Disclaimer: I do not own House M.D. or the ideas of "A Christmas Carol". Someone does own House M.D., but it isn't me. Any ideas that are relevant to the story of "A Christmas Carol" belong to the author, Charles Dickens and the author only. NOT ME!! If I did, I would be cheering by now.

A/N: I was bored when I came up with this story. I had an idea to place House into a kind of "Christmas Carol" story. Especially because House is often sarcastic, cold, clinical, and miserable, but we love him all the same! So, I put this story together and I am planning to put some twists into it. I hope all readers enjoy and take the time to R&R! Any reviews would be appreciated and would help my story! (= Enjoy!

Chapter One: Cameron's Black Christmas

It wasn't even eight in the morning when the bedroom door burst open and slammed against the wall with a loud bang. Soft footsteps moved towards the large bed that was inhabited by one person. There was an alarm clock on the bedside table that was slowly ticking away and next to it was a small bottle of pills. The curtains refused to let in any light, even though a cold but beautiful layer of white snow was currently covering every inch and surface of the earth. It was the day before Christmas and the only person that didn't feel the need to celebrate was the one who was sleeping heavily on the large bed.

House covered his head with his pillow as the sudden cacophony of noise erupted in his bedroom. A low moan escaped from beneath the pillow and the figure in the room approached the bed with irritation and confidence. It was the figure of Cameron that had awakened House from his sleep, and he wasn't all that pleased to see her, especially since it was his day off. Still, Cameron refused to let him go that quickly.

"Get up, House. Now!" She tried to pull back the heavy blanket off of House, but he kept a firm grip on it. There was a low mumbling coming from beneath the pillow again, but this time Cameron couldn't hear him that well. "What?" House suddenly jerked up as if his body just experienced spasms and he glared at her.

"Is it really necessary for you to bother me at—"House craned his neck to look at the clock on the bedside table and he scowled before going on. "—eight in the morning? Haven't you ever heard of the goodness of Christmas, woman?" House buried his head into the pillow again and Cameron sighed openly. She tossed a piece of her blonde hair over her shoulder and strode over to the side of the bed.

"You don't appreciate Christmas remember? Cuddy called an hour ago and you didn't answer her. So she sent me instead. Now, get up!" Cameron attempted to pry the soft pillow from House's grip, but he wasn't giving up. Finally, Cameron heaved the pillow with all her strength and managed to get it out of House's grip. House sat up quickly and shot Cameron a skeptical look.

"You know, it is my day off. That means that my Christmas consists of sleeping in…I don't know…holy peace? I was wondering how you got in here. What case is so important that you have to wake me up?" House reached for the bottle of pills on his table, but Cameron swiped them off the table before he could get his hands on them. He sent her another annoyed look before sighing and getting to his feet. Cameron nodded encouragingly before House turned back to him with suspicion in his eyes. "So what case is this anyway? Or are you just here for an early Christmas present?" Cameron rolled her eyes and tried to hide a small smile.

"No, there is a case. Cuddy wasn't all that surprised when you didn't answer. She figured you wouldn't be that eager to go into the hospital today, either." Cameron slowly settled herself on the mattress while House continued to study her.

"Whose case is it? Details sometime today?" Cameron closed her eyes and looked as if she were in pain for a minute. Without opening her eyes, she tried to speak.

"Well…" All of a sudden, Cameron's eyes shot open and she began to breathe heavily. House moved in front of her and studied her more closely. Cameron placed her hand over her chest and went on taking in gasps of air.

"Why are you breathing so heavily?" Cameron shook her head rapidly before her eyes widened, showing the whole of her eyes. Her arms dropped limply to her sides—causing the bottle of pills to crash to the floor and make pills spill everywhere—and her mouth closed firmly, as if she were holding back something she was about to choke up. House began to move off to her side.

"You know what; I'm going to move this way now." Cameron jerked her head up questioningly and croaked out one word.

"Why?" House tilted his head at her and didn't immediately answer her. When he did, his voice was absent of concern, but it held a hint of amusement.

"Because you're about to throw up." Cameron gave him a look of disbelief before throwing her head forward, a spew of scarlet fluid flying from her mouth. It was blood, and it had landed all over the wooden floor and the pillow that Cameron had recently tugged away from House. He moved closer to her as she fell onto the floor, extending a hand in his direction. She began choking a bit as she struggled to say his name and House's eyes filled with even more suspicion.

"Looks like you do have a case. What a merry Christmas this will be, hmmm?"

"I don't care. You should know that by now." Cuddy dropped her head into her hands as House exclaimed out at her. She had been arguing with him for almost fifteen minutes as she tried to insist that he take Cameron's case. She was so sure that he would; it was one of his old team members after all and the case definitely was something. Now, she picked her head up again and stared at him while she waited. She knew he would say more than this. "Besides, this isn't my case and it's my day off. Or do you just happen to be hung-over and somehow it slipped your mind?" Cuddy tossed House an incredulous look before standing.

"I could make this your case, House. You should know that by now." House rolled his eyes dramatically and somewhat limped over to her desk. He began toying with an item on her desk, but she ignored it. He avoided looking at her, so she knew he was thinking about something.

"I don't want you to make this my case. Yeah, it's interesting. So are a bunch of other cases in this hospital that do not concern me whatsoever. Give the case to someone else." Cuddy continued to stare at him with her firm gaze as he finished his ranting. She wasn't giving in, but neither was he. Why was he so against taking the case anyway? Didn't it concern him a little that Cameron was now lying in a hospital bed the day before Christmas? She supposed not so much.

"House, please take the case. That way we know Cameron won't be the unfortunate kind and die before that suspicious holiday that you seem to hate so much." Cuddy retreated to her desk as House turned and headed for the door. Cuddy could only stand there as he reached for the doorknob, but he stopped and half turned toward her again.

"Cameron won't die. But I'm not taking her case just yet." House exited Cuddy's office, leaving her looking shocked and perhaps a bit amazed. House immediately started for the hospital pharmacy; he needed more Vicodin since he was already running out and it didn't help that he didn't have much time to clean the pills that had scattered over his bedroom floor. The nurse—it was a female this time—moved towards him as she waited for his request, but bit off looking offended when he abruptly asked for what he wanted.

"Vicodin. I want my Vicodin now. Let's go." The nurse seemed ready to aim darts from her eyes at that instant, but she reluctantly turned and began searching for his medicine. A familiar voice, one that House didn't really want to hear right then, came from behind him.

"You know, it is supposedly very bad if you act that rude before Christmas. Then again, you're not one to hold a big party for it, House." Grabbing the pills out of the nurse's hand—and earning a scowl from his sudden actions—House turned to meet the concerned eyes of Wilson. He looked as if he hadn't gotten sleep in a while. House ignored him and moved past him, but Wilson only followed closely behind. "I heard about Cameron. You are taking her case, aren't you?" House stopped and sighed before looking back at Wilson.

"No, I'm not taking her case. There's no reason for it, just because she used to work for me. I am going home and spending this…holiday…in the most pleasant way I know how. Sleeping without anyone annoying me." Wilson continued behind House and didn't seem ready to give up the conversation. "What's the matter? Cancer patients not doing it for you anymore?" Wilson laughed softly behind him and attempted to move in front of House. He held up his cane to Wilson's face. "Be careful. I have a cane and I know very well how to use it." Wilson kept laughing in amusement at House's attempt to get rid of him.

"You shouldn't be so against Christmas. It's not as bad as you think it is. Haven't you ever read "A Christmas Carol", House?" House gave Wilson a skeptical look before pretending ignorance.

"That's the story that tells you to be good and appreciate Christmas so you won't go to hell, right? Well for me Christmas is hell. Move." Wilson stepped aside, but he kept up with House's pace. It technically wasn't that hard. House popped a few pills into his mouth before giving Wilson another sharp gaze.

"Yes, that is the story, House. Though I have realized that appreciating Christmas does not entirely matter to you, especially since your idea of hell is just so…entertaining and colorful. You're not interested in Christmas even a little?" House began walking again and his voice was unswervingly confident as he answered Wilson.

"Nope. And I don't care for that story either. As long as all the ghosts keep away from me, I'll be perfectly fine. That includes your ex-girlfriend by the way. It goes without saying that she'd keep me away from the idea of hell any day." Wilson began to respond to House's words, but he stopped and appeared stunned.

"What? You actually think Amber is as bad as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?" House looked thoughtful for a moment before answering.

"Oh, definitely. Maybe even worse. As long as she doesn't visit me before Christmas, then I won't have any reason to worry, right?" Wilson still looked as if he didn't know what to say at this point.

"I must say I am somewhat insulted by that statement, House." Reaching the entrance door, House turned back to Wilson and gave him the 'that's-the-most-obvious-thing-in-the-world' look.

"You should be insulted. She wasn't exactly a Charlie's Angel, was she? Now, I am leaving and I am praying on this holy night—as you people like to call it—that no one else bothers me about anything Christmas." Wilson had only one thing left to say. He sighed before speaking slowly.

"House, sometimes you are…the Scrooge of all Scrooges." With that, Wilson walked away, leaving House to wonder over his words. House shrugged and didn't think more about it. How little did he know that Wilson's words jut might have a little truth to them.