.
'What are you doing?' he asked tracking her moves carefully.
'Don't worry, I won't hurt them.' she passed few of them for House 'It's Christmas Eve, House. I don't want to sit with medical literature, written in languages that I don't even know.'
'But you will sit with me' he added and also took some garbage scattered around the room.
Cameron smiled slightly when she noticed how awkwardly he is picking up his stuff. They both were silent for few more minutes and then she passed to the kitchen.
'You know… You shouldn't count on spending a nice evening with me' House said.
She poured water to the kettle, washed up two cups and found a box with tea bags.
'I know' Allison answered standing at the doors to the kitchen. House straightened up and took Vicodin from his pocket.
When she came back with two cups of hot tea, House was sitting easily on the couch, with his right leg at the edge of coffee table. TV was turned on and with small lamp it made them only source of the light in the room.
'We will drink wine later' she answered for his quizzical look and passed him one of the cups. Cameron sat next to him. They both pretended that moving objects that appeared on tv was more interesting than anything.
'Do you always spent Christmas like that?' She started hesitantly.
'Nobody makes me a tea, if you have that in your mind.'
'I didn't mean that.'
'Sometimes…' he sighed slowly 'When Wilson pissed off one of the Mrs Wilson I wasn't alone. And you… Have you always worked late and then sat in apartments of former bosses?
'Always. But sometimes I also used to spent Christmas with my family.'
'And now?'
'I'm a big girl'
'Some clash with your parents?'
'Not your business, House' she cutted shortly 'God, do you skimp on heating?'
'It isn't cold at all.'
'No, it isn't' she said sarcastically.
'Well… I don't spent so much time in my own apartment' he admitted.
'I noticed. You sholud completely moved to the hospital. It would be so much easier.'
'I thought about that, but I can't stand Cuddy. She would be bothering me all the time with new patients and so on… It would be like living with the devil.'
She looked at him with amusement.
'And that's why you are alone all the time. You hate when somebody is expecting something from you. Even it it's only a little effort, right?'
'You got me' – he added sarcastically and looked suspiciously at her 'Do you want me, to analyze your life now?'
'It doesn't matter, House' she stood up and took empty cups to the kitchen.
'You are arguing with Chase all the time, because you don't know where your relationship goes, and you don't want to fall for him completly. So you avoid him, work late even in the Christmas Eve. You want to prove how independent you are, and not only that you don't need Chase but also your family, to live happily ever after. Yep, you are big girl.'
'This theory took you long time, right?' Cameron frowned
'That's why I was so quiet for ten minutes'
She nodded silently.
'But if this game is fun for you, go ahead.'
'And you are here…' House continued 'Because you want some… adventure? There is always small hope that somebody that you waiting for, will pay attention to you, right?'
'I'm not waiting for you House' she interrupted him 'You said – wine – don't you?'
It was long after 2 a.m. when House poured last drops of red wine to his glass. He took last pill from orange bottle. Muted TV was flashing with colorful images and Cameron covered with small blanket from his bedroom, was sleeping at the other side of couch. He moved empty glasses from coffee table and lean his legs against it. He turned of the sound on TV and closed his eyes.
Cameron woke up and she couldn't recall the place where she was. TV in front of her noiselessly informed about local news. At the sight of sleeping House she remembered what happened. 'Or what didn't happened' she thought.
She stand up slowly, turned off TV and gathered empty glasses. Silence around her was amazing. She leaned at the cupboard in kitchen and rubbed her eyes. It was weird, she was alone in House's kitchen while he was sleeping on the couch. It was just after 7 a.m., cold and windy outside. She thought about running away, so she decided to take her coat and bag and tried to cross the room as quietly as she can.
'You are leaving so soon?' she heard behind her back.
Cameron turned.
'I have duty today. Forgive me, but I won't be able to drop you off to work' she said.
'I just thought that I will make it easier to you' he started and got up from couch 'You don't have to say how sorry you are, and how much you regret this night that we spent together.'
She smiled.
'Did you sleep well?' he asked
'Yes. But… I will be going… They pay very well for Christmas duties.'
'Yep' he added and crossed room. He needed some Vicodin. 'I just wondered how stupidly it would sound… - it was nice evening, and maybe we could do it again – '
'It sounds very stupid'
'But you know…' he stopped in front of the drawer 'If you will ever have any doubts about spending Christmas and if you still have this irrational hope that I will pay attention to you…'
They looked at each other like pair of embarrassed kids.
'So… See you later' she added quietly and left the apartment, before he remembered that he was looking for some painkillers.
That day Gregory House couldn't found any place for himself. When life came back to normal after Christmas craziness, as always nobody couldn't found anybody. Firstly Cuddy wanted to see him at the clinic, later he got a patient with boring disease (Kutner and Thirteen solved it in few hours…). He mocked on Formand and Taub, watched 'General Hospital' with Coma Guy and then he decided to look for her. It wasn't like he wanted to say something to her… he was just curious how she will react. Accidentaly he found Wilson who was going to lunch, so House didn't have any choice than accompany him. Too busy with choosing a meal he didn't notice that he is standing next to Chase who was ordering a dish for his fiancee. In the way to the table he spotted Cameron. She was sitting just beside his and Wilson's place.
They exchanged some stupid 'hello' and started eating. House and Wilson ate silently, but only when Cameron was leaving he couldn't resist to look at her.
'What's going on with you?' Wilson asked with a little bit of irritation.
'How do you think… Things between them aren't going well, right?'
'Are you looking for some new gossips? Try to talk with nurses.'
'No, I'm just curious'
'There's nothing like – just curious – with you House. I thought that Cameron stopped being the center of your interest long time ago, and if I remember well, you've never cared about Chase.'
'I'm just curious my dear Jimmy, it's nothing.' House said sarcastically.
Few more minutes passed in complete silence.
'If you are - just curious – I heard that blond guy argued with her about her work on Christmas before all of that. Then it turned out that he's going on some surgeons congress… And Betty said that on Christmas duty Cameron was very distracted. I've heard that nurses suspect her cheating on Chase.'
'Nurses always know everything…' House frowned 'Unbelievable'
'Right?' Wilson mumbled and got up from chair 'I go back to work. I hope you'll do the same'
House nodded, but didn't move from his chair.
She entered to the cafeteria and passed coffee thermos to fill. Then she go back few steps. Only when she noticed him, she smiled and came across.
'May I?' Cameron asked.
House nodded silently and Allison took a place next to him. They both gazed at each other.
'How was the rest of your Christmas?' Allison started.
'Pretty boring.' He answered 'Yours?'
'I stopped arguing with Chase, so… I didn't had any fun things to do'
'Right…' he mumbled.
'But I'm not complaining…'
'So you won't have any moments of weakness I presume… When you will need some company like me…'
'I didn't know that you would want that.'
'Let's say I like to have plenty of opportunities'
She go tup with smile and picked up her coffee. Coming out of the cafeteria she hasn't looked back at him. House was watching her very carefully.
